Arbitration

Now that former Orioles left-hander Joe Saunders has reportedly agreed to terms with the Mariners on a one-year deal, we know who is not going to be in Sarasota when spring training opens next week. Right-hander Jair Jurrjens could be on that list, too. As of Thursday evening, the Orioles were still receiving medical evaluations on Jurrjens, according to one team source. At this point and pace, we're not sure he will be in an Orioles uniform. As for Saunders, it appears that the Orioles stood their ground on their initial one-year deal.

Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman said Wednesday she'll hire 100 firefighters now that the fire union has won an arbitration case dealing with firefighters' schedules. Neuman said she'll ask the County Council for $3 million to pay for the new firefighters and add fire training academy classes. The county had proposed moving firefighters from a "one day on, three days off" schedule to a "one day on, two days off" schedule. Firefighters work 24-hour shifts. Neuman said in negotiations earlier this year that the county "put an attractive financial package on the table" to try to convince firefighters to agree to the new schedule, but no deal was struck and the issue ended up in arbitration.

The 20 free agents offered salary arbitration by their former teams Sunday. Players have until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the offers and may negotiate with their former teams through Jan. 8:American LeagueOrioles (2): x-Brady Anderson, OF; Harold Baines, DH.Cleveland (1): Pat Borders, C.Detroit (1): y-Willie Blair, RHP.Kansas City (1): Dean Palmer, 3B.New York (2): Tim Raines, OF; Darryl Strawberry, OF.Seattle (1): Rick Wilkins, C.Texas (3): x-Scott Bailes, LHP; Bill Ripken, 2B; Bobby Witt, RHP.National LeagueCincinnati (4)

The Rawlings-Blake administration and Baltimore's fire unions are battling over the city's proposal to require firefighters to work longer hours — 24 hours straight, every three days. The mayor says the move — which mirrors staffing trends in other large U.S. cities — will save millions for cash-strapped Baltimore while giving its 1,300 firefighters a huge pay raise by creating a longer work week. The fire unions, however, say the move would represent a cut to their hourly pay and is unfair to employees who have built their lives around a work schedule that's been in place for 20 years.

Twenty-eight free agents were offered salary arbitration before Thursday's midnight deadline, and 77 were not. Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the offers and may negotiate with their former teams through Jan. 8. Players not offered arbitration may not sign with their former teams until May 1 (s-signed with another team). Offered arbitration Anaheim: Mark Petkovsek, rhp. Atlanta: s-Andy Ashby, rhp; Bobby Bonilla, of; John Burkett, rhp; Wally Joyner, 1b; Scott Kamieniecki, rhp; Terry Mulholland, lhp. Boston: Tom Gordon, rhp. Chicago White Sox: Harold Baines, of; Charles Johnson, c. Cincinnati: Mark Wohlers, rhp;.

The next Orioles deadline of note is Tuesday at noon, when the club officially exchanges figures with its arbitration eligible players. They had seven arbitration-eligible players for whom they offered contracts - and five remain unsigned. The Orioles agreed to a $1.35 million deal with reliever Darren O'Day, whom the Orioles claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers this offseason. O'Day received a $100,000 bump. The club also settled with lefty Dana Eveland, acquired in December from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, who agreed to terms Friday on a one-year deal in his first year of arbitration eligibility, said he is looking forward to going into the spring without his contract status looming over his head. The sides agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million for 2013, avoiding the arbitration process. The deadline to file arbitration figures was Friday at 1 p.m. “It's a good feeling,” Wieters said Friday night at the premiere of 'The BUCKLe Up Birds: An Underdog Story,' a movie about the team's 2012 season.

Washington Capitals defenseman Jeff Schultz signed a four-year, $11 million extension on Wednesday, avoiding salary arbitration. Schultz, 24, enjoyed a breakout 2009-10 season, amassing three goals, 20 assists and an NHL-leading plus-minus rating of plus-50, which also was a franchise record. The 27th overall pick in the 2004 draft will earn $2.5 million in the first two years and $3 million in the final two for a $2.75million charge against the salary cap. "I kind of saw salary [filing for]

Barring a last minute change, the Orioles are expected to go to arbitration hearings with starter Jeremy Guthrie and swingman Brad Bergesen -- which would be the first time the club has met with the three-person, independent panel since before the 2006 season. Guthrie's hearing is Monday morning, Bergesen's is Wednesday morning and both will be at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Orioles also could face a hearing Feb. 17 with center fielder Adam Jones, but the sense is that it could be settled before the hearing date.

