Braves sign Dickey

[UNCBlue012]

MLB Trade Rumors, Jeff Todd:

The Braves are “aggressively swapping offers” with other organizations for starters, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). Atlanta has been rumored to have inquired on basically all of the quality, young, controllable arms that might be available, and it seems that the organization is serious about pursuing a major strike. One such pitcher, of course, is White Sox lefty Chris Sale....

They don't seem to be listening to Enscheff.

Hey, maybe the FO knows something we don't. I think everyone here agrees we need one more year of being mediocre and MAYBE pushing the gap to being .500, the guys up front see something about to bloom.

Just speculation, cause it could be nothing, but maybe we are legitmately thinking about adding a Cespedes type guy and that's why they're pushing it? They know something more.

 

[Carp]

Can't see them signing an expensive OFer without moving either Kemp or Markakis first.

 

[clvclv]

Hey, maybe the FO knows something we don't. I think everyone here agrees we need one more year of being mediocre and MAYBE pushing the gap to being .500, the guys up front see something about to bloom.

Just speculation, cause it could be nothing, but maybe we are legitimately thinking about adding a Cespedes type guy and that's why they're pushing it? They know something more.

Not sure how you make the jump to think they're considering adding Cespedes - that would require a a lineup overhaul and serious wheeling-and-dealing on Coppy's part, plus it would probably be cost-prohibitive since we'd probably have to eat some of Kemp's money to move him PLUS outbid everyone for Yoenis. Even if payroll is going up substantially, we've already spent $20+ million on Pitchers we didn't have, are probably looking at ~$10 million more if we get Castro, and ~$5 million if Coppy does trade for an "Ace". Replacing Kemp or Markakis with Cespedes would likely take another $30+ million - not sure that could happen personally.

(*** Don't get me wrong, I'm sure we'd all be THRILLED if it happened, I just don't see payroll making that kind of jump that fast.)

 

[GovClintonTyree]

Hey, maybe the FO knows something we don't. I think everyone here agrees we need one more year of being mediocre and MAYBE pushing the gap to being .500, the guys up front see something about to bloom.

Just speculation, cause it could be nothing, but maybe we are legitmately thinking about adding a Cespedes type guy and that's why they're pushing it? They know something more.

I think they see their mission as building on the last two months.

I don't think it's OF they're targeting. I think it's 3B.

Sign Justin Turner or include Todd Frazier in a CHX deal and the lineup looks formidable. Add (perhaps) Sale and the rotation does, too.

The team is a lot different with a bonafide 3B and when Foltynewicz is your fifth starter not your second.

 

[GovClintonTyree]

Not sure how you make the jump to think they're considering adding Cespedes - that would require a a lineup overhaul and serious wheeling-and-dealing on Coppy's part, plus it would probably be cost-prohibitive since we'd probably have to eat some of Kemp's money to move him PLUS outbid everyone for Yoenis. Even if payroll is going up substantially, we've already spent $20+ million on Pitchers we didn't have, are probably looking at ~$10 million more if we get Castro, and ~$5 million if Coppy does trade for an "Ace". Replacing Kemp or Markakis with Cespedes would likely take another $30+ million - not sure that could happen personally.

(*** Don't get me wrong, I'm sure we'd all be THRILLED if it happened, I just don't see payroll making that kind of jump that fast.)

Haven't we had a bunch of dead money the last few years that's come off, or is due to come off? Uggla, Upton, Quentin, Arroyo... gosh, I can't remember it all... and the point of Suntrust was to dramatically increase revenue... I don't have any idea what the new normal is. If we go to $120-130m in payroll, I don't know if Cespedes is the endgame, but these dramatic upgrades in the rotation, C, and 3B perhaps are.

 

[GovClintonTyree]

Gov we aren't allowed to trade for any premium talent!

Right. We're a 70 win club, and any trade for a five win player will cost at least that many off the MLB roster plus sacrificing 15-20 more future irreplaceable win shares from the farm. It's hopeless. Unless, as Kate Upton would say, we **** somebody.

 

[clvclv]

Haven't we had a bunch of dead money the last few years that's come off, or is due to come off? Uggla, Upton, Quentin, Arroyo... gosh, I can't remember it all... and the point of Suntrust was to dramatically increase revenue... I don't have any idea what the new normal is. If we go to $120-130m in payroll, I don't know if Cespedes is the endgame, but these dramatic upgrades in the rotation, C, and 3B perhaps are.

