Cameron willing to "make a sacrifice" to stay with the Brewers

[endaround]

No you didn't see anyone post any statistical reason why we shouldn't because they aren't any.

[BrewerBrent]

I think next year we will be surprised by our team salary. After drawing 3,000,000 this year, and with next year likely being Prince's last year with us, I wouldn't be surprised if we get above $100,000,000.

I agree with the notion I think our team salary will go up next year. I think Mark A realizes that the fan base will continue to show if he continues to spend, and after such a disappointing year this year and really the embarrassment that has been our pitching staff I think he's going to urge Melvin to make some move or sign somebody to fix this. I just hope it doesn't lead to another Suppan-esque contract like the last time Mark A pushed for this.

 

And by the way, we still have Fielder after next year. It will be his last arbitration year. Unless your suggesting we trade him after next season.

[RockCoCougars]

If he's willing to take a pay cut, I'd consider- even though I'm not the biggest fan of his. I'd say the $6 million range sounds about right. No way should he get another $10 million, and I highly doubt if any other team in the league would give him that. Heck, the Yankees even balked at that amount when they backed out of the trade.

 

I think Kendall would be a fine backup catcher for about $1 million a year. Simply put, he cannot be brought back as the starter.

[joepepsi]

Damian Miller was better than Kendall and they had no problem letting the Wisconsin boy go. Kendall had better be gone.

 

It never occurred to me they might actually raise payroll next year, but it makes sense. They have one more year to pay Suppan and Hall, so Mark A. should considers them a sunk cost and build an $80-90 million payroll without including the two yahoos. After 2010 the payroll will fall back down, especially if Hardy, Hart, and/or Fielder are gone. So they could bring back Cameron next year for $10 million and make a run. Then a mini rebuild may be in order for 2011.

[Oldcity]

Even 8 mil for Cameron would be great. I'd guess it's around ten again. How do you ask a guy coming off a very good year to take a 20% or more pay cut?

[joepepsi]

You can't. They will have to offer him something like what he made this year plus at least an option for a 2nd year.

[jhart05]

If you think the pitching was bad this year, it will be worse next year with a Weeks or Hart in CF. Sure Hart has the speed, so you would think he could play CF, but he never gets a good jump on the ball. Not a fan of putting Weeks out there either. He was looking really good at 2B with the help of Randolph. You make him learn a new position on the fly, and you could mess with his offense.

 

Bring Cameron back. I hope he retires as a Brewer.

[CheezWizHed]

If you think the pitching was bad this year, it will be worse next year with a Weeks or Hart in CF. Sure Hart has the speed, so you would think he could play CF, but he never gets a good jump on the ball. Not a fan of putting Weeks out there either. He was looking really good at 2B with the help of Randolph. You make him learn a new position on the fly, and you could mess with his offense.

http://twitter.com/favicon.icohttp://www.google.com/favicon.icohttp://static.smarterfox.com/media/wiki-favicon-sharpened.pnghttp://static.smarterfox.com/media/popup_bubble/oneriot-favicon.ico

This got me thinking. It seems that every year the Cardinals get more than expected out of their pitching. A lot of credit goes to the pitching coach. But they also seem to have above average defense every year. I wonder which deserves more credit.

 

The cheapest way to improve pitching is to improve defense...

[joepepsi]

Dave Duncan deserves the worship Leo Mazzone got.

[zzzmanwitz]

Cameron was worth $18.1 Million last season, even missing 25 games to start the year. This year he has been worth $17.4 Million with about a month to go. Cameron has been amazing and I would love to see him in a Brewer uniform for one more year... at least.

[greeg35]

Saying his value is less than 10 million is something I cannot agree with. Cameron was worth much more than the 10 mil he made this year. I'm guessing he would give us a discount to 12-14 million to play for us again and I would pay it if I were Melvin.

 

The only other point I could agree with is Tbadders: offering arbitration and letting him walk for draft choices because we are a couple of year away from home grown pitching contributions/contending. What makes me sad about that is we are wasting a good part of our Gallardo window. That's reality though I guess.

[Invader3K]

I just don't know if it's fiscally wise to pay him that much next year. He's going to be 37 next season. Don't people anticipate him declining a bit? I know he's playing very well this year, but at some point he's going to start slipping.

