I don't know if you're problem is the same as mine but I had an 80 rated pitcher who did not show up in possible free agents. It said he was supposed to be arbitration eligible after this season. I was cheap & tried to sign him to a cheap long term deal. He didn't bite & told me he wouldn't negotiate with me anymore. It didn't bother me b/c I knew I could let him go to arbitration & then resign him next year. However, by the end of the year he APPARENTLY had enough service days to become a FA. So I lost the best pitcher in the league because of a few stinkin' service days. That MAY have been the same thing you ran into.
I can't wait to watch this guy win a couple of CY Young's with someone else
