Atlanta Braves avoid arbitration with Mike Minor on last-second contract

Oct 4, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of game two of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

The Atlanta Braves are a team that notoriously goes with the “file and trial” sentiment regarding arbitration-eligible players, meaning that once the deadline arrives for the two sides to exchange offers, all communication ends. Fortunately for the team, they beat that deadline by a hair with one player on Friday afternoon.

Mike Minor has agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.85 million. #Braves
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) January 17, 2014

The Braves and lefty Mike Minor agreed on a 1-year contract for $3.85 million, but for all the world, it looked as if both sides were going to exchange offers and then go dark. Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the two sides came to an agreement just before the respective offers were to be exchanged, and Minor joined Kris Medlen, Chris Johnson, and Jordan Schafer as 4 members of the Braves to agree to deals.

Minor was arguably Atlanta’s best pitcher last season, throwing 204.2 innings with a very solid 3.21 ERA and a top-flight walk rate of just 2.02 per 9 innings. At just 26 years old, he was one of the better young left-handers in the game, and it appears that the Braves are going to make him a centerpiece once again in 2014.

The Braves still have a lot of arbitration “drama” to go through with Craig Kimbrel, Jason Heyward, and Freddie Freeman, but at least they knocked out one of the “big four”.

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