Brewers fire manager

[Da Coach]

Will the Brewers make a push to resign CC Sabathia?
Their problem is that their other ace pitcher, Ben Sheets, is also a free agent this winter. I don't see that a small market team will be able to sign both.

[pfunk880]

Will the Brewers make a push to resign CC Sabathia?
Their problem is that their other ace pitcher, Ben Sheets, is also a free agent this winter. I don't see that a small market team will be able to sign both.

And we're not going to try to sign both. Sheets is gone unless injuries drop his value way down and we can get him for like a one-year deal. I'm sure that won't happen, though... some pitching-hungry team will stupidly throw money at him. Good riddance to a pitcher who was never able to show up in big games. Injuries and the bad timing of them weren't necessarily his fault but it doesn't change the fact that he didn't earn his money in Milwaukee.

As for CC, I'm not getting my hopes up, but it looks like Milwaukee's going to make a legitimate run at trying to bring him back, and CC wouldn't be opposed to coming back. Of course, some of that could be talk, but still... at least it's a possibility. http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/new...=.jsp&c_id=mil

[Da Coach]

Yes, I saw that. But usually when a player says something like, "it's not about the money", he is still likely to go where the offer is the highest.

There are a few exceptions. Paul Konerko re-signed with the White Sox after the 2005 World Championship season, for several million dollars less than the Dodgers offered him. He was smart to do so. If he had signed with the Dodgers, he would be another in a long line of free-agent signings they have had (Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Schmidt, Mike Lieberthal, Mike Sweeny, etc.) that didn't work out.

In the 3 years since he re-signed, he has had 1 very good season, one average season, and in 2008 he was awful. If he had been with another team, he would have been booed off the field, but White Sox fans stuck by him, and he is still well liked and supported.
Year.......BA......HR.....RBI
2006..... .313 ...35.....113
2007..... .259....31......90
2008..... .240....22......62

Because of his history of helping the 2005 team to the World Championship, he will always be supported by the Sox fans. You would think players would think of this before they take a little more money to play in another city where they better produce or they will be villified.

[basketball nut]

Will the Brewers make a push to resign CC Sabathia?
Their problem is that their other ace pitcher, Ben Sheets, is also a free agent this winter. I don't see that a small market team will be able to sign both.

They may be a small market team but they drew in excess of 3 million this year. That would put them up w/ most of the top teams w/ the exception of the Dodger's Yankee's, Red Sox and now the Angels. Can they resign CC is a possible far reach but then other then these 4 teams who will be able to touch him? The Brew Crew has just as good of a chance as any of the other teams in their size market-like the Cubs & Cards. Having a friend that plays for the Brewer's makes me hope that they get CC but being a Card's fan I hope the Cards sign both CC and Shouse.

[Scouter]

They may be a small market team but they drew in excess of 3 million this year. That would put them up w/ most of the top teams w/ the exception of the Dodger's Yankee's, Red Sox and now the Angels. Can they resign CC is a possible far reach but then other then these 4 teams who will be able to touch him? The Brew Crew has just as good of a chance as any of the other teams in their size market-like the Cubs & Cards. Having a friend that plays for the Brewer's makes me hope that they get CC but being a Card's fan I hope the Cards sign both CC and Shouse.

I wouldn't count on the the Brewers or (especially) Cardinals on signing Sabathia unless he takes a serious discount.

[SFP]

CC is signing with the Yankees! They will offer him a boat load. They want to win and will be moving into a new home.
I hate the Yanks btw.....

[Da Coach]

The Yankees would be a good guess. They have a nearly unlimited amount of money, and their current pitching staff has a lot of holes in it.

[bugregshu]

I bet he signs with the Mets. With a declining Pedro, an inconsistent 2-5, and an OVERWHELMING amount of pressure to win next year, I think the Mets seem like the obvious choice. A Santana/Sabathia 1-2 punch would be deadly!

[Tone Bone]

I doubt CC wants to go back to the American League. Yeah the Yankees are sure to offer lots of money, but I bet he chooses to stay in the NL. As a Cubs fan I can only hope he comes 90 miles south.

[amckillip]

I wouldn't count on the the Brewers or (especially) Cardinals on signing Sabathia unless he takes a serious discount.

I dunno, Mozleiak just signed Lohse for 10 Mil a year... And the Cards have the advantage of having large market income in a small-market and the best fans in baseball (come on guys it's why they have so many players taking home-team discounts and St. Louis is dubbed 'Baseball Town USA'). Do I actually think the Cards will sign CC? No, that's not really a need of theirs. They have Carpenter, Wainwright, Lohse, and Wellemeyer signed, and maybe Looper. But Mozeliak has made it a point he's willing to spend (different from Jockety). I actually don't like this as a Cards fan - I took pride in building up our own players - but it's the truth. I just hope Mozeliak is smart enough to sign Duncan and La Russa long-term...

