Worst News Ever - Russell Branyan New York Yankee

[Ennder]

Just to be clear, Branyan can't really play OF anymore. If Braun is suspended he wouldn't have really done anything. His contact rate is even worse than it used to be and his ISO has taken a complete nosedive over the past 2 seasons (though it is still decent). His one role would be to PH against RH hitters and even in that role you'd probably usually rather have Green who actually might have more power than Branyan does at this point assuming those ISO's are correct. I would love to find a RH power bat that can play OF and 1B but Branyan doesn't do much for me at this point.

 

I'd also love a backup SS so we don't ever see Izturis on the field.

[Invader3K]

Just to be clear, Branyan can't really play OF anymore. If Braun is suspended he wouldn't have really done anything. His contact rate is even worse than it used to be and his ISO has taken a complete nosedive over the past 2 seasons (though it is still decent). His one role would be to PH against RH hitters and even in that role you'd probably usually rather have Green who actually might have more power than Branyan does at this point assuming those ISO's are correct. I would love to find a RH power bat that can play OF and 1B but Branyan doesn't do much for me at this point.

Thanks for the summary. I can't believe there's angst over the Brewers "passing" on Russell Branyan. I know he has cult hero status for some reason around here, but come on already. It's not like he's going to go be the next Nelson Cruz for the Yankees.

[DocLuna7]

This really upsets me. What does Melvin have against bringing guys back who are not named Counsell? Yes, he brought The Muscle back once along with Cirillo, but from what I remember both had to basically beg him for a job. Yes, I know that Branyan is basically a PH/1B at this point....

Well he did "bring back" Corey Patterson this year!

Claudio Vargas, David Weathers, and Ray King?

 

 

[homer]

Just to be clear, Branyan can't really play OF anymore. If Braun is suspended he wouldn't have really done anything. His contact rate is even worse than it used to be and his ISO has taken a complete nosedive over the past 2 seasons (though it is still decent). His one role would be to PH against RH hitters and even in that role you'd probably usually rather have Green who actually might have more power than Branyan does at this point assuming those ISO's are correct. I would love to find a RH power bat that can play OF and 1B but Branyan doesn't do much for me at this point.

Thanks for the summary. I can't believe there's angst over the Brewers "passing" on Russell Branyan. I know he has cult hero status for some reason around here, but come on already. It's not like he's going to go be the next Nelson Cruz for the Yankees.

There's really only two people that want him back on this thread.

[HiAndTight]

Just to be clear, Branyan can't really play OF anymore. If Braun is suspended he wouldn't have really done anything. His contact rate is even worse than it used to be and his ISO has taken a complete nosedive over the past 2 seasons (though it is still decent). His one role would be to PH against RH hitters and even in that role you'd probably usually rather have Green who actually might have more power than Branyan does at this point assuming those ISO's are correct. I would love to find a RH power bat that can play OF and 1B but Branyan doesn't do much for me at this point.

Thanks for the summary. I can't believe there's angst over the Brewers "passing" on Russell Branyan. I know he has cult hero status for some reason around here, but come on already. It's not like he's going to go be the next Nelson Cruz for the Yankees.

There's really only two people that want him back on this thread.

Have you read the entire thread? There are certainly more than two people who want him back.

 

[RightFieldCoder]

That's because most of us are crying too hard to post anything.

[rluzinski]

This really upsets me. What does Melvin have against bringing guys back who are not named Counsell? Yes, he brought The Muscle back once along with Cirillo, but from what I remember both had to basically beg him for a job. Yes, I know that Branyan is basically a PH/1B at this point....

I'm still at a loss why we're so consistently disappointed that a guy who's been worth 12 WAR over 12 seasons wasn't brought back to a team that Melvin has said specifically needs to rely on their younger home grown players, and believes we have several guys who can contribute in the near future.

 

And actually, since 1998, it's only 11.9 WAR. So still not getting the BF.NET love. He can hit it a mile and he gets red hot for 2-3 week stretches and then can't hit for 3 months.

You are acting like he's been a full time player over his career. 12 WAR in 3400 AB means he's been about average. He's getting pretty old these days but at league min, he could still be a nice option off the bench for a team.

[HiAndTight]

This really upsets me. What does Melvin have against bringing guys back who are not named Counsell? Yes, he brought The Muscle back once along with Cirillo, but from what I remember both had to basically beg him for a job. Yes, I know that Branyan is basically a PH/1B at this point....

