by Gordon Lawrence
Arms, arms, arms……..
Foltynewicz
FOLTYNEWICZ was exposed by L.A.’s hitters. He stepped up a notch this season, but needs two more to become a #1. I really don’t see him as such going forward.
At this point, he’s ultimately a #2 to my mind. Not enough patience yet. Not getting the calls so, he hurls a fat one, and “boom,” rocket over the fence. Still getting frustrated by calls when the pitch is an excellent borderline one, but the ump calls a ball. Hasn’t learned to adjust to what the ump is calling in that particular game. Very important consideration to becoming a seasoned pitcher.
NEWCOMB should hold a slot. He should improve as he learns how to pitch. Takes time, several years as a starter.
Anibal Sanchez
Kevin Gausman
I liked GAUSMAN and SANCHEZ well enough to bring back to spring training to compete, but I wouldn’t automatically grant either of them a slot.
I really have had my fill of TEHERAN. Hopefully, we have enough qualified candidates after spring training to trade him.
Mike Soroka
I consider the shoulder malady to SOROKA the most egregious arm injury this season. He would have been a rising star in the pitching corps this year in my estimation, and I believe in the minds of all the bloggers here as well. Frankly, I think his injury to be a very serious one. More serious than has be advertised by the organization to this point. I have feared it might actually be career ending. I’m wrong, right?
Touki Toussaint
TOUKI TOUSSAINT will grab the #4 slot out of spring training. I really liked what i saw of him in the post-season. I think the kid’s really got a future with ATLANTA.
Luiz Gohara
If LUIZ GOHARA finally takes his conditioning seriously, he could become a force in the starting rotation. Hopefully, personal family distractions are behind him at this point. I really hope the 2018 season made an impression on his mind, and he approaches 2019 with a will to excel.
Kyle Wright
KYLE WRIGHT appears poised for his first serious look at the 25-man this spring and a/the #5 slot.
Bryse Wilson
I really like BRYSE WILSON as a AAA/ATL floater in 2019. He’s a bulldog with the will to succeed.
Patrick Weigel
Darren O’Day
When thinking of bullpen holes to be patched for 2019, DARREN O’DAY and PATRICK WEIGEL come to mind as two potential candidates for the BRAVES. Spring training should show us where we stand with them.
Who should find a place in the 2019 bullpen?
AJ Minter
The whole danged place is such a MASH unit of maladies, and ineptitude, RH A.J. MINTER appears as the only rock-solid carryover to my mind, and he’s still getting OJT learning to pitch and not just throw. Back-end member.
VIZCAINO if he can stay healthy for the back-end as well. Big if.
I somehow see MAX FRIED in the pen for long-relief. Call me crazy.
SAM FREEMAN was overused and exposed, but used judiciously, he is effective.
Ditto JESSE BIDDLE, and JONNY VENTERS.
Vizcaino
Max Fried
Sam Freeman
Jesse Biddle
Johnny Venters
Anyway, my two and 1/2 cents at this point.
GO BRAVES…..
Gordon Lawrence
Braves & Stuff 
Thanks, Gordon! Good points. We appreciate a fresh page to write on. 😀
LikeLike
Great lead Gordon, so nice to have fresh eyes…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Manana amigo 12:00.
LikeLike
Hi all, not sure who will go forward from here. They all have heart as they proved in the post season. Time will tell who will be in spring training.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Is there a hotter team in baseball than the Brewers right now? Seems like every move they make turns to gold.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Politics aside, this is just too funny not to share…
LikeLike
Okay, trying again…
https://twitter.com/i/status/1052012063747321856
LikeLiked by 3 people
LOL
LikeLike
I know CL, I have watched it 5 times and it is still funny…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glanced over at MLBTR where they summarized AA’s conversation with Mark Bowman. Nothing new revealed there… just more of what we already know.
Then I made the mistake of reading through the comments section. Man… there are some really stupid people out there with access to the internet. Bless their hearts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes Vee, there is no IQ teat required for internet use….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heh! GIL, I assume there was a typo in there otherwise we may be forced to suck on it till the cows come home.
LikeLike
Nice work there Gordon! Yeah, something seems missing with Folty. speaking of I.Q. baseball I.Q. Folty right now, lacks it. he’s 27. Of course DeGrom wasn’t much til he hit 27 either.
But Smoltz would have had those Dodgers eating out of his hand, since he knows they were all swinging for the fences, when they don’t take pitches….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smoltzie & Co also had Leo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
GIL and I had a great two-hour lunch meet over at the SPORTS PAGE in Mechanicsville. We solved all the BRAVES problems on the way to the 2019 World Series championship.
Things like who would be the new masher behind FREDDIE in the 2019 line-up. We’re keeping the secret between us, but it will definitely not be BRYCE HARPER.
O.K., O.K., we tell, it’s 31 year-old UFA A.J. POLLACK. We both agreed instantly.
What to do with ENDER, at that point?
Plan A: Package deal with INCIARTE, KOLBY ALLARD and others for REALMUTO.
Plan B: Outfield ACUNA, POLLACK, INCIARTE for 2019. O.K. play it out.
3B? Either AUSTIN RILEY or JOHAN CARMAGO depending on spring training results. Come on calendar, let the games begin.
Catcher? A wish get – J.T. REALMUTO. Both agreed not gonna’ happen. Not a free agent until age 30 for the 2021 season, arb 2 in 2019, JETER will want the moon and five top prospects for him. Solution, ZUKI and FLOW one more time with WILLIE CONTRERAS on the vine by then. BRETT CUMBERLAND as back-up insurance though I hate not bring up “Stash” GIARDINA from GWINNETT. Man, that guy can grow facial hair.
Yes to keeping DANSBY SWANSON, he is like fine wine, improves with age.
No discussion about OZZIE ALBIES.
FREDDIE was a given, and only minimal discussion of his swing which soon swerved out of the strike zone to MATTY DIAZ, the best bad-ball hitter I ever saw in a BRAVES uni.
Probably no more LANE ADAMS, PRESTON what’s-his-name, oh yeah, TUCKER, RYAN FLAHERTY and possible ‘Charlie Clutch’ as well.
FOLTY problematic as a #1.
NEWK still wet behind the ears.
JULIO leaves the schoolyard as part of the REALMUTO trade?
TOUKI TOUISSAINT moves in to the starting line-up if ST proves out.
MIKE SOROKA hopefully back in the line-up.
I want to add CHAD SOBOTKA to the list of probables for next year’s ‘pen.
A good deal of family, a ‘burger, soda, and that’s a wrap. Two hours shot to blazes…….
LikeLiked by 3 people
Craig Biggio was the name of the player I could not remember…
LikeLike
Thank the good Lord!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
BRETT CUMBERLAND as back-up insurance
Sad to say, Cumbo is now in the BAL system via the Gausman deal.
LikeLike
Hey, hard to keep all the moves straight…
LikeLike
sigh
Heard from insurance company on damages on the house.
Their estimated cost: $10,575.63
Their payment: $5,951.90
Tell me again why we pay premiums???
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a racket…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thankfully, God Himself promised to meet ALL my needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. I don’t know what I’d do otherwise. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that is what lawyers are for CL..
LikeLike
I don’t know which are worse: lawyers or insurance companies.
LikeLike
CL:
Surely there’s a reason for the disparity other than a deductible. Water damage or wind, which? I was an insurance person and teacher of the coverages for 30 years. Were you underinsured in relation to your home and contents values? Did you have replacement cost on both home and contents? Can you name the insurer. Did an independent appraiser review your claim or a company man?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Company man. Have good coverage. That above is standard for insurance people in this area. They deduct for such ambiguities as ‘recoverable depreciation’ and ‘non-recoverable depreciation’. And it was for both water damage and wind (part of a tree fell on the house, breaking through the roof allowing 33.3″ of hurricane driven rain to pour in, ruining walls, insulation, carpet, etc.) Then there is the ever-present deductible in a hurricane-prone area which equals 2% or $2,000 whichever is greater.
I’m not the only one. Everybody down here experiences the same thing.
Also, down here, the regular homeowner’s policy is totally separate from the wind and water policy. Companies won’t even write an all-inclusive policy. A regular HO policy runs around $400 @ year +/-. The wind-water policy runs around $1500 @ year. Add $400 flood ins which is another (3rd) policy and the average household pays in the neighborhood of $2300 per year, just for owning a home. Make more than 3 claims and they shut you down. I’ve had neighbors who have never made a claim who were rejected after they made their first claim following a hurricane.
I’m required to have flood ins. because, according to whoever, there is a 1% chance that my home would flood in a 100-year flood event. My house sits 1 stupid little inch below the 13’2″ elevation that was set by whoever using whatever parameters as the required elevation at this one spot.
I’m so disgusted I hardly know what to do. I apologize to all of you for ranting.
Now, baseball…..somebody is still playing, right? Somewhere? Japan?
LikeLike
From what you’ve said, it appears the insurers have retreated from their previous levels of coverage, splitting out wind and water damage, and selling it as a separate coverage. It appears that you do not have full replacement, possibly on both home and contents because of your statement about depreciation.
I’m sorry you can’t get the coverage you once had, but this will become standard I fear as water levels continue to rise, and storms become stronger, and more frequent. Insurers are reactionary and conservative in nature to prevent bankruptcy. To stay in business, and keep premiums somewhat affordable to the public these types of steps are necessary unfortunately.
I could say a lot more on the subject, but it wouldn’t make your case any better I’m afraid. I do sympathize with you plight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Gordon. It’s pretty much been that way in this area since we were hit with something like 7 hurricanes over a 9 month period (in 2 seasons) in the mid-90s.
Better coverage IS available but the premiums are so high (more than $2,000 per year just for wind and water) that few people can afford it.
State Farm had been my previous insurer but the prices kept rising until it was simply out of my reach, especially when combined with all the other coverage I had to buy.
After that period in the 90s, most ins companies wanted to pull out of the area completely but TPTB at the time wouldn’t let them. So, they did the next best thing (for them): raise prices. People had to drop out for financial reasons. Buy food and pay the electric bill or carry the insurance they’d had previously. Not really a choice.
IMHO, those who live on the beaches are the ones who should shoulder those high premiums since they are the ones who sustain the big losses. They chose to live in the high danger area in their million+ dollar seasonal homes and can well afford it. But, no. The rest of us who have MUCH lower cost claims have to pay part of their share, too. Who said life was fair?
Anyhow, as angry as I get/am about their chicanery, I’ll get over it. Until next time. 😀
Thanks for your thoughts, Gordon. I’m so glad you’re here.
LikeLike
So tomorrow begins the resurrection? Today’s one for prayer in that case, and I’ll be thinking of you and your plight as you try to climb back to normalcy.
LikeLike
O.K., O.K., we tell, it’s 31 year-old UFA A.J. POLLACK.
#1 on my wish list. I’m not sure Thoppy will pay the freight.
#2 on my list is Andrew McCutchen. Will cost you less in both $$ and years.
LikeLike
ok guys, tell me why A.J. Pollock is all that and a bag of chips?
21 HR’s (career high) 65 RBIs, 13 steals, 31 walks .257 BA .316 OBP, in the 2nd easiest park in baseball to homer in? only once in his career has he played more than 137 games. and 31 in Dec.
Ender,
10 HR’s 61 RBI’s 28 steals .265 BA .325 OBP 28 in 10 days
is AJ that big bat we need?
LikeLike
Adam Jones (33) 2018, 15 HRs 63 RBIs .281 BA .313 OBp (yikes!)
Thing is, till this year, 7 straight years of 25 or more HR’s.
playing for the worst team in baseball, can’t be easy. Worth a risk in RF? Still can play CF? Highly doubt he will have a qualifying offer….offered by the O’s.
LikeLike
Adam Jones would be good… 2 year contract until Pache’ is ready.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Michael Brantley? like AJ Pollock, injured a lot, but….a much better hitter
last year 17 HR 76 RBI .309 BA .364 OBP
.295 lifetime BA
32 in may
LikeLike
I’ll take Cutch on a 2 year (with a 3rd year option) deal to bridge to Cristian Pache. I like him over Brantley, Jones, etc. Over Pollock? In the right deal, maybe. If it allows me to redirect assets to a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, then 100% yes.
LikeLike
Hmmm… I just took a glance at Cutch’s numbers vs. those of Nick Markakis. You know who had the better season in 2018? That’d be the 34 year old Kakes. The only stat where Cutch (age 32) was superior was HR (20-14). Yet Nick blew him out of the water in RBI 93-65.
Yes, Kakes drove in 93 runs this year.
If we are to go down this “bridge to Pache” road, I’d just as soon bring back a familiar and respected leader. I just believe this is one area that we have to increase our power potential. So as much as we may pour over the FA market and bandy about names, I believe this is a position that Thoppy is going to have to address via trade.
Name to remember: Nomar Mazara.
And what if…
What if AA really went big and took some of his vaunted prospect capital to CIN and brought back Cl Raisel Iglesias and 3B Eugenio Suárez, he of the 34 bombs in 2018?
Why would CIN do it?? Well, for one, they have highly rated 3B prospect Nick Senzel ready to emerge, but without a position. In fact, they are trying to teach him OF in Instructional League… sound like a familiar theme? As for Iglesias, he’s been the topic of trade rumors since last July.
CIN needs pitching like Pres. Trump needs a handler. We have young pitching in spades. We could make a blockbuster deal to bring us a closer and a 3B bopper, then turn around and use our own Austin Riley to acquire a TOTR pitcher.
I know… I’m starting to sound like the free-wheeling fantasy league execs. But what else is there to do on Oct. 17?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha… I left off the paragraph where I circle back and address the OF opening. To me, that’s simple…
If I bring in Suárez for the hot corner, I bump Johan Camargo out to LF, where he has shown in limited appearances that he can play. If I’ve increased my power at 3B, I can keep Camargo’s steady production in LF.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course, I suppose there’s an argument to be made to just pay Mike Moustakas or Josh Donaldson of you want to bump up your power at the 3B position. And we all know that Thoppy has a previous connection to Donaldson. The 3-time All-Star had MVP votes in 5 straight years – winning 1 – prior to the injury marred 2018. And he looked pretty much like the “Bringer of Rain” we’re used to in his brief 16 games with CLE.
Still, it’s supposed to be easier to find power in the corner OF market. But is it really?
Then who?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Here’s a seemingly random topic to address…
I am not comfortable with the way our #2 batters performed down the stretch. It was a constant rotation of Ender, Johan and Ozzie, now of whom could keep a firm grip on it.
Ideally one, preferably Ozzie, would step up and seize the spot. In fact, I think we need him to get back to the pre-ASB version of himself.
But here’s what I’d ideally like to do at the top of the lineup…
I’d like to leadoff with Ozzie and bat RAJ #2. I need someone to have a high OBP and get on ahead of the pheñom.
Think about this as a top of the lineup:
Ozzie, 2B (S)
RAJ, RF (R)
Freedie, 1B (L)
Josh Donaldson, 3B (R)
Ozzie getting on base and causing havoc for pitchers. RAJ driving him around, Freddie seeing fastballs because the Bringer of Rain is behind him, and the former MVP cleaning up.
I like it.
Full lineup:
Ozzie, 2B (S)
RAJ, RF (R)
Freedie, 1B (L)
Josh Donaldson, 3B (R)
Johan Camargo, LF (S)
Yasmani Grandal, C (S)
Ender, CF (L)
Dansby, SS (R)
I think I could live with that. I sign those position players in FA and I trade for pitching.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Freedie? 😳
LikeLiked by 2 people
… or:
Ozzie, 2B (S)
RAJ, RF (R)
Freddie, 1B (L)
Josh Donaldson, 3B (R)
Johan Camargo, LF (S)
Ender, CF (L)
Yasmani Grandal, C (S)
Dansby, SS (R)
Either way. I’m not picky… too picky anyway.
LikeLike
And whither Austin Riley? I’ve traded him to San Fran in the deal for Madison Bumgarner.
LikeLike
😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Make no mistake, MadBum is gonna cost ya. From what I’m reading, you can pretty much figure he’ll cost 1 major league ready pitcher, another Top 10 prospect, and another couple of lower tier prospects.
And that’s for just 2019. He’s a FA at next season’s end.
Why the hoopla? Well, his 2019 team option, which San Fran would have to pick up then trade, is for only $12M, and he’s Madison Friggin’ Bumgarner.
And for the Braves, the 29-year-old North Carolina native should see the young up-and-coming hometown Braves as a favorite to sign a long term deal with. I know I’m biased, but of you were looking for a landing spot for your big FA deal, wouldn’t it make sense to come home and lead a young a ridiculously talented rotation with a chance to win for the foreseeable future? I would think so.
So at what cost?
Here’s where it hurts. He’ll probably cost you something like P Touki Toussaint, 3B Austin Riley and 2 throw-ins.
It’s a gamble, but if I truly think I can get to him to sign an extension, which I immediately start trying to do, I roll the dice.
LikeLike
You lost me at Touki on that trade Vee. I think I would rather have Touki’s future than Bumgardner’s past.
And if you add power but retain Camargo, doesn’t make sense that you add it with an outfielder instead of losing it on defense in your infield?
LikeLike
I have always liked McCutchen but he is another player on the downward trend of his career.
Now, I am not so foolish as to expect something for nothing. Way too much information out there now so most everyone knows the plus and minus on every player. It has come down to matching up with folks who have a surplus of something you need while you have a surplus of something they need.
That entails some real deep diving on the scouting department in my opinion.
LikeLike
That said, I think the Yankees and the Braves match up pretty well in that department. Outfielders vs pitchers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And if you add power but retain Camargo, doesn’t make sense that you add it with an outfielder instead of losing it on defense in your infield?
Yes it does. But again I ask the question: Who is the OF that will consistently give you 30+ HR? And as for defense, Josh Donaldson always grades out among the best defensive 3B. In fact, he ranked the #3 defensive 3B in 2017 behind only Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado. He didn’t play enough innings in 2018 to make the list.
LikeLike
You lost me at Touki on that trade Vee. I think I would rather have Touki’s future than Bumgardner’s past.
I don’t want MadBum’s past, I want his age 29-35 prime years. He’s a proven ace, and there aren’t many of those to be had. He’s what you hope Touki might one day become. And if you want quality, you have to pay quality.
If I lose Touki, I can still toss a rotation of MadBum, Folty, Gausman, Mike Soroka, Newk, Julio, Max Fried, Kyle Wright, Luiz Gohara, Kolby Allard, or Bryce Wilson. And that’s just who will be ML ready in 2019. That doesn’t even take into account Ian Anderson, Joey Wentz, Patrick Weigel, and Kyle Muller.
I wouldn’t give up Touki for just anyone, but I would for MadBum, especially since I’ve still got an embarrassment of riches to draw from.
And if you can convince the G-men’s new GM (See what I did there?) to take another prospect not named Soroka, Wright or Anderson then I’m on board. But we all know the first name to be asked for is Touki.
And I’m not giving up on Sean Newcomb either. I think with the right coaching (cough cough not Chuck Hernandez) Newk can be dominating with his stuff. He just exudes “Jon Lester” to me.
LikeLike
for MADBUM, I would not lose TOUKI under any circumstance. He’s a future FREDDY FREEMAN…..to my mind anyway.
I might part with one of LHSP’s KOLBY ALLARD, or KYLE MULLER. RHSP’s IAN ANDERSON, WES PARSONS and MATT WITHROW are three others i would consider.
Down deep, we’ve got RHSP’s HUASCAR YNOA and JALEEL de la CRUZ.
Acquired from MINNESOTA last year, 20 year-old YNOA will start in A+ next season in all likelihood, and be in MISSISSIPPI by mid-season if all goes well.
Deeper yet, we have 21 year-old CRUZ in A-ball. Not as advanced as YNOA, but has the same level of potential. CRUZ was an International signee of ours in 2015.
Has not developed as fast as anticipated. A lot of our signings in the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC tend to flag once they’re removed from the environment they grew up in………
LikeLike
I agree… I would prefer to part with those folks over Touki also (except Anderson). But who wouldn’t? San Fran will not want to take a lesser commodity, and they’ll want someone that can step right in and go in 2019. That pares the above list down to really 2 names, Allard and Touki. If you were on the other side, would you accept Allard based on what you saw in 2018? Now, that’s not to say that he cannot still develop further, but that’s not what they’ll want. They’ll want Touki.
I’m not arguing, mind you. Just disagreeing. That used to be a thing. Now it’s rapidly becoming extinct. So as civilized Americans – a rarity these days – we can simply disagree on this point and go on respecting and loving each other. It’s what makes the world go around. I sure wish the world would remember that.
LikeLike
One more thing about the OF…
We keep mentioning “bridging” to the next big thing in Cristian Pache, and that’s warranted. But there’s another kid moving up the ranks that we should also be a little excited about, and that’s young Drew Waters. Like Pache, he may not be more than 2 years away himself, and he’s a classic “5 tool” player.
Prospect report: Waters is a veritable toolshed who simply needs time and reps to use those tools consistently and have them turn into performance. All the pieces are there for him to potentially develop into a dynamic everyday player and he took a large step in the right direction in 2018. ETA: 2021
In 114 games combined between A- Rome and A+ Florida this past season, the SH slashed .293/.343/.476 with 9 bombs, 39 doubles, 9 triples, and 23 stolen bases. And he plays all 3 OF spots with ease.
I’m betting he starts the 2019 season back at A+, but moves up quickly to AA if he gets off to a strong start. I think they’ll want to keep him challenged.
LikeLike
Yes, agreed.
LikeLike
Speaking of Mike Soroka, there is a report on him today that may help allay our worries about his shoulder, courtesy of DO’B:
He faced hitters twice during Instructional League, should be ready for start of spring training.
Soroka could well emerge from spring as our #2 pitcher next year barring the hopeful acquisition of a real ace. And even at that he could still arguably be the #2.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll believe all is well when i see him on the mound striking out hitters. Till then…..ready to exhale.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLiked by 3 people
I DO NOT LIKE MANNY BIG EARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25009234/manny-machado-los-angeles-dodgers-fined-jesus-aguilar-milwaukee-brewers-incident
LikeLike
I’ve kinda gotten that impression over the last few months… 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
Vee
BUMGARDNER, POLLACK, REALMUTO in 2019?
Uh-h-h…..no. Well…..maybe. UFA POLLACK is available for years and $$$.
BUMGARDNER, and REALMUTO are still tied to their teams, and both GM’s [SABEAN-JETER] are too savvy, or too greedy if you will for us to pay the sky-high future price in prospects for either.
SAN FRAN is negotiating for a new multi-year deal for MADISON, and I think it’s ultimately a done deal.
We’ve got the goods if we are patient, and let our top arms develop. We have more than enough depth in the arms department to withstand injuries, and inability to develop on the MLB level.
I know a true #1 is needed to make the starting rotation top notch.
I just think we will eventually have our own if we hold onto our best talent.
It may take a new pitching coach, a change in approach to pitching, and several years to do.
I of all people should not be preaching patience at 75+, but I really think that’s where we should be.
If a top established talent with a future falls in our lap for one or two of our 1-A arms, that’s a horse of another color. Not that I believe that will happen.
We are not in the weaker position. We have the talent to win championships already with what’s in house both on the mound and in the field.
CRISTIAN PACHE and DREW WATERS are on the vine. We already have a young vet in INCIARTE, and the top ML outfield rookie in ACUNA.
Btw, PACHE is THE best fielder of anyone in our organization, and any other, but his bat is lagging, and he may arrive still needing big improvement in that area. WATERS is the better bat, and I believe a corner outfielder going forward. Both should be in ATLANTA by 2021.
3B has both AUSTIN RILEY and C.J. ALEXANDER on the vine. RILEY may make the club out of ST. ALEXANDER looks determined to arrive by 2021.
SS has DANSBY SWANSON and JOHAN CAMARGO with CHARLIE CULBERSON on the bench for 3B, SS, LF, and 2B.
2B has OZZIE ALBIES. I don’t see anyone coming up behind him I like other than RILEY DELGADO, a singles hitter who has to develop some power to be anything other than a placeholder. On him, lukewarm.
1B has FREDDIE FREEMAN. i don’t see anyone coming up I like behind him at all. JOEY MENESES is gone, about to debut in the PHILLIES camp in 2019.
C has WILLIE CONTRERAS on the vine and ripe by 2021. This is the one area where we could use beef-ed up talent. ZUKI and FLO are at the end of their careers. REALMUTO here makes good sense, but JETER is not going to get off too steep a price in prospects.
The arms have already been discussed previously.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Brewers reportedly suspect Dodgers are using video to steal signs
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate cheating in any form and lose all respect for those who do. Just my opinion.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Stealing signs is not cheating anymore than using them. To me it is akin to throwing to first to see if a hitter is going to square around to bunt.
I think it is more of a head game being played. Get the pitcher thinking about something other than executing their pitch. More likely a pitcher is tipping pitches than someone stealing a sign.
Hey, I’ve figured a steal sign more than once but not always with good results, ie. hit and run plays….
Like beating the shift, nobody out in the inning and no one on, bunt the damn ball… Or like Gordon said to me the other day, the way Ty Cobb beat the shift, “he hit them where they ain’t… “
LikeLike
My take, for what it’s worth…
If you can pick up on the signs on the field and use it to your advantage, then you’re just doing your job. But once you go off the field and begin to use cameras, video, etc… well, then your crossing the line.
The question really comes down to: Is it a rule or is it in “the book”? Is it spelled out somewhere, or just a gentleman’s agreement between competitors? If it’s just an agreement, and teams are starting to stray from it, then either spell it out or deal with the consequences.
LikeLike
Does it matter? Can anyone beat Boston? I thought if anyone could, it would have been HOU.
Now I don’t know who to pull for… 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course, I pulled for ATL, and they lost. Then I pulled for HOU, and they lost.
Maybe I should just sit this one out. 😐
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bet on BOSTON over whichever NL teams staggers up to the WS. It’s already over…….which could be famous, or infamous in my case, last words.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It does appear to be Boston’s year, they have already beaten two 100 win teams to get there and it has not really been that close.
All and all, the NL series have been more entertaining but that is only if you are not a Boston fan. For all those north-easterners, I’m pretty certain they would disagree.
Now, if we can just have a series not decided by replay/umpiring. Jim West, bless his heart, just has to get involved somehow. 6 umpires and you still need replay? Add cameras to the foul poles to determine boundary calls. They have cameras everywhere else for goodness sake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
BETTS had the ball, and the dude was out all the way. Fan interference no doubt. He pushed the glove aside, closing it, and went for the ball. Doesn’t matter if it was in the stands and over the yellow line. An outfielder is allowed to jump and reach over the fence to bring a ball back into the field of play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Like beating the shift, nobody out in the inning and no one on, bunt the damn ball… Or like Gordon said to me the other day, the way Ty Cobb beat the shift, “he hit them where they ain’t… “
FWIW, Wee Willie Keeler said it first! 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
this is the least interest I can ever recall in the playoffs, save a strike ruined year. Not sure why, Brewers would be the team I could root for, since they never get to the W.S. and surely has never won one, (right?) but that’s not looking likely.
Perhaps since the braves were in the playoffs for the first time in years, that disappointed me? (and you all too of course)
LikeLike
I did some late reading last night. Did you know that the Padres have an abundance of corner OF’s, but a real need at 3B?
Isn’t that interesting?
LikeLiked by 2 people
V, I can hear the wheels turning all the way up here in NC. Whatcha plottin’?
LikeLiked by 1 person
CAMARGO for their biggest young OF bat, CULBERSON @ 3B to start the season, and RILEY at 3B come late APRIL?
LikeLiked by 1 person
CAMARGO for their biggest young OF bat
It’d take more than just Johan Camargo to net Hunter Renfroe, and he’s the most likely of their OF”s to be traded. I doubt they’d even begin to consider trading Franmil Reyes, and Wil Myers’ contract is a deterrent (owed $73M through 2022).
Still, Renfroe would look good in any OF, and especially ATL’s. He’s a youngster – just 26 – and under team control until 2024. He’s just coming into his power stroke, which has already yielded an average of 36 HR over a 162 game schedule in parts of 3 seasons. He’s said to have “plus plus power to his pull side” as a RH bat. He would be perfect to slip in at cleanup behind Freddie. His downside is that he does tend to swing and miss a good bit. But what pure power hitter doesn’t in the modern era? The power threat alone is enough to get more fastballs thrown to Freddie, and that’s what we’ve been missing.
If you want Renfroe, you better be willing to part with Camargo and a pitcher… maybe Max Fried? They might like to have Fried back now that he’s healed up nicely from when they threw his injured elbow in the Justin Upton deal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Chances are they will non-tender one of their 3 utility IF’s, so why not try to get one back in the deal as well? Cory Spangenberg is a nice LH hitting guy that can play all over the place… sort of the LH compliment to Charlie Culberson. If we’re losing Camargo, I’d like to replace his versatility.
Camargo and Fried for Renfroe and Spangenberg?
Then our bench will sound like an accounting firm: Culberson and Spangenberg.
LikeLiked by 3 people
… or just Renfroe for Fried straight up, and let them sort out their own 3B woes.
Bottom line is that Wil Myers cannot play 3B for them, thus he must return to their OF… which already has Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes entrenched in the corners.
They’ll certainly want a pitcher to pry one of them away.
LikeLike
The Braves have matched up quite a bit with the Padres. I would venture the fact they only face each other 7 times a year factors into that quite a bit.
LikeLike
While I know I am not one to talk but… Luiz Gohara should take notice of Matt Kemp’s “Comeback Player of the Year” award by the Sporting News. Amazing what losing a bit of weight can do for your career. Of course, you have to have a career to comeback to so there is that….
LikeLiked by 2 people
and in big news… I did not win the lottery… Pshaw… 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
‘Mornin’, everybody! Construction begins Monday. There is light at the end of the tunnel. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Check……..good luck
LikeLiked by 1 person
CL, ah glad to hear it!!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, sadly for the Brewers fans, I watched some of the game…sorry brewers fans
well…I was thinkin’ (I do that once in awhile) An L.A.-Red Sox is good for baseball viewing numbers nationwide….I also think I am not really a fan of the Dodgers, and not just because of Manny B.E. (Big Ears) not totally sure why…I really dislike David Price (Who I used to really like, til he decided to get into the face of Dennis Eckersley on a plane, and never apologized) but the rest of the Red Sox seem scrappy…sigh….trying to put a good face on a W.S. just not that interested in….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Got no use for BOSTON fans who rejected the BRAVES because they played on the wrong side of town [southie]. As an old, and I do mean old BOSTON BRAVES fan, I don’t wish them ANY success.
Completely lost any love for the DODGERS when they followed suit a few years later out of N.Y. for the left coast.
Hello, I hope they all break a leg, and not in a drama-presenting way.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I believe CRAIG COUNSELL was the reason, maybe the SOLE reason, MILWAUKEE was in a game seven with the DODGERS. He was a complete pain in the rump for us BRAVES’ fans as a player, and he’s doing a fantastic job transferring that stick-to-it, feisty attitude to his team.
If he would listen, I would offer him the moon and a few stars to become the BRAVES head coach, and imbue our organization with the same aggressive can-do attitude.
I know BRIAN SNITKER and his staff are equally committed to winning, but they’re more low-key in their approach it seems to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, the old adage in golf is “keep your nose in your own bag” Goes with coveting other teams managers too… 🙂
One thing I have observed over the years is how every coach/manager brings his own unique style to the game. Perhaps the toughest part is how to keep 25 individuals moderately happy on a ball club. I think the key is knowing how to get the most with the hand you are dealt and I must admit Council has got the most out of his players this season.
But too often I hear folks on twitter and other venues pine for a guy who has had success on the big stage. It appears that Joe Giradi it the prime pick for most fans. He has already turned down offers from the Reds and the Jays. I wonder where he wants to go, the Nationals? I know it would be a big name team like the Cubs but is the Joe Madden era over all ready?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Methinks the Brewers just ran out of gas. They put up a valiant fight but in reality, the Dodgers were a better team and over the long haul, that just proves out 99% of the time.
Possible the turning point in last night’s game was the magnificent catch made by Chris Taylor of the Dodgers. A sliding catch in the gap on a fly ball hit by Yelich with the tying run on 2nd. It energized the Dodgers and deflated the Brewers. I don’t know what the catch probability was on that play but I would venture it was in the teens.
Not the series, since I don’t have dog in that fight, I am not sure how much I will watch but I will watch some of it. The Red Sox have to be the favorite but as the venerable Yogi Berra once said, “ya just never know”
It is why the game are played on the field and with the current caliber of umpiring in the majors, well, don’t be surprised if Blue somehow gets in the middle of a good series.
In Arizona Fall League play, uber prospect Christian Pache is making impressive showing in the first week of play. He is why I don’t see the Braves signing an outfielder in the off season to any long term contracts. 2 years max I would say before he is in Atlanta. I would venture he would be pretty high on other ball clubs want list in trade talks. They know Acuna is not going anywhere so they will ask for the Braves next best position player prospect.
LikeLiked by 2 people
They know Acuna is not going anywhere so they will ask for the Braves next best position player prospect.
… which is currently Austin Riley. I imagine both names will be mentioned liberally this winter.
Pache has not yet proven he can hit consistently at the higher minor league levels, but Riley has. That’s not to say that Pache will not, but he’s still got work to do. Hopefully his progress curve will stay steady and the improvement he made in 2018 – including finding a little power – will continue into 2019.
LikeLike
If [Craig Counsell] would listen, I would offer him the moon and a few stars to become the BRAVES head coach, and imbue our organization with the same aggressive can-do attitude.
Not me. Nobody could have squeezed 90 wins out of that flawed Braves roster but their current skipper. And they’ll tell you that themselves. That was all about attitude. They didn’t have the 25-man roster to stack up against most of the NL, but they still managed to pull out alot of games, especially late. That’s nothing but attitude.
As for Craig Counsell, meh… he’s a good manager. But he was expected to win with that team this year. And he did. Good for him for meeting expectations. I think alot of teams might win with Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun at the top of their order, not to mention Travis Shaw knocking 32 dingers from the cleanup spot with Jesus Aguilar contributing 35 more right behind him. That’s a pretty imposing 1-5. Then you drop in Mike Moustakas at #6 mid-season and you really have something cooking.
Snit got Adam Duvall. Think about that.
Did you know the Braves had nobody hit more than 30 HR’s, with just 3 guys slapping 20 or more? It’s hard to imagine any team in today’s game not having a single player bopping 30 HR’s. Meanwhile, the Brewers had 3 over 30… with Yelich leading those already mentioned with 36 more. (I shouldn’t even mention Eric Thames slamming 16 more HR’s off the bench, but it is what it is.) For the record, RAJ led the Braves with 26, and Freddie was 3rd with just 23. Hard to believe, eh? Hard to believe that Ozzie out homered Freddie 24-23, but he did. And Camargo checks in at #4 with just 19. Heck, Thames’ 16 would have slotted at #5 on our team. But I digress… Still, it illustrates the deficiencies that Snit had to deal with.
And this is no direct knock on Kakes, but I wonder what our offense might could have achieved if Freddie had a a guy or 2 hitting 30+ home runs behind him? He might have seen a few more fastballs himself. Again, it underscores the top needs that Thoppy must address in this most important offseason so that the Braves can take the step forward that the Brewers took in 2018, when they added both Cain and Yelich after picking up Shaw and Aguilar in 2017. Not a bad handful of additions right there.
I should also mention that MIL is said to have the best bullpen in all of MLB. It’s hard to find a better one.
I say all that to say this: Craig Counsell is a nice manager, but he sure did have alot of nice tools in his toolbox. I know it’s possible to mess up alot of talent – see Dave Martinez in WAS – but I have a really hard time thinking Counsell pulled some rabbit out of his hat. Not like Snit did. Nobody saw that coming in ATL. Not even us here at the ol’ B&S, who sense every slight “disturbance in the Force”.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So the Braves are being prominently mentioned as a possible FA destination for lefty “ace” Patrick Corbin, who will likely receive the 3rd biggest contract this offseason behind Manny “Ber’s Fave” Machado and Bryce Harper.
The 29-year-old Corbin’s numbers from 2018 in ARI: 200 IP, 3.15 ERA, 246 K’s, 1.050 WHIP.