[Scouter]

I dunno, Mozleiak just signed Lohse for 10 Mil a year... And the Cards have the advantage of having large market income in a small-market and the best fans in baseball (come on guys it's why they have so many players taking home-team discounts and St. Louis is dubbed 'Baseball Town USA'). Do I actually think the Cards will sign CC? No, that's not really a need of theirs. They have Carpenter, Wainwright, Lohse, and Wellemeyer signed, and maybe Looper. But Mozeliak has made it a point he's willing to spend (different from Jockety). I actually don't like this as a Cards fan - I took pride in building up our own players - but it's the truth. I just hope Mozeliak is smart enough to sign Duncan and La Russa long-term...

They already signed Duncan to a contract for next year with an option after that. I think next season is the last one for he and TLR in St. Louis.

Lohse was smart to re-sign for slightly less money because I think he knew Duncan was a huge difference maker for him. Perhaps he took notice of what happened to Jeff Weaver when he left after 2006.

The Cards won't go after CC because they have most of their rotation already set (like you said) but mostly because it goes against their philosophy on signing pitchers. They're very reluctant to sign guys to five-year deals like Sabathia wants. As for the hometown discounts, almost all of those were made after the player had already been playing in St. Louis (McGwire, Rolen, even Pujols).

I disagree with the notion that Jocketty wasn't willing to spend money. He did sign Rolen, Izzy, Renteria, Edmonds, Pujols, etc. to long-term deals. I think that really was a decision by ownership in his final couple years here, and it turned out to be good because the free agent market the last few years has been completely out of whack with average players signing above-average deals. And outside of Pujols and Molina, the Cardinals have had virtually no major contributions from players within their own system this decade when Jocketty was GM. Until the last couple seasons, they had traded most of their prospects away for major-league ready talent.

[SFP]

I doubt CC wants to go back to the American League. Yeah the Yankees are sure to offer lots of money, but I bet he chooses to stay in the NL. As a Cubs fan I can only hope he comes 90 miles south.

Why would he not want to go back to the AL? Also, who is his agent? Some agents just care about the money!

No one will be able to offer him more then the Yanks and I bet he will be looking for Johan Santana numbers. Is he worth it and do you take a chance? The Yankees, Mets and Boston are the only clubs who could absorb that type of salary. The Cubs remeber are for sale and keeping payroll resonable is highly desired. If Mark Cuban buys them then all bets are off!

[amckillip]

They already signed Duncan to a contract for next year with an option after that. I think next season is the last one for he and TLR in St. Louis.

Lohse was smart to re-sign for slightly less money because I think he knew Duncan was a huge difference maker for him. Perhaps he took notice of what happened to Jeff Weaver when he left after 2006.

The Cards won't go after CC because they have most of their rotation already set (like you said) but mostly because it goes against their philosophy on signing pitchers. They're very reluctant to sign guys to five-year deals like Sabathia wants. As for the hometown discounts, almost all of those were made after the player had already been playing in St. Louis (McGwire, Rolen, even Pujols).

I disagree with the notion that Jocketty wasn't willing to spend money. He did sign Rolen, Izzy, Renteria, Edmonds, Pujols, etc. to long-term deals. I think that really was a decision by ownership in his final couple years here, and it turned out to be good because the free agent market the last few years has been completely out of whack with average players signing above-average deals. And outside of Pujols and Molina, the Cardinals have had virtually no major contributions from players within their own system this decade when Jocketty was GM. Until the last couple seasons, they had traded most of their prospects away for major-league ready talent.

Ankiel, Pujols, Duncan, Molina, Schumaker, Ludwick, Morris, kinda Wainwright...

I didn't necessarily just mean players from the minors. Look at who we've rebuilt - Looper, Woody Williams, Carpenter, Wellemeyer, Lopez...

[BU_EMT128]

Ankiel, Pujols, Duncan, Molina, Schumaker, Ludwick, Morris, kinda Wainwright...

I didn't necessarily just mean players from the minors. Look at who we've rebuilt - Looper, Woody Williams, Carpenter, Wellemeyer, Lopez...

I am hesitant to call Lopez a "rebuild"... he needs to put more consistent numbers together before i jump on that bandwagon

[amckillip]

I am hesitant to call Lopez a "rebuild"... he needs to put more consistent numbers together before i jump on that bandwagon

Before Cardinals this season -> .234 Avg & .619 OBPS
With Cardinals this season -> .385 Avg & .964 OBPS

I'll stick with my statement.