Moustakas

[jpx7]

Name someone you eventually don't have to sign for more than two years - assuming you want to be competitive at some point, that is. I'd much rather spend money on bats than on arms that you fully expect will blow out at some point during a 4+ year contract personally.

I have no problem with the Braves spending to address third-base, and I'm actually not too worried about 4-5-year contract for the right player—especially given I don't think the Braves will really be competitive next season, either.

I just don't think Moustakas is that guy. His on-base ability scares me, as does his age (29, when—again—I don't think the Braves will be really competitive until he's in his age-31 season); meanwhile, his power-burst this season will probably mean he gets an extra couple million on his AAV.

[clvclv]

Yankees may step up now...Torres is going to have TJS.

[clvclv]

I have no problem with the Braves spending to address third-base, and I'm actually not too worried about 4-5-year contract for the right player—especially given I don't think the Braves will really be competitive next season, either.

I just down think Moustakas is that guy. His on-base ability scares me, as does his age (29, when—again—I don't think the Braves will be really competitive until he's in his age-31 season); meanwhile, his power-burst this season will probably mean he gets an extra couple million on his AAV.

I'm definitely not arguing that he doesn't have his warts - simply that he's probably the best available guy this winter if he's not traded to someone that extends him - and that even with those warts he'd still be a huge upgrade for us.

[Coredor]

I wouldn't do a trade in season but Moustakas and Frazier could both be options. Frazier will probably be an affordable option this offseason. We clearly have a need at 3B and an average major league starting 3B would be a huge upgrade. I'd like to say go after Machado or Donaldson the year after, but I think that they would command more money than we should have tied up in one player even if we have the room available. Machado would probably cost 250 million over about 8 years.

[smootness]

I'm definitely not arguing that he doesn't have his warts - simply that he's probably the best available guy this winter if he's not traded to someone that extends him - and that even with those warts he'd still be a huge upgrade for us.

I don't think we should be overspending in free agency on guys we don't love just because there's not a clearly better option available to us. I'd much rather go get somebody who might be passable in FA and wait on Austin Riley.

[clvclv]

I don't think we should be overspending in free agency on guys we don't love just because there's not a clearly better option available to us. I'd much rather go get somebody who might be passable in FA and wait on Austin Riley.

That's the point - who's passable???

After Moustakas and Frazier, your options are Ryan Flaherty, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Valencia, and Yunel Escobar (and you know the brass isn't going back down that road).

[jpx7]

That's the point - who's passable???

After Moustakas and Frazier, your options are Ryan Flaherty, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Valencia, and Yunel Escobar (and you know the brass isn't going back down that road).

Prado seems perennially an option. Who knows: maybe Toronto doesn't feel they can extent Donaldson, and makes him available this winter. Longoria, while on the wrong side of 30, is a player in whom I have a lot more faith in than Moustakas.

[smootness]

That's the point - who's passable???

After Moustakas and Frazier, your options are Ryan Flaherty, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Valencia, and Yunel Escobar (and you know the brass isn't going back down that road).

Plouffe and Valencia are both passable.

[sturg33]

That's the point - who's passable???

After Moustakas and Frazier, your options are Ryan Flaherty, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Valencia, and Yunel Escobar (and you know the brass isn't going back down that road).

If you're making a 5 year commitment based on "best option at the time"... then I'm glad you're not the GM.

Reality is best case the Braves aren't competing seriously until 2020. That means we're 32 year Moose Tacos to put up pedestrian numbers while paying him $20+ M a year.

No thanks.

Give me another scrub next year and re-boot the next off season.

I think if Coppy was trying hard enough he could go trade for a decent prospect like McMahon. I'd use one or two of our million pitching prospects to do it.

[jpx7]

I'm definitely not arguing that he doesn't have his warts - simply that he's probably the best available guy this winter if he's not traded to someone that extends him - and that even with those warts he'd still be a huge upgrade for us.

You're probably not wrong regarding Moustakas being "the best available this winter", pending other developments; but "best available this winter" doesn't mean "worth the gamble" to me, given his obvious deficiencies—especially considering I don't anticipate the Braves really needing the upgrade until 2019, at the earliest. I think a better option is to scour the trade market for a younger, more cost-controllable option, whose late-twenties years will coincide with the next competitive window—even if it costs a couple good arms from the minors.

[sturg33]

If we're going to open the purse strings, I really hope it's not on Moustakas