'16 starting rotation

Look at the rotations of the Mets and Nats who we have to compete with. It just doesn't stack up unless we get a Grienke/Price

I'd love to add Zimmerman personally.

Zimmerman and Fister will be gone, and Gio isn't that great anymore. I'd take Man Ban and Wisler against him on most days right now. Some of the AAA callups haven't looked good coming up, so not sure if they would look there to solidify the back end.

Zimmerman, Miller, Wood, Wisler and Man Ban is fine. Teheran can be shipped out for whoever can play LF. Top to bottom it may more than stack up. And once you get there, its all a game of chance.

I think you could operate as is though if you had to.
 
I wouldn't bank on Zimmermann being gone just yet.

Im not a huge fan of Gio, but he had a 3.03 FIP/3.39 xFIP last year and 3.16 FIP/3.47 xFIP this year; which is pretty solid.

They still have Roark, Cole, Ross, Giolito, and Lopez as options behind Scherzer/Strasburg/Gio

Which callups didn't look good?
 
I wouldn't bank on Zimmermann being gone just yet.

Im not a huge fan of Gio, but he had a 3.03 FIP/3.39 xFIP last year and 3.16 FIP/3.47 xFIP this year; which is pretty solid.

They still have Roark, Cole, Ross, Giolito, and Lopez as options behind Scherzer/Strasburg/Gio

Which callups didn't look good?

We rocked Cole.

Giolito can step in for sure. Don't know who Lopez is, but I find it difficult to believe those guys are significantly better than Man Ban or Wisler. They may be, I just don't sweat it to the Nats farm.

You think Washington resigns Zim? What happens to Stras?
 
Because of injuries and attrition generally it is prudent to start every season with 8 potential starters. You stash one or two in the pen and onecor two in AAA knowing you willl need them. Right now we have seven: Milller, Wood, Teheran, Baby Harang, Wisler, Folty and Banuelos.
 
I actually think we could do a lot this off season and going forward.

Prospects to build on and trade (check)
Money for some flexibility (check)
Solid core of pitchers and hitters (check)

I would absolutely love to get a guy like Price, Grienke or even Cueto, but I do think that Zimmerman is someone that could easy be up to grabs for us.

That being said, this office has been creative with our moves so far, so I think we make a big splash, or two...

I agree with Zimmerman, Miller, Wood, Wisler, Manny/Folty.

I also think we will go after several bats and Julio sets us up for that. I guess we will have to see!
 
We rocked Cole.

Giolito can step in for sure. Don't know who Lopez is, but I find it difficult to believe those guys are significantly better than Man Ban or Wisler. They may be, I just don't sweat it to the Nats farm.

You think Washington resigns Zim? What happens to Stras?

Wisler- 34th
Lopez- 49th
Cole- 91st
Ross- 96

I would assume the keep Strasburg. Scherzer/Zimmermann/Stras/Gio with Roark/Ross/Cole/Gioloto as the fifth option. Or maybe they let Zimmermann go and go after a vet starter on a 1 year deal.
 
We'll be in a position to take on 30-40M in salary for 2016. With the money we have pay for a third basemen, a catcher, a left fielder and one or two relievers. I think it is unlikely we prioritize a starting pitcher over those needs.
 
If you had to guess right now, who you think are the 5 guys?

Price
Miller
Teheran
Wood
Banuelos/Folty/Wisler

Would be shocked if the Braves weren't major players for Price. It's no secret that he would welcome a move to Atlanta (and, before any of you fogies get that twisted: provided he's paid what the market bears). I believe the 2016 FA market for SP will favor buyers ... and the market for offensive pieces will slant towards trades and heavily favor sellers. There just aren't many quality bats available, and it wouldn't upset me if the Braves stood pat ... although I'd be tempted to offer Heyward 7/120-150 and see if he bites.
 
1. Price

2. Zimmerman

3. Teheran

4. Wisler

5. ManBan/Williams Perez

I just don't see FA bats that the Braves will spend $50-$60M on this offseason, and I can't see them trading the farm for someone else's bat at this point when the strength of the FA market is SP. If the Braves don't sign 2 top end guys, I feel sure that it will be at least 1 and a second tier guy like a Latos.
 
