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Brewers, Weeks Avoid Arbitration
According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers avoided arbitration with second baseman Rickie Weeks by signing him for 2009. The deal is worth $2.45MM plus a possible $75K in incentives, according to SI.com's Jon Heyman. Weeks had requested $2.8MM while the Brewers countered at $2MM. He'll be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season.
Haudricourt notes that the Brewers have one case remaining in Corey Hart ($1.1MM gap). MLB.com's Adam McCalvy says his hearing is scheduled for the third week of February. Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash on the situation: "We still have a basic disagreement in terms of value."
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I still think Weeks ends up becoming a very good player.
Too much talent to not end up being at least pretty good.
I think moving off of second base is something that would really benefit him specifically though.
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Maybe he will finally stay healthy this year.
Posted by: JRodNY | February 03, 2009 at 01:11 PM
You can only give a player so many chances. The guy has been consistant, but consistant .235 hitter at the top of my lineup with an OBP ranking at the bottom of the team the last two years isn't going to get you very far in the playoffs, cut ties and start over - Escobar!!!
Posted by: andy | February 03, 2009 at 01:20 PM
That seems like a little bit too much for him. Weeks is alright, but has failed to break out in a big way. He compares to late bloomer Brandon Phillips, and an infielder turned outfielder B.J Upton. He posses great skill but needs to put it together fast, the Brewers wont wait around forever.
Posted by: Tomahawk368 | February 03, 2009 at 01:38 PM
Andy -
Escobar, Kendall, and a pitcher at the bottom of a lineup is 3 automatic outs. That's not going to get you very far in the playoffs either.
Posted by: Mykenk | February 03, 2009 at 01:39 PM
Brewers should resign Durham for this year.
Posted by: kgbaseball | February 03, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Escobar is hardly an automatic out. He's just as fast, if not faster than Weeks, and a much better fielder. The Brewers should send Weeks to the Marlins for Jorge Cantu (to solve the 3rd base disaster of Bill Hall,) which allows them to move Dan Ugla for younger, less expensive players... isn't that what the Marlins do?
Posted by: Slindiesel | February 03, 2009 at 03:20 PM
"OBP ranking at the bottom of the team"
He was middle of the pack in OBP in 2008 ahead of Braun and Hart, and 2nd among starters in 2007 behind only Prince. Check your facts before posting. Fact is as it stands he is still an above avg offensive player and below avg defensive player probably making him somewhere in the middle of NL 2nd basemen. I would wager as long as he doesnt cost more than 6M/yr which he wont before free agency, the Brewers will be happy to wait on his potential. Ive heard some Brewer fans worried he'll be the next Adrian Beltre, one good year right before free agency then bolt for an overpriced contract just to fall back to earth.
Posted by: vacin8r | February 03, 2009 at 03:36 PM
as i have said before and will continue to say...Weeks is the worst player on the brewers. He has no defense and his offense is absolutely terrible. We dont want a .235 hitter at the top of our lineup...as a matter of fact, we shouldnt have him anywhere in our lineup. Escobar at least hasnt gotten a chance to prove himself, i think they should sign duram for this year until next year when escobar can come up, weeks only brings negatives to the brewers.
Vacin8r, if you saw him play like i did, he makes errors at the worst possible times and strikes out whenever anybody is on base, the only time he gets on base is when the game is already over
Posted by: jose mchung | February 03, 2009 at 10:38 PM
oya, before the allstar break, kendall had the 2nd highest batting avg in the national league, he's hardly an automatic out, escobar can hit better than weeks so hes not an automatic out, and 3 of our 5 starting pitchers can hit (Gallardo, Parra, and Bush) especially gallardo, he could be used if he wasnt a starter like brooks kieschnick was a few years ago as a pitcher and pinch hitter, they would do that if he wasnt our ace and a starting pitcher
Posted by: jose mchung | February 03, 2009 at 10:41 PM
People have to learn that OBP is more important for a leadoff hitter than AVG. Weeks is a career .352 OBP player. Other than Fielder no one on the Brewers roster is better. Weeks had OBP of .374 and .363 in 2007 and 2006. He just needs to be consistent over the course of the season to break out as evidenced by his 2nd halves the last two years. a .263/.378/.451 in 2008 and a .251/.422/.481 in 2007. His closest year to putting it all together for a full season was 2006 as evidenced by his 1st half line of .275/.361/.406 and his 2nd half line of .308/.372/.385. The 2nd half line in 06 was 10 games because he suffered a wrist injury that cost him the rest of the season. I'm pretty sure the wrist has still been bothering him the past 2 years. How it shows up in his production, I can't tell you. I can say it probably was the reason for his slow start in 07 and his demotion to AAA. I'm pretty sure that Melvin mentioned it as being a reason for struggling then, too. I definitely can't explain 2008, though. Maybe his bat speed was affected and it takes him a while to get it going again? Who knows.
Weeks is still far and away the better hitter than Escobar. Escobar has little plate discipline and little power. Major league pitchers won't throw him anything he can hit until he proves he can lay off it. A .258 batting average was 2nd in the national league, jose mchung?
Posted by: Warboss74 | February 04, 2009 at 03:02 AM
Warboss, how is a .263 and .251 average alloting to is breakout. those averages are definately not signs of a breakout
Posted by: jose mchung | February 04, 2009 at 02:50 PM