He’s projected to earn something like 5-6 years @ $20MM-$25MM per year depending on contract length. That’s alot of M’s. But Thoppy should have a few M’s in the old budget this year, so go ahead and pick up Corbin in FA and concentrate the prospect capital on a young hitter or two for RF and/or C. I’m OK with that. 😀
LikeLike
If the Braves could pry 3B Eugenio Suarez away from CIN, his 34 HR’s would augment our offense nicely.
Also, if rumors are true and ARI is considering a rebuild after expecting to lose both Patrick Corbin and AJ Pollock in FA, they may be willing to listen on OF David Peralta, he of 30 HR’s. Alot of national talking heads consider him a likely trade candidate after his career best season in 2018. Peralta is just 31 and not FA eligible until 2021. That might line up nicely with the arrival of Cristian Pache.
And back to the Brewers…
They have a talented and full OF with Cain, Yelich and Braun. And they have no place for youngsters Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana, both of whom should be on someone’s ML roster. They’re also losing alot of starting pitching after this season and will be looking. One of Broxton/SAntana should be their 4th OF in 2019, but one will undoubtedly be used to bring back pitching.
I’ll take Santana in a quick heartbeat, and I’ll take veteran power bat Eric Thames for my bench and to spot start in RF as well. What will it take to get both?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Many national writers seem to think that the Braves and Yankees will make the biggest push for Corbin, who is a NY native. It seems natural that Brian Cashman will make Corbin his top priority when the “silly season” starts.
But what if he loses Corbin to Atlanta? Then where would he turn to for pitching? Well… how about Atlanta?
Perhaps signing Corbin out from under the Yanks might serve a dual purpose. It would give the Braves the top-of-the-rotation starter they need to lead this young and talented rotation and might prompt the Yanks to part with one of their surplus OF’s in an effort to fill their own pitching needs.
If I’m Thoppy, I court Corbin like he’s a last chance prom date and I make sure I get him in the fold. And before the ink has a chance to dry, I’m on the phone to Cashman dangling a list of impressive names.
LikeLiked by 2 people
In fact, since Cashman will lose out on Corbin, he’ll turn his attention to the highest profile name on the FA list – Bryce Harper. He’ll sign Harper to play LF, enabling him to trade Clint Frazier for pitching. It all fits together quite well in my imaginary GM world.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s see what the off-season brings.
We do need a big bat, future catching, another OF’er, a #1 pitcher, and a revamped bullpen. That’s a lot to put on one off-season, and in a couple years most of those needs would be met internally.
Do we exercise patience, or rush to judgement this off-season?
Stay tuned BRAVES fans.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Is it my imagination, or does Mets GM finalist Chaim Bloom look just like Robbie Rotten from PBS’s Lazy Town?
LikeLiked by 3 people
So, are free agents allowed to pursue employment on teams other than where they ended up the the season before the end of the World Series or is it considered tampering until their current employer is given an opportunity to sing them?
I think I need to research some dates…
LikeLike
Okay, found the info.
https://www.cleveland.com/expo/sports/erry-2018/10/e76517abdb2521/mlb-offseason-calendar-201819.html
LikeLike
Guys, look at the MLB EVENTS link below. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks CL, but I was looking for the dates for when it was legal for teams to sign other teams’ free agents. however, I am again reminded that you are always ahead of the game and I only need to scroll down to find the answer to the majority of my questions… 🙂
PS, did your construction crew show up today as promised?
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are still trying to find all the materials they need. Everything is SO limited in a 200+ mile radius. Sources simply can’t meet the demand and that won’t change for at least a year. Martin is resourceful so it won’t be long, I feel sure. Meanwhile, Kelly & I did locate the carpet she wants, though, so one more thing checked off the list. She’s so excited to see her new room completed and all her things moved into it. I’m happy for her and in knowing that she’s not lingering in the trauma of having that tree come in directly above where she was sleeping.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So, are free agents allowed to pursue employment on teams other than where they ended up the the season before the end of the World Series
There is a specific date and time that these players officially become free agents. (Prior to 2017, those players had to formally file for FA, but that was such a waste of time MLB did away with it.) Anyway, last year it was the morning after the last World Series game at 9 a.m. ET. I would imagine it will be the same this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Confirmed the day via Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports: “Free agency begins the day after the World Series.” One can reasonably assume that if it was at 9 a.m. ET last year, it will be again this year.
LikeLike
That said, you and I both know that feelers have already been sent out covertly. It wouldn’t surprise me if there weren’t even some loose frameworks in place here and there.
LikeLike
Wow, Gil. Somehow I missed the link you provided above…
5-day “quiet period”… yeah, r-i-g-h-t.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good afternoon all. It’s a beautiful day here in the Old Dominion. Fall has finally arrived, just in time to make the World Series miserable for most of the participants.
Yes, I am sure agents are not constrained from putting out feelers to all clubs to gauge interest in their clients. I doubt the clubs are allowed to actually negotiate but I guess that is only if they get caught. If I were the Braves I would be by the book…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Speaking of which, how did ol’ pal Kevin Maitan do this season on the Angels Rookie League team?
He hit .248 and made 32 errors in 61 games playing SS.
I sense a position change may be in order.
BTW- That pedestrian performance, even for another team, was certainly not worth the big penalty the Braves took for their efforts to secure that signing. What goes around comes around, kid. And I’m not slamming the youngster, but he was a willing participant from day 1. Yet when the feces hit the fan, he was able to go out and grab a second big signing bonus. That’ll teach him… 🙄 What’s the Spanish translation for “deterrent”? Obviously Rob Manfred does not know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How many times have we said it? I wish Freddie would do this often.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, I agree 100% Vee.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So, the Red Sox win game one 8-4, The BOSOX just never stop coming at you do they? So many weapons.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I tried to watch some, just couldn’t get into it. Maybe I was just tired… but then again, I usually am that late on a weeknight. Same story, different year.
🙄
LikeLiked by 1 person
well, when I went to be, 3-3…
Kershaw with a 92 “heater” is not the same guy….
if he opts out of his 30+ million a year deal for even more…kinda wish the dodgers would let him leave, and he have to take a 1 year deal for a mere 20 mil
LikeLike
LOL, like anyone would opt out of a $30MM deal…. I don’t see a single player who can opting out of their current big money contract. Of course I am sure there are quite a few teams who wish they could opt out of their big money obligations.
Baseball is the only pro sports group where a guaranteed contract is exactly that. The player gets the money no matter what. It is why signing bonuses are so popular in other sports.
So who might be the smartest ball player? A: Bobby Bonilla who gets a cool $1 million each summer. No need for him to move out of his mansion, Who says you can’t blow million of dollars on stupid stuff?
Anyhoo, I did not start watching last night’s game until the 4th inning. Even then, I just had the game on with no sound, I started reading the new John Grisham book yesterday so I did not really need the distraction.
On an additional note… I did not win the lottery… Oh well….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kershaw with a 92 “heater” is not the same guy….
No he isn’t Ber but it’s his non sliding slider that is getting hit.
Poor Alex Woods, gave up a 3 run homer on a pitch that was down… I thought the homer was a Jeff Francour special.
LikeLike
Gil, I know it sounds crazy…but, there is a lot of crazy in the world right now…
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/with-clayton-kershaws-opt-out-looming-dodgers-boss-hopeful-the-two-sides-work-together-for-a-long-time/
LikeLike
Baseball is the only pro sports group where a guaranteed contract is exactly that. The player gets the money no matter what.
Because they have the strongest players’ union… and it’s not even close.
LikeLike
The price paid for getting caught colluding and having an anti trust exemption. Paying for the sins of the fathers or something like that.
Hey, I think it would be helpful if a little of that money was spread around to the minor leagues but it will never happen. Like any union I have ever had a part in, it becomes pretty evident that people will always look after their own self interest first.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Collectivism is the flavor of the month right now. Those in power like it because it’s easier to sway a group than it is an individual. Sheeple like it because they think they can get more stuff for nothing. And they have no idea how severely they are compromising their own individual liberties because those in power are in charge of educating them… just to the point of being impressionable voters. Like sheep to the slaughter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So… we’re in a somewhat down period as far as any news is concerned. Nothing of note can really happen until the World Series is over anyway, so the next week will be fairly dull as far as mining any real gems in the news. So maybe it’s time to just look at our own and do a little speculation.
To that end, here is how I see the future lining up for our current 40-man roster, plus the wounded, along with their contract status:
Pitchers:
-Julio Teheran, 6 yr, $32.4MM (2014-19), 2020 club option traded
+Mike Folty, 2nd year arb
+Kevin Gausman, 3rd year arb
-Anibal Sanchez, free agent signs elsewhere
+Sean Newcomb, pre-arb
+Max Fried, pre-arb
+Touki Toussaint, pre-arb
-Arodys Vizcaino, 4th year arb traded
+AJ Minter, pre-arb
-Brad Brach, free agent signs elsewhere
+Jonny Venters, 4th year arb
+Chad Sobotka, pre-arb
+Dan Winkler, 2nd year arb
+Jesse Biddle, pre-arb
+Shane Carle, pre-arb
-Sam Freeman, 2nd year arb non-tendered
-Luke Jackson, pre-arb non-tendered
+Kolby Allard, pre-arb
+Kyle Wright, pre-arb
+Bryse Wilson, pre-arb
+Adam McCreery*, pre-arb
+Wes Parsons*, pre-arb
+Ricardo Sanchez*, no MLB service time
Position guys on the active roster:
+Ronald Acuña, Jr., pre-arb
+Ozzie Albies, pre-arb
+Freddie Freeman, 8 yr, $135MM (2014-21),
-Nick Markakis, free agent signs elsewhere
+Tyler Flowers, 1 yr, $4MM (2019), 2020 club option
?Kurt Suzuki, free agent, ?
+Johan Camargo, pre-arb
+Ender Inciarte, 5 yr, $30.525MM (2017-21), 2022 club option
+Dansby Swanson, pre-arb
+Charlie Culberson, 1st year arb
-Lucas Duda, free agent signs elsewhere
-Ryan Flaherty, free agent signs elsewhere
-Rene Rivera, free agent signs elsewhere
+Lane Adams, pre-arb
-Adam Duvall, 1st year arb non-tendered
+Preston Tucker, pre-arb
+Rio Ruiz, pre-arb
Pitchers on the DL:
+Mike Soroka, pre-arb
+Luiz Gohara, pre-arb
-Brandon McCarthy, free agent announced intent to retire
+Darren O’Day, 4 yr, $31MM (2016-19)
+Peter Moylan, free agent signs elsewhere
-Jose Ramirez, 1st year arb non-tendered
-Jacob Lindgren, 1st year arb non-tendered
-Grant Dayton, pre-arb non-tendered
Position guys on the DL:
+Michael Reed, pre-arb
The way I see it right now, with no trades (except for Julio; he’s a goner) or signings to take into account, we’ll have about 33 on the 40-man roster, which should be plenty to protect the 3 or 4 necessary from Rule 5 theft, plus make a signing or 2. Any additional spots needed can be accommodated by a corresponding move.
And you may have noticed I’m still undecided on Zuk. I think there’s a real chance the Braves give him a deal similar to Flow’s and the duo continues as a tandem.
At any rate, the major needs are still there: starting pitcher, OF, bullpen (specifically closer)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmm… looks like I stuck a “+” next to Petey in error and thus miscounted the roster total. Looks like 32, not 33.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Afternoon, today’s news is da bomb…
Now baseball, you are right, not much happening above the surface but I am sure the water is churning below eye level.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And much like the regular season, it appears the World Series is also the Red Sox and everyone else.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just too many weapons eh Vee?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I saw this on a national baseball chat last night:
~Question: What kind of fictional package of pitching do my Braves need to give up for Kyle Schwarber?
~Moderator: For 3 years of Schwarber, how about a straight up deal of Schwarber for Allard or Soroka and maybe a mid-tier prospect. Or Schwarber for Kyle Wright and Max Fried. Cubs lack pitching depth and Braves need a LF/cleanup hitter so there’s definitely a match.
First, let me just day that my personal preference is to not part with Mike Soroka for anything. And Kyle Wright is in that same conversation. As for Max Fried, I think he can be a very valuable reliever in the same mold of Andrew Miller, Josh Hader, and Adam Ottavino… multi-inning pitchers who are becoming increasingly as important as closers. But if, and that’s a really big “if”, if CHC would take the moderator’s first option, something like Kolby Allard and… maybe Tucker Davidson, I’d do that in a heartbeat.
LikeLike
Just read that the Braves’ injured lefty Jacob Lindgren just barely squeaked into the Super 2 cutoff with 2.134 years service time, which was the exact cutoff number. This may prove to be a bad thing for Lindgren, whom I am predicting will be non-tendered because of the estimated $600K arb figure.
Yes, I realize that’s pennies in the grand scheme of things. But when you figure the Braves are going to be squeezing out as much as they can from their budget this year, they’ll be counting every penny. It also doesn’t help him that the organization has so many arms in the upper levels vying for a roster spot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, I have to agree on that one. He my yet fulfill his promise but I think he is still two years away with his rehab schedule and lack of real playing time.
LikeLike
hmmm, wouldn’t say the team feels a player or 2 away? I mean, we won the division…
Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at the Braves’ need for some help atop the rotation and the means by which they could acquire said help, though he notes that recent comments by GM Alex Anthopoulos caution against the possibility of an expensive splash. “If there’s a deal that makes sense for us, and it’s a good asset to have, we’ll do it,” said Anthopoulos. “I think the one where you scratch and really push, and you want to call it overpay in years or dollars, you feel like that’s the one final piece. … I don’t think we’re there yet right now.” Atlanta does have plenty of intriguing arms in the upper minors, some of whom have already debuted in the Majors. It’s possible that a few prominent contributors could yet emerge from within or that those pieces could be packaged for some high-end, cost-controlled help. A free-agent splash for someone like Patrick Corbin, however, seems decidedly less likely.
LikeLike
Ber, my gut tells me that the Yankees are going to blow Patrick Corbin away with their offer, and Thoppy isn’t even going to enter that fray. And he shouldn’t. Truth is, the Braves are at least 3 players away from seriously contending. We MUST acquire a top starter. Not JA Happ or Lance Lynn, but a guy to slot in front of Folty, not behind. And we MUST acquire a power hitting OF… at minimum. (We really need power at 2 more spots, but you can’t do all the heavy lifting in just 1 year.) And we MUST acquire a bona fide closer. Viz ain’t it. I’m betting Viz isn’t even here when we break camp. But even if he is, he’s not the closer. We need that guy. You get the lock down closer, and all the other roles are easier to fill. Heck, we have most of that already. We just need that new Billy Wagner. Can AJ Minter be that guy? Well… the jury is still out. But even if he does have that potential, it just makes your bullpen stronger to get the established veteran to go with him.
Now, if we were just 1 player away and had everything else in place, then maybe you overpay for Corbin to get over that last hump. But that’s not where the Braves are. So you simply can’t overpay for any 1 player. And for top starting pitching, you’ll have to overpay in FA. Now that’s not to say you wont pay market value for an expensive player. I believe they’ve said that they will do that. But that’s typically accomplished via trade.
For the hitter, same story probably applies. Thoppy would have to overpay to get the real jewel, Bryce Harper, and that simply wont happen. So he’ll go out and explore the trade market again. As we’ve said before, we match up pretty favorably with SDP. Maybe MIL. There is a match to be made. That one will be easier than the starting pitcher.
As for the reliever, well… that guy might actually be had in FA. Craig Kimbrel, Jeurys Familia, Adam Ottavino and Joakim Soria are all interesting names. The market supply looks to be a little more abundant here, so an overpay isn’t necessarily a given. Also, Kelvin Herrera is coming off a foot injury. He might be had on a short term discount to re-establish his value. For a closer, I prefer shorter term deals. Their arms are just soooo fragile and history shows they often burn brightly but quickly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an infield!!! Are we sure we don’t want to try Austin Riley in LF?
LikeLiked by 3 people
What? no video of Freddie? I still think Freddie’s real defensive gift is the number of throwing errors he prevents.
LikeLiked by 2 people
And speaking of amazing defense, the Braves have 5 finalists for Gold Gloves, being P Julio Teheran, 1B Freddie Freeman, and OF’s Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall.
Duvall?
Yes, Duvall.
Congrats guys!!
And while that’s great, what about Johan? How can he not be a finalist? Heck, I could almost say the same for Dansby. Winner? Maybe not. But finalist? Yeah… I think so.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep, I don’t know if Austin has logged any time in the outfield but he reminds me very much of Ryan Klesko but from the right side.
It makes little difference to me if your power offense comes from 3rd base or left field. Therefore, I hate to give up Johan’s glove for more power.
I also am inclined to believe that Johan will continue to fill out as he gets older resulting in greater power numbers.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ber, my gut tells me that the Yankees are going to blow Patrick Corbin away with their offer, and Thoppy isn’t even going to enter that fray. And he shouldn’t. Truth is, the Braves are at least 3 players away from seriously contending. We MUST acquire a top starter. Not JA Happ or Lance Lynn, but a guy to slot in front of Folty, not behind. And we MUST acquire a power hitting OF… at minimum.
V, ok agree with needing a real #1 and a real power threat, …but…as for Patrick Corbin, why not? Got the moola, right? what are we at, 65-70 Mil? I was even thinking that perhaps he was being coy….who has a #1 that they are going to trade to us? How much does said future #1 make now?
LikeLiked by 1 person
but…as for Patrick Corbin, why not? Got the moola, right?
Corbin is projected to command something like 5-6 years @ $20MM-$25MM per year depending on contract length. And if NYY really wants to up the ante, it could be 5 years at $25MM+ per year.
What we have to remember is that even though we might be able to handle slotting in $25MM into the 2019 payroll, at some point we’re gonna have to pay RAJ and Folty and Ozzie, etc. So it’s not even just a matter of 2019, but making sure that we can continue to maintain a manageable payroll down the road. It’s why trading for a guy with 2 or 3 years left on his deal is more desirable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
well, if you worry more about what guys will get in….3,4 years than getting the best guy…you will end up with another swell #2, 3 guy
here are the top win guys in the AL (I know, wins don’t matter) anyways…
you tell me who in the top 10-15 a team would trade, and that you would want on the braves?
wait, scratch that, that’s silly…I can filter for all of baseball…
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/seasontype/2/sort/wins
LikeLiked by 1 person
ok fine…by era…don’t have time right now, but anyone jump out?
http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/pitching/_/seasontype/2/order/false
LikeLiked by 1 person
what else you gonna do on a cold rainy Friday? Focus on work? 😛
LikeLiked by 3 people
here are the top win guys in the AL (I know, wins don’t matter)
Well, not trying to be contentious, but the best pitcher in baseball only eked out 10 wins because his team sucked, so there’s that. And if you’re pitching for the 2018 Red Sox, who earned a ML high 108 wins, it might be a little easier to get that “W”. Rick Porcello earned 17 wins this season, but he’s not 70% better than Jacob deGrom. He’s not even in the same class. But I do still hold to the old stats of ERA and WHIP. I feel those are quite useful in determining a pitcher’s effectiveness. Heck the bottom line is scoring runs, right? That’s what determines who actually wins the games. So if you limit that, you’re doing you’re job. And to break it down by inning, if you’re limiting the number of baserunners (WHIP = walks + hits per innings pitched), you’re also limiting the potential for runs to be scored, as well as limiting the “stressful” innings. So those are what I like to look at. I neither understand nor want to understand the new pitching “metrics”. Last I checked, nobody looked at the collective xFIP to see who won the game.
And understand I’m not worrying about paying the salary. I want them to pay for top talent. I just want them to pay for the right talent, and to do it in a way that won’t hamstring the team in another 5 years, ala the Giants.
So… looking at what truly top pitchers might be available for trade, based on way too much reading, you are probably talking about one of the Mets talented trio of deGrom, Noah Syndegaard and Zack Wheeler. But you can bet that the Mets will want a ton of top prospects to get any deal done there. We’ve already mentioned Madison Bumgarner, who probably will not be made available when all is said and done. Then you can skip over to ARI, where they are expected to go into a full rebuild after losing Patrick Corbin and AJ Pollock in FA. They could also decide to trade Robbie Ray, a former All-Star who isn’t a #1 but is more of a #2-3… or more likely dangle Zack Greinke. And that’s where it gets really interesting.
I’ve made no bones over my desire to hook up on MadBum, but it’s sounding more and more like the G-men are going to extend him there. So let’s look at Greinke. It’s a comparable talent, though older, but still dominant. At age 34, he still tossed 207.2 stellar innings with a tiny 1.079 WHIP (10th best in MLB) and a 3.21 ERA. But the contract… man it’s a monster. So here’s where you can get creative if you’re Thoppy. His contract still has 3 years left at a total commitment of $104.5MM remaining on salaries of $34.5MM, $35MM and $35MM respectively. If ARI really wants to start a rebuild, they will start with Greinke.
Would Thoppy even entertain such a high salary for one guy? First, no GM will want to take that commitment off their hands, so ARI is gonna have to make some compromises to facilitate a deal.
Here is a classic case of buying down the prospect return. The more salary that a GM is willing to assume, the lesser the prospect package ARI will be able to command in return. If we want to eat more $$, we can save a few young’uns. But if we want Greinke for 3 years at… say, the aforementioned $25MM per season that Corbin will command (and I’d take Greinke 10 times over Patrick Corbin), then we’ll pay the full prospect freight that it will take.
As for me, I’d prefer we pay the greater salary for the next 3 years, before we have to start rewarding our own talented youngsters, and save some of the prospect capital. And to put that $35MM in perspective, both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are expected to earn in the neighborhood of $40MM per season on their new deals. (Nice neighborhood…) And I’ve heard many crying for Thoppy to sign one of the 2 stars. Gimme the pitcher.
The truth is, a true “ace” is not found in every ML town, as much as we’d like to label a guy as such on every team. There are probably about 10 true “ace” type pitchers. They include deGrom, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Syndegaard, Chris Sale, Bumgarner, Corey Kluber, Justin Verlander, maybe Aaron Nola if he can repeat his 2018 performance… and Greinke. So if you have a chance to have one of those scarce commodities on your team, don’t you at least look at it?
Hey, I know it’s easy to spend other people’s money (just ask a Democrat… KIDDING). But we know that the money is going to be allocated somewhere. Might as well make it count.
LikeLiked by 2 people
you’re doing you’re job Oh my Lord…
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL
LikeLike
so….forgot about game 3 til it was in the 6th….only had to watch 12 more to see who would win……………..
glad I bothered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
There are some things I just cannot stay awake for.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Gil, believe me…I didn’t really have any vested interest in this game….but, I always want to see teams win one game in any series…and of course you see lots of shots of home fans just about to jump out of their skin, biting nails…you just felt the Red Sox offense couldn’t be held down every single inning…especially with walks leading off innings, errors, etc. and Max Muncy just missed a game winning homer in…I don’t know, 13th? 14th? figured when that didn’t happen, the game was over.
When the Red Sox got the lead around then…turned the sound off, figured game was over….but, it wasn’t.
I even rooted for manny big ears after the 15th (dope hit a ball off the wall and didn’t get past 1st somehow-well, home run thinking antics will slow you down-200-300 million dollar talent, 10 cent brain) I was worn out, and lost interest…but, the game didn’t end. Fans couldn’t hardly cheer anymore. never seen players look so tired…I thought the game might never end!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, it should be an interesting game tonight, don’t be surprised if 20 runs are scored tonight total.
LikeLike
long post above ^ 😛
LikeLiked by 2 people
My post above might make you think Manny B.E. trotted to 1st in extra innings, but it was the 6th
LikeLike
Good morning baseball fans… Okay, they did not score 20 runs but 15 is not that far off. The RedSox score 5 runs in the ninth to show everyone they can…
Seems to me, I have seen this movie before. Oh yeah, against the Braves…
And Dave Roberts again shows why it is a bit of idiocy to remove a pitcher in the 7th inning the opposing team has revealed they cannot score against. Did he not learn anything from the same move made by Gabe Kapler? I guess not, maybe Dave Roberts was saving Hill for game seven which is not going to happen… Anyone really think the Sox are going to lose 3 in a row?
So, baseball season should soon be over.
On a different note. Wow, has not Manny B.E. really exposed himself to be a jerk? A great baseball talent who I would rather not have on my favorite team. I’m fairly certain the Braves can win without him. I guess his antics were not so exposed in Baltimore where no one outside of the beltway paid any attention to him.
And congratulations to Vee’s Dawgs. I watched the game up to the point where Florida’s defense held them out of the end-zone 7 straight plays from the one yard line. After that, the Gators must have thought the Dawgs would roll over…Woof… Georgia won in a rout.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Congratulations Red Sox. Shocker…
LikeLiked by 3 people
OK. Now on to something a little more relevant and uncertain…
Can we get on with the business of hiring a pitching coach and of fortifying this young team? The 5-day “quiet period” should start today, right? That means we can talk to Anibal and Kakes and Zuk.
Unless he wants to take a swing spot, I expect Anibal to move on to a team in need of warm bodies. And I would be more than shocked to see Kakes brought back unless Thoppy has a rabbit up his sleeve for behind the plate. And on a similar note, my belief is that if A-Train wants to make a big “get” for the rotation, and wants to acquire a power bat for the OF, we might just see another year of Flowzuki under the mask.
The way I see it, we have 5 needs, perhaps in this order:
1- starting pitcher
2- OF
3- catcher
4- bullpen
5- bench
Working backwards, the bench and bullpen will likely be addressed via signings and perhaps trade add-ons. But those are areas that a GM is always addressing, both in the offseason and mid-season. Which leaves us with the other 3 “big” needs.
IMO, it will be very difficult to make a huge impact in all 3 areas in the same offseason unless you have the payroll of the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers or Cubs. And I know we have a supposed largess (FOB?) at our disposal this season. I’ll just be shocked if Thoppy goes all Yankee on us. IMO, he’ll get 2 of them done and work on #3 next offseason. So if he makes a big splash at pitcher and acquires a catcher, we could easily see Zuk back on a short term deal. Or if he goes hard after JTR, maybe Kakes returns on a short deal. I cannot in my mind see a scenario where he doesn’t acquire the pitching.
At any rate, it’s about time to light that stove. Anybody got a match?
LikeLiked by 1 person
So if he makes a big splash at pitcher and acquires a catcher, we could easily see Zuk back on a short term deal.
Still working on my second cup of coffee. Let me try that again…
So if he makes a big splash at pitcher and acquires a OF, we could easily see Zuk back on a short term deal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ahhh… there’s a match…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice piece by Tomahawk Take’s Alan Carpenter on the glaring Gold Glove snub of Dansby Swanson. I agree 100%…
https://tomahawktake.com/2018/10/26/atlanta-braves-morning-chop-huge-snub-happened-yesterday/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always remember that awards of all types are 1. popularity contest 2. are heavily weighted towards one’s batting stats even if it is for defense and 3. often given the year after they are deserved. Sort of like the make up call by an umpire… but I digress.
Because I did not see every player in the majors play this season, I can only comment on those I did see and what they did with the opportunities they had. IMO, Freddie Galvis was the best shortstop I saw this season. At least he was against the Braves.
Oh by the way, Congrats to the BOSOX, I said the Soxs in 6, they took it in 5. I did not account for Dave Roberts pulling Rich Hill while he was on a roll.
Yep, waiting for the first shoe to drop now that the season is over except for the big parade in bean town. I never expected the Astros to not repeat but we are seeing how hard it is even with a great team. All things being equal, the Red Sox earned it. They have a solid team.
LikeLike
Random thought for the morning…
The bruised Dodgers, who are facing some big questions of their own regarding the possible opt-out by Clayton Kershaw and the FA departure of Yasmani Grandal, might be looking at their own OF glut. They have their current starters Joc Pederson / Cody Bellinger / Yasiel Puig seemingly entrenched, but whither wunderkind and Top 2 prospect Alex Verdugo, who is ripe and ready for harvest? … not to mention the many rumors swirling about luring Bryce Harper out west?
Of course, that’s the same Dodgers from whom we pillaged A-Train, who knows their players quite well.
Could we pry away an OF from them? It wouldn’t shock me, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Joc Pederson batting behind Freddie, although his L/R splits are pretty dramatic. And oddly, the RH hitting Yasiel Puig hit RHs alot better than LHs himself. Weird.
OK… nevermind. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Don’t be surprised if the dodgers don’t try to trade Kemp to an AL team which might be in search of a DH. The old man can still hit.
My problem is I don’t know who the Dodgers have in their minor league system who will no doubt be the next ROY candidate. They always seem to have at least one on the vine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OF Alex Verdugo
LikeLike
At least the Dodgers, a storied franchise in their own right, are experiencing a bit of the same frustrations the Braves went through in their run of 14 NL East titles. With 30 teams, it is not so easy to win multiple WS titles as it once was with half that number in existence.
Celebrate success where ever you find it when ever you can, Ask the Yankees and the Astros, how can a 100 win season be called anything but a success? I’m pretty sure the Marlins fans would take it right now. So would anyone other than the Red Sox and it is not like they are winning every year.
LikeLiked by 3 people
LikeLike
I know these dates have already been shared, but here they are again today now that the stove is lit, courtesy of MLBTR:
Oct. 29: Commencement of a five-day, exclusive negotiation window that teams have with their own free agents
Oct. 31: Deadline for players with opt-out clauses (most notably, Clayton Kershaw) to exercise those provisions.
Nov. 3: The deadline for MLB clubs to formally issue one-year qualifying offers (valued at $17.9MM this offseason) to free agents is 5:00pm ET. Those players will have 10 days to weigh the offers and can negotiate with other clubs during that 10-day window. After that 5pm deadline, all free agents are eligible to begin negotiating with other teams.
Nov. 6-8: General Managers’ meetings in Carlsbad, CA
Nov. 13: Deadline for players to accept or reject qualifying offers.
Nov. 20: Deadline for teams to set their 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.
Nov. 30: Deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players.
Dec. 9-13: Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.
Dec. 13: Rule 5 draft takes place on the final day of the Winter Meetings.
Jan. 11: Arbitration exchange day — the date on which teams and players must exchange filing numbers for arbitration. Hearings, if necessary, typically begin in early February.
March 28, 2019: Opening Day! Baseball is back.
LikeLike
An opine of the Braves arbitration this year. $10 to a donut Folty remembers the Braves slight last season and up the ante… Just thinking out loud.
LikeLiked by 1 person
$10 to a donut Folty remembers the Braves slight last season and up the ante… Just thinking out loud.
IMO, I’ll be shocked if he even gets to arb. I’m betting they lock him up with a multi-year deal before it gets to that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For those of you on Twitter, Eric O’Flaherty is a necessary follow. The guy is smart and very funny. Seriously funny.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Eric O’Flaherty
@EOF34
Oct 19
Hit golf balls with my wife earlier and she is desperately trying to get me to say she is athletic. No , you look like a 5 year old trying to chop a tree down with a garden hose.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I hope this works to show this image, Ber. This is just for you bro.
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/44989857_1036108626577492_5883659137396506624_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=878c1e8ee07c9e1ac61e60eb911c4595&oe=5C3E5B6E
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dang. At least you can click on it…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just read a blurb somewhere that noted that the Braves RF has been manned by locally grown players for over a dozen years. First Lilburn’s Parkview High School legend Jeff Francoeur (’05-’09), then Henry County High School product Jason Heyward (’10-’14), and then Woodstock High School and Young Harris College alum Nick Markakis (’15-’18).
This tells me that Thoppy must work out a deal with the Yankees for Loganville High School’s Clint Frazier.
He has to. It’s tradition. 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
Here’s an upcoming date that has not been addressed yet, and it is of immediate importance to the Braves… well, sort of.
Not only has the 5-day “quiet period” commenced, but another 5 day clock has started. Teams must add all their players on the 60-day DL back to the 40-man roster at the end of said 5 days.
For the Braves, that’s a whopping 9 players, being pitchers Mike Soroka, Luiz Gohara, Brandon McCarthy, Darren O’Day, Peter Moylan, Jose Ramirez, Jacob Lindgren, and Grant Dayton, along with OF Michael Reed. All must be added to the already full 40-man roster.
How to create 9 spots? Well, you really don’t need all 9. First, McCarthy is set to retire, and Moylan should follow. At worst, he’ll be seeking a minor league deal.
So we need 7, right? Nope. Our 7 FA’s will drop off. Nick Markakis, Brad Brach, Lucas Duda, Kurt Suzuki, Rene Rivera, Anibal Sanchez, and Ryan Flaherty.
Uh, that’s 7 right there. So in essence, the “deadline” actually doesn’t affect us in the short term. Obviously space must be made at some point though. Spots must opened to protect possible Rule 5 losses – probably no more than 3 – and spots must be open for ML signings,as well as any trade acquisitions not offset by players going the other way.
I think it’s fair to say that Luke Jackson and Sam Freeman have probably pitched their last innings for ATL. The same could also be said for Jose Ramirez and Grant Dayton. I’m on the fence about Jacob Lindgren, but I’m leaning toward saying adios to him as well and trying to re-sign him to a minor league deal. I’m also on the fence about Adam Duvall. Man he looked awful in his half season in Atlanta. But we are in need of OF’s so maybe he sticks around until we find another one. But at that point, bye-bye Mr. Duvall. The same thoughts might apply to Lane Adams. At least he can run. I’m guessing at least 1 of those 2 are released. If pressed I’d bet on Adams first. He’s another guy that could probably be re-signed on a minor league deal.
Most of these decisions are made by the suits in their organizational meetings which have traditionally been held in mid-October down in the team’s headquarters in Lake Buena VIsta, FL. Of course, we were still playing baseball until 10/8, so there’s that. Plus, there is an entirely new leadership team in place, so they don’t necessarily hold to the traditional tenets. To date, there has been no mention of formal organizational meetings. And they may simply hold them in their primo digs at The Battery Atlanta at SunTrust Park.
Anyway, we can probably expect to hear an avalanche of news of releases all over MLB, including our own beloved Braves, in the next few days.
Stay tuned.
LikeLiked by 1 person
V, I definately agree about Clint Frazier, I was sold after just seeing a few AB’s and some talk on baseball tonight about his bat speed. Off the charts.
Yankees have so many outfielders its crazy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I do believe Thoppy will check in on Clint Frazier. It seems natural. The Yankees will be seeking pitching, and the Braves will be peddling pitching. Of course, they would have to agree on a match. Can that happen?
Here’s what I believe would have to happen…
They will, of course, ask for the best of our prospects and someone who is ready to step in now. Y’all know the name I’m going to throw out… Touki Toussaint. We might as well get used to the fact that he’s the guy that will get the most “asks” this offseason. He’s young, he’s ready, and he has a few successful ML games under his belt. And if we want an OF that has the same traits, Julio Teheran or Kolby Allard ain’t gonna fetch him.
But I don’t see a straight up deal player for player. There will be other facets. The Yankees don’t have to move Frazier. In fact, given that they will probably let Brett Gardner walk, given that they aren’t expected to re-sign Andrew McCutchen, and given that Stanton is mostly a DH now, they can use Frazier in their own OF.
So how do we motivate them? Would we take a salary dump to grease the skids? The obvious candidate there would be P Sonny Gray, who has 1 year left at $9M and was a big disappointment for them in 2018. But Sonny Gray was quite good for the A’s before moving to the Bronx, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. In fact, the Braves were interested in him just a year or so ago. And $9M is not premier money anymore. (I can’t believe I just typed that last statement.) He does not fill the “top of the rotation starter” need, but a change of scenery from NY might just push him back to his OAK form, which was really good.
So who else would we include to bring back Frazier and Gray?
Their biggest needs are pitching and possibly SS. Didi Gregorius just underwent TJ surgery and his availability for 2019 is up in the air. They might ask for Johan Camargo to fill the gap. That would also serve to open up the 3B job for Austin Riley, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
What we need to get used to is that we cannot hold onto all of our young gems and expect to get quality back in any deal. We’re gonna have to bite our lip and let give up some of the players we really like.
So I can see the Yankees asking for Touki and Johan for Frazier and Gray as a starting point, but possibly moving to other names in negotiations. Maybe it moves from Touki and Johan to Newk and Johan. At that point, we may just have something to chew on.
