I don’t think it’s a given that you can “Offer arbitration to Soriano, Gonzalez, and collect the draft picks”. Soriano is likely to accept arbitration if it’s offered, and Gonzalez is a decent bet to as well. If they both accept, that’s roughly $10 million added to your payroll for just the two of them.
Wayne, fell out of my chair laughing, my man. Sure, send those suckers on along; you can’t ever tell, I might wake up one morning wanting my head to explode, and that would be just the ticket, LOL.
RC, I agree. But I doubt Houston will be interested in Lee/Lowe swap.
ncscoots, I like the Celtics a lot. All 5 championship contenders improved this winter. I think the Celtics are the most improved in the East, and they didn’t have far to go to compete for a championship as it was, if healthy.
Sheed will bring a lot to the table for them. Each member of their “Big 4″ is in his 30’s, so hopefully (from them) they’ll hold up. But each can still play at a high level, so I don’t think it’ll be too much of an issue this year.
The Spurs are the most improved team in the west. In fact, the consensus around the NBA seems to be the the Spurs are the most improved team in all of basketball. And like the Celtics, they were out of the championship conversation last year because of health.
R.Jefferson is EXACTLY what they’ve needed for years (and athletic scoring swing man with size). McDeyess is the best big man they’ve put next to Duncan since D.Robinson retired… and after seeing some pre-season ball… I think DeJuan Blair is going to be an impact player immediately. His nickname (”The Beast”) is well deserved. He is an animal on the glass. Reminds me a lot of watching Dennis Rodman rebound.
Overall, they’re going to be a significantly better offensive team, and I think the moves they’ve made are going to restore them to being one of the top few defensive teams in basketball.
For both the Spurs and Celtics, it’s all going to come down to the health of their 30-something stars.
I was just thinking that Ordonez might be the only reasonable contract out there that fits the needs of the braves. RH power bat. Ordonez hit better toward the end of the year. As far as Crisp I was just thinking that since he is coming off of an injury, the braves could get him at a reasonable deal. The braves need a true lead-off hitter and Mclouth doesn’t fit the bill. With Wagner he looked pretty good coming off of the surgery. Plus, he is one of the few closers out there on the market that would take a one year deal.
Just the opposite…Soriano will decline arbitration as to get a multi-yr deal somewhere else.
Gonzo who I’d rather have anyways may accept arbitration, but I say go the Hudson route. Sign Gonzo for a couple more years or three at a little below what it would cost in arbitration, so that would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2/11 or 3/14.
Get Huddy and that done first and focus then on the bats to fill 1b and lf. (ahem Bay)
bravesfanImAs far as Crisp I was just thinking that since he is coming off of an injury, the braves could get him at a reasonable deal. The braves need a true lead-off hitter and Mclouth doesn’t fit the bill.
id love to hear your reasoning why crisp is a better leadoff hitter than mclouth.
Random,a kitten,huh? I picture him as a lot of things but nowhere do I see kitten. I only see the fellow who quit on the Red Sox, who slapped one of his teammates,Kevin Youkilis,shoved the traveling secretary because he didn’t jump when he demanded tickets for that night’s game. He was also the fellow who had his own teammates tell the GM they were a better team without him. This is also the same fellow who was taking a shower as the rest of his team was supporting each other in the Dodgers last series. We really need that kitten,huh? Maybe Frank Wren can call him on his cellphone-no,wait a minute,he probably left his phone in the wall at Fenway.
Coco Crisp
YEARS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
5.14 162 605 90 167 32 6 11 64 50 88 27 9 .277 .331 .407 .738
Nate Mclouth
YEARS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
3.49 162 520 95 135 33 3 20 66 55 100 22 3 .260 .342 .454 .796
After looking at the numbers they weren’t as definitive as I thougth they were. My point with saying Mclouth isn’t a lead-off hitter was based on the fact that he has more power, therefore he would benefit being in the middle of the order.
Bay Area Steve (October 23rd, 2009 4:32 pm): “And, ugaaccountant, loved the line the other day about blog-tone. I forgot it now; I’d love to see it again.”
At your service, sirrah:
ugaaccountant (October 20th, 2009 2:25 pm): ” ‘tone issue’ – The appropriate tone for a blog is always i’m right and f you. Otherwise you come across like a wimp.”
I honestly think they believe Nate is our leadoff hitter and will be capable of producing in that spot, otherwise my pick would be Figgins as he can play anywhere you want him to and he’s a great clubhouse guy.
That being said, everyone would be after him and I’d much rather take my chances with Nate in the leadoff spot and overpay on Bay or Holliday than overpay on Figgins.
Hey haven’t posted in several weeks but I have been reading the arguement over Konerko batting 4th vs. LaRoche. First of all let me say I really like LaRoche, he played good for the Braves this year, and played good when he was in Atl the first time. However, Atl needs somebody who can mash against left handed pitching. Basically LaRoche and Konerko had the same offensive season in 2009. Against Lefties though konerko hit .338 10hrs 27rbi and an OPS of 1.006 in 151 at bats, that is pretty good. LaRoche on the other hand went .243 6hrs 20 rbi and .706 in 183 at bats. So konerko would definately help if he could reproduce those numbers.
“But why would the astros who are in a “re-building” process want an aging pitcher like lowe?” – bravesfanIm
First off, I don’t think the Astros view themselves as in a “re-building” process. Over the past few years they have spent big money to bring in guys like Lee and Tejada and seem to always think they are a piece or two away from competing (and in the NL Central, they are right). Secondly, take a look at their pitching rotation. Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, and a bunch of #5 starters (if that). A front 3 of Oswalt, Wandy, and Lowe would likely make them favorites in the Central next year, unless St. Louis is able to resign Holliday and/or DeRosa. Not saying it’s likely, just saying the pieces seem to fit.
