Cardinals Closer Ryan Helsley Vocal About Comments Made In Arbitration Process
The St. Louis Cardinals are known for their high prestige in Major League Baseball.
They are one of the most consistent performers in the league, one of the original teams and seem to always develop stars from within. While most franchises would aspire to be like the Cardinals -- St. Louis might have gone a bridge too far when facing off against their closer in arbitration.
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley asked for $3 million in arbitration this winter after a phenomenal season but did not get his wish. Instead, the arbiters sided with St. Louis, who countered with $2.15 million.
Helsley went 9-1 with 19 saves in 23 opportunities, an incredible 1.25 ERA, 94-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .128 batting average against and 0.74 WHIP in 64 2/3 innings last season.
Yet the Cardinals decided to lowball the right-hander and risk tarnishing their relationship over less than a million dollars.
How did they do it? Helsley gave some insight into the hearing.
"It's pretty crazy how your employers talk bad about you and then right after they want to be best friends," Helsley said on Foul Territory -- a YouTube show hosted by former players and well-known media pundits.
"I felt like I did some pretty good things last year, and they still find ways to tell you, you stink so that's kind of tough to hear sometimes," Helsley said.
A month prior the 28-year-old told MLB.com's John Denton that St. Louis even stooped as low as to bring up his blowup against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series when he allowed four earned runs -- a game in which he was pitching with an injury to his middle finger.
Helsley has no issue being blunt about how bad the arbitration process is for players but he appears to have no issue with the organization as he understands the business aspect of it all.
Still, the Cardinals could have done both sides a favor and just paid the man a fraction of what he deserves -- which is all he asked for in the first place.
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