You lost me at the signing of Strasburg, but I agree with the rest...assuming Teheran re-establishes his value and is sold high.
I'm not looking forward to the constant absurd scenarios where the Braves sign Strasburg though. He is a Boras client that will get $200M+ on the FA market. I can't even remember the last time the Braves signed a prominent Boras client, and the largest FA contract they have ever given out was about 1/3 of what Strasburg will ultimately command.
Strasburg to the Braves isn't happening, just like Matt Holliday, Jon Lester and David Price weren't happening. It didn't stop posters here from coming up with ludicrous scenarios involving home town discounts and major cost saving trades, but I wish folks would wake up and realize it simply isn't happening.
And I wish posters here would look at why some of these "ludicrous scenarios" actually are possible before speaking quite so soon (and taking such a negative stance - again without thinking it through before discounting it), but that ain't happening either.
Here's what we "know" from public statements made by the brass...
1.) We still have plenty of money to take on salary during the 2016 season. Based on Cot's numbers, payroll currently sits just shy of $92.1 million INCLUDING all potential performance bonuses (other than any difference in replacing Gant with Chacin on Tuesday and any bonuses Chacin's representatives may have been able to negotiate). That's counting every dime owed to Bourn, Swisher, Maybin, Bonifacio, and Toscano, as well as MLB salaries for Shae Simmons, Paco Rodriguez, and Andrew McKirahan even though insurance probably covers most of theirs'. If $110 million is indeed the max, Coppy & Company have left themselves roughly $18 million to add RPs, take on expiring bad contracts to "buy" more prospects, or deal for someone that could be considered a long-term "answer" if the opportunity happens to present itself. How much will they spend? Who knows? The point is that they've positioned themselves very well.
2.) Payroll IS going up - substantially if you believe the brass - January 1st. How much is substantially? Again, who knows? If it's 20%, you're looking at going from a $110 million payroll to more than a $130 million payroll.
3.) Clearing Johnson's salary from the 2017 books wasn't done without a reason behind it. The brass wanted to put themselves in a position to make at least 2 "splash signings" (or trades) around the time the new park opens. Most people around here typically wear blinders when they're looking at payroll. Not only do we have room to operate in 2016, we have LOADS of available space as soon as the curtain comes down on this season. That $92 million in September suddenly becomes
$50.3 million in 2017 committed salaries. No, no one believes they're going to run out and spend $65-$80 million on a relatively weak free-agent class this winter. That said, IF they chose to spend $25 million on the biggest fish in the class there's still $40-$55 million to keep for extensions, arbitration raises and renewals, other acquisitions, etc.. I know some people around here love to ridicule Hart's "right Pitcher-wrong time" statement, but what evidence do they have that he was being untruthful? We would've wasted two years of control over Lester while they were trying to get all the other pieces in place. You don't waste your resources on an "Ace" until you've built a team around him where he can make that kind of difference. If they choose to hold onto both Ender and Mallex and are able to unload Markakis (as many hope), there's even more financial flexibility to utilize.
The point is - the money isn't going to be the issue for the first time in a LONG time. They now have the flexibility to add TWO elite salaries - and the available pieces in the system to do that through trade if it's not through free-agency.
