Arbitration

The Orioles have not gone before an arbitration panel with a player since prior to the 2006 season, but with potential hearing dates approaching, it's becoming more likely that that trend will be broken. According to multiple sources, the Orioles have tentative hearings scheduled with right-handed starter Jeremy Guthrie on Monday, Feb. 6, with swingman Brad Bergesen on Wednesday, Feb. 8, and with center fielder Adam Jones on Friday, Feb. 17. All are scheduled for mornings at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Fla. Guthrie is the first on the slate for the Orioles and seemingly is the most likely to go before the three-person arbitration panel.  Guthrie, who was 9-17 with a 4.33 ERA and made $5.75 million in 2011, has proposed a $10.25 million contract for 2012 while the Orioles countered with $7.25 million.

A day after acknowledging that starter Brad Bergesen will begin spring training with a shoulder injury, the Orioles made sure another member of their rotation would not arrive disgruntled for next week's camp opener. The team and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie agreed Friday to a $3 million contract for 2010, alleviating the need for a potentially contentious arbitration hearing that had been scheduled for Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Fla., a day before Orioles pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota.

The Orioles agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with Nolan Reimold on Friday, avoiding arbitration with the 29-year-old outfielder. Reimold began 2012 as the Orioles starting left fielder and leadoff hitter, but he was limited to just 16 games because of a herniated disk in his neck, which eventually required surgery. He is expected to be ready to play in spring training. This was the first year of arbitration eligibility for Reimold, who batted .313 with five homers in 67 at-bats last April.

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.

Part of the growing-up process in baseball is arbitration.For management, it's considered the foundation for the spiral that continually drives salaries to previously unreached heights.For the players, it's the first step toward financial security.So, when Baltimore Orioles general manager Roland Hemond reaches his office this morning he expects to be notified that six of his players are potential arbitration cases.The Orioles have a history of avoiding this procedure, but Hemond is realistic enough to know that it can't always be dodged.

NEW YORK -- On a day when the baseball players union took what the clubs view as a fantasy step in their ongoing labor dispute by filing 123 players for salary arbitration, a union official also raised a possibility yesterday that would provide all-too-real consequences for major-league managers, coaches and trainers.Eugene Orza, the Major League Baseball Players Association's associate general counsel, said union officials soon will talk to managers, coaches and trainers about their intentions of working with the replacement teams that clubs are forming.

Leo Gomez is playing for half of what he thinks he's worth, but he's playing a lot better.The Orioles third baseman lost his arbitration case yesterday and will be forced to play the 1995 season for $925,000, half of his asking price of $1.85 million.Gomez also got his first extra-base hit and his second RBI of the season yesterday, breaking open a 6-1 victory over the Indians. If his offensive contributions ameliorated any pain caused by his arbitration defeat, Gomez didn't show it."You can't worry about what happens in the front office," Gomez said, alluding to yesterday's decision by the three-member arbitration panel.

An impasse between county school officials and the union representing secretaries and teacher assistants is heading for non-binding arbitration.State School Superintendent Joseph Shilling has ruled thatan arbitrator will review the case, as both sides requested, union and school officials said yesterday.The Secretaries and Assistants Association of Anne Arundel Countywalked away from contract negotiations three weeks ago, after schoolofficials rejected its offer to give up pay raises in exchange for job security.

Anne Arundel County has appealed the decisions of two federal arbitrators who ruled that the county violated the firefighters union contract when it increased health care premiums to a level higher than the agreement allowed.The appeals, one filed Friday and an earlier appeal filed June 29, assert that the arbitrators did not have jurisdiction in the firefighters' grievances because the disputes involved health benefits, part of an employee's compensation, which is a budgetary matter.Budget decision-making is an area reserved for the elected representatives of county government, namely the county executive and County Council, the appeal said.

NEW YORK -- What's it going to take?The first day of the baseball strike passed without any significant change in the bargaining position of either side -- and there may be many more days just like it -- but the labor dispute that has fractured the 1994 season will end someday. When it does, the terms could look something like this:The players, who currently must wait six years for free agency, would get to enter the free market in half that time but would no longer be entitled to salary arbitration.