What could Braun bring from anyone? (2017 version)

[adambr2]

Embarrassing. Dude can't even last a a couple innings.

 

 

I guess I'm confused on this. What's embarrassing about it? Disappointing or frustrating that he can't play but embarrasing is a weird way to put it. I doubt Braun wants to continue to be hurt.

 

You wouldn't be embarrassed if you were a professional formerly great baseball player making $19M who can't stay healthy for any extended period of time?

 

Alright, look. What I'm going to say here is controversial, but it's my opinion, and I'm going to get it out there. I know you're a big Brewer supporter, but I also know you're a big Braun supporter, and I have to ask -- why?

 

I have no sympathy for the guy, I have sympathy for the fans and organization that he stole from. Braun signed a $105M extension way, way in advance of the norm, under false pretenses knowing he was a user and would risk his long term earnings if caught. For all I know, he used all the way going back to his Miami days -- think it's a coincidence how quickly his body is breaking down at only 33?

 

The early extension, the vehement denials and lies to the fans. The smearing of the collector. And then the heartfelt 'I made a mistake. ' Yeah, you got caught. The good guy persona that I don't buy for s second.

 

I was an enormous Braun fan back in the day, was my favorite player and I'd argue til I was blue in the face against anyone that said Prince was our franchise player. After his 'acquittal', I wrote a very passionate blog blasting anyone who was questioning whether his acquittal was correct and blasting MLB for their wild goose chase.

 

No more. The guy has long since lost the benefit of the doubt, is a pretty sorry representative of a franchise player, and I wish we had moved on while we had a shot too. I still root for him, but only inasmuch as I want my team to win.

 

Perhaps if he did what you had suggested, retiring early, I'd gain a lot of respect back for him. But I'll be frank -- there is no chance of that happening, none. He will sit back and collect every penny from us, whether he turns into a 120 game a year player or a 50 game a year player.

 

That's my vent.

[Oxy]

Puig and McCarthy for Braun alone would look great right now. Too late.

 

Sadly yes. I'm not losing sleep over not having those two though.

 

Well put. If we end up keeping Braun and making the playoffs before he retires, holding onto him will be the best non-move Stearns ever didn't make.

[MrTPlush]

Puig and McCarthy for Braun alone would look great right now. Too late.

 

Sadly yes. I'm not losing sleep over not having those two though.

 

Well put. If we end up keeping Braun and making the playoffs before he retires, holding onto him will be the best non-move Stearns ever didn't make.

 

Even if he plays 90 games and is worth 1 WAR? Maybe negative with defense considered? Still a good move?

[pacopete4]

I guess I'm confused on this. What's embarrassing about it? Disappointing or frustrating that he can't play but embarrasing is a weird way to put it. I doubt Braun wants to continue to be hurt.

 

You wouldn't be embarrassed if you were a professional formerly great baseball player making $19M who can't stay healthy for any extended period of time?

 

No. Not if I was doing everything in my power to play the game and it seems as though he is. He looks to be in great shape but just can't stay healthy. There is absolutely nothing embarrassing about that. This is where you grudge shows through.

 

Alright, look. What I'm going to say here is controversial, but it's my opinion, and I'm going to get it out there. I know you're a big Brewer supporter, but I also know you're a big Braun supporter, and I have to ask -- why?

 

I have no sympathy for the guy, I have sympathy for the fans and organization that he stole from. Braun signed a $105M extension way, way in advance of the norm, under false pretenses knowing he was a user and would risk his long term earnings if caught. For all I know, he used all the way going back to his Miami days -- think it's a coincidence how quickly his body is breaking down at only 33?

 

The early extension, the vehement denials and lies to the fans. The smearing of the collector. And then the heartfelt 'I made a mistake. ' Yeah, you got caught. The good guy persona that I don't buy for s second.

 

Braun stole nothing. Melvin liked to sign guys early to contracts before they got out of hand. Braun signed his and is about market value for the player he is. You act like he was being paid millions while being one of the best players on the planet. He was offered a $100 million bucks and took it. Good for him.

 

I was an enormous Braun fan back in the day, was my favorite player and I'd argue til I was blue in the face against anyone that said Prince was our franchise player. After his 'acquittal', I wrote a very passionate blog blasting anyone who was questioning whether his acquittal was correct and blasting MLB for their wild goose chase.

