Shortstops available

[DHonks]

I'm sure we have another thread somewhere, but it might be nice to start with a clean slate.

 

What SS are available? I can't wait for AAA games to start so I can begin scouring for possible Shortstops that could have out clauses. And, of course, Farris and Wheeler should get time at SS in AAA, even though Melvin said they're done moving guys around.

[The Truth]

Available now, or at the Trade Deadline?

 

In terms of the Trade Deadline, Rafael Furcal is the first name that come to mind.

[Robideaux]

I don't know who is "available, " per se, but I was in charge of the Brewers I'd be kicking the tires on just about every non-starter on other teams with a warm pulse.

 

The guy I think is intriguing is Everth Cabrera. Blocked by Jason Bartlett in SD and is in AAA right now. I gotta believe he is better than Betancourt, perhaps by a lot.

[nate82]

Cesar Izturis is probably more of a realistic possibility than any other player at this time and will be available at the trade deadline also.

[MJLiverock]

Izturis is terrible and is far from a guaranteed improvement over Betancourt. Why give up anything for another terrible player.

[nate82]

Izturis is terrible and is far from a guaranteed improvement over Betancourt. Why give up anything for another terrible player.

Izturis is better defensively than Betancourt is and that would be a guaranteed improvement over Betancourt. Offensively they are the same with Betancourt having more power but I will take Izturis's horrid offense with better defense over Betancourt's horrid offense and horride defense. There is no one available who is going to give you an improvement both offensively and defensively at this time.

[MJLiverock]

Izturis may be marginally better defensively but is still horrible especially given the variability/accuracy of any of the defensive metrics. Izturis is worse offensively with similar OBP and zero power. Hard to see any sort of upgrade in Izturis, especially if something has to be given up to get him, even a bag of balls would be too much, considering he is likely to provide zero net gain. He is a replacement level player just as much as Betancourt is.

[logan82]

Replacement level would be an improvement over Betancourt.

[ecjimg]

What would Jack Z want for Jack Wilson who is playing 2b in Seattle? Ackley should be called up at some point this year.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I still think we'll trade for Furcal at the deadline. Just seems like something Doug Melvin would do, but only if Betancourt is really struggling. I expect that to happen, so I expect this deal to happen.

[danzig6767]

I still think we'll trade for Furcal at the deadline. Just seems like something Doug Melvin would do, but only if Betancourt is really struggling. I expect that to happen, so I expect this deal to happen.

Why will the Dodgers trade Furcal?

 

Sure it's possible that they'll be way out of a playoff race come the trade deadline, but i don't see any likely 95 win team in the NL West to the point that LA will be buried come late July unless they simply stink and are quite a few games under .500.

[Mudville9]

Here's hoping that Baltimore and Hardy have a bad first half and we can pick him up for a song.

[monty57]

Furcal, Reyes and Rollins will all be FA at the end of the season. All three would be tremendous boosts to this team. If they aren't available at trade deadline this season, then I hope we use some of "Prince's money" to go after one of them in the offseason.

[Warning Track Power]

Furcal, Reyes and Rollins will all be FA at the end of the season. All three would be tremendous boosts to this team. If they aren't available at trade deadline this season, then I hope we use some of "Prince's money" to go after one of them in the offseason.

If we assume "Prince Money" is 5year/$100MM or $20MM/year, I'd rather "Prince money" be used to extend Greinke and Marcum (assuming they pitch to form) and sign JJ to a more affordable contract.

 

My proposal is based on:

1. Greinke makes $13.5MM through 2012. Re-sign Greinke to a 5year/$100MM ($20MM/year) deal. The difference between $13.5MM and $20MM is $6.5MM.

 

2. Marcum makes $3.95MM this season. Re-sign Marcum to a 4 year/$36MM ($9MM/year) deal. The differnce between $3.95MM and $9MM is $5MM

 

3. Sign JJ to a 3 year/$15MM deal. Adds $5MM, but you can subtract YuBet's $4MM and add his $2MM buyout, giving you a net $3MM gain.

 

If my math is correct, adding $6.5MM to Greinke, $5MM to Marcum and $3MM to JJ, adds $14.5MM to the payroll. Subtract Fielder's 2011 salary of $15.5MM, and a re-signed Greinke, Marcum and signed JJ, plus a Gamel $500k salary, gives you 4 players for the price of one Prince.

 

I'm available to be the Brewers GM if you wish guys.

[cwolf2012]

WTP, you need to factor in raises for Braun/Weeks/Gallardo/McGehee and any other number of things. You can't just repurpose the entire amount in long term contracts. If we followed your plan, we'd have to pretty much cut down to league minimum for most positions.

[monty57]

We'll already have Grienke and Marcum next year, so the extensions for them wouldn't start until 2013. Also, I believe KC sent us $2MM to cover Betancourt's buyout.

