January 17
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Brewers have struck a one-year deal with Francisco Rodriguez for $8 million, avoiding what could have been a complicated arbitration case. Rodriguez had a base salary of $11.5 million last year and was a free agent who unexpectedly accepted the Brewers' offer of salary arbitration last December. The Brewers plan to use "K-Rod" as a setup man for closer John Axford. His agent, Scott Boras, views him as closer material, and thus the stage was set for an interesting philosophical debate. Instead, this deal was struck, leaving the Brewers with three players in arbitration: RHP Shaun Marcum and relievers Kameron Loe and Jose Veras."
December 8
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Brewers' first "acquisition" of the off-season is a rather pricey setup man. Free-agent reliever Francisco Rodriguez accepted the Brewers' offer of salary arbitration Wednesday night, in essence becoming a signed player for 2012 with a salary to be determined. Because he had a $13.5 million salary in 2011, "K-Rod" could be the most expensive player on the team's roster next season. The other free agent offered arbitration by the Brewers, first baseman Prince Fielder, declined as expected. Fielder has much bigger things in mind on the free-agent market. Free agents offered arbitration by their former clubs had until 11 p.m. to accept or decline. Accepting signaled a"
December 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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As of Tuesday evening, Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin had no offers on the table to any free agent. Before the winter meetings adjourn Thursday, that should change. "Probably, yes," said Melvin. The Brewers likely will make offers to both shortstop Jimmy Rollins and third baseman Aramis Ramirez, perhaps one before the other. They can't afford to sign both but they would like to have one or the other. Without mentioning either player by name, Melvin admitted he will hedge his bets at both positions. "There are three or four scenarios that we're thinking about," said Melvin. "That stuff all comes into the thinking. Again, you don't know until you know what the actual dollars"
December 7
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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When the Milwaukee Brewers offered salary arbitration to free-agent reliever Francisco Rodriguez, the primary thought was getting two draft picks as compensation should he sign with another club. But what if "K-Rod" accepts? Wednesday night (11 p.m. CST) is the deadline for free agents to decline or accept arbitration offers from their former clubs. The Brewers offered arbitration to two players - first baseman Prince Fielder and Rodriguez. Fielder is seeking a long-term deal on the market and won't accept. But if the relief market doesn't develop for Rodriguez, might he accept the Brewers' offer and return at a salary close to the $13.5 million he made in 2011?"
October 31
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Brewers announced Sunday that they have declined the mutual option on reliever Francisco Rodriguez as well as the club option on shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. Rodriguez, whom the Brewers acquired via trade from the New York Mets during the all-star break in July, went 4-0 with a 1.86 earned-run average in 31 appearances for Milwaukee. He came to the Brewers with a vesting option that would have guaranteed him a $17.5 million contract for 2012 had he finished 21 more games. Rodriguez had 23 saves in the first half of the season as the Mets' closer. But Rodriguez and the Brewers quickly agreed on a mutual option in exchange for the buyout being raised from $3.5 to $4 million"
September 20
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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"MLB on Deck" Sunday on TBS aired the comments Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder made to Brian Anderson about the possibility of playing in Milwaukee after this season, comments that made some headlines and occupied local sports talk shows for a day or two. Fielder was not asked about his intentions, but brought it up on his own in talking about playing with teammate Ryan Braun. "(Braun) has been great. . . . He's one of the best players in Brewers' history," Fielder said. "The guy hits .330 every year and he's been great. Unfortunately, this might be the last year for the one-two punch. I think it's been good. The six years with me and him has been a good run. Hopefully, we can go out"
September 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Other than the winning, the most admirable qualities surrounding the Brewers this season have been chemistry and the relegation of the individual for the greater good. Outside a starting pitcher cracking a rib in a pickup basketball game during spring training, there was little to suggest the Brewers were doing anything but putting the team first. So why start now? Why so close to the playoffs did a couple of players choose this particular time to pop off? Prince Fielder, we all knew he was gone after the season. Known it for years. But why did he take such a poorly timed opportunity to pretty much come out and say it for the first time? Francisco Rodriguez's public airing of his"
