In the News (11/30)
Sunday, November 30th, 2008We’re just hours away from December, the hot stove is slowly heating up and we’re bringing back your daily dose of In the News. So, read up and enjoy.
Brewers News
- The Brewers must decide whether to offer arbitration to free agents C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Eric Gagne and Brian Shouse today. Sabathia will be offered arbitration so the team can collect a first-round pick and a “sandwich pick” between the first and second rounds in the upcoming draft. Gagne likely won’t be offered arbitration because the team would have to pay him at least $8 million if he accepted. Sheets and Shouse are tougher choices, but it seems like it’d be in the Brewers’ best interests to offer them both arbitration. They are unlikely to accept and even if they do, they could help the team next season on low-risk one-year deals. More HERE.
- The Brewers might look to free agency for a closer. Of the available options, Adam McAlvy sees Kerry Wood as the best fit for Milwaukee, “but only if his asking price drops.” I think Wood would be a decent option, but he wants a four-year deal, which would be very risky given his injury history, and the Brewers would have to give up their first-round pick to sign him since he’s a Type-A free agent. I think it’s much more likely that the Brewers go with an internal option or look to work out a trade.
- The Ben Sheets rumors continue to be few and far between. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says not much is going on with Benny aside from Roy Oswalt trying to sway him to Houston. If Sheets is not offered arbitration by the Brewers, his free agency interest will go way up. If he is offered arbitration, Sheets may only have a few suitors until some of the bigger fish are signed.
- Dan Nied of the Vallejo Times-Herald (CC’s hometown paper) says Sabathia should turn down the Yankees and sign with the Brewers.
- Get to know National’s Third Base Coach and former Brewer Pat Listach.
Other News
-Â John Robert “Red” Murff, the Mets scout who discovered Nolan Ryan, died at 87. The Milwaukee connection? He pitched for the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and 1957.