The Disappearance of Rickie Weeks

[deeswan]

Is anyone else concerned about this? Last year Fielder was in Ogden from game 1. This year we have heard basically nothing about Weeks. I know they had a meeting, have they even offered him anything? I have felt since the day after the draft that this could be a long, drawn out, difficult signing, it looks like that's the way it's going. I don't like this.

 

Has anyone heard anything about Delmon Young and negotiations with Tampa Bay? If he gets signed we should at least get an idea what kind of money Weeks would command. Jeez, I hope this gets done sooner rather than later.

[igor67]

It would certainly be nice to have Weeks in Beloit within the next week or so, but it's not like there's a lot of talk about any of the negotiations this year. Either the player has signed or he hasn't that's about the extent of the information out there for everyone and I'm OK with that because I'm sure it'll get done. Didn't hear a peep about Gwyn and all of a sudden he's coming Miller Park for the weekend and going to Beloit on Monday. We aren't Boston or NY needing to know what color underwear the players wear so we can make absurd value judgements and I like it that way.

[madbad2000]

I agree with igor...let them work in peace and we'll start the discussion once he signs. Also I think it's unfair to compare Weeks to Fielder. If I recall, Scott Moore taken at #8 behind Fielder signed the day after the draft...so the slot value was almost set from day 1. A proper comparison with Weeks could be BJ Upton. I hope Weeks signs soon....but I have no qualms with the Brewers/Weeks taking their time. I mean the dollar figures being discussed here are huge.

[xisxisxis]

I know they had a meeting, have they even offered him anything?

 

He should have been offered a contract. Based on the MLB rules if he is not sent a contract within 10 days (10?) by the team that drafted him then he becomes a free agent.

[Katuluu]

Thank you Travis Lee.

[BrewDude]

I just hope things run smoothly so everyone is happy and ready to go. No hassles like the last few years.

[thebruce44]

I think I read somewhere that Rickie's agent gets paid by the hour instead of a percentage of salary. This seems kinda strange to me as wouldn't it be in the agent's best intrest to drag out the negotiations?

[deeswan]

xis, I'm sure they offered him a contract, but was it real or was it the minimum needed to retain his rights? I'm feeling aggrieved because I'm not hearing anything. Don't they know this is the information age?!? I expect the Drudge Report to have a daily Rickie update, when I don't see it (I haven't yet) I get nervous. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Maybe this is all being held up by Rickie's agent, who wants to crank out the billable hours before Rickie signs. Anyway, I just want to see Rickie signed and playing so we can start analyzing him on a daily basis.

[squarepusher]

Maybe we should just have someone tail him around his house... We can over-analyze off-the-field things as well http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

- how many minutes he spends on the phone

- what he listens too

- does he play video games? which ones?

- does his mother make him empty the dishwasher?

- what does he eat?

 

There needs to be SOME sort of stats we can give him!

[Member]

Can't you add an "Oh my god he still hasn't signed and its been x days since he has been drafted" counter and slap it on the front page of the site? That way none of us will have to do any math to figure out how much we should panic?

 

Thanks.

[xisxisxis]

xis, I'm sure they offered him a contract, but was it real or was it the minimum needed to retain his rights?

 

I'm sure it was both. They probably offered him what they want to pay him which is pretty low compared to what he wants.

 

 

I think I read somewhere that Rickie's agent gets paid by the hour instead of a percentage of salary.

 

Hi, I'm Earl Scheib and I can negotiate that contract for $49.95.

[igor67]

Brian you've done a great job, but I think we need a professional for this job we need a PI. I wonder if there are any that take EZ board dollars? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/devil.gif

[filthyfrog]

I wonder how much the hourly rate for the agent is. I assume he'll get paid comparably to a commission agent. Let's just say Week's signs for $4 mil. At 15%, a commission agent would make $600,000 (plus a cut of the future salary, right? I don't know.) So if this guy puts in 100 hours of work (a completely uneducated shot in the dark), then he'd have to make around $6,000 per hour to make the same amount of money. Hot damn, that equates to $100 a minute. I'm in the wrong biz.

[squarepusher]

I would think agents work solely off commission....

[Katuluu]

http://www.heptune.com/agent.jpg

You would be wrong, Mr. Kapellusch.

[igor67]

Given the size of the commissions how many players could do better by just hiring a contract attorney to review it beforethey sign, especially with the slots MLB has. You can hire an agent and pay him 400K to get you an extra 100K, or pocket the difference.

