I agree with the blog on taking the wait and see approach. Right now as I see it we have 21 players locked up at $87-88M or so; which leaves about $8M to sign a starting 1B, OFer, a 4th outfielder and a role player of sorts. When Lowe gets traded that means we have the potential to free up an additional $15M. So then we would have up to $23M for 5 positions with only two of them being starting (1B and OF). Not to mention what position we fill or prospects we get for Lowe. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hair? I vote for Wren to proceed slowly but surely.
“Got nothing for Soriano huh? Nitwits, the whole lot of ya, Chavez throws like 99 mph and that’s as fast as Superman in Spain. He has a good lizard collection as anyone has fish tacos on the western seaboard and on a hot day is as loud as any two cycle I’ve come across in my lifetime. He’s not Billy Wagner, but here’s a random stat that easily compares him to Penelope Cruz just cause I want more pictures of her. Ah screw it I can’t find the stat, whatever I’m going to The Pit and making love to 2lbs of brisket.”
Pushing towards 50 pages… may as well yap about some blah.
I read the couple pages you posted last night Nolie regarding the experiences of a minor leaguer – excellent stuff. I know I’ve been critical of long posts in the past, but your post was informative and worth the read.
I was going to comment (somewhat extensively) on what ‘doubting Thomas Lentz’ said last night, but what’s the point – it will only spur him to post more passages from ‘Holy Blood, Holy Grail,’ or the latest garbage that hack Dan Brown tries to pass off as decent literature.
It’s so stupid when bloggers note down what the contract should be for a certain player.
Example from a previous post:
Sign Xavier Nady – 2 yr/ 8 mil contract.
Sign Johnny Gomes – 1 yr/ 3 mil contract.
Sign Jack Cust – 1 yr/ 3 mil contract.
how can u critisize wren? he clearly has been as agressive as any other guy out there! clearly the guy has not been on vacation this entire offseason. you people act like dealing with agents, free agents, and other teams gm’s is soooooooo easy! trust frank guys! even if he only gets one boper and let freeman or hayward start the season im sure all the fans will be satisfied with the result… sure he hasnt moved lowe yet but worst case is dont trade lowe start the season with freeman and hayward and sign a camron type guy bada boom bada bing. i think u guys would be happy. and the truth is that would mean only 1 more move would have been made. relax guys i vote let lowe start the season and trade him when he gets on a roll and add that huge bat by may. just relax everyone anything could happen and stop compairing the braves to everyone else just sit and trust wren!
Put a salary cap on it and all of a sudden, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets will put the difference in money into getting the top scouts, top perks for players and management, and players would play there for less because it would be real attractive and they’d compete for championships every year. The same amount of money would be spent. Would just be dispersed differently.
And Marko why is it so stupid to guess what a player MAY BE worth? Almost everything on this blog is just speculation in the off-season to pass time. If it bothers you skip it don’t moan and groan about it!
I want to thank everyone: Steve from OH, Soph, Cab jeffrey d, McFann, Andrew in PA, Rob who can’t be here because he’s on the 60 DL, our troops, DOB, and Frank Wren!!
And who can forget Wayne!
I can honestly say this is my proudest accomplishment in my last 30 minutes!
DOB –not you too! KKKKKust is far too strike out prone. 1533 ABS with 605 Ks, geez can Braves stand a 40% strike out rate and all the rallies they kill. Lot of money for a bench palyer as Cust is not a terrific fielder ( .968 or so FA when he did play the field).
Better the Braves keep their money for Cameron who has only 30% Ks and does add a modicum of defense.
Or they would just go and dump all of the money into signing bonuses like the NFL does to get around a hard cap. I read somewhere on here that somebody suggested to let a team sign one Type A free agent pitcher and postion player a year . I think that maybe a decent way to limit the Yankees of the world.
I’ve plugged them before, but why not again? Baroness, a southern rock/metal band from Savannah, released an excellent Sophomore album (the Blue Record), which I think many regulars on the blog might enjoy (its really not that metal, more hard rock with gritty vocals). I think you might like them too DOB, at least based on the fact that you like Mastodon (who definitely influenced Baroness’ sound).
The latest Doomriders album is pretty awesome as well. Its a side project of a dude from Converge (Nate Newton), but Doomriders don’t sound much like his primary band (i.e. this is not a hardcore album). While the vocals are pretty gritty at times – the band’s sound has a ‘classic metal/hard rock’ style (Motorhead, old (i.e. good) Metallica, and Danzig spring to mind) complimented by current metal mainstays like High on Fire.
Capps, who has closed for the Pirates the last three years, already had calls from three teams as of Sunday morning. His agent, Paul Kinzer, said Capps is interested in the Cubs, and apparently the team has reciprocated that interest.
