Brewers, Axford Avoid Arbitration
The agents for Brewers closer John Axford, the Beverly Hills Sports Council, tweeted just now that Axford and the team have agreed to terms on a one-year deal avoiding arbitration.
#Brewers and closer @johnaxford agree on 1-year contract worth $5.0M plus incentives. #MLB
— BHSC (@BHSCouncil) January 18, 2013
The dollar amount should not come as a surprise if you know how contracts and the arbitration process work in Major League Baseball. As a dominant closer in 2011 and an effective one for the majority of 2012, Axford was set for a significant raise over his $525,000 salary. Closers may not be things, but they certainly are paid different than others in the bullpen. Axford has proven worthy of a $5 million salary and then some.
As a “Super 2″ player, Axford was eligible for arbitration for the first time this year. The jump from team-controlled compensation to that of a potentially arbitrated one is the most impactful in terms of increase to the player and affect on a team’s budget.
Congratulations to Axford and here’s to a great season!
For his part, Axford was noticeably pleased by the resolution of the situation.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! So pumped right now! #ILoveMilwaukee
— John Axford (@JohnAxford) January 18, 2013