 

For next year, we should have all five starters, 2B, 3B, LF, RF, C, most of our bullpen and Gamel, Morgan, Gomez, Gindl, Schafer for CF/1B/backup OF plus other cheapr spare parts. With all of this, we should have $15-20MM to spend. The next year, Wolf comes off the books (we'll have an option, which right now doesn't look likely to be exercised), and he should be able to be replaced internally with a good league-minimum guy from the minors. There is also a distinct possibility that Hart gets traded before his contract is up if some of our minor league OFs progress.

 

Because so much of our roster is already locked in for the next several seasons, I think it's doable to extend Grienke and Marcum and still go after a big upgrade at SS. It's very early to be looking at this, but it is always kind of fun to be "long term GM."

[JohnBriggs12]

Furcal, Reyes and Rollins will all be FA at the end of the season. All three would be tremendous boosts to this team. If they aren't available at trade deadline this season, then I hope we use some of "Prince's money" to go after one of them in the offseason.

That's my feeling exactly. I'd rather spend on a few premium players than sign middling guys like Hardy to multiyear deals. You can get close to recent Hardy-like production for considerably less than a $15 million commitment.

 

[Warning Track Power]

WTP, you need to factor in raises for Braun/Weeks/Gallardo/McGehee and any other number of things. You can't just repurpose the entire amount in long term contracts. If we followed your plan, we'd have to pretty much cut down to league minimum for most positions.

Why can't I simply dedicate the entire Prince deal to other players? $100MM is $100MM. Sure you can slice it up and say Year 1: $18MM, Year 2: $19MM, Year 3: $20MM, Year 4: $21MM, Year 5: $22MM but in the end it still equals $100MM. If we are capable of expending up to $20MM/year to re-sign Prince, then we certainly are capable of using those funds to sign other players.

 

Similarly, like Monty stated RF, LF, 2B are locked into long term deals already, and you yourself stated in the above response about league minimum salaries, Lucroy/C, Gamel/1B will be around there for the next few years. Same for the bullpen (Axford, Braddock, Loe, Stetter, etc..). Plus Gomez/Morgan/CF, McGehee 3B will still be relatively affordable for the next few seasons. Where else should we spend the money but to extend Greinke and Marcum and possibly sign a SS since it is the only real hole in the lineup that can't be filled internally in 2012?

[Baldkin]

His point was half of that 20M is already committed to raises to players already under contract.

They already have 60M committed to 2012, not including any of the Arby salaries. Those total 13M this year, expect about a 30% increase, puts it around 18M next year. Another 3M of pre-arby guys, that puts the payroll just over 80M next season already.

 

They really don't have much money to spend next season.

[Warning Track Power]

Baldkin[/b]]His point was half of that 20M is already committed to raises to players already under contract.

They already have 60M committed to 2012, not including any of the Arby salaries. Those total 13M this year, expect about a 30% increase, puts it around 18M next year. Another 3M of pre-arby guys, that puts the payroll just over 80M next season already.

 

They really don't have much money to spend next season.

Before I respond, I have no illusions of Prince being in Milwaukee next year. What I am about to say is more a hypothetical:

 

If your numbers are true (I am not sure why you expect a 30% increase in arbitration to $18MM next year as Marcum, McGehee & Morgan are the only players I see getting a significant boost and I already had Marcum penciled in for an extension), then a Prince deal won't happen regardless of whether or not he would accept it. Based on your speculation, even if Prince were to come to management and say I will accept the "reported" 5yr/$100MM deal, the Brewers could not do it because of financial restraints. My point was that if they have the financial wherewithal to offer Fielder that deal, they could reallocate those funds to re-signing other, arguably more important, players like Greinke and Marcum.

 

I don't know. Maybe Weeks' extension closed the door on the ability to offer Fielder that extension, but I have not heard anything reported that gives me that impression.

[logan82]

The Weeks and Hart deals are probably where the Fielder money went. Both signed extensions since the 5/$100m offer.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Yeah, I really don't see a ton of money being available for free agency. Most of it will go to re-signing players we already have.

[danzig6767]

Furcal, Reyes and Rollins will all be FA at the end of the season. All three would be tremendous boosts to this team. If they aren't available at trade deadline this season, then I hope we use some of "Prince's money" to go after one of them in the offseason.

Rollins numbers have gone down for two straight years

 

Furcal has been injury prone for awhile

 

Reyes would be intriguing, but given he isn't old, if he has a quality season this year without any significant injuries, he'll get a big contract.

[trwi7]

Jack Wilson apparently took himself out of a game with the Mariners and told reporters that Eric Wedge took him out. Seems that he may be on the outs in Seattle.

 

Twitter[/url] links here

[Robideaux]

I think Jack Wilson would be an improvement (terrible hitter, but a good glove), but my impression is that the Brewers' powers-at-be don't see shortstop as a problem. If they did, they would have made more of an effort to bring in some competition for Yuni in the offseason.

 

Between the shortstop situation, Kotsay and Almonte making the team, and Gomez batting second everyday, there has been a lot of head-scratching moments. I don't really understand what Melvin and the rest of the brain trust are thinking.

 

 

(If I hear about Betancourt leading the Royals in RBIs again, I'm going to scream. )