Braves 2020 Payroll

[Enscheff]

The Braves 2020 payroll as it currently stands. This list assumes the options for Teheran and Markakis are picked up, and the only arbitration casualty is Murphy.

1 C Flowers $6.00
2 1B Freeman $22.00
3 2B Albies $1.00
4 3B 3B
5 SS Swanson $3.30
6 LF Acuna $1.00
7 CF Inciarte $7.00
8 RF Markakis $6.00

9 SP1 Teheran $12.00
10 SP2 Folty $7.50
11 SP3 Fried $0.60
12 SP4 Soroka $0.60
13 SP5 SP5

14 BN1 Culberson $1.80
15 BN2 Duvall $3.80
16 BN3 Camargo $1.60
17 BN4 OF
18 BN5 C

19 BP1 Melancon $14.00
20 BP2 Newk $0.60
21 BP3 Greene $6.50
22 BP4 Jackson $1.90
23 BP5 Minter $0.60
24 BP6 Dayton $0.80
25 BP7 Sobotka $0.60

Buy out Hamilton $1.00

Total $100.20

Hoping for an opening day payroll bump up to ~$130M, that leaves ~$30M to fill holes at 3B, C, OF and possibly a SP. Filling the holes at SP and OF should be approached cautiously considering Waters and/or Pache may be ready sometime in 2020, and the bevy of arms already in the system can likely fill the 5th spot in the rotation just fine. The holes at 3B and C are glaring, and must be addressed.

The Braves can save $4M by dumping Markakis, opening up another hole. They can also save another $11M by dropping Julio, which opens up another hole in the rotation. Both guys can likely be let go and resigned later if needed, so I wouldn't be surprised if either option was picked up or declined.

Last year we kept waiting for the huge blockbuster trade that we all thought was inevitable, but never happened. I suspect the Braves will be tied to almost every big name trade target this year as well. If an impact SP like Paxton is available via trade, I expect to see the Braves involved heavily in those rumors. Maybe Haniger is available this year. Maybe Marte. Who knows...

My preferred path based on just FAs is probably Grandal for $20M per year over 1-2 years, Mous for $10M over 1-2 years, and some cheap RHH placeholder like Pence to make an OF mix of Acuna/Ender/Markakis/Duvall/Pence (or Joyce any other generic LHH in place of Markakis). Let the young arms fight over the 5th spot in the rotation, and make it easy to get Pache/Waters into the OF when/if they are ready.

 

[Coredor]

I like that plan but Donaldson would be the wild card. If teams were hesitant to give a long term deal he’d be back in the picture for me. After what happened with Kimbrel and Keuchel last year it’s possible at Donaldson’s age we could get him around 3/65 which would be tempting. Of course that would hurt our ability to get an outfielder or starting pitcher. I wonder how soon Waters and pache could be ready.

 

[goldfly]

i might go crazy if we have Nick on the roster in 2020

 

[Carp]

The Braves 2020 payroll as it currently stands. This list assumes the options for Teheran and Markakis are picked up, and the only arbitration casualty is Murphy.

1 C Flowers $6.00
2 1B Freeman $22.00
3 2B Albies $1.00
4 3B 3B
5 SS Swanson $3.30
6 LF Acuna $1.00
7 CF Inciarte $7.00
8 RF Markakis $6.00

9 SP1 Teheran $12.00
10 SP2 Folty $7.50
11 SP3 Fried $0.60
12 SP4 Soroka $0.60
13 SP5 SP5

14 BN1 Culberson $1.80
15 BN2 Duvall $3.80
16 BN3 Camargo $1.60
17 BN4 OF
18 BN5 C

19 BP1 Melancon $14.00
20 BP2 Newk $0.60
21 BP3 Greene $6.50
22 BP4 Jackson $1.90
23 BP5 Minter $0.60
24 BP6 Dayton $0.80
25 BP7 Sobotka $0.60

Buy out Hamilton $1.00

Total $100.20

Hoping for an opening day payroll bump up to ~$130M, that leaves ~$30M to fill holes at 3B, C, OF and possibly a SP. Filling the holes at SP and OF should be approached cautiously considering Waters and/or Pache may be ready sometime in 2020, and the bevy of arms already in the system can likely fill the 5th spot in the rotation just fine. The holes at 3B and C are glaring, and must be addressed.

The Braves can save $4M by dumping Markakis, opening up another hole. They can also save another $11M by dropping Julio, which opens up another hole in the rotation. Both guys can likely be let go and resigned later if needed, so I wouldn't be surprised if either option was picked up or declined.

