Ryan Braun signs: 8/$45M, 8/$51M if super two; includes this year, buys out 2 FA years; Latest: salary breakdown (reply #205)

[Thurston Fluff]

Sorry if this has been mentioned before but something Melvin has mentioned many times in the past is cost certainty. This contract helps the Brewers plan other contract offers and gives them a better idea how much they can afford to spend on other players. The thing about arbitration years is the arby comes so late in the off season that it inhibits smaller market teams who are tight aginst their spending limits from making the extra million or so on an offer that could land a free agent. The more players locked up going into free agency the easier it is to target and sing a free agent. 7 years for such a major piece of the team is huge in that regard.

[jhart05]

To splitterpfj:

 

I agree with you, but don't forget about the defense.

 

I have nothing to back this up, JMO, but even thou he's only been out there for 40 games, I'd say Braun is already a better defensive player than Lee.

[lukevan]

Don't want to go too offtopic, but many have mentioned Corey Hart already...

 

Those that want to extend Hart must be planning for him to be a CFer as early as 2009. That's what I'd hope for if we extended Corey. I like him a ton as a player but we have what look to be 2 huge bats that will be most likely be corner OFers burning through the minors in Gamel and LaPorta. If Corey can play adequate defense in CF his offense is huge at that position.

[TooLiveBrew]

Splitter -- the short porch in Minute Maid Park makes me think that in any given year, El Caballo could out-homer Braun. It wouldn't be a sign that he's a better HR hitter, just that MM Park is dumb.

 

 

it essentially means Braun wants to stay here in Milwaukee.

 

Actually, it means that he wants some control over what may happen to him down the line. I've never viewed no-trade clauses as a sign that a player wants to stay... instead that the player wants some input down the line should his team want to trade him.

 

 

jhart -- this is from splitter's post (#150):

 

Defensively, Braun still has a lot to learn, but here again, I think he's already better than Lee.

[jhart05]

Sorry. Guess that's what happens when you're trying to read and post fast before your boss finds out what you're doing. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Gobias Industries]

I'd love to see them try to buy low on Weeks right now. Obviously Hart & YoGa are the two most important following Ryan (operating under the assumption that Boras will be a prick as usual re. Prince), but if we can get any kind of a discount on Rickie, keeping him around for 5-6 more seasons would be sweet.

What's a realistic offer he would get? I have a feeling he's not a Brewer come July 31st. His career is at a crossroads right now and I can envision him packaged with Gamel or LaPorta for a #2/3 starter. I don't think it's in either sides best interest to do an extension right now.

 

Of course, great news on Braun. I'd wait a til the beginning of next season for Gallardo and start talking with Corey now.

[BrewCrewForever]

I'd wait a til the beginning of next season for Gallardo and start talking with Corey now.

 

I'm down with that.

[Teatoe993]

I predict that nobody else will ever wear the #8 in a Brewers uniform. I wonder how our friends in cubby land think of the signing.

[BrewCrewForever]

I predict that nobody else will ever wear the #8 in a Brewers uniform. I wonder how our friends in cubby land think of the signing.

I agree, I know he is only in his second season but I just have so much faith in confidence in his ability. That number is going up in the rafters.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

I have a feeling he's not a Brewer come July 31st. His career is at a crossroads right now and I can envision him packaged with Gamel or LaPorta for a #2/3 starter.

 

I can't see him getting shipped off. He's got too powerful a bat. He hasn't even gotten started hitting yet this season, and can eclipse 25 HR with relative ease even at this current pace, and I believe he's going to pick up said pace soon. I couldn't disagree more that he's at a 'career crossroads'. We're only seeing the tip of the iceberg in what Weeks can do. I believe we're going to get the full view very, very soon.

 

You know that amazing August & September from 2007? That's all pretty much sustainable for Rickie. The BA in there is something a bit over what I think he'll sustain, but the rest -- BB rate, power -- that was & is for real.

[rluzinski]

you kiddin me?

...

 

I think those numbers are reasonably on the conservative side of life... and that is 8 years totaling 57.5M.

 

45M is wonderful!

 

I made that, "why should we be excited" comment when it was buying out one free agent year and the money hadn't been disclosed. Now that it's 2 free agent years and $45 mil, I feel a lot better about it. Even if Braun turns out to be a guy with only a mediocre OBP and great power, he's priced well (so hard to consider "baseball inflation"). If he's thows up a .950 OPS every year, this will be a steal.

[Chkyhks2and0]

Well hopefully this breaks up all the "bad luck" this team has seemed to have this season. I love this deal for the Brewers. Next up Cory Hart (I hope).

