Top Five Questions Facing The Brewers: Contract Extensions

Brewers GM Doug Melvin has already had a busy offseason, putting together a trade and contacting various agents throughout baseball.

While time and energy will be given to improving the club for next year, decisions on two players currently on the team will make or break the Brewers for years to come.

While baseball websites across the Internet are muddled with projections as to which pitcher the Brewers need to sign, the most important one may already be under contract.

Yovani Gallardo is the crown jewel of an otherwise inept Brewers starting rotation. While 2008 was a year of injury for Yovani, 2009 was a bounce back year for the young star. In 185.2 innings he had a win-loss record of 13-12 with a 3.73 ERA.

Next year, Gallardo will hit arbitration for the first time. Making this year a perfect time to sign him to a long-term deal.

The Brewers have spent a large number of draft picks the last two years on pitching, and a true ace will be needed to anchor the pitching staff when they develop into major league starters.

The past two seasons Brewers fans have heard rumblings of trade rumors surrounding their biggest offensive weapon. Prince Fielder has solidified himself as a perennial M.V.P. candidate by posting a .299 bating average while hitting 46 home runs and driving in 146 runners. The Brewers have teamed him with Ryan Braun to form one of the most feared three/four combinations in the league.  

The Brewers hold the rights to Fielder for the next two seasons and have him under contract for 2010. This offseason Doug Melvin should put together an offer to Prince and agent Scott Boras. While allowing Prince to sign a long term would be out of the norm for Boras the Brewers should offer a contract for two reasons:

1.) Should Prince accept the long term deal it will give the Brewers a direction of where the team is headed for years to come. Having Fielder would allow the Brewers the time they need to see young prospects, that are one and two years away to develop.

2.) If Prince and more importantly agent Scott Boras decide that they want to test the market in 2012 the Brewers should start to test the waters to see what they could get in return for the slugger. By trading Fielder the Brewers would most likely gain the much needed top of the rotation pitching prospect, and give the Brewers the ever needed payroll flexibility to peruse the long list of next years free agents.