Overbay Traded to Toronto!
Kolb returns to Milwaukee
Braves and Brewers Swap Pitchers
Dennis Jenders
A year after self-destructing in his closer role for the Braves, Dan Kolb has come back to Milwaukee as the club shipped Wes Obermueller to Atlanta. Just a year after trading Kolb for Jose Capellan he will rejoin the Brewers, likely as a setup man for his successor Derrick Turnbow.
Obermueller has flashed potential but frequently had one destructive inning in his outings resulting in a deficit the team couldn’t overcome. In 23 appearances last year he was 1-4 with a 5.36 ERA before being send to AAA Nashville in mid-July.
Kolb, 30, quickly cracked under the spotlight in Atlanta where he finished the season with a 3-8 record, 5.93 ERA and 11 saves – a year early he had a 2.98 ERA and a club record 39 saves in 2004.
Kolb has missed pitching coach Mike Maddux and wanted to return to Milwaukee to continue under his tutelage. Kolb made $3.4 last season and will certainly be asked to take a pay cut. Teams are not allowed to make a cut above 20% so even at $2.7 million Kolb is an expensive setup man.
His agent Scott Boras is known for getting his players lucrative deals, but his meltdown a year ago and his preference to return to the Brewers should help the club in negotiating a new deal before the December 20 deadline for next year’s contract offers.
Boras also represents Wisconsin native Jarrod Washburn. A day after the club said they haven’t heard about Washburn’s interest in pitching for his home team Boras confirmed his interest at the winter meetings. Washburn, a free agent, was born in La Crosse and pitched for UW-Oshkosh. Boras is likely seeking a deal similar to A.J. Burnett’s deal with Toronto and Doug Melvin has said the Brewers wouldn’t overpay for a pitcher.