Baseball Opinion - Braun Gets Paid

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Braun Gets Paid

Christopher Solberg, Editor
5/15/2008

Ryan Braun, the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, has been awarded the largest contract in history, Milwaukee Brewers history that is. By signing the contract, Braun will be guaranteed $45 million, but escalators will likely push that number upwards. Braun will get $455,000 in 2008, $745,000 next season, $1 million in 2010, $4 million in 2011, $6 million in 2012, $8.5 million in 2013, $10 million in 2014 and $12 million in 2015. He could earn an additional $6 million if he qualifies as a super-two player after 2009, it’s an unlikely scenario though.

Given that Ryan Howard was awarded $10 million in his first year of arbitration alone, this deal is a steal for the Brewers as Braun is seen by many to have a similar offensive impact as Howard. That’s a $6 million difference between what his 2011 salary and what he could get through arbitration.

But the deal does give him a little more money up front and through the first three years of the contract than he would have if he waited. The financial security of having a contract like this is also nice to have as well.

But the Brewers are taking a risk to save some money in the long term. Braun’s plate discipline is worse than Ryan Howard’s and, if it catches up to him, the Brewers could be stuck with production similar to what Howard is putting up this season. A .185 batting average is not worth $10 million a year, let alone the $12 million allotted to Braun for 2015.

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