Braves Sign Will Smith

[mqt]

3 years/$39 million

Sadly, this one doesn’t have a clone.

[bravesfanMatt]

Wtf. We just lost a draft pick for a closer.

[UNCBlue012]

WTF. STOVE

[CrazyTrain]

Interesting...

[nsacpi]

Surprised. To put it mildly.

Makes me think we'll go cheap at 2 of the 5 spots in the rotation.

[bravesfanforlife88]

Surprised. To put it mildly.

Makes me think we'll go cheap at 2 of the 5 spots in the rotation.

Or AA is going to surprise the hell out of us this offseason

[bravesfanMatt]

Surprised. To put it mildly.

Makes me think we'll go cheap at 2 of the 5 spots in the rotation.

Yeah. This says he wants to build a dominant....hopefully... bullpen and stay in house with our rotation for now. We might see some bullpen type games next year too.

[The Chosen One]

I guess AA figures if we have our bullpen situation more settled in to start the year it'll be better.

Melancon and Greene gone after next season. So at least keeping Smith brings stability for when they leave.

[The Chosen One]

26 mill on Melancon and Smith.

Zaidi must have pics of AA.

[clvclv]

26 mill on Melancon and Smith.

Zaidi must have pics of AA.

Certainly interesting to say the least - guess I was right about them being serious about giving Newk an honest shot at the #5 slot and AA blowing smoke when he said he was happy with the pen.

Also raises plenty of questions no one here can answer - the main one being "Is Liberty finally following through on McGuirk's promises that payroll would go up once the increased revenue from the new park started to roll in?" We all saw the story about the increased revenues - whether anyone's willing to read anything into what that means or not. Maybe the guesses about the preseason payroll being capped at ~ $130 million are wrong, who knows?

We "know" they're not likely to stand pat and give 3B to Riley - somebody has to hit behind Freddie, even if it's not a RH 3B. Does that mean they think they're close with Moose and/or they're going to trade for Contreras or sign or trade for another legitimate bat to split Freddie and Moose up? There's pretty much no way they go back to having Acuna hit behind Freeman after what happened last year when he was moved back to the top of the order - regardless of what the numbers say.

The Smith signing puts payroll at ~ $100 million with 3B, your 2nd C, one SP, the last spot in the pen, and the 26th-man spot yet to fill. If you sign Donaldson and the "cap" really is $130 million, that leaves you $5 million for a SP, backup C, a RP and another bench option. That's just not happening unless payroll is going up or AA's making at least one blockbuster (if not two).

[Southcack77]

If the payroll is 140 or they have a deal for cost controlled or minimum level hole filler the math could work.

[clvclv]

If the payroll is 140 or they have a deal for cost controlled or minimum level hole filler the math could work.

The math "could work", but what kind of deal are they looking at that upgrades the rotation without absolutely backing up the truck? What inexpensive SP is honestly available that doesn't cost you multiple guys from our Top 5-7 prospects?

Maybe they're sold enough on Soroka/Fried/Folty at the front of the rotation that they're willing to try to make the pen bulletproof, but does anyone really believe that's what's going to happen? If Newk/Wright/Wilson/Weigel/Anderson/etc. can't get through a lineup twice, is AA honestly going to let them have the #4 and #5 slots?

[nsacpi]

Fun fact: the Yankees signed Zach Britton to an almost identical contract last year.

[TheBravos]

Exactly what I thought they would do!!....wait....

[UNCBlue012]

I’m not in the least upset about this. Solid deal for an elite arm. Yes please.

[CrazyTrain]

Is this a sign that we recoup that draft pick by letting JD walk?

[mqt]

Is this a sign that we recoup that draft pick by letting JD walk?

I doubt it means anything regarding JD. They wanted to upgrade the back end of the pen and used a third highest pick to do it.

[nsacpi]

The price is below market. Georgia guy coming home. Smith is definitely better than Britton. And 2 years ago Wade Davis landed a bigger deal.

[TURBO]

The price is below market. Georgia guy coming home. Smith is definitely better than Britton. And 2 years ago Wade Davis landed a bigger deal.

I think its a good deal, but not sure if it makes sense for us with obvious holes elsewhere, unless payroll is getting a boost

[nsacpi]

I think its a good deal, but not sure if it makes sense for us with obvious holes elsewhere, unless payroll is getting a boost

Value is value.

I think this leaves us room to sign a third baseman. Which means going cheap catcher and two spots in the rotation.

Unless we trade someone who is still young and cheap. Say Matt Boyd for the rotation.