Alex Anthopoulos is out of excuses after exciting Braves comments at winter meetings

Every team is run differently. In the several years that Alex Anthopoulos has been running the front office for the Atlanta Braves, I have come to learn a few things about how he operates. One, nothing leaks out of his front office. Nothing. So if you hear any rumors about the Braves doing X, Y, and Z, it is coming from a third party. He also extends his players early, but will not pay a premium in free agency.

While Anthopoulos has made way more good deals than bad since running the Braves, his methodology to team building leaves Braves Country often frustrated. Yes, I understand whole-heartedly that he wanted some of the blue-chip free agents like Juan Soto to set the market with his near-billion-dollar deal to go play for the New York Mets, but he cannot sit back and getting lapped!

Anthopoulos promised that the Braves would be willing to break past the $241 million threshold for roster construction this year. Liberty Media gave him the green light to do so, which would put the Braves into a far more punitive tax bracket with every additional dollar they spend to sign free agents. They are about $25 million away from surpassing that financial threshold. Could you do something?!

Atlanta needs to round out the rotation, bullpen and outfield, as well as possibly upgrading at short.

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Alex Anthopoulos must live up to his promise of spending big this winter

If I had to put my finger on one thing Anthopoulos is sure to do first, I envision him figuring out if Max Fried and Charlie Morton want to be part of this team next year. If they do, then I think he has the financial resources to bring either pitcher back on a new contract. If the dollars and cents do not make sense, then I firmly believe that he will pursue another starting pitcher of note this offseason.

Upgrading at shortstop may not be in the cards with the market drying up after Willy Adames signed elsewhere. Again, Orlando Arcia was good during his first season on a dirt cheap contract. Saving that financial capital could help Atlanta round out its rotation and bullpen in the manner it needs to sustain competitiveness. Trades and deals can be done in an instant during MLB's Winter Meetings.

Besides being taxed 50-percent on any deals that get the Braves past the $241 million threshold, the biggest drawback may be getting punished with draft picks. If I read David O'Brien's article from The Athletic correctly, teams that are repeat offenders of the luxury tax threshold will see their draft picks docked 10 spots. I am not one to value MLB draft picks, but I understand this.

Simply put, now is not the time for Anthopoulos to nickel and dime his way to a championship. This team is in win-now mode in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. It seems as though Anthopoulos is not as willing to win the NL East arms race between the Braves, the Mets and Philadelphia. There is a point where Steve Cohen will spend a billion dollars in one season to see the Mets finally win a title.

Anthopoulos may be up to something right now, but Braves Country is starting to get impatient again.