Last year we kept waiting for the huge blockbuster trade that we all thought was inevitable, but never happened. I suspect the Braves will be tied to almost every big name trade target this year as well. If an impact SP like Paxton is available via trade, I expect to see the Braves involved heavily in those rumors. Maybe Haniger is available this year. Maybe Marte. Who knows...

My preferred path based on just FAs is probably Grandal for $20M per year over 1-2 years, Mous for $10M over 1-2 years, and some cheap RHH placeholder like Pence to make an OF mix of Acuna/Ender/Markakis/Duvall/Pence (or Joyce any other generic LHH in place of Markakis). Let the young arms fight over the 5th spot in the rotation, and make it easy to get Pache/Waters into the OF when/if they are ready.

This can't be true. I was told cutting Duval, JT, Neck, and Flowers and trading Ender for Hedges would give us 70 million to work with.

 

[nsacpi]

This can't be true. I was told cutting Duval, JT, Neck, and Flowers and trading Ender for Hedges would give us 70 million to work with.

The good news is NEXT off-season we will have billions to work with.

 

[Enscheff]

This can't be true. I was told cutting Duval, JT, Neck, and Flowers and trading Ender for Hedges would give us 70 million to work with.

Removing those 5 players from the payroll frees up about $30M, and Hedges will make around $3M in arbitration.

Assuming an opening day payroll of ~$130M, those moves would leave the Braves with ~$57M to spend. Of course, they would have several additional holes in the OF, and another in the rotation. Smart contending teams don't rely on guys like Riley, Pache and Waters to fill gaping holes until they have shown more than those guys have shown.

I expect to see a lot of folks play silly "roster arithmetic" in comical attempts to free up payroll for guys they think the Braves should target. Fact of the matter is the money saved by dumping Duvall isn't going to get a player much better than Duvall...same with JT and Flowers and Markakis.

Trading Ender coming off an injury filled season is definitely not a smart value play, and anyone suggesting as much can probably be ignored for the rest of the off season.

 

[Hudson2]

If we get Grandal then I’d get rid of Flowers bc I wouldn’t pay 6 million for a backup so that would free up a little more. If a good young cheap controllable starter comes available then I could see AA jumping on it and using Riley and Wright as the headliners and using Teheran’s money on bringing Donaldson back. Hopefully Inciarte comes back healthy.

 

[Carp]

I like the idea of cutting JT and bringing him back on a cheaper one year deal. May be someone gives him a 2-3 year deal given his durability and back to back solid seasons that he's posted. But I think teams know what he is and I doubt that happens.

If the Indians would go for it, I'd swing a trade for Kluber and Hand centered around Folty and prospect like Wright or Wilson.

I'd also sign a reclamation project along the lines of Estrada or Smyly to a minor league deal with an invite to ST and let them fight it out with the prospects for that last rotation spot.

Offensively, I'm right there with you on Grandal and Moose Tacos. Seems like the most efficient way to address those 2 positions.

 

[Enscheff]

If we get Grandal then I’d get rid of Flowers bc I wouldn’t pay 6 million for a backup so that would free up a little more. If a good young cheap controllable starter comes available then I could see AA jumping on it and using Riley and Wright as the headliners and using Teheran’s money on bringing Donaldson back. Hopefully Inciarte comes back healthy.

This type of strategy puts all the C eggs into the Grandal basket, and isn't what we have seen AA do in recent years. Like the Dodgers, AA appears to value having a deep roster full of average MLB quality options supplemented by a handful of stars. Basically a poor man's Dodgers, or a rich man's Rays.

Flowers' $6M option has a $2M buyout, so it's unlikely they will be able to find a similar 2nd C for $4M. Even if they could get someone similar for $2M...what are they going to do with a $2M savings?

 

[nsacpi]

This type of strategy puts all the C eggs into the Grandal basket, and isn't what we have seen AA do in recent years. Like the Dodgers, AA appears to value having a deep roster full of average MLB quality options supplemented by a handful of stars. Basically a poor man's Dodgers, or a rich man's Rays.

Flowers' $6M option has a $2M buyout, so it's unlikely they will be able to find a similar 2nd C for $4M. Even if they could get someone similar for $2M...what are they going to do with a $2M savings?

The Braves are in a position to improve organically the next few years assuming some of the guys in the upper minors take the next step. I think this reinforces AA's aversion to rolling the dice on big contracts. But he's also opportunistic. So there'll be some surprises.

 

[The Tariff King]

I love a team with our payroll to explore platoon options.

