Potential Late-Signing Targets

[clvclv]

Guys that are left out there who could potentially be signed to one year deals and provide something during the first half and be flipped for prospects later...

3B- Juan Uribe
3B- David Freese
2B/3B/LF- KJ
OF- David DeJesus
OF- Marlon Byrd
OF- Matt Joyce

SP- Gavin Floyd
SP- Mat Latos
SP- Tim Lincecum
SP- Kyle Lohse
SP- Justin Masterson
RP- Matt Belisle
RP- Randy Choate
RP- EOF


(Would love to see if there's a way to take a shot at the guys in bold - particularly Byrd, Latos, or Lincecum. Byrd would provide a little protection for Freeman and if Latos or Lincecum pitched well, all three could fetch a pretty nice return in June or July.)

[Enscheff]

Freese would be a nice upgrade at 3b. He's MLB average, which is a huge upgrade over most of the players on the current roster.

[Horsehide Harry]

Guys that are left out there who could potentially be signed to one year deals and provide something during the first half and be flipped for prospects later...

3B- Juan Uribe
3B- David Freese
2B/3B/LF- KJ
OF- David DeJesus
OF- Marlon Byrd
OF- Matt Joyce

SP- Gavin Floyd
SP- Mat Latos
SP- Tim Lincecum
SP- Kyle Lohse
SP- Justin Masterson
RP- Matt Belisle
RP- Randy Choate
RP- EOF


(Would love to see if there's a way to take a shot at the guys in bold - particularly Byrd, Latos, or Lincecum. Byrd would provide a little protection for Freeman and if Latos or Lincecum pitched well, all three could fetch a pretty nice return in June or July.)

I like all the SP, especially if the Braves move Teheran.

[clvclv]

Freese would be a nice upgrade at 3b. He's MLB average, which is a huge upgrade over most of the players on the current roster.

Just not sure he'd be worth the money - especially since he'll likely want more than one year (although this late players begin to get desperate).

CF- Inciarte, 3B- Olivera, 1B- Freeman, LF- Byrd, C- Pierzynski, RF- Markakis, SS- Aybar, 2B- Peterson would be much better than anything we ran out there last year.

Would far rather see that than give up Inciarte or Teheran to land Soler or Baez (and all their strikeouts) personally. Still far from "good", but quite a bit better IMO.

[nsacpi]

Uribe would probably help us win some games this year. So maybe not a good guy to sign.

[Hudson2]

I'd add Fister in there to.

[emk418]

Freese would be a nice upgrade at 3b. He's MLB average, which is a huge upgrade over most of the players on the current roster.

If we can get him for 1 year I'm in. I'm still shocked that we seem to be making no effort to solve 3B. Can't understand why we feel comfortable with Adonis

[blueagleace1]

I brought this up before but i'll mention it again.. (I realize this wouldn't be a one year deal as this thread is about but just wanted some feedback)

Thinking outside the box here but what about signing Ian Desmond? Maybe something like: 4 years / $60 million with a club option for $15 million (This is TOTAL speculation)

A couple possibilities:

1.) He could play 3B this year and/or until Ruiz/Riley are ready and then potentially transition to OF

2.) He could play 3B this year and then move back to SS until Swanson/Albies are deemed ready

3.) He plays SS/2B with Aybar playing the other this year

4.) He signs as an OF'er (which has been reported that he's considering this)


The main thing is the potential offense he can provide. He's been a pretty consistent 20/20 guy (minus last year) and while his OBP isn't ideal he would provide Freeman some protection. Something along the line of the following wouldn't be too bad in my opinion..

1.) Inciarte- CF
2.) Aybar- SS
3.) Freeman- !B
4.) Desmond- 3B
5.) Markakis- RF
6.) Olivera- LF
7.) Pierzynski- C (or Flowers)
8.) Peterson- 2B
9.) Tehran- P


Two other points about Desmond:
1.) Great clubhouse guy that could help mentor Swanson (similar type players although Swanson should hit for higher average with better OBP)
2.) We get one of the Gnats most beloved players



Again, this is me thinking outside the box and nothing more. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!

