With $800,000 between them, it's worth starting to wonder: Will the Cubs break tradition and go to arbitration with Ryan Theriot? We certainly believe they should - for baseball and economic reasons.

As a reminder, here's where they stand: Theriot has asked for $3.4 million. The Cubs have offered $2.6 million.

We noted earlier today that the $650,000 (and shrinking) gap between the Brewers and Corey Hart seemed manageable, but the $800,000 gap between Theriot and the Cubs somehow feels disproportionately larger.

Why? Very soon, the Cubs won't need Theriot - or at least not at shortstop, if virtually every scout and prospect ranking service is to believed. Starlin Castro is the shortstop of the future.

(click "read more" for full article)

Yes, Theriot could be moved over to second, as he has offered to do in a fit of self-preservation. Or he could be traded, undoubtedly for a reliever. They could non-tender him.

Whatever happens, the Cubs should not believe he is a vital piece in the coming years - especially when they have a cost-controlled soon-to-be 20-year-old blue-chip prospect waiting in the wings.

That leaves the Cubs in a position of not having to give in to his demands and let this go to arbitration.

What happens at arbitration? Glad you asked:

At the hearing, each party has one hour to present its case to the panel, and then has an additional 30 minutes for rebuttal. The player must attend the hearing, but is usually represented by his agent. A club executive or attorney usually represents the team.

The arbitration is a “high-low” proceeding, during which each side presents its case for why the player should be awarded the requested salary in the upcoming season. In deciding to award the higher or lower salary, the panel may consider the following criteria:

(1) the player’s contribution to the club in terms of performance and leadership;

(2) the club’s record and its attendance;

(3) any and all of the player’s “special accomplishments,” including All-Star game appearances, awards won, and postseason performance;

(4) the salaries of comparable players in the player’s service-time class and, for players with less than five years of service, the class one year ahead of him.

The parties may not refer to team finances, previous offers made during negotiations, comments from the press or salaries in other sports or occupations.

The panel, without opinion, awards the player a one-year, non-guaranteed contract at one salary or the other. If the player is cut within 16 days before the season begins, he is entitled only to 30 days’ termination pay. If the player is cut during spring training but after the 16th day before the season begins, he is entitled only to 45 days’ termination pay.

Goodness. I do believe this would allow Theriot to bring up that he was the inspiration for a new statistic - the TOOTBLAN - and had another statistic actually named after him - the RTAOBP.

That has to be worth something, right?

We say yes: $800,000 to the Cubs, given that both of these stats measure negative achievements of baseball players. And Theriot is particularly adept at said achievements.

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