Tuesday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 27, 2011 9:01 AM CST
in Milwaukee Brewers News
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PrintThis morning's Mug is the 996th in Brew Crew Ball History, and we're now just one week away from The Night Of (Approximately) 1000 Mugs at Rounding Third on January 3.
Some things to read while counting your own money.
We're 53 days and counting away from pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale, but we're staring down the barrel of a pretty quiet week between the holidays. In a time-honored space filling tradition, Adam McCalvy has a look at the Brewers' top five stories of 2011. I think putting 101 wins and a playoff appearance behind the Braun situation and Prince Fielder's departure was a little pessimistic, but your results may vary.
While we wait for actual news, here's an interesting rumor to spread around: The Brewer Nation is reporting that Zack Greinke has approached Doug Melvin about the possibility of a five year extension (FanShot). Greinke is still without an agent, so the team would have to negotiate with him directly. That seems unlikely, but if Greinke wants to get a deal done I suppose it's possible.
Meanwhile, a long term deal for Greinke might not be the only item on the agenda in the coming weeks: MLB Trade Rumors has fellow starter Shaun Marcum on their list of arbitration eligible players who might be extension candidates this winter.
With that said, maybe a rotation with Greinke and Marcum still isn't as good as we all thought? Buster Olney of ESPN posted a list yesterday of the top eleven starting staffs in baseball, and the Brewers aren't on it. Olney has the Mariners, Nationals, Tigers, Braves and Dodgers, among others, ahead of the Crew.
Here are today's Prince Fielder notes:
- Birds Watcher speculates on the possibility that signing Fielder could get the Orioles more national TV exposure.
- Jeff Sullivan of Lookout Landing has today's PRINCE FIELDER WATCH.
In the minors: There was no Brewer activity in the Caribbean yesterday, so Winter League Notes is taking another day off.
Around baseball:
Cubs: Signed pitcher Andy Sonnanstine to a minor league deal.
I can't remember if I've written about this previously, but the prospect of players taking part in dangerous activities (like climbing mountains, for example) would scare me to no end if I worked in the front office of a team responsible for the rest of said player's contract. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels that way, because the Mets have sent pitcher R.A. Dickey a letter threatening to void his deal if he injures himself on his way up or down Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find another use for this bow.
Drink up.
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Negotiating one's own contract seems a bit risky
I know agents take a cut, but it seems like they would have a better feel for negotiating and taking care of all of the necessary paperwork. I guess if Greinke hasn’t had an agent since the spring, he’s already accustomed to dealing with the details himself.
Are there other MLB players that self-represent themselves in negotiations? Are there any that have done so to their benefit?
You would thinks guy like Greinke would want an agent to do all the contract stuff.
That way he wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. On the otherhand, he could probably just sign a basic deal and get it over with faster without an agent.
by Rabbit915 on Dec 27, 2011 10:16 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'd assume it'd be like selling your own house.
Either you have an agent/realtor, or you negotiate yourself with a lawyer to do all the paperwork.
fka "warwick5s"
by DEUCE SLUICE on Dec 27, 2011 11:50 AM CST up reply actions
He can just take his old contract
white out the amounts and years, fill in what he wants with a crayon and send it to Doug.
It's a little awkward for the GM, too
He has to deal directly with the player so the negotiations are a little more delicate. You’re telling them to their face that they aren’t worth as much as they think they are.
“I think you’re worth this much.”
“wtf? I’m worth way more than that. Why do you hate me so much? Screw you.”
“It’s called negotiating, I don’t really think you’re worth that little.”
“Oh, okay.”
by ecocd on Dec 27, 2011 12:46 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
I think it depends on the relationship of the player with the team and the intent of both sides
If the player is trying to maximize his contract or the team is trying to low-ball the player, then I could see how things would be awkward for both sides.
On the other hand, if both sides are being realistic in their offers, I don’t think it would be that bad.
A-Rod negotiated his current contract after Boras made a mess of things and still got a huge payday.
Pujols is the Barack Obama of baseball.
by sjlee on Dec 27, 2011 12:54 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't think A-Rod actually negotiated his contract
That was likely just a publicity stunt anyways.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Dante Culpepper (former NFL QB) negotiated a couple of his own contracts...
… but that was on the tail end of his career when he didn’t have a lot of leverage left anyway. I think it makes a lot of sense for guys that are probably going to make the league minimum or a little more: if you don’t know if another contract is coming, and you know that after you make $600k this year, you’ll probably be selling insurance for 40k (or worse) next year, it makes some sense to cut out the percentage your agent would get.
But for an extension before free agency, which is probably the biggest contract he’ll sign in his career, it’s a little unusual.
A-Rod didn’t need an agent. He’d already made a quarter billion from the previous deal, and he could have gone into that subsequent negotiation with “Yankees Suck” written on his forehead in sharpie and he still would have gotten a big deal.
"fortunate, but also lucky"
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 27, 2011 7:59 PM CST up reply actions
I've definitely heard of players representing themselves.
I just can’t remember who it was. Almost positive it was a Packer sometime in the last several years. A shrewd agent might drive up your asking price a certain amount, but they’re also taking a big cut of it. The market is pretty well-established for baseball players, so it’s not like the Brewers could swindle him into signing a $35,000/year contract or something less hyperbolic. The biggest benefit of having an agent is the peripheral deals they get you: sponsorships, personal appearances, things like that. I don’t those matter very much to Greinke.
It's not something anybody thinks about.
