Parra avoids arbitration

[Patrick425]

Doesn't say how much in this article, but MLB traderumors are saying it's worth about $1.3 million. Really? So basically, to be a millionaire in baseball you just have to have a pulse. This is the same Manny with a career 5.13 ERA and 1.65 whip, and who didn't pitch one inning last year....right? I would imagine that there are many minor league pitchers in MLB that make a small fraction of this amount that could pitch just as good or better than Manny.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/brewers.html

[brettac1]

He's also a LHP that pretty much K's a guy an inning, throws pretty hard, and made $1.2 million last year. Sounds about right to me. It's not an exorbitant amount for a second year arby guy.

[Patrick425]

Throws pretty hard? That's the qualification? There are lots of guys who "throw pretty hard" that don't make $1.2 million. I can't think of another profession outside of professional sports where you can under perform for 3 or 4 years. Take a leave of absence with an injury for a year and then come back and get a raise on an already overly generous paycheck.

 

Brettac, I know that this "sounds about right". That's what completely bugs me. This has become the norm. People are numb to it....$1 million means nothing. When does the madness stop? I would have had no problem with the Brewers dropping this guy and giving some minor leaguer a shot. I predict another underwhelming season from Parra if he can manage to stay healthy.

[TooLiveBrew]

There are lots of guys who "throw pretty hard" that don't make $1.2 million.

 

Who would you like to see them bring in instead?

[brettac1]

He's not making such an amount that if he is out-performed in spring training or they determine he's not good enough that he can't just be released.

[Patrick425]

There are lots of guys who "throw pretty hard" that don't make $1.2 million.

 

Who would you like to see them bring in instead?

It doesn't have to be someone that throws hard. My point was that just because you throw hard, doesn't mean you are good.

 

2008: 4.39 ERA 1.54 Whip

2009: 6.36/1.83

2010: 5.01/1.62

2011: Didn't pitch

 

So, this earns you a $100,000 raise in MLB? Why does arbitration equal an automatic raise?

 

I'll be completely honest, I don't have a extensive knowledge of Brewer minor pitchers and I really don't want to go research it right now. I know that the Brewers pitching depth in the minors is lacking, but I find it hard to believe that there is not at least one AA or AAA pitcher in the system that could match these numbers at 1/3 the cost.

[Thurston Fluff]

I can't think of another profession outside of professional sports where you can under perform for 3 or 4 years.

 

Will Ferrell reportedly made over $15 million for Land of the Lost. If you don't think that qualifies as overpayment then you haven't seen the movie.

[jjfanec]

When looking at Parra's numbers you need to sort it to focus on when he was a reliever. He was not an effective starter but is an effective reliever. Yes it is a small sample but that is what he will be for this team. We didnt have a lefty in the bullpen last semester and it hurt us. Here are his career stats as a reliever.

 

ERA - 2.39

WHIP - 1.35

K/9 - 9.8

K/BB - 2.73

[sveumrules]

Where is all the outrage that Clayton Kershaw only got paid 500k last year?

 

Players in MLB are over and underpaid to varying degrees, that is just the nature of the CBA. Manny Parra is hardly the worst offender here and if he pitches in relief as well as he did last time he got sent to the bullpen the contract could be a pretty nice bargain even.

[Patrick425]

Manny Parra is hardly the worst offender

That's kind of my point. That's what's maddening to me.

[RockCoCougars]

Is this a non-guaranteed deal? I hope so, because if he's not ready to pitch come April, there is no reason to pay him for doing nothing again.

[Thurston Fluff]

We didnt have a lefty in the bullpen last semester and it hurt us.

 

There is little doubt the graduation hurt us so we have to pay for Manny to take a few more classes to remain eligible this semester.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Sorry carry on.

[And That]

2008: 4.39 ERA 1.54 Whip

2009: 6.36/1.83

2010: 5.01/1.62

2011: Didn't pitch

Career ERA out of the bullpen: 3.19 (granted, only 62 IP, but that's still a relievers' season worth of data). That's with 61 hits, 22 walks and 67 strikeouts.

 

He has a power arm for a lefty (even though his fastball is as straight as an arrow), he has a really good splitter, and he has a serviceable change-up. I don't think his stuff out of the pen is much of a risk at all at $1.3M or whatever it is and it may even be a bargain - it's his health I'm worried about.

[jjfanec]

2008: 4.39 ERA 1.54 Whip

2009: 6.36/1.83

2010: 5.01/1.62

2011: Didn't pitch

Career ERA out of the bullpen: 3.19 (granted, only 62 IP, but that's still a relievers' season worth of data). That's with 61 hits, 22 walks and 67 strikeouts.

 

He has a power arm for a lefty (even though his fastball is as straight as an arrow), he has a really good splitter, and he has a serviceable change-up. I don't think his stuff out of the pen is much of a risk at all at $1.3M or whatever it is and it may even be a bargain - it's his health I'm worried about.

