Curt Schilling - latest: Close to re-signing?

[And That]

Someone should start a schillingbrewers08.org web site. Curt loves the internets!

[hawing]

Not to mention, start to sell Matt Wise on a new uniform number (if he's in Milwaukee in '08 to begin with).

[trwi7]

Not to mention, start to sell Matt Wise on a new uniform number (if he's in Milwaukee in '08 to begin with).

 

Didn't Wise used to wear #26? Let him take that if Schilling signs.

[TooLiveBrew]

Sheets Schilling Soup Villy Cappy/Parra CL: Bush

 

YoGa will certainly factor in there. Likely ahead of Schilling.

[AdvantageSchneider]

Didn't we go through this last year with Soriano?

 

He's not coming here and we're not buying.

 

Starting pitching is not a need anyway.

[billyhallfan]

Didn't Wise used to wear #26? Let him take that if Schilling signs.

 

what if miller is back?

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

Wow, i can't believe I forgot Yo in that

 

Sheets, Schilling, Yo, Soup, Villy/Para/Cappy

 

That is a sick rotation... just sick....

[clancyphile]

Would you be ok if the Brewers signed Schilling, kept Sheets - and traded Parra and Villanueva for Crawford?

I definitely wouldn't do that. We'd most likely only have Schilling for one year and Sheets is a free agent after next year too so if both of them leave and we trade Parra and Villanueva for Crawford we're left with Capuano, Gallardo, Bush, Suppan and Vargas as the only starters with no immediate help in the minors to fill in in case of injury.

Why trade Parra and Villanueva, then? Just stick Gross in LF, and figure that Schilling/Sheets would net us a bunch of picks if they both walk.

 

[ILuvDaBush]

With a big Three of Sheets/Schilling/Yo, that's quite the K/BB ratio.

[twobrewers]

Why trade Parra and Villanueva, then? Just stick Gross in LF, and figure that Schilling/Sheets would net us a bunch of picks if they both walk.

My point was, that if we were to obtain Schilling and Sheets we would be able to make a huge push for the World Series next year. Hence, adding Crawford instead of Gross would be a big help. And with Schilling and Sheets next year, we wouldn't have much room for Parra and Villanueva and could afford to trade them (For next year)

 

Basically, that if the Brewers were so inclined - they could sign Schilling, mortgage some of the future, and be the favorites for the NL penant next year.

[Klements Bratwurst]

With a big Three of Sheets/Schilling/Yo, that's quite the K/BB ratio.

The Brewers infield defense would say thank you to Mr. Melvin!!!!

[MoneyballMan]

We should lock this thread right now before we all get too excited. I'm excited just thinking about it, but realize it's one heck of a long-shot. So we should just stop thinking about it - and if it happens, great. It would be like when your mom bought you that great toy, but had to put it away for Christmas. You forgot about it and then was VERY surprised and excited on Christmas day! Let's assume DM will buy the toy, put it away and surprise us on Christmas day.....

[trwi7]

Melvin willing to talk to Schilling.

[MoneyballMan]

Come on, mom. Put the toy back in the closet and stop teasing me. I want to forget about it until Christmas!

[NeedMoreFans]

I'm not sure if this "problem" is as big in baseball as it is/was in football...but are there some cities that players won't go to because of image? Green Bay was this type of city until Reggie White signed with the Packers. Players never wanted to go to Green Bay...cold, small town, bad team up until then, yada, yada, yada. Does Milwaukee have his same problem?

 

I bring it up here because Curt Schilling, IF he decides to sign with the Brewers, could do to the Brewers what Reggie White did in terms of future free agents. Reggie White's signing with the Packers told free agents it was ok to play in the NFL's smallest market. Maybe Curt Schilling would pave the way for others to come to Milwaukee.

 

I know there are some issues with my argument. First off, White was in the prime of his career, Schilling is near the end. White signed a multi-year contract, Schilling would be a one-year deal. The NFL has a salary cap, so even the smallest market teams could compete with the big boys, baseball doesn't have such a thing. The Brewers are actually pretty good and players see the team is fighting for the playoffs...when White signed with the Packers, the team was horrible.

 

I'm just thinking that maybe players won't automaticly rule out Milwaukee if a big-time player like Schilling decides to sign with the team, or maybe players would begin to waive their no-trade clauses to come to Milwaukee. If the Brewers would get such a benefit from his signing, I'd say push for it.

