What if Prince Wants to Stay?

[Warning Track Power]

Now that Rickie is signed into a long term extension, we have a good core four offensive players to build this team around for the foreseeable future (Braun, Weeks, Hart and McGehee). Looking into my crystal ball I fully expect that talks with Greinke and Marcum will begin at midseason to gauge their interest in hanging around Milwaukee longterm. However, let's say that Prince has a change of heart and decides that he wants to continue on Milwaukee, goes to the press and says he wants to stay and is willing to sign the 5year/$100MM deal that was offered to him during last offseason.

You are now locked into Braun, Weeks, Hart and Gallardo for:

2012: $30.5MM = RB($6), RW($10), CH($9), YG($5.5)
2013: $36.2MM = RB($8.5), RW($10), CH($10), YG($7.7)
2014: $32.2MM = RB($10) , RW($11), YG($11.2)

Given that these are the long term deals currently in place and barring a longterm Casey McGehee deal buying out a year or two of FA, you would be looking at 3 vital pieces to pick from: Greinke, Fielder and Marcum. I believe that Marcum could be had for $10MM/year and, in the scenario, Fielder for $20MM/year. Greinke, assuming he pitches to form, will likely command $20MM as well. It's a given we won't be able to sign Greinke and Fielder together as no matter which way you slice it that would be adding $40MM to the already locked in deals long term deals of $30ish MM. The Brewers just couldn't operate at $70MM to 5 players in 2014.

If you are Doug Melvin, what do you do? Do you sign Prince, the homegrown guy who is willing to take the 5year/$100MM deal now? Or do you hold out the hope, and its unknown whether he would stay after 2012, and save that money for Greinke? Keep in mind in this scenario Prince will sign the deal today and you don't know if Greinke will sign the deal in 2012. Whichever one you sign, you will still be able to afford to sign Marcum as well to a longterm deal to the tune of $10MM/year.

What do you Mr. Brewer GM?

[COBrewerfan]

I would certainly sign one of the pitchers first. Then I would try to sign the other pitcher or find another pitcher. This game starts with that and that should be the first need every year. It's nice to have field players locked up but the brewers only have the ability to spend so much and I would focus most of it on the pitching. Having Braun, Weeks, Hart, and McGehee, I would look to fill other spots with low cost minor leaguers or free agents. That's just the way it has to be.

[paul253]

I'd rather take a shot at signing Greinke. If you are willing to give Prince 5/$100 million, that would be a very good start on Greinke. Even if we have to add a 6th year. Maybe 6 years $120 million? It's a lot of money, but you have to take risks with pitching. If you could get Greinke for 6/$120 and Marcum for 5/$55 you'd have a good 1-2 punch for years to come...something I can't even remember this team ever having. Salaries will eventually come off the books from guys like Hart and Wolf and new prospects will replace the more expensive players. The key to all of this is rebuilding the farm system so you can have cheap replacements.

[craigharmann]

As much as I would like to see Prince re-sign, you have internal options in either Hart or Gamel. Pitching HAS to be the priority. One or both of Greinke/Marcum has to be signed. First base is a position that can be easily replaced. Pitching is not so easy.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Re-signing either Greinke or Marcum, (IMO) precludes being able to afford Prince long term.

[NYChez]

. If you could get Greinke for 6/$120 and Marcum for 5/$55 you'd have a good 1-2 punch for years to come...

It would actually be a 1-2-3 punch including Gallardo. And then if Rogers develops...

[clancyphile]

However, a Brewers dynasty, combined with better TV revenues, could be helpful.

 

Teams regularly in the playoffs will draw well.

 

I'd go for Marcum first - an extension in the neighborhood of 4/40 keeps him in Milwaukee through 2015. Then go to Prince and Greinke to lock them in for 4/70 each. If not... take the picks.

[The Truth]

Greinke would be and should be the first priority

[Invader3K]

I'd go for Marcum first - an extension in the neighborhood of 4/40 keeps him in Milwaukee through 2015. Then go to Prince and Greinke to lock them in for 4/70 each. If not... take the picks.

Well, Prince at that price is a pipe dream, but Greinke might be available for around that. I would definitely approach him and Marcum before Fielder at this point. I feel like Prince has had his chances to re-sign and has made it clear he intends to hit free agency.

[Warning Track Power]

However, a Brewers dynasty, combined with better TV revenues, could be helpful.

 

Teams regularly in the playoffs will draw well.

