Barmes, 2-3 year offer

[jmeks23]

The problem is Fielder just isn't worth it to the Brewers. I HIGHLY doubt he would settle for anything less than 150 MM and considering they have a contract similar to that already in Braun, it just isn't feasible. I think the highest they can go is what they offered him last year, 5/100. I think that's their max for any free agent to be honest.

[RockCoCougars]

I'm highly skeptical that the Brewers don't have enough money to up to payroll some. How much have they raised ticket prices for next season? I thought that it was something like 10 percent or more. That alone should add a ton of revenue, as it's virtually certain that they will sell 3 million tickets again. Kick in the new TV contract, I just can't see how they can't approach 100 million in payroll for the next few seasons. They also have a pretty good level of payroll flexibility. If they have to move a Wolf or Hart to free up enough payroll for Prince, that shouldn't be a problem. It's not like they are saddled with Suppanous contracts like Seattle (Ichiro, Figgins) or the Cubs.

[JohnBriggs12]

Nobody has stepped up and made Fielder an offer yet. Until somebody does, the market for him is a complete mystery. Boras can talk all he wants about $180 million or $200 million but he doesn't set the market.

 

The Brewers don't want to be in a position where they've shelled out a bunch in deals to other players, and suddenly Boras decides he'll accept a one year arbitration deal from the Brewers in hopes the market for Prince will be stronger next year. To me that's the scenario where Fielder is still a Brewer in 2012.

[GamelToe]

Nobody has stepped up and made Fielder an offer yet. Until somebody does, the market for him is a complete mystery. Boras can talk all he wants about $180 million or $200 million but he doesn't set the market.

 

The Brewers don't want to be in a position where they've shelled out a bunch in deals to other players, and suddenly Boras decides he'll accept a one year arbitration deal from the Brewers in hopes the market for Prince will be stronger next year. To me that's the scenario where Fielder is still a Brewer in 2012.

He's far more likely to have a CC deal with the Brewers (opt-out after a few years) than accepting arby.

[logan82]

As much as it pains me I have to go with TH on this one.

 

 

I'm guessing the Brewers said they were interested in making a

two-year offer but wanted to wait to see how the Fielder situation plays

out. But even that doesn't add up for me because I don't think the

Brewers believe they have any chance of keeping Fielder, and must come

up with a shortstop under any circumstances.

So, the Brewers remain on the hunt for a shortstop. Whether they did

or didn't make an actual offer to Barmes is a bit murky. Doug Melvin

said last week at the GM meetings that he didn't think early offers

worked out that often, that it's usually better to wait to see how the

market plays out.

 

[chadomac]

I think the Brewers COULD come up with the money to sign Fielder if they wanted to, but I don't think they really want to. Not at what his asking price will be. It's not worth it and they know that.

[Raw Biz]

I think the Brewers COULD come up with the money to sign Fielder if they wanted to, but I don't think they really want to. Not at what his asking price will be. It's not worth it and they know that.

Exactly, it's not whether the Brewers could afford him. They most likely could. The problem would be that he just wouldn't be worth it in the long run and the money would best be spent elsewhere.

[RockCoCougars]

The problem would be that he just wouldn't be worth it in the long run and the money would best be spent elsewhere.

 

My question is where? If the argument is to extend Greinke and/or Marucm, it's a valid one. At the same time, there is no guarantee that those guys will be willing to sign a deal with the team, and/or that the Brewers won't be outbid. The franchise history of free agent acquisitions is horrible. Recent reputation of a 'fun place to play' aside, I think that it's safe to say that the Brewers will likely have to overpay to get any substantive players to come to Milwaukee. That leaves trades. Perhaps Melvin can take advantage of circumstance to bring in more Carlos Lee/Greinke type guys, which I would be on board with. At the same time you will decimate your farm system if you keep doing this. After the deals last year, there isn't much ammo to trade at this point anyway.

 

Bottom line, Prince had a hand in nearly 200 runs last season, and got on base at nearly a 40% clip from the four hole. How do you replace that? I know that Brewer fans have been conditioned under the small market mentality that the stars always leave when they hit free agency. I don't know if that thinking valid at this point. If someone throws 200 million bucks at him, by all means, good riddance, but if he is in the $125-$150 million range, I think that you have to make a full scale effort. I think the Brewers are doing the right thing right now by laying back in the weeds, by letting someone else make an offer first.

[Raw Biz]

The problem would be that he just wouldn't be worth it in the long run and the money would best be spent elsewhere.

 

My question is where? If the argument is to extend Greinke and/or Marucm, it's a valid one. At the same time, there is no guarantee that those guys will be willing to sign a deal with the team, and/or that the Brewers won't be outbid. The franchise history of free agent acquisitions is horrible. Recent reputation of a 'fun place to play' aside, I think that it's safe to say that the Brewers will likely have to overpay to get any substantive players to come to Milwaukee. That leaves trades. Perhaps Melvin can take advantage of circumstance to bring in more Carlos Lee/Greinke type guys, which I would be on board with. At the same time you will decimate your farm system if you keep doing this. After the deals last year, there isn't much ammo to trade at this point anyway.

 

Bottom line, Prince had a hand in nearly 200 runs last season, and got on base at nearly a 40% clip from the four hole. How do you replace that? I know that Brewer fans have been conditioned under the small market mentality that the stars always leave when they hit free agency. I don't know if that thinking valid at this point. If someone throws 200 million bucks at him, by all means, good riddance, but if he is in the $125-$150 million range, I think that you have to make a full scale effort. I think the Brewers are doing the right thing right now by laying back in the weeds, by letting someone else make an offer first.

Yeah I was thinking extending Greinke first. I'm also looking further down the road. Spending $20 mil on Prince wouldn't be a problem this year or possibly even the next couple. It's a few years down the line when Braun, Weeks, Yo, etc. start getting expensive that the money will matter. If Prince would go something like 3/60, I'd be all over it, but it would never happen.

[PrinceEatMeat]

They are waiting out the Fielder situation because if they don't get Fielder, they would offer the money to Reyes/Rollins. Why sign Barmes for 2 years if you think you'll sign a better SS for 5? I just hope they don't strike out and get nobody.

This is exactly it. If they lose out on Fielder, which is inevitable, they will throw big money at Reyes or Rollins. Not sure I'm on board with that, but I guess it depends on what the actual money is in the offer. What I do know is that Fielder is gone, and we need a good SS. Therefore, it wouldn't surprise if Melvin throws big dollars at either of those two guys.

[StearnsFTW]

Now I'm in the position of hoping for furcal. Which I was really hoping to avoid. If they do sign furcal, I hope they sign Hairston as well for the 50+ games furcal will miss. I'd be ok with furcal and Hairston Plus Hairston can play 3rd vs lefties.

[MNBrew]

Call me myopic, but I'd rather have Rollins + Hairston than Furcal + Hairston. Furcal really wasn't good this year when he was healthy with the highly notable exception of pretty much every game against MIL after his trade to St. Louis.

[TooLiveBrew]

On Furcal, it's whether you believe he's just aged to the point of no return, or that he had a bad year while missing time due to injuries. I know he's an injury risk, but talent-wise I really like him. He still looked good defensively, & don't think his tank is empty yet.

I don't think it's necessarily disappointing that the Brewers opted to wait & see with Fielder, because Barmes isn't that good. I think he just realized he wouldn't likely do any better than what Pittsburgh offered.