Brewers and Fielder Working Toward Two Year Deal

Tommy H says it would most likely be around 18-20 million if it happens.

Update (10:10, by jihad): Melvin Confirms

10 months ago NoahJ 31 comments 0 recs |

Comments

I wish it could be for three years, $32-34MM or four years, $45-47MM. But if it happens, at least its a start to negotiating at a later date.

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

by NoahJ on Jan 21, 2009 9:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Interesting development here

I wouldn’t think he’d want to do something like that. Also, I feel cool being able to bump this up to the front page. More contributors, more BCB breaking news exposure!

One thing I hate is that people will not understand this deal. They’ll think it’s actually a 2-year free agent deal or something.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Jan 21, 2009 9:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I doubt people will think it’s a FA deal, especially on here.

I’m more curious if it’s just a matter of buying out this year and next year’s arbitration years, or if there’s more around it, and if it means there’s years after the deal in arbitration or something?

Thing is, if Melvin really wants to keep Prince, he’s showing it here, but I’d rather lock him long term if that’s the statement trying to be made here. But it does allow a 2 year cushion to see Gamel’s 3B or bust option, which is 1B.

by Lavender on Jan 21, 2009 10:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nonono not here

Just in general, and I hesitate to use the term “casual”, but just random people don’t really grasp the arbitration process or realize that the Brewers control Fielder for the next 3 years, and it’s pretty hard to explain. I can envision people saying “What? Fielder only signed for 2 years? Selfish jerky jerk-face” and just not comprehending the whole situation.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Jan 21, 2009 10:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I try to explain it to people.

But as I’m the only baseball fan (that actually cares about how this works) in my school, most people just get annoyed and tell me to stop explaining when they realize it will take more than a two-word answer to explain.

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

by NoahJ on Jan 21, 2009 10:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think there’s always that one sports guru in school. I was that guy in High School :)

Sounds like we’re buying out 2 years of the arbitration process, per TBTSNBN, but does that mean he has one year of arbitration after a 2 year deal?

by Lavender on Jan 21, 2009 10:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, 1 year of arbitration then

I have a lot of baseball fans around, but most people still don’t get the 6 years of control system. Though I do have a few friends that might get drafted this and next June, so they’re a bit more up on the rules :).

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Jan 21, 2009 10:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s awesome, any of them have a shot at 1st/2nd round? Inform the Brewers we need them in our system!

by Lavender on Jan 21, 2009 10:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

One thing I hate is that people will not understand this deal. They’ll think it’s actually a 2-year free agent deal or something.

This is from the thread at JSonline:

No good! 2 year deal only helps Fielder and lets him leave a year sooner. Need a deal like Braun,or we must deal him in the 2nd year!! Do not trust Boras,he will stick it to the Brewers whenever he can!

Now, while the last sentence could very well be true, it should be generalized to all teams. The first three sentences are utter lunacy.

by Charlie Marlow on Jan 21, 2009 10:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

you read the JSonline comments

you need to be put into containment area to make sure you weren’t infected by he who must not be named and his mindless mass of readers.

by pjpaulus on Jan 21, 2009 10:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Mind you

he didn’t quote “first” or the multiple people editing Tom H.

Did JS fire their editor or is Tom H just like the writer Tim Messenger from Hot Fuzz?

by Lavender on Jan 21, 2009 10:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't really see a massive incentive to do this deal.

18-20M is pretty much what Fielder would get in arb over the next two years.
All you are really doing is shifting risk (say Fielder has a massive injury towards the end of the season) from the player to the Franchise.

Unless you are buying out a year of FA, this makes zero sense.

by Braun Holio on Jan 21, 2009 11:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

But

it does take away the potential feeling that he isn’t wanted. Remember how upset Prince-y got last year when the team renewed his contract. Imagine how he would feel after going to arby and hearing that he isn’t as good as Howard, etc.. This 2-year deal tells him that the team wants him and that management wants him so much that they don’t want to have to negotiate next year.

Yes, it shifts some risk (major injury at the end of the season) to the team, but it does not put too much (all three years of arby). I think it is a good plan. It will also help the team set the budget for the next two seasons by removing a variable.

by Oakland Brewer Fan on Jan 21, 2009 11:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah that's some solid reasoning.

by Braun Holio on Jan 22, 2009 12:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder

if having an actual deal in place makes him easier to trade.