1. Price
2. Zimmerman
3. Teheran
4. Wisler
5. ManBan/Williams Perez

I just don't see FA bats that the Braves will spend $50-$60M on this offseason, and I can't see them trading the farm for someone else's bat at this point when the strength of the FA market is SP. If the Braves don't sign 2 top end guys, I feel sure that it will be at least 1 and a second tier guy like a Latos.

I think what we will be spending this off-season is more likely to be in the $30-40M range and we'll probably focus on needs at third, left, catcher and bullpen rather than splashing for a starting pitcher like Price or Zimmerman (let alone two of them!).
 
As stated before, the Braves currently have 7 MLB-ready(ish) pitchers:

Miller
Wood
Teheran
Wisler
ManBan
Perez
Folty

There are several TOR options on the FA market in Price, Grienke, Zimmerman, and Cueto. There are also many back end starting options that will be available, and I am almost certain the Braves will sign 2 or more of those guys to either stash in AAA or fill in the 5th spot of the rotation.

The holes on the roster will be at C, 3B and LF. I think the Braves will use Peraza and pitching to fill one of those holes in a big time way with a RHed bat by trading for a cost controlled player, and spending big to fill another one of those holes (either through FA or by assuming a large contract in another trade).

Miller is almost certainly untouchable, and selling low on Teheran would be a bad idea. Wisler looks like he is going to be a legit MOR guy, so I would not deal him either. Wood has been rock solid, and is a great guy to have in the 3 or 4 slot for a championship team. That leaves ManBan, Perez and Folty as the MLB-ready pitchers that could be traded. I doubt Perez has much value, and his long term role is probably a swing man out of the BP like CMart a few years ago. ManBan can easily be stashed in AAA or used as a solid LHed setup man out of the BP.

That leaves Folty as the main trade chip. The Braves already seem a little put off by his attitude (or whatever you want to call it), but many teams will be intrigued with that 97 MPH fastball.

So,

1. Miller
2. Wood
3. Teheran
4. Wisler
5. FA (the caliber of which depends on what the team spends on position player upgrades)
 
How has Longoria lasted so long in Tampa Bay ?

Seems out of character for that franchise to hold someone this long
 
How has Longoria lasted so long in Tampa Bay ?

Seems out of character for that franchise to hold someone this long

They signed him to absurdly cheap deals before he even came close to hitting arbitration. He was pretty much the first player in the game where that tactic was used.
 
Have you looked at the FA offerings for those positions?

Unless we sign Heyward or Upton (extremely unlikely IMO), I certainly hope we don't blow a bunch of cash on FA bats.

FA 3B are:
Alberto Callaspo
David Freese
Casey McGeheee
Aramis Ramirez (retiring)
Juan Uribe

FA Catchers are:
Alex Avila
Chris Ianetta
John Jaso
Jeff Mathis
Dioner Navarro
Brayan Pena
A.J. Pierzynski
Matt Wieters (might be worth a flyer)

FA Outfielders are:
Jeff Baker
Jose Bautista *
Yoenis Cespedes
Alejandro De Aza
David DeJesus *
Marlon Byrd *
Rajai Davis
Chris Denorfia
Dexter Fowler
Alex Gordon *
Corey Hart
Jason Heyward
Torii Hunter
Austin Jackson
Matt Joyce
Nate McLouth *
David Murphy
Gerardo Parra
Carlos Quentin *
Ryan Raburn
Alex Rios *
Cody Ross *
Grady Sizemore
Denard Span
Drew Stubbs
Ryan Sweeney
Justin Upton
Will Venable
Shane Victorino
Chris Young
Delmon Young

The star represents an option.

If you trade Maybin and you don't believe in Mallex Smith then maybe you try to buy low on Dexter Fowler. And maybe you go after Wieters since CB looks like he's a career backup. Who else? Cespedes? He's certainly not a difference maker, a warm body I guess.

This is where the "never have too much pitching" mantra breaks down. We are currently in a pitching rich era and a hitting poor era as far as numbers go. This offseason FA market is all about pitching. The FA season after that isn't about much of anything at all.

Maybe some of the money goes to take on a contract coming over in trade from another team. But then you are either sending talent the other way, large amounts for really good players, OR you are taking on a contract that is out of sync with the return supplied.

Who's going to trade away their good hitters who have reasonable contracts in regard to their production for pitching prospects when there is a glut of FA pitching that only costs money?
 
Back
Top