Braves Offseason Outlook

here is a great financial outlook on the braves offseason.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/10/offseason-outlook-atlanta-braves.html

the gist of it is that the Braves have about $81 million tied up not including potential arbitration raises for the five who are eligible. They started the year last year at about $96 million on the payroll. So they can have about $15 million to spend this offseason. The $81 million includes a $9 million contract which Hudson is supposed to be signing any day.

more than half of that $81 million is in starting pitching, which the braves enjoy a surplus of. A rotation of Jurrjens, Vazquez, Hanson, Hudson, and Lowe sounds very appealing, but the braves have other needs and do have Kawakami and Medlen, both of whom could be a number 5 starter. Therefore they seem to be exploring options to move one of their starters. So who do they move? And is this the right call?

The most obvious trade candidate it seems would be derek lowe. Lowe, who was signed in the off season to be the teams "Ace", is the oldest, performed the worst, and makes the most money: a whopping $15 million. But who is going to take on that much salary?

Who else? The Yankees of course. The Yankees are rumored to be looking to try to pry John Lackey away from the Angels. If that doesn't happen, then they would definitely be interested in swallowing Lowe's salary and bolstering their already solid rotation, which would allow them to move Jaba Chamberlain to the bullpen. So what do we get in return? Nick Swisher, who's 6.75 million contract frees up about another 8 million and change.

So now the braves have about 23 million. They need a closer, left fielder, and most likely another reliever to simply bolster the bullpen. That means they can sign the top LF available, which i believe to be Matt Holliday, for around the $15 million he will go for. Now you're lineup is McClouth(L), Prado(R), Jones(S), Holliday(R), McCann(L, Swisher (S), Escobar(R), Heyward(L)/Diaz(R)/Schaffer(L), and pitcher.

So we have 8 million left. But we could use a solid closer, and possibly one more reliever. you can't get both with only 8 million in space left. Or can you? we still have kelly johnson and ryan church (who are both due for arbitration) and those are two expendable pieces. trade them for a reliever, like matt capps. Capps is a 26 year old reliever from douglasville who is currently the closer for the pirates. He had the same number of saves as soriano, but also had a much higher era. the walk to k ratio was still pretty good. So you send those two pieces to the pirates for Capps and you may even be able to get a prospect out of the deal. This will actually free up another 2 million in space.

so now we are at 10 million. the red sox just turned down an option of 8 million from billy wagner. if he does not accept arbitration, he becomes a free agent. if the red sox turned down 8 million, then we could legitimately offer him 8 million and that would be a very competitive offer. 2 million under. Wren probably then calls it a day, maybe signs an utility infielder or takes a chance on a reliever like chad cordero, who was a 40 save guy until he tore his labrum and missed 18 months.

so our bullpen now looks as so.
peter moylan(r)
eric o'flaherty (l)
matt capps (r)
manny acosta (r)
kris medlan(r)
boone logan (l)
james parr (r)
billy wagner (l)
possibly chad cordero???? (r)

can we have our rings now, please?