NL EAST 2021

[GCdaJuiceMan]

Fun August and September ahead of us friends.

 

[CINCYMETJACKET]

Zimmerman has said the moves will have an impact (factor in) to any decision he will make. So... yes. I have to believe Zimmerman is on a farewell tour of sorts. So glad he reached the pinnacle in 2019. Not many pro athletes can say they were there for the FULL ride... bottom to top with same org. He's a DC icon.

Right up there with Alex Ovechkin who just re-signed with Caps & should retire after an entire career in DC.

As a fan... 2 guys who have been fun to watch play & pull for.

A good article about Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright, who grew up playing both with and against each other in Virginia.

Metsmerized Online

Everything New York Mets

metsmerizedonline.com

For those who may not know the history, Wright was a GT sign who would have taken over 3B when Mark Teixeira was drafted #5 overall in 2001. Drafted supplemental 1st round and signed with the Mets instead. Zimmerman played for UVA, and helped build that program into what it is today. Tech was a top 5, top 10 team at the time, while Virginia was a "how did we lose to them" type of team, if I recall correctly.

Wright finished his career with the Mets. Was on an MLB HOF trajectory until injuries took over, but is still the best 3B in Mets history. Zimmerman has been an icon for the Nats. Should end his career with the Nats.

And as I'm typing this, watching the Braves - Reds game on mlb.com. Tyler Stephenson just hit a HR for the Reds to make it 12-2, and if I heard the Braves announcer correctly, he wondered if Stephenson was related to Ryan Zimmerman. Not sure what that reference is about, unless Zimmerman hits HR's against the Braves. I could have made that up, as I have been drinking, so I'll have to listen to that again.

The reason that stood out to me though, is that Tyler Stephenson was also a GT recruit as a catcher, drafted in the first round by the Reds. Didn't hurt Tech as much as it could have, as Joey Bart was also in that class.

 

[FredJacket]

This is how this season has gone... Nats honor Zimmerman for most games played in franchise history....

....on a rain delayed evening. Ceremony around 10pm.

 

[Buzzbomb]

Guys, I didn’t see this coming at all. Even with the “easier” Braves schedule, for them to get to 7 games over, and every move before the trade deadline to work out for this team? Atlanta is getting Anderson, Ynoa, Rosario off the IL soon.
Maybe these dudes will cool off, but they weren’t showing this confidence prior.
Not that 1 1/2 over Pillies and 3 1/2 on Mets, is that much of a lead.

Even the Padres might have a tough time holding on to the 2nd W.C. spot. Something upwards of 90% of their games are against winning clubs.

Any thoughts, or are we just blasé over this season?

 

[CINCYMETJACKET]

Guys, I didn’t see this coming at all. Even with the “easier” Braves schedule, for them to get to 7 games over, and every move before the trade deadline to work out for this team? Atlanta is getting Anderson, Ynoa, Rosario off the IL soon.
Maybe these dudes will cool off, but they weren’t showing this confidence prior.
Not that 1 1/2 over Pillies and 3 1/2 on Mets, is that much of a lead.

Even the Padres might have a tough time holding on to the 2nd W.C. spot. Something upwards of 90% of their games are against winning clubs.

Any thoughts, or are we just blasé over this season?

Yeah, and the Mess... I thought them blowing a 7 game lead to the Phillies with 17 to play to lose the division years ago was bad, but they went from 4 up to 8.5 back in what, like 20 games. Damn...

At least I made it to my first game at Citi field a few weeks ago. Was up in NY for my cousin's son's wedding celebration (was supposed to be last year, but things happened. They did get married last year, but with much smaller fanfare.) The Mets lost 3-2 to the Giants, but it was much more competitive than the 8-0 beating they had taken the night before!

 

[Buzzbomb]

CincyMet, good brother;
Guess it works both ways. Before your time, as I recall a black cat ran across the Cubbies dugout on Sept. 9, 1969. They in turn went something like 8-17 the rest of the way and the Amazin’ Mets took the division, beat my two favorite teams named Atlanta and Baltimore(previously lived in Miami, where the AAA Marlins played as the Oriole affiliate). We got 20 Brave games per year on television after the 1966 season down in Coral Gables, and we moved to the ATL in ‘69. Those Miracle Mets were destinies darlings. Baseball giveth and taketh away.

