37-year-old Adam Wainwright, who re-upped with the club on a one-year pact earlier this month, was elated with the progress of his balky right elbow over the season’s last two months, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch details in a lengthy overview of the situation. Wainwright, who had Tommy John surgery in 2011 and has dealt with discomfort in his elbow on multiple occasions, has apparently had issues with “deep” bone bruises in the area for a number of years now, an ailment for which he could not seem to find a solution. That appears to have changed, as Goold notes, with Wainwright’s adoption of a new, longer arm swing in the middle of his delivery. “Whole new avenues are back in play that I haven’t been able to do in years,” Wainwright said. “I left this season, I left that last start feeling motivated and feeling better than I have in a long time.” The stats do seem, at least in part, to reinforce Wainwright’s perspective: in 22 1/3 IP after his return from the DL on September 10, Wainwright struck out 25 batters and walked just three. His 8.93 K/9, albeit in an extremely small, 40 1/3 IP sample, ranks as the highest in his career, though the rest of his peripherals (a 4.02 BB/9 that led to a career-worst 106 xFIP-) leave little to shout about.
In other news from other around the league . . .
- Mark Zuckerman of MASN peers into Victor Robles’ place in a potentially crowded Washington outfield next season. The consensus top five overall prospect’s status as a coveted trade chip will likely be on hold until the impending Bryce Harper sweepstakes have reached their conclusion, it seems, as the Nats will almost certainly plug Robles into the center field role should Harper depart. Zuckerman notes that Robles, in addition to possessing a near limitless all-around ceiling, is a “gregarious” personality who brims with confidence in all aspects of his play. Indeed, after an uninspiring start to the season at Triple-A Syracuse and in a short stint with the parent club, the 21-year-old unleashed his dormant offensive ability, slashing .359/.405/.718 over the season’s last two weeks after recovering from a hyperextended elbow suffered earlier in the year. The Nats, of course, could both re-sign Harper and make room for Robles by trading outfielder Adam Eaton, though that scenario does not seem to be on the club’s table at the moment.
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman outlines the Braves’ prospective payroll next season, estimating that the club will have “at least” $60MM with which to maneuver this offseason. Atlanta, who boasts one of the game’s deepest farm systems, a unit stacked with high-upside starting pitchers of all kinds, could look to the trade market – as GM Alex Anthopoulos seemed to suggest in a recent summit with reporters – to address a thin big league rotation and question marks behind the plate and (at one spot) in the corner outfield. Third base, manned mostly by a resurgent Johan Camargo, who slashed just .278/.333/.372 across parts of seven minor league seasons, could also be an area of need, as projection systems will likely not be kind to the 24-year-old. For his part, David O’Brien of The Athletic believes the Braves will have far less than Bowman’s $60MM estimate to spend, placing the figure at nearly half the stated mark.
I’m pulling for Waino. I think he’s gonna be the comeback player of the year.
Sorry to tell you but the Dodgers are going to pickup up some AAAA guy who then puts up MVP numbers for the 5th year in a row
Wishful thinking…..I’d like to see Wainwright have one more fantastic season. Then retire on top.
Good to start getting an idea of the braves budget…
Who do you see them going after?
Zach Britton, with a trade for greinke taking up the remaining payroll, however if it is only 30 mil.. they’d need to get creative with what they send back. Personally I would love a Donaldson or grandal addition, but atl is a mid market team with a mid market payroll so I think they roll with what they have position player-wise and wait for Riley to be the “big bat”
I just worry how much greinke has left. Will he be able to maintain his success for 3 more years. Really interested to see which of our prospects make it in the rotation.
the braves are not trading for grienkes contract and giving up the talent he would require. they are also not signing a 33/34(?) yr old 3b. Idk why this article downgrades Camargo, he has been nothing short of spectacular on both offense and defense.
Camargo can definitely be upgraded upon. Why does Donaldsons age matter? If they can land him on a 2 year deal he fits. Solid bat, and then you have Riley ready to take over towards the end of his deal.
Agreed. Each of the last two offseason they have said that the “projections won’t be kind”. He played well.
pretty much anyone not named machado can be upgraded. camargo is cheap and put up good #s in not a full season (was injured early on). he also play lights out D. why pay an older 3b more money makes no sense. plus braves trying to stay younger. and nobody knows 100% how riley will turn out. canargo we know is a beast
I just hope we upgrade that bullpen with a few shutdown arms and trade away some of those guys that really aren’t horrible but aren’t great for cash or international money :/ or even package them with prospects for an upgrade else where
Not much of a Braves fan if you’re advocating to trade for int. money. We’re still banned for one more season
I would like to see the following deal take place between the Cardinals and Braves.
