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Brewers, Fielder make progress: Both sides optimistic about agreement

MILWAUKEE — A $2 million gap is nothing to laugh about in salary arbitration but both sides seemed encouraged Tuesday about reaching an agreement with Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder without going to a hearing.

“I’m pleased with the progress we’re making,” general manager Doug Melvin said. “I was on the phone a lot yesterday with (agent) Scott Boras. We’ve had good conversations. We’re trying to avoid (a hearing).”

Eligible for arbitration for the first time, Fielder, 24, filed a request for an $8 million salary for 2009. The club submitted an offer of $6 million.

Fielder made $670,000 last season but was due a huge raise in the arbitration process after batting .278 with 114 home runs and 312 RBI in 513 games. Fielder’s request was the second-highest behind Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard’s $18 million figure.

The $2 million gap also was the second-widest among the 46 players who exchanged figures with their clubs. The Phillies offered Howard a $14 million salary, leaving a $4 million difference.

Fielder and Boras were not pleased when the Brewers renewed the young slugger’s contract last spring at a figure they thought was low. The expectation was that they’d butt heads in arbitration with a hearing almost guaranteed.

But, although $2 million gaps are rare in arbitration, Boras said talks would continue with the hope of striking a deal.

“This is the way arbitration cases go with the top players,” Boras said. “Two-million dollar gaps are unusual but not with this type of player.

”We’ll work to move to a number that is reasonable. We’re going to continue our discussions.“

The Brewers also have sizable gaps to close with their other two players remaining in arbitration, rightfielder Corey Hart and second baseman Rickie Weeks. Hart, like Fielder eligible for the first time, filed for $3.8 million with the team coming in at $2.7 million. Weeks asked for $2.8 million with the Brewers offering $2 million.

Hart made $444,000 last season. Weeks had a $1.056 million salary.

Earlier in the day, the Brewers scratched one player off their arbitration list by coming to terms with right-hander Seth McClung on a $1,662,500 deal. McClung made $750,000 last season.

Both Fielder and Hart turned down multi-year offers from the club last spring after their contracts were renewed. Melvin said the club had engaged in ”fewer talks“ with Hart’s agent of late, indicating a significant difference of opinion as to his value.

”We’re going to try to get them all done,“ Melvin said. ”We’ll continue to work at it.“

Melvin said he was open to multi-year contracts with all of his arbitration-eligible players but said the focus was on one-year deals at present.

Earlier in the day, the Brewers announced that Fielder had been added to the list of participants for the team’s winter celebration this weekend, including ”Bob Uecker’s Winter Warm-Up“ Friday night at The Riverside and ”Brewers On Deck“ Saturday at the Midwest Airlines Center. Might they announce a new deal with Fielder at those events?

In stops in Madison and Appleton to kick off the week of fan events, Melvin reiterated that he had no plan to trade Fielder despite speculation by some that he should do so to acquire pitching help. The Brewers have budgeted for Fielder’s pay increase and plan to have him in the middle of their lineup again in 2009.

”To have Nos. 3 and 4 hitters like Ryan (Braun) and Prince, at their ages, that’s hard to find,“ Melvin said. ”I haven’t engaged in talks with any team about Prince. Our plans are to have him on our team.“

Fielder cannot be a free agent until after the 2011 season and Melvin said ”it’s way too early“ to worry about whether Fielder will stay with the team in the long term.

Hart, 26, batted .268 with 20 home runs, 23 stolen bases and 91 RBI last season. In 406 games with the Brewers, he has batted .277 with 93 doubles, 55 homers and 212 RBI.

Weeks, 26, batted .234 with 14 home runs, 46 RBI and 19 stolen bases in ’08. In 445 games with the Brewers, he has batted .245 with 72 doubles, 78 steals, 306 runs scored, 51 homers and 158 RBI.

McClung, 28, shifted back and forth from the starting rotation to the bullpen last year. In 37 appearances (12 starts), he was 6-6 with a 4.02 earned run average, with 55 walks and 87 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings.