Ryan Braun - Worst Contract in Franchise History?

[adambr2]

We didn't know he was cheating...and IMO that is why he was so willing to sign it

 

That is a very huge stretch to come to that conclusion. A lot of players have signed deals just like that even before Braun. Braun has had nagging injuries his whole career, of course he was eager to get extended.

 

My vote on this squarely goes in the it depends, April stats are more or less worthless for judging future production so I need to see how he plays into May and June. If he puts up say Corey Hart type numbers the rest of his career I don't think it is the worst deal in their history, if he is just worthless than yeah he might be.

 

It's not a stretch at all. It's actually very logical. There are other possibilities, but that's why he said IMO.

 

No one will ever know besides Braun, but he certainly hasn't proven to be someone who has character that puts him above reproach.

[Ennder]

It's not a stretch at all. It's actually very logical

 

No it really isn't. How many players have actually been caught for steroids? The number is astronomically small. There is no reason on earth he would be worried about it before signing the contract. I was very uneasy when they did the extension because of his injury issues and that is almost certainly his thought process as well. Even if he is the biggest crook in the history of sports there was no good reason for him to think he might get caught.

 

He knew what he was doing and knew he would get caught eventually. By signing that "team friendly" backloaded contract he ensured he would still get his payday long after he returned to being an average baseball player

 

It is simply a stretch to think he knew he would caught given the history of steroids in the game.

[lcbj68c]

Braun's deal isn't hurting the Brewers. Sure it sucks and we knew it would when he signed it. The Brewers are never going to be able to buy enough players to win so money isn't holding us back from competing.

 

I'm not sure I understand it. When it was signed, I don't think anyone thought it would suck. Most loved it. We didn't know he was cheating...and IMO that is why he was so willing to sign it. Regardless, so $20M per year of dead weight potentially won't hold this franchise back at all? He struggled last year and so far this year, but in regard to dead weight I'm thinking 2019 and 2020...I am guessing he will still be the highest paid player at that time or at least in the top 3. I'm not sure I understand how this doesn't significantly hurt the franchise.

 

Perfect! Let's analyze it in 2020.

[adambr2]

It's not a stretch at all. It's actually very logical

 

No it really isn't. How many players have actually been caught for steroids? The number is astronomically small. There is no reason on earth he would be worried about it before signing the contract. I was very uneasy when they did the extension because of his injury issues and that is almost certainly his thought process as well. Even if he is the biggest crook in the history of sports there was no good reason for him to think he might get caught.

 

He knew what he was doing and knew he would get caught eventually. By signing that "team friendly" backloaded contract he ensured he would still get his payday long after he returned to being an average baseball player

 

It is simply a stretch to think he knew he would caught given the history of steroids in the game.

 

The history of steroids in the game? They didn't even test for it for like, 150 years. By 2011 when he signed, the steroid culture and testing had changed significantly. It's impossible to put the thought process of when he signed his extension into historical context. The rules has completely changed.

 

Given the progressively more aggressive attitude by MLB toward PED use by 2011, I'm sure Braun, if he was heavily involved as suspected, always knew there was a chance he'd be exposed.

[JJHardy7]

Perfect! Let's analyze it in 2020.

 

I get the fun poke with this post. Well played.

 

Let me put this a different way...would you take on Josh Hamilton (full contract) or stick with Braun? Let's assume in a Hamilton for Braun deal no team pays a dollar for the player they are giving up. So the the Brewers would save roughly $30M or so (I think that is a nice round number that is close, but I'm sure someone here would know more about that than I know).

 

I'm not trying to play the emotional side that is easy...he totally and completely embarrassed himself and this franchise. I am saying he's not anywhere near worth the contract he currently has and it will only get worse.

[lcbj68c]

I actually think you are overly emotional about the whole situation. It's Mark A's money, not mine. I'm emotionally detached from the revenue and expenses of the Milwaukee Brewers. As long as they are entertaining, I could care less about the characters on my favorite ballclubs. I'd personally give him a $100M bonus alone for his 2R HR in Game 162 of the 2008 season. Braun was grossly underpaid in accordance with his production from 2006-2012. So I don't really have a problem that he is overpaid in accordance with his production over the past couple of years. As it stands today, it's probably nearing a wash. Could it be a bad contract come 2020? Absolutely. But the worst contract ever? That's just emotional hyperbole. Jeffery Hammonds never gave the Brewers anything. As of RIGHT NOW, he's nearing a wash on value vs dollars paid. Ping me again in 2020.

