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By Jeff Todd | at
Email a copy of 'Offseason In Review: Atlanta Braves' to a friend
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Brixton
I honestly think the Lindgren MiLB deal is the best move they made
MySoxAreRed
Lindgren is always a beast in ootp
Hopefully that will carry over
SamFuldsFive
Lmao, no.
fatmaneatsalot
I’d like to think the braves would be a .500 or better team, but I think most likely they’ll be better then last year at probably 75-78 wins.
lesterdnightfly
72 to 76 wins. Terrible bench; holes in starting lineup, iffy starters, fair pen. The past-prime pitchers are there to keep them in most games. This year is to get fans to see the new stadium and develop some young’uns. Lots of roster shuffling. Rebuild could gain momentum, or it could stall.
arp7241
Woah great way to restate the entire article we just read…
lesterdnightfly
Not my intention; just my opinion. Look at it as a free Cliff Notes version for those who need to cram for the exam.
metseventually 2
They’re still at least 2-3 years away from being able to at least contend with the Mets and Nats. I think this rebuild will back fire.
realgone2
Your ass is still chapped from ’99? C’mon dude that was almost 20 years ago.
Bravos95
The Mets? That’s a good one lmao !!!
Chebert
Shouldn’t it read “Brandon Phillips AND $13,000,000 ?” The Braves acquired Phillips, so they are responsible for paying his salary, they wouldn’t be sending cash to the Reds.
Steve Adams
Indeed it should. Thanks for that — I made that adjustment.
Should Have Acquired Dylan Cease
The Braves are only paying 1 mil for Phillips! Solid deal until Albies shows up!
The baseball kid
Come on braves just rebuild already you went worst to first once and you are probably not gonna again. Filling your roster with old pitchers and strikeout artists and everything else on short term bounce back deals is not gonna win you a WS
realgone2
Well, I guess we shouldn’t expect much insight from a kid.
RunDMC
“You are probably not gonna again” is right – they’d have to finish last, which even against odds will be tough to do with PHI and MIA (largest contract/worst farm in MLB) in the same division.
No one stated this team would do anything but show progress finishing at .500 or better. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and we needed to buy time on the farm for our prospects without selling the farm for bad contracts.
trose6780
I thought Medlens deal was voided?
Steve Adams
Jordan Walden’s deal was voided.
charmin519
The bench situation really pisses me off. I can understand a four man bench if you have four strong bench players, but we have serious scrubs on the bench. I will be extremely disappointed if we don’t make a move before the end of spring break. Guys like Moya on the Tigers are out of options and we’re trying to stash Chaz Roe? Please…………….
olereb
The braves are heading in the right direction. I believe we will be improved from last year, but not enough to challenge for playoffs. I do believe we need a long term solution at catcher, I believe everything else will work itself out. I would hate to be a sp in the braves organization though, you better get better or someone will pass you by. Pitching wins championships and fans we have it for years to come.
Dookie Howser, MD
Disagree on the SP comment. Nobody outside of Tehren has a guaranteed spot in that rotation. Both Dickey and Colon are ancient and could break – or they could be solid pitchers on a bad team and get traded. Everybody else is just a gamble. Folty looks to have an advatange to start the season, but the rest of that group will have plenty of opportunities to get starts in the MLB, which is a lot more than can be said of guys in most farm systems.
RunDMC
Hence the “years” to come. We have a lot of pitching at the lower levels last year, and some progress to the upper levels and possibly MLB this year. You’re right, there should be some starts down the road for some guys, as Garcia/Colon could be easily shopped near the deadline with some good starts. Hopefully we get to see a cup of coffee from Fried/Newcomb with some growth leading up to it.
