Mikey/Melky Trade Back On

by roguejim on Dec 11, 2008 4:59 PM CST Comment 54 comments

After a morning hiccup created by the Yankees’ request for the Brewers to pick up some of centerfielder Mike Cameron’s salary, the sides are back on track to complete a trade that would bring centerfielder Melky Cabrera to Milwaukee.

Asked about the likelihood of that trade now happening, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin just said there was “a strong possibility it could still happen.”

So, perhaps as early as tomorrow, the deal could be completed, with perhaps a second player coming back to the Brewers from the Yankees. Melvin said the financial aspects of the deal had been settled but talks continued on a second player coming from New York.

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I may say more about this

if/when the deal goes down, but the payroll is starting to look interesting.

Here’s a fanpost by baumann from a few months ago, predicting a $73.6MM payroll if FAs left and we didn’t sign anybody.

That figures we spend $3.75MM on Capuano, which seems unlikely — he’ll be non-tendered and brought back on, if anything, an incentive-laden deal. Say we save $2MM there. We also aren’t paying $3.75MM for Torres. Counsell’s option was declined, so there’s yet another $3.4MM.

Now, say Melky gets $2MM, that saves us $8MM versus Cam’s salary.

Total savings: about $19MM, bringing the current payroll down to about $55MM. If we can figure out a salary dump for Hall, it gets us even lower.

Obviously there are holes left to fill, and at least one of them (credible starter) will cost money. My point, though (if I have one) is that there is plenty of money to spend, esp. if we trade Cam.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 11, 2008 5:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Its a start but

no one seems to want anything to do with Milwaukee.

"You have no honor!" - McClung to Fukudome

by zsxander567 on Dec 11, 2008 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And if it's just a salary dump?

Melvin fills in the rotation with Randy Wolf and Jamie Moyer, and hunkers down for a non-contending season, content that Brewers fan will buy tickets anyway?

by Marty McSuperFly on Dec 11, 2008 6:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

I don't specifically articulate my motives, because that wouldn't travel as well as a boo does.

by KLSnow on Dec 11, 2008 6:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Or convinced that they won't buy tickets anyway.

It’s interesting to note that small and medium market teams, who are more dependent on gate receipts for income than their big market brethren (who rely on massive media contracts in addition to gate), are going to be hurt a lot more by the economic downturn. Less disposable income means lower attendance and more of FSN for some Brewer fans regardless of the team’s success or failure, a reality that might be playing a role in the decision to shed salary.

It could be something else, I suppose, but I guess I’m taking Melvin at his word when he says he doesn’t anticipate wading into the deep end of the free agency pool.

I have an unreasonable dislike of Bill Hall.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 11, 2008 6:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

….

Less disposable income means lower attendance and more of FSN for some Brewer fans regardless of the team’s success or failure,

Unfortunately that is the boat that I was in last year. I didn’t have the disposable income to take the family to a game.

This may just be what DM & MA is anticipating…

by Saberilliterate on Dec 12, 2008 7:32 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The problem is the inconsistency.

A week ago, the Brewers had no problem dealing out $20 mil annually to CC Sabathia and committing to something around a $90 mil payroll next season.

So if they cry poverty now and slash the payroll back down into the $50’s, they either had an epic fail planning moment a week ago or the economy in Wisconsin went down much faster than we thought.

I don't specifically articulate my motives, because that wouldn't travel as well as a boo does.

by KLSnow on Dec 12, 2008 7:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't disagree with that...

… though there is at least the theoretical argument that Sabathia’s presence on the roster would boost attendance on the days he pitched.

But yeah, I don’t buy that either.

I have an unreasonable dislike of Bill Hall.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 12, 2008 8:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Assuming 1 person in the seats = $40 to the Brewers

Then the difference between $90 million and $50 million is 1 million tickets.

By the time you factor in parking, food and beverage sales, etc, one person may be worth more, but even if the single person value is $55-60 and the payroll drop is from $90 to $60 million, that’s still roughly 500,000 extra fans the Brewers would have had to draw with CC, and that figure is probably too big to be their actual expectation.

I don't specifically articulate my motives, because that wouldn't travel as well as a boo does.

by KLSnow on Dec 12, 2008 10:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed.

I have an unreasonable dislike of Bill Hall.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 12, 2008 11:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

obviously there's other variables to consider, but...

…on its own, a Moyer signing might turn out to be one of the better deals this offseason. Moyer is probably more likely to give you 180+ league average or better innings than, say, AJ Burnett.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 11, 2008 7:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

plus

If we keep him away from other NL teams, it will probably give the Brewers a couple more wins since they won’t have to face him.

by Supertramp on Dec 11, 2008 7:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Moyer can pitch vs. Brewers in the post season anytime!

by SgtClueLs on Dec 11, 2008 7:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

many already put money down to get playoff tickets

which included paying for season tickets for the upcoming year

I untuck my shirt!

by Michael M on Dec 12, 2008 8:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

myself and 4 friends included

by tcyoung on Dec 12, 2008 9:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Suckers!!

