Arbitration Looms For Papelbon, Red Sox!

"Jonathan Papelbon and the Boston Red Sox have not talked about a long-term contract this offseason, the closer said, and the two sides appear to once again be headed toward salary arbitration. Papelbon, who last offseason was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time, agreed to a one-year deal for $6.25 million, more than eight times his 2008 salary of $775,000. The contract was the largest ever for a pitcher -- starter or reliever -- eligible for arbitration for the first time, and was the third-highest for any first-time eligible player, topped only by the $10 million the Phillies awarded slugger Ryan Howard in 2008 and the $7.4 million the Marlins awarded first baseman Miguel ..."