[squarepusher]

I suppose it all would depend on what level you're currently playing at. A contract attorney might be fine for the initial sign, but agents schedule all the PR, public appearance, card signings.....yadda, yadda, yadda.

[Kaukauna]

Last five years, only ONE #2 draft pick has signed before the month of August, let alone July.

 

2002: 1. Bryan Bullington (PIT) 10/30/02

2. BJ Upton (TB) 9/16/02

 

2001: 1. Joe Mauer (MIN) 7/17/01

2. Mark Prior (CHC) 8/23/01

 

2000: 1. Adrian Gonzalez (FLA) 6/6/00

2. Adam Johnson (MIN) 6/19/00

 

1999: 1. Josh Hamilton (TB) 6/3/99

2. Josh Beckett (FLA) 9/1/99

 

1998: 1. Pat Burrell (PHI) 7/24/98

2. Mark Mulder (OAK) 10/9/98

 

I would extend the drafts back to 1997, but well, to keep things optimistic, that was the year JD Drew was drafted by the Phillies at #2. JD didn't really ever get around to signing with the Phils.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Being paid by the hour is a new thing, the NBA started it, as they have a maximum offer. Ray Allen said he saved himself millions by having a lawyer, not an agent.

 

And they can hire a PR firm or a personal assistant or two to line up gigs like endorsements, and take care of personal needs. Don't need to pay an agent millions to do it.

[mothershipconnection]

Given the size of the commissions how many players could do better by just hiring a contract attorney to review it beforethey sign, especially with the slots MLB has. You can hire an agent and pay him 400K to get you an extra 100K, or pocket the difference.

When you're a FA, it's like hiring a lawyer when you've been in an accident. You pay him so much, but he increases your take-home by enough to make his fees well worthwhile, but this only applies if several teams want you. I think A-rod is a prime example of what an agent can do for your pocketbook if several teams will pay whatever it takes to get you (though hicks was bidding against himself toward the end), and there are several others whose agents have scored them millions above what they're worth. But I don't see why guys who are just happy to get a job paying the minimum wouldn't just pay an attorney a small fee since they know the min. is the best they'l get.

[Frisbee Slider]

I saw reports that Delmon Young and those who speak for Delmon are in no hurry to sign with the Devil Rays and that his camp is going to hold out to get an idea of what he's worth, "price lining" was the official term used I believe. I think Delmon Young wants to be among the last signed in the first round, so if Rickie Weeks gets signed for $ X million dollars Delmon Young can sign for X + .5 million dollars.

[tigersfanatic1]

A lot of high draft picks hold out until the end of the summer to get as much money as they can. Rickie has a little leverage because he was a junior but he would be foolish not to sign with the Brewers. He will sign, don't worry about it. a lot of the guys who have already signed had pre-draft deals in place. Maybe it's a good thing for him to take a little time off from the game after his college season. He's probably waiting to see what Delmon Young does and with how cheap Tampa is who knows when that will get done.

[FVBrewerFan]

I understand WHY he's waiting to sign, and it makes sense on the surface. Wait and see what Young will get. However, I think his agent is doing him a real disservice. The amount of money in his first contract won't vary that greatly, maybe $200,000 or so. Nothing compared to the next contract he'll sign down the road if he turns out to be a great player. If he would have signed and played the 2nd half in Beloit, he's that much closer. Maybe it takes a year off his development time. Isn't it worth a bit of cash to get him playing and progressing through the system ASAP?

[BrewDude]

Isn't it amazing how agents get in the way of things!! There really is no need for them. John Stockton did his own contracts, and so did Ray Allen. Ray only had a lawyer there to read all the fine print, otherwise he didn't need anyone. That should be the trend now. Instead of paying out huge commissions to agents, keep that extra money for yourself, or buy your parents something nice, whatever.

[colbyjack]

Isn't it worth a bit of cash to get him playing and progressing through the system ASAP?

 

The Brewers most certainly are using this as part of their pitch. They said that right from the beginning, and Weeks definitely know this.

 

However, they may be more than $200,000 off, and it's also important to remember that this may be the only contract Weeks ever signs. You hate to think about the #2 overall pick flaming out, but it's happened far too many times before for this young man not to try & get everything he can now. For all we know Weeks is asking for $4.5 million while the Brewers are offering $3.5.