The Braves will non-tender infielder/outfielder Charlie Culberson prior to tonight’s deadline, Robert Murray reports (via Twitter). MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweeted not long before that the organization was considering such a move. Culberson will immediately become a free agent who is eligible to sign with any team.
It’ll go down as an unpopular move among Atlanta fans, as Culberson has not only distanced himself from a woeful slump to begin his Braves tenure in 2018 (.203/.266/.339 through his first two months) but also emerged as something of a fan favorite after excelling in some clutch situations in 2018. Overall, his 2018 campaign resulted in a productive .270/.326/.466 batting line through 322 plate appearances.
However, Culberson was limited to just 144 plate appearances in 2019 despite appearing in 108 games, and he wasn’t particularly productive when he did step to the plate, hitting .259/.294/.437 (83 OPS+, 85 wRC+). His 2019 season was cut short in September by a fractured cheek bone suffered upon being hit by a Fernando Rodney fastball, but there’s no indication to this point that he’s expected to miss time in 2020. Still, this year’s downturn in production landed him on our list of non-tender candidates late last week.
In all, Culberson posted a respectable .267/.316/.457 batting line in 466 plate appearances as a Brave, but the team apparently wasn’t comfortable with what he might earn in arbitration. (MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected a $1.8MM salary.) Any club that picks him up would be able to sign him to just a one-year pact and still control him through the 2021 season via arbitration.
Wasn’t expecting this at alllllll
I don’t like this. Hopefully they can resign him, but I imagine his services will be desired by many teams.
This will definitely be a tough pill to swallow. I don’t understand it much…. was listening to talking chop this morning and they had him in the “lock” tender category.
Not a great move- his positional versatility was really missed down the stretch and against the Cardinals.
Noooooo
He will likely re-sign at a lower rate.
i think theu would have worked out a deal already though if that was the case.
I thought so too, but I am a “glass half full” guy…
Maybe they cut him and said there’s a standing offer of 1 mil on the table if he can’t find what he’s looking for… always a possibility.
*sadness noises*
Who was it that posted a few days ago that there was no way they non-tender this guy?
Sadly, it was me…
And I agreed…
Back to Dodger blue maybe?
I can’t imagine they would choose him over Hernandez and Taylor.
People owe Adams an apology. When he listed Charlie Culberson as a non-tender candidate three days ago, he was met with Braves fans derision and dismissal. Oops!
mlbtraderumors.com/2019/11/2019-non-tender-candida…
I went back and read the comments, and I saw neither derision nor dismissal. I did see (hopeful) disagreement.
The Marlins will probably sign him, and he’ll hit .400 against the Braves.
Yeah — I never saw anything but polite disagreement (and wouldn’t be in here clamoring for an apology even if that weren’t the case).
How is it that Culberson has already been announced as a non-tender but John Ryan Murphy’s status is still up in the air? Murphy would be the Braves terrible hitting 3rd string catcher at best next season. This move makes me wonder if there is more to the story regarding Culberson’s facial injury. Maybe it damaged his eyesight or something? I assume the Braves staff would know. They did something similar to this one season after Mark DeRosa’s knee basically exploded in the infield late one season. Maybe the Braves doctors expect some regression next season as a result of complications to Culbersons facial injury?
Or maybe catching depth is more important
Or maybe I was right because they just released John Ryan Murphy as well.
you probably know this already but Murphy was non-tendered. I’ve been under the weather and I’m way way behind trying to catch up
I said I’d be EXTREMELY shocked, and so I am. I don’t understand the move unless the team feels like it can sign someone better, cheaper. Culberson showed the ability to play several different positions fairly well. That type of defensive flexibility will get him a job almost assuredly.
This pisses me off more then anything has in a really long time
Your anger has been recorded in the minutes as well as the overwhelming support by others. Peace be onto you.
You as well squire lol
credit to the non-tender candidates article on that one.
I was hoping they wouldn’t do this because of how his season ended getting hit in the face but it’s a business so good luck to him. Maybe he does resign for less.
There are already so many middle infielders and UT available that it would make sense for every GM to non-tender any such player at this point and shop in the non-tender aisle for one or more replacements.
Finally some common sense other than just “He was a nice guy and he looked like dansby- h’yuck!”
You could be right. I don’t know many players like that specifically though. Who are some versatile bench type players on the market right now that won’t break the bank but are clearly head and shoulders above Culberson? I know Villar is out there but I think he is gonna be harder to get then we think. Anyone outside him?
With his non-tender since we last posted here, Peraza emerges as the most versatile MI/UT type but is not so “clearlly head and shoulders above Culberson” so much as he has avoided injury better than Charlie.
Yolmer Sanchez has played only a handful of innings in the OF over his short career and hits with about the same authority as Culberson. Sanchez has done so as more of a regular than Culberson, however.
Braves banking on comeback from Camargo and/or Riley solidifying slot as a regular. I’m surprised, too, because regular season rosters will expand to 26 next year.