Although, I recall that you had a different response, initially. I managed to forget that too. I’m certain you were calling me an idiot in some way I couldn’t understand. But, I’m OK with it; I ain’t messin’ with the NSA.
Oh, and no doubt that you’re an I’m-always-right-and-f-you type of blogger.
I have enjoyed reading bits and pieces of the blog the past few weeks(I have been super busy and not on puter much) the interesting trade bloggages have been entertaining. We keep thinking Wren is going to spash the FA market with a big deal for a HR hitting OF. Guys my take on it, NOT going to happen. He will sign Huddy, Rochey, Gonzo and focus on moving someone to the pen and getting big Heyward healed up and ready to content with spring. This team is just a tweak or two away from winning 95-98 games next year and Wren is not going to do big things when he has 98% of the pieces already.
We are not the Yankees, speaking of I can’t pull for either team in this NE series, don’t like neither team, just don’t
LaRoche had an OPS of .902 against RHP, with 19 HR in 446 PA.
Konerko had an OPS of .779 against RHP, with 18 HR in 448 PA.
I wouldn’t mind Konerko, but not based on hitting LHP. They’re going to see way more RHP during the season. Konerko/LaRoche is kind of a wash, I think. LaRoche is younger, ridiculously good in the second half and is a better defender; Konerko is more consistent and does better in the cleanup spot.
Scoots, you nailed one of my biggest pet peeves, too…When I see a line-up or roster projection I go straight to the “X” button in the top right corner.
bravesfanImwho do you think the braves should go after for the Lead-off spot then?
the braves have a leadoff hitter. he gets on base at a good rate, about 35% of the time, runs well, will reasonably give you 20 or 25 stolen bases without getting caught alot. and has good power, which is a nice bonus for a leadoff hitter. the braves need to get a middle of the order bat, not a leadoff hitter.
braves4ever – Our general manager has stated his intent to bring in a RH power hitter. The debate is how good said hitter will be.
I wonder if the braves could send Cody Johnson to the AFL on short notice? Couldn’t hurt to get him some more at bats. I promise you guys at the very least he’s trade bait. Someone will want his power even with a low average.
If we were to go after a Astros of, i’d much rather have Michael Bourne than Lee. He’s an incredible speed guy who made significant strides in his avg. this year. If we could buy him low by pointing to his previous avg struggles, we’d be golden.
tennbravefanAtl needs somebody who can mash against left handed pitching.
are you sure? the braves splits say that they actually hit lefties better than they did righties in 2009. (not by much, only 8 OPS points)
i understand the desire to split up liefties in the lineup, but you can do that without having a righthander hit cleanup, and based on last years stats, the braves need someone to improve thier numbers versus righties, not lefties.
While I’m not sure he fits the Braves biggest needs, I agree that Michael Bourn would be a great addition to the team. The only problem I see is – what do you trade for him? The Lee for Lowe speculation is based off of very similar contracts that would make the financial impact minimal for both teams. Bourn is not yet arbitration eligible, so there is no way Houston would take on the $45 million owed to Derrek Lowe in a trade for Bourn. Again, not shooting down your idea, just curious as to how you see it working.
I just can’t imagine the Braves idea of their RH power bat being Nick Swisher. God, I hope not. They’re going to sacrafice some pitching to get a RH power bat. Trading Lowe’s big dollars somewhere is a lot easier to write on here then actually doing it in real life. But I think moving he or KK’s dollars would allow the team to fix the offense in spots & still have a very good rotation. In the end I believe Wren is in full control because pitching is so damn thin & 90% of teams are looking for more… he has what they want, so we all should be excited about what’s about to happen this offseason.
ugaaccountant
I heard the intent statement but thats just a smokescreen to use in signing Laroche, I just don’t see Wren signing Rochey and another big hitter with Heyward waiting. Now if he trades a Lowe or KK for a speedster like Bourne or Crawford that’s a good take, but no team will accommodate him that well.
DAP, you can’t ignore that he’s batting in that Yankees lineup either in that park. I’ll bet he’s a 22 HR guy with a low average in Braves lineup. The Braves can do better even if they resign LaRoche.
Swisher is also a goofy douche bag that I wouldn’t want to look at every night. Call me ignorant or whatever but I just don’t like that mohawk wearing douche.
TnBrianyou can’t ignore that he’s batting in that Yankees lineup either in that park.
yeah he is in a great lineup, but he performed similarly in lesser lineups before. plus, the park has nothing to do with it. his away splits are .268/.361/.585 for a .946 road OPS.
Carlos Lee-no trade contract. Very unlikely to waive it. Pence would be better option anyway if Braves could get him, Imo. Many worry about a Laroche signing blocking Freeman; sign Laroache, worry about 2011 later. A good Laroache signing, 3 years, frees up Freeman for possible trade. A 2010 lineup with Laroache would be better than a 2010 lineup with Freeman.I’d rather not count 2011 chickens at the expense of 2010.
DAP, I’m not bashing on your ideas at all. Swisher would be an upgrade over Diaz as far as power & defense, no question. Adding him to a full year of LaRoche,McLouth, bounce back year from Chipper & even McCann with our pitching might be enough to get in the postseason, I think. But, I’m just saying I believe they could do better.