I think the beauty of the Cust and Gomes idea is a first base platoon. They’re both butchers in the outfield, and the both have Diaz-esque splits against lefties and righties. Cust hit’s righties (career .864 OPS against righties, .734 against lefties) and Gomes hit’s lefties (career .885 against lefties, 758 against righties). No one’s really sure if either of them can actually play first though, since neither has ever played a major league inning there. But they’re both terrible in the outfield.
It seems like they would make a great package though, and together could provide a great power bat for the middle of the order.
Our team consists of a ton of guys who don’t K a lot and they also don’t hit many homers either. Ryan Howard Ks 200+ times a year and is average in the field but he walks and homers a lot as well. So if Howard was out there for 3-5 mil you wouldn’t take him? Even if Cust only hits .240/25 HR but has an OBP around .360 you wouldn’t take that? He hit many HR playing in Oakland which is not a hitters park by any means so personally I think he’ll fair much better in ATL.
It would solve something. No one said everything would be perfect and the Marlins would now compete fairly with a team like the Yankees but it would help reign in the Yankees spending more than not having one would. I mean, you seem smart , tell me the way you think MLB can be fixed without one.
The Braves challenge is when an opportunity presents itself to radically improve the team they have to take a lessor option due to payroll contraints.
I agree the goal here is not a $150-200mm payroll but the inability to stretch when the opportunity and need arises is one of the reasons they keep coming up a player short and why LF and 1B have been revolving door positions (key slugger spots btw).
Heck KJ moves to 2B was a money decision not a strategic one so you can add 2B to the list of I wonder who will be there next year positions (should Prado no work out).
Corporations manage their assets very differently than private owners. The design center is different (as is budget flexibility) and the notion fo “going for it” is less common.
Nothing wrong with it (its their reality especially in a down turn) in their world but it does reduce a teams’ ability to get that one player that can put them over the hump.
Like I said I am cool with however the off season winds down. I am looking ahead to the Braves sale to a private owner where impact guys are not immediately dismissed out of hand due to payroll limitations.
On that last point adding $10mm to the Braves payroll (along with moving most of Lowe’s contract) would net them guys like Holliday and they would still have a lower payroll than the Mets and Phillies to name a few.
When you cannot go to the well and get an additional 5-10-15mm (rarely if ever) your dance card is constrained.
Now in fairness to Liberty they have increased payroll from ~82mm to the mid 95mm over a period of a few years. So kudos for that.
However they have another modest lurch forward in payroll ahead of them to get the Braves back into postseason limelight. It does not appear that move forward is in the cards this year so we are looking at 1yr fixes and guys like Cameron, Nady, Atkins, et al versus Bay or Holliday.
Until Liberty moves on Wren will be hamstrung and there is nothing for it but patience.
talked to Boras last night, told me Xavier Nady has “a pretty big market” (I know, big shocker). But while Cards, Yanks and other teams are also interested, some as a fallback, I get the impression that a team (maybe Braves?) could sign him earlier than most Boras free agents because of the length of the contract.
Probably only going to be one year, though Boras is likely to ask for two to begin with. But if Nady is only going to get one year, the difference, at most, in contracts would likely be a couple mill. So if he sees a situation he likes, sounds as if he’d consider signing early, not wait around all winter.
Braves Lifer: That’s probably reason Braves weren’t going to make, say, a one- or two-year offer at $7-8 mill per coming out of the box. What they might be willing to pay and what he wants are so far apart. They want to see what the market is, how it develops for 1Bs, before moving on that front.
tr is right. Salary cap without a salary minimum doesn’t get you there. Just ask the Tampa Bay Bucs – 1-11, while $30 million under the cap. Just having a cap does not solve the problem. Also, didn’t the Rays make the World Series just 2 years ago? So much for it being “impossible” to win without spending huge dollars. I actually favor a cap, but it by itself does not mean competitive balance. Forget about the Bucs – the NFL in general is more spread out between the good and bad teams than ever.
Besides being reasonable in most any eyes, the union would never settle for less than a hard minimum to go with a soft maximum. Especially so, when you consider where we are now.
The real solution is an offseason spending limit. The that the Yanks got Sabathia, Burnett, and Tex all in the same year was more disturbing than the fact that they got any one of the three on a big contract. Limiting the amount of money a team can spend on free agents promotes more contracts to players already on the roster and more franchise players, while also keeping the rate of inflation at a more reasonable pace as teams would more leverage against agents due to the new dynamics.
