The Almost Perfect Offseason

[Centerfield]

I think if you asked me in November what I would consider to be a perfect offseason I would have said:

Position Players
1. Juan Soto
2. Pete Alonso
3. Left handed DH (first choice: Joc Pederson)

Starting Pitching
1. An ace (someone like Corbin Burnes, Michael King, Sandy Alcantara)
2. A number 2, preferably Sean Manaea
3. A 3/4 level starter to replace Quintana

Bullpen
1. Lockdown 8th Inning guy. (Devin Williams, Blake Treinen)
2. Lockdown Lefty (Tanner Scott)

Other Preferences:
1. Lots of depth pieces with upside on minor league deals
2. Don't trade Brandon Sproat
3. Don't sign Alex Bregman to a long term deal

Of course, my perfect offseason has a payroll around $400M. So it was never realistic. But if you measure that against what we did, it's pretty close.

For position players, we got nearly exactly what I wanted. Winker is a slight downgrade from Joc, but has some good upside if his back is healthy. Starting pitching, is where we missed the most. We didn't get the ace, but we got Manaea, and we got two guys who could round out the rotation. But importantly, we kept enough youth that if an ace becomes available during the year, we'll be able to pull the trigger. In the bullpen, we didn't get the lockdown 8th inning guy, but we got the second best LHRP available, and Stanek has the potential to be solid.

And also, we kept Sproat. We kept Jett and Acuna and all the other young guys. We avoided a long term deal to a declining Alex Bregman. We didn't make a dumb trade for Nolan Arenado. I can't remember the last time I felt this good going into the season.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I think its still possible they trade for Cease. My offer is Sproat, Baty and Megill for Cease and medium-shit prospect

[MFS62]

To me, an ace is the guy you want on the mound against the other team's top starter in a playoff game.
And I think our ace in the hole (intentional double entendre) will be David Peterson.

He hasn't reached his potential ceiling yet.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think its still possible they trade for Cease. My offer is Sproat, Baty and Megill for Cease and medium-shit prospect

My first reaction was, "Oh no! Not Sproat!" But I have to stop thinking like that.

[Channel9]

To me, an ace is the guy you want on the mound against the other team's top starter in a playoff game.
And I think our ace in the hole (intentional double entendre) will be David Peterson.

He hasn't reached his potential ceiling yet.

Later

I’m big on Peterson as well.

[Gwreck]

And also, we kept Sproat. We kept Jett and Acuna and all the other young guys.

This is the underrated part of the offseason. Long-term sustained success is going to require cycling in fresh talent to accompany the stars signed for the next 5-10 seasons. Keeping those pieces allows them to develop and also provides the option to flip some of them mid-year if needed.