Looper terms reportedly in place

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting tonight that the Brewers and the rep for free agent right-hander Braden Looper indeed reached terms today. According to the newspaper, it will be a one-year deal with an option for 2010, but we don’t know yet whether that’s a club option, a player option, a mutual option or some sort of vesting option based on innings pitched, starts or some other statistical marker.

Not too surprising that the sides were able to agree to the framework of a deal. When general manager Doug Melvin was willing to even broach the topic today, that showed you things were moving along swiftly. Looper will have to pass a physical to make the contract official, and if I learn about the schedule for that formality, I will post it.

Now comes the really interesting part. The Brewers’ 40-man roster is full, so someone needs to go when Looper formally signs and it looks like it could be an “organizational guy” who has been with the team a while. I’d be shocked if they part with a pitcher, unless they simply decide that there’s no room for Rule 5 pick Eddie Morlan, so it makes sense that the names being kicked around include Vinny Rottino, Brad Nelson, Hernan Iribarren.  Maybe Casey McGehee should be in that group as well, but I think club officials are intrigued to see what they have in the former Cubs prospect.

Perhaps Melvin has a trade up his sleeve to help ease the logjam. Stay tuned.