Play GM with imaginary budget

[bravesfanMatt]

Curious to see how some would handle being GM if Liberty came to you and said

2018 budget is 130 million

2019 budget is 140 million and will remain there for the next 2 more years.

Any savings can be applied to the following years budget.

 

[Enscheff]

$130M in 2018 is crazy talk.

 

[Knucksie]

Isn't that exactly what several posters do here all the time? The place is loaded with fantasy league team owners, who think they're MLB GM's. They also always know the budget thresholds in advance.

 

[bravesfanMatt]

Isn't that exactly what several posters do here all the time? The place is loaded with fantasy league team owners, who think they're MLB GM's. They also always know the budget thresholds in advance.

More curious if folks would even try to spend the whole budget this season or save in a non contending season and go bigger in a better FA class.

 

[Knucksie]

More curious if folks would even try to spend the whole budget this season or save in a non contending season and go bigger in a better FA class.

Consider the fact that contention is not strictly related to budget. Too many posts of the "not until 2023" variety. Nobody here knows exactly when they'll take it to the next level. Last time they won the division with Fredi never here expected it.

 

[Hudson2]

I’d probably sign a couple of good bullpen arms this offseason and try to eat 75% of Kemp’s deal to get him gone. Hold the rest to make a splash next offseason like Donaldson.

 

[Enscheff]

I’d probably sign a couple of good bullpen arms this offseason and try to eat 75% of Kemp’s deal to get him gone. Hold the rest to make a splash next offseason like Donaldson.

With AA as the GM I would say Donaldson is the #1 most likely impact FA the Braves might sign. The starting point on the bidding will be whatever JD Martinez gets this off season.

 

[nsacpi]

With AA as the GM I would say Donaldson is the #1 most likely impact FA the Braves might sign. The starting point on the bidding will be whatever JD Martinez gets this off season.

Donaldson will be hitting free agency after his age 32 season. Martinez just finished his age 29 season.

 

[Enscheff]

Donaldson will be hitting free agency after his age 32 season. Martinez just finished his age 29 season.

And I bet he still gets $150M+ because he is about 2x as good overall.

Something like 5-6 years for $150M-$160M that covers his age 33-37 or 38 seasons with plans to move him to 1B in 2022 after Freeman's contract expires would be the most likely plan of action.

The FA contracts handed out next off season are going to make fans crap their pants. Every single large market team has been preparing their budgets for next off season. If the Braves want to play with the big boys they will have to step it up a notch...or 5 notches.

 

[clvclv]

The Johnson trade puts us at ~$91,500,000 with MLBTR's projected arbitration figures. Remove Adams and you're at $86,900,000 - $43,100,000 to spend if you're maxing out this year.

 

[nsacpi]

The Johnson trade puts us at ~$91,500,000 with MLBTR's projected arbitration figures. Remove Adams and you're at $86,900,000 - $43,100,000 to spend if you're maxing out this year.

in theory we could sign one of pricier free agents....i think it would be a mistake...i would spread whatever funds we have three ways...upgrade third, the rotation and the pen

 

[Chico]

in theory we could sign one of pricier free agents....i think it would be a mistake...i would spread whatever funds we have three ways...upgrade third, the rotation and the pen

You could make an argument that it would be better to sign a big name FA this year rather than wait until next year.

I think the AAV is going to go way up after Machado and Bryce sign mega deals and set the market.

There is no starting pitching in next year's market. Kershaw will more than likely sign an extension. Corbin would be the next best option.

Donaldson would be nice, but at 33 in an offseason where people are going to overpay it seems like a bad idea. He's not a Frazier who is going to settle for a 3 year deal. He's going to get paid. The other 2 players that would fit us (as our team is constructed now) are Pollock and Blackmon. Blackmon is from ATL, but he'll be 32 and his home/road splts are obvious. Pollock is a player I would love to have, but he's starting to get the injury prone tag and there's no guarantee AZ doesn't extend him if he does have a full season of his projected production.

You do have the 3 big name relievers in Kimbrel, Allen, and Britton, but that sounds like a bad idea as well.

If we're set to lose our 3rd pick it might make more sense to sign a FA who costs us a pcik this year since it'll cost us our 4th by not having a 3rd.

I'm not advocating it, just saying one could make a valid argument if they chose to.

 

[nsacpi]

I don't think we should EVER sign a high priced free agent...it is an iron law for good front office management when payroll is in the bottom half

 

[Chico]

I don't think we should EVER sign a high priced free agent...it is an iron law for good front office management when payroll is in the bottom half

If you plan on having a number of pre-arb guys for a 3-4 year stretch I think it's fine. It has to be the right guy though. Going by AA's tenure in Toronoto I forsee us taking on money in trades as opposed to signing free agents.