I personally don’t want Gray. It’s nothing personal, but he would essentially give us another Julio, and we need to trade away the one we have. But if we were to let Newk go from our current rotation, having Julio or Gray around might not be a bad thing.
So Newk and Johan for Frazier and Gray? There would likely need to be some other lesser players tossed in to equalize everything. Is this realistic? Probably not. But what else am I supposed to do on Day 2 of the “quiet period” but speculate?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Me in millennial mode: waaaah! I don’t wanna! I want it ALL. NOW!
LikeLiked by 3 people
It is being widely reported that the Marlins asked for Mike Soroka and Austin Riley in their JT Realmuto trade talks with the Braves last year. That’s a hefty price to pay, but not terribly unrealistic for the guy considered to be the best catcher in baseball, and who’s just 28 years old.
Of course, now there are only 2 full seasons of contractual control left as opposed to 2 1/2. Will the ask still be the same? I expect it will.
Not sure how I feel about that. JTR is a special player at a position that’s tough to fill. If I felt more assured of being able to extend him past 2 years, I might say it’s worth it, although I still feel Soroka is as close to untouchable as it gets. It is a positive that JTR is NOT represented by Scott Boras, making it at least possible to negotiate an extension.
Man… Soroka and Riley. That’s tough. I don’t think I want to face Mike Soroka in my own division multiple times a year. And I’m just not certain I want to trade a pitcher with such a high ceiling. It smacks a bit of Adam Wainright.
I say NO.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Speaking of untouchable pitchers, I won’t let Ian Anderson go either. Untouchable. Possibly our #1 prospect if you don’t count Mike Soroka, and maybe still #1 do count him considering his shoulder issue. The minor league section of SB Nation recently ranked the Braves’ top prospects and gave Anderson the nod. It should come as no surprise that their top 5 ranked prospects are all pitchers, being Anderson, Soroka, Touki, Kyle Wright and Kolby Allard. (IMO, Wright is another untouchable. He may never rise to a #1 starter, but he’ll be no less than a #3.)
Anyway, back to the subject of Anderson. We are all more aware of guys like Soroka, Touki and Allard because we’ve seen them. But we haven’t seen Anderson. This is the latest prospect report:
Ian Anderson, RHP, Grade A-: Age 20, first round pick from high school in New York in 2016, posted 2.49 ERA in 119 innings between High-A and Double-A, with 142/49 K/BB, only 87 hits and two homers allowed all year; plus fastball, curveball and change-up have all developed nicely, throws strikes, no deterioration in performance after being promoted; in my opinion he has the best combination of upside and polish of all the Braves pitching prospects; ETA late 2019.
That’s almost the exact same scouting report that the aforementioned Adam Wainright received back in 2003.
He’s untouchable to me, along with Soroka. I’m listening on everyone else. Caveat: If they want to talk about Austin Riley, they better be offering something extra special.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So we know that A-Train has a plan to begin executing on Friday, right? He’s such an organized dude that he has to have a plan… probably several. Plan A, Plan B, etc.
So what does that plan look like? Is it a measured plan that falls like dominoes depending on the success or failure of successive steps? Is it multi-faceted with his lieutenants executing steps alongside him? Are the various items in the plan affected by the others, or are they all independent unto themselves?
We’ll get to see the real AA this offseason, and I have a feeling that he will get out of the gate quickly. Call it a gut feeling. (In reality, I could just be experiencing indigestion. I have a “quirky GI” according to my doc.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
So Newk and Johan for Frazier and Gray?
V, that and Touki are interesting ideas…I just don’t know. It’s basically trading 2 younger, cheaper proven guys(if it’s Sean) for 1 young unproven guy, and one starter that failed in NY (after doing just fine for part of the previous season, go figure!) with fewer years of control, which seems to be more important than anything to some GM types.
But, what outfielders are there like Clint that the braves can go after?
As for Stanton, pretty sure he had some leg issue that made him the DH for much of the 2nd half of the season. He will only be 29 come Nov, so I am sure he will be in the outfield. With the Judge, and Aaron Hicks, that’s 3 regulars. Of course, like you said they sure don’t have to trade Clint, but they want to do better than winning a mere….100 games, right?
I just don’t know…it’s no cake walk being a GM
LikeLiked by 1 person
… and they also have Jacoby Ellsbury, who is expected to be healthy for spring training.
LikeLike
I just don’t know! I needed to say that again…
also, this makes me feel…good….
The Yankees baseball operations and scouting departments are “lukewarm” on free agent Manny Machado, per Andy Martino of SNY.tv. Brian Cashman has not been shy about his pursuit of Machado in the past, but the third-baseman-turned-shortstop’s antics during this postseason may have slowed what otherwise could have been a more aggressive pursuit of the infielder in free agency. This isn’t to say the Yankees won’t end up signing Machado, but the questioning of Machado’s hustle and baseball ethic certainly allow the Yankees, as well as other teams, to take a more understandably patient approach in regards to his free agency. Martino adds (via Twitter) that the biggest variable still in play is the Steinbrenner family and whether or not Boston’s World Series win will prompt an aggressive mandate in regards to either Machado or fellow free agent stud Bryce Harper.
LikeLike
Could be a bargaining ploy by Cashman or might be the truth. At least I know we were not the only ones who noticed Manny being Manny…. For sure, he hurt his brand as well as his final contract price by his antics.
What is the old saw? Someone is always watching…
Yes, trades are tough especially after your PR department has invested so much time and energy hyping a player making us want them on the team. Now, be honest, how many people would have made a trade for Juan Soto last year before he made his appearance in the bigs for the Nats? Who outside of the Nationals even knew about him?
It goes to show you that you never really know how good a prospect is going to be until they get here. Yes, he made some base running errors and he threw to the wrong base a time or two, Those are rookie mistakes usually learned in the minors but at 19, he did not really get a lot of OJT in the bushes.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So here’s a legit question for my peeps here at the ol’ B&S…
If Thoppy were to address the teams most glaring needs by trading for SP Marcus Stroman and RP Craig Stammen, and signing FA’S C Yasmani Grandal and OF Andrew McCutchen, how would you feel about 2019? Would that be enough, or would it just be lukewarm?
I think those are all realistic possibilities… much more realistic than Patrick Corbin, Craig Kimbrel, JT Realmuto and Clint Frazier.
LikeLike
MLBTR: In an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today, agent Jeff Berry of CAA Baseball told host Scott Braun that (JT) Realmuto “has informed the Marlins’ ownership, he’s informed their front office he’s not going to sign an extension in Miami.” Berry also indicated that he thinks Realmuto “will definitely be wearing a different uniform” by Spring Training 2019.
Still cannot believe that Thoppy will pay the exorbitant price tag it’ll take to swing the deal. And we should also think that Miami will be as reluctant to trade JTR within their own division as the Braves would be with some of their star prospects.
LikeLike
Perhaps, though, the greater reality that JTR will be available on the trade market might help other teams (ahem… the Braves) in their pursuit of the top FA catchers – Grandal or Ramos – as big players like the Nats and BoSox might wait on a trade.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One would think the Astros will also play into the catching market as it’s widely believed they’ll decline their 2019 team option on Brian McCann.
Which brings up an interesting scenario…
Yes, BMac is on the downside of a great career. But if you could bring him in on a smallish make-good deal, laced with incentives, to split time in a true LH/RH platoon with TFLow, would that make anybody’s socks go up and down?
LikeLike
As much as I like McCutchen as a person, I don’t feel he is any sort of upgrade over what the Braves currently have. Same goes for Yaz.
I believe the Phillies are going to go all in on Manny B.E.
If the roster remained the same in 2019 as it was in 2018, I don’t see the Braves making the post season. The Nats will not underachieve next season and every other team in the NL East will be better next season.
Maybe Adam Duval gets his head out of his butt and remembers how to hit during the off season, problem solved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am exhausted. Got up at 4 am and be going ever since.Therefore, I will pick up on this thread tomorrow when I can think clearly. Have a good night all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If Thoppy were to address the teams most glaring needs by trading for SP Marcus Stroman and RP Craig Stammen, and signing FA’S C Yasmani Grandal and OF Andrew McCutchen, how would you feel about 2019?
V, hmmm, Marcus Stroman….checking out his stats…ERA last 3 years.
4.37, 3.09, then 5.54….but, it was a finger issue mainly this year????
TBC, 😛
LikeLike
Prior to 2018 when Stroman sealt with the afrementioned injury, he was a horse… delivering 200+ innings in 2016 & 2017 and finishing 8th in the AL Cy Young voting in 2017. The dude is just 27 and a tremendous “buy low” opportunity. Is he the proverbial “ace”? Nope. But unless you want to back up the farm truck to ARI and dump all our top prospects to get Zack Greinke, you aren’t getting an ace anyway.
All that said, I was using general examples more than specifics. And it’s unlikely that TOR would trade him anyway since the sent JA Happ away. They need experienced pitching more than young’uns.
But the point remains. I am doubting that Thoppy will come back to SunTrust Park with 4 “home runs”. It’s more likely that he hits a couple of doubles, a single, and maybe 1 triple or HR.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In plain English, as much as we want AA to address all our concerns with the best answer available, that simply isn’t realistic.
We won’t be adding Patrick Corbin, Craig Kimbrel, JT Rrealmuto, and AJ Pollock to the 2019 Braves.
So what is realistic? Not making any predictions, just saying what I believe to be the level we might expect.
Catcher: I think Yasmani Grandal is realistic, but he was statistically the 2nd best catcher in MLB last season (post-season excluded), so he’ll command some coin. His .240 AVG doesn’t look so pretty, but his .341 OBP makes up for it. He gets on base, but even better, he hits long dingers. He has averaged 22 HRs and 60 RBIs per season for the Dodgers since he joined them in 2015. And he’s a very good defensive catcher, as we saw when we tried to run on him in the NLDS. The problem here is that the price tag might be driven up too high if too many teams get involved.
Reliever: Closers still get top dollar even though their game value is beginning to give way to the 7th inning “setup” guys. And that’s what I think Thoppy may target. Maybe a guy like SDP’s Craig Stammen. You simply get more bang for the buck out of these guys. Truth is, we have several of those in house, so as much as we have said the bullpen must be addresed, that may come from within.
Starting pitcher: I have no idea. I don’t think A-Train will pay the going rates in FA, and there aren’t many worth acquiring after Kershaw (who will most likely re-sign with LAD) and Corbin anyway. Who else? Nathan Eovaldi is the new hot name, but the $$ value isn’t there. JA Happ? He’s 36. It’s just not there to line up for the Braves. We’re gonna have to trade for this guy, and I have no idea where AA will find that hidden gem. All I know is that he will NOT overpay.
Power bat OF: Don’t expect AJ Pollock. He will get premium $$ from a team in need a premium position at CF, and the Braves don’t need that. They will get better value here off the trade market, and as we’ve discussed, the Padres make the most sense. In fact, I could see a multi-player deal that includes a guy like Hunter Renfroe and the aforementioned Craig Stammen. But be ready to let go of some players you love, or expect to love. That’s just how it has to be.
And just for grins and giggles, let’s compare some numbers. And note: WAR is for comparison purposes only. It doesn’t take into account any intangibles at all.
2018 Hunter Renfroe: 117 games, .248/.302/.504, 26 HR, 68 RBI, 2.4 WAR
2018 Andrew McCutchen: 155 games, .255/.368/.424, 20 HR, 65 RBI, 2.7 WAR
2018 Nick Markakis: 162 games, .297/.366/.440, 14 HR, 93 RBI, 2.6 WAR
Are we sure we don’t want to just invite Nick back for a another year or two and seek power behind the plate or at 3B?
LikeLiked by 1 person
2018 AJ Pollock: 113 games, .257/.316/.484, 21 HR, 65 RBI, 2.5 WAR
At age 30, he has played in 7 ML seasons, and played more than last year’s 113 games just twice, the last being 2015 when he made his only All-Star appearance.
And this guy’s gonna get PAID by someone.
Are we sure we don’t want to just invite steady leader Nick back for a another year or two and seek power behind the plate or at 3B?
LikeLike
As I sit here in day 3 of the “quiet period”, which is so quiet it’s deafening, this is what my crystal ball sees… today. Tomorrow may be different…
AA goes to FA to address catcher and OF, and signs his 1 big ticket item in Yasmani Grandal, and brings Andrew McCutchen on board. Cutch gets the nod over Kakes simply by virtue of being 3 years younger. Other than that, they are very comparable.
For the bullpen, we must remember that we will have a healthy Darren O’Day coming back, not to mention a young starter or 2 that will have no room in the rotation. We can’t stash them all in AAA, and they would have great value as relievers anyway. Touki and Max Fried fall into that category. Luiz Gohara, might, but I think he’ll be back at AAA to build his trade value back.
If Biddle and Winkc continue their development track, and Chad Sobotka can repeat his late 2018 performance, we may be quite set already. I can see the bullpen being Biddle, Wink, Shane Carle, Jonny Venters, O’Day, Touki, Fried and AJ Minter as closer. That’s not too shabby already.
And finally… starting pitcher.
IMO, Thoppy’s #1 priority this offseason is to bring home a top-of-the order pitcher to lead this young staff. We’ve already dispelled the notion of an “ace”, as they just aren’t in ready supply. But somewhere out there is a pitcher ready to take a step up and lead. I think AA pulls a rabbit out of his Braves cap and brings home someone we’ve not yet identified.
LikeLike
One more thing and I’ll relinquish my morning stranglehold on the ol’ B&S…
We’ve talked at great length about starting and relief pitching. We’ve kicked around alot of potential OF’s. But this team’s most glaring weakness down the stretch, and especially in the NLDS, was the lack of quality on the bench. How Thoppy addresses that may hold the key to our potential success in 2019.
I can guarantee you we won’t go into any meaningful stretch with Lane Adams, Ryan Flaherty and Rio Ruiz as our bench options.
LikeLike
WAR confuses the heck out of me.
Renfroe 117 games, .248/302/504 Slugging 26 Hr 68 RBI’s =2.4
Markakis: 162 games, .297/.366/.440, 14 HR, 93 RBI 2.6 WAR
and V, I KNOW you are not some huge fan, just something to show comparisons of players
Everything I bolded though…Nick M was clearly better than Renfroe
So, games played don’t batter BA and OBP don’t matter, and of course RBI’s don’t matter? It’s the closeness I don’t get
LikeLike
Games played don’t batter? Oh brother…Guess I need more caffeine
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how we could all make much moolah if we only had a magic crystal ball which foretold of the point where any given player would reach their peak and when their output would decline to their nadir.
I believe Thoppy is struggling with that conundrum when it comes to Nick Markakis. Will his 2019 numbers reflect what he produced pre All-star or post All-star when is began running out of gas. Perhaps a season when he played in 130 games as opposed to 162 would keep him fresh for an entire season.
Having a “good” fourth outfielder who allow for less of a drop off would be the answer. I do not envision Markis as a pro-typical clean up hitter. While he can run into one on occasion, he does not really strike fear into the heart of opposing pitchers who don’t really mind giving up a walk to Freddie and have Nick slap a single. Runners on 1st and 3rd or 1st and 2nd are not a huge threat unless you have a proven RBI guy in the 5 hole.
Now, as much as we have heard about Austin Riely’s power, you don’t put a rookie in the clean up spot. There are just too many reason as to why that never really works out. Nick Markakis is the guy you turn to when you need a professional at-bat but at what point does he become this year’s version of Jason Werth?
Okay, that’s why AA gets the big bucks, keep piling up those atta boys while praying you don’t have any aw s**ts too allow your dis-tractors ammunition to throw up in your face 5 years down the road.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Renfroe is an interesting guy, was a top prospect, but will be 27 in Jan. Check out his first half. 7 Hr’s 25 RBI’s .241/.314 OBP in 174 ABs
2nd half, 19 Hr’s 48 RBI’s .251.282 OBP (guess being patient didn’t work for him!)
He hit 9 HRs in August and 9 Sept (with only 14 rbis, was he leading off?)
LikeLike
Ber, .282 OBP will never sit well with me. It’s a reflection of trying to do too much with every swing. And it’s usually a product of poor plate discipline resulting in too many pitcher’s counts.
LikeLike
In other baseball news, the Red Sox are about to have their victory parade… meh…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who?
LikeLiked by 2 people
If it ain’t in Atlanta, I don’t really care….. 😉
LikeLike
LOL. Hey, say what you will but the Red Sox are a great example of what can be done when you have lots of money and you know how to use it. In the end, it still comes down to having great players all producing at the same time. Give them their due, they won it fair and square.
LikeLiked by 2 people
say what you will but the Red Sox are a great example of what can be done when you have lots of money and you know how to use it.
But it still goes back to having the money. For 2018, the BoSox led all of baseball with a payroll of $228,398,860. They were #2 in 2017 with $209,872,508, and #3 in 2016 with $207,758,836.
So when you have twice the payroll of, say… the Braves, you can afford not just one “ace” in Chris Sale, but 2 with David Price. And you can afford baseball’s best closer in Craig Kimbrel. And you can go out and sign 2018’s premier free agent in JD Martinez to a 5 yr/$109.95M deal to go along with the ridiculous amounts Sale, Price and Kimbrel are making, and have him hit 43 HRs while leading the league in both RBI (130) and Total Bases (358).
You can afford all of those Ferraris while the other guys are driving Toyotas and Fords.
And you can have guys like World Series MVP Steve Pearce as a platoon or bench player. And you can keep Jackie Bradley, Jr. on the bench. In fact, just about your whole bench would be starting on many other teams.
That’s not to sound envious. I believe in the free market and I think a team should be able to do whatever is able to do as allowed within the rules. But it does illustrate the lack of level playing fields for teams like BOS, LAD, CHC, NYY, etc. When the contract predictions for the game’s best Free Agents year after year start with phrases like “only Team X and Team Y have the payroll” or “Team Z cannot get into the bidding”, there is a problem.
And that’s why I cannot get excited about a World Series that features the games top 2 payrolls, won by the highest one. I expect a Ferrari to outrun a Subaru. It just doesn’t inspire me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
a few years ago, all the experts were saying teams didn’t need to have the highest payrolls to win, well…perhaps for a few years, but teams that are smaller markets have less time to compete before they are back to the middle of the pack (or worse, ala the Royals) Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox (though they were helped by a few bomb seasons to get the #1, #2 pics) always seem to be in the hunt…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some of this may be closer to the truth than we think…..ya think?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, it is a pretty easy fix, it is called a salary cap. Nope, it’s not going to happen but that is how you fix the problem. However, no matter what rule you put into place, there will always be someone trying to beat the system.
Take college football, do the best athletes all want to play for Alabama because of Bama’s stellar reputation for academics? Nope, it is the promise of being seen by more pro scouts and a chance at a pro career.
Let’s be honest, during the Braves heyday, they too were among the big spenders.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s be honest, during the Braves heyday, they too were among the big spenders.
Exactly. And as I said, I do not begrudge any team working within the established rules in whatever manner they choose to. I just believe that the Braves could just as easily win 100+ games and a title if they bought and paid for Clayton Kershaw, Craig Kimbrel, Bryce Harper and Patrick Corbin this offseason.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark Bowman on a radio interview: An acquisition of JT Realmuto “would be the most influential move on the rest of the offseason”.
His logic? JTR is in his last year of arb and projected to make around $6.1M. That’s such a bargain when compared to the estimated $15M per year Grandal will get. Making that impact move while still leaving alot of flexibility in the payroll would allow the team to make a second similar impact move, specifically in starting pitching.
These are the intangibles that might make such a trade worth the prospect price.
LikeLiked by 1 person
JTR is in his first year of arb
Why did I type last? That would change the whole complexion of any deal. Doh! 😳
LikeLike
Bow speculates the price for JTR would be something like:
2 pitchers in MLB Top 100, being Mike Soroka & Kolby Allard
1 pitcher outside the Top 100 such as Trey Riley/Huascar Ynoa
1 Braves top 30 position player such as Austin Riley/Cristian Pache/Drew Waters/Greyson Jenista
Ouch. Anything with Mike Soroka… ouch. I’ll have nightmares of Adam Wainwright.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is one single player worth that high price? If that player suffered an injury that would keep him from playing for a long stretch of time, what would be the impact on the team with all those others having been traded away?
I’ve always believed in living within my means. ‘Course my means isn’t even pocket change to teams and their ownership.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is one single player worth that high price?
When you consider that JTR is clearly the best at his position both offensively and defensively, still quite young, and under team control for another 3 seasons… well maybe.
If we could just not include Soroka (or Ian Anderson).
LikeLiked by 1 person
The roster adjustments have begun. Per DO’B:
Braves reinstated LH Jacob Lindgren & RH José Ramírez from 60-day DL and outrighted them to Triple A. They also outrighted OFs Lane Adams & Preston Tucker to Triple A. Also, the Twins claimed OF Michael Reed off waivers from ATL.
Braves 40-man roster is at 31 with four on 60-day DL (LHs Grant Dayton & LHP Luiz Gohara, RHs Darren O’Day & Mike Soroka) … they must be added by Friday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For the second straight game, #Braves prospect Braxton Davidson has two homers for Peoria. And it’s only the third inning!
Wheeee…
LikeLiked by 2 people
This kid is all or nothing. It’s the story of his 5 year professional career… which is why the 22 year old just finished his third straight year at high-A. At this rate, he might reach the majors by the time Freddie retires. 😀
Last year in Florida, he struck out a frightening 213 times against just 71 hits. Of course, 20 of those hits were HRs; another 19 were doubles. Yowser!
LikeLike
Until yesterday, the kid was hitting .122… He must have made an adjustment. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://mobile.twitter.com/i/web/status/1057771479536939010
LikeLike
Ugh…
LikeLiked by 1 person
So we begin the day at 35 on the 40-man roster. So while that seems to give us some flexibility for making signings, we have to earmark a couple of those to protect a few players from the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 13 at the end of the Winter Meetings.
By definition, players are eligible if they are not on their major league organization’s 40-man roster and were 18 or younger on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fifth Rule 5 draft upcoming; or were 19 or older on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fourth Rule 5 draft upcoming.
For the Braves, those players are P’s Huascar Ynoa and Patrick Weigel, along with IF/OF Travis Demeritte and C Alex Jackson. Ynoa & Weigel will likely be protected. Jackson & Demeritte probably won’t be since they would have to spend the full upcoming season on the active roster. Neither of those guys are ready. Ynoa probably isn’t either, but a creative AL team could figure out a way to stash him. At any rate, the Braves will almost surely add those Ynoa & Weigel the 40-man roster.
The deadline to add those guys to the 40-man roster to protect them is sometime in late November, around the 20th, but I’m not 100% certain on that. At any rate, the Braves probably won’t make those decisions until closer to that deadline to maintain flexibility.
So the immediate concern is that we do have room to make some key additions when the real silly season opens tomorrow.
LikeLike
Mark Bowman on a radio interview: An acquisition of JT Realmuto “would be the most influential move on the rest of the offseason”
once again, the voice of doom (or negativity speaks)
J.T.s numbers the last 3 years (and remember, the team had a ton of offense til last season with 3 all star caliber outfielders, and Gordon at 2nd)
HR’s 11, 17, 21.
RBI’s 48, 65, 71. and all were full seasons.
Yes, he’s entering his prime years, but he’s not Johnny Bench, or Ted Simmons…I mean, Brian McCann was allowed to leave at 29 with similar numbers…
How is he going to be the most influential move? Just because of moola? Then you give the Marlins 2 top flight starters, and an above average position player?
Heck re-sign Zuk, and you probably have been overall offensive numbers from atl catchers yet again.
LikeLike
Remember one thing about Realmuto, NO PROTECTION… It is the nature of the beast I am afraid. If you want to drive a Mercedes, you have to be willing to pay for it, otherwise, get a Ford… Come to think of it, there are some pretty pricey Fords out there too, but I digress… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Surprising: Yankees strike a new 1-year deal with veteran outfielder Brett Gardner.
Not surprising: Astros do not pick up Brian McCann’s option, sending him into the free agent market.
LikeLike
To clarify on Gardner, the Yanks declined his $12.5M option, but re-signed him at a lesser $7.5M deal. (I’ll take that pay cut! Please!)
It’s surprising to me because he’s 35 and just finished his worst season slashing a pedestrian .236/.322/.368 and losing playing time to their other (better) OF’s. And the Yanks will still return Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury. That doesn’t even take into account Clint Frazier.
That tells me that they will probably keep Gardner as the 4th OF, with Stanton primarily DH’ing and Ellsbury/Hicks/Judge getting the lion’s share of OF time.
Oh… and they are the current odds on favorite to land Bryce Harper.
So whither Frazier? We can only hope…
LikeLike
V, I am just guessing here, but Brett Gardner has been with the Yankees since 2008…perhaps they are not so sure about Jacoby being healthy after missing all of 2018. Really the same player, except I think Brett has more power….
LikeLike
I think you’re right that it’s part loyalty and part a hedge against Ellsbury’s health. They are fairly similar players. Gardner has more speed and thus great value on the bench as a baserunner. Not sure they would need both on the same roster, especially if they can land Harper.
LikeLike
My take to follow…
LikeLike
Before anyone rails on this move as lame, it’s merely a move to add veteran catching depth to the system. It’s quite similar to them picking up Chris Stewart last year.
He has no real chance of getting meaningful playing time in Atlanta unless all our other catchers are together on a bus that gets hi-jacked to Central America.
LikeLiked by 1 person
MLBTR’s description of Raffy Lopez and the deal:
Rafael Lopez came up in the Chicago Cubs’ system after they selected him in the 16th round of the 2011 draft. For his career, Lopez has hit .184/.270/.322 across 76 games in the big leagues. He has spent time with the Cubs, Angels, Reds, Tigers, Blue Jays and Padres organizations, getting some major-league roster time in each of the last three seasons with the Reds, Blue Jays, and Padres, respectively.
For the Padres, this move is likely motivated by a desire to clear a roster spot. They are facing a roster crunch ahead of December’s Rule 5 draft, so moving Lopez is the first of what could be many moves to shake up their 40-man roster.
For the Braves, it cost them virtually nothing. And if they need that 40-man spot for something else, he’ll be waived. It’s that simple.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thoppy: Yeah, we’ll help you out with this, friend, but remember it when we come calling. Right?
Padres: Sure, Thop. No problem! Thanks for the help.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly…
LikeLiked by 1 person
So I haven’t looked at my crystal ball today until a few minutes ago. Not sure if my crystal ball reads Twitter or watched the headlines or anything, but it does seem to change from time to time, especially as the news changes.
Like for instance, today my crystal ball says that the Braves do NOT sign Yasmani Grandal in FA. But, my crystal ball does see a big FA signing.
It also sees a theme… reunion.
Today, the ol’ crystal ball sees the Braves bring home both Craig Kimbrel and Brian McCann. For Kimbrel, he signs a big 4-5 year deal to settle our closer situation once and for all. Mac signs a short 1 year “pillow” deal with a 2nd year option to share the catching duties with TFlow in a fairly traditional LH/RH platoon, saving his knees from the rigors of a heavy workload and proving his still got something left in the tank.
The OF and starting pitching visions are a little murkier. Can’t really read it right now. But I do think the Braves will package some of their young pitching in a deal for a veteran starter. Just can’t make out who it is.
And it’s really murky with RF. In fact, I can’t even tell if that’s RF or 3B. Oooohh… spooky…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hmmm… hearing more Zack Greinke chatter today. Wondering if ARI would take Julio and his smallish contract ($11.2M in 2019, $12M option for 2020) to help offset Greinke’s $34M, $34M and $35M remaining over ’19-’21. Perhaps Julio + Bryce Wilson + lesser prospect for Greinke and the full freight. Am I crazy here?
LikeLiked by 2 people
So, a light hitting backstop to help the kids along in Triple A.
LikeLiked by 2 people
TBH, I think they’d be happy going forward in the same arrangement as the last couple of years with Flowzuki. Their time-share has done wonders for both of them, and as a tandem they’ve been as good as most catchers in the game… except for throwing out would-be base stealers. Neither of them can stop the running game.
Anyway, I think Zuk has earned himself a 2-3 year deal somewhere else, and he knows it. So do the Braves. It’d be really surprising if he’d come back here on a 1 year deal. Still, if he were to accept that, I think the Braves would feel comfortable going forward with it for 2019.
Instead, Mac might fit that slot, and fit it even better being a LH hitter.
LikeLike
I’d take BMac on a one year deal, I doubt he will command much more that Flo but who knows. Mac always was slow afoot but I think at this point in his career he can be timed with a sundial.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’d take BMac on a one year deal
Yeah, for the right price so would I. He would be great for our pitchers and fill the leadership void left by Kakes’ departure. Plus, he has World Series experience and a ring. Cannot undersell that to a young club.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would love to see Kimbrel back where he should have been all along. (Still haven’t forgiven them for trading him away….)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Joel Reuter, Bleacher report, speculating on possible landing places for Zack Greinke…
To ATL: SP Zack Greinke, $50.5 million
To ARI: SP Kyle Wright, OF Drew Waters
If the Diamondbacks have their sights set on a substantial return—even if it comes at the cost of eating roughly half of Greinke’s remaining contract—the Braves look like the perfect landing spot.
Wow. To be able to pitch Zack Greinke and only pay him $18M a year? I’d do this deal in a heartbeat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The silly season officially opens today. Well, the Nats did ink Trevor Rosenthal earlier this week, but he wasn’t subject to the 5 “day quiet” period as he wasn’t on any team roster. And that was actually a signing of some note. But aside from that, the frontier opens today. Who will make the first impact signing? Which of the upper tier FA’s will set the tone for the rest? Will the FA market move as slowly as it did last year?
I expect Bryce and Manny to be wooed heavily and to take a little time to allow that process to happen. But I don’t expect either to linger too long on the market. The same might be said to a lesser degree for Patrick Corbin… and maybe Nathan Eovaldi. But I’m not expecting any sort of feeding frenzy. I’m betting that there won’t be a wholesale movement of players until closer to the Winter meetings in mid-December.
Now… watch me be totally wrong about all of that. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
MLB.com’s Mike Petriello makes the case for JT Realmuto:
https://www.mlb.com/marlins/news/jt-realmuto-is-incredibly-valuable-via-trade/c-300061042
LikeLike
Slow movement does not equal no movement as we cannot always see the waters being churned beneath the surface. I’m sure the phones have been busy in the Marlins front office as they field inquires on their prized pig.
Cannot say that I blame them. A case in point to me is unless Sean Newcome becomes an ace, the trade of Simba to the Angles will always be viewed as a very one sided deal to me.
Same goes for the Mark Texeria trade.
I know it is tough being patient in the current environment of I want it all and I want it all and I want someone else to pay for it. Perhaps the toughest call is when to believe your own hype about your prospects and when to cut bait.
As spectacular as all the young prospects in the Braves system were in the late 80s, most were traded away and never really lived up to the high expectations assigned to them. The Braves only kept a couple of them, Chipper and Javy but boy, did they ride them a long way.
The riskiest venture to me are pitchers. So much is riding on some very fragile body parts. The change in pitching philosophies from throwing 80% and going deep into games to throwing as hard as you can for as long as you can and we will bring in fresh arms in the 5th inning has made everyone value the radar gun way to much and to me will shorten many promising careers way too early.
Just my 2 cents worth.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A case in point to me is unless Sean Newcome becomes an ace, the trade of Simba to the Angles will always be viewed as a very one sided deal to me.
Braves got back Newcomb, Erick Aybar, and also prospect P Chris Ellis. Ellis was subsequently sent to STL in the Jaime Garcia deal. When Garcia was sent to Minnie, we received prospect Huascar Ynoa, who is a talented RHP and currently the Braves #20 prospect. Having spent last year between low-A and high-A, the 20-year-old Ynoa still has more development ahead, but his “stuff” is solid and he projects to be a ML starter maybe as early as 2021.
It’s also possible he could be included in a deal (Greinke? JTR?) as a secondary piece along with a top prospect.
I say all that to say this…
The Simmons trade cannot be simply looked at as Simba/Newk. There were too many other moving parts, including clearing Simba’s 7 yrs/$58M contract from the books.
I will also posit that employing the game’s most elite defender at the aforementioned salary during a complete teardown/rebuild is a luxury, much like having the game’s best closer. And while these are not a pleasant thoughts, they are reality. The real hard truth is that Simba’s presence would have possibly added 3-4 more wins to a last place team. That would not have gained any traction toward the playoffs, but would have moved us farther from the highest draft picks. Just sayin’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As for Realmuto, the more I see him, the more I believe him to be a Mike Piatzza hitting talent who is actually good defensive catcher as well. A pretty rare commodity. I know he won’t come cheap to any team pursuing him nor should he be. Austin Riely would fit well with the Marlins to replace the aging Marteen Prado. A front line starter like Soroka would also be on the Marlins wish list. (His shoulder injury would be a red flag for most by the way) and possible a Julio and another lower level but highly regarded prospect or two thrown in. To be sure, the Marlins are doing their due diligence in making sure they get the best return possible because once he is gone, he is gone.
The other consideration would have to be for any team trading for Realmuto as to how much they would have to ante up to keep him on the team once he reaches free agency in two years. It won’t be cheap and I would hate to see the Braves trade away good long term talent for a guy who is essentially a temp.
This is where the Braves being penalized so severely for Coppy’s transgressions really hurt. Not just the prospects lost but the inability to sign premium international talent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gil, that is sorta the way I was thinking. How much of your assets do you give away for someone who is most likely going to be around for a relatively short length of time? How long before NY or one of the big dawgs strolls by and offers him an offer he can’t refuse? Then what?
I really need a crystal ball! Anybody seen one on ebay or somewhere?? Do they give senior discounts?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Offers him an offer? Really?? Where’s my cup? Obviously my caffeine level has dropped into the critical red zone…..
LikeLiked by 3 people
I really need a crystal ball!
They aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Mine is so inconsistent…
For instance, today my crystal ball seems to be showing me someone in a Rangers uniform. Hard to make it out… but it could be Joey Gallo. Or is that Nomar Mazara? At any rate, they need starting pitching so badly that they just picked up Drew Smyly from the Cubs, who didn’t even pitch in 2018 while recovering from TJ, and have him penciled in as their #2 starter. They aren’t necessarily in a money crunch, so acquiring Julio Teheran for them would be a boon. Since we can spare him, and need an OF to hit long balls, I think we can find some common ground.
And wouldn’t either of those guys look good as our cleanup hitter?
Mazara is a 23-year-old LH hitter who hit .258/.317/.436, 20 HR, 77 RBI in 2018, and is just in his first arb eligible year. Gallo is 24, plays all 3 OF positions as well as 3B and 1B, and hits very long balls. In 2018, he hit just .206/.312/.498, but 40 HR, 92 RBI. And he isn’t arb eligible until next year.
I think either would help our power and run production as well as giving Freddie a little lineup protection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm. Acuna, Gallo and Freeman. Not too shabby.
LikeLike
And the crystal ball seems stuck on Greinke. Maybe I need to hit it… you know, like we used to hit the TV when it wouldn’t work right?
LikeLiked by 1 person
… but Kimbrel isn’t there. Lemme look closer (Get it? Closer [kloh-ser] / closer [kloh-zer]?) Never mind…
Anyway, I’m seeing something more like David Robertson. He may not get you through the 9th, but he’ll get you to the 9th. And at times last year, that was more of a problem for our boys than slamming the door.
SB Nation says this of Robertson: You can pay for saves with a pitcher like Jeurys Familia, or you can get the setup-man’s discount with a guy like Robertson, who is probably the same pitcher he was when he was a closer making closer money. Robertson is turning 34 this year, so he’s not a great candidate for a long-term deal, but for two or three years, he’s a solid gamble for a win-now team.
I like that. A “solid gamble”. I personally think AJ is ready to take the 9th inning role anyway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That will probably serve to mark him off the Braves list then. They aren’t fond of losing draft picks.
LikeLike
And the QO this year is what… $17M+, right? Grandal really should just take it. He can get more years somewhere else, but not at that annual rate. And he’ll enter the FA market again next year in a very light year for catchers.
