Minor wins, leaving players and teams 6-6 in arbitration

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Pitcher Mike Minor won his salary arbitration case against the Atlanta Braves, leaving players and teams tied at six victories apiece with decisions pending only for Baltimore outfielder Alejandro de Aza and Seattle right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen.

Minor was awarded a raise from $3.85 million to his $5.6 million request rather than the Braves' $5.1 million offer. Mark Burstein, Gil Vernon and Dan Brent announced their decision Friday, a day after hearing arguments.

The 27-year-old left-hander was 6-12 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 starts last year, when he missed the first month of the season because of shoulder soreness. He went 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA in 2013.

This year has seen the most hearings since teams went 8-6 in 2001.

De Aza asked James Oldham, Robert Herzog and Phillip LaPorte for a raise from $4.25 million to $5.65 million during Friday's hearing, and the Orioles argued for $5 million. De Aza hit .252 with eight homers and 41 RBIs last year for the Chicago White Sox and Orioles, who obtained him on Aug. 30 for a pair of minor leaguers.

Wilhelmsen, eligible for arbitration for the first time after making $528,800 last year, requested a $2.2 million salary from Gil Vernon, Edna Francis and Steven Wolf. The Mariners want to pay him $1.4 million.

Wilhelmsen was 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA last season in 57 relief appearances. He saved 53 games in 63 chances the previous two years but had command problems and lost the closer's job.