Brewers In Serious Talks To Acquire Papelbon

[superfly]

Russell Martin just got $82M over 5 years at the age of 31. The Brewers shouldn't be committing that amount of money or years to a catcher, face of the franchise or not. And if Gomez was a free agent there is no way the Brewers could compete with the offers he would get.

"Shouldn't" doesn't mean they couldn't afford. Now would it be good business? I can't say either way given the merchandise Lucroy drives but I will agree that is a ton to pay for a 31 year old catcher.

 

As for Gomez, he will be a 31 year old FA after 2016. I'm sure the Brewers would offer him the standard 5 year $100 million deal or $20m per year. Whether he takes it or not doesn't mean they can't afford him as I can't imagine a team paying a 31 year old CF that plays reckless much more than $20m per.

 

Gomez should be on the trade block NOW...the haul we would get is well worth it. I don't want him around for his next contract at 20 mil per (and I love Gomez). Parra can handle the CF duties and we could immediately restock our farm into a good-great farm.

[pete]

Why sign premium free agents to that second contract? Its never a good value. Why would you not play Tyrone Taylor or any of the other choices at a half million a year and instead pay 25 million or whatever for Gomez? If Gomez wasn't a Brewer now, would it be smart to sign him in a couple years rather than go with Taylor or Wren or Reed or whoever?

 

You're also sacrificing the prospect package you'll get if you trade them a year early.

[monty57]

the more prospects/MLB players we give, the less of a contract we are going to take on.

 

Bag of bats and balls to Philly

Papelbons entire contract to Milwaukee

 

Parra+Prospects to Philly

Papelbon and $$$$ to Milwaukee

 

you dont give more to take on more, you give more to take on less. its a simple concept.

 

I have no idea if there is any validity to this deal, but I figured Parra's name was in the mix because of his salary. Sending him means Philly pays his salary, so Milwaukee pays more of Papelbon's salary. Plus, I don't think Philly is willing to take nothing in return for any team taking on Papelbon's contract. That may be the case, but it seems that Philly may be willing to go into the season with Papelbon if they don't get something back in trade.

[TURBO]

I just wish this would end sooner rather than later... This entire situation make me nervous. I'm afraid what we might end up giving up to get him...

[JohnBriggs12]

I still think the health of Henderson plays into this. With apparently no other teams seriously showing interest, they can wait right up until beginning of the season. Even with a healthy Henderson, they can still use another late inning guy, but maybe they don't need a pure closer who's expensive.

[JackNicholson1974]

For the record I wasnt talking about Lucroy or Gomez, I meant the next generation of players such as Lucroy and Gomez. You need minimum salary guys to make it balance out with the big guys. The yankees red sox and dodgers can afford to have $5mil bench guys and 6th inning relievers. we cant.

[pete]

I don't think there is a writer who always seems to have an agenda as much as Heyman, but here he is:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25040880/papelbon-still-on-table-for-milwaukee-but-theres-gap-over-player-return

 

"word is that the issue with Philly is over the player return, so perhaps the sides are close on the finances of the deal"

 

No other team has been seriously mentioned as a possibility. It seems like they're playing chicken and unfortunately Melvin really wants Papelbon. Amaro is willing to go into the season with him.

[Warning Track Power]

If money is figured out and the only thing holding this back is the player compensation, I think we will be seeing Papelbon in Milwaukee. I imagine Philly wants one specific player and the Brewers will compromise by sending two players of lesser value than the one alone.

[pete]

It does seem inevitable. I think you're being optimistic about the player return. I'll stick with Devin Williams or Jorge Lopez as my guesses. I actually wouldn't be surprised if it was one of those guys and another significant prospect.

 

The guy who runs the SI fan blog and lectures on how accurate defensive metrics are is pumped up and using the hashtag #championshipseason

 

That makes my brain hurt.

[splitterpfj]

I've been told several times that there are concerns about Devin Williams - I'm not going to elaborate. It's mostly maturity stuff, which may work itself out, but it also may have made him available if the Brewers like a deal enough.

 

I'd be surprised if the Brewers actually gave Williams up, but I also don't know how sold they are on Papelbon. We all know, if this regime likes a deal, they make the deal.

[PepsiFanClubAlum]

Could there be some other piece that has to move before this deal gets done? Could they be moving Jonathan Broxton for example?

[SoupTown]

Lucky Devin. 'Everyone' knows there are 'issues'. But they cannot elaborate.

[Invader3K]

Heyman just tweeted that Papelbon is "still on the table" for the Brewers, but the player(s) being sent back is the big hurdle. So, basically just stuff we already know at this point.

[pacopete4]

Boy, I just wonder who this debate is over... it'd be interesting to know.

[JohnBriggs12]

Looking at Phillies depth chart that has Sizemore as RF, Parra would be a great bet to be a regular there and would offset a significant amount of money this year. All the Brewers would need to do is convince them of Parra's trade deadline value. Brewers could toss in a prospect outside their top 20 and I'd be fine with it.

[jerichoholicninja]

Is it basically a forgone conclusion that Papelbon will be a Brewer before opening day? I mean deals very rarely get this public without ever happening.

[bill hAll Star]

Looking at Phillies depth chart that has Sizemore as RF, Parra would be a great bet to be a regular there and would offset a significant amount of money this year. All the Brewers would need to do is convince them of Parra's trade deadline value. Brewers could toss in a prospect outside their top 20 and I'd be fine with it.

