Brewers sign Eric Thames (3 years)

[Ennder]

The pirates look like a last place team to me. They are awful.

[Outlander]

He looks like Prince Fielder if Prince Fielder decided to get ripped.

 

 

I still see Mr. T

I actually kind of like that, especially since his last name begins with T.

[homer]

He looks like Prince Fielder if Prince Fielder decided to get ripped.

 

 

I still see Mr. T

I actually kind of like that, especially since his last name begins with T.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=996sWjsvZQw

[JohnBriggs12]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

[FVBrewerFan]

You called for the signing of around 179 different FAs. But yes, good call on Thames.

[MrTPlush]

You called for the signing of around 179 different FAs. But yes, good call on Thames.

 

Bound to get something to stick. Doesn't mention any of the bad ideas we gladly didn't do though.

[superfly]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

 

Glad we have you running the show down in Milwaukee...can we give you a raise?!?

[Ennder]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

 

You also wanted to DFA half the team because of bad starts.

[LouisEly]

FREE ERIC THAMES

[MillerParkSouth]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

 

You also wanted to DFA half the team because of bad starts.

Can you imagine a team with Thames, Khrush AND Scooter?

 

It's hard not to be excited about his start, I just hope he can continue to hit once the league starts to adjust to him and he's not another Chris Shelton.

[Oxy]

What is the Brewers record for consecutive games with a home run?

[topper09er]

What is the Brewers record for consecutive games with a home run?

I'm not sure when without a bb-ref play index subscription but the answer is 20 games. Edit - it was sometime in 2008

[CheeseheadInQC]

What is the Brewers record for consecutive games with a home run?

 

There's a chance Thames already has the record. If not he is one game away. Only 20 players have gone at least 6 consecutive games with a home run, and none of them were Brewers.

[gregmag]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

It was a great idea -- not just well reasoned but creative. Too bad your egotism here isn't matched by the integrity to acknowledge the many, many more instances when you've been dead wrong.

[JohnBriggs12]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

 

You also wanted to DFA half the team because of bad starts.

 

Nieuwenhuis shouldn't be DFA'd? Ok maybe not. Yet. I'll give him 60 plate appearances. If he has 25 or more K's and fewer than 10 hits, he should be gone.

[chewy522]

I'm not sure how we make this stick, but I am fully on board with the "Mr. T" nickname. Thames is jacked, only problem is he seems pretty level headed. He might not embrace it.

 

I pity the fools who have to pitch to him today.

[Ennder]

Been about a year now since my first post advocating Thames signing. You're welcome.

 

You also wanted to DFA half the team because of bad starts.

 

Nieuwenhuis shouldn't be DFA'd? Ok maybe not. Yet. I'll give him 60 plate appearances. If he has 25 or more K's and fewer than 10 hits, he should be gone.

 

I wasn't talking about this year, it has been a 10 year or so trend now.

[monty57]

Glad he's off to a hot start. I never understood all skepticism he received after the signing. He put up video game numbers in Korea and Stearns liked him so much he signed him to a three-year deal. I hope he makes that contract look like a steal.

 

As to nicknames, I've been calling him "E.T.," and Aguilar is "Big Jesus."

[SandyTolan]

I just checked Thames's Baseball Reference page and it says, "Free Agent 2022." So, that means that with his arb years the Brewers could have Thames for FIVE YEARS including 2017? If that's the case, that's incredible value. If he's the real deal, look out.

[monty57]

I just checked Thames's Baseball Reference page and it says, "Free Agent 2022." So, that means that with his arb years the Brewers could have Thames for FIVE YEARS including 2017? If that's the case, that's incredible value. If he's the real deal, look out.

 

Not positive on this, but I think I remember hearing that like Aoki's deal, the Brewer's deal with Thames was worded so that they would eliminate his arby years and he would be a free agent after the three-year deal was done.

 

Edit: From Cot's

 

Eric Thames 1b

3 years/$16M (2017-19), plus 2020 option

 

3 years/$16M (2017-19), plus 2020 club option

signed by Milwaukee as a free agent 11/29/16

17:$4M, 18:$5M, 19:$6M, 20:$7.5M club option ($1M buyout)

may earn additional $0.5M annually in performance bonuses

assignment bonus if traded

may not be optioned or assigned to minors without permission

Milwaukee may not tender a contract to Thames and must release him at contract’s end

[sveumrules]

Thames currently at 1.0 fWAR & 0.9 bWAR. If the price of a win on the free agent market is said to be right around 8 million dollars he is already halfway to "earning" his three year contract...two weeks into the first season.

[SandyTolan]

I just checked Thames's Baseball Reference page and it says, "Free Agent 2022." So, that means that with his arb years the Brewers could have Thames for FIVE YEARS including 2017? If that's the case, that's incredible value. If he's the real deal, look out.

 

Not positive on this, but I think I remember hearing that like Aoki's deal, the Brewer's deal with Thames was worded so that they would eliminate his arby years and he would be a free agent after the three-year deal was done.

 

Edit: From Cot's

 

Eric Thames 1b

3 years/$16M (2017-19), plus 2020 option

 

3 years/$16M (2017-19), plus 2020 club option

signed by Milwaukee as a free agent 11/29/16

 

 

17:$4M, 18:$5M, 19:$6M, 20:$7.5M club option ($1M buyout)

may earn additional $0.5M annually in performance bonuses

assignment bonus if traded

may not be optioned or assigned to minors without permission

Milwaukee may not tender a contract to Thames and must release him at contract’s end

 

Confusing, no? It says the Brewers have the club option for 2020, but then says they "must release him at contract's end." IE at the end of three years? Baseball Reference btw says that the 2020 deal is player's option:

 

2017 Contract Status: Signed thru 2019, 3 yrs/$16M (17-19) & 20 player option

Service Time (01/2017): 1.063 • Arb Eligible: 2020 • Free Agent: 2022

[monty57]

Not sure about the player vs team option (I sure hope it's a team option), but I read the part about "releasing at contract's end" to mean that they cannot offer arbitration once the contract is up, giving up any remaining "team control" and making him a free agent at that time.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, I think baseball reference has some bad info here. The JS Online article also lists the 7.5 million as a team option and jibes with monty with regards to Thames being a free agent after the contract expires...

 

The deal will pay Thames $4 million in 2017, $5 million in 2018 and $6 million in 2019, with a club option for 2020 at $7.5 million, with a $1 million buyout. The contract stipulates that Thames cannot be sent to the minors without his permission. The Brewers also agreed not to offer him salary arbitration after the contract expires, allowing Thames to become a free agent ahead of schedule.

[SandyTolan]

Yeah, I think baseball reference has some bad info here. The JS Online article also lists the 7.5 million as a team option and jibes with monty with regards to Thames being a free agent after the contract expires...

 

The deal will pay Thames $4 million in 2017, $5 million in 2018 and $6 million in 2019, with a club option for 2020 at $7.5 million, with a $1 million buyout. The contract stipulates that Thames cannot be sent to the minors without his permission. The Brewers also agreed not to offer him salary arbitration after the contract expires, allowing Thames to become a free agent ahead of schedule.

 

 

Thanks Dale - that makes the deal even more terrific, if Thames is the real deal. Which we should be closer to knowing by mid-season, after the second time through the division and all the adjustments teams and Thames have made. That would give us an incredible 1B option through 2020, well into the contending years, I'd say.