Winter Meetings Live Thread: All Transactions, Atlanta Braves Perspective

Dec 7, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; MLB Hall of Fame member Phil Niekro talks with the media following the MLB Hall of Fame Pre-Integration announcements at Gaylord Opryland Resort . Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

2015 Baseball Winter Meetings – Monday Afternoon Scuttlebutt

1PM EST

• Rosenthal reports that Tigers outbid Athletics for Mark Lowe.  Believes his deal to be around $6.5 million each year for 2 years (he corrected the original tweet).
• The rumors about Cubs/Rays discussing Javier Baez continues to have legs.  Rosenthal now reporting it.
• Now this is funny:  Steve Gilbert re-tweeted the Diamondbacks’ “Stand Up to Cancer” fund-raising quest.  In that announcement, potential donors are asked “Anyone interested in climbing Camelback Mountain with AJ Pollock?”  Buster Olney responds:  “The Braves are“.

PAYROLL NOTE FOR THE BRAVES

In response to a question about ‘why there’s only $15 million to spend?’, Dave O’Brien says this:

My spreadsheet shows a projection of $83.275 million. If the budget was indeed ‘up to $120 million’ as previously reported, then this $15 million figure is way off.  It is possible that the Braves have chosen to re-allocate some of their major league payroll budget to bolster International Spending in 2016 – which could be off-the-chart high.

I’ll be curious to see that answer… won’t be expecting it soon, but we’ll watch for it.

HAVE ANSWER – It IS as conjectured above… Braves are apparently allocating about $20 million to the draft and International market budgets – taking that directly out of the major league team.

1:30PM EST

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• Rosenthal suggests Cubs “surely” talking to multiple clubs about Javy Baez – not just the Rays.  Suggests they are looking for a young, controllable starter in return.
• Mark Bowman: “Interested clubs indicate the #Braves have made every indication they will not alter their significant demands for Shelby Miller.”

2:00PM EST

• Bruce Levine:  Cubs and Braves still talking.
• Edwin Encarnacion is willing to talk about an extension with the Blue Jays…until he arrives in Dunedin for Spring Training.
• Roch Kubatko of MASN says that the Orioles are still showing some interest in getting Neil Walker – 1B/DH, perhaps.
• ESPN’s Enrique Rojas says (translated) “Source : #Cubs wants back with Dexter Fowler , but are separated in total years . Fowler could get 3-4 years in the market”.  Apparently, the Cubs don’t wish to go that far.  Bruce Levine confirms.
  
• Mariners and Red Sox “making progress” on talks for Sox’ pitcher Miley (Rosenthal).
• Rays and Cubs, re: Baez… Rays definitely targeting Javy Baez; some offers involve a starter, some offers involve a reliever.  Cubs weighing various options.
• Rangers and Pirates talking about Mitch Moreland in a deal that could involve major leaguers only (Cotillo).

How crazy have prices jumped – especially for pitching, which seems to be the focus of everyone so far?

Yes, Leake is just 28 years old, but has a career ERA+ of just 101 (3.88).  Exceeded 190 innings 3 times (2013-15).  That’s the price for young-innings-eating average now.  Wow… practically Qualifying offer levels.

• Howard Berger of Canada’s The FAN reports that Chris Davis and the Blue Jays are “in a serious contract dance”.  Think about that lineup with him included.  Oh my.  Who needs pitching if they’re just gonna bludgeon the entire league to death?  Robert Murry of BaseballEssential seems to confirm.
• Lots of rumors, but truly not a lot of action right now.  That could be due to the Winter Meetings Luncheon and awards presentations that are in progress.  From the tweets I’m seeing on this, the luncheon should be wrapping up soon.  Besides, it’s only Monday and many of the deals will get made in the afternoon/evening hours.
• Per Dave O’Brien:  the brother of Braves’ Director of Player Development Dave Trembley passed away over the weekend; Dave is understandably not in Nashville as a result.  We convey our condolences to the Trembley family for their loss.

