MIL signs Eric Gagne (1y/10M, +1M in incentives)

[TooLiveBrew]

Happy time! This is awesome news... Pretty much everything else has been said.

 

EDIT: One thing to keep in mind is that the selection at RP next offseason looks to be much deeper than this year's.

[GenoSeligPrieb]

"I'm iffy on this. The 1-year is obviously great, but $10 million is a lot. Couldn't the risk and likely production be found elsewhere, and cheaper? Assuming Torres reports, I'd say it was likely one of our late inning guys would provide the same production Gagne could.

 

We just added $3-7M for Riske, $3M for both Mota and Torres, and $10M for Gagne. "

 

We spent money. You wouldn't be Sam is you weren't wary of risk. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

How about to lighten your burden here, Sam, we just non-tender Mota? Now Gagne costs us $7 million....kinda. And the news story says the Gagne deal COULD reach AS MUCH as $10,000,000. That means incentives would kick in to make the deal reach that high. And if those incentives are reached by Gagne, that means he's earning it, and that makes him a worthy $10 million closer.

 

I am very satisfied with this deal. We lose no one, Turnbow is NOT our closer after all, and even if Torres retires, we don't have to pay HIM, either, which lowers the overall commitment to our pen, by another $3-4 million.

 

Of course Gagne was godawful in Boston for a few months there. But in Texas (in THAT bandbox) he was very good. Put it this way: Who are you more confident in, with the game on the line, and Ned plans to summon his closer. Turnbow or Gagne? To me, it's not even close. Gagne has only stunk as a reliever for a VERY short time, and in Boston he wasn't being used as a middle man.

 

This bullpen, even if Torres is as devastated as Junior Spivey was and gives us the finger, is now not so bad.

 

If Doug pieces together a package of Capuano and/or Bush, plus Gamel and/or Irribarren for Ethier, then we win the pennant!

[danzig6767]

They're certainly going to make another move or two- they simply have way too many pitchers, and they have a massive hole at either 3rd, LF, or CF (depending on Hall and Braun, obviously).

 

As I said elsewhere, I think this just takes focus from a guy like Rolen and puts it more on someone like Teahen or Ethier.

 

EDIT: Also, the 10 million part is still a rumor- we don't know if that includes incentives/options/buyouts/etc.

 

Why should this stop us from getting Rolen?

Adding Rolen would likely only cut into profits for Attanasio, not put him in the red for this year. Plus, with all the money he's made the last two years, he could afford to not rake in again this season if he really wants to go for it.

[splitterpfj]

Geno, we can't non-tender Mota, he's already signed for 2008.

[ccbrew]

Playing devil's advocate here, but say the Brewers outbid the Red Sox last summer and Gagne proceeded to stink it up in a Brewers uniform in the second half. Would you still do the new deal?

[Kurt]

HA! Awesome. You think 10 million is a lot for a one year contract.. just wait in three years when the Red's are paying 14 million a year for a washed up closer!

[GenoSeligPrieb]

Kerrrap!

 

They had to get rid of Estrada THAT badly?

 

Could Mota be part of a deal, then? And Torres? And Turnbow?

 

Nice catch. You were right.

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

I wonder if we will see dual closers. Turnbow struggles when pitching without rest and Gagne ran out of gas last year. Maybe they will alternate closer opportunite in order to get the best out of both pitchers. However, we could only do that if our starters get us innings and our entire bullpen is productive. We won't be able to hide anybody.

[PeaveyFury]

Why should this stop us from getting Rolen?

 

I would be stunned if the Brewers had an 85-90 million dollar payroll next year.

[RU Rah Rah]

The ex-Ranger fetish continues!

And he is Canadian!

Man, I had forgotten. This is almost a mandatory acquisition.

Seriously, though, I'm ok with it, provided that the $10 mil. winds up getting expended on competent closing.

 

[KC Jim]

The Brewers have the money for 08', it is not being saved for future contracts. You want a new scoreboard or fan center then post it but quit crying about 10 million for a closer. All I've got to say is thank you Doug and Mark for making me feel like you want to win like us fans do. We are trading marginl prospects for vet relievers and we are paying for proven closers. If he flops he flops but I'm just happy for Milwaukee to be relevant. I'm drunk, Woah Slvvd

[mrwisconsin]

I don't think the there is a money issue, the Brewers made money last season and the way it looks they will this year. I would be shocked if we didn't draw 3 million next year, anything under 3 million would be disappointing.

