Around the League - 2021 Szn

[DirkPiggler]

Until the Braves lose, it's going to be VERY hard to get rid of Snit. I thought this might be the year, but then AA goes and pulls MVP level moves at the deadline, the Mets collapse, and the Braves are WS contenders.

I think we are just stuck with Snit's faults in order to enjoy his other skills, which are not insignificant.

Managing the personalities is very important. The ideal solution would probably be to ease Weiss out the door (or move him to coach third if Wash goes to SD), and replace him with an analytics expert as bench coach. At least that's probably the best we can hope to see barring a collapse in the next couple of years.

[bravesfanMatt]

but does an old school manager and an analytic bench coach mesh well? no old school guy is going to want some young nerd telling what moves to make.

[Southcack77]

Imagine how fat and awful Ozuna must be now, and how awful he is likely to be next spring.

Every Braves fan should be praying he never plays again and the Braves can get out from under that deal. Oh, and remember this the next time someone wants to give a guy 4+ years.

Not sure if serious.

Domestic abuse isn't your ordinary regression.

[Southcack77]

Maybe he has the same dietician as Mike Foltynewicz

He did come out of a Juco. Possible I guess.

[Southcack77]

New CBA may make luxury tax obsolete plus Steinbrenners really dont care about the tax if they win. Question Do the Steinbrenners still own YES?

That might have been true for George but not necessary the case with the rest of them.

[Enscheff]

Not sure if serious.

Domestic abuse isn't your ordinary regression.

Long contracts are risky regardless of why a player stops producing.

[Heyward]

That might have been true for George but not necessary the case with the rest of them.

Other than Cole, Yankees havent given out any major, long crazy deals with this regime. They do badly need a SS though, whether they'd give another crazy deal to a Seager, Story, Correa is another story.

[Carp]

Hopefully - at least as far as Ozuna's concerned. Not sure I'd personally want to backload a long contract for a 1B already in his 30s who can't play another defensive position, but that's me. Backloading contracts for older veterans/high injury-risk players will get you in a world of trouble - the Gnats now owe Strasburg $35 million per for the next 5 years and Corbin $35 million in 2024 so they'll have $100 million tied up in 3 players in 2024 if they find a way to extend Soto. The problem with a potential Ozuna suspension likely presents more problems than it solves...

1.) How long will the MLBPA "allow" him to be suspended after he's already been down for 55 games? If he would have been retroactively put on the 60-Day IL with his original IL placement, he would have been eligible to come off on July 29th. If they hit him with a half-season suspension, the MLBPA is probably going to argue he should be eligible to be added to the roster near the end of April/early May. That means you need a "replacement" for him for that first month but you're not going to get much salary relief - certainly not enough to re-sign one of the four guys AA added at the deadline.

2.) Even if you're going to get him back in May AND you can somehow afford to bring back one of the OF/DH free-agent group, what are you going to do in LF until Acuna's back? If Pache/Heredia are your CFs and one of the Soler/Pederson/Duvall/Rosario crowd (whichever one you bring back) is covering for Ronald in RF, who are you playing in LF and who handles the DH spot? Waters has to be added to the 40-Man Roster this winter any way, do you start his clock and break camp with him in one of those spots and send him down when Ozuna is added if he struggles? Lugbauer has to be added this winter too (assuming they don't want to risk someone taking him in the Rule V draft), but does AA want to carry an emergency Catcher/DH guy who can only play 1B if Freeman sits? If you're going to do that, would you be better off promoting Langeliers and having Contreras be the DH and have him take lots of reps in LF since his clock has already started and he's more athletic than Lugbauer?

The Nats are in trouble because they are still paying guys for years after they are no longer on the team. Backloading a 4 year contract really shouldn't matter too much.

[Carp]

Betts and Lindor both signed 10+ year contracts and both about the same age. Lindor is already looking like a bad sign (way to early to really say), but neither would I want for my team. I know Dodger$ print money, but still, 30+ million for a guy through out his entire 30's..

Lindor ended up having a year almost identical to last season. And given how terrible he started the year, that's pretty impressive.

Still, he missed a good chunk of time to injury 2 of the last 3 seasons, and that isn't what you want to see out of a guy you just gave a 10 year contract to.

[clvclv]

Until the Braves lose, it's going to be VERY hard to get rid of Snit. I thought this might be the year, but then AA goes and pulls MVP level moves at the deadline, the Mets collapse, and the Braves are WS contenders.

I think we are just stuck with Snit's faults in order to enjoy his other skills, which are not insignificant.

