Russell Branyan is reluctantly moving on from the Mariners, reports MLB.com's Jim Street. After hearing the Ms acquired Casey Kotchman, Branyan called GM Jack Zduriencik to thank him for the opportunity. Street says Branyan has no hard feelings, though the slugger indicated talks with the Mariners ended rather abruptly after the Winter Meetings.
Branyan says he has a couple of interested teams, and he expects a Major League deal. He came into the offseason aiming for two years, but the Mariners would only offer one year and a club option. Branyan says he feels great despite back woes marring the second half of his season. He still managed 31 home runs, second only to Jason Bay among free agents this offseason.
Assuming Branyan is open to a DH job, the White Sox, Tigers, or Royals could be a fit. The Orioles, A's, or Mets could consider him at first base. Branyan, 34, earned $1.75MM in '09.
I think he’ll go to the A’s or the Royals.
The A’s have Chris Carter at first and Jack Cust at DH and the Royals have Billy Butler and Possibly Josh Fields at DH. I would love to see him on the Royals but knowing Dayton Moore, I’m not sure…
daric barton will get innings at 1st too
daric barton will get innings at 1st too
The Royals have Callaspo/Butler/Fields and when Guillen gets hurt, as DH options. The Royals dont need a DH type player right now. They need pitching if anything.
The Royals have Callaspo/Butler/Fields and when Guillen gets hurt, as DH options. The Royals dont need a DH type player right now. They need pitching if anything.
Carter isn’t ready.
Carter isn’t ready.
add Jake Fox to that pile.
add Jake Fox to that pile.
The A’s have Chris Carter at first and Jack Cust at DH and the Royals have Billy Butler and Possibly Josh Fields at DH. I would love to see him on the Royals but knowing Dayton Moore, I’m not sure…
I think he’ll go to the A’s or the Royals.
He’s a good guy. I’ll miss him. Too bad he couldn’t stay in Seattle, but he didn’t fit the plans.
He’s a good guy. I’ll miss him. Too bad he couldn’t stay in Seattle, but he didn’t fit the plans.
As long as he doesn’t wind up on the twins, I’d love to see him come back to the AL Cental. I enjoy watching him strikeout.
Same, only I hope it’s the Sox he doesn’t end up with.
As long as he doesn’t wind up on the twins, I’d love to see him come back to the AL Cental. I enjoy watching him strikeout.
I bet Jack is worried about his back.
I bet Jack is worried about his back.
I think the Tigers would be a goot fit…
I think the Tigers would be a goot fit…
Good fit for the Braves, shame they “have no money”
Good fit for the Braves, shame they “have no money”
I thank Jack Zduriencik too for sticking to his guns and letting Russell showcase his talent. I wonder about the eye training exercises he went through in the off season and wonder how it would benefit other players as well.
I would personally like to see him go with the Mets because I don’t think he’ll log more than 430 AB’s this coming year. That might allow for a good split between Russell and Murphy.
I thank Jack Zduriencik too for sticking to his guns and letting Russell showcase his talent. I wonder about the eye training exercises he went through in the off season and wonder how it would benefit other players as well.
I would personally like to see him go with the Mets because I don’t think he’ll log more than 430 AB’s this coming year. That might allow for a good split between Russell and Murphy.
Russell the Muscle I have never seen a guy hit long home runs as effortless as him, I was at the Game in 08 when he hit the pinch hit walk off 465 ft into the dew deck
Russell the Muscle I have never seen a guy hit long home runs as effortless as him, I was at the Game in 08 when he hit the pinch hit walk off 465 ft into the dew deck
There must be serious concerns over his back.
There must be serious concerns over his back.
Brad Nelson to the M’s, according to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.
mlbtraderumors.com/2010/01/mariners-resign-brad-ne…
Brad Nelson to the M’s, according to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.
I wish the Giants would have signed Branyan rather than Huff
You have no idea how much i agree with you. Sabean signs a guy who experienced an alarming decline who will get probably around 400 ABs because we’ll need to bench him when he’s fighting to get over the Mendoza line vs signing a guy with the muscle enough to hit at AT&T, plays above average defense and will probably get around the same amount of ABs when his back starts acting up. If only Sabs had waited a week we could have been in on this guy…. hopefully Huff comes back to ’08 form but i’m not holding my breathe. Ishi better emerge as a different hitter this year (ie more consistent and with the ability to hit on the road).
I wish the Giants would have signed Branyan rather than Huff
I’d rather take a chance with Andruw Jones than sign Branyan.
I’d rather take a chance with Andruw Jones than sign Branyan.
He would be a good fit on the Mets for 1B
He would be a good fit on the Mets for 1B
the giants shoudlve gotten him…but i think he will go to the A’s
the giants shoudlve gotten him…but i think he will go to the A’s
Tiger’s GM has said multiple times in recent weeks that they are not interested in a dedicated DH. They want to rotate Carlos Guillen, Maggs, Miggy, and a couple of their excess young outfielders to keep the ancient vets fresh and give the young ones some playing time.
Branyan plays 1B. I know you have Cabrera and all… I’m just saying.
Tiger’s GM has said multiple times in recent weeks that they are not interested in a dedicated DH. They want to rotate Carlos Guillen, Maggs, Miggy, and a couple of their excess young outfielders to keep the ancient vets fresh and give the young ones some playing time.