All this talk about a salary cap is relative. How many of you were complaining when Ted Turner had an open wallet and we had 14 divisional titles to show for it? Parody in baseball rivals that of football and the other major sports so I am not sure that much needs to be changed. A player being in team control for the first six years gives everyone a fighting chance to be competitive. You can just look at our own division as an example. Florida is competitive every year and has two recent world championships to show for it. The Mets spend like a drunk sailor that just got to port and therefore are very off and on despite a large payroll. I mean even your suggested range favors the Braves by suggesting a $105M max without providing any reasons. I am all for if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.
DOB, need your help…I have been out of touch for the last couple of years regarding movies…actually, last 5 or so. But, just got a new flat screen with Netflix streaming video, and wireless blu-ray player…so, now all I need are some good movies to watch. Seriously, I have watched The Dark Knight and tha’ts about it. Can you recommend some movies for me to catch up on?
It would not surprise me if the Braves might already have a trade planned with a team for a big hitter that will be contingent upon their trading Lowe. A player with a salary of 10-12mil could be possible then,maybe a player type like Konerko.
jeffrey d………….I guess that you forgot to see the posting I was responding to last night. Jurrjens said that he was watching ‘Da Vinci Code’ on TNT last night while blogging.
I know this is like the twentieth time I’ve said this since they’ve been linked to Nady, but I still think he’d be a very good signing. Not more than a year ago he’d have been a blog favorite to acquire. Now because of his surgery people seem worried to death about it. All I can say is that I have faith that the Braves wouldn’t sign a guy if they thought he would be that big of a risk. Not any more than 37 year old Cameron, even though he’s not been injury prone & will probably still put up solid numbers. But, his age is something to consider, especially if he wants a multi-year contract.
DOB, wow on that LaRoche thing. He’s definitely not going to be a Brave next year.
The # 5000 blogger gets a free Bobby Cox nose picker from Dollar General. You may change it for a picture of Norton if you wish. Happy Holidays all….don’t forget the reason for the season..Paul.
All I want for Christmas is a hard hitting 1st baseman and a power hitter with some speed to play LF. Thanks for another day to enjoy life…read the DOB blogs and watch the Braves.
I have a feeling that it could be after New Year’s before something gets done with John Lackey, which means that Braves fans will have to wait until after the holidays before Derek Lowe gets traded.
Once Lowe gets traded (and how much of his contract the Braves have to eat), then it will make sense to speculate who the Braves can go after via free agency. However, until then, it’s pretty much a waste of time.
It’s common knowledge that the Braves are on a budget (probably around $95 mil). So knowing that, what sense does it make to go after a Mercedes if all you can afford is a Buick (meaning the Braves have to eat so much of Lowe’s contract that it cuts significantly into their available spending for improving the offense)? Or…..why settle for a Buick when you can possibly afford to go after a Mercedes (meaning that Frank Wren somehow manages to dump Lowe’s whole contract on some sucker of a team)?
Once the Lowe situation is settled, then I will post who I feel the Braves need to go after. But until then, it’s purely a guessing game.
jeffrey d typically takes cheap shots at people. He will routinely take something out of context and try and make someone look bad. For instance, last night, a poster said the he was watching ‘Da Vinci Code’ on TNT. Given it was late, I engaged in a discussion with him about my take on the movie. Since the premise of the movie had to deal with the possibility of “jesus” having a family…….I decided to post my take on this premise.
Yet jeffrey d conveniently leaves that out. All he does is post “where did the jesus stuff come from”. Typical, from his kind.
TnBrian……as much as I would like to speculate on who the Braves should go after, because of the budget constraints the Braves have, it only makes sense to wait until Derek Lowe is traded.
However, best case scenario (meaning Frank Wren works a miracle and dumps Lowe’s whole contract on some sucker of a team)……….I would LOVE to see the Braves make a go at Matt Holliday.
Matt Holliday? I would be happier spreading the love around maybe with a one year deal to Mike Cameron, a trade for Swisher, and a two year deal for Garko all for under the 18M Holliday would get.
Angels are Lowe possibility, if they can’t re-sign Lackey. I think they can re-sign Lackey. Seattle, Boston, Yanks other Lowe possibilities.
How ’bout Mets? If Braves don’t mind trading in division. But Mets already have bad O. Perez contract. Maybe — horrors — a swap of two years and $24 mill of Perez for three years and $45 mill for Lowe? OK, I didn’t just type that.
Besides, Braves would still have six starters and it wouldn’t clear up much immediate payroll.
No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.
“No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.”
——————————-
I’m a multi millionaire that should be no problem, i’ll have my maid on that pronto!
Now get that new blog up
“No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.”
