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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,098 comments Add your comment
Deion
December 1st, 2009
4:03 pm
Where McCarver at?
Daslied
December 1st, 2009
4:03 pm
Anders – maybe Brooks Robinson never did blow with Dave Parker?
P'cola Brave
December 1st, 2009
4:04 pm
I would love to see them sign Cameron and either Derosa or Nady
David O'Brien
December 1st, 2009
4:05 pm
Forecast for the last two days of the Winter Meetings — high in low 40s, rain/snow showers, low in 20s. Niiice.
10
December 1st, 2009
4:07 pm
All kidding aside, Cora is a solid guy to have on the bench. Versatile infielder and he’s like having another coach on the club. It’s pretty widely felt he’ll be a manager some day if he chooses to pursue that route – which seems likely. (Anders)
Is this what the Mets have become? Talking themselves into some warped belief that Cora brings anything of value for $2+ million?
indianabravesfan
December 1st, 2009
4:09 pm
DOB, welcome to Indy in December!!! what hotel are the metings at? if i get bored next week maybe will try to come by and check it out.
thanks
Vanilla Ice
December 1st, 2009
4:10 pm
I can’t stand when some people call out music because it’s all in what you like as a person, and a matter of one’s own opinion……………THAWKIN
Yep, yep, word to da mutha!
cabravesfan
December 1st, 2009
4:11 pm
Indy in December…what could be nicer? (It’s supposed to rain here next week if that makes you feel better, DOB…of course it is also supposed to be in the mid 60’s- which is cold in my world
)
McFann O
December 1st, 2009
4:12 pm
My Dad’s from Indiana…was born in December, too…
Soph
December 1st, 2009
4:12 pm
cab -
I see your boy can’t slide. Look who they brought in to teach him.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4704065
10
December 1st, 2009
4:14 pm
Indiana produced the freak show that is The Jackson Family. ‘Nuff said. Not the state I’d raise my children in.
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:14 pm
DOB, if you haven’t seen it, you should really go to Baseball Prospectus and check out Will Carrol’s blog post titled “Tips for Visting Friends” (on the upper right of the screen). Basically, he gives advice for how to get around Indy during the meetings without having to go outdoors anymore than necessary. Pointless for most of us, but thought you could get some use out of it.
drumzalicious
December 1st, 2009
4:17 pm
Whats everyone’s thoughts on the Braves trading Lowe to the Angels for Brandon Wood?
Tommy T
December 1st, 2009
4:17 pm
The good news, DOB, is I don’t think Decemeber is the month all the farmers in IN haul the pig crap out of the barns and spread it on the state.
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:18 pm
Wow, Dodgers didn’t offer arbitration to ANY of their players. Owners’ divorce seems to be really wreaking havoc with that team’s finances….
cabravesfan
December 1st, 2009
4:18 pm
Soph-
Real QB’s don’t slide!
(Ugh…Brings back memories of watching my guy Carson Palmer not slide and ending up with a broken collarbone…even now every time I watch him run I’m screaming “Slide, Carson, SLIDE DAMMIT!!!” And he still refuses… 
)
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:19 pm
Whats everyone’s thoughts on the Braves trading Lowe to the Angels for Brandon Wood?
I think everyone’s thoughts would be that if the Angels would do that, the Braves would have already pulled the trigger.
Efrim
December 1st, 2009
4:19 pm
Astros offer arbitration to Valverde. I’m not a huge fan of his, but he would of been much more appealing without a draft pick attached.
KC
December 1st, 2009
4:19 pm
DOB (or anyone else who might know), what is your Twitter handle?
Larry Bird
December 1st, 2009
4:21 pm
Indianapolis? There’s only one place I’d rather be. French Lick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb6vhjKijcg
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:21 pm
DOB (or anyone else who might know), what is your Twitter handle?
KC, it’s “ajcbraves”.
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:22 pm
KC, another good one to add is “bravesorganist”. He takes suggestions for songs to play for the opposing teams at the beginning of each home series.
brent a.
December 1st, 2009
4:24 pm
Detroit had a Super Bowl.
Heck, the new rule is that if you build a new dome stadium, you get a Super Bowl.
So congrats to Indy for getting a new dome stadium.
KC
December 1st, 2009
4:25 pm
RC, thanks man.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:25 pm
So the Braves won’t trade for Cabrera and won’t make a bid for Holliday…..great. Why should I be excited for next season again???
drumzalicious
December 1st, 2009
4:25 pm
“I think everyone’s thoughts would be that if the Angels would do that, the Braves would have already pulled the trigger.”
