Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

[Russ2dollas]

La Stella can really only play 2B of the positions you've listed and he's not that great there. He's played some 3B, but not that much and he hasn't played an inning in the OF during his entire professional career.

Again. This is my nightmare liberty is cheap plan. And I think it’s likely. He could play dh. He couldn’t be worse than ozuna in left

[50PoundHead]

I think they need to look for a full-time legitimate OF. I don't have anything against Duvall or Makakis, but I think it's probably best to move on from their platoon. I don't want to bet on either Pache or Waters, even though I think Pache will likely be in the line-up either opening day 2021 or shortly thereafter. One of the real downsides of 2020 is that without a minor league season, we have no idea how the development arc is proceeding for guys like Waters.

Some of this will depend on whether the DH will become universal. It will depend on price, but Ozuna at DH would salve a lot of issues.

I'm not sold on Riley either, but I think he's shown enough to be the full-time 3B.

[Dalyn]

I think they need to look for a full-time legitimate OF. I don't have anything against Duvall or Makakis, but I think it's probably best to move on from their platoon. I don't want to bet on either Pache or Waters, even though I think Pache will likely be in the line-up either opening day 2021 or shortly thereafter. One of the real downsides of 2020 is that without a minor league season, we have no idea how the development arc is proceeding for guys like Waters.

Some of this will depend on whether the DH will become universal. It will depend on price, but Ozuna at DH would salve a lot of issues.

I'm not sold on Riley either, but I think he's shown enough to be the full-time 3B.

A true LF Markakis/Duvall platoon would likely be cheaper and better than anyone we could realistically pick up for next year.

[50PoundHead]

A true LF Markakis/Duvall platoon would likely be cheaper and better than anyone we could realistically pick up for next year.

I think this is where we differ. Duvall shouldn't be playing against RHP and Markakis is flat-out worn down. I guess is what I'm saying is that in a world where the budget is realistic--and it's up to Liberty to determine what is realistic--a legit OF is where I would spend the money. If we want to stay cheap, Duvall/Markakis will likely have to do. Inciarte's fall from grace also has to be in the equation.

I could be overreacting to the uneven offensive performance this year. A normal Albies may have eased my concerns, but 5-9 on some days and 6-9 on most days has been a real problem for the Braves.

[Nerfherders]

The next six weeks could say alot about what we do. If Hamels comes back and he, Greene, and Melancon are a big part of a deep playoff run, there may be more sentiment to bring them back. That scenario is highly unlikely, cuz Braves, but it could happen!

[Dalyn]

I think this is where we differ. Duvall shouldn't be playing against RHP and Markakis is flat-out worn down. I guess is what I'm saying is that in a world where the budget is realistic--and it's up to Liberty to determine what is realistic--a legit OF is where I would spend the money. If we want to stay cheap, Duvall/Markakis will likely have to do. Inciarte's fall from grace also has to be in the equation.

I could be overreacting to the uneven offensive performance this year. A normal Albies may have eased my concerns, but 5-9 on some days and 6-9 on most days has been a real problem for the Braves.

You're right about Duvall and Markakis. That's why I said a true platoon. Duvall would rarely if ever face a RHP, and Markakis would get some healthy rest and would rarely if ever face a LHP.

[Southcack77]

You're right about Duvall and Markakis. That's why I said a true platoon. Duvall would rarely if ever face a RHP, and Markakis would get some healthy rest and would rarely if ever face a LHP.

Pretty lackluster free agent class.

Joc Pederson is a platoon bat.

Michael Brantley is aging.

I'm not sure there is even a headliner to overpay.

[50PoundHead]

You're right about Duvall and Markakis. That's why I said a true platoon. Duvall would rarely if ever face a RHP, and Markakis would get some healthy rest and would rarely if ever face a LHP.

I've always liked Markakis, but I just think he's wearing down. A lot will depend on whether the DH is universal and whether they can afford a guy like Ozuna. If they can, I think they can limp along with a Markakis/Duvall platoon, but that's a big if.

[salmagundy]

I've always liked Markakis, but I just think he's wearing down. A lot will depend on whether the DH is universal and whether they can afford a guy like Ozuna. If they can, I think they can limp along with a Markakis/Duvall platoon, but that's a big if.

Don't make a qualifier. Snit would have to be taught how to do a "correct" platoon and a bench coach there to enforce that platoon.