I was happy for the Mets, because my grandfather finally gave up the Yankees and switched to Flushing. When they rebuilt Triplets Park for the AA Binghamton Mets, my gramps came out of retirement to rebuild it. He was on the crew that built it decades earlier, and helped implosion. Our name is all over the sidewalks back in town, as his cousin Bobby Pasquale also drove every piece of machinery such as a mixer, dump truck, et al.

 

[FredJacket]

I had to look this up to verify. There is one NL player with more BBs than Ks. It's Juan Soto & it is 130 BBs to 84 Ks. He has 38 more walks than the next guy. Crazy.

Soto will really help the Dodgers or Yankees after the Nationals refuse to pay him.

Top 3 in batting race. Soto, T.Turner, Harper. Nationals just don't manage to hold onto the elite players.

 

[CINCYMETJACKET]

I had to look this up to verify. There is one NL player with more BBs than Ks. It's Juan Soto & it is 130 BBs to 84 Ks. He has 38 more walks than the next guy. Crazy.

Soto will really help the Dodgers or Yankees after the Nationals refuse to pay him.

Top 3 in batting race. Soto, T.Turner, Harper. Nationals just don't manage to hold onto the elite players.

Why do you leave my Mets out of that lottery with a new multi-billion dollar owner? We need outfielders. By the time Soto is a FA, hope to have Van Wagenen's poor Cano trade off the books, among others. Sign me up!

 

[Buzzbomb]

Much too early ‘22 Power Rankings:
7. Atlanta(need to sign Freeman, find away to dump Ozuna, basic core is present-what to do with the remainder of roster in decision making?). Rosario will want 5 year contract. Soler, multi-year. Acuna, Soroka needed by May.
18. NY Mets(new front office, including a manager). Need to resign deGrom. OF’ers.
27. Washington. I’m still reeling that only 2 years ago this was a WC team. Need to beef up the farm.
Must have a new CBA signed or we will have a partial season. Don’t expect us to go w/out baseball all year. DH in NL, should happen after that. Thoughts? FredJ,CincyMet??

Way-too-early 2022 MLB Power Rankings

The 2021 champions have just been crowned -- but we're already thinking ahead to next year.

www.espn.com

 

[FredJacket]

Nationals "say" there is no rebuild going on. If some small miracle occurs & all this happens:
1) Strasburg gets healthy.... he's been healthy one full season (2019) & Nats won it all.
2) Corbin figures out how to be a reliable #2/3 starter. He had a terrible 2021.
3) Nearly all the pieces acquired in trade for Scherzer & Turner work out immediately.

....then there's a chance to be relevant. I feel for Juan Soto.

 

[gtphd]

Much too early ‘22 Power Rankings:
7. Atlanta(need to sign Freeman, find away to dump Ozuna, basic core is present-what to do with the remainder of roster in decision making?). Rosario will want 5 year contract. Soler, multi-year. Acuna, Soroka needed by May.
18. NY Mets(new front office, including a manager). Need to resign deGrom. OF’ers.
27. Washington. I’m still reeling that only 2 years ago this was a WC team. Need to beef up the farm.
Must have a new CBA signed or we will have a partial season. Don’t expect us to go w/out baseball all year. DH in NL, should happen after that. Thoughts? FredJ,CincyMet??

Way-too-early 2022 MLB Power Rankings

The 2021 champions have just been crowned -- but we're already thinking ahead to next year.

www.espn.com

Ozuna comes back. MLBPA will defend his contract and make the Braves pay. There's precedent with Odubel Herrera and Ozuna's diversion program means he'll have no criminal record. His trade stock will be low and the Braves won't be able to justify a salary dump.

Braves are at $124M committed right now (including expect arb settlements) and ended last season at $158M. So I assume about $34M to spend.

