Haudricourt on Weeks' Arbitration Status

[logan82]

Maybe this doesn't need it's own thread, but it didn't fit anywhere else. I really appreciate his blogs since it is pretty regular Brewers news in a slow time of the year. I really get annoyed with the inaccuracies he continues to post. His latest, while minor is just another on a long list of simple facts that I would expect somebody reporting on a specific MLB team to know. Link

 

Weeks, in his second year of eligibility, filed for $2.8 million after making $1.056 million last year. The Brewers submitted a figure of $2 million

 

By my count, Weeks is in his first year of arbitration.

EDIT: Seemed like this became more of a Weeks' arby status thread; thus the generic title "Tom Haudricourt's inaccuracies" was changed -- we've had enough of those threads in the past, some justified, some being overly picky (guilty as charged here -- Mass)....

[1992casey]

You're right. Rickie didn't log enough service time in 2003 and 2005 to reach arby status last winter.

 

Tom's being misled by the fact that Rickie made $1.07 million in 2008. That's an unusually high figure for a pre-arby player.

 

But Rickie wasn't in seven digits due to arby. He was in seven digits because his initial contract, signed before he ever set foot on a professional field, called for him to be paid $1.32 million in 2007. (He actually took a cut last season.)

[logan82]

He got 80% of his 2007 salary in 2008 I believe.

[thebruce44]

Why did he take a cut?

[whizkid]

That's what the Brewers offered and he had no choice other than not to play.

[MessiahRp]

Aside from his inaccuracies the guy is a jerk to anyone who disagrees with him on his blog. I'd prefer a professional writer who could handle some criticism or disagreement over Haudricourt who is pretty much a hack in my book.

 

Rp

[RightFieldCoder]

Being pre-arby, he has to either except what the Brewers offer or not play. We decided he deserved a pay cut for his 07 performance. IIRC, you have to offer at least 80% of last year's salary.

 

Look at it this way. Rickie is horrible in 07 and has his salary cut to $1.07M. Prince was drafted a year before him, hit 50 HRs and led the team offensively, and got a pay raise to $670k. You see why one might be a little upset about the salary structure.

[logan82]

Weeks also signed an MLB contract after he was drafted. Which meant he had to be put on the 40-man roster right away.

[1992casey]

I do know that Tom remembers that Rickie was signed to a Major League contract. But I also remember him reporting that Rickie was the first Brewer to sign a Major League contract upon being drafted. Tom was wrong when he reported that. Rob Ellis was the first Brewer draftee to sign a Major League contract. Rob also went straight to the Majors.

[endaround]

Being pre-arby, he has to either except what the Brewers offer or not play. We decided he deserved a pay cut for his 07 performance. IIRC, you have to offer at least 80% of last year's salary.

 

Look at it this way. Rickie is horrible in 07 and has his salary cut to $1.07M. Prince was drafted a year before him, hit 50 HRs and led the team offensively, and got a pay raise to $670k. You see why one might be a little upset about the salary structure.

 

Except that Rickie was very good in 2007. .235/.374/.435 with 25 SB. He missed time but his value was $12.3m Weeks' contract jumped around depending upon his service time limits.

[RightFieldCoder]

Sorry, I meant horrible in the eyes of the "average fan" (ie batting average and HRs). And I was including the fact that he missed time and had very shaddy defense.

[Ennder]

Aside from his inaccuracies the guy is a jerk to anyone who disagrees with him on his blog. I'd prefer a professional writer who could handle some criticism or disagreement over Haudricourt who is pretty much a hack in my book.

 

Rp

To be fair I'd probably just quit my job if I had to deal with the fanbase that posts on that blog on a regular basis.

[MessiahRp]

To be fair I'd probably just quit my job if I had to deal with the fanbase that posts on that blog on a regular basis.

It comes with the territory... no matter what you write about you're bound to get disagreement and if you're writing about anything with any passion you're bound to get passionate disagreement. If he can't handle the criticism then he should quit rather than being insulting and wholly unprofessional in his replies.

 

Rp

[logan82]

To be fair I'd probably just quit my job if I had to deal with the fanbase that posts on that blog on a regular basis.

 

That's the thing though, he doesn't have to deal with the posts on the blog. All he has to do is post his blog and then ignore the comments section.