LikeLike
QO = $17.9M
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1058412617721618432
Michael Brantley should be considered a candidate for the vacant Braves OF job.
LikeLiked by 2 people
vacant Braves OF job?
How about the “Braves vacant OF job”. I don’t think the Braves themselves are vacant. At least I hope not.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Funny, I read it the way you wrote in in the second time… Brain and eyes don’t always connect.
LikeLiked by 2 people
sigh Got a haircut. Looks like I went up the road to Camp Lejeune to get it. Thankfully, it grows fast.
LikeLiked by 2 people
OK…
If the Indians make Kluber available, then Thoppy needs to drop everything else andget all over this. Kluber is an “ace”. One of the few. He does everything you want… has gone 200+ innings for the last 5 years, at age 32 just went 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA and a microscopic 0.991 WHIP.
He plays next season at $17M, with a team option in 2020 for $17.5M and a team option in 2021 for $18M.
Yes please!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heck, Carlos Carrasco wouldn’t be a bad “get” either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, $18 MM is simply the going rate. A team will not find another for that price. 3 years… worth the investment in youngsters.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Some news from the AZL:
Looks like PACHE is impressing with the leather, and his speed. Rumored to be the fastest OF in the AZL this season. Unfortunately, just as I posted last week, his bat hasn’t come around yet.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Another reason why getting 400 plus at bats in the minor each season is important. Batting averages across the board were down this season in the majors. .275 appears to be the new .300…
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think defensive shifts plus starters not going as deep in games might be having an effect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hitters must learn the WEE WILLIE KEELER method of hitting, and not solely depend on smashing the nearest fence to home plate.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Agree 100% Gordon.
How about meeting for lunch next wed or thur? Thinking O’tool’s…
LikeLike
Stark reminder of perspective. Baseball is just a game. Life is about people.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Horrible news, a reminder we are all but flesh and blood. I feel sympathy for their families.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good morning Stuffville… Good news on the Gold Glove front, Freddie wins his 1st, Ender his 3rd in a row and Nick his 3rd over all beating out Heyward. I’m pretty sure Nick’s agent should be able to parlay that stat into a couple of extra millions when he signs a contract to play in Philly next season.
Freddie’s GG win was a tie (4th in GG history) with Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo. It is the first time an Atlanta 1st baseman has won a gold glove. I did not know that… I also thought Andres Galaraga should have won one but that is just me.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’m pretty sure Nick’s agent should be able to parlay that stat into a couple of extra millions when he signs a contract to play in Philly next season.
… or back here after Thoppy unloads the prospect boat in Miami. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I can have JTR batting cleanup behind Freddie, I’m pretty happy with Steady Nick for another couple of years.
LikeLiked by 2 people
No argument there Vee, we all agree the Braves need to add a power bat, whether it’s in the outfield, third base or behind the plate makes little difference to me. The thing about Realmuto is he not only improves the offence but also the defense. A rare combination which make JTR a pricey get for the team which snags him.
The only downside is as a catcher, his bat is not available on an everyday basis like a position player would be.
As for improving the Braves other needs, I don’t think adding bench strength should be as difficult as acquiring an ace pitcher.
So, where does Coppy go to dump some of his prospect capital, Miami or Cleveland? After all, even an ace cannot be played more than once every 5 days.
LikeLike
I’m a little conflicted this morning. (The crystal ball isn’t awake yet.) I know that you can only cash in those best prospects on one top talent. Do I want a top starter, or the best catcher in baseball?
That’s a tough one for me…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hard to argue with that, even if I’m not a fan of these “advanced” metrics.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ll say this about the new numbers… they can obviously show a player’s tendencies. But I will never believe they can predict his future performance.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I look for the Braves to add Austin Riely to their roster at some point next season if he is not included in a trade package. He is on the cusp of making it to the Show.
No matter what we think or the Braves brain trust thinks, The cost of doing business is still going up. Both Machado and Harper will command Stanton money which precludes all but the biggest market clubs from shopping in that aisle.
Machado is a great third baseman but as a shortstop, not so much which is why I don’t see him staying in LA.
As good as he is, he did not get Baltimore into the play-offs. One player only makes a difference when you are only one player away. Harper did not win a NL pennant in DC. The Nationals have had a very strong team the past several years but it has not been enough to get them to the promised land.
LikeLiked by 1 person
GIL:
No worries. The power bat has arrived!
Have you seen BRAXTON DAVIDSON’s numbers in the AZL?
The real deal or just another of his tease stunts? He’s certainly on a hot streak in the ‘Zona.
BTW, PACHE has been dazzling in the field, and a surprise to me, steady at the plate. Maybe the kid’s developing a hitter’s eye sooner than I anticipated. Even if he only becomes a solid singles hitter with little power, that would certainly put him in ATLANTA by 2020.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Relief pitcher TOMMY BURROWS has had a good season out there as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Relief pitchers on the other hand could be in Atlanta before I am…
LikeLiked by 1 person
GIL:
Thursday sounds about right. Maybe the BRAVES Mangement will have had a move by then. heh!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will be there at noon Thursday, likely Ms Josie will come too. Please note, Jo will not talk politics with anyone for any reason… LOL…
LikeLiked by 1 person
O.K.
LikeLike
It’s a head-scratcher……….mangement that is.
LikeLike
Davidson is a first baseman who has not yet played above High A, while I expect he will be promoted to AA Mississippi next year, I would not foresee him reaching Atlanta before 2020. Unless the Braves are planning on him starting in the outfield, I don’t see him making the big club before then. He is not moving Freddie off of first.
LikeLike
Unless the Braves are planning on him starting in the outfield, I don’t see him making the big club before then. He is not moving Freddie off of first.
When they drafted Davidson, they immediately moved him to OF because they had just given Freddie his 8-year deal. But Davidson was horrendous in the OF… worse than Matt Adams. So they moved him back to 1B, but his bat never really came around. He might be hitting HR”s in ARZ, but he won’t ever do much else. He strikes out way too much to ever be on a ML roster. And that’s saying something in this era. That’s why he hasn’t progressed past single-A ball in 5 years.
LikeLike
So, 2019’s ROY will be Vlad Jr of the Blue Jays. I don’t see how they keep his bat in the minors much longer. It may not be before the Jay’s can make sure they get an extra year of control over him but he will be in Toronto before the final vestiges of their last snow melts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, here is another speculative post… because there really is nothing else to discuss on this cool and damp Monday morning.
For a minute, let’s consider what was mentioned last week about a trade for JTR setting the wheels in motion for the rest of the offseason.
It has been mentioned everywhere that the Braves will have anywhere from $45M to $60M to add to payroll this offseason, depending on whom you believe. Knowing that Thoppy wants to hold back some $$ for mid-season acquisitions, let’s work with the low side $45M and take a measured, step by step approach to a possible outcome.
IF… the Braves were to pull off the trade for JTR, it would give them their targeted big bat and catcher in one person at a first time arbitration salary of a projected $6M for 2019 (barring the two sides working out an extension to buy out his arbitration years, and a few FA years as well.) Given that you can check 2 boxes – ☑ big bat ☑ catcher – with one move in JTR, I’m leaning that direction.
Since they’ve acquired their big bat in JTR, they could just bring Steady Bat, Gold Glove Nick back as a bridge to Cristian Pache for 2yrs/$16M, or $8M for 2018.
Since they have their big bat and RF’er on board for just $14M collectively, they could then be able to spend more liberally in FA for pitching. For the purposes of this exercise, let’s bypass Patrick Corbin (for whom the Yankees are going to pull out all the stops) and instead consider Dallas Keuchel. They could sign him for 4 yrs/$82M, or an average of $20.5M for 2019.
Now I’m standing at an $34.5M increase. But let’s not forget I’m trying to trade Julio and as much of his $11M deal as possible. If I don’t set my sights on the biggest return possible, I can shed the whole $11M and reduce my current salary increase to just $23.5M.
At this point we have checked off 3 out of 4 of our big needs for the offseason, and we have only added about $23.5M for 2019. That leaves us $21.5M to spend on the bullpen and bench. As much as I love our old friend Craig Kimbrel, I’m not sure I can commit the estimated 4 yrs/$70M the 30 year old is gonna command. But I wouldn’t feel so bad giving 3 yrs/$33M to the 29 year old Jeurys Familia. That average $11M would fit in my payroll nicely and leave me about $10.5M for my bench.
… and for that I’m tabbing Marwin Gonzalez for 4yrs/$36M, or just $9M for 2019. The switch hitting Gonzalez plays all over the field.
So for $43.5M, I’ve acquired a catcher, bopper, Gold Glove RF’er, top starting pitcher, closer and the best utility player on the market… and still come in under budget.
If I could pull all that off I’d order a sweet tea and feel like I’ve done a day’s work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vee, great wishful thinking on your part. Yes it would be wonderful but I doubt the other GMs would let Thoppy off that cheap. I also doubt Nick will want to sign for 3 million less than what he has earned the past 4 years. Of course what will actually happen is anyone’s guess.
Like many high stakes poker games, the art of the bluff is always in play. Agents will lie, other GMs will lie and we have not even scratched the surface on reporters and pundits. To be fair, the latter group usually only serve as messengers to the lies they are given.
So, all and all, I feel optimistic the Braves will continue to move forward. They know what they need but they also know how much money they have to spend.
I want a new truck but while I would love a top of the line mega truck, their are two constraints. How much am I willing to spend and how much am I able to spend. Down the road, I will again have an old truck but with big payments, not to mention the higher taxes and insurance. Maybe I will just be better off with a bathroom remodel….
LikeLiked by 1 person
All but the trade for JTR are free agent signings, so if I want them, I just need to go get them. And the contracts/salaries I used were the ones predicted by MLBTR in their Top 50 predictions, including Nick’s. I also used their projected arb salaries for JTR’s.
LikeLike
Well, I am enlightened.. 🙂 Sounds like it can be done.
LikeLike
Now, iif you can just work out a deal for my new truck… 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love not having car payments. grin And I love my car. My classic car! bigger grin
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmm… a compromise that makes sense. To me, the waiver process seems antiquated, and the August 31 deadline reduces the impact of the July 31 deadline.
Hopefully they will also make some adjustments to the September expanded rosters. Having all 40 from your roster in September radically changes the game from the one played March-August, especially as it relates to the bullpen.
I like the proposal I heard from one talking head this past season who suggested that the whole of your 40-man roster may be eligible in September, but an active roster of 30 must be designated prior to each game. Again, that’s a compromise that makes sense.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This year’s GM Meetings begin tomorrow and last until Thursday. Typically, these meetings do not yield alot of deals, but do serve as a place to sew seeds to reap at next month’s Winter Meetings. Here’s hoping the soil is fertile for Thoppy this year. (BTW- these meetings have to be better for the Braves than last year’s when we didn’t have a GM.)
LikeLike
Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News:
Q: Should the Rangers trade Nomar Mazara or extend his contract?
A: In terms of simple math, the Rangers have too many left-handed-hitting corner outfielders and infielders and not enough starting pitchers. It would only be smart business to consider balancing things out some. Mazara is three years into his clock toward free agency, which makes him perhaps the most logical guy to consider dealing. It’s unlikely the Rangers will contend before he hits his final season before free agency.
The issue: Mazara, who turns 23 in April, has franchise-cornerstone type talent but does not have a set of statistics that back up that claim. At best, he’d get a controllable pitcher with the ceiling of a No. 3 starter.
Mazara is a 23-year-old LH hitter who hit .258/.317/.436, 20 HR, 77 RBI in 2018, and is just in his first arb eligible year.
He doesn’t have to be a cornerstone here… just a piece of the puzzle. And with those power numbers, he’d be a nice piece of the puzzle.
“Controllable pitcher with the ceiling of a No. 3 starter”? How about Luiz Gohara? … or Max Fried?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, cheap, controllable, inexpensive. Sounds like a prize to me. Would blend nicely with the rest of the young guns and speaks their language too.
See, lots of potential targets out there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And yet, a pretty high strike-out o walk ratio. I know, in Texas it is all about the big fly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes that’s just what you need at cleanup. The threat of a game changing dinger out of the 4-hole often means better pitches for the #3 hitter. And that’s exactly what I want for Freddie. When you have a bunch of “gap” hitters, it still takes more than one hit to score runs. But that one bopper in the middle of the lineup is always a threat to change the entire game with 1 swing. We need that guy to keep pitchers honest. RAJ and Freddie are true threats, but both need to be batting higher in the order. As much as I loved RAJ leading off, I prefer him at #2 so that his prodigious HR’s have the potential to score my high OBP leadoff hitter as well. Ideally I start my game with Ozzie, RAJ, Freddie and a bopper. That assumes, of course, that Ozzie rediscovers his mojo. We really need him to get back to being the pre-ASB Ozzie, but I’m getting off topic…
All hitters are not created equal, nor are spots in the batting order.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In 2018, RAJ lead the team in HRs with just 26. We didn’t have a single hitter over 30. That’s almost unheard of in this era. And while I do appreciate a good fundamental game that moves the runners around, you still have to get them in to score runs… which last I checked was a major criteria to gaining wins. All complete lineups have prodigious power in the middle. We must make improvement in that area for 2019 if we want to repeat our division success and move further into October.
LikeLiked by 3 people
https://aroundthefoghorn.com/2018/11/05/san-francisco-giants-potential-madison-bumgarner-trade-atlanta-braves/
Sounds vaguely familiar… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
One thing I believe is a given, the Giants will make no significant trades or deals prior to a GM being selected and then I don’t see a lot before the first of the year. I should be better verse in the Giants farm talent but Gordon would likely have a better read on that than me.
LikeLike
The deals the Braves make IMO will likely be dependent on what talent is available to trade. While the Braves would love to have Realmuto, I have a feeling they would like a Klubler more. I can’t see them emptying the larder for both.
The free agent route may be best to fill the catcher’s spot and the outfield spot could go a dozen different directions.
Now, it could happen they get neither, depends on who wants what the most. You could easily end up with one of those crazy three way deals which always confuses the heck out of me because one usually involves a contract dump.
I know the Braves want a front end guy for their pitching staff, they already have Julio who can man the back end. I also think Julio would benefit from a trade to San Francisco (big ball park) but that is a thread to explore for another day.
PS DON’T FORGET TO VOTE TODAY…
LikeLiked by 1 person
One thing I believe is a given, the Giants will make no significant trades or deals prior to a GM being selected
I agree… and do you know who is rumored to be the front runner? According to the NY Post’s Joel Sherman: “Hear that Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi is SFGiants top choice to become GM. It is in Zaidi’s hands to make a choice. Expectation is decision could come as soon as Tuesday.”
That is today, BTW.
Hmmm… reckon who might just be tight with his old LA buddy..? Thoppy maybe? If everything falls right, a good working relationship could work in our favor. It certainly wouldn’t hurt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
MLBTR: The Giants formally announced Farhan Zaidi’s hiring last night.
“I am delighted to return to the Bay Area and to join one of the most storied franchises in the game,” Zaidi said in a statement. “I have watched the Giants from afar and I have great respect for the organization’s culture and many accomplishments. I am excited about this new opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting right to work.”
LikeLike
Many statements made by our GM last night to young intrepid AJC Braves beat writer Gabe Burns in Carlsbad, CA for the GM Meetings:
~ Anthopoulos is willing to package prospects for present-day difference makers. As he puts it, the challenge is knowing when to sell high and taking advantage of timing. “The reason we have all these prospects is to win. And sometimes when winning is right in front of you, it’s easy to lose sight of that. We talk about sustained winning, sustained success. Sometimes you need to have success first. We focus so much on the sustainable side that we never get to the success. I do think, my opinion, you have to get to the success part first.”
~ Starter Luiz Gohara has lost 35 pounds and has been “doing really well,” Anthopoulos said. Gohara is coming off a difficult year affected by numerous on-and-off-field hardships. Gohara has been working out in Orlando rather than returning to his home country of Brazil. The Braves still view him as a starter long-term. The commitment to staying in Florida says a lot, according to Anthopoulos.
~ Mike Soroka threw in instructional league and his velocity was where it needed to be. Soroka will be full-go for spring training.
~ The Braves have four rotation locks as of today – Mike Foltynewicz, Sean Newcomb, Kevin Gausman and Julio Teheran. Soroka, 21, would be among several fighting for the fifth spot. They will still consider adding a veteran, including a front-line arm.
~ Anthopoulos compared modern-day catching situations to how the NFL now uses running backs by committee. Across baseball, teams are favoring two-catcher systems rather than an individual carrying the bulk. Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto is one of the few well-rounded backstops left, and a player the Braves have maintained interest in dating back the past year. But they also have their own prospect, William Contreras, who projects as one capable of handing routine duties. “We’re really excited about him,” Anthopoulos said. “We like him as one of our better, young position players. We like everything about him. We like the bat, the way he receives. We like his tools. He doesn’t get talked about but he’s right there as one of our best position player (prospects) in our minds.”
~ Anthopoulos maintains corner outfield and catcher are the priorities. There are needs and wants – those two are “needs.”
~ The Braves are interviewing pitching coach candidates, though names haven’t been disclosed. They’re conducting interviews in the next couple of days in California and will continue the process back in Atlanta.
~ Anthopoulos sees Atlanta as free agent destination. Players like area, STP, facilities and now winning are selling points. “I feel like we have a lot to offer. If the dollars and terms are there, I think we can compete with anywhere.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
My take on the above:
First, my take really doesn’t change much on how I’ve felt already. What Thoppy says and what Thoppy does may be two very different things. Part of his “job” per se is to create and take advantage of opportunities. To that end, he must also create perceptions. He must elevate the perceived status of his own prospects and he must lower the perceived urgency of his own needs.
Now, that said…
I believe him when he says he’s happy with his IF, including 3B Johan Camargo. Still, I won’t be surprised to see Camargo included in a deal for a pitcher or OF. But I also won’t be surprised to see the 2019 IF unchanged from the end of 2018 with Riley opening the season in AAA.
I believe him when he says OF and catching is the priority. I believe those are definitely the top items on his agenda. Why? If we had to open the season today, we have starting pitching, we have bullpen arms, we have IF’ers. But we have only 2 catchers on the roster, including Raffy Lopez, and we have only 3 OF’ers, including Adam Duvall. That is not workable.
I believe he will move prospects (future talent) for needs (current talent). His history indicates the same. Don’t get too attached to some of our coveted prospects. Some won’t be ours anymore in a few months.
I believe he will be more active in the FA market than we might expect, but not necessarily to make a splash. He will not repeat the BJ Upton debacle. But he will woo solid low risk talent. Think Marwin Gonzalez or Charlie Morton.
I do not believe Julio Teheran will be a Brave on Opening Day. I do believe Thoppy will acquire another proven starter, even if not a true #1. But I also believe he will make a strong push in the trade market for a #1 in Corey Kluber, Madison Bumgarner, James Paxton or Carlos Carrasco. I believe the rotation next season will be new guy, Folty, Newk, Gausman, 5th starter to be determined by a competition.
I cannot get a read on the catching situation. I don’t think he can afford to unload prospects for both JTR and Kluber, for instance. And I can’t decide which he might prefer. Today, my gut says he leans more toward the pitcher if for no other reason than to keep our traded talent out of our division.
I believe Thoppy would be quite content with a complimentary catcher to Flow is he can make a bang with his OF. And I think he’ll make the OF acquisition first to set the path of catcher. And to that end, my gut says we have a new OF before the Winter Meetings next month, when the rest of the needs begin to be filled.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic: The Braves… are not a likely suitor for Kluber, who is under control for three more years, or Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer, who are under control for two. The team’s bigger needs are a right fielder, a second catcher and — as we saw during their loss to the Dodgers in the Division Series — bench help.
Merely his opinion, mind you, but likely based on the remarks Thoppy made to Gabe Burns.
But it does make one ponder questions such as: If Thoppy is aiming to cash in his big chips on catching, isn’t the only one worth such a price JTR? Are there any OF’ers that are known to be available that would warrant such a return?
Personally, I still think he’ll drop it on pitching. Why? One reason is that Thoppy inferred that the future talent may one day turn out to be the current talent, and we want/need the current talent now. So a reasonable person might take that to say that we will cash in our pitching for pitching, right? But I’m no expert and certainly not a mind-reader. Just a blog reader. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Who?
I don’t see this a real possibility. First, he’s only 1/2 year younger than Kurt Suzuki. He’s RH, just like Zuk (and Flow). He’s worse offensively than Zuk. He’s worse defensively than Zuk.
Mark that one off the list of possibilities, folks. Just a rumor. And not a very good one.
LikeLike
A rumor likely started by Chirinos’ agent to drive up bargaining chip.
Vee, I think you and I agree that Thoppy will go big on one trade and back fill the rest. Who knows, he might even do a two fer…
I think the Braves already have the makings of a stellar in house solution to their pitching woes but maybe it does not come to fruition for another two years.
An outfielder would be a greater impact player than a catcher, even one as good as Realmuto because of the number of games played by one over the other.
It would have been nice if Yelich had been available this year instead of last but that is how it goes, you cannot always catch a break.
So, Pache’ may or may not ever play an inning for the Big Braves, same with Riley. It is just the nature of the game.
It is encouraging to hear that someone finally has garnered the attention of Gohara. I think DOB inferred he was tipping the scales at 275lbs but he looked more like 310 to me. That is great if you are a tackle but not so good as a ballplayer.
He will always have issues with his weight but it is up to him to keep it under control. ALA Matt Kemp…
Soroka if healthy would be the best option for the 5th pitching spot IMO. It would allow the Braves to keep his innings pitched at a more manageable number. Saying that, one has to wonder what switch was flipped by Sean Newcome last year to have such a drastic drop off. Fatigue? Heat? Getting known around the league?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Former GM Steve Phillips on radio, speaking to Thoppy’s statement regarding being satisfied with his IF, specifically 3B Johan Camargo:
“GM speak” says you are content with what you have because it won you 90 games. And that’s true. But if there’s an opportunity to improve it, for instance 3B Josh Donaldson, you’ll still explore the available options.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well… isn’t THAT special?
LikeLike
According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, Jose Ramirez, Jacob Lindgren, Lane Adams, and Preston Tucker are among the 520 players who were declared minor league free agents yesterday.
If I had to guess, I’d think the Braves are interested in bringing at least Lindgren back on a minor league deal. Probably Adams and Tucker too. I think the JoRam boat has sailed.
LikeLike
Will be special assistant to the GM.
LikeLike
On Dansby’s “procedure” … Hopefully that will take care of his nagging wrist ailment. It does not take a very big “chip” floating around to be the cause of an a big irritation. Ask any oyster…
LikeLiked by 2 people
So I read a stat, or fact, this morning on Fox Sports: Braves that I suppose I was aware of but hadn’t really give much thought.
The 2018 Braves rotation ranked top-five in ERA, opponent slugging percentage and home runs allowed.
I point this out only because it may redirect my own thinking toward our offseason needs. Are we in desperate need of a high profile (and high $$) starter? Yes, I want Kluber or MadBum or another top guy. But what if we saved those top prospects that such an acquisition would cost and used them for a catcher (JTR?) or an OF that we are sorely lacking, and merely sought to make an upgrade from Julio?
How about Charlie Morton? He’s said to want a 2 year deal and pitch on the east coast close to his wife’s family in Delaware. Morton went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA, 1.162 WHIP and 201 K’s in 30 starts this season. Even at age 34 he still averaged 95.4 mph on his fastball and was among the top pitchers in K’s averaging 10.832 per 9 IP. That would have been a clear upgrade from Julio by a mile.
MLBTR ranks him as their #14 FA and predicts a contract of 2 yrs/$32M.
And let’s not forget that he came up through our system and made his ML debut here. Both Phillie and Wash are said to be interested. Maybe we should be too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes Vee, it is why I have changed my focus from Realmuto to an ACE as the Braves primary need. Now, I realize we cannot believe everything the Braves front office tells up but by all accounts Contrares is the next great catcher in the Braves future. I look for him to start the season in AA but he would not be the first catcher to make the leap from AA to the Show at mid season.
Having a pitcher call his own game or having the pitch called from the bench is not exactly a new phenomena. I know the Braves touted Bethancourt as the next great catcher but he got lazy by all accounts so there is that.
So, after a tie with Rizzo for the Wilson Gold Glove this season, Wilson names Freddie Freeman as the best defensive first baseman…. ??? Excuse me but if he is the best defensive first baseman, why is he not the Gold Glove winner by himself? Just asking….
Looks like our old/young friend, Malix Smith is headed back to Seattle. The kid has to be racking up some serious frequent flyer miles.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By all accounts, Contreras is ready for The Show now defensively, but his bat still needs work. He has zerogames experience above single-A, and only 23 at high-A. He’ll need a full year at AA, or at the very least a full year between AA-AAA. But is there a need to have a bridge longer than 2 years? No, there isn’t.
Why not forego JTR, and sign Brian McCann on a 2 year deal to partner up with Flow in another tandem arrangement similar to what he had with Zuk. Flow’s deal is for 1 year plus a team option for 2020, which lines up perfectly with Contreras’ timeline. Use the prospect capital on Kluber (the absolute perfect match for Atlanta) to turn a good rotation into a great rotation, and take a step forward in 2019.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Now as for Kluber, what do the Indians need? Obviously it will take the “usual suspects” among our pitching prospects. But beyond that, here’s where it might get tricky…
The hot rumor yesterday was that CLE, already losing Michael Brantley in FA, needs an OF that can step in right away. Their current OF projections include 2 guys that have yet to prove they are ML players, including their CF whose prospect report projects to a ceiling of a 4th OF.
What am I leading to? The Indians are going to want Ender Inciarte. We already need 1 corner OF. Would an ask of Ender be a non-starter for Thoppy?
LikeLike
Actually, RAJ could step into CF and you wouldn’t lose much defensively. And finding an offensive upgrade to Ender would be easier than you might think. He slashed just .265/.325/.380 in 2018, a big drop in all 3 categories from previous years. Still, picking up 1 OF is already an established need. Doubling that would be creating a difficult task.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The real trick is making sure you don’t rush your kids too quickly. Bobby Cox had a philosophy that a contending team never had more than one prospect/rookie in his line up or on his roster. If the Braves could slot Riely in the left field slot and add Brantly then maybe they could trade Ender but how much of a sacrifice would that be as far as outfield defense.
I contend that Ender’s hitting woes were due to some physical malady as opposed to mental. Teams are loath to reveal such things but it makes sense to me. I would not be surprise to see Markakis sign with the Tribe but who knows in the crazy world of baseball.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, wrote this on Bryce Harper last night:
“The free agent outfielder, touted to be more popular than the Liberty Bell, looks to be headed to Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love. It appeared all along that Harper would remain in Washington, where he has spent his entire career. But that was before word leaked Tuesday that he flatly rejected a 10-year, $300 million contract in September. You can eliminate the rest of the suitors, too. The Chicago Cubs don’t want to spend the money unless someone takes Jason Heyward or Yu Darvish off their hands. The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t have interest. The St. Louis Cardinals don’t have bright lights. The San Francisco Giants are changing course. It leaves one team for Harper, which won’t mind giving him at least $400 million. The Phillies are the most desperate team to land a star, and with Machado wanting to go to the New York Yankees, and the Yankees having the greatest need for him, Philadelphia is the logical destination for Harper. He will be standing in right field with the Phillies on March 28 at Citizens Bank Park when they open the season against the defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves. Bank on it.”
He added this on a radio interview this morning:
“I’m at the owners meetings now and everybody is saying that 90% he is going to the Phillies. I think the Phillies are going to go up to 400 million.”
It’s OK with me. If he couldn’t elevate the talented Nats roster to a championship, he won’t elevate the lesser Phils. And can you imagine how those fans will ride him when he hits one of his slumps or dogs out a play? I kind of hope he ends up there. It will prevent them from signing Patrick Corbin or Josh Donaldson and will hamper their payroll for years.
LikeLiked by 3 people
What’s the old saying…Pride goes before a fall?
LikeLiked by 2 people
About that “loose body” that Dansby Swanson had removed from his wrist yesterday…
Yes, he had to leave a game in late September and didn’t return the team for the rest of the season. But that’s not where it started. You have to remember he had already spent some time on the DL in May with the wrist. He got hit on the wrist by Noah Syndegaard – couldn’t be some salad tosser – on May 1. At that time he was slashing .287/.330/.435 w/ 2 HR’s for March-April in what appeared to be an offensive revival after an awful sophomore slump.
Then he got hit.
May yileded .204/.304/.327 with slight improvements over the next few months until he finally had to shut it down in September.
So while many are calling for him to be replaced by Johan or someone else at SS, I’m betting that a healthy Dansby will return to .287/.330/.435 form and continue giving us the slick defense that never waned.
LikeLiked by 1 person
yileded = yielded
I was eating lunch and got distracted by chicken.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yo, Gordon… Call me ASAP… By the way, thanks for the cruise tickets….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cruise tickets? Gordon? I like cruises. Never been on one, but I’m positive that I like them.
lol
You’re one terrific guy, my friend!
LikeLike
Inside joke CL… He left his credit card at the restaurant… Hey, you have to take advantage where you can 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Funny!! (You still have it???)
LikeLike
I put it in the mail to him this afternoon CL… It is tough being dishonest when you have a conscious… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you know I was joking, don’t you? I know you and know you’d never do wrong by anyone. You’re just a good man. 🙂
LikeLike
Well, it would give the Phillies a nice left right combo in the line up but walk two guys and go after the rest of their line up.
Yes, explains a lot about Dansby’s hitting woes. Still believe there was a nagging injury with Ender too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gabe Burns gives us a summary of Thoppy’s 3 days at the GM Meetings in Carlsbad:
~ Anthopoulos identified a number of clubs — it can range from two to eight — with whom it’s conceivable to consummate a deal. The Braves spent the majority of their time with those franchises.
~ “There are some players we weren’t certain would be available in trade before we got to the meetings that we now have information about,” Anthopoulos said. “That does open things up for us.”
~ “We’re spending the bulk of our time here on trades,” Anthopoulos said. “We’re not spending our time on free agents.”
~ Anthopoulos has been adamant that the Braves’ chief needs are corner outfield and catcher.
~ “Right now, relievers are not something we’re actively going after,” Anthopoulos said.
LikeLiked by 1 person
None of that is really news to any of us. Maybe the reliever part, but I still expect him to bring in an experienced closer regardless of what he said. As for the bullpen as a whole, he has plenty of in-house options given the number of emerging prospects at the highest minor league levels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gordon and I opined today what a nice surprise it would be if Duvall suddenly re-discovered his hitting stroke. I expect him to begin the year in Triple A however unless he dedicated himself to his craft this winter. Spring training should reveal to us his dedication.
Question marks concerning the pen would be Shane Carle, Winkler, Sam Freeman but we agreed Mr Bionic Elbow, Jonny Venters would return and would be a good lefty specialist and occasional closer. I think most of the pen issues will be solved in house but a closer might well be added.
LikeLike
I have been thinking about how the grass always seems to be greener on the other side… This season, Nick Markakis has won a Gold Glove and yesterday a Silver Slugger…. Think about that…. If any other outfielder became available with those credentials, how many Braves fans would be clamoring for Thoppy to go hard for after him and offer up either a bevy of young talent or pay $25 million a year for his services.
Yes, I know Markakis is 34 years old but I think he has at least two more good years left in him. The only real problem is he has been asked to be a clean up hitter, a role he is not really suited for. He is either a number 2 on a 5 or 6 hole guy.
The real problem is the Braves really need some power to produce instant offense somewhere in their line up. Where do you get that if not from the traditional power spots in your line up?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve been of the opinion to keep Markakis. He certainly did everything anyone could have asked of him and did it well. Two-year contract? One year with an option? I may be wrong but I’m definitely in favor of keeping him.
He seems to be well-liked in the clubhouse and certainly fills the role-model shoes. And, from what I can tell, he wants to stay with the Braves. Didn’t he say that at the end of the year? I know someone did but don’t remember which one.
LikeLike
I would be on board with bringing him back if we trade for JTR at catcher, sign Josh Donaldson for 3B or add a thumper somewhere else. We simply must add power to the lineup.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ender’s stats pre all star .241 .312
post all star .302 .345
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Ender. But TBH I’d love Corey Kluber more.
LikeLike
Talking Chop:
Liberty Media disclosed Thursday that the team’s revenue increased by $15 million from $185 million to $200 million during the July to September quarter. They are still carrying a considerable amount of debt but their move to SunTrust Park and The Battery has been financially successful.
And why greater revenue July to September? Because the team had exciting players and was making a playoff push. I see that as motivation (and resources) to make sure we have the players to stay in the hunt… and to go deeper. The only thing these corporate execs like more than making money is making MORE money.
LikeLiked by 2 people
*Gordon and I opined today what a nice surprise it would be if Duvall suddenly re-discovered his hitting stroke. I expect him to begin the year in Triple A *
He has a good shot at being an important bench piece if he can remember how to hit again. He’s never been a high average guy, yet he did know how to hit HR’s at one point, and he is a very good defensive OF. That would make him a valuable bench member for a power starved team especially. IMO he’ll never be a regular on any team unless he has some career resurrection ala Max Muncy. But how many times does that happen? I suppose we can all pray, though, right?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, under the tutor-ledge of the right hitting coach and an open mind, wonders some times do happen. Maybe he learned something from watching Nick Markais last season. We can only hope.
One has to also hope as a hitter you are not always batting eight in the line up, never a good RBI spot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dirty Craig is gonna get stupid money from someone, but I doubt it’s the Braves. Still, who wouldn’t love to see this again in ATL?
https://twitter.com/EOF34/status/1060951644811087872
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love Ender. But TBH I’d love Corey Kluber more.
Oh, me too! I was all for trading Ender last off season after seeing what the Nats gave up for Adam Eaton, who had similar numbers to Ender’s after 2017…but, he doesn’t have the same value right now…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know if anyone else read the article on Craig Kimbrel tipping his pitches and the Yankees taking advantage of it but a former player let him know about it and I noticed Craig change the position of his gloves during the World Series against the Dodgers. The results was night and day. Hitters returned to swinging and missing on his off speed stuff.
Wouldn’t he be a great addition to the pen? Woo hoo….
LikeLiked by 2 people
Here’s a little bit of crazy. Or is it crazy? Maybe it’s sanity, but nobody wants to consider it.
Q: Who is the biggest bench name on the market? … a switch-hitter that MLBTR says has been a valuable super utility player throughout his seven-year Astros career. He’s capable of playing all four infield positions, as well as left field, prompting agent Scott Boras to nickname him “Swiss G.”… and is projected to command a 4 yr/36MM deal?
A: Marwin Gonzalez, a guy who has been linked to the Braves to fill an obvious need on a bench that was extremely anemic in 2018.
Let’s look at MG’s 2018 numbers, shall we?
.247/.324/.409, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 552 plate appearances
And then there’s these:
.272/.349/.457, 19 HR, 76, RBI, 524 plate appearances
… also from a switch-hitter who “has been a valuable super utility player… capable of playing all four infield positions, as well as left field”.
I’d take the second set of numbers, wouldn’t you?
Well, we already have that guy. His name is Johan Camargo, and he’s 6 years younger than Swiss G and under team control for at least 5 more seasons at alot less money.
Maybe if we want to improve the bench, instead of buying Marwin Gonzalez for $12MM per season through his age 34 season, we simply move Johan back to the bench and add the desperately needed lineup power at 3B.
And let’s be honest about it. Johan’s greatest value is in his versatility; thus his value is diminished when he’s anchored to one position. Think Charlie Culberson, only better.
Maybe we give Josh Donaldson the 1 yr/$18MM or 2 yr/$35MM deal he’s been projected to receive to add some pop to our everyday lineup and to be the placeholder for Austin Riley. And if Bringer of Rain were to prove himself healthy and potent, you might even consider keeping him around longer. Or… if Austin Riley destroys AAA for the first half, you might even consider moving Donaldson to fill a need at the deadline. Win/win/win.
And if we did add that thunder at 3B, we could turn our attention to a cheaper option at OF… perhaps even rolling another couple years with Nick.
And we could spend our prospect capital on Corey Kluber instead of JTR, and instead sign a complimentary partner for Flow as has been suggested a time or two.
