Discussion of Braves 2018 Offseason plans

[nsacpi]

We'll have 50-60M to play with next off-season. I'm not in favor of playing in the deep end of the FA pool. I think the back ends of those kinds of contracts entail risk we should avoid. I've outlined a strategy where we trade for players with 2-3 years of contractual control left that don't have a large amount of surplus value in those contracts. It allows us to utilize the financial flexibility we will have next off-season while retaining the ability to hold on to and extent our best homegrown players even as they get expensive.

Trading for those kinds of players also allows us to exploit the depth in our farm system without trading our best prospects. Essentially, we will be able to hold on to our top 5 or 6 prospects and use prospects rated below those (plus any surplus pitching we have at the major league level) to make those kinds of trades.

[Southcack77]

We'll have 50-60M to play with next off-season. I'm not in favor of playing in the deep end of the FA pool. I think the back ends of those kinds of contracts entail risk we should avoid. I've outlined a strategy where we trade for players with 2-3 years of contractual control left that don't have a large amount of surplus value in those contracts. It allows us to utilize the financial flexibility we will have next off-season while retaining the ability to hold on to and extent our best homegrown players even as they get expensive.

Trading for those kinds of players also allows us to exploit the depth in our farm system without trading our best prospects. Essentially, we will be able to hold on to our top 5 or 6 prospects and use prospects rated below those (plus any surplus pitching we have at the major league level) to make those kinds of trades.

You don't need to be taking back end risk before you know you are a contender - that's for sure.

One of the two young super stars wouldn't have much back end risk, but can't see Atlanta really doing that. So I think maybe the place they can play is the sub market.

[Carp]

So $120m to $125m... is that up or down from last season? Will we hear enscheff pat himself on the back for being right or not? Lol

Not really. He was saying payroll would be closer to 110-115. But I'm sure he'll claim he was right even if payroll was 1 dollar lower than last year.

[Enscheff]

Not really. He was saying payroll would be closer to 110-115. But I'm sure he'll claim he was right even if payroll was 1 dollar lower than last year.

I have said repeatedly payroll would go down from last year. In the bet I have with Ivan at TC I said payroll will be closer to $110M than $130M, so we set the over/under at $120M.

There is no grey area around what I have stated, and I have been clear and consistent for months.

Payroll is going down from 2017 due to poor attendance leading to lowered revenue projections in 2018. Simple.

It's so obviously the case by now that I don't even bring it up anymore.

[Carp]

Anything within 5 percent of last year's payroll (over or under) is just noise and means very little about attendance or missed projections. Especially considering 123 million was our largest payroll ever. If it's within the 118 -123 million as suggested it could be, then you are absolutely just blowing smoke. If it's over a 5 percent decrease, I'll give you props.

[Enscheff]

Anything within 5 percent of last year's payroll (over or under) is just noise and means very little about attendance or missed projections. Especially considering 123 million was our largest payroll ever. If it's within the 118 -123 million as suggested it could be, then you are absolutely just blowing smoke. If it's over a 5 percent decrease, I'll give you props.

This article says $126M: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybr.../#49235eb65a78

This article says $112M: https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/h...roll-for-2017/

Cot's says $122M overall and $133M at the end of the year: http://legacy.baseballprospectus.com...tlanta-braves/

Who's going to go through the 2017 opening day payroll and verify?

[Enscheff]

And of COURSE a 5% decrease doesn't count as a "decrease" because....reasons.

What does a 5% increase count as?

[JohnAdcox]

What does a 5% increase count as?

A rounding error.

[clvclv]

A rounding error.

HAS to be. No way on God's green earth it has anything to do with removing Kemp, Bartolo, Garcia, Dickey, and Jim Johnson from the payroll.

[Horsehide Harry]

Appears GNats are talking with the Marlins about Realmuto. MLBTR saying Kieboom and/or Fedde. Considering where they are in relation to one another and considering that the deal is for both, anyone have interest in Realmuto for Riley and Fried?

[Hudson2]

Neither one of the Nats guys are top 100 prospects

[Carp]

And of COURSE a 5% decrease doesn't count as a "decrease" because....reasons.

What does a 5% increase count as?

Because a 5% increase or decrease is so emphatically irrelevant that only someone looking for attention would champion himself based off that.

[Carp]

Appears GNats are talking with the Marlins about Realmuto. MLBTR saying Kieboom and/or Fedde. Considering where they are in relation to one another and considering that the deal is for both, anyone have interest in Realmuto for Riley and Fried?

Hard pass. Catcher is the least of our worries right now and we have 3-4 very talented in catchers in the minors as well.

[Enscheff]

Realmuto is consistently as bad at framing as Flowers is good. It’s almost like going from Kemp to Heyward in the OF.

I would much rather see the Braves stick with Flowers or acquire Grandal as a FA.

[Oklahomabrave]

Realmuto is consistently as bad at framing as Flowers is good. I would much rather see the Braves stick with Flowers or acquire Grandal as a FA.

I’m a big supporter of Grandal for next year. I’d still like Realmuto if it could be centered around pitching.

[Carp]

I like Grandall too.

I also like Austin Hedges as a buy low candidate that could possibly bust out. He has legit power but the contact skills have been non-existent so far. Reports on his defense have been good so far though.

[Enscheff]

I’m a big supporter of Grandal for next year. I’d still like Realmuto if it could be centered around pitching.

The pitching prospects will be lining up to leave Atlanta if Realmuto is going to be the primary catcher. AA will likely have several volunteers to be traded away haha.

I have to imagine AA isn’t interested in Realmuto after spending 2 years in LA...hopefully.

[TheBravos]

The pitching prospects will be lining up to leave Atlanta if Realmuto is going to be the primary catcher. AA will likely have several volunteers to be traded away haha.

I have to imagine AA isn’t interested in Realmuto after spending 2 years in LA...hopefully.

Hard pass on Realmuto. Catcher is not a worry even next year unless Flowers really falls off for some reason. We could sign him back pretty reasonably I’d say.

[sturg33]

I don't think I ever remember an off season without a single FA signing

[Horsehide Harry]

Just to be clear I AM NOT advocating trading for Realmuto. I think everyone by now knows where I stand so that's no surprise.

I was however curious as to what people would deem an appropriate return. Fedde and Kieboom (2 former 1st rounders) are the gNats #3 and #4 prospects and would likely correlate to the end of most top 100 lists (or just off) which would put them in the area of Riley and Fried (or Wentz).

BTW, I think Fedde should change the spelling of his name to Fidde.