Who will catch for the Braves in 2015? It’s liable to be a question of interest all offseason long as several roster moves could depend on the outcome. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explores the conundrum. We’ve previously seen speculation that the Braves will deal Evan Gattis to an AL club so defense-first prospect Christian Bethancourt can start. Alternatively, the club could deal an outfielder and move Gattis to left field. While there are a lot moving parts to consider, it’s hard to ignore both Jason Heyward and Justin Upton are set to become free agents following the season and will be expensive to re-sign. Meanwhile, Gattis will earn around $600k next season and is club controlled through 2018.
- Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. cited changes in Jerome Williams’ approach and rotation depth as reasons for yesterday’s contract extension, reports Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Depth is certainly an issue for the Phillies rotation. Cliff Lee ended the season on the disabled list, Kyle Kendrick is a free agent, and only Cole Hamels and David Buchanan finished the season healthy. Another possible factor, A.J. Burnett, is weighing a mutual option. When asked about Burnett, Amaro said, “my inclination is that he’s going to want to pitch. He’s a competitive guy.”
- Yasmany Tomas makes a lot of sense for a number of teams, but insiders are pointing to the Phillies as the current front runners, according to Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Martino spoke with a rival executive who noted the Phillies have the money to reach a deal with Tomas – which could possibly reach nine figures. More to the point, they have a thin farm system and a desire to turn around quickly. That could make the Cuban market more attractive for the club. Another source said to Martino, “don’t count out the Tigers.”
I feel that a trade that us braves fans wont like its coming :(.
I feel that too. I think trading Gattis at all to hand over the starting job to Bethancourt would be a mistake unless we got a substantial return.
Gattis in LF……
No
I’m not opposed to it, as an insurance policy. If Gattis can’t defend and Bethancourt doesn’t kill the Braves, you trade Gattis at the break. If Bethancourt stinks as I expect him to, you move Gattis back behind the plate and get an OF (this assumes Justin or Heyward is traded)
You feel one of Heyward or Upton simply has to be moved at some point before the deadline.
As for Tomas, he makes sense for both Detroit and Philly and while only one of those teams can realistically contend next year it will probably come down to what it generally does…who puts the most dollars on the table.
I think the best way to go would be to sign Heyward to a multi year and then flip him to a team that overvalues WAR this offseason. I don’t ever see his value being any higher and we won’t be able to afford him and Upton anyway.
Gattis is bad defensively at all positions but can hit bombs all night. Bethancourt is supposed to be a defensive whiz but can’t hit. Maybe the Braves can trade both of them for a catcher who can hit a little and who can defend a little.
Seriously though, I have no idea what the Braves should do. Maybe trade Justin and Gattis for a prospect package that includes the next CF and 3B…and hope that CB learns how to hit.
Whatever happens, please don’t ask Gattis to play the OF ever again. He is too big, too slow, and not athletic enough to play in the OF.
Is Gattis really that much worse than say a Matt Holliday in LF?
Sure his O comps aren’t there (yet) but if he were to give you some progression to the tune of 270/340/500 then I don’t think that can be discounted even if you stick him in LF, certainly not if the Braves have to consider dealing JUp & JHey because of impending walk years
Especially since–for better or worse–the Phillies think they can contend without rebuilding, I see them signing Tomas. Since they, amazingly, are consistently unable to develop ANY even halfway decent outfielders, Tomas is really their only option. If they’re honest with themselves over how bad their situation is, their offer will blow every other team’s financial commitment out of the water (as they are prone to doing anyway–see Papelbon, Howard, etc.)
At the moment, they’ve got Roman Quinn (former SS prospect, now moved to CF to accommodate the fact that they’ve got JP Crawford drafted the following year), who did pretty well for himself this past year. They’ve got a few other OF prospect that have potential as well, though most are in the lower minors.
That said, I don’t think anybody realistically thinks the Phillies could contend for anything better than a 2nd WC berth in 2015 (heck, they were only 6 wins out of 2nd place in their division this year, though that wouldn’t have gotten them into the playoffs). I also think you’re rather misinformed about how much the Phillies tend to spend on international FAs.
