Oh to be a young and talented baseball player these days.... It was announced earlier today that the Milwaukee Brewers have signed left fielder Ryan Braun to an 8-year $45 million contract extension that's going to keep Ryan in a Brewers uniform until 2015 (which will go down in history as the year Prince Fielder ate Milwaukee). As you'd expect, both sides are happy about this.
"It's a very good contract for both the ballclub and Ryan," general manager Doug Melvin said at a press conference at Miller Park.I'll say. It's also a record-setting contract for the ballclub and Ryan. The eight-year $45 million deal is the largest contract ever given to a player with less than three years of Major League experience. The previous record was set this winter when the Rockies gave Troy Tulowitzki $31 million over six years, and blows away Evan Longoria's $17.5 million deal signed with Tampa Bay earlier this season.
Braun finished second to Tulo in the NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, finishing up the year with a .324 average and 34 homers. He's currently hitting .285/.316/.545 with 9 home runs and 29 RBI. Of course, unlike Tulo this season, Braun is still healthy and playing everyday. I'm sure the Brewers hope that continues.
It's also pretty clear that the new trend of teams signing their young players to long extensions to avoid arbitration is going to continue for a while as well.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Ryan Braun won ROY last year. Tulo finished second.
Posted at 3:10PM on May 15th 2008 by kantwistaye
2. Is Tom Fornelli a baseball writer. Ryan Braun WAS Rookie of the Year, Tulowitzke finished second, as the first commentor commented.
But, he didn't mention how stupid reporters like Tom Fornelli even have a job. Here I am, an unemployed CPA who could easily write sports reports and blogs and this guy is probably earning $200,000 or more per year in a 2 hour day. I'm 66 and nobody wants you when you're old and gray. Same age as Paul McCartney (will be in June), just as talented in my profession as Paul is in his, can't get a job and this twit (Fornelli) doesn't even know who was ROY.
Posted at 3:40PM on May 15th 2008 by Gary Mayer
3. Fornelli, I also don't get your comment about Fielder 'eating Milwaukee.'
Does that mean he will continue to dine out in our great restaurants and continue to gain weight or does it mean that he will be with another team and 'eat-up' Milwaukee pitching?
Posted at 7:07PM on May 15th 2008 by Gary Mayer
4. I have one two more items to add: $45 million over eight years is a little more than $6 million a year. There are far less qualified players, mostly due to their longevity, that make way more annually than Braun is going to get. Plus, there is no inflation factor included and a handsome percentage goes to his agent, he is required to donate $100,000 annually to Milwaukee charities and continue working with various children's organizations.
Braun signed because: 1) He loves Milwaukee 2) He is happy with the Brewers and feels that they will do wonderful things 3) He hopes his friends on the team (the kids) will follow in his footsteps so the Brewers will have a stable and productive team for years 4) He found three new Milwaukee restaurants (one in the top ten in the World) that he will treat Fielder to, if Prince avoids arbitration and stays.
Posted at 7:22PM on May 15th 2008 by Gary Mayer
5. Braun i hope you get to the point when you become a hall a famer. PLEASE REPLY
Posted at 10:01PM on May 16th 2008 by josh
6. Not only did he get the Braun comment wrong...but Longoria had a different deal. the 17.5 mil was Kazmir's deal. Definitely the worst sports write on AOL.
Posted at 3:38PM on May 17th 2008 by Wes
7. What a great move by Milwaukee to keep him wrapped up for a long time, now its time to get Prince locked up and we know the owner has the money to do it, also I think its time to look for a differant manager, a proven manager who knows how to win, because I'm so tired of Yost and his inabilities to get the job done, he has great pitching, a great yong club with plenty of potential, but yet he still fails to win the big one, or maybe is it time to get a vet with some playoff expirence in the clubhouse? I don't know, but it gets depressing to see us with this much talent and we keep losing
Posted at 6:07PM on May 18th 2008 by dean