Versatility player. Perfect for the Cubs
Would be a good replacement for Zobrist, yes.
He lives in ATL. He will take less. His wife hates the cold. He not going to Chicago
Smart move
His contributions far outweighed his numbers, which weren’t bad either. Not a smart move just to ‘try’ to save some money. You just don’t go out and spend a fortune on mercenaries and then not pay pennies for your glue guys. Just silly.
Yeah and then you’ll be the one complaining when they don’t sign a 3B because they couldn’t afford it.
Released him instead of paying $1.8MM? That’s only 15.53 Dan Uggla strikeouts. Sounds pretty inexpensive to me.
Let it go.
I would much rather have Charlie than Camargo. I believe Johan is gonna become another Julio type player. Just enough to get you excited, then disappoint, then hang around forever and cause players like Charlie to go away. Don’t understand this move unless someone better than Charlie or Johan is in the works.
I will never understand some Braves fans hate of Carmargo. He had a 115 OPS+ at 24 while displaying excellent defense when given steady playing time, hit .300 with an OPS plus over 100 the year before at 23 in limited action while playing multiple positions, and is controlled until 2024.
Half the teams in the league tried to trade for him after they signed JD and AA told them all it wasn’t happening for a reason.
Any Brave fan that doesn’t like Camargo must not have watched 2018. Now with Moose in Cincy & JD probably getting a bigger deal than the Braves would be willing to go Camargo will step back in and shine. But if JD does sign elsewhere we need a big RH bat for behind Freddie.
Camargo is a better player.
Hopefully the Dodgers go get him back.
Braves have turned into a classless organization. Guy gets hit in the face after having a solid year and they just non tender him at the deadline
Oh jesus. So because he got hit in the face he requires a new contract? What if they resign him? What if there’s something else in the works?
Your comment is stupid.
Agree completely.
Agree. Zerbs gets stupid comment of the day votes.
You could say there are a lot of stupid comments on here from people that say they are Braves fans. I see them every day when people want to trade for Lindor or sign high dollar players., that will get contracts of 200+ million dollars. If you are really a Braves fan, you know that isn’t what the Braves do. The Braves rebuilt to get good young players, that will be cheap for a few years. They didn’t get them to trade for a player { Lindor } that is being traded away because he will get a 200+ million dollar contract in a couple of years.
It isn’t classless. The season is over and a business decision had to be made. I love Charlie too (Swanberson bobble head was awesome since he a Dansby look alike), but we need to see what will happen and evaluate it against not tendering him.
Idiotic comment
No, they nontendered him because he’s absolutely terrible at baseball and there are literally hundreds of guys who deserve the playing time he gets.
Strike Four, YOU are an IDIOT. There is no other way to put it. YOU have no clue what you are saying. That is just a flat-out stupid statement to say Culberson is absolutely terrible at baseball. Nothing about your statement is even close to being accurate or true.
I’m starting to wonder whether that facial injury may have caused some more serious permanent damage then we think. It could have damaged Hus eyesight or something. The Braves would know and I’m sure they would keep it under wraps for Charlie so it doesn’t diminish his ability to get a contract from another team.
I’m hoping the Braves just done what they have done, to get a cheaper contract. Maybe around 1 million for a year. After being hit in the face they will want to see how he reacts getting back in the batter’s box, just like every team.
Giants should swoop on this dude
I know they have the depth to cover this move provided Camargo and Riley have bench roles after signing another 3B but dangit I hate this move. The fans love him and he was awesome in the clubhouse.
What a shame, for 1.8 you are going to lose a big part of the team morale. We sign that bum darnaud but can’t keep Charlie. Very sad
If Charlie could catch he would make some money – but he cant catch or play short and is an average hitter – like the guy but not worth 1.8 mil and need a backup shortstop
Charlie for the last two seasons was listed as the emergency catcher. That said when suzuki and flowers got hurt in same game they kept an injured catcher in instead of letting culberson catch.
Braves fans have to be some of the biggest homers in MLB.
Also the rumor is that the FO is now pursuing Villar since he was let go by
Baltimore. He’d be a vast improvement over Culberson.
Actually… If you’re right about that I would be okay with this move. They could actually throw Villar in as our starting third baseman and save about $75 mill and a draft pick by not signing Donaldson. Now that Moose is off the board that might be the only move to make if JD leaves. Where did you read the Villar to Braves rumor?
He made it up.
You know what bhambrave… That was a really lame comment you made. You immediately said, “he made it up.” without even looking into it. What made you assume that? Because it was the internet so EVERYONE must be lying? I don’t always agree with realgone2 but I never suspected “he made it up.” Guess what… It was just proven he didn’t make a single thing up. I posted a comment about the Braves ownership CEO claiming they were about to spend a lot of money and a lot of people said I “made it up” too. Steve Adams looked into it after reading and responding to my comment (not to mention ignoring AL the neysayers like you) and posted an actual article about it. Less than 36 hours after that the Atlanta Journal Constitution printed a sports article about what I said and used the MLBTR article as it’s main source. The day after that the Braves dropped another $16 mill. At least do your due dillegence of looking into someone’s statements before you call them a liar. Otherwise you are just an aggressor jackhole that no one will ever love.