The dead money is gone. Some have other opinions (and that's fine), but McGuirk is on the record having said that payroll would be going up in January (free-agents or trades) and that it wouldn't be an enormous stretch to imagine that the Braves would eventually be a Top 10 payroll team. Both he and JS cautioned that to mean "eventually" - not right out of the gate. Hart referenced $120 million as the "cap" several times in the past. The #10 payroll last season was Washington at just under $164 million, so if the Braves bridged 25% of that gap this season, you're still talking ~$130 million max.

Following the Colon and Dickey signings (and including MLBTR's projected arbitration raises), we currently sit at ~$97,550,000. Renewals will cost around $7 million, putting you at roughly $105 million without any more additions.

Just for the sake of argument, if you add Castro as the platoon mate for flowers at 3/$30 million we're now at $115 million. Any of the "Aces" that Coppy's rumored to be sniffing around on will cost $5 million or a little less, putting you at the previous "max".

Even if the new "cap" does go up, there's probably going to only be about $10 million more available. Cespedes will require at least $25 million per, meaning Coppy would have to really shake up the roster to fit those dollars in. Being the hopeful "idiot" that I am I hold out hope that IF Coppy was able to land a TOR starter to pair with Julio, that JS and McGuirk would provide him the flexibility to stretch that available $10 million into $15 million if he could get Justin Turner for that because the additions of Sale/Archer/Quintana/Gray, Colon, Dickey, Turner, and Castro plus full seasons from Kemp and Swanson and a jolt from Ozzie at some point could make this team a legitimate contender.

As always though, that's a lot of IFs.

 

[Carp]

I advocated for Turner most of the year, but that was when he was still a bit under the radar and was looking more like a 3 or 4 year at max around 50ish million could may be land him. Now, he's probably locked up a 5th guaranteed year around 18 million per season or more. I really don't want to overpay for him. I'd much rather give Valbuena 3/30 than give Turner 5/90.

 

[clvclv]

I advocated for Turner most of the year, but that was when he was still a bit under the radar and was looking more like a 3 or 4 year at max around 50ish million could may be land him. Now, he's probably locked up a 5th guaranteed year around 18 million per season or more. I really don't want to overpay for him. I'd much rather give Valbuena 3/30 than give Turner 5/90.

I really like Valbuena as a platoon partner for Garcia too, but I'm not sure whether I'd personally want to spend $60 million (and probably as importantly 6 years) on two part-time players (Valbuena and Castro). That said, there's no doubt that'd likely be a better use of our limited resources since it'd mean we'd no longer be in danger of surrendering prospects to land Mac.

When they're on, a lineup of Ender, Swanson, Freeman, Kemp, Markakis, Valbuena, Castro, Peterson (Albies) could be pretty exciting against RHPs.

The good thing about Valbuena (even if you had to spend that much on him) is that he and Demeritte or Riley would stand to make a pretty potent 3B platoon at the end of that deal. The bad thing about him (JMO) is that he'd spell the end of Ruiz here, and I'm not sure Rio would have any value as anything other than as a "throw-in" in a deal if he's suddenly blocked. Of course, barring a power spike, he may not have more value than that at this point anyway.

 

[Enscheff]

MLB Trade Rumors, Jeff Todd:

The Braves are “aggressively swapping offers” with other organizations for starters, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). Atlanta has been rumored to have inquired on basically all of the quality, young, controllable arms that might be available, and it seems that the organization is serious about pursuing a major strike. One such pitcher, of course, is White Sox lefty Chris Sale....

They don't seem to be listening to Enscheff.

Like Dave Cameron said, it costs them nothing to have these discussions. Coppy is "leaving no stone unturned", which is a smart move. If the ChiSox are willing to trade Chris Sale to the Braves for less than his actual value, I will gladly eat crow.

But it isn't happening, and neither is Archer or Quintana. I'm willing to bet my presence on this board over it, are you?

No need to answer...I know you're not. So how about a signature bet?

 

[Enscheff]

I really like Valbuena as a platoon partner for Garcia too, but I'm not sure whether I'd personally want to spend $60 million (and probably as importantly 6 years) on two part-time players (Valbuena and Castro). That said, there's no doubt that'd likely be a better use of our limited resources since it'd mean we'd no longer be in danger of surrendering prospects to land Mac.