I still say, if there is no Huddy deal, there will be no trades of pitchers to fill needs. That would probably require a free agent signing or a pillaging of the farm system.
If the Huddy deal gets done, then Vazquez is probably on the market. With one year left on his contract and because he was acquired through trade, JV would be the most valuable trade piece.
If Vazquez extends, then Lowe would be the obvious trade piece, because of his salary only. All the other stuff is nonsense. Lowe is an outstanding member of a very good starting rotation and should be much desired over the next couple of years.
KK will not be traded. Even if a “bopper” is acquired through trade, KK’s salary won’t offset the “bopper’s” salary. Plus there is the thing about selling Atlanta to KK (and the Japanese baseball community) only to deal him a year into his contract. That will likely deter future signings or make them more costly.
Random-I’m an artist. Of course I believe we create the shadows as we go along.
Daslied-You could be right and they may go in another direction based on the failure of past assumptions. I’m just putting forth a scenario I think is a workable solution to our needs. It’s certainly not the only way to go or necessarily the way I think they would go. I’m certain there are options and possibilities I (or anyone here) never even thought of. I don’t doubt Wren might come up with something I didn’t see coming-like the Jurrjens or McLouth deals.
Oh, and my other issue I noticed was that 20 of his 29 HR were with the bases empty. This is a problem especially considering the team he currently plays for.
What makes you say that Lee is “very unlikely” to waive his no trade clause for ATL? And while I agree that Pence would be a good piece to add, I see no way the Astros give him up over Lee, since Lee is owed $55.5 million and Pence is not yet arbitration eligible.
P-townConcern here is 20 of his 29 HR were LH so that isn’t helping the v LHP stats.
he had 8 homers in half as many ABs versus lefties, and his OPS was identical versus lefties and righties. also, the braves had worse numbers versus RHP than LHP in 2009, so that doesnt matter anyways.
Also, for those wanting him to hit cleanup, only 2 of his HR of the 133 in his career are from the 4 spot
he has 78 PA hitting cleanup. sample size.
c’mon, man. TnBrian has a much better reason to be opposed to swisher.
Bay Area Steve (October 28th, 2009 3:23 pm): “‘Preciate it.”
De nada.
“Although, I recall that you had a different response, initially.”
??? Today is the first time I saw that “blog tone” comment.
“I managed to forget that too.”
?????
“I’m certain you were calling me an idiot in some way I couldn’t understand.”
When? I think the last time I called you and idiot was in conjunction with Lowe’s third start and you were picking on the the poor AJC copy boy for using what you thought was a stupid and inaccurate headline for the game story.
Was there something else since then?
“Oh, and no doubt that you’re an I’m-always-right-and-f-you type of blogger.”
abwright-If there is no Hudson deal there would be no need to trade another pitcher, as it would free up enough money to fill needs.
However, even if Hudson is extended, I would bet Vazquez won’t be traded. He should have won 20 games in 09 and you don’t trade 20 game winning pitchers. It’s more likely they would seek to extend him than trade him to my way of thinking. I’m thinking that there really will be a market for Lowe this winter and losing his contract would save more money than any other pitching deal they could make.
p-town braveand my other issue I noticed was that 20 of his 29 HR were with the bases empty.
if this matter to you that much you will probably love swisher’s “clutch stats” check them out at baseball reference. they are excellent.
besides, im curious what percentage of all homers are solo shots? can anyone find that out. out of all of baseball, what the homer run “pie” looks like as far as how many runs are driven in?
PTown-Any time I see that a player hit a lot of Home Runs with the bases empty (Felipe Alou did it for the Braves one year), I’ve always considered it to be more of an aberration than anything.
No I don’t get angry. You make it sound like I’m Ted Bundy or something. But, yes, when I start seeing fantasy rosters and line-ups, I know it’s time for me to find something better to do.
Hillbilly-I don’t know Dude. Pink Floyd quoting Arkansans who stalk fur bearing creatures during hunting season are pretty bizarre, but probably aren’t serial killers. At least not too many of them.
Fully agree with your 4:27 post. I also think Lowe is likely to be traded for that “power bat” we all crave, since we are way more likely to get that through trade than we will on the free agent market. My thoughts are that there are 3, maybe 4 right-handed outfielders who we would actually want that are free agents (Holliday, Bay, DeRosa?, Nady?). There are WAY more than 4 teams that will be in the bidding for these players, many with greater financial resources than the Braves possess (both NY teams, Boston, San Fran, Chicago?). This means that the players have the advantage in this situation, so any contract they sign is much more likely to favor the player than the team. Now lets look at the D. Lowe situation. There are VERY few good starting pitchers on the market this offseason without injury concerns(Lackey….and that’s it). However, there are a TON of teams looking for pitching. That means that the Braves are essentially in a buyers market for the bat they want, and will be able to select the team they want to trade with without too much competition from other teams trading pitching, or other free agents. The fact that Lowe’s contract will likely offset with the right-handed bat they acquire makes the possibility of a trade that much more likely.
Lew,I agree we need to also try to extend Vazquez to make him know his work was appreciated and to secure his and the Braves future together. I think the Braves must feel there is a trade market for Lowe and KK for them to sign Hudson. If not, then Vazquez is surely gone and I don’t think that is a wise move.
CB-Imagine they are able to tradeLowe. They extend Hudson and Vazquez each for three years. That would give them a rotation of Vazquez, Jurrjens, Hanson, Hudson and Kawakami for two more years. It would give us a rotation of Vazquez, Jurrjens, Hanson and Hudson for four more years with Medlen for another five. We would still have Minor, Rohrbough and Teheran still developing for several years down the road. Pitching is looking incredible if Lowe is traded and Javy and Hudson extended.
