Gagne: should he be offered arby?

[nate82]

To offer arbitration or not to offer arbitration? It is likely that Gagne will be a type B free agent. With Boras being Gagne's agent I don't see Boras accepting arbitration Gagne didn't accept arbitration with Boston last year so I don't see why Boras would accept arbitration for Gagne. I'm guessing it would be declined.

 

The question here is do we want the extra picks from a team that would sign Gagne and do those picks out weigh the possibility of Gagne accepting arbitration.

 

 

(edit: title --1992)

[yoshii8]

I would say no to offering Gagne arbitration, I think he would probably accept, and then we would be on the hook for way over what hes worth.

[nate82]

I would say no to offering Gagne arbitration, I think he would probably accept, and then we would be on the hook for way over what hes worth.

I can't remember the last time a Boras client accepted arbitration when they could go into free agency. I would say Gagne declining arbitration would be at 80% likely since he is a Boras client.

[fleehaw]

Since the Brewers could only cut his salary by 20% if they offered him arbitration, the question should be, is Gagne worth a one-year $8M deal? I'd say it's unlikely that he sniffs anything close to that in FA, meaning it'd be silly for him not to accept arbitration. I would pass.

[trwi7]

No way we offer arbitration. Gagne would easily accept it and then we're stuck paying him at least $8 million next year. No way he's going to find an $8 million deal on the open market.

[dadofandrew]

He might get a 1-2 year deal that pays him $4-5M a year...but 1 y/$2-3M is most likely.

 

$8M? He'd take it before Doug got to the "tion" sound, and the Crew would be a laughingstock, and deservedly so, of failure to plan equals planning to fail.

[joepepsi]

Let him go. I admire him for willingly facing the press after his huge blowups early in the year and for his ticket giveaway at the end of the year. He did sorta come around in the last half of the season and proved useful. But he's priced himself out of job in Milwaukee.

[sveumrules]

on b-r.com it has gagne's 2007 salary listed at 6 million. a 20 % cut on that would've dropped him to 4.8 million for 2008.

 

he made 10 million this year, as we all are far too well aware. that's over twice his minimum hypothetical arby number from 08.

 

applying the same principal, if the brewers were to offer arbitration and try to drop his salary to 8 million he should be able to get a free agent deal for about double that plus 10%, so lets say one year 17 million.

 

i can see boras declining for sure.

[craigharmann]

Nope. Let him walk.

[logan82]

Would we be on the hook for 80% of his contract? This seems to indicate we would not.

 

Link

The club's salary offer to a player under its control (pre-free agency players) may not be less than 80% of the player's salary and performance bonuses the previous year or less than 70% of his salary and performance bonuses from 2 years earlier. (Exception: If a player won an arbitration award the previous year increasing his salary 50% or more, the 80% requirement does not apply.) The 80% rule does not apply to free agents who are offered arbitration.

[MNBrew]

Offering Gagne arby is getting overly greedy for draft picks. I think at best he may be a Type B free agent, in which case it's hardly worth the risk.

 

Getting greedy for draft picks conjures images of the whole Graffanino/Counsell affair a few years ago which ended up sealing Jeff Cirillo's unfortunate ticket out of town. Cirillo still would've given the Brewers much more than Joe Dillon did in '08, and I really like Dillon. Cirillo also might've meant fewer ABs for Weeks along the way, and Cirillo still = good defense, which would've been a huge upgrade over Hall, Weeks, & even Fielder at 1B (not that I'd've benched Fielder for Cirillo).

[bucksman4]

"Game Over" for him in Milwaukee.

[Fatter than Joey]

The 80% rule does not apply to free agents who are offered arbitration.

 

Assuming this to be true....

 

The Brewers could offer him Arbys at $1-2M -- but then Gagne would come back with a counter-offer (perhaps $5M?) -- The Arbinator would then pick one or the other contracts... It's still a large risk for a low draft pick.

 

I think he is done in Milw. unless he signs a minor league deal, which I think he could beat in the market.

[kmcasper23]

No. He can't take a big paycut in arby can he? I thought his salary would still probably have to be in the 7-8 mil range in arby?

[Oldcity]

Gagne's second half: .688 OPS against, 1.00 WHIP

 

Nobody seems to notice that. He was the Brewers' best reliever down the stretch. I don't get why nobody is even considering bringing him back (for an obviously lower price).

[dlk9s]

Gagne's second half: .688 OPS against, 1.00 WHIP

 

Nobody seems to notice that. He was the Brewers' best reliever down the stretch. I don't get why nobody is even considering bringing him back (for an obviously lower price).

I think some people have given it some thought, but for most, the risk of having to pay too much (whatever that figure might be) is too great.

 

I might be ok with giving him $2 million or so, but if it starts creeping up to $5 million, I'd get nervous.

 

When all is said and done, it's probably better to just go with some of our young guys like DeFilice and Dillard, rather than Gagne.

[1992casey]

The 80% rule does not apply to free agents who are offered arbitration.

 

I've heard that from other sources, too. Even so, the bottom line is that no matter which rule might apply, arbitrators rarely reduce salary. I think the last time that happened was in 1994.

 

If the Brewers could bring Eric back at the $2-3 million Al mentions, I'm fine with it. But if Boras complicates matters, I'd support backing off.

[And That]

About arbitration and the 80% rule for free agents, here quoth the CBA:

 

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/42615c459bd794261537b00430ebea8240177b1.jpghttp://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/f2c358a6428e957dded8993f291db6f96877949.jpg

 

Key words being "under reserve" in the first sentence.

 

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/3f71584592d49e297290edfa9b619c73684a38a.jpg

 

Which is:

 

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/94925ec4ba916ddb9f92288d13ed6c93b4d0120.jpg

 

So it is correct that the 80% rule does not apply to an impending free agent.

[ILuvDaBush]

Couldn't we work out a deal with the devil (Boras) where we offer and he declines? To be honest, I would be behind bringing Gagne back next year, given his acceptance of his role now. If we could get him at $5-6mil on a one year deal, given the FA market on releivers, I would be happy. Gagne at $6mil for one or a 40 year-old LOOGy for two years at $7-8mil? If his second half is for real, it could be a bargain.

[Trowekamp]

Best thing that can happen is that someone signs him quickly and then we can offer him arbitration.