Atlanta Braves Release Mike Minor, Pedro Ciriaco

Aug 1, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Braves Unable to Come to Agreement with Minor Despite Last Minute Attempt

At midnight Eastern time Wednesday night, all teams with arbitration-eligible players are required to declare that they will offer (“tender”) a contract to each one.  Failure to do so results in that player becoming a free agent – able to contact any of the 30 major league clubs and negotiate another deal.

There are certain restrictions associated with this tender offer declaration:  each team must guarantee that their offer is at least the value of 80% of last year’s contract with the player.  And that’s exactly the snag that will result in Mike Minor becoming a free agent tonight.

Pedro Ciriaco is also being released tonight, as he largely became a man without a position.  While he did appear in 84 games and received 161 plate appearances in 2015, the club obviously felt that they could match his contribution with a minimum-salaried player – perhaps Daniel Castro.  Ciriaco was set to make something in the $600-800K range.  Not much above the $507,500 minimum, but the 40-man roster spot also holds value, and that has now been freed up as well.

Back To Minor

The problem with Minor is that he has been utterly unable to demonstrate that he’s more likely than not to be healthy come Spring.  He reportedly had another rehab setback in early November, and that’s essentially been the pattern since more than a year ago.  He had shoulder surgery in May, and given that this is now December, you can’t say with any certainty that he’ll be in playing shape any time soon.  The Braves lost $5.6 million last year as Minor was unable to pitch.  They didn’t really want to risk that again.

Nonetheless, the Braves evidently tried tonight to come up with something palatable for both parties:

There has been no indication about what the Braves might have offered, but there are hints from other contracts that have been offered and accepted lately:

• We know Minor made $5.6 million a year ago, via an arbitration court victory
• We know the minimum that the Braves could offer was 80% of that, or $4.48 million
• We know that many recent single-year deals have included incentives, some significant.  Jim Johnson, A.J. Pierzynski, Bud Norris, and now Gordon Beckham all have such contracts

It would make perfectly reasonable sense, then, for Atlanta to have offered something like this:

• $4.48 million base salary, though probably not guaranteed
• $250,000 for making the team on Opening Day and/or making his first start
• $250,000 for every 5 starts – similar to Norris’ arrangement

If Minor was able to even get halfway through the year (~18 starts), then he’d get $5.48m under that plan.  A full season (~36 starts) would garner a $6.68m salary.

Those are hypothetical numbers, of course, but seem to be reasonable in terms of risk and reward for both sides.  Whatever the Braves suggested – and again, the minimum would have been $4.48m – Minor declined to accept:

Well, yeah… except that 29 other teams can now be involved.

Here’s the rub for Mike, though:  he’ll definitely have to showcase himself before any other club will touch him… and pass the physical.  Also:  that $4.48 million minimum offer is now officially off the table.  Now it’s whatever his market can bear, and he could be without a paycheck for months, depending on that apparently still-tender shoulder.

History

We’ve been through this before… just last year.  Kris Medlen endured a Tommy John season in 2014 (his second), and was facing a tender decision as well.  The Braves reportedly offered him two guaranteed years at $5.8 million apiece… the same salary he made in 2014 while unable to pitch.  He rejected this – which would have meant $11.6 million of guaranteed monies.

Ultimately, Medlen settled on a curious deal with the Royals:  $2,000,000 for 2015, $5.5 million in 2016, and then a mutual option for 2017 of $10 million (with a $1m buyout).  Thus his guarantee was $8.5 million – much lower than what the Braves put on the table.  Of course, Medlen effectively bought himself a World Series ring with that lost $3 million, but he bet on himself, and so far that doubly-repaired arm is holding up.

Now Minor is walking down that same road, albeit with a shoulder that hasn’t been right for at least a year.  Only time will time whether his call was correct, but the Braves are right for not adding more cash.  Clearly, he won’t get more from anyone else yet – and unfortunately, may never if he’s unable to return.

Next: All Your Cuban Second Basemen Are Belong to Us?

Minor’s last outing as a Brave:  September 20, 2014 against the Mets.  A loss after lasting just 1 inning and 5 batters, giving up 1 earned run.

The Braves 40-man roster now stands with 38 names on it… with Gordon Beckham‘s name to be added shortly.  I have the projected payroll at $82,275,000.

But of course, we expect more changes to come.