Eh… just a thought. I’ll have many more of ’em before some real action begins to happen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wha-what?!?!?!
LikeLiked by 2 people
While it is fun to speculate about other teams’ players and who might look good in an Atlanta uni, we should all remember the old golf saw, “keep your nose in your own bag” .. Think about this for a moment, the Cubs have a wealth of young talent but the word is out, they have a somewhat dysfunctional club house environment, same goes for Washington. So, what is the missing piece in Chitown? DAVID ROSS…
Team chemistry is a beautiful thing when it works, UGLY when it doesn’t. Think the 80s Orioles before Reggie Jackson was traded to the Yankees.
So, why would the Cubs want to trade Bryant? This seasons numbers were down, that is for sure. Even “proven” players can fall short of expectations. never has the bromide “Buyer Beware” been so true as in baseball…
Hector Oliveria anyone???
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re really gonna’ try to give me heartburn aren’t you GIL? OLIVERIA indeed!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Well, as much as we’d like the Hot Stove to be raging right now, we are probably closer to this:
It’s just so early, and there really won’t be alot going on until the Winter Meetings next month. And right now, the winds are blowing in all directions, so it’s impossible to make educated predictions on anything. And to compound things, Thoppy is prone to misdirection in his statements to the press in an effort to keep his work off the grid. He likes to keep it all as secretive as possible.
Does this mean I’ll stop prognosticating?
Ha. You wish. Not a chance. 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
Been silent here simply due to the fact that I don’t particularly care for supposition. But of course, I will get caught up in it anyway. SO……….
FOLTYNEWICZ, NEWCOMB, GAUSMAN and ????
RH:
In my book, RH TEHERAN is a memory [one can only hope], gone as a throw-in trade mix along with two rising arms for a starter, a catcher, or an outfield bat with thump. I’m thinking LH MULLER as one youngin’. Couldn’t guess who might come back, but a pretty serious starter.
MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ probable.
KEVIN GAUSMAN maybe.
TOUKI TOUSSAINT becomes a regular out of ST.
MIKE SOROKA is back according to “Talking Chop.” We’ll see how that shakes out. I’m reserving my effusion until whatever ST brings. Seeing is believing where MIKE is concerned.
LH:
SEAN NEWCOMB for sure.
LUIZ GOHARA is back as well. Lost 200 pounds and down to 210………..just kidding of course, but a half a person lost at least. He stayed over in FLORIDA to work on his craft. I think he can see that his lost summer really hurt his chances of being a regular in ATLANTA. If he returns chasten, all is forgiven, and he can vie for the 5th starter slot out of ST.
MAX FRIED may be in a trade or the BRAVES may need him as a long-relief, spot starter mainly because he’s a lefty.
And I’m not ruling out MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ , KEVIN GAUSMAN, or SEAN NEWCOMB being traded either. Anything could occur by February to my way of thinking. Again, if any of these individuals should be moved, a genuine front-liner would have to come back to us. I really don’t see that eventuality.
In the ‘pen
RH:
AROLDYS VIZCAINO is a probable.
SHANE CARLE is a suspect pending ST.
DAN WINKLER. Either he or CARLE will not be in the ATLANTA ‘pen if O’DAY makes it.
DARREN O’DAY if he proves out in ST.
CHAD SOBOTKA solidifies a slot out of ST.
LUKE JACKSON will not be back.
LH:
Short of injury, A.J. MINTER is a lock.
I think VENTERS returns ONLY as a lefty specialist……hopefully.
JESSE BIDDLE I think.
GRANT DAYTON has too many “if’s” unless VENTERS fizzles out of ST.
TOMMY BURROWS will start in AAA I believe, and be the next man up for the ‘pen by season’s end.
ADAM McCREERY is not ready for prime-time. 2020 maybe.
SAM FREEMAN will not return.
So, depending on AA’s acumen, we make a big trade for one of – frontline pitcher, or a ready-now catcher/outfielder.
In the case of the positions, they will have to carry a heavy bat.
REALMUTO is the only catcher I see in that department.
And in the outfield, we have two serious risers on the horizon after 2019, PACHE and WATERS.
Any trade would have to bring a bat that could be replaced in two years or less in the outfield.
Actually, REALMUTO makes the most sense going forward.
We can’t wait for WILLIE CONTRERAS, CRISTIAN PACHE, DREW WATERS, or AUSTIN RILEY to develop.
We need a #4 slot-hitter to come in for 2019, and it won’t be “neck.”
GM’s really do earn their pay….whew!!
LikeLiked by 4 people
I am board with 99% of that, with the exception of Arodys Vizcaino. He’s in line for his 3rd arb, which should net him somewhere in the neighborhood of $4.8MM (nice neighborhood) according to MLBTR’s projections.
I think given his shoulder history, not to mention his inconsistency even when healthy, that’s he’s a non-tender candidate. That $4.8MM could be used more effectively elsewhere, like as part of the salary for Jeurys Familia, Adam Ottavino, or – be still my heart – Craig Kimbrel.
More likely, they’ll go with a lesser name like Cody Allen.
In fact, MLBTR, in their Top 50 FA predictions, links Allen to… the Braves.
This is what they say:
37. Cody Allen – Braves. Two years, $16MM. Allen dominated as the Indians’ closer from 2014-17, posting a 2.62 ERA, 12.1 K/9, and 120 saves. This year, an increase in home runs and walks allowed torched his value. Just 30 in November, Allen shouldn’t have a hard time finding a team willing to bet on a return to form. Perhaps his camp even prefers a one-year deal with an eye on reentering the market next season, but multiple years should still be possible if the goal is to take max dollars now.
We won’t see ANY pitching acquisition before we have a pitching coach hired, then they will consider whether or not they can “fix” a guy like Allen, who obviously has the ability to be an effective closer, just needs some adjustment. And since they still have the talented AJ Minter on board, they can afford to take a chance on a guy like Allen, who will be just as versatile as a veteran presence in a young bullpen as he will be a talented arm.
LikeLiked by 1 person
versatile = valuable
Not sure why I typed “versatile”. Brain cramp. “Valuable” is the word I was looking for there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Speaking of MLBTR’s predictions (more a fun exercise than scientific method), this is the other guy they predict for the Braves:
10. Michael Brantley – Braves. Three years, $45MM. Brantley, 32 in May, hit .305/.362/.459 over the last two seasons as the Indians’ left fielder. He has spent his entire Major League career in the organization following his inclusion in the 2008 CC Sabathia trade with Milwaukee. The concern is Brantley’s health, as he was limited to 101 games from 2016-17 due to shoulder, biceps, and ankle injuries, all of which involved surgery. He still should have enough interest to land a three-year deal coming off a 143-game season in which he was typically excellent at the plate. The Indians could bring him back if they can fit him into the budget, though they chose not to issue a qualifying offer. He’ll otherwise have a similar market to [Andrew] McCutchen, though Brantley hits from the left side and has historically carried fairly notable platoon splits.
Personally, I’d prefer Andrew McCutchen, mentioned at the end of their blurb, and following closely thereafter at #11.
11. Andrew McCutchen – Cubs. Three years, $45MM. Aside from [Bryce] Harper, Brantley and McCutchen are the best corner outfielders on the free-agent market. McCutchen, 32, is several years removed from his MVP-caliber stretch with the Pirates but remains a very good hitter. After nine seasons as the Pirates’ center fielder, McCutchen was traded to the Giants and switched to right field. After hitting only three home runs in the season’s first two months, Cutch went on to hit .259/.374/.447 in his final 452 plate appearances for the Giants and Yankees. He could fit with the Cubs, Indians, Rays, Cardinals, Braves, White Sox, or Phillies.
LikeLike
The problem with either Brantley or Cutch is that neither is a classic cleanup hitter anymore. And we need HR’s in the #4 spot.
I still believe that Thoppy will make a run at a Padre OF for pitching. Perhaps Hunter Renfroe or Franmil Reyes. Both are RH and would fit nicely after Freddie. Reyes is 4 years younger and thus more desirable. Otherwise they are fairly similar. Neither one is ideal because neither one is going to inspire thoughts of “Gold Glove”. But you can move RAJ to RF and stash either ex-Padre in LF where he will do the least damage. And either one is going to fan the stadium their fair share of times. All told, It’s still hard to predict how either one would hit in STP, but something north of 30 HR’s is not out of the realm of plausibility.
LikeLike
I still believe that the more organic path to an increase in HR’s may be in-house with Austin Riley. But you don’t want him thrust in that cleanup spot right away. Plus, he’s probably not going to be ready by March anyway. July/August is more realistic since he hasn’t yet had a full season at AAA, plus he missed a few weeks with a knee injury even after the promotion at mid-season last year. So why not simply sign Josh Donaldson now and reap those immediate benefits while Riley is eased into the picture?
I know the whole Johan Camargo argument, but I still maintain Camargo’s greatest asset (and his greatest value to the team) is his versatility, which is muted if he’s tethered to one position. Thus, a signing of Bringer of Rain could accomplish 2 purposes: increase the power at the cleanup spot and strengthen the bench.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And not diminishing the defense either.. So, a bench with Culbertson and Camargo plus a lefty bopper would improve Atlanta’s likelihood of improving on a 90 win season.
I really like McCutchen but agree his best years are behind him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
a bench with Culbertson and Camargo plus a lefty bopper would improve Atlanta’s likelihood of improving on a 90 win season.
Absolutely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I outlined earlier, Marwin Gonzalez is considered the jewel of FA for his bench value. I maintain Johan Camargo is a better Marwin Gonzalez than Marwin Gonzalez.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ronald Acuna, ROY…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Coñgratulatioñs Ronald Acuña, Jr.!!!
LikeLiked by 3 people
As it has been for several days, there really isn’t any news to discuss today. The post-season awards are OK, but really that’s looking back. I want to look forward to 2019.
So, with that in mind, the only thing close to news would be the 6 players that officially declined their Qualifying Offers. Why is that news? Well, because for those players, the signing team will have to give up at least one draft pick and potentially some funds from their int’l signing bonus pool. For the Braves, the int’l market (which is even difficult for me to talk about) is inconsequential right now. But the draft pick…
IMO, Thoppy will be loathe to give up a draft pick, even if it were to mean we signed the best guy on the market. We’ve already taken a huge hit at the lower levels of our system thanks to Coppy-gate. Unless we want to widen the gap in lower level talent, we need to keep all of our draft picks and continue to use them wisely.
Anyway, I got distracted and forgot to list the 6 players with draft pick compensation attached. They are: SP Patrick Corbin, C Yasmani Grandal, OF Bryce Harper, SP Dallas Keuchel, RP Craig Kimbrel, and OF AJ Pollock. (Not that it matters, but there was 1 player to accept his QO, that being Braves killer SP Hyun-Jin Ryu.)
So son’t expect to see Kimbrel or Grandal in ATL next season. It’s not gonna happen.
LikeLike
As for Kimbrel, I would be willing to give up a pick. I am not sure what level pick it would be. I heard on MLB yesterday that the Nationals could not expect a draft pick any higher than a #4 for Harper. Not sure why but there is that. It was in reference to the Nats not trading Harper to the Astros last summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay, here it is, clear as mud…
New qualifying-offer rules explained
Under the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement, if a team made a qualifying offer to a player and he signed elsewhere, it would get a supplemental first-round Draft pick (right after the end of the first round). That has all changed.
Under the new rules, if the team that loses the free agent is a revenue-sharing recipient, based on its revenues and market size, then the selection — if and only if the lost player signs for at least $50 million — will be awarded a pick between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A of the 2018 MLB Draft. If the player signs for less than $50 million, the compensation pick for those teams would come after Competitive Balance Round B, which follows the second round.
• 2018 Draft order
The following 16 teams currently qualify for these picks: A’s, Astros, Braves, Brewers, D-backs, Indians, Mariners, Marlins, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Royals and Twins.
If the team that loses the player does not receive revenue sharing and did not exceed the luxury-tax salary threshold the previous season, its compensatory pick will come after Competitive Balance Round B. The value of the player’s contract doesn’t matter in this case. The nine clubs that fall into this category are the Angels, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Cubs, Mets, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox and White Sox.
If the team that loses the player went over the luxury-tax threshold, the compensation pick will be placed after the fourth round has been completed (as with the previous scenario, it doesn’t matter how much the player signs for). The five clubs in this group are the Dodgers, Giants, Nationals, Tigers and Yankees.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 2 people
So, any player who declined a QO from the the last five clubs listed, they would only be required to give up a pick after the 4th round which would mean Grindal would be in play for the Braves if they were so inclined.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brian Snitker wins NL manager of the year… Justice done…
LikeLiked by 3 people
https://www.myajc.com/sports/baseball/brian-snitker-wins-manager-the-year/D9kWFLuPfuzb5Wr9fACAuK/
I wonder why this didn’t take? Second try…
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 3 people
… four All-Stars, three gold glove winners, a silver slugger, the rookie of the year and manager of the year. Plus the NL East title, of course.
All in all, not a bad year. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting thought of the day…
The Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was on a radio interview recently and downplayed the team’s need to shed salary, which is the genesis of the trade rumors involving Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. But in the same interview confirmed the team was looking at a record payroll of $145.55MM in 2019. It has also been suggested that they would love to shed the $17.5MM remaining on the contract of 2 time All-Star 2B Jason Kipnis.
What makes this interesting is that Kipnis, who slashed .230/.315/.389 w/ 18 HR and 75 RBI last season, was shifted to CF to accommodate 3B Josh Donaldson in a reshuffled Indian IF during the last few weeks of 2018, including the playoffs.
This we know: The Tribe needs OF’s badly. They need to shed salary badly.
Suppose we were to take on Kipnis in a deal for Kluber, offsetting that part of it with Julio Teheran. This would alleviate half of Kipnis’ salary burden while giving them a replacement starter with plenty of ML experience. It would also help make up the hole created by including Ender Inciarte in the package going their direction. We could shift RAJ to CF and insert Kipnis into LF. We would still be in need of a RF, but we are in need of a RF anyway.
To ATL: Kluber, Kipnis
To CLE: Inciarte, Teheran, Kolby Allard, Luiz Gohara
LikeLike
Ahhhh, No…
LikeLiked by 1 person
so glad Snit got the Manager of the year award!
I had a feeling they were going to go with a bigger name, so to speak, but Snit really had to be the guy.
Both John Hart and Coppy reamed him over bullpen decisions, etc…he’s still with the braves and they are not…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Both John Hart and Coppy reamed him over bullpen decisions, etc…he’s still with the braves and they are not…
Coppy is a disgraced cheater and Hart is a domesticated hoofed mammal of the horse family with long ears and a braying call. But I’m not bitter.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Also this morning, MLBTR has posted a list of their suggested possible non-tender candidates along with their projected 2019 salaries. From the Braves they list:
OF Adam Duvall ($3.1M)
RP Sam Freeman ($1.5M)
RP Jonny Venters $1.5M)
I agree with Duvall and Freeman, but not with Jonny. I will be shocked if he’s not in our bullpen in 2019 barring another (shudder to even suggest it) injury.
LikeLike
Man V, that’s a lot to give up for a 32 Y.O. pitcher (though admittedly a real ace) and a guy with 18 HR’s a .315 OBP who is older too….and to pay a good chunk of his contract.
LikeLiked by 1 person
what the Yankees might be willing to give up for Kluber
https://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2018/11/mlb_trade_rumors_indians_yankees_corey_kluber_deal.html
LikeLike
Eno Sarris, a baseball analytics writer at The Athletic, suggested in a article yesterday that the SF Giants trade Madison Bumgarner straight up for the Braves’ Bryse Wilson. This is what he said of Wilson:
He throws 95-plus mph with a plus changeup and a slurve that shows promise and is at least league average. That talent package is too much, this argument goes, for an aging starter on a one-year deal, even one who has been an ace.
MadBum for Wilson straight up? Alabama native, deer huntin’, beer swizzlin’, 4-wheeler drivin’, redneck Madison Bumgarner – who would have a great reason to sign an extension to stay in the Deep South – for prospect Bryce Wilson and no one else?
Thoppy, can we get that done please?
LikeLike
I’ll tell ya, though…
A 95-plus mph with a plus changeup, if he can not walk the world, is a recipe for great success. In 3 minor league seasons, Wilson is walking just 2.5 batters per 9 IP. He’s also striking out 9.7 per 9 IP. And those numbers are fairly consistent across 5 levels.
One has to think he’s got the stuff to be a ML star himself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
V, I don’t even remember Bryse Wilson coming up last year, did he impress in those 3 games? I do recall seeing Madison looking like Kershaw in that his fastball was not what it once was, 92, instead of that easy cheese 95. Why did he miss so much time last year? I know the year before, it was the moronic bike accident…oh, was he hit on the hand by a liner in spring training?
Anyways, he is…29. Not exactly aging, is he? I would make that deal in a sec too V!
LikeLike
Wilson had a pretty auspicious debut.
First, he started the 2018 season at high-A Florida, making all the stops along the way to being called up for his ML debut. Second, At 20 years and 243 days old, he became the youngest player to appear in an MLB game in 2018.
But best of all, he pitched 5 scoreless innings with 3 hits allowed, 3 walks and 5 K’s in a 1-0 victory in a spot start.
He was then sent right back to Gwinnett.
But he’s one that will compete for the #5 starter’s spot in spring, no doubt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You see, it is kids like Wilson in the Braves system as to why the Braves management are always walking around smiling.
Trades are tricky things. You don’t want to trade away the next Adam Wainwright but you don’t really want to trade a Shelby Miller and have him leave a bad taste in the mouth of your trading partner either.
That said, it is a good thing for the Braves that MLB doesn’t have a lemon law.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Google up the CNBC interview with JOHN MALONE.
In the last seven minutes, he gets into the ATLANTA BRAVES contract. See what your take is on the future of the ownership of LIBERTY MEDIA.
It sounded to me as if MALONE is on the way to retirement, and that he isn’t particularly interested in retention of the team. Just my take of course.
He seemed to say that both ownership of the Sports South property and distribution rights would be too high to pay when the contract is up in 2026, and that ownership of both is necessary for retention.
FOX seems to be the current buyer de jour. Of course, in 2026 all bets may be off.
This is just my take mind you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well Gordon, one man’s boon is another man’s bane… I would expect there will be no shortage of suitors.
LikeLike
That’s exactly what MALONE said, as one rational behind the steeply increased renewal cost.
LikeLike
On Kipnis, There is a magic age where every ballplayer’s ability recede to the point of being sub standard. Things like eyesight and bat speed diminish to the point where they are just no longer viable major league players. I would be very afraid…
LikeLike
Not a preference, just a random thought on a day when there was NOTHING else. And so much like today’s media, when there is nothing interesting to report, I just start making stuff up.
LikeLiked by 2 people
HA… A pot stirrer.. 🙂
Prediction, Yelich will win NL MVP
Mike Trout will win AL MVP
It is a bit of a black hole period for baseball isn’t it? Any idea of which kids in the Atlanta system are playing winter ball?
LikeLiked by 1 person
David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer published an article yesterday suggesting blockbuster deals for all 30 MLB teams. For Atlanta, he proposed:
Atlanta Braves acquire Corey Kluber from the Cleveland Indians for OF Christian Pache, 3B Austin Riley and RHP Touki Toussaint.
His reasoning:
Reports say Kluber is available. Kluber is under control for three more seasons — the same as Chris Sale when the White Sox traded him to the Red Sox, so a Kluber trade would look similar. The White Sox extracted a top-10 overall prospect in Yoan Moncada and a top-20 prospect in Michael Kopech, plus two lower-level minor leaguers. Maybe Kluber isn’t worth quite as much; he’s a little older than Sale was, and he’ll make $13 million more over the three seasons.
The Braves would be wise to consolidate some of their young talent for a star. The Indians don’t get a top-10 prospect, but in this deal they get three guys who could contribute in 2019. Pache is a top-20 or so prospect who projects as a premium defender for a team that needs a center fielder. Riley is basically big league ready, and the Indians could slide Jose Ramirez to second base and Jason Kipnis to the outfield. Toussaint is a high-end arm who reached the majors in 2018.
OK… first, let’s break this down a little.
We know from the comparable deal cited that the price in personnel is not unreasonable. So let’s look at said personnel.
First we must remember, Kluber is a perennial Cy Young candidate, narrowly missing out on this year’s award to a deserving Blake Snell. He is an ace, of which there are only a handful.
Next, we can look at Riley. Are we really happy with Johan Camargo at 3B as Thoppy has suggested? If we are, should we cash in on Austin Riley now while his value is sky high? The truth is, we have no idea how Riley will perform at the ML level even though all indications are that he will rake. (BTW- I believe he will rake.) Also, we need to remember that we do have another guy a year or so behind him in CJ Alexander that seems to be catching alot of eyes and could be in the same position Riley is now fairly soon himself.
Now comes Touki. We all love him. I love him. Other teams love him too, which makes him very valuable. As much as we want to hang on to Touki, we also want to hang on to Mike Soroka, Bryce Wilson, Ian Anderson, Kyle Wright, etc. You get my point? We have to be willing to cash in on one of these guys if we want to get back a quality piece in return. It’s just the way it is. It’s also why we have stockpiled ’em, and we do have alot of ’em.
And for the last piece, Cristian Pache. He’s gaining alot of atttention as he’s providing alot of highlight reel spots in the AFL. BUT… he’s actually dropping on the MLB Top 100 list because his bat just hasn’t caught up with his defense. MLB.com says this in their year-end rankings, listing him with their “Fallers”: “Always blessed with speed and outstanding defense, Pache’s bat looked like it was taking a step forward in the Florida State League, but cooled considerably with a promotion up a level.” His best comp might be teammate Ender Inciarte if he can reach that level. Of course, that’s always an “IF” with any prospect.
So speaking of Ender, if you are loathe to give up Pache, then you ought to be willing to then insert Ender into the deal instead because Pache is going to be ready to take over in CF maybe as early as late 2019. And it’s not like Ender’s bat has made any opposing pitchers shake in fear lately, either. It’s almost like swapping Gold Glove defense for Gold Glove defense, just younger and cheaper.
As for me, if the deal is Touki, Riley and Pache (or Ender, I can go either way)… then I’d have to give it sincere consideration. And here is how I’m thinking. Can Austin Riley take us to another level in 2019? Only slightly possible, mostly doubtful. Can Touki take us to another level in 2019? A little more possible, but still doubtful. Can Cristian Pache take us to another level in 2019? Very doubtful.
But can Corey Kluber take us to another level in 2019?
Absolutely he can… and for next 3 years of his deal, too.
Make the deal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Relying on one arm over three potential future starters makes me nervous. I’m still for trading a KOLBY ALLARD, KYLE MULLER or IAN ANDERSON for a big bat and let the arms sort themselves out over the 2019 season. By 2020, we should have six or seven well-seasoned arms to pick from in the starting line-up. A KLUBER trade tells me that none of the current youngsters we have on the vine will ripen into a #1 arm. I’m not buying that philosophy. I would ditch the 2019 season if necessary in favor of staying the course. To me REALMUTO solves two problems now, everyday catching, and #4-hole hitter. i would do it even if it blocks WILLIE CONTRERAS two years hence. This solution of solving two problems for 2019 outweighs solving one with a #1 arm for 2019 in my estimation. A two year deal in LF with ACUNA moved to right, improves the OF situation. In the case of the 2019 season, I say patience is a virtue.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A KLUBER trade tells me that none of the current youngsters we have on the vine will ripen into a #1 arm. I’m not buying that philosophy.
I do not knock that opinion, however, I will split hairs…
I am talking about a true “ace”. Every team has a #1, but not every team has an ace. I posit that there are probably only about 10 true “ace” type pitchers, those being Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Noah Syndegaard, Chris Sale, Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, maybe Aaron Nola if he can repeat his 2018 performance… and Kluber.
Some, but not all of our prospects will project to have a ceiling of a #1 pitcher. IMO, Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright and Ian Anderson have that potential. (And to that end, I’d like to make those 3 untouchable… but I digress.) Many of the other prospects project to a #2 or #3. But a true “ace”?
You cannot predict an ace. He just emerges. Like Kluber. A guy who is in the Cy Young discussion every year. From 2014 to present, Kluber finished #1, #9, #3, #1, and #3. That’s a pair of Cys and pair of #3’s in a 5 year span.
That’s an ace.
That’s what I want. I’ve had #1’s. I loved Tim Hudson. He was a clear #1. He was not an ace. Maddux was an ace. Glavine was an ace. Smoltz was an ace. We haven’t had one since.
I want an ace. I want Kluber.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have you listened to that CNBC interview yet? I’m not convinced JOHN MALONE aka LIBERTY MEDIA really cares about an ace. I think he wants out…….but an ace just for you my man. I hope we get him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Like I have said, we must all be careful not to fall in love with any one player of prospect in the modern age of baseball. The thing that scares me about Acuna is he will be like Harper, 26 and just into his prime when he reaches free agency. Of course, he could also be Andrew Jones and get fat at 28 and be a drag on the defense… Bottom line, you just have to understand that only about 5 teams out of thirty have enough money to buy championships on a regular bases.
Yep, I love what Toukki brings to the game as well as Austins’ potential and Pache’ is after all only 19, he has yet to achieve his man weight. Much like I believe Camargo will get bigger and stronger.
A bonifide Ace would make the biggest difference especially when you realize every other team in the NL East has one. DeGrome, Nola, Schurher.. Okay, even the Marlins will have one, just don’t know who.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A bonifide Ace would make the biggest difference
That’s what I believe. Yes, deGrom is one. Scherzer is one. Nola… well, maybe he’s close. I want to see a repeat performance before I lump him in with the “Ace” crowd, though. The Marlins? Hmmm… that might depend on the haul they receive for JTR, and then likely only a potential ace.
I want one here and I want one now.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah… this just looks good on a cold and wet day.
LikeLiked by 3 people
did you guys see this quote from Manny B.E.? a few weeks ago
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2018/10/16/manny-machado-dodgers-shortstop-says-hustling-isnt-his-cup-tea/1662730002/
LikeLike
Yes Ber, and it’s one reason among many I have soured on him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
If you are going to earn $30MM a year, the least you can do is play hard. Nothing I have ever seen PO a fan or coach as a lollygagger…
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK… maybe I’m just throwing darts in the dark here, but do I get a small sense that Ber does not like Manny Machado?
LikeLiked by 3 people
If you could get around giving up the farm by taking on a larger portion of his salary, he’d also be a nice get… and the “ace” I want. Or conversely, I suppose you could get him with a salary paydown attached if you wanted to give up an extra prospect or two. Options.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ouch!
LikeLiked by 3 people
you know, it’s weird to think about getting a 35 year old pitcher to be the ace…at least to me. Odd that pitchers ages scare people less than position players.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2806088-zack-greinke-is-the-35m-per-year-steal-who-could-swing-the-mlb-offseason
LikeLike
But Ber, that’s part of what makes an “ace” an “ace”. He just knows how to get batters out, regardless of his age.
Case in point: Justin Verlander (whom, you’ll see if you go back in the archives, I wanted here when HOU traded for him.) Not only did he lead the ‘Stros to a World Championship in 2017, he gave them another strong 214 IP last season, with a 2.52 ERA, a miniscule sub-1.00 WHIP of 0.902 and 290 K’s. All of this at age 35, with no sign of diminishing return.
Oh, and he just had a baby with supermodel Kate Upton.
Justin Verlander is an “ace”.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Odd that pitchers ages scare people less than position players.
It’s about the eyes.
For a batter, it gets harder to pick up a pitch’s spin and location in less than 1 second once the eyes start to go.
For a pitcher, they just need to see the target. Well, maybe the catcher’s fingers too, but you get the point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
Along with Bull Durham, one of my two all time favorite baseball movies…
LikeLiked by 2 people
hmmm, seems I lost a post I made at work…I mentioned something about being 35, and losing “velo” every year for 4 years running being a bit scary, especially for what he will cost salary wise, and prospect wise
LikeLike
Watching video of Kluber this AM on MLB network. Oh My Rudy…. Trade any four good players for him worth it..
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ace.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Massive moonshot by young Brave prospect Braxton Davidson who may have broken his foot rounding third.
Fun game to see the Javilinas come back in the ninth to tie and score the winning run in the 10th…
If possible, I might try to schedule a trip to the Grand Canyon next fall and get it to coincide with some AFL games… Now, if I can just figure out how to do it without having to fly….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interstate
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it would be a heck of a road trip…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ya’ll will notice the tilt of everyone’s head as they watch the ball get launched…
LikeLiked by 2 people
You know, some things are just wrong….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good for both sides. Also takes away one of the former suitors for JTR.
LikeLike
I would not count the Nats out on bidding for JTR. Kurt would be a back up and I think the Nats will let Matt Wieters walk as he is a free agent.
LikeLike
However, I cannot do anything but wish Kurt the best of luck going forward. There was no way he would get a $10MM 2 year deal from the Braves. So. add his name to a long list of Braves Alumni.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think the Nats will let Matt Wieters walk as he is a free agent.
No question. He’s a guy whose stock has simply plummeted.
As for another former Nat, I wouldn’t mind a Braves signing of Wilson Ramos. I think he and Flow would compliment each other in much the same way Zuk and Flow did, except that Ramos should get more than 50% of the starts… and that is about right in such an arrangement. Ramos caught 96 games last year between Tampa and Philly. I think he could be effective over 110 or so. Maybe more.
LikeLike
MLB
Verified account @MLB
3h3 hours ago
The 2019 Hall of Fame ballot is out.
You can pick up to 10 names. Who would make your list?
LikeLike
Fred McGriff
Mariano Rivera
Billy Wagner
I wish I could add Andruw but he blew it, in my opinion.
NO to Bonds and Sosa. They’re too tainted.
LikeLike
A couple of names I would love to add on strength of character such as Rick Ankiel but likely will fall way short. There are several I would pick just because but the ones I think will get chosen: Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay. Omar Vizquel is deserving but will fall short, Bond, Sosa, Clemens… well, you know…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would love to see Billy Wagner get in but who knows among the flicked BBWA .
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will always remember the last game Wagner pitched. He didn’t care what he had to do to close out that game. He was NOT going to let the Braves lose. And they didn’t. Just an amazing, outstanding performance. Didn’t realize that would be the last time he’d pitch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kudos to our old friend Jonny Venters on being named NL Comeback Player of the Year…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone…
I am thankful for a season where the Braves were relevant again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
What am I thankful for?
Too many things to mention really, but believe me, YOU are on my shortlist!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it appears we have survived another holiday… Now, if only the Braves can secure their needs before Christmas.
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://twitter.com/EOF34/status/1066520439764086784?s=19
The heat in the stove should get cranked up closer to the Winter Meetings.
LikeLiked by 3 people
never checked out Eric O’s Twitter page, have you guys? pretty good!
LikeLike
EOF is a great follow. Seriously funny guy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
OK… so what did we miss during the holidays last week? Well, not alot, but there was one thing of significance. The deadline for protecting players from the Rule 5 draft came and went last Tuesday. Many teams had to release or outright players from their 40-man roster to make room for additions. The Braves had 4 available spots, and used them all without making any additional room… which left a couple of players on the bubble unprotected.
Those protected were RHP’s Patrick Weigel, Huascar Ynoa, and Jacob Webb, as well as catcher Alex Jackson.
As for the pitchers, Patrick Weigel would have been called up in 2017 had he not blown out his elbow that June. He was dominating AAA and on track to make his ML debut when the injury occurred. He returned to pitching late last season and is on track to compete this spring for a bullpen spot at the least. He would have been a certain Rule 5 pick.
Huascar Ynoa likewise would have been picked. He’s young, just 20, but has a big arm and could have been stashed in some AL bullpen. He could also help the ATL bullpen later in 2019 if needed. Ynoa is the guy we got back from MIN for Jaime Garcia.
Jacob Webb is the guy most have not heard of, but also likely to have been picked. He’s a tough late inning reliever that could easily open 2019 in ATL. He’s older, 25, and was a 2014 draft pick out of Tabor College in Kansas. His long time in the minors is due mainly to TJ surgery in 2015. Webb has shown an ability to miss bats with an 11.4 K/9 rate, and has closing experience, picking up 18 saves last season. That said, he’s likely a setup man in ATL. His prospect report says this: Webb is a prototypical two-pitch power pitcher. A fastball that sat in the low 90s back during his Tabor College days as a starter is now comfortably up in the 95-96 mph range in shorter stints with a sneaky quick arm, which adds deception. His slider can be a little inconsistent, but when it’s on, it shows very good depth. He misses a ton of bats.
As for Alex Jackson, he ought to be dang happy that there is an overall lack of catching depth in all of baseball. He hasn’t performed to a level that would warrant being protected, IMO, but the fact that we have so little depth in the minors – especially at the upper levels – is why he got the last spot. I read somewhere that he would be the first guy up if one of our starters (assuming we get another) went down. Man I hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m not impressed. It speaks to why we signed the less than impressive Raffy Lopez to a deal earlier this month. (As an aside, Lopez will probably lose his roster spot if/when we acquire our new catcher.)
Now for those left unprotected…
First is OF/IF Ray-Patrick Didder. This guy plays everywhere and is a top defender all over the field – especially CF and SS, 2 premium positions. His bat isn’t yet ML ready, but his defense and “elite” speed are. He could go to an AL team in need of a utility man for the last spot on their bench, but chances are he’ll slip through. It’s a calculated but reasonable risk to leave him unprotected. I’ll call that one 50/50… maybe 45/55.
Then there’s RHRP Josh Graham. Like Webb, he’s also 25 and was a 2015 pick out of U of Oregon. He’s on the Braves Top 30 prospect list at #28, and might reasonably be considered the guy left unprotected because of Alex Jackson. I expect him and his 97-98 mph fastball to be lost in the Rule 5 draft, possibly in the 1st round.
There were a few more players eligible that weren’t protected, but none really warrant mentioning as they won’t be seriously considered in the draft..
LikeLiked by 1 person
In other under-the-radar news, in the past week the Braves have signed a couple of OF’s to minor league deals with invitations to spring. They are Ryan LaMarre and Rafael Ortega. Neither is expected to make the ATL roster, but each can remain as depth at AAA.
Why is this significant?
It might point to the team non-tendering Adam Duvall.
If we add to improve our bench, which is expected, Duvall’s bench spot might be the one taken, relegating him to AAA. But his arb projection is around $3.1M. I doubt the Braves will stash $3.1M of their payroll in AAA, making Duvall a serious candidate to be non-tendered.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Given that Thoppy is notoriously tight-lipped, it has been said that any rumors we hear regarding the Braves are purely speculative. Still, there could be leaks from the other teams in discussions, so I don’t think you can 100% discount all rumors.
So with that in mind, the latest name being connected to the Braves is NYY’s Sonny Gray. And before we all moan and wail that he’s just their version of Julio Teheran with a bigger salary, have you looked at his numbers away from Yankee Stadium? Those splits are more in line with the guy that was in hot pursuit by alot of teams – Braves included – in 2017. Given that we just lost a veteran presence in Anibal Sanchez, I have to think this is at least a possibility. But I think adding him would only be a signal that Thoppy prefers to go forward with our stable of top prospects rather than to trade multiples for a “top” arm. Gray is only signed through 2019.
If I had to make a bet on this, I’d say that it’s possible, but only late in the offseason if we haven’t been able to reel in a bigger name.
Who would those bigger names be? Well, the usual suspects Madison Bumgarner, Corey Kluber (or Carlos Carrasco) and Zack Greinke.
At this point in the process, and given the overall “mood” of the national press reports, I’d say that a deal with the Indians is less than likely, a deal for MadBum is at least possible, and a deal for Greinke… well, this is getting interesting.
ARI’s front office is saying publicly that they believe they can trade away ALL of Greinke’s huge remaining salary commitment. But there are only a small handful of teams that can absorb such a payroll number – the Braves among them. If the Snakes truly expect to get rid of the entire contrast amount, they cannot seriously expect a premium return.
Now that the Giants have a new GM, he’s reportedly more open to trading away Bumgarner than was his predecessor as they are in need of a major injection of prospect talent. Logically it will take more than one elite pitching prospect to get such a deal done. And it might take Austin Riley too.
