Coming off their first NLCS appearance in 29 years, the Brewers are looking at the first nine-figure payroll in franchise history heading into 2012. Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel spoke to GM Doug Melvin, who confirmed that the team will outspend its projected budget next year.
“We’re way over what we projected our budget to be at this point,” said Melvin. “It’s over $100 million. We hoped to be in the low 90s.”
There's no indication that the Brewers will need to move some players to shed payroll, and Haudricourt notes that the $100MM+ figure includes players who under team control but remain unsigned. That includes the arbitration-eligible Shaun Marcum and Jose Veras, who filed for $8.7MM and $2.375MM earlier this week, respectively. The team countered with $6.75MM and $2MM.
Melvin also said it's unlikely the Brewers would be able to re-sign Prince Fielder even if the slugger was willing to take a one-year deal. Milwaukee agreed to sign Norichika Aoki for two years and $2.25MM yesterday, but their biggest additions came earlier this offseason: Aramis Ramirez (three years, $36MM) and Alex Gonzalez (one-year, $4.25MM).
K rod accepting arbitration was the biggest issue here. Not sure they have any chance to unload him and the salary.
They can go for a trade and eat some of the salary. I’m sure there’s teams who need a closer.
The Yankees are laughing right now.
I disagree.
When are the Yankees not laughing?
Yes, they laughing to the tune of “8M set-up buy? We’ve got you beat by 3M!”
K-rod hurts, but not as bad as anticipated. We’re all pretty surprised that he accepted at 8 million. I think that Ryan Madson’s deal helped us out. Take the glass at half full approach and you have an all-star combo 8th/9th inning only costing 8.5 million…
thats one way to look at it..
the other is paying a guy 8 million to pitch in the 8th inning of a cash strapped team.
Glad to see you’re a real optimist. I was just saying it’s not the end of the world. And if krod puts up good numbers, it’s not like he’d be a financial burden if a team wants to trade for a closer. Cheaper than most of the established closers in the league.
They’re also paying Axford something like 600k this year.
So it’s like they’re paying $4.3 million to the set up guy and $4.3 million to the closer. And both are very good.
No it’s not like that at all. By that logic you could just take the entire team’s salary and divide it by the number of players and say it’s like they’re all being paid the same thing.
I’m sure some team will need a closer by the trade deadline.
I don’t doubt that.. I doubt Krod being the most attractive option for those teams, given price and performance
2.64 ERA/2.72 FIP/291 career saves. Yeah, it’s going to be impossible to get anyone interested in that.
Closer market has crashed.
Madson signed a 1 year deal..
Not doubting his performance, he has been good, although his velocity is slipping and his slider isn’t as good, he still gets the job done
$4MM isn’t that bad for half a season of a guy who had a 2.64 ERA last year (assuming he stays close to that performance).
I guess it will depend what else is available.
Ryan Madson at $8.5M was the “steal of the offseason.” K-Rod at $8M is a huge burden that’s impossible to unload.
I know Madson is marginally better at this point in their careers, but the logic of the Internet is funny.
This would have made sense had Krod not accepted arbitration.
Clearly there wasn’t a market out there for him or else he wouldnt have accepted arbitration.
Madson was mostly seen as a the steal of the offseason because of the reported fact that he turned down 44 million.
Madson didn’t turn down 44 mil, the Phillies did. Madson made it so K-Rod wasn’t as expensive in arbitration this year, which was nice for the Brewers. 8 million for a great reliever doesn’t bother me nearly as much as 14 would. But then again I find it ridiculous that someone can get paid 10+ mil per year to pitch a lights-out 9th inning but if it’s the 8th inning it’s less than half of that.
Nice to see the front office go over budget to keep prince and Braun together. Oh wait..
Greinke on the move since the Brewers are just about out of it?
The Brewers and their fans simply want to win more than the NY Mets, for example. Of course the NY Mets being completely broke is a partial factor.
