John Hart has taken over for Frank Wren as the Braves’ GM and is currently serving on an interim basis. The Braves have reportedly offered Hart the job on a permanent basis as well, although it’s not clear whether he’ll accept it. Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has recent comments from Hart that offer insight into how his tenure might go, however long it lasts.
- Don’t expect a complete rebuild, Hart says. “We don’t need an overhaul. It’s not a disaster. But there are certainly some things we need to take a look, although I’m not at liberty to discuss names right now.”
- To the extent that the Braves do make high-impact moves, they will likely come through trades rather than the free agent market. “There are economic challenges,” Hart says. The Braves have significant commitments in place for 2015 for Dan Uggla, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman.
- Hart adds that the Braves lack speed and veteran leadership.
- Schultz notes that since Hart is currently only working on an interim basis, the team’s first key orders of business will likely be to find a new GM and to decide whether Fredi Gonzalez will stay on at manager. Then, Schultz opines that the Braves should remove B.J. Upton from their roster and should trade Justin Upton and Evan Gattis.
Guess we won’t see John as much on the set of MLB.TV.
If they can rid themselves of BJ, Chris Johnson, and Fredi, as well as get something decent in return for J-Up and Gattis, that will make me happy. I just want to see a more balanced ball club offensively, one that can run and hit situationally. I’m excited to see this offseason develop.
Um, that’s a HUGE unload from a team that doesn’t need to unload more than BJ and Fredi & hitting coaches.
La Stella needs to be back on 2nd, not sure what Fredi’s love affair w/ Phil was, but La Stella is a better fit IMO (which means nothing).
Not a huge fan of Phil Gosselein either, but La Stella isn’t very good vs. RHP – which is a major problem. His defense doesn’t bode well for him either. He’s a bookmark for Jose Peraza who is a much better hitter and would be the fastest man on the team, when he’s ready.
The team really needs to consider moving BJ to LF/RF before they get rid of him. His defense isn’t good enough to cover CF – despite what he thinks (who cares anyway?) – and JHey or Bonifacio could cover CF.
I don’t understand trading JUp unless the package blows us away. He only has 1 year remaining on his deal. ATL has enough to afford one of JUp or JHey, but not both. This will be a big year for JHey in 2015.
I’m of the opinion that CJ is as big of a detriment to this lineup as BJ is. The statistics may not completely support that, but CJ’s OBP is sub .300, which is unacceptable for a guy that offers nothing defensively and only hits singles. Additionally, he very rarely makes productive outs.
As for justin and gattis, gattis is a huge defensive liability anywhere, and justin is pretty much useless when he’s not on a hot streak. Now that I think about it a little more, they probably need to choose one or the other.
It also sounds like this peraza kid is someone they could really use. If they had some combination of him, la Stella, and gosselin at 2nd, 3rd, and center, that wouldn’t be the worse thing on earth.
I wouldn’t say he offers nothing defensively. This was his least horrible year, defensively. At the rate he’s improving, he’ll be a league average defender in 2017, and then we can say he offers nothing. We just have to be patient.
True you need a lineup that can manufacture runs, but you also need a manager that puts them in positions and utilizes their skills to get those runs. Fredi does not do that. We’re in the middle of MLB in SB, yet we have had Bonifacio (half a year) and BJ Upton. Sure, not much speed throughout the lineup, but between them and JHey/JUp/etc., we should create more havoc on the basepaths. Interesting to note that although ATL ranks in the top-10 (MLB) in HR/ab ratio, they’re next to last (SD) in XBH, and dead last in sacrifice flys.
Gonzalez not only has guys with mediocre OBP in the leadoff spot, but then he doubles down and has .240 hitters in the two-hole. No wonder Freeman can’t crack 80 RBI.
Trade Justin Upton and Gattis? No thanks. Keep both.
The Braves need at least one more regular player who has high batting average and high on base. He wouldn’t need power, and speed would be nice but not necessary, either. If they can’t find this, they aren’t going to get better.
No way, Jose (Peraza) — and he’s speedy…not like Fredi would use it. They don’t call him The Governor because he likes speed.
Braves have 3 positions they need to solve this offseason: 3B, 2B and CF.
First order of business: Just trade BJ Upton + cash to the Cubs for Edwin Jackson. Maybe Roger McDowell can fix him, and both players need a change of scenery.
Second: Trade Justin Upton and/or Evan Gattis. Justin is in his last season of his contract, Braves aren’t going to be able to afford him long-term and he just had a career year, great time to trade him.
