Extension time for??

[Bulldogboy]

The Brewers have two prime examples of the risks that come with signing players to extensions. The Yelich deal is looking more and more like a franchise changing mistake. On the other hand the Peralta one is looking like a master stroke. Looking at the roster plenty of candidates to try to lock up. Garcia Adames Woodruff Hader Burnes come to mind. Who do you guys see as most likely?? What impact does the Yelich mistake have on the Brewers plan to try to get these done?? I for one think Adames has already proven he is a guy to lock up but the Yelich deal may have the Stearns thinking not so fast.

[Simba2020]

I'm not sure the Brewers should ever be locking up hitters well into free agency like they did for Braun or Yelich. Basically every such deal turns out to be a terrible idea. Now if you can get them young enough, I think that's when a team like the Brewers almost has to do it. As they did with the first extension for Braun back in 2008. Buying out arbitration periods and early free agent years I'd generally be supported of. I do think you need to see at least one compete season before doing so however. Thinking Hiura here.

 

Therefore, I think Adames would clearly be somebody I'd hope they can extend. I would also like them try to do something with Woodruff over Burnes. Both would be great but I'd trust Woodruff a little more. Ideally it would have happened already, at least as it pertains to Woodruff. I would also seriously consider something for Urias.

 

I would not entertain any long-term contract for Hader.

[Roderick]

Woodruff, Burnes, Peralta, Adames all signed through 2024 season, free agents in 2025. Hader a free agent in 2024. Narvaez a free agent in 2023. I wouldn't give any of them an extension at this point in time. Unless they initiated talks with the Brewers for a significant hometown discount - so that is not happening.

 

I don't see anybody else even close to having an extension conversation with other than Mr. Brent Suter. Free Agent in 2024. Need to lock him up now for a lifetime contract. Only 1/4 blue.

[PeaveyFury]

Willing to extend a worth player for anything up through his 31st birthday. Other than maybe a team option year, nothing beyond that until the contract is about to expire, then a case-by-case basis.

[monty57]

If the Brewers can lock up a player in his pre-arby years and get a significant discount in exchange for a guaranteed deal, then they should do it. Once the player gets into his arby years, the discount isn't big enough, and they're basically signing a market value / free agent contract. The Brewers will never be able to remain competitive if they have to sign market value / free agent contracts.

 

Deals like Braun's first deal, Lucroy's deal, and Peralta's deal are examples of what I'm talking about. If one of these works out, it's a steal, and even if it doesn't work out it won't kill the team. Once a player hits his arby years, the Brewers should really start planning on when is the best time to trade him, not whether he should be extended.

 

As to the players in question, Woodruff is probably a little old to extend. We already have him through his prime, so we'd be gaining some post-prime years and paying top money for them. Hader is already into arby and would be too expensive. Burnes and Adames would make more sense due to age, so I wouldn't hate it if one or both of them was extended, but it would need to be done soon as they both enter arbitration next year. I guess that in a perfect world for our rotation, they could extend Burnes to gain 2-3 years, and Ashby and Small step up over the next year allowing us to trade Woodruff at some point before he leaves for free agency. Whether it happens really depends on how big a discount Burnes (and Adames) would give in order to guarantee a longer-term contract. If they demand market-value deals, then just go year-to-year through arby.

 

I think Williams and Urias are the most likely to sign a "Peralta-type" deal. Urias kind of mirrors where Peralta was when he extended in that he's a talented young player who hasn't found a full-time role. At worst, he should be a good utility guy, and at best he could break out and become an All-Star. Neither Williams nor Urias have made "life-changing" money at this point, so they may be willing to leave money on the table in order to be "set for life" with a guaranteed extension.

[Outlander]

It was discussed in a previous thread but Adames would be the first target for me. Right now free agent at 28, would be great to get a couple of team options at 29 or 30. Adames might be open to it since he has never really made anything beyond league minimum up to this point.

[brewcrewdue80]

Right now I would consider Narvaez buying out his last year of Arbitration and adding 2years with an option. He's a solid hitting catcher and he overall WAR doesn't make it seem like he'd be a guy able to command a Grandal height of a deal. You could maybe give it a 6 or 7mil for 20202 and 9 and 11 mil the two following seasons. The option being something like 13 or 14 with a 3Mil buyout. So essentially 3/30mil that option picked up is 4/40Mil.

Without knowledge of what these Minor League Catchers will look like gives you security post Pina. I'm sure a good Narvaez on that contract could easily be moved in any offseason if one of the MiLB Catchers need to be playing Starter vs backup.

 

Only Feliciano is projected to MLB in Brewers top 30 before 2023. Pina is a FA this year.

