Arbitration approaches, Millwood rumors, Fielder Contract

The deadline for offering free agents approaches. Free agents are given either an A, B, or no ranking depending on there position and production, and teams may recieve compensation for those players leaving, but only if the offer of arbitration is extended. There is more to this, but I do have a longer explanation in a post from the summer. Long story short: Teams want draft picks, but can't just offer in case the player excepts, as he is then under contract. Also, a player almost never takes a pay cut in arbitration.

There is no point in extending offers to free agents who are not ranked since there is no compensation. The Brewers have no type As this year, however do have 4 type Bs. If these players are signed elsewhere the Crew would recieve a draft pick between the first and second rounds.

Mike Cameron- Made $10 million last season and I really doubt he will be making that much in 2010. Brewers have already committed to Carlos Gomez as their outfielder, making it almost a sure thing Cam' is not offered.

David Weathers- The Brewers already declined Weathers' 3.75 million dollar option, paying him a $400k buyout instead. Seeing as David make 3.4 mill this year the decision has already been made, Weathers will not be offered arb.

Jason Kendall- GM Doug Melvin has already said he does not want to allocate $5 million to the catching position, which is what Kendall made this last year. Seems likely the Crew goes the cheap route, Kendall is not offered.

Felipe Lopez- The second basemen had a career season and enters a week crop of middle infielders. After making only 3.5 million in '09 if he were to accept arbitration would likely not see 5. Also, arbitration is a one year contract, and I'm sure Felipe would like to see a couple of years. This being said, it is doubtful that he would accept an offer, and if he does it wouldn't be a bad deal for the Brewers, who could always trade him or Weeks later on. Lopez does get offered arbitration, and declines.

So it is a bit of a shame for the Brewers to have 4 players and only get 1 pick out of it, but it's better than last year when they had 2 type A free agents and only got a supplemental and a 2nd rounder (Ben Sheets never signed with another team).


Now on to new Kevin Millwood rumors. Supposedly the Orioles are interested, and the sourse claims that the Rangers would like to move his 12 million dollar salary to free up money for a bat. This is all and good, however the report coming in a few days ago was the the Rangers had new real incination to move Kevin...


Some other interesting ideas came up in a Brewers Mailbag with Adam McCalvy. It has been said that the Brewers will look to sign Fielder to an extension following the heart of this offseason. Fielder is already under contract for 2010 and under team control for another season after that. What else we know is that Fielder's agent, Scott Boras does not like to sign deals during arbitration years, and it was even surprising when a two year deal was reached last winter. What is scary now is the comparison McCalvy made between Fielder and another Boras agent... Mark Texiera. Tex signed a 8 year 180 million dollar contract last year with the Yankees and will be seen as a comperable for Prince. Mark was 28, with a .282 avg, 140 hr and 450 rbi after 4 seasons while taking 5th in rookie of the year voting, winning a Silver Slugger and making an All-Star team. Prince will be 27 when he hits free agency, and is currently a .283 hitter with 158 hr and 443 rbi while taking seventh in ROY voting, winning a Silver Slugger, making an All-Star team, and taking third in a MVP ballot. Yikes. The point is why would would Prince sign a 3-5 year deal now when he is just two away from would could potentially be a 200 million dollar pay day? I would like to see it happen but it won't. To me Prince will be a Brewer for the next two years MAX (and likely less).


That's it for now, hopefully things will heat up after Tuesday, and the Winter meetings are just right around the corner. Getting cold outside, Brew Up.