Even though I got into an arguement with someone about this being a bad trade idea a few weeks back, I think I’ve changed my mind on the possibility of the Braves going after Derrek Lee. He’s set to make $13 million this year, meaning that Lowe would almost certainly need to be traded to make the finances work, and with only 1 year left on his contract there’s a decent chance he ends up as a “rental”, but MAN would he look good batting between Chipper and McCann in our lineup.
MLB.com’s AFL site. I try to follow gameday (with pitch F/X (!) ) for an inning or two every day and keep the box score up and refresh it every now and then.
Yeah, I don’t get the whole “he’d be blocking this or that prospect” BS either. The way teams make trades all the time during and after the season just stamps the fact that it’s a silly comment.
LewI’m an artist. Of course I believe we create the shadows as we go along.
Hey, have you ever had it where you draw the outline for a…drawing, and you’re so happy with the way it turned out that you’re sort of afraid to add the color?
McFann-Confidence makes a lot of difference. You have to trust you know what you’re doing or be willing to learn from your mistakes. Sometimes you have to do a piece over ten or twelve times to get what you want.
Who cares about Bonds and McGwire, they made their millions. Saying their names just bring sour memories, they are , clowns with big heads and no personality that cheated. If Bobby Cox, is so protective, and like Johnson so much, let him adopt him and keep him at home, but stop shoving him down our throat, he is not a major leaguer. Let him screw-up another team. Cox, should see what he’ll have for next year, before saying where if anywhere, he’ll put his pet, Johnson.
[...] sporting a .450+ slugging percentage. Will the good times continue for the man that was just declared the starting second baseman for the Braves in [...]
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2,586 comments Add your comment
Wayne in Utah (WWRFD)
October 28th, 2009
2:18 pm
scoots
Can I send you a link to my roster and lineup projections for the next 5 years????
Wayne in Utah (WWRFD)
October 28th, 2009
2:21 pm
DOB
Thanks for the update…..I hope you realize I was jerking “scoots” chain a bit with that request.
At least you and Hillary can say you were both presidents for a while, although I don’t quite think her’s was the one she really wanted.
RC
October 28th, 2009
2:25 pm
bravesfanlm,
I don’t think it’s a given that you can “Offer arbitration to Soriano, Gonzalez, and collect the draft picks”. Soriano is likely to accept arbitration if it’s offered, and Gonzalez is a decent bet to as well. If they both accept, that’s roughly $10 million added to your payroll for just the two of them.
ncscoots
October 28th, 2009
2:26 pm
Wayne, fell out of my chair laughing, my man. Sure, send those suckers on along; you can’t ever tell, I might wake up one morning wanting my head to explode, and that would be just the ticket, LOL.
rammerjammer
October 28th, 2009
2:31 pm
One might think the Hudson deal is already done and they’re just waiting for the World Series to end before announcing it.
richbrave
October 28th, 2009
2:36 pm
Hey DOB:
No ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE this year?
KC
October 28th, 2009
2:36 pm
RC, I agree. But I doubt Houston will be interested in Lee/Lowe swap.
ncscoots, I like the Celtics a lot. All 5 championship contenders improved this winter. I think the Celtics are the most improved in the East, and they didn’t have far to go to compete for a championship as it was, if healthy.
Sheed will bring a lot to the table for them. Each member of their “Big 4″ is in his 30’s, so hopefully (from them) they’ll hold up. But each can still play at a high level, so I don’t think it’ll be too much of an issue this year.
The Spurs are the most improved team in the west. In fact, the consensus around the NBA seems to be the the Spurs are the most improved team in all of basketball. And like the Celtics, they were out of the championship conversation last year because of health.
R.Jefferson is EXACTLY what they’ve needed for years (and athletic scoring swing man with size). McDeyess is the best big man they’ve put next to Duncan since D.Robinson retired… and after seeing some pre-season ball… I think DeJuan Blair is going to be an impact player immediately. His nickname (”The Beast”) is well deserved. He is an animal on the glass. Reminds me a lot of watching Dennis Rodman rebound.
Overall, they’re going to be a significantly better offensive team, and I think the moves they’ve made are going to restore them to being one of the top few defensive teams in basketball.
For both the Spurs and Celtics, it’s all going to come down to the health of their 30-something stars.
bravesfanlm
October 28th, 2009
2:40 pm
I was just thinking that Ordonez might be the only reasonable contract out there that fits the needs of the braves. RH power bat. Ordonez hit better toward the end of the year. As far as Crisp I was just thinking that since he is coming off of an injury, the braves could get him at a reasonable deal. The braves need a true lead-off hitter and Mclouth doesn’t fit the bill. With Wagner he looked pretty good coming off of the surgery. Plus, he is one of the few closers out there on the market that would take a one year deal.
Random
October 28th, 2009
2:41 pm
Ironic that by extending Hudson and thereby removing him from the free agent market, the Braves enhance Lowe’s (or Vazquez’) trade value.
Ironic, or genius.
P-Town Brave
October 28th, 2009
2:44 pm
RC-
Just the opposite…Soriano will decline arbitration as to get a multi-yr deal somewhere else.
Gonzo who I’d rather have anyways may accept arbitration, but I say go the Hudson route. Sign Gonzo for a couple more years or three at a little below what it would cost in arbitration, so that would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2/11 or 3/14.