Thats not really true. Last year when we traded Tex we were so blinded by trying to get a ML 1B that we missed our chance to get Kendry Morales. We chose Kotchman over him because he was the one actually on the ML roster.
I wouldnt be surprised if they are looking for ML talent back right now.
kirkinga
December 1st, 2009
4:25 pm
Wow, let the Silly Season begin….please! We could really use some actual meaningful trades and signings to talk about on here.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:26 pm
And, they’re going to lose their two best relievers…..and replace them with Billy Wagner. next season is gonna be their best yet.
HomeofdaBrave
December 1st, 2009
4:29 pm
I think I’d rather Wren pencil in Jordan Schafer to start than sign Mike Cameron. If that’s the best Wren can come up with, he might as well stand pat.
ncscoots
December 1st, 2009
4:29 pm
We could really use some actual meaningful trades and signings to talk about on here.
And you would expect that to create different posts, why, exactly, LOL?
Efrim
December 1st, 2009
4:31 pm
Wow, Dodgers didn’t offer arbitration to ANY of their players. Owners’ divorce seems to be really wreaking havoc with that team’s finances….
I can’t believe they didn’t offer arbitration to Wolf. There is no way he would accept that offer. I’m not sure it’s the owners divorce, but this is a team who gave up the 16th pick in the draft to sign Orlando Hudson and then didn’t even play him down the stretch. Ride that hot hand, Joe…..
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
4:35 pm
In spirit of Anti AIDS day, I wanna advise all of you to never get AIDS!
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:36 pm
So the Braves won’t trade for Cabrera and won’t make a bid for Holliday…..great. Why should I be excited for next season again???
How about a 2nd half record of 43-31 (compared to 43-45 in the 1st half)? Or the fact the team scored 100 more runs in the 2nd half than they gave up (compared to a variance of -6 in the 1st half)? I’d say those are reason enough to be excited even if we don’t get Cabrera or Holliday.
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
4:37 pm
And, they’re going to lose their two best relievers
Gonzo was great in the second half, and MFIKY wasn’t all that awesome. Moylan was the best reliever.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:38 pm
RC…you can try and spin it any way you want, but this team needs to make a add an impact bat. Look at the Phillies line up and tell me how the Braves are supposed to compete with that?
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:39 pm
I don’t know if I would say that Hernandez was among the best all-around at 1b for more than a handful of years. (NewCars)
I didn’t say best all around first baseman and neither did Sutton. What was meant was he was a premier defensive player with real good offensive stats. Granted he didn’t play as long as Robinson but on a 500 game average over 13 years (long enough) he was better offensively and every bit as good defensively at first as Robinson was at third. Also in Marty Nobles article:
The late Jack Lang, who covered Brooklyn’s beloved Dodgers before he followed the Mets, considered Hernandez a better first baseman than Gil Hodges, who had been his choice for years. The late Jerome Holtzman ranked Hernandez ahead of Hodges, Wes Parker, Garvey and Bill White. And the late Joe Falls, more of an American League guy, spoke of Vic Power, George Scott, Don Mattingly and Hernandez as comparables.
Certainly there were first basemen who’s power numbers dwarf Hernandez’s, but the same can be said of Robinson at third which is my point.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:39 pm
The same Moylan who got lambasted on here every day for the first half of the season??
kirkinga
December 1st, 2009
4:40 pm
ncscoots , I wouldn’t say different so much as what is talked about will actually be seen on the field, though I do get what you are saying. There is also the added benefit of focusing more on baseball than our more extraneous topics as well.
As DOB mentioned in his last blog, this time last offseason was a bit more compelling to this point.
DAP
December 1st, 2009
4:40 pm
10Indiana produced the freak show that is The Jackson Family. ‘Nuff said. Not the state I’d raise my children in.
i hope you realize how ridiculous what you said is.
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:40 pm
RC…you can try and spin it any way you want, but this team needs to make a add an impact bat. Look at the Phillies line up and tell me how the Braves are supposed to compete with that?
Ok, try this spin. Look at the Braves rotation and tell me how the Phillies are supposed to compete with that? They don’t “need” an impact bat, although that’d be nice. They simply need two bats that are greater than or equal to Adam LaRoache and Garret Anderson.
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:40 pm
Efrim- Nice spanking your boys gave my Rangers. Cheap shots aside that is {:
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:41 pm
I hate the mets, but Keith Hernandez was a heck of a player. I like him in the TV booth too.
bravefaninok
December 1st, 2009
4:43 pm
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:39 pm
The same Moylan who got lambasted on here every day for the first half of the season??
