Official Offseason Thread #3/World Baseball Classic edition

[rtgthree]

On second thought regarding Scott Hairston wouldn't Francisco be projected to put up close to the numbers he does giving the expected extended amount of playing time? if so, just roll with Juan and use the extra cash to extend somebody instead of overpaying for Hairston.

I don't know why the Hairston rumors keep popping up. The Braves have a lefty-killing outfielder in Reed Johnson. Hairston just isn't a fit. I would much prefer to save the money for a bigger acquisition in-season.

At this point, if we can't trade for one of the guys I've mentioned before......... I would love to hear that Jordan Schafer is working with the hitting coaches to become a contact hitter.

Jordan Schafer's potential is pretty much gone at this point. He's a good defensive fifth outfielder, but that's it.

I don't think the rumors or trade talks are done for the Braves. My gut feeling is that someone will be traded from the crowded OF's of the Angels and D-Backs. And I'm having a hard time believing that Boston won't trade Ell's at some point this coming season.

I agree that the Angels and Diamondbacks are both poised to trade outfielders, but it sounds like the available players are Vernon Wells, Jason Kubel and Gerardo Parra, none of whom project to be an upgrade over The Platoon. I'm sure the Braves will make a play for Bourjos or Trumbo or Upton or Eaton, but almost all the rumors surrounding those guys have involved their unvailability.

Just don't trade JT yet. That's all I ask.

Amen. I want to see them give the kid a rotation spot and sink or swim. I'm a believer.

probably reported elsewhere (if it is, delete this post or move it or whatever), but the indians are the unlucky bastards to overpay for swisher. o well. at least it's not us.

On the contrary, the Indians just landed a bona fide four-win player for $14 million per year. Great move for them.

Delgado is the piece we trade at this time.. Wren is going to make a move, but its going to be for somebody we havent expected

I don't know how you can say with such certainty that Wren is going to make a move. In fact, by the tone of the beat writers' blog posts and articles, a trade gets less likely by the day. I do sort of agree that on the off chance there is a move, it will be for an unexpected name, though.

http://www.talkingchop.com/2012/12/2...-to-the-braves

Is there anyone out there that would be down with this idea? It's not a bad idea for the projected price of 8-10 million, but I don't think Boras would 'allow' it & I'm not sure what kind of "team guy" Bourn would be to agree to the one year delay in a payday? I do know that there wouldn't be too many gappers hit on the Braves with Bourn, Upton & Heyward!

I just still don't see Bourn's price falling that far. Boras always seems to pull big paydays out of nowhere. Admittedly I don't see who will pay up, but I was saying the same thing about Prince Fielder last year before he got a $200 million deal. The other thing to consider is this: is Bourn enough of an upgrade to (a) give up any in-season flexibility of making a deal and (b) give up any chance of a first-round pick. The Braves lost the #25 overall pick when they signed Upton, but if they allow Bourn to go elsewhere, they get the #35 pick as compensation. If they re-sign Bourn, they don't get that pick, meaning their first selection would be at #75. Interesting to think about, though I don't think it will ever be a real possibility.

[chipurmunki]

i'm fine with bourn if his price tag goes down enough. we can do worse than him. he'd be better than one of them dbag of.

i'm as anti-parra as i am anti-fowler. if we do have to go the dbag route, it should be kubel or eaton. we have freakin heyward and upton... just cheat them towards left and we won't even notice his average defense. and his bat is a plus.

[Jon93405]

I just still don't see Bourn's price falling that far. Boras always seems to pull big paydays out of nowhere. Admittedly I don't see who will pay up, but I was saying the same thing about Prince Fielder last year before he got a $200 million deal. The other thing to consider is this: is Bourn enough of an upgrade to (a) give up any in-season flexibility of making a deal and (b) give up any chance of a first-round pick. The Braves lost the #25 overall pick when they signed Upton, but if they allow Bourn to go elsewhere, they get the #35 pick as compensation. If they re-sign Bourn, they don't get that pick, meaning their first selection would be at #75. Interesting to think about, though I don't think it will ever be a real possibility.

There's always the option to trade EOF to give us $13-16 million of room, but I think you're right and Boras will pull a 5/75 deal out of a hat. Plus we'd be downgrading our bullpen and I actually think I'd prefer The Platoon + EOF over Bourn... but just imagine that OF defense...

