Krod accepts, how does this affect any other Free Agent signings?

[BREWCREW5]

Obviously Krod accepted arbitration...so where does this leave the Brewers now. They appeared to not be making offers to FA because they wanted to see what Krod was going to do. We (currently at least), are about to pay 9-12 million for a set up guy and we have holes at SS. 3rd base and 1b are necessarily shored up either.

 

I believe in Melvin but I have to think that when they offered arbitration to Krod, they never expected him to take it.

[CheezWizHed]

If you can convince KRod to sign for a reasonable closer's salary (3yr/$24-27M), you could turn him into trade bait for a SS. His motivation is still to be a closer, so if they get a decent deal to do so, he might go for it... But I wouldn't sign him until I had a handshake agreement with some team.

[BritInWI]

If you can convince KRod to sign for a reasonable closer's salary (3yr/$24-27M), you could turn him into trade bait for a SS. His motivation is still to be a closer, so if they get a decent deal to do so, he might go for it... But I wouldn't sign him until I had a handshake agreement with some team.

I'm not sure why KRod would take a deal like that when he can make half of that in one year from arbitration and then try again as a free agent after the season. I don't think he'd have any problem making more than the difference for following two years. If he expects to be a closer at the club the Brewers planned to trade him to, I couldn't really see him taking less than $30M for three years (and that might be a little low).

 

I actually think a team would be more likely to trade for him if he was only on a one year deal. If he's great, they win. If not, they're only tied to him for the one season.

[yoshii8]

Why isn't he trade bait on a 1 year deal? I think there are still a few teams that need a closer, and I expect them to trade for him.

[GoudaBrew]

If you can convince KRod to sign for a reasonable closer's salary (3yr/$24-27M), you could turn him into trade bait for a SS. His motivation is still to be a closer, so if they get a decent deal to do so, he might go for it... But I wouldn't sign him until I had a handshake agreement with some team.

If there were a team out there willing to give him that, Boras would have found them already. Plus, I don't think you can sign and trade players like that in MLB (other than arby deals).

 

I suspect DM will sign a cheap SS (Yuni or Gonzalez), an even cheaper utility man, and basically call it an off-season. We'll have a strong rotation and bullpen and if Gamel and McGehee can produce we should be in decent shape. Those are some HUGE "ifs" though.

[Mass Haas]

The Red Sox need a closer, probably want to avoid a long-term commitment (Madsen) and have been happy to go year-to-year arby with Papelbon previously. If payroll relief is the primary goal for Doug, he could accept minimal prospects in return.

[chadomac]

Give us one of your shortstops, Boston.

[DatHoser]

This may not be so bad. Remember, he can be cut before the season at a loss of about $2.5 mil. or so. What could be done is wait out spring training and hope for an injury or flame-out on another team and then trade him while agreeing to pay $2-3 mil. of his contract - at least getting a little back. Also, heaven forbid we get an injury, he's insurance for us. All of this assumes he stays healthy himself (crosses fingers).

[CheezWizHed]

I'm not sure why KRod would take a deal like that when he can make half of that in one year from arbitration and then try again as a free agent after the season.

- Because he wants to be a closer. He doesn't get that here.

- Because he might not get closer money next year.

 

Why isn't he trade bait on a 1 year deal?

 

He could be. I'm just speculating that someone might be more interested if the cost per year is lower. And might offer up more in a trade if its not a one year rental.

 

If there were a team out there willing to give him that, Boras would have found them already.

 

They didn't get it yet, but there is a lot more of the offseason to go. They were up against an arby deadline, so they took that.

 

Plus, I don't think you can sign and trade players like that in MLB (other than arby deals).

 

This I don't know. Just speculating.

[BritInWI]

I'm not sure why KRod would take a deal like that when he can make half of that in one year from arbitration and then try again as a free agent after the season.

- Because he wants to be a closer. He doesn't get that here.

- Because he might not get closer money next year.

I wasn't arguing that he doesn't really want to be a closer, but if he gets "good setup man" money over the following two years, his 3-year earnings would probably amount to at least what you proposed him signing for the next three years. Of course, you have to assume that he's confident and thinks he can do even better. Now if he's more attractive to teams on a one year contract (which you and I disagree on) and he can't get a 3-year deal for what he thinks he's worth, why not take this and roll the dice?

 

The only reason I can think of is if he fears injury.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Sounds like by K-Rod accepting arby wont affect the Brewers ability to sign a SS or 3B or both as much as people were thinking,

 

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said the Brewers still have the

payroll flexibility to fill their various needs, even with Francisco

Rodriguez locked into a big salary after he accepted arbitration

Wednesday night. The first order of business: Sign a shortstop.

 

“We’re OK,” Melvin said. “I talked to Mark [Attanasio, Milwaukee's principal owner].”

link

[TheCrew]

Any chance the Angels might be interested in a K-Rod reunion? They've got 3 first baseman now.....

[brewmann04]

But do they mean adding a SS like Gonzalez or going back to Yuni.

[The Truth]

Any chance the Angels might be interested in a K-Rod reunion? They've got 3 first baseman now.....

I thought about that, too. Trumbo is a great young talent but along with 1B he can play OF and 3B, too, plus the Angels get to have a DH. With Vernon Wells having such a down year last year I think the Angels would be very hesitant to trade Trumbo away.

