I'm writing a series of guest posts at FanGraphs, one of the first places baseball fans go for top analysis and stats. Today, I examine the Braves and show how they avoided free agency this winter. Next offseason will likely be different, though. Click through to see what lies ahead in Atlanta.
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Excellent article and analysys, BNS.
It just feels like every year, the Braves have someone coming up from the farm to take over a need on the major league roster. Their behind the scene guys (scouting, player development, etc.) deserve a lot of credit for churning out such quality on a consistent basis.
Glad you liked it, ECB.
– BNS
Good one BNS!
Very cool piece. The Braves definitely have a green thumb in their minor leagues.
Can’t wait for more like this one.
Really good job on the article BNS
really fluid writing style and very accurate and informative
Thanks, Lunchbox45!
– BNS
I’m really not so sure what the Bravos will do next year when it comes to CF and SS. Hopefully Jordan Schafer will be major league ready by that time so we don’t have to worry. If not, Cory Harrilchak might be ready by that time or we could could just do a stop-gap deal until 2012 when Harrilchak/Schafer should definitely be ready. Or maybe we could go after one of the members of the pretty darn good free agent class and save Harrilchak/Schafer for left field when Chipper is gone and Prado is back at third. We have plenty of options lol. For SS, I really have zero idea. Pastornicky might be ready at that time and could man it until a better one (Salcedo, Mycal Jones, Lipka) arrives. Maybe Brandon Hicks will live up to his old potential. This year is going to be an interesting one when it comes to Braves farm system development. CF and SS are two important positions.
Given our pitching surplus, we should have quite a few trade chips in the coming years. I presume we will be using them for SS, CF and LF/3B.
Though CLE has said that Carmona and Sizemore are not on the trading block, their contracts are steep for a small-market (rebuilding) squad like the Tribe. They have an expensive option on Sizemore that, like McClouth with ATL, I don’t see them picking up unless he performs incredibly. And even then, I’m sure CLE would sell high at the trade deadline for him.
With that being said, what does one think about at the trade deadline – provided that both are healthy and performing about at their career levels – what about a trade involving Jurrjens for Sizemore? I’m sure we could put together a small package of prospects, while not including Jurrjens, but as Jurrjens is affordable, CLE could take on his salary, while building for the future. Only if he builds on his potential, while staying healthy though. I think this is a reach, especially knowing how much we have committed to McLouth in 2011, but I really like Sizemore’s makeup much more than McLouth.