3:00pm EST

• Ken Davidoff of the New York Post is breaking the news that Red Sox LHP Wade Miley has been traded to the Mariners.
• Jon Heyman adds the return to the Red Sox: setup man Carson Smith and backend starter Roenis Elias.  Joel Sherman adds that reliever Jonathan Aro is also going to Seattle. Looks like a good deal for the Sox to give them depth and a better bullpen.
• Mets talking to Zobrist’s reps today.

Okay… this just got interesting…

You know what happened the last time we heard that “multiple teams” could be involved with a trade involving the Dodgers?  The Braves ended up with Hector Olivera.

Next: At this rate it's gonna take 4 or 5 pages today: here's #3

October 20, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores (4) steals second in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez (9) in game four of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

2015 Baseball Winter Meetings – Monday Mid-PM Intrigue

3:15pm EST

• Ken Rosenthal reporting (of course he is) that Seattle is still working the phones.  Trying to get 1B Adam Lind from Milwaukee.  Tweet was repeated for emphasis, I guess.  Immediately after that, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets that Lind would be a nice target for the Padres.  Sounds like they’d better hurry.
• For somebody who isn’t going to be traded unless the team is absolutely overwhelmed, an awful lot of activity is taking place regarding the Marlins’ Jose Fernandez. Jayson Stark now says the Yankees are asking, with they, the Dodgers, and DBacks all doing “background work” on him.
• Meanwhile, back on the Aroldis Chapman trade… I think it’s time for some popcorn.

• Washington wants Zobrist, but are looking at Jimmy Rollins as a bridge to get to Trea Turner if Zo goes elsewhere (Buster Olney).
• Braves’ rumor… and this is odd (from Jerry Crasnick).  He says that Atlanta wants to add a CF, but don’t want to lose a draft pick (roughly #31 overall) for Dexter Fowler.  Also think Austin Jackson might be too expensive.  Crasnick goes on to say that if these don’t happen, then they might just go with Michael Bourn and maybe a Drew Stubbs (as a platoon, I suppose).  Hello?  Is Mallex Smith now persona non grata?
• Apparently, comments got back to Crasnick… and Dave O’Brien has chimed in:  “#Braves believe CF prospect Mallex Smith could be ready by All-Star break, but would like to add affordable CF” thanks to Bourn‘s anemic hitting vs. LHP… not that there’s a lot of that.

At this point, I’ll add that Dexter Fowler simply isn’t going to happen, as he’s not looking for anything short of a 3-4 year deal (we caught that earlier).  And even if he wants to go shorter… say 2 years… then the Cubs would be right there to snap him up.  But certainly, Fowler’s price makes him a primary, everyday CF.  And that’s not the need here.

If you’re going to go with Mallex Smith as the CF of the future, then fine: hold him back in AAA until we get past the Super-2 cutoff and then bring him up.  In the meantime, use Bourn in CF.  Don’t waste effort trying to get a stop-gap.  That’s just dumb… and the few times a LHP will be in play won’t matter.  The 25-man roster is already pretty full.

• Indians showing interest in Shane Victorino.  Okay.  That’s Bob Nightengale checking in.
• Curiously quiet on that Aroldis Chapman trade/non-trade front.

4:00pm EST

• Guessing that all of the GMs present at the earlier luncheon are now back at their suites trying to figure out what damage their AGMs did while they were gone.
• Never say that Billy Beane is afraid to trade within his own division:  Angels looking at Oakland’s Brett Lawrie (Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register).
• Crasnick reports that Shawn Kelley chatter is up… could be next FA relief pitcher to sign.
• Hunch time from Dave O’Brien:  thinks Braves haven’t yet given up on idea of working either Baez or Soler from the Cubs.
• Multiple simultaneous sources: Rangers talking about trading closer Shawn Tolleson.  Sounds like maybe the Nats to me, but that’s just a hunch.

