Brewers + Matt Garza; 4 yrs, $50MM + incentives, 5th year option

[Bombers]

Bump ... What a game by Garza. Fun game to be at as the pitching was amazing. Garza was dealing.

ERA 3.78

FIP 3.41

[djoctagone]

Garza deal:

5th year option, Brewers can opt out at $5million, but becomes $1million if Garza spends 130 days on the DL in 183-paid period for various injuries during ANY of the 4 seasons

 

Garza can vest at $13 million if:

1- starts 110 games during contract plus

2- not on DL at end of '17 regular season plus

3- 115 IP in '17 season

 

Garza paid $12.5 million per year from 2014 - 2017 with $2 mil deferred without interest each year plus in each year he can earn $500k for 30games started and 190IP

if i am calculating correctly, garza has spend more than 130 days on the disabled list during his tenure with the brewers. thus, if the brewers wanted to opt out of his contract after this season, they could with a $1 million buyout.

 

garza started 71 games during the first three years of his contract. he has 15 starts in 2017, bringing him to 86 starts. with 61 only games remaining, there's no way that he gets 24 more starts in 2017. with 82.1 innings under his belt in 2017, 115 innings is certainly attainable if he avoids the disabled list, but there's no way we gets to 110 total starts as a brewer.

[brewerfan82]

This explains the option the other way around, that it's $5m to keep him, or $1m to keep him if he spends more than 130 days on the DL. Lots of conflicting info about it.

 

https://www.brewcrewball.com/2017/2/14/14607306/matt-garza-contract-option-2018-explained

[adambr2]

This explains the option the other way around, that it's $5m to keep him, or $1m to keep him if he spends more than 130 days on the DL. Lots of conflicting info about it.

 

https://www.brewcrewball.com/2017/2/14/14607306/matt-garza-contract-option-2018-explained

 

That's the way I always understood it. His $13M option won't be in play next season, nor his $1M option. He'll be a $5M player next year, here or somewhere else.

[Outlander]

Yeah, it will be a $5 million option. He spent more than 130 days on the DL but it wasn't during a 183 day window so the $1 million options isn't in play and there is not way he can vest the $13 million.

[monty57]

This explains the option the other way around, that it's $5m to keep him, or $1m to keep him if he spends more than 130 days on the DL. Lots of conflicting info about it.

 

https://www.brewcrewball.com/2017/2/14/14607306/matt-garza-contract-option-2018-explained

 

Note that the article was written in February, before anyone thought the Brewers would be in a pennant race. At this point, it's entirely possible he's on the 2018 opening day roster for $5M. Assuming he continues to be a decent pitcher for the remainder of the season, it's also possible that he could be traded this offseason.

[Thurston Fluff]

Not only is it possible I'd expect the Brewers to pick it up. You don't often get a starting pitcher for a $5M one year deal unless there are more serious risk factors than Garza has. Not saying he is risk free obviously, but he is not coming off surgery or been terrible. His health issues are more or less minor and he has shown the ability to pitch with declining velocity. If he doesn't pan out at all it's not a major financial loss. If he does he adds some depth to a fairly young, unproven pitching staff.

[reillymcshane]

Not only is it possible I'd expect the Brewers to pick it up. You don't often get a starting pitcher for a $5M one year deal unless there are more serious risk factors than Garza has. Not saying he is risk free obviously, but he is not coming off surgery or been terrible. His health issues are more or less minor and he has shown the ability to pitch with declining velocity. If he doesn't pan out at all it's not a major financial loss. If he does he adds some depth to a fairly young, unproven pitching staff.

At this point, Garza is a no brainer pick at $5M. Come the end of the season, if he's healthy and sitting around a 4.00 ERA - that's better than league average (which is around 4.35).

 

The Crew can always trade him down the road if they decide they want to move on from him and go with younger guys. But for now, he's pitching pretty good, and $5M is cheap for a back of the rotation guy.

[nate82]

At this point, Garza is a no brainer pick at $5M. Come the end of the season, if he's healthy and sitting around a 4.00 ERA - that's better than league average (which is around 4.35).

 

The Crew can always trade him down the road if they decide they want to move on from him and go with younger guys. But for now, he's pitching pretty good, and $5M is cheap for a back of the rotation guy.

 

That option is extremely valuable to just about any team in the league especially for teams that want to be under the salary tax cap. The Dodgers would be one of those teams along with the Angels.

