Top 10 Free Agents

zitothebrave

zitothebrave

Connoisseur of Minors
As a team with money to burn (we will need to spend probably at least 10M to get the minimum payroll required.

David Price - Would be my choice to sniff aorund the hardest.

Jason Heyward - Would be one of my top looks depending on things with future lineup construction.

Justin Upton - the other one IMO that's an option, I would say the offseason is a failure if we don't get one of those 2.

Johnny Cueto - A fallback starter option, I have concerns with him and health though.

Zach Greinke - Some questions about him. My biggest concern is he's 31.

Yoenis Cespedes - Picked a great year to post his best season of his career. He has power, that's for sure. Who knows with that in reality.

Alex Gordon - Kind of similar to Jason in terms of value if you would where his primary asset is defense, Though he's having a very strong offensive career. As a left handed hitter though, I wouldn't pay him too much.

Jordan Zimmerman - Injury concerns, but has posted some great stuff. Could be a good value signing as the market should lose a ton if the market is pretty slim after the top pitchers sign.

Chris Davis - Probably the best power hitter in the group, but doesn't fit us even a little.

Leake/Kazmir/Samardzija/Wieters - All value deals. Who knows.
 
Bowman said the other day Justin or Jason aint happening.

Said they could look at Cespedes though.

I agree with Price though.
 
Price would be my #1 target. We need him bad to stabilize the rotation. A Kazmir or one of those low level guys won't cut it imo. We have to have a power hitter for LF to. Cespedes would be a good target for that. I keep coming back to the Brewers for Braun and Lucroy. Though it would cost a ton in prospects.
 
Jason Heyward - Would be one of my top looks depending on things with future lineup construction.

Justin Upton - the other one IMO that's an option, I would say the offseason is a failure if we don't get one of those 2.
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Will be relieved when both of these two sign with another team, not called the Braves, just so that it ends all discussion. Even then, the former will still be treated to God-like status, after typical slow first half and the latter will be predictably streaky.
 
zitothebrave said:
As a team with money to burn (we will need to spend probably at least 10M to get the minimum payroll required.

David Price - Would be my choice to sniff aorund the hardest.

Jason Heyward - Would be one of my top looks depending on things with future lineup construction.

Justin Upton - the other one IMO that's an option, I would say the offseason is a failure if we don't get one of those 2.

Johnny Cueto - A fallback starter option, I have concerns with him and health though.

Zach Greinke - Some questions about him. My biggest concern is he's 31.

Yoenis Cespedes - Picked a great year to post his best season of his career. He has power, that's for sure. Who knows with that in reality.

Alex Gordon - Kind of similar to Jason in terms of value if you would where his primary asset is defense, Though he's having a very strong offensive career. As a left handed hitter though, I wouldn't pay him too much.

Jordan Zimmerman - Injury concerns, but has posted some great stuff. Could be a good value signing as the market should lose a ton if the market is pretty slim after the top pitchers sign.

Chris Davis - Probably the best power hitter in the group, but doesn't fit us even a little.

Leake/Kazmir/Samardzija/Wieters - All value deals. Who knows.
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1a. David Price - Anchor for the rotation. True ACE. Name to bring in the fans. Could be marketed and possibly be the Maddux of the next run. Reported Braves fan.

1d. Zach Greinke - Same as Price. Would love to be able to add both but can't see that happening right now.

2. Jordan Zimmerman - Second tier. Also likely too expensive

3. Leake - Third tier for these three
3. Kazmir - History of injury
3. Samardzija - mostly based on potential

4. Chris Davis - IF Freeman were to be traded (which I think should at least be considered considering the return), then he moves to the top behind Price.
5. Yoenis Cespedes - Only if other moves are made that leads one to believe that the team is one bat away (which I doubt). Drops further down the list the closer his contract gets to Heyward and Upton.

6. Wieters - Can't see signing a FA catcher to a high dollar contract when the team is a couple of years from serious contention and catchers age badly. He's not a core bat so you would be bringing him in to handle the staff. I think that can be done a lot cheaper as a bridge to an internal option (likely acquired this offseason via trade).

7. Jason Heyward - Going to get way more money than he will be worth.
7. Justin Upton - See Heyward.

8. Johnny Cueto - When I watch him my mind says "fools gold." I could be wrong but that's what I believe. I think he will crash and burn shortly after signing his new deal.

9. Alex Gordon - Would provide the LF version of Markakis which makes no sense for this team in its current position in history and what it is trying to do in the future.
 
Horsehide Harry said:
1a. David Price - Anchor for the rotation. True ACE. Name to bring in the fans. Could be marketed and possibly be the Maddux of the next run. Reported Braves fan.
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Yeah, Price is the main one I'd like to see us make a run at. He'd be perfect to mentor our young pitchers and would still be in his prime once we are ready to really compete starting in 2018. And he could get us within shouting distance of a wild card in 2017 with some other moves.

