Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

Not sure I’d want to give up the MLB-ready 6th or 7th SP depth for him given some of the ugly looking signs, but if AA could build a deal for Benintendi around the Newk/Touki/Davidson/Muller level arms I wonder if it wouldn’t be worth a shot. Benintendi could play LF cheaply during the first half while they take a final look at Riley’s adjustments - if they take, Benintendi becomes the DH when Waters is ready. If they don’t, you’ve saved the money to bid on Bryant next winter.

If Riley’s adjustments allow you to keep him at 3B while making Benintendi the DH, you’ve just paid for a Freeman extension - would be kinda like having taken a shot with Dahl.
 
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clvclv said:
Not sure I’d want to give up the MLB-ready 6th or 7th SP depth for him given some of the ugly looking signs, but if AA could build a deal for Benintendi around the Newk/Touki/Davidson/Muller level arms I wonder if it wouldn’t be worth a shot. Benintendi could play LF cheaply during the first half while they take a final look at Riley’s adjustments - if they take, Benintendi becomes the DH when Waters is ready. If they don’t, you’ve saved the money to bid on Bryant next winter.

If Riley’s adjustments allow you to keep him at 3B while making Benintendi the DH, you’ve just paid for a Freeman extension - would be kinda like having taken a shot with Dahl.
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The issue with Benintendi is he's regressing in key metrics and not looking like someone you can expect to bounce back.
 
NYCBrave said:
The issue with Benintendi is he's regressing in key metrics and not looking like someone you can expect to bounce back.
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Right - that's why I wouldn't be comfortable using Wright or Wilson in a deal for him. But if AA could get him for "spare parts", you could potentially pair him with Duvall in LF for around $12-ish million. ZiPS pegs him as a 1.6 WAR, 101 OPS+ guy for 2021, so he'd fit between Rosario (2.0 WAR, 112+ OPS) and Mazara (0.5 WAR, 96+ OPS) as a platoon-mate for Adam. Probably a bit better defense for less power. Duvall, Benintendi, and Mazara could probably play RF in a pinch while Rosario can't. If he bounces back somewhat, you'd control him for 2022 while Waters is getting settled where you'd need to dip into the free-agent waters again next year for your insurance policy/platoon if you try to mix with those other guys this season.

Kinda have to think that they're convinced that there's not going to be a DH this year at this point. With the offensive hole left by Ozuna, it's really hard to believe we haven't at least been tied to Brantley/Bryant/Pederson/Turner types by now - even as close to the vest as AA plays things. Just have to believe that if they thought there was ANY chance there would be a DH this season that we'd have heard that AA had at least "talked to" Marcell's reps (if not Cruz' as well) to establish a dialogue.
 
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Russ2dollas said:
Bowman and dob seem to be going out of their way to say the braves have no interest in Bryant. Hard to know why they are that sure and why no interest.

Still waiting for the trade for a guy we didn’t know was on the block
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I honestly think its because of his peripherals and his statcast data. AA puts a lot of weight on those analytics. And his statcast data has been pretty awful since well before his subpar 2020. I just don't know if AA thinks Bryant is very good. I think DOB and Bowman know that.
 
ixiXSolidXixi said:
Why? They want to play here and together.
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Ever heard of a guy named Scottie Pippen? He willingly signed his awful contract too.

Agents very rarely allow players to sign deals as bad as the Pippen, Albies and Acuna deals. The Albies deal may be the worst contract a player of any sport has signed in modern sports.

“ Let’s try to put this deal in context. Last spring, the Phillies signed another second baseman, Scott Kingery, to a six-year, $24 million contract with team options that could go to nine years and $66 million. Kingery was almost two years older then than Albies is now, and while Albies is an All-Star, Kingery had yet to play a game in the major leagues.”

So yeah, don’t be surprised if there is talks about Albies holding out in the near future.
 
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zbhargrove said:
I honestly think its because of his peripherals and his statcast data. AA puts a lot of weight on those analytics. And his statcast data has been pretty awful since well before his subpar 2020. I just don't know if AA thinks Bryant is very good. I think DOB and Bowman know that.
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Interesting point.