So it begs a topic for discussion. Would Thoppy rather pay the money or the prospects or neither? Would he prefer to fall back to Sonny Gray for 1 year and let his vaunted prospect arms grow up in STP?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully, Thoppy has nightmares about trading Thor away, and what the BJays would have been if they had kept him…..
LikeLike
FYI- The full freight on Zack Greinke’s remaining salary commitment is:
2019: $34.5M
2020: $35M
2021: $35M
PLUS:
$3M each year as an annual payout of his signing bonus
PLUS:
An additional $2M “assignment bonus” if he’s traded.
Oh, and he can block deals to 15 teams, of which the list is not published and not known.
That’s a heckuva contract. His agent definitively earned his cut of that one.
I think ARI is nuts if they think they’ll unload that entire contract unless they practically give him away. Julio Teheran, Adam Duvall, Sam Freeman and Luke Jackson for Zack Greinke. That sounds about right. 😉
LikeLike
BREAKING NEWS!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have no problem with this at all…
LikeLiked by 3 people
I like it, just as I did on Nov. 8 when I opined:
Why not forego JTR, and sign Brian McCann on a 2 year deal to partner up with Flow in another tandem arrangement similar to what he had with Zuk. Flow’s deal is for 1 year plus a team option for 2020, which lines up perfectly with Contreras’ timeline. Use the prospect capital on Kluber (the absolute perfect match for Atlanta) to turn a good rotation into a great rotation, and take a step forward in 2019.
While we don’t know the terms or length of the deal, I like it for the above reasons. And it tells me that Thoppy intends to use his big prospect payout for starting pitching, whomever it may be – Kluber, Carrasco, Bauer, Madbum, etc.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Not that it really matters a whole lot, but who immediately loses their 40-man roster spot? Is it Raffy Lopez? I’m betting it is unless they’d prefer to keep him as depth, which I could also see. And he does have an option left.
Maybe Adam Duvall is non-tendered early? The tender deadline is Friday, so that decision has to be made this week anyway. (And Charlie Culberson would suddenly become the starting LF by default. 😀 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s not forget also that Mac will help fill the veteran leadership void created by the losses of Nick Markakis and Anibal Sanchez.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some guys on the radio are assessing that McCann will not catch more than about 40 games in 2019 and is more of a true backup and LH bench bat with pop.
Their opinion is that this signals a deal for a bigger name frontline catcher to start 120 games with Flow going back as part of the return in that deal.
Only catching 40 games? I think that undersells him somewhat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha…
LikeLiked by 1 person
MORE BREAKING NEWS!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well… we wanted action, we’re getting action.
Forget that thing I sad earlier about the Hot Stove not heating up until the Winter Meetings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just ordered a cord of wood. Should be delivered in an hour or so.
LikeLiked by 2 people
If it comes to fruition, it immediately increases the power of the lineup as well as improves the bench, assuming Johan Camargo goes back to his utility role.
As for the defense part, JD has always been considered an above average defender at 3B.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And there it is…
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
So today the Braves addressed their catching and added significant power to the lineup without parting with any of their vaunted prospects so far.
That means they are still available for use to add a pitcher of OF.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Note, too, that even though they have just spent about $25M, or roughly half the available money for 2019, those were each on 1 year agreements, meaning that amount will open up again for 2020.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That probably guarantees Adam Duvall’s non-tender.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Donaldson averaged 33 HRs and 98 RBIs from 2013-2017, batting .282 with a .901 OPS and receiving MVP votes each year.
In his return from injury at the end of last season with CLE, he batted .280 with a .920 OPS in 16 games, in line with his career norms and showing no limitations from the shoulder and calf ailments.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Official, with the corresponding move noted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As for Ricardo Sanchez, he was a guy who was a top prospect early, but who could not climb above the AA level in 5 minor league seasons. And that was for only half a season. His K/9 has fallen and his BB/9 has risen in each pro season. Those are not good trends.
Also, he’s gotten roughed up a bit in winter ball posting a 3.45 ERA and 1.340 WHIP in 7 starts in the Venezuelan Winter League.
LikeLike
Also, it’s a fairly safe time to sneak someone through waivers while teams are working hard to manipulate their own rosters in preparation for the Winter Meetings.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK… I know I am bloviating here, but there is suddenly alot to talk about now.
What does the JD signing mean for Johan Camargo? We know that for $23M, he’s the starting 3B. Period. So does Camargo play LF? Does he return to the bench? Is he included in a trade package for a pitcher?
All we truly know right now is that there are more dominoes to fall. That is certain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Freddie Freeman, upon learning that he’ll have some real protection behind him in the lineup:
LikeLiked by 2 people
Johan’s situation is one where he should embrace the idea of being the Braves Marwin Gonzalas. I can see Charlie C playing left field or being traded. Could go either way.
$23MM… whew…. but only one year and allows Austin Riley another year of seasoning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
$23MM… whew…. but only one year and allows Austin Riley another year of seasoning.
Yep, whew indeed. It’s the same amount he signed for in 2018, avoiding his last year of arb eligibility. At the time, it was a record for an arb eligible player. This time the 1 year deal is a “pillow” deal allowing him to prove he’s healthy before hitting the open market again in 2020. Obviously the Braves believe he’s healthy enough to earn that amount, and JD has plenty of motivation to prove it himself.
And as long as he is healthy and hitting behind Freddie, he’s worth the $23M.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As we continue to digest the events of today, I feel it necessary to go back and look at one aspect of the Mac signing.
I felt it was a good arrangement in that he and Flow would make a true LH/RH platoon since each still shows better splits vs the opposite handed pitcher.
Makes sense, right?
Here’s the problem with my logic. According to Baseball-Reference, the Braves faced LH starters in only 47 of their 162 games last season.
I like the Mac signing, but there ain’t no way he’s starting 115 games.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Steve Adams, MLBTR:
The Braves will now have the luxury to deploy [Jjohan] Camargo at a number of positions. Camargo, soon to turn 25, can give the Braves some cover at third base, shortstop and second base at the very least. Speculatively speaking, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Atlanta try him in the outfield corners during Spring Training as well; if Camargo proved capable, the Braves could deploy him in a Marwin Gonzalez or Ben Zobrist-esque fashion, granting him fairly regular at-bats while spelling Donaldson, Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies, among others.
Exactly. Adding JD was also a boon for the bench. Really solves 2 problems at once, bolstering the bench (along with Mac) and adding bona fide power into the lineup.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What has Thoppy accomplished today?
Let’s look at his “To Do” list:
☐ add starting pitcher
☑ add catcher
☐ add OF’er
☑ add power
☑ improve bench
☐ improve bullpen
Great job Thoppy. Keep it up!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep, and it was just Monday…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Johan is not a bench guy…period. best clutch hitter all year long. I imagine Josh will miss a ton of time like he has the last 2 seasons, but he won’t miss any of his 23 million 😛
It does have potential, no doubt…time will tell.
Tickled pink about BMac coming back! Hey, that rhymes!
LikeLike
ever read this blog from the bottom up? or is that just me? V, I was not mocking you when I said Johan not being a bench player, period. Amazing that we both talked about him, and then used the word period…..
I will probably also find on this super slow computer of mine (much much faster on the “old” computer at work that no one likes) that someone else said what I am about to say…guess this takes us out of the running for any high priced pitcher? That’s ok with me….
LikeLike
Don’t know if that is the case Ber, depends on how creative Thoppy can get with a trade, prospects equal money…
LikeLike
Johan is not a bench guy…period.
“Bench” guy has changed an awful lot over recent years. I like the comparison Steve Adams made to Marwin Gonzalez and Ben Zobrist. Both are technically “bench” guys. but both play an awful lot.
For instance, in 2018 Marwin Gonzalez appeared in 145 games broken down thus: 1B = 24, 2B = 32, 3B = 3, SS = 39, LF = 73, CF = 2, RF = 1, DH = 1, PH = 7, PR = 1.
Likewise Zobrist: 139 games, 1B = 4, 2B = 63, LF = 43, RF = 61, DH = 1, PH = 22.
Those guys were absolutely invaluable to their respective teams, yet not technically a “starter”. And that’s what we have in Johan. Charlie Culberson was sort of that guy for us last year, but Johan does it soooo much better.
MG’s 2018 numbers:
.247/.324/.409, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 552 plate appearances
Johan’s 2018 numbers:
.272/.349/.457, 19 HR, 76, RBI, 524 plate appearances
Atlanta has been linked to MG since he hit the FA market, and I suppose he may still be a plausible option for LF. But why go sign him when you have a better alternative already in house? Well, that is unless you have both he and Johan. Now that I could get used to. And since Thoppy has already addressed the power need with BOR (Bringer Of Reign), you can go with defense and versatility with the OF signing.
LikeLike
Can you imagine a team with Marwin Gonzalez, Johan Camargo and Charlie Culberson all on the same roster?
LikeLike
ICYMI- Adam McCreery was DFA’d to make a roster spot for Josh Donaldson, whose signing was official last night.
And in case there is still some trepidation over JD’s health, remember he came back for 16 strong games at the end of last season after a full rehab period, and he had to pass a physical exam administered by the Braves medical staff before his signing was official yesterday. No way would Thoppy pin his first big deal as Braves GM on a risky proposition.
And the best part is that JD doesn’t block Austin Riley and he doesn’t create a financial burden past 2019.
LikeLike
Why Adam McCreery? Simple. It’s because he gave up 5.7 walks per 9 IP last year in the upper minors. He’s got great stuff to go with his 6’9″ frame, but he hasn’t yet shown an ability to control it. I expect him to pass through waivers more easily than Ricardo Sanchez and be outrighted to AAA.
LikeLike
What he said…
LikeLike
You think you’ve seen me gush over Mac or JD? Watch me if Thoppy can bring this prize home…
LikeLike
JPM:
Multiple sources indicated Monday that the Giants are willing to engage with other teams about the possibility of dealing their ace and three-time World Series champion. The Brewers and Phillies are among the teams that have had at least preliminary dialogue about trading for Bumgarner, sources say.
The Braves also checked in with the Giants regarding Bumgarner earlier this offseason, sources say, but there are no active talks or optimism for a trade with Atlanta.
Conversely, if the Phillies were to get MadBum, I’ll be very disappointed. That said, we’ve heard about and seen evidence of how secretive Thoppy’s actions can be. Just because JPM says there are no active talks doesn’t mean there are no active talks.
LikeLike
More JPM:
Sources say Zaidi is likely to ask for at least one high-end pitching prospect in any Bumgarner trade.
On the surface, the Braves appear well-positioned to build a compelling offer for Bumgarner based on their pitching-heavy farm system. Their top four prospects according to MLB Pipeline — Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright, Ian Anderson, and Touki Toussaint — are hard-throwing right-handers. But there’s no momentum for Bumgarner to be dealt to the Braves, who are beloved by many fans in his home state of North Carolina.
I know it’s not a popular stance here in the ol’ B&S, but of the 4 pitchers mentioned above, Touki is the guy I’d dangle first. Wright only as a last resort if Touki was rejected. Soroka and Anderson are untouchable to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
https://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/madison-bumgarners-fastball-is-still-broken/
LikeLike
Fair.
LikeLike
I know it is conventional wisdom to want everyone else’s ACE but at some point, those ACE’s were young studs too. You do need an Anibal Sanchez type on your staff and if you are the Yankees or Red Sox, you can afford to “buy” a starting staff but patience really can be a virtue when it comes to pitchers.
Now, I don’t think Thoppy is being quite truthful when he reveals how much money he has to spend, after all, why signal to the Phillies how they can out bid you?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I found another story about how he had lost velo in 2010, but that was spring training, which is probably smart on his part (unlike the dirt bike incident ) to dog it a bit, but when he has 95 with his hard to pick up fastball, he’s as good as it gets…but at 90-92? A very good pitcher, but I just don’t think he’s an ace at this point.
so, what to do? Keep counting on the kids? Get the guy from the Yanks? I would be fine with him (dang, what is his name?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sonny Gray… another “buy low” opportunity.
LikeLike
I kind of get the feeling that Thoppy isn’t going to pay the prospect price for a MadBum or Kluber or Thor, and isn’t going to pay the salary of Greinke.
I see him more in on a “buy low” guy like Marcus Stroman, and there is every reason to believe that TOR will shop Stroman. Plus, Stroman’s under team control for another 2 years, meaning he doesn’t come with a long term liability. And that seems to be the MO this offseason… to maintain some financial flexibility going forward.
Sleeper name to keep filed away: Trevor Bauer. He’s the third of CLE’s pitchers to be hinted to be available. He’s not the “ace” that Corey Kluber is, and he’s not as recognizable as Carlos Carrasco, but he may be just as good.
Here are his numbers from 2018: 175.1 IP, 2.21 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, 221 K’s
And if you buy in to the nouveau WAR stat, his is 5.7, 6th in all of baseball, and ahead of both Kluber (9th – 5.6) and Carrasco (10th – 5.1).
Bauer is just 27 and doesn’t hit FA until 2021.
The Indians will almost certainly part with one of these pitchers, but only one. Rest assured that the prospect price on any one of them will still be high.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This makes me smile… big. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did we mention yesterday that JD played his college ball at Auburn?
LikeLike
Ha ha ha. This is JD. Too funny. 😆
LikeLike
“diving for grounders, growing out mullets, swinging up” 😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a guy becoming an Atlanta Brave. Integrity and character. I love it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
2.21 era… in AL… a full 1/2 point lower in NL with no DH. Those are pretty gaudy stats.
And I would be okay with Sonny Grey too. Not an ACE but would allow the current crop of rookies to grow at a more reasonable pace. We all hate to see a young pitchers go down to injury when forced to pitch high stress innings before their arms fully mature. ie: Boyer, Gooden, Fidrych, Avery et al…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gil, I know where you are coming from…I was saying last season, that there were soooo many 20,21,22 Y.O’s that innings, and pitch counts were going to be an issue. they may want to do a split season/late season with some guys, split season in my way of thinking, young pitcher A going 100 + inning,s then to the bullpen, young Pitcher B starting as a reliever, then becoming a starter after the all star break. or some other variance. Relieve for a month, then start?
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve all seen pitching “norms” going by the wayside and new methods being tried. Why not simply take some of the abundance of young starters, i.e. two young starting pitchers, and piggy back the start? For instance, take Touki Toussaint, pitch him twice through the lineup, then bring in Bryce Wilson for for another time or two through the lineup? It limits the innings on the youngest guys and gives the opposing team a different look in that now magical third time through that seems to produce the highest offense.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Honestly, that seems quite obvious to me. Am I just naive? Is there something in that logic I am missing? There are all kinds of stats that show that a lineup is more productive when seeing the pitcher for the 3rd time. Just eliminate that. Heck… I’d think that starting righty Bryce Wilson and his upper 90’s fastball, then backing him up with lefty Kolby Allard and his finesse lower 90’s stuff would cause all kinds of issues for a batter’s eye and timing. But what do I know? I’m just a guy on a blog.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Listening to JD’s introductory press conference, Thoppy emphasized that the medical staff gave JD a full thumbs up.
He also explained that he’s already talked to Johan and Ozzie and Dansby and that the plan is to give guys more days off during the season. In other words, Johan will play.
We’ve mentioned it before, but if JD, Dansby, Ozzie, and maybe an OF get 1 day off a week, Johan still gets 4 starts a week. Then everyone stays fresher further into the season. That only seems like a positive to me.
Thoppy also just emphasized that “the rebuild is over”. It’s about moving forward now. The goal has shifted to winning on the field.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Why not simply take some of the abundance of young starters, i.e. two young starting pitchers, and piggy back the start? For instance, take Touki Toussaint, pitch him twice through the lineup, then bring in Bryce Wilson for for another time or two through the lineup?
V, that certainly is plausible…but, has any team tried it? A team has what, 13 pitchers? How many would be starters in June? would it be 8, and a 4 man roster, 9-10 for a 5 man roster? I don’t know if you would need a ton of relievers, but there would be days the 1st starter wouldn’t have “it”
but, how often would that happen….like I said, plausible, and even a possibility….
LikeLiked by 1 person
V, that certainly is plausible…but, has any team tried it?
No, but until 2018, I had never seen a team use an “opener” for the 1st inning before bringing in their starter in the 2nd, like we saw a handful of times last season.
As for the “extra” pitcher, stacking the 2 “starters” like that every 5 games theoretically gives your bullpen a blow on those days. But even if it doesn’t, you’re still alleviating the need for that extra arm that they’ve carried the last 2 years because of the young rotation… especially if starters 1-4 are older and expected to carry more innings this year. Folty MUST go more than 6 to take his next step forward. Same for Newk. Gaus already does. And then there’s the pitcher yet to be acquired, who hopefully will be your horse and give you 200+ IP for the season.
Notice that we haven’t talked a whole lot about Julio? He may have the spot currently occupied by Newk if Newk is included in the trade for the aforementioned pitcher yet to be acquired.
Regardless, the rotation will be older and more experienced except in that #5 spot, where I am advocating the piggy back method with the rooks.
LikeLike
I am so tired…4 or 5 relievers, not ………………..rosters…sigh….
LikeLike
There ya go. We’ve now seen it for the first time. Riley will get some time in LF.
LikeLike
Piggy backing starters… sounds like what they have been doing in the minor leagues for the past 20 years… just saying…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It should be a fun spring training for the Braves.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And again.
LikeLike
Vox O’Reasoñ
October 17, 2018 at 10:00 am
Here’s a seemingly random topic to address…
I am not comfortable with the way our #2 batters performed down the stretch. It was a constant rotation of Ender, Johan and Ozzie, now of whom could keep a firm grip on it.
Ideally one, preferably Ozzie, would step up and seize the spot. In fact, I think we need him to get back to the pre-ASB version of himself.
But here’s what I’d ideally like to do at the top of the lineup…
I’d like to leadoff with Ozzie and bat RAJ #2. I need someone to have a high OBP and get on ahead of the pheñom.
Think about this as a top of the lineup:
Ozzie, 2B (S)
RAJ, RF (R)
Freedie, 1B (L)
Josh Donaldson, 3B (R)
Ozzie getting on base and causing havoc for pitchers. RAJ driving him around, Freddie seeing fastballs because the Bringer of Rain is behind him, and the former MVP cleaning up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He looked pretty dang healthy right there. So did that launch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gordon and I discussed the possibility of Atlanta bringing back B-Mac for a year as a back up if they were not able to acquire Realmuto a couple of weeks ago. I think it will be a plus for Atlanta as well as limiting the number of games played by the regulars. Everyone wants to be able to play everyday but with MLB cracking down on PEDs and bennies, It just is not the way to get the most out of your club.
Remeber when Bobby C use to flat wear out his relievers and by mid August they were gassed? It is a blueprint on how you win 14 straight division titles but only one WS title…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Everyone pray for the UPSIDE!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Actually, having Camargo around allows for the Braves to have very little drop off when Snit decides to allow JD to have a few days off. Also allows him to use Donaldson as a DH when facing AL teams away from STP. I think 120 starts would be a very realistic figure for Donaldson.
On days off, he gives the Braves a very good right handed bat off the bench.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So, here is the all important question that rears its ugly mane when players reach a certain age.
Has Donaldson’s bat speed diminished? It is an affliction that occurs with all ball players in their mid thirties without the benefit of PEDs. Like a pitcher who loses a couple of miles per hour on their fastball (ahem) Teheran, they just no longer can catch up to a fastball. It would be my only real concern with the bringer of rain.
LikeLike
Has Donaldson’s bat speed diminished?
Two months ago. The answer is “No”.
LikeLike
AA is doubling down on his statement earlier today that offense is the priority at this stage.
LikeLike
Thoppy has accomplished half his offseason to-do list without surrendering the first prospect. Is OF where he makes that splash?
He hinted earlier on a local radio show that he was not going to go “all in” on a big name pitcher, and that offense is his focus right now. The radio talkers seemed to believe that means he’ll come back to a mid-level innings eater type pitcher after acquiring his OF.
LikeLike
The Brewers have a pair of young OF’s in Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana that they have to do something with for 2019. Neither can be stashed at AAA again as both are now out of options. And neither is beating out any of the elite trio of Christian Yelich/Lorenzo Cain/Ryan Braun.
MIL has been linked to just about every available pitcher as they have a need for rotation help.
Match?
LikeLike
I have wanted to post something for awhile about why was it certain players go into their early to mid 30s, and a few into their late 30’s without the steep dropoff we see actually more today than even say, 20-30-40 years ago? was it the uppers players took? Cuz honestly, players are soooo much bigger, stronger today, and have all the benefits of video to watch….you shouldn’t see guys just fall off a table, performance wise. I guess relief pitchers have a lot to do with it too, so much better than in the past where you were either facing the starter on fumes, or someone not good enough to be a starter.
check out one example I came across the other day, Roberto Clemente
of course a hall of famer, but look at his BA each year in his 30s! https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero01.shtml
LikeLike
V, I have been very impressed by Keon Broxton in the past, but I see he’s 28, and hit only .179 last year. Weird.
Domingo Santana is an interesting guy…at 24, he hit 30 Hr’s drove in 85, and .278 .371 . Last year , didn’t get much of a chance, in 200 + ab’s 5 Hr’s 20 Rbis 265 .328
LikeLike
how was Bob Boone able to catch so many games, after the age of 30? How did he hit .295 at 40? https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boonebo01.shtml
LikeLike
They still used PEDs….
LikeLike
He just didn’t bulk up like some did, he was more into muscle tone so it was mot so noticeable. Remember, a lot of teams encouraged the use of steroids, they just were against them publicly… Called them B-12 shots…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would expect the Brewers would want to move Braun before moving the more affordable youth. Hey, I could live with Markakes coming back too. They have the power bat they needed, just move Markakis down in the order or even up to hitting in the 2 hole. With a few more days off, I think Kakes would do fine.
I am sure he would want a two year deal at least and would want a raise, his value will never be higher after 2018 but we shall see.
Yes Ber, guys are eating better, training more year round. With all the money being paid, they cannot afford to take time off like they once did. They always use to say the first thing to go was the legs but I think it is reaction time, that and the eyes. Come to think of it, the latter two may be related…
The reason PEDs worked is it did two things, reduce the recovery time and allowed players to train harder. The key being they still had to work out everyday. Tough to do when you are always sore.
LikeLike
I could live with Markakes coming back too. They have the power bat they needed
Excellent point about the power bat. Honestly, I see no downside to that scenario. His steady bat behind Bringer Of Rain would be excellent IMO.
Lineup:
RAJ, LF (R)
Ozzie,2B (S)
Freddie, 1B (L)
JD, 3B (R)
Kakes, RF (L)
Mac/Flow, C (P)
Ender, CF (L)
Dansby, SS (R)
That is not a bad lineup at all.
That said, if you could pick up a Domingo Santana or Hunter Renfroe and add another 25-30 HR’s to the mix, I wouldn’t be opposed to that either.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sigh… Patrick Corbin to sign with Philly…
LikeLike
https://twitter.com/EOF34/status/1067768726919905281
If this doesn’t fire you up, your wood’s wet.
LikeLiked by 2 people
https://twitter.com/EOF34/status/1067768728341798912
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ball line-ups can be so hit and miss… ( I know, that was terrible wasn’t it?)
While have a bunch of guys who are in scoring position at home plate is great (2013 Braves) Having guys who don’t strike out a ton is great too. Having that perfect blend is what is the difference in finishing first vs playing out the string.
LikeLiked by 2 people
And let’s not forget that Mac could very well make Flow a better catcher as well. He’s the rising tide that lifts all boats.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Watching B-Mac on MLB this AM. Funny guy.. Giving props to Donalson and making a case for Kimbrel… Would be epic.
So, another proposed trade for Kluber involving Ender. I guess since Kakes is gone, Ender takes over as the designated goat…
Personally, I think Ender played hurt a lot last spring. It effected his hitting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I want B-Mac’s house when I grow up….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gil, I’m not sure if this is the one you are referring to, but I read this trade proposal this morning from MLB.com’s Jim Duquette. He speculates it’s the best trade match for Kluber.
Kluber, RHP, Indians
Best fit: Braves
Trade package: OF Ender Inciarte, RHP Kyle Wright (Atlanta’s No. 2 prospect, No. 29 overall), LHP Luiz Gohara (Atlanta’s No. 7 prospect, No. 78 overall)
For the Indians to consider moving Kluber, they will likely need to receive Major League-ready (or near-ready) players who can keep their postseason window open while also allowing them to trim their payroll.
The Tribe may need to sacrifice some upside to pull that off, meaning a Kluber deal probably won’t resemble the one the White Sox made for Chris Sale two years ago. In that trade, the Red Sox sent former No. 1 overall prospect Yoan Moncada, current No. 19 overall prospect Michael Kopech and two other Minor Leaguers to Chicago for Sale, who was just 27 at the time. The Braves are seemingly a perfect trade partner for the Indians, as Atlanta can offer outfield-needy Cleveland an affordable center fielder in Inciarte as well as two pitching prospects from its terrific farm system.
The trade would give Atlanta the ace it seeks without requiring a long-term commitment, which should greatly interest general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who has said he’d like to avoid handing out lengthy deals this offseason. Kluber has club options for 2020 and ’21, so the Braves would be able to get out of his deal as soon as next year for a $1 million buyout if something went wrong.
If I knew I had another OF that could provide above average defense in CF (RAJ), allowing me to supplement around him, I wouldn’t be too hesitant to trade Ender. In fact, if I re-signed Kakes for RF, then signed Cutch for LF, I think I’m even better. And with Cristian Pache on the way as early as next year, parting with Ender’s contract now isn’t unwise. He’s due to make $5.7M in 2019, $7.7M in 2020, $8.7M in 2021, and has a team option in 2022 for $9M with a $1.02M buyout.
As for Wright and Gohara… Kluber may be the only available pitcher for whom I’d be comfortable parting with Wright. Gohara doesn’t make me blink.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d love to have Bauer. I think I noted that a day or so ago. More than Kluber? Hmmm… how about I’ll take either and be happy. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sigh… Patrick Corbin to sign with Philly
Official? I know he visited there yesterday, but it was my understanding he was visiting multiple clubs on a tour of sorts.
LikeLike
Well, I guess nothing is really certain until the official press conference.
Yes, I would take Bauer. I am sure Wright will be a star but me buying a lotto ticket makes me a potential millionaire too. Not saying it will happen.
Gohara my yet become a real ML pitcher if he can get his conditioning under control. I am sure he consumed a lot!! of comfort food with his recurring family travails the past two years. So many things in life are mental and it is tough to focus on your job when your familiar world is collapsing.
With all the expanded staff in baseball, I would imagine the Braves have invested in a life coach who can converse in Portuguese. I don’t know for certain that is the language Gohara speaks but it is the most widely spoken language of his native country.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, from one “tribe” to another…
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would rather watch that than a bunch of home run highlights any day of the week.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Very cool!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So the word out this morning, via Ken Rosenthal’s sources, is that the Marlins’ trade demands to the Braves for JTR started with the name Ozzie Albies.
And they died right there too.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Not like the Marlins shouldn’t get a great return on the best hitting catcher in baseball. He won’t be cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Of course the Braves need for catching is somewhat diminished at this point and the number one target should be the ACE everyone covets.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The recently DFA’d Adam McCreery.
LikeLike
Watching McCreery pitch in the AFL championship game, he was pretty solid but one of the comments made bout his size was tall pitchers have a hard time repeating their mechanics. Just a thought… I am glad he was able to find a good organization to continue his development. Maybe they will convert him to a power forward..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Odds on favorite to secure his services…
LikeLike
I guess if I was a pitcher and I had to pick between the Yankees and the Phillies.. Well, you know…
LikeLiked by 1 person
So we have:
1- a temp at 3B without blocking AUSTIN RILEY or C.J. ALEXANDER, and he’s a potential big bat.
2- a temp and old familiar face to replace ZUKE behind the plate without blocking WILLIE CONTRERAS.
Still longing for an OF for Kakes, a #1 starter, and a drop-dead killer arm for a closer in the ‘pen.
Seems OF the easier of the three, and a #1 starter the hardest to secure.
I give AA an A+ for his moves up to now.
So far he’s only invested money, and no prospects.
He can prolly do that short-term thingy again for the OF without danger of blocking CRISTIAN PACHE or DREW WATERS.
If CRAIG KIMBREL could be had for reasonable money, I’d consider another buy.
That would leave only a #1 hurler in exchange for prospects.
LikeLiked by 3 people
https://twitter.com/GregJohnsMLB/status/1067931689601556480?s=19
… and the other one.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 2 people
The forgotten topic…
LikeLiked by 1 person
In their annual Top 50 Free Agent prediction column, MLBTR made this prediction for the Braves:
37. Cody Allen – Braves. Two years, $16MM. Allen dominated as the Indians’ closer from 2014-17, posting a 2.62 ERA, 12.1 K/9, and 120 saves. This year, an increase in home runs and walks allowed torched his value. Just 30 in November, Allen shouldn’t have a hard time finding a team willing to bet on a return to form. Perhaps his camp even prefers a one-year deal with an eye on reentering the market next season, but multiple years should still be possible if the goal is to take max dollars now.
I would not be opposed to this signing, depending on who our new pitching coach is. And speaking of which… could that be why all of our movement has been concentrated on offense up to this point? Are we waiting to nail down a pitching coach before investing money/prospects in the new pitchers he’ll be working with? Maybe…
LikeLike
Closer may be the next priority that we need to focus on, even more than OF.
Why?
Every serious title contender has an established closer. Look at last year’s teams and their closers:
Red Sox: Craig Kimbrel
Dodgers: Kenley Jansen
Astros: Hector Rondon/Roberto Osuna/Ken Giles
Brewers: Corey Knebel
Yankees: Aroldis Chapman
Indians: Cody Allen
Rockies: Wade Davis
Braves: Arodys Vizcaino
The Braves scattered their opportunities around between Viz, Minter and a host of others. Only the Astros has as much instability in the closer department as the Braves.
But when the rubber met the road, Kimbrel and Jansen slammed alot of doors along the say to the World Series.
Would Cody Allen provide some stability in that department for us? Even having a perceived “down” season, he still racked up more saves (27) than the more familiar (and expensive) names of Fernando Rodney, Brad Hand, Keona Kela, Brandon Morrow, and Jeurys Familia.
There has been alot of smoke around the Braves having interest in trading for SEA’s Edwin Diaz, who was far and away the best closer in all of baseball last season at age 24. But he would cost a king’s ransom in prospects, or would be attached at the hip to the 36-year-old Robinson Cano and the 5 yrs/$120M remaining on his contract, or both. I would say the chances of AntMan swing such a deal are less than zero. He’s not that desperate or stupid.
LikeLike
If the Braves are going to spend the money, bring back Kimbrel…
At some point, the Braves have to get serious about going for it. Winning is the best promotion a team can have.
LikeLiked by 2 people
MLBTR predicts that Kimbrel will get 4 yrs/$70M… or an average of $17.5M per season. I believe that’s reasonable but just can’t see the Braves shelling out that much for a closer, especially since they are still shopping for an OF and starting pitcher as well.
By all estimates, they still have somewhere around $25M-$30M to squeeze into the 2019 budget. That could rise by another $9M if they can trade away Julio Teheran. Using more than half of it on a reliever wouldn’t appear to fit AntMan’s template.
LikeLike
Also, between AJ Minter, whom we are all hoping will take another step forward in 2019, and youngster Jacob Webb, the team may have 2 excellent in-house options already.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should clarify… Webb should start the year in AAA but will be ML ready to contribute in some lesser leverage innings at some point this season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s some system players I’m keep an eye on next season:
Position;
Outfield
JUSTIN DEAN
TREY HARRIS
GREYSON JENISTA
BRANDOL MEZQUITA – returnee from the purge
ANDREW MORITZ
JEFREY RAMOS
CRISTIAN PACHE
DREW WATERS
CHRISTIAN ZAMORA
Infield
3B C.J. ALEXANDER
2B GREG CULLEN
SS RILEY DELGADO
SS A.J. GRAFFININO
3B AUSTIN RILEY
Utl ALEJANDRO SALAZAR
Utl BRAULIO VASQUEZ
Catcher
WILLIAM CONTRERAS
RUSBER ESTRADA
DREW LUGBAUER
Starting Pitcher
RH
RONALDO ALESANDRO
IAN ANDERSON
JASSEEL de la CRUZ
ENDERSON FRANCO
DAYSBEL HERNANDEZ
MATT ROWLAND
ZACH SEIPAL
MIKE SOROKA
FREDDIE TARNOK
TOUKI TOUSSAINT
ALBINSON VOLQUEZ
JEREMY WALKER
PATRICK WEIGEL
BRYSE WILSON
MATT WITHROW
KYLE WRIGHT
HUASCAR YNOA
LH
KOLBY ALLARD
KYLE MULLER
LUIZ GOHARA
GABRIEL NOGUERA
JOEY WENTZ
Relief Pitchers
RH
TROY BACON
WALTER BORKOVICH
CALEB DIRKS
NOLAN KINGHAM
ELIAN LEYVA
TREY RILEY
CHAD SOBOTKA
JACOB WEBB
BROOKS WILSON
LH
THOMAS BURROWS
ALEXANDER CAMACHO
CORBIN CLOUSE
HAYDEN DEAL
PHILLIP PFEIFFER
TYLER PIKE
LikeLiked by 3 people
GIL:
Would 20 million bring him back? Less, more?
LikeLike
Sounds about right.. The $20MM that is. As much as people don’t want payroll to influence winning the World Series, it plays very big in the final analysis.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like we have some big changes coming to the Braves longtime broadcast team.
Chip Caray remains as the TV play-by-play announcer, but Joe Simpson is being phased out on TV and will move over to working alot of radio with Jim Powell.
According to the AJC this morning, Jeff Francoeur will become the lead TV analyst, working about 100 games. with Joe still working about 20-30 games. Tom Glavine will also work more games as TV analyst than he has over the last couple of seasons.
As for radio, the Braves are saying it will be a “four man rotation” between Jim Powell, Simpson, Don Sutton and Ben Ingram… with the standard two-man format for games. Officially, most of those will be Powell, Simpson and Sutton. Last season Sutton did not work any road games (something that was never publicly acknowledged) with Francoeur, Mark Lemke, and Nick Greene filling in on those series. Ingram is more of a play-by-play guy, so he’ll probably only spell Jim Powell (as he did once or twice last year) who should remain the lead guy and work most of the games.
Officially, the seeming demotion of Simpson is not related to the two controversial remarks he made on TV last year. Derek Schiller calls it a “coincidence”. R-i-g-h-t. Any thinking person has to see that connection whether admitted by the Braves or not.
On record to the AJC, Simpson is “surprised” by the changes.
IMO, I think Francoeur showed last year he’s really good. The Braves were smart to lock him down and give him work. And as much as I’ve liked Joe Simpson, he has gotten a little tiring in his analysis… becoming a bit stale. Sutton is old and sounds old. His voice has gotten really weak. He should really just hang it up. I really like Jim Powell, and hope that his “slight reduction” in games is only for occasional breaks and to give Ben Ingram a little time in the booth here and there. Powell is very sharp and has a great cadence to his voice. Mark Lemke and Nick Greene should stick to pre-game and post-game work. Neither is interesting on their feet and over 9 innings, but either is OK in a short scripted manner.
Bottom line is that I’m glad Frenchy is getting regular work on the Braves broadcasts. He’s good and brings a fresher and more energetic approach than Joe. God bless Joe. He’s been good for a long time, but has not been as good with Chip as he was with Skip. It’s time to move on…
LikeLiked by 1 person
And he was much younger with SKIP. More energy because of youth perhaps?
I liked ERNIE JOHNSON, SKIP CARAY and PETE VAN WEIREN the best of all the combinations of announcers, and loved the contentious on-air repartee between SKIP and DON SUTTON.
Of somewhat acerbic wit myself, SKIP CARAY tickled my funny-bone to it’s core.
I haven’t yet been favored by Frenchy’s dulcet tones, so I must reserve comment about the current on-air flavors of the moment.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hate the change but I agree, I almost always knew what Joe was going to say before he said it. Oh well, life is full of surprises, I only wish the Nats would replace Bob Carpenter as their play by play guy so those 18 games I am forced to endure when the Braves play the Nats would be less painful.
