Podsed-NEWS

Winter of Turmoil Ending for Brewers
Thu Feb 19, 7:41 PM ET

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers are more eager than usual to break out the bats and gloves at spring training. It's been a turbulent winter.

Since the Brewers completed their 11th straight losing season, the team has lost its popular president and its best player, and it's also been put up for sale.

Ulice Payne Jr. resigned as team president after going public with the club's plan to spend only about $30 million on payroll this season, a decision that forced the trade of slugger Richie Sexson and caused such an outcry that the Brewers agreed to a public review of its finances.

Then, left-hander Luis Martinez was arrested in a shooting in the Dominican Republic, throwing his career into question.

And general manager Doug Melvin said during a conference call with reporters this week that he was flustered that he hadn't heard from All-Star outfielder Geoff Jenkins' representatives for a couple of weeks. His agent called him later that day with a counterproposal for a contract extension that the club is mulling over.

Neither side is commenting on the negotiations but it's believed the Brewers' initial offer was for three years and about $18 million. Jenkins is thought to be seeking a four-year deal for around $30 million.

It's easy to see why Melvin arrived in Phoenix bright and early Thursday. Pitchers and catchers are due to arrive in camp this weekend, followed by position players next week.

"I don't think there's any doubt that we're ready to focus on baseball," Melvin said. "The players, I'm not sure if they know or even care what's all going on back home. But as GM, it's my job to make sure the staff focuses on the game and does not get distracted by all this other stuff. We were here before 7 o'clock, so that shows how eager we are to get going."

The Brewers, who had a 12-game improvement last year under new manager Ned Yost, have a lot of work to do thanks to their revamped roster, a product of the nine-player trade that sent Sexson to Arizona.

On Dec. 2, the Brewers acquired infielders Craig Counsell, Junior Spivey and Lyle Overbay, catcher Chad Moeller and left-handed pitchers Chris Capuano and Jorge De La Rosa for Sexson, who was due $8.6 million this year, and two others.

Counsell will play shortstop and Overbay first base. Spivey will challenge Keith Ginter for the second base job, the first full-fledged fight for a position in several seasons.

"I think it's about time that we on our ballclub have competition within our own ranks," Melvin said. "The sign of a bad ballclub is when you don't have any."

Spivey had an off year last season after making the All-Star team in 2002. Counsell is 33 but has never been a full-time starter. Neither has Overbay nor Moeller.

Free agents Ben Grieve and Gary Bennett also signed with Milwaukee.

Grieve expects to join Jenkins and Scott Podsednik in the outfield, and Bennett will back up Moeller. Prospect Corey Hart was moved from third base to outfield, where he hopes to hone his game at Triple-A this season.

Overbay will face plenty of scrutiny replacing Sexson, probably the team's most popular player.

"We've told Lyle, I don't think the expectations are that he's going to replace Richie," Melvin said. "There wasn't anybody on the trade that will replace Richie. ... Lyle will hit more doubles. He's not a home run hitter like Richie was."

The only prospect that Melvin expects to challenge for a spot on the 25-man roster coming out of camp is shortstop J.J. Hardy.

Before his arrest, Martinez was expected to make a bid for a spot in the Brewers' rotation after soaring through the minor leagues last season.

Martinez was 0-3 with a 9.92 ERA in four September starts for Milwaukee last season.

"He's still being held by authorities and I believe he's trying to negotiate his way out of not being charged," Melvin said. "We're still talking in-house about what to do. We don't condone what he did, but we also don't know all the details."