[Heyward]

I think liberty will pull back hard on the money.
I think we will lose all free agents and bargain shop on la Stella. Fill in pen with our aaaa starters.

Even if payroll drops some, we should still have enough money to focus on our main area of needs. Bullpen depth, a SP, and bringing back Ozuna. Let Contreras replace Flowers. Braves arent the Yankees or Dodgers in terms of payroll, but they should have enough to add some pieces.

[Heyward]

Again. This is my nightmare liberty is cheap plan. And I think it’s likely. He could play dh. He couldn’t be worse than ozuna in left

How low do you expect it to go, exactly? We dont have a ton of bad contracts, and alot of money is off the books. Even with some arb raises, AA should have enough money to do what he normally does.

[Heyward]

With DH:

Re-sign Ozuna to a 3/1 deal.
Bring back one of Greene or MM whichever is cheaper.
Add a FA SP, Bauer is ideal if he's actually doing 1 year deals but once some team throws him a 5-6 year deal of 150-180 million, he'll reconsider. If not Bauer, then Paxton, Stro, Minor, Odorizzi, Quintana. Maybe even bring back Hamels on an incentive laden 1-year deal, a top 5 of Soroka, Fried, Anderson, FA, and Hamels is suddenly pretty solid. The FA SP's not named Bauer arent great though.
Let Flowers walk, and have Contreras as backup.
Bring Neck back, and have a Duvall/Neck platoon.
Trade/DFA Ender and have Pache in CF.

Other than Ozuna, FA SP, and a BP piece, none of this is financially crazy. Not sure what we have going in arb either.

[Russ2dollas]

How low do you expect it to go, exactly? We dont have a ton of bad contracts, and alot of money is off the books. Even with some arb raises, AA should have enough money to do what he normally does.

It would make me mad, but not shock me, if liberty cut way back. To the bone. Like zero signings and 10 million in reserves for deadline.

I fully expect COVID plus the looming strike to have teams pulling back hard on payroll.

If your owner just plays it as a normal year I bet the trade game will be amazing. If you are willing to take on salary you could get some great talent for next to nothing.

Like if we lose ozuna you could get perslta from Arizona for Sobotka bc they are so keen to cut money.

I think it’s going to be really ugly and most teams will race to the bottom. Labor issues are going to be ugly.

[NYCBrave]

The next six weeks could say alot about what we do. If Hamels comes back and he, Greene, and Melancon are a big part of a deep playoff run, there may be more sentiment to bring them back. That scenario is highly unlikely, cuz Braves, but it could happen!

The better Greene and Melancon do over the next few weeks, the more likely another team will be willing to pay them more than we are.

[PawPawMaxwell]

With DH:

Re-sign Ozuna to a 3/1 deal.
Bring back one of Greene or MM whichever is cheaper.
Add a FA SP, Bauer is ideal if he's actually doing 1 year deals but once some team throws him a 5-6 year deal of 150-180 million, he'll reconsider. If not Bauer, then Paxton, Stro, Minor, Odorizzi, Quintana. Maybe even bring back Hamels on an incentive laden 1-year deal, a top 5 of Soroka, Fried, Anderson, FA, and Hamels is suddenly pretty solid. The FA SP's not named Bauer arent great though.
Let Flowers walk, and have Contreras as backup.
Bring Neck back, and have a Duvall/Neck platoon.
Trade/DFA Ender and have Pache in CF.

Other than Ozuna, FA SP, and a BP piece, none of this is financially crazy. Not sure what we have going in arb either.

If Ozuna finishes the year still on a roll, he will command more than Donaldson wanted last off season.
If Soroka is healthy and Fried stays on roll, Anderson is what we have seen so far, Bauer may be the only target but see no way Hamels gets anything on the table.
Flowers gone is done deal barring unforeseen.
Neck is done IMO and maybe even Duvall. See someone like Brantly or Pederson (cringe worthy) is Dickerson a FA this winter? Ender will be the 4th OF Needs to be a LH OFer. Have to look hard and long for the DH if brought in this winter.

[50PoundHead]

Don't make a qualifier. Snit would have to be taught how to do a "correct" platoon and a bench coach there to enforce that platoon.

