The Brewers are in discussions with Casey McGehee about a multiyear extension for the third baseman, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. GM Doug Melvin says he should know within "the next few days" whether an extension is feasible, though he notes that the two sides have only talked "briefly" about a long-term contract.
McGehee, 28, hit .285/.337/.464 in 670 plate appearances for Milwaukee last season, his first as an everyday player. He is under team control through 2014 and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time next winter. If Melvin does get McGehee locked up, it would be the second multiyear deal given to a Brewer infielder this offseason, on the heels of Rickie Weeks' four-year, $38.5MM extension.
He’s under team control for 4 seasons, there’s absolutely zero reasons to sign him to a long term deal.
A long-term deal could run through 2015, buying out a FA season and avoiding arbitration, which is fairly common these days. Now, whether or not Casey McGehee is a viable candidate for this type of commitment is a different story.
They are buying out his arbitration years. With his numbers he will be due for a big raise.
I feel weepy when I remember the Brewers took him from the Cubs for free.
Weeks is 5/50 with the vesting option. It makes me wonder what he asked for to start the bidding. Melvin wants to make this a semi-permanent team for the next 4 or 5 years. I hope the owner is willing to up the budget by 20 or 30 million because they seem to be using the Yankees as a model.
You have got to be kidding me. The Brewers ARE NOT using the Yankees model.The Brewers aren’t as stupid as the Yankees. At least they don’t over pay for pitchers like AJ Burnett or for aging short stops like Derek Jeter.
I think I’d prefer to wait another year on this if I were Melvin. I understand the cost control and buying out a year (or more?) of FA but it seems a little quick with him to lock him down now. Maybe not, just seems that way. I think the Hart extension is the one they’ll likely end up regretting.
I agree. Yes, there is cost certainty but there is also more risk to the team in case of performance decline or injury. He’s a nice player, and I wish the Cubs still had him. But a .337 OBP is not good; if he hits, say, .260 next year he’ll barely have an OBP above .300. Even a .464 slugging, while decent, is not that great for a third baseman. This combined with below average defense makes an extension very risky IMO.
Hart was a gamble but a very small gamble. He’ll either be all All star or crap, and likely a combo of both. 3/26.5 isn’t an organization-breaker if he fails like it use to be for the Brewers. Mcgehee will give you what you expect. An above average stick at 3b and perhaps an average defensive one if you have a decent fielding 1b. I’m all for an extension, it continues to show young players that they’ll be rewarded before arbitration and keeps them around into their free agency years.
I just hope he somehow finds a way to play at least 5 games at 2B this year.
I think if I were a Brewer fan I’d want Melvin to lock up a different infielder…but that’s just me…
But yeah, a guy who’s under team control until 2014 and not arbitration eligible yet and hasn’t even played everyday for more than a year is a definite risk for me…I’d wait on this guy before I started throwing money at him. Take a cautious approach while he’s still cheap.
Mat Gamel.?
2012 1B.
I think this move would be great at the right price, maybe 5/30 at most. McGehee would provide great protection for Weeks and Braun throughout the duration of such a deal, and the Brewers could always move him over to 1st base if he develops problems with his knees. They could always persue a FA like baseman like Omar Infante to provide depth if Counsell decides to hang it up ’12.