I tend to agree with most that Fredi's gone. The players (in general) aren't going to change much given the extensions, so we need a new voice in the clubhouse. I would make every effort to keep McDowell and Perez around, and TP is OK, but I'd allow the new Manager plenty of input about the rest of the staff. FWIW, I'd want to sit down and have a long chat with Jason Varitek, Dave Martinez, Torrey Lovullo, and Jose Oquendo about replacing Gonzalez. You really need someone with some "fire" that's not such a players' Manager - someone willing to step on the players' toes when the situation warrants it.
Even with a new voice and vibe in the clubhouse, the roster needs some shaking up - and a move away from the unsuccessful hitting approaches. The roster turnover needs to include a couple of "leaders" (both by example and more importantly vocally). So...
1.) Trade Gattis and Cody Martin for Alex Cobb. Gattis is exactly the type of inexpensive power bat they need to supplement Longoria and a healthy Myers to compete offensively in the AL East, and they've got Matt Moore coming back to fill Cobb's rotation spot.
2.) Trade Heyward for Joey Gallo. Gallo won't be ready until late next season (at the earliest), but Heyward Would really add depth to their offense hitting behind Beltre and Fielder. If you have to platoon Johnson with Gallo in 2016 to get some value out of his contract, so be it.
3.) Trade Lucas Sims and Tommy La Stella for Charlie Blackmon. Colorado has an absolute logjam in the OF (not to mention too many LH OFs), would like to re-sign Cuddyer, and has Kyle Parker wasting time in Colorado Springs. Blackmon can replace B. J. in CF.
4.) Sign Nick Markakis to replace Heyward in RF. He's not going to command nearly what his option will cost Baltimore to keep him if he hits the open market ($17.5 million), nor is he worth it. However, with a $2 million buyout already in his pocket we might be able to get a bit of a hometown discount and milk the last 3 good seasons out of him for $10 million per (closer to what he's actually worth). Perfect #2 hitter behind Peraza (not to mention big-time clubhouse leader) - just DOESN'T strike out and should give J-Up and Freddie plenty of chances to hit with men on.
5.) Offer Gavin Floyd another pillow deal to get healthy again. Much cheaper than retaining Santana and much safer than turning the 5th spot in the rotation over to Hale. Hale can always be sent back down to stretch out if you're offered something of value for Floyd before the deadline, and Hursh could be ready to contribute at the back of the rotation by that point as well.
6.) Sign Andrew Miller. JUST DO IT.
7.) Bring back David Ross or Laird. First one to accept $2,500,000 gets the job.
8.) Re-sign Bonifacio and Doumit. Love switch-hitters on the bench, and both give you positional flexibility.
(Offer to include B. J. in ANY trade and pay $38 million of the remaining $46,350,000 of his salary - would help cover most of the money due Johnson in 2017 in the event you wanted to release him.)
2014 Commitments (Per Cot's) - $112,008,731
Proposed 2015 Commitments (Including NO relief from B. J. and Uggla deals) - $113,200,000
2B- Peraza ($550,000)
RF- Markakis ($10,000,000)
LF- Upton ($14,500,000)
1B- Freeman ($8,500,000)
3B- Johnson ($6,000,000)
CF- Blackmon ($1,000,000)
C- Bethancourt ($600,000)
SS- Simmons ($3,000,000)
SP- Teheran ($1,000,000)
SP- Wood ($750,000)
SP- Cobb ($1,000,000)
SP- Minor ($5,000,000)
SP- Floyd ($5,000,000)
CL- Kimbrel ($9,000,000)
SU- Miller ($5,000,000)
SU- Carpenter (750,000)
RP- Walden ($2,500,000)
RP- Shreve ($550,000)
RP- Simmons ($550,000)
RP- Hale ($650,000)
C- Ross/Laird ($2,500,000)
INF- Bonifacio ($2,500,000)
INF- Gosselin ($550,000)
OF- Doumit ($3,500,000)
OF- Cunningham ($550,000)
Released/Traded
Upton ($14,450,000)
Uggla ($13,250,000)
Even with a new voice and vibe in the clubhouse, the roster needs some shaking up - and a move away from the unsuccessful hitting approaches. The roster turnover needs to include a couple of "leaders" (both by example and more importantly vocally). So...
1.) Trade Gattis and Cody Martin for Alex Cobb. Gattis is exactly the type of inexpensive power bat they need to supplement Longoria and a healthy Myers to compete offensively in the AL East, and they've got Matt Moore coming back to fill Cobb's rotation spot.
2.) Trade Heyward for Joey Gallo. Gallo won't be ready until late next season (at the earliest), but Heyward Would really add depth to their offense hitting behind Beltre and Fielder. If you have to platoon Johnson with Gallo in 2016 to get some value out of his contract, so be it.
3.) Trade Lucas Sims and Tommy La Stella for Charlie Blackmon. Colorado has an absolute logjam in the OF (not to mention too many LH OFs), would like to re-sign Cuddyer, and has Kyle Parker wasting time in Colorado Springs. Blackmon can replace B. J. in CF.
4.) Sign Nick Markakis to replace Heyward in RF. He's not going to command nearly what his option will cost Baltimore to keep him if he hits the open market ($17.5 million), nor is he worth it. However, with a $2 million buyout already in his pocket we might be able to get a bit of a hometown discount and milk the last 3 good seasons out of him for $10 million per (closer to what he's actually worth). Perfect #2 hitter behind Peraza (not to mention big-time clubhouse leader) - just DOESN'T strike out and should give J-Up and Freddie plenty of chances to hit with men on.
5.) Offer Gavin Floyd another pillow deal to get healthy again. Much cheaper than retaining Santana and much safer than turning the 5th spot in the rotation over to Hale. Hale can always be sent back down to stretch out if you're offered something of value for Floyd before the deadline, and Hursh could be ready to contribute at the back of the rotation by that point as well.
6.) Sign Andrew Miller. JUST DO IT.
7.) Bring back David Ross or Laird. First one to accept $2,500,000 gets the job.
8.) Re-sign Bonifacio and Doumit. Love switch-hitters on the bench, and both give you positional flexibility.
(Offer to include B. J. in ANY trade and pay $38 million of the remaining $46,350,000 of his salary - would help cover most of the money due Johnson in 2017 in the event you wanted to release him.)
2014 Commitments (Per Cot's) - $112,008,731
Proposed 2015 Commitments (Including NO relief from B. J. and Uggla deals) - $113,200,000
2B- Peraza ($550,000)
RF- Markakis ($10,000,000)
LF- Upton ($14,500,000)
1B- Freeman ($8,500,000)
3B- Johnson ($6,000,000)
CF- Blackmon ($1,000,000)
C- Bethancourt ($600,000)
SS- Simmons ($3,000,000)
SP- Teheran ($1,000,000)
SP- Wood ($750,000)
SP- Cobb ($1,000,000)
SP- Minor ($5,000,000)
SP- Floyd ($5,000,000)
CL- Kimbrel ($9,000,000)
SU- Miller ($5,000,000)
SU- Carpenter (750,000)
RP- Walden ($2,500,000)
RP- Shreve ($550,000)
RP- Simmons ($550,000)
RP- Hale ($650,000)
C- Ross/Laird ($2,500,000)
INF- Bonifacio ($2,500,000)
INF- Gosselin ($550,000)
OF- Doumit ($3,500,000)
OF- Cunningham ($550,000)
Released/Traded
Upton ($14,450,000)
Uggla ($13,250,000)
