On Saturday, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel learned that a new offer was made to Corey Hart for ’09 and his agent turned it down. The sides remain $1.1MM apart ($3.8MM vs. $2.7MM) with a hearing scheduled for Wednesday. Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash thinks it will be difficult to avoid. Hart’s comparables are said to be Andre Ethier (Tuesday hearing) and Josh Willingham (Wednesday).
However, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy quoted Hart yesterday as saying:
"I think [a compromise] is going to happen. I’m trying to stay out of it as much as I can, but I think we’re all hoping that something is going to happen. Obviously, nobody wants a hearing and I love everything about Milwaukee from the owner on down. I have nothing to say to put them down because I’ve enjoyed it, and I think they know that."