Lohse beats Twins in first arbitration hearing of year
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Right-hander Kyle Lohse defeated the Minnesota Twins on Friday in the first salary arbitration case of the year, and left-hander Jeremy Affeldt had his hearing with the Kansas City Royals. Eligible for arbitration for the first time, Lohse will get a raise from $395,000 to $2.4 million, arbitrators Robert Bailey, Christine Knowlton and Elliott Shriftman decided, one day after hearing the case.
Affeldt, also eligible for the first time, asked for a raise from $350,000 to $1.2 million. Kansas City offered $950,000 to Affeldt, who went 3-4 with a 4.95 ERA and 13 saves in eight starts and 30 relief appearances. Knowlton, Shriftman and Steven Wolf were expected to make their decision Saturday.
Tampa Bay and right-hander Travis Harper settled their case Friday, agreeing to a $745,000, one-year contract, the midpoint between his request for $840,000 and the team’s offer of $650,000.
Late Thursday, Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt agreed to a $16.9 million, two-year contract that pays him $5.9 million this year and $11 million in 2006.
Seven players remain scheduled for hearings, including Twins pitcher Johan Santana, the AL Cy Young Award winner, and Milwaukee pitcher Ben Sheets. Hearings are scheduled through Feb. 18. All arbitration hearings this year are in Tampa.