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Friday, December 7
Updated: December 8, 9:19 PM ET
 
Indians offer Gonzalez; Martinez among four Yanks
ESPN.com news services

Juan Gonzalez
Gonzalez

Juan Gonzalez has been given a chance to stay in Cleveland.

The Indians offered salary arbitration to the All-Star outfielder after already turning down Gonzalez's $14-million option, saying it was too expensive for them.

The 32-year-old Gonzalez batted .325 with 35 homers and 140 RBI for Cleveland last season.

Thirty-five players were offered salary arbitration before the midnight ET deadline, including San Francisco outfielder Barry Bonds and pitcher Jason Schmidt, Oakland first baseman Jason Giambi and outfielder Johnny Damon, Los Angeles pitcher Chan Ho Park and Seattle second baseman Bret Boone.

Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the offers and can keep negotiating with their former clubs through Jan. 8.

Those not offered arbitration can't re-sign until May 1. Among those were Boston pitchers David Cone and Hideo Nomo; Chicago White Sox pitcher David Wells; Seattle pitcher Aaron Sele; Houston outfielder Moises Alou; Chicago Cubs shortstop Ricky Guttierez; Los Angeles closer Jeff Shaw; San Diego outfielder Rickey Henderson; and San Francisco outfielder Eric Davis and first baseman Andres Galarraga.

Cleveland's offer of arbitration to Gonzalez was a surprise.

"From Juan's perspective, the door in Cleveland remains open," said his agent, Jeff Moorad. "I've made it clear in this process that Juan had had a very positive experience in Cleveland and was open to staying, even to the point of taking a discount if Cleveland wanted to re-sign him."

While the 32-year-old outfielder had a great season with the Indians, batting .325 with 35 homers and 140 RBIs, the Indians turned down a $14 million option, saying it was too expensive for them.

"The magnitude of a Juan Gonzalez contract -- or any other high-dollar free agent is not a realistic acquisition for the Cleveland Indians," new general manager Mark Shapiro said at the time. "Very clearly, the lineage of Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Juan Gonzalez is over."

Moorad said Gonzalez was unlikely to accept arbitration, and that contract negotiations would extend past next week's winter meetings.

"At this point, we're focused on a multiyear contract," he said. "I do not foresee us taking a one-year deal."

Several other teams offered their free agents salary arbitration:

  • Though the Yankees were quite busy as they traded for Robin Ventura, continued trying to land Jason Giambi and offered salary arbitration to Tino Martinez, Sterling Hitchcock, Luis Sojo and Mark Wohlers.

  • The Arizona Diamondbacks offered arbitration to righthanded pitcher Mike Morgan and outfielder Danny Bautista. Details of the arbitration offers to the two players was not disclosed by team officials. Sanders could be headed elsewhere after resurrecting his career with 33 home runs and 88 RBI this season. He had signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Diamondbacks and is expected to get far more than that now.

  • The Braves offered salary arbitration to first baseman Julio Franco, infielder Keith Lockhart and catcher Eddie Perez. Atlanta did not offer arbitration to pitchers John Burkett, Steve Reed and Rudy Seanez, infielders Rey Sanchez, Kurt Abbott and Ken Caminiti and outfielder Bernard Gilkey.

  • The Cincinnati Reds offered arbitration to pitchers Jose Rijo, Pete Harnisch and Joey Hamilton. The three right-handers have until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the arbitration offer.

  • The Colorado Rockies offered arbitration to pitchers Brian Bohanon, Dan Miceli and Jay Powell.

  • The Angels declined to offer salary arbitration to pitchers Pat Rapp and Ismael Valdes and infielder Gary DiSarcina.

  • Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers declined to offer salary arbitration to all four of their free agents -- righthanded pitchers Tim Crabtree and Pat Mahomes and outfielders Chad Curtis and Ruben Sierra. By not offering salary arbitration, the Rangers cannot sign any of the four players to contracts until May 1. Also, Texas won't receive compensation for Sierra.


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