Originally Posted by
Horsehide Harry
I would go a different rout:
Teheran for Phillips, Lutz and Monte Harrison - the Brewers #8, 12 and 14 prospects.
I think Phillips has a chance by himself to be a better player long term than Santana, at least as an OF. Lutz is Waters+ and Harrison is an athletic wild card.
That's not a quantity trade IMO but an upside trade.
If the Braves do that then they get another $8M to spend on this currently depressed FA market (2018) as the return would not required much more than the ML minimum for Phillips.
I would move Folty too. Maybe Folty & Markakis and $5M to Baltimore for Austin Hays & Hunter Harvey.
And replace them with the best value from the current deflated market between guys like Lynn or Cobb (~4 years $40M) - You could possibly even sign both Cobb and Lynn at 4/40 contracts since you are moving Teheran (8), Folty (3.75) and Neck (6). Then sign a #5 for very little money like a Nolasco, Tillman or Liriano to hold the fort until the youngsters are ready. You have to be prepared to gamble that guys like Lynn and/or Cobb's market won't develop like they want.
Let's say the rotation to start the season would be: Lynn, McCarthy, Newk, Sims/Kaz, Liriano with Gohara, Fried, Allard, Soroka and Blair/Wisler at AAA all ready to come up hopefully at some point in the year.
And, under the scenarios outlined above, you pick up Phillips, Lutz, Harrison, Hays and Harvey AND shed enough payroll to allow you to bring in value through the deflated FA market should things go right. You could start the year with an OF of Phillips, Inciarte and Hays with Acuna waiting in the wings.