Should the Brewers extend Weeks? [Latest: Won't negotiate once Spring Training starts]

[kramnoj]

Just to throw one example out there, Joe Mauer signed his extension 3/22 in the year that he was going to be a free agent. The Brewers have months to get this worked out.

[Warning Track Power]

I'd like to see them extend Rickie. It's going to be tough to keep things going after 2012. Having some more Braun, Weeks, maybe Hart, Gallardo, Axford and probably a Marcum extension could keep them within spitting distance of .500 post-Prince and Greinke leaving. You never know if DM can find a few scrap heap gems to get lucky on to keep the team competitive and the fans interested while he rebuilds the farm. If it's a reasonable deal that factors in Rickie's injury history it will probably be worth doing.

Ugh...doom and gloom. Realistically speaking I think Rickie, Marcum AND Greinke will be resigned. Based on what we read about Greinke, he seems more like a small to mid market guy who wants to win there. Having those three resigned coupled with already in place deals for Braun, Hart and Gallardo as well as development of Lucroy, Gamel and McGehee should give the Brewers a solid core, 6 hitters & 3 SP beyond 2012.

 

 

[Invader3K]

WTP, I really hope you're right. Extending all three of Weeks, Marcum, and Greinke would be fantastic. it would give the team a good and realistic 4-5 year window (assuming extensions of roughly that length) to really compete, even with Prince gone after this season.

[TooLiveBrew]

No grassy knoll or Greinke scoop here...but in this case, I have a rock-solid source.

 

It's Bill Schroeder!

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Not doom & gloom at all. Just looking at the midpoint of reasonable expectations. I just can't see resigning all three. If Greinke pitches like I think he can he may be in for a Prince-like contract in 2 years. I'm not so sure he'll want to give that up. I hope he pitches that well...that would make the next two years special. Marcum could be much more affordable right now. Weeks as well. I would bet those two get deals done before Spring Training.

 

Hope I'm wrong and Greinke signs an affordable long term extension, but right now I'm betting against it.

[Warning Track Power]

I'd like to see them extend Rickie. It's going to be tough to keep things going after 2012. Having some more Braun, Weeks, maybe Hart, Gallardo, Axford and probably a Marcum extension could keep them within spitting distance of .500 post-Prince and Greinke leaving. You never know if DM can find a few scrap heap gems to get lucky on to keep the team competitive and the fans interested while he rebuilds the farm. If it's a reasonable deal that factors in Rickie's injury history it will probably be worth doing.

This was the doom and gloom quote I was referring too. Even if we have Braun, Weeks, Hart, Gallardo, Marcum and Axford plus McGehee, Gamel, Lucroy we still have 6 solid hitters and 2 higher end starters, assuming everyone stays on their current career path. That should be enough to be at least a .500 team and not a team that MAY be within spitting distance of .500. That's doom and gloom to me.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Maybe it reads worse than I intended. Just thinking that the team's midpoint expectation post some of those moves (a couple extensions) could be closer to .500 (think 78-80 wins) rather than the fall off the cliff scenario that is a real possibility after 2012. Just factoring in what they currently have, their budget, what can be reasonably kept and that their minor league system will contribute very little to help them with either talent or trading chips in that timeframe. I also don't believe they'll be able to extend Greinke...I hope I'm wrong. The next two years could be very special. Post-2012 will require some help. In the meantime, there's quite a bit to enjoy to worry too much about 2013...but I do think they will have their work cut out for them.

[Warning Track Power]

I also don't believe they'll be able to extend Greinke...I hope I'm wrong.

I for one think this will be easier than most. Everything I read says Greinke wants to win and a town like Milwaukee seems to fit his personality better than a major market. Because of this I think we'd be apt to give the CC/Fielder contract to Zack if thats what it took to keep him in Milwaukee. I may be wrong but I don't think I am.

 

Hope springs eternal though right?

 

 

[Baldkin]

Hope springs eternal attorney though right?

Fixed!

[Team Canada]

Spring hopes Hope springs eternal attorney though right?

Fixed!

Fixed.