I have never been that impressed with Tom Glavin as an analyst but I get little say in those decisions.
Sadly, one of the best broadcast teams in baseball is stuck having to drag through the Baltimore Orioles telecast. Well, I guess the Os have to have something…
LikeLiked by 1 person
As long as the checks are good……..ya’ know?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I almost always knew what Joe was going to say before he said it
“He really kept his hands behind the ball on that swing.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I got side tracked and forgot what I wanted to post. here is a link to a pretty nice opine on one person’s top ten Braves prospects:
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a very reasonable Top 10.
LikeLike
Mike Soroka’s shoulder was tested in instructional league, deemed healthy and he appears to be on track to be ready for 2019 spring training. He will be given every opportunity to make the starting rotation to begin the season and, if his shoulder is healthy, could be a mainstay of the Atlanta Braves rotation for many years to come.
Agree fully, and he has the potential to be a #1 within another year or so… he’s that good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Would anyone be disappointed with a rotation of Folty, Newk, Gausman, Soroka and Touki? It would be very young, but very talented.
I’d prefer to substitute “Trevor Bauer” for “Newk”, but I’m a dreamer. 😀
LikeLike
From the Top 10 list Gil posted above, this is said about Luiz Gohara:
As far as his approach, Gohara needs to develop a third pitch to go along with his easy fastball and wipeout slider in order to have a chance for extended success as a starting pitcher in the major leagues.
Or…
What about taking that impressive “easy fastball” / “wipeout slider” combo and using it to close out games?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Could be GOHARA doesn’t see himself in that role, but you are spot-on about the short-term pitching effectiveness of GOHARA in the present tense.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Do you realize that it’s entirely conceivable that the AAA Gwinnett Stripers could open their season with a rotation that features Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright, Kolby Allard, Bryce Wilson, Luiz Gohara and Patrick Weigel?
That rotation might be better than what Baltimore trots out in 2019.
LikeLiked by 2 people
MLBTR:
“Significant momentum” has built toward a deal that would send high-dollar veteran second baseman Robinson Cano and top-shelf young closer Edwin Diaz from the Mariners to the Mets, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
This is what happens when you take a player agent and make him a GM. He makes dumb trades.
NYM has a nice promising young 2B in Jeff McNeil, who gave them .329/.381/.471 production in the 2nd half of last season (63 games) and finishing 6th in ROY voting.
But Mets rookie GM Brodie Van Wagenen will probably send him to SEA for a closer and take on a 36-year-old Robinson Cano who served an 80-game PED suspension last season and is still owed $120M on a contract that has 5 years left… wrapping up when Cano is 41.
Well.. as a Braves fan, I say go for it. I love seeing the rivals saddled with Melvin-esque burdens.
LikeLiked by 3 people
O-o-o-h, not a fan of Junior huh? Mr. Wonderful himself. I remember posting up on the AJC blog regarding the attitude of one MELVIN Jr. when he first came aboard. Seems my travel-ball grandsons smelled some residue of sour grapes from parents whose sons had played back in the day with “BJ.” When I brought that to the AJC, DOB poo-pooed it, but it obviously had solid grounds to back it up. No such residual with JACKIE BRADLEY Jr., another local product produced from this area.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My gut tells me today after hearing several radio interviews since Monday that AntMan will not make a play for a starter of the Kluber type status. But I do think he will acquire another veteran, more like the Sonny Gray type. I just don’t think Thoppy would make such a bold step forward to give Mac/JD $25M for just 1 year and then rely on a mostly rookie rotation in 2019. That just isn’t logical. I believe he will make a bolder move for an OF, further bolstering the offense… probably via trade.
Now that I’ve said that, watch the Braves shock us with a major announcement about a pitcher this afternoon. 🙄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aha, someone finally reveals that what I have been saying is true, if you are truly serious about going for it, you have to make the commitment to do so with your wallet.
https://t.co/MtzNWPdyVj
LikeLiked by 2 people
Luiz Gohara impressed me as much as Soroka did for his first few starts in 2017. but, other newer, shinier players came along, and he took a step back developmentally last year (Nearly losing both parents in a year, will mess up your mind I am sure)
I really, really, don’t want to see him traded away and then turn into CC for another team. I don’t care that he’s fat (so is CC, and he’s still pitching at 39) He’s a kid
LikeLike
Yes but…
He does need to develop a 3rd pitch if he hopes to be effective as a ML starter. As good as his fastball/slider combo is, it won’t play more than twice through any ML lineup. and when hitters lay off the slider, he walks the park. Hopefully one of the things he’s working on down in FLA – besides the weight loss – is a good changeup. That would be a game changer for him.
And if he wants to truly be compared to CC Sabathia for more than just weight, he has alot of work to do. Sabathia used 5 pitches in 2018: a cutter (1059 times), a slider (772), a sinker (371), a changeup (254), and an occasional 4-seamer (49).
That’s where Touki turned the corner after stalling for a couple of seasons coming up. His curve was always a thing of wonder, and his fastball has nice movement. But if he lost his touch on the curve, hitters sat on the fastball and tagged him hard. Then he developed that changeup that has become a real weapon for him and his rise took off… all the way to STP. And sometime in the last year he learned to throw a cutter that surprised everyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excerpts:
Terry McGuirk said the club still has the financial flexibility necessary to make another significant short-term commitment, similar to the one already made to Josh Donaldson.
“This is our moment,” McGuirk said. “This is a time where we would be nuts not to be touching all the buttons. With the kind of youth we have coming up, with the ability we have to fill some holes, with the revenue growth and the current excitement, you couldn’t find all the pieces all fitting together any better if you had written a script. I’m an optimist, but it’s hard to be optimistic enough about some of this stuff.”
McGuirk said. “With every step, we evaluate and say, ‘What will it take to get to the next step?’ But we have a lot of capacity. You’ve got to use it correctly. We’re not the Yankees or the Dodgers. We can’t waste money.
“If we can add a starter and have that much more depth, great,” [Alex] Anthopoulos said. “A reliever we’d love to add as well. We’d like to add to the bench. Even if we get a starting outfielder, we still have some other things we can do.”
McGuirk said finances should not deter Anthopoulos from satisfying his desire to make responsible attempts to satisfy his offseason shopping endeavors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bowman also speculates that there is a chance Arodys Vizcaino will be non-tendered before Friday’s 8pm deadline. He’s projected to earn $4.8M in his final arb year. If the Braves non-tender Viz, along with Adam Duvall ($3.1M) and Sam Freeman ($1.5M), that nearly $10M savings itself isn’t chump change and could be added back to the nearly $30M AntMan has left to work with to fill out the 2019 roster.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree Vee… What we don’t want is to be saddled with another “old” player who has no incentive to stay in shape and play hard every single day. I think that is what impressed me about Kakes. He never let up in his quest to get better everyday or at least to get back to where he was before neck surgery 4 years ago.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Speaking of pitch combinations…
The thing that makes Mike Soroka so impressive to me is his pitch combination. First, he has a really nice mid-90’s fastball that has alot of sink to it, preventing hitters from getting good barrel on the ball. And when the do, it’s alot of ground balls. Then he has 2 breaking pitches, a high-80’s slider and a low-80’s curve, each of which break on different angles. It makes it really tough for hitters to “see the dot” and guess the plane the pitch is breaking on. Add to that a changeup that he can throw for strikes at any point in the count and you can see why everybody is so excited to see how really good Soroka can be.
And he’s a big kid too at 6′ 5″/225 lbs. If the shoulder is healthy, there’s no reason he can’t pitch alot of meaningful innings in 2018.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I really like the prospects arriving soon for the ‘pen. Buy KIMBREL or a killer closer short-term, and bring on CORBIN CLOUSE and THOMAS BURROWS. If we lose VIZCAINO in the process, so be it. Add in another 10 million OF with some pop. Trade for a #1, and let’s hope the moves pay off. I’d love to live long enough to see another ATLANTA WS champ.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think with a great closer, the ‘pen will be in great shape vs. 2018.
My vote for ‘pen operatives to start 2019:
LH MAX FRIED long-relief, spot start.
RH DARREN O’DAY
RH SHANE CARLE
LH JONNY VENTERS
LH JESSE BIDDLE
Closers
LH A.J. MINTER
RH CRAIG KIMBREL
In the wings:
RH CHAD SOBOTKA if O’DAY fizzles
RH LUKE JACKSON
RH DAN WINKLER if JACKSON fizzles
LH CORBIN CLOUSE if VENTERS fizzles
LH THOMAS BURROWS if BIDDLE fizzles
This gives BRAVES plenty of back-up in the event of overwork, or ineptitude.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A kid who we somehow continue to overlook is the big Sobot
ka(skie). He was just added as the Braves #30 prospect but I thought he pitched pretty impressively out of the pen in September.LikeLiked by 2 people
A big durable kid too, which is the new vogue around baseball. He’s a guy that can give you multiple innings ala Josh Hader and Andrew Miller.
Baseball is beginning to devalue the traditional “closer” somewhat, realizing that the game can hang on certain AB’s and matchups in innings other than just the 9th. While you can certainly shorten a game with a lock down 9th inning guy, you better have a guy (or 2) who can get you through the 7th and 8th as well.
LikeLiked by 2 people
… and don’t sleep on Jacob Webb. He’s going to surprise some folks in 2019 who aren’t paying attention.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m watching him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Looks like the Mets and Mariners are indeed finalizing a deal today that will bring top-shelf young closer Edwin Diaz and veteran PED user Robinson Cano to NY. Here are the details as of late last night:
7:11pm: A trade involving Diaz and Cano is close to being agreed upon, per Ken Rosenthal.
8:40pm: The trade is “expected to be completed by Friday,” per Jeff Passan.
10:15pm: The Mets are “hesitant” to include rookie 2B Jeff McNeil and are currently proposing top rookie reliever Gerson Bautista to go with 1st-round draft picks Jarrod Kelenic and Justin Dunn, along with veterans OF Jay Bruce and RP Anthony Swarzak, per Andy Martino.
11:30pm: McNeil will not be included in the trade if it is ultimately completed, per Joel Sherman. Instead, he tweets that the Mets will send Kelenic, Dunn, Bruce, Swarzak and another reliever to the Mariners.
11:56pm: Bautista would indeed be the fifth piece going to Seattle in the deal, as currently constructed, Sherman tweets.
More Joel Sherman (NY Post) from this morning:
As of late Thursday, the Mets and Mariners were in agreement on a trade that would bring Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano and cash to offset part of the $120 million over five years still due Cano and send to Seattle Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Justin Dunn, Jared Kalenic and Gerson Bautista.
Physical review was still ongoing and Cano had to waive his no-trade clause — but that was considered likely since he is believed to badly want to escape Seattle and come back East, plus he would be joining a team led by his former agent, Van Wagenen, with whom he has an excellent relationship.
But already Thursday, Van Wagenen’s credibility and competence were being challenged. As word circulated throughout the sport, the general tone from executives reached was that, unless Seattle were paying down the vast majority of Cano’s contract, the Mets were blundering.
I love it. You just can’t make this stuff up… 😆
LikeLiked by 1 person
In summary, the Mets are sacrificing youngsters and high draft prospects, mortgaging the future, to build their team around a 36-year-old PED user and a closer.
Brilliant.
Has any team ever won by building their team around a closer?
Yes, they have some great starting pitchers… for now. But where is the offense?
Once you get past their first 3 batters, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto, there is a huuuuge dropoff. And the guy that batted 4th, Jay Bruce, is going away. I suppose Cano will play 1B for them and bat cleanup? Ok…
Unless the Mets win alot of 2-0 and 3-1 games, the path to another NL East title is getting a little easier.
Then again, it is NY. They could just go out and buy a handful of hitters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
Holy Jamoly. Uh… good luck with that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A closer is always just one pitch away from never contributing ever again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Speaking of paying a closer long term, are y’all aware that the Braves are still paying Bruce Sutter?
As you may or may not recall, Sutter pitched for the Braves from ’85-’88. He signed a 6-yr/ $9.1M deal with the Braves before the 1985 season, but Sutter opted to have the money deferred.
Here’s the poop, as recently laid out by The Athletic’s Dan Lewis:
Sutter was only paid about $750,000 per year while under the Braves’ control. For the thirty years after he retired — 30!!! — the Braves agreed to pay him no less than $1.12 million per year, and potentially more if interest rates spiked above a negotiated floor of 12.3 percent. [They haven’t.] That ends in 2021, and it’s only 2018, so Bruce Sutter, at some point this year, received or will receive a check for $1.12 million. In 2022, the Braves will still owe Sutter the $9.1 million [principal] that he deferred.
It’s a good job if you can get it.
And don’t forget, Sutter recorded just 40 saves and posted a 4.55 ERA from 1985 to 1988, which included Sutter missing the entire 1987 season as he recovered from shoulder surgery. The Braves, meanwhile, lost 96, 89, 92 and 106 games in the four seasons Sutter was on the team. The Braves released him prior to the 1989 season after he a final career-ending shoulder injury suffered during spring training.
Moral of the story: don’t put all your very expensive eggs in the closer basket.
LikeLiked by 1 person
On a more cheery note, the deadline to tender contracts to arb eligible players is today at 8pm ET. The Braves have 8 arb eligible players: Duvall, Viz, Venters, Gausman, Folty, Sam Freeman, Winkler and Charlie Culberson.
It’s a virtual certainty that Gausy, Folty and Culberson will be tendered. I fell pretty confident that Wink will be tendered as well. I’d like to think Jonny will be, but I don’t think it’s a lock. Duvall, Viz and Sam Freeman are on the bubble… and possibly gone.
In my perfect GM world, my lieutenants are working out the final details of a multi year deal with Folty right now. And they are also securing 1 year contracts with Gausy, Culby, Viz and Wink, avoiding the whole ugly arb process altogether.
And at the end of the day, I have 3 open spots on my roster.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just read on Twitter that the Braves have offered contracts to everybody on the 40-man roster.
Gabe Burns
@GabeBurnsAJC
16h16 hours ago
Asked Culberson about giving up No. 16 for McCann. He said he’d take “a hug, maybe a World Series win” as compensation.
He hasn’t picked a new number yet.
The #Braves today tendered a contract to all 40 players on the club’s 40-man roster.
Mark Bowman
The Braves avoided arbitration with Jonny Venters, agreeing to a one-year, $2.25M deal.
Atlanta Braves
Nov 29
The #Braves today traded LHP Ricardo Sánchez to the Mariners in exchange for cash considerations.
34 replies 48 retweets 303 likes
LikeLike
Notable details:
LikeLike
And now for something completely different:
LikeLike
LikeLike
Uh… major league ballpark in Portland? Should we read something into this?
Is expansion coming and does Portland know something we don’t?
We do know that both MLB and MLBPA would love to expand into 2 more cities creating the symmetrical 32 team league that can be split evenly in 2’s, 4’s and 8’s, and creating 50 more major league jobs.
I suppose Portland is a good location, giving Seattle a rival team closer than 800 miles away. Who will be the other? Nashville? Montreal? Las Vegas?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Um, what would this price tag be?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not that I think there is any current potential for a deal, but we did mention this topic recently…
Guess which beloved local team is NOT on Zack Greinke’s “secret” 15 team no-trade list, which was published in The Athletic late yesterday?
LikeLike
Good afternoon friends… I guess the Wilpons have recovered the money they lost in the Bernie Madoff scam..
Let’s face it, the Mets can afford to spend as much money as they want. They are a big market club. Yes, for we common folks, there is huge amounts of money being thrown around but evidently the clubs can afford it.
Don’t be surprised if Cano agrees to a restructure of his contract to defer more money.
Look for Syndegard to be traded to a team like San Diago so the Mets can reload their prospects.
MLB getting in bed with the (ahem) mafia with their new deal with the MGM Grand Casinos turns my stomach but that’s just me.
Sutter? I would say he was pretty smart, a lot smarter than say Andrew Jones who blew thru his money pretty quickly.
Expansion… The Rays have been looking to get out of town for a long while, if a city agrees to provide a shiny new stadium and deferred taxes at their taxpayer’s expense, why wouldn’t they. Ask Amazon how that can work out for you? It is the way big companies stay big. A good friend told me that Portland was a beautiful place to visit but a terrible place to own a car. They tax you to death with fees and such to drive in Portland.
I know Montreal has longed for a return to baseball but it would take the right management to make it successful. I have no plans to renew my passport so I doubt it will make a difference to me.
LikeLike
Syndergaard would be a nice add for any team but I think the Brewers would be all over that. To me, they would be the best match for a pitcher like Thor but still San Diago would make the most sense for the Mets.
So, think the Braves aren’t working the phones trying to land an ACE? No matter how you frame it, a number one is going to be very expensive in either cash, prospects or both.
Looks like the NL East is going to be very interesting this season. Everyone sees the Braves as being pretenders to the throne and beatable. Of course we have all seen how paper line ups and the game actually being played don’t always guarantee results.
The Red Sox are still the best team in baseball, after all, they did beat two other 100 win teams to get into the World Series.
LikeLiked by 1 person
More details from the big 7 player blockbuster sending Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano to the Mets…
First, Cano has officially waived his no trade clause. Not a shocker.
Next, and more importantly, according to Ken Davidoff, NY Post, Edwin Diaz has a bone spur in his elbow, and has been pitching with it for years. Reportedly it was first discovered in the physical that preceded his int’l FA signing in 2012, but has never been a problem.
Wow. No wonder Seattle was willing to trade him. The bone spur may not have been a problem up to now, but it is there, and anything like that in an elbow is just a ticking time bomb.
Most who are reporting on it expect it to be announced today… with only the formality of physicals left to accomplish.
LikeLike
My commentary…
The Mets are a better team today with those players, but I’m not so sure about the next few years. Cano is already old, and Diaz’ elbow has to be an ongoing concern. And it remains to be seen what else the player agent turned GM will do before spring. But on paper, they have improved.
LikeLike
Now, of more significant interest, at least to me, the Mariners are also helping out another of our division rivals.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported last night that the Phillies are picking up vaunted SS Jean Segura in a deal that will send slumping slugger Carlos Santana and top Phillies IF prospect J.P. Crawford out west.
The only thing preventing this one from finalizing quickly is that Segura has to waive his no-trade clause to accommodate the deal. According to MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi he is expected to do so. But Segura’s agent, tells Fancred’s Jon Heyman that it isn’t a foregone conclusion that his client will waive the no-trade clause, saying, “If a deal makes sense to Jean then he will consider and there are a lot of variables to consider in order to waive his full no trade and move on.” In other words, Segura has the Phils over a barrel if they want this to go forward and they’re gonna have to sweeten his contract in some way. (This is why the Braves do not do no-trade clauses; it cedes all the leverage.)
LikeLike
My commentary…
Segura is a nice pick up for the Phils. He’s a really good player and will help significantly both in the lineup and on the field. And they had been looking to dump Santana, who can still thump but has a terrible OBP. Now 1B is opened back up for the slugging Rhys Hoskins, who was barely passable in LF. Lets’s just say he was no Ryan Klesko. 🙂
And since the Phils now have their SS, but a new hole in the OF, I fully expect them to pivot from Manny Machado (who still says he wants to play SS, not 3B) to Bryce Harper, and maybe to even get to get him signed quickly. Scott Boras will probably prefer to drag it out at least through the Winter Meetings next week, but I will not be surprised at all to hear that news sooner than later.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Vee, the Mets getting better is a prime reason why every team has to make changes/improvements to their rosters each season. You cannot stand pat when everyone around you is trying to get better.
Seattle is having a fire sale with their GM realizing they just are not good enough with their current team to compete against the Astros and the vastly improved Athletics.
Lest we forget, the Mets were the toast of the NL East in April and then they got hurt (old age will do that to you)… They also had the best won/loss percentage of all the NL East teams in the 2nd half.
Like the old saying goes, You cannot win a pennant in April and May but you can sure lose one.
The current hot stove rumor is that the Braves are going hard after Seattle’s Mike Heniger for the outfield. It will take some prospect capital but that is why you develop your farm system. No one want to trade the next Adam Wainwright but there are lots of Kyle Davies in the wings. You just never know when one of these prospects will blossom and which will wilt on the vine. It is why they are “prospects”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I order to be the best, you have to beat the best…
I never understood why the Phillies traded away Freddie Galvis to the Padres.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, the Phillies have been in on Harper for a while now,
LikeLike
The current hot stove rumor is that the Braves are going hard after Seattle’s Mike Heniger for the outfield.
Well, it’s our turn in the NL East to be helped by Seattle, and Haniger would make this Braves fan grin ear-to-ear. 😀
27-year-old RF Mitch Haniger’s 2018 slash line: .285/.366/.493 w/ 26 HR and 93 RBI as well as 38 2B’s. He was also a first time All-Star. He’s still pre-arb and under team control until 2023.
You can bet your bippy (old Laugh-In reference) that he will cost a boatload of talent. He’ll cost the same prospect haul we’ve mentioned in connection with the top pitchers. He’ll cost a Top 10 pitcher, a top position player, and another mid-level prospect. Think Kyle Wright, Cristian Pache and RP Josh Graham.
It’s possible the Mariners would want to attach 3B Kyle Seager, whose contract they would love to unload. He’s signed through 2021 with salaries of $19.5M, $19.5M, and $18.5M, with a $15M team option for 2022. Seager is a nice player, but his contract is a whopper. Taking on that hefty deal would certainly “buy down” the prospect return, but Seager is obviously not a match here with Josh Donaldson on the hot corner for 2019. And you don’t want a $19.5M player on the bench. I’m not sure how AntMan would handle that other than simply pay the prospect price and not take on Seager.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually, now that I think about it, scratch Kyle Wright, Cristian Pache and RP Josh Graham. Think Kyle Wright, Johan Camargo and RP Josh Graham. That would do it.
LikeLike
One thing is for sure, the NL East will be a battleground next season. There will be some gooooood baseball played out here.
LikeLiked by 2 people
One more thing:
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote over the weekend that FA SP Dallas Keuchel is “high on their [Braves] wish list.”
Interesting.
LikeLike
Seager would not exactly be a boat anchor to the team. He could always be flipped to another team but then, why wouldn’t Seattle trade him if there was a market?
It only reinforces the pitfalls of tending long term contracts. Still, it would make Austin Riely very expendable.
LikeLike
It’s a tough contract to take on no doubt. Seager was really good prior to signing the deal prior to 2018, then slumped fairly sharply last year. Still, he’s only 31… not really “old”, but not a spring chicken by MLB standards either. He really should be in his prime. His slash line last season dipped to .221/.273/.400, but he still gave the M’s 22 HR’s and 78 RBI. Those are not bad numbers, but not worth $19M a year for 3 more years. If Thoppy were to want to flip him, he’d probably have to eat some of the $.
IMO, given the Mariners have apparently gone “all in” on the rebuild, they would be well served to just trade Haniger for the best prospect package they can get. And they just might do it.
LikeLike
A recent piece by Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com sort of describes what I was trying to say above regarding Haniger/Seager:
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-rumors-mariners-could-move-kyle-seager-using-similar-framework-to-cano-diaz-trade/
LikeLiked by 1 person
MLBTR:
If the trade-happy Mariners have their way, third baseman Kyle Seager will be the next veteran to depart. The club’s willing to do “whatever it takes” to deal Seager, Buster Olney of ESPN writes. Long one of the majors’ most underrated players, the 31-year-old Seager is coming off an uncharacteristically rough season and still has a guaranteed $57MM left on his contract. Seager’s presence is no longer needed in Seattle, which is rebuilding and trying to cut payroll, though it could be difficult to deal him on the heels of such a disappointing campaign. With that in mind, Olney suggests the Mariners could either swap Seager for another team’s unwanted contract or package him with one of their best remaining assets (Mitch Haniger or Jean Segura) to get his money off the books.
Seems to be a prevailing philosophy.
So… if the Braves were to want Haniger bad enough, and had to take back Seager to make it happen, what do you do with him?
Trade him? You’ll have to eat some of his money, or give up another high prospect to make that happen.
Keep him? He has no place to play in 2019.
Unless AntMan already has something lined up, I don’t see how you can take back Seager to eat up both a roster spot and alot of payroll space.
Now… if you were to send SEA Julio – and his $11M commitment for 2019 – in the deal, to alleviate over half of Seager’s salary burden, then you can eat some $$ to flip him elsewhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meh… No risk. Why not?
LikeLike
One note, though… while he signed a minor league deal, likely with a spring training invite, he’s out of options. So the Braves won’t be able to stash him at AAA unless he passes through waivers first. Maybe they’re hoping he can show a little life in spring camp that they can turn into a trade to a team in need of IF help before camp breaks. Who knows? Still, nothing risked, so it really isn’t a big deal either way.
LikeLike
Deal done.
LikeLike
Post-mega deal to acquire Robinson Cano, who will be the starter at 2B, the Mets face a similar problem as the Braves. They have young Jeff McNeil, who was a ROY candidate last season at their 2B starter. SEA wanted him, but the agent-turned-GM managed to hang onto him.
So where does he play with Cano coming over to take his position?
Well, the plan appears to be the same as it is with Johan Camargo. McNeil is also very athletic and has shown an ability to play multiple positions. And while he certainly is worthy of a “starting position”, in 2019 that notion is becoming a somewhat more vague concept.
As I’ve read, the Mets plan to spell veteran Todd Frazier at 3B, newly acquired veteran Cano at 2B, and a host of other players around the IF and OF. In other words, McNeil will still play a ton of games, just all around the diamond. Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez and Marwin Gonzalez have blazed that trail, and it has worked pretty well for them and for their teams.
It’s the new way of doing things in the new era of baseball. Even us new dogs can appreciate the value in versatility.
LikeLike
Yes, when vets start to age plus feeling fat and happy (Matt Kemp anyone) it become problematic to unload the albatross hanging around their neck.
It would be nice to be able to absorb a big contract and if the Braves had not commited to Donaldson already, I could see a much clearer path.
Okay, Texas needs a third baseman with Beltrae retiring but I doubt they would want the 19MM anchor either.
LikeLike
It’s possible the Mariners would want to attach 3B Kyle Seager, whose contract they would love to unload. He’s signed through 2021 with salaries of $19.5M, $19.5M, and $18.5M, with a $15M team option for 2022. Seager is a nice player, but his contract is a whopper. Taking on that hefty deal would certainly “buy down” the prospect return, but Seager is obviously not a match here with Josh Donaldson on the hot corner for 2019. And you don’t want a $19.5M player on the bench. I’m not sure how AntMan would handle that other than simply pay the prospect price and not take on Seager.
well, go really crazy and put Seager in Left, and Haniger in right…and trade Ender in a package for a starter?
LikeLiked by 1 person
go really crazy and put Seager in Left
I kinda thought about that, except that in 7+ years of ML ball, he has played 1112 games at 3B, 22 at 2B, 9 at SS, and 0 in the OF. Then I went behind that to his minor league years, and where he played 183 games at 2B, 50 at 3B, 41 at SS, and 0 in the OF.
I think at this stage LF might be a stretch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But hey… ya never know.
LikeLike
… and to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t necessarily hate having Kyle Seager at 3B for a few years if I didn’t already have the Bringer Of Rain for 2019. That said, I am so excited about having JD in Atlanta that i could almost squeal like a schoolgirl. 😀
LikeLike
***Psst, V. Go ahead. We won’t tell!
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 3 people
I even liked that one myself.
LikeLike
Yes it is. 😀
LikeLiked by 3 people
So here is the deal, trade for Seager and trade him to the Marlins as part of the deal for Realmuto.. I know, silly but it is baseball after all…
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
LikeLike
LikeLike
IMO, good move for the Braves. They get a solid baseball man with alot of experience and a great reputation. In Roger, they had a great coach, but not a great communicator. In Hernandez, they had a great communicator, but not a great coach. In Kranitz they get both.
I look forward to how he elevates Folty in particular.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good morning Stuffville, lots of surprises in store for everyone I am certain. We are all anxiously awaiting for the Braves to A.) Sign a front line starter & B.) fill their need for an outfielder. Everything else is window dressing as the bench is completed and the bullpen roster is filled.
Who is signed for the outfield will determine what kind of player is needed to fill the bench role.
While the Josh Donaldson signing is/was a good one, how much easier it would have been to take on Heniger & Seager if that deal had prolonged another week.
Oh well, I’m pretty sure the Mets took on Cano partially in response to the Braves signing Donaldson. The Mets will need a third baseman next season ( or this) depending upon Frazier’s health and lest we forget, The Mets had some money available with the retirement of Wright.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hallelujah! Finally, after two-and-a-half months, construction and repairs on the house begin some time today. Waiting for materials to be delivered now. There were so many others who were in much worse shape than we have been/are, that we told our contractor, Martin Ortega, to take care of them first. It’s been inconvenient, at times uncomfortable, but at least we’ve been relatively secure.
Ginger, one of our foster kitties who is a Grandmaster Jumper, will miss playing in the open attic. But we won’t miss trying to get her down!
It’s a happy day here. Chilly but bright, sunny, clear skies that are perfect for making permanent repairs on a roof!
Note: Tarps do not keep cold air out.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Amen, CL. That is much better news than we could ever get on some baseball team. Congrats!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If he is healthy by Opening Day, or even just shortly thereafter, could be a great “buy low” pickup for the Braves (or any team). Perhaps even a 1 year “make good” deal in the same vein as Josh Donaldson. Come prove that health with a mission, Kelvin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Today’s chatter says that with each trade the Mariners make, and have made, the price on Mitch Haniger goes up.
I am of the mind that with JD on board, the Braves would be well served to sign a Nick Markakis type… but maybe not Nick. Maybe Michael Brantley instead.
I was looking at their numbers. It’s pretty amazing how similar the two players are, although I think Brantley has a little more power. But that’s not what I prefer from Brantley. Simple fact is that he’s 4 years younger. And all other things being equal, or close to equal, I’ll take the younger guy.
MLBTR predicts a 3 year/$45M deal for Brantley, their #10 ranked FA. By comparison, Nick is ranked #38 and is predicted to receive a 2 year/$16M deal.
Quite honestly, I’d prefer not to pay $15M (on average) per year for Brantley. But that’s where the market is now. And since the team is still looking for a veteran starting pitcher, bullpen help, and bench help, $15M may be prohibitive, I suppose the RF/pitcher acquisitions are truly linked in how one affects the other.
I’ve been quite outspoken as to how much I want a top of the rotation veteran, but those guys are hard to acquire, and they cost alot of coin. Also, we do have some really respected pitching talent on the precipice of emerging on the scene. We don’t have that from any OF’s… not even close.
Maybe we spend that extra few $$ on a good OF and let newly hired Rich Kranitz coach up the pitchers we already have, including veteran Julio Teheran.
LikeLike
newly hired
Rich Kranitz…Sorry bro. Rick Kranitz. 😳
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
So does this mean that the Phillies are making another splash?
Gotta give ’em credit… they’re serious about being all in for 2019.
LikeLike
And of course, it just makes the sledding through the NL East that more difficult.
I still believe the Braves will field at least as talented a team as their contemporaries, but AntMan has a little more work to do to get us there.
The poop on the Indians and their supposed available pitching (Kluber/Bauer) said this week that they were basically waiting for the FA’s to start signing to get the pitching market rolling. A Corbin signing could begin to prime the pump.
2019 is going to be some more fun year.
LikeLike
Well… that was a bit of a surprise. 😯
LikeLike
So the Nats will trot out Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Tanner Roark and… Joe Ross or Erick Fedde.
That’s a pretty nice rotation.
That’s a pretty scary rotation.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Now that the Phils are out on Patrick Corbin, you can almost bet the mortgage they’ll turn the full focus on Bryce Harper now. Same can be said for the Yankees and Manny Machado. Both PHI and NYY thought they had the inside track on Corbin.
Oops.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Holy cow. That’s… ridiculous coin for Corbin. I mean, he’s a stud, and the Nats may now arguably have the best rotation in baseball. But 6/$140M for Corbin is a huge overpay.
I guess if you’re the Nats, you can afford it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
… and hopefully it will get even more interesting.
Hopefully.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The big problem for AntMan is that the new deal for Corbin raises the stakes on the rest. Dallas Keuchel just got more expensive. Keuchel is now probably out of ATL’s reach.
LikeLike
Suddenly the balance owed on Zack Greinke doesn’t look quite as gawdy.
LikeLike
Hmmmm….ATL Braves win the NL East. Now all the other NL East teams are loading up on large caliber ammo. Long memories?
LikeLiked by 1 person
CL, think so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My advice to Atlanta hitters in the upcoming season… Don’t miss your pitch… You won’t see another one…
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Nats have one of the smallest markets in the NL, one has to wonder where their revenue stream is originating from.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like I have said repeatedly, as much as we quail at the idea of spending so much money for a ball player. The market is what the market is and you either get with the program or get left behind.
Evidently the money is there or no one would be willing to pay a billion dollars for a last place franchise (Marlins). Apparently there are no shortage of buyers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So the Nats will trot out Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Tanner Roark and… Joe Ross or Erick Fedde.
That’s a pretty nice rotation.
That’s a pretty scary rotation.
V, you got that right! Now, it’s not the youngest, and that could be an issue in 2019,20….but if they stay healthy…trouble.
I will be P.O.ed if Corbin was too much to pay for , but Zack or Dallas isn’t. Honestly, Dallas worries me cuz of health issues with that shoulder, and while he is much like HOF’er Tom Glavine, you just don’t see soft tossers dominating the playoffs anymore, do you?
I know, Zack is a short term expense but to give up prospects for someone really old….just don’t know there is a proper fit…unless someone from Cleveland can be had , and without giving up the farm, which of course they will rightfully want.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep, but I have faith that the Braves will answer, I just hope I like the answer they give…
LikeLiked by 3 people
I know, Zack is a short term expense but to give up prospects for someone really old….just don’t know there is a proper fit…unless someone from Cleveland can be had , and without giving up the farm, which of course they will rightfully want.
The prevailing thought at the moment, derived mostly from national pundits, is that the Braves want to upgrade the rotation, but are concentrating their efforts on filling the OF void with another potent bat.
I can only make the assumption that they feel they better have an offensive answer to the many defensive improvements in the division. I think it’s also reasonable to assume that they feel they have an abundance of young pitching, but not an abundance of young bats. I can live with that logic too.
Quite honestly, I believe we can win with the pitching we have as long as we can give them some offensive support. I believe both Folty and Newk will be better. For Newk specifically, I’m looking for the step forward we saw out of Folty in 2018. I honestly believe that Rick Kranitz will get the best out of each of them. I also think Kranitz could help Julio, although my gut still says he’s gone. And I cannot wait to see a full season out of both Touki and Soroka.
Am I the only one that thinks we could still win big with Folty/Newk/Gaus/Touki/Soroka and a host of others – Wilson/Wright/Fried/Gohara – to supplement? Yes I want Kluber or Bauer or maybe even Sonny Gray. But I think I can go to battle with the young’uns and not be at a major disadvantage.
If they add one more potent bat, preferably with more thunder, I won’t lose sleep with those young starters.
LikeLiked by 3 people
V, I agree completely that we can win with this group! I looked at the scores during the playoffs…shut out the first 2 games (doesn’t matter who is pitching, can’t win without scoring…says capt obvious!) then scored 6 runs in a game, the one we won of course, then 2 runs in game 4. Now, you can run into buzzsaw rotations/bullpens that will keep scoring low, but when you have few power guys that can/will run into one every 15 ABs or so, it’s tough to string 3-4 hits together in the playoffs. So all things considered, the pitching wasn’t the main issue with the dodgers, hitting was
LikeLiked by 2 people
The coming season should be loads of fun. Four teams in the NL East should all be in a dog fight as all will have improved. We should all remember that the Nationals were everyone’s pick to win the east last season going in so there is the little point of performance meeting expectations.
On paper, the Mets look to be the beast of the east but you just never know how things will play out. I have seen egos get in the way of team unity before.
Last season both the Yankees and the Red Sox both won over 100 games. As a comparison one should see the parallel between the Marlins and the Orioles but I am of the mind the Marlins will get better before the Orioles.
