The Brewers and pitcher Shaun Marcum have agreed to a deal, avoiding arbitration in advance of their Thursday hearing, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The deal is for one-year and will pay the right-hander $3.95MM, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
With Marcum seeking $5MM and the club offering $3MM, the base figure falls just short of the midpoint. However, the deal will include performance bonuses that can push the deal beyond $4MM, according to McCalvy.
Last season, Marcum turned in a 3.64 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 31 starts for the Blue Jays. The 29-year-old is represented by Turner/Gary.
According to MLBTR's Arb Tracker, the Brewers are left with just one unsettled arbitration case: second baseman Rickie Weeks. Weeks wants $7.2MM for 2011 while the Brewers are offering $4.85MM. The two sides are scheduled to go to arbitration next Thursday but the club is said to be optimistic about reaching a deal beforehand.
good call for marcum, i think he woulda lost that case
good call for brewers, i think they woulda lost that case
really, how come? a 10x raise, a year removed from TJ surgery seemed like a lot to ask for. and Liriano already settled for much less than what Marcum was asking for.
like i see what you did there, but im still curious
A bargain!
Arbitration players are always payed well below market value. With Marcum being in his first year of arb-eligibility, he should be getting payed 40% of market value. So he is a bargain for a market-value player, but should also not be expected to make any more.
Second year, 60%
60% of the $14 million he was worth last season = $8.4 million
<$4 million for Marcum is a bargain by any standard…
Actually, relievers are often paid more than market value. They’re the one major exception to the system as a whole. While not specifically applying to Marcum, it’s good to note.
I have a feeling Marcum is in line for a great year. Following a VERY good time in the AL East, facing NL Central hitters should be a cakewalk. I think he has an outside shot at a Cy Young award, though that is an opinion mostly from my gut.
if AL central is a cakewalk whats the NL central ganna be?
Thanks. Fixed the mistake.
I would be impressed if he won an AL Cy Young Award with the Brewers. But seriously, I think he will put up a great year, but it will be hard to beat out Halladay, Johnson, Wainwright, Lincecum, Jimenez… not to mention those pesky AL pitchers!
Thanks for rubbing in my mistake
But in all seriousness, it is obvious NL pitching is extremely talented. But I think Marcum will be right with the top, though probably not at the Pinnacle.
you know how they always say that the AL is better than the NL in every way (or something like that)? Well I think that the NL has better pitching, while the AL has better hitting. I think it’s easier to win MVP in the NL and easier to win the CY Young in the AL. Also I thought I was gonna be first to point out the mistake, otherwise I wouldn’t have said anything! Sorry bout that!
Its far harder to win the MVP in the NL because you have to be better than Albert Pujols.
You make a good point. When healthy, this guy has the ability to fool hitters and keep them guessing all night. If he’s healthy, he’ll surely be one of the better pitchers in all of the NL.
Roy Halladay says hi.
This is a good move by the Brewers, the pitching is the key to their season.
I think it was quietly one of the better moves of the offseason. For a smaller price than any of us would have guessed the Brewers added a pair of potential aces to their rotation. I think they got a great shot in the NL Central.
Ace is a bit of a strech… Good deal by both sides, Lawrie is a nice Prospect for Toronto who had excess pitching and could afford to lose Marcum.
Potential ace. I think Marcum with a little more development could be a top pitcher on most staffs, if you can handle the offense in the AL East, you’re golden anywhere else. While everyone is going to be talking about the Phillies and the Giants next year I think Grienke and Marcum will fly under the radar as one of the better 1-2 punches in the league.
Except gallardo will be #2
Potential Ace…also bit of a strech, ive had the pleasure of watching every mlb game hes ever played. He will be a great addition to the rotation , development when hes already almost 30 is kind of moot at this point, hes developed as far as hes going to get. Marcum’s numbers were solid , BUT his numbers against the AL East were actually not very good, they were good against everyone else.
You completely contradicted yourself… you think him being an ace is a stretch, but you go on to acknowledge that he only has tough time against patient deep offenses, which he is now free from..
Changeup artists can have a tough time with teams who are not afraid to take a walk and let the guy after him wait for a mistake.. Its why Shaun struggled against the Yankees and Red Sox, both deep and patient lineups..
Where as teams with a heart of the order that fizzles towards the 6,7,8,9 spot can’t afford to be as patient, and Shaun’s changeup, which is up there with Lincecums as the best in the game, carves them up..
I think, if healthy, Marcum has an amazing year for the brewers, the presence of Grienke doesn’t make him their ace, but he could still put up ace like numbers.
I know, the pitching in the NL is absolutely stacked, and Marcum is definitely not the most talented pitcher of the group. However, though he probably isn’t going to win it, I could see him posting an ERA under 3, and be one of the top pitchers in the league. I really think he will emerge the ace of the Brewers’ staff despite Greinke and Gallardo.
The guy is a master, in the mold of Greg Maddux. We’re really going to miss him. Lawrie better mash.
I think Greg Maddux was a mold of his own.
Though at his age now, that mold is probably some sort of athlete’s foot.