[The Truth]

If the choices are Yuni, Gonzalez & Furcal, I sure hope we get Furcal! (And then draft SS's in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd rounds!)

[PrinceEatMeat]

Based on Doug's comments, my take is that Mark doesn't care and wants to go all in again. I think they'll go hard after both Ramirez and Furcal.

[RightFieldCoder]

If the choices are Yuni, Gonzalez & Furcal, I sure hope we get Furcal! (And then draft SS's in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd rounds!)

If my choices are Yuni, a five year old, and my grandmother, I hope we take the five year old or my grandmother.

I wouldn't sign and trade KRod. I'd give permissions to other teams to talk to Boras. Once they have a handshake deal, we can do a trade and (the other team) sign deal. That happens all the time and prevents the Brewers taking a risk on the other team backing out.

[jjkoestler]

Any chance the Angels might be interested in a K-Rod reunion? They've got 3 first baseman now.....

I thought about that, too. Trumbo is a great young talent but along with 1B he can play OF and 3B, too, plus the Angels get to have a DH. With Vernon Wells having such a down year last year I think the Angels would be very hesitant to trade Trumbo away.

I like Trumbo quite a bit, but would he be a big upgrade over Green and Gamel? What would you Angels want for him? I can't imagine they would want prospects as they are obviously going for it.

 

K-Rod + Gamel + cash for Trumbo?

[PKBadger]

Based on Doug's comments, my take is that Mark doesn't care and wants to go all in again. I think they'll go hard after both Ramirez and Furcal.

This is what I'm hoping for as well.

 

With Pujols leaving STL and the Cubs in rebuilding mode, there may not be a better time to go after another division championship. We only retain rights to Greinke and Marcum for one more season.

 

If you sign Furcal and Ramirez and they're able to squeeze out one more year of good health, and Gamel hits halfway decent, then you have an offense that is clearly better than anyone else + improved defense (Gamel > Fielder, Furcal >>>Yuni, A-Ram and McG are a wash) + a fine rotation + two great relievers in the back end of your bullpen.

 

Also, the two teams I heard mentioned as suitors for Ramirez were LAA and MIL....the Angels just spent $250M on Pujols, which probably takes them out of the running. So we may be able to get him at a better price.

 

Now, could Mark A. stand to lose $5-$10m next year to take one more big shot? We don't really know. But I'd be fine with going this route and then making significant budget cuts in 2013.

[The Truth]

Now, could Mark A. stand to lose $5-$10m next year to take one more big shot? We don't really know. But I'd be fine with going this route and then making significant budget cuts in 2013.

This is the kind of thing that always perplexes me. I'm willing to admit that maybe its way over my head. How much has the value of the Milwaukee Brewers gone up since Mark A & crew bought the team? $50 million? $100 million? $150 million? Mark A is not losing money!

[PrinceEatMeat]

Now, could Mark A. stand to lose $5-$10m next year to take one more big shot? We don't really know. But I'd be fine with going this route and then making significant budget cuts in 2013.

This is the kind of thing that always perplexes me. I'm willing to admit that maybe its way over my head. How much has the value of the Milwaukee Brewers gone up since Mark A & crew bought the team? $50 million? $100 million? $150 million? Mark A is not losing money!

Exactly, in the future when he decides to sell the team, whenever that may be, he will make a TON of money. He's pretty far away from losing money on this team. The team is gaining more value year-by-year.

[The Truth]

Exactly, in the future when he decides to sell the team, whenever that may be, he will make a TON of money. He's pretty far away from losing money on this team. The team is gaining more value year-by-year.

And keeping the Brewers as a contender helps maintain and increase the long-term value of the Milwaukee Brewers franchise

[monty57]

Based on Doug's comments, my take is that Mark doesn't care and wants to go all in again. I think they'll go hard after both Ramirez and Furcal.

 

I hope that's the case. The alternative is that we sign either Yuni or Gonzalez for around $2-3MM and maybe a veteran middle releiver for <$2MM and a couple league minimum reclamation projects for the bench.

[brwrsfan]

I don't think Mark is really running the Brewers to "make" money. From what I understand, he is making a ton of money in his own personal business dealings. Now, he may not want to just lose buckets full of money with the Brewers but he's not in it with them to make a year to year profit. I think he's doing it because he loves owning the team and he knows that when he does finally sell the team, he'll make a fortune.

[CheezWizHed]

Now if he's more attractive to teams on a one year contract (which you and I disagree on) and he can't get a 3-year deal for what he thinks he's worth, why not take this and roll the dice?

 

The whole signing the extension premise is based on making him more attractive to another team (see my OP about working it out with the other team). If it doesn't, then no reason for an extension.

 

I'm not sure KRod is a slam dunk to get $7M per season for the next two. ($13M + $7M +$7M for $27M). Injuries, bad year, even an ERA of 3 might spoil that chance. I guess it depends on how badly he want to close. Maybe he takes a lesser one year deal to make it easier to trade him (doubtful with Boras, though).

 

If we trade KRod for 1yr/$13M, you either have to eat salary or trade him for a low rated A-ball player (like how we got him).