Prince Fielder's Wallet Is About to Match His Waistline

It is getting to that time of year that relationships between players and managements can become a bit strained. The 10-day salary arbitration filing period began on Monday and the Brewers have six players that are expected to file.

Pitchers Dave Bush and Seth McClung will be joined by young guns Prince Fielder, JJ Hardy, Corey Hart, and Rickie Weeks. It will be the first time that Fielder, Hart and Weeks are arbitration eligible.

The Brewers current team salaries total just over $50 million at the moment. It is expected that the Brewers will start the season with a total payroll of around $80 million, or about the same payroll as Opening Day 2008.

It is obvious that Prince Fielder is set for the biggest pay raise but let's take a look at all the players' situations and how each will impact the Brewers in 2009.

Dave Bush had an up-and-down season for Milwaukee in 2008. He finished with a 9-10 record and a 4.18 ERA in 29 starts. Bush was sent down to Triple A Nashville for a short time but finished strong and won Game Three for the Brewers in the Playoffs against the Phillies. Bush made just over $2.5 million last year and should get a nice raise. I expect him to get between $4-5 million to be a middle of the rotation pitcher for the Brewers.

Seth McClung could turn out to be a huge bargain for the Brewers. He finished with a 6-6 record, making 12 starts and pitching big in September out of the bullpen. McClung could very well be the closer for the Brewers in 2009. He has a dominant fastball and an attitude to challenge any hitter in baseball. McClung made only $750 thousand last season and should be had for right around $2-3 million this season.

JJ Hardy is entering his second year of arbitration and is quickly becoming one of the best shortstops in the game. Hardy is a career .270 hitter and has 50 home runs over the last two years. He's also one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. Hardy avoided an arbitration hearing last year and signed for $2.65 million for 2008. He should come close to doubly that for 2009. I think a salary around $6 million for Hardy in 2009 would be just about right.

Rickie Weeks was signed to a Major League contract out of college and now enters arbitration for the first time. Weeks has had a horrible batting average the last two years, never hitting higher than .235. He has improved his defense but is still no where close to being a Gold Glove second baseman.

Weeks will draw a ton of walks and score runs when he gets on base. Weeks made just over one million last year and I can't see him getting a huge raise. I think the Brewers get him for no more than $2.5 million for 2009.

Corey Hart may become an ugly case for Brewers' General Manager, Doug Melvin. Hart was voted to his first All-Star game in 2008, but literally did not do anything in the second half of the season. His batting average fell 27 points in 2008 from the .295 he hit in 2007.

Hart also hit four less home runs, walked less and had dramatic drop offs in his on-base and slugging percentages. Hart made less than $500 thousand last year. His horrendous second half of 2008 will no doubt affect his salary in 2009. I think Hart could make anywhere between $3-5 million this season.

Prince Fielder has awaited this offseason since he was drafted by the Brewers in 2002. There is no doubt that Prince is going to make a boatload of money this winter. Fielder made $670 thousand last season and will make 10 times that in 2009 easily. Prince has 114 career home runs, including 50 in 2007 in which he became the youngest player ever to hit 50 home runs.

Fielder is a .278 career hitter. He is a bad first baseman and that's being kind. I don't think he will equal or surpass Ryan Howard's arbitration number of $10 million. Howard had a better batting average, more home runs, walks, and RBIs. Howard also won Rookie of the Year and an MVP award while Fielder won neither. Prince should command a salary anywhere between $6-9 million for 2009. This may turn out to be the last full season for Prince in Milwaukee.

With raises for those six players, the Brewers are looking at adding anywhere between $23-31 million in payroll. That would bump the payroll up above $73 million but no higher than $81 million. If the number comes out on the low end, the Brewers will have close to $10 million to play with for free agents. If all the players "max-out" then the Brewers won't have much room at all to add salaries.

Although Doug Melvin said that Mike Cameron being dealt to the Yankees is dead, Brian Cashman is only a phone call away to get Cam to New York and give the Brewers more flexibility.

Melvin reportedly has interest in both Braden Looper and Mark Mulder. Each could be had relatively cheap. The Brewers would still be able to field a competitive team to compete in the NL Central. If the Brewers can do that, then owner Mark Attanasio and Melvin could make a move in June or July to bring in more talent for the stretch run.