Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

Can't help but think each day that passes we have a better shot at resigning Ozuna. I even almost feel like he might have to settle for another 1 year contract until the DH situation is resolved. I just don't see which teams out there are even in the market for him this year. Very few suitors.
 
I still think Suarez makes the most sense on the trade front. Turner makes the most sense in FA. It's crazy MLB has allowed this market to be this slow. Make a damn decision already before you force the MLBPA to start sitting out ST and pushing the start of the season back.
 
Carp said:
I still think Suarez makes the most sense on the trade front. Turner makes the most sense in FA. It's crazy MLB has allowed this market to be this slow. Make a damn decision already before you force the MLBPA to start sitting out ST and pushing the start of the season back.
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The only serious concern I'd have with those options are the cost to trade for Suarez (likely Waters, one of the Catchers, and an arm or two) and the length of deal that Turner's looking for.

Even if you don't have to include Riley in a Suarez deal since they'd still have Senzel and India as options at 3B, is there any reason to expect him to hit more in LF? If he doesn't, we still have a hole. My "ideal" rest of the winter would be to deal for Suarez and sign Brantley for 2-3 years (which would presumably bridge to one of the Harrises or Jesse Franklin), but does AA really have $25-$30 million left to spend? Turner's been unrealistic thus far in asking for 4 years at his age, but does anyone even want to give him three at this point given the slide his numbers have already started to take? There's a pretty good chance he drops off a cliff if you give him more than two years.

There's an argument to be made that the best course of action at this point is to sign Ozuna and put up with his defense this season while giving Riley one more shot. You can plug Waters in and shift Ozuna to DH in 2022, and if Riley's adjustments don't take you can get into the bidding or trade for a 3B next winter. Signing Bryant then will only cost you a draft pick, and Seattle will likely give Seager away for a song (if they even bother to pick up his option) at that point. With d'Arnaud, Morton, Smyly, and Martin coming off the books there will be plenty of money to spend there as well as put towards a Freeman extension if you've got Waters making the minimum and you still have all these arms as potential rotation and pen replacements. Depending on how things go this summer, you might even be in a position where it makes the most financial sense to extend Dansby and play Seager for one season before handing 3B to Shewmake.
 
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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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Oh I'm no Benintendi fan... I don't think he's very good anymore. But if we're also adding a Chapman, Jose Ramirez, or Suarez... I can deal with him in the OF
 
Heyman just mentioned on Hot Stove that the Dodgers have sniffed around on Bryant. If something like that were to happen, Turner would really be in a tight spot. Can't imagine any of the NL East clubs would give him more than three years - if that.
 
The Nats have been mentioned twice over the last month with interest in Suarez but have stated they won’t let their top two prospects go. Obviously, for Suarez, one of the two would have to go. I hope Atlanta is at least communicating with the Reds because Drew Waters is a perfect Reds’ target to a tee.
 
They apparently want the only two pitchers of note in the Washington system and Washington is saying thats a non starter.
 
Morosi: Source: The #Braves are more focused on adding a left fielder than a third baseman. The team expects Austin Riley to begin the 2021 season at third base. @MLB @MLBNetwork
 
Very interesting take on the Lindor trade: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/how-lindor-and-carrasco-upend-the-nl-east/

The Mets improved from projecting 7 wins behind the Braves to projecting to only 1 win behind them...a virtual dead heat.

The author went on to claim no team would have improved their playoff odds more by adding 5 wins than the Mets, so it was a very good move for them.

I fully expect the Braves to improve the OF by several wins and increase their projected wins to ~95, but the Mets are definitely scary for 2021.
 
UNCBlue012 said:
Morosi: Source: The #Braves are more focused on adding a left fielder than a third baseman. The team expects Austin Riley to begin the 2021 season at third base. @MLB @MLBNetwork
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We've been around and around it plenty of times, but a Wright for Frazier swap would seem to make tons of sense for both the Yankees and Braves - except that Cashman somehow still thinks they're eventually just going to bludgeon people to death and they just don't need pitching.

Outside of that kind of deal, I don't really have any interest in moving Wright or Wilson. Frazier could play LF this year and become the inexpensive DH in 2022. If AA could swing something like that, he'd have loads of financial flexibility to extend Freeman, bid on a 3B if needed, and if a 3B isn't needed possibly even bring Morton back if things go well or add one of the older SPs (Greinke/Lynn/etc.) on a one or two year deal next winter. If Morton has a healthy and effective season and the team is good, you wouldn't have to squint very hard to see him being interested in hanging around for one more season beyond 2021.
 
The Braves are mentioned in this piece on DJ LeMahieu not getting the money he's looking for from the Yankees, but I cannot for the life of me imagine the Braves giving DJ LeMahieu five years and $110 million.
 
MadduxFanII said:
The Braves are mentioned in this piece on DJ LeMahieu not getting the money he's looking for from the Yankees, but I cannot for the life of me imagine the Braves giving DJ LeMahieu five years and $110 million.
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I dont see anyone giving DJ that kinda money, in this market at least.
 
Even after all this, the most probable outcome seems to be watching Ozuna awkwardly play LF for 2021, and then DH for the rest of his time in Atlanta (if he's there past 2021).

Problem is, Ozuna would be foolish to sign until the DH is settled, so here we wait. I'm still holding out hope we get to watch Cruz/Ozuna at DH and something like a Rosario and Duvall platoon added to the OF with Acuna and Pache once he's ready. All the while holding onto Waters. If the cash isn't there for those types of offensive additions then AA made a mistake signing Smyly.
 
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MadduxFanII said:
The Braves are mentioned in this piece on DJ LeMahieu not getting the money he's looking for from the Yankees, but I cannot for the life of me imagine the Braves giving DJ LeMahieu five years and $110 million.
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If AA signs or trades for someone other than a "big bopper" type (Ozuna/Cruz/Suarez 35-40 HR potential), he'd be much better off getting Brantley IMO. Similar type of hitter, and he already knows a 3 year deal at this point in his career would be a gift. If the Braves were in a position to add another $100+ million contract while ALSO extending Freeman, playing on Springer would make more sense.
 
I highly doubt that DJ is really of interest to AA at this pointBUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT then think what a perfect leadoff hitter he would be and move Junior to hitting third, leave Freddie in the 2 hole.
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
I highly doubt that DJ is really of interest to AA at this pointBUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT then think what a perfect leadoff hitter he would be and move Junior to hitting third, leave Freddie in the 2 hole.
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Give me:
Acuña - RF
LeMahieu - 3B
Freeman - 1B
d’Arnaud - C
Albies - 2B
Swanson - SS
Riley - LF
Pache - CF
Pitcher
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
I highly doubt that DJ is really of interest to AA at this pointBUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT then think what a perfect leadoff hitter he would be and move Junior to hitting third, leave Freddie in the 2 hole.
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DJL seems like as good a candidate as any to be left without a chair once the FA music stops because he misread his market and set too high an asking price. It could happen to Ozuna as well.

If he's sitting there without a deal in March, and can be had for something like $15M for a single season, that's the exact type of move I hope AA would make even if it dislodges Riley from 3B.
 
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