 

No more. The guy has long since lost the benefit of the doubt, is a pretty sorry representative of a franchise player, and I wish we had moved on while we had a shot too. I still root for him, but only inasmuch as I want my team to win.

 

Perhaps if he did what you had suggested, retiring early, I'd gain a lot of respect back for him. But I'll be frank -- there is no chance of that happening, none. He will sit back and collect every penny from us, whether he turns into a 120 game a year player or a 50 game a year player.

 

That's my vent.

 

This is the other part I never understand from people. We make such a huge deal over a person doing a drug in a game. Is it wrong? Sure it is. Was it even worse to continue the lie?Yep. I don't think anyone is disagreeing with that and I believe Braun when he says he regrets doing that. People grow up, they learn, they advance, they mature. Have you never made a mistake in your life? I know I have. A lot of people have and it wasn't played out in front of a national audience. The dude was in his 20's and he butchered his own last name. How do you not have some sympathy for that? We are all human. He has every right to continue to make the right choices and work his butt off to right that ship and every indication we've seen from him, the Brewers, their owner, the GM's... he has. Even him having a family now has turned him into a new man. I know for one I am a completely different person at 33 (the same age as Braun) than I was when I was mid 20's. Does everyone get their life in order at the same stage? Nope. I will forgive him and have. Not that he needs my forgiveness.

 

A lot of fans, like yourself, who have the feelings you just shared will probably never see it this way and that is fine. But by even your post above, it is time to let it go. Can't change the past, and he's doing the best to help shape his future. Even if that is from the DL.

[Oxy]

Even if he plays 90 games and is worth 1 WAR? Maybe negative with defense considered? Still a good move?

 

When he hits a bases clearing double to win game 6 in the NLCS, yes. A good move. We can't trade him for known MLB roster filler. It's either young high ceiling prospects or we hold onto him.

[adambr2]

Puig and McCarthy for Braun alone would look great right now. Too late.

 

Sadly yes. I'm not losing sleep over not having those two though.

 

Well put. If we end up keeping Braun and making the playoffs before he retires, holding onto him will be the best non-move Stearns ever didn't make.

 

Why? We might make the playoffs before Braun retires -- doesn't mean he will have much to do with it. And trading him certainly wouldn't have prevented us from making the playoffs before 2021.

[adambr2]

Even if he plays 90 games and is worth 1 WAR? Maybe negative with defense considered? Still a good move?

 

When he hits a bases clearing double to win game 6 in the NLCS, yes. A good move. We can't trade him for known MLB roster filler. It's either young high ceiling prospects or we hold onto him.

 

And that's going to happen because? Thatt's no more likely to happen than with any other player in the lineup. Probably less so with Braun since he's less likely to actually be available for an NLCS.

 

The days of trading him for young ceiling prospects has passed, that isn't happening. Not unless he can go on a good consistently healthy streak and even then teams will be wary .

[Boomer5]

He is headed to the DL. Again.

 

According to Tom.

[Boomer5]

Even if he plays 90 games and is worth 1 WAR? Maybe negative with defense considered? Still a good move?

 

When he hits a bases clearing double to win game 6 in the NLCS, yes. A good move. We can't trade him for known MLB roster filler. It's either young high ceiling prospects or we hold onto him.

 

And that's going to happen because? Thatt's no more likely to happen than with any other player in the lineup. Probably less so with Braun since he's less likely to actually be available for an NLCS.

 

The days of trading him for young ceiling prospects has passed, that isn't happening. Not unless he can go on a good consistently healthy streak and even then teams will be wary .

 

We aren't getting anything of value back for Braun unless we eat most of the contract and the Dodgers think they are a bat away from a WS title.

 

He is at $19 mil and at 2 WAR, he is a negative value player. Which is why he hasn't been traded.

 

He can't play a week in a row and he still has 3 more years in his contract after this, so that's that.

 

As they say, /thread

[pacopete4]

He is headed to the DL. Again.

 

According to Tom.

 

 

At least they're not messing around this time.

[MrTPlush]

Even if he plays 90 games and is worth 1 WAR? Maybe negative with defense considered? Still a good move?

 

When he hits a bases clearing double to win game 6 in the NLCS, yes. A good move. We can't trade him for known MLB roster filler. It's either young high ceiling prospects or we hold onto him.