Your stats seem more up to date than the ones I posted about for Parra as a reliever. I agree with you that injuries are my only real concern with Parra at that price.

[Funketown]

I can't think of another profession outside of professional sports where you can under perform for 3 or 4 years. Take a leave of absence with an injury for a year and then come back and get a raise on an already overly generous paycheck.

In most other industries, Parra would also have had an opportunity for a big payday after his solid season a few years back. He's not getting a raise so much because of his lack of success, rather due to the somewhat odd market structure for MLB talent.

[jerichoholicninja]

He didn't play last year. He shouldn't get a raise. You can argue for however much he should be paid but he should not get a raise.

[mrpackersfan1]

It is $1.2M from Adam McCalvy on Twitter. No Raise. Makes sense since he didn't pitch last year

[joepepsi]

I can't think of another profession outside of professional sports where you can under perform for 3 or 4 years.

Have you heard a Rolling Stones ablum in the last 40 years? They've beeen terrible for that long but you can bet Jagger makes hundreds of millions a year. Seen a good Julia Roberts movie lately? Last I heard she makes $20 million a picture, which involves about 6 weeks of filming. Athletes are entertainers.

Watch the documentary Inside Job and you'll see lots of Wall Street types who gleefully ran this country into the ground while making millions upon millions, then begged for government bailouts and finally get tax breaks for being "Job Creators". Bud Selig is going to get paid $22 million a year for the next two years. Really? Let's be honest; Bud's probably a nice guy, but lots of people could do that job just as well for a fraction of the salary. There are lots of professions where people are paid an absurd amount of money whether they perform competently or not.

Manny Parra, like any business man or entertainer is being paid what the market will bear. If he performs well out of the pen, he's a bargain at this price.

 

[brettac1]

I can't think of another profession outside of professional sports where you can under perform for 3 or 4 years.

Have you heard a Rolling Stones ablum in the last 40 years? They've beeen terrible for that long but you can bet Jagger makes hundreds of millions a year.

Dude... Some Girls is a classic album and that was only like 34 years ago. Since then, yes.

[RockCoCougars]

Have you heard a Rolling Stones ablum in the last 40 years?

 

Not to turn this into a Stones discussion, but they've released a lot of good stuff since '72. Exile on Main Street, Some Girls and Tattoo You are generally regarded as good albums. I also have a soft spot for Undercover (wore that cassette out one summer). You can't compare Manny Parra to Mick Jagger either. To me, he's a one hit wonder at this point (first half of '08). I will compare him to Norman Greenbaum at this point. His 'hit' was very good, but we are years removed. This season will probably provide his last opportunity for another hit, if he doesn't get one, he's going to lose his record deal.

[brettac1]

Exile is my favorite album of all-time.

[JohnBriggs12]

Without Parra, the Brewers won 96 games last year. With him, the previous year they won 77. Coincidence. I think not.

 

It's hard to make a case they missed having a lefty in the pen when they won 96 games and the division by 6 games.

 

I don't care how hard he throws or how many guys he's struck out, he's had numerous opportunities, and he's posted an awful career WHIP of 1.64, opponents have feasted on him for a .286 BA, and and .806 OPS against.

 

I would rather see them take another shot at Braddock, non roster invite Juan Perez, or Dan Meadows, who I'm sure at some point will get camp invite too.

 

I would have non-tendered Parra and not looked back.

[CheezWizHed]

People complained when we kept putting Jorge De La Rosa out on the mound. People complained that we gave up on him to early and he succeeded with the Rockies.

 

I'm willing to give Parra another chance.

 

Plus, with Fielder no longer in the dugout, I think Parra will become a good SP again. Was it coincidence that he started pitching better out of the BP (when he didn't have to sit in the dugout)? I think not.

 

edit - JB, FYI, I wasn't making fun of your "I think not" statement. I didn't see your post until after I posted mine. So: Jinx!

[Patrick425]

I didn't realize that Parra had those kind of numbers in relief. I guess I can cut him some slack for that and if he puts up similar numbers this year, then yes, he's worth it. Also, the initial report I saw on MLB trade rumors stated he was getting a raise. Looks like he's not.

 

As far as comparing him to the Rolling Stones, Will Ferrel, etc. I believe the Stones had the highest ticket sales for their tour a year or two ago (vs. all other tours that year). Regardless of how much you may think they stink, they still have plenty of people that will buy their albums and go see them in concert and that's why Mick , Keith , and company make that kind of money. As bad as Will Ferrell may have been in "Land of the Lost", I'm sure the movie sold a lot more tickets with him in it that it would have with say Jim Belushi or someone like that. Also, I didn't see the movie, but was it really Ferrell that was bad, or the writing, directing, plot, co-stars, and other things that were out of Ferrell's control? Anyways, it's called drawing power. I don't think anyone would cancel their season ticket package if the Brewers decided not to keep Manny Parra.

[jerichoholicninja]

de la Rosa was given up on by 4 organizations before he found success. You can't blame the Brewers for the one.