 

I'd go for Marcum first - an extension in the neighborhood of 4/40 keeps him in Milwaukee through 2015. Then go to Prince and Greinke to lock them in for 4/70 each. If not... take the picks.

If Greinke would accept this, I would be ecstatic. I thought my idea of the Prince deal (5yr/$100MM) for Greinke is the mid-to-low end of what it will take. As it is now, a 4yr/$70MM deal added to his current 2yr/$27MM deal would give us Greinke for 6yrs/$97MM. Yes please!

 

 

[joepepsi]

Signing Rickie sent a message to Prince the Brewers are ready to move on. It will be interesting to see how he responds to contract questions during Spring Training. It could be a return to the attitude he had the year the simply renewed him with a small raise.

 

Prince is an emotional guy who seems to really enjoy playing in Milwaukee. And the fans love him. Wonder if he's feeling left out by the Brewers signing others and giving up on him long term. Then again, maybe he's like most ballplayers and realizes it's just a business.

[Invader3K]

Not sure how he can feel "left out" when they've tried to re-sign him multiple times and gotten nowhere. If he's upset he has no one to blame but himself and his agent.

[RobDeer 45]

Ya I think Prince is all but gone after the weeks singing. Pitching has to be number one going forward. We have to get one of the two new guys extended and then go from there. If we can't resign we have to trade them for a major league ready, young, pitcher and prospects. I've been screaming this for years, pitching is what makes things happen in today's game. Guys like Greinke, Marcum, and Yo can fetch us a boat load of prospects. So if we can't extend them (I know Yo is right now) then we need to trade them either before their last year or at the mid point if we are out of it.

 

I guess what I'm saying is we have enough O to win with if we have the pitching. That needs to be our top priority always.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

I don't think Prince has any intention in staying unless he breaks the bank, and quite frankly, I have no interest in giving him $20 million a year for 5 years. I'd rather allocate that money to Greinke. I think it's Greinke or Prince, and I'll take Greinke. Now that we have pitching, I don't see any reason to load on offense again.

[GAME05]

it's Boras' m.o. to wait until FA and let other teams bid, so by then DM will probably have quite a lot figured out with this team going forward. Fielder has shunned any extension talks, yet Marcum and Greinke have both been agreeable to the idea--one or two of them will be extended by September and there isn't going to be any money left to give Fielder.

 

historically, our scouting department has done a better job of drafting hitters than pitchers. DM, also, is far better at finding good hitters than pitchers. going on the strength of that group, it makes much more sense to me to lock up a good pitcher when we have the chance instead of a good hitter. and it's been mentioned already, but it's usually a lot easier to find a good 1B than a starting pitcher.

 

me personally, i didn't really want Fielder signed to that big of a contract before we even got Greinke or Marcum. we have a lot of good $10M guys on this team, and i'd much rather have two of them than one of Fielder. i think $20M would be far better spent if it were distributed, like shoring up our SS or CF positions, a stronger bench, or even just a heck of a lot more bobblehead days (we'll need a Miller Park bobble-roof day soon).

[AdvantageSchneider]

Prince was gone the moment he signed with Boras and I'm surprised anybody thinks otherwise.

[derflotr]

I'm pretty sure that the Brewers re-signing Hart and Weeks is preparation for life without Prince.

[jackalope02ca]

Man we are sure in love with a couple of players we've never seen pitch for us yet. Not suggesting we shouldn't be but it might be more prudent for all parties to let both Marcum and Greinke pitch for at least half a season before we start talking extension. You have to see if they fit in first. Don't just assume they will as it doesn't always work that way. The other big equation assuming they are both married is do their wives like it here. Cause if they don't there won't be an extension. More ofthen than not players don't always sign where the money is but rather where their wives want them to.

[JohnBriggs12]

The only way Prince stays beyond this year is if Boras thinks the market for him will be better after the 2012 season and he accepts a Brewer arbitration offer. That's where the Pujols situation could figure in. It's not a likely scenario, but it's not one that can be completely ruled out either.

 

Keep in mind the Brewers have to offer arbitration to get the draft picks back, and I think they'd gladly inflate the 2012 payroll a bit if he chose to stay another year. They also could dump some salary by dealing Wolf if he does well enough this year to have trade value. Either way, one extra year of Fielder would not preclude signing the pitchers.

[brewmann04]

I agree once Boras became his agent we all should know his time as a brewer was numbered.

[CheezWizHed]

Ya I think Prince is all but gone after the weeks singing.

 

I've never heard Weeks sing, but it can't be that bad! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif