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The Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: budget estimates for 2019

By Alan Carpenter

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 29: The Heavy Hitters perform in The Battery Atlanta prior to Opening Day at SunTrust Park between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 29: The Heavy Hitters perform in The Battery Atlanta prior to Opening Day at SunTrust Park between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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BATH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: In this photo illustration, a stack of £1 coins is seen with the new £10 note alongside US dollar bills on October 13, 2017 in Bath, England. (Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
BATH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: In this photo illustration, a stack of £1 coins is seen with the new £10 note alongside US dollar bills on October 13, 2017 in Bath, England. (Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) /

The Budget

All that said, I will then set a guessed payroll range for Opening Day as follows:

  • low end:  $120 million
  • median:   $125 million
  • high end: $130 million

Based on the numbers above, that gives a spending flexibility of the following:

  • Using my $71.5m baseline:  between $48.5 million and $58.5 million
  • Using my $84m top-end:     between $36 million and $46 million

These figures (especially that $36 million minimum) may be less than you might have expected, for the phrase “$50 million to spend” to spend has been bandied about quite a bit.  That’s still legit.

Please realize these things, though:

More from Tomahawk Take

There is a way to get back to that $50 million figure… trading Teheran would do it.

  • The Braves have already spent $12 million of their budget in obtaining Darren O’Day and by re-signing Tyler Flowers.  You still have to fill out the entire team, so even role players will chip away at the wallet.

    • So in saying that, the starting point was really at least $48 million.  And this is also based on my estimates – your mileage may vary.

    Additionally, this club has always said that for the right player that makes sense, there are no restrictions on spending.

    All of these things – those statement, these estimates – will be tested in the coming months, but certainly the Braves have an opportunity here:  an attractive situation, a young and contending ballclub, and some money to spend.

    Next. Benjamin Anthopoulos??. dark

    The anticipation is building as we wait to see how they proceed.

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