[nsacpi]

The red flag with Desmond is the spike in the strikeout rate the last two seasons. Here are his strikeout numbers the past four years:

2012: 20.7
2013: 22.1
2014: 28.2
2015: 29.2

But I like the reasoning in the post above and if the price drops to around 10M/year I'd have interest. I'd try not to go beyond 3 years. We have to keep in mind when considering the price that it includes a draft pick.

[blueagleace1]

The red flag with Desmond is the spike in the strikeout rate the last two seasons. Here are his strikeout numbers the past four years:

2012: 20.7
2013: 22.1
2014: 28.2
2015: 29.2

But I like the reasoning in the post above and if the price drops to around 10M/year I'd have interest. I'd try not to go beyond 3 years. We have to keep in mind when considering the price that it includes a draft pick.

I agree.. the draft pick is a big thing for us and you're right, his K-rate is concerning. I wonder if the way Washington and Matt Williams kept moving him in the order the past few years affected his K rate? Maybe some stability in the order could help?

Maybe a 3 year deal with a club option for 4th?

Excellent points nsacpi!!

[clvclv]

I agree.. the draft pick is a big thing for us and you're right, his K-rate is concerning. I wonder if the way Washington and Matt Williams kept moving him in the order the past few years affected his K rate? Maybe some stability in the order could help?

Maybe a 3 year deal with a club option for 4th?

Excellent points nsacpi!!

I'd even argue the spike in his K-Rate isn't THAT concerning if we're really willing to give up Inciarte and/or Teheran in deals for Soler or Baez. It's a huge red flag for me personally - and would be a complete 180 from the stated goal of getting much more contact-oriented players into the lineup - but I'd still think the draft pick would be the overriding factor. A pick in the 30s or 40s controlled for 6 years has a much higher upside (in the long run) then Desmond - even at $10 million per - when we've got stopgaps in place already to bridge to Swanson and Albies.

[blueagleace1]

I'd even argue the spike in his K-Rate isn't THAT concerning if we're really willing to give up Inciarte and/or Teheran in deals for Soler or Baez. It's a huge red flag for me personally - and would be a complete 180 from the stated goal of getting much more contact-oriented players into the lineup - but I'd still think the draft pick would be the overriding factor. A pick in the 30s or 40s controlled for 6 years has a much higher upside (in the long run) then Desmond - even at $10 million per - when we've got stopgaps in place already to bridge to Swanson and Albies.

I agree with that, but if he transitioned to 3B/OF wouldn't he provided some value when there isn't much in the way of offense next offseason?

[clvclv]

If we can get him for 1 year I'm in. I'm still shocked that we seem to be making no effort to solve 3B. Can't understand why we feel comfortable with Adonis

Because he's torn the cover off the ball in winter ball and the other available 3B options aren't particularly good. Giving a multi-year deal to get Freese would be counter-productive at this point. Patch it with Garcia and/or Olivera until you develop or trade for an "answer" - especially while you're going nowhere.

[clvclv]

I agree with that, but if he transitioned to 3B/OF wouldn't he provided some value when there isn't much in the way of offense next offseason?

JMO, but everybody's simply got to get "next year" out of their heads.

Depending on their progress this year, Swanson, Albies, Riley, Ruiz, Davidson, and Peterson could all be looking at an ETA of late 2017. As it stands now, you've got an $11 million Markakis in their way - would you really want to add a $10 million Desmond AND lose a high pick to that? Not me.

I understand it's going to be painful for another year or two, but adding Desmond gets you nowhere - this isn't a playoff contender in 2016 or 2017 even with him, Markakis, or Byrd, so keep the focus where it needs to be...late 2017 and early 2018. Don't get caught up in trying to win 68 games instead of 64 if it costs you ANY potential long-term assets.

[blueagleace1]

JMO, but everybody's simply got to get "next year" out of their heads.

Depending on their progress this year, Swanson, Albies, Riley, Ruiz, Davidson, and Peterson could all be looking at an ETA of late 2017. As it stands now, you've got an $11 million Markakis in their way - would you really want to add a $10 million Desmond AND lose a high pick to that? Not me.