I mean, that’s too bad.

In Doug We Trust. Unless we’re totally pulling a Marlins, I think we’ll still be a competitive team, even with Milktoast in centerfield.

At least, so long that Suppan isn’t pitching in the opening series, that is. Then all bets are off.

"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 12, 2008 9:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't speak for my friends,

But I’d rather watch losing baseball than no baseball at all. So I wouldn’t call myself a sucker. I’ve loved going to games since I was a kid. I would have renewed my season tickets regardless of how well they did last season.

by tcyoung on Dec 12, 2008 12:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Rotoworld

opines the player coming back may be a reliever not selected in the Rule V draft.

"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 11, 2008 5:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Cox

I am sure that you are rooting for him RJ. That name is comedy gold!

September 15: Not a bad little Monday

by molitorfan on Dec 11, 2008 5:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I know one fan who would love to pun that one

I’ll give you a clue, her name rhymes with Birkir

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 11, 2008 5:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"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 12, 2008 8:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

thank you for that.

PIC of my Signed All-Time Milwaukee Brewers Jersey by 65 Players!

by Jamie in LA on Dec 12, 2008 12:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Did anybody say cheese?

"If loving CC is wrong I do not want to be right"
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender"

by kirbir on Dec 12, 2008 1:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Cox is better the harder he is

on J.D. and the gang.

Anyone else addicted to Scrubs?

"If loving CC is wrong I do not want to be right"
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender"

by kirbir on Dec 12, 2008 1:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

New season in January I believe

Congrats 08 Crew on a fine Wild Card achievement! What do you say we keep the next postseason drought to something a little shorter than a quarter of a Century.

by MadJimiBrewha on Dec 12, 2008 1:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Moving to ABC, correct?

by tcyoung on Dec 12, 2008 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You know...

Isn’t TG Jr. out of options? Meaning we either cut him, trade him, or put him on the team?

Milquetoast Cabrera, in his career, has a .725 OPS against RHP. (In 2005 and 2006, his OPS against RHP is actually much higher.) Would it surprise you to learn that TG Jr has a much higher OPS against LHP than RHP?

I’m assuming it’s a fluke: small sample size, and the fact that he has almost 10 times as many ABs against RHP than LHP. Still…I think it’s time for a TG Milquetoast platoon!

"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 11, 2008 5:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

would that be

a gwabrera platoon?

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 11, 2008 5:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is the one circumstance under which I'd be ok with this trade.

And only because the amalgamation made me laugh.

I don't specifically articulate my motives, because that wouldn't travel as well as a boo does.

by KLSnow on Dec 11, 2008 6:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

your welcome

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Dec 11, 2008 6:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Why won't Peavy consider Milwaukee

What’s his problem?

Peavy & Gallardo would be a serious 1-2

by TimQMills on Dec 11, 2008 6:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I suspect it's becuase he really doesn't want to leave San Diego at all.

So he limits his list to the Cubs (a team unlikely to meet SD’s exorbitant trade demands) and other teams in southern California, which is a move he can stomach. Based on what I’ve read, I’m not sure we’d want to give up what SD’s likely to ask for to get Peavy anyway.

I have an unreasonable dislike of Bill Hall.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 11, 2008 6:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm all for the Cubs giving in...

I get this feeling Peavy is going to break down one of these days…well it’s either that or the chinese I ate for supper.

Congrats 08 Crew on a fine Wild Card achievement! What do you say we keep the next postseason drought to something a little shorter than a quarter of a Century.

by MadJimiBrewha on Dec 11, 2008 10:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hall staying put

The J-S added a little nugget when converting the blog post to a story:

At one point, the Yankees also inquired about Brewers third baseman Bill Hall. But because Hall has $15.2 million left on his contract, the Yankees wanted to send the Brewers unproductive left-hander Kei Igawa (2-4, 6.66 earned run average in 16 big-league games), who has $12 million left on his contract.

"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 11, 2008 11:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Screw that.

The Yankees have, like, six trillion dollars! Take the contract!

Eric Gagne DL time: May 23-June 29 Brewers record in that span: 20-9

by NoahJ on Dec 11, 2008 11:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If I was Doug

and Cashman asked me for money to help cover Cam’s contract, or suggested Igawa, it would be really hard to not punch him in the face.

