The Brewers will have a busy offseason on the personnel front because of the large number of free agents and arbitration-eligible players on their roster. They have decisions to make at several positions and must retool both their starting rotation and bullpen. For a team that won 90 games, it figures to be a busy winter.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The pitching situation seems most pressing because of the number of free agents in the starting rotation and bullpen. The Brewers also must consider finding a hitter or two who bats .300 with a high on-base percentage, something they didn't have in 2008. FREE AGENTS: LHP CC Sabathia, RHP Ben Sheets, 2B Ray Durham, 3B Russell Branyan, INF Mike Lamb, RHP Guillermo Mota, OF Gabe Kapler, RHP Eric Gagne, LHP Brian Shouse, CF Mike Cameron (club option), INF Craig Counsell (club option), RHP Salomon Torres (club option)
Sabathia figures to cost too much, and Sheets has been so injury prone that he'll probably be allowed to leave. The Brewers figure to exercise the option on Torres but might pass on Counsell. It'll cost $10 million to exercise the option on Cameron, a steep price, but the Brewers might not have a better alternative in center field. Kapler had a substantial shoulder injury in September that might prevent the Brewers from offering another contract.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: 1B Prince Fielder, SS J.J. Hardy, RF Corey Hart, 2B Rickie Weeks, RHP Dave Bush, RHP Todd Coffey, RHP Seth McClung, LHP Chris Capuano
Fielder is due for a huge raise in his first year of arbitration after hitting 114 home runs with 312 RBI in his first three seasons in the majors. His contract could jump to as much as $8 million. Hart also is in his first year of arbitration eligibility, and Hardy and Bush figure to get nice raises.
IN LIMBO: LHP Chris Capuano missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery and is eligible for arbitration for the second time. The Brewers might decide to non-tender him, then offer an incentive-laden deal. INF Craig Counsell has no idea if his option will be exercised.
MEDICAL WATCH:
2B Rickie Weeks (left knee surgery in September 2008) is expected to be full-go by spring training.
RHP David Riske (right elbow surgery in September 2008) should be completely healthy by spring training.
LHP Chris Capuano (Tommy John surgery in May 2008) missed the entire 2008 season and may or may not be ready to pitch again by spring training.
