Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

[Southcack77]

We obviously need to add a bat or two or three. But the rotation was a ****ing mess, i cant blame AA for acting aggressively on that front.

Yeah, the Braves are a much better off at least on paper with replacement level hitters filling in their remaining spots than they would have been not adding pitching. In my opinion anyway.

[Super]

That is a lot of what ifs. What if he told Brantley that he would do 2/35 plus a team option for same AAV. What if they offered Joc 1/8 and said you will start 75 -85% if your performance is there. Who says he wouldn’t take that. What about snagging Eaton as a platoon partner. Or Rosario on a one year deal. It is all speculation.

i don't want to commit to starting Joc for that many games. he's just not that good.
but yes, you're right, lots of what ifs. that's the point - we don't know what's happened behind the scenes. we do know the Braves had fallback offers out to JTR and Springer, so there's still $20M+ left.

[Super]

let's circle back to Turner.
everyone thought it was a foregone conclusion he'd be back in LA. but i think if that were so foregone, he'd have signed. he's testing the market.
my hunch is if he gets an offer he likes, he's going to run back to LA with it and they'll say sure we'll match it. he's likely only going to get 2-3 year offers max, and i don't think LA will have a problem going for it.
i wouldn't be surprised if teams are treating him that way in free agency.

[zbhargrove]

Fried seems to have developed into a strong starter, albeit one with an injury history and a blister history.

Anderson was a rookie who made basically one turn around the league. How does one depend on that holding up?

Soroka is rehabbing a torn achilles that might not permit him to begin the season on time.

Kyle Wright was terrible. So were Wilson and Touissant.

Not sure how adding two starters into that mix was not a good idea.

Not that I have confidence in them yet, but Wilson and Wright showed some real signs of improvement and "finding it" a bit last year.

[Super]

Realistically though, how much money and how many years could the freaking Rays have possibly put on the table?

exactly. maybe there are more teams than we realize who are in on him.
but the Rays probably will not be beating any offer from the Braves. if it's between TB and ATL, i expect him back in ATL.

[tululush]

exactly. maybe there are more teams than we realize who are in on him.
but the Rays probably will not be beating any offer from the Braves. if it's between TB and ATL, i expect him back in ATL.

I think I read somewhere 1/18, but with all the numbers coating around here maybe I made that up? If I had to guess, likely 1 year and somewhere between 18 and low 20 million. I don’t see them wanting to invest years or a large amount of money in him. That’s not who they are.

[tululush]

i don't want to commit to starting Joc for that many games. he's just not that good.
but yes, you're right, lots of what ifs. that's the point - we don't know what's happened behind the scenes. we do know the Braves had fallback offers out to JTR and Springer, so there's still $20M+ left.

I think DOB or Bowman said we had fallback options on JTR and Springer? Is that right? Did they indicate how much? Where has that 20 million figure come from? I see us floating that around and saying “we at least have 20 million to spend.” Is this true?

[Enscheff]

I think DOB or Bowman said we had fallback options on JTR and Springer? Is that right? Did they indicate how much? Where has that 20 million figure come from? I see us floating that around and saying “we at least have 20 million to spend.” Is this true?

They did not indicate how much, but logic dictates a 1 year offer for players of that stature had to be $20M+, and probably $25M+.

AA gave JD $23M, and then gave Ozuna and Hamels $18M each in the same year. He also splurged on a 1 year deal for DK. It's clear AA is willing to go big on short deals, and abhors long term deals (which is why the Will Smith deal was so baffling).

[Enscheff]

let's circle back to Turner.
everyone thought it was a foregone conclusion he'd be back in LA. but i think if that were so foregone, he'd have signed. he's testing the market.
my hunch is if he gets an offer he likes, he's going to run back to LA with it and they'll say sure we'll match it. he's likely only going to get 2-3 year offers max, and i don't think LA will have a problem going for it.
i wouldn't be surprised if teams are treating him that way in free agency.

I think it's just a good old fashioned staring contest. Turner's market is LA and Atl. Ozuna's market is Atl and TB.

Someone has to blink first, and as of right now there's no reason for it to be the Braves.

[bravesfanMatt]

Has there been any announcement around spring invitees. Or does that happen closer to March.

[Russ2dollas]

I think it's just a good old fashioned staring contest. Turner's market is LA and Atl. Ozuna's market is Atl and TB.

Someone has to blink first, and as of right now there's no reason for it to be the Braves.

