Anyone else getting a kick out of this story. I love any anti-yankee story.

I don't know if he deserved 3 or 5. Arb-1 contracts tend to be on the low side by default. But I think an argument could be made for 5 given his numbers. I don't think he was in the stratosphere.

Take Addison Reed.

2011-2014 numbers 3 full seasons, limited playing time 2011, 198 games, 193 innings, 101 saves, 3.52 FIP 1.228 WHIP 98 ERA+

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... ad01.shtml

Reed got 4.875 million in 2015, arb 1

Betances:

2011-2016 numbers (limited playing time 2011-2013), 3 full seasons like Reed.

Reed was 3 years 27 days, Betances 3 years 78 days, no enough for super 2 last year but 51 more days on the roster, but just 7.2 innings 2011-2013, so it's basically 3 years to 3 years. A straight up comp.

2011-2016 numbers: 225 games, 254 innings, 22 saves, 2.06 FIP 1.001 WHIP 189 ERA+. #3 in ROY voting, 3 allstar games.

I don't see any way he's not better than Reed going into Arb, cept for saves. SO a better player on a better team gets less money cause he's not a closer?

Appart from the Yanks being tough negotiators in arbitration (that's their right) and Randy Levine's stratosphere comments (not smart) of him, 3 allstar games and nifty numbers - 5 million wasn't in the stratosphere. I don't see any way that it's a stratospheric number, even if he's vulnerable to stolen bases.

rant finished. Mostly I think it's funny because of Levine, but, 5 million wasn't a bonkers ask, or do you think it was? Maybe if he'd asked for 4.8 he'd have won the arb.