BRAUN, RYAN  
 
Image of    Nickname:   N/A Position:   LF
Home: Granada Hills, California Team:   BREWERS
Height: 6' 2" Bats:   R
Weight: 200 Throws:   R
DOB: 11/17/1983 Agent: Nez Balelo
Birth City: Mission Hills, California Draft: Brewers #1 - 2005 - Out of Univ. of Miami
Uniform #: 8  
 
YR LEA TEAM SAL(K) G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO OBP SLG AVG
2005 PIO HELENA   10 41 6 14 2 1 2 10 2   2 6     .341
2005 SAL WEST VIRGINIA   37 152 21 54 16 2 8 35 2   9 34     .355
2006 FSL BREVARD COUNTY   59 226 34 62 12 2 7 37 14 4 23 54 .346 .438 .274
2006 SL HUNTSVILLE   59 231 41 70 19 1 15 40 12 21 21 46 .367 .589 .303
2007 PCL NASHVILLE   34 117 28 40 12 0 10 22 4 3 15 11   .701 .342
2007 NL BREWERS $380.00 113 451 91 146 26 6 34 97 15 5 29 112 .370 .634 .324
2008 NL BREWERS $455.00 151 611 92 174 39 7 37 106 14 4 42 129 .335 .553 .285
2009 NL BREWERS   158 635 113 203 39 6 32 114 20 6 57 121 .386 .551 .320
2010 NL BREWERS $1,288.00 135 536 87 162 35 1 19 80 14 3 48 90 .360 .478 .302
PERSONAL:

  • Ryan's mother, Diane, is a marathoner and ran in the Miller Park sausage race.

    Diane also is a brewer . . . seriously. She makes beer for Aneheuser-Busch.

  • In 2002, Braun graduated from Granada Hills High School in California, where he broke the school's career home run record with 25. He was a two-time all-area selection by the Los Angeles Times and a three-time choice by the Los Angeles Daily News. As a senior, he hit .451-8-29 and also stole 18 bases.

    Braun wasn't drafted out of high school even though he was such a highly touted prospect. He told teams he was way out of their price range because he definitely wanted to go to college. He chose Miami for its social scene, its academics, its athletics and because, "I think the girls were the deal closer on the recruiting trip."
  • Ryan was a star soccer player as a freshman in high school.

  • Ryan went on to the University of Miami, as a business major. He was on a partial academic scholarship, so he is an intelligent guy.

    In 2003, his freshman year, he hit .364 and broke Pat Burrell's school freshman RBI record (64). In 2004, as a sophomore, he missed 18 game with a strained rib cage that hindered his hitting, but still managed a .335 average with 10 home runs and 45 RBI in 45 games.

  • Braun worked through the transition from shortstop to third base with A-Rod, the Miami resident and the New York Yankee who made the same move prior to the 2003 season. He had a number of conversations with the superstar, who uses the University of Miami facilities during the offseason.

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    "He's been able to give me some helpful hints and pointers to help me out," said Braun, on everything to adjusting to new angles to fielding bunts.

    "He basically told me everything he went through, and it was a difficult transition for him, too," Braun said. "He understood what I was going through. That's been able to help me."

    JEWISH BACKGROUND

  • Ryan is believed to be the highest-drafted Jewish player since Ron Blomberg was taken first overall in 1967.

  • Braun has conncetions with two other Jewish baseball icons: Sandy Koufax was born Sanford Braun, but took his stepfather's name when his Mom remarried. And Braun's grandfather has lived for 40 years in a home once owned by Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg.

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  • During the off-season before 2006 spring training, Baseball America rated Ryan as 3rd-best prospect in the Brewers organization. And they moved him up to #2 in the Milwaukee farm system in the spring of 2007.

  • Braun worked hard in the offseason before 2006 spring camp opened to improve his balance at the plate by taking yoga classes with Mike Lieberthal.

  • Ryan is driven. On his way up, he wanted to be a star in the Majors yesterday. So he had to work at toning it down.

  • In 2007 spring training, Braun's bat was impressive. In 11 exhibition games with the Brewers, he hit .353/.405/.912 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 34 at-bats. But Ryan also committed throwing errors in each of the two games before he was cut, running his camp total to four.

