First things first - Pravda's reporting it as a one-year deal. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but since Branyan's always been dirt cheap, I'd be surprised if we're looking at anything over $1.5-2m. For this organization, that's pocket change. There's no risk.
Moving on to more interesting stuff from Baker's latest:
Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said he's prepared to "give Russell as many at-bats as he's had in his career.''
Branyan will get a shot at the everyday first base job.
"It looks that way,'' Zduriencik said. "I know what Russell can do.''
Things could obviously change between now and Opening Day, but as of this moment, it looks like we'll be in for some fun - Branyan's probably the strongest left-handed Mariner hitter in Safeco history, and given enough playing time, he could hit 25-30 home runs, none of them boring. Perhaps this'll spell the end of Ichiro being the biggest draw in BP. Like Richie Sexson a few years ago, Branyan's a threat to go deep every time he comes to the plate, but unlike Richie Sexson a few years ago, he doesn't carry the burden of expectations. So he's a more freeing experience. People won't be yelling at him when he strikes out in a clutch situation (and he'll do that a lot). It'll be more like "oh yeah" "what did we expect". And then when he crushes the ball he'll be treated like a hero. It's funny the way money changes the way players are received.
Russ Branyan's a stopgap. He's just a guy we brought in to hang out while we look for a longer-term solution at first base, and he's almost certainly not going to be a part of this organization's future. But he's cheap, he's entertaining, he's pretty good, and his signing is an indication that our new front office understands way more about effective roster construction than the last guys did, so I just don't see any way a reasonable person could hear about this and not be pleased. He's 95% the fun of Adam Dunn for a tiny fraction of the cost. That's good. We did good. We did good.
Update: ESPN calls it a $1.4m/1yr deal, with $500k possible in incentives.
0 recs | 143 comments
JI - December 3, 2008
Junior had very little Safeco history
pdb - December 3, 2008
More than Branyan
JI - December 3, 2008
I think Branyan may be stronger
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
I don't know about that.
Jr. may be a fraction of what he used to be, but god damn could he shoot some missiles off that bat. His bat speed was pretty damn absurd.
The Typical Idiot Fan - December 3, 2008
bat speed is not strength
Beltre is stronger than Griffey.
Edgar for Pres - December 3, 2008
I think they broke down...
That bat speed is the most important component of batted ball distance, but my memory is probably crap.
IcebreakerX - December 3, 2008
Well as far as brute force, yeah.
JI - December 3, 2008
Can you explain this "We did good" concept to me
I can’t fully understand what it means
Nick S - December 3, 2008
Ok. Think of the feeling you got when you heard about the Jose Vidro trade.
Now, try your best, because this is very hard: Try to imagine the opposite feeling.
That is what good feels like! That’s the feeling you get when your team doesn’t hilariously, dependably screw something up.
Eyebrows - December 3, 2008
Remember when you took the garbage out as a kid
and afterwards you got some money, which you used to buy candy or video games or the like? It’s like the feeling when you first got the money, before you spent it.
pdb - December 3, 2008
I was wondering the same.
Kirsten Schlewitz - December 4, 2008
Biggest source of optimism...
is that Zdiurencik’s first move went straight to a hugely undervalued commodity: 1B/DH former top prospects who many consider washouts. This is how the Rays found Pena and the Red Sox found Ortiz. Branyan obviously doesn’t have the same upside, but taking a flier on these guys is a great way to get solid production for next to nothing.
If Zdiurencik follows up by bringing in a SS and CF with plus gloves (regardless of offense) as stopgaps to make our fringe SPs look a little better, I’ll whoop with joy. I don’t whoop often.
slamcactus - December 3, 2008
"1B/DH former top prospects who many consider washouts"
Bladergroen? Maybe there’s something still there.
JY - December 3, 2008
Was he ever really a *top* prospect, though?
I’m not sure, but I would have said that between him and Brito, Brito was the more highly-regarded, back in the day when they were actually considered prospects, and I don’t recall that Brito was ever thought of as a highlight guy.
The Ancient Mariner - December 4, 2008
Blade was the number four prospect in the Mets system after his SAL campaign.
I don’t know anything about Brito though.
