Brewers, 2B Rickie Weeks avoid arbitration
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Second baseman Rickie Weeks and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed Tuesday to a $2.45 million, one-year contract and avoided salary arbitration.
Weeks can earn an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances from 575 to 650. During his first five seasons, Weeks has never had more than 560 plate appearances due to injuries.
The 26-year-old made $1,056,000 last season and requested $2.8 million this year in arbitration. The Brewers countered at $2 million.
Weeks was the second overall pick in the 2003 amateur draft and has hit .245 with 306 runs in his first five seasons. He hit .234 with 14 homers and 89 runs last year, primarily in the leadoff slot. He struck out 115 times and went to the disabled list in June with a sprained left knee.
Weeks, who sat in favor of Ray Durham most of September, tore cartilage in the same knee in Game 3 of the NL playoffs against Philadelphia and had surgery to repair the meniscus two days later.
Milwaukee previously avoided arbitration with right-hander Dave Bush, shortstop J.J. Hardy, right-hander Seth McClung and first baseman Prince Fielder.
Fielder was the lone multiyear deal, agreeing to an $18 million, two-year contract.
Only right fielder Corey Hart remains without an agreement. Doug Melvin has never had a case reach an arbitration hearing since taking over as Milwaukee’s general manager in 2002.
Feb 4, 2009 at 9:33 p.m.
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On-base percentage is more meaningful than batting average because it includes walks. Rickie is a good example of this because he scores lots of runs (111 to every 162 games) with a low batting average and a high on-base percentage.
Feb 4, 2009 at 8:26 p.m.
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theguyonthecouch: Mr. Weeks, whose major league career batting average hovers around the Mendoza Line, should probably be called a leadoff hit by a pitch instead of leadoff hitter. In the HBP category he was 1st in the league in 2006; 4th in 2007 and 3rd in 2008.
I would definitely take a few off the noggin for $2.45 Million. lol
Feb 4, 2009 at 4:09 p.m.
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And, from our buddy Tom H over at the Journal...
"Weeks has a .362 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter since 2005, the ninth-best percentage from the leadoff spot in the major leagues (minimum 600 plate appearances)"
Feb 4, 2009 at 3:57 p.m.
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jvldss, not sure what you mean by "only 89 runs". He played 129 games, so that would equal 112 runs in a full season.
Feb 4, 2009 at 2:43 p.m.
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benneton if we boycott pro sports we should also boycott movies...since those peeps too are grossly overpaid. some tv actors make several hundred thou per episode. boycott tv?? katie couric was grossly overpaid...boycott the news??(i guess they did for her;) we could also boycott banks from what we know of their ceo's. you are paid at your job based on fair market value...and thats the same way pro athletes are paid. is it sick money?? yes. but they are GENERATING sick money for the owners and DESERVE their share...
Feb 4, 2009 at 11:06 a.m.
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I think the Brewers should have gone to arbitration with Mr. Weeks. It could have been the first case where the player had to reimburse the team.
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jvldss: I totally agree with you.
Feb 4, 2009 at 9:17 a.m.
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$2,000,000.00 = $5,479.45 per DAY, or $12,345.68 per game based on a 162 game schedule. Then there's Manny. $25 million? No thanks! How am I supposed to live on $480,769.23 a week?
Boycott pro sports!
Feb 4, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.
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good theory chell...the yanks outbid us by 60 mil. which means we would have had to drop rickie...braun...prince...well that would have gotten us a quarter of the way there...
Feb 4, 2009 at 6:59 a.m.
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Rickie wasn't worth what he made last year much less what he'll make on this contract. They shoulda gave the extra 2.45 million to CC and kept him. In addition to pitching the man could hit the ball.
Feb 3, 2009 at 11:32 p.m.
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Yeah, maybe the Brew Crew could trade him for Willy Mays Hayes!!
Feb 3, 2009 at 7:46 p.m.
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no one will give us a real leadoff for rickie. how would that even make sense?? we need to trade him for a 3 or 4 pitcher. let cam lead off or my personal vote would be for tony qwynn to finally get his shot. say what you want about rickies inability to produce to this point but he still has a pretty big upside. a change of environment might bring that. but his performance to date wont bring a 'real' leadoff or even a top tier pitcher.
Feb 3, 2009 at 5:37 p.m.
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Now is the time to trade him for a REAL lead off player.
Feb 3, 2009 at 4:51 p.m.
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A .234 leadoff hitter who only scored 89 runs.
A player who was benched in favor of a veteran during the playoff stretch.
A major liability in the field who routinely boots the routine balls.
Yeah, he's pretty deserving of a 1.5 million dollar raise more than doubling the salary he received during his pathetic performance this year. Im done with pro sports. Ridiculous.
Feb 3, 2009 at 3:14 p.m.
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Rickie is weak. JJ? Hardly. Go Cubs!!
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