Any FA we sign should be with the idea they will be able to help us in 2018-2019, otherwise it's a waste IMO. We'd be better off just tanking another year or two otherwise.
 
With the money we have to toy with, it would be stupid not to look at Price. I know everyone talks about all of the pitching prospects we got, but none of those guys are Price and we NEED an anchor going forward if we want to do anything. Price and Cespedes makes this team pretty damn competitive very quickly - but I doubt that happens.

I could realistically see us getting Price/Cueto and Weiters. The trade for Braun and Lucroy is interesting because I think Beth could get us more in return than most think.
 
I would be shocked to see us sign anyone to a 100+ million dollar contract. I hope we get a big FA or two, but it just isnt how the Braves do business. Melvin was our largest FA signing of all time I believe.
 
Price, Greinke, Samardzjia, and Leake are my preferred pitching options in order.

I'm assuming we've burned bridges with J-Up. Heyward might come back, but I really don't see us paying another OFer a huge conttact when we already have 4 OFers making over 10 million a piece and Max is MLB ready as well. We'd have to trade at least two OFers to make it work, imo. Same applies to Cespedes and Gordon.

Wieters is an option, but not sure the club is looking to invest 80 million in an injury prone catcher.

Only hitting I see us signing is bench help. I see us using our SP depth to acquire a hitter, probably a catcher.
 
We'll for sure be able to move Maybin, probably own't be able to move Markakis, Bourn or Swisher, but the last 2 could be ditched as bench depth. Expensive bench depth, but bench depth. THey were brought in so we could more easily control our payroll next year and then have a glut to spend the year after. Which I'm OK with, we should still make a move for Justin or Jason. Then the year after make a move for LuCroy to sure up our offense.
 
cajunrevenge said:
They can move Markakis easily, they just aren't willing.
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JMO, but I think that stance changes real quick IF (and only if) they go after a bat or two.

I've always been "all-in" on going after Price or Greinke, but if they're not going to pay what it takes to get one of them, I'd consider trading him and signing both Cespedes and Gordon. Whether many here like it or not the organization obviously believes in Olivera, and his chances for success would only be enhanced if you could hit him in front of Freeman and "protect" Freddie with someone like Cespedes. You'd potentially be in position to move Cam before the break to clear some money IF Mallex adjusts well. Regardless of the return, you'd be looking at a lineup of Smith, Gordon, Olivera, Freeman, Cespedes, A. J. (if brought back)/Bethancourt, Peterson, Simba.

Assuming the numbers we've seen tossed about are close, you'd even be in a position to land both Cespedes and Gordon AND another #3 or better SP (Samardzija perhaps) if you moved Markakis and Maybin - their salaries would give you the room to offer Gordon 5/$100 million (and be salary-neutral in 2016 assuming Gomes isn't brought back). That would still leave you the same space available to spend on Cespedes (who could probably be had for 5/$125 million or 6/$150 million) and another Pitcher.
 
I like Cespedes but I just don't see him getting 25 per. The front office has always liked Price and Greinke so we'll see how it goes but we all know the offense has to upgraded to.
 
Hudson2 said:
I like Cespedes but I just don't see him getting 25 per. The front office has always liked Price and Greinke so we'll see how it goes but we all know the offense has to upgraded to.
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Not sure I like him $25 million a year worth either, but to get him on a shorter-term deal than J-Up and Heyward will likely command it's probably going to have to be in that ballpark. I agree with those who have said they'd prefer to limit our long-term exposure as much as possible (with Price and Greinke the obvious exceptions if you HAVE to go 7 or 8 years to land someone), and do think a lineup with Gordon/Olivera/Freeman/Cespedes stands a pretty good chance of being productive (and more consistent) for 5 seasons than one with J-Up or Heyward at a significantly higher price in both years and dollars.
 
gilesfan said:
What free agents are going to want to play here unless we overpay?
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The ones looking for money?

Seriously. We're probably much more attractive to the second-tier free-agents than a lot of other places. With the new stadium on the horizon and lots of financial flexibility, we're in position to go that extra $1 or $2 million per to land someone like a Cespedes/Gordon/Fowler/Samardzija/Latos/Gallardo than several teams will. While we do have the flexibility to get in a bidding war for anyone we want, I think Hart's stance on not being players for Heyward and J-Up makes all the sense in the world given that landing one of them isn't likely to "fix" things - and would likely cost you any shot at adding another significant piece (whether this winter or next).

You of all people should know that well - it's exactly what the Gnats did to land Werth.
 
Just pointing out the problem with sucking in regards to free agents. And the nats have a ton more money to spend as well, the Braves have to win with pre arby players playing well. Im not sure they can take the risk on big free agents except for maybe 1.
 
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