[SoupTown]

I would contend, lcbh, there will be quite a link between Mark's money, Braun's contract, Braun's performance, the amount left to the rest of the team for salary AND...... your entertainment.

 

In short, Braun cheating the club will cause your entertainment to be less for the next six years.

 

re Brauns salaries, have you ever heard of the pre arby, arby, and free agent periods of a player's career. Look it up.

[Pugger]

Absolutely could not care less about the PEDs and him "lying" and wish people would stop endlessly droning on about it, but yes those type of mega-contracts (even a relatively reasonable mega-contract like Braun's) usually do not work out unless the player ends up being HoF caliber.

 

Why do you having lying in quotes? He very much did lie and I understand it can get old at times, but when small market team signs you to an unprecedented contract for the franchise and you act the way Braun did you aren't going to be very well liked. I do think though that if Braun performs at the high levels he did in the past all the PEDs talk would go away from Brewers fans as it has with other players in the league.

 

People will forgive a guy for using but not so much for lying about it like he did. And he 'seemed' to be the last guy you would think would be using. I really didn't want to believe it at the time. We see how he is reviled everywhere outside of Milwaukee. Yes, if he can perform anywhere close to where he was before he got caught in time all of this talk will be history.

[logan82]

I just assume there are many many players still using. Most are just smart enough not to get caught. I think it is foolish to think the game is "cleaned up." There is just to much money to be made by cheating.

[RockCoCougars]

Time will tell, but the fact that he got the contract under false pretenses gives him a leg up. Right now Soup is still my clubhouse leader followed closely by Hammonds.

[FidoMcCokefiend]

Broxton making $9M this year still looks worse.

[bill hAll Star]

The reason I don't care about the past usage and lying is that he is one of several thousand players that lied 1990-2013 (still going obviously, but the number is much lower now as seen by the #s). I'd say 50+% of the league was doing stuff many of these years.

 

Nobody has ever not lied, including Andy "I only did it once, really!" Pettite.

 

In terms of his current contract and player, yeah, it is not good right now. Hope he can turn it around this year and I hope roid usage (plus injury) doesn't get in his way of staying a pretty good player.

[JJHardy7]

I actually think you are overly emotional about the whole situation. It's Mark A's money, not mine. I'm emotionally detached from the revenue and expenses of the Milwaukee Brewers. As long as they are entertaining, I could care less about the characters on my favorite ballclubs. I'd personally give him a $100M bonus alone for his 2R HR in Game 162 of the 2008 season. Braun was grossly underpaid in accordance with his production from 2006-2012. So I don't really have a problem that he is overpaid in accordance with his production over the past couple of years. As it stands today, it's probably nearing a wash. Could it be a bad contract come 2020? Absolutely. But the worst contract ever? That's just emotional hyperbole. Jeffery Hammonds never gave the Brewers anything. As of RIGHT NOW, he's nearing a wash on value vs dollars paid. Ping me again in 2020.

 

How much would you pay Braun right now for his current and future production? Would you give him that 5 year $105M deal (for future production...not for what he did in 2006-2012)?

 

Braun's WAR last year was less than 1.0 (some as low as 0.3). It's not all that far off from Jeffery Hammonds actually. I don't know a ton about WAR, but to me if we signed Braun as a free agent the board would be going crazy about how poor he is playing and how much $$$ he is due.

[bill hAll Star]

Broxton making $9M this year still looks worse.

 

I wasn't a Broxton, big $ to reliever, nor an "8th inning man" fan, but short contracts at high dollars don't bother me. Broxton tanks, he's gone (at a buyout) next year.

 

Those contracts are more "it's Mark's money" to me. Usually the extra money wouldn't have been put to a useful purpose that year. He could be making $100 million himself this year and I wouldn't care, because he's not getting in the way of future building like Braun's might. Broxton is just collecting a paycheck on a team that has no chance, and wouldn't have had a chance even if his 9 million was available to fill up the roster in 2015 with.

[umphrey]

Broxton making $9M this year still looks worse.

 

I wasn't a Broxton, big $ to reliever, nor an "8th inning man" fan, but short contracts at high dollars don't bother me. Broxton tanks, he's gone (at a buyout) next year.

 

Those contracts are more "it's Mark's money" to me. Usually the extra money wouldn't have been put to a useful purpose that year. He could be making $100 million himself this year and I wouldn't care, because he's not getting in the way of future building like Braun's might. Broxton is just collecting a paycheck on a team that has no chance, and wouldn't have had a chance even if his 9 million was available to fill up the roster in 2015 with.

