Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

[bravesfanMatt]

I mean there's quite a bit of variance from Carrasco to Morton. Carassaco pitched like a borderline ace last year. I wouldn't expect that sort of repeat performance.

All pitching stats for the central should be blown up. That entire division was pathetic

[jpx7]

It all depends. If he is offered 8 years 30 million, who's to say a team won't offer 8 years 40 million in free agency? He would never know unless he tested the water. All matters is what is important to him. He's not a Boras client so at least there is that going for the Mets. However, he wouldn't even consider the offer the Indians gave him for an extension, so he clearly cares most about money.

To be fair, reports indicate that the Cleveland Baseball Team was offering in the neighborhood of $200m for an 8–10-year extension last year, and Lindor was looking for in excess of $300m on the same timeline. That's both (a) a pretty big gulf and (b) an upper limit in line with what position-players of his age/caliber have been receiving in FA, but also (c) pre-global pandemic finances. So, the corollaries are: (a) he hasn't yet "been offered 8 years $30 million," (b) he can't necessarily be said to "clearly [care] most about money", but just not interested in taking a massive discount, and (c) might be pretty skeptical that some team, in the next off-season, is going to approach "8 years $40 million".

He may or may not re-sign with the Mets. Either way, it's a shrewder deal than the Phillies' Realmuto deal because they appear to have given up less value and, with Carrasco coming over as well, received more value in return (though "shrewd" may be less apt a descriptor than "simply willing to absorb salary right now"). Even if he does re-sign, an 8-10, $300m+ deal will likely be both a solid fair-market-value in a vacuum, and also represent an appreciable percentage of salary-space for a single player (since the team is at least currently signalling they want to remaining under the LT threshold).

[clvclv]

It all depends. If he is offered 8 years 30 million, who's to say a team won't offer 8 years 40 million in free agency? He would never know unless he tested the water. All matters is what is important to him. He's not a Boras client so at least there is that going for the Mets. However, he wouldn't even consider the offer the Indians gave him for an extension, so he clearly cares most about money.

It all depends - sure. He wouldn't consider the Indians' offer because it wasn't even in the ballpark of the numbers we're talking about - not because he was looking for the "best" offer. The Indians were trying to get him to sign an Acuna type deal.

Again, WHO is going to get into a bidding war with Cohen for him - especially after he has put on a Mutts uniform?

Not the Dodgers - they'll just re-sign Seager or sign one of the other guys. Not the Rockies - they already can't afford to re-sign Story unless they move Arenado. Not the Angels - they can't afford another bat with that kind of salary. Not the Red Sox - unless they trade Bogaerts. Not the Cubs with their money problems. Not the White Sox. Not the Astros with their money problems.

At the end of the day, the Yankees won't even bid against them even if they decide Gleyber has to go back to 2B after this year. Can you imagine how embarrassed they'd be if Cohen tells Lindor "Go get the Yankees' best offer and I'll beat it AFTER your agent tells the world what they offered"?

[NYCBrave]

It all depends - sure. He wouldn't consider the Indians' offer because it wasn't even in the ballpark of the numbers we're talking about - not because he was looking for the "best" offer. The Indians were trying to get him to sign an Acuna type deal.

Again, WHO is going to get into a bidding war with Cohen for him - especially after he has put on a Mutts uniform?

Not the Dodgers - they'll just re-sign Seager or sign one of the other guys. Not the Rockies - they already can't afford to re-sign Story unless they move Arenado. Not the Angels - they can't afford another bat with that kind of salary. Not the Red Sox - unless they trade Bogaerts. Not the Cubs with their money problems. Not the White Sox. Not the Astros with their money problems.

At the end of the day, the Yankees won't even bid against them even if they decide Gleyber has to go back to 2B after this year. Can you imagine how embarrassed they'd be if Cohen tells Lindor "Go get the Yankees' best offer and I'll beat it AFTER your agent tells the world what they offered"?

The Giants, who will be looking to spend big next off season. The Red Sox can surely find room for him should they choose to spend. Devers will be off of 3B soon. The Phillies and Nationals, unless you think they will both be broke next off season too. Texas, because they will be looking to compete in the near term. The Tigers, should they feel they are ready to jump back into contention mode.

[msstate7]

So when should we expect the braves to fill out roster?

[zbhargrove]

Man, I'm a bit fan of AA and I appreciate that he doesn't let things leak... but man, its boring in the off season with no leaks

[clvclv]

Gnats sign Schwarber...

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/...schwarber.html

[clvclv]

The Giants, who will be looking to spend big next off season. The Red Sox can surely find room for him should they choose to spend. Devers will be off of 3B soon. The Phillies and Nationals, unless you think they will both be broke next off season too. Texas, because they will be looking to compete in the near term. The Tigers, should they feel they are ready to jump back into contention mode.

