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So Sale has won a ring, Eaton has won a ring. I won’t rule out LaRoche coming out of retirement to win a ring and rub it on KW.

Same with a team option, which favors the team even more. If he were to get a 3 year deal, I suspect it will be a 2 year plus team option in 3rd, essentially he's only getting 1 more guaranteed years than last year.

See original post. He has been average to above average at 3B for a while. He learned and handled 2B this year fine. There's no reason to think he couldn't learn and handle 1B, the easiest position of them all. The bar is set pretty low. If he could be even just an average 1B, that's a whole lot better than what Abreu is giving. And no, JDM has been a terrible defender his whole career, that coupled with his back issues he should be staying off the field on defense.

Technically he did get a 2 year deal. This year's market is pretty weak for hitters for one, he did improve offensively, and shown added defensive versatility. Also it's not often a non-DH player with a bat like him do not end up getting any interest in free agency. I think last year may have been an aberration.

He has an $11M mutual option with Brewers whom I think wouldn’t mind bringing him back for that cost. If he opts out, he’s looking more AAV and guaranteed years. I suspect he’s gonna get close to 2/$28M or 3/$36M with a team option thrown in there.

Moose should handle 1B over Abreu when the dust is settled at 2B. He’s been an average to above average defender his whole career and handled learning 2B fine. Make Abreu DH from here on out, he may even be a 2.5-3 fWAR player if it wasn’t for his bad defense.

Win or lose in game 7, Nats have the money to resign both Rendon and Strasburg. They have only $115M payrolls after options and arb cost, all they really need is a 1B, part time C, and a couple of BP arms. They have money to go into luxury tax after staying under this year.

Not going after impact free agents because of fear of losing 2nd and 3rd rounders is the biggest mistake Sox could make this offseason.

In my perfect offseason I would have a 3 way trade of Collins, Basabe/Adolfo, and Bush to a third team for Nimmo after signing Grandal and Moose. I’ve been one of the first ones to hop on the Moose train also but quickly warming up to Grandal and even preferring him to JDM given how much he’s better than just about every other catcher at framing.

I am leaning toward a 1 year option at RF, see what you have internally, and spend big money on it in 2020 where more attractive options are available. Heck, even the pending free agents in 2020, Conforto, Marte, Buxton look like good trade options.

How do you not have Tim Anderson or Moncada as internal options for RF?

How much did his agent paid to leak this “rumor”?

I had been floating the Moose idea for a while and wouldn’t mind that at all. I also had Leury penciled as the OD CF till Robert is ready. He probably will be unless we go out and sign two OFs. What I’m hoping for is Engel, Palka, and Cordell names aren’t in the OD lineup.

If they come out flat next season.

According to one poster (PoppySox?) 160 was the floor. So you got plenty room to work with.

Who’s holding the fort down at 2B if and when Yolmer is nontendered? There is an outside chance they could give him a short term deal or just roll with Mendick until Madrigal is ready. One name I haven’t seen mentioned a lot but wouldn’t put it past the Sox to bring in is Kipnis. Lefty bat for the bottom third of the LU and also could play CF in a pinch (didn’t look great there however). He may be an interesting one year deal guy to look at so we don’t have to rush Madrigal and Robert.

You’re right, I couldn’t math. $65M should be the most accurate starting salary.

If I'm spending $100M+ on a pitcher, I am spending it on the best one available. We could target for veteran stability in the 2nd SP signing.

Because there isn’t anyone else who is better than Wheeler and Grandal who is realistically available other than Cole. One of Renson and Stras will resign, if not both, I don’t consider Bum a better signing than a wheeler and Grandal is a better fit than JDM, I don’t mind either for the record. Anyone who is disappointed by the signing of those two needs to readjust their expectations.

Which is why I said signing Grandal isn't necessarily disappointing vs. signing a big name like JDM. I think Grandal is a better fit all things considered.

I think you'd also have to factor in the pre-arb cost, which is probably around $8M for 10-11 players Committed Salary $15.3M (3 players) + Arb cost $25M (5 players) + Abreu ~$15M + pre-arb cost $8M (10-11 players) That gets us around $68M for 19-20 players, and leaves us ~60M for 6-7 players in FA. BTW pre-arb guys I have as likely 2020 players: Moncada, Gio, Lopez, Kopech, Cease, Collins, Mendick, Fry, Bummer.

I don't know your rationale of picking Grandal over JDM in your post. JDM is mostly like opting out and Sox is in the short list of favorites to sign him, and he does fit within our price range. If he doesn't sign here, I think it more of an issue of fit than dollars. If you revised your OP with JDM over Grandal, you could still call it a realistic offseason.

It really isn't a disappointing offseason by any means. Like I said in the other thread, Nats will likely retain one of Rendon/Stras, if not both. That leaves Cole and JDM as the biggest names to change teams. Wheeler and Grandal are in the top 5-8 range FA rankings go. I would actually argue that's a strong off season.

Taking a closer look at Nats payroll, they're at $115M including arb costs and likely team options if Stras opts out. Their only other major needs are 1B, part time C, and a couple of high end BP arms. If they re-up with Rendon and Stras for $70M AAV, that still gives them room to work with to address the remaining needs. So I just don't think Stras is leaving even if he opts out. And if Nats aren't willing to match a 5/$160M contract he gets elsewhere, that may also be telling of how they see his body able to hold up for the duration for the contract.

He pitched 130 inning last year and reached only 200 IP once before this year. As for this year, when it's all said and done, he's probably putting in 250 IP this year alone. History suggests he's liability to stay healthy, and the added toll on his arm from the extended workload this year is a red flag. That said, I do agree 5/$160M would be the max anyone should be giving him. I don't him know who's going to be desperate enough to go beyond that, and that contract would be disaster waiting to happen.