Braves trade CJ for Swisher, Bourn, $$$

[smootness]

I wonder why we didn't just release him and set aside money from the 2016 payroll to pay his 2017 salary and buyout. I assume its a tax issue but I doubt it's worth the extra $10 million we're going to have to pay to Bourn and Swisher.

Well, we're not adding $10 million overall. We're basically paying $1.5 million more in 2016 money than we would under your plan to just release him.

[gilesfan]

So we take on 29 million for next year and receive 10 million plus get out of 17.5 million for 2016 and 2017.

Strange deal, but some logic in it. Take on 2 terrible players and give up 1 to free up money for 2017. They might as well just cut Swisher/Bourne

This is why guys like Upton/Heyward/Cespedes are off the table in the off season.

I would have preferred to just take a prospect in return of those 2 contracts, but the Indians may not have been interested in that.

[Dalyn]

I wonder why we didn't just release him and set aside money from the 2016 payroll to pay his 2017 salary and buyout. I assume its a tax issue but I doubt it's worth the extra $10 million we're going to have to pay to Bourn and Swisher.

At most the difference is a few million when you factor in CJ's 2017 salary. With them souring on Maybin, I think they were willing to pay that for Bourn alone.

[goldfly]

it does mean we have likely taken ourselves off the market for any impact FA this year.

Hart already came out and said that

[weso1]

I find it quite ironic that the whole reason we didn't want to sign Bourn was because of the length of the contract, but we wind up trading for the last year of his contract.

[keithlaw]

Well, we're not adding $10 million overall. We're basically paying $1.5 million more in 2016 money than we would under your plan to just release him.

We owe them about $9 million more this year than we do Johnson as well.

[weso1]

They could do a back loaded contract like the Nats are doing with Scherzer if they are going after a FA pitcher this offseason.

[smootness]

2017 has always been the year from the beginning for Hart. He is taking an unusual path to get there, but I think this is a nice solid step in that direction. One of the best he's made, really.

But the 2017 market is even worse than the 2016 one. The only OF who will be under 30 is Travis Snider, and the best names that will definitely be available at a corner OF spot or 2B/3B/C are Jay Bruce, Josh Reddick, Michael Saunders, Justin Turner, Luis Valbuena, and Jason Castro. The SP market isn't even close to 2016's.

Saying, 'we have a lot of money to spend for 2017' is fine, but if there's not much to spend it on, it really doesn't help us.

I would rather us go after a significant piece or two this offseason in FA, someone likely to retain value for the next 3-4 years at least, than to plan to sit back and do it all in 2017.

[Dalyn]

They could do a back loaded contract like the Nats are doing with Scherzer if they are going after a FA pitcher this offseason.

I actually expect them to do something like that. Keep 2017 cheap and pull a Marlins trick if it doesn't work out.

[Dalyn]

But the 2017 market is even worse than the 2016 one. The only OF who will be under 30 is Travis Snider, and the best names that will definitely be available at a corner OF spot or 2B/3B/C are Jay Bruce, Josh Reddick, Michael Saunders, Justin Turner, Luis Valbuena, and Jason Castro. The SP market isn't even close to 2016's.

Saying, 'we have a lot of money to spend for 2017' is fine, but if there's not much to spend it on, it really doesn't help us.

I would rather us go after a significant piece or two this offseason in FA, someone likely to retain value for the next 3-4 years at least, than to plan to sit back and do it all in 2017.

You can still sign someone next year and just keep their contract cheap in 2016/17.

[smootness]

We owe them about $9 million more this year than we do Johnson as well.

This year's money doesn't matter. We're not using it to do anything anyway.

[weso1]

I think that's a terrible idea. You play them and see if one or both can bounce back enough to trade them at the deadline next year. You're basically freerolling with them.

If they bounce back then it's possible their option could kick in.

[keithlaw]

This year's money doesn't matter. We're not using it to do anything anyway.

We could have used it to take on another bad contract to get a prospect back.

[weso1]

I actually expect them to do something like that. Keep 2017 cheap and pull a Marlins trick if it doesn't work out.

Especially consider that eventually the Braves will get a new tv deal sometime in the 2020's. So they could back load heavily and not really be hurt by it later on.

[smootness]

You can still sign someone next year and just keep their contract cheap in 2016/17.

You'd have to pay them more in years in which we're really trying to go for it then, though, and suddenly the CJ contract in 2017 doesn't look that bad in comparison.

[gilesfan]

You can still sign someone next year and just keep their contract cheap in 2016/17.

If someone is willing to do it.

[Oklahomabrave]

I see that Cunnigham got called up? Who moves we just added players.

[Dalyn]

If they bounce back then it's possible their option could kick in.

And that wouldn't be a bad thing. That would mean they likely performed well enough to unload at the deadline.

[smootness]

We could have used it to take on another bad contract to get a prospect back.

The D-Backs are stupid; we can't use that deal and assume we can keep making similar ones. If a team is looking to unload 2015 money at this point, they're dumb. The trade deadline has passed.

[weso1]

If the Braves did want to free up money for next year they could unload Maybin if someone claims him. Cause now all of a sudden you can start Bourn in CF.