The Red Sox and designated hitter David Ortiz will go to an arbitration hearing Monday. Ortiz requested a salary of $16.5 million and was offered $12.65 million by the Red Sox when arbitration figures were exchanged last month. The two sides have failed to make much progress toward finding a number they can both agree on, but that could change within the next handful of days. Ortiz, 36, batted .309/.398/.554 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI in 146 games last season.

David Ortiz told MLB.com that he's still holding out hope for a multi-year deal with the Red Sox. "We are working on that right now," Ortiz said. "Hopefully, we will get to an agreement so we don't have to go in front of the judge. I asked a long time ago and they didn't get to an agreement. There is still time." Ortiz is currently seeking $16.5 million in arbitration. His hearing is scheduled for a date close to February 12.

An arbitration expert tells the Boston Herald that the Red Sox's offer is ''more in line with the market'' than the request submitted by David Ortiz. Ortiz is seeking $16.5 million in salary, but recent free agents that compare favorably will be making between $12 million and $14 million this season, indicating that the hearing could result in favor of the Red Sox. According to the report, the fact that Ortiz is being offered slightly more than what he made last year at an advancing age will be difficult to ignore. Ortiz turned 36 in November and batted 309/.398/.554 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI this past season.

According to FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi, the Red Sox and David Ortiz are "increasingly likely" to require an arbitration hearing to set the DH's 2012 salary. Ortiz asked for a salary of $16.5 million and was offered $12.65 million by the Red Sox when arbitration figures were exchanged a few weeks ago. The two sides have been unable to make much progress since. Ortiz, 36, batted .309/.398/.554 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI in 146 games last season.

David Ortiz said Thursday that he's not expecting a deal to get done before an arbitration hearing. Ortiz requested a salary of $16.5 million and was offered $12.65 million by the Red Sox when arbitration figures were exchanged on Tuesday. The veteran DH is obviously hoping that the independent arbitrator will side with him. He batted .309/.398/.554 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI in 146 games last season.

David Ortiz requested $16.5 million and was offered $12.65 million by the Red Sox when arbitration figures were exchanged Tuesday. In other words, the Red Sox are only offering him a slight raise from his $12.5 million salary last season. The 36-year-old slugger was poised to hit the free agent market this winter, but accepted the club's offer of arbitration last month.

The Red Sox held discussions with the agent for David Ortiz on Friday, according to Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. Details of the conversation have not been disclosed. Ortiz projects to earn as much as $16 million through arbitration this offseason so the Red Sox could look to reduce payroll on a two-year extension before the arbitration hearing is held. At this stage it appears unlikely that a deal will be reached. The two sides have until Tuesday to come to an agreement.

The Red Sox expect to exceed the $178 million luxury tax threshold in 2012, according to WEEI.com. Doing so would force them to pay a competitive balance tax. After the club inked Kelly Shoppach, it has 13 players under contract next season for about $130 million. Taking into account David Ortiz' arbitration number, likely to be between $14-16 million, and the 23 additional players tendered contracts, you can add $20 million to the payroll, pushing it to $150 million. The Red Sox are still in the mix for several pricey free agents, including Carlos Beltran, Ryan Madson and Joe Saunders.

David Ortiz has accepted arbitration from the Red Sox. As anticipated. The two sides are not ruling out an eventually compromise on a two-year deal, as they have time to negotiate before an arbitration hearing is held. But, for now, they've locked Big Papi up for one more year, at the very least. He's expected to net as much as $16 million through arbitration.

Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports that the Red Sox have increased their two-year off to David Ortiz "slightly," but the designated hitter is still likely to accept arbitration. The Red Sox offered Ortiz a two-year, $18 million deal Tuesday, and their new proposal is still shy of the $20 million mark. Given that, it's no surprise that Big Papi is still headed to arbitration, as he's expected to receive around $16 million that way. The teams could still negotiate a two-year deal prior to the arbitration hearing, but it sounds like Papi will be a free agent again next offseason.