Brewers' Anderson loses arbitration hearing

  PHOENIX - Chase Anderson’s eight-day wait for the ruling on his arbitration hearing finally ended Tuesday and it wasn’t the news he wanted.

            Anderson, 29, lost the decision by the three-person panel and was awarded the $2.45 million salary offered by the Milwaukee Brewers. In his first year of arbitration eligibility as a “Super 2” player, he sought a $2.85 million salary for 2017.

            “It’s been a little bit difficult… but it is part of the business and I’m glad it’s over with,” the right-hander said after an informal workout at Maryvale Baseball Park on report day for Brewers pitchers and catchers.

            “I can get my head ready for spring training and compete for a spot. Just continue to prove myself. I’ve always had to prove myself, and I kind of like that. It fuels the fire. I’m ready to help the Brewers get back to where they want to be.”

                       Either way, Anderson knew he’d be getting a significant raise from his $520,200 salary of last season, when he went 9-11 with a 4.39 earned run average in 31 games. But he admitted it was somewhat awkward to sit in the hearing room Feb. 6 and listen to the club make its case for the lower figure submitted.

RELATED: Brewers by position: Rotation will shake out during camp

            “You just sit there and kind of wear it,” said Anderson, who watched as agent Kevin Hubbard presented his case to the panel, which was obligated to pick one figure or the other. “It’s a process you don’t really want to go through but it’s part of it.

            “(General manager) David Stearns called me after the hearing and said he really appreciated my handling myself like a professional and ‘no hard feelings on our side.’ I told him I knew it was part of the business and I really appreciated the phone call.”

            Because six major-league pitchers were arbitration-eligible for the first time, management and the players union agreed to have all decisions held until all hearings were completed, to avoid decisions being used to influence other cases (they split, 3-3). Anderson had the longest wait because his hearing was first, so he tried not to worry about it.

            “I had so much to do with packing stuff and the baby, and getting out here,” said Anderson, whose son Robert was born in November. “No matter what the salary number is, it’s five times what I made last year. So, it’s perspective. We’re lucky to be in this position.”

            It was the Brewers’ first arbitration case to go to a hearing since reliever Jose Veras in 2012 and the first since Stearns became general manager after the 2015 season.

            “Both sides looked at this similarly,” Stearns said. “This is part of the process. I know Chase and his representative negotiated in good faith. We negotiated in good faith. Sometimes, there are segments of the salary structure where this happens. That’s why there’s a system to make a decision for us.”

            Stearns never revealed if the club did any negotiating after figures were filed in January but said, “We were confident when we exchanged (figures) that we were going to end up in a hearing.”

            Feliz to be late: Following in the tradition of former closer Francisco Rodriguez, who reported late nearly every spring because of visa issues in Venezuela, Stearns said new closer Neftali Feliz’s arrival is being delayed in the Dominican Republic.

            “We do not anticipate it being a long-term problem but he’ll be at least a few days late,” Stearns said.

            With visa applications being scrutinized more than ever under the Trump administration, such issues could become commonplace with foreign-born players.

            Medical report: Stearns said outfielder Corey Ray, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2016, is not expected to play in games during big-league camp as he continues his recovery from knee surgery. Ray tore meniscus in his left knee in instructional ball in October.

            “He is progressing toward baseball activities but it’s limited at this point,” Stearns said. “This is a case where we think it’s beneficial for the player to be in a major-league environment, to get to know some of our guys and coaching staff. Having him here for a couple of weeks can accomplish that.”

            The other restricted players are pitchers coming off major surgery – Sean Nolin (elbow), Yhonathan Barrios (shoulder) and Adrian Houser (elbow).