 

[clvclv]

in theory we could sign one of pricier free agents....i think it would be a mistake...i would spread whatever funds we have three ways...upgrade third, the rotation and the pen

Since I always love these...

1.) Trade Soroka, Allard, and Riley for Chris Archer. ($6,250,000 spent.)
2.) Trade Fried, Pache, and Wentz for Adam Duvall. ($1,250,000 spent.)
3.) Sign Todd Frazier - 3 years/$36 million. ($12 million spent.)
4.) Sign Addison Reed - 3 years/$30 million. ($10 million spent.)
5.) Sign Jake McGee - 3 years/$21 million. ($7 million spent.)
6.) Keep Danny Santana as the 25th man in Adams' place - 1 year/$1.1 million. ($1,100,000 spent.)
7.) Offer Albies an Altuve-like deal - 5 years/$25.5 million with 2 team options with $1 million buyouts. ($3 million spent including signing bonus.)
8.) Offer Folty a Julio-like deal to buy out his first free-agent season - 4 years/29.6 million with an option with a $1 million buyout. ($600,000 spent - already projected to make $2,700,000 this year.)

Rotation - Archer, Gohara, Julio, Newcomb, Folty ($18,700,000 in 2018)

Pen - Reed, McGee, Vizcaino, Minter, Ramirez, Freeman, Winkler, Ravin (24,415,000 in 2018)

Lineup - Ender, Albies, Freeman, Frazier, Markakis, Duvall, Flowers, Swanson ($58,370,000 in 2018)

Bench - Suzuki, Camargo, Adams, Santana ($8,200,000 in 2018)

Total Salaries - $109,135,000

Trade Kemp and $21,865,000 to anyone for anything.

TOTAL SPENT - $130,000,000.

 

[JohnAdcox]

$130M in 2018 is crazy talk.

Curious ... what does "imaginary" mean to you?

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Since the Braves missed the revenue goal badly, the budget will be restricted by Liberty Media this year. I see it going back down to 110 million, thus, why we've seen a lot of trades to get the budget down.
~Enscheff

 

[thethe]

in theory we could sign one of pricier free agents....i think it would be a mistake...i would spread whatever funds we have three ways...upgrade third, the rotation and the pen

I'd rather make the pen the strength of the team and let Camargo play at third. With his defense alone we are going to get an average third baseman.

When your starting rotation is going to be billed with kids that aren't likely to consistently go 6 innings then you better have a great pen if you want to win games. I'd sign 2 guys to a 3 year deal at a AAV of 8-12 million. I still believe if they become superfluous in a year or two you can still trade them for good value.

I like the idea of Minor/Morrow now but you can convince me to exchange one of those with Addison Reed.

No upgrades in the starting rotation. Absolutely have to find out if Fried is a major league starter this season. Leave third base alone. Think about locking up Albies/Acuna NOW.

 

[bravesfanMatt]

I'd rather make the pen the strength of the team and let Camargo play at third. With his defense alone we are going to get an average third baseman.

When your starting rotation is going to be billed with kids that aren't likely to consistently go 6 innings then you better have a great pen if you want to win games. I'd sign 2 guys to a 3 year deal at a AAV of 8-12 million. I still believe if they become superfluous in a year or two you can still trade them for good value.

I like the idea of Minor/Morrow now but you can convince me to exchange one of those with Addison Reed.

No upgrades in the starting rotation. Absolutely have to find out if Fried is a major league starter this season. Leave third base alone. Think about locking up Albies/Acuna NOW.

If camargo is our 3B then why did we non tender both jace and Danny. We have to go sign a utility guy now too if Jo-gun is a starter.

 

[50PoundHead]

If camargo is our 3B then why did we non tender both jace and Danny. We have to go sign a utility guy now too if Jo-gun is a starter.

It's relatively easy to find utility guys. I always had hopes for Jace Peterson (although I'm not one of those who thought he was the next Dustin Pedroia) and after his season as a regular, I thought he might develop into a decent short-term regular. Alas, not the case. I watched some of Santana up here in Minnesota and he's not the same player he was as a rookie when he did very well. He looks to have put on a fair amount of weight.

My guess is they either sign a 3B (of which I would be skeptical) or get a better utility guy than either Peterson or Santana. Because Camargo can back up at either 2B or SS, it could be a "bat first" guy and not someone who needs to back up at SS. Decent back-up SSs are pretty difficult to find. I still can't figure out why Adonis Garcia is still on the roster.