Potential fits for Justin and/or Gattis, Yankees, Astros, and Dodgers.
Names of interest: (Brett Gardner, Martin Prado, Dexter Fowler, Jose Altuve, Carl Crawford, Scott Van Slyke, Matt Kemp and Dee Gordon).
Third: Find a platoon partner for Chris Johnson at 3B.
Other moves will be surrounding the pitching staff, Harang, Floyd and Santana are free agents, decide whether Kris Medlen and Beachy will be tendered contracts. Find a lety specialist for the bullpen, improve your bench, Gerald Laird, Ryan Doumit and Emilio Bonifacio are free agents.
Why please tell me why would Theo Epstein allow his GM to trade for BJ Upton?
There are reports that his name was discussed in an effort for the Cubs to rid themselves of Edwin Jackson. Salary dump for Salary dump, maybe Theo thinks BJ is better than what his shown and a change of scenery would help him.
Can’t see the Braves interested in any of the names you listed for JUpton/Gattis trades, except Altuve and Gordon and I doubt they get either in a trade.
The problems with the names that I mentioned above are mainly the contract that comes along with those names. But money aside, they do make sense, Dee Gordon, Jose Altuve, Dexter Fowler, Carl Crawford and Brett Gardner all have speed and could lead off for Atlanta.
And as for the other guys on that list, well they need to replace Gattis/Upton’s power production. Martin Prado’s ability to play 2B and 3B would be great, he is a good hitter as we know, and would make a good bridge to Perraza.
Imagine this trade: Evan Gattis and Justin Upton for Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon and Scott Van Slyke.
2B Dee Gordon (326 OBP, 64 SB)
LF Scott Van Slyke (387 OBP, 913 OPS)
1B Freddie Freeman (849 OPS)
RF Matt Kemp (842 OPS)
CF Jason Heyward
3B Chris Johnson/Platoon
C Christhian Bethancourt
SS Andrealton Simmons
Pitcher
That’s a very good lineup.
If money is not part of the equation, then your Gattis/Upton trade fills all the Braves needs and would help the team improve. I would touch Matt Kemp with his current contract though.
It would be nice to get Prado back. He was a big spark in the clubhouse.
Also, sign Alex Wood and Jason Heyward to long term deals
As long as we pay JHey closer to his production and not the sky-high potential projections that everyone has had for him since he entered the league. He’s not “the next Henry Aaron”, so please don’t pay him as such.
Exactly
Maybe I’ve been traumatized by Doug Melvin, but saying a team needs veteran leadership is usually a pretty big negative. Saying you want that (old players) and speed but you have economic challenges is… I dunno, maybe not impossible, but pretty close.
Very true. I don’t know if they really do need more veterans. Perhaps they can get veteran leadership in the form of a new manager? Fredi’s style takes after bobby cox’s own managing style, but Fredi does not seem to be able to command the same respect (perhaps he has a lack of umm… LEADERSHIP skills). Bo Porter seemed to get a lot out of his young guys in Houston.
trade 1 of JHey/ justin upton (which ever one wont sign long term as easily) trade gattis, shop lastella and minor. maybe add lastella,Minor, shae simmons to a BJ trade to entice someone to take on a hefty portion of BJs salary. used the saved money to get a legit number 3 to go along with Julio and wood, then try and get a high OBP CF as a part of a Gatiis or Heyward/J Upton trade
If the Braves are willing to play rookies next year, they could solve the speed problem by bringing up Perarza and Kubitza for 2B and 3B. The veteran leadership – free agent OF and trade Justin Upton perhaps for a top prospect?
I really don’t think the Braves are in as much trouble as everyone seems to think. It’s not a perfect situation yet they have a decent cost controlled core in Teahran, Wood, Freeman, Simmons, Gattis and Kimbrel.
You’re right, but it’s the supporting cast that keeps being the problem. What you’re not accounting for is the other 3 pitchers needed in a rotation. I’m hoping that one of Beachy/Medlen could give us something, but Medlen realistically might not be coming back considering he’s arb-eligible and ATL might not take that kind of financial risk – especially if they don’t have available funds. It’s a short list of people that have made it back from 2 TJ surgeries successfully, though I think MadDog could be one of the best of ’em.
Yeah because thats the way to improve a poor offensive club, by trading two of your best offensive players in J Upton and Gattis….
JUpton will only be around for one more year, and Gattis needs the option to DH to stay healthy. Braves should take advantage of their value while they can.