What is Dan Duquette's strategy for 2016?

[Slappy]

I kinda take for granted that DD can wrangle a decent pen together. So not too worried there.

I feel like 2 of our FAs we end up extending. Pierce and Wieters being most likely. Davis walks, De Aza walks, Chen and Norris walk. SP we have prospects that may be able to gap fill.

That would leave us having to build an OF around Jones. That should be doable, with a potential big signing addition and a few tool guys.

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[hoosiers]

I think it is too early to think about 2016 because we don't know how 2015 will go.

If the team is competitive, the Os might need to deal again from the farm to supplement a playoff run. In that case, I think a lot of the potential FAs will leave with the most worrisome from the group being Chen, IMO. Several of the players could be in line for large increases or LTCs, but we should be prepared to let some or all of Chen, Wieters, Davis and Norris go - hopefully with a QO and a draft pick for several of them.

If the 2015 team is not competitive, we should look to deal from that group of potential FAs (something not really contemplated in the original post). We should be able to get pieces for 2016 from among that group.

It appears the 2016 team will be very dependent on continued or new strong contributions from Tillman, Gausman, Jones, Machado, Schoop, Hardy and Britton from the current team plus Bundy from the minors. Overall, that's not a bad core from which to build a team - particularly if we see someone from among Lough, Harvey, Urrutia, Alvarez emerge as 2016 contributors - considering the cash that will be at our disposal. I think that core of about 10 players stacks up fairly well with many teams.

It may be ironic, but a poor 2015 season from the overall team with strong years from Wieters and Chen could enable DD to deal those two at the trade deadline and provide for a strong 2016 core. I guess in some capacity, the better we do in 2015 could weaken the 2016 team and vice versa.

[AdamK]

. . .

It may be ironic, but a poor 2015 season from the overall team with strong years from Wieters and Chen could enable DD to deal those two at the trade deadline and provide for a strong 2016 core. I guess in some capacity, the better we do in 2015 could weaken the 2016 team and vice versa.

I agree. It's really intriguing to me what may come from the guys in their walk year. Where is the tipping point between holding on to the players and going for a compensation pick, and dealing players for prospects?

Seems like a combination of both is the most likely to happen if the team is not in contention, and I have little faith that we will find ourselves 12 up again -- not that we'll be worse mind you, just that I don't think it's likely to go down that way for everyone again.

A combination of both also hopefully strengthens our organization in the farm, and with potential starters for 2016.

Of the teams who sold at the deadline last year, which look to be on the best shape for this upcoming season (factoring in the pieces received)?