Braun to the Rangers?

[chuckiehacks]

I don't think 10/5 rights will be a big deal. He already has a no-trade clause to all but his preferred destinations. As several people have mentioned, I think Braun would support the Brewers rebuild, and thus a trade. 10/5 doesn't mean he can't be traded, he just has to approve it. If an option came along to go to LA or SF, particularly if it was a deadline deal to a team in the pennant race, I think Braun would accept without issue. At worst, he'd negotiate to make the 2021 option guaranteed. That would likely increase the cash the Brewers send, or lessen the return, but it doesn't preclude a deal.

[monty57]

I don't think 10/5 rights will be a big deal. He already has a no-trade clause to all but his preferred destinations. As several people have mentioned, I think Braun would support the Brewers rebuild, and thus a trade. 10/5 doesn't mean he can't be traded, he just has to approve it. If an option came along to go to LA or SF, particularly if it was a deadline deal to a team in the pennant race, I think Braun would accept without issue. At worst, he'd negotiate to make the 2021 option guaranteed. That would likely increase the cash the Brewers send, or lessen the return, but it doesn't preclude a deal.

 

It would make trading him a lot more difficult. It's possible he would tell Stearns that he's fine with a trade to the Dodgers or some other team, but unless he expressly gives Stearns the go-ahead, there is no reason Stearns should pursue a trade of a player with full no trade rights.

 

Additionally, any team trading for Braun would be most interested in this year. Every year older he gets makes him a little less valuable, and the final years of the contract are likely to be his worst years. Therefore, the longer you wait, the less you'll get in return, and I don't think the return would be huge right now without us eating a bunch of money. There are plenty of formerly great players who are a shadow of their former selves by the time their contract runs out. I hope Braun will still be decent by the time his contract is over, but he very likely won't be nearly as good as he is right now.

 

Finally, if we are looking at potentially trading him in the future vs today, every day he plays there is a chance of injury. There is no reason to take that risk if the goal is to trade him.

 

Basically, if you are looking to trade him, you do it before opening day. Otherwise, I'll assume he's going to be a Brewer for life.

[mrn1ceguy]

I don't think 10/5 rights will be a big deal. He already has a no-trade clause to all but his preferred destinations. As several people have mentioned, I think Braun would support the Brewers rebuild, and thus a trade. 10/5 doesn't mean he can't be traded, he just has to approve it. If an option came along to go to LA or SF, particularly if it was a deadline deal to a team in the pennant race, I think Braun would accept without issue. At worst, he'd negotiate to make the 2021 option guaranteed. That would likely increase the cash the Brewers send, or lessen the return, but it doesn't preclude a deal.

 

It would make trading him a lot more difficult. It's possible he would tell Stearns that he's fine with a trade to the Dodgers or some other team, but unless he expressly gives Stearns the go-ahead, there is no reason Stearns should pursue a trade of a player with full no trade rights.

 

Additionally, any team trading for Braun would be most interested in this year. Every year older he gets makes him a little less valuable, and the final years of the contract are likely to be his worst years. Therefore, the longer you wait, the less you'll get in return, and I don't think the return would be huge right now without us eating a bunch of money. There are plenty of formerly great players who are a shadow of their former selves by the time their contract runs out. I hope Braun will still be decent by the time his contract is over, but he very likely won't be nearly as good as he is right now.

 

Finally, if we are looking at potentially trading him in the future vs today, every day he plays there is a chance of injury. There is no reason to take that risk if the goal is to trade him.

 

Basically, if you are looking to trade him, you do it before opening day. Otherwise, I'll assume he's going to be a Brewer for life.

 

While I agree with you in principal, all Braun has to do is to keep performing to change that. Every day he keeps performing well and is healthy, the track record of performance grows longer and the money committed to him goes down. I look at what Carlos Beltran was able to be traded for with lat year with an expiring contract. If Braun performs productively and with good health into the 2018 trade deadline or through the 2018 season, I think he would give us a better return then what we could get know. But, those are very big ifs.