NAHSTE
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Opening Day can't get here soon enough. That was a particularly bitter end for fanbase that has grown accustomed to bitter endings.
Here's what Frank Wren has ahead of him this winter ...
Players Under Contract
*-arbitration
Players
CF Michael Bourn $4.5 M*
3B Brooks Conrad $ 427 K
OF Jose Constanza $ 427 K
OF Matt Diaz $ 2 M
1B Freddie Freeman $414 K
RF Jason Heyward $500 K
3B Chipper Jones $13 M
C Brian McCann $8.5 M
LF Martin Prado $ 3.1 M*
C David Ross $1.6 M
2B Dan Uggla $13 M
Starters
RHP Brandon Beachy $416 K
RHP Tommy Hanson $456 K
RHP Tim Hudson $9 M
RHP Jair Jurrjens $3.20 M*
RHP Derek Lowe $ 15 M
LHP Mike Minor $429 K
Relievers
RHP Craig Kimbrel $419 K
RHP Cristhian Martinez $419 K
RHP Kris Medlen $429 K
RHP Peter Moylan $ 2 M*
LHP Eric O'Flaherty $ 900 K*
LHP Jonny Venters $ 429 K
Total committed salaries pre-arbitration: $80.5 M
Departing Free Agents
Alex Gonzalez, SS
Scott Linebrink, RHP
George Sherill, LHP
If Gonzalez were willing to come back for a cheap one year deal, I could see the club bringing him back for another season while they wait/hope for Pastornicky to grow into the job. The other two guys are gone.
Eligible for Arbitration
Michael Bourn, CF
Jair Jurrjens, RHP
Peter Moylan, RHP
Eric O'Flaherty, LHP
Martin Prado, LF
The only non-tender possibility out of this group is Moylan. EOF is probably due for a nice raise. Bourn is coming off of a career year but arbitration historically undervalues players with his skill set so his raise won't break us either.
Club Options
$1.5 M Eric Hinske, 1B/OF
$10.5 M Nate McLouth, OF
Nate McLouth will not be back in any capacity. The team plans to exercise the $1.25 million buyout. Hinske is a tough call, I'd love to have him back but he can't field many positions and he hits LH, making him redundant when backing up Freeman or Heyward. Ultimately I hope he's back but it would depend on the skill set of the other bench guys.
The Derek Lowe Situation
With a handful of young starters in the system who are ready to outperform Lowe while earning the league minimum, Frank Wren has already announced that Lowe will not be in the starting rotation. The team will shop him this winter but obviously the $15 million price tag will make that difficult. The club says is willing to pick up as much as two-thirds of Lowe's salary and hopes to find a taker at $5 million.
The $5 million in savings that partially shedding the Lowe contract would bring is probably just enough to defer arbitration raises. The Braves would then be looking at $5-10 million to spend on free agents or additional contracts they can bring on via trade.
Areas of Need
- Everyday shortstop
- RH power
- Utility infielder
Potential Free Agent Targets
Clint Barmes
Mark DeRosa
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
John McDonald
Alex Gonzalez
Jack Wilson
Here's what Frank Wren has ahead of him this winter ...
Players Under Contract
*-arbitration
Players
CF Michael Bourn $4.5 M*
3B Brooks Conrad $ 427 K
OF Jose Constanza $ 427 K
OF Matt Diaz $ 2 M
1B Freddie Freeman $414 K
RF Jason Heyward $500 K
3B Chipper Jones $13 M
C Brian McCann $8.5 M
LF Martin Prado $ 3.1 M*
C David Ross $1.6 M
2B Dan Uggla $13 M
Starters
RHP Brandon Beachy $416 K
RHP Tommy Hanson $456 K
RHP Tim Hudson $9 M
RHP Jair Jurrjens $3.20 M*
RHP Derek Lowe $ 15 M
LHP Mike Minor $429 K
Relievers
RHP Craig Kimbrel $419 K
RHP Cristhian Martinez $419 K
RHP Kris Medlen $429 K
RHP Peter Moylan $ 2 M*
LHP Eric O'Flaherty $ 900 K*
LHP Jonny Venters $ 429 K
Total committed salaries pre-arbitration: $80.5 M
Departing Free Agents
Alex Gonzalez, SS
Scott Linebrink, RHP
George Sherill, LHP
If Gonzalez were willing to come back for a cheap one year deal, I could see the club bringing him back for another season while they wait/hope for Pastornicky to grow into the job. The other two guys are gone.
Eligible for Arbitration
Michael Bourn, CF
Jair Jurrjens, RHP
Peter Moylan, RHP
Eric O'Flaherty, LHP
Martin Prado, LF
The only non-tender possibility out of this group is Moylan. EOF is probably due for a nice raise. Bourn is coming off of a career year but arbitration historically undervalues players with his skill set so his raise won't break us either.
Club Options
$1.5 M Eric Hinske, 1B/OF
$10.5 M Nate McLouth, OF
Nate McLouth will not be back in any capacity. The team plans to exercise the $1.25 million buyout. Hinske is a tough call, I'd love to have him back but he can't field many positions and he hits LH, making him redundant when backing up Freeman or Heyward. Ultimately I hope he's back but it would depend on the skill set of the other bench guys.
The Derek Lowe Situation
With a handful of young starters in the system who are ready to outperform Lowe while earning the league minimum, Frank Wren has already announced that Lowe will not be in the starting rotation. The team will shop him this winter but obviously the $15 million price tag will make that difficult. The club says is willing to pick up as much as two-thirds of Lowe's salary and hopes to find a taker at $5 million.
The $5 million in savings that partially shedding the Lowe contract would bring is probably just enough to defer arbitration raises. The Braves would then be looking at $5-10 million to spend on free agents or additional contracts they can bring on via trade.
Areas of Need
- Everyday shortstop
- RH power
- Utility infielder
Potential Free Agent Targets
Clint Barmes
Mark DeRosa
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
John McDonald
Alex Gonzalez
Jack Wilson