JY - December 4, 2008
Brito was in the top 20 of a decent system, but - at least to me - never as highly regarded as Blade.
marc w - December 4, 2008
Thanks, you two
Must just be West Coast bias on my part — I hadn’t realized Bladergroen was ever ranked that highly. (Although, what did the Mets have at the time?)
The Ancient Mariner - December 4, 2008
Lastings Milledge, Yusmeiro Petit... Gaby Hernandez...
Hindsight is depressing when looking at prospect lists.
JY - December 4, 2008
Well...did BA ever rank Petit that high, or was that all BP?
I remember getting pissed off when Petit’s MLE/PECOTA blew Felix’s out of the water when both were in A ball or whatever.
marc w - December 4, 2008
I'm looking at BA.
All three were ahead of Blade, in that order.
I’ve never actually had a BP subscription, and with the financial situation I’m in right now, I don’t expect to any time soon.
JY - December 4, 2008
Branyan/Johjima for first!
Graham MacAree - December 3, 2008
Back-Spasm-Brothers
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
Not the same ring as the Bash Brothers though.
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
If we get one thing out of the Bavasi error it's that now even barely competent moves make us feel fantastic
Robert - December 3, 2008
I did a back-flip....I've been waiting to do one since Dave or DMZ (forget) told us to do one because we were trading Washburn.
But it’s nice to be excited, even about a small move.
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
LOL!
JMKaustin - December 3, 2008
I vote for referring to the period of time that Bavasi was our GM as the Bavasi Error
from now on.
Matthew - December 3, 2008
I read right through it...dang. So I'm for it.
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
I read right through it, too.
But I will second Matthew’s nomination.
Wilder. - December 3, 2008
It stopped me cold.
Llewdor - December 3, 2008
Errrr
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/8/13/593211/8-13-open-game-thread#8091501
Robert - December 3, 2008
the Bavasi Error
sorta like the Korean Conflict
msb - December 3, 2008
Bavasi Blunder
it’s not just the alliteration. It really seemed like blindly stumbling – blundering – through baseball.
Bearskin Rugburn - December 3, 2008
But that sounds like one discrete event
like Bavasi only made one blunder. But then again so does Bavasi Error. Oh, the dilemmas.
pdb - December 3, 2008
This is my finest typo
Robert - December 3, 2008
No, we cannot decide to come up with a name for it. It will never stick.
This happened organically through a typo (sort of). This stays, I have decreed it.
Matthew - December 4, 2008
ESPN is saying $1.4 mil with incentives of up to 500k depending on plate appearances.
Scrupio - December 3, 2008
Sweet
Graham MacAree - December 3, 2008
Niiiiice.
I like this even more now.
marc w - December 3, 2008
I'm happy with the first move.
I can now officially begin to have an optimistic off-season.
Thingray - December 3, 2008
Of course Branyan is the starting 1B as of now. It's not like he has someone to displace.
Matthew - December 3, 2008
When can I wear my LaHair jersey now? :(
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
Rainiers games?
seattlebruin - December 3, 2008
To be clear..I don't really have one.
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
A couple more things for the Branyan primer, just so you know
Branyan likes to walk up to “Hell’s Bells”, and he occasionally swings 3 bats in the on-deck circle. It’s the most intimidating thing you could imagine when that dude comes up. Then he’ll just crush a ball on someone and just have this content, satisfied look on his face.
All the Brewer fans are pretty upset about this, as you can probably tell. Have fun watching the Grand Branyan. He’s also the career leader in 3T0% (HR+BB+K/PA), ahead of Adam Dunn and Rob Deer.
Jordan M - December 3, 2008
Not only is this a good baseball signing,
it’s a good entertainment signing. I couldn’t be more pleased.
Matthew - December 3, 2008
The Grand Branyan
Good nickname.
Llewdor - December 3, 2008
I'm digging it
I love clever nick names.
bluemax - December 3, 2008
They're rare nowadays.
Teej - December 3, 2008
He also
goes by 3TO and Russell the Muscle
Jordan M - December 3, 2008
Russell the Muscle is lame.
I like 3TO though.
Goose - December 3, 2008
I am so not going to miss BP sessions next year.
Benne - December 3, 2008
Speaking of Dunn, I can't believe he wasn't offered arbitration
Fett42 - December 3, 2008
It's cool to hear other teams messing that up though!
seattlesundevil - December 3, 2008
Fuck you both.
