Now that CC is out of the picture, what would I do, I were GM of the Brewers for a day. Looking at the roster from last year, there is a lot of money coming off the payroll. After the Durham and Sabathia trades last year, the payroll was around 90 M last year. Now that Sheets (11M), Sabathia (11M), Gagne (10M), Shouse (2.2M), Counsell (3.2M), Mota (3.2M), Turnbow (3.2M), Torres (3.2M), Kapler (800K). That is 47.8 M off the books. Let’s also assume that Cameron is dealt to the Yankees for Cabrera.
I would make Cabrera my 4th outfielder. He is an excellent fielder that can play all three outfield spots, and is a switch hitter (much stronger from the left side). With the raises for Corey Hart (3.1M), Rickie Weeks (2.7M), Prince Fielder (7.5M), JJ Hardy (4.75M) and David Bush (4.5M) through arbitration, that would leave 29M to spend on free agents. I would sign 3 free agents (Bob Abreu for 3 yr/48M, Brad Penny 3 yr/24M, and Juan Cruz 3 yr/16M). Cruz becomes the closer, Penny the #2 starter, and Abreu the rightfielder, with Hart moving to Center. Abreu becomes the OBP left handed bat the team sorely needs. Cruz is on the verge of becoming a dominant closer, and Penny is still pissed from the way the Dodgers treated him last year, and is likely to sign cheaper than his true value.
That would leave a batting order of:
Weeks 2B
Abreu RF
Braun LF
Fielder 1B
Hart CF
Hardy SS
Lamb/Hall 3B
Kendall C
Pitcher
Bench of Escobar, Rivera, Cabrera, Nelson, Hall/Lamb
Your rotation would be Gallardo, Penny, Parra, Bush and Suppan
Your bullpen would be Cruz (closer), Riske, Julio, Coffey, Villanueva, Morlan, and Stetter
McClung, and Swindle start in the minors.
That is an 86.5M Payroll….
Friday, December 12, 2008
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8 comments:
Why the hell does the Dougger still have a job. I like where your head is at today.
Are you serious? $16M a year for Abreu. Soriano in Chicago is making $16M a year in '09 and that was one of the biggest contracts around. Do you really think Doug Melvin would do that?
Also, there is no way Brad Penny gets 3/$24M. He is coming off an injury and no one is going to give him 3 years.
Also, do you really think they would let Escobar just sit on the bench not getting at bats. If Hardy and Weeks are still on the team he will start the year at AAA. He still is very young and has only one good year with the bat. They will be patient with him.
In no way, shape, or form, am I watching a team without Seth McClung (the only guy with the balls to throw heat at stars, read: Albert Pujols).
Villy jawing with Pujols doesn't count, either. I wouldn't bet on him to fight his way out of a wet paper bag, but the big red machine on the other hand, well, I think he'd beat the shit out of most takers.
Also, don't like Abreu, he was already overpaid in NY, but would like to see them take a flier on Penny, but not for a TON of money. I say they make Big Red the closer. I know there has to be better options, just not sure where they are coming from yet.
Bobby Abreu for 16M per? No way. Guy doesn't have it anymore, I wouldn't pay 6M per for him.
Penny ain't getting more than two years either for the reasons Matt stated. Most of the talk is him getting a 1 year deal for 5-7M.
There is also no way I'm paying Juan Cruz that much or making him my closer. I don't see how the guy is on the verge of becoming a dominant closer considering he's a career sixth starter who's been an average at best long reliever at most stops.
Oh and there's no way McClung is starting in the minors. He's either in the rotation or the setup man, maybe even closer.
And there's no way they're going with an 80M+ payroll. Last season was a going for it year. They'll be in the 65-70M payroll range and every few years bump it up again like they did last year.
I like Bobby Abreu a lot, but I can't imagine he'd be worth $16 million annually on the third year of that deal, when he'd be 37.
Brad Penny is a big risk, but at $8 mil per I think someone would take it.
I guess it wouldn't shock me to see Cruz get a deal like that.
I'll echo what a previous commenter said on Escobar: There's no way he's spending 2009 sitting on the bench.
Also, McClung is out of options, so he can't go to AAA. He's likely more valuable than Coffey or Julio anyway.
Hags speaks the truth about McClung. I'm counting on a strong season from that fella.
I would love to see us get all three, especially Cruz. Although I would love to see Hardy at third and Escobar at short. Although, I have also heard reports that Escobar was being tried out at second, but it would be a big waste of a great arm. Like many others on here I cannot see McClung at AAA he was the man last year down the stretch, although relief pitchers are bipolar. I would also like to see Dillard up in the majors this year, he did a great job last year. Plus we have to get ready for Kei Igawa! Which will be a terrible move..
Cruz for the right price would be a good addition to the bull pen. Not sure about full time closer but a good set up guy.
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