Your Ideal Offseason

[zbhargrove]

I like the possible pick for Donaldson. Let’s go ahead and trade for Bumgarner and Ozuna.

We could have 3 shots at recouping a pick via a QO offer after a strong year.

The more and more I look at Bums peripherals and trends they are not good. I'm not sure he's much better than Sonny Gray at this point... he's living on his past reputation. Only if he basically costs nothing which he won't

 

[nsacpi]

The more and more I look at Bums peripherals and trends they are not good. I'm not sure he's much better than Sonny Gray at this point... he's living on his past reputation. Only if he basically costs nothing which he won't

I'd rather have Anibal than Bumgarner or Gray...when cost is considered the case for Anibal over those two gets even stronger

 

[Oklahomabrave]

Only pitcher I’d like on the trade market is Bauer. Only two years control and more expensive financially than the other two.

 

[Dalyn]

We sign Josh Donaldson and bring McCann and Kimbrel back.

 

[Carp]

The Braves used 30 pitchers last year. Literally, 30 pitchers. There is no reason to dump Freeman's $1.5M to make room for a young pitcher with options. AA has shown a strong desire to keep arms in the system, and I expect the same moving forward.

The Braves year end payroll was $133M last year, and should be higher this year. There is probably room for a $125M-$130M opening day payroll with room to bump it to $140M+ if they are contending at the deadline. I expect them to be in on every single big name trade candidate at the 2019 deadline.

I understand having more options, but we could easily non-tender and re-sign Freeman for league minimum.

 

[DontStopTheChop]

I understand having more options, but we could easily non-tender and re-sign Freeman for league minimum.

Well, only if Freeman was willing to a accept league minimum salary. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get a bigger offer than league minimum. 1.5m for an average lefty out of the pen isn’t a bad deal for the Braves.

 

[clvclv]

Well, only if Freeman was willing to a accept league minimum salary. I’d be surprised if he didn’t get a bigger offer than league minimum. 1.5m for an average lefty out of the pen isn’t a bad deal for the Braves.

Unless you happen to have other "league-average lefties" out of the pen who'll cost $950,000 less.

 

[Enscheff]

I understand having more options, but we could easily non-tender and re-sign Freeman for league minimum.

Again, the Braves used 30 pitchers last year. AA has shown time and time again he will do whatever he can to keep pitchers in the system, and he will rotate through them excessively.

I see no reason not to pay Sam Freeman $1.5M, and I seriously doubt he signs at league minimum as a FA.

 

[Enscheff]

Unless you happen to have other "league-average lefties" out of the pen who'll cost $950,000 less.

So...you still think the Braves should extend Freeman to provide more flexibility?

 

[Carp]

Again, the Braves used 30 pitchers last year. AA has shown time and time again he will do whatever he can to keep pitchers in the system, and he will rotate through them excessively.

I see no reason not to pay Sam Freeman $1.5M, and I seriously doubt he signs at league minimum as a FA.

I have doubts whether he'd get a guaranteed major league contract. Certainly not more than 1 million.

 

[Enscheff]

I have doubts whether he'd get a guaranteed major league contract. Certainly not more than 1 million.

I guess we will know in a couple days. Certainly the Braves FO knows Freeman's value around the league, and will not offer him arbitration if they don't feel he is worth $1M+.

Sounds like a fun topic to make a few wagers about...

 

[DontStopTheChop]

Unless you happen to have other "league-average lefties" out of the pen who'll cost $950,000 less.

Fair point. But, what's the harm in adding one more? To save 900k? And do what with that 900k?

The 1.5 million Freeman projects to earn isn't going to prevent us from signing another player. The more pitchers we have, the better. Signing freeman doesn't mean that our other young pitchers will rot in AAA and won't be pitching meaningful innings for the big league club.

Not really sure why you put quotes around "league-average lefties" though.

 

[Heyward]

Regarding Freeman, if we have Minter, Venters and Biddle as LHP out of the pen, is Freeman really neccesary?

 

[Super]

Fair point. But, what's the harm in adding one more? To save 900k? And do what with that 900k?

