Braves Meeting with Lester

nsacpi said:
Masterson is a good option, but there many others. Among the free agents worth considering, there are Hammel, Volquez, Peavy, Brett Anderson, Morrow and old friend Aaron Harang. As the game of musical chairs winds down, one or two are likely to be left without a seat and their price will start to drop.

There is also the trade market. Teams that could be looking to move starting pitching include Toronto, Tampa, Oakland, the Mets, the Cubs (remember Edwin Jackson), the Reds.

It will not be hard to find a starting pitcher. And the price is going to drop. Hart needs to be patient on this one.
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The reason I point Masterson out (and think we should pounce early) is that he has by far the most upside and could deliver the highest return if we tried to spin him off before the trade deadline market really heats up late (kinda like Theo and Jed did with Samardzija) to get the best return - especially if the receiving team wants to extend him since they won't get a comp pick.

I definitely won't disagree that we should be able to get a competent guy to fill out the rotation if Minor's not moved or they prefer to keep Hale in the pen (or as depth).
 
nsacpi said:
Masterson is a good option, but there many others. Among the free agents worth considering, there are Hammel, Volquez, Peavy, Brett Anderson, Morrow and old friend Aaron Harang. As the game of musical chairs winds down, one or two are likely to be left without a seat and their price will start to drop.

There is also the trade market. Teams that could be looking to move starting pitching include Toronto, Tampa, Oakland, the Mets, the Cubs (remember Edwin Jackson), the Reds.

It will not be hard to find a starting pitcher. And the price is going to drop. Hart needs to be patient on this one.
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I think Masterson should be the top option for the last spot in the rotation. He is likely only going to want a 1 year deal to prove he is healthy and ready to sign a longer deal next offseason. When/if he proves he is still a legit #2 the Braves can either flip him at the deadline, or in the unlikely event they are in WC contention next season they can make him a QO and get a draft pick.

None of the other guys available will be apt to sign a short deal and be worth extending a QO, but I agree Hart should be able to scoop one up cheaply (either in terms of salary or player traded) towards the end of the offseason. I have been advocating patience all offseason about filling the last spot in the rotation, and I hope Hart waits it out so the Braves can finally be the team signing a FA player at a discount rather than a terrible contract.
 
clvclv said:
No doubt. That being said, I'd personally love to hear Hart announce that we've signed Masterson to a one year $10 million contract and have moved on from Medlen and Beachy. Don't get me wrong - I love Kris as much as everyone else does - but that's 2 TJs in a span of 4 years, and we're not likely going to be a playoff contender unless something unforeseen happens. A midseason return by either of them isn't suddenly going to spark us and push us over the top of much of anything.

The team to mimic in our current situation is the Cubs - sign several players you think can turn into long-term assets from teams that find themselves in the hunt in June or July and move those guys early to get the best return. A return to form from say Masterson and Torii Hunter could net us a handful of prospects that could contribute as early as 2017, even if they're 4th OF/utility guys and/or pen arms.

Move Justin, Gattis, and/or Minor for the best packages you can get to get headliners for the new park, and build a REALLY strong bench and pen with the pieces we plug holes with over the next two seasons.
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If either one is brought back for more than league minimum with performance incentives, it will be a massive waste of money.
 
gtcway said:
If either one is brought back for more than league minimum with performance incentives, it will be a massive waste of money.
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I tend to agree. I believe Capuano is the only guy to come back from multiple TJs to be a ML starter.
 
gtcway said:
If either one is brought back for more than league minimum with performance incentives, it will be a massive waste of money.
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I was under the impression that the cheapest they could be brought back is at 80% of their previous salary, unless the team non-tenders and later resigns them. It sounds like they are going to tender both.
 
Hawk said:
I was under the impression that the cheapest they could be brought back is at 80% of their previous salary, unless the team non-tenders and later resigns them. It sounds like they are going to tender both.
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Tender means agreeing to keep the arbitration process alive. The player and club can also reach a deal outside the parameters of the arbitration process.
 
nsacpi said:
Tender means agreeing to keep the arbitration process alive. The player and club can also reach a deal outside the parameters of the arbitration process.
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But it can't be less than 80% of what the player was previously paid, correct?

Or is that simply for cases that proceed to arbitration?
 
"I have been told that while it is a longshot, the Braves are NOT out of the picture on Lester."

Good stuff Bill. Excellent analysis.
 
You know, for whatever it's worth, Bill has a lot of organizational contacts again in play now that Roy Clark and Co. are back in the fold. Clark is an AGM. Just sayin'.
 
Hawk said:
You know, for whatever it's worth, Bill has a lot of organizational contacts again in play now that Roy Clark and Co. are back in the fold. Clark is an AGM. Just sayin'.
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While may be true, I'm drawing parallels to that comment and the tidbit in his BS report of "don't forget, the Braves almost traded for Lester in 2005"
 
nsacpi said:
I tend to agree. I believe Capuano is the only guy to come back from multiple TJs to be a ML starter.
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I agree on Medlen certainly, but Beachy shouldn't cost more than a million and isn't a free agent till 2017. So IMO he is worth a shot as he'd probably be a decent addition to our bullpen and 1 million isn't a bad price for that. I don't see either one starting, and being as effective at it, anytime soon.
 
Julio3000 said:
Got in before I did.

Poorly thought-out, unsupported takes are his art, and Jason Heyward is his muse.
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I wonder if every market has an idiotic self-important crank as one of the local beat writers.

The only one who is remotely professional is DOB, who is solid.

I have reason to believe that tears are coming from my eyes as we shred Bowman and he-who-must-not-be-named. This situation has proven to be funny as hell.
 
GovClintonTyree said:
I wonder if every market has an idiotic self-important crank as one of the local beat writers.

The only one who is remotely professional is DOB, who is solid.

I have reason to believe that tears are coming from my eyes as we shred Bowman and he-who-must-not-be-named. This situation has proven to be funny as hell.
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I've been given reason to believe the possibility exists that laughing, even if only to keep from crying, is the strategy most worthwhile of pursuit.

This guy knows what I'm talking about.

33040275-d1b2-4cc9-a940-75a89a30e3d4_zps3406f10f.jpg
 
Hawk said:
But it can't be less than 80% of what the player was previously paid, correct?

Or is that simply for cases that proceed to arbitration?
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The latter, from everything I recall.
 
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