Contract Extension for Ryan Braun

by dmlichte on May 15, 2008 11:01 AM CDT Comment 40 comments

According to The Wisconsin State Journal the Brewers have signed Ryan Braun to a $45M contract extension. The deal, which includes this season, lasts through 2015. It continues a trend that we've seen from the Devil Rays as well as the Rockies of taking young, rising stars and signing them though much, if not all of their arbitration eligible years.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of both the player's union as well as Prince Fielder. Fielder likely has the opportunity to sign a similar deal with the Brewers but he does not seem like the kind of person who is willing to sacrifice the long term money. This was an important move for the Brewers, signing a key part of their future to a long term deal.

DmL

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Usually the small market teams have to make tough decisions

I also suspect the Brewers may not be as interested in Fielder for that long an extension. LaPorta or Braun could move to 1st base. Fielder is a good candidate to slow down in a few years as the weight begins to take a toll. Even if he hangs around that long, he’ll have to move to the AL as a DH.

Signing Braun was a great move. Barring injury, I’d have to say of the younger players around, I’m not sure I see someone who will put up better HR/RBI numbers over the next 10 years. Justin Upton and a few others may develop into better all-around players but for middle of the order production I think I’d take Braun. He’s a bargain at that price.

by rlpete on May 15, 2008 11:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

thats a good move by them

as rlpete said, in a few years he’ll be a bargain at that price. Heck, I’d think you can argue he already is.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on May 15, 2008 11:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Great move by Brewers

Braun is a fan favorite there so it’s a great move. It wouldn’t surprise me in 4 years to see him traded to an AL team to be a DH though.

by ak123 on May 15, 2008 12:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No chance

“It wouldn’t surprise me in 4 years to see him traded to an AL team”

Why on earth would they do that, beside the fact there is a 4 year full no-trade? Have you see what runs around in LF as far as defense, including here in Wrigley?

by Wood Tick on May 15, 2008 1:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm talking about 4 years

Brewers may have too high of a payroll to keep these guys even if they got a break on a contract. Did Fielder sign with them yet? I’m sure he will have a higher payday if not.

by ak123 on May 15, 2008 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I could see Fielder going to the Yanks or Tigers before too long and Braun moving to 1st to keep him from looking like such an idiot somewhere else in the field.

"I'm not giving him a high-five ever again." - Sammy Sosa, joking about Moises Alou's personal habits

by MorePiePlease on May 15, 2008 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fun Fact:

Ryan Braun has 0 errors in LF so far this year. As bad as he was at 3B last year, this year he’s doing all right.

by Stoa on May 15, 2008 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kinda

Those missed catches I don’t think counted as errors for Soriano when he returned. Numbers can lie about outfield errors…

by ak123 on May 15, 2008 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

You can’t make errors if you can’t get to the ball. I have seen Braun play six games already in LF. He’s slow and doesn’t have LF instincts. Eventually, he will cost them games with his defense.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 15, 2008 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

His defense must improve...

...For the Brewers to get value out of this. I see Braun as more of the DH candidate in 6 years rather than Prince, who plays league average 1B.

Help me Obi-ONEDEC. You're our only hope.

by IowaCubs- on May 15, 2008 3:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe, but...

... in three or four years Fielder won’t be able to play 1B any more. They’d be better off trading him before free agency kicks in and moving Braun to 1B, because they have Matt LaPorta ready to go in LF in a year or so.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 15, 2008 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Won't be able to play 1B?

Why?

my owner buys me the expensive cat food, but i'll just eat this dvd shrinkwrap and that bug over there

by dr stabbingworth on May 16, 2008 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Um...

... because he’s going to weigh 300+ pounds and will be worse than putting a statue out there?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 16, 2008 5:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As soon as that four year full no trade is up,

he’ll be moved. Getting someone who can hit like Braun, who’ll still be locked up for four years at the time at what will be then be a VERY reasonable price will net the Brewers a handsome return. This contract makes Braun a very attractive piece in a trade, but at least he was smart enough to get the no-trade. Otherwise, he might’ve been moved this year.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 15, 2008 4:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This year?

If Brewers had any intentions in the next couple years of moving Braun he wouldn’t have been offered an extension. You can’t predict how most teams will play in the next few years but if the Brewers are not competing you can bet young players like Braun and Corey Hart will not be part of the team. I can see Brewers keeping Fielder because he can sell tickets.

Plus, the money Brewers are spending on their young guys could really have been saved to spend on say keeping Ben Sheets for another few years?

by ak123 on May 15, 2008 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A young player with Braun's prodigous hitting skills

locked for this amount of time, at this price would be very tempting for an American League team in need of a DH at the deadline. That’s why I think they’d have moved him even this year if they were out of it. Plus, they’ve got a guy who is supposed to be every bit as good with bat -and every bit as bad with glove-as Braun at AAA: Matt LaPorta. If he does get a callup and hits well, he makes either Braun or Fielder expendable.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 15, 2008 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A player traded...

... in the midst of a multi-year contract w/ five years of MLB service can demand a trade prior to the next season. If this trade is demanded and not met, the player becomes a free agent. This makes that trade much less likely, unless the team trading for Braun wants to take the risk.

DmL

by dmlichte on May 15, 2008 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good catch!

