Tough decisions loom as midnight deadline approaches

PHILADELPHIA -- There could be a flurry of activity in Major League Baseball on Sunday as teams face a midnight ET deadline to offer salary arbitration to their own players or lose them without draft-pick compensation. Teams can also re-sign their players before the deadline.

Clubs that don't offer salary arbitration to those eligible players lose rights to negotiate with them until May 1.

If offered arbitration, players have until December 19 to accept or reject the move. By accepting, the player will return to the team for at least one season. By rejecting, a team can keep negotiating with that player until January 8.

Such players on the fence include Philadelphia pitcher Kevin Millwood, Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt, Seattle outfielder Mike Cameron, Atlanta pitcher Greg Maddux and catcher Javy Lopez.

San Francisco shortstop Rich Aurilia and White Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon are also eligible for arbitration, as are Twins closer Eddie Guardado and Giants' pitchers Sidney Ponson and Tim Worrell.

While it's expected the Braves will lose Sheffield to the New York Yankees anyway, by not offering him arbitration, Atlanta would not have received any draft picks.

Also worth noting, the Marlins have to re-sign All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez by the deadline even though he's not eligible for arbitration. If not, then the Marlins lose negotiating rights with Rodriguez until May 1.

The Marlins could not offer Rodriguez arbitration since it was agreed upon in his one-year deal with the team before last season. The Marlins and Rodriguez figure to be far apart on agreeing to a new contract.

Reports Sunday indicated the Marlins have offered Pudge a three-year, $20 million contract, a season less than what the catcher was asking.