Grade the Gausman Deal

[LocoChris]

http://meadowparty.com/blog/2018/08/09/klawchat-8-9-18/

Quote

romorr: There enough J2 talent to justify that Gausman trade if we lose out on Victor Victor? That inclusion of O’Day is awful right? A rebuilding team saving 10 million, at the costs of better prospects, is indefensible. 
Keith Law: There’s no justifying it even if you get VVM, because the trade only gave you a ‘portion’ of him. I am assuming ownership ordered Duquette to shave payroll.

Don't like Keith Law much but he's on point here.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 minute ago, LocoChris said:

http://meadowparty.com/blog/2018/08/09/klawchat-8-9-18/

Don't like Keith Law much but he's on point here.

This might be in preparation for sale of the team this offseason. 

[eddie83]

2 minutes ago, LocoChris said:

http://meadowparty.com/blog/2018/08/09/klawchat-8-9-18/

Don't like Keith Law much but he's on point here.

I agree it is on ownership but I don’t get the portion part. Clearly they felt the need to pay extra to get him. 

[Luke-OH]

2 hours ago, LocoChris said:

http://meadowparty.com/blog/2018/08/09/klawchat-8-9-18/

Don't like Keith Law much but he's on point here.

For the most part yes, but I don’t think anyone is looking at the trade and thinking the 2.5m in slot is a significant part of the return. Dumping O’Day’s salary was a significant part of the return whether one likes it or not. Also to go back to the international money, they do have more than they need, but to be fair, Miami could have added more (and still can with waiver trades), in which case it may have been needed.

[Luke-OH]

2 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

This might be in preparation for sale of the team this offseason. 

Not sure about a sale, but clearing salary with the MASN dispute, possible (likely) upcoming attendance revenue decrease, need for additional investment in scouting/player development, and generally a bloated MLB payroll would be plenty of reasons to want to shed salary regardless of the possible sale of the team.

[Whammer]

Gausman pitching tonight in big series against the Brewers.  Looks like it'll be broadcast on MLBN. 

[theocean]

6 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

For the most part yes, but I don’t think anyone is looking at the trade and thinking the 2.5m in slot is a significant part of the return. Dumping O’Day’s salary was a significant part of the return whether one likes it or not. Also to go back to the international money, they do have more than they need, but to be fair, Miami could have added more (and still can with waiver trades), in which case it may have been needed.

I agree. The trade was all about dumping salary.

[Whammer]

14 minutes ago, theocean said:

I agree. The trade was all about dumping salary.

Agree also. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. O'Day was set to make $9M next year and there's no need for a $9M RP on a rebuilding team.  Additionally, no telling what kinda pitcher O'Day will be next year. Hasn't looked great since 2015, another year older next year, coming off significant injury.

 

[bobmc]

58 minutes ago, Whammer said:

Gausman pitching tonight in big series against the Brewers.  Looks like it'll be broadcast on MLBN. 

Friday night lights!  I love it!  Jonathan might take him deep (if he plays  )  

[LocoChris]

Shedding $9 mil at the expense of better prospects isn’t what a rebuilding team should be doing. 

[Frobby]

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/atlanta-is-betting-on-kevin-gausmans-upside/

[NCRaven]

20 minutes ago, LocoChris said:

Shedding $9 mil at the expense of better prospects isn’t what a rebuilding team should be doing. 

Disagree.  Shedding salary is a huge part of what they should be doing.  Tampa Bay is committed to less than $10mil next year.  Now, when they're done with arbitration and the minimum salaries for their pre-arb players, it will certainly be more than that.  But, they dumped all of their big salaries.  We've added quality depth to the farm, even if we didn't get more than one potential "star" player.  We've added international slot allocation to help us reel in the consensus #1 international amateur in this year's class.  We've committed to spending more on scouting, player development, and international talent.  That cost money and one of the ways you get that money is to shed unneeded salaries.  O'Day was an unneeded salary.

[theocean]

31 minutes ago, Frobby said:

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/atlanta-is-betting-on-kevin-gausmans-upside/

Great article. Definitely worth reading for everyone. 

[beervendor]

19 minutes ago, NCRaven said:

Disagree.  Shedding salary is a huge part of what they should be doing.  [...] We've committed to spending more on scouting, player development, and international talent.  That cost money and one of the ways you get that money is to shed unneeded salaries.  O'Day was an unneeded salary.

Yes, plus the team will be facing the small matters of cratering attendance for the (hopefully only) near future, abysmal TV ratings, and the inevitable ingestion of a certain 1st baseman's contract. Have to clean some house before the rebuild begins in earnest.

[Luke-OH]

3 hours ago, theocean said:

I agree. The trade was all about dumping salary.

It wasn’t all about dumping salary, but it was arguably the 2nd piece in the trade. JCE as grades by some is a 10-12M piece, dumping the salary is worth nearly that much. If they just wanted to dump salary they could have got rid of Trumbo too, maybe Gausman, Trumbo, and O’Day for Phillips or Zimmerman.