Who Do Braves Keep As their 2022 OFs?

rico43

rico43

<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
This discussion started in Friday minor league thread, so it seems like a decent idea to bring the discussion front and center...

The given: Ronald will be fine by the start of the 2022 season after babying his knee in the spring. Lest we forget, he is signed through 2026.

What we know: Joc Pederson has a $10 M mutual option; Duvall has mutual option, making $5 M in 2021

Among the free agents: Soler is making $8.05 M in 2021
Rosario is making $8 M in 2021
last we forget Heredia is making $1 M in 2021

Pache, Waters in AAA.

I am more or less convinced that Pache and Waters have prospect fatigue and would welcome a trade. But with our pitchers all pretty much healthy, they and Wright have more value as bargaining chips that prospects. No need to make a trade for an outfielder. Bullpen help and a quality backup catcher are the obvious priorities (think Yan Gomes).

I would like to see Soler and Rosario given long-term deals (both are only 29, three years younger than Duvall). Have Pederson for a year and rotate guys to keep them fresh, A simple, sound solution, but no one's ever confused me with Bill James.
 
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Lot of moving parts here, between the expiration of the CBA, a possible (probable? almost certain?) universal DH and the Ozuna situation.

There's a lot to be said for just bringing everybody back and moving ahead next year with some combination of Acuna, Duvall, Soler and Pederson, with Waters and Pache as deep back-up in AAA. Don't know if the money works for that. And if we end up with Ozuna as a member of the team in good standing, it's kind of hard to keep both Ozuna and Soler on the same roster.
 
A lot depends on Freddie money going forward tho Im still not convinced he wont be moving West. I havent seen enough of Rosario to this point. Really like what I have seen from Soler. Think Joc will look for long term deal and IMO that would cripple Braves a bit. I am not and have never been a Duvall booster. I dont think Ozuna will ever suit up as a Brave again.

Having expounded on the subject my choices at this time would be Acuna in RF (a given) and perhaps part time CF. Bring back Soler if affordable. Possible use for Rosario, and maybe somebody like Conforto for CF. Heredia for 4th OFer and use the hottest hand at any time between Soler, Rosario and the Conforto example at DH.
 
Think Rosario will get a long look. His clutch hits make it easy to overlook, but Duvall is only hitting .197 since coming over from the Marlins.
 
Old timers like me dont agree with the youngsters that Ks are meaningless and HRs are the epitome of a MLB player of value. Last winter I still recall the clamor for Duvall being given his Arb price while bemoaning Riley's lack of production.
 
IIRC Braves have had interest in Soler multiple times over last few years but just couldnt seem to get a deal worked. out. What do you think a fair price for Soler would be?
 
PawPawMaxwell said:
IIRC Braves have had interest in Soler multiple times over last few years but just couldnt seem to get a deal worked. out. What do you think a fair price for Soler would be?
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Knowing the Braves' history, the bigger hangup might be years more than $$$.
 
All things considered the Braves payroll next year should be pretty healthy. Lot depends on Freddie's decision and Ozuna situation.
 
I think you offer to pick up the options on Joc and Duvall and go from there.

As others have said...what happens with Ozuna? Is he suspended for the year and we get that money back? Right now you have to assume we have to pay years 3 and 4 of that deal w/o production.

You offer Morton 15 million again if he's healthy and see if he takes it.

Then it's about how much payroll do we have, FF and where we are after the above is sorted out.
 
rico43 said:
This discussion started in Friday minor league thread, so it seems like a decent idea to bring the discussion front and center...

The given: Ronald will be fine by the start of the 2022 season after babying his knee in the spring. Lest we forget, he is signed through 2026.

What we know: Joc Pederson has a $10 M mutual option; Duvall has mutual option, making $5 M in 2021

Among the free agents: Soler is making $8.05 M in 2021
Rosario is making $8 M in 2021
last we forget Heredia is making $1 M in 2021

Pache, Waters in AAA.

I am more or less convinced that Pache and Waters have prospect fatigue and would welcome a trade. But with our pitchers all pretty much healthy, they and Wright have more value as bargaining chips that prospects. No need to make a trade for an outfielder. Bullpen help and a quality backup catcher are the obvious priorities (think Yan Gomes).

I would like to see Soler and Rosario given long-term deals (both are only 29, three years younger than Duvall). Have Pederson for a year and rotate guys to keep them fresh, A simple, sound solution, but no one's ever confused me with Bill James.
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Need to include all the variables - if the Braves decline their side of the options, they'll owe Pederson $3 million and Duvall $2.5 million. When factoring that in, it's awfully hard to see them not being invited back - doing so "only" costs you $11.5 million more than you're going to have to give them anyway.