"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 Jan 22, 2009 5:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Arbitration hearings can get nasty

Keeping positive player-team relations is a good thing, especially given how poorly Fielder performed at the beginning of the year, while bitter about his contract. I get the feeling Doug Melvin and Scott Boras get along pretty well.

by tcyoung on Jan 22, 2009 12:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess you have to ask if you think that he gets 12M+ in 2010 in arbitration

He is asking for 8M and we are offering 6M – if he wins and gets 8M this season and has a duplicate year to 2008 will an arbitrator give him 12M in 2010???

Other than making him feel wanted I don’t see any financial incentive to do the deal for only two years.

by Saberilliterate on Jan 22, 2009 7:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That pretty much sums up my feeling on this Saber....

What’s the point of this? I can’t believe that Melvin & Mark A. are going to commit an extra year to Prince in a bad economy, in a small market, and when he’s already under their control next year anyway just to make Prince happy. If they were so concerned with making him happy, wouldn’t they have bumped up his salary last year when he made it sound like he wasn’t pleased with his pay? It would’ve cost less to do that.

There has to be something else to this. I’m leaning toward signing him to this deal makes him easier to deal down the road since any team that gets him in a trade can at least plan on an exact salary figure for the 2010 season. Any other ideas on how this might benefit the Brewers?

It is dangerous for an athlete to believe his own publicity, good or bad - Bob Uecker, 1982.

by Adam P on Jan 22, 2009 7:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I guess I don’t see much of a downside either, unless he ends up getting hurt. I’d assume we have (or will get) insurance on him.

"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 Jan 22, 2009 8:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It avoids arbitration hearings for two years

Not the process, but the hearing can be bad times if you have a player who is known to not take criticism well. The team has to go in and point out the faults of the player, from his weight to his shitty defense to sulking when he isn’t playing well. It can strain a relationship with a player, and it is probably the #1 reason Melvin has never gone to an arb hearing. The money you could save isn’t worth all of the hurt feelings.

by Getting Yosted on Jan 22, 2009 8:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Over 12 MM?

Outside of the NBA, I don’t see many sports franchises paying an extra $2 MM to do something to make a player feel better about himself.

Is it also a nod to the fact that they he and Boras only asked for $8 MM this year?

Is there any evidence to indicate he’ll potentially make more than $12 MM next year? Some notable jump for players, in general, with 3 years of league experience?

Maybe it’ll have some clauses concerning his fitness or the like so he doesn’t let himself go if the Brewers tank this year, only to show up in his FA year and hit 45 HR.

by ecocd on Jan 22, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Howard made $10 mil in his first arb year

He will either make 14 or 18 in his second. So a 50% increase for Prince in his second arb year isn’t off base.

by Getting Yosted on Jan 22, 2009 9:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

it provides cost certainty

It could also save money. You may not think he’ll have a good offensive year, but he’s clearly shown the potential.

It also affects the perception of the franchise, reduces time involved in the process, provides a way of doing business with a player that could be appreciated by far more players than Prince.

Was anything I said like Conway Twitty?

by ol Pete on Jan 22, 2009 10:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I am curious to see what kind of shape Prince is in

I mean if he has actually done the work this offseason and comes in 20-30 pounds lighter I will feel more comfortable with this deal.

I have photos of Prince going back to 2005 and back then he was thick but not fat by the end of last season he was fat(trust me as a fat guy I know fat)

So show us the Muscle Prince and the Brewers can show you the money ;)

Let me spell it for you Cub fans O N E H U N D R E D A N D O N E Y E A R S

by WSB Chris on Jan 22, 2009 9:52 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

We’ll know soon. The Winter thing is almost here.

by ol Pete on Jan 22, 2009 10:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Boras said it, so its obviously true

From TH’s blog:

In a conversation I had recently with Boras, he said Fielder had lost weight since the end of the season and is committed to a conditioning program. It was noticeable to all who covered the team that Fielder had gained weight from the end of the 2007 season to the end of the 2008 season.

by Supertramp on Jan 22, 2009 11:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I assume he has lost weight

Speaking of Boras: I don’t know how much validity there was to the comments from the owner or GM of the Pirates when, at least by my reading, he walked right up to the line of calling Boras a liar when he said Pedro Alvarez was working out before he got signed.

by ol Pete on Jan 22, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Per TBTSNBN

The signing will be announced either today or tomorrow.

Tom’s expectation is that it will be at least $18 million. That seems like a lot to me - unless Prince has a better 2009 than I’m anticipating, I don’t think he’ll get more than $10 million next season in arbitration, which means $18 million would be the maximum I’d expect this to be. If it’s more, then maybe Melvin is wondering if Prince would make $12 million (or more) next season.

"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 Jan 22, 2009 10:36 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

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