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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Sabathia among those offered arbitration Associated Press NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia, likely to command the largest contract among this year's free-agent pitchers, was offered salary arbitration Monday by the Milwaukee Brewers. Teams had until midnight to make the offers to free agents. If a club offers arbitration to a top free agent, as determined by a complex statistical formula, and he then signs with another club, his former team receives extra selections in next June's amateur draft as compensation. Milwaukee also offered arbitration to pitchers Ben Sheets and Brian Shouse. Most teams had not revealed their arbitration decisions by early evening. Players offered arbitration have until Sunday to accept the offers. The New York Yankees declined arbitration with pitcher Andy Pettitte, right fielder Bobby Abreu, first baseman Jason Giambi and five others. Kansas City offered it to second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. Heading into Monday, just two of the 171 players who filed for free agency last month had agreed to contracts. Pitcher Ryan Dempster stayed with the Chicago Cubs for a $52 million, four-year contract, and reliever Jeremy Affeldt left Cincinnati for an $8 million, two-year deal with San Francisco. Left-hander Mike Hampton and the Houston Astros reached a preliminary agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract that would contain an additional $2 million in performance bonuses. He must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized. Clubs were expected to pick up the pace of signings and trade discussions heading into the winter meetings, which open next Monday in Las Vegas. Type A free agents are among the top 20 percent of players at their position, as defined by the formula created in the 1981 strike settlement, and Type B are from 21-40 percent. Teams losing receive two extra draft picks if they lose a Type A player and one if they lose a Type B. Before 2006, players not offered arbitration could not re-sign with their former clubs from Dec. 8-April 30, but that provision was eliminated in the latest collective bargaining agreement. Note Henderson on Hall of Fame ballot NEW YORK -- Career steals leader Rickey Henderson heads 10 first-time candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire and Jim Rice -- eligible for the final time. Other newcomers are Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams. Just 23 players are on the ballot, the smallest group ever. Holdovers include Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson. Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Fire destroys Emory's restaurant 2. Man dies in apparent suicide on Edmonds beach 3. Camano Island burglaries spike: Is Colton back? 4. Storm dents Tulalip couple's retirement plan 5. For many cougars, it's one night only 6. Lulu the St. Bernard helps out with crossing guard job 7. Business Briefly: L.A. man gets prison for repackaging Boeing 737 plane parts 8. Sultan man charged with assault for firing at deputy 9. Peggy Pritchard Olson always put Edmonds first 10. Emory's blaze causes $2 million in damage 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

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