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
4:44 pm
The same Moylan who got lambasted on here every day for the first half of the season??
Have you been watching the Braves at all?
Moylan was fantastic, as was EOF
Tomas
December 1st, 2009
4:44 pm
Mike Cameron is a nice fit. Right handed bat, with power, I hear he won’t be offered arb, and he is a very good defensive outfielder who will likely agree to play near his hometown LaGrange, GA. He would be cheap two, compared to Bay or Holliday.
I don’t think the Braves can get much by trading D. Lowe. Best case scenario they trade him to the Angels for Brandon Wood( Good power shown in the minors, and can play 3 infield positions including 1B, 3B and SS pretty good) and Perer Bourjous(a good right handed outfielder with very good speed).
Hillbilly
December 1st, 2009
4:46 pm
Pencil me in as being in favor of signing Billy Wagner for this one reason:
When the bullpen gate opens at Turner Field after the final out in the 8th, they play the sound bite of Doc Scurlock’s last words to Billy the Kid when they’re surrounded by Pat Garret’s men in Young Guns II….BILLY! Let’s finish the game.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:46 pm
RC…I understand your thinking, I just don’t agree. We all know they have great pitching, but that doesn’t matter when you lose 2-1, 3-2, etc. JJ and Javy both had ERA’s under 3.00 last year and both lost 10 games. Everyone fell in love with LaRoche because he finished strong, well, Kelly Johnson finished strong two years ago and how’d that work out??? A player like Cabrera or Holliday, or Bay would make this team a real force. But they won’t do it because that’s not how they operate. It’s time to forget about trying to be the ‘91,’92 Braves…those days are long gone.
Soph
December 1st, 2009
4:47 pm
i hope you realize how ridiculous what you said is.
Not to mention how ignorant as well.
Efrim
December 1st, 2009
4:47 pm
Efrim- Nice spanking your boys gave my Rangers. Cheap shots aside that is {:
Anders, someone other than Gaborik needs to step up and score for them. I like the way the Pens are playing right now, but I’m hoping they add a winger by the deadline(far off). Chris Kunitz, Ruslan Fedotenko and Bill Guerin don’t inspire a lot of confidence. But hey, they won it all last year with that team.
jeffrey d
December 1st, 2009
4:48 pm
Thanks for the new blog, DOB. And good call on the pic of McGriff in the powder blue, 1990’s hat, Tom Emanski commercial.
David O'Brien
December 1st, 2009
4:49 pm
Happy birthday, Sarah Silverman (39). One funny chica.
rtrafford
December 1st, 2009
4:49 pm
Billy, Don’t Be A Hero…???
beekay
December 1st, 2009
4:50 pm
Tomas
Cameron might be cheap compared to Holliday or Bay but he is nowhere near the caliber player as either of those. I doubt you will get Cameron for one year 5 mill and thats the only deal that I give to a guy who could possibly strike out 200 times if he plays a full season.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:51 pm
JJ4CY…Yeah, I have been watching the Braves. I watched Moylan blow countless games this year. How many times did he come in and walk the ballpark before he had to be removed? Did he have some very good moments, sure, but let’s not pretend he’s Eckersley. He’s a good setup man, that’s all he is.
ncscoots
December 1st, 2009
4:51 pm
Mike Cameron is a nice fit.
DAP has become a virus, LOL, infecting the unsuspecting and leaving them in the throes on Cameron-itis.
rtrafford
December 1st, 2009
4:51 pm
If Alex Cora is worth $2mm, what’s the market value on KJ???
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:51 pm
Efrim- The Rangers don’t have anyone offensively to step up. Higgins has no hands, Drury is old and the rest are muckers. Dubinsky has some promis but he’s hurt. They’re building for the future. They have some real good solid young defenseman. Sather should be fired for the Roszival and Redden contracts though. They’re killing the cap. I’m still worried about Henrik. He’s getting riddled with point blank shots every night. It’s gonna take it’s toll plus the Olympics. Anyway….
NEW CARS
December 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
Anders, If you look at the period they played in, only a couple outdid Robinson’s numbers. I think the whole drug deal affected Hernandez much like it did Dave Parker. They both had a 2-3 year period where they dropped off in performance and in reputation…But if you look at Hernandez’s averages, they look like a Casey Kotchmann season 13 hr 80 rbi and 295 average…..The thing about Brooks is that there are only 7-8 third basemen in the hof, whereas the 1B contingent is large and will only get larger with Bagwell and Thomas going in soon…I guess I was never a big Hernandez fan, I always gravitated to the 1b like Stargell and McCovey, guys that would 30-40 bombs…Like we need now…
But back to your original point, it is funny how certain guys get no attention for the HOF…Rice and Dawson have gotten all the love the last couple of years, but look at Murphy and Parker’s numbers and awards and tell me which two were the better players…I think if you took Parker’s drug adled dump in 82-84 and give Murphy a normal drop at the end of his career and there’s no doubt who deserves to be in the HOF
rico43
December 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
DOB: Dodgers have declined to offer Orlando Hudson arbitration. Is that on the Braves’ radar at all?
beekay
December 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
I hope we can get a closer like Billy so we can leave Moylan for the 8th inning set up. Put EOF or Medlen in the 7th, Pete in the 8th and Wags to close it out!
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:53 pm
What’s the big deal with Cora getting $2 mil? That’s what it costs in NYC. 8 miles away guys like him get $4 mil. Cost of doing business in the big apple – get over it.
njbraves
December 1st, 2009
4:54 pm
Have you people ever actually watched Billy Wagner???? Have you forgotten all the games he has blown for the Mets, Phillies, Astros…..
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:55 pm
Mets might go after Wolf. Word is they regretted passing on him last year. They certainly want Hudson too if they can move Castillo which isn’t as impossible as you may think.
Anders
December 1st, 2009
4:57 pm
njbraves- Have you watched Gonzo and Soriano? Come on- Wagner (assuming healthy) is clearly a step up from either of those guys. He does have some pedigree. Those other two are still wannabees who can’t seem to cross the threshold into premium closing imo.
jeffrey d
December 1st, 2009
4:57 pm
I never knew the award for best college QB is called the Davey O’Brien award.
RC
December 1st, 2009
4:57 pm
We all know they have great pitching, but that doesn’t matter when you lose 2-1, 3-2, etc. – njbraves
I agree with you, but great pitching matters a TON when you WIN 2-1, 3-2, etc. I’m not saying the Braves don’t have holes that need to be filled offensively. I’m saying that just because they can’t get a bat like Cabrera or Holliday doesn’t mean they can’t be competitive. While I agree that LaRoche is very unlikely to replicate his 2009 2nd half over the entire season of 2010, I don’t think you are giving enough credit to the OTHER changes that were made to the lineup during the 2009 season. Look below to see the changes that were made to the lineup over the course of the season (1st half players on left):
Jordan Schafer < Nate McLouth
Kelly Johnson < Martin Prado
Jeff Francoeur < Matt Diaz/Ryan Church
Add to that the fact that the team doesn't need a hitter AS good as LaRoche to get better….it needs a hitter as good as 1/2 LaRoche and 1/2 Kotchman. And almost any decent hitter will be better than Garret Anderson.
I'd love a HUGE bat in the lineup as much as anyone. But since acquiring one seems to be unrealistic given the available players and the financial constraints, it's worth acknowledging that this team can get by with a few minor tweaks to the lineup, instead of a complete overhaul (because that was done midseason).
Now about that bullpen….
ncscoots
December 1st, 2009
4:58 pm
If Alex Cora is worth $2mm, what’s the market value on KJ???
Infinity…plus two pairs of Weejuns.
beekay
December 1st, 2009
4:59 pm
O-DOG gets no love, he played for cheap last year and will probably have to do it again this year. We have no place for him here unless Prado goes to LF but then our defense would be putrid in the OF
Tomahawk1310
December 1st, 2009
5:00 pm
njbraves
You should be excited to see Heyward who will be mashing in 2010 in RF for your Atlanta Braves.
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
5:02 pm
njbraves,
Moylan blew 5 saves in 87 games.
nolie
December 1st, 2009
5:02 pm
t’s not a testdrive a free agent situation doesn’t make any sense to me. In this situation Soriano would not be considered a free agent signing if he returned to the Braves through an arbitration process. 10P
yeah I shoulda said test-drive an arb player, that better?
jeffrey d
December 1st, 2009
5:02 pm
Have you people ever actually watched Billy Wagner???? Have you forgotten all the games he has blown for the Mets, Phillies, Astros…..
Even Gagne and Rivera blow saves
ugaaccountant
December 1st, 2009
5:04 pm
“RC Ok, try this spin. Look at the Braves rotation and tell me how the Phillies are supposed to compete with that? They don’t “need” an impact bat, although that’d be nice. They simply need two bats that are greater than or equal to Adam LaRoache and Garret Anderson.”