Get Huddy and that done first and focus then on the bats to fill 1b and lf. (ahem Bay)
DAP
October 28th, 2009
2:53 pm
bravesfanImAs far as Crisp I was just thinking that since he is coming off of an injury, the braves could get him at a reasonable deal. The braves need a true lead-off hitter and Mclouth doesn’t fit the bill.
id love to hear your reasoning why crisp is a better leadoff hitter than mclouth.
O.J.
October 28th, 2009
2:54 pm
bravesfanlm, Derek Lowe for Carlos Lee, as someone mentioned earlier, sounds like a better deal.
CB
October 28th, 2009
3:00 pm
Random,a kitten,huh? I picture him as a lot of things but nowhere do I see kitten. I only see the fellow who quit on the Red Sox, who slapped one of his teammates,Kevin Youkilis,shoved the traveling secretary because he didn’t jump when he demanded tickets for that night’s game. He was also the fellow who had his own teammates tell the GM they were a better team without him. This is also the same fellow who was taking a shower as the rest of his team was supporting each other in the Dodgers last series. We really need that kitten,huh? Maybe Frank Wren can call him on his cellphone-no,wait a minute,he probably left his phone in the wall at Fenway.
bravesfanlm
October 28th, 2009
3:04 pm
Coco Crisp
YEARS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
5.14 162 605 90 167 32 6 11 64 50 88 27 9 .277 .331 .407 .738
Nate Mclouth
YEARS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
3.49 162 520 95 135 33 3 20 66 55 100 22 3 .260 .342 .454 .796
After looking at the numbers they weren’t as definitive as I thougth they were. My point with saying Mclouth isn’t a lead-off hitter was based on the fact that he has more power, therefore he would benefit being in the middle of the order.
bravesfanlm
October 28th, 2009
3:06 pm
But why would the astros who are in a “re-building” process want an aging pitcher like lowe?
DAP
October 28th, 2009
3:10 pm
bravesfanIm
those numbers show that mclouth is simply a better player, leading off or anywhere else.
Random
October 28th, 2009
3:10 pm
Bay Area Steve (October 23rd, 2009 4:32 pm): “And, ugaaccountant, loved the line the other day about blog-tone. I forgot it now; I’d love to see it again.”
At your service, sirrah:
ugaaccountant (October 20th, 2009 2:25 pm): ” ‘tone issue’ – The appropriate tone for a blog is always i’m right and f you. Otherwise you come across like a wimp.”
. . .
I try also to project that tone visually myself:
(And now you know.)
bravesfanlm
October 28th, 2009
3:12 pm
DAP,
who do you think the braves should go after for the Lead-off spot then?
Try and sign Figgins?
Trade for Juan Pierre?
Trade for a Pierre esk player?
P-Town Brave
October 28th, 2009
3:19 pm
I honestly think they believe Nate is our leadoff hitter and will be capable of producing in that spot, otherwise my pick would be Figgins as he can play anywhere you want him to and he’s a great clubhouse guy.
That being said, everyone would be after him and I’d much rather take my chances with Nate in the leadoff spot and overpay on Bay or Holliday than overpay on Figgins.
Tennbravefan
October 28th, 2009
3:20 pm
Hey haven’t posted in several weeks but I have been reading the arguement over Konerko batting 4th vs. LaRoche. First of all let me say I really like LaRoche, he played good for the Braves this year, and played good when he was in Atl the first time. However, Atl needs somebody who can mash against left handed pitching. Basically LaRoche and Konerko had the same offensive season in 2009. Against Lefties though konerko hit .338 10hrs 27rbi and an OPS of 1.006 in 151 at bats, that is pretty good. LaRoche on the other hand went .243 6hrs 20 rbi and .706 in 183 at bats. So konerko would definately help if he could reproduce those numbers.
RC
October 28th, 2009
3:21 pm
“But why would the astros who are in a “re-building” process want an aging pitcher like lowe?” – bravesfanIm
First off, I don’t think the Astros view themselves as in a “re-building” process. Over the past few years they have spent big money to bring in guys like Lee and Tejada and seem to always think they are a piece or two away from competing (and in the NL Central, they are right). Secondly, take a look at their pitching rotation. Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, and a bunch of #5 starters (if that). A front 3 of Oswalt, Wandy, and Lowe would likely make them favorites in the Central next year, unless St. Louis is able to resign Holliday and/or DeRosa. Not saying it’s likely, just saying the pieces seem to fit.
Bay Area Steve
October 28th, 2009
3:23 pm
‘Preciate it, Random.
Although, I recall that you had a different response, initially. I managed to forget that too. I’m certain you were calling me an idiot in some way I couldn’t understand. But, I’m OK with it; I ain’t messin’ with the NSA.
Oh, and no doubt that you’re an I’m-always-right-and-f-you type of blogger.
braves4ever
October 28th, 2009
3:23 pm
I have enjoyed reading bits and pieces of the blog the past few weeks(I have been super busy and not on puter much) the interesting trade bloggages have been entertaining. We keep thinking Wren is going to spash the FA market with a big deal for a HR hitting OF. Guys my take on it, NOT going to happen. He will sign Huddy, Rochey, Gonzo and focus on moving someone to the pen and getting big Heyward healed up and ready to content with spring. This team is just a tweak or two away from winning 95-98 games next year and Wren is not going to do big things when he has 98% of the pieces already.
We are not the Yankees, speaking of I can’t pull for either team in this NE series, don’t like neither team, just don’t
Daslied
October 28th, 2009
3:30 pm
Tennbravesfan –
LaRoche had an OPS of .902 against RHP, with 19 HR in 446 PA.