When they're on, a lineup of Ender, Swanson, Freeman, Kemp, Markakis, Valbuena, Castro, Peterson (Albies) could be pretty exciting against RHPs.

The good thing about Valbuena (even if you had to spend that much on him) is that he and Demeritte or Riley would stand to make a pretty potent 3B platoon at the end of that deal. The bad thing about him (JMO) is that he'd spell the end of Ruiz here, and I'm not sure Rio would have any value as anything other than as a "throw-in" in a deal if he's suddenly blocked. Of course, barring a power spike, he may not have more value than that at this point anyway.

Agreed on Valbuena. Like Castro, he could be a low cost addition that incrementally improves the team.

FA guys I would like to see the Braves sign:

1. Castro at catcher provided his contract doesn't go up to the 3/30 range.
2. Rajai Davis or Justin Ruggiano as the RHed hitting 4th OFer. Both can start all 3 OF positions and be a defensive replacement for Kemp.
3. Valbuena to take most of the ABs at 3B, allowing Garcia to get some starts vs LHers.
4. Casey Fien for the BP. Read an article about the spin rates on his FB and CB that suggests he might be a good cheap option.

 

[zbhargrove]

Like Dave Cameron said, it costs them nothing to have these discussions. Coppy is "leaving no stone unturned", which is a smart move. If the ChiSox are willing to trade Chris Sale to the Braves for less than his actual value, I will gladly eat crow.

But it isn't happening, and neither is Archer or Quintana. I'm willing to bet my presence on this board over it, are you?

No need to answer...I know you're not. So how about a signature bet?

Why does everything have to be "if I'm right you leave the board...." and vice versa crap with you. Its so stupid.

 

[Enscheff]

Why does everything have to be "if I'm right you leave the board...." and vice versa crap with you. Its so stupid.

Did you see the signature bet proposition? Or were your tears blurring your vision by the time you got that far?

 

[GovClintonTyree]

Did you see the signature bet proposition? Or were your tears blurring your vision by the time you got that far?

I'm sorry, I don't know what that is. I don't read all the **** you post.

 

[GovClintonTyree]

Like Dave Cameron said, it costs them nothing to have these discussions. Coppy is "leaving no stone unturned", which is a smart move. If the ChiSox are willing to trade Chris Sale to the Braves for less than his actual value, I will gladly eat crow.

But it isn't happening, and neither is Archer or Quintana. I'm willing to bet my presence on this board over it, are you?

No need to answer...I know you're not. So how about a signature bet?

If I win, you spend a week with my ex-wife. You win, I'll change my scrip line to "Enscheff was right. I was wrong."

 

[Hawk]

I'm sorry, I don't know what that is. I don't read all the **** you post.

It means that if he's right you would have to put "Enscheff has a 10" donkey Dickey, ****ed my wife, kicked my ass at catch, and makes 10X as much as me" in your signature. If he's wrong, he would have to put "I desperately seek validation, have a micropenis, live in my Mother's basement, and love realtors" in his.

Make the deal Guv. Make the deal.

 

[The Tariff King]

I never imagined a thread about signing Dickey would extend on this long.

 

[mqt]

I never imagined a thread about signing Dickey would extend on this long.

Yeah, I would have figured it would stop at the Colon.

 

[GovClintonTyree]

I advocated for Turner most of the year, but that was when he was still a bit under the radar and was looking more like a 3 or 4 year at max around 50ish million could may be land him. Now, he's probably locked up a 5th guaranteed year around 18 million per season or more. I really don't want to overpay for him. I'd much rather give Valbuena 3/30 than give Turner 5/90.

The more I think about it, the more I like Frazier if he just hits .250. The rest is there and it might solve a problem for the Sox, which could help on Sale. You could extent him or not, depending on what the farm looks like after the deal.

 

[GovClintonTyree]

It means that if he's right you would have to put "Enscheff has a 10" donkey Dickey, ****ed my wife, kicked my ass at catch, and makes 10X as much as me" in your signature. If he's wrong, he would have to put "I desperately seek validation, have a micropenis, live in my Mother's basement, and love realtors" in his.

Make the deal Guv. Make the deal.

That's a pretty good bet, right there.