 

I thought we were paying Broxton mostly to add him for last year and it wasn't a good deal to opt out in 2015?

[WV Brew]

Higuera Spurns Padres for Four-Year Contract

December 06, 1990|BOB NIGHTENGALE | TIMES STAFF WRITER

 

 

 

 

 

ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Padres' euphoria over their blockbuster trade Wednesday afternoon was subdued by nightfall when free-agent pitcher Teddy Higuera rejected their offer and re-signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Higuera signed a four-year, $13-million contract with the Brewers, turning down the Padres' offer of three years and an option worth about the same amount.

 

The Padres were believed to be the leading candidate to sign Higuera, but when the Brewers raised their contract offer Tuesday to guarantee the fourth year, the Padres refused to match.

 

"We gave it all we had," McIlvaine said, "but it all came down to the guarantee. I'm not getting into four years with pitchers. If that costs us pitchers, so be it.

 

"There is insanity in the game, but I only want to have a small part of it."

 

When reached at his home in Los Mochis, Mexico, Higuera said: "San Diego wanted me very much, but the contract was for three years. Four years is a big difference for me."

 

Harry Dalton, Brewer general manager, said the Brewers were forced to provide the fourth year of the contract. If they didn't, he said, Higuera likely would be in a Padre uniform today. The Brewers will pay Higuera a $1 million signing bonus, $2.5 million in 1991, $3.25 million in 1992, $3 million in 1993 and $3.25 million in 1994.

 

"We believe the Southern California clubs are our biggest compeitition anyway," Dalton said. "It's close to home for him, and he had some appeal. Plus he would be a big box-office attraction."

 

Said Bud Selig, Brewer owner: "We spent more time agonizing on Teddy Higuera than any single player in the 22-year history of the Brewers. The stakes are unblievable, but we felt we had to do it."

 

Higuera's decision leaves the Padres with a vacancy in their starting rotation, but perhaps more damaging is that they don't have the use of starter Greg Harris for trade bait.

 

"We still have plenty of other things we want to get done," McIlvaine said. "We have some holes to fuill."

 

The Padres, who also have holes at third base, second base and left field, still are involved in trade discussions with the Kansas City Royals in an attempt to acquire outfielder Danny Tartabull.

 

The Padres, according to sources, have offered to trade Bip Roberts to the Royals in exchange for Tartabull. It would provide the Padres with an everyday power-hitting left fielder, and the Royals with the leadoff hitter they desire.

 

But, McIlvaine said, the Royals might be reluctant to trade Tartabull until the conclusion of the NFL season. The Royals apparently want to make sure outfielder Bo Jackson finishes the Raiders season healthy, enabling them to trade Tartabull without the risk of also being without Jackson.

 

The Padres also had trade discussions with the Montreal Expos about outfielder Tim Raines, with the Baltimore Orioles about third baseman Craig Worthington and with the Boston Red Sox about right-handed reliever Wes Gardner.

 

Higuera was getting over 17% of the Brewers payroll in 1990, Braun is getting 12%. I believe Braun is still being affected by the hand injury just as Higuera was by his physical problems. This has little or nothing to do with steroids, in my opinion. The cryosurgery only ever treated the symptoms and didn't get at the base problem. Hopefully, this will get better over time. Even if it doesn't though, Braun can't be held liable for injuries in the line of duty.

 

I'm not even going to bother going back to the day Braun's contract was signed and see if those objectors today were doing the same then. I think we all know the answer to that.

[JJHardy7]

I'm not even going to bother going back to the day Braun's contract was signed and see if those objectors today were doing the same then. I think we all know the answer to that.

 

I agree with that. I did wonder (not sure if I posted it...doubt it) why Braun would want to sign that 2nd extension years before he had to. Are there other players that have done this? I know it is somewhat common for young players to sign extensions to buy out a year or two of free agency, but I think what Braun did was very, very rare. I think most of us thought he really likes the organization, Milwaukee, etc. I'm not so sure that was really the case any more.

 

Also, IMO just because most liked the deal at the time doesn't mean it was a good deal after it is all played out. I have a feeling Braun continually getting a pass and the benefit of the doubt will change at some point. I can't blame people for having some hope, but I just don't have it.

 

Thanks for posting that article as well. That was a great read.

[JJHardy7]

What is Brewers payroll this year? Is Braun currently at 12%? His salary jumps $7M to $20M next year.

 

If his salary is currently 12%, that means the current payroll is ~ $108.3M. Is that about right? That would mean if payroll increases 5% next year Braun would account for 17.6% next year. I am not sure if my assumptions are accurate.