Occasionally you hear financial details of players’ sponsorships (like LeBron’s $100MM Nike deal), but it’s easier to see the impact an agent has in contract negotiations with teams because those details always end up public.
Pink Eye warning:
I remember something about Ray Allen doing it several years ago.
I hate Yuni.
by BrewCrewBrian on Dec 27, 2011 12:53 PM CST up reply actions
Kenny Rogers represented himself a few years ago in negotiating an extension with Detroit
He was 42 and looking for a one-year deal though; probably would not have done that for a huge extension in his prime. Though I don’t see why not, I have to imagine most of these contracts are pretty standardized. I’m guessing it’s also easier if you’re looking for an extension and aren’t a free agent, since then you have one team to talk to and don’t need the time/manpower to negotiate with the entire league.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Ben Sheets
Does anyone know if he still plans to make a comeback? He had elbow surgery over a year ago, and we haven’t heard anything since. Hopefully it went well, and he’s happy doing whatever it is he’s doing.
I asked Haudricourt and McCalvey on twitter but didn’t get a reply.
Speaking of players doing dangerous things during the offseason
Nyjer Morgan went zip lining.
My goodness.
I went zip lining in Costa Rica this summer.
In a thunderstorm.
It was incredible.
fka "warwick5s"
by DEUCE SLUICE on Dec 27, 2011 2:26 PM CST up reply actions
Quality
Dickey photo on Amazin’ Avenue…
"I love it when any team called 'The Brew Crew' wins": Tad Kubler
"LOLOL I LOVE YUNI!!!!": ThroughBeingCool
With no due respect whatsoever
I’m not interested in Buster Olney’s opinion on the best starting rotations.
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
by mnbrewer on Dec 27, 2011 8:16 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
He ducked my demands for resoning behind leaving the Brewers off the list
I got goons.
by Dikembe Meiztombo on Dec 27, 2011 9:21 PM CST up reply actions
If the Yankees can't make it, no one can!
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
The Mariners and Dodgers are definitely a stretch
But Tigers and Nationals are definitely worthy of that “ranking”.
Our beef is the exclusion of the Brewers
Based on FIP, the Brewers’ rotation was the 7th best in baseball. Based on xFIP the Brewers were only behind the Phillies’ rotation. Given that it’s exactly the same rotation, it’s hard to see that they’re going to drop out of the top 10 in advanced metrics. Defensively, they’re getting worse at 3B, better at SS and questionable at 1B, so the defense shouldn’t be any worse that it was last year which will help ERA and FIP.
It’s hard to take the list seriously without the Brewers inclusion.
by ecocd on Dec 28, 2011 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Meaning that he only paid attention
After the Brewers started winning. Not surprising for an ESPN employee.
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
How do better fielders help the FIP???
Applying pop culture to Brewers discussions since 2009, earning the nickname of "Our Little Abed".
Aoki update from Yahoo! Japan
NEW YORK – 26 (Japan time 27) Yakult outfielder Aoki declared aim to transfer the major parent – (29) to, posting system (bidding), the Brewers were awarded the exclusive right to negotiate, and present condition of the class ahead was found that the. These exercises will be presented to the military leaders to travel to the U.S. next year probe, the test was found to be highly dependent on the agreement.
According to the active military leaders, had bid around the divided opinion within the team. Dagumerubin GM (59) were negative, but partly because it has not sent a scout to Japan, Mark, owner Ignacio Ata (54) is directed to acquire. $ 2.5 million (about 195 million yen) of the bid to them was just before the deadline.
Exclusive right to negotiate, but to give, said GM’s initial offer 100-150 million dollars ahead of the class salary (£ 78 million to 417 million yen to about -1). Aoki seek regular treatment with an agent had a large gap. Becomes critical test of the new year for Aoki.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Stupid Dagumerubin. I hope Ignacio Ata forces him to make a real offer.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
by SRB on Dec 28, 2011 12:04 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't know. If the initial offer was 78 million pounds
I’m not sure I want him.
Do you have a direct link? I have some friends that know/knew Japanese that might be able to make sense of it.
Gist of it seems to be that Melvin’s initial offer was in backup-player range ($1-1.5 million; per year I assume?) while Aoki wants to get paid as a regular, but Melvin hasn’t seen Aoki play yet. Also sounds like Mark A. was the one who pressed for the team to bid.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Anyone hear any rumors about what they will do with K-Rod?
Haven’t heard this anywhere, but, to me, it would make sense for everyone—why not some sort of deal involving K-Rod for Trumbo? Maybe not a simple one-for-one swap, but Angels need RP and Brewers (probably will) need 1B. Seems to me that a team with an extra 1B and not enough RP would be talking to a team needing 1B with extra RP.
The Angels don't really need a closer since they have Walden
Trumbo won’t be a FA until 2017 and will likely be moved. If they move anyone, it’ll be Morales (who might also simply get released).
Pujols is the Barack Obama of baseball.
Give us 5 years of your cost controlled power hitting 1B
We’ll give you 1 year of a 10 million dollar reliever.
SOUNDS FAIR TO ME!
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati
|
25 | 20 | .555 | 0 | Lost 1 |
|
St. Louis
|
25 | 21 | .543 | 0.5 | Lost 2 |
|
Houston
|
22 | 23 | .488 | 3 | Won 4 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
21 | 24 | .466 | 4 | Won 1 |
|
Milwaukee
|
19 | 26 | .422 | 6 | Won 2 |
|
Chicago
|
15 | 30 | .333 | 10 | Lost 10 |
(updated 5.26.2012 at 6:00 PM CDT)
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