KW will pick him up cheap:
Pierre LF
Beckham 2B
Quentin RF
Konerko 1B
Branyan DH
Pierzynski C
Rios CF
Teahen 3B
Ramirez SS
Great guy… wish him the best. He’d probably be better off as a DH/part-time 1B to rest his back a lot. A herniated disc can be a big issue with a free swinger like Russell. As an M’s fan I’d like to see him succeed and come back to the M’s in a DH/back-up 1B role next eyar. Who knows where he’ll be at though. He’s 34 and possibly injured after all.
Branyan moving on is kind of funny to hear. Move on to where? I’ve read that most teams are scared off by his back. The M’s know more about it than any other team and were willing to give him a major league contract with an option year.
Most recently Jack said that the door was not closed on a Branyan return. I think it was after the Kotchman announcement. So unless Branyan doesn’t want to play for the Mariners (I can’t see why) then I would say that the doors are as open as ever.
At this point I’m not sure this team needs Branyan. Saunders needs a chance to play LF regularly and another year at AAA isn’t going to help his development. Milton Bradley is already going to get most of the time at DH, and Kotchman is the defensive 1B that has potential and fits his new team.
Where are the Yankees on this? They need an outfielder, and he can also spell Teixeira or A-Rod from time to time. Branyan can play left, right, first and third, kind of like Eric Hinske but with a more dangerous bat. I think it would be a great pickup.
You clearly play mlb the show. there is no way rus can still play 3rd, maybe and i mean maybe he can play the corner out field once in a blue moon….2st for sure, and even there he is not the best. but i DO agree the yanks should have made a move on him as DH/ 1st his left handed power in THAT ball park screams 40-50+ hrs…but the yankees HAVE NICK JOHNSON and might still get damon back so there is literally no place for him….Im also surprised the yanks didnt go after thome in the same sence…russ will join damon as this season abreu signing in the last few weeks of free angency..too many teams are “rebuilding” too many teams have “money issues” and too many teams have their rosters set, my guess is baltimore, toranto, twins, or the rangers to platoon with davis and vlad
This guy is getting so little respect. Someone is going to end up with an absolute steal. If I were him I would look at a one year deal with vesting options based of PA’s. If he truly is healthy that deal vests and he has his multi-year deal.
The guy could easily hit 30 HR’s again this season. Outside of Bay or Holliday – not sure any other FA will come close to matching that power output.
and if he even ever managed that, those 30 HR will still be all he really does. People are giving Branyan way too much credit here. He has switched teams 11 times in 8 seasons – almost always for the minor leagues, and the teams were acquiring him because he was once able to play 3rd. The scouting on Branyan has always been – prone to extreme hot and ice cold streaks, extreme power, lower on-base potential, horrific K rates, defensive liability, injury prone. He is, and will always be, a 4A player. Seattle was the only team ever connected to him last season. This offseason, that lack of interest merely remains. So far, the Mets and Mariners are the only club MLBTR has mentioning him at all. He is a fool to turn down the M’s offer of a job, and now he probably goes back to the ‘wait for a non-guaranteed with invite offer’ like his entire career has been.
You talk as if 2009 never happened. He was far from a 4-A player last year. His power was fantastic. His OBP was strong. His defense was acceptable. I’m surprised your perception hasn’t shifted even a little bit.
What really hanged last season? He showed moderate Defense at his new non-defensive position, but otherwise was the exact same Branyan just with a higher BAbip and over more PA.
An .867 OPS is not 4-A. It’s starting first baseman for half of baseball awesome, IF health weren’t a concern. Health issues don’t make a 4-A player, bad play does. Russ Branyan in 2009 was anything but bad play. He was solid.
It would probably be helpful for the Pirates to sign him. That way, you will have someone in the middle of the lineup who can hit hr’s, right handed, and give Clement more time to develop as a 1b. Still if Clement makes the team, he will at least get 325 AB’s as a C and first baseman. Meanwhile, Jones can play right and Church can serve as the fourth outfielder. This slightly leaves Moss and Raynor in the dust a bit, but it definitely changes the landscape of the Pirates for a nominal price.
Except that Branyan hits left handed.
Russell the Muscle getting no love? story of his life, I love this guy… he better get a big league deal he hit freakin 31 bombs, I hope he doesnt end up on someones bench where he has been most of his career. I used to have his home an away jersey when he was on the Brewers……Still love the guy. I hope he gets a starting job somewhere-
Orioles? Braves?
Branyan could be playing 1b for the M’s this year but he declined the 1 yr deal offered. NOBODY is going to give a multi-year contract to a player with a bad back. He’s an idiot for not signing with the M’s when he had a chance.
Probably except Omar Minya š
I like him for the Mets. If Delgado never regains his mobility, I think he’d look great in that lineup:
SS Reyes
2B Castillo
CF Beltran
LF Bay
3B Wright
1B Branyan
C Molina
RF Francouer
That’s 150+ homeruns right there. Thoughts?
If they can stay healthy that lineup could be deadly… they just need to figure out that pitching and again stay healthy.
You can’t put him at first base or else he will be injured again by mid-season. He’s now still only a DH with a occasional spell on 1B, or basically a poor man’s Jim Thome.
Russells from Brussels?
I’d love to see the Tigers get this guy cheap. Gives MCab some WELL NEEDED protection. While your at grabbing ex-Mariners, grab Endy Chavez as well DD. thanks
Whether the Sox admit publicly or not, they definitely need a left-handed power bat. I’d like to see them go after LaRoche, but he would probably cost too much. Branyan would be cheap, and probably wouldn’t complain too much about being benched against lefties in favor of Jones or Nix.
Branyan is the guy the Giants should have signed instead of Huff.