Are the Brewers preparing to lock up the young guys?

[JJHardy7]

I want to start this off that it's been stated that the Brewers could increase their payroll in 2008 if they want to, but I'm taking a little different look at what's happened so far. I know it's really early in free agency and trades, but I took a look at the salaries on this site and as of now we have a big drop off in 2009.

 

Before the arby numbers are available we will have almost a $13 million drop off. I'm just wondering if this is maybe the year (2009) that the Brewers are possibly looking at locking up some of the young guys and "buy" a year or two of arbitration. Just a thought.

[Thurston Fluff]

I think that's a very distict possibility. All of melvin's moves so far have been of the short term variety with the exeption of trying to get Coco signed. I remember a quote in the JS article when Coco signed with the Reds where he said something to the effect that the money saved their could go towards the salaries of the younger players.

[jaybird2001wi]

JJ Hardy = 5 yrs $40m

Rickie Weeks = 4 yrs $32m

Prince Fielder = 8 yrs $104m

Ryan Braun = 7 yrs $70m

[Paul77]

Prince Fielder = 8 yrs $104m

No way on earth Boras would let his client sign a deal that long after just 2 seasons.

 

[twobrewers]

Locking them up to long-term contracts put the Brewers at risk - as contract in MLB are guaranteed.

 

I think we are still a few years away from even contemplating offering deals to a few of the players mentioned. Braun doesn't even hit arbitration until 2011.

 

Hardy, Hart and Weeks might need to be considered soon enough.

 

However, realize that the notion of saving the money on CoCo doesn't mean we have to spend it this year. Perhaps it means we will have more money in the future when we need it.

[dpapo]

I'm pretty sure I heard Melvin mentioned somewhere that he planned to start talking to Fielder's agent in January about an extension. Does anyone else recalls hearing this?

[Klements Bratwurst]

I'm pretty sure I heard Melvin mentioned somewhere that he planned to start talking to Fielder's agent in January about an extension. Does anyone else recalls hearing this?

Yep, I heard this on WSSP 1250AM the other day. He mentioned exactly what you said. Fielder seems like the first priority of the "kids" in gaining an extension.

[edod]

This is a bit off topic, but I think they should start showing the love to Fielder now even if he doesn't want a long-term deal. He has Boras as his agent and a big part of the problem between him and his father is money based. I think money means something to Fielder, without saying he's greedy. The team is only required to pay him, what, 350-400k, but they should reward him for his record breaking year with something like a 1 mil. They should avoid any kind of haggling when it comes to these earlier contract years.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Extending Prince should be the new priority. We do have the dough without Coco, Jenks and no big free agents out there that justify the money. If we have him for 4 years at below market prices, we could afford to extend him out an additional 2 years with an option. We won't be able to afford the big deal after 4 years, but we could afford the first couple years. Locking him up now makes sense for both sides. It extends our window to win out from 4 to 6 years and gives more time for Doug/Jack to get the pitching in order. It gives Prince some big dough now without having to wait and secures his financial future. He'll still be young enough to get the mega-deal after 6-7 years. I think it's win/win. I

 

t also sets the table for the other guys...maybe doing the same with Braun a year from now. He's the true face of the franchise. At the very least, it will be showing the big fella some love.

[And That]

With Scott Boras being Prince's agent, the only multi-year contract Prince will take from the Brewers is one that buys out the rest of his arbitration years.

 

There's absolutely no reason to negotiate with Braun right now... he won't even be arby eligible until 2011.

 

I have found it odd that there's been no mention of trying to sign Hardy to a deal... he's arby eligible for the first time this offseason and typically Melvin has given guys like him a deal.

[Thurston Fluff]

It's hard to judge Hardy's worth. He hasn't been very durable which has caused him to be up and down performance wise.

As far as Prince goes I don't think Boras cares one bit about how well the team treated his clients or how much money over and above what was necessary the team gave him in the past. One only has to look at the Rogers or A-Rod incidents to see he's way more interested in what he can get them in the future regardless of the circumstances. Unless Prince shows some amount of good faith with the Brewers by either verbally telling them he's going to take control of his agent or change agents I don't see the benefit of doing anything for him financially that we don't absolutley have to. With Boras clients you have to play hardball no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If they feel cheated or disrespected by that approach too bad. That's what they sign up for when they hire him.

[whizkid]

The guys who got big signing bonuses are probably less interested in trading a few FA years for more money during their arby years. JJ sooner and Corey, Yo and Villy when the time comes are likely more interested in doing so. While guys making the minimum and guys in their arby years aren't hurting, extra up front has its appeal. I don't think we know exactly what Prince's current financial situation is given the issues with his dad but I don't think he's hurting now.

