Last year, for the third time in his career, Corbin Burnes finished in the top-10 of votes for the Cy Young in the National. He was crowned champion in 2021.
Last year, he was one of the few pitchers to pitch more than 200 innings. He passed 243 guys in the mitt (a National high) in 33 starts and he averaged 2.94 in addition to a WHIP of .965.
He could hardly have done better… but that didn’t stop the Brewers from going to arbitration with him to save some peanuts. He asked for $10.75 million and the club offered him $10.01 million.
He eventually lost his case, but the real problem is this: to save less than a million dollars with one of the best pitchers in the league, the club destroyed him with two years of free play.
He had a serene tone in the interview to talk about it, but he looked angry. In fact, it’s normal to be: he claims to have been told by his bosses that if the club had missed the playoffs, it was his fault.
And he didn’t find it funny. A reporter asked him at the end and Burnes made a face that really meant it all.
I don’t know if the Brewers really said that word for word, but that’s how it was perceived by the player, which is the most important thing in all of this. And therein lies the problem: arbitration really breaks relationships. The player confirmed it: a link broke along the way.
I can understand the Blue Jays offering Bo Bichette a three-year contract to avoid the same process with the star player.
I’m sure the Brewers aren’t the only ones saying stuff like that to players, but just getting into a position like that with your best pitcher is horrible.
The system is poorly made and it dates from another era. After all, after, he now has to pretend it’s nothing and go throw with the Brewers logo on his back.
Remember that if a player eligible for arbitration does not agree with his club before a specific date, he will automatically go to arbitration…unless he agrees on the side on the terms of a contract of more than one year.
The schedule always favors the teams… in the short term. After all, don’t be surprised if in two years Burnes has to take his clicks and slaps in order to sign elsewhere.
- Gerrit Cole says it right.
- Kevin Gausman has to get used to the new rules.
- Willson Contreras in his new colors.