Anne Arundel County officials say they will appeal an arbitrator's decision that the county must give deputy sheriffs pay raises from 2009 that were negotiated in their contract - but which the county cut, saying it needed help to solve a budget crunch. "We feel that the arbitrator did not get it right," said John Hammond, acting county executive, who added that the county will file for judicial review in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. Last month, arbitrator Andrew M. Strongin found in favor of the deputies, saying the administration punished the union in a 2009 dispute when it held back the raises.

The Orioles have, for all intents and purposes, completed deals with all of their arbitration-eligible players, agreeing to terms Saturday afternoon with the final one, right-handed reliever Darren O'Day on a two-year extension worth a guaranteed $5.8 million. The Orioles said the deal is not yet completed, but they are nearing a multiyear extension with O'Day, who was 7-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 69 games last year. “It is something he asked us to explore during the course of negotiations for a one-year deal and we are taking a look at it ... and there is work to be done,” Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said.

The Orioles avoided arbitration with one of their key pieces from 2012, agreeing to a one-year, $6.5 million deal with closer Jim Johnson on Friday, according to multiple sources. He can receive another $50,000 in performance bonuses related to games finished. The right-handed reliever, who has been with the Orioles for his entire career, made $2.625 million in 2012. Johnson, 29, had 51 saves in 54 chances to set the franchise's single-season saves record. He also led the major leagues in that category and posted a 2.49 ERA in 71 appearances.

Now that former Orioles left-hander Joe Saunders has reportedly agreed to terms with the Mariners on a one-year deal, we know who is not going to be in Sarasota when spring training opens next week. Right-hander Jair Jurrjens could be on that list, too. As of Thursday evening, the Orioles were still receiving medical evaluations on Jurrjens, according to one team source. At this point and pace, we're not sure he will be in an Orioles uniform. As for Saunders, it appears that the Orioles stood their ground on their initial one-year deal.

Jason Hammel's breakout season in 2012 was rewarded Friday when he agreed to a one-year, $6.75 million deal with the Orioles to avoid arbitration. He could make up to $300,000 more in performance incentives. Closer Jim Johnson also agreed to a one-year deal Friday ($6.5 million) , leaving just reliever Darren O'Day as the only arbitration-eligible player remaining on the club. Hammel, 30, went 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 20 starts for the Orioles last season. Acquired last February from the Colorado Rockies in a deal for Jeremy Guthrie, Hammel emerged as the club's top starter in the first half of the season, but a knee injury required surgery and limited his second half to just three regular season games.

 As I wrote for Thursday's newspaper, right-hander Jair Jurrjens believes he and the Orioles are “getting close” to finalizing a deal , which would put the free agent in a position to compete for a spot in the Orioles' rotation this spring. It has been nearly two weeks since it was first reported the sides had agreed to terms pending a physical. But we all knew the physical wouldn't be routine. Jurrjens is a free agent because the Atlanta Braves did not tender him a contract after a woeful 2012 -- and there are some that believe he didn't pitch well because he wasn't healthy.

Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel, shelved twice in the second half of last season because of injuries to his right knee, said he has no restrictions on the joint after having a check-up with team doctors Friday. Hammel missed nearly eight weeks after arthroscopic surgery on his knee in mid-July, only to re-injure the joint in his second start since coming off the disabled list Sept. 11. The 30-year-old was able to return to start Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Yankees, but said then that rest would be the only way his knee would get healthy.

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, who agreed to terms Friday on a one-year deal in his first year of arbitration eligibility, said he is looking forward to going into the spring without his contract status looming over his head. The sides agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million for 2013, avoiding the arbitration process. The deadline to file arbitration figures was Friday at 1 p.m. “It's a good feeling,” Wieters said Friday night at the premiere of 'The BUCKLe Up Birds: An Underdog Story,' a movie about the team's 2012 season.