Rickie Weeks Sets Deadline in Extension Negotiations With Brewers

January 31 2011 Last updated at 11:35 AM ET

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks is more than willing to talk about a long-term contract extension with the team, but he will only talk for a limited time. Once spring training begins, Weeks only wants to think about one thing.

"Once I get to spring training, I want to focus on baseball," said Weeks.

The upcoming season is the last in which Weeks is arbitration-eligible. Weeks asked for a $7.2 million salary for the 2011 season while the team countered with an offer of $4.85 million. Even though the two sides are far apart in the negotiations, no matter what, Weeks will be in a Brewers uniform in 2011. Whether or not he'll have the opportunity to test the free-agent market is still unknown.

Weeks let the Brewers know earlier that he'd be willing to talk about a long-term deal, but after a breakout 2010 season, he's shooting for the moon. Weeks hit .269 with 29 home runs last year, but more significantly he avoided injury and played in 159 games ? something he has failed to do since he arrived on the scene in 2003.

Injuries have plagued the 28-year-old second baseman's entire professional career -- at least that was the case until 2010.

Now that Weeks has finally showed the baseball world exactly the kind of numbers he can put up, he wants to be paid. The Brewers, fearful of his propensity to injury, are hesitant to pay that asking price until Weeks shows he can stay healthy.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee may not have the luxury of waiting.

If the Brewers wait, and Weeks has another stellar season in 2011, he'll have the opportunity to test the free-agent market to gauge what other teams would be willing to pay. A power-hitting middle infielder with two years of injury-free play will fetch a huge salary ? one larger, likely, than the Brewers would have to pay right now to secure Weeks to a long-term deal.

These negotiations are a dangerous game of chicken, a game that both sides must play. When Weeks announced his unwillingness to talk once spring training begins, he enacted a very definite deadline. The odds of getting a long-term deal completed in such a short timeframe, considering the two sides aren't even close on a one-year deal, seem extremely low.

Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2011/01/31/rickie-weeks-sets-deadline-in-extension-negotiations/

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