Looper In The "Loop" In Milwaukee

Well, just when we thought and were told by Owner Mark Attanasio and GM Doug Melvin that the Brewers were done spending money this offseason and were heading into spring training with the team they had. They go and do the exact opposite. Today Haudricourt reported that the Brewers have agreed to a deal in principle with free agent starting pitcher Braden Looper, pending a physical.

Looper has been in the big leagues since 1998, spent most of his time as a releiver/closer until the last two years when he was a starter in St. Louis. The deal for Looper will be a 1 year deal for $5 mill with some kind of option for 2010. Another solid move by one of the better GM's in all of baseball. Looper is not an ace or even a #2 starter but he is a guy who pitched 199 innings last year, won 12 games, had an ERA of 4.16 and improved from his first year as a starter in 2007 to his second year in 2008. Hopefully he improves on his 2008 in 2009 as a member of the Brewers.

Maybe the best thing is you add depth by signing Looper. This allows you to move Seth McClung into the bullpen as that long reliever/spot starter which he was quite good in last season. Now your rotation will be Gallardo, Parra, Bush, Looper and Suppan. And then if there were to be an unfortunate injury you have McClung, Wright, Capuano and DiFelice waiting. Depth, which is something we did not have to much of a week ago we now have.