The Gnats???

They have to 1.) figure out how to pay Scherzer or extend him next winter, 2.) have to figure out how to keep Turner (2021 is his last arbitration and he'll make in the $20 million range for his last year), 3.) have to figure out just how much money Soto will be willing to defer so that they don't have to start paying him $40 million per. Even if they don't bring Scherzer back, they'll be paying him $15 million a year from 2022 - 2028, and they'll be paying Strasburg more than $26.5 million a year from 2027-2029 when he's not likely going to be on their roster.

Philadelphia ownership crying poor this winter certainly doesn't bode well for them. Their sweetheart deal with Nola is up after 2023. If they re-sign Realmuto to keep the fans from revolting, they sure won't be able to afford Lindor.

I could see San Francisco or Texas wanting in on him, but they'd both have to significantly outbid either NY or LA team to get him to come there, and both of them are a *elluva lot further away from contending for anything than those other teams. With all the big TV deals these days, the money will follow the players wherever they choose to go. It's not like it was way back when like when A-Rod had to go play in the middle-of-nowhere to get the most money from the Rangers - the big market clubs probably have an even bigger advantage now than in the past since they can offset much bigger parts of player salaries with merchandise and ticket sales. Lindor can pick from contenders - he doesn't have to go somewhere and be the only good player on a bad team so he can make $30 million a year.

The Phillies sold enough tickets after signing Harper that when combined with parking and concessions they made $10 million, and that's BEFORE selling the first Harper jersey - can you imagine how many people in NY will be wearing a Lindor jersey by the time camp starts?

[msstate7]

Gnats sign Schwarber...

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/...schwarber.html

Is he terrible defensively? I sure thought his LH bat would've looked good in our lineup

[zbhargrove]

Is he terrible defensively? I sure thought his LH bat would've looked good in our lineup

Beyond terrible

[NYCBrave]

The Gnats???

They have to 1.) figure out how to pay Scherzer or extend him next winter, 2.) have to figure out how to keep Turner (2021 is his last arbitration and he'll make in the $20 million range for his last year), 3.) have to figure out just how much money Soto will be willing to defer so that they don't have to start paying him $40 million per. Even if they don't bring Scherzer back, they'll be paying him $15 million a year from 2022 - 2028, and they'll be paying Strasburg more than $26.5 million a year from 2027-2029 when he's not likely going to be on their roster.

Philadelphia ownership crying poor this winter certainly doesn't bode well for them. Their sweetheart deal with Nola is up after 2023. If they re-sign Realmuto to keep the fans from revolting, they sure won't be able to afford Lindor.

I could see San Francisco or Texas wanting in on him, but they'd both have to significantly outbid either NY or LA team to get him to come there, and both of them are a *elluva lot further away from contending for anything than those other teams. With all the big TV deals these days, the money will follow the players wherever they choose to go. It's not like it was way back when like when A-Rod had to go play in the middle-of-nowhere to get the most money from the Rangers - the big market clubs probably have an even bigger advantage now than in the past since they can offset much bigger parts of player salaries with merchandise and ticket sales. Lindor can pick from contenders - he doesn't have to go somewhere and be the only good player on a bad team so he can make $30 million a year.

The Phillies sold enough tickets after signing Harper that when combined with parking and concessions they made $10 million, and that's BEFORE selling the first Harper jersey - can you imagine how many people in NY will be wearing a Lindor jersey by the time camp starts?

Listen man, I do appreciate your insights, and I'm certainly not trying to argue with you, just an educated discussion.

Don't forget the Mets themselves are going to need a good chunk of money to re-sign their own guys as well. Conforto and Syndegaard and Stroman free agents after this season. There has already been talk about extending DeGrom early. McNeil and Alonso start making real money after this season. I guess it just depends on how high they are looking to go in salary, and if paying Lindor will prevent them from doing other things. Personally, I think they will end up extending him, there just really aren't enough suitors to battle for him. Although, I really think the Yankees should go all in for him. I don't see why they wouldn't either.

[UNCBlue012]

Heyman: Cubs continue to listen to offers for Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Angels make sense as possibility for Contreras due to Joe Maddon link as @Ken_Rosenthal said. Nothing more concrete known yet.

[JxnMissFan]

Listen man, I do appreciate your insights, and I'm certainly not trying to argue with you, just an educated discussion.