I'm still at a loss why we're so consistently disappointed that a guy who's been worth 12 WAR over 12 seasons wasn't brought back to a team that Melvin has said specifically needs to rely on their younger home grown players, and believes we have several guys who can contribute in the near future.

 

And actually, since 1998, it's only 11.9 WAR. So still not getting the BF.NET love. He can hit it a mile and he gets red hot for 2-3 week stretches and then can't hit for 3 months.

You are acting like he's been a full time player over his career. 12 WAR in 3400 AB means he's been about average. He's getting pretty old these days but at league min, he could still be a nice option off the bench for a team.

And yet there are some people actually scared that Corey Patterson, who over roughly the same amount of time in the league has a WAR of 11.5 to Branyan's 11.9 makes the big league team on a minor league deal.

 

One is still an above average defense, and would likely be a fantastic defender in LF, the other can't move and would be a disaster out there.

 

Not to mention that if you're looking for LH'ed pop off the bench, that's about the only thing we have in offensive position players ready for the big leagues, most of whom are thought to be #4 type OF'ers, ie, not starters, so perfect fits. And far better defenders(Gindl, Schafer, and then Green for 1st and 3rd covering all the positions that Branyan can't play).

 

The Branyan love at this point is just so far over the top and ridiculous. He's a guy who hit the ball with power and drew walks, both very valuable. Sadly though it almost ALWAYS came for very short periods of time in which he went on ridiculous runs followed up by incredibly long runs of futility and can't play any position right now except for a bat off the bench. Which...by the way is stock full of left handed hitters.

 

So no, I don't have any problem seeing why Melvin didn't want him, and frankly, Melvin will probably have several more shots at him this year if he really has even the slightest bit of interest.

[RockCoCougars]

I like Branyan because he helped keep the Brewers in contention early summer 2008. He went on a tear in June when the team was starting to falter. As we sit today, I'd be interested in giving him another shot in the spring solely because of the 'thunder' in his bat. I could care less if he brought his glove or not. The Brewers have a bench of slap hitters.

[HiAndTight]

I like Branyan because he helped keep the Brewers in contention early summer 2008. He went on a tear in June when the team was starting to falter. As we sit today, I'd be interested in giving him another shot in the spring solely because of the 'thunder' in his bat. I could care less if he brought his glove or not. The Brewers have a bench of slap hitters.

A-We don't know who's going to be on our bench. If Green makes the big league team, you're wrong in your assessment of our bench.

B-How many teams out there that are mid market teams have a bench with legit power hitters?

[RockCoCougars]

A-We don't know who's going to be on our bench. If Green makes the big league team, you're wrong in your assessment of our bench.

 

OK. Slap hitters, a catcher and a line drive hitter. I see no reason to believe that Green will be a legit power hitter in MLB.

 

B-How many teams out there that are mid market teams have a bench with legit power hitters?

 

Considering that Branyan that signed for little or no money, I don't think market size played a role.

 

Bottom line, the Brewers used pinch hitters for nearly half a regular's 'full season' plate appearances last year. The performance of these guys was very subpar. Meanwhile, for a good chunk of the season, they carried 7 right handed relief pitchers on the active roster. I'd prefer a PH only type guy to bullpen overkill. They are selling the 8th/9th combo as the strong point of the team, so they shouldn't need 7 guys in the pen.

[LouisEly]

"The Brewers used a pinch hitter 257 times last season with an OPS of .619 "

 

Hate to burst your bubble, but the maximum number of times that Branyan could pinch-hit in a season would be 162.

[Funketown]

Just to be clear, Branyan can't

It's about here I stop taking your post seriously.

[RockCoCougars]

"The Brewers used a pinch hitter 257 times last season with an OPS of .619 "

 

Hate to burst your bubble, but the maximum number of times that Branyan could pinch-hit in a season would be 162.

Right. I was just commenting on how badly the Brewers bench hit last season. I believe that Counsell alone got 70 some pinch at-bats. I'd rather have someone like Branyan to replace those at bats than carry a Tim Dillard to pitch every seventh game and horse around in the bullpen.

[logan82]

And yet there are some people actually scared that Corey Patterson, who over roughly the same amount of time in the league has a WAR of 11.5 to Branyan's 11.9 makes the big league team on a minor league deal.

 

WAR is a counting stat and Patterson had basically 2 extra years of PA to accumulate that WAR.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Forget the WAR, the added apparel sales from 3TO merchandise bought by bf.netters may be enough to extend Braun for another 5 years.