MLBTR Predicts Brewers Will Sign SP Paul Maholm

Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Every offseason, MLBTradeRumors.com compiles a list of the top 50 free agents in baseball and predicts which team will sign them. This year’s list has the Milwaukee Brewers signing former Atlanta Braves SP Paul Maholm.

Here’s what MLBTR had to say about Maholm:

"Maholm is a groundballing 31-year-old southpaw who fits in the back of a team’s rotation, most likely on a one-year deal. Teams seeking a lefty can look at Maholm, Scott Kazmir, Jason Vargas, and Chris Capuano."

Maholm had a difficult year in 2013, posting a 10-11 record along with a 4.41 ERA (his worst since 2010). But the Brewers are in need of a left-handed starter and Maholm will come cheaper than the other pitchers mentioned by MLBTR. Plus, Maholm has a certain level of familiarity in the NL Central – he spent almost seven years in that division.

If the Brewers do indeed sign Maholm, there’s sure to be one Brewer who will not be happy – Carlos Gomez. Maholm and Gomez have a history of bad blood, culminating on Sep. 25 when Gomez hit a home run off Maholm, then stood and watched it. Benches cleared and Gomez was ultimately ejected.

Unlike MLBTR, I don’t see the Brewers going after the left-hander. In fact, I don’t think they will sign any starting pitcher. They believe they have enough talent in the rotation to do damage, but that still remains to be seen.