 

His hypothetical replacement might win it in Game 4

[Oxy]

The days of trading him for young ceiling prospects has passed, that isn't happening. Not unless he can go on a good consistently healthy streak and even then teams will be wary .

 

One can always go younger. Is he not even worth Gavin Lux+Dustin May+AJ Alexy?

[adambr2]

The days of trading him for young ceiling prospects has passed, that isn't happening. Not unless he can go on a good consistently healthy streak and even then teams will be wary .

 

One can always go younger. Is he not even worth Gavin Lux+Dustin May+AJ Alexy?

 

Depends, how much salary are we eating or taking back?

[trwi7]

At this point he's just an expensive road block for prospects. They may not be ready now but Braunfels isn't going to be benched and if he is, that's one expensive bench player.

[adambr2]

As a “10 and 5” player (10 years in the majors, at least the last five with the same club), he now has full veto power over any trade and thinks a move is unlikely.

“It’s more likely than not that I do finish my career here," he said.

Fantastic.

[adambr2]

At this point he's just an expensive road block for prospects. They may not be ready now but Braunfels isn't going to be benched and if he is, that's one expensive bench player.

 

Yep, and it's very possible that at some point we are trading much younger talent even at the MLB level (Broxton, Santana) because we need to accommodate a spot for Braun.

[Oxy]

The last few reactionary posts are ridiculous. When healthy, he has been among the most consistent players in the league. I can't think of a cold streak from the guy.

 

He has had 3 bad games since coming off the DL. His worst possible output means hitting .270/.325./.450. When he is on the DL, he is NOT blocking anybody younger, and if his replacements hit as well as he does when he is at his worst, we would call them a resounding success.

[trwi7]

He's 33 and injured quite a bit and signed for several more years. He's a good hitter now. What will he be in 4 years as injuries likely continue to pile up and he's 37?

[Oxy]

He's 33 and injured quite a bit and signed for several more years. He's a good hitter now. What will he be in 4 years as injuries likely continue to pile up and he's 37?

 

If that's the case, he'll be sitting on his couch watching the Brewers after they bought out that year of his contract for $4M.

[trwi7]

Paying $4 million so a player goes away isn't a strong argument in your favor.

[Oxy]

Paying $4 million so a player goes away isn't a strong argument in your favor.

 

What is Mark A going to pull in this year in profits?

[MrTPlush]

As a “10 and 5” player (10 years in the majors, at least the last five with the same club), he now has full veto power over any trade and thinks a move is unlikely.

“It’s more likely than not that I do finish my career here," he said.

Fantastic.

 

The way he moves around these days that might be soon.

 

Not sure if I should make that blue or not.

[trwi7]

Paying $4 million so a player goes away isn't a strong argument in your favor.

 

What is Mark A going to pull in this year in profits?

 

What does that have to do with my post?

[adambr2]

The last few reactionary posts are ridiculous. When healthy, he has been among the most consistent players in the league. I can't think of a cold streak from the guy.

 

He has had 3 bad games since coming off the DL. His worst possible output means hitting .270/.325./.450. When he is on the DL, he is NOT blocking anybody younger, and if his replacements hit as well as he does when he is at his worst, we would call them a resounding success.

 

So his floor is a .775 OPS and we should be happy to pay him $19M a year to be here since he'll be hurt a lot and so our younger guys will get plenty of chances. That's your argument?

[pacopete4]

The last few reactionary posts are ridiculous. When healthy, he has been among the most consistent players in the league. I can't think of a cold streak from the guy.

 

He has had 3 bad games since coming off the DL. His worst possible output means hitting .270/.325./.450. When he is on the DL, he is NOT blocking anybody younger, and if his replacements hit as well as he does when he is at his worst, we would call them a resounding success.

 

So his floor is a .775 OPS and we should be happy to pay him $19M a year to be here since he'll be hurt a lot and so our younger guys will get plenty of chances. That's your argument?

 

I think he's saying you're overreacting because you're not paying him a dime and he won't really be blocking anyone. Lets not act like Braun is the first guy to get some money in his 30's and possibly not live up to the contract. I still think he will over the course of it but even if he doesn't, so what? The Brewers will adjust and move forward. We make a bigger deal about this on these boards than I bet the front office does or even MA who is paying the bills.