And neck size to baby eating ratio.

by Jordan M on Dec 11, 2008 11:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Quit being so sophomoric.

by HRF on Dec 12, 2008 12:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

But, seriously, I’d join you and put on brass knuckles.

by HRF on Dec 12, 2008 12:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd just say,

“Wait, are you Jim Bowden?”

Among GMs, that’s much more hurtful than a punch in the face.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 12, 2008 12:11 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

All those East Coast GMs look alike.

by Zeyes on Dec 12, 2008 2:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't have Rosetta Stone

But isn’t Kei Igawa Japanese for Chris Capuano?

September 15: Not a bad little Monday

by molitorfan on Dec 13, 2008 7:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

anyone have any idea

if the yankees have a (recent) history of asking for money in trades like this? or is this just a ’you’re only the brewers, we’ll do what we want’ type of situation?

by goirish2107 on Dec 12, 2008 9:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think every team asks for money when there's a player making $10 million involved

I don’t think it was meant to be a jab at the Brewers, awful as the timing was.

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

by TheJay on Dec 12, 2008 4:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

and who knows...

as the threads on this & yankees sites have shown, there is nothing approaching a consensus on the value of either player. Some of us think Cameron is worth 4 wins above replacement … others think he’s garbage.

It would be weird, though, to throw in money to make the deal happen given that, not too long ago, we exercised the option.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Dec 12, 2008 4:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yes but

there could have been other reasons for doing that such as enticing CC, or they could have anticipated some trade interest for Cameron and figured he’d be an asset at 1/$10, which i think he is.

i don’t know. i think you’re right and that no matter what we would have picked up the option after the 2008 Cameron put together.

"Nothing is working right now with a lot of the guys. We're trying to see pitches and see what we can do. ... I'm not going to sit there and walk, though. I'll eventually find it, and hopefully we'll still be in it." -Corey Hart

by baumann on Dec 14, 2008 1:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Just a thought...

I know Igawa isnt’t that good, but maybe being out of new york could help him out, would you guys do this deal:

Cameron
Hall

for

Igawa
Cabrera
Kennedy

We would save money and get to pitchers that could help us out, they could both be nothings, but I think it might be worth the risk…

How can you not love Carsten Charles?

by grobbins on Dec 14, 2008 7:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yes

by pjpaulus on Dec 14, 2008 7:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think most people on this site would probably do that deal.

The Yankee’s, however, would not.

If we could get Ian Kennedy in the trade and get rid of the awful contract that is Bill Hall, it would be a very nice trade for the Brewers indeed.

Eric Gagne DL time: May 23-June 29 Brewers record in that span: 20-9

by NoahJ on Dec 14, 2008 7:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If

we could get Ian Kennedy in general it would be a very nice trade. I’d do the above if we had to pay all of Igawa’s contract.

And neck size to baby eating ratio.

by Jordan M on Dec 14, 2008 8:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course.

Especially with the off chance that out of NY and in a different league, Igawa shows some of the talent that somehow got him that contract.

Hell, he can’t be any worse than Suppan.

Eric Gagne DL time: May 23-June 29 Brewers record in that span: 20-9

by NoahJ on Dec 14, 2008 8:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I'd definitely take him in the right scenario

I like how he throws, seems to have pretty good stuff still. But I don’t want him to be THE PITCHER in the deal, and I don’t want to pay him more than $1.5-$2 mil. He owns in ’08 The Show. Dude started game 3 in the World Series against me.

And neck size to baby eating ratio.

by Jordan M on Dec 14, 2008 8:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Dave Bush always wins the Cy Young in that game, at least on mine.

They really favor wins, though. I think we discussed the great trading values it has in a different thread, too. Unforunately, I do the Road to the Show mode as a third basemen, and am batting .450 with a .500 OBP and an even higher SLG in Huntsville. Vinny Rottino is sucking at AAA and they still won’t promote me.

If Kennedy (or, in some kind of dream world, Hughes) were included in the deal, I would gladly take Igawa’s four million dollars, to be honest.

Eric Gagne DL time: May 23-June 29 Brewers record in that span: 20-9

by NoahJ on Dec 14, 2008 9:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it might have a chance

if we take one of their bad contracts, but maybe I am being absurd, I figured that Igawa has no value to them and honestly if they sign one more FA, like Petite, Kennedy becomes pretty expendable.

In general I think I want more guys competing for the back of our rotation behind YoGa, Parra and the old man that we will sign to a one-year deal…Suppan is probably a lock to be in the rotation, but I can dream….

How can you not love Carsten Charles?

by grobbins on Dec 15, 2008 10:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i would trade Cameron and Hall for Kennedy alone

and throw if a few million to make it happen.

Am I crazy? I bet the girls at the bar I was at tonight probably think so.

by baumann on Dec 15, 2008 2:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

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