Having a very good bullpen will go a long way for the team. A top 8 of: Luke, Smith, Greene, MM, O'Day, Martin, Dayton/Minter, and Webb is very solid. Having a deep pen allows the starters to go less deep in games. Can use any combo of Luke/Smith/MM, or Greene/Martin/O'Day, or Webb/Martin/Smith, and so on. Lot of options. Rotation is probably better than last years. Bench is maybe better, depending who makes it.
That said, would be pleasantly shocked if AA rolled into Opening Day with this current lineup. When there's a big hole, AA usually goes out and fixes it. But not many options, and most of them would require an overpay in years Ozuna/Castellanos, and prospects in the case of Arenado/Bryant. On paper, i'd say we're in the 88-90 win range, probably where the other 3 clubs are. Add a bopper, and we're probably the favorites on paper.
Giving a 30 year old BP arm 3 years while rolling with Camargo at 3b is unacceptable. AA very clearly underestimated the cost of bringing JD back.
Another impact bat must be acquired. Now.
Lol what?? To take it a step farther he could re-enter the market at the end of Twins contract for the same price. That makes no sense.
We'd have had to be pretty close to 92 million in guaranteed money for him to consider us. Is 12 million less close? For JD I don't know, but i would venture to say no.
GovClintonTyree (01-20-2020)
Please read what I’ve written. That’s twice that you have mis-quoted me. I said he would end his 3 year deal with us and be 1 year and 12 million dollars shy of what he is earning with Minnesota. Again, he could re-enter the market after 3 years and likely sign a 1 year deal for 12 million. If he did that he would be at the same place he will be in 4 years with Minnesota.
I disagree. I don’t think we’d have to be pretty close. Maybe ~10 million shy of Minnesota and he would have gone with us. I’m speculating here, but I’m going off of all the positive and glowing things JD has said about us.
But the problem is, that $12M then isn’t guaranteed. Right now he’s guaranteed to make that money, even if he blows out his knee in spring training and can’t pay for 3 seasons. In the scenario you point out, he’d be out $12M if at the end of the deal he can’t play anymore.
You’re right. It’s possible that that happens. Anything can happen. But it’s a reasonable assumption that after his 3 year deal with us, at age 37, he could very easily sign a 1/12 deal. But let’s say he doesn’t. He retires or is too injured to play anymore. Him signing with us vs Minnesota he is turning down 1/12. I still think that’s in the neighborhood of what he’s willing to turn down to sign with us. Previously I stayed I think he’d be fine with turning down 10 million for us. I’m sure if he said to us ‘up the offer 2 million over the life of this 3 year deal,’ we could have done that.
It’s more likely a 37 year old JD retires than signs for another $12M. He was right to go after the max guarantee since this is quite possibly his last MLB contract.
I’m relieved the Braves didn’t go anywhere near $90M.
We don’t know. But it sounds like the issue with jd was years, not annual value. If that’s the case the other signings didn’t impact jd.
I don’t think jd was going to replace jd from last year.
But we need another bat. I still think we need 2.
My worry is aa has his best deals down for a couple of trades and the other gms are calling his bluff. Or other gms are asking for extra from the Braves bc they know we need the piece.
I think that's right.
Hard to say the aav wasn't in the ball park of expectation. If the smith or Hamels signing had made Donaldson unaffordable, you'd think they would have moved on to cheaper options rather continue to engage.
Seems like the years was probably the primary issue.
You could imagine he becomes their next version of Cruz (who's making $12 million at 39) if/when Nellie hangs 'em up, but yeah - not really sure Donaldson would be overly interested in becoming a full-time DH when his glove and legs go. Doesn't really seem fo fit his personality, but who knows?
If he's interested and still producing though - even if not quite at last year's levels - I don't really see why AL teams (and hopefully all by then) wouldn't look at him like they have Cruz and Encarnacion on a one-year deal at that point.
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?