All-Star Cabrera asking for $7.4 million

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PHOENIX -- Miguel Cabrera and the Florida Marlins went to an arbitration hearing Friday, with the All-Star third baseman asking for $7.4 million and the team offering $6.7 million.

Miguel Cabrera

Third Base Florida Marlins Profile

2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R OBP AVG 158 26 114 112 .430 .339

Cabrera finished second in the NL last year with a .339 batting average, and he had 26 homers and 114 RBIs. He made $472,000 last season and is eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Arbitrators Howard Block, Stephen Goldberg and Elliott Shriftman heard the case and were expected to issue a decision Saturday.

If he wins, Cabrera would receive the third-highest salary in arbitration, trailing only the $8.2 million Andruw Jones got when he defeated Atlanta in 2001 and the $8.2 million Alfonso Soriano earned after losing to Washington last year.

Owners are 4-0 in arbitration this year, with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Joe Beimel, Florida's Kevin Gregg, Washington's John Patterson and Tampa Bay's Josh Paul all losing.

Four players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Baltimore's Erik Bedard, Washington's Chad Cordero, San Diego's Todd Walker and Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano.

Boston outfielder Wily Mo Pena, who had been scheduled for a hearing Friday, agreed with the Red Sox on a one-year contract worth $1,875,000. Pena can earn an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 325, 350, 375 and 475 plate appearances.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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