Should the Brewers Extend Adam Lind?

On November 1st, Milwaukee Brewers then General Manager Doug Melvin made one of the smarter moves he made in his entire stint with Milwaukee. He traded away pitcher Marco Estrada to the Blue Jays to acquire first baseman Adam Lind. Lind, an Indiana native, gave Toronto 6 years of service and was signed to a 6 year/$30 million contract in 2010, which would mean his contract will be up at the end of the 2015 season. He does have a reasonable contract option, but the question comes up, should Milwaukee extend Lind?

Jul 2, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Adam Lind (24) hits RBI single during the eleventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers won 8-7. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

With 11 games remaining in the season, Lind is hitting .289 and recently added his 20th long ball on the year. He has also leads the Brewers with a .372 OBP and 86 RBI’s. What Lind has managed to do for a Brewers team that is 15 games under .500 is nothing short of extraordinary, and outside of Ryan Braun, he is the only player on the Brewers roster with more than 60 RBI’s.

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New general manager David Stearns has not specified his plans for Lind as of yet, but I think it has got to be pretty obvious that the Brewers will need a veteran hitter like Lind in the lineup the next few years while they build on what is one of the worst rosters in baseball.

With Braun, Jonathan Lucroy, and Lind as the core in the lineup, and Khris Davis, Jean Segura providing support, it shouldn’t take too many pieces to get the Brewer offense rolling.

So the answer to the magic question is yes, the Brewers should hold on to powerhouse Adam Lind. This answer raises another question though, like for how long and how much?

With Lind turning 31 this season, there has got to be a question about how long he will be a contributing factor in the MLB. The Brewers could simply pick up Lind’s $8 million option for next season, but I feel the need for a veteran hitter like Lind is going to be needed in the rebuilding process. In the 4 seasons prior to 2015 where Lind has played more than 100 games, he averages 26 home runs per year. Which puts him on the likes of Carlos Santana, who will be earning $8.5 million next season. Getting Lind for just under $8 million would be ideal for the Brewers if Lind would be willing to accept. Now the next question is how long do the Brewers sign Lind for. Throwing his age into consideration, I think a four year deal would be ideal for both the Brewers and Lind, that way when Lind turns 35, he can sign a short term deal with a World Series contender, or finish his career back where he started, Toronto.

Maybe the Brewers don’t see Lind as a part of the future in Milwaukee, but believe it or not, he could be one of the biggest resigning’s in recent history for the Crew.

Next: Ariel Pena Stumbling to Success in Brewers Rotation

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