I thought comp picks were on the table in the labor discussions? Thought they were going to do away with them.
Official 2022 Offseason Moves Thread
- Thread starter bravesfanforlife88
- Start date
Pretty sure that would begin next offseason. Especially since a lot of the guys who signed before the CBA expired happened under the comp picks being allowed, so can't shift that for the second half of the offseason. I'd imagine they would all just start at once next offseason.
Yeah, if anything Contreras' value is up. He had a respectable overall stint in the majors and was great at AAA. I guess he thinks because Contreras didn't light the world on fire as a rookie and that we sent him back down to AAA that his value is down. I assume the guy at MLBTR was going by memory and responding quickly to a question without looking at the actual numbers.
PawPawMaxwell
Called Up to the Major Leagues
Has to be a reason AA signed and resigned 2 MLB proven catchers.
It's possible (likely even) that he was anticipating the addition of the DH. That would allow potentially carrying 3 catchers given the 26 man roster.
The easy answer is AA probably doesn't have some huge windfall to spend, or at least not large enough to accomplish all that. Perhaps they can afford a $180M payroll just for 2022, but then need to pare it down to $160M in subsequent years because they can't project a deep playoff run into the budget every year.
The slightly less easy answer is AA seems to value financial flexibility almost above all else, so Committing to 2 years of Olson carries extra value in that regard. If prospects aren't going to contribute to the MLB roster (which is why I say Lango and Harris are off limits...they still have a chance to be real MLB contributors for the Braves), the only other way they provide value is freeing up payroll space by being traded for cheap MLB talent. Olson represents Freeman-level production for a fraction of the cost, so that's an acceptable way to deploy prospect capital.
The more complicated answer may be that AA truly thought the 5/135 offer to Freeman was going to be good enough, or close to good enough, to get it done. That was a reasonable assumption in my opinion, but now the agent is digging in for something AA considers unreasonable. So AA had a huge chunk of the budget earmarked for Freeman, and all of the other options for that cash are gone. So now maybe AA must decide between throwing crazy money at Freeman, or pivoting to a plan centered around Olson/Rizzo.
I still think Freeman ends up signing with that Braves for something like 5/140 plus a 6th option year that brings the guarantee close to $150M. If it doesn't happen literally 2-3 days after the lockout lifts, I expect AA to move on.
Then we all just hope the last couple years of the deal don't drag the Braves down too much.
Then we all just hope the last couple years of the deal don't drag the Braves down too much.
Think the entire post covers the situation pretty well, and I'm in the camp that thinks your definition of the "complicated answer" is where everything stands. Having said that, the reason I personally have soured a bit on the idea of trading for Olson is that it sounds like there are more teams in on him now - as opposed to when we earlier thought that he was such an obvious pivot because Alex could potentially get him with secondary pieces (Waters/Contreras/etc.). If there really are as many teams willing to get into a bidding war for Olson and it's going to eventually cost AA one or two of Pache/Langeliers/Harris to get him, I kinda hope he passes.
If we're assuming Freddie signs elsewhere and the choices are give up a couple of those guys for 2 years of Olson or pivoting to Rizzo and keeping EVERYONE, I think I'd be perfectly fine with Rizzo - mainly because I'm in the minority that hasn't given up on Pache. His August/September numbers wound up being pretty spectacular - .307/.361/.458/.819, he walked once for every three times he struck out, and out of the 47 hits he had over that period better than one of every four went for extra bases. Of course small sample concerns remain, and it's more than fair to expect those numbers to drop somewhat against better pitching, but if he turns into a .275/.330/.400 guy that can hit 12-15 HRs and give you 20+ SBs with his defense he's still going to be a really nice piece. Sign Rizzo for two years to keep your financial flexibility - if your 2024 outfield turns out to be Acuna/Pache/Harris and Langeliers replaces d'Arnaud/Pina, you'll still have Waters/Contreras/and several arms to potentially offer someone for Dansby's replacement and you can offer Olson a big contract when he becomes a free-agent. With Ozuna and Duvall still on the roster, I'm not so sure they HAVE TO have an All-Star 1B with Acuna returning.
Last edited:
Some interesting tidbits in the latest MLBTR article about Braves finances: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022...-substantial-revenue-increase-for-braves.html
The main quote I'm interested in: "Liberty Media president Greg Maffei said today that the Braves’ 2022 season ticket sales are already the highest they’ve been since 2000"
For those who can't remember, the Braves drew 3.2 million fans in 2000, good for 40k per game...4th best in the NL.
Back when the Braves were drawing Top 5 attendance in the NL they were also running Top 5 payrolls, and when they were drawing middle of the pack they had middle of the pack payrolls.
Given they are likely projecting 3M+ in attendance, I think we can safely increase the 2022 payroll to $170M+. I have it currently sitting at $130M (depending on how they account for buyouts) with holes at 1B, LF, and SP. I estimate they have ~$40M to fill those 3 holes. Freeman for $27M, Greinke for $10M, and Pham for $5M probably works.
Pos Player 2022 Salary
1 C d'Arnaud $8.00
2 1B 1B
3 2B Albies $5.00
4 3B Riley $4.30
5 SS Swanson $10.10
6 RF Acuna $15.00
7 CF Duvall $9.10
8 LF LF
9 DH Ozuna $16.00
10 SP1 Fried $7.10
11 SP2 Morton $20.00
12 SP3 Anderson $0.60
13 SP4 SP
14 SP5 Soroka $2.80
15 BN1 Arcia $1.60
16 BN2 Heredia $1.00
17 BN3 OF
18 BN4 Pina $3.50
19 BP1 Jackson $3.80
20 BP2 Minter $2.10
21 BP3 Webb $0.60
22 BP4 Newcomb $0.90
23 BP5 Smith $13.00
24 BP6 Ynoa $0.60
25 BP7 Matzek $1.50
26 BP8 Touki $0.60
EX DL Yates $1.00
EX BO Pederson $2.50
EX BO Inciarte $1.00
EX BO Tomlin $0.25
Total $130.70
The main quote I'm interested in: "Liberty Media president Greg Maffei said today that the Braves’ 2022 season ticket sales are already the highest they’ve been since 2000"
For those who can't remember, the Braves drew 3.2 million fans in 2000, good for 40k per game...4th best in the NL.