 

$5m for a #5 starter is well below the market rate and only pre arbitration pitchers are going to be making less than Garza and there won't be that many available on the market.

 

I think the Twins, Braves and the Dodgers would be the teams most interested in Garza this off season.

[brewcrewdue80]

I always thought 1mil option occurred if he spent the end of this season on the DL.

[LouisEly]

$5m for a #5 starter is well below the market rate and only pre arbitration pitchers are going to be making less than Garza and there won't be that many available on the market.

I hate to break this to the anti-Garza crowd, but among NL pitchers with at least 60 IP this year Garza ranks 26th in ERA (and two of the pitchers ahead of him - Randall Delgado and Mike Montgomery - have only started 5 and 8 games respectively this year).

 

He's actually much closer to a #2 - and arguably could be considered a #2 - than a #5.

[MrTPlush]

I don't love or hate Matt Garza. Sure I am not preaching to trot him out there for big games, but he goes out there and gets the job done. #4 #5 starters are just as important as the guys at the top. Have bad guys in those spots and they are going to kill you and seriously hurt your chances of competing.

[Greenleaf1]

Garza's $5M option next year is the textbook definition of no-brainer.

 

If Woodruff/Hader finish the year strong and are looking like they could start the year in the rotation, then Garza could become a very interesting trade chip this winter.

 

We could be looking at a rotation to start next year of Nelson/Anderson/Davies/Woodruff/Hader, with Burnes/Ortiz at AAA (EDIT: Not to mention Freddy Peralta). And that's assuming we don't keep Garza or Guerra. That's one exciting looking rotation, and bodes well for our playoff chances moving forward. Imagine what this 2017 team could do with that rotation for a full year.

[nate82]

I hate to break this to the anti-Garza crowd, but among NL pitchers with at least 60 IP this year Garza ranks 26th in ERA (and two of the pitchers ahead of him - Randall Delgado and Mike Montgomery - have only started 5 and 8 games respectively this year).

 

He's actually much closer to a #2 - and arguably could be considered a #2 - than a #5.

 

The point was that Garza is cheap next year forget where he would be ranked as a starter as it is irrelevant other than comparing price for that type of a pitcher. The value of Garza's contract next year is a bargain and has surplus value no matter what type of a pitcher he is or isn't.

 

Even if Garza profiles as a #5 starter you can't get a #5 starter for less than $5m on either the trade market or in free agency. Even high risk pitchers are going to have a cost of about $6-10m for a year.

[djoctagone]

Yeah, it will be a $5 million option. He spent more than 130 days on the DL but it wasn't during a 183 day window so the $1 million (option) isn't in play and there is (no) way he can vest the $13 million.

thanks for clarifying. those terms seem to be fairer to the player.

[clancyphile]

Not only is it possible I'd expect the Brewers to pick it up. You don't often get a starting pitcher for a $5M one year deal unless there are more serious risk factors than Garza has. Not saying he is risk free obviously, but he is not coming off surgery or been terrible. His health issues are more or less minor and he has shown the ability to pitch with declining velocity. If he doesn't pan out at all it's not a major financial loss. If he does he adds some depth to a fairly young, unproven pitching staff.

At this point, Garza is a no brainer pick at $5M. Come the end of the season, if he's healthy and sitting around a 4.00 ERA - that's better than league average (which is around 4.35).

 

The Crew can always trade him down the road if they decide they want to move on from him and go with younger guys. But for now, he's pitching pretty good, and $5M is cheap for a back of the rotation guy.

 

I say, keep Garza, but flip him when Corbin Burnes is ready to come up next year (hey, the way Burnes is dealin'...)

[dacbrewers]

Garza is going to get the option money and they won't be able to move him, thus blocking a young talent.

[Lathund]

He has a sub 4 ERA (117 ERA+) with a FIP to match, and will cost $5m for the season. The way he's played this season it won't be a problem moving him. Can't expect huge returns, but we'll get at least something.

[nate82]

Garza is going to get the option money and they won't be able to move him, thus blocking a young talent.

 

What? Garza has a lot of surplus value at $5m. There will be plenty of teams who will want to trade for Garza in the off season.

[dacbrewers]

and he could get hurt and never play again with 5 million in his pocket

[MillerParkSouth]

And that's will have absolutely zero effect on the 2018 brewers if that happens