Linebrink to the White Sox

[trwi7]

Sorry I don't have a link yet but it's being reported by Bruce Levine. Deal is for 4 years $19 million pending the results of a physical.

[adamb100]

Unoffical link: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071122&content_id=2306616&vkey=news_cws&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws

[saget]

So this means we swap Linebrink for Mota? That'll make us better

 

I'm drunk.

[DHarris34Phan]

Linebrink kinda sucked. I'm glad we didn't put pay him that much.

[TheBrewer]

While yes he did have alot of negative comments associated with his performance coming into MIL, and obviously 4 years probably could've been a bad thing in the end, but at the same time 19 million over 4 years isn't horrible. 4.75 million a year. It's a bit on the expensive side but nonetheless. Unless baring a complete drop in performance which I don't see, its a touch on the high end, but he should be good for them.

[MelGroceryStocker]

Linebrink didn't do anything for the Brewers that they can't get by bringing up some no-name ... he didn't help us at all. There was no justification for giving him that kind of contract. I hated that trade when we first did it, and I think it is Melvin's worst move as GM.

[Invader3K]

I was in favor of getting Linebrink at the time. He ended up under performing a bit, but at the time I thought it was a good move since the Brewers obviously needed bullpen help.

 

At least now we don't have to hear the ridiculous "make Linebrink the closer" stuff anymore.

[Mass Haas]

Unfortunately, because it's the White Sox, who were among baseball's worst teams last year, the Brewers will have to settle for a second-rounder (and not a first-rounder) to go along with their supplemental first-round pick.

 

The supplemental sandwich pick should be about the 36th pick, and the White Sox pick will be around pick # 46.

[TracyThom]

So what exactly did we get in return for trading Will Inman?

[RyDogg66]

Two picks in the draft that will be ahead of where Inman was drafted.

[Invader3K]

Two picks in the draft that will be ahead of where Inman was drafted.

Bingo.

[endaround]

Two picks in the draft that will be ahead of where Inman was drafted.

Don't go counting your draft picks until they hatch. While the Sox won't be signing Hunter, they can still sign someone who'll bump Linebrink down to a 3rd round choice.

 

[jackalope02ca]

With the money he got and the free agent middle relief pitchers left on the market the worst thing Doug ever did was not re-sign him. Linebrink is going to seem pretty reasonably priced by next year.

I guess my question is would you rather pay 4.75 million for a solid reliever or 3.2 million for Mota who has only performed well when confirmed on the juice?

[Brian the Automator]

I guess my question is would you rather pay 4.75 million for a solid reliever or 3.2 million for Mota who has only performed well when confirmed on the juice?

 

It's not a fair comparison. Mota's a 1-year risk, while Linebrink's a 4-year risk. Linebrink will be 35 at the end of his contract.

 

Of course I'd rather have Linebrink for 4.75M this year and probably even next year, but the longer the contract, the more nervous I get.

[AJAY]

I wasn't that impressed with Linebrink either. I think there was a reason the Padres traded him.

 

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/AJAY_02/waveturk02.gif

[dadofandrew]

The inflation of middle relief salaries over the past couple years is astounding. Scott's a good one, but that's a ton of cash, to be sure.

[Fatter than Joey]

I wasn't that impressed with Linebrink either. I think there was a reason the Padres traded him.

 

I am all for passing on Linebrink -- I think the Sox are paying for 2005 Linebrink but are going to get 2008 Linebrink.

 

I still do not understand paying $3.2M for Mota.

[crewcrazy]

Am I the only one that thinks mixing Linebrink and AL Central offenses is a bad idea? I wish Scott the best as a former Brewer, but I don't see this ending well for him.

[hauser42]

Linebrink was worth the gamble, tean was in contention and needed to get some help in the pen. Most people in the baseball world from what I had read figured Inman as a #4 starter. Here at Brewerfan some think he was a #1 type guy. When trying to improve a team you have to give up something to get a possible upgrade.

 

Glad the Brewers didn't sign Linebrink for the money that he got from the ChiSox. Most likley struggle as he is moving to a better hitter park than he has ever played in as a home park. Mota is worth the one year gamble he was considered to be a top end setup guy a couple of years ago. He has had some injuries and his drug suspension so now he has some ?s to answer.

 

I have complete faith that whatever draft picks Doug/Jack get for Linebrink will fill in more talent into the farm system.

[colbyjack]

4 years, $19M isn't that surprising, since I was thinking a 3 year, $14 million deal. As Brian noted above, the 4 years are more surprising than the dollars involved, as that's a pretty long contract to give a non-closer.

 

Since the FA compensation was brought up, be thankful that Torii Hunter signed with the Angels and not the White Sox, otherwise the Brewers would be getting the White Sox THIRD round pick. They still could if the White Sox move quickly on Aaron Rowand, who also is rated higher than Linebrink.

 

So, keep your fingers crossed that Rowand doesn't end up in Chicago. That actually could be a good thing in more than one way for the Brewers, as it could bring the White Sox knocking at the Brewers door once again asking about Bill Hall (who they reportedly were asking about as a SS before they traded for Cabrera).

 

Andruw Jones is smiling somewhere. He may be the last of the big-name CFs to sign, but given the money and years involved with Hunter I'm sure that will cause some team to get stupid and lock him down.

[Never Outhustled]

So, keep your fingers crossed that Rowand doesn't end up in Chicago.

The Brewers should go ahead and ensure that by locking up Rowand themselves. However, for reasons unknown, the Brewers haven't shown interest in Rowand. His defense would really improve this team.

As for Linebrink, I thought it was the Brewers intentions all along to take the picks for Linebrink, as the Brewers really need extra high picks to restock a suddenly barren farm system. They definately have the right people in place to make those selections, so this is really playing to there strengths.

[RU Rah Rah]

I know that it's not like the Brewers literally swapped Linebrink for Mota, but . . . yikes.

[RockCoCougars]

$20 million for Scott Linnebrink? What is this world coming to? He's by no means young either.

[don1481]

I see Transitive Property doesn't know how the draft pick compensation works:

 

The Brewers sent three minor league pitching prospects to San Diego in late July for Linebrink, who went 2-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 27 relief appearances after the trade. Now, the Brewers will get two 2008 draft picks in return -- Chicago's second-round pick next year and a compensatory pick after the second round.

at least TP is consistently wrong in the blog:

So, the Brewers traded three pitching prospects for a reliever who did not make a difference in the pennant race, and now will get a second-round pick and a compensation pick after the second round next year. They better get some really good players with those two picks or this won't have worked out wellf or them.

At least he's wrong according to this (link to updated Free Agent draft pick compensation rules on MetsBlog, based on Keith Law's primer re: the new CBA).

 

EDIT: Well, well, well... looks like TP fixed that one quickly. And threw in an interesting Gord Ash tidbit:

 

"That will work out great for us," said assistant general manager Gord Ash. "We'll get our first-round pick, a 'sandwich pick' after the first round, their second-round pick and our second-round pick. That gives us four high picks. We haven't had extra picks in the past."

[molitor fan]

Sorry, but saying the Brewers farm system is barren is very much inaccurate in my view. Houston - now that is barren. The Brewers system is still top half I think, and only seems barren because of some serious top level graduations (Ok, and one questionable trade).