Post by aaron_commissioner on Apr 1, 2018 22:11:27 GMT -8
The Atlanta Braves surprised many with a stellar 2020 season that culminated in a World Series appearance. They retooled their roster this offseason, acquiring Sonny Gray and Anthony Rendon, while parting with Jurickson Profar and farm talent. The Braves seem to understand their position and are trying to make the most of their opportunity for competition. Whether their team is “elite” may still be up for debate, but I think this team is now clearly the best in their division.
The Washington Nationals have flirted with the playoffs the last couple of years, but have remained largely quiet as their budget has ballooned. With nearly $100MM coming off the books after 2021, watch for the Nats to make some big moves this offseason. They seem to be preparing for some big moves by holding on to their elite and valuable talent. I am not sure if this team is ready for the playoffs in 2021, but they may make a splash sooner, rather than later.
The Miami Marlins are stocked with some immensely talented defenders and hitters, and have steadily improved the last couple of years. Acquisitions of Chad Kuhl, Miguel Diaz, and Victor Arano could provide this team with enough firepower to make a run at a wild card. With some savvy transactions and further development, this team could find themselves at the top of the division in short order.
GM turnover very often hurts a team. So does player turnover. The New York Mets have had both. With a new GM and the departure of starters Harvey and Wacha, the Mets are trying to regain control of their budget while remaining competitive. I see 2021 as a transition year for the club, with hopes of returning to contention in 2022. There is plenty of talent on the ML roster to make this happen, and although the farm is week, it has already been improved via trade and will likely continue to improve with the draft.
The Philadelphia Phillies aren’t bad. But right now, they aren’t very good, either. Over the last few years the Phillies have been both aggressive buyers and sellers. This unclear sense of direction landed them in last place in the division last year. However, with a large budget and plenty of talent on the team, don’t count them out. They have very little “dead money” contracts, and with the right number of moves can return to contention in short order. However, I do not see this happening in 2021.
Questions for everyone:
- The Braves might (probably, but not certainly) be in the lead for the division title, but the NL East features many teams in contention for the #2 spot. Do you feel you can compete for the #2 position, and if so, why? For Atlanta, why do you think you can win the division?
- After this offseason, all of the farms in the division have room for improvement. How do you intend to go about rebuilding your minors?
- Introduce us to one player who we may not yet know, but could become more relevant in 2021.
The Washington Nationals have flirted with the playoffs the last couple of years, but have remained largely quiet as their budget has ballooned. With nearly $100MM coming off the books after 2021, watch for the Nats to make some big moves this offseason. They seem to be preparing for some big moves by holding on to their elite and valuable talent. I am not sure if this team is ready for the playoffs in 2021, but they may make a splash sooner, rather than later.
The Miami Marlins are stocked with some immensely talented defenders and hitters, and have steadily improved the last couple of years. Acquisitions of Chad Kuhl, Miguel Diaz, and Victor Arano could provide this team with enough firepower to make a run at a wild card. With some savvy transactions and further development, this team could find themselves at the top of the division in short order.
GM turnover very often hurts a team. So does player turnover. The New York Mets have had both. With a new GM and the departure of starters Harvey and Wacha, the Mets are trying to regain control of their budget while remaining competitive. I see 2021 as a transition year for the club, with hopes of returning to contention in 2022. There is plenty of talent on the ML roster to make this happen, and although the farm is week, it has already been improved via trade and will likely continue to improve with the draft.
The Philadelphia Phillies aren’t bad. But right now, they aren’t very good, either. Over the last few years the Phillies have been both aggressive buyers and sellers. This unclear sense of direction landed them in last place in the division last year. However, with a large budget and plenty of talent on the team, don’t count them out. They have very little “dead money” contracts, and with the right number of moves can return to contention in short order. However, I do not see this happening in 2021.
Questions for everyone:
- The Braves might (probably, but not certainly) be in the lead for the division title, but the NL East features many teams in contention for the #2 spot. Do you feel you can compete for the #2 position, and if so, why? For Atlanta, why do you think you can win the division?
- After this offseason, all of the farms in the division have room for improvement. How do you intend to go about rebuilding your minors?
- Introduce us to one player who we may not yet know, but could become more relevant in 2021.
