Official 2024 Off-Season Thread!

[jpx7]

I can’t decide which contract will be worse between Bellinger and Snell. Here’s to hoping AA stays far away.

Obviously the Braves have little use for Bellinger at this point, but Snell would be very interesting if he overplays his demands hand and finds himself without a viable long-term suitor. If that were to transpire, I wonder if he’d take something like 3/$85 with an opt-out after the second year.

 

[Super]

I’m not aware of any billionaire running a sports organization at a loss other than perhaps Cohen with the Mets. Maybe guys who run horse racing outfits operate at a loss, but I suspect those stables make a nice bit of coin.

Plenty of ventures can/will operate at a short-term loss to make more money down the line. Concept isn’t remotely new.

 

[Tapate50]

Snell would drive this fanbase nuts.

 

[Southcack77]

Plenty of ventures can/will operate at a short-term loss to make more money down the line. Concept isn’t remotely new.

This is an unrealistic expectation out of any sports franchise, let alone one owned by a publicly traded corporation with responsibilities to shareholders.

Sports franchises are profitable businesses not charities run for the benefit of the public. People/companies don't buy them to lose money.

 

[striker42]

Someone's going to way overpay for Snell. Yes he won the Cy Young but he was 23rd in xwOBA. He's good, not great, but someone is going to overpay.

 

[Hudson2]

I could see the Giants overpaying for Snell bc they’ve lost out on everybody the past 2 years.

 

[Carp]

This is an unrealistic expectation out of any sports franchise, let alone one owned by a publicly traded corporation with responsibilities to shareholders.

Sports franchises are profitable businesses not charities run for the benefit of the public. People/companies don't buy them to lose money.

That's not really true. Plenty of sports franchises barely break even. Some even operate at a loss. When you buy a franchise, you're mostly making a long term investment, as the value of that franchise will grow exponentially over time. If you bought a sports franchise in the 90's for 100 million, it's probably worth 10-20 times that much now. Maybe more. Not to mention the tax write-offs you get.

You aren't going to get that sort return on your money anywhere else.

 

[bravesfanforlife88]

I could see the Giants overpaying for Snell bc they’ve lost out on everybody the past 2 years.

They play in a pitcher friendly park for the most part. Snell would be smart to target those kind of teams

 

[Carp]

FYI, as recently as 2017, about half of the NBA teams were operating at a loss.

 

[50PoundHead]

That's not really true. Plenty of sports franchises barely break even. Some even operate at a loss. When you buy a franchise, you're mostly making a long term investment, as the value of that franchise grows exponentially. If you bought a sports franchise in the 90's for 100 million, it's probably worth 10-20 times that much now, or maybe more. Not to mention the tax write-offs you get.

You aren't going to get that sort return on your money anywhere else.

It's like farming. As long as you have the cash flow to maintain the capital investment, you're good. When that's not the case, you start to hear the water swirling down the drain.

 

[Enscheff]

Obviously the Braves have little use for Bellinger at this point, but Snell would be very interesting if he overplays his demands hand and finds himself without a viable long-term suitor. If that were to transpire, I wonder if he’d take something like 3/$85 with an opt-out after the second year.

Snell may very well be the guy without a chair when the music stops this offseason. I thought that guy would be Nola, but he was smart enough to take the money from the Phils. I still don’t want any part of him, even at a discounted rate, but he does have similar appeal to Glasnow…a guy who can dominate a game in October.

Bellinger is going to hold out for premium money despite no team being fooled into thinking he’s a premium bat.

 

[thethe]

FYI, as recently as 2017, about half of the NBA teams were operating at a loss.

They knew the TV deals were exploding and valuations were exploding so operating at short term losses were easy to justify.

 

[thethe]

It's like farming. As long as you have the cash flow to maintain the capital investment, you're good. When that's not the case, you start to hear the water swirling down the drain.

Yup - Cash Flow statement is the most important part of a set of main financials.

If you can't sustain yourself with positive operating cash flows in the long term you are screwed.

 

[Buzzworm]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39200159/andrelton-simmons-4-gold-glove-ss-announces-retirement


One of the best defensive SS of all time in his prime.

 

[jpx7]

Obviously the Braves have little use for Bellinger at this point, but Snell would be very interesting if he overplays his demands hand and finds himself without a viable long-term suitor. If that were to transpire, I wonder if he’d take something like 3/$85 with an opt-out after the second year.

Snell may very well be the guy without a chair when the music stops this offseason. I thought that guy would be Nola, but he was smart enough to take the money from the Phils. I still don’t want any part of him, even at a discounted rate, but he does have similar appeal to Glasnow…a guy who can dominate a game in October.

Bellinger is going to hold out for premium money despite no team being fooled into thinking he’s a premium bat.

To wit, from MLBTR tonight:

Cotillo suggests that while Montgomery is expected to command a “massive” deal this offseason, some in the industry reportedly believe Snell’s market is less robust with Cotillo noting that a “person with knowledge of the pitching market” suggested that teams could end up offering Snell a three-year deal with a high average annual value and multiple opt-outs, similar to the deal shortstop (and fellow Boras client) Carlos Correa signed with the Twins during the 2021-22 offseason.

 

[Hudson2]

I don’t see Montgomery getting a massive deal. I think Snell and Bellinger are gonna sign for a lot less years than some people thought.

 

[CyYoung31]

[tw]1740524233036296343[/tw]

Notice that TDA is on the receiving end of 3 of those plays. Lol

 

[Enscheff]

It’s clear to me I didn’t fully appreciate Simmons when he was with the Braves. The fact he was able to make the exchange in the 5-6 hole without taking a single step and then fire a bullet to 1B was truly remarkable. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another SS able to do it. Everyone else has to do some sort of twisting jump throw, or take a plant step before throwing.

 

[msstate7]

It’s clear to me I didn’t fully appreciate Simmons when he was with the Braves. The fact he was able to make the exchange in the 5-6 hole without taking a single step and then fire a bullet to 1B was truly remarkable. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another SS able to do it. Everyone else has to do some sort of twisting jump throw, or take a plant step before throwing.

Are there any readings on throw velocity in his prime?

 

[Enscheff]

I’m sure someone had access to that data, but a public leaderboard for arm strength has only been around for like a year.

Side note; pursuing that leaderboard is a little shocking, and makes me realize I didn’t appreciate how hard these non-pitchers throw a baseball. Some guy named Brenton Doyle threw one at 105.7.