Which is perfectly understandable, and I haven't really looked at rotation options that fit the value charts better - to be honest, I don't see much need to fiddle with the rotation unless it's at the top - MadBum's just a popular subject (as is Greinke). Right or wrong, I'd rather gamble on Bumgarner somehow (unimaginably) stumbling back into his former form and catching lightning in a bottle than try to work out something unbelievably complicated to get Greinke and Peralta - simply because the money owed Greinke could easily completely ruin a mid-market team like the Braves if things happen to start going bad (it's certainly done that to Arizona).
Pretty interesting discussion on XM today that kinda goes along with some points I've made before. Considering you're always gambling on health to begin with and we just got who could be "the answer" we've been looking for for a long time in Donaldson, try this one on for size. Imagine Donaldson returns to relative health and All-Star level performance this year. Is there ANYBODY you'd rather have hitting behind Freddie (within reason, of course)? Rather than sinking fairly substantial money in what most everyone agrees as imperfect options in Brantley or McCutchen, make a move for Pederson to platoon with Duvall (or simply pick up Joyce). Doing so still keeps Camargo as our version of Gonzalez (stronger bench), but also leaves those funds free in the event Donaldson shines and you try to buy out his next two seasons for around $50 million.
AA has already said they're going to get OF mitts for both Johan and Riley before camp opens anyway. There are your options for LF in 2020 - and maybe you move Pederson next winter (if you went and got him for this season) to get a couple prospects back. That gives you a 2020 and 2021 lineup of Acuna, Ozzie, Freddie, Donaldson, Riley, Catcher, Ender/Pache, Dansby.
If we're assuming the window is now wide open and this is the time to "go for it", wouldn't you much rather have Freddie, Donaldson (assuming health), and Riley in 2020 and 2021 than Freddie, Brantley/McCutchen/Riley??? The $15 million you DON't spend on Brantley or McCutchen combined with Julio's commitment disappearing allows you to pay for Donaldson. Take the $25-ish million we assume AA has at his disposal now and go get one of the Cleveland guys to front the rotation for the duration of time you'll have Acuna, Freddie, and Donaldson together and get one of the guys to seriously upgrade the back-end for those three years and see how far you can go.
That doesn't fit the perpetual competitor dream (which I think is more dead than people want to admit), but would give you a *elluva chance at being a legitimate contender for three solid years - which is probably a more realistic goal anyway. Think about how ga-ga everybody was over the Cubs were set up not so long ago, and look at where they are today.