 

Now if we are talking about the weekly questions, those are all over the place. Some are just repetitive or unintelligent. I can understand getting testy about some of those questions. I don't see why he needs to answer questions about his intelligence or anybody who makes a personal attack against him. Giving stuff like that any response other than DELETE is just dumb. Even when there are intelligent questions he doesn't even put bare minimum effort into answering them much of the time. He offers no insight when answering. I think many posters on this board could answer the questions just as well. He, and other reporters, talk about being on the inside, but we seem to get very little inside information. Obviously there is lots of stuff we don't need to know, but it would be nice to get something truly insightful once in a while.

[Ennder]

It comes with the territory... no matter what you write about you're bound to get disagreement

 

I'm fine with disagreement, it is the incoherent and just generally idiotic nature of the majority of the posts.

[JJHardy7]

Look at it this way. Rickie is horrible in 07 and has his salary cut to $1.07M. Prince was drafted a year before him, hit 50 HRs and led the team offensively, and got a pay raise to $670k. You see why one might be a little upset about the salary structure.

 

The difference is Weeks signed a better contract than Prince did after he was drafted. It's not the salary structure. The Brewers agreed to a better contract with Weeks than Fielder...and we all know Prince's issues with his dad and his bonus, etc.

 

The biggest thing I have with TH is how he's the minor league 'expert' for a lot of publications. From what I know and have been told, he pretty much goes with some stats and what he 'hears' and then makes his prospect list. There are many here (especially in the minor league forum) that know this is far from how you judge minor league talent. I also blame some of the 'new prospect' lack of hype on TH. There are some pretty darn good players coming up pretty soon, but because of TH's terrible coverage you wouldn't know it, but he loves to point out he ranks prospects. While these prospects may not be Braun or Fielder (which an honest person would tell you is a lot more rare than the normal stud prospect), the next prospects lack of coverage blows my mind.

[logan82]

JJHardy7 wrote:

I also blame some of the 'new prospect' lack of hype on TH.

To be fair, there is a pretty good team in Milwaukee for him to cover now.

[phxMILWfan]

The people that post on that site are complete morons and the constant posting of "first" is annoying. I wouldn't want his job. I agree he has many inaccuracies and is a bit smug but as far as getting riled up with people that disagree with him, no big deal.

[1992casey]

Has Tom started posting to the comments section in his blog again? I thought he decided to stop doing that last summer.

[logan82]

No he hasn't started posting in the comments section of his blog again.

 

I wish he at least knew how free agent draft pick compensation worked. I think he finally figured out that we get a 2nd rounder for CC. I know the rules are not really out there and accessible to everybody(they are, but you have to dig), but stuff like that is something I would expect somebody who is employed to cover an MLB to know.

[SeriesFinale]

Aside from his inaccuracies the guy is a jerk to anyone who disagrees with him on his blog. I'd prefer a professional writer who could handle some criticism or disagreement over Haudricourt who is pretty much a hack in my book.

TH has pretty much always kindly replied to any question or rant I've emailed him, because I think he knows where we're coming from as fans. He's been covering the Brewers forever and a day, and you can tell he cares as much or more than the rest of us; I saw him in the tunnel right after the Brewers had swept the Giants last season, topping the weekend by picking up Ray-Ray, and I saw him right there as Mark A and Durham met, and TH had a smile a thousand miles wide, as did most of the Brewers and their fans.

 

That said, he's not paid to be #1 fan, and the inaccuracies do bother me. But generally I think he does a pretty good job.

[Invader3K]

I actually agree with SeriesFinale...at least he generally knows what is going on with the MLB team...I don't look to the Journal-Sentinel for in depth MiLB coverage. Yes, Haudriciourt makes mistakes occasionally, but he is usually quick to correct them, at least.

[JJHardy7]

To be fair, there is a pretty good team in Milwaukee for him to cover now.

 

He's defended himself numerous times on the website about all the 'knowledge' he has about the prospects. If he's going to do that, he should do his homework.

 

No he hasn't started posting in the comments section of his blog again.

 

Yes he has. I haven't seen him attacking posters yet (I don't read the comments most of the time so I guess he could have), but he has started posting again in the comments section.

[Invader3K]

He generally answers follow up questions in his blog, in the comments section.

 

I don't know...I think a lot of people expect way more of reporters than can reasonably be expected.

[RockCoCougars]

I can't believe that people have the brass to complain about MJS Brewers coverage this winter. These complainers must be bandwagon fans, because not too many years ago, it was rare for more than one Brewers article per WEEK to pop up on the MJS website. TH usually posts at least one blog update per day.