Quote from MrPadre19 on November 26, 2018, 4:16 pm

But their best offensive prospect is also a 3B and is ready now...or at least by next season.

So if they keep them all they still have two young 3B in 2020.

If they are trying to win ‘now’....why sign Donaldson when they already have Camargo AND Riley unless they plan on moving one of them for more immediate help?

I follow the Braves pretty closely and signing Donaldson for $23 mil has me stumped.

 

Quote from sportwarrior on November 26, 2018, 4:16 pm

Analysis: Padres earnestly, not wantonly seek top starting pitcher

Some morsels to chew on there. Of note:

- In the team’s brief pursuit of James Paxton, who ended up being traded by the Mariners to the Yankees, there was an indication the Padres have a limit as to how much they will give up in order to add.

- A league source, speaking on the condition of anonymity about the talks between the teams, expressed surprise the Mariners went with the Yankees over what the Padres had to offer. But two sources explained that among the multiple scenarios discussed between the Padres and Seattle, the Padres were unwilling to include any of their top half-dozen or so prospects. The Mariners were not after Fernando Tatis Jr., but the Padres were also opposed to letting go of Chris Paddack, Adrian Morejon or Michel Baez.

I'm not sure I was aware that we were after Paxton in any competitive way. It's interesting to hear that we were, but also a relief to hear that Preller is seriously tempering his pursuit of talent via trade. It makes very little sense to pluck too much talent from the farm at this point.

Quote from sportwarrior on November 26, 2018, 4:20 pm

Quote from David Nevin on November 26, 2018, 4:16 pm

But their best offensive prospect is also a 3B and is ready now...or at least by next season.

So if they keep them all they still have two young 3B in 2020.

If they are trying to win ‘now’....why sign Donaldson when they already have Camargo AND Riley unless they plan on moving one of them for more immediate help?

I follow the Braves pretty closely and signing Donaldson for $23 mil has me stumped.

 

From what I understand Camargo could easily play SS, and if I were the Braves I'd seriously be considering that option given what Dansby Swanson has (and hasn't) done the last 3 years.

That said, you could very well be right that they view Camargo as a superfluous trade chip given Riley's maturation. I still think they'd want to be blown away, though. That bat is too subjectively valuable off the Braves' bench as a super utility fill in for a potentially slumping Swanson or an injured/under performing Donadlson.

Quote from fenn68 on November 26, 2018, 5:12 pm

If the Braves were willing to go to $23MM on Donaldson they must see some impact immediately (more than they would expect from Camargo / Riley) ... and that has to mean they are all in for 2019. Since they do have an OF hole and seem to want to add pitching ... hard to justify keeping a quality player on the bench (or as a sub) if that player can get a return that fills a key hole.

Now there are reports that the Braves want Camargo as a Marwin Gonzalez / Ben Zobrist player since he can play all over the INF (and maybe some OF). That is all well and good but does not make a ton of sense to have a super utility guy while leaving open a hole in the OF / RP / SP mix (unless Camargo goes to the OF).

Maybe Atlanta has a ton more money to deploy but hard to see enough to add a quality RF and a quality RP and potentially a quality SP to support a pennant run. Maybe they keep Camargo and deal Riley?

As I recall Camargo was not a good defensive SS (but OK) but a good 3B ... so IF they slid him to SS does that make Swanson available? Given his offensive struggles in Atlanta ... probably a lesser return than Camargo but plus defensively and a plus WAR in 2018. Padres interested (Tatis to 3B)? Swanson still has 4 years of control and pre-arb.  ... still some development time with his bat (maybe a .250 hitter / .310 OBP with no power) but he was the 5th best defensive SS in 2018 and graded out in WAR better than Galvis.

 

Quote from sportwarrior on November 26, 2018, 5:36 pm

Quote from fenn68 on November 26, 2018, 5:12 pm

If the Braves were willing to go to $23MM on Donaldson they must see some impact immediately (more than they would expect from Camargo / Riley) ... and that has to mean they are all in for 2019. Since they do have an OF hole and seem to want to add pitching ... hard to justify keeping a quality player on the bench (or as a sub) if that player can get a return that fills a key hole.

Now there are reports that the Braves want Camargo as a Marwin Gonzalez / Ben Zobrist player since he can play all over the INF (and maybe some OF). That is all well and good but does not make a ton of sense to have a super utility guy while leaving open a hole in the OF / RP / SP mix (unless Camargo goes to the OF).

Maybe Atlanta has a ton more money to deploy but hard to see enough to add a quality RF and a quality RP and potentially a quality SP to support a pennant run. Maybe they keep Camargo and deal Riley?

As I recall Camargo was not a good defensive SS (but OK) but a good 3B ... so IF they slid him to SS does that make Swanson available? Given his offensive struggles in Atlanta ... probably a lesser return than Camargo but plus defensively and a plus WAR in 2018. Padres interested (Tatis to 3B)? Swanson still has 4 years of control and pre-arb.  ... still some development time with his bat (maybe a .250 hitter / .310 OBP with no power) but he was the 5th best defensive SS in 2018 and graded out in WAR better than Galvis.

 

I guess some of that depends on whether the Donaldson signing forces them to withdraw their standing offer to Brantley. My impression is that they're still in on him.

Quote from MrPadre19 on November 27, 2018, 3:18 am

Braves need corner OF and RP.....seems like a match.

Maybe a Renfroe for Camargo swap?

 

Quote from fenn68 on November 27, 2018, 7:21 am

Consensus is beginning to grow that the Braves will NOT deal any of Camargo (go super utility), Riley (the future when Donaldson departs), or Swanson, in part, because it is thought they may have another $20-30MM available to spend for the needed RF and RP.

If that is the case, probably not a good match with the Padres ... Padres could offer up Renfroe / Myers for RF or Yates for the pen BUT the return would have to come from the Braves farm system ... which is deep in SP (not the biggest need of SD) and little else (given Riley is out of the mix) plus with money yet to deploy why deplete the farm system of the better prospects.

Guessing this is a dry well for a trade.

Quote from MrPadre19 on November 27, 2018, 7:47 am

Seems counterproductive to me to have a 3.5 WAR player as a super utility bench player.

But what do I know?

I guess they don't want to rely on Ryan Flaherty?

Lol

 

Quote from fenn68 on November 27, 2018, 10:20 am

Quote from David Nevin on November 27, 2018, 7:47 am

Seems counterproductive to me to have a 3.5 WAR player as a super utility bench player.

But what do I know?

I guess they don't want to rely on Ryan Flaherty?

Lol

 

I guess they plan to start him in quite a few games letting him get over 400 AB once you add in the games to cover for injuries ...3B/SS/2B (at least once a week for each position plus injury fill) and occasionally at 1B to give Freeman a break. Then if the corner OF experiment works during ST add in games there. Being a switch-hitter who can actually hit and field ... should not be an issue getting him starts with the "benefit" of giving the other starters a day off systematically to keep them sharper for a full season and maybe hedging on hitter / pitcher match-up.

Does make sense (worked for Houston) if they have the money to sign a RF (Brantley?) and a top RP (Kimbrel?) ... or at least players close to that level. Could be a formidable team in 2019.

Will be interesting to see how Phil, NYM, Wash counter since they all have "needs". Apparently Phil had "tons" of money to deploy ... maybe as much as $100MM given how they have cleaned house in the past few years need offense (see Machado / Harper) and LHP. Washington never seems short on money but do have a lot tied up in Scherzer / Strasburg in 2019 maybe be looking for more pitching. NYM need offenses but never quite sure how much money they have (and are willing) to spend ... more likely a trade player.

IF Atlanta signs (or trades for) a legit RF and RP the pressure really is on those other clubs ... FA market knows that and may wait it out and so does the trade market. If the FA now get the sense that they can boost their price tag by waiting out Machado, Harper, Corbin ... might serve some buying teams to go the trade route for some certainty sooner than later (assuming they have the assets to trade).