Brewers

Brewers avoided arbitration with RHP Shaun Marcum by agreeing to a one-year contract.

They settled at the $7.725 million midpoint. The two sides are interested in discussing a long-term extension at some point, but for now they’ll just settle for the one-year deal. Marcum faded down the stretch in 2011 but still finished with a 3.54 ERA in his first season with the Brew Crew. He’ll be the No. 3 starter in what should be another strong Brewers rotation.

Shaun Marcum is working on tweaking his delivery over the winter.

Since the season ended, Marcum has focused on strengthening his core and legs, with the ultimate goal to use the added strength to tweak his pitching motion. “I’ve been almost all arm, it seems like, the last couple years,” Marcum said. “By doing that, having my legs a little bit stronger, that’ll probably add a little bit more velocity. But at the same time I’ll be able to get down the mound a little further, and by getting down the mound a little further you obviously release the ball closer to home plate.” Marcum had a 3.54 ERA in the regular season, but went 0-3 with a 14.90 ERA in the postseason. He denied arm fatigue played a role, saying he didn’t locate the ball well in the playoffs. Marcum is currently working on hammering out a one-year deal with Milwaukee and avoiding arbitration.

Brewers negotiator Teddy Werner said there has been “good progress” in talks with arbitration-eligible right-hander Shaun Marcum.

Marcum requested $8.7 million and was offered $6.75 million from the Brewers when arbitration figures were exchanged earlier this month. The two sides are both interested in a long-term extension, though it appears they’ll be content with hammering out a one-year deal for the time being. Marcum faded down the stretch in 2011 but still finished with a 3.54 ERA in his first season in Milwaukee.