Sabathia likes everything about it here, may re-sign says Agent

[TheCrew07]

No, that won't cut it. Unfortunately, no team is going to trade a #2 type starter unless it's a trade deadline deal.

Historically that isn't true... just last year Volquez for Hamilton, Garza for Young. It's seems to me that there are a couple of deals for established pitchers every off season as well.

 

Again, people who have the opinion that quality pitching isn't traded probably aren't looking hard enough. My favorite example is TB, TB already has a fantastic rotation and they have Price and Neimann ready for MLB but in the minors, and Price might be better than Kazmir. Best case I think Neimann is a 2, but he's probably a 3/4 which is alright if he's not the primary aquisition. Off the top of my Texas, LAA, TB, KC, and Detriot all have lots of quality pitching at MLB and in the Minors. I haven't done research since the Sabathia deal, but I doubt many guys have had career ending injuries since I last looked.

 

edit. Basically in my opinion it comes down to motivation. Is the team rebuilding, are they desperate for another bat, do they have excess pitching they have to move? That's just a 2 way deal, bringing in a 3rd team expands the possibilities exponentially.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Sorry for not having a link, I don't remember where I read it (it may well have been here) but I recall hearing/reading that CC's agent "expected" Santana money. If we're going 6-7 years at 22+ per, I don't think the Brewers can hang in that range. I also don't know how prudent it'd be to throw enough money to buy a 3rd world country at a guy that's been excessively abused this year.

[paul253]

We're not the Cubs. We dont have that kind of money.

 

I hate this statement, although I agree with it.

 

People bring up Carlos Lee a lot, but i dont think the Brewers ever offered him a fair deal. Wasnt our highest offer like $12 million a year?

 

I know this might sound a bit selfish, but i think Attanasio owes it to the fans to resign Sabathia. The team collapsed last season yet not only did they raise ticket prices, they also raised parking prices and I believe prices for some food items. We respond by buying over 3 million tickets and having 20 something consecutive sellouts. We all know ticket prices are going up again next season. If he doesnt reinvest that right back in the team, I am going to be irritated. Our offense is fine but we just cannot develope a pitcher. Right now you have a very real chance to resign one of the best pitchers in the game, and if you don't it signals to your fans that nothing has really changed. Without an "ace" next season, our chances are not great.

 

I also agree with JohnBriggs about Cameron.....I dont think we should pick up his option. $10 million for him is too much, you can find a decent one year replacement for probably a quarter of that, and then you'll have guys ready, possibly by mid season next year. It frees up that money for a year on Sabathia. Along with Counsell, Gagne, Turnbow, and Sheets coming off the books, that frees up close to $30 million. Let says even $20 million of that goes into raises for current players, thats $10 million to begin with. The bullpen will consist of guys like Torres, Villanueva, Riske, McClung, and probably Stetter and Dillard, which is fairly decent, cheap pen. Plus in a year Kendall's contract is off the books, and in two years Suppan's mammoth salary is off the books. Meanwhile guys like Hardy and Hart will be replaced, probably, by cheaper guys like Brantley and Escobar. Gillespie and Salome, maybe Cain will be up. Braun is signed to a very reasonable contract. Its not like our team salary is going to skyrocket in the next few seasons.

[logan82]

paul253 wrote:

I also agree with JohnBriggs about Cameron.....I dont think we should pick up his option. $10 million for him is too much, you can find a decent one year replacement for probably a quarter of that, and then you'll have guys ready, possibly by mid season next year.

The thing is that others have looked at center fielders around the league and you really can't find a much better deal than Cameron at $10M next year.

[paul253]

What about Jim Edmonds? His production is down, but he's had a good year in Chicago. He plays a good centerfield, and I cant imagine he'd ask for $10 million...plus he's a left handed bat.

[endaround]

Edmonds is going to be 39 and is likely to miss at least 60 games. His defense is gone.

[kramnoj]

What about Jim Edmonds? His production is down, but he's had a good year in Chicago. He plays a good centerfield, and I cant imagine he'd ask for $10 million...plus he's a left handed bat.

 

His production is only down from 3 years ago. It is up from early in the year, and up from his bad year last year. It's also not clear that he won't ask for $10 million. That's basically what he got in his contract for the past two years.

 

As for his production this year, his good stint with the Cubs is only 246 ABs and it is fueled by 18 HRs. His slugging hasn't been this good since 5 years ago. It isn't common for a 39 year old to be a decent CF.

