Fielder and Rodriguez Offered Arbitration

Betancourt wasn't. Such surprises!

6 months ago Noah Jarosh 25 comments 0 recs |

Comments

I'm mildly surprised they offered arb to K-Rod.

There’s a very small risk he’ll accept, but that’s a risk they didn’t take when given the same set of options with Mike Cameron.

Now that's great tasting chicken!

by Kyle Lobner on Nov 23, 2011 3:54 PM CST reply actions

Maybe Nathan getting $14 million convinced them that he'll test the market.

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Nov 23, 2011 4:05 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah but wasnt that $14 mil

The total for the contract? KRod would be poised to make that for a one year deal from an arbitrator.

by backtocali on Nov 23, 2011 4:11 PM CST up reply actions

That's a little bit of an overstatement, I think...

… but yeah, Nathan’s contract was 14 million over 2 years.

"fortunate, but also lucky"

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Nov 23, 2011 4:17 PM CST up reply actions

I think the point was that if Joe Nathan signed a $14mil deal

KRod is assured to get much more.

by The Left Button on Nov 23, 2011 4:40 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, if a 37-year-old coming off major elbow surgery who totally sucked last year is getting a multiyear deal at $7 million per, I don’t think K-Rod/Boras are going to settle for $12 million over one year for a setup role. Papelbon’s ridiculous signing also set a pretty high market.

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Nov 23, 2011 5:50 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Well, maybe they're learning.

I like it. Given his professed unhappiness in the setup role last year, I don’t think there’s much chance he’ll accept arbitration regardless of the read on the market. Anyway, there’s a pretty good argument to make that the market for his services (and thus the size of the contract he’s offered) will go up now that teams won’t have to give up a pick to sign him.

"fortunate, but also lucky"

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Nov 23, 2011 4:15 PM CST up reply actions

Learning would be nice.

I strongly believe this is the right decision. I’m pleasantly surprised they made it, because it seems to be a shift from previous strategy.

Now that's great tasting chicken!

by Kyle Lobner on Nov 23, 2011 4:42 PM CST up reply actions

completely agree

"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."

~Doug Melvin

"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."

~RRR

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2011 5:04 PM CST up reply actions

Offering K-Rod arbitration is almost zero-risk

He has to accept it within the next seven days……and give up his quest for a closer’s gig……he’s not going to happily be a set-up guy for another year, and an entire season at that!

by BobSkinner on Nov 23, 2011 4:32 PM CST reply actions

The only risk is that he does accept

And forces the team to go way over budget, and then wind up trading Axford to make it worthwhile.

by backtocali on Nov 23, 2011 4:51 PM CST up reply actions

& that would probably end up being a good thing.

As a young, cost-controlled closer coming off a monster year, he’d probably bring in a good haul.

I love Axford, but I think closers are always way too overvalued.

by The Left Button on Nov 23, 2011 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

Yes

catch-22, however. Since the possibility of trading Axford would only arise if Rodriguez accepts arbitration…and is then way too overpaid.

"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."

~Doug Melvin

"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."

~RRR

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2011 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah...

… and trading Axford doesn’t have to be the solution to that problem anyway, if it develops. But hey, it makes for a nice doomsday scenario, and BTC’s never one to let reality get in the way of his point.

"fortunate, but also lucky"

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Nov 23, 2011 5:38 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

True

I think that it would probably net a decent return, however. But I’d guess something like trading Wolf for salary relief would be more apt to happen.

"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."

~Doug Melvin

"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."

~RRR

by Charlie Marlow on Nov 23, 2011 5:42 PM CST up reply actions

Or they could trade K-Rod

A veteran closer on a one year deal might net a decent piece. Not a blue chip prospect but a decent player for one of the spots on the infield.

by Oakland Brewer Fan on Nov 23, 2011 5:37 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Why would Axford need to be traded?

He’s still making league minimum. That doesn’t exactly solve the problem of “too much salary being paid”.

by cwolf20 on Nov 23, 2011 5:44 PM CST up reply actions

They could just trade K-Rod and eat half the salary or whatever if necessary. I’m sure Mark A. signed off on it.

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Nov 23, 2011 5:52 PM CST up reply actions

It would not be guaranteed for 2012, though, correct?

If he were set to make 13.5m, couldn’t we let him go at ST and pay a small fraction, like ~2m?
This would all be counterproductive, and I would hope we wouldn’t reach this point!

FanGraphs should consider a venue for a Gallery Night... they could even serve a cake with a Win Expectancy Chart of the 7/7/11 Brewers' game etched in the frosting, and 7-up. Oh, yeah - and t-shirts that say "SABR-Friday." I'm totally there.

by Jess'HittheBall on Nov 23, 2011 5:17 PM CST reply actions

I believe we're obligated to pay him for a month

by nullacct on Nov 23, 2011 7:26 PM CST up reply actions

Slightly off-topic...

K-Rod must be a chipmunk. He looks like one. Carlos Villanueva was also a Brewers chipmunk. Hopefully, we can sign someone to take K-Rod’s place as an official Milwaukee chipmunk.

by Jess'HittheBall on Nov 23, 2011 7:36 PM CST up reply actions

I'd be worried

if it weren’t for the fact that he wouldn’t be a closer here and he knows it.

(Verb) you cardinals.

by Taterwithbacon on Nov 23, 2011 7:47 PM CST reply actions

!

"People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."- Rogers Hornsby

by icecreamman on Nov 23, 2011 11:58 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

By now, Prince has a feel for what teams are offering

What are the odds that he pulls back and accepts arbitration, and avoids competing directly with Pujols? It would give him another year in Milwaukee to compete with a contender, further establish his value as he comes into his prime, and make 2012 one long ad campaign for his services. Any chance? Given what Melvin has said and offered, he’s guaranteed to end up with at least $20M for his send-off year as well. Is he better off taking the best contract offer this year, or taking $20-22M for 2012 and courting offers with Pujols’ deal inked and a year into the new labor agreement? Just wondering, thinking…

by nullacct on Nov 24, 2011 6:55 AM CST reply actions

You'd think Boras would convince him otherwise

Go ahead, make my day.

by ilikeburritos on Nov 24, 2011 7:01 AM CST up reply actions

Comments For This Post Are Closed

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

NL Central Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Cincinnati Red Reporter	25	20	.555	0	Lost 1
St. Louis Viva El Birdos	25	21	.543	0.5	Lost 2
Houston The Crawfish Boxes	22	23	.488	3	Won 4
Pittsburgh Bucs Dugout	21	24	.466	4	Won 1
Milwaukee Brew Crew Ball	19	26	.422	6	Won 2
Chicago Bleed Cubbie Blue	15	30	.333	10	Lost 10