Mookie Betts and Red Sox heading to arbitration

BOSTON — How much money is Mookie Betts worth? How much money does he want to make?  We may start finding out the answer to those questions soon.

As the Friday arbitration deadline passed, the Red Sox and their best player failed to come to a deal.  Don't worry. Mookie isn't going anywhere.  What this means is that how much money Betts will make for next season and next season only is in the hands of an arbitration panel as of tonight.

That panel will meet sometime next month.  No date has been set yet.

The fact the two sides couldn't agree doesn't necessarily mean bad things but it could.  Arbitration is often a process that can turn the player sour on the organization.  The team often brings up negative statistics to make their case to pay the player the figure they are submitting.

According to several reports, the Red Sox figure is $7.5 million for Betts. Mookie is seeking a salary of $10.5 million.

Betts is still under the Red Sox control for two more seasons before he becomes a free agent.

The Red Sox did reach agreement on one year deals with nine other arbitration eligible players. Here are the players and the salaries they agreed on.

$8.5 million for Drew Pomeranz

$6.1 million for Jackie Bradley Jr.

$3.825 million for Joe Kelly

$2.375 million for Eduardo Rodriguez

$2.225 million for Brock Holt

$1.95 million for Sandy Leon

$835,000 for Brandon Workman

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