That shouldn’t be too hard LOL. The Brewers had some big subtractions, but hopefully Braun can be a rare appeal winner and if Aramis can be half of Fielder, the Brewers are still a VERY good team. Any team with Greinke and Gallardo in the rotation and Hart and Weeks on it is.
Weeks will also get a 50 game “suspension” at some point. It’s just a matter of whether it’ll be a wrist or leg injury.
Well…Aramis certainly is HALF of Fielder
I just gotta say that Cosmo was simply one of the greatest DOS games I’ve ever played. Isn’t your pic from the end of level 7 in Cosmo 1? I just remember falling in a pit that keeps getting narrow until your nom noms for that alien haha.
Good times.
We’re way over what we projected our budget to be at this point,” said Melvin. “It’s over $100 million. We hoped to be in the low 90s.”
It must be a real hardship, when you draw over 3 million to your ballpark. How will you ever pay for it Melvin? Here’s a quarter so you can call the “Waaaaambulance” to come and pick you up.
At least you have an owner to do what it takes to win. I mean when was the last time the Brewers signed someone from the Newark Bears like the Orioles did the other day?
True, Mark A. is one fantastic owner. Tripled Payroll, allowed kegs in parking lot for tailgating, etc.
IS there a website where I could see the up to date payroll figures for each team or some estimations? I always see things on here that indicate a teams payroll and flexibility but is there a list somewhere?
Cots
It’s kinda their own fault for offering K-Rod arbitration.
The Brewers could not have expected K-Rod to agree to pitch the 8th inning after openly whining about it all year. 8 Million is actually pretty reasonable, ask Madson.
Agreed. Paying $8.5 million for the combination of K-Rod and Ax-Man is a solid deal. We got away with that one. Not the best situation, but it could have been worse.
It’s kinda their own fault for offering K-Rod arbitration.
K-Rod isn’t the main factor here – look at the timeline – they signed Ramirez, Gonzalez, Aoki, etc. after finding out that they’d also be paying Rodriguez a hefty sum. They wouldn’t have offered K-Rod arbitration if they weren’t comfortable with the idea that he might accept it. It didn’t impede their ability to make the other moves they wanted to. There was no way they were going to commit to a 6, 7 or 8 year deal with Fielder when Braun is on the books as long… Milwaukee is the smallest market, and with that does not come long term financial security. They have the ability to have an elevated payroll this season… they’ll have that ability as long as they draw, and they’ll draw as long as they win. Having nearly half of your payroll locked up on two guys for the next eight years was never going to happen, nor should it have happened because those two guys would not be able to win alone.
K-Rod isn’t the main factor here – look at the timeline – they signed Ramirez, Gonzalez, Aoki, etc. after finding out that they’d also be paying Rodriguez a hefty sum. They wouldn’t have offered K-Rod arbitration if they weren’t comfortable with the idea that he might accept it. It didn’t impede their ability to make the other moves they wanted to. There was no way they were going to commit to a 6, 7 or 8 year deal with Fielder when Braun is on the books as long… Milwaukee is the smallest market, and with that does not come long term financial security. They have the ability to have an elevated payroll this season… they’ll have that ability as long as they draw, and they’ll draw as long as they win. Having nearly half of your payroll locked up on two guys for the next eight years was never going to happen, nor should it have happened because those two guys would not be able to win alone.
To all you fans who underestimate the cards I PRAY your teams do the same….bc you all saw where we got last year with everyone underestimating us
The Ramirez, Gonzalez and offering K-Rod arbitration moves were all stupid… they are now reaping the consequences of their stupid behaviour.
No sympathy now and even less when they lose their pitching next year. They have a healthy budget, Oakland wish they could have a low 90’s payroll. Simply unacceptable, trying to keep up with the Joneses when you don’t have their money.
Agreed – attempting to put together a competitive roster is the stupidest thing a team can do
yeah but k rod is a joke
Just put the rest on a credit card. No big deal.