 

Somebody mentioned Garcia and there's no way I consider bringing him back after his contract. He's nearly having a career year and you know go figure happens to be a year he may be able to be a FA. But let's get real. He's older has almost 10WAR in 10 season career. That is not something you clamor to extend. He has a higher K% that I think he teeters on a huge dropoff when older age kick in and increases. You can pick up or graduate prospects for 1-2WAR a year. If so many on this team weren't having poor seasons (aside from the position acquisitions via trade) Garcia wouldn't look so positive a player to keep on your team after this season for 12million.

Via BRef it looks like Milw is headed for a salary crunch these next 3 seasons with Arbitration values exceeding 140Mil in Payroll and up to 190 for 2024 season! Not exactly the 3 year span for an extension to like Adames or 1 of the SP Burnes/Woodruff.

[wibadgers23]

Woodruff will be a free agent when he's around 31 or 32 years old. I just don't see the Brewers throwing big money at him at that age. The question for me would be do you trade him even if we are still competitive in a couple years or ride it out until the end like we did with Prince. That's going to be a tough decision. Either way, I'll be sad to see him go.

[monty57]

Via BRef it looks like Milw is headed for a salary crunch these next 3 seasons with Arbitration values exceeding 140Mil in Payroll and up to 190 for 2024 season! Not exactly the 3 year span for an extension to like Adames or 1 of the SP Burnes/Woodruff.

 

Yeah, I don't see them adding much (if any) salary this offseason unless they find a way to get rid of some of the "dead" salary. Thankfully, most of their upcoming free agents are guys they can afford to lose, so they should still be competitive even if they don't wow anyone on the free agent market this offseason. Extension money would really kick in a few years down the road, and would probably give them a discount in the next few years vs. what they may expect to pay if the player(s) go year-to-year through arby.

 

Whether or not they do any extensions, I would expect they will have to trade some big names (guys like Woodruff, Adames, Burnes) prior to the 2024 season rather than risk having a Cubs-like collapse at the end of 2024. Extending some of the players while trading others could allow for them to have more of a plan on how to continue to win after 2024 rather than having the window slam shut and being forced into a big rebuild.

 

Even if they don't decide to trade away any of the stars, guys like Ashby and Small should make players like Lauer and Houser tradeable, easing the oncoming arbitration crunch, and other players who are set to hit arby are replaceable and will play themselves out of a role as they get more expensive.

[Jopal78]

The Brewers have two prime examples of the risks that come with signing players to extensions. The Yelich deal is looking more and more like a franchise changing mistake. On the other hand the Peralta one is looking like a master stroke. Looking at the roster plenty of candidates to try to lock up. Garcia Adames Woodruff Hader Burnes come to mind. Who do you guys see as most likely?? What impact does the Yelich mistake have on the Brewers plan to try to get these done?? I for one think Adames has already proven he is a guy to lock up but the Yelich deal may have the Stearns thinking not so fast.

 

Garcia while having a very nice year has a career OPS under .800, and he's 30. With four other outfielders on the roster for next year and two outfield first round picks on the way. There isn't much reason to re-sign/retain Garcia.

 

Woodruff, Burnes, Hader and Adames are already in or heading to arbitration, the time to give them more money up front in exchange for additional team control is passed. Moreover, I'm sure if they explored an extension with Peralta it follows they likely engaged Burnes, Woodruff and Hader as well with and were rebuffed.

 

If you want the success of the Tampa Bay Rays you have to also recognize the key to that success is the continuous cycling through of players as they get more expensive, not retaining a core of players on pricey contracts.

[folly412]

Agree with the two premises:

 

-Avoid contract "cliffs". The 2024-5 one is steep. That can be done through extensions or by trades.

 

-Prioritize pitching over hitting. Average pitchers (sometimes below average) seem to command sizable paydays on the open market. We've traded for our hitting this year (Adames, Tellez, Escobar) without paying much at all, thanks to pitching depth in the organization.

[DHonks]

I’d try to approach Avi to see if he’d be willing to add 1-2 years. I doubt it, as I think he’ll get a nice 3 year free agent deal

[rickh150]

The Brewers have two prime examples of the risks that come with signing players to extensions. The Yelich deal is looking more and more like a franchise changing mistake. On the other hand the Peralta one is looking like a master stroke. Looking at the roster plenty of candidates to try to lock up. Garcia Adames Woodruff Hader Burnes come to mind. Who do you guys see as most likely?? What impact does the Yelich mistake have on the Brewers plan to try to get these done?? I for one think Adames has already proven he is a guy to lock up but the Yelich deal may have the Stearns thinking not so fast.