Unfortunately the Sporting News NL Manager of the Year is someone I have no faith in to properly execute those platoons.

 

[Snowman]

Fact of the matter is the money saved by dumping Duvall isn't going to get a player much better than Duvall...same with JT and Flowers and Markakis.

OTOH, combining Markakis' $6 million with another $10 million or so of payroll space could get us someone who isn't one of the worst everyday players in the sport.

 

[nsacpi]

OTOH, combining Markakis' $6 million with another $10 million or so of payroll space could get us someone who isn't one of the worst everyday players in the sport.

we shouldn't underestimate how much value AA attaches to one year deals...that's why I think these options are going to be picked up...people made fun of "financial flexibility" at the start of the season, but it is a thing with our front office...if there is one that gets turned down I think it would be Teheran's

 

[TheBravos]

I think they keep Duvall and not Neck. They likely start the year with Ronald, Inciarte and Duvall. They will also have Riley. I think Neck sealed his fate...hopefully. Pache slated for a mid season call up or before.

I think Julio is gone. Either we pick up his option and trade him, or we don’t. We will have Soroka, Fried, Folty, Bumgarner and one of Wright/Wilson/Weigel with Anderson knocking on the door midsession. Bumgarner fills the postseason bulldog vet role and shouldn’t be half the cost of a Cole.

I think they go after Donaldson, but probably get outbid and fall back to a short term deal with someone like Moose or even a Camargo/Riley duo.

 

[salmagundy]

OTOH, combining Markakis' $6 million with another $10 million or so of payroll space could get us someone who isn't one of the worst everyday players in the sport.

IF Markakis option is turned down, there is a net gain of 4 mil. 6 mil - 2 mil buyout. Turning down JT option would gain 11 mil(12 mil - 1 mil buyout).

I like the idea of turning down JT's option and re-signing him for about 7-8 mil.. That would gain about 3-4 mil and not leave another hole to fill.

 

[WaitingFor2017]

I hope AA knows that he can't trust Snit if he were to pick up the Markakis option. If Donaldson isn't resigned, then Nick will run out into RF for 159 games and hit 4th.

 

[Snowman]

I hope AA knows that he can't trust Snit if he were to pick up the Markakis option. If Donaldson isn't resigned, then Nick will run out into RF for 159 games and hit 4th.

This, exactly. It is, IMO, the most critical decision in the offseason; Nicky Singles must be removed from Snitker's quiver.

 

[JxnMissFan]

IF Markakis option is turned down, there is a net gain of 4 mil. 6 mil - 2 mil buyout. Turning down JT option would gain 11 mil(12 mil - 1 mil buyout).

I like the idea of turning down JT's option and re-signing him for about 7-8 mil.. That would gain about 3-4 mil and not leave another hole to fill.

When in the history of baseball has a player had his option turned down then resigned with the same team at a 30% discount?

We Iike to hate him but JT has some value on the open market. An under 30 pitcher that can give you 170 plus innings a year is not scrap heap stuff.

Yes 7 to 8 million a year is what he would get but it will be 7 to 8 over several years. Total money would probably be the the 20 plus million range.

 

[BeanieAntics]

This, exactly. It is, IMO, the most critical decision in the offseason; Nicky Singles must be removed from Snitker's quiver.

If our GM and Manager can't get on the same page in regards to properly deploying our roster, then we don't deserve to win a championship. I think AA thought that he could give Snitker room to organize the roster and lineup in his own way, and we all saw the mistakes he made. Hopefully AA saw it too and keeps a tighter reign on Snitker next year.

It would be beyond stupid if we let go of Markakis for the sole reason that we can't trust our manager to deploy him properly. Markakis is still a valuable piece at 6 million dollars if he is getting 250-300 at bats per year against RHP and less than 50 vs LHP.

 

[Slippyjms]

If our GM and Manager can't get on the same page in regards to properly deploying our roster, then we don't deserve to win a championship. I think AA thought that he could give Snitker room to organize the roster and lineup in his own way, and we all saw the mistakes he made. Hopefully AA saw it too and keeps a tighter reign on Snitker next year.

It would be beyond stupid if we let go of Markakis for the sole reason that we can't trust our manager to deploy him properly. Markakis is still a valuable piece at 6 million dollars if he is getting 250-300 at bats per year against RHP and less than 50 vs LHP.

I don't know that I agree. Neck's defensive metrics were pretty brutal last year. I'd rather have someone like Joyce for 1-2 mil. Quality platoon piece that we know will easily slide into a bench role.