A frequently asked question: What would happen if the Brewers DFA'd Suppan?

A team could claim him off waivers and pay him the remainder of his contract. There's no chance that would happen.
Once he clears waivers, the Brewers could attempt to send him to the minors, but he would have the right to refuse the assignment and become a free agent. Either way, the Brewers will still owe him the remainder of his contract.
If he becomes a free agent and signs with another team, the Brewers will still owe him the remainder of his contract minus any money he makes from other teams. So, if he signs for the league minimum, the Brewers would owe him $12.1 million, with the other $400lk being paid by his new team.

about 3 years ago Kyle Lobner 51 comments 0 recs |

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haha

I was just writing the exact same post.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 13, 2009 3:41 PM CDT reply actions

word-for-word

KL must have installed a backdoor trojan on your computer and saw everything that you were typing!!!!

by PagsBrewCrew on Apr 13, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

They make a specific condom for that kind of sex?

by tcyoung on Apr 13, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Not Trojan,

But there are ‘novelty’ items

"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"

"The whole of humanity is… one human family. This planet is our only home." HH The Dalai Lama

RIP Nick Adenhart: Stop Drunk Driving

by kirbir on Apr 13, 2009 7:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Man

where is Kirbir or Brendanukah on that one. Too easy

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions

"For when you want to see ALL her keystrokes"

by Brendanukkah on Apr 13, 2009 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions

KL might do that

But probably not on Jeff’s computer :-p

"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"

"The whole of humanity is… one human family. This planet is our only home." HH The Dalai Lama

RIP Nick Adenhart: Stop Drunk Driving

by kirbir on Apr 13, 2009 7:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Again...

how long until Rambling Al calls us casuals? :)

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

by Jordan M on Apr 13, 2009 3:44 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah, sorry

The downside to not being able to preview a FanShot is sometimes I publish one, hate how it looks and hope I can rewrite it before anyone sees the old one. You were too quick.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 13, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions

well thank you KL

I did have questions of the Frequent and Asked variety.

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions

So you're saying we're screwed...

Good info, KL.

Why the hell did we sign him to this ridiculous contract in the first place.

by spell on Apr 13, 2009 3:46 PM CDT reply actions

because we could?

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Isn't this putting the cart

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 3:51 PM CDT reply actions

Yes

I’m not saying they will do it, but today I saw the question asked for roughly the 75th time, so I decided to make sure everyone saw the answer. :-)

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 13, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions

3. Loggins

by Brendanukkah on Apr 13, 2009 3:52 PM CDT reply actions

Kenny?

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Please to familiarize yourself… with Yacht Rock!

by Brendanukkah on Apr 13, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

I watched 20 seconds of that

and then realized that it was horribly not safe for work.

I just sit back and root for the taser
I'm on Twitter now. www.twitter.com/Enrico_Palazzo_

by Hyatt on Apr 13, 2009 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Dude

Thank you. Awesome.

by Braunstalker on Apr 13, 2009 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Options 4 and 5: He disappears? Cool!

Also, if the Brewers were to release Suppan and he opted to become a FA, than nobody signed him, and he realized his worth and retired, would the Brewers still have to pay him his full salary?
(I realize this scenario has almost zero chance of coming true, I was just curious)

:) + Suppan = :'(

by Noah Jarosh on Apr 13, 2009 4:06 PM CDT reply actions

yes.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 13, 2009 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Are you sure?

If he formally retires, I don’t think the Brewers owe him salary. If he becomes an Unemployed Free Agent for 2 years, he’d keep drawing salary.

by ecocd on Apr 13, 2009 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm pretty sure the Orioles had to pay Albert Belle long after he was formally retired.

If not, then it’s a matter of semantics – he decides not to pitch anymore but doesn’t file the paperwork.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 13, 2009 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions

That's not very Wisconsin-like...

by tcyoung on Apr 13, 2009 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions

not saying you're wrong

but that just doesn’t make sense. If you get paid after retiring, why hasn’t manny already retired and collected his paychecks from the dodgers for the next two years. If you get paid after retirement, that’s like quitting and still getting paid, isn’t it?

by marty22 on Apr 13, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions

it's different...

if you don’t want to play vs the team doesn’t want you to play.

by PagsBrewCrew on Apr 13, 2009 5:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Correct.