[MoneyballMan]

Even though it was mid-season, it would remind me a lot of Don Sutton coming to Milwaukee in 1982. And I know he went on to play a few more years, but it feels similar to me. Bring in that veteran starter to get us over the hump. (I know, that was supposed to be Suppan.)

[recte44]

One year, $12M? Ok, I'll do that.

[MoneyballMan]

One year, $12M? Ok, I'll do that.

May take a little more as there are probably multiple teams talking to him. I'd say Phillies are the front-runner. Just have to believe it may push closer to $15M before it's done.

[BrewCityUnit]

Reading that Melvin blog sort of discourages me. He acts like he is surprised that Schilling would even mention the Brewers. I think we need to be more agressive in pursuing free agents and make it clear that we want certain players and we are going to go after them.

[kgbaseball]

100% agreed, BCU.

[TooLiveBrew]

I didn't get that impression from Melivn's share of the article at all. The only spot(s) that gave me that impression were from Haudricourt. It's important to keep in mind how an article's framed. All Doug said were the standard issue quotes for the pursual of FAs.

 

"It's nice to see we're on the baseball map."

Is that saying he's surprised? Seems more like 'after a lot of hard work, we're finally there' to me.

[strawbossisevil]

Well I'd love to have him. If we have the money this offseason I say go get him.

 

Having a rotation of:

1. Sheets

2. Gallardo

3. Schilling

4. Villenueva

5. Suppan

 

That would be very cool. This would be a huge improvement also in the fact that I think our starters would go deeper into games. As Schilling is a huge upgrade over Vargas in that department.

 

That leaves us with Vargas, Capuano, Bush and Parra on the outside looking in. I think Bush and Parra we could stick in the pen. Parra in the role Villenueva played last season. Bush could move in to the closer spot. Capuano I would look to trade for a capable reliever, perhaps Fuentes from Colorado. Vargas could be packaged away for outfield help, perhaps for Luke Scott.

 

Giving us a pen of:

Long Reliever - Parra

Lefty -Shouse

Middle Relief - Wise

Middle Relief - Turnbow

Set up - Fuentes

Closer - Bush

 

I think we'd need one more FA to fill out the pen. Perhaps we could go after Dotel or Gagne and bump Bush down to set up as well. We'd have options.

[JJHardy7]

strawbossisevil...I like your ideas. I really like Fuentes a lot as a person. I got the chance to meet and talk with him quite a bit back in his Timber Rattler days, but his drop in production scares me. I know injuries have been involved and that scares me even more.

 

As far as what Melvin said, I wouldn't read into that at all. I don't see Melvin as the type of guy to drop news to the media. He was PC in the interview and I'd much rather have that than some of the GMs that almost willingly talk about it.

 

The more I think about this I think it boils down to what happens with Cordero. If we plan to have a closer from within (or Linebrink) than that should free up dollars. Where do we spend them? If we don't sign Cordero to what most people think he will get, I think we have a good shot of being on the top teams (ie not the 1/3 of teams as of now) on his list since we'll be able to go after him with dollars.

[dadofandrew]

Schilling is very likely a Suppan type who will make a decision based not on just money, but the way he is treated and what he is told. I'd say the Brewers have a better shot at him that you would think...but probably still just 10-15%.

[TooLiveBrew]

Doa - what makes you think that our chances would still be so low - even when taking into account your consideration of Schilling's 'person-ripherals'? I know there are bigger markets out there, but if the money's equal, for 2008 there aren't going to be many teams to match our talent - plus he'd be pitching in the NL again. I'm no expert, but I'd have to guess we have even a better (if only slightly) shot than your (intentionally, I presume) careful estimate. Any specific rationale, or just a hunch? (I'm just curious)

 

The more I think about this I think it boils down to what happens with Cordero. If we plan to have a closer from within (or Linebrink) than that should free up dollars. Where do we spend them? If we don't sign Cordero to what most people think he will get, I think we have a good shot of being on the top teams (ie not the 1/3 of teams as of now) on his list since we'll be able to go after him with dollars.

 

Agreed, jj7. If we're talking roughly equal money to spend on either a SP or a RP, it's almost a no-brainer to go with a SP every time. Especially when he's one with a very good K rate (& K/BB rate) to help compensate for our poor defense.

 

However, one very important factor to consider is his age and/or health. He managed just 24 starts in 2007 (151 IP), averaging roughly 6 1/3 IP per outing. That's a fine rate, but 2008 is Schill's age 41 season. Is there any reason to suspect that - a year older - he will surpass his innings total from 2006? Honest question.