[Tbadder]

Fielder 6 years 80 million, now, today. Front loaded. 20 million next year, 20 million the year afterwards. Then four years divided equally. This allows Prince to get super rich, super quick. He gets his investments down and is set for life. Then while his salary decreases we can look at Braun or Hart signed to much more conventional contracts. Then when it gets time to trade Prince his contract is never an issue for another club and allows us to extract max value from him. I also know this would never work because it isn't the way things are done, but it's a thought.

 

As to JJ, I'm paying him the absolute minimum I can. He's a walking timebomb until he's proven himself everyday for years. Of all the young dudes he interests me least.

[TooLiveBrew]

He's a walking timebomb until he's proven himself everyday for years.

A walking timebomb? What on earth do you mean?

[Klements Bratwurst]

A walking timebomb? What on earth do you mean?

You know, another Sal Fasano shin guard collision.

 

In all seriousness, apart from the shoulder injury prior to his rookie year, he has been healthy, other than a stiff back here, and a sore toe there in which he played through. Regarding extending JJ, they might figure that Brent Brewer or someone else from the minor league system will replace JJ in a few years, which is why they don't want to make his contract too big right now, so that they can turn him over later to a team that wants a cheap arby stud, and in return get the moon and sun from some club for JJ.

[dadofandrew]

They are all locked up until they qualify for free agency, which is several years away. Unless they are willing to trade the absolute wealth beyond your wildest dream for just being extremely wealthy and having security, I doubt if any will give up their FA years, or more than one, at the most.

[brewizard]

I have found it odd that there's been no mention of trying to sign Hardy to a deal... he's arby eligible for the first time this offseason and typically Melvin has given guys like him a deal.

 

and

 

It's hard to judge Hardy's worth. He hasn't been very durable which has caused him to be up and down performance wise.

 

Yeah. I think they'll give him a one year deal at most. If JJ performs like a stud again, good for him. He'll earn a higher re-negotiation contract next year. But this year, I'll bet the Brewers are going to play ultra-conservativey on JJ's contract. Afterall, the Billy Hall heartburn still stings in their throats from last year...

[MoneyballMan]

Prince Fielder = 8 yrs $104m

No way on earth Boras would let his client sign a deal that long after just 2 seasons.

 

 

I agree - I think you may have the $$ correct, but Boras would expect it to be four years instead of 8.

[crackley]

i think, but maybe i am just hoping and dreaming, that boras is loosing his touch. since his ridiculous zito deal, all there has been is bad news when he is in it. the gambler dropped him because, im my opinion, kenny wanted to stay with detroit and boras was on his "26 teams want him and want to sign him to a 14 year deal, so you should beat those offers is you want to speak to him" kick. boras dropped him because he was sick of it. AROD went out of his way to talk to the yankees without boras.

 

i hope, and sort of think, that boras is losing respect of GMs, his tactics are getting old.

 

what im getting at is, i hope, by the time the big fella gets to the point of no return (well i hope he returns) well be able to sign him to a "fair-market" value deal. thatll still be the largest brewer deal by far, but itll still be fair market value.

 

just a thought.

[JJHardy7]

Fielder 6 years 80 million, now, today. Front loaded. 20 million next year, 20 million the year afterwards. Then four years divided equally. This allows Prince to get super rich, super quick. He gets his investments down and is set for life. Then while his salary decreases we can look at Braun or Hart signed to much more conventional contracts. Then when it gets time to trade Prince his contract is never an issue for another club and allows us to extract max value from him. I also know this would never work because it isn't the way things are done, but it's a thought.

Is front loading a contract possible in baseball? I really haven't heard of this too much, but I just thought I'd ask. I don't think this deal would get done because the discrepancy from the first 2 years to the others would be huge. I honestly think Prince would not sign this, but I could be wrong.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

If you were to sign a 4 year contract in any profession.

Why would you choose
$10M- year 1, $10M- year 2, $10M year 3, $10M year 4, $20M year 5, $20M year 6
-OVER-
$20M- year 1, $20M- year 2, $10M year 3, $10M year 4, $10M year 5, $10M year 6

Both are guaranteed, both the PRESENT VALUE of the Front Loaded contract is MUCH higher than the backloaded one

[chadomac]

Fielder and Braun especially are not going to lock themselves into a deal at this point. They both know they're going to get HUGE contracts when they're eligible to.

[mothershipconnection]

I wouldn't try to lock Hardy up. Considering his injury history and inconsistency last year, I'd like to see at least one more healthy solid year before we think about committing a ton of money to him.

[logan82]

I highly doubt we get Fielder for more than one of his free agent years. To be honest he is about 7 or 8 on my list of guys I would like to see kept. When we can keep 2 guys for what I would imagine Fielder would get I just think it is to much.

[Tbadder]

I think JJ is a timebomb because of health and consistency issues as well. I hope I'm dead wrong obviously, but he looks like he wears down easily. And I think he may have already peaked. And I'm not impressed with his defense, though I wouldn't call him no good. I don't know, he gives me the willies.

 

As to front loading a contract, I don't know if it's possible, but I do know that the more upfront money you get the better.