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  • In May 2007, when Ryan was promoted to the Majors, Brewers manager Ned Yost put him right into the #3 spot in the batting order. Yost had seen Braves manager Bobby Cox do the same with Chipper Jones for his big league debut. Yost affirmed that part of what makes Braun so good is his attitude.

    "Cockiness is all right," Yost said. "I would much rather tone down a player's confidence than try to build it up. It's really hard to build up a player's confidence and cockiness, his swagger. Braun has it."

  • Braun was named the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year in a very close vote, winning over Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki by two points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

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  • The spotlight seems to work well for Braun.

    "For me, I grew up in Los Angeles, I went to college at Miami, I've always been really comfortable in the spotlight," he said. "It's something that I definitely enjoy. This right here, it doesn't get any better than this, it doesn't get any bigger than this, it's pretty cool."

    Braun is candid, witty, self-confident to the point of being brash but not obnoxious. These are traits that can work if the individual in question can play, which he obviously can.

    This All-Star experience for Braun, who is well-versed in baseball history, is unique and easily appreciated.

    "I appreciate the support that everybody has given me," Braun said. "It's unbelievable. The Milwaukee fans really got out there and voted. They're crazy for baseball right now." (Mike Bauman/MLB.com)

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  • On June 12, 2009: Braun launched his new bat line "RB8" in conjunction with SAM BAT, the Original Maple Bat Corp., based out of Ontario, Canada. The "RB8" line will be affiliated with Good Sports and its "10,000 Swings" campaign, a non-profit organization that distributes sports equipment, footwear and apparel to disadvantaged youths. For every home run Braun hits this season, Sam Bats will donate 10 bats to that organization.

    "I love being a baseball player. I'm living my dream every day. But at the same time I don't ever want to be defined just by baseball. I have a lot of ambitions to succeed with all of my business ventures and other parts of my life," Braun said.

    He started a clothing line for men and women: Remetee, a "California Couture." It is stylish T-shirts.

    "I only get involved in things I believe in, companies that I think have the same ambition, same drive that I have," Ryan said. "I wouldn't get myself in something and put my name and reputation on the line unless I really believed in it and unless I was involved."

    Braun endorses CytoSport nutritional beverages, including Muscle Milk, a legitimate means for athletes to get an edge. He also decided to try his hand at the volatile restaurant business, actually opening two in 2010, on April 5 at Miller Park and the other around the same time in Lake Geneva with Ryan Braun's Tavern & Grill. Other restaurants are in the works. (Tom Haudricourt-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-March, 2010)

    TRANSACTIONS

  • June 2005: Braun signed with the Brewers for a $2.45 million signing bonus after they made him the first overall pick, out of the University of Miami. Larry Pardo is the scout who signed him.

  • May 15, 2008: Braun agreed to the largest contract in Milwaukee Brewers' history—an 8-year, $45 million deal. The pact runs through 2015.

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    BATTING:

    • Braun hits for both power to all parts of the park and a high batting average. He has a little uppercut in his powerful, smooth righthanded swing. It is not a textbook swing, but it works real well for Ryan.

      He is an aggressive hitter. The ball just jumps off his quick bat, thanks to quick hands.

    • Ryan is a good bunter.

    • His hands are so quick he can overcome the hitch in his swing, and a high, unconventional finish. He can really hit, exhibiting excellent bat speed. He stays on the ball as well as most anybody in the game.

      Watch his swing in slow motion. Look how it keeps going after he has made contact.

    • Braun is patient at the plate and works the count, waiting for a pitch he can nail. He can stay in on breaking pitches. His strike zone knowledge is very good. He stays back on offspeed pitches.

      Ryan has an advanced approach at the plate. He looks to drive the ball to the opposite field, but is ready to nail a mistake pitch on the inner half. He turns on those inside pitches and has a knack for hitting to the opposite field.
  • Braun is going to be a potent run producer for many years in the Major Leagues. He has all five tools.

  • Ryan really knows how to hit a breaking ball. That is part of what makes him one of the game's best hitters.

  • Braun reached 20 home runs in 64 games, the fastest in the game since Albert Pujols did it in 63 games in 2001. And Ryan was fastest to 25 and 30 home runs (82 and 94 games) since Mark McGwire (77 and 84) in 1986 and 1987).