He’s not making a point as to what they spend on international talent.(which aside of the disaster signing of MAG as been $0) He’s making a point that Amaro has a history of overpaying/bidding against himself for no reason and with how awful the Phillies OF has been plus with how they have nothing internal, making a huge play (i.e. overpaying) for Tomas is there only play to improve that area of their roster in the short term.
It’s really way, way too early to call signing MAG to a 3-year deal at $4MM/year a disaster.
That said, I understood what he meant, but the Phillies’ policy on international FAs is very, very different from the domestic ones, and you really can’t lump the two together just because one IFA would be a quick, and possibly significant, improvement (incidentally, other than LF, the outfield was actually completely acceptable, even though Byrd K’d more than I’d like).
Ryu, Tanaka and Castillo would all have done the same thing as well, but you didn’t see them spending enough to land those players.
The Braves will be left without a single productive outfielder following the 2015 season. If they really want to let Bethancourt catch they should trade Gattis for a hitter that can actually play the OF.
So let me ask others in here. What about a contract swap with the Indians? The other Upton for Swisher + whatever cash has to be exchange the make the deal feasible. Or is this just a fools dream?
Makes no sense for Cleveland
I wouldn’t believe so either…would certainly for the Braves all things considered…
Again I ask most, what in the world are legit contract swaps for BJ?
None really. That’s the problem. He’s that bad. There wasn’t one to be had for Uggla either. They should just release him and be done with it.
Your Swisher proposal has next to no chance of happening even with money coming from the Braves.
The Phillies would trade Ryan Howard for BJ and the Angels would trade Josh Hamilton for BJ Upton, not that those trades would help Atlanta much.
Exactly. You’d need a trade that matched up with both money and actual team needs. That’s why the Howard for A-Rod trades don’t make much sense.
Andre Ethier for BJ Upton
Edwin Jackson for BJ Upton + cash
Edwin Jackson.
Yeah I figured as much, just wanted some input. Ty Murph ^
Is Heyward in CF and BJ in RF > BJ in CF and Heyward in RF?
Heyward in CF with BJ not in the lineup > BJ in CF and in the lineup.
I think Heyward covering both and having an extra infielder right behind the 2nd base bag or something would be better
Maybe just go with two outfielders and let either Upton or Heyward bat twice. You’d give up some defense but that would lengthen the lineup out a bit.
Wait, so Nick Swisher for BJ Upton straight up with the Indians kicking money?
Heck yeah if I am the Braves id do that…
While Swish isn’t exactly what he used to be, he is a great clubhouse presence and can help some of the younger guys out…basically he’s everything BJ isn’t as far as a personality standpoint…
He could also play a corner in ATL moving JHey to CF…
I don’t see a deal like this existing with the numbers but I wouldn’t turn it down if it came across a desk or phone line if I’m the Braves
By the way, I meant the Braves kick in some of the variance in the contracts just so I don’t get killed over that
Nick Swisher certainly hasn’t played well but hes not as bad as BJ Upton
you’re right hes worse
The real question at this point is, what is a realistic bad contract swap for BJ that would help the clubhouse
And then focus on whether it needs to be two of Gattis, JHey, JUp that get sent out as well…
If they keep either JHey or JUp they darn well better be doing it on the basis of locking that individual up, otherwise, deal them and get pieces…this team is not winning a WS in 2015 anyways.
For me, I’d look at the BJ contract swap, I’d then try to deal Gattis to Houston for Dexter Fowler + and see if I can get a quick extension done there and then depending on where the return provides it for BJ, I’d look seriously into dealing one of the other two based on the better return offered for each
LOOK PEOPLE gattis will not be traded for two main reasons.1) power hitters like him dont come along but once in a lifetime and dont grow on trees and 2)they want to hold onto him in case bethancourt doesnt pan out
“Once in a lifetime” and Evan Gattis don’t belong in the same sentence. He’s a nice story and a good bat. But let’s not confuse it anymore than that. He ranked 18th in ISO last year (that’s a pure power number that disregards average). Of those 17 guys ahead of him, only 2 (Juan Francisco and Chris Carter) had lower OBP. That’s not a “once in a lifetime” player – those are guys who sell out for power.