September 15
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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On Tuesday, reliever Francisco Rodriguez told a national baseball columnist that he wasn't happy with the lack of save opportunities he's had since the Milwaukee Brewers traded for him in July. When asked about his comments a day later, Rodriguez didn't back off. "I wasn't lying," he said before the Brewers' 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. "There's been plenty of save opportunities, and I've pitched once in the ninth inning and it wasn't a save. "I'm not happy. That's the bottom line for me. They told me one thing; they haven't done it. And I stand by what I said. "I'm not lying. I'm not creating something out of nowhere. I'm just saying the facts, and that's pretty much"
August 14
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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The Milwaukee Brewers' brief scare with reliever Francisco Rodriguez disappeared Saturday when he was cleared for action and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Rodriguez exited the game Friday night with leg cramps, the result of legging out an infield hit in the bottom of the eighth inning - his first major-league hit. He was scheduled to pitch the ninth Friday after recording the final out in the eighth. "I'm a little sore, but I'm OK," said Rodriguez, who tested his legs by playing catch before batting practice. "I'll be fine." As might be expected, manager Ron Roenicke had his qualms about batting Rodriguez, a one-time closer who had only one major-league at-bat. But, when Jonathan"
July 28
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Francisco Rodriguez wasn't going to lie. Making the transition from closer to set-up man has been an adjustment. "I've been a closer my whole career," he said. "The transition has not been easy at all. I'm trying to make it as easy as possible." When the Brewers acquired Rodriguez from the New York Mets during the all-star break and then reworked his 2012 option to allow any kind of use, it was assumed by some that he might evolve into co-closer with John Axford. That was never the plan, however. Rodriguez has been used six times by manager Ron Roenicke, each time as a set-up man for Axford, including the 2-0 victory Wednesday night over Chicago. Rodriguez has converted five holds, the"
July 16
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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In a deal that eliminates much of the potential for hurt feelings or controversy, the Milwaukee Brewers and newly acquired pitcher Francisco Rodriguez on Friday agreed to a deal that now will require both parties to approve the reliever's contract next season. Much had been made of Rodriguez's contract when the New York Mets traded him to Milwaukee on Tuesday for a pair of players to be named later. It originally gave Rodriguez the option to exercise a $17.5 million next year with the Brewers had he finished 21 more games over the course of this season. The Brewers, had they chosen to not allow Rodriguez to finish 21 games, which was practically a guarantee, then could have bought"
July 15
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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A few handshakes, a few hugs. A meeting with manager Ron Roenicke. A new uniform. That's how the Milwaukee Brewers welcomed Francisco Rodriguez on Thursday at Coors Field as "K-Rod" entered his new clubhouse for the first time since being traded by the New York Mets on Tuesday night. "It was a surprise. Definitely a surprise," Rodriguez said of the trade. "I was a little bit shocked. I knew I was in a market where eventually the Mets would find a way to trade me. But I never thought it was going to be Milwaukee." The Brewers, as it turns out, were among 10 teams on the no-trade list the reliever's ex-agent Paul Kinzer failed to turn in to the Mets. Rodriguez has since switched agents,"
July 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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With the K-Rod trade happening right at the end of the All-Star Game Tuesday night, I didn't have time to go down to the clubhouse to talk to ASG MVP Prince Fielder about the deal. But some folks who did talk to Fielder passed along these quotes from him about the deal: "He's definitely going to bring the success he's had in his career and that confidence to the team. You can never have too many guys."
July 13
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin decided that two closers are better than one. That was the scenario late Tuesday night when the Brewers pulled off a somewhat stunning trade, acquiring Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez and cash from the New York Mets for two players to be named. Nicknamed "K-Rod" for his prolific strikeout rates, the 29-year-old right-hander has 291 career saves in 10 seasons combined with the Los Angeles Angels and Mets, including a single-season record of 62 in 2008 with the Angels. In his third season with New York, the four-time all-star is 2-2 with a 3.16 earned run average and 23 saves in 42 games. The Brewers already have one of the most efficient closers in"