Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

Was just reading an article on Ozuna's potential suiters, and the list is a lot shorter than I expected. Who knows, maybe he will surprise and settle for another 1 year deal. Essentially, it's the Braves, White Sox, Nationals, Astros and then some dark horses like the Marlins, Red Sox, Marlins and Giants. Many of the big market teams don't have a clear spot to offer Ozuna, like the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Angels.

Mets beat reporter just said the Mets are very interested in Ozuna
 
To me it's annoying that MLB is wasting time in not announcing the DH rule for next year or not. At least make an official statement one way or the other. Otherwise the AL teams have a total unfair advantage as in they already know what they're up against.

They have to negotiate that with the Union - can't unilaterally decide to implement the DH without the players' OK.
 
Mets beat reporter just said the Mets are very interested in Ozuna

Seems like a smoke screen, they already have a log jam in the outfield between Conforto, Dom Smith, Brandon Nimmo, and even McNeill who they use in the outfield. With no DH, not sure where they would even use him.

We've heard the Mets having interest in every big name free agent so far and it almost seems like agents are using the Mets to try to run up prices based on the comments of their new owner.

So far we've heard the Mets are going to get Realmuto, Bauer, Springer and Ozuna.
 
Seems like a smoke screen, they already have a log jam in the outfield between Conforto, Dom Smith, Brandon Nimmo, and even McNeill who they use in the outfield. With no DH, not sure where they would even use him.

We've heard the Mets having interest in every big name free agent so far and it almost seems like agents are using the Mets to try to run up prices based on the comments of their new owner.

So far we've heard the Mets are going to get Realmuto, Bauer, Springer and Ozuna.
I’m guessing they trade some of their current glut of outfielders and sign a few new ones.
 
The Mets are not going to buy themselves a new team. If they try they are going to most likely go the way of the Faillies were they are now forced to spend big each offseason to fills holes and will eventually have to blow it up and start all over because their won’t be enough stupid money to fix all their problems. Or they go like the fryers a few years ago and fail so miserably they get a good draft pick and blow it up immediately and build from their.

The Mets have so many issues with pitching and positional holes that stupid money can only fill so much. deGod is What he is. But they have to hope Noah and stroman can be healthy and effective. They will be an interesting watch though.
 
The Mets are not going to buy themselves a new team. If they try they are going to most likely go the way of the Faillies were they are now forced to spend big each offseason to fills holes and will eventually have to blow it up and start all over because their won’t be enough stupid money to fix all their problems. Or they go like the fryers a few years ago and fail so miserably they get a good draft pick and blow it up immediately and build from their.

The Mets have so many issues with pitching and positional holes that stupid money can only fill so much. deGod is What he is. But they have to hope Noah and stroman can be healthy and effective. They will be an interesting watch though.


New York teams love to generate splashes by overpaying fading players.

I'd be happy if the Mets went ahead and handcuffed themselves that way even if it gave them a good run or two.
 
Theo Epstein has stepped down as Cubs President....wonder if they go in a different direction and remove some of their veterans.

Epstein said in a statement that next year was his last year with the Cubs. And that the Cubs have big decisions to make this offseason regarding their future. He said those decisions needed to be made by someone that was going to be their long term and not him.
 
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AA has a history with us of targeting his guys early. He's done that with Smiley. I hope we have more than 30 million to spend. Maybe it's 40.

If AA could go get his impact Bat now (Springer, Ozuna, Brantley), then he could really sit out the rest of the offseason and wait for the musical chair game to end. He could fill out the bench and the pen with guys that run out of spots or are vets willing to take less to be on a contender.

There would also be time for AA to focus on the trade market and see if he cant turn some of the AAAA arms on his 40 man into something else.
 
I hear and understand all the concerns about Bryant, but I wonder if we're now at a point where the trade cost would be so low that it's worth taking the shot anyway. Last off-season the Cubs could still expect to extract a pound of flesh for Bryant -- coming off a solid season (StatCast numbers notwithstanding), two years of control left, he's KRIS BRYANT, etc. Now, the acquiring team only gets him for a year and he's coming off a crummy "season." And those are legitimate reasons to be skeptical of him, but all things considered, I'd probably rather bet on Kris Bryant being a positive contributor to a Braves team with World Series aspirations than Austin Riley. If you can acquire Bryant for some random minor league live arm, that's kind of a compelling thought.
 
AA has a history with us of targeting his guys early. He's done that with Smiley. I hope we have more than 30 million to spend. Maybe it's 40.

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not sure this is the guy you want on your team.
 
I hear and understand all the concerns about Bryant, but I wonder if we're now at a point where the trade cost would be so low that it's worth taking the shot anyway. Last off-season the Cubs could still expect to extract a pound of flesh for Bryant -- coming off a solid season (StatCast numbers notwithstanding), two years of control left, he's KRIS BRYANT, etc. Now, the acquiring team only gets him for a year and he's coming off a crummy "season." And those are legitimate reasons to be skeptical of him, but all things considered, I'd probably rather bet on Kris Bryant being a positive contributor to a Braves team with World Series aspirations than Austin Riley. If you can acquire Bryant for some random minor league live arm, that's kind of a compelling thought.


the important concern in trading for Bryant is the salary.
 
For those looking at the Cubs as the team looking to move bad contracts, try this one on...

Ender, Newk, and Touki for Schwarber.

Ender platoons with Hoerner in CF in 2021 while they're waiting for Brennen Davis to take over next season with Happ sliding over to LF (improving their defense substantially). Newk and Touki give them two cheap, controllable arms - whether for the rotation or the pen - so they can say they got SOMETHING for Schwarber rather than non-tendering him. The Braves get their platoon partner for Duvall WITHOUT increasing payroll (FanGraphs has Schwarber projected to make $8.155 million). Cubs' payroll doesn't increase (substantially anyway), so they can afford to hold onto Bryant to see if he bounces back and they can get something for him at the deadline. This also benefits the Braves since it gives us more time to evaluate whether Riley's adjustments are going to allow him to keep improving. If they don't and Bryant bounces back, you have the money to bid on him next winter since you didn't spend it on Ozuna or someone else this winter.

Sure that's a bit of an overpay, but adding the second arm is for taking Ender's money. You could probably get Bryant for the same type of offer NOW, but that doesn't help the 2021 payroll situation. If you could get Schwarber in that kind of salary-neutral deal, AA still has whatever amount is left after the Smyly signing to add the backup SS and C while bringing Melancon back AND a LH alternative to Riley. If there's enough money available to make a play for Ozuna/Springer/Brantley (like everyone hopes after signing Smyly), there would even be enough to add another veteran arm to compete for a rotation spot. If Duvall's platoon partner cost you nothing salary-wise, there's no reason to think that AA couldn't bring Melancon, Flowers, and Hechavarria back while adding one of Holt/Shaw/Moran, possibly even ANOTHER pen arm, and Mike Leake/Anibal Sanchez/Michael Fiers/King Felix with the money he has left.
 
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