You are under contractual obligation to play. However, if your team doesn’t want you to play, they’re still under contractual obligation to pay.

by tcyoung on Apr 13, 2009 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions

that's the difference

between MLB and NFL. In the NFL the team doesn’t pay you anything if it releases you because you are terrible. If someone else signs you that team pays you whatever you negotiate. More and more money in contracts for high NFL draftees and FAs is becoming guaranteed lately as a result. The MLB system is more of a traditional employment contract in the legal sense, as one party is willing to ‘perform’ (play) but the other party declines that but still has to ‘perform’ (pay). That’s why it’s imperative for ‘small market’ clubs to not hamstring themselves with long-term deals to veterans who don’t play well in the later years of the contract.

by lawlackey on May 5, 2009 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Manny is only signed for a one-year guarantee

That’s the one thing the Dodgers actually did correctly!

by Brew Angel on Apr 13, 2009 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Club Option

What happens to the Club option if he’s claimed by another team? Does the cost get rolled into the remainder? We do owe him at least 2 million more.

by SgtClueLs on Apr 13, 2009 4:07 PM CDT reply actions

Owed

2009 $12.5mm (guaranteed)
2010 $12.5mm (guaranteed)
2011 $12.75mm club option ($2M buyout) HAHAHAHHAHAHAH

The team HAS TO PAY Suppan at least $27mm.

My non-embarrassing thoughts on the Brewers:
Two Fisted Slopper

by nmc on Apr 13, 2009 4:17 PM CDT reply actions

Nah

You’re forgetting to subtract the league minimum.
It’s a much more affordable $26.2 million.

We should have cut Suppan and signed Jenkins and Sheffield. Split up the suck between two useless players over one year.

by The Left Button on Apr 13, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions

4. The Brewers become better.

by HRF on Apr 13, 2009 4:18 PM CDT reply actions

This is basically the Mike Lamb situation, right?

(in short, the Twins are still paying him to sit at home and watch his kids etc.)

by morineko on Apr 13, 2009 4:19 PM CDT reply actions

Right.

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 13, 2009 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

So you are saying there is a chance.

by Bernie's Mustache Wax on Apr 13, 2009 4:19 PM CDT reply actions

5. Dragon Attack

If he were to be eaten by a Dragon that Brewers would be obligated to pay the Dragon 1/2 of Suppan’s salary, but they would receive a 2nd round draft pick.

by Bernie's Mustache Wax on Apr 13, 2009 4:21 PM CDT reply actions 7 recs

Looked into this further

Had to open the rule book for this one.

1a. If he’s eaten by a Dragon while pitching during an actual game, the brewers still have the pay him the rest of his salary.
1b. If he’s eaten in the parking lot the brewers don’t have to pay him, but are obligated to create a statue of him. Worse?!?

2. The rule book goes into a gray area in regards to large chickens or robot dragons. So make sure it’s a real dragon or don’t get any pictures of it.

by Metagen on Apr 13, 2009 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Question

Does the team have to pay more or less if they actively attempt to attract Dragons to the stadium during Suppan starts?

by drezdn on Apr 13, 2009 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Shhhhhhhhh

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

by Jordan M on Apr 13, 2009 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions

5.

Profit

by KDean75 on Apr 14, 2009 7:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Let's do it!

So if he sucks this bad after another month why would this not be a good idea, we could get some bullpen help from the trash heap with whatever another team offered him, and woulden’t concede every fifth game.

He hasen't gotten on base in Weeks.

by kuxinhell on Apr 13, 2009 4:52 PM CDT reply actions

Call it misguided, but I’d rather pay his contract to do horrible some place else. Preferably within our own division.