I understand it's going to be painful for another year or two, but adding Desmond gets you nowhere - this isn't a playoff contender in 2016 or 2017 even with him, Markakis, or Byrd, so keep the focus where it needs to be...late 2017 and early 2018. Don't get caught up in trying to win 68 games instead of 64 if it costs you ANY potential long-term assets.

Hey, I completely understand your point and can totally agree with it. I just (totally my opinion) don't think Riley or Davidson will be ready until 2018 at the earliest (Davidson) and have always like the player Desmond was. Again, this was just an "outside the box" idea. No matter what, we have to find Freddie some protection and that could be Riley/Davidson/Ruiz/Olivera but the FA market is slim until 2018.

[clvclv]

Hey, I completely understand your point and can totally agree with it. I just (totally my opinion) don't think Riley or Davidson will be ready until 2018 at the earliest (Davidson) and have always like the player Desmond was. Again, this was just an "outside the box" idea. No matter what, we have to find Freddie some protection and that could be Riley/Davidson/Ruiz/Olivera but the FA market is slim until 2018.

No question. That being said, signing someone like Desmond/Upton is just not the "smart thing to do". Would that make the 2016 and 2017 lineups a little better? Sure. However, doing so significantly makes you less flexible in the future.

Look at it this way - signing either of those "sexy" names would seemingly add that 20+ HR right handed bat you want behind Freddie, no question. The problem with either is...

1.) You have to play Olivera at 3B if you sign Upton (or even Cespedes or Byrd for that matter)

or

2.) You have to play Desmond at a position he's never played before (Aybar's not Andrelton by any stretch, but he's much better equipped to be an everyday SS than Desmond), whether it's at 3B or in LF.

Either signing makes you weak at 3B defensively - don't do that if it doesn't make you substantially better or competitive (when you're not really trying to be to begin with), especially when you could go out and get a Byrd-type who could give you the same thing without giving up anything that could help you in the future.

Desmond or Upton would be a far-sexier sign (no doubt), but neither of them does much for you considering where you're trying to go. They'd both sell several more thousand tickets over the next couple of years, but the salary you'd pay them would more than soak that up - PLUS either would cost you a draft pick that could be FAR more valuable in the long run.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all about "outside the box" thinking (pretty sure I'm the first one who proposed trading any of Andrelton/Julio/Freeman) - but doing so has to come with clearing the books in 2017-2018 in mind so you can spend where you deem it's important. I completely understand (and share to a certain extent) the skepticism many have about the organization eventually playing at the top of the market again, but EVERY move they've made in the last two years has been made with the thought of keeping that option open. They're going to "break the bank" on the international market this July, and signing or trading for players to "fill holes" over the short-term (Markakis, A. J., Aybar/etc.) falls right in line with that philosophy.

[Enscheff]

There is a zero percent chance the Braves sign anyone that will cost a draft pick. So if a FA idea involves giving up a pick, you can dismiss it immediately.

If Olivera is truly done playing 3b, then I see no reason not to sign Freese to a 3 year deal if he can be had for around $30m. At least then the Braves would be able to put together something that resembles a MLB lineup.

I would also like to see them pick up a bargain starting pitcher late in the offseason. I think Fister is done, but Latos is intriguing. Lincecum also might be interesting.

[blueagleace1]

There is a zero percent chance the Braves sign anyone that will cost a draft pick. So if a FA idea involves giving up a pick, you can dismiss it immediately.

If Olivera is truly done playing 3b, then I see no reason not to sign Freese to a 3 year deal if he can be had for around $30m. At least then the Braves would be able to put together something that resembles a MLB lineup.

I would also like to see them pick up a bargain starting pitcher late in the offseason. I think Fister is done, but Latos is intriguing. Lincecum also might be interesting.

Why not go get Chris Johnson then?

[skillet]

Signing Desmond would be a terrible idea and is not happening. As mentioned, a high draft pick and future financial flexibility are exactly what this team has been trying to gain, not lose.

[50PoundHead]

Why not go get Chris Johnson then?

And we could set our hair on fire while we were at it.