This was my thoughts as well..I got the Villar rumor from talkingchop, and now this seems to be a precursor for Villar to come aboard..
Also, with Moose signing today, and this early, it at least tells me the Braves still think they have a good shot at resigning Donaldson…
Sooo, all in all, while it could look like the Braves just lost out on their utility player, and their JD backup plan. I am thinking more, they are upgrading their Utility position with Villar, and they’re well on their way to resigning JD
I hope you’re right. I get the feeling that Charlie must be viewed as damaged goods by the Braves training/medical staff. I know he wasn’t a true star by any stretch but you don’t have to be to earn $1.8 mill. ESPN actually projected him to earn less than that. He was very versatile, a great clubhouse presence and man was he clutch. His clutch prowess was actually prevelant before he ever came to the Braves. He had 4 ninth inning walk off home runs before he ever put on a Braves uni. And that was all as a back up. He only got better here. A defensively versatile player that hit over .260 with 17 home runs as a back up player over the last 2 seasons has to be worth at least $1.8 mill. He could also catch and pitch. I think he struck out back to back batter for the Braves last season. I’m guessing the Braves look at him as damaged goods much in the same way they did when Mark DeRosa blew his knee out at the end of the season and they non tendered him too. Not to mention Charlie was a great clubhouse presence. I just kinda don’t get it. $1.8 million is relatively nothing to any MLB team and Charlie always contributed way more than that evaluation in my opinion. His hitting wasn’t terrible and for his entire career his hits always came when it mattered the most.
The Nationals will gobble him up. They like the old character guys.
He will sign with the Phillis and them kill us.
Pissed. Love Charlie Clutch and his leadership in the clubhouse was every bit as important as what it did, in the most clutch situations, on the field. Bet the rest of the players are pissed as well. All the best to you C-Clutch.
I can see them going after Brock Holt as his replacement.
TC says it will likely be Villar, or at least he is their primary target…However, I do love ke some Brock Holt!!
u posted 1 hour ago vilar and 3 hours ago balt.sending him to miami in trade.vilar schedule to make 10 million in arb
Hecheveria will be back now which is what it came down to. He can play a better SS at this point and with Duvall in the OF sharing time with Markakis Culberson won’t be getting those RH ABs to justify that type of money. Plus he is not a burner that could justify PR or an exceptional defensive OF or INF
I will miss him because he was a fan favorite but I am not totally shocked by it.
Bad move by the Braves period. The pinch-hitting is the major loss. You think Hechavarria is a better ph? Unless they plan on signing him for less money. If they think him being hit in the face may affect him, I’m sure other clubs will have the same thoughts. I could see the Braves may be trying for Travis Shaw and Jose Peraza since Moose is gone, even if they sign Josh back. Going to need bench pieces now. The bench now has Flowers, Duval and may be Camargo
Love to see KC sign him to compete with Lopez, back up Mondesi and some OF reps, too.
you may be going by numbers steve but as someone who watched the majority of Charlies PA’s he came through practically every time they needed him, and this is with almost no playing time or reg AB’s which we all know is no easy feat. so to say he wasn’t “particularly productive ” is a bit of an overstatement
he batted .259 this past season and he was 4/28 runners in scoring position including playoffs.You must have been asleep during this time.Your comment sound like he was batting 1.000 Baseball a business get over it.
Sadness boooo. I really liked this player.
As roster sits today…thoughts??
Best lineup configuration ( vs LHP)
Ronald Acuna CF – R
Ozzie Albies 2B – S
Freddie Freeman 1B – L
Adam Duvall – RF – R
Austin Riley – LF – R
Johan Camargo – 3B – S
Travis D’Arnaud – C – R
Pitcher
Dansby Swanson SS – R
Bench
Tyler Flowers – C
Ender Inciarte – CF
Nick Markakis – LF/RF
Backup Middle Infielder ???
2nd Backup Infielder/3rd Catcher
Best lineup configuration ( vs RHP)
Ronald Acuna – RF – R
Nick Markakis – LF – L
Freddie Freeman – 1B – L
Ozzie Albies – 2B – S
Johan Camargo – 3B – S
Dansby Swanson – SS – R
Tyler Flowers – C – R
Pitcher
Ender Inciarte – CF – L
Bench
Austin Riley – LF/3B/1B
Travis D’Arnaud – C
Adam Duvall – LF/RF
Backup Middle Infielder ???
2nd Backup Infielder/3rd Catcher
Bad move braves
Boooooooooooo
Whats next alex
Trade for kluber and sign cole ?