Sadly, this isn’t going to happen unless Macha breaks out the black belt on Doug Melvin to work with him to organize things for a good rotation. Be it a trade, or maybe just sticking within our own farm. I for one would like another lefty in the rotation, Chase Wright or David Welch. I wouldn’t even mind giving Chris Cody or Donovan Hand a stab in the bigs, even just to get them inclined with the major league level. They probably would do no worse than Suppan. It would only be a question of “shock to their system,” as though they’re jumping from a hot tub to the pool.

PensBurgh penalty - Lavender - 2 minutes for hijynxing.

by Lavender on Apr 13, 2009 4:56 PM CDT reply actions

i don't think it's misguided at all

If he is going to lose every game he starts it doesn’t matter how much he gets paid, he should be cut

by warwick5s on Apr 13, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I know KL’s piece on Soup’s stats may not say he’s worse than Mr.Rusch, who was just god awful, but Jeff Suppan was never worth his contract from the day he signed it. Who knows what could have been with that cash freed up in these last few years. That bugs me almost as much as the sheer consistency of inconsistency.

At least we have Yo to follow him up and help us forget about him.

PensBurgh penalty - Lavender - 2 minutes for hijynxing.

by Lavender on Apr 13, 2009 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Your favorite beat reporter has an article about Macha and Suppan

Somebody should fanshot it. We’ll call it an alley-oop

by tcyoung on Apr 13, 2009 5:34 PM CDT up reply actions

My favorite beat reporter?

How’d Sam Mellinger find out about this?

"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."

by Kyle Lobner on Apr 13, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions

I don’t think I necessarily have a favorite beat reporter. Love the community peoples like SBN provides.

Witrado’s just my hommie :)

PensBurgh penalty - Lavender - 2 minutes for hijynxing.

by Lavender on Apr 13, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions

I recommend a look at the ZiPS pitching projections for the Orioles to dispel the notion that any random veteran retread or semi-prospect is necessarily going to offer an improvement on even Suppan’s thus-far dreadful performance. (I’d link to the Brewers projections to make this point, but Dan didn’t go anywhere near low enough in the foodchain to have reached Welch et al.)

“Replacement level” doesn’t mean that you can expect any random decent-looking minor league player to achieve it, just that there’s some guy who’s freely available in your org (or from outside) who can do it. Until you find him, you might well have gone through a bunch of pitchers totalling a few dozen innings of sub-replacement level ERAs (say, 7.00), however. Of course we do have a few okay options in e.g. Wright or Green, but let’s not kid ourselves about the pitching depth on the farm. All in all, even pitching to a 5.50-whatever ERA in the bigs is still hard, overall. Calling up guys like Welch or Hand would be conceding the season.

by Zeyes on Apr 13, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions

I think that's a little harsh

Until you find him, you might well have gone through a bunch of pitchers totalling a few dozen innings of sub-replacement level ERAs (say, 7.00)

You might have, but if you have, that reflects one of two things. Either you cut the cord too quickly on guys you should’ve stuck with (if we called up Narveson and he made two bad starts, that doesn’t mean he can’t give us a 5.50 ERA), or you picked the wrong guys (teams keep signing Ponson).

The whole idea of “replacement level” is nebulous enough, but it shouldn’t be just “some guy,” as in, you’d have to pick the best possible freely available guy. There’s some player selection skill involved, but it shouldn’t be that hard. And as far as depth is concerned, I think the Brewers are as set as anybody. Wright, Green, maybe Narveson and Dillard, could all probably give you replacement-level pitching.

I agree, though, that it would be misguided to call up a C- prospect from Double-A just to see how they do. Then again, it worked with Chris Saenz…

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 14, 2009 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions

I pretty much agree, actually.

I didn’t mean to imply that it would take the best-possible option…“some guy” was just to indicate that it won’t be just any random candidate one can think of. Obviously I would’ve written “there’s one guy” if I’d meant to say that. ;) (<—-Blatant CYA statement.)

And sure, if you stick with them long enough to get a meaningful sample size there are probably a bunch of pitchers would could give replacement-level performances – but how likely is that to actually happen in the real world? The probably more likely scenario is always that a guy bombs once or twice and his roster spot is immediately recycled for the next candidate, justified or not.

by Zeyes on Apr 14, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions

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