Agents have nice things to say about working with David Stearns, the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager, with many mentioning his affability. "Good guy," one agent said recently, relating some of the pleasant conversations he's shared with Stearns.
"He's never been condescending to me," reported another. "I like talking with him. I look forward to that phone call."
But as some agents do their lobbying -- making the case for their clients -- they believe there's little to no chance that they will dent Stearns' imagination. Some agents think he cements a price in his mind about what he's willing to pay for any player, either in a contract or in trade, and Stearns won't deviate from his own mental math.