The Offseason Lounge

[Raps18-19 Champ]

I think it'll be DJ or Springer if they want a big time bat.

[R. Johnson#3]

Multi-year deals only work if you are comfortable giving the number. If you get outbid and aren't comfortable with the remaining FAs, the smart thing to do is actually to make short term commitments. Which is why this 1 year deals are for the most part probably the 2nd/3rd fallback for the Braves.

Sometimes you get outbid, that's how FA works. But he still has to assemble a team even if his plan A doesn't work. And whether you criticize him for not executing on plan A, his plan B/C was good enough that he got value signing say Ozuna to a 1 year deal to buy himself time again to strike this year.



I mean I'm more than happy to wait until you get it.

Ultimately, I'm confident enough to say we are both in agreement on 2 things:
1. Rogers has a lot of money (I've never denied they have had a lot of money)
2. We don't know the budget (You've already said you don't know).

Which is causing this disagreement and it's a perspective thing.

If I were to go off "if the deal is right", it's pretty easy to get carried away with scenarios that are extremely unlikely. I can start imagining that signing the top 2 FA and trading for a pending FA with a LT contract, which would be extremely rare to see, is something that may be feasible.

You don't do those things if you focus on the budget, it's easier to actually assess what players we need to fit with the money that we have budgeted. I couldn't care how much Rogers could spend. I care about how much money they budget.

This would be easier if we could focus on a number, otherwise we will keep going in circle. You will say "Rogers has money so we should do XYZ" and I will say "We need to sign ABC players to fill XYZ hole based on the budget". Having money and having a budget are 2 different things.

I'm not disagreeing that it's the smart thing to do. Handing out 1 year deals to bridge the gap if you miss on the guys you want. What's makes it a bad thing is that he's had to do that for 3 years in a row while his core is all up in the majors. Like I said before, imagine if Atkins didn't sign Ryu last off-season then went on to do what AA has done for the last 3 years in ATL. I'd be pissed. Our core will be 3 years closer to arb all while making no progress from outside additions because they always have to be replaced each off-season. If he misses out on big targets and has to settle in 1 off-season? Sure. But 3 in a row? Junk.

For payroll, what do you think their budget is?

[Kenny Powders]

Apparently we are interested in Hand as well. Has there been any big name FA that we haven't been linked to? If we dont come out of this off-season with something substantial, I'll be very disappo

[pebloemer]

Apparently we are interested in Hand as well. Has there been any big name FA that we haven't been linked to? If we dont come out of this off-season with something substantial, I'll be very disappo

In a forum that is often divided, I'm going to guess that this point would be universally agreed upon.

[R. Johnson#3]

Apparently we are interested in Hand as well. Has there been any big name FA that we haven't been linked to? If we dont come out of this off-season with something substantial, I'll be very disappo

Big time. If Atkins ends up handing out a few 1 year deals then it’s a fail in my books. I’m expecting at least 1 of Springer, Lindor, Bauer or Tanaka. You don’t add an ace one off season only to add some low level 1 year deals to follow.

[Chaotic98]

Apparently we are interested in Hand as well. Has there been any big name FA that we haven't been linked to? If we dont come out of this off-season with something substantial, I'll be very disappo

Same thing happened last season and we ended up with Ryu. I don't think we are too disappointed in that outcome.

Read a good article on comparing potential 2021 FAs and the Current 2020 FAs. After that read, I'm more inclined to want Springer and Realmuto with a closer or as a plan B to Springer; JBJ on a 1 year or 2 year deal, as next year's potential INF (Lindor, Story, Bryant, Baez) and SP (Thor, Verlander, Grienke, Scherzer, Lynn, Kershaw) looks stacked compared to just Bauer this year.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article...current-plans/

On a side note just read something about Rogers wanting a new stadium to replace the Rogers Center at the current location, with part being condos, rest a baseball stadium.

[R. Johnson#3]

Same thing happened last season and we ended up with Ryu. I don't think we are too disappointed in that outcome.

Read a good article on comparing potential 2021 FAs and the Current 2020 FAs. After that read, I'm more inclined to want Springer and Realmuto with a closer or as a plan B to Springer; JBJ on a 1 year or 2 year deal, as next year's potential INF (Lindor, Story, Bryant, Baez) and SP (Thor, Verlander, Grienke, Scherzer, Lynn, Kershaw) looks stacked compared to just Bauer this year.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article...current-plans/

On a side note just read something about Rogers wanting a new stadium to replace the Rogers Center at the current location, with part being condos, rest a baseball stadium.

Damnit, I just made a separate thread for the new stadium. Exciting news!!!

[bartron_44]

Reed, Atkins has said several times that they would like to add not one, but multiple impact level players this off season. They have never tried to include Ray in those "multiple impact players" either. Since those guys normally make 20+ Million on the open market (or if you acquire them by trade) then they must be sitting on some serious, serious capital that they are willing to part with. I think we got another 50 million or so to spend.

There is no talk about 5 year maximums. There is no talk about working with a budget (...like we have heard in years past from this franchise). There is only talk about us wanting to add major pieces, and rumors of them doing their homework so far on every major piece out there.

I understand you being from Missouri on this one though.

[R. Johnson#3]

Reed, Atkins has said several times that they would like to add not one, but multiple impact level players this off season. They have never tried to include Ray in those "multiple impact players" either. Since those guys normally make 20+ Million on the open market (or if you acquire them by trade) then they must be sitting on some serious, serious capital that they are willing to part with. I think we got another 50 million or so to spend.

There is no talk about 5 year maximums. There is no talk about working with a budget (...like we have heard in years past from this franchise). There is only talk about us wanting to add major pieces, and rumors of them doing their homework so far on every major piece out there.

I understand you being from Missouri on this one though.

I think this post needs to be directed at Raps, not me.

[Raps18-19 Champ]

I'm not disagreeing that it's the smart thing to do. Handing out 1 year deals to bridge the gap if you miss on the guys you want. What's makes it a bad thing is that he's had to do that for 3 years in a row while his core is all up in the majors. Like I said before, imagine if Atkins didn't sign Ryu last off-season then went on to do what AA has done for the last 3 years in ATL. I'd be pissed. Our core will be 3 years closer to arb all while making no progress from outside additions because they always have to be replaced each off-season. If he misses out on big targets and has to settle in 1 off-season? Sure. But 3 in a row? Junk.

What happens if those 1 year deals happen to have been good so far? It's not ideal to sign 1 year deals, but it probably is more meaningful when you focus on the value you are bringing in, not the long term deals you get. Which means, it's ultimately on a case by case basis.

I mean I much rather the Blue Jays sign Ray for 1 year deal instead of signing a guy like Gausman to 3 years.

For payroll, what do you think their budget is?

I believe we were a $100-110 mil payroll in 2020 (prior to adjusted pandemic numbers). I think a 20-30%ish increase from that is probably reasonable, which would put us around $130-ish (which is probably on the higher end of some estimates I've seen other sites use).

So probably enough to sign only 1 star (ie Springer/DJ, etc) and a few supporting cast (ie should probably get an still have a hole to fill in the infield/outfield/rotation and we should shore up the bullpen). If we got Springer, Wong, Walker, and a few other small pieces (the Shaw and Yamaguchi of the world for $2-5 mil each), that should bring us to close to that number.

[mike_noodles]

Big time. If Atkins ends up handing out a few 1 year deals then it’s a fail in my books. I’m expecting at least 1 of Springer, Lindor, Bauer or Tanaka. You don’t add an ace one off season only to add some low level 1 year deals to follow.

Add Correa to the list. Rumours about him now being available. With Atkins having a big history dealing with Houston you know it’s only a matter of time until we’re linked to him too.

[Raps18-19 Champ]

Isn't Correa a FA next year?

[R. Johnson#3]

Wow, they fired Mike Wilner!?

[Raps18-19 Champ]

Reed, Atkins has said several times that they would like to add not one, but multiple impact level players this off season. They have never tried to include Ray in those "multiple impact players" either. Since those guys normally make 20+ Million on the open market (or if you acquire them by trade) then they must be sitting on some serious, serious capital that they are willing to part with. I think we got another 50 million or so to spend.

There is no talk about 5 year maximums. There is no talk about working with a budget (...like we have heard in years past from this franchise). There is only talk about us wanting to add major pieces, and rumors of them doing their homework so far on every major piece out there.

I understand you being from Missouri on this one though.

Arent they supposed to meet in the coming weeks to talk about payroll? Isnt that working with a budget. It could be a big or small budget but its a budget regardless.

[Chaotic98]

Isn't Correa a FA next year?

Yes. Rather wait til then to shore up our INF. After seeing the potential FAs for SP and INF I kinda want to let slimmer Vladdy try out 3B, and sign some insurance type FA who might be non tendered or not offered what they think they are worth (simmons) to a 1 year deal to sign a Story, Lindor, Baez, Correa (in no particular order) then shift Biggio or if Groshans/martin are ready to come up and save it for 2 aces on the SP market.