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ESPN's Take on Free Agent Cordero

TuesdaysWithRillo

By TuesdaysWithRillo,
in Milwaukee Brewers Talk

TuesdaysWithRillo ACL Brewers

TuesdaysWithRillo

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Keith Law's take on Cordero:

 

Cordero is a two-pitch reliever, throwing a 93-95 mph four-seamer with little movement and an 87-89 mph slider/cutter with a short break, although he'll flash an occasional splitter that he probably should use a little more. Cordero doesn't command his fastball well enough given how straight it is, but a major improvement in his control this year allowed him to set the Brewers' team save record. Was it real? It probably had more than a little to do with the shift from the American League to the National League, but at least part of the improvement was real and will hold next year. Cordero is one of the few "proven" closers in this winter's market, which would set him up for a four-year deal. The concern with all relievers is that they tend to have short runs of success, and the heavy usage often catches up with them via injury or a decline in effectiveness.

 

That came out with a pretty bad cannotation. Is this just another one of ESPN's ignorant reports or does it have validity?

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Tbadder First Round Pick

Tbadder

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I think they hit the nail on the head. Teams have to be prepared better by developing 1st class relievers in their farm systems, instead of just converting less successful starters, or starters with only two pitches approach. It's especially important for small market clubs because if such a program can be successful because these players can be traded for cheaper players who play other positions, or a steady stream of Linebrink-like free agents that net organizations high draft choices. It would be a huge mistake for Milwaukee to sign Cordero.
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JJHardy7 First Round Pick

JJHardy7

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Russell drove me nuts when I lived in Wisconsin. He goes on long rants that usually don't make a lot sense or he gets all fired up on a small issue.

 

I'm hoping the Brewers let Cordero walk -- if the numbers we're hearing about are anywhere near the truth, which I'm guessing they are.

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Brian the Automator Biloxi Shuckers

Brian the Automator

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Genius Doug Russell said this morning that he thought four years was too long for Cordero.. he'd prefer giving him $15M/year for three years.

 

Do math much, Doug?

I was listening to that on the way to work.

I guess I was just dumbfounded by the idea that the 2008 closer HAS to be one of the following players:

- Cordero

- Turnbow

- McClung

- Zach Jackson

- Gagne

 

It's like people aren't even considering that it's possible to trade for someone.

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JohnBriggs12 Biloxi Shuckers

JohnBriggs12

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As good as he was for the past year and a half, it's still worth noting his troubles on the road in 2007 including some devasting losses to Rangers, Cubs, and that season breaker in Atlanta after the Brewers had so galliantly battled back to lead. To me those 3 losses were indicative that when it really, really counts, he will hang that slider or miss his spot with his fastball.

 

He's not worth breaking the bank for.

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JJHardy7 First Round Pick

JJHardy7

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I actually like McClung, but I think he's more of a project (his age is ticking too) than anything else. I'll shudder if McClung is the closer.

 

It's too bad the Brewers couldn't get Sarfate up to Milwaukee sooner (or it's too bad Sarfate didn't pitch great in Nashville this year). In his very small sample in Houston he looked impressive. I'd rather have Sarfate close than McClung.

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Thurston Fluff ACL Brewers

Thurston Fluff

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Funny how an allstar closer gets viewed after he might cost what allstar closers cost. Now he's somehow not capable of closing in big games, he can't get the job done on the road ect. He may not be perfect but he has a pretty good track record going back to his Texas days. I'd rather DM find someone cheaper via trade but wouldn't have a problem paying the going rate to retain one of the top closers in the game.

If we let any top tier guy get to FA almost by definition he will get more years and more money than he's really worth. So if this team is ever going to be a player in FA we have to get over sticker shock. NO free agent is going to be a value because there is always a team inevitably willing to overpay to fix a glaring hole. If we feel he's one of the best closers then we should be willing to pay what the top closers get. The Yanks just offered Rivera $45 million over 3 years. I don't see Rivera as that much better at this stage than CoCo to say he isn't worth 40/4. I think if there is no real alternative to him via trade ect then I'm happy to pay him even if he may not be the best closer the last year of his contract. Considering how well some of the other closers have pitched in their late 30's I don't see it as impossible that CoCo couldn't be close to earning his salary in year 3 and 4. Especially considering the price of a servicable closer in those last years will have gone up by then. If in year three or four we have cheaper alternatives we can always look to trade him then. Even if we have to eat some of the contract it would still give the team some salary relief along wiht some sort of nugget in the trade.

There needs to be a King Thames version of the bible.
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lcbj68c ACL Brewers

lcbj68c

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Not that there is neccessairly anywhere to put him, and he wouldn't come to Milwaukee anyways, but couldn't we afford a year of Alex Rodriguez if we got rid of Cordero (9M) and traded Sheets (12M) to fill some other voids. Jenkins (8M) is already gone. That's 29M to throw at Alex, not including what we'd get back from the Sheets trade. All that for a closer I don't neccessairly think will be great for more than say another 18 months, a viritual unknown in the health of Sheets and a platooning LF that is already gone from the books. Again, no where to put Alex unless you are moving Braun's position, but I wouldn't mind seeing the top 3 salaries of this team off the books to gain that 1 or 2 great free agents out there. Not sure how much Koskie's salary was eating our payroll, but it certainly gives us some room at the top to run for that big free agent or two or ink our younger guys up now.

 

 

JENKINS GONE (8M)

KOSKIE GONE (3M)??

TRADE SHEETS (12M)

NO-RESIGN CORDERO (9M)

 

W/ 32 MILLION

 

MINUS SALARIES OF PLAYERS IN SHEETS DEAL

GO OUT AND GET A A-ROD OR TRADE FOR A DAVID WRIGHT TYPE PLAYER.

 

Either way, the point is to not resign Cordero and spend the money surplus somewhere else, since I think Cordero to anything more than a one-year deal is foolish.

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Invader3K Nashville Sounds

Invader3K

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I really agree that giving a relief pitcher more than a two year deal is a bad idea, especially for the Brewers. I mean, Dan Kolb and Derrick Turnbow both looked like bona fide All-Star closers pretty quickly...not that the same thing will necessarily happen with Cordero, but closers seem to turn on a dime awfully quickly throughout MLB.
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