The Phillies all star lineup can compete with any rotation you can think up. Team strength against team strength there.
For the braves to stand pat they not only have to equal Laroche and Anderson, but also Gonzalez & Soriano and KJ and Church.
I haven’t heard anyone on here suggest we’ll be signing 2 relievers as good as we lose, so we’re downgrading there. This is the major one that everyone is overlooking. We had 2 closers that contributed a ton of innings with extremely good results. I’m sick of hearing they messed up in this way or that, when these 2 are the best 2 free agent closers on the market. Massive downgrade from 2 guys to 1 even if Wagner is coming in.
If we aren’t signing Laroche, we appear likely to downgrade there. Paul Konerko is not an upgrade, nor is Nick Johnson or Carlos Delgado or that guy from the rangers. They are all close, but downgrades due to various factors such as age, health, ballpark factors, or flat out terrible batting averages. Small downgrade expected here unless we make a Cabrera type trade, which you said we have no chance of doing.
IF backup – we all seem to accept that we’re cutting KJ loose and perhaps just using Conrad. Clear downgrade.
OF backup – we all seem to accept that we’re cutting Church loose and using a rookie or low cost signing there. Clear downgrade.
Garett Anderson. We can make up some ground here with just a Mike Cameron or Jermaine Dye. But we have a ****load of ground to make up as described above.
We appear to be cutting loose 6 competent to star veteran players. I’m not able to gloss over the impact losing KJ or Church could have on our roster. Injuries happen and we don’t want to be filling in with Brooks Conrad or Diory Hernandez or Brian Barton. That would make us the 2009 Mets.
Tomahawk1310
December 1st, 2009
5:04 pm
Heyward is our version of Howard. And our pitching staff is way better than the Phillies.
RC
December 1st, 2009
5:04 pm
Cameron might be cheap compared to Holliday or Bay but he is nowhere near the caliber player as either of those.
A more accurate statement would be that Cameron is nowhere near the HITTER as either of those…when defense is factored in, he’s actually been a BETTER player than Bay over the past few years (using UZR as the defensive metric).
Smack
December 1st, 2009
5:05 pm
why are they having the winter meetings in Indy when they do not even have a team?? — indianabravesfan
They had them in Vegas last year and Nashville the year before that. – DOB
I think they are doing a tour of “major” MILB towns like Nashville (AA), Las Vegas (AAA) and Indy (AAA). But don’t get too upset DOB, you could end up in Portland, Maine (AA) for one of these things. LOL
DAP
December 1st, 2009
5:06 pm
moylan also got hit pretty hard by left handed hitters. he definitely was NOT our best reliever.
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
5:07 pm
Heyward is our version of Howard
I hope you don’t think Heyward is going to hit 40 HRs right away, it’ll take him 4 or 5 years…
drumzalicious
December 1st, 2009
5:09 pm
Calero not offered arb by the marlins.
Please go sign him immediately Frank Wren
McFann O
December 1st, 2009
5:09 pm
DAP i hope you realize how ridiculous what you said is.
Soph Not to mention how ignorant as well.
So true. But if it makes 10 feel any better, my Dad and his Family moved down here when he was like…4, I think.
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
5:10 pm
Are the winter meeting open to public?
ugaaccountant
December 1st, 2009
5:11 pm
Tomahawk1310
December 1st, 2009
5:00 pm
njbraves
You should be excited to see Heyward who will be mashing in 2010 in RF for your Atlanta Braves.
Heyward is still a very young player. He has not grown into his “mashing” body yet. In 2010 if everything goes ideally, he’ll be a good avg. and obp guy with a decent slugging percentage, but he’ll have no where near the power he’s expected to have in say 2013. For a good comparison look at Justin Upton’s career so far, and just hope that Heyward is a year more developed than he was.
nolie
December 1st, 2009
5:11 pm
…But I think there is a long list of 1B that I would consider before him… New Cars
yeah me too, no chance at all IMO
Robins Green Drink!
December 1st, 2009
5:12 pm
DOB if i set the line at 5 would u go over or under the number of signings/ trades to round out the braves for the 2010 season?
Robins Green Drink!
December 1st, 2009
5:12 pm
DOB if i set the line at 5 would u go over or under the number of signings/ trades to round out the braves for the 2010 season?
drumzalicious
December 1st, 2009
5:12 pm
Speaking of Justin Upton. Would anyone trade J.J. for Upton?
ugaaccountant
December 1st, 2009
5:13 pm
I don’t agree with your weighting of defense if you say Cameron is > Bay. Neither do the people who write the checks to sign these guys. Frankly speaking defense for a LF is far less important than offense. Only at SS and C can you make much of a case for going defensive.