  • In 2007, Braun's .634 slugging percentage was the highest for a rookie in Major League history and led the NL.

    The .634 mark surpassed the .618 of the Oakland A's Mark McGwire in 1987. (The St. Louis cardinals' George Watkins slugged .621 in 1930, but fell just short of the required 400 official at-bats with 391.)

    In what amounted to two-thirds of a season with Milwaukee, Braun hit 34 home runs with 97 RBI and 91 runs scored while hitting .324 in what some called a second coming of Albert Pujols, or even Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams as rookie sensations.

    BREAKDOWN VS. LEFTIES AND RIGHTIES

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  • In 2007, Ryan nailed lefthanded pitching for a .450 average and 15 home runs in 111 at-bats. He hit .282 with 19 home runs in 340 at-bats vs. righthanders. (Editor's note: .450?)

  • In 2008, Braun hit .287 with 9 home runs in 171 at-bats vs. lefthanded pitchers. And .284 with 28 home runs in 440 at-bats vs. righthanders.
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    FIELDING:

    • Randy was becoming a pretty good defensive player at third base, but his hands, footwork, and reactions fall just a little short. He works hard at it, so expect improvement throughout his career. He is so athletic that he has adjusted real well.

    • Braun moved to left field in 2008. He was a little stiff at third base anyway, needing better footwork and range. But an opening in left field with the Brewers allowed Bill Hall to move to third base from center field . . . and make room for new arrival Mike Cameron.

    • Research done by Jayson Stark of ESPN.com showed that only a handful of Rookie of the Year players moved to a new position the following year. And NONE of them moved to a completely new position.

    		According to Stark's research, Braun is the only Rookie of the Year in Major League history to play just one position as a rookie and switch to a completely new position the next year.

  • Randy showed good hands at third base and plenty of arm. He improved his footwork, putting himself in better position to throw. He also keeps his elbow up, giving him a better arm slot.

    But most of Braun's errors came on throws, because he tends to lead with his elbow.

  • Braun credits Yankees third baseman and fellow University of Miami alumnus Alex Rodriguez for helping him make the switch from shortstop to the hot corner. A-Rod worked with Ryan when he was at Miami.

    "I went to the University of Miami and he lives really close to the campus, so during the offseason he was there working out with us, so he kind of took me under his wing and mentored me a little bit when I made the transition from shortstop to third base because obviously he had gone through the same thing," Braun said. "Just to be able to pick up some small pointers from a guy of his stature was very helpful for me and provided me with some helpful insight."

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  • In the outfield, Braun would play close to the warning track, and doesn't move much at all—like Albert Belle used to do.

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    RUNNING:

    • Ryan has good speed for stealing a few bases. He is a plus runner.

    • Ryan runs the 60-yard-dash in 6.6 seconds.
     
    CAREER INJURY REPORT:

    • 2004: A rib cage injury kept Braun out of 18 games for the University of Miami Hurricanes.

    • August 22, 2005: Ryan was sidelined by a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

    • March 2007: A sore elbow sidelined Braun for part of spring training.

    • April 30-May 18, 2007: Braun was on the D.L. with the Nashville Sounds because of tendinitis in his left wrist.

    • March 13, 2008: Ryan Braun's right Achilles tendon kept him from joining his teammates on the two-hour bus trip from Phoenix to Tucson Electric Park.

    • June 27, 2008: Braun was getting treatment for soreness in the meaty part of his right hand between his thumb and forefinger for about a week. Braun cannot trace the source of the injury, but believes he irritated a ligament on a swing during the Brewers' previous homestand.

  • August 9, 2008: Ryan left a game with a strained intercostal (in his side). He even had trouble sleeping, even with the help of a muscle relaxer.

    "Every time I laugh or sneeze or cough or roll over, it’s pretty painful,” Braun said. “They said it could be something like if I irritated one of my vertebrae. Everything around it tightens up to compensate"

  • March 15, 2009: Braun strained his right intercostal in Team USA's game in the World Baseball Classic. It is the same injury that kept him out of six games in the second half of the 2008 season and caused a dramatic drop in offensive production. But an MRI showed there was no structural damage.

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    Last Updated 9/8/2010. All contents © 2000 by Player Profiles. All rights reserved.