I see both Heyward and Kimbrel being on the block next offseason. The braves are going to go when their core for 1 more year. After they they have to start the transition to keeping the core they can.
I see both Heyward and Kimbrel being on the block next offseason. The braves are going to go when their core for 1 more year. After they they have to start the transition to keeping the core they can.
Watching Heyward grow up in the ATL system, then trading the boy to some other team isn't going to be easy. I don't envy Frank when it's time to do so.Originally Posted by Heyward
what a busy off season
Dalyn (12-29-2013)
Jan 17 is the date for salary arbitration figures to be exchanged.
Those kinds of deadlines are often catalysts for exchanging ideas about long term deals.
I expect to see one Brave sign a long-term deal by the end of spring training.
Care to take a stab as to who and amount of the deal?
My guess is Simmons. Something like a 7 year deal covering his five remaining pre-free agency years and his first two free agency years. 45-50M total.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was Heyward though. He is closest to free agency of the Big 3 and I don't read the failure to reach a deal so far as implying he is determined to test the market.
Last edited by nsacpi; 12-29-2013 at 07:33 PM.
yeezus (12-30-2013)
Simmons should be the easiest to do so, I agree. But I hope we're able to lock up all three (Simmons, Heyward and Freeman) soon.
JohnAdcox (12-30-2013)
Assuming we're out on Tanaka/Price/Samardzija, I'd still love to see a couple more under the radar depth signings on the cheap and add EOF and Andrew Bailey to the pen and Scott Baker at the back of the rotation. If Floyd and Baker worked out, Wren might actually be in a better position to swing a deal for Price or Samardzija a month or two into the season when Graham proves healthy and regains value. Would make us deeper with arms than ANYONE...
SPs
1.) Medlen
2.) Minor
3.) Teheran
4.) Beachy
5.) Baker
6.) Floyd
7.) Wood
8.) Hale
9.) Graham
10.) Martin
11.) Hursh
12.) Sims
13.) Cabrera
Pen
1.) Kimbrel
2.) Walden
3.) Avilan
4.) Carpenter
5.) Venters
6.) Bailey
7.) EOF
8.) Varvaro
9.) Vasquez
10.) Buchter
11.) Simmons
12.) Jaime
13.) Merejo
With Wood, Hale, Graham, and Northcraft available as swingmen.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
. @JimBowdenESPNxm says Braves made calls on Scherzer and Price, may be sleeper on Tanaka.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
I don't pay much attention to what Bowden says regarding Braves rumors. I cannot remember a time he's broke a Braves story outside of repeating the already known stuff. We already knew the Braves made calls on Scherzer and Price. And the Tanaka rumors have already been covered so I won't do so again.
Further, I do think we could add another starter if we wanted (I just doubt we do so based on Wren's comments, etc). But if we did, then we'd likely need to trade a starter (someone closest to free agency makes sense). And the starter we get would need to be an upgrade to someone like Kris Medlen IMO. I don't see us trading Teheran, Minor or Wood. Plus Beachy is still cheap and coming off Tommy John so not a good time to move him either. So if we were to try and add a number one or Ace starter, then Medlen would make the most sense to go since he's closest to free agency, etc.
That said, if we do somehow get an upgrade to our rotation, then I'd use Medlen in a trade to move Uggla. I wanted to do that or something similar earlier this off-season.
Last edited by Braves1976; 01-03-2014 at 06:18 PM.
Yeah, I still don't think they're done on the starting pitching front. I don't know about Price and Scherzer but if the previous rumored package for Price is still the Price, I'd pull the trigger and I still believe the Cubs may lower the price on Samardjzia, stay tuned.
Don't know when he made that tweet, the last one he has on his page is December 30th.
Which Price rumor are you thinking of? The last one I recall was from Bowman and I don't think you'd support trading both Wood and Sims along with Bethancourt for Price? Bowman writes: "To acquire him [Price] from the Rays, the Braves would have likely had to give up Alex Wood, Christian Bethancourt and two other top prospects, one of which would have likely been Lucas Sims, who has the potential to one day earn the rare distinction of being a legitimate ace."
That said, I am sure Mike Minor and David Price would love to be teammates again.
It would be nice if A.J. Burnett decided he wanted to sign with the Braves on a one year deal. That would allow us to move Uggla if we wanted by packaging him with Medlen or another similar deal. Burnett would likely do very well in Atlanta with Simmons behind him given all the ground balls he gives up. Plus removing Uggla from second would help the defense too.
Just a thought, I understand it's not likely to happen.
aka RHT10/Cokeman
Yes, I would. I am not a big prospect guy. Prospects are just that, prospects. David Price is a legitimate ace that can put you over the top. I'd sacrifice an unknown prospect anytime for a proven ace.
I like Price but he is too close to free agency (among other considerations) to give up that many big names (prospects or otherwise) for. The Braves cannot afford to make trades like that anymore. It would be similar to the Tex trade all over again, IMO.
To sum it up, like it or not we need to operate more like the Rays rather than less like 'em.
Speaking of us [Braves] becoming more like the Rays, this was recently posted at MLBTR: "With an unfavorable TV deal, the Braves are becoming the Rays, SB Nation's Grant Brisbee argues. That's a bit hyperbolic, as Brisbee acknowledges, but the Braves' payroll has fallen from third in the big leagues in 2000 to 16th in 2013, because their payroll hasn't really risen since then, while it has for most other teams. That's a trend that could continue, unless the Braves' new stadium dramatically changes their fortunes. That means they have to rely more on making smart moves than on spending money."
I think though the Braves would have a good chance to re-sign Price, he wants to play in Atlanta.
We heard that for years about Greinke among others too. But we've also seen that in the end money talks and players like to test free agency when big money is on the line. So while I don't doubt his desire to play here. I wouldn't expect him to stay (should we trade for him) unless we payed him big money to do so.
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