Jay212033
December 1st, 2009
5:13 pm
DOB
I’ve seen Jose Ortegano in person and yes he’s all of 145 that kid is skinny!
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 1st, 2009
5:14 pm
JJ for Upton… Sure.
TnBrian
December 1st, 2009
5:15 pm
I’ll admit, my last comment was poorly written, but hopefully I got my point across anyways.
RC
December 1st, 2009
5:15 pm
ugaaccountant,
I had a longer post going slot-by-slot in how the lineup has been upgraded from 1st half to 2nd half last year, but it was eaten by the blog. Instead of rehashing all of it, I’ll address a few of the individual things you brought up.
Bullpen: Losing Gonzo and Soriano is going to hurt. I don’t have an answer for that, as it appears unlikely to be as strong as 2009.
IF backup: KJ wasn’t even a backup until the 2nd half of the season, and here’s what he did in that time – 18 hits, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .261 avg. Given those are decent numbers for his lack of playing time, but the fact that he WASN’T playing for so much of the time proves that you don’t have to “replace” him as your backup…you have to replace the combination of KJ/Conrad/Diory. Not the mention the fact that Infante probably won’t miss nearly as much time as he did with the broken wrist last year. No matter what you do, IF backup is likely to be stronger than last year.
OF backup: Church also missed a good bit of time, and even when he did play wasn’t great. I’ll agree that going to someone like Gregor Blanco will probably be a slight downgrade, I disagree that it’s a “clear downgrade”.
As for the “if we aren’t signing LaRoche” deal, all we need is someone who is equal to 1/2 Kotchman, 1/2 LaRoche. NOT someone as good as LaRoche, because we didn’t have him for most of the season last year. Having an upgrade over Kotchman to start the season is a vast improvement at 1b.
nolie
December 1st, 2009
5:16 pm
I didn’t say best all around first baseman and neither did Sutton. What was meant was he was a premier defensive player with real good offensive stats. Anders
to make a different comparison than the one you used, if Murphy doesn’t even get a sniff, how does Hernandez get in?
Ted
December 1st, 2009
5:16 pm
I would say Valverde being offered arb should increase likelihood that Soriano is offered arb.
If the top tier (in terms of “stuff”) closer options all are Type A and cost a pick, then it stands to reason that Soriano is more likely to get a multi-year offer as a FA than if one or two had not been offered. Because between Wagner, Valverde and Soriano, if one did not cost a pick while the others did, the first one is more marketable. Now, all 3 would cost a pick and Rafael has the benefit of age on the others (if one is going to commit several years to a closer).
TnBrian
December 1st, 2009
5:17 pm
Calero would be a good pickup. He looked damn good aginst us this year. Ugly sumbitch, but guy’s got some nasty stuff.
RC
December 1st, 2009
5:17 pm
I should correct myself – the combination of starting 2b and IF backup is likely to be stronger in 2010 than it was in 2009. We obviously had an awesome backup IF when KJ was still starting (poorly), and before Infante got hurt.
Jay212033
December 1st, 2009
5:18 pm
I’d trade JJ for Upton in a heartbeat! I’d even add a propect or two.
David O'Brien
December 1st, 2009
5:19 pm
KC, it’s “ajcbraves”
RC
December 1st, 2009
5:21 pm
I’d trade JJ for Upton in a heartbeat! I’d even add a propect or two.
Ditto. An OF with Upton and Heyward on the corners could be a powerhouse for years to come. And I REALLY like JJ.
nolie
December 1st, 2009
5:23 pm
Come on- Wagner (assuming healthy) is clearly a step up from either of those guys. Anders
not according to Keith Law for one
Jeff R
December 1st, 2009
5:25 pm
Not really surprised but a bit disappointed that Wren won’t make a run at signing Gonzo to a multiyear deal. Soriano, not much concerned. I think he’s the more likely of the two to re-experience arm problems, and has seemed to lose focus later in the summers.
So, is Wagner on the menu? That means giving up a Type A free agent for him. Is he worth it at, what, 38 or 39? Letting Gonzo and Soriano go means Wren is minus proven closers. Should be interesting.
LaRoche… I’m still inclined to think that the market isn’t going to be there for LaRoche. I think the Braves have a decent shot at re-upping him via arbitration. LaRoche at first for one more season would benefit the Braves.