It’s Red Sox Rookie Development Program week and pitchers and catchers report to spring training in less than a month. Seven questions as baseball’s return draws nearer: 1. Why are the Sox haggling with Jarren Duran?

After his use of a homophobic slur directed at a fan Sunday, Jarren Duran was given a two-game suspension by the Red Sox. In truth, they were left with no alternative.

Team policy across the majors is to go to a hearing with any arbitration-eligible player who doesn’t agree before the deadline, but the Sox and Duran are at odds over $500,000.