I agree. However, I can't imagine anyone saw Shildt's dismissal coming - especially after they'd just won 17 straight to boat race everyone and win the Central. You'd think that clubhouse would have been one of the most cohesive around.

I also can't imagine Mozeliak makes a move like this without having gotten plenty of player input. When something like the implementation of shifting comes from the top rather than the on-field guys and the players can easily see how much of a difference it made - and Snitker continues to resist - it's probably fair to wonder if the players here would go overboard calling for him to be retained. When it's obvious they're winning in spite of him rather than because of him in a lot of situations I'm not so sure they'd revolt.

I think a really interesting question is - "Would the players even gripe at all if you asked Snitker to take a more organizational role and replaced him on the field with Wash?"

[clvclv]

The Nats are in trouble because they are still paying guys for years after they are no longer on the team. Backloading a 4 year contract really shouldn't matter too much.

The Gnats' situation is just one example. Backloading a Freeman contract just seems like a pretty bad idea IMO - at some point you have to pay other players, and backloading the Ozuna deal to make numbers fit in 2021 already looks like it was a significant mistake. A couple more mistakes like that and it's pretty easy to wind up in the same boat - while it may not seem like a concern if you don't think you plan to extend Dansby, Fried, Riley or others currently on the roster, it would still limit the resources you have available to chase their replacements in free-agency down the road.

Think he'd take the Bonilla deal?

[GovClintonTyree]

Betts and Lindor both signed 10+ year contracts and both about the same age. Lindor is already looking like a bad sign (way to early to really say), but neither would I want for my team. I know Dodger$ print money, but still, 30+ million for a guy through out his entire 30's..

If there was one guy in the game that I would be comfortable giving such a contract to, it would be Betts. And I'm not all that comfortable with him at age 39, either.

One thing about Pujols, Cabrera and Cano is that each of those deals carries into the player's 40s. That's really not a good bet. Betts and Harper are done at 39 and 37, respectively. Not insignificant gambles, but maybe not paying for 3-5 years after production has ceased.

[Southcack77]

If there was one guy in the game that I would be comfortable giving such a contract to, it would be Betts. And I'm not all that comfortable with him at age 39, either.

One thing about Pujols, Cabrera and Cano is that each of those deals carries into the player's 40s. That's really not a good bet. Betts and Harper are done at 39 and 37, respectively. Not insignificant gambles, but maybe not paying for 3-5 years after production has ceased.

The Harper deal was surprisingly reasonable I thought at the time.

[Carp]

The Gnats' situation is just one example. Backloading a Freeman contract just seems like a pretty bad idea IMO - at some point you have to pay other players, and backloading the Ozuna deal to make numbers fit in 2021 already looks like it was a significant mistake. A couple more mistakes like that and it's pretty easy to wind up in the same boat - while it may not seem like a concern if you don't think you plan to extend Dansby, Fried, Riley or others currently on the roster, it would still limit the resources you have available to chase their replacements in free-agency down the road.

Think he'd take the Bonilla deal?

4 year Freddie extension doesn't affect Riley. Might affect Fried, but that assumes we would want to resign a 30 year old pitcher to a long term deal. I've been pretty vocal about letting Bae walk.

[Southcack77]

4 year Freddie extension doesn't affect Riley. Might affect Fried, but that assumes we would want to resign a 30 year old pitcher to a long term deal. I've been pretty vocal about letting Bae walk.

The qualifying offer probably if it's still there and then goodbye. Working against him are all the high dollar guys coming open. Might not be a buyer's market for him.

4 year deal at reasonable number would be fine.

[Southcack77]

Little odd we aren't allowed to talk about the off-season in a separate thread, but whatever.

Civ, trading a starting caliber catcher with 6 years of control for marginal bench pieces from the Marlins isn't happening.

[Heyward]

That Contreras trade proposal is awful. Trading him and Waters for a BP arm and Garrett Cooper would be one of the worst moves AA could do. I could see AA make a prospect trade this winter but thats not a good deal at all from the Braves side. You can get alot more if you wanna package Contreras and Waters.

[zbhargrove]

Wait we are surprised clv had a stupid trade proposal?

[bravesfanMatt]

Little odd we aren't allowed to talk about the off-season in a separate thread, but whatever.

Civ, trading a starting caliber catcher with 6 years of control for marginal bench pieces from the Marlins isn't happening.

save offseason talk for the offseason. We have more pressing discussions happening right now.

[Hudson2]

If I’m trading prospects then just get Reynolds from Pitts.