I'm not sure on Turner. I think his market is LA. LA is holding off b/c they have lots of options. Now that Lindor and Arenando are gone, maybe they just go ahead and sign him. There has been no indication from Turner that he's leaving LA. Rumors are he won't play elsewhere and would rather retire.

I think Ozuna is our only option for an impact bat. I think his impact bat is likely 115-125 wrc+ and not the monster he was. It would not shock me if AA doesn't want to pay a 120 wrc plus guy w/o any other value for 4 years. AA may not want a full time DH.

If Ozuna gets to pick from 4/80 or 2/50 from the braves, that will be an interesting decision.

I don't think AA has done any deals with options, or many incentives. Would he do that now?

I keep thinking the answer is a Trade.

[50PoundHead]

Color me a bit skeptical on Smyly. I'm discounting a lot of 2020 stats, which is why I'm not all-in on Ozuna other than a shorter/high AAV deal. Smyly looked good in 2020, but outside of a couple of upticks, he's your prototypical banged-up journeyman. I'm inordinately patient with pitchers and, at age 31, maybe things have come together for Smyly and he'll be a steal. We do need rotation help and Smyly has shown ability as both a starter and a reliever, which can helpful as the approach to pitching staffs has changed over time.

[50PoundHead]

Has there been any announcement around spring invitees. Or does that happen closer to March.

It usually happens closer to the start of spring training. It's my guess that the non-roster guys who were at the alternate site (Langliers, Ball, Waters, and some of the guys who are closer to the bigs) is a good place to start.

[Super]

I'm not sure on Turner. I think his market is LA. LA is holding off b/c they have lots of options. Now that Lindor and Arenando are gone, maybe they just go ahead and sign him. There has been no indication from Turner that he's leaving LA. Rumors are he won't play elsewhere and would rather retire.

Enscheff said his market is ATL or LA, which is probably sorta true, but here's my logic:
the Braves aren't offering 4 or more years on Turner. just no way.
if they offer him a solid deal of 3 years or less, i think LA will have no hesitation in matching it.
therefore, to me, like you say as well, his market is really just LA. he's using other teams to drive their price/years up a bit. but anything outside an absurd contract, which he pretty clearly isn't getting, will be matched by LA, and he'll stay put.

these are just my hunches and assumptions, so overall pretty worthless. i just can't consider him a true possibility. any deal AA will be willing to sign him to, LA will be willing to match.
maybe he's hoping Ozuna signs elsewhere and ATL feels they have to come with a big offer that even LA won't want to go for.

[bravesfanMatt]

Man I forgot about Ball. Isn’t he the 8 foot giant from last spring. He is a hitter without a position right?

[50PoundHead]

Man I forgot about Ball. Isn’t he the 8 foot giant from last spring. He is a hitter without a position right?

Panda will likely be there along with a couple of extra catchers (Most likely Morales and Brown). Shewmake is likely as well.

[tululush]

They did not indicate how much, but logic dictates a 1 year offer for players of that stature had to be $20M+, and probably $25M+.

AA gave JD $23M, and then gave Ozuna and Hamels $18M each in the same year. He also splurged on a 1 year deal for DK. It's clear AA is willing to go big on short deals, and abhors long term deals (which is why the Will Smith deal was so baffling).

Thank you for clarifying. I guess it’s safe to assume he’d prefer a shorter deal (let’s say 2 years) and a higher AAV vs a longer deal with a lower AAV. I wonder if Ozuna would take a 2 year deal, and if so how much? Maybe 2/46? 2/50?

[CJ9]

Mets writers saying they’re in serious talks with Bauer.

[tululush]

Enscheff said his market is ATL or LA, which is probably sorta true, but here's my logic:
the Braves aren't offering 4 or more years on Turner. just no way.
if they offer him a solid deal of 3 years or less, i think LA will have no hesitation in matching it.
therefore, to me, like you say as well, his market is really just LA. he's using other teams to drive their price/years up a bit. but anything outside an absurd contract, which he pretty clearly isn't getting, will be matched by LA, and he'll stay put.

these are just my hunches and assumptions, so overall pretty worthless. i just can't consider him a true possibility. any deal AA will be willing to sign him to, LA will be willing to match.
maybe he's hoping Ozuna signs elsewhere and ATL feels they have to come with a big offer that even LA won't want to go for.

Assuming we were to make an offer on Turner. Now let’s also assume we won’t go more than 3 years? How much are we looking at? Wouldn’t it just be better served to give that money and years to Ozuna?

[tululush]

Mets writers saying they’re in serious talks with Bauer.

Gross.