5:00pm EST (+/-)

• What kind of return are the Marlins looking for to wrest Jose Fernandez from their grip?  Jon Heyman says they want “5 or 6” great young players… multiple MLB-ready as well.  Think that might make teams circle back to the Braves for Shelby Miller?
• Mark Bowman says that the Diamondbacks and Braves are still talking about Shelby or Teheran… but the holdup there is still the same:  A.J. Pollock.
• Bob Nightengale says that the Angels would be willing to trade pitcher C.J. Wilson to free up cash for other needs.  Good luck there – he’s due $20 million in 2016 (the last year of his current contract) and it was 2011 when he last pitched well.
• TIGERS Update: Bob Nightengale reports GM Al Avila declaring that they will not pursue Gordon or Cespedes.  They are out.
• Curiously, the Dodgers have made 2 waiver claims today.  RHP Danny Reynolds (Angels) and now OF Daniel Fields from the Brewers.
• Brewers just lost another player to waivers:  Marlins have claimed LHP Mike Strong (Joe Frisaro report).

Next: Cubbies Put in an Interesting Wrinkle this Morning

Okay, that’s enough for now… will likely update as event warrant this evening… and here it goes…

Next: Yes, there's more: Dinner and a Move?

May 17, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez (37) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Monday Evening’s Session

UP TO 7:45pm EST

• 4 teams are said to be pursuing Brett Lawrie:  Angels, Indians, Tigers, White Sox.  Sadly, the Braves are not among them.
• Marlins are making some progress in talking Dee Gordon into a long-term extension (Joe Frisaro report).  Like “long-term” means anything to that club.
• Chris Cotillo tells us that up to a dozen teams are looking at the medicals for Henderson Álvarez.  He was hurt most of last year, but was great in 2014, and is still just 25.  He was non-tendered by Miami last week, and if healthy could be a great pickup for somebody.
• Mark Bowman got a couple of quotes from Coppy about Miller and pitching and listening.  Yada yada.
• What IS news is this that Cory McCartney caught from John Hart:  “Braves have been hit on “number of upside pitching that’s here now.” Mentioned Shelby Miller and Williams Perez directly.”  Bowman added that Julio Teheran has been brought up by other clubs.
• Giants may be out of the Zobrist derby.  Not only are they on the West Coast (strike 1), but they have a second baseman, and that’s Zo’s preferred position (strike two).
• Marlins’ President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill says Jose Fernandez is “not available.”  Okay, thanks. (Clark Spencer from the Miami Herald).  Of course that declaration certainly might help the Braves out.
• A bit of a sketchy source suggests that 15 teams have checked in with Cliff Lee.  Sketchy, but the way things are going, I wouldn’t be terribly surprised.

8:00pm EST

• Rockies aren’t shopping their outfielders… but aren’t hanging up the phone too quickly, either. Sound familiar?
• Remember the Aroldis Chapman trade?

Maybe the Dodgers can’t appease Cincinnati… or more properly stated, ‘have chosen not to do so.’  Reds seem to be thinking “on hold for a couple of weeks.”  Other observers… not sure the deal will survive this (below).

• Dennis Lin (SD Union-Tribune) quotes Padres GM Preller as saying interest in his players has “picked up” after some of the free agent deals already completed (presumably pitchers).
• Regarding Braves’ budget/payroll – this from Mark Bowman:
  • But though the Braves have never revealed specific payroll numbers, it is believed they have approximately $13 million left to spend. Hart indicated that the depletion of the original projection might have been influenced by the club’s decision to allot some of their funds toward the Draft and the international market, within which they are expected to be major players in July.
  • So I guess that’s that, then.
• Martin Gandy tweets that Atlanta and Arizona are still working to get some names to fit together, so nothing is close.  It does sound like we can infer that the DBacks would like to continue pursuing a trade – probably for Miller – so this isn’t a dead issue.

That’s gonna be all from me tonight… I have a hunch that things will be fun again tomorrow!  Thank you again for checking in with us.