[Getting UGGLA]

Looks like Paul Bunyan is going to be our guy. It's Gattis or bust.

[dannybfast24]

isnt there a possibility that bourne doesnt get a contract he likes, and comes back for one year 13 mil atlanta offered. it has happened to them before.

[Fly]

isnt there a possibility that bourne doesnt get a contract he likes, and comes back for one year 13 mil atlanta offered. it has happened to them before.

Not with Boras as his agent.

[dannybfast24]

Not with Boras as his agent.

wasnt it maddox who accepted atlantas offer an came back. not sure who his agent was. Dont see anyone giving bourne 15 mil, hes not worth it at his age

[rtgthree]

if we do have to go the dbag route, it should be kubel or eaton. we have freakin heyward and upton... just cheat them towards left and we won't even notice his average defense. and his bat is a plus.

It doesn't work that way, though. Good defense in left field is still good defense, regardless of how good Upton and Heyward are. If he costs a win in the field, that's still a lost win. Upton and Heyward can help make up for that, but if you had a +1 win defender, then you'd be adding on to what Upton and Heyward are doing rather than subtracting from it. The fact that the Braves have two good defensive outfielders does not mean the third OF's defense doesn't matter.

Looks like Paul Bunyan is going to be our guy. It's Gattis or bust.

I'd love it if Gattis hits his way into his job, but there's really nothing especially wrong with going into the season with a Francisco/Johnson platoon.

isnt there a possibility that bourne doesnt get a contract he likes, and comes back for one year 13 mil atlanta offered. it has happened to them before.

That $13 million offer isn't on the table anymore. The Braves offered just because they knew he would turn it down and they would get a draft pick. There was no intention of signing him to that contract. It's never happened before, because this is the first year of the new system.

wasnt it maddox who accepted atlantas offer an came back. not sure who his agent was. Dont see anyone giving bourne 15 mil, hes not worth it at his age

Well, that was a completely different arbitration system. Scott Boras represented Maddux as well, but Maddux didn't turn down arbitration and come back to accept it. He just accepted it out of the gate, knowing he wouldn't get a better offer on the open market (and/or wanting to come back to Atlanta). Bourn turned the offer down in search of a better market, hasn't found one, and now he'd be losing major face to come back for the same deal he spurned earlier in the winter. He's not worth $15 million, but let us not underestimate the Boras Corporation.

[CaseyRyback]

Why are people who are adamantly anti-Fowler okay with the idea of Parra?

Home/Away Splits for their two careers:

wOBA:
Parra - .345/.292
Fowler - .384/.312

wRC+:
Parra - 108/72
Fowler - 128/79

I know Parra has been a better defender in LF than Fowler has been in CF, but I honestly think both of them would be plus defenders in left for us, and that's really all they'd need to be with Upton & Heyward already in the OF. Fowler would also make up for his lesser defense with his superior bat.

Its easy, Colorado has a higher asking price for Fowler than it would take to get Parra from AZ.

[mickmurph37]

looks like a draft pick is one of the hurdles for Bourn signing. any thoughts on a sign and trade? we did this with Soranio, although it was because he accepted arbitration. but this might be something Wren doesnt want to get mixed up with

[Coach100]

^ Won't happen. ATL lost their #1 pick (#25) when they signed Upton. So their first pick is #75, I think. Born signing elsewhere means ATL gets a pick around #35. If ATL signs and trades, no pick.

And if people won't sign Bourn due to 1 pick, will they really trade multiple prospects for him, his aging legs, and big contract?

[mickmurph37]

i dont know if sign and trade gets us a major league piece now over a draft pick. soriano to the rays got us Jesse Chavez who by no means was a stud, it got us a mlb ready middle reliever, what if bourn nets us more bench help...

[NBA_Starter]

I have a feeling if the Rangers don't go after Bourn then he will wind up in a place off of the Radar right now like the Cubs.

[ATL#22]

Even IF Bourn goes for a one year deal he would still get at least 15 million from Texas or Seattle. It's a little bit of a risk but I am warming up to this platoon everyone is talking bout but only if it's Gattis/Francisco. Reed needs to be a PH.

[ATL#22]

This Braves forum has been really active lately