Looking Ahead - The 2020 Offseason Thread

Not sure where the Rays are doing. They let Morton walk then traded their best pitcher away. The only mildly significant FA additions they've made is Michael Wacha/Chris Archer, both of whom are far more likely to be cut at some point this season than they are to actually be quality pitchers.
 
I won't pretend to be in the same hemisphere as AA as far as knowing how to run a team or spend his available payroll funds, but it seems to me that the compromise should be to try to get Ozuna for three years with a vesting option for a fourth, with the salary front loaded as much as possible.

The front loading would accomplish a couple of big goals. It would help place more of the salary in the years where Ozuna was most likely to provide commensurate value. It would also keep costs down in the years where we're paying Acuña and Albies more, and hopefully paying for Freddie's extension.

Maybe offer 3/$57MM guaranteed, with $23MM in year one, $18MM yr 2, $16 MM yr 3, with a vesting option for year four at the AAV of $19MM. It can seem counterintuitive to spend more in a year affected by the pandemic, but as others have noted AA likely has that much available for a short-term deal or he wouldn't have been sniffing around Springer or Realmuto.
 
Carp said:
Not sure where the Rays are doing. They let Morton walk then traded their best pitcher away. The only mildly significant FA additions they've made is Michael Wacha/Chris Archer, both of whom are far more likely to be cut at some point this season than they are to actually be quality pitchers.
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Given the number of MLB-quality arms they have, their lack of concern when it comes to aggressive promotions and service-time clocks, and willingness to use anyone in any situation (rather than previous norms), is it really that strange?

The Snell situation outlines their organizational philosophy perfectly IMO - every interview I've seen or heard with any Pitcher in their system clearly lays out that they're told to be prepared to pitch at any time (and in any role) depending on game-to-game situations. Sending Snell packing when he questioned what has worked for them wasn't particularly shocking since their whole philosophy seems to be founded on the belief that "I'm going to use the appropriate guy to pitch in EVERY situation, and everybody on the bench and in the pen is capable of going once through the lineup every night".

Still not sure that doesn't eventually break down over a full season since you eventually have to have enough guys with options to keep the MLB/AAA shuttle running constantly, but if all 13 Pitchers on your roster are capable of getting guys out and every position player on your roster that isn't a borderline "star" is at least a 1-2 WAR player their "way" is at least effective - no gaping holes regardless of game situations.

Pretty interesting discussion about the Archer signing I heard the other day - it looks like they're trying to amass enough arms that they expect to get 100 or so "solid" innings from that they put themselves in position to piggyback everybody, even though it doesn't line up as the same guys pitching on the same days. If they only use Pitchers once through the lineup, there's probably not a whole lot of reasons they can't use every one of them every third or 4th day. Would be kinda like when Leo wanted everybody to throw more often - not asking them to go 5, 6, or even 7 innings supposedly that using them twice every week would allow them to throw in a game the second time rather than throwing a 70% effort side session.
 
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bravesfanMatt said:
Protection is stupid. But I don’t need Any stats to tell me that if I am a pitcher with a runner on second and one or two out I’m not giving Freddie Freeman anything to hit especially with TDA behind him and all the other garbage behind that
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Protection is definitely stupid, but adding another impact bat to the lineup is always smart.

Adding a bat like Ozuna would be awesome, but it has nothing to do with making Freeman better due to the silly concept of protection.
 
UNCBlue012 said:
Mish: per sources Marcell Ozuna market moving forward. Rays appear to be among final teams involved. Braves still possible. Could be another. Will be a multi-year deal for Ozuna once final. 3-4 year range. Not imminent.
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These statements do not line up. It would be surprising to see either the Braves or Rays go 3-4 years, so this "mystery team" is most likely involved to put pressure on AA to increase his offer.

It looks like the plan of waiting for Ozuna to agree on a 1-2 year deal is working perfectly. Hopefully that continues to be the case.
 
Heyman: Word going around is, Bauer wants to make the announcement. A la an impromptu LeBron. #TheDecision

Bauer is so yikes.
 
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