What could Braun bring from the Dodgers?

[pacopete4]

I think Tor makes sense for Braun. They lose there big bats , and replace them with Braun who can play LF and DH to stay healthy. Maybe Pentecost and Harris or something like that.

 

No way does Braun accept going to Toronto. Maybe Toronto would like him but he isn't going anywhere east of Milwaukee and definitely not Canada.

[JosephC]

Hard to believe the Blue Jays would let Bautista get away since they are contenders and how good he's been for that organization. But the talk mid-season was that he has put a high price tag on himself and may have priced his way out of Toronto. Haven't heard that much about Encarnacion lately, but if both Bautista and Encarnacion leave then Braun is a perfect fit there. Michael Saunders is also a free agent which could open both corner outfield spots, but I'd think Toronto would like to have him back and it wouldn't break the bank to bring him back either. They'd have Bautista and Encarnacion's money off the books this year, then Upton's money off the books next year. The only concern with Braun's contract is if it would mess with a Donaldson extension but it doesn't appear that it would.

 

Only question is if playing in Canada would freak Braun out and cause him to veto a trade. Just looking purely at the team it seems like a good spot to land. A couple real promising young pitchers in Sanchez and Stroman, they have the look of guys who could be cornerstones of the rotation for years to come. J.A. Happ pitched really well for them. Estrada and Liriano are free agents after next year but the rotation looks set for 2017 and should be OK after that with Sanchez and Stroman. Tulowitzki may not be the superstar he once was but after a .254/.318/.443/.761 season at the plate and playing plus defense he is still a 2 to 3 WAR player. No commentary needed on Josh Donaldson. They don't figure to be a bad team anytime soon, even considering the division they are in, and look like a pretty decent spot to land if playing for a good ballclub is a priority.

 

If a proposal were to come and Braun was open to playing in Canada he would for sure demand that the option year become a player option which increases the guaranteed portion of the contract by 11 million dollars. So the Brewers would likely be forced to pick up more money. It would be interesting to see if the Blue Jays would want to dump Melvin Upton on Milwaukee. He was terrible after being traded to Toronto but had a pretty good first half with the Padres...he still has value but Toronto might just look to move on and pick a cheaper option. I wouldn't mind getting him back in a trade. It's only a one year commitment and apparently there were many teams interested in trading for him this last season before the deal was done with Toronto.

[And That]

he isn't going anywhere east of Milwaukee and definitely not Canada.

Miami has regularly been on his list of teams he'd accept a trade to. Washington and Tampa were in 2015 as well.

[JosephC]

I think Tor makes sense for Braun. They lose there big bats , and replace them with Braun who can play LF and DH to stay healthy. Maybe Pentecost and Harris or something like that.

 

No way does Braun accept going to Toronto. Maybe Toronto would like him but he isn't going anywhere east of Milwaukee and definitely not Canada.

 

I don't think east/west plays any role in Braun's decision because Miami has not been on his no-trade list. But I do think north/south could play a big role which could exclude the Blue Jays. Best guess is that Braun would probably approve a deal (using the option year as leverage) to places like Atlanta, Texas, Houston. But places like Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, etc...those become questionable. Yankees and Red Sox probably the two big exceptions because they are the Yankees and Red Sox. Probably would be OK with going to the Cubs too considering how good they are.

[adambr2]

http://baseballdocs.sportsblog.com/posts/26299215/creating-a-ryan-braun-yasiel-puig-trade-package.html

 

Some hypothetical Braun to Dodgers trades from Baseball Docs.

 

Dodgers Get: OF Ryan Braun, Cash

 

Brewers Get: OF Yasiel Puig, 1B/OF Cody Bellinger, P Brandon McCarthy($11MM)

 

OR

 

Dodgers Get: OF Ryan Braun, Cash($6MM from Brewers per year), IF Jonathan Villar?

 

Brewers Get: OF Yasiel Puig, 2B Willie Calhoun, P Jordan Sheffield, P Jacob Rhame

 

 

The first deal looks pretty good to me. I'm not crazy about the 2nd, don't like trading Villar away as a secondary piece.

[pacopete4]

The first one is on the right track probably. Add another prospect, probably a pitcher, and go for it.

[MrTPlush]

Braun's list of teams he would be traded to are either close to home(California etc.) or Miami since he played college ball there. Rays probably were in there just because they would never trade for him and I think the year the Nats were on there it would make no sense for them to trade for him.