They resign Freddie at whatever cost because there's no plan B for him. He wants to come back, they want him back, but the Braves probably don't want to negotiate until the CBA is signed, though (if there's a salary cap or a salary floor or something else that comes out of it, you want to know that before spending a lot of cash). Freddie probably lands a 5-6 year contact with $27M next season. So only $7M to spend after that.

The shopping list from greatest need to least need is 2 OFers (assuming Ozuna as DH), 1 middle/back end rotation veteran (replace Smyly), and a RH bullpen arm (replace Martin).

With just $7M to spend, that's probably just resigning Duvall (Soler, Rosario, and Pederson will be too expensive), maybe a middle inning bullpen arm, and hoping prospects fill the other holes. Other than that, they'll probably make their typical low downside/high upside moves by signing veterans to minor league contracts. CBA could throw this whole thing for a loop, though.

 

[Buzzbomb]

Ozuna comes back. MLBPA will defend his contract and make the Braves pay. There's precedent with Odubel Herrera and Ozuna's diversion program means he'll have no criminal record. His trade stock will be low and the Braves won't be able to justify a salary dump.

Braves are at $124M committed right now (including expect arb settlements) and ended last season at $158M. So I assume about $34M to spend.

They resign Freddie at whatever cost because there's no plan B for him. He wants to come back, they want him back, but the Braves probably don't want to negotiate until the CBA is signed, though (if there's a salary cap or a salary floor or something else that comes out of it, you want to know that before spending a lot of cash). Freddie probably lands a 5-6 year contact with $27M next season. So only $7M to spend after that.

The shopping list from greatest need to least need is 2 OFers (assuming Ozuna as DH), 1 middle/back end rotation veteran (replace Smyly), and a RH bullpen arm (replace Martin).

With just $7M to spend, that's probably just resigning Duvall (Soler, Rosario, and Pederson will be too expensive), maybe a middle inning bullpen arm, and hoping prospects fill the other holes. Other than that, they'll probably make their typical low downside/high upside moves by signing veterans to minor league contracts. CBA could throw this whole thing for a loop, though.

Two comments in response, because I agree that Alex will offer 1 year deals and hope the market might be in flux with the CBA pending or the players awaiting the conclusion of a signed agreement, have overestimated their value in multi-year deals. Big market teams can only have so many OF’ers.

1)The Fulton County D.A. wants to make an example of this athlete. I’ve heard you say in the past that the diversion wipes out the two misdemeanors. My understanding through an attorney friend I have(he worked in the Braves clubhouse during law school at John Marshall and ran for Clerk of Court in Dekalb County), tells me that it keeps him from doing more time in jail. They really wanted a felony count and a ten year sentence. If you threaten to kill it’s 18 months, 5k fine, misdemeanor. Then attempting murder, domestic or not, is more severe.

2)Players want to come here, whether it’s the team chemistry, the city, or both.
Credibility helps fill those needs, coming off of a Championship. That’s what surprised me about Washington after 2019, going down too fast. Tech football in 1990 didn’t build enough off the UPI Title.
Hearing through the grapevine that Atlanta wants to lock up Swanson and Fried.

 

[Buzzbomb]

Here are some other opinions concerning suspension:

Braves: MLB takes action amid their investigation of Marcell Ozuna

As expected, with Marcell Ozuna's court date concluding yesterday, Major League Baseball has launched their own investigation into the Braves outfielder.

www.sportstalkatl.com

…and a Google quote…
Ozuna will be forced to complete a 24-week family violence intervention program, along with 200 hours of community service and anger management classes. ... If it is, this could get even messier, but regardless, I expect the league to hand Ozuna a pretty hefty suspension — between 60-81 games.Sep 10, 2021

 

[gtphd]

Here are some other opinions concerning suspension:

Braves: MLB takes action amid their investigation of Marcell Ozuna

As expected, with Marcell Ozuna's court date concluding yesterday, Major League Baseball has launched their own investigation into the Braves outfielder.

www.sportstalkatl.com

…and a Google quote…
Ozuna will be forced to complete a 24-week family violence intervention program, along with 200 hours of community service and anger management classes. ... If it is, this could get even messier, but regardless, I expect the league to hand Ozuna a pretty hefty suspension — between 60-81 games.Sep 10, 2021

I'm not an expert, so I'm just repeating what I've been told.