Konerko had an OPS of .779 against RHP, with 18 HR in 448 PA.
I wouldn’t mind Konerko, but not based on hitting LHP. They’re going to see way more RHP during the season. Konerko/LaRoche is kind of a wash, I think. LaRoche is younger, ridiculously good in the second half and is a better defender; Konerko is more consistent and does better in the cleanup spot.
McFann Ô
October 28th, 2009
3:39 pm
Hiya…anybody read this yet?
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091028&content_id=7564632&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
Good stuff.
Hillbilly
October 28th, 2009
3:45 pm
Scoots, you nailed one of my biggest pet peeves, too…When I see a line-up or roster projection I go straight to the “X” button in the top right corner.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
3:46 pm
bravesfanImwho do you think the braves should go after for the Lead-off spot then?
the braves have a leadoff hitter. he gets on base at a good rate, about 35% of the time, runs well, will reasonably give you 20 or 25 stolen bases without getting caught alot. and has good power, which is a nice bonus for a leadoff hitter. the braves need to get a middle of the order bat, not a leadoff hitter.
ugaaccountant
October 28th, 2009
3:48 pm
braves4ever – Our general manager has stated his intent to bring in a RH power hitter. The debate is how good said hitter will be.
I wonder if the braves could send Cody Johnson to the AFL on short notice? Couldn’t hurt to get him some more at bats. I promise you guys at the very least he’s trade bait. Someone will want his power even with a low average.
ugaaccountant
October 28th, 2009
3:50 pm
If we were to go after a Astros of, i’d much rather have Michael Bourne than Lee. He’s an incredible speed guy who made significant strides in his avg. this year. If we could buy him low by pointing to his previous avg struggles, we’d be golden.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
3:53 pm
tennbravefanAtl needs somebody who can mash against left handed pitching.
are you sure? the braves splits say that they actually hit lefties better than they did righties in 2009. (not by much, only 8 OPS points)
i understand the desire to split up liefties in the lineup, but you can do that without having a righthander hit cleanup, and based on last years stats, the braves need someone to improve thier numbers versus righties, not lefties.
RC
October 28th, 2009
3:57 pm
ugaaccountant,
While I’m not sure he fits the Braves biggest needs, I agree that Michael Bourn would be a great addition to the team. The only problem I see is – what do you trade for him? The Lee for Lowe speculation is based off of very similar contracts that would make the financial impact minimal for both teams. Bourn is not yet arbitration eligible, so there is no way Houston would take on the $45 million owed to Derrek Lowe in a trade for Bourn. Again, not shooting down your idea, just curious as to how you see it working.
TnBrian
October 28th, 2009
3:59 pm
I just can’t imagine the Braves idea of their RH power bat being Nick Swisher. God, I hope not. They’re going to sacrafice some pitching to get a RH power bat. Trading Lowe’s big dollars somewhere is a lot easier to write on here then actually doing it in real life. But I think moving he or KK’s dollars would allow the team to fix the offense in spots & still have a very good rotation. In the end I believe Wren is in full control because pitching is so damn thin & 90% of teams are looking for more… he has what they want, so we all should be excited about what’s about to happen this offseason.
braves4ever
October 28th, 2009
4:00 pm
ugaaccountant
I heard the intent statement but thats just a smokescreen to use in signing Laroche, I just don’t see Wren signing Rochey and another big hitter with Heyward waiting. Now if he trades a Lowe or KK for a speedster like Bourne or Crawford that’s a good take, but no team will accommodate him that well.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:01 pm
TnBrianI just can’t imagine the Braves idea of their RH power bat being Nick Swisher. God, I hope not.
swisher had a slg% near .500 last year. what did you have in mind for a power hitter?
jeffrey d
October 28th, 2009
4:07 pm
When I see a line-up or roster projection I go straight to the “X” button in the top right corner
You get so angry you close your entire browser?
TnBrian
October 28th, 2009
4:09 pm
DAP, you can’t ignore that he’s batting in that Yankees lineup either in that park. I’ll bet he’s a 22 HR guy with a low average in Braves lineup. The Braves can do better even if they resign LaRoche.
RC
October 28th, 2009
4:10 pm
“swisher had a slg% near .500 last year. what did you have in mind for a power hitter?” – DAP
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I had in mind a guy who’s batting avg is over .250
TnBrian
October 28th, 2009
4:13 pm
Swisher is also a goofy douche bag that I wouldn’t want to look at every night. Call me ignorant or whatever but I just don’t like that mohawk wearing douche.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:15 pm
TnBrian you can’t ignore that he’s batting in that Yankees lineup either in that park.
yeah he is in a great lineup, but he performed similarly in lesser lineups before. plus, the park has nothing to do with it. his away splits are .268/.361/.585 for a .946 road OPS.
Kris "My Little Pony" Medlen
October 28th, 2009
4:16 pm
What’s wrong with mohawks?
P-Town Brave
October 28th, 2009
4:16 pm
DAP-
Concern here is 20 of his 29 HR were LH so that isn’t helping the v LHP stats.
Also, for those wanting him to hit cleanup, only 2 of his HR of the 133 in his career are from the 4 spot
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:17 pm
Call me ignorant or whatever but I just don’t like that mohawk wearing douche.
i think thats a better reason than some ive heard.