The 1.5 million Freeman projects to earn isn't going to prevent us from signing another player. The more pitchers we have, the better. Signing freeman doesn't mean that our other young pitchers will rot in AAA and won't be pitching meaningful innings for the big league club.

Not really sure why you put quotes around "league-average lefties" though.

i also want to know which lefties we know are league-average and are $550,000

 

[clvclv]

i also want to know which lefties we know are league-average and are $550,000

Biddle and Fried are $550,000. Plus Gohara if you happen to use him out of the pen.

Let the numbers-hounds debate who's league-average. Regardless of who that turns out to be, all three of those guys are better than Freeman - historically and projections-wise. If it's all about maximizing everything and not wasting money anywhere, *issing away an extra million dollars on the very last RP in your pen seems pretty stupid. Will that extra $1 million be the difference in being able to sign Brantley or McCutchen? Maybe, maybe not. But if it is, the dropoff to the next tier of available free-agent OFs is awfully big - it'd sure suck if not having that extra money around caused you to have to bring Markakis back or settle for Adam Jones or Denard Span if everybody wants you to overpay in trades.

The Braves will always need to pinch pennies - even when they have huge amounts of financial flexibility like they did this winter - especially when they roll the dice on someone like AA did on Donaldson.

 

[Super]

Biddle and Fried are $550,000. Plus Gohara if you happen to use him out of the pen.

Let the numbers-hounds debate who's league-average. Regardless of who that turns out to be, all three of those guys are better than Freeman - historically and projections-wise. If it's all about maximizing everything and not wasting money anywhere, *issing away an extra million dollars on the very last RP in your pen seems pretty stupid. Will that extra $1 million be the difference in being able to sign Brantley or McCutchen? Maybe, maybe not. But if it is, the dropoff to the next tier of available free-agent OFs is awfully big - it'd sure suck if not having that extra money around caused you to have to bring Markakis back or settle for Adam Jones or Denard Span if everybody wants you to overpay in trades.

The Braves will always need to pinch pennies - even when they have huge amounts of financial flexibility like they did this winter - especially when they roll the dice on someone like AA did on Donaldson.

we'll keep biddle. fried and gohara should be given far more opportunity to start. why would we shift either one of them to RP? they have nice upside as starters (especially gohara).

we also do not know that fried and gohara would be league-average out of the pen. so you offered one guy (biddle) that matched the criteria asked for...

 

[Southcack77]

we'll keep biddle. fried and gohara should be given far more opportunity to start. why would we shift either one of them to RP? they have nice upside as starters (especially gohara).

we also do not know that fried and gohara would be league-average out of the pen. so you offered one guy (biddle) that matched the criteria asked for...

This is why the Braves could have the worlds toolsiest AAA rotation in 2019.

Not a zing or anything just a truth.

 

[clvclv]

we'll keep biddle. fried and gohara should be given far more opportunity to start. why would we shift either one of them to RP? they have nice upside as starters (especially gohara).

we also do not know that fried and gohara would be league-average out of the pen. so you offered one guy (biddle) that matched the criteria asked for...

We do "know" that Gohara and Fried will both be better than Freeman based on both past history and projections.

Let's all be honest here - none of us "KNOW" *hit - that's why they play the games. However, if all the signs point to Biddle being better for sure, you're still talking about paying the third lefty (and one with a reverse-split problem on top of that) out of the pen an extra million bucks when you could use it elsewhere.

 

[Heyward]

While 1.5 mil isnt that much, for a team like the Braves, every penny counts.

 

[Carp]

we'll keep biddle. fried and gohara should be given far more opportunity to start. why would we shift either one of them to RP? they have nice upside as starters (especially gohara).

we also do not know that fried and gohara would be league-average out of the pen. so you offered one guy (biddle) that matched the criteria asked for...

Without factoring in guys like Fried, Gohara, Touki, etc. (who, if still here, will absolutely see time out of the pen this season), Freeman is no better than the 7th best relief option currently on our team (I'd put him 8th). I want to go to war with the best possible 25 man roster. Since, we are likely to acquire a late inning reliever soon, that makes him the odd man out. And he's out of options, so stashing him in Gwinnett is not an option.