What Atlanta Braves could have done differently this offseason

What could have been done at C and SP

While I never really loved the idea of signing Travis d’Arnaud, I really think it was the best available option for AA.

Yasmani Grandal was the best catcher available this offseason, but we were never going to pay the $73 million it took to get him.

Had Willson Contreras really become available, then I would have been all over that happening.

But we’ll stick with the two-year, $16 million deal for d’Arnaud.

Starting pitching contracts got a little bit ridiculous this year and the top three (Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Zack Wheeler) quickly got out of our price range.

The only deal out there I think may have been better than the one-year, $18 million deal we gave Hamels is the five-year, $85 million deal the Arizona Diamondbacks gave Madison Bumgarner.

I’m still a huge believer in MadBum and think he has some big moments left in his arm (he’s only 30). I would have rather that be a four-year deal, but I still think he’ll be productive through his age 35 season.

Don’t forget, Hamels will be 36 this year.

With d’Arnaud and Bumgarner, that’s another $25 million towards the 2020 budget, which leaves us $25 million to fill the void at third base.