I've been thinking

How would our bullpen look next year with Colon, Meyer, Cruz, Smoltz,
McConnell, Hodges, Drew, and Whiteside? I know they all couldn't be on
the team, but in other words do you think our bullpen would be okay with
talent from our own organization? It would save money and would help
allocate money for the rotation, which is seriously lacking. I don't
think we should re-sign Drew or sign any high price player unless we can
get rid of Andruw and/or Chipper. *cough* Beltran *cough*. If Francoeur
and Marte are as good as advertised, then we just need someone to keep
3B and RF warm for them. I really think we need to get a SP or 2 to go
with Ramirez, Hampton, and Thomson. I know this is gonna be a very
interesting offseason, so just biding my time till it's time to bitch.

Dell Winkles wrote:
> How would our bullpen look next year with Colon, Meyer, Cruz, Smoltz,
> McConnell, Hodges, Drew, and Whiteside? I know they all couldn't be on
> the team, but in other words do you think our bullpen would be okay with
> talent from our own organization? It would save money and would help
> allocate money for the rotation, which is seriously lacking. I don't
> think we should re-sign Drew or sign any high price player unless we can
> get rid of Andruw and/or Chipper. *cough* Beltran *cough*. If Francoeur
> and Marte are as good as advertised, then we just need someone to keep
> 3B and RF warm for them. I really think we need to get a SP or 2 to go
> with Ramirez, Hampton, and Thomson. I know this is gonna be a very
> interesting offseason, so just biding my time till it's time to bitch.

Ideally, Capellan is ready for the rotation in 2005, meaning only one
replacement starter is necessary. I plug Capellan in there and try
getting Smoltz to renegotiate his deal to get back in the rotation -
problem solved. Maybe. I make Juan Cruz my closer and find someone
competent to setup. If I can bring back Alfonseca at a similar salary,
that's fine. I try to sign Furcal and Giles to multi-year deals; if
pushed to choose, I sign Giles for the long term and deal with Furcal as
an arb case pursuant to letting him go or moving him elsewhere (Wilson,
if only you would hit!) With the outfield, I make noises about trading
Andruw to see who is interested, but likely accept that he's not going
anywhere. I spend no more than $27/3 years on Drew, preferrably with
some money/years contingent on at-bat qualifiers. If he won't take it,
Boras client that he is, I pluck someone from further down the list and
give him a 1-year deal for the time being - Burnitz, Finley, Nixon, etc.
Well, maybe not Burnitz...

Chipper is untradable. He's 10/5 this year, coming off three
consecutive declining seasons as well as a significant injury, he'll be
33 next April and with buyouts he's owed $42 million for the next two
seasons and $62 million if his options vest. Brave for life, quite
possibly. Not terrible if that happens, IMO - if he can rebound near to
his 1998-2002 form, he might become the fourth Atlanta player from this
era to go into the Hall.