With Freeman signed, who should Wren try too extend next?

[Heyward]

Simmons/Heyward seem the logical fit.

They could try to sign Julio now, or sign Minor.

[nsacpi]

Leave the pitchers out of it. Our farm system has enough in the pipeline to continue introducing a new starting pitcher almost every year into the rotation. Given the limits to our payroll the focus has to be on position players.

My guess is Heyward will be our first priority next off-season, assuming he has a strong 2014.

[weso1]

I would think Heyward is off the table since he signed a two year deal recently. Simmons they may wait on next year.

[zitothebrave]

In order

Heyward
Simmons
Justin
Kimbrel

After that don't care. Love Minor co but we can replace pitchers way easier than hitters.

[Heyward]

I would think Heyward is off the table since he signed a two year deal recently. Simmons they may wait on next year.

Joel Sherman said they tried to do a longterm deal but it was complicated.

If he has a big year, stays healthy, i would guess they try to sign him longterm, whether he would accept it is another story.

[skillet]

I think committing the kind of money we just did to Freeman pretty much seals the deal with Heyward. Freddie will be getting 20% of the total salary soon. There is no way we can allocate another 20% to Heyward. That would be darn near half the payroll to only two guys. He will be with us for two more seasons and then will be gone. That is the opportunity cost of doing something like this. The good news is we have Freeman for 8 years. The bad news is now all that money for 8 years is already spent, meaning someone like Heyward will be lost.

[nsacpi]

I think committing the kind of money we just did to Freeman pretty much seals the deal with Heyward. Freddie will be getting 20% of the total salary soon. There is no way we can allocate another 20% to Heyward. That would be darn near half the payroll to only two guys. He will be with us for two more seasons and then will be gone.

One thing I'm curious is the extent to which the free agency years part of the Freeman deal is backloaded. I think we can keep both Heyward and Freeman, but it would be helpful if one of the deals was backloaded.

[skillet]

One thing I'm curious is the extent to which the free agency years part of the Freeman deal is backloaded. I think we can keep both Heyward and Freeman, but it would be helpful if one of the deals was backloaded.

I hate backloaded deals. Sure it is great for the team the first half of the contract, but the last half is invariably a complete albatross.

[Heyward]

I think committing the kind of money we just did to Freeman pretty much seals the deal with Heyward. Freddie will be getting 20% of the total salary soon. There is no way we can allocate another 20% to Heyward. That would be darn near half the payroll to only two guys. He will be with us for two more seasons and then will be gone. That is the opportunity cost of doing something like this. The good news is we have Freeman for 8 years. The bad news is now all that money for 8 years is already spent, meaning someone like Heyward will be lost.

They could but it would be tough.

Would have to go dirt cheap in the pitching department, and hope we can keep churning pitchers every year.

It's a lot easier for us to replace a Minor/Medlen than it is a Heyward.

I'd prefer to keep MM long-term because he's a lefty and we dont have many of those.

Also, no one knows what the payroll will be once they go to the new stadium, could jump into the 120-130 million range for all we know.

[weso1]

Joel Sherman said they tried to do a longterm deal but it was complicated.

If he has a big year, stays healthy, i would guess they try to sign him longterm, whether he would accept it is another story.

I'm thinking if he has a big year and stays healthy then he may not be interested in signing a long term deal before he hits the market. I could see him waiting till free agency at that point. If he doesn't have a big year and he doesn't stay healthy then maybe The Braves won't be interested. This is the current conundrum we appear to be in with Heyward. You may have to change your name to Freeman.

[Heyward]

I'm thinking if he has a big year and stays healthy then he may not be interested in signing a long term deal before he hits the market. I could see him waiting till free agency at that point. If he doesn't have a big year and he doesn't stay healthy then maybe The Braves won't be interested. This is the current conundrum we appear to be in with Heyward. You may have to change your name to Freeman.

It's a possibility for sure, we will have to wait and see.

To a name change, if he bolts, i will if i can change it.

[Dalyn]

Wood.

[cajunrevenge]

Whichever player is most willing to give a team discount is who he should lock up next. If Minor is willing to do a team friendly deal lock him up. If its Teheran lock him up instead. I think if anyone signs a team friendly deal it would be Justin. I am thinking something like 6 years 100 million. He makes a couple extra mill in 2014 and he makes more per year than BJ which I think he will care about. Wren signed his dbag brother, he owes Wren!

[Hawk]

I'm leaning toward Andrelton, although Heyward should also be a high priority.

It would be nice to have our young guns under control, but locking up pitching is infinitely more risky.

[thewupk]

I think committing the kind of money we just did to Freeman pretty much seals the deal with Heyward. Freddie will be getting 20% of the total salary soon. There is no way we can allocate another 20% to Heyward. That would be darn near half the payroll to only two guys. He will be with us for two more seasons and then will be gone. That is the opportunity cost of doing something like this. The good news is we have Freeman for 8 years. The bad news is now all that money for 8 years is already spent, meaning someone like Heyward will be lost.

This team will not stay competitive if the payroll stays at 100 million.

[keithlaw]

Himself

[nsacpi]

This team will not stay competitive if the payroll stays at 100 million.

We're at a little over 95M right now, which probably means we're budgeted 100-105M for the year. Wren likes to keep a reserve for mid-season deals.

Assuming a bump to 110M next year to reflect the new national TV revenues and 2.5% growth thereafter, here is what the budgets might look like during the life of Freeman's deal

2015 110
2016 113
2017 115
2018 118
2019 120
2020 123
2021 125

That's why I mentioned earlier that it wouldn't be that hard keeping both Freddie and Jason, especially if one of the deals was backloaded.

[The Chosen One]

With Freeman signed, who should Wren try too extend next?

I'm thinking Wren should extend Fredi before he wins the WS this year and has a huge market for him.

[Heyward]

This team will not stay competitive if the payroll stays at 100 million.

Payroll will likely go up.

Again, they can keep both but they would have to go uber-cheap on pitching and hope to keep developing other players, and whatnot.

And again, it's MUCH easier to replace pitchers than hitters for the Braves. There are tons of young P's in the system coming up in the next 2-3 years.

Hitting wise or position players on the other hand

[Enscheff]

Simmons should be the priority now. Elite defense with a mediocre bat should come at a relative bargain. His defensive skills are also the least likely tool to deteriorate before he turns 30.

Wren probably offered Heyward a large deal, and he turned it down. Either Heyward breaks out this year and prices himself out of Atlanta after 2015, or he breaks down again and proves he isn't worth a longterm commitment. Both scenarios point to the end of the Jason Heyward era.