Former Cubs 3B Ramirez signs with Brewers
I harbored no ill will towards Aramis Ramirez for leaving the Cubs.
It was a bit surprising to me that Ramirez voided his $16 million option for 2012. I didn't think he'd earn close to that annually on the open market. But it wasn't like it was an insane move for him. Ramirez probably figured this could be his last chance to get a big, multiyear deal. A bad 2012 could have left Ramirez resorting to small, one-year offers only next offseason. Plus, it would make much sense for Ramirez to not want to be part of a Cubs rebuilding project at this stage of his career — in spite of his own prior insistence that he wanted to remain a Cub.
What makes me a little bit sick as a Cubs fan is the team Ramirez chose to sign with. It's been rumored for a while, but today it became official that the third baseman will remain in the NL Central and sign a 3-year contract with the Brewers. Ken Rosethal is tweeting that Ramirez will be paid between $34 million and $37 million, but I haven't seen that confirmed anywhere.
But I don't plan on rushing to get tickets for the Brewers' first 2012 game at Wrigley Field on April 9 with the intention of booing Ramirez every chance I get. The market for him was reportedly pretty thin. It's tough to believe there wouldn't be interest for a third baseman who has posted an OPS over .900 in five seasons, but I never really heard of another team hotly pursuing him other than the Brewers. It's tough to fault Ramirez for going to the only team that was willing to pay him.
Plus, I don't think it's a great signing for the Brewers. Ramirez is already 33 years old. He was good in 2011, posting a .306/.361/.510 slash line, but he tallied a mediocre.241/.294/.452 slash in 124 games the year before and was limited to 82 games in 2009. He's played in 150 or more games three times in his career and hasn't done it since 2006. It's tough to imagine the Brewers getting elite, everyday production out of Ramirez for all three years of this deal, if in any of them. Given that the Brewers are expected to lose Prince Fielder in free agency and may be without Ryan Braun for a huge chunk of the 2012 season, even if Ramirez matches his numbers from last season, he may not do so for a contender.
That's not spite talking. I really liked Ramirez as a Cub. He was an excellent and underrated player for eight-plus seasons on the north side, and was a primary part of three playoff teams. He was the centerpiece of Jim Hendry's best trade as general manager, which sounds like winning tallest person honors at a midget convention, but it really was a great deal. Even now, I'm not bitter (but that may change if a Ramirez three-run homer off Carlos Marmol sinks the Cubs in April). I'd wish Ramirez the best if he'd have signed in the American League, and obviously if he'd have agreed to return to the Cubs. But even then, I wouldn't delude myself into thinking his best days are ahead of him.
