Brewers Sign Marcum, Avoid Arbitration

Last night the Brewers reached agreement with Shaun Marcum on a contract that will pay him a base salary of $3.95 million with incentives to push him beyond $4 million, the midpoint between the two sides' exchanged figures. Apparently inclusion of the incentives served as the impetus to get the deal done. It's not unusual for a salary to be finalized as an arbitration hearing draws near, but the Brewers are surely glad they won't need to welcome their new pitcher to the club by airing his faults to the panel. Marcum earned $850,000 in 2010 and received a salary increase of 364.7%. Still, if Marcum puts up similar numbers as last year, $4 million represents a bargain for a sub-4.00 ERA starting pitcher.