Milwaukee Brewers sign multi-year deal worth $38.5 million with Rickie Weeks – MLB News
The Milwaukee Brewers have signed a multi-year contract worth $38.5 million with Rickie Weeks on February 16, 2011.
This deal will give Weeks $38.5 million over the next four years, with the possibility of going up to $50 million with all the options. The deal has helped the Brewers avoid arbitration with Weeks. It looks like both parties are satisfied and ready to focus
on the upcoming Spring Training session.
Speaking at the Press Conference, Weeks said, “You look for 'comfortability,' I guess. I know the organization. I grew up here, basically. If the right times, the right thing [presented] itself, I was going to be here for a long time. That's why I made my
decision."
It has been rumoured that Weeks has received a $4 million signing bonus along with $3.5 million for the 2011 season. It is assumed that he will be paid $10 million in 2012-13 and $11 million during 2014. Depending on his performance and his match fitness,
Weeks might also received $11.5 million in 2015.
Brewers’ assistant general manager Gord Ash said, "I think it's an ultimate compromise, who handled negotiations. Greg had always talked to us about the need to do five guaranteed years, and we had always talked about the need to do four years plus a vesting
option."
Rickie Weeks was the only big player that was still negotiating his contract with the Brewers as Ryan Braun is signed on until 2015 and Yovani Gallardo is set until 2014. Players such as Randy Wolf, Corey Hart, Zack Greinke, Casey McGehee and Shaun Marcum
are also signed up to 2013.
The Brewers will be happy they were able to avoid arbitration with Weeks, as they managed to finalise the deal in time.
Rickie is a tremendous player that the Brewers did not want to lose. During the 2010 season he had a batting average of .253 and a slugging average of .429. Weeks also had 265 RBIs and 89 home-runs throughout his illustrious career. It will be exciting to
see the impact Weeks will have for the Brewers as the 2011 MLB regular season is closing in.
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