[Tisko]

My first thought was great, but 10 mil seemed a bit too much. I then tried to reason through it and I have come to like the deal. First think of what we were going to play Cordero with our offer a year and that is about the same as what we are paying Gagne. Also we need to take into account that the only thing we really know at this point is that its a 1 yr deal. I think the deal is around 10 mil, but we can't say for sure that it isn't full of incentives. How much is guaranteed is a question that will be answered.

 

The bottom line is that we have a closer that has been nothing but effective when healthy and a closer for the same price for year that we would of paid Coco without the risk of a long term deal. Even if he tanks we will probably get a few picks from him next year anyways. I think its a pretty good risk to take. Plus we now have a lot of pitchers to dangle as trade bait however the rest of the league now knows that too. I wish we could of got a deal for 3B or LF done before this signing.

[danzig6767]

Why should this stop us from getting Rolen?

 

I would be stunned if the Brewers had an 85-90 million dollar payroll next year.

Attanasio can afford it, more a matter if he's willing to not rake in big profits again this year

 

[mrwisconsin]

Some cubs fan on nsbb are starting to get a little worried.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

 

 

[SoCalBrewfan]

I like it, though it could certainly blow up if the guy can't stay healthy. The danger of a blow up is limited with a one-year deal, though, and that's clearly the tradeoff here...maybe they could have spent 2/$15MM or something, but the years here are more important than the annual value to the Brewers right now I'd guess. $10M is a lot of money, but it's a short term committment and will be off the books before they need to sweat about paying the youngsters. Melvin values financial flexibility almost above all other things, and there's obviously money to spend this year, and a division to be won.

 

Seems virtually certain that they'll trade pitching now, and I would say Turnbow is among the names being offered.

[PeaveyFury]

brewers.com now with the story as well:

 

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071208&content_id=2321524&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

[SeriesFinale]

Some cubs fan on nsbb are starting to get a little worried.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

 

And some others are laughing at the $10M, and I don't really blame them. The Brew Crew can't afford to throw around a $135M payroll, which is what I've heard the Cubs could be looking at this year. Ten million for a high-risk reliever will definitely limit our options elsewhere...I hope the reward is high enough.

[TURBO]

Some cubs fan on nsbb are starting to get a little worried.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

 

 

 

as they should...

I'm lovin' this!

[Paul77]

Seems virtually certain that they'll trade pitching now, and I would say Turnbow is among the names being offered.

I'd like to think that Turnbow - now pushed back to the 7th inning - could be effective in a "non role" in the bullpen. That is not as a set up man, not as a closer, but just as an arm in the pen. I'm most impressed with the fact that Turnbow went from being our closer to our 7th inning guy in a matter of a few days. Speaks well for the potential the bullpen has now. Theres a lot of risk in our pen but - man oh man, if things break right for us....watch out. Could be a good pen.

[jon12272]

People are complaining about having a 80 mil payroll but, every team just recently got 25 mil from the league from the internet deal. So basically the crew have a 65 mil major league payroll. There is some complaints that Florida's payroll will be under 20 mil.

[adambr2]

Since Gagne believes that we're a minor league team, shouldn't we only have to pay him minor league money?

[Paul77]

Someone with photoshop have Gagne in a Brewer uni yet?

There's one in my sig link. Nothing special, did ultra quickly.

http://www.gobrewersgo.com/gagne.jpg

 

PeaveyFury wrote:

---

McCalvy now with the story as well:

Shouldn't McCalvy's story just been a link to the JS website. All he did was say "the newspaper said...", "according to the newspaper..." and "Melvin told the newspaper...".

 

 

[dvoiss]

Our pen looks a lot different now than it did on Oct 1 and i think it will look a lot different on Apr 1 than it does now.

Sheets, Suppan, Bush, Capuano, Villanueva, Gallardo, Parra, Vargas, Turnbow, Riske, Gagne, Mota, Torres, Wise, Aquino, McClung, & Shouse. That's 17 arms. Something has to give here. I think I'll just wait until things sort themselves out before I beguin to worry. But for now I agree with those who feel Doug has put too much payroll in the pen in the last week.

[polwonks]

hold on here! Can one ballpark really hold the likes of Gagne and T'bow at the same time? I mean- look at 'em. We're talking 2 Wild Things in one venue! The PA system is headed for a regular blowout! Not to mention the competition for the "wildest of them all." I smell a huge marketing feast...The kids will dig it if no one else does..