Thanks to the expedited off season, teams only have five days to negotiate with their outgoing free agents and more importantly for the Mariners, options must be decided on this week as well. The Mariners have four such options to decide on.
Russell Branyan has a $5 million mutual option. Branyan was worth 2.9 wins last year as a Mariner and 2.0 wins this year combined with the Indians and Mariners.
0 recs | 23 comments
It seems like mutual options have so close to 0 chance of happening...
I mean, what are the odds that a player and his team will both evaluate the player as being worth between the range of the option year salary and the option year salary minus the buyout unless the buyout is in the millions of dollars range.
lailaihei - November 2, 2010
Hmmmm...
I initially marked that I would agree with it being picked up, but now that I think of it I would rather have Smoak be the everyday first baseman.
I guess that for me this is pretty much contingent on whether or not we expect Bradley to be able to DH this year. If he isn’t able then I say go for it. I’d like to see Branyan back as DH.
zeeehjee - November 2, 2010
For some reason I could see Branyan being here over Bradley,
even though one is under contract and the other is not.
Thingray - November 2, 2010
I'd prefer it actually.
Dingers + Full-time starting for Saunders
MT Olson - November 2, 2010
I'm really torn on this one.
I picked option 4 because, well he one of the few things I liked about this year and alot of the other DH options will cost more money (Ex. Dunn, Berkman, etc.).
wes W - November 2, 2010
I can't wait for the Ian Snell poll!
SeaKoala - November 2, 2010
Assuming he'll exercise his portion of the option
The team either can give him a $500k buyout or $5M contract for next year. I’m assuming they’ll give him the $5M contract as it $4.5M of “new” cost.
Basically the team needs to have a back-up plan at 1B if Smoak struggles and a DH plan.
If you think that the team is confident in Smoak and Bradley at DH, then they probably won’t pick up Branyan’s option and will wait for the 1B market to shake out and then pick up whoever is left without a home.
If you think that the team is nervous about Smoak and wants a capable plan B if he needs to spend time in AAA and/or if you think the team is nervous about Bradley at DH and wants another option, then Bradley would seem likely to be picked up.
CMC_Stags - November 2, 2010
Or they just want to test the market at DH with a ton of 1B/DH types hitting free agency.
I don’t think they’re banking on getting a full year out of both Smoak and Bradley, but they still may not want to spend $5m on Branyan.
marc w - November 2, 2010
I'd be curious to see who is available that would fit our need for DH with possible 1b if Smoak isn't ready.
Most of the worthwhile FA’s that come to mind aren’t ready to play full time DH yet (at least in their minds).
Thingray - November 2, 2010
I think the team's going to be cheap bastards.
I’d predict that 2011 season ticket sales are going to be in the toilet, and we’ll see some slices off of payroll.
Ergo, what’s more likely is Large Item Pickup Day for a hitter with ability to play 1B/corner OF, with the team hoping they pick up the 2009 version of Russ Branyan, and not the 2010 version of Casey Kotchman.
eponymous_coward - November 2, 2010
I wouldn't be terribly opposed to declining the option and resigning him for less later
But I’d also like to test the DH market. It’s going to be one of the few places we can upgrade the offense.
His affordability could be huge, though. A lot of the DH types out there could get big money despite being not much better than him, or not better at all.
Fuckmikereilly - November 2, 2010
Please pick up Branyan's option already.
If not, for 5 million, the FO could always acquire another Jack Wilson or Jose Lopez. Double the money and they might be able to snag another Chone Figgins. Triple it and they could get us Milton Bradley or Carlos Silva.
Don’t try to pretend to be too smart, pick up the option already.
NeighborTom2 - November 2, 2010
And then also pick up someone who has a past record of hitting well at the Safe.
Doesn’t have to be a big name and might be a bargain (like Ibanez). Just search for those numbers.
NeighborTom2 - November 2, 2010
Or for double the money you could get another Cliff Lee
Matthew - November 2, 2010
For decuple the money you could get the Florida Marlins!
JLC - November 2, 2010
Less than that!
seattlebruin - November 2, 2010
IS THE KID ON HIS WAY HOME?!!!!1
CapSea - November 2, 2010
I'm waiting for the "whatever" option.
Kermit. - November 2, 2010
That one involves leaving your computer off.
Sec 108 - November 3, 2010
Considering he settled for a $2 million 1 year deal with the Indians and reportedly the M's weren't offering much more, I find it ridiculous to think its a good idea to pick up his FIVE MILLION DOLLAR option.
Especially when he couldn’t stay healthy again, which were the chief concerns about him at the end of ‘09. Its probably worth it to offer him a couple million if we don’t have any better options to fill the DH role.
Patrick Stites - November 3, 2010
Did you see the part about him putting up 2+ WAR in each of the last two seasons?
And that one WAR in the free agent market tends to go for around $4M?
CMC_Stags - November 3, 2010
Branyan had to settle for a couple million, his stats and health were worse, so you want to offer him 2-2.5 times what he made?
You can’t always use WAR to determine what a team should be willing to pay someone, his fangraphs value for 2009 was $12.9 million, would you have thought it was a good idea to sign him to that anything even near that in 2010?
Patrick Stites - November 3, 2010
Add in PA incentives for a guy like Branyan, but he probably shouldn't get a raise in guaranteed salary.
Patrick Stites - November 3, 2010
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