I agree wholeheartedly, but the primary intent of my "if" was the signing of a big bat to DH (if the DH is made universal). Perhaps my pessimism stems from the absence of Albies. He'll probably be fine next year, but his absence has been felt this season. A solid DH and a healthy Albies probably provides the offensive boost that I am worried may not be there.

[clvclv]

I think they need to look for a full-time legitimate OF. I don't have anything against Duvall or Makakis, but I think it's probably best to move on from their platoon. I don't want to bet on either Pache or Waters, even though I think Pache will likely be in the line-up either opening day 2021 or shortly thereafter. One of the real downsides of 2020 is that without a minor league season, we have no idea how the development arc is proceeding for guys like Waters.
Some of this will depend on whether the DH will become universal. It will depend on price, but Ozuna at DH would salve a lot of issues.

I'm not sold on Riley either, but I think he's shown enough to be the full-time 3B.

That's just it - we have no idea since information about everything going on over there is being kept hush-hush, but THEY have a good feel for where those guys are and what strides they've made. Another thing to factor in is that while (in most cases) players at other alternate sites are facing lots of inexperienced guys, Pache, Waters, and Shewmake are seeing Wright, Touki, Wilson, and Folty - while those guys have struggled at the MLB level this year, that's certainly more talent and experience than most teams usually have at the AAA level. If they're showing you the things you hope they are they SHOULD be able to make some pretty solid decisions based on what they see there since the level of competition in Gwinnett is stronger than at most sites. If Folty's velo really is back in the mid 90s and Wright's slider and fastball location have improved like AA says and they're not overmatched, it tells you a lot IMO.

[clvclv]

How low do you expect it to go, exactly? We dont have a ton of bad contracts, and alot of money is off the books. Even with some arb raises, AA should have enough money to do what he normally does.

Whispers have most teams cutting back between 20%-30%. Sportrac has the 40-Man payroll at $173,109,397. Losing 30% of that would put the top number for 2021 at $121,176,578.

If you let Hamels ($18 million), Melancon ($14 million), Folty ($6.425 million), Greene ($6.25 million), Markakis ($4 million), and Flowers ($4 million) walk this winter that saves you $52.675 million - roughly what it takes to get to that number. Replacing them with guys making the minimum bumps that up around $3.5 million, plus you've got significant raises coming for Acuna and Dansby. That probably gets you to around a 25% cutback.

Folty, Camargo, and Luke Jackson will need to be DFAd this winter. If you want to improve the rotation beyond hoping Soroka comes back completely healthy and Wright finally helps, you're probably looking at the young OF everybody has been dreaming on (Acuna, Pache, Waters) with Riley at 3B and Duvall as your DH. Then you can spend some of what Ozuna made this season trying to upgrade the rotation on the cheap. If you try to bring Ozuna back, the starting pitching you have today is what you're likely going to have next season, and the pen is going to take a hit.

This is why AA held onto all the arms and is crossing his fingers that SOMEBODY finally steps up - not only could he not add 2020 salary, he couldn't add any to next season's payroll either.

Before screaming about Liberty, the rumblings are that the majority of teams are going to be looking to cut payroll that much - the guys that are going to be free-agents this winter are going to be extremely disappointed in the offers they get.

[ixiXSolidXixi]

Cole Hamels don’t pitch all year and people here want to bring him back?

Springer is not going to sign a one year deal. Houston is not going to let him walk for just one year.

[TheBravos]

Cole Hamels don’t pitch all year and people here want to bring him back?

Springer is not going to sign a one year deal. Houston is not going to let him walk for just one year.

Let see if/when he comes back how he looks. Maybe he could be like O’day. We made fun of him when it seemed like he would never pitch, but then he came in late season and did well. Probably because of that, he signed back decently cheap and has been a great value. Hamels “could” be the same way on a one year deal.

I think we keep Duvall (no brainer) and probably bring Nick back again (because we seem to do that every year)...and Waters won’t be called up that early.

Should definitely try to resign Ozuna, but it will depend how crazy it gets. I expect most contracts to be down a bit because of Covid.

Move Ender (hopefully find a taker with just one year owed)...even if we have to take on a bad cash player for maybe bench bat (or area of need).

Infield set. Riley will play third unless he completely tanks. Flowers will be gone and one of the young catchers will be up.

Hopefully we bring back Greene and Melancon

Would love Bauer, but will probably be someone like Stroman. Some vet like Hamels and assume Soroka should be back...Fried and Anderson.