Greetings, Talking Chop. I am the new GM of the Atlanta Braves. John Hart and John Coppolella are gone. It's just you and me now, baby. I'm in control.
Well, this may not be entirely true, but it is true for the purposes of the SB Nation Winter Meetings Simulation for the 2014-2015 offseason. The good folks over at Royals Review have put together a simulation of the baseball offseason for the past couple of years, and it's back once again this year! Here is last year's thread, which gives an overview of the rules and the process of the whole simulation.
If you're wondering how this all ends up going, I did this experiment last season. This is a recap and rundown of all of the moves that I ended up making, which included dumping Dan Uggla on the Mets, acquiring Jonathan Lucroy, and signing Gavin Floyd, just like the Braves did in real life!
Here is a brief rundown of rules and procedures:
- The simulation starts at the end of the regular season. That means that no trades or transactions that have occurred in real life since the end of the World Series have happened for the purposes of the simulation. For example, that Adam Lind/Marco Estrada swap hasn't occurred in this fantasy world.
- I have a recommended budget that I'm supposed to abide by. The budget is set as being 2014's payroll plus ten percent, which puts the Braves around $122MM. I'll try not to spend more than this.
- We don't have to worry about 40-man roster clearing and spots. It isn't taken into consideration.
- Extensions aren't part of the simulation. As much as I may want to give Jason Heyward all of the years for all of the monies, it won't happen in this simulation, which means I'm definitely going to trade him to the Mets. (kidding)
- I'm not bound to any strategy held by the current front office (although we don't really have the best idea of what their plans for 2015 are yet). I could rebuild or try to contend.
- Trades can involve cash and both Minor and Major League players, but no PTBNLs.
- The simulation solely involves players, so no, I can't fire Fredi González.
Here's the timeline of events for this year's simulation:
- Sunday, November 9 , 8 pm ET - Simulation begins. Teams can negotiate with free agents, officially announce trades.
- Monday, November 10, 10 am ET - Deadline to offer free agents a Qualifying Offer.
- Monday, November 10, 6 pm ET - Deadline to decide to accept or decline club option
- Tuesday, November 11, 10 am ET - Deadline to tender/non-tender arbitration-eligible players
- Wednesday, November 12, 1 pm ET - Simulation ends
This is a Google Spreadsheet with more information on specific teams' contract situations and budgets, as well as a list of player options and free agents.
So, now I ask you guys...what do you think I should do with the team? Which free agents should I pursue? Who should I attempt to acquire in a trade, and who should be sent packing from Atlanta? I can't promise that I'll do everything requested of me, but I'll certainly take the input.
- Braves extended the qualifying offer to Ervin Santana (11/9)
- Braves trade OF Justin Upton, OF BJ Upton, P Craig Kimbrel, P Aaron Northcraft, and $3 million annually through 2017 to Yankees for OF Brett Gardner, P Michael Pineda, OF Aaron Judge, P Manny Banuelos, and IF Jorge Mateo (11/9)
- Braves non-tendered P Kris Medlen, P Brandon Beachy, and P Jonny Venters (11/9)
- Braves trade C/OF Evan Gattis and SS Jorge Mateo to Indians for P TJ House, OF David Murphy, and OF Tyler Naquin (11/10)
- Braves sign OF Chris Young to a one-year, $2 million contract with $4.5 million possible in incentives (11/10)
- Braves sign 3B Chase Headley to a four-year, $70 million contract with a vesting option at 500 PAs in the contract's fourth year for a fifth year at the same AAV. (11/10)
- Braves sign C John Buck to a minor league contract. (11/11)
- Braves sign P Wade LeBlanc to a minor league contract. (11/11)
- Braves sign P Jeff Francis to a minor league contract. (11/11)