(I know there's already an omnibus offseason thread, but I figured this will be a big topic for discussion - feel free to delete/merge if it is deemed redundant)
Judging from what I've heard and seen here and elsewhere so far, the consensus seems to be that Kimbrel will get a qualifying offer and then leave for a big(ger) deal somewhere else. I think I agree. Most here, at least, seem like they're okay with this development.
I think I would be, too. But still, I ask: if not Kimbrel, then who? And if Joe Kelly leaves, that's another spot in the pen that needs to be filled. The options would look something like this...
Re-sign Kimbrel. I don't want to sound like I'm discounting this possibility! But I wouldn't count on it.
Promote from within. A Kimbrel- and Kelly-free pen would probably be something like Barnes, Brasier, Hembree, Workman, Thornburg, and Poyner, with guys like Travis Lakins and maybe even Durbin Feltman joining at some point (and surely I'm forgetting some options, too). Maybe good, but a lot of question marks. People were not confident in this group before the playoffs started.
Go out and sign a Proven Closer. Non-Kimbrel options include Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Zach Britton, Jeurys Familia, Kelvin Herrera, David Robertson, and a few guys with injury- or performance-related question marks.
Go out and trade for a Proven Closer. I don't know that the team has the prospect capital necessary to pull off this year's equivalent of the Kimbrel trade. Looking at the list of potential rentals, and I don't see an obvious match. Dombrowski's track record on acquiring bullpen pieces this way is mixed at best (though, in fairness, the same could be said for most MLB GMs).
Sign/trade for a less-heralded reliever with the goal of giving him most of the high-leverage innings.
This was once a smart cost-saving measure for savvy GMs, but in the current version of MLB, I'm not sure it's possible to find a hidden-gem type out there. Adam Ottavino is probably going to get paid handsomely, for instance.
Grab a bunch of cheap, fungible guys and let Cora sort it out. I imagine they will grab one or two pitchers matching this description (Rosenthal?), but I would be surprised if this was the only thing they do.
What say the rest of you?
Judging from what I've heard and seen here and elsewhere so far, the consensus seems to be that Kimbrel will get a qualifying offer and then leave for a big(ger) deal somewhere else. I think I agree. Most here, at least, seem like they're okay with this development.
I think I would be, too. But still, I ask: if not Kimbrel, then who? And if Joe Kelly leaves, that's another spot in the pen that needs to be filled. The options would look something like this...
Re-sign Kimbrel. I don't want to sound like I'm discounting this possibility! But I wouldn't count on it.
Promote from within. A Kimbrel- and Kelly-free pen would probably be something like Barnes, Brasier, Hembree, Workman, Thornburg, and Poyner, with guys like Travis Lakins and maybe even Durbin Feltman joining at some point (and surely I'm forgetting some options, too). Maybe good, but a lot of question marks. People were not confident in this group before the playoffs started.
Go out and sign a Proven Closer. Non-Kimbrel options include Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, Zach Britton, Jeurys Familia, Kelvin Herrera, David Robertson, and a few guys with injury- or performance-related question marks.
Go out and trade for a Proven Closer. I don't know that the team has the prospect capital necessary to pull off this year's equivalent of the Kimbrel trade. Looking at the list of potential rentals, and I don't see an obvious match. Dombrowski's track record on acquiring bullpen pieces this way is mixed at best (though, in fairness, the same could be said for most MLB GMs).
Sign/trade for a less-heralded reliever with the goal of giving him most of the high-leverage innings.
This was once a smart cost-saving measure for savvy GMs, but in the current version of MLB, I'm not sure it's possible to find a hidden-gem type out there. Adam Ottavino is probably going to get paid handsomely, for instance.
Grab a bunch of cheap, fungible guys and let Cora sort it out. I imagine they will grab one or two pitchers matching this description (Rosenthal?), but I would be surprised if this was the only thing they do.
What say the rest of you?