Goose - December 3, 2008
Didn't they trade for Dunn just for the draft picks?
Corco - December 3, 2008
They traded for him to cock block the Dodgers
which ended up hurting them more.
bluemax - December 3, 2008
Could that move have possibly backfired any worse? I say no.
Goose - December 3, 2008
I believe Byrnes even said so.
Teej - December 3, 2008
Yeah and then he said this:
So basically they’re crying poverty. Wooo we’re the Marlins of the NL West! The only thing that remains is to trade Justin Upton in 3 years for somebodies farm system.
Goose - December 3, 2008
Does he know something we don't?
I just can’t imagine why Dunn would accept arbitration. Are GMs worried that guys would rather wait a year and get a heftier contract in better economic times?
Teej - December 3, 2008
No idea.
What I don’t get is apparently they offered him a two year deal hours before declining to offer him arbitration. Though since they’ve pretty much said they only have $10M to spend this offseason and already lowballed RJ, I’m guessing it was something like 2/$12M
Goose - December 3, 2008
I think so. Next year there will be fewer corner guys on the market too
But a guy like Dunn should take the money and run before he collapses.
…and if he accepts, why couldn’t he be traded?
JI - December 3, 2008
My favorite part of this offseason is that it's basically bizarro world so far.
One of the reasons I decided to find a 2nd team years ago was that I needed to root for somebody smart to keep from going insane.
Almost everything the DBacks have done this offseason has been stupid. Almost everything the Mariners have done this offseason has been smart.
What?
Goose - December 3, 2008
I'm sure they're being given orders from on high
JI - December 3, 2008
Budget wise I imagine so.
But who on earth honestly thinks Dunn would stay in Arizona for 1 year at MAYBE $12-$15M when he could sign elsewhere for something like 5/$70M?
Goose - December 3, 2008
I think it's certainly possible
You’re looking at a cautious market flooded with corner/DH types. He could rebound, get the OBP over 4 and hit the market next year.
JI - December 3, 2008
That said they should offer him arb because he's tradeable.
JI - December 3, 2008
Maybe, just maybe, the Diamondbacks were thinking about saving money on having to sign the two extra draft picks.
But this totally screws the logic of trading for Dunn in the first place. (Dunn wasn’t the answer to making the playoffs and winning the World Series)
Wilder. - December 3, 2008
I can't imagine that being the case though.
While the economy is likely to be better this time next year, it’s not like baseball is in any danger of closing up shop. The FA market isn’t going to be THAT depressed. Is the difference in salary worth risking injury/collapse? I can’t imagine that it is.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Dunn 4 LF!!!!
Replace Ibanez with his younger equivalent!!
Coach Owens - December 3, 2008
No. Thank. You.
Thingray - December 3, 2008
Obviously.
Coach Owens - December 3, 2008
Absolutely love this signing.
Can’t wait to find out what’s next on the agenda.
Dare I say…Go M’s?
Omerta - December 3, 2008
From Rotoworld
Churchill said he heard a trade could follow the Branyan signing and would likely be for an infielder. Perhaps Greene is that infielder?
Goose - December 3, 2008
YuBet for Khalil straight up, please.
Wilder. - December 3, 2008
Oh no! Not Robo-Khalil!
Coach Owens - December 3, 2008
I would welcome this for non-baseball reasons
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
The robot/cyborg/android photoshops would be numerous.
Goose - December 3, 2008
Who needs Photoshop?
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
It's like an expression frozen in time
I want this to happen so bad.
Goose - December 3, 2008
Safeco's dimensions would push his ability to remain expressionless to the limit
It would be the game within the game
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
This one's still my favorite
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
I laughed at this for almost an entire minute
JLC - December 3, 2008
Heh, me too. The ball just sitting there in the background is perfect.
It’s like his battery just died.
dpseadv - December 3, 2008
Clearly not solar-powered.
Or possibly built by Graham.
Matthew - December 4, 2008
I think his logic center would conclude that breaking his other hand on a water cooler would be a better use of system resources than to feel emotion.
Goose - December 3, 2008
I just thought he was meditating.
a lot.
msb - December 3, 2008
SON OF JOR-EL!
KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!
The Typical Idiot Fan - December 3, 2008
He's a terminator...
Slurvey - December 3, 2008
I see Tuesdays with the Green(e)s in the future.
Sean and Khalil as baseball’s most dynamic and expressive duo.
JY - December 3, 2008
Khalil Greene joining the cast in Season 2 would be enough to get me watching that's for sure.
Goose - December 3, 2008
Get out of my head
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
How has Gas Lamp ball not done this already w/Khalil and Cha Seung?
marc w - December 4, 2008
The possibilities are endless..
Charity staring contests!
JY - December 3, 2008
Very good call.
Teej - December 3, 2008
I miss Yuni already
Dewey N - December 3, 2008
I'll take Greene's mullet over Yuni's girth any day.
Benne - December 3, 2008
It is not a mullet
It is the most horrifying thing to ever be seen.
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
Still not as horrible as Yuni's horribleness (whatever that means)
Benne - December 3, 2008
Without a hat on, he really is disgusting.
Teej - December 3, 2008
Weeeeee!
http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/12/1/677061/first-speculation-opportun#10395429
seattlebruin - December 3, 2008
Oh please God yes this would be awesome.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Yes please.
BrianL - December 3, 2008
There's a guy on Churchill's blog who wants to trade Beltre and JJ for James Loney
seattlebruin - December 3, 2008
hahahaha...
Slurvey - December 3, 2008
Jim Street thinks we should trade JJ for Prince Fielder.
Then again, Jim Street is kind of a retard.
Benne - December 3, 2008
I'd rather trade JJ for Prince Fielder than trade Beltre and JJ for James Loney
seattlebruin - December 3, 2008
I would trade JJ for Fielder about 700,000 times.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
It's kinda funny to see the name Fielder next to such a large number.
kentroyals5 - December 3, 2008
That's a good trade.
JI - December 3, 2008
Is it?
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
I'm skeptical
but off the top of my head, it doesn’t seem like an awful trade
seattlebruin - December 3, 2008
Loney is a good player, but I think you could get more packaging them separately.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
I might be wrong now that I look at the numbers a bit more.
I think it depends on whether you think Loney is closer to the ’07 version than the ’08 version.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
I'd rather see if Putz can rebound than trade him for Loney.
JI - December 3, 2008
A better version of Ryan Howard who is under club control
in exchange for a broken down closer?
How couldn’t it be?
JI - December 3, 2008
You don't think you could trade JJ for something else
and send Beltre + less to LA for Loney?
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
I thought we were talking about Putz for Fielder
JI - December 3, 2008
No, Beltre + Putz for Loney.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Dammit.
I’m a rtard
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
That's just a bad trade.
JI - December 3, 2008
Hence my poorly placed smartassed remark.
Well now I look like a dingleberry.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
On a true talent level, you think Loney is better than Howard?
Is his glove good enough to make up for the hitting discrepancy? I don’t know a lot about Loney.
Teej - December 3, 2008
This is a joke, right?
JI - December 3, 2008
I think I fucked him up by being dumb.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Correct.
Jerk.
Teej - December 3, 2008
Oops. I just misread which comment you were replying to.
Teej - December 3, 2008
Regardless, I don't think Loney is that great unless he hits .330
So call me skeptical.
JI - December 3, 2008
I'm too high on him either.
In fact, I thought for a second that you had gone batshit crazy until I realized you were talking about Prince.
Teej - December 3, 2008
not
Teej - December 3, 2008
I wouldn't blame you.
JI - December 3, 2008
95% the fun of Adam Dunn?
I’m assuming that by “fun” you are basically saying “power” because any other meaning is just….well something I’d expect to see on the Giants blog.
ChadGod - December 3, 2008
I'm not sure what you're trying to imply by this comment.
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Hey, I like McCovey Chronicles.
Goose - December 3, 2008
lol their fags
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
No politics
Graham MacAree - December 3, 2008
I can't tell what to make of this comment
Jeff Sullivan - December 3, 2008
...
Aaron Campeau - December 3, 2008
Oh wait I think I get it now.
Having fun is totally gay.
Teej - December 3, 2008
LOL so true
Robert - December 3, 2008
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
msb - December 3, 2008
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