I'm sure you're shocked by this:
"Francisco did a great job for us and pitched like the All-Star closer he was in 2004," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin in a club statement. "The club had a lot of confidence in him and it is nice knowing that we have someone of his ability for the closer role next year."
It would've been nice, of course, if Turnbow had stayed in 2005 form and we could've spent this $5 million elsewhere, but as it turned out, Melvin couldn't have found a better closer for a better price from outside the organization.
I think we can expect another stellar season in Milwaukee for Cordero. If you didn't read my article in The Hardball Times about Coco a few weeks ago, it's a good occasion to do so now. This guy's one of the best relievers in baseball, and there's no reason to think he doesn't have at least one more year of dominance in him.