 

Parra is a more valuable/better player at this point to the Brewers at less than half the price than Papelbon...and we'd be tossing in the prospect?

 

People need to stop considering Parra a "backup" and therefore throwaway. It's 2015, and more than your starting 9 matter. Parra gives great relief of platoon splits with Khris Davis against a tough righty, a "closer" defensive replacement for Davis, and also a guy that you could start/platoon if Braun or Gomez go down as well as a plus bat when we want to rest Braun/Gomez against RH pitching.

 

I'm not trotting 7 righties out there again against a division of mostly shutdown RH pitchers. That's not the way regular season baseball goes anymore. It's the same reason I can't believe that they're going to play Scooter everyday. We need every advantage we can get.

[pete]

Phillies reportedly interested in Moncada. While they have a huge TV deal coming up (I believe), there's probably someone, somewhere saying to look at the balance sheet and clear some money.

 

Also, Haudricourt tweets:

 

The #Brewers know Phillies are motivated to move Papelbon with little other interest so they are in the driver's seat in these talks.

 

and

 

The #Brewers still talking to Philly about Papelbon but signing Chris Perez allows them to dig in a bit on what they give back.

[DR28]

Yea I definitely think this trade gets done now.

[reillymcshane]

For argument's sake, let's say this happens. This gives us a bullpen of Jeffress, Henderson, Thornburg, Cotts, Perez, Broxton, Kintzler, Smith and Papelbon. It's not a great bullpen, but it's pretty deep (nine guys), which is good. You don't have to overuse guys. Even AAA has potential to help at some point - Wooten, Pena, Knebel, Goforth, Blazek - even Hellweg.

 

But this is not a shut down bullpen - like KC had last year. We have guys coming off injuries, guys coming off mediocre years, guys who are aging. Again, you have to protect yourselves with numbers when you have a lot of question marks, which this team is looking to do.

 

The number of players (nine guys) doesn't really concern me. With Thornburg and Henderson coming back from injuries, you never know where they'll be. And injuries are simply part of life. Plus, Thornburg may end up back as a starter. You can never have enough depth, and a team like Milwaukee will need it.

[splitterpfj]

Lucky Devin. 'Everyone' knows there are 'issues'. But they cannot elaborate.

 

Soup...I didn't hear this from, "everyone", I heard it from someone you would respect - and not just once. I "could" elaborate, I just choose not to - which is for the best.

 

When you get to know some scouts, agents, media, etc, you find out minor league baseball is a strange world. You've got kids in their late teens, college grads, Latin kids who are so far from home and trying to assimilate. A few of them have money, most are flat broke, some give up on the dream, others never would, etc. What, "is", is not close to what is packaged and presented.

 

Devin's just a kid who needs to grow up - not shocking, that's why they're called, "kids." He's got a good arm, and the Brewers paid to get him in the system - I hope he has a huge season, and keeps moving. I was just pointing out why he may have made himself a little more "tradeable." Who knows, maybe that's not even the case, I wouldn't know which guys the front office likes best.

[TooLiveBrew]

Phillies reportedly interested in Moncada. While they have a huge TV deal coming up (I believe), there's probably someone, somewhere saying to look at the balance sheet and clear some money.

 

Also, Haudricourt tweets:

 

The #Brewers know Phillies are motivated to move Papelbon with little other interest so they are in the driver's seat in these talks.

 

and

 

The #Brewers still talking to Philly about Papelbon but signing Chris Perez allows them to dig in a bit on what they give back.

I'm really liking how Melvin is handling this situation. I hope he is in fact digging in & not open to giving up a prospect of any real significance.

[brewcrewdue80]

I'm going to throw a name out there that hasn't been mentioned to make this deal happen. Kintzler. I think he could be moved as a way to save 1mil+ the roster spot. All things considered, IF the Brewers add Papelbon, What's Kintzler's role? 6th inning at best? 9th and 10th innings in a tie game? He'd be one person to save a mil+ whatever he'd think of commanding in 2016. 2 mil we'll say. There's 3mil saved over 2 years.

 

I don't get the Parra move, he's just too versatile and fills what Milw needs. Why would you trade him for a Closer just to now have a major need to find Parra's replacement?

 

I don't know for sure this move will happen. I also have 0% points attached to Perez being in Milw's bullpen. To me, there's a good chance he's there for bargaining. The Brewers have somebody they can bring up for 1.5mil cheaply to sit in the bullpen with Saves and Game Finishing experience.

Or, let's say I'm right about Kintzler? Moving him as part of the deal now, plus a 40man prospect you now have space to put Perez in your bullpen with Papelbon.

 

I don't know what'll happen, it'd be nice when a move with Papelbon is complete whether with Milw or Toronto or whomever so the answer to what it costs is given. Still hope it's not a promising prospect, more along the lines of somebody downtrending or stalling in growth.

[DR28]

I agree... If we do get Papelbon, some other bullpen piece(s) will have to be moved... Too many guys for 7 spots.

[Warning Track Power]

I think the reason this deal hasn't come together YET is that the Brewers are waiting to see if they sign Shields and are keeping that money free until then. If they sign Shields, the Papelbon deal won't happen. If Shields signs elsewhere, the Papelbon deal will happen quick.