Braun trade value now

[PlayerHader]

Yes, but he was a punk when they drafted him. He was the best pick available at that time, and luckily they turned him around for some valuable pieces. But he's the most reviled Brewer of all time. Was it worth it?

 

What valuable pieces did the Brewers get for Sheffield?

 

Are you talking about the great Matt Mieske? or better yet the ace Ricky Bones? or the hall of famer Jose Valentin?

 

Which one of those were a valuable piece again?

 

Ricky Bones was an all star.

 

Somebody had to be that year.

[HighHeat19]

If I'm David Stearns, I would be trying to create a bidding war with the Giants and Dodgers for Braun right now!

 

A. Braun cannot block a trade to either team.

 

B. You essentially have 2 teams who are on Braun's trade-to list who just happen to be in a very tight race. This really is the perfect storm for the Brewers in regards to a bidding war.

 

C. Braun is an instant upgrade for either team as the Dodgers are extremely weak in left (Kendrick) and the Giants in Right (Blanco).

 

D. Braun and a combo of either Guerra or Nelson can literally tip the division instantly to either the Giants or Dodgers and both teams know it.

 

E. The Giants and the Dodgers each have a great farm system that includes some great young arms.

 

I know the Ryan Braun chatter has been quiet, but Braun to either team makes way too much sense.

[dacrew101]

If Braun is to be traded, I don't think it'll be until winter. I don't expect him to be traded though, don't think Mark has the balls to do it

[MrTPlush]

If Braun is to be traded, I don't think it'll be until winter. I don't expect him to be traded though, don't think Mark has the balls to do it

 

I don't think that is it. I think the problem is getting enough back to trade arguably the best player we have had since Yount and quite possibly the best we will see for decades(never know obviously). Braun is still a good player and still a fan favorite/marketable locally even if less than before. Trading that while paying a good chunk of his contract for good but not elite prospects may not make sense.

 

It probably isn't that he is scared to trade Braun, but more the simple fact the value coming back may not be there.

[dacrew101]

Agreed, doubt any team is going to make a serious offer for him

[UMBrewer]

Yes, but he was a punk when they drafted him. He was the best pick available at that time, and luckily they turned him around for some valuable pieces. But he's the most reviled Brewer of all time. Was it worth it?

 

What valuable pieces did the Brewers get for Sheffield?

 

Are you talking about the great Matt Mieske? or better yet the ace Ricky Bones? or the hall of famer Jose Valentin?

 

Which one of those were a valuable piece again?

 

Bones gave the Brewers 8.6 WAR with 2 really nice seasons. And Valentin 11.2. Those numbers arent too awful. They were both starters, and they both were contributors to teams that were a) run by the Seligs, and b) never had a chance.

[monty57]

If Braun is to be traded, I don't think it'll be until winter. I don't expect him to be traded though, don't think Mark has the balls to do it

 

I don't think that is it. I think the problem is getting enough back to trade arguably the best player we have had since Yount and quite possibly the best we will see for decades(never know obviously). Braun is still a good player and still a fan favorite/marketable locally even if less than before. Trading that while paying a good chunk of his contract for good but not elite prospects may not make sense.

 

It probably isn't that he is scared to trade Braun, but more the simple fact the value coming back may not be there.

 

Well said.

 

We don't need the salary relief, and with Braun in the 3-hole, our offense will be passable, even when Lucroy is traded. I still think Braun could be traded, but only if we get a really good return for him. If he's traded, I think it will be in a deal where the Brewers eat a good chunk of his salary and get impact player(s) back in return... a couple of guys who will be big parts of the next "core."

 

Ideally (for me), both Lucroy and Braun are traded for big returns, we "punt" on 2017, letting the kids play, and are able to start to regain respectability again (in large part due to the prospects we get from Braun and Lucroy) in 2018.

 

The worst case in this situation would be to take a junk return just to clear salary. Thankfully, that won't happen. Holding onto him because we can't get impact players back in return may not be what I would prefer, but it is not a terrible option.

[adambr2]

I agree. I think with Braun we've probably reached an impasse where we are not willing to let him go cheap because he's still really good, and other teams are not willing to meet our price because of his PED history and injury concerns.

 

It's not that we aren't willing to trade Braun, but the gap between what we perceive as his value and what other teams perceive is just too great right now.

[MrTPlush]

There just isn't a lot of motivation to move Braun unless we get an incredible package for him. I am sure the Brewers would love to save $80mil or whatever, but not that badly. Something no one mentions, but might be a big reason they don't feel the need to trade him is the lack of impact he will have on the payroll. He is our only commitment long term that is expensive. Unless we go on some $500mil shopping spree here in the next few years I doubt his contract limits from doing anything.

 

If you ask me we shouldn't be maxing out our payroll until after 2020. At that point guys like Davies/Nelson/Villar could be on extensions making big money, we probably signed a couple nice free agents, and some young guys are in arbitration. Before then we will have a lot of cheap controllable guys or any FAs we sign can easily have their contract backloaded a bit until Braun is off the books.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I agree. I think with Braun we've probably reached an impasse where we are not willing to let him go cheap because he's still really good, and other teams are not willing to meet our price because of his PED history and injury concerns.

 

It's not that we aren't willing to trade Braun, but the gap between what we perceive as his value and what other teams perceive is just too great right now.