[Schlitz001]

I really think we will get a deal with Weeks done before the season starts. I said on the first page of this thread that if Rickie had just one healthy and productive season his value would sky rocket. At the start of last year he had two years before free agency to accomplish this and he did it last year. Weeks' agent has to know that there is a chance that Weeks gets hurt again and damages his value. He hasn't had a complete season before 2010, ever! Now is the time to cash in and get Weeks paid. From the Brewers perspective you need one of either Prince or Weeks brought back for 2012 while you still have Greinke and Marcum and you know Prince isn't signing. Weeks must see the Brewers hail mary pass to win in the next two years and at least be more tempted to come back and play with his Orlando neighbor for an extra year. Get paid Rickie!

 

I would say there is just about 0% chance that Prince resigns and maybe 5% that we can get Greinke. Greinke wants to win and without Prince and possibly Weeks, it's going to be tough to convince him to stay, especially with a fat paycheck likely at the end of FA. Marcum on the other hand might be more open to an extension with his style of pitching and relative anonymity as a #1 type starter. If the Brewers are willing to gamble, Marcum might be willing to sign knowing that his numbers probably won't get too much better as he passes 30 and 31 years of age.

[twobrewers]

I just went through our Power 50 and the dismal state of our farm system...

 

It occured to me, that perhaps by trading our our farm for Marcum and Greinke the Brewers might actually be less likely to extend Weeks. Maybe the Brewers our counting on replenishing the farm system with picks from Fielder and Weeks?

[iluvlamp]

Maybe. But we will get good picks for Marcum and Greinke also. Weeks should be locked up just because of that. I guess that long(er) term though.

[Warning Track Power]

If we don't extend Weeks after 2011 and Marcum and/or Greinke after 2012, there could be some awfully lean years while we wait for all these high draft picks to develop. I seriously doubt this is the long term vision Attanasio has for this team. Attanasio has stated in the past that he owes it to the fans to put a competitive team in Miller Park year in and year out. Allowing these three to leave via FA doesn't accomplish these goals.

[paul253]

Yeah I think in the order of importance you need to extend Greinke, Marcum, then Weeks. I still believe pitching gets you into the playoffs and I believe our best shot at sustained success with be those three resigned. They will eventually be supplemented by the likes of Rogers, Rivas, Peralta, and Heckathorn too, which could make for some really good teams.

[Invader3K]

Hopefully Weeks can be extended and at least one of Marcum/Greinke can be extended as well (or better yet, all three, but that seems like a pipe dream).

 

I'm hoping we'll here some news on at least one of these fronts soon.l

[Hate those Rodents]

I see no reason we can't get Marcum resigned at ten million a year and Greinke resigned at 29 million a year. Both would probably accept that and the Brewers will offer that (at least that).

[Invader3K]

Greinke resigned at 29 million a year.

Uh...I'm going to assume this was a typo.

[prophet]

Greinke resigned at 29 million a year.

Uh...I'm going to assume this was a typo.

God i hope so. I'm thinking he meant 19 per year.

[Invader3K]

Well, $19 million a year is still a lot of money. I suppose it would depend on the total length of the contract. 5 or 6 years?

[craigharmann]

Where is Splitter with his rock-solid source?

[hurricanecrush]

Where is Splitter with his rock-solid source?

I'm guessing there is nothing new to report.

[paul253]

Well, $19 million a year is still a lot of money. I suppose it
would depend on the total length of the contract. 5 or 6 years?

If we replace Fielder internally with Gamel, the $100 million to extend Greinke would basically be the money we were going to give to Prince. I personally would rather have Greinke for five years than Fielder so I'd be ok with that. The money to extend Marcum could come from money saved when Wolf's contract expires. Something is going to have to give though. You can't let Marcum, Greinke, and Wolf all leave in free agency during the same off season.

[Hate those Rodents]

I meant 20 not 29. The nine key is by the zero obviously. Oops.

[kramnoj]

There's a good chance that a number of people involved in a Weeks extension might be on vacation, spending time with family and friends. There's no hurry to get this done right now when there are months to go before the season even starts.