 

As for Canada...not going to happen. I highly doubt he wants his kid(s) going to school in a different country. Even if it is only Pre-K or Kindergarten. Not to mention it would make quite a hassle for his family to come or go.

[BrewBalls]

I'm all for trading Braun and Thornburg for Puig, McCarthy and some combination of De Leon/Bellinger, Sheffield/Barnes/Lux and a couple of lower level lottery tickets. The hope is Puig and McCarthy can produce early next season so Stearns can flip them for more prospects and continue to stockpile our farm system.

 

It would be unwise to trade the face of our franchise, the most beloved player since Robin Yount, for two guys who you hope Stearns can flip. The flip talk drives me crazy. It isn't as easy as most think to "flip" other players. I hope Braun stays a Brewer, but is seems to me like we are going to have that idiot Puig on our opening day roster one way or another.

In BrewBalls defense, he said to flip Puig and McCarthy. His proposal is adding a top 20ish pitcher in De Leon or a top 50 guy in Bellinger (plus a couple of other guys who are probably on the cusp of the Top 100 area). So the real prize is a potential top of the rotation arm.

 

Personally, I'd be all over that deal - but I'm skeptical that the Dodgers are offering that much on the prospect end. But that's just my guess.

 

I get the backlash for not wanting to add Puig or McCarthy to next season's opening day roster but both COULD provide some value and play well enough to garner a decent return at the trade deadline. Would I put money on this happening? No, but that doesn't mean it still couldn't happen if the chips fell our way. My main goal is to get as much talent from the Dodgers while they are in a clear "win now" mode. If we have to take on two bad contracts then so be it. If Puig is a locker room cancer or struggles, I am confident Stearns would be willing to cut ties and eat his pretty palatable salary. It would be very similar to the Brewers picking up a portion of Braun's remaining contract to facilitate a trade. McCarthy is a good pitcher, when healthy, and should at least provide some veteran leadership to our younger pitchers. If he cannot stay healthy, then again we can simply cut him and eat his salary while still keeping our payroll under $75MM.

[splitterpfj]

http://baseballdocs.sportsblog.com/posts/26299215/creating-a-ryan-braun-yasiel-puig-trade-package.html

 

Some hypothetical Braun to Dodgers trades from Baseball Docs.

 

Dodgers Get: OF Ryan Braun, Cash

 

Brewers Get: OF Yasiel Puig, 1B/OF Cody Bellinger, P Brandon McCarthy($11MM)

 

OR

 

Dodgers Get: OF Ryan Braun, Cash($6MM from Brewers per year), IF Jonathan Villar?

 

Brewers Get: OF Yasiel Puig, 2B Willie Calhoun, P Jordan Sheffield, P Jacob Rhame

 

 

The first deal looks pretty good to me. I'm not crazy about the 2nd, don't like trading Villar away as a secondary piece.

 

I wouldn't expect the first deal, because I think the Brewers will get at least one pitching prospect from LA. I wouldn't expect the second deal, because I think the Brewers will keep Villar for now - of the two, I would consider this one the more likely.

 

Who knows if the conversation starts exactly where it left off, but the reports, if accurate, were Braun and money for Puig, McCarthy, and two prospects. I still don't buy Puig as a "big" part of this trade, neither his recent play, his health history, or his attitude warrant a team chasing him. The only time Puig put up numbers lately was when the Dodgers platooned him - that's not a, "must have" for me.

[MrTPlush]

Taking on Puig is a risk, but it isn't like he is the first problematic player we have had in the clubhouse. We kept bringing K-Rod in here, we brought in Nyjer Morgan, and we have had Ryan Braun in the locker room for years. I can assure you there were probably a lot of negative feelings around the clubhouse when it came to those guys sometimes. The concern with Puig specifically is it seemed he really drove some players nuts. I think part of that is on the Dodgers and some of that on Puig. I am sure the Brewers have a plan in place if they were to acquire Puig. I don't think they would bring him in if they didn't have a good idea how to make him a clubhouse guy. Now you may never fix some on the field antics, but who cares? That is a small price to pay if he is performing at a high level. If he becomes a 3.5WAR player he can get into scuffles and miss a few games all he wants.

