Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

Braves have interest in Cespedes?

Free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes held a showcase in Florida that 11 teams attended on Tuesday, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The Yankees, White Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays, Tigers (one of Cespedes’ ex-teams), Padres, Rays, Reds, Marlins, Cubs and Braves were all on hand to watch Cespedes, per Davidoff.
 
Braves have interest in Cespedes?

Free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes held a showcase in Florida that 11 teams attended on Tuesday, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The Yankees, White Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays, Tigers (one of Cespedes’ ex-teams), Padres, Rays, Reds, Marlins, Cubs and Braves were all on hand to watch Cespedes, per Davidoff.

The Braves were there to point and laugh at him.
 
Turns out the 2021-22 name is INF Diego Benitez. I'm finding very little about him through a quick search. Looks like he was initially expected to sign with the Yankees, but they screwed up something with signing his best friend last year plus Benitez has physically matured a lot since then and will command more money. So we are now seen as the likely landing spot for him. The little that's out there lists him as a SS who likely will move to 3B, but he can supposedly really hit. Seems like a top 10 guy, maybe better, from the upcoming international class.

Hard to find much else out there about him.
I actually posted this on Twitter yesterday : Little nugget I found : Diego Benitez is a switch hitting middle infielder with great tools though he may decide on only batting RIGHT handed.

He’s 6’3, 231 lbs so on the larger end like dodgers SS Corey Seager his closest comparison. Could easily move to 3B with that size.
 
Braves have interest in Cespedes?

Free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes held a showcase in Florida that 11 teams attended on Tuesday, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The Yankees, White Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays, Tigers (one of Cespedes’ ex-teams), Padres, Rays, Reds, Marlins, Cubs and Braves were all on hand to watch Cespedes, per Davidoff.

Have to feel like that's just doing due diligence. Puig has shown he won't tank a clubhouse if he's only a part-time player - don't think you can count on Cespedes suddenly becoming a "good clubhouse guy".

If the DH was going to appear at the last-second, surely we'd have heard rumblings by now. Even if you wanted the bat, you can't flank Acuna with Ozuna AND Cespedes - the defense would be awful.
 
I actually posted this on Twitter yesterday : Little nugget I found : Diego Benitez is a switch hitting middle infielder with great tools though he may decide on only batting RIGHT handed.

He’s 6’3, 231 lbs so on the larger end like dodgers SS Corey Seager his closest comparison. Could easily move to 3B with that size.

Is he a fat pig? 231 at that age?
 
Braves have interest in Cespedes?

Free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes held a showcase in Florida that 11 teams attended on Tuesday, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The Yankees, White Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays, Tigers (one of Cespedes’ ex-teams), Padres, Rays, Reds, Marlins, Cubs and Braves were all on hand to watch Cespedes, per Davidoff.

Joo see what Sandy Alderson said when they asked him if the Mets would be going to his workout? “Yeah, we’re going to rent horses and ride to the workout.”

Heh
 
I actually posted this on Twitter yesterday : Little nugget I found : Diego Benitez is a switch hitting middle infielder with great tools though he may decide on only batting RIGHT handed.

He’s 6’3, 231 lbs so on the larger end like dodgers SS Corey Seager his closest comparison. Could easily move to 3B with that size.

Not questioning your "source", but 6"3", 231 at 16 is an absolute monster - Corey Seager didn't scare that at that age. If Benitez is that size at that age, the chances of him being a SS at 17 years old are almost nonexistent.

FWIW, BA lists him at 6'0", 183. Pretty easy to imagine he'll be Seager's size if/when he fills out if that's right, but if he's 6'3, 231 today it's almost impossible to imagine he can stay on the dirt unless he's a 1B.

(Riley's 6'3, 240 today at 24 - if this kid's that size now, he's going to be Miguel Sano by the time he's major league ready.)
 
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He’s 6’3 231 not 5’9 231. Hell, Ozuna is 6’1 225 and is not a “fat pig”

That's always relative - Ozuna is certainly a lot bigger than you want someone playing defense in the OF to be given the lack of athleticism.

Pretty easy to imagine that Acuna will no longer be an option in CF in another 3-4 years IMO.
 
Not questioning your "source", but 6"3", 231 at 16 is an absolute monster - Corey Seager didn't scare that at that age. If Benitez is that size at that age, the chances of him being a SS at 17 years old are almost nonexistent.

FWIW, BA lists him at 6'0", 183.

Might be a different guy. There is a Diego Benitez that is a RHP that is 6’0 195.
 
JBJ to the Brewers, 2 years/24 million. 2nd year is a player option, so he can hit free agency next year.
 
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So who had Odorizzi or JBJ in the pool to guess “the player who tanked their own FA market with unreasonable contract demands”?

Havent seen what Odorizzi is asking for, but given a ton of deals in the 8-13 million range, asking for i think 3 years/45 million is pretty absurd. He'll probably have to take a 1 year 10+ mil deal and hope his luck is better next winter. JBJ eventually got 2 years, 24 million which isnt horrible in this market.
 
JBJ would have been better off agreeing to a lower salary in 2021 in exchange for an opt-out at the end of the year. Gives him a little more security in year 2 and if he repeats 2020 production, would be in line for a larger contract next offseason.
 
JBJ would have been better off agreeing to a lower salary in 2021 in exchange for an opt-out at the end of the year. Gives him a little more security in year 2 and if he repeats 2020 production, would be in line for a larger contract next offseason.

The 2nd year is a player option, so he can hit the market again next year.
 
i don't think JBJ and Inciarte are that different in value.
JBJ put up 1.4 fWAR in 140+ games in 2019. rode a high BABIP to good offensive numbers last year. JBJ also 6 months older.
 
i don't think JBJ and Inciarte are that different in value.
JBJ put up 1.4 fWAR in 140+ games in 2019. rode a high BABIP to good offensive numbers last year. JBJ also 6 months older.

Healthy Ender? Yes.

Old man Ender from the last 2 seasons? Not even close.

All we can do now is hope Ender has been drinking his Metamucil and taking his joint pills.
 
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