 

ESPN has it at $99M.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/salaries/_/name/mil/milwaukee-brewers

 

If that is right, Braun is 13% this year and would be 19.2% next year (assuming 5% increase to payroll).

[logan82]

Braun is never paid more than $15m in any given year.

[lcbj68c]

Also, IMO just because most liked the deal at the time doesn't mean it was a good deal after it's all played out.

 

AFTER IT'S ALL PLAYED OUT...couldn't agree more! +1

[lcbj68c]

Braun is never paid more than $15m in any given year.

 

Not to mention that $15M in 2020 won't fetch talent near what it does today. $15M just won't be that overly cumbersome in a few years. Heck, Aramis Ramirez is nearly making that this year and it's not straining any part of the business operations. I can't imagine the financial committment it's going to take to come to a long term agreement with a Gilbert Lara, assuming he pans out as a superstar.

[brewcrewdue80]

 

How much would you pay Braun right now for his current and future production? Would you give him that 5 year $105M deal (for future production...not for what he did in 2006-2012)?

 

Braun's WAR last year was less than 1.0 (some as low as 0.3). It's not all that far off from Jeffery Hammonds actually. I don't know a ton about WAR, but to me if we signed Braun as a free agent the board would be going crazy about how poor he is playing and how much $$$ he is due.

 

 

See, here's the problem. You're calling the contract terrible and asking a hypothetical question on Today's Braun if someone would give him that contract. It's not the offseason we're less than 20games in to a season, it's great you're picking a current time to win your side of the argument and suggesting the Board would go crazy about that contract being handed out.

 

You mention the WAR being 1 or less. It wasn't on the account of his bat though which was quite well above replacement. It was on his defense, an OF spot he hadn't played in a season previously mind you and that dragged his WAR down. Now will Braun be the best defender? No but he can at least be a respectable avg that has no impact on his WAR and the offense instead is what dictates how high a WAR he'll get.

 

To pound on Braun at this juncture and conclude he's forever done; doom and gloom; when so many SuperStars are off to equally terrible starts doesn't stick right for me.

 

Just a list of Batters Under .200 right now: Chase Utley, Evan Gattis, Jose Bautista, Daniel Murphy, Jay Bruce, Michael Bourn, Russell Martin, ANDREW MCCUTCHEN(guess he's done) Adrian Beltre, Jimmy Rollins, Edwin Encarnacion, Albert Pujols, Mookie Betts, David Ortiz, Carlos Gonzalez

 

All those names under .200 on the season, Braun not one of them. Yes he's not hitting for XBH aside from 1 HR which gives him an OPS in the bottom 30 (28th worst) in Baseball. But it's early, he's hit balls to the warning track for outs.

 

This is a better topic to talk about when the AS break hits not the first drury month of the season almost all of Milw is having....It's just perfect timing right now for the side to argue Braun's Future contract can be the worst in franchise history due to the recent numbers he's having and pulling that it is what he's going to amount to from here on out because the past numbers MUST be thrown away due to the PED history.

[rondoman]

2015: $12 million

2016: $19 million

2017: $19 million

2018: $19 million

2019: $18 million

2020: $16 million

 

That's gonna hurt.

[clancyphile]

I'm willing to wait for the All-Star Break before hitting the panic button.

 

What's coming to mind for me is the situation the Chicago Bulls had with Derrick Rose - who also had two lost years due to injury. I fully expect that this year, Braun's going to have to regain his mechanics - much as Derrick Rose had to. There may even be some setbacks (Rose missed time in this most recent season due to a setback vis-a-vis his meniscus). Per the J-S, Braun's right side is still not 100% after that Opening Day injury - which was why he got a day off.

 

If he can post an .850 OPS over the whole 2015 season, and be closer to the 2007-2012 Braun in the second half, the contract will be okay.

[JJHardy7]

Also, IMO just because most liked the deal at the time doesn't mean it was a good deal AFTER ITS ALL PLAYED OUT.

 

Don't change my posts and then attempt to quote me. I get it...you disagree and that's fine.

 

Again, what is Braun worth now? Answer that question. I think it is interesting that almost every Brewer contract is awful, terrible, waste of money, etc, etc...but for Braun...different story. Really?

 

And I am not picking on this season only...it is early. Braun wasn't good last season. Fangraphs had his value last year as less than $6M.

 

Braun's contract calls for $20M next year...some is deferred...it is still due to him. So if you look at it that way Braun is paid through 2031.