Originally Posted by
Horsehide Harry
I still think there is a possibility of moving Kemp IF the Braves are willing to take a different contract back. I look at Detroit. They are rebuilding. Maybe you talk them into a swap of Kemp for Jordan Zimmerman and $12.5M. Zimmerman is owed $24, $25, $25 while the Braves owe Kemp something like $18, $18. So, the Braves decline Dickey's option which saves them $7.5M and in 2018 they net a savings of $1.5M, in 2019 Zimmerman costs them $7.5M but they probably veteran buy that anyway. In 2020 when Kemp would be gone but the Braves would be on the hook for $12.5M under the conditions of the deal outlined above. For Detroit, they net out a savings of $20M over the lifetime of the deal and clear Kemp a year before they would have cleared Zimmerman. For the Braves, they get their veteran starter that has a NL history and that they loved in the past. He has potential upside from where he is now. He fits the bill of veteran rotation stabilizer and he costs the Braves $6M in 2018 (down from what they are considering giving Dickey), $7M in 2019 and $12.5M in 2020 (assuming they are smart enough to earmark the $12.5M they get from Detroit.
To me, that's the best kind of deal you can hope for and would be better than just saying "we are going to eat $36M."