Looper close to signing with Brewers?

[17 Seconds]

we're doomed

 

3. Braden Looper, P, free agent - Not offered arbitration by the Cardinals, he's close to signing with the Brewers. Milwaukee has holes to fill with the loss of CC Sabathia and the likely loss of Ben Sheets, so Looper, 12-14 with a 4.16 ERA in 33 starts in 2008, will get a chance to start.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2008/12/21/its_the_offseason_of_hope/?page=4

[Ball And Glove]

Wouldn't be a bad signing for depth, assuming they don't go crazy with the contract. It gives them a bit more flexibility and insurance at the bottom of the rotation -- now they could just move McClung into that 5th spot or call up Capuano if there's an injury in the rotation.

 

Still not as good as bringing Sheets back in would be, but it appears that bridges have been burned there.

[17 Seconds]

Still not as good as bringing Sheets back in would be, but it appears that bridges have been burned there.

 

Details?

[Ball And Glove]

There isn't as much solid evidence as circumstantial evidence, but I'm not the only Brewer fan that thinks something went on behind the scenes that we don't know about. Despite the clear need for starting pitching, the only time we've heard of the possibility of Sheets coming back was when the Brewers offered him arbitration. Once he turned that down, it seemed like everyone close to the situation assumed his days in Milwaukee were done.

 

This is just my opinion, but the constant criticism Sheets was getting in Milwaukee (the "Brittle Ben" moniker, accusations that he can't win big games, etc.) seemed to be getting to him at the end of the season. He didn't seem happy and looked like he wanted to leave. IIRC, he wanted to talk extension at the beginning of the season, but Melvin told him that he'd rather see him put together a healthy season before talking contract, which many seem to think gave Ben the impression that Melvin was done with him.

 

There's an even crazier theory out there that Sheets was somehow jealous of the treatment Sabathia was getting, but I tend to dismiss those...in my mind, there's a difference between being mad at the organization for dragging their feet with your future and acting like a petty teenage girl because there's somebody hogging your spotlight.

 

It just seems a little weird that both the Brewers and Sheets seem to agree that Milwaukee's not a possibility, even on a one or two year deal (which obviously wouldn't have been a problem, since they offered arby and Sheets would've gotten a decent raise out of it). The last I heard, Melvin hasn't even called Sheets' agent to talk about bringing him back. So I guess I just spent three or four paragraphs explaining it's just a theory with no real quotes to back it up. ;) Maybe if Sheets starts talking about fielding two-year offers the Brewers will come back up, but right now there's just something fishy about the whole thing.

[erik316wttn]

The Brewer's window has closed. It'll be a few years before it opens again.

 

No reason the Cubs shouldn't win the Central again this year, even if they do nothing on the FA market.

[Bote McBoteface]

Yeah but if we get a free agent we might win a playoff game next year.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Brewer's window has closed. It'll be a few years before it opens again.

 

No reason the Cubs shouldn't win the Central again this year, even if they do nothing on the FA market.

 

I agree, but the team to watch out for is Cincinatti. With Bruce, Votto, and Phillips making up the heart of their lineup for years to come, and if Volquez has another season anything like last and Harang can be good again, and Cueto can have a breakout season, they could be legit contenders sooner than later.

[JeffH]

The Brewer's window has closed. It'll be a few years before it opens again.

 

No reason the Cubs shouldn't win the Central again this year, even if they do nothing on the FA market.

 

I agree, but the team to watch out for is Cincinatti. With Bruce, Votto, and Phillips making up the heart of their lineup for years to come, and if Volquez has another season anything like last and Harang can be good again, and Cueto can have a breakout season, they could be legit contenders sooner than later.

 

Dusty Baker says hello.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The Brewer's window has closed. It'll be a few years before it opens again.

 

No reason the Cubs shouldn't win the Central again this year, even if they do nothing on the FA market.

 

I agree, but the team to watch out for is Cincinatti. With Bruce, Votto, and Phillips making up the heart of their lineup for years to come, and if Volquez has another season anything like last and Harang can be good again, and Cueto can have a breakout season, they could be legit contenders sooner than later.

 

Didn't see it last year and I don't see it this year. Votto is better than I thought he'd be, but Bruce won't be anything special next year and Phillips never will be.

 

They might make it to .500 next season if everything breaks right.

[davearm2]

The Reds have been wearing the "team to watch out for" label for the last decade, it seems.

[Butterscup1679666578]

The Reds have been wearing the "team to watch out for" label for the last decade, it seems.

 

They're the Detroit Lions of the MLB.

[cbbryan]

The Brewer's window has closed. It'll be a few years before it opens again.

 

No reason the Cubs shouldn't win the Central again this year, even if they do nothing on the FA market.

 

I agree, but the team to watch out for is Cincinatti. With Bruce, Votto, and Phillips making up the heart of their lineup for years to come, and if Volquez has another season anything like last and Harang can be good again, and Cueto can have a breakout season, they could be legit contenders sooner than later.

 

Didn't see it last year and I don't see it this year. Votto is better than I thought he'd be, but Bruce won't be anything special next year and Phillips never will be.

 

They might make it to .500 next season if everything breaks right.

 

Bruce and Votto are the real deal. If you're saying Bruce will be special, but it will take a couple years that's one thing. If you're saying he won't be special I'd have to disagree.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Bruce and Votto are the real deal. If you're saying Bruce will be special, but it will take a couple years that's one thing. If you're saying he won't be special I'd have to disagree.

 

Votto's a decent hitter and a first baseman. I'm going with "really not a big deal" more than "the real deal."

 

Bruce will probably be a very good player eventually, but yes my argument was that he won't be anything special in the 2009 season.

[The Other 15]

I love the certainty in everybody's posts.

[dew1679666265]

I love the certainty in everybody's posts.

 

Are you certain about that? :wink: