Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

While money may not be tight, it's not like the Braves are so rich they can have a $5M bench bat as the weak side of a platoon.

There are probably many layers that went into these decisions. Duvall could come back as a FA, and perhaps he was the only guy who wouldn't agree to a pre-arb deal because he thinks his HR totals will get him paid closer to $10M. Cutting a guy making $1M loose in ST costs less than cutting a guy making $5M. LF seems to be a place where the impact bat options are plentiful.

At the end of the day we are reading very deeply into something we know very little about. Maybe the Braves are broke. Maybe the plan was Duvall/Rosario platoon in LF, but Duvall wouldn't sign for $5M. So now maybe the plan is to let Duvall test his market, find out it isn't very good, then get him at $5M anyways.

But as we sit here as fans rosterbating, we are going to put an optimistic lense on everything and hope this means LF is going to be upgraded.

Or it means we spent all of our budget on pitching, and now will be rolling out a starting outfield of Acuna, Inciarte and Pache lol
 
While money may not be tight, it's not like the Braves are so rich they can have a $5M bench bat as the weak side of a platoon.

There are probably many layers that went into these decisions. Duvall could come back as a FA, and perhaps he was the only guy who wouldn't agree to a pre-arb deal because he thinks his HR totals will get him paid closer to $10M. Cutting a guy making $1M loose in ST costs less than cutting a guy making $5M. LF seems to be a place where the impact bat options are plentiful.

At the end of the day we are reading very deeply into something we know very little about. Maybe the Braves are broke. Maybe the plan was Duvall/Rosario platoon in LF, but Duvall wouldn't sign for $5M. So now maybe the plan is to let Duvall test his market, find out it isn't very good, then get him at $5M anyways.

But as we sit here as fans rosterbating, we are going to put an optimistic lense on everything and hope this means LF is going to be upgraded.

Duvall's problem is that he's really a one-tool guy. If he was a stellar defender (who ideally could log at least some time in CF) or had elite speed, maybe (maybe) he warrants a tender and you roll the dice and see what comes up in arbitration. As it is, he has to hit and like you point out, he has to hit as the short side of a platoon.
 
Who are the bats that people think it's worth sacrificing Duvall as a quality back up?

Springer
Brantley
Ozuna

Bryant (he or Riley to LF)
Turner (still think he won't come here regardless of price)
Lindor (too expensive in prospects and maybe salary)

Anyone else that is a reasonable Trade option?
 
Or it means we spent all of our budget on pitching, and now will be rolling out a starting outfield of Acuna, Inciarte and Pache lol

Honestly, I was going to bring this up too. I can't possibly imagine Anthopolous spent every last penny on Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton, but I suppose there's a chance the "plan" in the outfield is to roll with Acuna, Inciarte and Pache, sign Markakis for under a million and hope Waters earns a spot ASAP.
 
Who are the bats that people think it's worth sacrificing Duvall as a quality back up?

Springer
Brantley
Ozuna

Bryant (he or Riley to LF)
Turner (still think he won't come here regardless of price)
Lindor (too expensive in prospects and maybe salary)

Anyone else that is a reasonable Trade option?

I think Bryant has to be at the top of the list of who AA may be targeting. That's been his MO.
 
Honestly, I was going to bring this up too. I can't possibly imagine Anthopolous spent every last penny on Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton, but I suppose there's a chance the "plan" in the outfield is to roll with Acuna, Inciarte and Pache, sign Markakis for under a million and hope Waters earns a spot ASAP.

Seems like a possibility. I hope all the rumors of us kicking the tires on Bryant and the rumblings that Duvall was let go for flexibility to replace Ozuna are a sign that we have money to spend.
 
Or it means we spent all of our budget on pitching, and now will be rolling out a starting outfield of Acuna, Inciarte and Pache lol
Honestly, I was going to bring this up too. I can't possibly imagine Anthopolous spent every last penny on Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton, but I suppose there's a chance the "plan" in the outfield is to roll with Acuna, Inciarte and Pache, sign Markakis for under a million and hope Waters earns a spot ASAP.

I just don’t see them giving the money they did to Camargo and Jackson if money were that tight.
 
Honestly, I was going to bring this up too. I can't possibly imagine Anthopolous spent every last penny on Drew Smyly and Charlie Morton, but I suppose there's a chance the "plan" in the outfield is to roll with Acuna, Inciarte and Pache, sign Markakis for under a million and hope Waters earns a spot ASAP.

I find it highly unlikely this is the plan for a team at the peak of its competitive window.

AA must have cash remaining to add at least 1 impact bat plus 1 complementary bat.
 
I have a friend who is one-foot-in and another-foot-out of the industry and he mentioned rumblings that the Braves WON'T sign anyone to a big multi-year deal and that it's just not AA's philosophy right now. He expects the Braves to sign a couple of one-year bats and lean on the farm system a ton. He did mention that some of those one-to-two-year bats could be big ones but that finances are stable and AA has the go-ahead to go big just not for too many years.

Again, take it for what it's worth just wanted to relay.
 
I have a friend who is one-foot-in and another-foot-out of the industry and he mentioned rumblings that the Braves WON'T sign anyone to a big multi-year deal and that it's just not AA's philosophy right now. He expects the Braves to sign a couple of one-year bats and lean on the farm system a ton. He did mention that some of those one-to-two-year bats could be big ones but that finances are stable and AA has the go-ahead to go big just not for too many years.

Again, take it for what it's worth just wanted to relay.

So trade for Bryant and sign Ozuna?
 
I think Bryant has to be at the top of the list of who AA may be targeting. That's been his MO.

His MO has been to sign guys to 1 year deals who are depressed assets but have strong non-traditional numbers suggesting upside.

He really hasn't made any trades for a major piece. All trades have been in the margins.

Kiley McDaniel had an article on ESPN about the non-tender deadline and he said he heard the Braves were not likely on Bryant.

I think AA's MO fits more to sign Schwarber and Cruz to one year deals if we had a DH.

Or Brantley and Profar and use Profar and Riley as Swing guys plus DH insurance. We could play Acuna in CF and play Profar or Riley in a corner.

Or use a trade to get around the margins and add a guy like Seager, dump Inciarte in the process and then get the best RH bat he can afford on a one year deal.
 
I have a friend who is one-foot-in and another-foot-out of the industry and he mentioned rumblings that the Braves WON'T sign anyone to a big multi-year deal and that it's just not AA's philosophy right now. He expects the Braves to sign a couple of one-year bats and lean on the farm system a ton. He did mention that some of those one-to-two-year bats could be big ones but that finances are stable and AA has the go-ahead to go big just not for too many years.

Again, take it for what it's worth just wanted to relay.

That's pretty consistent with the observable reality, too.
 
I find it highly unlikely this is the plan for a team at the peak of its competitive window.

AA must have cash remaining to add at least 1 impact bat plus 1 complementary bat.

If that was the case I doubt he would have signed either Smyly or Morton. He would have picked one and used the remaining cash on a bat. AA has proven totally competent to date and deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
 
I have a friend who is one-foot-in and another-foot-out of the industry and he mentioned rumblings that the Braves WON'T sign anyone to a big multi-year deal and that it's just not AA's philosophy right now. He expects the Braves to sign a couple of one-year bats and lean on the farm system a ton. He did mention that some of those one-to-two-year bats could be big ones but that finances are stable and AA has the go-ahead to go big just not for too many years.

Again, take it for what it's worth just wanted to relay.

This is exactly what we've been saying on this board for about 3 years now.

Does that mean we also have one foot in?
 
His MO has been to sign guys to 1 year deals who are depressed assets but have strong non-traditional numbers suggesting upside.

He really hasn't made any trades for a major piece. All trades have been in the margins.

Kiley McDaniel had an article on ESPN about the non-tender deadline and he said he heard the Braves were not likely on Bryant.

I think AA's MO fits more to sign Schwarber and Cruz to one year deals if we had a DH.

Or Brantley and Profar and use Profar and Riley as Swing guys plus DH insurance. We could play Acuna in CF and play Profar or Riley in a corner.

Or use a trade to get around the margins and add a guy like Seager, dump Inciarte in the process and then get the best RH bat he can afford on a one year deal.

The part is bold is especially true. We always talk about AA using a bit of prospect capital to acquire an impact player with little surplus value, but he hasn't done it yet in 3 competitive season. So while Bryant makes sense, it isn't the type of move AA typically makes. In fact, he has spent virtually zero prospect capital.

I still think Turner, Brantley, Cruz, Shaw, Duvall and/or Rosario (maaaaaybe Ozuna) on 1-2 year deals are most likely. I expect AA to fill all of 3B/LF/DH with short term FAs and Riley.

Assuming there's a DH in 2021, I still like the Turner/Cruz/Rosario combo I've been clamoring for, even without Duvall. That should cost about $30M-$35M for 2021.
 
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I have a friend who is one-foot-in and another-foot-out of the industry and he mentioned rumblings that the Braves WON'T sign anyone to a big multi-year deal and that it's just not AA's philosophy right now. He expects the Braves to sign a couple of one-year bats and lean on the farm system a ton. He did mention that some of those one-to-two-year bats could be big ones but that finances are stable and AA has the go-ahead to go big just not for too many years.

Again, take it for what it's worth just wanted to relay.

That sounds totally accurate. But in reality, that's been the Braves MO for forever. The biggest free agent contract they gave out was to BJ Upton and it was worth what, $75 million? It makes sense when you realize how many of those long term deals quickly turn into black holes. Developing your own talent, extending them when possible, and supplementing with short term deals seems like a really good plan for a mid market team to remain competitive.
 
The part is bold is especially true. We always talk about AA using a bit of prospect capital to acquire an impact player with little surplus value, but he hasn't done it yet in 3 competitive season. So while Bryant makes sense, it isn't the type of move AA typically makes. In fact, he has spent virtually zero prospect capital.

I still think Turner, Brantley, Cruz, Shaw, Duvall and/or Rosario (maaaaaybe Ozuna) on 1-2 year deals are most likely. I expect AA to fill all of 3B/LF/DH with short term FAs and Riley.

Assuming there's a DH in 2021, I still like the Turner/Cruz/Rosario combo I've been clamoring for, even without Duvall. That should cost about $30M-$35M for 2021.

I don't know what the exit velocity, etc says about Dahl, but if it's good I'd add him. He was only making like 2 million last year. He's 26-27. He's a guy that could look at a one year deal, expect to go back to an 800+ OPS with plus defense and make 100+ million the following year.

We should get the best bats we can get. But ideally we want a RH slugger to and a LH. The RH bat is really hard to get without at DH. It's Springer or Turner unless you think Ozuna can play LF and sign a shorter deal.

Ozuna you could sign now and say if there is no DH, you could play him in LF or even put Acuna in CF and play Ozuna and Brantley together. Cruz you cannot take unless you know there is a DH.

I think MLB will say no DH unless they can get the players to give on something. I hate MLB leadership.
 
The problem with Dahl is he can never stay healthy, he isn't very good vs LHP, and he is a mediocre OFer who couldn't fake it in CF in 2020.

He's basically an injury prone Eddie Rosario, and nobody in their right mind would ever pay him $100M+. He was non-tendered for a reason, and that reason isn't him being a secret $100M player. Top prospects turn into MLB nobodies all the time, and that appears to be the case for Dahl.
 
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