Yeah and I don’t expect his OBP to improve a ton given his discipline at the plate…this far in and the down and away Slider makes him look like a sucker…
As far as the guy who said it “won’t happen”…well, I talk to a source close to the team on a regular basis and they aren’t putting out reports saying he’s available if he wasn’t available…PLUS add to the fact that John Hart specifically stated the brain trust wants someone defensive minded behind the plate and that tells you all you really need to know
thats your opinion and your entitled to it but i respectfully disagree and wonder what you will be saying when my post proves truthful
I really have a hard time seeing any “bad contract” swap for BJ Upton. He has 45 million and three years left. And he has been historically bad, way below replacement. I don’t even think the Edwin Jackson thing makes sense as you could at least put him in the bullpen and hope something clicks. I think you cut him or realize you have a 15 million dollar a year 5th outfielder who can run a bit and double switch. Just look at him like a super expensive, slightly less talented Jarrod Dyson without any upside.
I would tend to agree with you but if the Braves don’t get something in return or a monetary relief of some kind and they keep him, then BJ will be playing, not sitting the bench…
They have a history of this…
If he’s getting benched again it’s going to take another poor 1/3 season performance
Who knows, maybe he snaps out of it for a bit. If he is playing decent at the trade deadline maybe you try to move him then. No doubt though, if he is on the roster he will be starting. He has always been streaky and you never know; maybe he resembles an MLB outfielder next year.
Edwin Jackson’s remaining contract: 2015: $11M, 2016: $11M
BJ Upton’s remaining contract: 2015: $14.4M, 2016: $15.4M, 2017:$16.4M
Difference of $24.2 Million
Adding Alex Wood to the deal I could see the Cubs then willing to call it even…
Braves Rotation: Tehran / Minor / Medlen / Beachy / Jackson / Hale
(Braves resign Harang)
Cubs Rotation: Arrieta / A. Wood / Hendricks / T. Wood / Turner
Doubront / Straily (Cubs want Lester too)
You won’t get that- at most you might get Pastornicky thrown in. The Braves aren’t committed to fully rebuilding yet- unless you see Heyward and Justin traded.
Quick question- I know Braves fans would HATE this idea but have you thought about trading Freeman and moving Gattis to 1st? Obviously Freeman would bring a HUGE haul, maybe Matt Carpenter and Kolton Wong from STL? Or maybe Mookie Betts and Henry Owens from BOS? Doing so will also allow you to save money to resign one or both or Upton and Heyward, and this move would also allow you to make Bethancourt the everyday catcher. Theres a lot of positives out of this trade
They tried Gattis at 1st last year. It was a disaster. Freeman also is a better hitter and much better defender.
Heres an idea Braves fans, I know this might so bad at first but think about it. Moving Gattis to 1st and trading Freddie Freeman to BOS for Mookie Betts and Henry Owens.
Pros
-You get a 21 year old phenom stud in Betts who posted a 2.1 WAR in less than 200 AB’s. He has great contact and OBP abilities, has decent power, has speed, and good defense. In other words, a younger, cheaper, contolled Jason Heyward
-You get one of the best left handed pitching proepcts in Owens
– You solve you’re catching problem. Keep the defensive Bethancourt behind the plate, and you slide Gattis to 1st and maintain his power bat
-Gives you financial suppport. With the money saved by Freeman you can lock up one or even both Heyward and Upton, or could spend the money elswhere
Note to the author: Do your homework.
Burnett is not weighing a mutual option as his option is 100% player only. He has until five days after the WS ends to either decide to pitch in Philadelphia for 12.75 million next year or he chooses FA and gets a 1 million dollar buyout.