Carlos Martinez and Carson Kelly for Austin Riley(AAA 3B who is near ready) and handful of those up and coming pitching prospects. At this point, take your pick of them.
Cmart has one of the best contracts in baseball. He has 5yrs/69.5m on it which includes two option years. The Braves also need an MLB ready catcher. Kelly is/has been ready for a time now. He has been blocked by Molina.
I doubt Cardinals would move Carlos
He was discussed in moves last off season and over the summer. There is a at least a 50/50 chance it could happen. They need to think outside the box and get out of their comfort zone to move forward. A move like this is bold and will provide them a ton of depth and youth for the future.
One of the key areas the Cardinals are looking to add is at 3B. Cmart is their best trade asset from their MLB roster.
Link to the “discussions” please. I have heard rumors not actual discussions. Also why would the Cardinals trade there ace for unproven prospects? The Cardinals will be in a race just like Atlanta will be. I can see trading Wacha, Weaver, though.
I don’t think anything has been a for sure thing c1234…but I think the idea is out there and rumors are definitely substantial…I know they talk about it on the radio…they think Carlos will get them there superstar hopefully…it’s not a bad idea considering all their pitching options and hopefully a healthy Reyes
St. Louis post dispatch
QUESTION: A New York media report threw out C. Martinez’s name as possible trade bait. Any credence to that claim, or were they fishing for a news story?
GOOLD: There’s credence to it. It’s drawn from reports out of St. Louis. That’s been mentioned in this chat, was mentioned by me on STL radio Monday morning, and is something that Cardinals would explore. This isn’t rumor or innuendo. This is a possibility
C-Mart would have to bring back a king’s ransom if he’s moved. He’s extremely valuable to the Cards as a veteran ace on an otherwise very young pitching staff, and as you said he has among the most team-friendly contracts in baseball. It would take a lot more than just a single prospect to pry him away, especially if they’re also going to add Kelly to the deal
The Cardinals wouldn’t care much for a 3B prospect, anyway. If they’re going to upgrade at 3B this offseason, it has to be for a guy who’s already significantly better than what they already have with Jedd Gyorko. Furthermore, 3B is likely DeJong’s future position once the Cardinals eventually acquire a more defensively able starting shortstop.
Cardinals will most definitely move Carlos but not for the trade fourth dimension mentions here…I say that because I think the cardinals need to make a big move and will need to trade a big name…it has been talked about extensively…although not a bad idea…I think they the cardinals want there super star
I would think trading Jose Martinez to the AL would bring back a fortune.
They are saying that at this point Jose wouldn’t bring back much…reason being the AL is at such a disparity that the good teams have what they need and the bad teams aren’t giving up anything for a DH
Why? Yes he can hit, but bat first terrible defenders are a dime a dozen and not in high demand. There are VERY FEW teams that need a full time DH.
Why wouldn’t the bad AL teams give up much for him? Despite the defensive limitations and his relative age, a big bat who’s under team control for the next 5 years would be very enticing to a rebuilding team.
They could either keep him that entire time to serve as a quality veteran leader once they’re good again, or they could flip him for other good prospects a year or two later.
I think Eovaldi should be looked at. Even as a closer.
Anyone who knows Brave ownership knows they will not be much of a spender, maybe Markakis cheaper if he would stay and a couple bull pen arms. Forget any big right handed boomer, any elite closer or ace for the rotation..
Anyone who knows the Braves ownership knows that they have nothing to do with how much the Braves spend. They make no profit on the Braves and have only taken a loss once.
Anybody who knows AA knows he will make something happen. Anybody think the Pirates will move Cervelli ? And if so what would the deal have to look like ?
Braves need to vastly improve their bench depth
it didn’t look too bad until swanson got injured and now Kurt is gone.
Also Yankees sign Machado & trade Andujar, Florial & Gray for Martinez
Haha
Carlos Martinez would hate pitching for the Yankees since he wouldn’t be able to have his clown hairstyle and rainbow-colored dreadlocks anymore.
Your a hater and a judge aren’t you
I don’t think the Cardinals would go for Andujar. They already had the most errors in the majors last year, it doesn’t matter what he brings with the bat if he can’t make the play in the field. See Jose Martinez.
I’d call the Mets for Degrom. Give them Inciarte, Riley, Wright, and Pache.
Mets gonna want more than that & for DeGrom I would give it. Depends who the GM is gonna be but the Mets could be a good team next year. Injuries really hurt them. Comforto came back to soon.
Also if they did decide to tear it down this year they really could get a lot of top minor league talent in trades for DeGrom, Thor, Wheeler & Bruce
Maybe but DeGrom is not exactly signed for 3 or more years. But i do agree, their asking price will depend on what direction they intend to take in 2019. Mets know if they want top prospects, the Braves are one of the teams to call.
