Official Offseason Thread

[bravesfanforlife88]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/...r-payroll.html

Still probably doesn't make a Bryant trade more likely until there's a decision on his grievance, but obviously makes things more interesting.

An outside the box idea would be to see if the Cubs would package Bryant with Kimbrel...we could send back MM in the deal.

Cubs would free up $16m a year in 2021 and 2022.

[jpx7]

An outside the box idea would be to see if the Cubs would package Bryant with Kimbrel...we could send back MM in the deal.

Cubs would free up $16m a year in 2021 and 2022.

As much as that Kimbrel deal is (sadly, as a fan of his) looking like dead weight, and as crazy as it seems to add any more committed money to the bullpen, I have been wondering what talent the Cubs would give up to get out from under that deal. Plus there’s a least the glimmer of hope that a proper spring training ramp-up allows Kimbrel to be useful in the coming year(s), even if he’s no longer dominant.

[Hudson2]

I really like Bryant but if given the chance I’d take Baez if they were trading any of them.

[chop2chip]

Cubs just won 84 games and now must cut payroll despite having a bad pitching staff.

I wonder how much fun fans will have staring at that flag that cost them long term contention.

Flags fly forever! Derrrpppp!!

Normally I agree with you on this point but the Cubs are an exception to this point.

Winning a championship is the sports fan equivalence of losing your virginity. As soon as that happens, you allow yourself to think and behave more rationally.

And for the Cubs specifically, I would argue that it’s been their post WS moves that have crippled them financially rather than the moves they made to win a WS.

[JxnMissFan]

The Cubs aren't trading Bryant unless they decide to rebuild. A Bryant trade is just stuff writers think up in the offseason to have something to talk about. If you are trying to win you don't trade a 5 war player that will make less than 20 million for prospects. I don't see any team giving up equivalent MLB ready talent to Bryant. So if they were to trade Bryant for prospects they might as well trade Baez and Rizzo too. They would have the best farm system in baseball this spring if they traded that trio.

I think the Cubs will try to cut payroll by trying to trade guys like Heyward, Dravish and Lester and eat half of the salary. If they could get someone to take half of Heyward and Darvish that would free up 20 plus million. Which by the way is more than Bryant will make.

[PawPawMaxwell]

The Cubs aren't trading Bryant unless they decide to rebuild. A Bryant trade is just stuff writers think up in the offseason to have something to talk about. If you are trying to win you don't trade a 5 war player that will make less than 20 million for prospects. I don't see any team giving up equivalent MLB ready talent to Bryant. So if they were to trade Bryant for prospects they might as well trade Baez and Rizzo too. They would have the best farm system in baseball this spring if they traded that trio.

I think the Cubs will try to cut payroll by trying to trade guys like Heyward, Dravish and Lester and eat half of the salary. If they could get someone to take half of Heyward and Darvish that would free up 20 plus million. Which by the way is more than Bryant will make.

If I understand this you are saying AA trade some talent to whatever degree and take on $20M per year for Cubs scrubs/trash whatever. Correct?/

[clvclv]

The Cubs aren't trading Bryant unless they decide to rebuild. A Bryant trade is just stuff writers think up in the offseason to have something to talk about. If you are trying to win you don't trade a 5 war player that will make less than 20 million for prospects. I don't see any team giving up equivalent MLB ready talent to Bryant. So if they were to trade Bryant for prospects they might as well trade Baez and Rizzo too. They would have the best farm system in baseball this spring if they traded that trio.

I think the Cubs will try to cut payroll by trying to trade guys like Heyward, Dravish and Lester and eat half of the salary. If they could get someone to take half of Heyward and Darvish that would free up 20 plus million. Which by the way is more than Bryant will make.

They owe Heyward $86 million through 2023. They owe Darvish $81 million through 2023.

Nobody's taking either of those contracts.

[JxnMissFan]

If I understand this you are saying AA trade some talent to whatever degree and take on $20M per year for Cubs scrubs/trash whatever. Correct?/

No. Just making an observation that trading Bryant probably won’t happen. I want no part of any of the cubs bad free agent signings

[JxnMissFan]

They owe Heyward $86 million through 2023. They owe Darvish $81 million through 2023.

Nobody's taking either of those contracts.

Trading those players was based on the Cubs eating half of the salary. I don’t want either as a Braves.
If someone valued Heyward at 2 war per year he would certainly be worth 43 million.

[ixiXSolidXixi]

They need to pack Darvish and Bryant together or some kind of combination. The way we trade Kimbrel.

[Enscheff]

Normally I agree with you on this point but the Cubs are an exception to this point.

Winning a championship is the sports fan equivalence of losing your virginity. As soon as that happens, you allow yourself to think and behave more rationally.