 

As great as this is for the Brewers, I can't help but wonder how good is it for Baseball? Up till last season you didn't have these "youngsters" sign huge contracts until a little later in their career. Now between Braun, and Tulo you can definitely see a change of the old system. I remember when the Brewers started the trend of signing huge free agent contracts by signing Robin Yount to 3 million/year. Then after that players salaries went threw the roof, and made the small markets smaller and the big markets bigger. Hopefully with these moves by smaller market teams doesn't give the big market teams any ideas.

[mothershipconnection]

Fri-ggin awesome. Yeah, there's risk in a deal this long considering his short track record, but if you go year-to-year and he continues to produce, not only will you pay more, but you lose him after the 6th year unless you're willing to go 6+ years at the free agent rate.

[Samurai Bucky]

My tardiness is because I was out for much of the morning. WTG Mark for stepping up and paying these guys. It looks like Braun has the potential to be a legendary player. I hope the injury bug doesn't bite him. Just make sure he never wears number 49.

[Invader3K]

A Cubs fan on another board I frequent called this "a strange signing" and said the Brewers should have looked to ship Braun to an AL team because of his defense, in order to make room for LaPorta. I laughed at that one.

[craigharmann]

A Cubs fan on another board I frequent called this "a strange signing"

Couldn't you say the same thing about the Cubs signing Edmonds?? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?

 

[splitterpfj]

You can't blame Cubs fans for not understanding this, the last time their team developed an elite young hitter, they traded him for Mitch Williams. Oh, and they threw in Jamie Moyer.

[logan82]

$45M... think you can afford a haircut now, Ryan? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

 

I was thinking a shave. I always think of him as Braun Solo.

[TooLiveBrew]

Braun... Solo... must... somehow.... make new avatar.

[logan82]

Not sure if I like the deal yet or not. Braun hasn't even had a full year in the majors yet so we are not even sure what kind of player we are getting yet. I usually don't like to do any deals longer than 4 years or with players before arbitration. It also depends on the distribution of money. If it is closer to being even year to year I will like it better than if it is heavily back loaded. I am betting on backloaded.

[LUKE232323]

Not sure if I like the deal yet or not. Braun hasn't even had a full year in the majors yet so we are not even sure what kind of player we are getting yet. I usually don't like to do any deals longer than 4 years or with players before arbitration. It also depends on the distribution of money. If it is closer to being even year to year I will like it better than if it is heavily back loaded. I am betting on backloaded.

He had one of the best rookie years of all time and was the fastest ever to 40 HR. Won ROTY. I don't know how all of that can possibly not show what type of player he is, which is at worst a very good one, and likely a great one. $5.6M a year for that buying out 2 FA years, there is nothing not to like about it.

[naivin]

"Braun's contract also has a full no-trade clause for four years, a limited clause (12 teams), the next two years and a further limited clause (six teams) the final two years."

 

I seriously never thought a player in Milwaukee would actually either accept or request a no-trade clause. I am not sure which is the case, but I would think this little snippet is worthy of comment and praise from both the organization and the Braun camp, because it essentially means Braun wants to stay here in Milwaukee.

 

While I think there is certainly some truth to that, I think the no-trade relates more to something I menationed earlier as a reason I think this is such a great deal for the Brewers, and made me wonder if there was a no-trade. Most agree that this is a steal for the team, and there is very real potential that Ryan will be somewhat underpaid 5, 6, 7 years from now, thus making Braun and his relatively cheap contract with a couple years remaining extremely valuable to the Brewers on the trade market. I'm sure Braun and his agent didn't necessarily want the Brewers to have all the ability to take advantage of that and ship him off wherever they want for a boatload of prospects. The limited no-trade provides him some protection against that, and I would asume was a pretty key concession that the Brewers had to make in exchange for more years, less money, etc. It somewhat takes away one of the huge advantages I thought the Brewers had, but still a great deal.

[Chio151]

Pretty amazing that we would never had Ryan Braun in the majors had Elmer Dessens not been injured. Wow, those little things...

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[zzzmanwitz]

We would have found a way to get him up to the Majors. It just made it easier that Dessens got "hurt"

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't know how all of that can possibly not show what type of player he is

 

It doesn't tell us that for certain because his great line in 2007 was due to fluky performance against LHP; ROTY shouldn't have anything to do with player evaluations imho (Listach). Braun's worst case is certainly not "very good". He has a long way to go to be more than a low-BB, high-SLG LF. I for one believe that he will make this contract look great, but you never know with younger players. There is certainly an amount of risk.