 

Garcia while having a very nice year has a career OPS under .800, and he's 30. With four other outfielders on the roster for next year and two outfield first round picks on the way. There isn't much reason to re-sign/retain Garcia.

 

Woodruff, Burnes, Hader and Adames are already in or heading to arbitration, the time to give them more money up front in exchange for additional team control is passed. Moreover, I'm sure if they explored an extension with Peralta it follows they likely engaged Burnes, Woodruff and Hader as well with and were rebuffed.

 

If you want the success of the Tampa Bay Rays you have to also recognize the key to that success is the continuous cycling through of players as they get more expensive, not retaining a core of players on pricey contracts.

 

Well, success is relative. They haven’t won it all. They have been relevant over the last 13 years… in the playoffs some, WS twice. Really, really impressive yet. Yet, I’d take the KC Royals over the same period with a title.

 

I find the idea of them trading really good players for younger, controllable pieces just fascinating. Could we become them? Trading a Woodruff in the offseason for three or four high prospects would mirror a Ray move. Ballsy.

[owbc]

No extensions until the new CBA is signed.

[monty57]

Garcia while having a very nice year has a career OPS under .800, and he's 30. With four other outfielders on the roster for next year and two outfield first round picks on the way. There isn't much reason to re-sign/retain Garcia.

 

Woodruff, Burnes, Hader and Adames are already in or heading to arbitration, the time to give them more money up front in exchange for additional team control is passed. Moreover, I'm sure if they explored an extension with Peralta it follows they likely engaged Burnes, Woodruff and Hader as well with and were rebuffed.

 

If you want the success of the Tampa Bay Rays you have to also recognize the key to that success is the continuous cycling through of players as they get more expensive, not retaining a core of players on pricey contracts.

 

Well said, and good point on the Brewers already exploring the option when they extended Peralta. I too think we're probably not going to extend Burnes or Woodruff. The fan in me wants to see Burnes extended, but the realist in me says the best thing will probably be to trade both of them at some point in the next three years before they head off for a much-deserved monster contract from a big-market team.

 

Either one of them should be able to bring back a king's ransom in prospects, and both of them should be able to bring back enough talent to keep the Brewers relevant for a long time. My guess is that Hader is traded this offseason, and they'll start testing the waters on Burnes and Woodruff after 2022.

 

Since this is a thread about extension, and with what I just said, the Brewers should be approaching Williams about an extension soon. He'd be a nice guy to have around for a while, and if the Brewers find themselves in a bad place in a few years, closers are generally pretty easy to trade away at the deadline.

[MrTPlush]

The Brewers really don't have any logical extension candidates. Logical guys would be pre arbitration and not about to hit it this offseason. I honestly don't think I could even name one player I would be willing to offer an extension (assuming it is a realistic extension and not some highway robbery type deal...because then of course).

 

Burnes and Adames would be the only real decent options. Adames the most realistic as he isn't as proven and you might get a more friendly deal...but of course more risk. Unlike Woodruff, Burnes is younger and a more attractive guy to lock up...but he would be far from cheap. Both guys are about to enter arbitration and won't be as willing to take a discount.

 

Omar Narvaez would be an option, but I have a hard time seeing them sink much cash into a catcher over 30. The earlier mention of 3/$30mil (starting next year) is about as much as I would do. However, he is only another year from FA...I can't imagine him taking that.

[clancyphile]

The Brewers really don't have any logical extension candidates. Logical guys would be pre arbitration and not about to hit it this offseason. I honestly don't think I could even name one player I would be willing to offer an extension (assuming it is a realistic extension and not some highway robbery type deal...because then of course).

 

Burnes and Adames would be the only real decent options. Adames the most realistic as he isn't as proven and you might get a more friendly deal...but of course more risk. Unlike Woodruff, Burnes is younger and a more attractive guy to lock up...but he would be far from cheap. Both guys are about to enter arbitration and won't be as willing to take a discount.

 

Omar Narvaez would be an option, but I have a hard time seeing them sink much cash into a catcher over 30. The earlier mention of 3/$30mil (starting next year) is about as much as I would do. However, he is only another year from FA...I can't imagine him taking that.

 

Burnes and Adames are tops on the extension list.

 

Narvaez - I think Feliciano is the catcher of the future, and should be up soon. It probably is worth it to see if he can't be flipped with his control for some help reinvigorating the farm system over the offseason. We've dealt a LOT of good young players over this year to fill holes. Time to get some capital back.

 

I'd extend Pina, though, he'd probably be quite cheap, and as a #2, not a bad choice.

 

One other name: Luis Urias. Plays third, second, short. He's either an excellent fallback in the case Adames doesn't sign, or if he and Adames both extend, that's the left side of the infield locked down through 2030 (or a bit more).