Atlanta Braves to be Aggressive But Frugal
By Fred Owens
Oct 4, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) stands at home plate during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles won 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Other Limits
I would suspect that giving away a draft pick, even a second round pick, would be at the bottom of the of desirable outcomes. The team suffered to have the third pick, traded for a comp pick at around number 35 and will have a pick somewhere around 42 as well. When you’re restocking the minor league and are in a position to grab the best picks you don’t relinquish them.
That would make players like Howie Kendrick for example out of range. The Orioles are dithering on whether to give Matt Wieters a qualifying offer but I’d bet they will. Worst case for the Orioles is that he takes it and they trade him. That makes it more likely the Braves would be a realistic place for the Georgia native to land but he would be gone in a year along with whomever the Braves traded away; he is a Scot Boras client after all.
If he does go on the market the signing team will dump a pick and give him a contract around five years $85M or six years $105M. That’s risky for a large bodied catcher who will eventually have to play first base or DH.
So no long term, high dollar contracts and only give up a draft pick under the absolute right circumstances? Can we do that and still be aggressive? Sure! Okay, I’m not sure but probably yes.