Zack Greinke will likely pitch like a man possessed this season as he looks for a major extension with the Milwaukee Brewers. Fortunate for the Brew Crew, it won't be too far off of what Greinke typically brings to the club. The former Royals ace is now seeing his next big deal and his performance warrants such an extension after going 16-6 with a 3.83 ERA last year. However, Buster Olney of ESPN says his reputation from his days as a Royal precede him and might keep him from fully cashing in.
Olney writes, " He's got to alter the perception that he can be a troublesome clubhouse presence, a reputation he earned in his years with the Royals. A lot of teammates there thought he was not invested in the rest of them. There are already some teams who won't consider Greinke because of the uneven nature of his exit from Kansas City."
While it's not a fair representation of who Greinke has been recently, these sorts of reports always leak out to provide leverage for one side or the other. The reality is that the Brewers will pay big for a pitching ace just like every team would love to. Greinke is a major piece of the puzzle for a team that can't afford to lose him and, ugly past or not, Greinke will no doubt get his money.