If Ozuna is out, then things get interesting with $23M to spend. That's probably what the Braves would want.

Also, Duvall just declined a $7M option, so he's gone.

 

[Buzzbomb]

MLBTR:
Braves outfielder Adam Duvall has declined his half of his $7MM mutual option, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid and the Miami Herald (via Twitter). He’ll receive a $3MM buyout. However, because Duvall has fewer than six years of Major League service time, he’ll remain with the Braves as an arbitration-eligible player — should they wish to tender him a contract. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $9.1MM salary for the veteran slugger.

I‘m not an expert either(MBA in Business)but I do realize baseball & Manfred are coming down hard on these bad behaving players even if it hacks of the MLBPA during negotiations. My opinion only, however it seems once he gets some type of suspension, we could even throw Newk. into the deal thrown out for perusal in the Braves thread-and doubtful there would be too many teams that will want that deal early in the new season. I think after 4 straight playoff appearances, Atlanta is beyond those Justin Upton for Hector Oliveras deals? Dumping salary or problems for the same in return. A.A. has no history in giving up a hitter like Ozuna and a top young guy, just to dump a salary that he wouldn’t be obligated to pay during a suspension that turns into a future headache. 31 other teams and one of them might be impulsive.

 

[kg01]

How is Duvall only projected to make $9millo?

And I think folks will have to get comfortable with the idea of Ozuna being back. I hope he's not and we get to keep Rosario and the Cuban Missile Crisis aka The Cuban Baseball Destroyer.

 

[Buzzbomb]

How is Duvall only projected to make $9millo?

And I think folks will have to get comfortable with the idea of Ozuna being back. I hope he's not and we get to keep Rosario and the Cuban Missile Crisis aka The Cuban Baseball Destroyer.

Without looking it up, I’d think Duvall has a lifetime average of .220-.230?
He did have a year with the Reds where he hit around 30 HR’s. This was a career year though in total production. Maybe someone wants to trade for him, and sign him to something long-term. He will be Braves property, whether they settle or go to arbitration. I think we offer him that, instead of lose him because you’re right in that it’s a bargain for today’s standard.

Only a guess, but I think Atlanta offers Eddie a 1 year, 10 m. offer? He might want 5 years. Remember that Atlanta can cut some of that payroll and Liberty Media can increase the payroll.

 

[FredJacket]

Nationals cut Starlin Castro as soon as he completed his suspension for DV. I don't know if they had to pay him or not; but GM Rizzo expressed a strong no tolerance position for that type of stuff.

Maybe Freddie will do what Ryan Zimmerman did & take a well below market deal in order to stay & hook up the organization fiscally.

Also... Nationals aren't competitive right now. So, there is that.

 

[Buzzbomb]

Nationals cut Starlin Castro as soon as he completed his suspension for DV. I don't know if they had to pay him or not; but GM Rizzo expressed a strong no tolerance position for that type of stuff.

Maybe Freddie will do what Ryan Zimmerman did & take a well below market deal in order to stay & hook up the organization fiscally.

Also... Nationals aren't competitive right now. So, there is that.

Nice post and input. Thank you!

It‘s my understanding under the current CBA, the player doesn’t get paid during a suspension. Nationals were released from the contract per Castro violating the MLB(Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse)Policy. Commissioner Rob Manfred said that voided it. The owners have had legal precedent in the last few years, per said addendum on all contracts. New or revised.
Ozuna was paid through his time on the IL/DL, then through the postseason while on an administrative leave extension. Starlin was paid while on the restricted list, however not during the 30 day suspension.

 

[kg01]

Apparently Canadans (hey, it's not Canadia) are upset the Blue Jays won more games than the Braves yet didn't even make the playoffs

All I got to say about that is ... haha! Suck it, hosers.