Who are the exit velocity and or barrel darlings that we could go get?

I don’t get the benintindi love but I don’t watch non braves basesball. What does he give you that a one year deal for joc Peterson won’t?
 
Enscheff said:
Ever heard of a guy named Scottie Pippen? He willingly signed his awful contract too.

Agents very rarely allow players to sign deals as bad as the Pippen, Albies and Acuna deals. The Albies deal may be the worst contract a player of any sport has signed in modern sports.

“ Let’s try to put this deal in context. Last spring, the Phillies signed another second baseman, Scott Kingery, to a six-year, $24 million contract with team options that could go to nine years and $66 million. Kingery was almost two years older then than Albies is now, and while Albies is an All-Star, Kingery had yet to play a game in the major leagues.”

So yeah, don’t be surprised if there is talks about Albies holding out in the near future.
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Andruw Jones comes to mind as well.
 
Russ2dollas said:
Interesting point.

Who are the exit velocity and or barrel darlings that we could go get?

I don’t get the benintindi love but I don’t watch non braves basesball. What does he give you that a one year deal for joc Peterson won’t?
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There are 192 hitters who hit 50+ LDs or FBs vs LHP in 2019/2020. Here are their average exit velocities on those batted balls:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/stat...&min_pas=50&chk_stats_launch_speed=on#results

The Braves should be looking for someone in the Albies/Acuna range, which is 94+ mph.

Cruz is at 98 mph, and that’s a big reason why he would be my top target on a short term deal if the
NL gets the DH.

Turner is at 95 mph and is my top choice if there is no DH, with Riley given some time in LF.

Mazara is an interesting option as a cheap alternative, but some defensive issues.
 
Enscheff said:
There are 192 hitters who hit 50+ LDs or FBs vs LHP in 2019/2020. Here are their average exit velocities on those batted balls:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/stat...&min_pas=50&chk_stats_launch_speed=on#results

The Braves should be looking for someone in the Albies/Acuna range, which is 94+ mph.

Cruz is at 98 mph, and that’s a big reason why he would be my top target on a short term deal if the
NL gets the DH.

Turner is at 95 mph and is my top choice if there is no DH, with Riley given some time in LF.

Mazara is an interesting option as a cheap alternative, but some defensive issues.
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Isn't turner looking for a 4-year deal?
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
Andruw Jones comes to mind as well.
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Druw went over Boras to sign a team friendly deal but he still got paid pretty well.

Albies free agent years are 7 million a year....that's completely absurd in todays market when his skillset is that of a 20 million per year player.
 
Enscheff said:
There are 192 hitters who hit 50+ LDs or FBs vs LHP in 2019/2020. Here are their average exit velocities on those batted balls:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/stat...&min_pas=50&chk_stats_launch_speed=on#results

The Braves should be looking for someone in the Albies/Acuna range, which is 94+ mph.

Cruz is at 98 mph, and that’s a big reason why he would be my top target on a short term deal if the
NL gets the DH.

Turner is at 95 mph and is my top choice if there is no DH, with Riley given some time in LF.

Mazara is an interesting option as a cheap alternative, but some defensive issues.
Click to expand...

Thanks

I was thinking more trade.

Escobar from Arizona look good on these measures?
 
Enscheff said:
Ever heard of a guy named Scottie Pippen? He willingly signed his awful contract too.

Agents very rarely allow players to sign deals as bad as the Pippen, Albies and Acuna deals. The Albies deal may be the worst contract a player of any sport has signed in modern sports.

“ Let’s try to put this deal in context. Last spring, the Phillies signed another second baseman, Scott Kingery, to a six-year, $24 million contract with team options that could go to nine years and $66 million. Kingery was almost two years older then than Albies is now, and while Albies is an All-Star, Kingery had yet to play a game in the major leagues.”

So yeah, don’t be surprised if there is talks about Albies holding out in the near future.
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The Braves will certainly have to do something if the situation ever called for that. Likely rip up the current contract and create a new one but with years tacked on the end and fair value overall. Sure Acuna and Albies agreed to the deals. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But as time passes and they see worse players getting better deals, they surely won't be happy forever. Hope the Braves have a plan for that.
 
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