So, with the Nats signing Corbin, does it signal the Nats throwing in the towel on Bryce Harper? They actually spent less on Corbin than Harper would have cost. That said, does it mean the Phillies have more money available to spend on Harper? Scott Boras must be ecstatic…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Probably a good assessment, and pretty much what Ber has been saying.
The question is, would San Fran still be asking for an ace’s trade value in return? If the ask was reasonable, he could possibly be a better fit for the Braves than some of the more valued pieces… in a practical sort of way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
MLBTR: As the Mariners continue to explore further ways to get younger and shed payroll, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the team won’t be attaching Kyle Seager’s contract to Mitch Haniger in an effort to escape the remaining three years and $56MM on Seager’s seven-year deal. First and foremost, the Seattle organization considers Haniger to be among the five best corner outfielders in baseball.
In other words, the cost would rival the JTR circus.
I’m good with signing Michael Brantley or Andrew McCutchen, as either would be a solid fielder with good OBP skills and moderate pop.
I like our prospects and don’t want to burn the whole “prospect budget” on any one player. And AntMan cannot afford to completely unload the pantry, either. If you clip the vine too close, it will die.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A Kipnis attachment would be the equivalent of a Seager attachment. Too much money ($17M for 2019) for a bench player and no place for the declining former All-Star 2B to start.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not sure how I feel about this. Well, actually. I do know how I feel. I believe a player should be able to play wherever he chooses on the field. Nothing in the rule book says a 2B has to stand on 2B. He moves around. So does every other player on the field. And if you wanted to go by the strict positioning of Abner Doubleday, you better place the SS back in the OF where he originated.
Want to beat the shift? Stop trying to hit a HR on every swing. Drop a bunt. Shorten the swing. Adapt your hitting to overcome the defense’s adaptation to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“NL East gonna be fun next year.”
Ever get the felling you are being watched?
It is too bad Kakes doesn’t hit more homers although I think he could if he choose to, he provides all the things the Braves are looking for other than hitting another 10 home runs a season.
Oh well, the grass is always greener in the other guy’s outfield isn’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aha… you have hit the nail on the head Vee, but that only emphasizes what I say about Kakes and his apparent lack of power. Baseball does not reward singles hitters with big contracts, they bestow the big money on the home run purveyors. How many times did we bemoan the fact that Andrew Jones was always swinging for the 5 run homer when a single would have won the game?
The year he hit 100+ RBI and hit .258 the knock on him is he should have had 50 more RBI if only he had cut down on his swing and been willing to hit the ball the other way.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I guess what MLB is trying to do is return to the buzz created by the offense of the steroid era without the steroids…
You have to wonder how many more home runs the crime dof would have hit with the aid of PEDs? Would there be any question he would have been a shoo in for the HOF? (If he had not been caught doing them). Even so, there is ever increasing noise for the inclusion by notorious PED users like Barry Bonds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY, BRAVES & STUFF!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time truly does pass quickly when you are having fun…
LikeLiked by 1 person
The way I read it, the biggest gripe on “the shift” is that it seemingly punishes LH batters more than RH hitters according to the numbers, thus is not equitable among hitters. Therefore in a broader sense, it could then be said to affect LH heavy teams more than others. So I suppose I can give in to that somewhat if MLB were to make a rule limiting its use and have some understanding that it protects the level playing field to some degree.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So, to level the playing field, does it mean there should be fewer right handed pitchers because left handed hitters were promoted because they were most effective against righties who were by far in the majority?
Maybe MLB should adopt a tenth player (the short fielder) ala soft ball. Maybe if the non shift rule is adopted, you will see more teams pull in one of their outfielders to plug the perceived hole.
Note to MLB, STOP SCREWING WITH THE GAME…. There is a reason some of us prefer college basket ball and football. It is not just about the offense.
LikeLike
Did we not also see a lot of 2nd basemen playing in short right field against the not slow fleet footed lefty batters? Was that fair to the old and slow?
The only way for the old fat guys to beat the defense it to hit it over their heads. Pitchers are already fighting MLB’s trying to boost offense with juiced baseballs.
LikeLike
Not sure how I feel about this. Well, actually. I do know how I feel. I believe a player should be able to play wherever he chooses on the field
I’m sure some pitchers would love that! 😛 Sorry, the smart ___ in me comes out, whether I want it to or not…
I agree with you V, but I do find it annoying, massive shifts…
LikeLiked by 1 person
EOF always brings it.
LikeLike
Oops.. wrong paste.
LikeLike
That’s what happens when you try to eat lunch and post at the same time.
Here’s EOF:
https://twitter.com/EOF34/status/1070354622684966912
LikeLiked by 3 people
The new “trend” in baseball is to have your best hitter batting #2. The logic is to get him the most AB’s possible, while also hopefully having the leadoff hitter – who theoretically has the highest OBP – on base for #2’s increased AB’s.
And while I cannot pull up the numbers to support this new theory (and you probably would snore along with me), there is an ample set of data to back up the method.
Let’s not forget that prior to JD’s injury riddled 2018 campaign, he was the 2nd highest rated hitter in baseball behind only Mike Trout, according to the stat wonks.
I personally don’t like all the enhanced statistics, but after a few seasons of watching Dave Roberts repeatedly get his team into the World Series with very unconventional methods, it’s getting harder to argue with the theories.
And since AntMan is a believer in the value of SABRE stats, we might as well get used to it.
LikeLike
I think, too, the desire to run Acuña-Donaldson-Freeman as the top 3 enhances the need to make a solid acquisition in the OF to bat in the now open cleanup spot.
LikeLike
The only real semi-rumors today are that the Braves are still in the hunt for JTR. In fact, if you believe SiriusXM’s Craig Mish, the Braves have an offer on the table that includes Austin Riley and Mike Soroka. But that assertion was quickly squashed by DOB who tweeted “Am told that reports of #Braves offering Riley and Soroka for #Marlins’ Realmuto last summer were false and that there’s no validity to latest report that they’re offering those two currently for Realmuto.”
I have to think that where there is smoke, there must at least be some smoldering if not fire. So while the names may not be right, I can’t help but think that Thoppy is still in there pitching.
Now… that begs the question: With Mac back in the fold, why?
There are many on Atlanta sports radio that don’t think Mac is going to catch many games in 2018. They look at him more as a bench piece that can catch +/- 40 games.
Those talking heads aside, there was a pretty thorough breakdown published recently that spelled out some intriguing facts. Alan Carpenter at Tomahawk Take noted the following:
Brian McCann now has caught the 4th highest number of major league innings in history of baseball (12,823).
Here’s his catching innings:
2006-2011: All over 1,000 innings, peaked at 1,143 in 2008
2012-2014: Between 800 and 1000
2015: 1,042
2016: 757
2017: 827
2018: 511 (counts rehab appearances)
Likewise, Tyler Flowers has been scaling back time in harness as well, but he’s never had the wear and tear that McCann has endured.
Flowers exceeded 1000 catching innings only once (1052 in 2014) and has since posted 878, 686, 745, and 617 innings behind the plate.
162 games X 9 innings multiplies out to 1,458 innings per season. The Braves don’t have this covered.
I gotta admit, I’ve kind of had that feeling in the back of my mind even though I wanted (and still want to) celebrate Mac being home. I want to believe he and Flow can split the season. But intellectually, I have some doubts. I keep thinking it will work itself out somehow. In fact, I’ve kind of held out hope that Flow will be used in a trade for a real 120+ inning starting catcher.
I guess we’ll see, huh?
LikeLike
Ho-ly cow! The Cards just picked up Paul Goldschmidt.
(Carson Kelly is a guy I coveted.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Cards paid a big price for Goldschmidt but he is a pretty get for the Cards. Arguably one of the two top first baseman in the majors.
LikeLike
It should also key people into the type of return the Marlins expect for Realmuto.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep. Top pitching prospect plus top position prospect plus one more mid-tier prospect. That’s the general consensus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grinke should welcome a move from Arizona because they are not going to win for a couple of years.
LikeLike
Brian McCann now has caught the 4th highest number of major league innings in history of baseball (12,823).
Here’s his catching innings:
2006-2011: All over 1,000 innings, peaked at 1,143 in 2008
Man, what a wimp! Ted Simmons topped that number of innings 6 times!
Simmons caught 1352.2 innings one year (at 23) man, and I always felt Bobby Cox abused McCann…well, he did…
V, it’s an interesting point about the innings total, and how few he has caught the last few years. I wonder how long McCann’s knee has been bothering him? What kept him out so much in 2017?
LikeLike
amazing trade there between the Cards and Diamondbacks. For once it doesn’t seem that the D’Backs have been ripped off. Still, can you imagine say FF being traded at 31? Has to hurt to be a D’Back fan, no matter how good a trade it is down the road.
Seemed like they had a good team last year too….
LikeLike
Yes Ber, the D-Backs were still in it until the Braves took 3 of 4 from them late, it was down hill for them after that. Heck, the Mariners had a good team too but feel just short, they both faded at the end. Lots of good tickets will be available for D’back and Mariner games next season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder how long McCann’s knee has been bothering him? What kept him out so much in 2017?
Well, in 2017, Evan Gattis was still considered a catcher and caught a fair share of games. Plus the knee. But he did catch 827 innings in 2017, and that’s what AntMan referred to in interviews after the signing… that they felt Mac could give them what he worked in 2017. So if he could catch 827 innings, slash .241/.323/.436 with 18 HR’s and 62 RBI while PH’ing and DH’ing in AL parks, then he’s worth about 4 times what we’re paying him.
That said, if he can’t catch more than 40 games, which is what the local pundits are guessing, then we are in a bit of a bind. Flowers is not a 120 game catcher.
LikeLike
Has to hurt to be a D’Back fan, no matter how good a trade it is down the road. Seemed like they had a good team last year too…
They did. And then their #1 pitcher and 2nd best hitter hit the FA market.
LikeLike
Lots of good tickets will be available for D’back and Mariner games next season.
There’s a little bit of plug-and-play in Seattle though. If reports are correct and they plan to build around Mitch Haniger instead of trading him, then they’ll field an OF of Jay Bruce-Mallex Smith-Haniger. That’s not too shabby. They’ve replaced their SS with young J.P. Crawford, who was a top prospect in Philly. And Dee Gordon can come back to his more natural 2B. Anthony Swarzak, who came back from the Mets, is a capable closer. And Justus Sheffield, over from the Yankees for James Paxton, is the #3 ranked LHP prospect in all of baseball. He’s expected to start in their rotation in 2019. Their roster, as it currently stands, really isn’t that bad.
The question is if they will continue to tear down or if they will add to this core.
LikeLike
You just can’t sleep on M’s GM Jerry Dipoto. The guy is a creative wheeler and dealer and knows how to put a roster together.
LikeLike
Looks like another domino is about to fall. This will prompt NYY to re-sign JA Happ, taking him off the market, and Philly to close in on Dallas Keuchel, who will receive an overpay thanks to Patrick Corbin.
You can see the stars – no pun intended (well, maybe a little) – lining up just right.
LikeLike
LikeLike
A smart move for all involved. Look for Kimbrel to follow suit.
LikeLike
Last week, Braves president of baseball operations stated after Donaldson and McCann the Braves would not be restricted by money if there was a player to be had which made the team significantly better. This morning the Braves beat writers et al quote Thoppy saying the signing of B-Mac and Donaldson severely restrict the amount the team has to spend going forward.
These statements cannot both be true…. Who is blowing smoke? I am a reasonable fan, I don’t realistically expect the Braves to try to match the Yankees and the Dodgers in payroll but I am pretty tired of hearing the team cry “poor mouth” all the time.
If that is what they are going to do, I am going to go all in for Liberty to sell the team to someone who is willing to build a winner in Atlanta. Isn’t it about time the Big A stops being every other franchise’s b***h? Atlanta is a vibrant area despite the horrible traffic. If you are going to run with the big dogs, you have to get from under the porch. Just my two cents…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Still the “big three”……wants, needs, whatever: #1 SP, Beast Closer, OF with some heft offensively.
Lot’s of money to spend? Time to pony-up LM. You can’t have shot your wad with DONALDSON and McCANN alone.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awesomeness…
LikeLiked by 1 person
This morning the Braves beat writers et al quote Thoppy saying the signing of B-Mac and Donaldson severely restrict the amount the team has to spend going forward. These statements cannot both be true…. Who is blowing smoke?
I don’t think Thoppy said the McDonaldson (see what I did there?) signing “severely” hurts their ability to spend. What he said was “we still have money to work with, but we have to be a little more selective now because we made those moves”.
I take that to mean he can still spend money – estimated to be somewhere between $25M-$35M depending on whom you believe – but he won’t be taking any chances as they cannot afford to miss… ala BJ Upton and Kenshin Kawakami.
In other words, they would not be in on Nathan Eovaldi as there were health concerns given his two TJ surgeries. And they won’t be in on Dallas Keuchel as his numbers are trending in the wrong direction.
As Gordon listed above, we still need to address 3 areas: SP, RP and OF. So AntMan has to spend wisely and make sure we hit on all 3 with the remaining money left.
Now… all that said… I take everything Thoppy says with the proverbial grain of salt. He’s giving absolutely nothing to the press, and I can’t blame him. The more he keeps his moves close to the vest, the better his leverage remains. Remember “We are very happy with our infield right now. We aren’t really looking to add there,” Then a couple days later we are welcoming Josh Donaldson to Atlanta?
What will happen will happen. I expect nothing, yet expect much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s not forget, also, that if they do acquire another veteran starting pitcher, Julio is likely out the door. And with the current market on starting pitchers, there will be teams lining up to take on Julio at $11M for just one season.
So you can factor that $11M back into the equation.
If they acquire another OF, then Adam Duvall is likely sent on his way… and the estimated $3.1M he is projected to receive in arb is added back into the equation.
If they acquire another late inning reliever, then Arodys Vizcaino might be sent on and the $4.8 he’s projected to receive in arb is added back into the equation.
See where I’m going here?
There is money to spend, it just has to be done wisely. And I think that’s what Thoppy was saying.
Bottom line translation: don’t expect Bryce Harper, Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel. And don’t be surprised to see a name come via trade that we haven’t even batted around…
LikeLiked by 1 person
… like David Peralta.
LikeLike
Well, Gil it could be worse , could be that we rooted for the Marlins, Pirates, Oakland, AZ….
LikeLike
Ber, we went through that the past 4 years so yeah, could be a fan of Baltimore… oh, wait…
LikeLiked by 1 person
First, we are still a week in front of the Winter Meetings. The offseason is barely in motion.
Second, we seem to be reacting to a handful of media reports… and conflicting reports at that. But that is exactly what they want from us – reaction. They move the needle; we jump. It makes for more “clicks” from our end as we seek to find more news. It’s like meth, except we get to keep our teeth. Believe only about half what you read, and only then if you see it from a variety of sources.
Third, AntMan is notorious for saying one thing and doing another. Ask Blue Jays fans from his time there. He’s as stealthy as they come. It’s a tactic.
I will eat a moth if we go into spring training and haven’t upgraded the rotation, bullpen and OF.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This will remove him from the trade market, but IMO will increase the likelihood of Kluber or Bauer being dealt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s an out-of-the-box thought to toss out there…
The trade of Goldy certainly shows that ARI has gone into rebuild mode. Forget Zack Greinke and his onerous contract…
What would it take to get back both OF David Peralta and SP Robbie Ray?
Both are set to become FA after 2020, which obviously does NOT fit into any rebuild plans, so the Snakes would be well served to get something from those two interesting assets.
The 27-year-old LH Ray is just 2 years off an All-Star appearance in a campaign in which he received Cy Young votes. He’s projected to earn somewhere around $6.1M in his 2nd trip through arb.
The 31 year-old-LH Peralta earned a Silver Slugger this year when he slashed .293/.352/.516 with 30 HR and 87 RBI. The LF’er had his best numbers batting cleanup in 2018 and is projected to earn somewhere around $7.7M in his 2nd trip through arb.
What about it? To get both, you’re gonna have to pay. It’s gonna cost you a little more than the Cards gave up for just Goldy alone, but maybe only one more arm. And you’ll get two young talented assets on short commitments that fill two big boxes on the check list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Vee, you are right, time to refocus on getting the rest of our Christmas light put up before the snow hits Saturday. Getting important work done here entertaining the dog and testing lights…
LikeLiked by 3 people
You know what would get them back?
Kyle Wright, Max Fried, Drew Waters and…
… Ender Inciarte.
That would do it. Just sayin’.
LikeLike
Yep, that would work… I am sure the Braves brain trust has posed something like that trade. Still need a number one but Folty might just be able to fill those shoes now.
LikeLike
Then again, they may have a house rule against dealing with Atlanta. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Poor Ender, must feel like he is getting no love from the Atlanta faithful…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting take on the DH. I haven’t heard that one before. Seems a compromise somewhat. Given that the DH in both leagues is practically inevitable, that’s a compromise I could live with.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that would sure put the kibosh on the “opener” experiment as far as the pitching rotation goes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Braves beat writer Gabe Burns this afternoon: Why haven’t the Braves cashed in their prospect surplus? It wasn’t without trying. They were told no on outfielders Mitch Haniger of Seattle and David Peralta of Arizona.
Well, there’s that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
For you folks who do not subscribe to the Athletic, here is a link to a free peek.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that didn’t work. Try this…
http://theathletic.com/atlfreetrial
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh boy…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Wow!
LikeLike
HMMM, I wonder if Manny B.E. might have , you know…nah…he seems like a reallllllly smart guy 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remember Melky’s unimpressive stint with the Braves and how he seemingly turned it around after being traded? Well, there you go…
As for the PEDs, they are very sophisticated now and unless the testers know exactly what to look for, most are not found.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The exact opposite of “keeping things close to the vest”. I’m sure GM Mike Rizzo is cringing over this:
LikeLiked by 1 person
Talk with 75% of the Nats fans and they will tell you they are fed up with the Bryce Harper experience. Most feel with the emergence of Juan Soto and Victor Robles set to join the Nats full time, Harper will not be missed and the money Harper would demand could be better spent elsewhere. I think we saw some of that with the Nats over paying a bit for Corbin.
LikeLiked by 2 people
NOT baseball. Very moving Christian song:
An incredibly beautiful Elvis song I’ve never heard before called “One Pair of Hands”. (I just had to share it with you.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s finally here… they most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas. Baseball’s Winter Meetings!!
I’ll have boots on the ground and reporting live on all the activities in Las Vegas as they happen right here on the ol’ B&S. Well, on the ground in NEGA and live in NEGA, but diligently reporting nonetheless.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmm… not sure if I think this has merit or not. Would not seem to meld with the perception of AntMan’s goals.
For one, Keuchel would command an overpay as he’s the top remaining FA pitcher left, whether we like that or not. Also, he’s going to command a lengthier deal than AA says he’s willing to commit to. MLBTR has him as their #4 ranked FA with a contract prediction of 4 yrs/$82M. And I think DK will get that… I’ll just be surprised if it’s from the Braves, Also, if you think he might come in for less years, then think again. Agent Scott Boras won’t allow it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just shifted to some sports radio coverage and the Dallas Keuchel rumor is all the buzz.
This is MLBTR’s assessment of Keuchel’s current standing:
Keuchel, 31 in January, won the AL Cy Young award in 2015 and has since settled in as a solid but not quite spectacular starting pitcher. He and Corbin were two of only 13 pitchers this year to reach 200 innings. Keuchel is not a big strikeout guy, but the lefty has good control and keeps the ball in the yard due to a ground-ball rate that perennially ranks among the league leaders. His groundball rate actually rose as high as 66.8% in 2017, which was the best in baseball, though it fell back to 53.7% this year. Keuchel’s worm-burning tendencies pair with a sustained knack for limiting hard contact, helping him to limit home runs far better than the league-average pitcher. In 2018, he trailed only Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Zack Wheeler in terms of generating weak contact, and his opponents’ hard-contact rate was the fifth-lowest of any qualified starter (as measured by Fangraphs). That wasn’t a fluke; Keuchel ranks among the best in the league in those regards on a yearly basis.
So if you were to commit to Keuchel for 4 years at appx. $20.5M per year, for a guy who takes the ball every 5 days and will give you 200 innings, who doesn’t give out free passes, and who keeps the ball in the park; and in turn trade away Julio and his $11M this year, for a guy who has not pitched 200 innings since 2015, and has trended downward each season, and who gives up alot of walks and HR’s… I think I might not fuss too much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Granted Keuchel is not an “ace” anymore, but he’s still very good, and might would still be the #1 on this team depending on Folty’s continued improvement. #2 at worst.
And in case I didn’t emphasize it enough, he can give you innings and help prevent overusing the bullpen.
My preference? Well, Corey Kluber of course. But the word is that the Indians are asking for the moon and stars in early trade feelers. I’m not giving up a universe for anybody.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
Just for the purpose of discussion only, a rotation of Keuchel, Folty, Newk, Gaus and Touki/Soroka/Wright/Wilson/Fried, etc. would not hurt my feelings. Would it be the best in the division? Well, simply said… no. But then again. your talking about the Mets with deGrom, Thor, Wheeler, and Matz, and of course there’s WAS with Scherzer, Corbin, and Strasberg. Philly has a nice pair with Nola and Arrieta, and is out there in Las Vegas with the intent to add another big name.
If AntMan were to add Keuchel, it does 2 things. It does lengthen the whole staff somewhat by adding an quality experienced pitcher that should eat alot of innings. You have to hope that Folty & Co. will be better with another year under their belts, and you hope that a real start will emerge from the Touki/Soroka crowd. That could happen. All these stars we talk about were rookies at some point and many had standout rookie campaigns. It can happen.
But the 2nd thing I alluded to is it a FA signing of DK instead of giving up the farm for Kluber, etc. leaves the prospect stock intact to then turn back to Mitch Haniger or David Peralta or whomever. So while you may not have the same rotation as NYM or WAS, you should still produce runs consistently.
And let’s not forget that the catcher situation really isn’t as settled as we’ve accepted. There is buzz that ATL is still beating the bushes for a #1 catcher with the thought of trading Flow. We may need some of those vaunted prospects to make a deal for a receiver.
As the great Joaquin Andujar once said, “I can sum it up in one word: youneverkow.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
If AntMan were to add Keuchel, it does 2 things.
It actually does 3 things… also keeping him away from the Phillies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One more thing on Dallas Keuchel and I’ll leave it alone.
I know it’s not a popular option here at the ol’ B&S. I get that. It’s not #1 on my wish list either. But…
Is Folty / Keuchel better than Folty / Julio? How about Folty / Anibal?
That’s a YES on both accounts.
So while DK may not be #1 on any of our lists, he would still serve to improve the rotation, not to mention serve as a nice mentor for another young emerging lefty with a nifty curveball, Sean Newcomb.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A couple of observations about Keuchel: 1) He already has a WS ring so he is not overly concerned about checking off that box.. translation, He will be more interested in adding to his wallet than trophy case. 2) He is a Scott Boras client.. translation His agent is more interested in adding to his wallet than Keuchel’s trophy case. 3) Keuchel is 31 yo. He is looking for one last big payday to assure his retirement is a comfortable one. Translation.. He will be looking to add to his wallet. Just in case there is any doubt what his objective will be.
LikeLiked by 1 person
One more thing, has anyone ever (I am sure they have) looked at a pitcher’s splits hurling indoors vs outdoors? Cold weather vs hot? I know they make a big deal of righty vs lefty but there are lots of other variables to consider.
Oh, one more thing: Biggest joke of the day… Harold Baines voted into the HOF by the Veterans Committee. It is officially a sham …
LikeLiked by 1 person
The power went off this AM for about two hours. Since there was no flicker, I am betting it was shut down to make a repair somewhere along the line. Thank goodness for generators.
We ended up with about 14 inches of the white stuff. Not an all time record but a heck of an average…
I am incline to believe Margie lost her power again. She has been quiet the past couple of days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Translation.. He will be looking to add to his wallet. Just in case there is any doubt what his objective will be.
Can be said for every free agent on the market.
LikeLike
Well, Brian McCann had a different agenda so there are a few who will offer a “hometown” discount.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The McCann-Keuchel connection intrigues me. If the rumors have any merit to them at all, which is of course, a complete mystery, then you know that AntMan has had conversations with Mac about Keuchel. And if Mac gives Keuchel is “full endorse-ment” (bonus Fred McGriff reference), then I can’t think too poorly about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Discussions with whom?
LikeLiked by 1 person
😆
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heyman now walking it back a bit…
LikeLike
The poop out of Vegas today regarding Kluber~Bauer is that the Indians don’t really want to trade Kluber, but will rightly listen to all offers in the event someone blows them out of the water. But the do want to trade Bauer, and are hoping that teams will see him as a “fallback” and still make a hefty offer, even if not Kluberian.
LikeLiked by 1 person
His brother-in-law had a baby? I bet he does need help… among other things…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Funny he did not mention his sister… Weird family or was it his wife’s kin?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am of the opinion the Braves will not have to trade any of their top 4 or 5 prospects. Folks should bare in mind that the Braves prospects number 15-30 are still better than many teams top 15.
They will not have to trade Riley or Wright or even Pache’ to acquire other talent. That will not prevent other teams from asking for them but most major league teams have scouts who can recognize top tier players.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Okay, it is nap time. Maybe the Braves will have pulled off a trade by the time I wake up. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Castellanos’ 2018 in DET: .298/.354/.500, 23 HR’s, only under contract through 2019 (his final arbitration year). Nice offensively, but baaad defensively. Not just bad, but baaad. His defense is offensive.
No thanks. I’ll pass.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting to me that the Braves were clearing a roster spot.
As for Rio, he had no chance of making this team in 2019, and in all honesty his window of opportunity closed last year when he couldn’t make a serious run at it when it was wide open. When the Braves went out and signed Ryan Flaherty to play 3B, you knew Rio’s time here had dried up. (See what I did there?) His chances here have now run their course. (Again.) You can bank on it. (I’m here all week.)
Seriously, I hope a change of scenery helps bridge to the next step. (I’ll stop now.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Waiver claims all over the place today as teams are making room for possible Rule 5 additions on Thursday. For the Braves, there are only 2 real possibilities in their own ranks to be lost, RHP Josh Graham and OF Travis Demeritte. And really just one as it would take a miracle for a team to take a flyer on Demeritte since he’d have to remain in an active roster all season. I just can’t see that happening.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes: Julio, Flow, Johan, Ender… maybe in that order.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
Translation: Try not to get too emotionally attached to any player as you are likely to get your heart broken… It is a business after all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. This is known as “selling high”. And the “filling multiple needs” part means a top pitcher (with a big contract one must assume) would be coming back along with an OF.
Greinke and Peralta from ARI maybe?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gabe Burns said last night the Braves are not remotely considering Zack Greinke.
LikeLike
It appears that NYM has tried to involve NYY to facilitate a way to acquire JTR. Sticking with the theme, BVW is determined to make a major splash at his first Winter Meetings as the newly minted GM.
LikeLike
LikeLike
If BVW were to allow Thor to cross the East River to the Bronx, he might not be allowed back in Queens.
LikeLike
There’s a fine line between aggressive and foolish. Not saying BVW is on one side or the other. But it does appear to be a close margin.
LikeLike
LikeLike
I don’t think there is any doubt Realmuto will not be in a Marlins jersey in 2019. To be sure,, given that the Marlins are in a serious rebuild mode and really need to get quality for their only really valuable trade piece left.
Unlike Stanton who was moved purely as a payroll cutting move. If the Marlins pull a Dave Steward and trade for a guy who is a bust, Dereck Jeter’s tenure as a GM will be short lived.
LikeLike
I don’t think there is any doubt Realmuto will not be in a Marlins jersey in 2019.
By most accounts, JTR will not be in a Marlins jersey by the time these meetings conclude.
LikeLike
If MIA’s asking price has indeed come back toward reality, as Joel Sherman reported yesterday, then AntMan should continue to engage. In all reality, there is not another team that can provide a better package for the Fish than can ATL. The only real issue is as to whether their ask is reasonable or not.
LikeLike
So here is the question I will post to the crowd…
Is 2 years of JT Realmuto worth the price of say Kyle Wright, Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson? Because that’s still about what it would take.
LikeLike
No.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Upon further review, Kyle Wright may well be a bit of an overpay. By all accounts Wright may well be the Braves pitching version of Ronald Acuna Jr.
The Braves launder is fairly well stocked with good young arms, I don’t know why they would trade their best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know why they would trade their best.
Because that’s whom other teams are asking for. But it’s still early.
Gabe Burns noted in a column overnight that there are pitchers in the Braves system that Baseball America rates highly, but that the Braves themselves may not rate as highly… and that’s the ones the Braves are trying to make more available in talks. But it’s completely understandable that other teams – the Marlins, the Indians, etc. – would prefer Touki, Soroka or Wright.
Heck, I do too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
On the ever evolving JTR front, Marlins beat writer Joe Frisaro tweeted these overnight:
Refresher from busy night regarding Marlins J.T. Realmuto. The Mets are among three teams (other two not confirmed) most aggressively in mix for the All-Star catcher. Many other teams still monitoring. The three way Marlins Mets Yankees trade considered a long shot.
The perception is Marlins high asking price has dried up market for J.T. Realmuto. The Mets may be the most practical fit. I still believe another surprise or two team is out there. The Twins had checked in, but don’t appear to be a match.
I post these here only to make the distinction that even though the Marlins asking price was supposedly coming back to reality according to Joel Sherman, it still is high enough to narrow the possible suitors to just a small handful.
As for me, I am close to suffering from Realmuto burnout. Let’s just take our toys and go home.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s about where I stand this morning on Realmuto…
I hope the Mets do trade away Thor to get JTR. I’d rather face Realmuto for a 12 AB’s in a series rather than Noah Syndegaard for 100 pitches.
And I think I’m not opposed to Thoppy checking back in on Wilson Ramos instead. I have become a little skiddish on the prospects of going into 2019 with McFlowers behind the plate. I’m just not sure those two can handle 162 games. I loved the Mac signing, and still do in some respects, but can he catch 70-80 games? Uh… I just don’t know. And I’m not cinfident Flow can give us more than 80-90.
Maybe I’m wrong. I hope I am.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll just leave this here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As it should be. IMO, Folty has established himself as someone you build around.
LikeLike
I don’t think I like this.
LikeLike
This could come back to haunt us several times a year.
LikeLike
Wow! 😯
LikeLike
Michael Brantley has been asking for 3 yrs/$60M, which Thoppy has said he is not comfortable doing. 3/50? That might be more reasonable. Maybe Cutch’s deal will help grease the skids on Brantley.
LikeLike
Well… here we go into the last day of meetings with the Rule 5 draft on the board for tomorrow followed by alot of flights outbound.
I’d say there’s a better than good chance that AntMan will leave tomorrow without a starting pitcher or RF. He might fill a bullpen or bench slot through the Rule 5 draft, but chances are he’ll leave with what he arrived with.
I cannot say I’ll be disappointed per se, as his M.O. is to set talks in motion at the meetings and close deals in the next couple weeks after. But I was hopeful that he might do something to get us a little excited at the least.
Oh well… patience is still a virtue.
Pitchers and catchers report in just 65 days.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A roundup of the overnight rumors…
Mark Sheldon, MLB.com: The Reds have expressed interest in Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte; however, no trade is imminent, and it’s not clear what the Braves asked for in return.
TR Sullivan, MLB.com: The Rangers have engaged in trade discussions with the Braves. Pitching-starved Texas is seeking young and controllable arms. The Rangers’ most notable outfielders (include) lefty-swingers Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo.
Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register: Deals that don’t require surrendering top prospects remain theoretically in play. Julio Teheran is the type of trade target that might be within their reach.
And finally, our own Mark Bowman, MLB.com: As the Braves wait to see how the market develops for Nick Markakis and Carlos Gonzalez, they’ll do the same for Michael Brantley, who will likely only become a potential target if the offseason evolves to the point where he’s willing to accept less than a three-year deal.
While Ender Inciarte has drawn interest from other clubs and stands as a valuable trade chip, the Braves’ desire to keep the three-time Gold Glove Award winner is rooted in the fact his presence allows them to widen their scope for an outfielder. “Knowing we have him in center field allows us to at least discuss taking on a defender who is not as strong [but attractive] because the bat is that much better,” Anthopoulos said.
“We’re happy with what we have behind the plate,” Anthopoulos said. “If any great players are available via trade, we’re not doing our job if we don’t explore that. I just don’t know if it’s fair for me to comment on what Miami [is thinking]. I certainly wouldn’t want them going on the record with what I was talking about with them.
LikeLike
Yes, we Braves fans all wait with baited breath for news on who will be patrolling the outfield for ATL in 2019.
LikeLike
Ugh, I just don’t get the appeal of a guy who hit in a hitters paradise like AZ,
and hit 21 HRs .257, .316 OBP . Also, at 31 now, he hasn’t played more than 113 games in the last 3 years! I’d rather take a chance on Brantley….
By Mark Polishuk | December 12, 2018 at 9:52am CDT
The Braves have discussed offering a contract to free agent A.J. Pollock, The Athletic’s David O’Brien writes (subscription required). Atlanta is known to be casting a wide net for outfield help so it isn’t any surprise that Pollock is one of the team’s many options under consideration. The 31-year-old would, however, be one of the costlier names available, both in terms of money — Pollock is reportedly looking for an $80MM deal — and in draft compensation, as Pollock rejected a qualifying offer from the Diamondbacks. The Braves would have to give up their third-highest selection in the 2019 draft for signing Pollock, though GM Alex Anthopoulos indicated that wouldn’t be an obstacle. Pollock has spent the vast majority of his career as a center fielder but would likely shift to a corner position in Atlanta given Ender Inciarte’s outstanding glovework, though Inciarte has himself been the subject of some trade speculation.
LikeLike
Ber, the phrase “The Braves have discussed…” means nothing. I would imagine they discussed every player that is on the FA market. There is no tangible reason to believe that the Braves have any substantial interest in AJ Pollock.
Fake news.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hearing the Rangers being connected to the Braves again. Just rumors, of course. But why do they make more sense than some other frivolous rumors?
… and the Rangers are in the exact opposite position. They have the sticks, but no pitching. It just seems a natural fit.
LikeLike
One more thought on the action, or lack thereof.
Overall, there really hasn’t been alot of trades and/or signings by anyone. Let’s face it, the big signing at the meetings thus far has been Cutch going to the Phillies, and he’s not exactly Bryce Harper v2. In fact, the Phils overpaid for what Cutch is worth. (As an aside, that signing might have set the bar for other FA OF’s, and set it too high. That could push Thoppy even more toward the trade market for an OF instead of a FA signing.)
There will be more action, likely before the calendar turns to 2019. AA has himself said he’s made some great progress here on the pitching front, which could develop momentum in the following says.
Here’s how I see the natural progression of things…
As things currently stand, there is about $30M left to play with. And while that might sound like alot, it’s not much to split between a starting pitcher, starting OF, reliever and bench piece.
If AntMan can acquire a new veteran starter, most likely via trade, then he can trade Julio and open up another $11M in payroll space. That $11M by itself can take care of the reliever and bench pieces. And thus AA can do his OF shopping in the main aisle and not have to go back to the clearance rack.
So watch for the pitching trade to occur first. That’s the linchpin. Everything else hinges on what can be accomplished on that front.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mildly surprising. I would not have been disappointed to bring him here for 2 years, but maybe not at $15M per year.
LikeLike
Would you want Puig for 1 year at $11M? I can’t say I’d be against it. Maybe not my #1 choice, but I could live with it… especially if I can then pay a little more to a pitcher.
And just a 1 year commitment.
LikeLike
Heard it said today that the Braves are definitely OUT on Zack Greinke, not because of his contract or his age, but because they feel he’s not a “good fit” for the clubhouse. In other words, he’s a head case and they want no part of that. Definitely prioritizing the chemistry on the team.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Guys, for 11MM for one year I would be glad to have Matt Kemp back. Nothing wrong with his bat when healthy.
Don’t expect the Braves to trade Julio and all 11 MM of his contract. The fact the Braves are trying to unload him is a red flag. My expectation is the Braves will want to package him with prospects for an outfielder.
They will keep him on the roster for a final year before they will release him.
LikeLike
Hey, guys, Gil’s new lead is up!
LikeLike