Elias free agent rankings released

[yogallardo43]

Link

[trwi7]

Lopez has been a type A free agent for a while.

[yogallardo43]

Really, the last rankings that I looked at had him as a type B. Does anybody think that teams may be reluctant to give up their top pick for Lopez? He has played amazingly well this season, but I think there may be some hesitation. Also, I posted this to look at the Kendall situation. He is right on the verge of losing his status.

[yogallardo43]

Sorry, I just looked. He gained type A status on September 6th. I'll change the thread title.

[ILuvDaBush]

Well only half the teams in baseball would have to give up their #1 pick.

[twobrewers]

As the author mentions, no way do the Brewers offer Kendall arbitration.

 

Kendall will be lucky to be playing baseball next season. He surely isn't going to see a $3M contract ever again...

[pogokat]

If anything, i suspect more type A free agent players will accept arbitration...not get stuck in limbo like cruz last year..

 

That's the only real concern...although, Lopez's curent hot streak is getting close to 1000 ab's, so he'll very likely get offered a multi year contract...

[Invader3K]

Nice article. Just wondering, if the Brewers sit Kendall the rest of the season (which of course will never happen), would that keep his Type B status then?

 

The idea of a sign & trade with Lopez is kind of interesting, though Melvin doesn't seem to ever work that way.

[yogallardo43]

As the author mentions, no way do the Brewers offer Kendall arbitration.

 

Kendall will be lucky to be playing baseball next season. He surely isn't going to see a $3M contract ever again...

 

This is my article and, although I obviously understand how bad Kendall is, I'm not as sure that they won't try to bring him back. I have been one of Melvin's biggest supporters, but if Kendall is brought back that would be the last straw. Kendall is a terrible hitter and his defense is already declining. I cringe to think at what his numbers would be with 500 at bats next year. My only hope is if that happens, it's not only the Brewers roster.

[twobrewers]

I'm not saying the Brewers might not bring Kendall back - but they won't offer him arbitration. If they do offer him anything, it will likely be similar to Counsell this past year. (Let him test the market, then maybe bring him back for 1 million)

[joepepsi]

The Orioles should sit back and wait all winter while Kendall is looking for work. Then they should make him an NRI in February and have him tutor Wieters.

 

Lopez is going to get a 2-3 year deal from someone.

[yogallardo43]

The Orioles should sit back and wait all winter while Kendall is looking for work. Then they should make him an NRI in February and have him tutor Wieters.

 

Lopez is going to get a 2-3 year deal from someone.

 

Haha, funny thing is I could see some team, like Baltimore, doing this.

[monty57]

Good article. As far as Lopez, it's a win-win for the Brewers to offer him arby. The likely scenario will be that he'll decline and get offered a multi-year deal. In the off chance he accepts, we have an above average talent coming back for below market pay. I'd guess if this occurs, the chance of Gamel or McGehee getting traded would go up substantially. An infield of Fielder, Weeks, Hardy or Escobar (whichever isn't traded), and Gamel or McGehee (whichever isn't traded) with Lopez and Counsell as backups would be pretty solid.

I totally agree with you on Kendall. If he is a Type B, Melvin may offer him arby in hopes of getting a draft pick. I think you're correct that the likely scenario would be Kendall accepting arby, in which case we'd have a below average player receiving above average pay, since he'd probably get a pay raise in arby. Hopefully, Melvin will let Kendall wander off into the sunset as he now seems to be below average both offensively and defensively.

[yogallardo43]

It's certainly a good problem to have either way. People to have to start looking how great of a trade Melvin made here. He traded Gillespie and Mercedes to get Lopez. Gillespie really didn't have a future here and Mercedes could be solid, but still this is a great deal.

[yogallardo43]

The latest update is up. Kendall continues to slip, but he looks like he still might get type B status. It would take a bad week by Kendall (even by Kendall terms) and a good week from Yorvit Torrealba for his to lose his status.

[colbyjack]

The Elias rankings are out:

 

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/free-agent-compensation-rankings-released/

 

Cameron, Kendall, Looper, Lopez and Weathers all type B free agents.

[JoeHova]

I wonder how many will be offered arbitration. Hopefully yes on Cameron and Lopez and no on the others.

 

edit: I'm not sure they'll offer to anybody though, with the possible exception of Lopez. Being a B could paradoxically help the Brewers because teams may have been reluctant to lose a 1st round pick in order to sign Felipe but now they don't have to worry about it. However, it also lessens the upside of offering arbitration, so who knows?

[colbyjack]

That would be my guess Joe. Maybe we'll get lucky and have a few of these players sign contracts before the Brewers have to make that decision.

[Teatoe993]

Yeah. I think we have to offer Lopez. If he accepts, at least we have a great option at 2B if Weeks shows he isn't ready or gets hurt again.

It'd be a really nice thing to have an agreement to offer Cameron and have him reject it. But even if he did accept, it wouldn't be the end of the world. We could then send Gomez down to AAA and give him some much needed time to work on his hitting. I'd imagine he still has some options left. And then we could trade Cameron mid season if the opportunity is there. But that for sure would hurt our ability to get an ace SP.

[PrinceEatMeat]

There's no way we will offer Cameron arbitration. The whole reason for getting Gomez was so we could let Cam go and clear salary. Offering him arby is too big of a risk in my opinion. In other news, Olney said in his blog today that the Brewers have a shot at Lackey. TH reported it as well. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/69591242.html

[brewmann04]

Seems like Melvin has his heart set on Weeks Playing Second next season.

I just not sure if that a wise idea.

[mothershipconnection]

I think Weathers could help us because he's old and may sign a quick 1 year deal just to make sure he has a gig. Lopez may be the only one offered arbitration, so it might be an uneventful compensation round for us. Of course, there could be a gentleman's agreement with Cameron who probably can get more money and 2 years if he declines and leaves.

[TooLiveBrew]

I just can't put much faith into any speculation that the Brewers might sign Lackey. Sure, they might want to sign him, or look into signing him, but the reality is that the money it'd take to bring him in could be put to much better use. Lackey will most likely be in a huge market after this offseason, even if that just means he re-signed with LAA.

 

 

Of course, there could be a gentleman's agreement with Cameron who probably can get more money and 2 years if he declines and leaves.

 

I sure hope that's what happens. Joke-tastic-ality of the Elias Rankings aside (ie Cam not being a Type A), it would be a crime for Melvin to lose Cameron for nothing after making such a brilliant FA signing. Gotta reward yourself, Doug! Cam as a Type B free agent wouldn't scare any suitors off & would kick a solid draft pick back in Bruce Seid's direction.

[colbyjack]

I don't think you have to worry about offering Cameron arbitration and having him accept. I'm sure he is going to get plenty of interest this offseason.