Although the team never made a formal announcement, the Braves agreed to a minor league pact with infielder Ryan Goins, as noted Baseball America’s Chris Hilburn-Trenkle in his latest roundup of minor league transactions. Goins is in camp and has collected two hits in six early spring plate appearances.
Goins, 33, has seen Major League time in parts of eight seasons, mostly with the Blue Jays but also with the Royals in 2018 and the White Sox from 2019-20. He’s never been much of a threat at the plate, as evidenced by a career .228/.278/.333 batting line in 1690 plate appearances at the MLB level, but Goins is a versatile defender with strong ratings at several positions. The bulk of his MLB work has come at second base (25 Defensive Runs Saved in 2095 innings), but he’s also graded out well at shortstop (7 DRS in 1460 innings) and at third base (average in 299 innings). Goins has seen brief stints in the outfield corners and at first base as well.
The Braves’ infield and bench is largely set, with Austin Riley slated for significant time at third base and both Jake Lamb and Johan Camargo behind him. Former Twins and Giants infielder Ehire Adrianza is in camp on a non-roster deal, vying for a spot as well. There may not be a clear path to a roster spot for Goins at the moment, but stashing Goins at their alternate site/Triple-A to begin the season would give the Braves some additional cover at multiple infield spots in the event of an injury on the Major League roster.
It doesn’t hurt to have depth I suppose, but if he sees the field even in a bench role, the Braves have problems…. would like to see a move for a bullpen arm like Greene or a much more solid bench guy. Like hate to say it… but for the bench… I’d be happy bringing back Markasis and/or flowers. I mean, get both of them for $2 mil total? I think that’s fair. Just me though.
At least brings cakes back for a M after taxes.
What ??
if you want to talk in code work for the CIA… DOH
Huh ? At least bring back Markakis for $1 million after taxes.
Really ??
They already have problems bc the whole NL east got better and they don’t have the best roster on paper rn. But they could win division too. All 4 teams (not marlins) could!
The east got better but the Braves absolutely still have the best roster in the division.
I don’t care to defend a take by metsfan22. First time ever, & it’s a drag. But Las Vegas, Fangraphs, and Pecota feel the mets are – indeed – better than the Braves.
Now, personally, even setting aside all the lolMets stuff I have Braves > mets. But it’s apparently quite a bit closer than I originally thought.
Agreed, but last year they all had the Mets better than the Nats, who they all had better than the Braves. 2019 wasn’t much different.
2020 Pecota for instance:
Mets – 88 wins
Nats – 87 wins
Braves – 83 wins
2019 Pecota
Mets – 89
Nats – 89
Braves – 83
Pecota has always been in love with the Mets. It’s possibly due to ridiculously overstated defensive metrics for the Mets, but I am not certain. It could be ‘stats’ versus ‘team’. No idea. I just know the Mets pretty much never meet expectations in these systems for some reason.
Yeah, I definitely recall instances of the opposite. Remember those Royals squads that we’re pegged as teams that would have losing records…then reeled off back-to-back AL pennants.
This seems like the inverse.
The big one for me is Vegas, though. Those guys – for example – didn’t discount those Kansas City clubs.
& I’m not sure you guys really understand how awful it was defending metsfan22’s take. Vile. He’s…not fun on any & all Yankee threads.
Ya know, I was really surprised when I saw the Vegas odds. Braves just seem like the better all around ballclub from here.
But: I’m just some dude with internet. So there’s that.
I hear you and completely understand. Ditto on me being just some guy with internet. His take wasn’t bad and neither was yours.
Normally I discount occasional misses by these systems, and by oddsmakers .. but the Mets are perennial underachievers. Someday in the future they will actually hit the projections and Mets fans everywhere will be ‘we told you so’.
Thanks for not blasting me. That would have made the whole thing so much worse, man.
Yeah projections are certainly far from flawless. But I like checking them & Vegas to get at least a sense of where other teams are at.
