There's really no way to know if any of you are actually listening to these podcasts, but they shall continue anyway. Take a listen as BGF and I discuss the NBA Playoffs, the MLB's hostile takeover of the Dodgers and Ryan Braun's new extension through the 2159 season. More importantly, listen closely as Bengoodfella reveals a shocking truth to finish up the podcast while his favorite song fades in and out in the background.
I knew any mention of pedophilia would come back to bite me in the ass. This is why I write, then edit, and don't speak.
ReplyDeleteTo be clear, I don't like pedophiles. I know everyone was really confused by this.
I may or may not have edited the end of the podcast heavily.
ReplyDeleteNot to defend the Braun situation too much, but they do have Gallardo and Weeks locked up thru 2015, and will probably be able to resign one of Grienke or Marcum.
ReplyDeleteHowever, they had Braun locked up thru 2015 as well, so the extension is just baffling in its timing. Why do it now?
Mills, go ahead and defend the situation. I completely had forgotten Weeks was locked up. I looked this up before the podcast and then forgot this information while babbling.
ReplyDeleteI had no clue Gallardo was locked up. I completely missed that one. That changes my opinion a bit on the contract. I thought it was Gallardo, Greinke and Fielder over the next 2 seasons, but I was way off.
The contract is defendable from the point of view they wanted to sign him when he was cheaper, but I don't get the timing also. Why not wait another season? Or two? Braun will get more expensive. It makes me think they know Fielder is gone and they wanted to lock up Braun even longer to show the fans they are committed to winning.
Ben,
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, I can understand a "small market" team like the Brewers wanting to lock up one of their homegrown superstars, the problem I have is that are they really getting him "cheap"? They just ponied up 21M a year for the five years of the extension when they had 4 years left.
Lets say that they let Braun finish out the rest of the extension and they find themselves resigning him after 2015. Even if he continues to put up numbers like he is now, is he going to get much more than 21M? Granted he will probably improve in the upcoming years, but are they "saving" enough money that it's worth the risk of now having 100M+ locked up in a player that had four years left on his deal and could very well get hurt under his current deal?
What exactly could Braun make on the open market? 25M a year tops?
Another point to consider is that Braun will be 32 when the new extension kicks in. A 32 year old corner outfielder being paid 21M... Now Braun is a great player and there's no way to really argue against that, but there's no way that the Brewers saved money in locking up a guy for 21M a year from age 32 to 36.
To put that number into perspective, right now, there is one OF in all of baseball who makes over 21M a year: Vernon Wells.
The next three highest paid are between 19M and 20M:Carlos Beltran, Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano
No offense to Ryan Braun, he's a phenomenal player, but each one of those players (except for Soriano) were younger than Braun when they signed their contracts. Each and every last one of them has been a massive disappointment.
Again, he's a phenomenal player, but I think giving a player a 100M contract that covers his early to mid 30's while he still has 4 years left on his contract is incredibly stupid.
I point you to exhibit A: Ryan Howard. For some reason Ruben Amaro decided to extend Howard despite not being near free agency... now the Phillies are stuck with a declining player who still can't learn how to hit a fucking offspeed pitch.
As for Prince Fielder, honestly the team that gives him a long term deal is going to regret it. Dude is 5'11 and 275... CC Sabathia (regarded as a fatass) is eight inches taller and only weighs 15 pounds more. Fielder will be lucky to still have knees when he's thirty.
Rich, I made a long comment and my fucking computer lost it. Bottom line is that I agree with you. There was no reason to extend him now. Who knows if he will be decline in the future? The Brewers are assuming he won't, which may be false.
ReplyDeleteBraun isn't a 3B anymore either, so that lowers his value in my mind. I think the Brewers went overboard here and they may regret this contract.
Also, which Fielder I can see him going to the Cards and I can see him turning into his father. That's not a good thing.