we gotta have one of the most expensive bullpens.

[DrWood]

maybe not in absolute numbers, but certainly as a percentage of total salary. Pretty close to NY, they have Rivera (15M), Farnsworth (6 m) and Hawkins (3.7m), and the rest are inexpensive. the standard operating practice for small-market teams is to have cheap bullpens. So, who is going to fill in if Gagne, Mota, and Torres are in their last year with the brewers? Pena had a bad start in Nashville. The guys in the minors might be able to fill in for a couple of the guys in the pen, but no closer in sight.

[flosses like fossas]

maybe i'm misreading your post, but you know we've got riske, right?

[DrWood]

riske is going to be here for a couple more years. the other guys I mentioned aren't. need more than one good setup man.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm confused... does the thread title have anything to do with the question posed in the OP?

[kramnoj]

I think this year's bullpen was just an example of Melvin throwing everything he could at making the Brewers contenders this year, presumably the last year Sheets is a Brewer. The bullpen was obviously a weakness last year, just a few less blown 3 run leads and the Brewers were in the playoffs last year. So he signed who he could, and I thought he did a very good job in that regard.

 

I don't see this as a likely trend for years to come. As the young players continue to get more expensive, the portion of payroll going to the bullpen will have to shrink, with young pitchers or journeyman guys that aren't making a lot.

[Thurston Fluff]

guys like Stetter and Jackson will eventually be in the pen if they continue to develope. OR in the case of Jackson not develope a change up which seems to be his problem as a starter. Other than that I don't see any reason why we can't either resign a couple of the releivers or go the exact same route next off season and get a bunch of other veterans on short term deals.

[DrWood]

I'm confused... does the thread title have anything to do with the question posed in the OP?

 

it was implied that they can't continue to invest so much in the bullpen, so the question is what happens in the (near) future.

[bork]

There is an option on Torres for next year.

[craigharmann]

I'm confused... does the thread title have anything to do with the question posed in the OP?

 

I thought the thread title was our strategy. Throw a whole bunch of money to bullpen pitchers....at least it's better than throwing retreads, has-beens and never-was types out there.....er..... maybe not.

 

[joepepsi]

Riske is signed for 3 years + a club option for a 4th. Torres, as noted above, is held by a club option for 2009. Bush and Villy are both properties of the Brewers in 2009. So is Cappy, though I am unsure if he ever pitches again. Most likely some or all these guys figure into the mix for 2009 and the Crew pursue a free agent starter or two.