Dookie Howser, MD
I understand that these guys aren’t ready yet (and many clearly weren’t ready last year when they were essentially forced in earlier than expected), but acting like there is already a SP surplus for 2018 or 2019 because the Braves have a bunch of prospects in the low/mid minors is a bit premature.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Coppy’s strategy of playing the odds and stocking up on lots of pitching prospects, hoping some will pan out, but he is also smart enough to know that in all likelihood a majority will not.
em650r
If the Braves do not contend by June I think they will trade Phillips, Kemp and Colon
RunDMC
BP has a no-trade clause that carried over from CIN (in which he vetoed 3 deals), so he’s going to heavily dictate any trade partners. Releasing him is most likely the direction they’d go with a) poor play & b) Albies showing he’s ready. However, that would be a harsh stance to a hometown boy.
Colon could be trade bait along with Garcia, but Kemp will need to continue from 2nd half last season to be worth much of anything, and even then, it’ll be tough. I’ll be shocked if we have his replacement ready by that time, especially with Dustin Peterson getting injured in spring training. Acuna still looks 1-2 years out because of his age, not because of his play.
Dookie Howser, MD
Do 10/5 rights carryover if you waive it and get moved to a different team?
exocraze
No, they don’t, but part of the reason Phillips accepted a trade to Atlanta after having declined one a few months ago was because Coppy and Co agreed to give him a limited no trade clause. And I think he also gets a bonus if we do trade him, if memory serves correctly.
Dookie Howser, MD
Found some info here. Sounds like he has a 12team limited no trade clause in his original contract which still applies. There is also talk of a $5ooK “trade bonus”, but not sure if that applies to all 29 teams or just the 12.
tomahawktake.com/2017/02/12/atlanta-braves-policy-…
anoff
That picture of Bartolo Colon though…it looks like it’s from the Celebrity game during All Star Weekend…
Dookie Howser, MD
I like to imagine that the ball is made of frosting and dangling by a string just out of reach.
roberty
I think the Braves played it really smart this winter. Blair, Wisler, Sims, Nukem and possibly even Fried or Wiegel could be ready to move into the rotation at some point this season. Minter, Morris and Luke Jackson could be up by the end of the year, Albies will be ready soon and if Rio Ruiz and Dustin Peterson make enough noise we could potentially deal an outfielder, half our infield, 3/5 of the rotation and half the bullpen and have a better team on the last day of the season than we had on opening day.
Considering what Coppy got in return for KJ, Francoeur, Dario Alvarez, Lucas Harrell, Aybar, and Cervanka last season, we could be looking at a boat load of interesting (but unspectacular) prospects if we can trade Colon, Dickey, Adonis, Jaime Garcia, Phillips, Markakis, Jim Johnson and some other relievers. I’m thinking Paco Rodriguez and Ian Krol.
It should be a fun season.
NL_East_Rivalry
Interesting but unspectacular?
I think Coppy just started salivating
Dookie Howser, MD
Which outfielder do you think would get moved? They just signed Ender to a long term deal, they having been trying to shop Markakis since they signed him it seems like with no takers, and in order to get rid of Kemp the Braves would become the 3rd team to be paying him not to play in their city anymore.
And what half of the infield? Garcia and Phillips? Can’t see them drawing a whole lot of interest. Maybe Jace Peterson, but what kind of return would he bring?
bravesfan
Dookie, most of these players that he mentions would draw “some” interest. Like most of our deals we would mostly likely eat money for prospects. Doesn’t mean we are getting top end prospects though. Thing is, teams that are contending get desperate and make someone odd moves. Although most of the players might not be starters for some teams (even though they start for us). They would make a strong bench piece. Garcia might not be a game changer as a starter, but he’ll have a ton of experience/ABs. Contenders who need a 3B/outfielder that has a little pop would love Garcia has a bench piece, assuming he doesn’t tank this year. We won’t get a top 100 prospect, but we might get a solid minor league ball player in return that could have some impact down the road.
RunDMC
A solid minor league ball player is exactly what Coppy and Co. hone in on….someone with a high-ceiling that has been achieving less-than-desirable results, in hopes a change of scenery will do them good (i.e. former first rd picks: Alex Jackson from SEA, Luke Jackson & Travis Demeritte from TEX).
