Brewers, Weeks agree to 4-year, $38.5M extension with vesting option

[monty57]

Good to hear!! Now we should be serious playoff contenders for 2011 & 2012, and even longer if we can get Marcum and/or Greinke extended.

 

I've always liked Weeks' workman-like outlook on things, as is evident in this quote from Adam McCalvy's article:

 

"It's business," Weeks said. "No matter who you are, no matter how you play this game, you're going to go through it. I never sat any expectations. I'm one of those guys who takes whatever happens, because I know it happens for a reason."

 

[pete]

Way too much money and too long as well. This could be Billy Hall contract version II. Bringing Farris to the Winter Warmup as a "rising star" was probably a charade from day one.

[Warning Track Power]

Terrific deal. Hats off to Warning Track Power on getting the 5/50 number right. I thought it would cost more. Glad I was wrong.

Thanks for the hat SoCal! Man what a great offseason this was for the Brewers. Having Rickie locked in gives us a still very solid #3 and #4 in the lineup after Prince leaves. I couldn't be more happy for Rickie personally and for us as Brewers fans as I have always felt he and Braun were the two cogs for the offense we could least afford to lose.

 

Knowing that we now will have Braun, Weeks, Hart and McGehee locked in for the next 3 years at least gives us some serious thump in the lineup and will allow for Lucroy and hopefully Gamel to develop on their own schedule and not be rushed into mandatory production.

 

On to worrying about Greinke and Marcum extensions! Just kidding. Let's let this one soak in for a few.

 

A great day for Brewer fans.

[Patrick425]

If it's anything close to the initial reports, I have no problem with this at all. To get the kind of production out of your 2B position that Weeks can provide is definilty worth it and I am not overly concerned that he continue to have injury issues.

 

To me Weeks + an average 1B > than Fielder + an average 2B, at least offensively.

[RobDeer 45]

Ya this just makes us pretty good for a few more years. Now hopefully Gamel can really work on 1b and step in next year for Prince. Our offense can still pack a pretty good punch even with Prince gone. I agree, next move is getting at least one of the two new pitchers locked up. If we can do that, DM will deserve a lot of praise for the position he has put this team in. Pretty impressive. This is just great news!

[greeg35]

Way too much money and too long as well. This could be Billy Hall contract version II. Bringing Farris to the Winter Warmup as a "rising star" was probably a charade from day one.

 

 

Disagree on the contract. I think its just right. He'll be fairly compensated/underpaid if he stays healthy and performs. There is always risk in a long term deal. The difference between Hall and Weeks skills are immense.

Re: Farris, its been asked about for months (since we got Betancourt) but can he play shortstop???

[RockCoCougars]

Way too much money and too long as well. This could be Billy Hall contract version II. Bringing Farris to the Winter Warmup as a "rising star" was probably a charade from day one.

Where could the team better invest $9 or $10 million per? That wouldn't even get you a middling starter in this market. Heck, guys like Derrek Lee were getting nearly that this off-season. Did you look at the list of potential free agent second basemen next year? Unless you were counting on Farris, who is probably closer to being the 2nd base version of Chad Green as opposed to a 'rising star'.

[logan82]

To me Weeks + an average 1B > than Fielder + an average 2B, at least offensively.

That is wrong. It is Weeks + Gamel(average or better 1B) + approx. $14m > Fielder + an average 2B

 

 

Weeks is nothing like Hall. Weeks has had success hitting at every level he played. He was a good hitter at the major league level. The only problem was he couldn't stay healthy. Hall pretty much had 2 good years and that's it.

[RobDeer 45]

This is nothing even close to the Hall deal. You can't really compare the two.

[trwi7]

AKA Pete]Bringing Farris to the Winter Warmup as a "rising star" was probably a charade from day one.

 

Of course it was. That's because Farris is more of a utility player than a star.

[pete]

Its debatable whether its a good contract - I'll pass on defining "fair" - but those qualifiers, whether he stays healthy and maintains a high level of performance, are huge. Even if Farris could play SS, Melvin would never do it. Heck, I doubt Cruz ever plays for the team. Melvin will send prospects for a year or two of some guy already in the league before he does that.

 

If Farris wasn't a "rising star," then the FO has been lying non-stop and are even willing to screw with a guy by bringing him to Milwaukee just to manipulate a contract negotiation. He's doomed to not having enough value to get anything good in a trade but too good to let go and not have an emergency backup.