I hadn’t thought of that. Does this mean that Fielder is as good as gone? I don’t imagine the Brewers can afford both he and Braun. Then again, perhaps I’m wrong.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 15, 2008 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fielder

I think that Prince likely signs year-to-year contracts. He’s pissed about being renewed so once he gets into arbitration eligible years he is likely to take the Brewers for every penny that he can. Lets not forget that Scott Boras is his agent. According to more than one person who I know who lives in Milwaukee, Prince really is a piece of work.

So essentially the Brewers have a few choices. One is to see if he’ll sign a deal similar to what they gave Braun, likely for more dollars. They can also let things play out and hope that as he nears free agency they can come to terms with him on a long term deal. They can also trade him at any time as he moves towards free agency. It is all going to depend on their organization’s view of him and their long term vision but with the hitters they have in the minors they could shift Braun over to first and send Fielder somewhere, either another team that needs a 1B or DH and likely land several quality players.

DmL

by dmlichte on May 15, 2008 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

Good point about the Boras factor.

with the hitters they have in the minors they could shift Braun over to first and send Fielder somewhere, either another team that needs a 1B or DH and likely land several quality players.

That’s my sentiments exactly. If I were the Brewers, given the LaPorta situation and how it potentially makes Fielder expendable, I’d try and lock up Corey Hart.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 15, 2008 8:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Brewers...

... are very much an organization at a crossroads. Doug Melvin has some decisions to make that are fairly difficult and will be based in large part on what ownership gives him. Ben Sheets is a free agent after this year and while he is a walking injury, someone is going to offer him a LOT of money if he makes it to free agency. But if you are the Brewers and play on a different fiscal level than the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, etc, do you want to roll the dice that paying Sheets perhaps $60M over four years isn’t going to land a significant portion of your payroll on the DL.

Beyond that the Eric Gagne decision was horrid and the club is also paying Jeff Suppan $10M+ per season through 2010.

On the other hand, there are a lot of excellent prospects in their organization and many really good young players. However the future of the pitching staff, Yovani Gallardo is now out for the season though all signs point to him being back and healthy next year.

The scales up north could really tip either way but Doug Melvin has his work cut out for him and he’s going to need to really big picture and long term. Trading Prince Fielder may allow him to land a few major league ready players though it really changes the composure of the organization. I’m guessing that Brewers ownership and marketing folks really covet the idea of building a tradition around Braun and Fielder. Economics may rear its ugly head into that concept.

DmL

by dmlichte on May 15, 2008 10:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll make a prediction...

...Yost will be launched after this year, and one of the guys in the running to replace him will be Brenley.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 15, 2008 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see him lasting that long

I think he’s gone by the all-star break if the team doesn’t make a run.

by dmlichte on May 15, 2008 11:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brewers

They have to play like this year is their best shot (kinda like us???). Because by next year they will have NO pitching.

by ak123 on May 16, 2008 12:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dunno

Sheets-Gallardo-Parra-Vargas-Capuano/Bush isn’t a terrible rotation. Their bullpen is where they’re in trouble, but just about any team could say that.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 16, 2008 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's my point

Isn’t Sheets free agent next year? And Capuano/Bush I’m pretty sure is a bad part of a rotation. If I were the brewers I’d talk to Gagne about doing a Dempster and stretching out and be a starter. Or atleast attempt to…

by ak123 on May 16, 2008 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gagne is too fat

and too breaky to be a starter. Capuano and Bush aren’t terrible pitchers and that’s assuming there’s no more young SP talent in the Brewers system, which there probably is….

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on May 16, 2008 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

BTW

how has Braun’s defense been in left overall?

by ecbc on May 15, 2008 4:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, you'll quote me some numbers if I say this...

... but having watched him play six games there already, as I said above, he doesn’t have OF instincts and he is slow, and he doesn’t have a particularly good arm. “Mediocre” would be being generous.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 15, 2008 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Braun...

...will be kicking has own ass for signing this deal within a couple of years, I’ll

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 15, 2008 5:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Possibly so.

But it’s hard to turn down forty-five million dollars.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 15, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

agree

and if he’s as good as he is now at the end of that contract he just may be making 25+ million a year the way contracts are going up.

It might beeeeee!! It could beeeeeee!! It issssss!! Homerun!! Holyyyyyyy Cow!!!

by cubsluver22 on May 15, 2008 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No doubt...

...on the 45 mil, but he will be feeling like Brian Urlacher before long.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 15, 2008 9:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bad agent

Not sure who is agent is, but for Ryan this appears to be a terrible deal. I could see doing this with a larger market team that is going to have the ability to win year in and year out. But the Brewers have quickly shown that they don’t have the pitching to compete right now and they may have already missed their brief window of opportunity. In 3 or 4 years, Braun very well could be a leading MVP candidate in the NL on a bad team making 5 million a year. I’d say this scenario is more likely than the Brewers turning into a dominant club.

"I'm petrified of nipple chafing. Once it starts, it's a vicious circle." Andy Bernard

by TXCub on May 16, 2008 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Smart move by the Brewers

Ryan Braun is going to be a monster in this league. They have limited financial resources and have to spend smartly. Braun was the smart choice if you ask me.

Mr. Towers, tear down this wall (er, I mean give us back Greg Maddux) !

by MDBNIU on May 15, 2008 10:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I predicted last year, that if the Brewers fade this year...

They’ll deal Prince. If not… it could happen next off-season.

The man just can’t friggin field. How ironic… considering his last name. He’s a DH… that’s all. Future Yankee, Tiger. Indian, or perhaps even the White Sox.

He could have a David Ortiz impact in the AL.

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by SackMan on May 16, 2008 10:40 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs