Now what Shuerholtz?

[Rajah]

Thought a thread that (mostly) doesn't involve the Yanks/Red Sox or Brewers might be nice...

Now that Sheff appears to be a Yank, where do the Braves go? The Braves had already decided to dump Javy Lopez, Greg Maddux and Vinny Castilla and their big salaries. They were reportedly trying to retain Sheffield. Lopez made (I think) $7 million last year, Maddux was around $15 million, Castilla was at $5, and Sheff was around $12 million. Thats $39 million. Toss in Fick's million and you've got $40 million to work with. I'm assuming bench and bullpen spending will wash.

To replace those guys, the Braves have Johnny Estrada at Catcher, Adam LaRoche at 1st, Andy Pratt (I would assume) at Pitcher and Mark DeRosa or Wilson Betemit (whoever sucks less in spring training) at 3rd. Some random guy in right. Less than 2 million for the entire group.

The Braves intend to cut payroll, so take $10 million of that 40 and assign that to raises and budget cuts. You've still got $30 to spend. Colon and Guerrero anyone? $12 to $15 million per year each would fit right into that area.

Is Atlanta a good destination for Guerrero? I'd imagine that it would be. He's concerned about the media spotlight of New York. However, I see Baltimore showing up as a big spotlight too. He'd likely be hailed a savior there and then blamed if the Orioles don't improve a lot (I live in Chicago, I have faith in fans/sports radio guys/reporters ability to blame the best player on the team for its failure). In Atlanta, he would just be a piece in the machine. There's plenty of star power in Atlanta still with the Joneses and Giles and Furcal, not to mention Smoltz and Hampton and Ortiz.

Where else would Guerrero go? I don't see san diego as a destination after they got Brian Giles. I doubt anyone else can afford him (outside the Mets and O's. The Yanks have sheff so I don't see that). Sammy isn't leaving Chicago, so the remote chance of the Cubs going after him is pretty much just that, remote.

Elsewhere, someone mentioned the Sox sending Magglio to Atlanta. What would that cost the Braves? I'm guessing Marcus Giles to start. Not to diss magglio, who I like a lot, but that seems too pricey. I also really don't want to see the Sox dump Maggs. No reason to go see a Sox game this year then.

Anyway, those are my thoughts and questions. Where does atlanta go from here?

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Rajah

Thought a thread that (mostly) doesn't involve the Yanks/Red Sox or Brewers might be nice...

Where does atlanta go from here?

Yup on the first ... Down on the second. I don't think they'll do anything so splashy as Vlad, and do think that finally the predictions of doom for Atlanta will actually be correct.

[KCBOOMER]

Schuerholz does have some holes to fill. Kudos to him, or whoever, that is wisely not taking on the salaries of Lopez, Maddux, and Castilla. Sheff at $12M per for three years might not have been so bad.

Ordonez salary for 2004 will be $14M and then he will be a free agent. Anybody wanting him shouldn't have to give up much considering the salary relief they are providing the White Sox and his upcoming free agency. Ordonez is a great hitter and would help any line-up and he will only be 30 in 2004.

Picking up Guerrero would really fill the void in their line-up, but I don't think Atlanta wants to be on the hook for as long a contract as it will probably take to sign Vlad.

What Atlanta really needs is another good starter or two. They may have to seriously look at Smoltz returning to the rotation and then finding someone to complement him. If it wasn't for Colon's burgeoning waistline and salary demands he might have been a good choice. Does Atlanta have enough to pry Vasquez away from Montreal??

[sweaver]

The Braves can definitely be players for Vlad if they want, and they should want to badly. I expect Millwood might be the other guy they go after. If they don't get Vlad they will go free agent bargain shopping as they did for Fick.

[Wolf Hopper]

Betcha: Braves do little to address RF, 1B, C, 3B and the rotation this winter - - and, then, just before ST, when there are unsigned vets still out there, feeling the pressure/panic of the signing semi-freeze, they go out and fill some holes, with short term and "cheap" contracts.

Don't be shocked to see Fred McGriff or Rafael Palmeiro at 1B for them. Fernando Tatis or Tony Batista at 3B. Jeromy Burnitz, Rondell White, Jose Cruz, or Raul Mondesi in the OF. Or, Kenny Rogers or Shawn Estes in the rotation.

[clemente21]

The White Sox are reportedly looking for somebody like Erstad for Ordonez. Is Wilson Betemit still a SS, or did he move to 3B?

Staying with the White Sox, Paul Konerko would be an interesting choice at 1B - by comparison to Los Dos Francos he might actually even be faster. But the White Sox would have to take a LOT of salary. Are MLB clubs allowed to do conditional deals like NFL teams do, so that the White Sox could take on X% of the salary as a base, but less if Konerko made certain basic milestones like .325 OBP, 25 HR, 90 RBI?

[Rajah]

Betemit is a bust. He moved to 3rd, and he simply cant figure out how to hit AAA pitching.

Also, I believe the Braves fully intend to have rookies at 1st and C next season. They refused to trade C Johnny Estrada to the Orioles last season, and Adam LaRoche looks like a Doug Minty at first with a bit better power and a bit less OBP. At the rookie minimum, both are cheaper than some retread. Also, I believe that Los Dos are gone.