 

The money could go toward, you know, extending someone like Greinke.

 

What i wonder is what exactly did the Brewers get for all that negotiating? Was Weeks asking for 6/85 or something?

[PrinceEatMeat]

Yeah, I really never saw Farris as an option for an everyday 2B. A deal like this is way better than vastly overpaying Fielder. With the same money we can get Weeks and Marcum both extended for sure. Hopefully we are able to keep Greinke as well, especially since we'll be saving money for awhile on Gamel, McGehee, Lucroy, and most of our bullpen.

[COBrewerfan]

I love the deal and cannot believe anyone would hate this. He is certainly no Hall and with teh way money is flying around in baseball this is not bad at all. This is the way it works. If players have good years and happen to be up for arbitration or free agency, they get paid. It's the way the business works. Weeks is a special player and while I understand the injury concern, I would hate to see him not in a brewer uniform.

[Funketown]

AP reporting first four years worth $38.5.

 

$6.5, $10, $11, $11?

 

Sounds awesome.

[Patrick425]

To me Weeks + an average 1B > than Fielder + an average 2B, at least offensively.

That is wrong. It is Weeks + Gamel(average or better 1B) + approx. $14m > Fielder + an average 2B

 

 

Weeks is nothing like Hall. Weeks has had success hitting at every level he played. He was a good hitter at the major league level. The only problem was he couldn't stay healthy. Hall pretty much had 2 good years and that's it.

I guess what I was trying to say is on the field (ignore the contract differences) that I believe that statement was true. Also, I'm not really a person who is sold on Gamel's abilities.

 

[bork]

Funketown]AP reporting first four years worth $38.5.

 

$6.5, $10, $11, $11?

 

Sounds awesome.

I would guess that there is a $2 million signing bonus, which would make it $6.5, $9, $10, $11 and a $12 option.

 

 

[Gobias Industries]

Good for Rickie. There's no one who works harder.

 

Stay healthy, my friend.

[MJLiverock]

So happy to see this get done. I love watching Rickie play, reminds me of one of my all time favorites, Rickey Henderson with the power, speed, and OBP. Keeping a guy from draft day through his first contract after arby reminds fans the Brewers aren't just a farm team and that they can invest in players and fans can invest too without worrying they will be gone as soon as they get a chance.

 

Maybe I can get my wife to replace the Fielder jersey she bought me 4 years ago with a Weeks one for this birthday.

[reillymcshane]

I'm excited. We lock down a position for several years. And most importantly, with a superior player who is still young.

 

Nothing is without risks, and Rickie's history is checkered - at best. I'd much rather have them spend $10 million/year on a guy like this than a Suppan or Wolf. After all, at least Rickie plays decent, even if he does miss some playing time.

 

If Rickie had taken a one year deal, and repeated last year's performance, he's probably looking at $14-15/year as a FA. Like I said, he's a risk. But I like the high upside.

 

Nice news to kick off camp.

[TooLiveBrew]

Maybe I can get my wife to replace the Fielder jersey she bought me 4 years ago with a Weeks one for this birthday.

 

Ohh! Good call. I hadn't even reflected on the apparel side to this story. I opted not to buy a Weeks jersey-tee precisely because I didn't know how long he'd be around. Now I can definitely get one! So *you're welcome*, Brewers. This contract's total guaranteed cost to you now is only $38,499,975.

[paul253]

Just saw this but I think it's a great deal for both sides. Now go extend Marcum and Greinke and I will be a happy, happy man.

[Invader3K]

I was wondering earlier, and no the answer is likely "no", but I wonder if this Weeks extension makes Fielder think twice about possibly re-signing with the Brewers. He's talked about the Brewers needing to keep Rickie around in the past.

[battlekow]

Per Bob Nightengale, the Brewers can void the 5th year of the contract if Weeks doesn't reach 600 PA in the last year of the deal or 1200 in the last two.

[The Truth]

I'm thrilled with this signing as Weeks has long been one of my favorite players. Love his all-out hustle and he is one of the leaders of the team. I could see Weeks batting 4th starting in 2012

[milwaukeesportsfan]

Besides all the baseball related reasons I wanted Rickie to stay, I also have my own selfish reasons. I purchased a Weeks jersey during his rookie season, and I now have at least 4 additional years, and maybe more if he retires a Brewers' legend, to rock my Weeks jersey!