Russell the Muscle back to CLE; 1 yr./$2M guaranteed

[TooLiveBrew]

Could earn $1M more in incentives. $5M mutual option for 2011. Link

I like the pickup for the Indians. They'll probably be able to flip him to a contending team mid-season for a useful prospect.

[crewcrazy]

Hopefully he helps Matt LaPorta fulfill his 3TO destiny. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Very solid pick-up for the Tribe...I was surprised he went unsigned for this long, but I guess a lot of teams were scared off by his back problems.

[Invader3K]

Hopefully he helps Matt LaPorta fulfill his 3TO destiny. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Very solid pick-up for the Tribe...I was surprised he went unsigned for this long, but I guess a lot of teams were scared off by his back problems.

Plus he was supposedly looking for a fairly sizable multi-year deal before the start of the off-season and I think that scared off a lot of would-be suitors. Now the market pretty much dried up and he was stuck taking a deal like this.

[thebruce44]

He picked a pretty bad time to have a "breakout year." If he had done this 2 or 3 years ago he would probably have gotten a 3 or 4 year deal.

[Invader3K]

He picked a pretty bad time to have a "breakout year." If he had done this 2 or 3 years ago he would probably have gotten a 3 or 4 year deal.

Good point. I mean, when you still have guys like Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye without a job, you knew it wasn't going to be a blockbuster contract for Branyan.

[Funketown]

Hopefully he sees significant playing time in Cleveland. I'm pretty confident he will, given Hafner's struggles. Here's to hoping he (finally) puts together a healthy 600 PA season and has a chance at cracking 40 HR's.

[BrewCrewForever]

I will be tuning into any Indians games on TV now. Simply to see the Muscle. Hopefully he can have another season like 2009.

[sheethead]

He picked a pretty bad time to have a "breakout year." If he had done this 2 or 3 years ago he would probably have gotten a 3 or 4 year deal.

It also would have helped him to finish out the season. He was shut down at the end of August last year, and failed again to finish an entire season.

[djoctagone]

i hope cleveland fans haven't forgotten how to properly spell his name . . .

[pepsimax23]

the brewers will rue the day(s) they passed on 3TO. now i definitely have a reason to check out spring training games in goodyear az.

[Ennder]

I don't know about that, Fielder is at 1B and Branyan has proven he can't stay healthy playing other positions. He should have been signed by some team that needs a full time DH probably. He makes very little sense for the Indians given their current situation. They would have been better off sticking LaPorta at 1B full time since right now either LaPorta or Brantley doesn't have a position.

[joepepsi]

the brewers will rue the day(s) they passed on 3TO. now i definitely have a reason to check out spring training games in goodyear az.

They can sign after Prince leaves for the Red Sox.

[Invader3K]

It also would have helped him to finish out the season. He was shut down at the end of August last year, and failed again to finish an entire season.

Exactly. The odds seem to be greater than not that Branyan will not play a full season for the Indians.

[twobrewers]

I'd much rather have 3TO at $2M than Damon at $8M.

 

Not that 3TO is a steal at $2M - Damon is just that big of a joke at $8M.