If he wasn’t on your baseball radar entering the 2011 season, you certainly have heard of Milwaukee Brewers closer John Axford by now. The 28-year-old turned in another impressive season as the Brew Crew’s finisher, a performance which earned him National League Cy Young and MVP consideration. If his moustache wasn’t reason enough, Axford’s strong performance reportedly has the Brewers thinking multi-year contract extension.
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discussed Axford with Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash. With Axford set to enter his first year of arbitration eligibility following the 2012 season, Ash indicated that the Brewers are trying to reach a multi-year agreement with their closer and his agent.
While sides are likely to have to settle on a one-year deal for the time being, Ash told Haudricourt that he’s confident a multi-year agreement can be worked out sometime in the near future. Ash said that the Brewers and Axford have “exchanged proposals back and forth”, but currently find themselves in the “no deal zone”. For this reason Milwaukee and Axford will likely have to settle on a “one-year ‘place holder’” contract until a multi-year agreement is reached.
Ash pointed out that a place holder deal would not prohibit a multi-year extension from being reached before next offseason. Talks between the Brewers and Axford have apparently been “very pleasant” and Ash noted that Milwaukee will attempt to nail out an extension before the end of spring training.
Last season for the Brewers, Axford compiled an NL-best 46 saves to go along with his ERA and WHIP of 1.95 and 1.140. The right-hander maintained 10.5 SO/9 and 3.1 BB/9 over his span of 73 2/3 innings.
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