RC i feel ya. i guess swisher just missed out this year then, at .249.
hoot
October 28th, 2009
4:17 pm
Carlos Lee-no trade contract. Very unlikely to waive it. Pence would be better option anyway if Braves could get him, Imo. Many worry about a Laroche signing blocking Freeman; sign Laroache, worry about 2011 later. A good Laroache signing, 3 years, frees up Freeman for possible trade. A 2010 lineup with Laroache would be better than a 2010 lineup with Freeman.I’d rather not count 2011 chickens at the expense of 2010.
TnBrian
October 28th, 2009
4:19 pm
DAP, I’m not bashing on your ideas at all. Swisher would be an upgrade over Diaz as far as power & defense, no question. Adding him to a full year of LaRoche,McLouth, bounce back year from Chipper & even McCann with our pitching might be enough to get in the postseason, I think. But, I’m just saying I believe they could do better.
P. W. Hjort
October 28th, 2009
4:19 pm
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I had in mind a guy who’s batting avg is over .250
Dude, batting average? Why?
abwright
October 28th, 2009
4:20 pm
I still say, if there is no Huddy deal, there will be no trades of pitchers to fill needs. That would probably require a free agent signing or a pillaging of the farm system.
If the Huddy deal gets done, then Vazquez is probably on the market. With one year left on his contract and because he was acquired through trade, JV would be the most valuable trade piece.
If Vazquez extends, then Lowe would be the obvious trade piece, because of his salary only. All the other stuff is nonsense. Lowe is an outstanding member of a very good starting rotation and should be much desired over the next couple of years.
KK will not be traded. Even if a “bopper” is acquired through trade, KK’s salary won’t offset the “bopper’s” salary. Plus there is the thing about selling Atlanta to KK (and the Japanese baseball community) only to deal him a year into his contract. That will likely deter future signings or make them more costly.
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:21 pm
Random-I’m an artist. Of course I believe we create the shadows as we go along.
Daslied-You could be right and they may go in another direction based on the failure of past assumptions. I’m just putting forth a scenario I think is a workable solution to our needs. It’s certainly not the only way to go or necessarily the way I think they would go. I’m certain there are options and possibilities I (or anyone here) never even thought of. I don’t doubt Wren might come up with something I didn’t see coming-like the Jurrjens or McLouth deals.
P-Town Brave
October 28th, 2009
4:22 pm
Oh, and my other issue I noticed was that 20 of his 29 HR were with the bases empty. This is a problem especially considering the team he currently plays for.
RC
October 28th, 2009
4:23 pm
hoot,
What makes you say that Lee is “very unlikely” to waive his no trade clause for ATL? And while I agree that Pence would be a good piece to add, I see no way the Astros give him up over Lee, since Lee is owed $55.5 million and Pence is not yet arbitration eligible.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:23 pm
P-townConcern here is 20 of his 29 HR were LH so that isn’t helping the v LHP stats.
he had 8 homers in half as many ABs versus lefties, and his OPS was identical versus lefties and righties. also, the braves had worse numbers versus RHP than LHP in 2009, so that doesnt matter anyways.
Also, for those wanting him to hit cleanup, only 2 of his HR of the 133 in his career are from the 4 spot
he has 78 PA hitting cleanup. sample size.
c’mon, man. TnBrian has a much better reason to be opposed to swisher.
Random
October 28th, 2009
4:23 pm
Bay Area Steve (October 28th, 2009 3:23 pm): “‘Preciate it.”
De nada.
“Although, I recall that you had a different response, initially.”
??? Today is the first time I saw that “blog tone” comment.
“I managed to forget that too.”
?????
“I’m certain you were calling me an idiot in some way I couldn’t understand.”
When? I think the last time I called you and idiot was in conjunction with Lowe’s third start and you were picking on the the poor AJC copy boy for using what you thought was a stupid and inaccurate headline for the game story.
Was there something else since then?
“Oh, and no doubt that you’re an I’m-always-right-and-f-you type of blogger.”
Only when you see me 8-).
(But not
,
or
— them’s sincere.)
Random
October 28th, 2009
4:25 pm
Only when you see me
.
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:27 pm
abwright-If there is no Hudson deal there would be no need to trade another pitcher, as it would free up enough money to fill needs.
However, even if Hudson is extended, I would bet Vazquez won’t be traded. He should have won 20 games in 09 and you don’t trade 20 game winning pitchers. It’s more likely they would seek to extend him than trade him to my way of thinking. I’m thinking that there really will be a market for Lowe this winter and losing his contract would save more money than any other pitching deal they could make.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:30 pm
p-town braveand my other issue I noticed was that 20 of his 29 HR were with the bases empty.
if this matter to you that much you will probably love swisher’s “clutch stats” check them out at baseball reference. they are excellent.
besides, im curious what percentage of all homers are solo shots? can anyone find that out. out of all of baseball, what the homer run “pie” looks like as far as how many runs are driven in?
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:31 pm
PTown-Any time I see that a player hit a lot of Home Runs with the bases empty (Felipe Alou did it for the Braves one year), I’ve always considered it to be more of an aberration than anything.
Hillbilly
October 28th, 2009
4:32 pm
You get so angry you close your entire browser?
No I don’t get angry. You make it sound like I’m Ted Bundy or something. But, yes, when I start seeing fantasy rosters and line-ups, I know it’s time for me to find something better to do.
DAP
October 28th, 2009
4:32 pm
wait, i found it. this is on fan graphs:
Solo — 56.9%
Two run — 29.1%
Three run — 11.3%
Grand slam — 2.6%
Ryan Howard — 1.0%
swisher’s solo HR% was 69%.