[splitterpfj]

If he becomes a 3.5WAR player he can get into scuffles and miss a few games all he wants.

 

Sure, but what if he's the 1.3 WAR pain in the butt he has been for the last two years?

 

If he's a key guy in the trade, I'd rather keep Ryan Braun for another year.

[Point Beer Is Best]

I don't know if this has been brought up yet, but if it's true that a) Braun's 10/5 rights vest in May and b) Braun submits his no-trade clause each offseason, is it possible he will add the Dodgers to his no-trade clause in order to increase his leverage to get his 2021 option guaranteed? I remember being one of the only ones who was afraid that Lucroy would exercise his no-trade to veto the Indians trade because it made so much sense for him personally to do so, but the Braun situation is a little different.

 

While I assume he wants to play for the Dodgers, it makes all the business sense in the world for him to put the Dodgers on his no-trade list even if he realistically won't exercise it. The PR hit he would take probably doesn't make it worth it either (fans of both teams would see it as a selfish act).

[splitterpfj]

I don't know if this has been brought up yet, but if it's true that a) Braun's 10/5 rights vest in May and b) Braun submits his no-trade clause each offseason, is it possible he will add the Dodgers to his no-trade clause in order to increase his leverage to get his 2021 option guaranteed? I remember being one of the only ones who was afraid that Lucroy would exercise his no-trade to veto the Indians trade because it made so much sense for him personally to do so, but the Braun situation is a little different.

 

While I assume he wants to play for the Dodgers, it makes all the business sense in the world for him to put the Dodgers on his no-trade list even if he realistically won't exercise it. The PR hit he would take probably doesn't make it worth it either (fans of both teams would see it as a selfish act).

 

Yes, this is entirely possible.

 

I don't expect him to make it difficult for himself to go home to LA, but he certainly could do that.

[LouisEly]

Braun is limited to 23 teams, meaning there are six he cannot put on the list. Adding the Dodgers means taking another team off, which presents risks of being traded to that team.

 

You have a team in LA where he is from and has his home who is a legitimate pennant contender. No better situation to ride out the end of your career than that. Why risk it? He's making $100M guaranteed, I don't know that he'll risk happiness for an additional $15M.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'd prefer Grandal over Puig in any deal with LA. A rationale for dealing Braun ostensibly is to make room for an OF of Brinson, Broxton and Santana in the short term and Ray, Clark and Brinson in the long term. Grandal is only controllable through 2018, but they could explore an extension or deal him next offseason and he gives them a much need power boost from the left side in the short term. So Grandal, Bellinger, and McCarthy and a low level arm for Braun and Maldonado might work for me.

[MrTPlush]

I'd prefer Grandal over Puig in any deal with LA.

 

Yah sorry the Dodgers are a contending team. Not only is that seriously hurting the entire point of trading for Braun(boost the offense), but they have no back up plan if they were to trade Grandal. The only reason they are trading Puig is because he is expendable, but still has value. I bet a lot of people would prefer Grandal, but it isn't happening.

[tmwiese55]

Right, I'd actually prefer Kershaw and if not him then Urias, but it's not happening.

[MKE81]

I'd prefer Grandal over Puig in any deal with LA.

 

Yah sorry the Dodgers are a contending team. Not only is that seriously hurting the entire point of trading for Braun(boost the offense), but they have no back up plan if they were to trade Grandal. The only reason they are trading Puig is because he is expendable, but still has value. I bet a lot of people would prefer Grandal, but it isn't happening.

I can't believe this actually required an explanation. Additionally, a LH power boost to our 2017 accomplishes nothing. The Brewers trading Puig will bring back a much better return than us trading Grandal. I must be in the minority of people who want Puig over Grandal. I'd rather have Puig with Austin Barnes in the trade than take on Grandal for 1-1.5 seasons.

[Boomer5]

I dont want any part of Puig and I have no idea why anyone here would, either. We have plenty of young, talented, cheap OF'ers that we could flip if that was the goal.

 

I can see a Braun for Puig plus a bad contract, and no way is that a step forward for Milwaukee.

 

I am not a fan of Braun the man or the contract but I like both more than I like Puig.

[billymac]

Sucks that the Cubs advanced to the World Series, the good that comes of it is that the Dodgers clearly could use a middle of the order bat and experience in LF. Hoping the Dodgers try and fill that void with Braun in a couple weeks.

