Corey Hart wins Arbitration Hearing

Hart will make $4.8 Million in 2010 opposed to the $4.15 Million the Brewers offered. It was the Brewers first arbitration hearing since 1998. Tomorrow I will break down the Brewers opening day salary.

Brewers Sign Jim Edmonds + Updated Depth Chart

Edmonds will make $850,000 if he makes the team. He is attempting a comeback after being out of baseball for a year.

I am not exactly a fan of this move but it isn't a bad pickup. He might provide the power off of the bench I was asking for earlier today. The key word is might. No one knows if Edmonds has anything left in the tank. On the other hand there is no risk in this as it is a non-guaranteed contract. Not a bad move but I would have spent the money on Jonny Gomes or Rocco Baldelli. Here is the updated Brew Crew depth chart:

Rotation:

1.Gallardo

2.Wolf

3.Davis

4.Suppan

5.Parra

Bullpen:

CL-Hoffman

SU-Coffey

SU-Hawkins

RH-Villanueva

LH-Stetter

RH-Bush

RH-Riske

Position Players

C-Zaun

C-Salome

1B-Prince

2B-Weeks

3B-McGee

SS-Escobar

3B/1B-Mat Gamel

IF-Counsell

LF-Braun

CF-Gomez

RF-Hart

OF-Edmonds

OF-Gerut

Why the Brewers Need 1 More Bat

Right now the Brewers have only four outfielders. They have to add 1 more outfield bat before the season starts. Here are some ideas:

• Rocco Baldelli - Could be had cheap, plays good defense, has some upside. Great Baldelli articles here and here. Both are on ESPN.com.
• Jonny Gomes - Might accept a minor league deal, has great power, bad defensively, could be their primary pinch hitter

Gomes is a better fit for the Brewers because Jody Gerut does a lot of the same things as Baldelli. Jonny would provide power off of the bench which is something the Brewers don't have.

Brewers Avoid Arbitration with Carlos Villanueva

Villanueva will make $950,000 in 2010. The only remaining Brewer eligible for arbitration is Corey Hart. Hart will make approximately $4.5 Million his second year of arbitration (he made $3.25 Million last year). 

Contract details courtesy of Cot's Contracts

Brewers Avoid Arbitration with Todd Coffey + Updated Depth Chart + Top 5 Prospects

Coffey will earn $2.025 Million in 2010 with an additional $50,000 in performance bonuses. Coffey will probably pitch the 7th or 8th inning. Below is an updated depth chart that includes new signing Doug Davis.

C-Greg Zaun
1B-Prince Fielder
2B-Rickie Weeks
3B-Casey McGee
SS-Alcides Escobar
LF-Ryan Braun
CF-Carlos Gomez
RF-Corey Hart

Bench:
Mat Gamel
Jody Gerut
Angel Salome
Craig Counsell

Rotation:
1.Gallardo
2.Wolf
3.Davis
4.Suppan
5.Parra

The rotation is now a little lefty heavy with the Davis singing (Wolf, Davis, and Parra). Nevertheless, it should be much better than last years'.

CL-Trevor Hoffman
SU-Todd Coffey
SU-LaTroy Hawkins
RHP-Carlos Villanueva
LHP-Mitch Stetter
RHP David Bush
RHP-David Riske
RHP-Claudio Vargas

The Brewers payroll is at about $79 Million according to Cot's Contracts.

The Brewers farm system is on the mend after many players graduated to the big leagues. Last year Casey McGee filled in nicely at 3rd base in his rookie season. Here are my top 5 Brew Crew prospects:

1. SS, Alcides Escobar
2. 3B/1B, Mat Gamel
3. 2B, Brett Lawrie
4. RHP, Eric Arnett
5. C, Jonathan Lucroy

The Prospect of Trading Prince Fielder

Let me be clear. I do not think this is a good idea if the think they can sign him long term. Prince is a franchise player, but if they evaluate the situation honestly and decide they can't afford him they should trade him. I have already voiced my opinion about why they should be able to afford him but I thought this would be a worthwhile post anyways. Doug Melvin has done stranger things.

So let's first look at who could be a suitor for Fielder. I am sure every team would want him but the Red Sox and Giants are the 2 teams that seem to come up in trade rumors for Prince. Here are 2 trades I would not be averse to:

Red Sox-Clay Buchholz, Casey Kelly, Ryan Kalish, and Anthony Rizzo
Giants-Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval, and Zack Wheeler as a PTBNL

In both trades the Brewers throw in Mat Gamel to even things out. I think both are fair value for Prince. My favorite would be the Red Sox offer. Here's a variation of a Giants trade:

Brewers give up - Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, Angel Salome and Mat Gamel
Giants give up - Matt Cain, Buster Posey, Sandoval, Wheeler and Aaron Rowand

The only reason the Giants might go for this is if they are desperate to get rid of Aaron Rowand's contract. I would still be shocked if the Giants would give up Posey in any trade. The Red Sox offer is the most likely to happen. Hopefully the Brewers are able to sign Fielder long term though.

Angels Sign Joel Pineiro

Doug Melvin should be fired for incompetence. Joel Pineiro just signed a 2 year deal worth $8 Million a year. Pineiro was the 2nd best pitcher on the free agent market. Davis was about the 15th yet Pineiro got only $3 Million more than Davis. The Brewers screwed up big time here. They passed up the chance to sign 2 of the top 3 free agent pitchers and vault themselves in to serious playoff contention to save $3 Million. The value of being in a playoff race is more than $3 Million. More fans go to the games and buy merchandise and stuff. Pineiro would have paid for himself. But no, Melvin goes and signs Braden Looper 2.0. If anyone wants to start a petition to fire him I am all in.