Details and reactions continue to trickle in on the sizable extension Ryan Braun signed with the Brewers on Thursday. Here are the latest:
- Braun's extension includes at least $18MM in interest-free deferrals to be paid out in equal increments between 2022-31, blogs Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (per The Associated Press). All told, Milwaukee will be paying Braun till he's 47.
- Braun's extension makes less sense than the one Troy Tulowitzki signed with the Rockies, and it may even be riskier than Ryan Howard's with the Phillies, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. The fact that Braun is a bat-first player and has a shaky glove at a non-premium defensive position doesn't bode well for the Brewers' side of the deal. Interestingly, Cameron suggests Braun could eventually move to first base, which is likely to be vacated by Prince Fielder, who is a free agent at season's end and is not expected to re-sign with Milwaukee
- To that end, while most have surmised that the Brewers' immense financial commitment to Braun signifies the end of the Prince era in Milwaukee, Fielder himself hopes that is not the case, blogs McCalvy. "You never know," Fielder said. "I hope they have a little left for me."
TDKnies
Yeah… Not a huge fan of any of these mega deals. Works fantastically in video games where they bounce back from injury all the time and barely regress at all, but so many things can go wrong in the next several years to make the back halves of these contracts absolutely terrible.
As for Fielder, I wouldn’t doubt he’d like to stay in Milwaukee, but I’m also pretty sure he wants to get paid royally more than that. It’ll be interesting to see how close Milwaukee’s offer is to his best one (money and years wise obviously) and whether he accepts it or not.
dc21892
That’s the risk you have to take.
Guest 6770
or you could “risk” waiting a fews years before talking about an extension with Braun, as he was already signed for a long time…
NickinIthaca
I like what you did there…. Prince getting paid “royally.” Very well done.
cards2WS
Braun at first is an interesting idea. I never really considered that.
Lunchbox45
As a 1B his offensive numbers would just be ‘ok’
Sniderlover
.308/.367/.557 career line with 30+ homerun power is far better than ‘ok’ at any position.
notsureifsrs
that’s a top 10 first baseman’s bat, but not top 5. it also appears to be an unlikely level of performance for braun to sustain – and doesn’t factor in his defensive ineptitude
MilwaukeeBravesFan
Why is it hard to believe that Braun can sustain his current level of production offensively for at least another 8 years or so?
Lunchbox45
lol
notsureifsrs
it’s unlikely for anyone to sustain for that long the top tier level of production braun has averaged in his first four seasons. beyond that, braun’s ISO stands out:
2007: .310
2008: .268
2009: .231
2010: .197
Guest 6769
That would be the 5th best OPS last year…
But some of the guys behind him: Teixeira, Adrian Gonzalez, are far better defensively. And guys behind him, such as Ryan Howard, and Prince could bounce back strong and math or top those numbers. (although, I’d say, Konerko who was ahead of Braun, will fall below those numbers)
James DeMott
Needless to say, Braun will play until forever.
rovert22044
Give up Fielder. The Yanks are your future…
(Or the Red Sox. Maybe a Rays deal?)
rovert22044
Mark my words. Fielder will be a Yankee/Red Sock/Ray in the near future.
notsureifsrs
the rays are indeed known to covet $20M DHs
Pawsdeep
I dint think it will be this offseason—neither of the two teams need a first basemen and the Yankees have enough aging players under contract to fill that DH spot. The red sox may be in need of a DH, but I don’t think prince will sign with someone who doesn’t have the intention of letting him play in the field every day…
As for the rays, obviously you dont watch how they spend money. There isnt any way we see him in Tampa—he will cost way to much. I’ll bet he stays in the national league..
roomwithamoose
if near future i after his nextcontract ends and at age 35 signs on as a DH for one of em at 7 million a year (provided his offensive numbers hadn’t declined that severely in the 8 year period then yeah he will be a yank/sox/ray in near future
steven118
it makes no sense for the rays yanks and bosox to get fielder with tiex agon and rays lack of spending money stop being ignorant fans who hate and go out of their way to try to bash big market teams
rovert22044
Yankees = DH (They would make room for him)
BoSox = DH (Ortiz is washed up. He will be done soon)
Rays = DH (Gotta start signing people! I’m postitive they’ll be interesed)
Muggi
No team is going to pay Fielder money for a DH. Not even the Yankees.
BentoBox
If the Yankees are going to make room for a DH, why not go all the way for Pujols? (I’m not saying they would but yeah. I just don’t see Yankees signing Fielder for DH. They’ll need to rotate DH spot for the older players.)
For the Red Sox, isn’t Youk going to be the DH soon? (SS to Iglesias, 3B to Lowrie)
Well, the Rays, uh ..
Ender
Cameron is usually very astute but his comparison to Howard with Braun is just ridiculous and he way overvalues Tulo. If Braun played in Colorado he’d be the best offensive player in baseball most likely and Colorado overvalues IF defense and undervalues OF defense, park factor plays a huge role in things like this.
notsureifsrs
you should email dave. i bet he doesn’t know about park factors
Ender
He knows about them, he chooses to ignore them in some cases though.
Jeff McCoy
I wonder if he ignores sarcasm too?
ThePaulCrew
“The fact that Braun is a bat-first player and has a shaky glove at a non-premium defensive position doesn’t bode well for the Brewers’ side of the deal.”
I’m a bit confused by this comment.. If you had to choose one or the other, wouldnt you rather have a shaky glove at a non-premium defensive position like corner outfield rather than say SS or another “premium” defensive position?
notsureifsrs
what? absolutely not, no. the brewers would punch a baby if it meant braun could play -10 UZR defense at short
ask the marlins
Lunchbox45
lol ‘punch a baby’
gold
roomwithamoose
punting is actually more fulfilling haha
Page
Regarding Fielder, don’t forget this new deal doesn’t go into effect for another 5 years…
jill
I like Braun. He plays with confidence, wild abandon, swagger, and he’s been good so far. The Brewers have drawn around 3 million the last three years, and he is a fan favorite- a rock star to the Brewers fans. A team like the Brewers can’t get a player of his caliber on the free agent market. They have always had to settle for second tier free agents. Trade and home grown is their best way to field a team. They like Braun, they made him a Brewer for life. That’s a message for the fans right there.
As far as the ‘shaky’ glove comment, all I have to say is that left field and first base are two positions where you can survive that. Braun has never been on the level of bad as say, a Dunn is.
Coach Steve Tucker
Great article..
jmag043
Is there any possibility that Fielder signs a huge 1 or 2 year deal only to sign a long term deal at age 29?
Couldn’t he theoretically make more money signing a 2 yr 45mm deal for 2012/2013, then sign a 7 year deal in his age 29 season?
vtadave
If you were Fielder though, wouldn’t you prefer 7/150 over 2/45? Particulary given guys with his body type don’t tend to age quite as well.
So, no.
jmag043
Right, but if he thinks he can keep his production up for 2 seasons, 2/45 now and then sign 7/150 after those 2 strong years. Unless he really thinks he can keep his production up in his mid thirties, I doubt he will be able to get 2/45 after a 7 year contract is up. I think you ideally want to position your FA contract to include years that you think you will decline, and where you will still get paid more than youre worth.