RiseAgainst3598
Aybar was lost during the season to a trade
Dookie Howser, MD
And calling it a “loss” is questionable as well
realgone2
It was a gain. I’ll tell you that.
maxaxle
10/5 do not carry over, but the Braves have said they will honor his limited no-trade clause (12 teams), and pay him $500,000 if he is traded to a team not on the list.
So there are still plenty of options for the Braves trading him, if they so desire.
RunDMC
Thanks for that. For some reason I thought it was a full no-trade, not even accounting for the 10-and-5 rights. Good to know there’s still 17 teams left.
maxaxle
RunDMC’s point is that even if the majority don’t pan out, we’ll still have a great crop of pitchers, because we have amassed such a collection. It is fair to assume a few will pan out.
RunDMC
Exactly, we’ve overhauled our scouting and development department – the one’s responsible for the last 2 drafts, more so than the obtaining Newcomb, Fried, Wisler, Blair, etc. Yes, it’d be great if any of those guys pan out (c’mon Fried!), but just wait for some our draft picks. It says something about the Braves that they feel comfortable with their development to get guys coming off injuries or major surgeries and be able to, to some extent, resuscitate their careers. Combine that with $$$ for free agents and that’s something.
Coppy has said multiple times that the depth of the farm system accounts for a typical failure rate where there are going to be guys that don’t put it altogether, so we’re not completely depending on Newcomb learning control or Blair not looking like a deer in the headlights, but that we develop arms with promise from the ground up including Ian Anderson, Joey Wentz, Kyle Muller, Kolby Allard, and many more.
bravesfan
I bet BP will be ok to be traded to a contender toward the end of the season, which if he even hits like he did last year, we should get a decent return. Doesn’t his contract end this season anyways. So it’s not like he would be stuck in a new location forever.
therealryan
The Braves are doing the right job by collecting so many young arms, but the failure rate is huge, even for top 100 types. Just getting one 1.5 fWAR pitcher takes about 5 top 100 prospects and getting one 2.5 fWAR pitcher takes about 10 top 100 types. The advantage is when they do hit, you are sitting pretty. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen nearly enough as fans think it does.
siddfinch1079
Wow, I am surprised/impressed by the Braves off-season. While the guys they acquired aren’t all-stars yet or anymore (besides the ageless wonder, Bartolo Colon) they are definite upgrades and some have the potential of being regular contributors. Good mix of veteran and young ballplayers there to hold them over for a season or two.
inkstainedscribe
It’s pretty difficult to grade the Braves’ offseason until we learn how the new ballpark plays. If it’s a launching pad like Fulton County, then the team’s general lack of power will be a problem. OTOH, if it’s pitcher-friendly like Turner, then they may have done pretty well — so long as Inciarte doesn’t mind running about 50 miles a game tracking down the balls Markakis and Kemp can’t reach!
citizen
I think they traded away too many of the propestcs the braves were building on for 2017 and beyond for mediocre players or too many players will tbd upswing that never materialized after they traded away their mlb talent a few years ago. Dickey and Colon will be a bust, i dont see either of them pitching past june. its 1988 all over again for the braves.
RiverCatsFilms
Braves WS champs with Bartolo Colon
BravesBoi
I think if everything breaks right (Colon and Dickey pitch well and don’t get injured being the biggest if) and a couple other teams struggle, I think we could possibly get a Wild Card spot. Now, I don’t think we will, I’m just saying crazier things have happened. I just have one proposition though that I think would help a lot. I think they should swap Collmenter and Folty. It seems like they are gonna have Collmenter come out of the bullpen for some reason even though he’s pretty much been a starter his whole career. I think with Folty’s velocity, having him come out of the bullpen for a year or so would work out great, and I think it would help him with his confidence, as he has flashed some promise, but has not put it all together yet and still gets knocked around a decent amount. I think that would work out well for both guys until Folty is completely ready to be a starter