Drama in the Desert

Have you all been paying attention to what's going on in Arizona between the Diamondbacks and former South Bend pitcher Brandon Webb? It's a mess.

The backstory:

-Brandon Webb was the team ace, winning the Cy Young Award in 2006.
-The Diamondbacks loved Brandon Webb. They paid him a decent salary to keep him.
-Brandon Webb got hurt on Opening Day 2009. He hasn't pitched since.

Now, the contract stuff:
-Webb's contract has an 8.5 million dollar option for 2010. If he's healthy, this is a bargain for the Diamondbacks (at least, in my opinion it is).
-The Diamondbacks don't want to pay him 8.5 million dollars, given that they paid him all this season when he was hurt.
-If the Diamondbacks don't pick up his option, they have to pay Webb a 2 million dollar buyout, and he can test the free agent market.

Because they don't want to pay him 8.5 million, and they also don't want to pay him 2 million to go be a free agent, the Diamondbacks are trying to renegotiate the contract. Webb wants nothing to do with that.

Webb also thinks he can get at least 8.5 million on the open market, comparing himself to John Smoltz who just got over 5 million this year.