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Braves choose the cheap route... again...

Canedawg2140

So, they wouldn't pay Donaldson $25 mil a year...

and will win 85 games with their present lineup...

not sure if the offseason "spree" spent on 1-2 year deals, not committing much beyond 2020 is worth anything but raising the floor to .500...

really disapointed...

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Comments

bmauldin

I get the disappointment, but I can’t see Donaldson holding up for 4 seasons of day-to-day, none-designated hitter baseball.

He has power, but hit .250ish and seemed like he struck out a ton.

Great glove, but in a non-steroid era, keeping that level of production is far fetched, imho

Dawgsauce

I'll wait to see what the final picture is going into Spring ball to form an opinion on the team, but look how last winter and Spring worked out.

UGA4Life

I understand that the Braves were willing to go 3 yrs. $75 mil. What they weren’t willing to do was the 4th year, much less the 5th year option, and quite honestly, I can’t fault them for that.

PTDawg

His track record doesn't suggest that he'll be worth $25 mill when he's 38-39. Almost no 38-39 year-olds are for that matter. It is disappointing but I'll reserve judgment until I see what if anything else AA does. I don't think the team as currently constructed is a serious contender (platooning 3 different spots in the lineup and no one to bat behind Freddie in the middle of the lineup).

UGA4Life

I don’t think AA is going to go with the lineup we have right now. I think he will get a bat to go behind Freddie, I’m just not sure it will be a 3rd basemen.

TuckyDawg

AA only has so much money at his disposal, he would have went 4 years, but anything over that would have a bad effect on holding some young players. Aint like he has a Yankee checkbook.

AnotherDawg

For a GM as smart as AA, Donaldson was never going to be worth his new price tag after this past season. We are in stage 1b of a long term strategy that will result in plenty of post-season appearances. I have all the confidence in the world in our management.

Ownership is the question.

Still hopeful that some Atlanta-based businessman, athlete, entertainer, or group of same will buy the franchise from Liberty within the next few years.

greshamdisco

He is a good player, but he was paid well over what was expected. MLB salary inflation continues. It can’t keep going like this. Anyway, looks like we will have to do a trade for another bat. I just hope it happens before July.

Bankwalker

Disappointed, as well. Tough decisions for AA ahead. That deal would have handcuffed them financially, but the time is now for the Braves with the money they’ve invested in the bullpen.

They can replace the plate production by signing Ozuna, but then they will have blocked either Pache or Waters. Either or both could open the 2021 season in Atlanta. One of them is a hot start and an injury away from a call up right now.

Plus the financial value of the prospects they would need to trade for a player like Kris Bryant could exceed the value of the extra years of Donaldson’s contract. For example, a prospect like Kyle Wright has a current fv grade of 55, and a financial value of close to $20 million. Of course, that’s hypothetical value while the salary is a guaranteed expenditure.

corai3

Seeing possible trade scenarios for Arenado...That would be nice if they can do that and keep Anderson

UGA4Life

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/402708#Comment_402708

I shudder to think of what they will have to give up for Arenado. Especially since he has an opt out in his contract in 2 years.

Kirbstomper

I think letting Donaldson walk may be the right decision, but only if we do use the money we would have spent on him to fortify the roster.

Woukd be tough for Josh to live up to his contract in years 3-5, but in years 1-2 he would likely be worth it. Letting him go was a long term move, but hurts in the short term. We can’t rely on in house 3B options to fill his void and need to upgrade 2 of corner outfield, 3B, or starting pitching.

Canedawg2140

I guess my biggest issue is the position he plays - no seemingly in-house options (major or minor leagues) for third base. Riley seems to be trending (like Duvall) toward being a AAAA minor league all-star. The history of the sport is full of them - guys who tear up AAA ball but can't make the jump. No one else in the pipeline exists.

The problem with signing someone like Ozuna is that you block the two guys in the minors who are closest to helping you out this year (Waters and Pache). And Pache is a CF - labeled as the best defensive CF in the organization (sorry, Ender - just repeating what even the Braves are saying). Camargo at third will result in a guy hitting .262 with 16 HR, but most concerning will be the 23 errors he makes on simple plays. Now, he will make 8 plays this year that are spectacular, but the net-finish will be an average at best 3B.

Without a move for another 3B, the Braves will be worse than they were last year - period. And that is not a direction I was hoping they were headed. One of the most exciting things that (I thought) came out of Ozzie and Acuna's contracts was the flexibility to go get (or keep) a guy - a risk - like Donaldson so you had a chance to win the whole thing. As constructed, the 2020 Braves are not that team.

Trading for Bryant or Arenado (and giving up 3-4 studs that will make 600K a year over the next 4-5 years ) is a BIGGER risk - MUCH BIGGER RISK - when considering future success than having Donaldson on your payroll for "a year too long" 4 years from now. Everyone seems to agree that AA knows what he is doing, but I am not convinced that us Braves fans haven't been sold a lie from ownership over the past few years.

"Hey! Come out and see this team, spend money at the Battery, help pay for this park, and that investment will translate to payroll on the roster..."

I am calling BS...

Kirbstomper

https://forum.dawgnation.com/discussion/comment/402740#Comment_402740

Neither Bryant or arenado would cost us all that much due to their contracts. We’d have to give up pieces but not 3-4 studs. In fact either one of pache or waters would probably be too much to pay. But agree that the risk of losing impact talent in a trade outweighs the risk of paying a guy for 2 yers too long.

I agree that Riley and Camargo aren’t that inspiring of options, but Riley at least has a shot to be productive and an above average player, too early to say he isn’t.

dirtypants

The worst move this franchise ever made was selling to a hedge fund. It has hamstrung this organization from making big moves. The kind of big moves big teams make to be relevant and compete. We are grossly underpaying freddie freeman, even at $10mil a year we are underpaying RAc, and our arms in the farm league aren't ready and won't be for a post season run. We got a washed up starter on a prove it deal to bolster the lineup, but aside from that we aren't making the moves needed to be competitive, and we won't, because the club now has a primary mission of creating shareholder value, not winning pennants.