If it's known they cant sign Harper, might make sense to trade for Sale and go for it next 2 years with Harper.
Scherzer, Sale, Strasburg would be pretty ridiculous.
Again, the Braves have shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that they will not be signing FA pitchers to long term contracts. They will grow their own pitchers, and fill in the gaps with guys on 1 year deals. Their current rotation consists of 2 home grown guys and 3 guys on 1 year deals, and I expect much of the same in future rotations.
Signing Darvish or Arrieta is simply not a reasonable move to expect the Braves to make based on everything they have done and said the last 2+ years.
cajunrevenge (12-05-2016)
Did I say it was likely? No. I just pointed out that there were options available. When have they shown they will sign the best FA position player available? Yet you pointed out Lucroy. Why is that more or less likely?
I do think the Braves would be interested in signing an ace if one were to become available.
There's alot of good FA's next year the Braves could go after.
Lucroy at C, Neil Walker/Frazier/Moose at 3B, JD Martinez, Lorenzo Cain, Jay Bruce, Carlos Gonzalez in the outfield.
Pitching wise, Arrieta tops the list at SP but he'll want 200 mil, Alex Cobb, Yu Darvish, Danny Duffy, Hellickson, Lance Lynn, Tyson Ross if he signs a 1 yr prove it deal, Tanaka can opt out, Tillman.
Far better than the crap out there now.
Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw, Luke Gregerson, Tony Watson, Jake McGee in the bullpen.
If Coppy lays low the rest of the offseason could make a couple splashes since the Braves dont have many big money deals on the books.
Just as I never thought we were going after a TOR at all cost, I don't think we're out in it either. Everything the media publishes is fed to them for a reason. I never believe any of it. The teams who are capable of trading for a TOR are few and the Dodgers just signed Hill taking them out of the mix. A lot could still happen.
Because Lucroy will command a contract well under $100m in total value, which the Braves have done in the past. Again, just basing conclusions on actual facts and available data.
I'll go ahead and state the Braves will never sign a FA to a deal approaching $150m, nor will they sign a guy for $30m+ per year. This almost certainly means no Arrieta or Darvish. I'm sure many of you will debate it endlessly though, just like many insisted Archer or Sale were actual possibilities this offseason.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
The magic number is generally 20% of total payroll committed to one player being the max for a contending team. For the Braves to carry a $30m player they will need to have a payroll of $150m. I don't see that as a reasonable figure for quite some time.
The most likely "superstar" FA I could see them signing in the near future is buying the decline years of Donaldson at $25m per year over 4-5 years.
FWIW, they did give Freeman $135 million, not $150 million, but it's close. I'm not entirely sure what the Wren era has to do with the Hart/Coppy era, but seems silly to compare the two when the John's (1) have an obvious philosophical difference with Wren (2) have additional revenue streams, and (3) a new mid market team friendly CBA.
Again.... I did not say WILL or LIKELY. I'm just stating that they may be interested in signing an ace pitcher, which based off this offseason makes sense.
Never wise to speak in absolutes.
I don't give a damn about Harper, I want the guy from Baltimore.
Last edited by chop2chip; 12-05-2016 at 08:13 PM.