I wonder what Oakland would think about something like Martin and Teoscar for Khris Davis (who we'd presumably cut) and Laureano? It wouldn't change our ability to sign Springer either.
This game has a little bit of everything. I have to think Mahomes won't be returning. He was pretty much knocked out. Cleveland looks to be back in the game.
He's not really a need for our team, but the bat would be nice to have regardless. Trading both Teoscar and Grichuk and replacing them with Brantley and Springer would be pretty interesting. Teoscar probably returns a pretty nice SP. There seem to be a lot of teams looking to rearrange or shed payroll, so I feel like Grichuk is tradable depending on what we're willing to take on.
6/90 seems like a pretty big reduction in one free agent price, and the fact that players are returning to Japan seems to reinforce that the FA prices are indeed largely reduced. Your argument makes no sense. You are literally providing examples that disprove your theory.
I think someone will pony up, and I don't think it'll be us. The question is more whether it'll be a one year deal or a long-term one. The other question is what exactly IS Bauer. Is he an ace, or a durable #2/#3? He's been all of those things over the last four years.
Honestly, I don't think I'd mind all three of them at those prices. Ryu, Pearson, Kluber, Paxton, Tanaka would be a pretty amazing rotation. Risky, but amazing.