 

Couldn't have said it better. And thing is, I think both sides are right.

 

Sure the Brewers would like to move him as we are rebuilding, but Braun continues to produce year in and year out, and at about $17-20M over the next 4 years he is at or better than market value for his production. At the same time, he is in the only city in MLB who's fans will still embrace him and would be sad (to whatever degree) to see him go. Any other team would worry about his reception - although I think those worries would disappear quickly if he hit .315/.380/.500 the rest of the season for them. The intangibles make him worth just a bit more to MKE, and a bit less anywhere else, so I doubt he goes anywhere.

[reillymcshane]

Another thing about Braun is that with his contract, he could be a guy that goes through waivers in August. If that happens that might make him even more valuable since he would be one of the few quality bats on the market. Of course, there has to be a team who needs him.

[MrTPlush]

Another thing about Braun is that with his contract, he could be a guy that goes through waivers in August. If that happens that might make him even more valuable since he would be one of the few quality bats on the market. Of course, there has to be a team who needs him.

 

Then you run into the problem of teams blocking a trade. We all know the Brewers won't just salary dump him so I imagine a team would claim him just so another team couldn't.

[igor67]

He also might be more valuable in the offseason, a little less contract length and a team trading for him might view him more a cheaper option then whatever megadeals are going on in the offseason. On the PED side I think it is a lot closer to being a nonissue then an issue at this point. A number of other offenders have been traded since. Also if he goes the entire year more or less healthy that addresses some of those issues.

[Austin Tatious]

I agree. I think with Braun we've probably reached an impasse where we are not willing to let him go cheap because he's still really good, and other teams are not willing to meet our price because of his PED history and injury concerns.

 

It's not that we aren't willing to trade Braun, but the gap between what we perceive as his value and what other teams perceive is just too great right now.

 

Great post. That's where I am.

[reillymcshane]

Another thing about Braun is that with his contract, he could be a guy that goes through waivers in August. If that happens that might make him even more valuable since he would be one of the few quality bats on the market. Of course, there has to be a team who needs him.

 

Then you run into the problem of teams blocking a trade. We all know the Brewers won't just salary dump him so I imagine a team would claim him just so another team couldn't.

This would be a fascinating situation. If a team claimed Braun, would the Brewers just let him go? My initial reaction is 'no'. And the team has said things about not being willing to deal braun just to save salary. But that sentiment probably should be taken with a grain of salt. Of course they'll say that. They don't want to suppress his trade value.

 

But given the chance to get out of his contract - roughly about $80M - would the team just be willing to let him walk? You could argue that the money saved (which was really only $15M annually due to deferred cash) could be used to fill other holes in the team.

 

Just a thought.

[MillerParkSouth]

I don't think any team would put a claim in because of his perceived "bad" contract, but that would be an interesting game of chicken between the claiming team and the Brewers.

[TURBO]

Who actually thinks Braun has a BAD contract? I see it mentioned a lot, but compare his contract to other players of his ability. I think his contract is a bargain at today's prices.

[jjfanec]

Who actually thinks Braun has a BAD contract? I see it mentioned a lot, but compare his contract to other players of his ability. I think his contract is a bargain at today's prices.

 

This

[A Swing and A Drive]

Braun has a market value contract. That's why no team will give us anything via trade for him, because they could simply land a free agent in the off-season without as many warts.

[splitterpfj]

Wondering about the PED thing .... that's fair.

 

Wondering about future health issues .... that's fair.

 

Writers going on about how Braun is in the first year of a five-year extension he signed way back in 2011 .... completely invalid.

 

Braun's contract isn't bad in total value at all, a lot of guys his age, who signed as free agents, wind up being overpaid at the end of the deal, some, far worse than what may happen with Braun.

 

The Brewers can't get a king's ransom for Braun at this point - but he's worth plenty.

[MillerParkSouth]

I said "bad" because I see his contract listed in the media a lot as an impediment to him getting traded, which is of course ridiculous since he'd get far more if he were a FA this offseason.

[reillymcshane]

Braun's contract isn't bad - it's just large. Some teams can afford that, some cannot. And some teams just don't need him, or they'd rather spend their money in other ways. Add in his injury history, age the contract runs through, and many teams would probably pass on adding him.

 

It does only take one team to claim him, but I don't know if anyone will. But that's just a guess. No one knows until it really happens (or not).

[reillymcshane]

I said "bad" because I see his contract listed in the media a lot as an impediment to him getting traded, which is of course ridiculous since he'd get far more if he were a FA this offseason.

If Braun was a free agent after this season, I don't know if someone would pay him $19M a year ($4M deferred) for four years. Someone probably would, but I don't think it's any sort of slam dunk.

[tmwiese55]

I don't think any team would hesitate to claim out of fear that we'll let him go and they'll be "saddled" with that contract. I think most would say, why not if they give him to us we'll take him. Either way, they know we'd just pull him back anyway.

[fondybrewfan]

If he stays absolutely healthy the rest of the year I do think it would be a slam dunk that he would get at least 4/80 in todays environment. Probably even more than that. The PED stuff is a couple years in the rearview mirror and at least so far this year has been healthier. No DL stints or other absences for more than 4-5 games that I can recall.