Finally, players win one
Jeter wins arbitration, gets $5 million from Yankees
Posted: Tuesday February 16, 1999 12:52 PM
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Jeter hit .324 last season, was fifth in the AL in batting average and first in runs scored with 127. Jamie Squire/Allsport |
NEW YORK (AP) -- Derek Jeter
became the first player this year to beat a club in salary arbitration when
he was awarded $5 million Tuesday.
A day after hearing arguments at Tampa, Fla., the three-man panel rejected
the New York
Yankees' offer of $3.2 million to the All-Star shortstop.
Jeter matched Ruben Sierra's
1992 salary with Texas as the second-highest ever awarded in arbitration.
The only higher award is the $5.3 million pitcher Jack McDowell
got from the Chicago
White Sox in 1994 -- when he lost his case.
Jeter, who made $750,000 last year, was eligible for arbitration for the
first time. The case was decided by arbitrators Nicholas Zumas, Ira Jaffe
and Gil Vernon.
When Bernie
Williams became a free agent last autumn, he said that anger from his
1996 arbitration hearing lingered. Williams, the last Yankee to go to a
hearing before Jeter, nearly signed with Boston but instead stayed with New
York, agreeing to an $87.5 million, seven-year contract.
Jeter, 24, is eligible for free agency after the 2001 season, one year
after Seattle shortstop Alex
Rodriguez becomes eligible, which could lead to a record deal.
Jeter hit .324 last season with 19 homers, 84 RBIs and 30 steals. He was
fifth in the AL in batting average and first in runs with 127.
Owners had won the first five hearings this year, defeating Montreal
infielder Shane
Andrews, Boston outfielder Midre
Cummings, Kansas City outfielder Johnny Damon,
Los Angeles shortstop Mark
Grudzielanek and Detroit outfielder Brian Hunter.
Second baseman Ray
Durham, scheduled for a hearing Monday, instead agreed to a $20
million, four-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.
Durham made $1,935,000 last year and asked for $4.3 million in arbitration
after hitting .285 with 19 homers, 67 RBIs and 36 steals last season, all
career highs. Chicago offered $3.35 million.
He will receive salaries of $3.4 million this season, $4.9 million in 2000,
$5.9 million in 2001 and $5.8 million in 2002.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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