Heyman: Braves 'interested' in Cespedes

[Hawk]

Thought that this deserved its own thread.

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Jon Heyman
@JonHeyman
braves are an interesting team that has some interest in cespedes. many calling, but some looking for a price.

[Hudson2]

The market is played out pretty much. Gordon got way less than expected and the same can be said about Cespedes. Instead of trading for one I'd just sign one. He doesn't have a pick tied to him and he's the RH power bat we need bad. If they can trade Markakis soon then look for Cespedes to be signed.

[Hawk]

The market is played out pretty much. Gordon got way less than expected and the same can be said about Cespedes. Instead of trading for one I'd just sign one. He doesn't have a pick tied to him and he's the RH power bat we need bad. If they can trade Markakis tsoon then look for Cespedes to be signed.

Do you prefer Cespedes to Upton? Throwing the pick out of the equation.

[Hudson2]

Do you prefer Cespedes to Upton? Throwing the pick out of the equation.

I like Upton, always have. So I'd choose him. But the Braves love their picks and this is a deep draft so they would go Cespedes. If they could get him for around 17-18 a year for 5 years I think they'd pull the trigger.

[smootness]

Cespedes is intriguing, but I'm not sure how excited I'd be about him. He was basically a 3 WAR player his first 3 years in the majors, then he erupted last year. Given the way most players age as they hit 30, and given our history with FA signings, my guess is that he'd drop back to about an .800 OPS or lower guy with average defense, perhaps slightly better, at least for the first year or two.

I'm just not sure that's worth what it will take for us to sign him.

[clvclv]

Cespedes is intriguing, but I'm not sure how excited I'd be about him. He was basically a 3 WAR player his first 3 years in the majors, then he erupted last year. Given the way most players age as they hit 30, and given our history with FA signings, my guess is that he'd drop back to about an .800 OPS or lower guy with average defense, perhaps slightly better, at least for the first year or two.

I'm just not sure that's worth what it will take for us to sign him.

I've been tooting the Cespedes horn for a couple months now (and several people wanted to ridicule the idea - just as I said that we'd be targeting Inciarte in any Miller deal that involved Arizona), and still don't see where there's ANY downside...

1.) Doesn't cost you a pick (quite possibly the most important point).
2.) Freeman protection.
3.) Likely willing to accept less (years AND dollars) than Justin.
4.) Has a lot in common with Olivera - would certainly help with his transition.
5.) Better defensively than J-Up.

This is one of those odd situations where you take the steps necessary to expand the budget/get creative with the accounting/even consider including an opt-out. The market has COMPLETELY crashed on J-Up, Cespedes, Fowler, and whichever one of Desmond or Alexei Ramirez doesn't sign with the Padres soon. There's only ONE player left that's going to get a $100 million contract, and that's Chris Davis - if he doesn't wise up soon, he may not even get one.

This has become the "perfect storm". You call his representatives and tell them you're offering 5 years and $90 million with an opt-out after 2017 and that the offer expires in one hour. If he opts-out two years from now, who cares??? He'll have to play INCREDIBLY WELL for the next two seasons to think there's any chance he'll do better than $18 million per as a 33 year old looking for a job with all the players that are going to potentially be part of the 2018 free-agent class. You have $29 million coming off the books following this season (Bourn and Swisher) - that means that you're technically ONLY looking for $7 million total to cover his salary through 2017. You don't NEED to give Markakis away to come up with $7 million - you don't even need to trade him. That's HALF the amount the budget was increased to go get Ervin Santana when Medlen and Beachy blew out.

This is EXACTLY the time you make a move like this. If you decide to trade Inciarte because you like Smith better, you can do that when Mallex proves he's ready - not before. JMO, but I'd MUCH RATHER spend a little money on Cespedes than trade Inciarte and or Teheran for players with as many questions as Soler and Baez have. Make Mallex your 4th OF until Markakis' deal is off the books and slide Inciarte over to RF at that point. Cespedes, Inciarte, Markakis, Smith, and Teheran is worlds better than Soler, Baez, and $18 million per no matter how you want to break it down.

[bravesfanMatt]

The market is played out pretty much. Gordon got way less than expected and the same can be said about Cespedes. Instead of trading for one I'd just sign one. He doesn't have a pick tied to him and he's the RH power bat we need bad. If they can trade Markakis soon then look for Cespedes to be signed.

I don't think they could stay within budget without trading Nick. I am on board with this, but I think they are looking to get him at less than 20 million a year. I think they are hoping to get something closer to 15..

[cajunrevenge]

I don't think they could stay within budget without trading Nick. I am on board with this, but I think they are looking to get him at less than 20 million a year. I think they are hoping to get something closer to 15..

The contract can be back loaded a little to lower his 2016 salary.

[UNCBlue012]

I prefer JUP, but he may of prolonged his welcome here. (not with me) I personally think either would be a great pickup and would speed up our already great rebuild. With the price consistently dropping, I'd love it. We would almost certainly look to traden Inciarte or Markakis.

[emk418]

This makes so much sense we need to make it work. But it's not happening. We can fill a long term RH power need without trading young talent. Sign Cespedes and shop Markakis. If we don't trade Markakis move Olivera back to 3b

[Hudson2]

Going into the new stadium you could have this if Cespedes was signed.

Albies
Swanson
Freeman
Cespedes
Markakis
Olivera
Inciarte
Flowers

That's pretty solid. And that's with Albies and Swanson being ready.

[UNCBlue012]

This makes so much sense we need to make it work. But it's not happening. We can fill a long term RH power need without trading young talent. Sign Cespedes and shop Markakis. If we don't trade Markakis move Olivera back to 3b

adding him alone makes our lineup solid this year. Not great, but could be very shortly.

[UNCBlue012]

Going into the new stadium you could have this if Cespedes was signed.

Albies
Swanson
Freeman
Cespedes
Markakis
Olivera
Inciarte
Flowers

That's pretty solid. And that's with Albies and Swanson being ready.

That's really solid. I could see Soler and Baez being a trade with Julio/Ender. That would be insanely good.

[BRule]

This front office is so weird.

[smootness]

This front office is so weird.

It makes sense to me that we're looking to add at this point. The Miller trade, to me, seemed like the end of the 'tear down' phase of the rebuild. We got one guy who is a currently good MLB player and two prospects who will be ready soon, and that was one of our last remaining pieces to deal. Sure, we could still trade Teheran or Inciarte, but if we do that, it will almost certainly be to add guys who are ready or very close to ready. The phase where we trade for long-term pieces, IMO, is over.

We still will have this #3 pick and the international period, but I don't see us trading away current assets for ones that won't be here for 2-3 years anymore. Now it's time to start adding pieces to build rather than tear down. I like what we have in the minor league system, and it should be enough at this point to sustain us for a while. We just need to add a few pieces on top of those guys, and Cespedes would be one.

[Chico]

My guess is that we checked in to see if his price came down to below his market value, was told No, and said Thanks anyways.

[emk418]

Get it done! FA class next year is garbage and our pick is protected

[bravesfanMatt]

Get it done! FA class next year is garbage and our pick is protected

Cespedes wouldn't cost us a pick.

[UNCBlue012]

Rosenthal: Reported in Sept. that #Braves liked Cespedes - but that was before they put Olivera in LF. Would need to trade OFer to make it happen now.

Rosenthal: Yes, #Braves could trade Inciarte - if they believed Cespedes could play CF. They then could move a corner OFer later, once Smith was ready.

There's a surprising amount of conversation about it.

[Dalyn]

I would much rather have Upton, especially if we are talking about Cespedes in CF.