[BrewCrewForever]

$5-6 mill and he can stay another year, I would be fine with that.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I agree with TLB. If we get a discount on Cam it might be a one year deal instead of a multi-year deal. I think the Brewers would do $10mm for a year, a 2 year $20mm committment for an older player with a potential replacement in 2011 may be tough. I guess they could always move him, but I'm not sure the Brewers could commit to a multi year deal. Considering how bad our pitching is and how bad our fielding was in 2007 pre-Cam...I'd love to have Cam back roaming Center.

 

I would agree on Kendall...at this point his bat is so bad, it's really too much to take. It's not like he's "Molina like" on D behind the plate either. The big argument seems to be how he handles our pitchers. Considering the epic fail of our staff this year, it's tough to see where he's added a ton of value.

 

I have no problem with Hart, although the gap between him and a viable replacement may have closed enough to at least explore moving him for a pitcher.

[homer]

So does this knock a hole in the old "no free agents want to come to Milwaukee" argument?

[brewerfan82]

I would love Cam back on a discount. I think he's one of the most under-appreciated players in the league. I'd also love to bring back Lopez and have him and Weeks getting on base in front of the big boys all year. Keep Cam in center and Rickie at 2nd, move Lopez to 3rd, Gamel to left and Braun to right. It's a lot of shifting, but I think it puts everyone in their proper places. Then trade Hardy and Hart for some pitching. Lopez, Weeks, Braun, Fielder, Cameron, Gamel, Salome, Escobar to start off the year would be very nice.

[phxMILWfan]

So does this knock a hole in the old "no free agents want to come to Milwaukee" argument?

 

No, I don't think so. They are already here and like it. That's not really the same. A 35 year old catcher and a 36 year old outfielder still isn't the same as attracting a pitcher or stud player in their 20's to sign in Milwaukee over another team. I'd say it's progress though.

[Funketown]

Cameron has not seemed to show any signs of slowing down over the past couple years. If they were to sign him to a 2 year, $15-18MM deal, I'd be happy.

[GAME05]

i think an argument about whether Cameron would be a good, productive and safe signing is almost moot. we have such a good offense and such bad pitching, so i don't see that spending our available resources on maintaining that offense in lieu of improving pitching makes much sense.

 

and although i have zero doubt that Cameron loves it here, when i hear those comments it doesn't make me think that he's going to take $5 million less per season just to play here, when historically players have always made those comments and then bolted for another team in FA. it's cynical, but i take "I really like it here and would love to resign" as a signing tool both to tell Milwaukee that we have a chance to resign him, and that other teams better make good offers to him to pull him away from here.

[trwi7]

we have such a good offense and such bad pitching, so i don't see that spending our available resources on maintaining that offense in lieu of improving pitching makes much sense.

But we should have some payroll room so it wouldn't be an either/or issue imo.

it's cynical, but i take "I really like it here and would love to resign" as a signing tool both to tell Milwaukee that we have a chance to resign him, and that other teams better make good offers to him to pull him away from here.

But if this were true why would he say "I'll make some sacrifices to sign here"? That doesn't make sense. If he was doing what you're suggesting, he never would've said "make a sacrifice", just "I would like to re-sign here."

[logan82]

"I would be willing to make a sacrifice to make that happen," he said. "You just never know how it's going to work out financially. It would be cool, because I like it here. Doug [Melvin, the Brewers' general manager] is pretty straightforward, and it's just a matter of what direction they want to go in."

 

I think the bolded part is the key. If Cameron had said, "I like it here and really want to stay," that would be totally different. Lee and Cordero said pretty much the same thing without the make a sacrifice part.

[tomwopat]

Talk is cheap. If Cameron wants to put his some weight behind his words, negotiate a deal before the Brewers have to offer arbitration.

 

Otherwise, it's hard to interpret this as anything but a plea to sway that first decision to be made, which in the Brewers court.

[clancyphile]

Cameron has not seemed to show any signs of slowing down over the past couple years. If they were to sign him to a 2 year, $15-18MM deal, I'd be happy.

Add an option year, and it would be perfect.

 

Cameron sticks around, and that gives the Crew 25 homer power and top-flight defense in center.

[TooLiveBrew]

i don't see that spending our available resources on maintaining that offense in lieu of improving pitching makes much sense.

 

Cameron also makes all of our pitchers better.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

It's worth noting that Cameron will likely last longer than the average player because he's in phenomenal physical condition.

 

Edited: Thanks.