2008 Payroll Update

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 3, 2007 11:30 AM CST in Milwaukee Brewers News

As promised...I think it's time to do a thorough job of this. Here's my predicted 25-man roster, along with their salaries. Asterisks indicate that I'm guessing, usually in the case of arbitration-eligible players.

Position Players:

Jason Kendall, $4.25MM
Backup catcher, $0.4MM
Prince Fielder, $1MM*
Rickie Weeks, $2MM*
J.J. Hardy, $2MM*
Ryan Braun, $0.4MM
Craig Counsell, $2.8MM
Backup IF, $0.4MM
Kevin Mench, $3.6MM*
Bill Hall, $4.8MM
Corey Hart, $0.4MM
Gabe Gross, $0.4MM
Backup OF, $0.4MM

Pitchers:

Ben Sheets, $11MM
Yovani Gallardo, $0.4MM
Jeff Suppan, $8MM
Dave Bush, $2MM*
Chris Capuano, $3.75MM*
Claudio Vargas, $3MM*

Derrick Turnbow, $3.2MM
David Riske, $4MM*
Guillermo Mota, $3.2MM
Matt Wise, $1.5MM*
Brian Shouse, $1.5MM*
Carlos Villanueva, $0.4MM

Total: $65MM

Last year's opening day payroll was about $70MM, and I'd imagine Attanasio is approving some increase. That gives Melvin a little more flexibility than I anticipated.

I certainly see what is tempting about acquiring Rolen--we clearly have the starting pitching to spare (6 starters + Villy and Parra) and we have the payroll room, even if the Cards don't pick up much money. If you believe Rolen can bounce back, that gives us a quality starter at every position on the diamond with the probable exception of catcher.

The advantage of trade targets in this case is that, if we're going to acquire a 3B, LF, or CF, we might not have to commit to as many years. In Rolen's case it's three, which is not so good, but better than signing, say, Aaron Rowand for five. I wouldn't be willing to give up Bill Hall, but I can definitely see where a Joe Crede trade makes sense, as well.

If the payroll room were spent on a 3B/LF, that does mean Melvin would have to be a little more creative solving the closer issue...then again, looking at that pen, especially since Manny Parra isn't on the list, you wonder just how badly we need a 9th inning guy. We're decently set up for a closer-by-committee except from the management side.

Anyway, as significant changes to this payroll occur, I'll post a new version.

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interesting to see

where we stand money-wise going into the winter meetings. I'm still not convinced that spending the extra cash on Rolen makes sense because of his recent injury history.

by oaklandbrewerfan on Dec 3, 2007 12:11 PM CST reply actions

Sad

"We're decently set up for a closer-by-committee except from the management side."

It's a sad thing that the 'stache has to look for "Ned-proof" help in the bullpen.

by cappad0nna on Dec 3, 2007 12:13 PM CST reply actions

Enh

I think most teams have to look for manager-proof bullpen help.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 1:24 PM CST up reply actions

Mench & Wise

I think they are only tentatively in the payroll for now. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mench or Wise (or both) gone, so that's potentially another five million to play with.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 1:28 PM CST reply actions

I bet you a nickel

Wise comes back. He's cheap!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Dec 3, 2007 1:34 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah

But is his head screwed on right again yet?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 1:35 PM CST up reply actions

Did I mention that he's cheap?

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Dec 3, 2007 1:50 PM CST up reply actions

Well, kind of

But if he's going to be crazily ineffective, I'm sure a scrap heap guy could do the same for three times less money. Splitting hairs either way though I suppose.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 4:05 PM CST up reply actions

surplus of starters

I'm always confused when people phrase it that way. First, we do have too many starters, but it's not like we have too many quality starters. Plus, as I recall, we needed all of our starters last year. Second, we don't have a surplus of pitchers overall, since we need help in the bullpen. If Villy or Parra are in the rotation, and we get rid of Cappy, Vargas, etc. Then we need bullpen help even moreso. I guess we're just assuming it's easier to have a scrap-heap bullpen have a respectable year, than a scrap-heap leftfielder.

by keephopealive on Dec 3, 2007 5:15 PM CST reply actions

Sure, not "quality" starters

But there's the rub. Using FIP, only one Brewers starter was worse than the average NL #4 starter: Claudio Vargas. A lot of teams could use thirty starts by the guys in the Brewers rotation.

Even if you use the less useful ERA, no one on the staff was below #4 level. In a game where Joel Pineiro can get $6.5 million per year coming back from the dead, the guys on the Brewers staff under team control for a couple more years are pretty valuable.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 8:35 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

My bigger point was that our "surplus" of starters (Gallardo, Parra, Villanueva) helped us to have decent middle relief last year, and guys who could step up in the event of injury (Sheets) or poor performance (Cappy). If we move Cappy or Vargas, and replace them with Gallardo and Villanueva -- and don't get any pitching in return -- then we're left with another hole in the pen, in addition to closer.

by keephopealive on Dec 4, 2007 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

Request

Even though it's a hopelessly Byzantine calculation, it'd be nice to see a list of how many options some of these guys have left. With the rumor that a spot on the 40-man roster has to be opened before Riske signs, I wonder if any of the optionless guys that seem superfluous could be headed out via trade (not to mention it'd be good to come back to when trying to figure out the roster in spring).

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Dec 3, 2007 8:22 PM CST reply actions

LA in on sheets

Dont know if this has been mentioned, but LA is the team that talked to Melvin about Sheets today.
Link:

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/12/03/dodgers-inquire-about-sheets/

by em3 on Dec 3, 2007 10:24 PM CST reply actions

Has anyone given any thought to

Mitch Stetter contributing next year? He looked good in his september callup. Plus he looked good in AFL

by marty22 on Dec 4, 2007 5:04 PM CST reply actions

I imagine it depends...

...on whether Parra is healthy and how he's used. If Parra is in the pen, that's two lefties in him and Shouse. If not, Yost would probably love to have Stetter around as the second lefty.

The one thing this exercise demonstrated to me is that we have a surprisingly deep staff, even if we don't have the traditional closer. The fact that Stetter might be 16th or so (among all pitchers) on the depth chart is pretty good, I think.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 5, 2007 7:55 PM CST up reply actions

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