Given the tear he's gone on since coming over and where that might push his price, Soler may have made it easy for AA to try to work something out to bring Rosario back instead. Doing so would give you three guys that can play CF in Acuna, Pederson, and Rosario plus 2 bats from each side. If the DH is adopted, Pederson or Rosario could play CF if they don't want Acuna back there and the other could DH.
 
I don't see a CF on the current roster. To me, that has to be addressed. We can take another shot with either Pache or Waters and the adoption of the universal DH would allow for some fudging when it comes to sacrificing offense, but we need to have a passable defensive CF.

I see Duvall back. Coin flips on Rosario and Pederson. Soler dependent on what happens with Ozuna.
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't see a CF on the current roster. To me, that has to be addressed. We can take another shot with either Pache or Waters and the adoption of the universal DH would allow for some fudging when it comes to sacrificing offense, but we need to have a passable defensive CF.

I see Duvall back. Coin flips on Rosario and Pederson. Soler dependent on what happens with Ozuna.
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Agreed, I see a lot of people talking about Acuña as a CF option, but coming off a torn ACL, I’d much rather see him mainly in RF.

One thing AA loves, is roster flexibility like the Dodgers have. I’d look at guys who can play multiple positions like a Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario etc. that way you can move they guys in and out of the DH role to give them rest
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't see a CF on the current roster. To me, that has to be addressed. We can take another shot with either Pache or Waters and the adoption of the universal DH would allow for some fudging when it comes to sacrificing offense, but we need to have a passable defensive CF.

I see Duvall back. Coin flips on Rosario and Pederson. Soler dependent on what happens with Ozuna.
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Really surprised to say this, but I think this season has shown them that they can give a little defense away there as long as the corners are average or better.

I'm well aware that's going to be an unpopular opinion, but there's an argument to be made that all four of Acuna, Duvall, Pederson, and Rosario are plus defenders on the corners. How much defense you can afford to "give away" in CF is certainly a fair question, but they've gotten by without Pache or prime Ender out there just fine thank you. I don't think anyone's ever confused Heredia as a Gold Glove-caliber guy in CF, but the OF defense has been fine - even with Pederson in CF and Soler in RF. Replacing Soler with Acuna would do wonders to help to close the right-center gap.

Ideally, Pache could hit lefties well enough to handle being the weak side of a platoon and defensive replacement at the very least for 2022. As others have mentioned, with the DH in place you could get likely away with hitting him 9th and playing him every day - especially if you bring back Duvall, Pederson, and Rosario. Having those two LH bats to balance and Acuna at the top would make this lineup even scarier than it is now (even with Pache in it). If both Pederson and Rosario are brought back, I don't think it becomes nearly as big a deal to have Duvall play every day (whether in LF/RF or at DH).

Don't misunderstand that for me saying that that defensive dropoff wouldn't hurt, but I honestly don't think Pederson (haven't seen enough of Rosario there yet) in CF with plus defenders on the corners will hurt you any worse than having Ozuna in LF this year would've hurt even if Pache had hit. AA was prepared to play out the season with that combination, so I don't think he'll shy away from Joc in CF - especially if Acuna's back.
 
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I think Pederson can play CF. He's not amazing but he's fine. Rosario has played it as well.

Soler is bad on defense. And he's notoriously streaky. I don't know if ppl will want him back by the end of this. If he continues to rake I doubt he's signing for one year like we would likely offer. Even if Ozuna is suspended without pay next year, we still have 23 and 24 where we owe him 36 million total? Something like that. I doubt we can pay two, DH only guys unless FF is not on the roster...
 
Not a lawyer and ignorant of foreign players work permit status. Question is Ozuna on a green card work permit? If so and he is convicted of even a misdemeanor in Georgia can he lose his work permit?
 
I don't think there is anything Soler can do other than maybe be the MVP of the Playoffs that is meaningfully going to change his FA value.
 
Russ2dollas said:
I think Pederson can play CF. He's not amazing but he's fine. Rosario has played it as well.

Soler is bad on defense. And he's notoriously streaky. I don't know if ppl will want him back by the end of this. If he continues to rake I doubt he's signing for one year like we would likely offer. Even if Ozuna is suspended without pay next year, we still have 23 and 24 where we owe him 36 million total? Something like that. I doubt we can pay two, DH only guys unless FF is not on the roster...
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I agree with your thoughts on Pederson and Rosario in CF..

I've watched every game since we got Soler, and can only point to one misplay. He's actually been fine in RF. I could see that not being my final answer, but for now he's been fine. Of course, everything goes better with a spoonful of .925 OPS. And you're right, he's streaky.
 
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