Don't forget the Mets themselves are going to need a good chunk of money to re-sign their own guys as well. Conforto and Syndegaard and Stroman free agents after this season. There has already been talk about extending DeGrom early. McNeil and Alonso start making real money after this season. I guess it just depends on how high they are looking to go in salary, and if paying Lindor will prevent them from doing other things. Personally, I think they will end up extending him, there just really aren't enough suitors to battle for him. Although, I really think the Yankees should go all in for him. I don't see why they wouldn't either.

Does Lindor move the needle much? The Mets were not a good team last year. Sure the Mets have some big names on the roster now but they also have a lot of guys that rarely make it through a season without a IL stint. Do they have the depth to really challenge the Braves?

[Russ2dollas]

Heyman: Cubs continue to listen to offers for Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Angels make sense as possibility for Contreras due to Joe Maddon link as @Ken_Rosenthal said. Nothing more concrete known yet.

Bowman and dob seem to be going out of their way to say the braves have no interest in Bryant. Hard to know why they are that sure and why no interest.

Still waiting for the trade for a guy we didn’t know was on the block

[bravesfanforlife88]

Padres and Tatis JR are working on an extension....11 years / $320m

That Acuna deal is looking better and better

[clvclv]

Listen man, I do appreciate your insights, and I'm certainly not trying to argue with you, just an educated discussion.

Don't forget the Mets themselves are going to need a good chunk of money to re-sign their own guys as well. Conforto and Syndegaard and Stroman free agents after this season. There has already been talk about extending DeGrom early. McNeil and Alonso start making real money after this season. I guess it just depends on how high they are looking to go in salary, and if paying Lindor will prevent them from doing other things. Personally, I think they will end up extending him, there just really aren't enough suitors to battle for him. Although, I really think the Yankees should go all in for him. I don't see why they wouldn't either.

Oh yeah - not fussing - just thinking out loud.

After adding Carrasco "on the cheap", I fully expect them to let one of Syndergaard or Stroman walk following this season. Would still leave them with a front three of deGrom, Carrasco, and Stroman/Syndergaard, while "saving" around $15 million by letting one walk and replacing him with Peterson (who will be making no money). Matt Allan and Ginn could be ready for the back of their rotation by 2023, so they'll only need a #5 SP next season. They'll also clear the ridiculously overpaid Familia and Betances after this season which will save them another $17 million, and will likely non-tender Matz to save another $5+ million. With the market flooded with RPs right now, it would make a ton of sense for them to sign Hand (on top of May) now while he could come cheap - that way they'd still have a back end of Diaz, Hand, and May in 2022.

He would've made all the sense in the world for the Yankees except for the fact that they already have the big contracts they can't get out from under. Nobody's taking Stanton's contract. I feel like Cashman outsmarted himself here - he thought someone else would give up something good for one year of Lindor and that he'd swoop in and outbid everyone for him next winter while holding onto all his prospects. I just don't think he ever thought it would be the Mutts or Dodgers who have the money to match him. Playing in NY is playing in NY (to an extent), regardless of which team you play for - you're going to be in the center of the baseball world and the endorsement dollars will be the same whether you wear a Yankee uniform or Mutt uniform. Matching or beating a Yankees offer to keep Lindor would be a no-brainer for Cohen IMO just because it will make them as relevant as the Yankees in all the papers - the writers could have "Who would you rather have - deGrom and Lindor or Cole and Torres?" columns twice a week to keep people fussing for years.

If the Mutts look like they need to trade hitting for inexpensive pitching later on, it won't be hard - somebody will step up and give them a good arm for Smith or McNeil and they can shift Mauricio to 2B.

[clvclv]

Bowman and dob seem to be going out of their way to say the braves have no interest in Bryant. Hard to know why they are that sure and why no interest.

Still waiting for the trade for a guy we didn’t know was on the block

Kinda funny, just told the group in our text chain about the blurb that mentioned he may be moved this weekend - said that since I was buying the chatter that AA was going another direction that I fully expect Bryant to be a Brave Monday morning now. LOL.

[Buzzworm]

Padres and Tatis JR are working on an extension....11 years / $320m

That Acuna deal is looking better and better

It’s always gonna look great cause it’s most likely the worst deal in the last 20 years of MLB.
Nobody in their right mind would of signed it unless you grew up poor in a third world country.
Lucky for the Braves Ronald did.
Will never wrap my head around why he signed it lol
That’s the main reason I’m disappointed in the club since they saved a couple hundred million on him and Ozzie yet haven’t really used the savings although there is still time to resign Ozuna or grab another bat before the season.
We shall see but I’m not holding my breathe

[MadduxFanII]

1/10 isn’t a bad deal at all for Schwarber.

[Southcack77]

Padres and Tatis JR are working on an extension....11 years / $320m

That Acuna deal is looking better and better

That can't possibly be true.