March 5
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The process of making an offer for a long-term contract extension to first baseman Prince Fielder began Wednesday for the Milwaukee Brewers. Just don't ask club officials to admit it. Fielder confirmed Thursday that Brewers general manager Doug Melvin and assistant Gord Ash had met the previous day in Los Angeles with his agent, Scott Boras. Fielder said no initial contract offer was made, however. "I would know if they did that," Fielder said after coming out of the Brewers' exhibition opener against San Francisco at Scottsdale Stadium. "Scott would have told me. I didn't hear anything about that." Melvin and Ash were noticeably missing from the Brewers' training camp Wednesday, prompting ..."
February 12
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Milwaukee Brewers rightfielder Corey Hart left his arbitration hearing Thursday morning in St. Petersburg, Fla., figuring he had lost. It wasn't that Hart thought his side presented less than a compelling case. He just wasn't sure the panel would rule for him after a down 2009 season. "When I got off the plane last night (back home in Arizona), I told my wife, 'I think we lost,' " said Hart. "Our side did a good job but you just don't think you're going to win. "It was good to get that phone call this morning." That phone call came from Hart's agent, Jeff Barry, informing him that the three-person panel ruled in his favor, awarding a $4.8 million salary instead of the club's offer of $4.15 ..."
December 9
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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On the heels of signing starting pitcher Randy Wolf, now comes word that the Brewers have agreed to terms with reliever LaTroy Hawkins on a two-year deal. Haven't seen the numbers yet but Hawkins made $3.5 million with Houston last season. In 65 games with the Astros last season, Hawkins, 37, was 1-4 with a 2.13 ERA and 11 saves. In 63 1/3 innings, he allowed 60 hits and only 16 walks with 45 strikeouts."
December 9
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Brewers got their man. Once the Brewers decided they had no shot at signing the top pitcher on the free-agent market this winter, John Lackey, they pinpointed left-hander Randy Wolf as the pitcher who best fit their budget and need. And they went hard after him. That aggressive pursuit culminated Wednesday morning in a three-year deal with a club option for a fourth year that will pay the 33-year-old Wolf $29.75 million. The Brewers did not announce the agreement because Wolf has to pass a physical examination to make it official. The deal was consummated on the third day of baseball's winter meetings when general manager Doug Melvin finalized the details with Wolf's agent, ..."
December 9
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Brewers have scheduled a meeting with agent Arn Tellem today during which they should get a response to their offer for free-agent lefty Randy Wolf. As I reported late last night, the Brewers have offered three years and $27 million for Wolf, 33, who went 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA for the Dodgers last year. I have seen no reports of another club matching that bid, so the Brewers probably are confident that they will get Wolf. I've also been told that if the Brewers get Wolf, instead of immediately going after another starting pitcher, they'll try to sign an established late-inning reliever to provide set-up help for closer Trevor Hoffman along with Todd Coffey and Claudio Vargas, who is ..."
December 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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I just spoke with manager Ken Macha, who said the Brewers have no deal with free agent lefty Randy Wolf -- or any other pitcher, for that matter. The Brewers apparently are waiting while Wolf's agent, Arn Tellem, shops their offer around. It is my understanding that they offered Wolf three years and $31 million, which certainly would rank as top dollar for a pitcher of his stature. Tellem reportedly talked to the New York Mets today about Wolf but their beat writers don't think the Mets would go past two years. While waiting on that front, the Brewers are conducting other business. They are meeting today with Greg Clifton, agent for left-hander Mark Mulder, who has been sidelined for a ..."
December 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Don't put Randy Wolf in the Brewers' starting rotation just yet. I just learned that the New York Mets are meeting with Wolf's agent this morning. So, if Wolf's reps are still talking to teams, the Brewers haven't locked him up yet. The reason many have assumed the Brewers will get Wolf is they apparently have made him the biggest offer thus far -- three years at close to $30 million. I saw that ESPN's Jayson Stark reported that the Brewers topped the three-year, $28 million deal the Braves recently gave Tim Hudson. But Wolf's reps apparently are shopping that offer around. Realizing that stuff happens, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin has declined to even admit he is pursuing Wolf. So, ..."
December 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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On Monday afternoon, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin characterized his search for starting pitchers as "tough." By the end of the first day of the winter meetings, it appeared to be looking up. Word started to spread that the Brewers had emerged as the leader in their pursuit of free-agent left-hander Randy Wolf. They appeared willing to go the three years it would take to sign Wolf, 33, leaving only the financial details to be worked out. Melvin declined to name any pitcher he was trying to sign, noting that offers can be shopped to other teams. "It hurts us in negotiations (to reveal names)," said Melvin. But it was no secret that the Brewers had serious interest in Wolf, a ..."
December 2
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Nobody gets an offer this year. The Milwaukee Brewers decided Tuesday not to offer salary arbitration to any of their five Class B free agents - centerfielder Mike Cameron, catcher Jason Kendall, infielder Felipe Lopez, right-hander Braden Looper and reliever David Weathers. The team feared at least one of those free agents would accept arbitration and almost be guaranteed a pay raise from last season, which the Brewers are unwilling to give in an attempt to stash cash for pitching this off-season. The Brewers are still able to negotiate with any of those players, possibly at a lower price. However, the Brewers give up any supplemental draft picks they would have been awarded had they ..."
November 18
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Brewers added outfielder Lorenzo Cain and right-hander Amaury Rivas to the 40-man roster today to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft that will take place at the winter meetings in December. The roster now stands at 35 players. Cain was drafted out of high school in 2004 and Rivas was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2005. Players signed at 18 years old or younger are protected for five years before a team must protect them or lose them in the Rule 5 Draft. Players older than that are protected for four seasons. Rivas, the organization's minor league pitcher of the year, went 13-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 133 innings with Class-A Brevard County. He also finished in the top five in ..."
November 12
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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As badly as the Milwaukee Brewers could use a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, it's unlikely they will be able to get into serious bidding for right-hander John Lackey, the top starter on the free-agent market. "It depends what they're asking for," said the Brewers' Doug Melvin, who headed home Wednesday after the annual general managers meetings wrapped up at the O'Hare Hilton. "I don't know if it could fit or not. I might have to make some other moves to make it fit." Lackey, who went 11-8 with a 3.83 earned run average in 27 starts for the Los Angeles Angels, is expected to seek a contract similar to the five-year, $82.5 million deal the New York Yankees gave free-agent right-hander A.J. ..."
October 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Brewers are willing to do most anything this winter to improve their pitching staff. Anything except trade Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun. Despite continuing speculation - mostly from national pundits - that the Brewers will have to trade one of their two sluggers to acquire a quality starting pitcher, general manager Doug Melvin made it clear Wednesday he isn't entertaining such thoughts. At his annual season-review news conference at Miller Park, Melvin said he might have to sacrifice some offense to improve his woeful starting pitching. Melvin then was asked if that meant sacrificing either Fielder or Braun. "That would be a tough one," said Melvin. "I didn't mean it that ..."
October 5
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Trevor Hoffman was unable to convert his final save opportunity of the year Sunday for the Brewers, but it looks as if he'll be getting plenty more chances in the future. After the Brewers topped St. Louis, 9-7, in 10 innings, Hoffman revealed he is in the final stages of negotiating a deal to return to the club in 2010. "I think we're pretty close," said Hoffman, who suffered only his fourth blown save of the season by allowing a run to the Cardinals in the bottom of the ninth. "We're in discussions. The fact that we're discussing things is good." Assistant general manager Gord Ash confirmed that the club is in talks with Hoffman's agent, Rick Thurman of the Beverly Hills Sports Council. ..."