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:36 pm
Hillbilly-I don’t know Dude. Pink Floyd quoting Arkansans who stalk fur bearing creatures during hunting season are pretty bizarre, but probably aren’t serial killers. At least not too many of them.
jeffrey d
October 28th, 2009
4:37 pm
lol, Ted Bundy…
RC
October 28th, 2009
4:39 pm
Lew,
Fully agree with your 4:27 post. I also think Lowe is likely to be traded for that “power bat” we all crave, since we are way more likely to get that through trade than we will on the free agent market. My thoughts are that there are 3, maybe 4 right-handed outfielders who we would actually want that are free agents (Holliday, Bay, DeRosa?, Nady?). There are WAY more than 4 teams that will be in the bidding for these players, many with greater financial resources than the Braves possess (both NY teams, Boston, San Fran, Chicago?). This means that the players have the advantage in this situation, so any contract they sign is much more likely to favor the player than the team. Now lets look at the D. Lowe situation. There are VERY few good starting pitchers on the market this offseason without injury concerns(Lackey….and that’s it). However, there are a TON of teams looking for pitching. That means that the Braves are essentially in a buyers market for the bat they want, and will be able to select the team they want to trade with without too much competition from other teams trading pitching, or other free agents. The fact that Lowe’s contract will likely offset with the right-handed bat they acquire makes the possibility of a trade that much more likely.
P. W. Hjort
October 28th, 2009
4:40 pm
Freeman is 1-2 today. Hicks is 1-2 with a 3B.
CB
October 28th, 2009
4:40 pm
Lew,I agree we need to also try to extend Vazquez to make him know his work was appreciated and to secure his and the Braves future together. I think the Braves must feel there is a trade market for Lowe and KK for them to sign Hudson. If not, then Vazquez is surely gone and I don’t think that is a wise move.
RHR
October 28th, 2009
4:41 pm
Chants
Random messed up
Random messed up
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:45 pm
CB-Imagine they are able to tradeLowe. They extend Hudson and Vazquez each for three years. That would give them a rotation of Vazquez, Jurrjens, Hanson, Hudson and Kawakami for two more years. It would give us a rotation of Vazquez, Jurrjens, Hanson and Hudson for four more years with Medlen for another five. We would still have Minor, Rohrbough and Teheran still developing for several years down the road. Pitching is looking incredible if Lowe is traded and Javy and Hudson extended.
Wayne in Utah (WWRFD)
October 28th, 2009
4:47 pm
PW Hjort
Where do you get your AFL info?
Wayne in Utah (WWRFD)
October 28th, 2009
4:49 pm
Lew
Are you concerned that we don’t have a lefty on the staff?
Wayne in Utah (WWRFD)
October 28th, 2009
4:50 pm
rotation, not staff….
RC
October 28th, 2009
4:50 pm
Even though I got into an arguement with someone about this being a bad trade idea a few weeks back, I think I’ve changed my mind on the possibility of the Braves going after Derrek Lee. He’s set to make $13 million this year, meaning that Lowe would almost certainly need to be traded to make the finances work, and with only 1 year left on his contract there’s a decent chance he ends up as a “rental”, but MAN would he look good batting between Chipper and McCann in our lineup.
P. W. Hjort
October 28th, 2009
4:50 pm
Wayne in Utah -
MLB.com’s AFL site. I try to follow gameday (with pitch F/X (!) ) for an inning or two every day and keep the box score up and refresh it every now and then.
Random
October 28th, 2009
4:52 pm
Mess you up.
Random
October 28th, 2009
4:54 pm
(Just kidding, of course.)
P. W. Hjort
October 28th, 2009
4:56 pm
Freeman with another hit. He’s 2-3. Hicks up.
TnBrian
October 28th, 2009
4:56 pm
Yeah, I don’t get the whole “he’d be blocking this or that prospect” BS either. The way teams make trades all the time during and after the season just stamps the fact that it’s a silly comment.
Random
October 28th, 2009
4:56 pm
Wayne in Utah (October 28th, 2009 4:50 pm): “rotation, not staff….”
Well, they do go together well, if you sit and think on it.
McFann Ô
October 28th, 2009
4:56 pm
Lew I’m an artist. Of course I believe we create the shadows as we go along.
Hey, have you ever had it where you draw the outline for a…drawing, and you’re so happy with the way it turned out that you’re sort of afraid to add the color?
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:58 pm
McFann-No.
McFann Ô
October 28th, 2009
4:59 pm
Lew–
Must be a beginner thing.
David O'Brien
October 28th, 2009
4:59 pm
NEW BLOGGAGE
Lew
October 28th, 2009
4:59 pm
But I like black and white drawings, too.
Lew
October 28th, 2009
5:00 pm
McFann-Confidence makes a lot of difference. You have to trust you know what you’re doing or be willing to learn from your mistakes. Sometimes you have to do a piece over ten or twelve times to get what you want.
Kevin
October 29th, 2009
9:24 am
want braves get better get rid of Bobby cox n son TP n norton!
Don
November 2nd, 2009
11:01 am
Want Wren to make the Braves better – then untie his hands and let him fire Bobby Cox
Reason
November 4th, 2009
7:56 pm
Who cares about Bonds and McGwire, they made their millions. Saying their names just bring sour memories, they are , clowns with big heads and no personality that cheated. If Bobby Cox, is so protective, and like Johnson so much, let him adopt him and keep him at home, but stop shoving him down our throat, he is not a major leaguer. Let him screw-up another team. Cox, should see what he’ll have for next year, before saying where if anywhere, he’ll put his pet, Johnson.
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