[adambr2]

I dont want any part of Puig and I have no idea why anyone here would, either.

 

Because he's 25, has more raw talent than anyone on our roster, and was one of the best players in MLB at an age when most players haven't even hit Double A.

 

I do get why people are scared off by his immaturity concerns, but especially given where we are at right now as a franchise, it shouldn't be hard to see why people are intrigued by the idea IMO.

[MKE81]

I dont want any part of Puig and I have no idea why anyone here would, either.

 

Because he's 25, has more raw talent than anyone on our roster, and was one of the best players in MLB at an age when most players haven't even hit Double A.

 

I do get why people are scared off by his immaturity concerns, but especially given where we are at right now as a franchise, it shouldn't be hard to see why people are intrigued by the idea IMO.

Of course I agree with this. I would love to keep Braun the rest of his contract but it absolutely makes sense as why the Brewers would trade him for Puig. Braun can only be traded to a small number of teams without his approval (plus LA area is his home). Puig can be traded to any team. Braun is 33 next season and Puig 26. Braun has 4-5yrs remaining vs Puig 3yrs at half the price (McCarthy 2yrs remaining) - so all of Braun's money will be off the table within 2yrs instead of 4-5. If Puig bounces back to his All Star ability of 300/380/880+ over the next 1-2yrs he'll bring back a great haul of top tier talent given his age. He's playing to get paid massively so he'll have plenty of motivation along with a change of scenery to a young team where he somewhat becomes "the man". The return for Puig at this point would be greater than whatever we'd get for Braun.

 

In 2017, Puig isn't blocking any prospect from playing. The season starts with Santana/Broxton/Puig and still needing a 4th OF. Brinson turns 23 in May and has only played in 31 AAA games over career. He can play the entire year in AAA then start in CF in 2018 with the Brewers OR, more likely to happen, he'll be up at some point next season if he's performing well in AAA. At that point there's the potential to trade someone or just run with a 4 man OF as everyone will still get plenty of ABs that way Brinson can be eased in. 2018 is the year it would become an issue if nobody is traded as we'd have those 4 + Cordell and possibly Phillips. Reality is several OFs will be traded over the course of the next 3yrs or so (I think Puig, Broxton will for sure be gone - Broxton because he's 27 in May). It's just a matter of who the others will be as room will continually need to be created with Ray and Clark following all the other guys. This doesn't even include Liriano if he's back next year given he just started playing in winter ball. The highest performing OFs will be staying here.

 

Carter is at 1b in 2017 (most likely) and people have mentioned Santana moving to 1b after that but what about Cordell? He played 49 games in the IF in 2015 (33 3b, 14 SS, 2 1b), is more athletic than Santana and is a 6'4 target. I actually think none of our OFs end up playing 1b but these two are the most likely candidates if that does happen.

[pacopete4]

Braun should be paired with Guerra in the trade because their pitching staff isn't that good either.

[brewerfan82]

Braun should be paired with Guerra in the trade because their pitching staff isn't that good either.

I would be okay with a trade that included Guerra if the return was right. I wouldn't be surprised if the Brewers were pushing for a return at the waiver deadline that included Puig, McCarthy, and DeLeon+, but the Dodgers needed a pitcher back for depth if they lost DeLeon. At the waiver deadline Guerra wouldn't have been available, so that could heave held things up at the time, but would be possible to discuss further this offseason.

 

That said, if the Brewers are dealing a prime player in Braun (who's contract is offset some by taking on McCarthy) and an effective, inexpensive, and controlled (albeit older) pitcher in Guerra, the last piece in the return should be a pretty solid prospect as well. Otherwise, you're basically swapping about 9 years worth of two guys who have shown success at the major league level in Braun and Guerra for about 9 years worth of two very talented, but not as proven (or at least not as consistently proven) players in Puig and DeLeon. So the level of prospect added to the end of that return could really make the deal.

 

Then again, the value of almost every player included in that deal is so disputed and scattered depending on who you talk to, who knows what's close to what Stearns and the Dodgers' GM consider a fair trade.

[patrickgpe]

bleacher report suggests that the Braun trade could be

 

LAD: Braun

MIL: Puig / McCarthy, 2B Willie Calhoun (#4 MLB Pipeline), SP Brock Stewart (#14 MLB Pipeline)