Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Rosenthal gets a message about the Braves

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MIAMI, FL – MAY 10: Ford F-150 pickup trucks are seen on a sales lot on May 10, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) /

Another Subtlety

What is being left out in this quote is that trades are quite different from free agent signings, of course.

Prospect prices and cash prices should – in theory – be such that Atlanta could afford to do both since redirecting cash and prospect capital would be pulling from different sets of resources.

But the reason it’s phrased this way is because it’s about the overall pricing message – it’s not just about trades or free agents… more like trades AND free agents. Again, Atlanta is telling all parties that they aren’t going to play at the prices they are seeing.

The Buying Market Concurs

While it’s Atlanta putting this information out there, it’s fairly evident that many other clubs are in on this message. While relief pitchers have been getting signed (a lot) in recent days, there are still multiple premium players out there – including those constrained by the dreaded Qualifying Offer.

Let me illustrate it this way: You need a new truck. If there’s a shiny new pickup truck available on the lot of a car dealership that you need, are you going to be interested enough to drop by and check it out? Probably so.

Now let’s suppose that you think the truck ought to cost $40,000, but it’s priced at $60,000. Are you going to swallow hard, but go ahead and write the check?

Maybe – if you’re desperate, stupid, or both – but it’s more likely that you’re going to investigate lower cost options… or just wait for a price drop so that you can also afford floor mats, a trailer hitch, and a killer stereo.

AN ASIDE…

Now a question: If both you and a couple of your neighbors do the same thing in your truck-buying efforts, does that constitute collusion or is that just smart handling of your money?

We’re getting to the point where the players’ union is getting the itch to complain about how the last couple of winters have gone. Pitchers in their early 30’s want 4-/5-/6-year deals. Position players want a premium dollar figure to carry them (without lowering the dollar values late in the contract).

More from Tomahawk Take

Baseball is now in both in a post-steroid era and an analytics era. Steroids are reasonably likely to have prolonged the careers of many players in the 90’s and early 00’s with results that continued at high levels until nearly age 40 in many cases. Contracts reflected that.

However, analytically-minded folks on Front Office staffs are now looking at the numbers and saying in no uncertain terms: “We’re not gonna repeat these mistakes.”

Nonetheless, while players still want those kinds of contracts today, teams are finally balking at the notion. Atlanta is the one team being bold enough to declare (in a coy manner) “we’re not going to participate in this game.”

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