And for the Cubs specifically, I would argue that it’s been their post WS moves that have crippled them financially rather than the moves they made to win a WS.

I can’t really disagree with that last part. However, It’s important to remember they gave up Torres for a few months of Chapman.

[NYCBrave]

I can’t really disagree with that last part. However, It’s important to remember they gave up Torres for a few months of Chapman.

I also think with the Cubs it was a little different. Not having won a World Series in so long and having the curse attached to them, they had more incentive to go all in to win it. Most of their fans had never experienced a title in their lifetime.

[Snowman]

I also think with the Cubs it was a little different. Not having won a World Series in so long and having the curse attached to them, they had more incentive to go all in to win it. Most of their fans had never experienced a title in their lifetime.

Most? It was 108 years, I really doubt there were any 115+ year olds who could still remember the last one.

[Enscheff]

Bumgarner is asking for 5/100+, and has a QO attached. He is setting himself up to be this years DK.

[Enscheff]

Dodgers apparently making Hernandez available. He could be that RHH cOFer.

[msstate7]

Dodgers apparently making Hernandez available. He could be that RHH cOFer.

I'd like this

[Freshmaker]

Bumgarner is asking for 5/100+, and has a QO attached. He is setting himself up to be this years DK.

Yikes! I’ve been in the MadBum to ATL camp for quite awhile, but hellz to the no for those years and those dollars

[JxnMissFan]

Dodgers apparently making Hernandez available. He could be that RHH cOFer.

The same article also said Pollock may be available. I would interested in Pollock if his contract wasn't so backloaded. When healthy, Pollock still is a really good player.
I would take the health gamble on Pollock and offer a couple of low end prospects to Dodgers for him with the Dodgers sending some money back to cover some risk.

[clvclv]

It's an unpopular stance, but I think AA needs to tell Donaldson "here's as far as we're interested in going, and you've got 24 hours to accept". There are simply too many teams involved, and the others can afford the 4th year or higher AAV much easier - unless there's lots more to this apparently increased payroll flexibility than any of us have even dreamed at this point.

Unless AT LEAST two of Newk, Wright, Wilson, or Anderson takes that significant step forward, you're looking at needing a minimum of $30-$35 million to fill the Hamels/Folty rotation spots in 2021. Hopefully AA will be in a position to replace Flowers, Markakis, and Duvall from within, but the money saved there PLUS getting Melancon and Greene off the books doesn't necessarily cover the two rotation spots. Folty, Soroka, Fried, Dansby, Newk, O'Day, and Jackson are all going to be due pretty significant raises. Even if the $150-$160 million level is the new "normal", Acuna is due a $4 million raise following this season and jumps another $10 million at the same time you have to make a decision on Freeman, AND there are no guarantees AA's going to be able to just wave his hand and make Ender's money go away next winter.

It's great that the idea that we're truly in on Donaldson is out there since it hopefully drives the price up for everyone else, but unless he's willing to take significantly less than where it looks like this is headed he's not coming back - and if he was, he'd already have signed by now after seeing the pen improvements and Hamels addition.

[chop2chip]

It's an unpopular stance, but I think AA needs to tell Donaldson "here's as far as we're interested in going, and you've got 24 hours to accept". There are simply too many teams involved, and the others can afford the 4th year or higher AAV much easier - unless there's lots more to this apparently increased payroll flexibility than any of us have even dreamed at this point.

Unless AT LEAST two of Newk, Wright, Wilson, or Anderson takes that significant step forward, you're looking at needing a minimum of $30-$35 million to fill the Hamels/Folty rotation spots in 2021. Hopefully AA will be in a position to replace Flowers, Markakis, and Duvall from within, but the money saved there PLUS getting Melancon and Greene off the books doesn't necessarily cover the two rotation spots. Folty, Soroka, Fried, Dansby, Newk, O'Day, and Jackson are all going to be due pretty significant raises. Even if the $150-$160 million level is the new "normal", Acuna is due a $4 million raise following this season and jumps another $10 million at the same time you have to make a decision on Freeman, AND there are no guarantees AA's going to be able to just wave his hand and make Ender's money go away next winter.

It's great that the idea that we're truly in on Donaldson is out there since it hopefully drives the price up for everyone else, but unless he's willing to take significantly less than where it looks like this is headed he's not coming back - and if he was, he'd already have signed by now after seeing the pen improvements and Hamels addition.

Donaldson waiting to sign is a good thing. It gives the Braves time to search the trade market for his replacement.

I’m sure AA already knows essentially the price to bring JD back. The FO is likely weighing that against the cost of other options. This might drag on for a few weeks.