No thanks. Braves starting pitching is fine. I understand it didn’t work out in the playoffs but they’re young and paid their dues a bit this time around.
Folty is a true ace given his stuff, and yeah choked hard this year but it’s hardly the time to hit the panic button. He literally just had a breakout year.
Newcomb faded down the stretch (although did rebound in the playoffs well) but again this is partly a youth thing and just the unfortunate growing pains of experience. He’ll be better down the stretch next year.
Touki’s stuff is clearly electric and ace caliber stuff to pair with Folty
Soroka showed he can easily be a strong #4 (if not even better)
And then you’ve got Gausman (and still have to get rid of Teheran). I really don’t see the need at all to bring in a starter. As Folty Newcomb and Touki all develop another year that trio will likely be as strong a front 3 as any by the time October rolls around next year, I’d bet money on it.
Sign Kimbrel and another strong arm for the bullpen. That’s where they melted down all year. They really had no business trying to pull Folty in Game 4 as early as they did (yes I know Suzuki came through in that PH) because relying on the incredibly weak pen was playing with fire and ultimately they got burned. Venters caught some bad luck, so Brad Brach who sucks and has been giving up everyone else’s runs all year comes in and does more or the same, then Sobotka happened who has promise but let’s be honest shouldn’t be in the 7th in an elimination game.
The Braves have a stronger pen and they’d easily have forced Game 5. The starting pitching isn’t the issue, it’s the bullpen, especially if you want to play the early exit game like everyone else.
They need a power bat to replace Markakis more than anything. You want to sell out a huge chunk of the farm forget deGrom, throw something at the Twins for Rosario and see if they’ll cave
No Folty is far from an ace and will never be a true ace. If anything, they should not pounce on Kimbrel.
I don’t know how you can say that. His biggest obstacle is his own head, he’s certainly not limited based on stuff
You’re only real argument against him as an ace is you simply don’t believe he has the mental fortitude and I think your opinion there is wrong. He showed significant improvements this year alone in that regard. You even saw improvement on a much smaller scale between his Game 1 and Game 4 starts.
Is he totally there from a mental standpoint as an ace? No but he’s closing in on it fast. The raw stuff is already there and isn’t much of a debate tbh.
He’s definitely not “far from an ace’’. That’s an absolute joke of a statement
Don’t trade another future (Adam wainwright) for another 1 year band-aid (Jd Drew) mmmmmk?
As fun as that season was offensively, talk about a decade of regret..
No Markakis please!!
I’d like to see the Braves make two trades
Remember it takes two to tango and you gotta giveup something to get something
1) The Mariners want starting pitching
Folty for Mitch Haniger to replace
Markakis in RF
2) If the Diamondbacks go to full rebuild
Julio Teheran for Zach Grienke
Why would they trade folty?
Because Folty is not mentally capable of handling the responsibilities of being “The Ace of the Staff “ We are already looking for a new pitching coach.
Folty can’t contain his own emotions, how is he suppose to mentor all our young guns ??
Trade him now…. especially for Haniger if the Mariners would do it
We are not moving Folty but maybe they would move Newcomb and I am all in for Teheran for Greinke with the more contract the Dbacks are willing to eat the better the prospect going back.
Newcomb to the Padres for Renfroe ????
Biddle & Fuller to Pirates for Cervelli ????
Gohara, Alex Jackson & Bryce Wilson to the Reds for Iglesis
Trade Allard for Buxton
Sign David Robertson
Sign Mark Reynolds
Also FA signing
3) Sign C Wilson Ramos
Grienke / Haniger > Folty / Markakis
Haniger younger version of Markakis with more power and plays for peanuts next year and has 4 years of team control.
Grienke as the ace and mentor for all the young guns.
With Teheran’s 11M and Markakis 11M and at least 5M for Folty in arbitration gone; it makes Grienke much more affordable !!
Grienke, Newcomb, Gausman, Soroka, Gohara
1) Inciarte
2) Albies
3) Acuna
4) Freeman
5) Haniger
6) Ramos / Flowers
7) Camargo / Riley
8) Swanson
I think the Braves will be in on Grienke, if the Diamondbacks pick up maybe 23 million of his contract to get it down to a 3/60. NowX they won’t get a kings ransom for a pitcher going into his mid-30’s, but one major prospects or two or three prospects whose projections aren’t clear may get it done.
I wish the Braves would sign Nathan Eovaldi and try him or Folty as a closer. I as hoping we would have gotten him at the dead line. Greinke and Kimbrel are way to expensive, we could get Grandal or Ramos and a get a good RF bat. Any one but Markakis please.
If there is one thing this article needs to remember, is that DOB is almost wrong on everything he says about the Braves. He is the negative Nancy of the Braves journalists, where Bowman is the positive Polly.