Back when the Braves were drawing Top 5 attendance in the NL they were also running Top 5 payrolls, and when they were drawing middle of the pack they had middle of the pack payrolls.
Given they are likely projecting 3M+ in attendance, I think we can safely increase the 2022 payroll to $170M+. I have it currently sitting at $130M (depending on how they account for buyouts) with holes at 1B, LF, and SP. I estimate they have ~$40M to fill those 3 holes. Freeman for $27M, Greinke for $10M, and Pham for $5M probably works.
Pos Player 2022 Salary
1 C d'Arnaud $8.00
2 1B 1B
3 2B Albies $5.00
4 3B Riley $4.30
5 SS Swanson $10.10
6 RF Acuna $15.00
7 CF Duvall $9.10
8 LF LF
9 DH Ozuna $16.00
10 SP1 Fried $7.10
11 SP2 Morton $20.00
12 SP3 Anderson $0.60
13 SP4 SP
14 SP5 Soroka $2.80
15 BN1 Arcia $1.60
16 BN2 Heredia $1.00
17 BN3 OF
18 BN4 Pina $3.50
19 BP1 Jackson $3.80
20 BP2 Minter $2.10
21 BP3 Webb $0.60
22 BP4 Newcomb $0.90
23 BP5 Smith $13.00
24 BP6 Ynoa $0.60
25 BP7 Matzek $1.50
26 BP8 Touki $0.60
EX DL Yates $1.00
EX BO Pederson $2.50
EX BO Inciarte $1.00
EX BO Tomlin $0.25
Total $130.70
Last edited:
The more we hear about just how interested the other suitors have been in Freeman, the more I start to feel like he's going to sign elsewhere. I think the Jays are a legitimate darkhorse for splurging on him - Vlad Jr. moving back to 3B isn't ideal for them, but Freddie's LH bat certainly is. Vladdy could rotate between 1B/3B/DH. Groshans isn't far away, and they could sign a veteran utility IF like Josh Harrison/Asdrubal Cabrera/Jed Lowrie/Donovan Solano to give them someone to play defense at 2B or 3B late in games if needed.
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Yeah i think he's gone too, i just hope AA has a good backup plan in place. Because there's not many options if FF does indeed depart. I'm not sure we have the farm for Olson. Rizzo on a short-term deal is only other option i guess. And then i guess splurge on a top tier outfielder or shortstop i guess with the extra funds? I'd imagine Freeman makes a decision relatively quickly once FA is back on.
Last edited:
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Could probably even add a BP piece on top of a SP addition as well. Just depends how much we gotta give for Olson, would presume a ton.
The problem with this is the "splurge" part. If they (whether that's AA or ownership) isn't comfortable going to 6 years/$160 to $180 million to bring the face of the franchise back, it's probably fair to eliminate Correa and Story as options since they're likely going to get longer and/or more lucrative deals - and that's even IF the team was comfortable moving Riley across the diamond and making Dansby move to 3B for his last season here.
If Enscheff's earlier post about payroll being in the $170 million-ish range is close, I wonder if Bryant isn't option number one. He COULD conceivably give you the flexibility to also add a high-end LH OF like Conforto as well if his market isn't as hot as he hoped it would be. Apparently the Giants aren't going up and over the $100 million range to re-sign him. If the Mariners or Phillies don't go where Borass wants them to go, could the 5 years/$135 million the Braves have supposedly offered Freddie suddenly become the best offer Bryant gets? If Conforto's best offers are one year/re-establish value offers, would he take 3/$45 million? If that's the case, you wind up with Bryant and Conforto for $2 million more than the $40 million Enscheff surmises they'll spend. Duvall's money comes off next winter and Acuna should be back to full health by then, so if he and Conforto are on the corners you should be able to get away with one of Pache/Waters/Harris in CF. Morton's 2023 money is an option and Smith's $13 million will be off the books, so you'd have the $7 million you'd save if you replace Smith with Yates PLUS Duvall's $9 million to work out some type of extension for Dansby WITHOUT COMMITTING MORE THAN 5 YEARS TO ANYONE.
I have no idea if the fact that they don't want to give that 6th year to Freeman is more organizational philosophy or just posturing, but the Astros model has been not to give out more than 5 years regardless of the player (which is why everyone assumes Correa's not going back or Story won't be signing there), but if the Braves truly don't want to give more than 5 years to ANYONE, that would potentially be a way to do that. That would also mean that the only players on the roster that would be over 35 at any point during their contracts would be Morton and Yates.
Last edited:
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
Nothing stops. Service time and free agency status. If you are a free agent after 2022 then you are still a free agent. Just didn’t get paid for2022.
I am willing to bet we are underwhelmed with the return for Olson, regardless of which team gets him. If he ends up with the Braves I bet everyone on this board will call the deal a win, and if he ends up elsewhere everyone will be complaining that AA didn’t beat the accepted offer.
The As preference for mediocre MLB contributors coupled with the league’s devaluing of bat-only players will result in a trade package we consider less than stellar.
The As preference for mediocre MLB contributors coupled with the league’s devaluing of bat-only players will result in a trade package we consider less than stellar.