Grading the Cavaliers: Mike Brown
February 19, 2010Cavaliers vs Bobcats Open Thread
February 19, 2010Move over, Mike Redmond. You’ll have to share the “free agent acquisition” seat with one Russell Oles Branyan. ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that the Indians have inked Branyan to what will be his second stint with the team.
Olney says the deal is for $2 million, with up to another $1 million in possible incentives. There is also an option for a second season in 2011 for $5 million, if both sides agree.
This deal is right in line with what the Indians have been looking for with any free agent: Not tying up too much money and not for an extended period of time. Check and check. His age (34) is also coincidentally right on par with Redmond who is 39-years old.
Branyan is coming off of a huge season with the Mariners as their full-time first baseman. He hit 31 home runs and 76 RBIs before succumbing to a back injury. Over his 12-year career, Branyan has hit at a clip of .234/331/.491. The veteran slugger will likely see at-bats behind first baseman Matt LaPorta, and may also see time as a designated hitter in the event that Travis Hafner does not remain healthy.
27 Comments
The 3rd baseman of the future is back!
What is this 2001? Can we bring back Einar Diaz or Jolbert Cabrera while we’re at it? What a riveting move. Go Tribe!!!
What, Boog Powell wasn’t available?
Let’s not act like Branyan was consistent all season. He hit most of those HR’s and RBI’s in the first half, along with a really good BA until he promptly got injured (again) and was terrible in the second half. I should know, he was on my fantasy team.
Between him and Grady, not to mention Choo and Peralta, we can double any other team is total strike outs!
LEADING THE LEAGUE!!!
We’ve finally filled our need for a high-power, low-average, left-handed DH/1B!
I wonder if Richie Sexson is available, then we can lockdown the strikeout crown for this year.
So we trade one box fan in Shoppach and get one back in Branyan. Solid move Tribe, put me down for season tickets ASAP.
None of us can yet fully grasp how miserable this team will be. They’ll be worse than the 2003 squad.
I honestly just discareded my Branyan jersey tshirt about a year or so ago. It was fantastic for wiping grease off my hands after working on my truck. I miss that shirt. Welcome back Russell.
I bet Carlos Baerga is just sitting on a couch somewhere. Get him on the horn!
He’s at least entertaining to watch hit. He’s either going to corkscrew himself into the dirt or hit one 500 feet. No bloop singles for that guy…
welcome back to c town russell. can u say CHAMPIONSHIP?
Where can I buy my World Series tickets?!
It’s moves like this that just make me disgusted to me an Indians fan. I grew up with baseball being the first sport I loved and now we have to deal with trading away Cy Young winners two consecutive years and watching Victor getting dealt to the team that knocked us out of the playoffs the last time the Indians were there.
We all know that Dan Gilbert is committed to winning at whatever cost, and say what you want about Randy Lerner, but spending money on the Browns has never been his issue. Moves like this just prove that the Dolans are not, and will not ever be committed to winning.
I’m just laughing to myself here…. Russell Branyan? Really?!?
“We all know that Dan Gilbert is committed to winning at whatever cost”
Umm….you mean Dan Gilbert will make $$$ no matter how much he puts in his payroll because of the $$$ he makes off LeBron.
Kudos to him for not just banking that $$$, but it’s similar to when the Indians were the only pro-sport in Cleveland in the mid-90’s (no the Fratello Cavs do NOT count).
I’m upset that Branyan will be stealing at-bats from our youngsters who need to learn and grow and we need to find out which ones to build around.
However, if it was a choice between the White Sox old, washed up vet (Dye) and one of our old, washed up vets (Branyan)….then, I would say we picked wisely.
How low can you go…one more reason to be excited for opening day!
I am fine with this as insurance is Hafner/LaPorta aren’t healthy. However, please Mr. Acta, do not platoon Branyan and a healthy LaPorta. If healthy, LaPorta needs all the at-bats.
Why didn’t they offer this deal to Thome a month ago?
gross
@AMC – you can buy your World Series tickets from redsox.com or yankees.com
We still have a baseball team?
0-8 in the first half. Welcome aboard Antawn Jamison. The Ilgauskurse begins!
They signed Russell freaking Branyan. I thought they were going younger?
First, Carlos Baerga is coaching the Venezuelan baseball team.
Second, why would we sign an old guy with no baseball skills besides the occasional long ball? He’s just going to take at bats from the young kids on the team who are trying to get used to major league pitching. Dumb Move. The season is shot anyways, why would we bring in a free agent who is just going to slow the progression of the prospects?
[…] the Indians inked Russell Branyan to a one-year, $2 million deal this off-season and guaranteed him an everyday job as the team’s first baseman, there were plenty […]