[Hate those Rodents]

I'd happily go with Gwynn or make the controversial Hart to center move and save that 10mil if it meant we end up with CC long term.

[paul253]

As far as Edmonds goes, his numbers are down....but an OBP of .367 is pretty good. Im not concerned about his power numbers because more power is the last thing we need. Defensively he's not what he once was, but he's still gotta be considered above average defensively. I dont think theres any way he'll get close to $10 million a year, maybe $5 million for a year. If you're paying Kendall $5 million, why not Edmonds for a year?

I'd agree with HTR though, I'd gladly go with a Gwynn/Kapler platoon if it means keeping Sabathia. And if Brantley is still here, he may be ready by the allstar break.

[TooLiveBrew]

Im not concerned about his power numbers because more power is the last thing we need.

 

As power goes down, so follows OBP. I personally would want no part of Edmonds. His defense at this point is not good in CF... not even close to Cameron's, and they're relatively close offensively (I think Cam is slightly ahead of Edmonds due to the power question). Cameron would have a 30 HR season if he hadn't missed the first 25 games, and yes I know that was his own doing.

[paul253]

Well he isnt exactly Craig Counsell....he does have 20 home runs

[DHonks]

As much as official sources will downplay it the fact that we have the most african american team in baseball doesn't hurt our chances of signing him imo.

Ender, that's been my point since the trade, so it's good to see others agree with it. I think a lot are looking past this. Throw in that most think he's not an east coast type person, and that he likely prefers the NL where he can hit, and it really limits the destinations. Without Boras working for him (or against him), there's a good chance that he'll likely go where he wants, not to the highest bidder

[Team Canada]

People bring up Carlos Lee a lot, but i dont think the Brewers ever offered him a fair deal. Wasnt our highest offer like $12 million a year?

I believe we offered 4/$52, whereas Houston offered 6/100, or thereabouts. It doesn't matter what we offered, 6/100 for a declining LF is insanity. I'll take 6 years of Braun over 6 years of Lee every time.

[GAME05]

nice that CC likes Milwaukee and all, but if he were to actually take a pay cut to stick with a team he likes, i'd only assume that team would be Cleveland, and they've already offered him $18.

[logan82]

As much as official sources will downplay it the fact that we have the most African American team in baseball doesn't hurt our chances of signing him imo.

 

I am sure it doesn't hurt our chances, all else being equal, but as we all know, all things are not equal.

 

Throw in that most think he's not an east coast type person

 

Unfortunately he is a west coast type person and those west coast teams have money also.

 

I believe we offered 4/$52, whereas Houston offered 6/100, or thereabouts. It doesn't matter what we offered, 6/100 for a declining LF is insanity. I'll take 6 years of Braun over 6 years of Lee every time.

 

I think the offer we gave to Lee was in line with David Ortiz's contract at the time. I can't say that I am very disappointed that Lee turned us down. I was not looking forward to his immobile butt out in left field for 4+ years. I have a general dislike of all multi-year contracts to free agents. I prefer extending our own players like we did with Hall and Braun. I know that signing Lee would have technically been extending our own player, but we all know he was/is a hack in the field and would be better suited to 1B.

 

I still think it all comes down to year instead of money per year(for Sheets and CC). I think we can easily match any offer over the next 2 years without putting much strain on our payroll. We still have a limited payroll whether we want to admit it or not. We have some tough decisions ahead of us n the next 2-3 years and I think it is a good idea to keep payroll flexibility instead of tying up 25%+ of our payroll in one player.

[GAME05]

although how limited might our payroll really be next year if we make the playoffs? that's a lot of extra revenue. i keep thinking of Detroit and how they really amped up their payroll after the won the Pennant.

[logan82]

although how limited might our payroll really be next year if we make the playoffs? that's a lot of extra revenue. i keep thinking of Detroit and how they really amped up their payroll after the won the Pennant.

I think our payroll is maxed out unless we get another revenue stream. According to Attanasio we are maxed out and then some this year even if we win the world series. Our best chance for more revenue is when our TV contract expires, but how much can we realistically expect even then. We have the smallest TV market in all of MLB. Yeah ticket prices can increase and we can squeeze a few more people into the park, but not enough to make much impact.

[kmcasper23]

The Crew needs to give him a 6-year, $120 mil offer and hope for the best.

[Hate those Rodents]

i agree, we need to offer something like that

[jeffy]

if he were to actually take a pay cut to stick with a team he likes, i'd only assume that team would be Cleveland...

 

Nah, he wants to hit!