I like the Dodgers, of course.
After that Padres & Braves in NL, Yanks & White Sox in the AL.
Braves roster is still the best in that division. Not sure why you would think otherwise?
Clocks tickin’ to overpay Lindor because we all know the Mets sans Francisco are no giants. He dyed his hair blue – any more commitment and he’ll become a member of the Blue Man Group.
Mets, Braves still have the best overall roster. They were a game away from the WS and their pitching got a lot better
Hmmm… not the Marlins, Metsfan22? Miami made the playoffs in 2020. Did the Mets, Nats, or Philly? Yea, I didn’t think so.
I don’t want Markakis or Flowers back.
Nick I would be fine with if Snit would actually use him as just a 4th OF, but he won’t. If Markakis is on the roster then Snit will find him too many starts.
Flowers just isn’t needed. They have young catching, and it’s time to give them a chance as a 2nd catcher.
With MiLB delayed at least a month, it could increase the chance of using Contreras as a backup to get him game-time. They could easily find someone, if when the MiLB seasons starts back-up and they want him reg time.
Jackson is 100% the backup catcher they won’t have Contreras in a back up role not getting full time abs. Not to mention he’s barely played above AA, and his bat wasn’t great in Mississippi
I agree App snitker would over use both flowers and markakis. Leave them off the roster. Markakis looked really rough last year too lost a ton of bat speed.
I agree as well, though I would still prefer Markakis to Inciarte. He is not the same defensively as he once was and he has pretty much never hit, at least not for more than a singles.
When The Goins gets tough
Strained his Goins.
Say what you want, but this dude rakes and hits bombs.
Goins? No he doesn’t.
All things considered – another option to keep on the 5 person travel squad. Experienced professional – versatile enough to play anywhere on the IF and Outfield Corners. Not gonna wow you with the bat, but is unlikely to be more than an experienced player on the end of the bench if needed.
The Braves need to add to their outfield depth. Acuna will be a lost cause this season. With 162 games, he will be one of the first to strike out 200 plus and the media (and fans) will still call him a top 10 player.
Because he is a top 10 player.
He’s still mad the Braves didn’t sign mad bum
Still hoping the Braves can pull off a swap of Acuna for MadBum.
Acuna is a top 10 player
There was a time when casual Jays fans thought this guy was the second coming of Roberto Alomar, even when the stats suggested he was decidedly mediocre.
Never heard that before
I don’t know about Alomar comps, but low-bat high-glove players are often overrated in terms of their defense. For every elite glove-first guy like Andrelton or Ozzie there are guys like Rafael Belliard or Rey Ordonez who rack up thousands of PA without really making up for their bats.
Though Goins is 33 now and clearly never going to hit reliably, five or six years ago it looked like he had the potential to be a league average bat. He would have stretches of looking like a viable major league bat, but never really strung it together.
Ryan Goins defense was always exceptional.
He’s not even worth a minor league deal….
The braves are looking at camargo early to be the back up shortstop. His defense at short had dropped off last year. If he does well there in the spring the back up job is camargos and if not the braves need to add a utility guy to back up dansby. That is why they have added a number of those players on minors deals.
I’m not sure that’s true. Gabe burns and David o brien both have implied snit is willing to shift Ozzie to short
That information came from a mark bowman story titled “5 key questions facing braves this spring” and posted on feb 28. The info on final bench spots is where i got some of the info on camargo.
I guess the Braves’ calls to Paul Janish and Darwin Barney went to voicemail, while Goins answered.
You forgot Jesse Garcia.
Wow Goins had a heck of a season in AAA in 2019… in just 80-something games he hit 10 homers and batted well over .300 granted I believe that was the year that AAA used the “juiced ball” right? But still… that was a pretty emphatic display of “I belong in the majors” … though at this point, especially given his age… there might not be all that much left in the tank. still he’s a relatively solid utility guy and certainly could prove to be valuable in case of an injury or just general need for depth.