Lol. Lol. Lol… That kind of answer is why I keep coming back. Anyways you posted the latest blog after only about two to three days of the other one; so you are ahead of schedule in my book.
No he doesn’t. No one took a cheap shot at you. The poster that originally posted about the movie wasn’t even talking about the plot of the movie. You’re the one that took it to a whole other level. Just stay away from topics like that on the blog and we won’t have this problem. Simple as that.
MaineBrave – I’m watching but it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be considering Ryan & Turner are out. The Falcons are still in it. The defense makes me want to gag though.
Speaking of laundry, somebody send me a new washer for Christmas since mine leaks. We put old shirts & towles to block the water from leaking all over the place. I also shot a rat with my pellet gun last night. Little bastard scared me… laying on the bed & saw something in the corner of my eye, got my gun out & shot that critter in the head.
When Ted Turner owned the braves the Yankees weren’t 70 million dollars in front of them in payroll. Thats the approximate difference this past season from the Yankees and the team with the second highest payroll. The difference in payroll has become much larger since then. I’m not one of the people who believe that our payroll now is a problem but I would be lying if I said this league and the disparities they have in payrolls isn’t a problem. It doesn’t guarantee winning for higher payroll teams but it makes it a whole lot easier.
The Florida Marlins in 2003 were an exception. When they won in 1997 they had one of the highest payrolls. Tampa Bay making it to the World Series in 2008 was a nice story but look at them now. Florida Marlins have been “competitive” for a while but haven’t made the playoffs since that 2003 title. There really isn’t as much parody as it would seem. Twins made the playoffs but were eliminated quickly in the first round. Rockies made it to the series and were swept out by the Red Sox. The question is how long will these lower payroll teams put up with being simply “competitive” and not want to be a serious championship contender.
That first round matchup between the Yanks and the Twins highlighted the difference between competitive teams and teams that just flat out have more talent. There are always exceptions which are what the Rockies, Twins, Marlins, and Rays have been, but more times than not it’s simply the rule over the exception. Some may not have a problem with the occasional playoff appearance (if they make it that is because as pirates and royals fans know its been a while) , but others will have a problem with it and can you really blame them.
If DOB had posted the Oliver Perez “trade” at 2.30 in the morning instead of 2.30 in the afternoon, then we would be thinking that we had the DOB drunk posting requested by one blogger last night.
DOB ——
Nah, haven’t seen “Serious Man” yet, but there’s this old, one-screen theater in New Orleans that’s showing it, “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Scarface” while I’m gonna be down there covering the Saints and N.O. Bowl next weekend … just trying to decide which one to see … “Avatar” will also be at the IMAX … while I’m down there, I also plan on seeing Flow Tribe’s Christmas Crunktacular at Tipitina’s (with the Revivalists) … you heard much of the Revivalists?
It is horrible but the saints got a little help that last drive with the pass interference on Grimes. By the letter of the law they should have called it but I don’t think that gets called if its say Jenkins against one of their defenders. Some recievers just get more respect but that should have been a no call to me.
TnBrian- “Brave Lifer, Garko? You’d rather have Garko than Nady or even Blalock? I set my standards for my team a little higher than that.”
In that senerio Garko would be the Fourth OFer and Back up 1st Baseman. Garko likely arb figure was $2-3M and the Giants refused to pay him that. Knowing that is it unlikely to think that we could sign him at 2yrs for $3.5M? Nady is going to more expensive than that by far and Blalock was a DH for Texas right? Didn’t he also hit for a worse average than Garko while making $6.2M?
Oh Yeah Soph, not taking away from anything you said. It is horrible and that 3rd and long play pretty much sums up our defensive season. I have never seen a team give up more 3rd and longs. But one of the few times we do make a play to have it taken away on an iffy penalty hurts but hey, at least were not getting blown out…..yet.
5,421 comments Add your comment
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
12:24 pm
I agree with the blog on taking the wait and see approach. Right now as I see it we have 21 players locked up at $87-88M or so; which leaves about $8M to sign a starting 1B, OFer, a 4th outfielder and a role player of sorts. When Lowe gets traded that means we have the potential to free up an additional $15M. So then we would have up to $23M for 5 positions with only two of them being starting (1B and OF). Not to mention what position we fill or prospects we get for Lowe. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hair? I vote for Wren to proceed slowly but surely.
Marc in FL
December 13th, 2009
12:28 pm
I want to see a DOB drunken post, anyone else?
“Got nothing for Soriano huh? Nitwits, the whole lot of ya, Chavez throws like 99 mph and that’s as fast as Superman in Spain. He has a good lizard collection as anyone has fish tacos on the western seaboard and on a hot day is as loud as any two cycle I’ve come across in my lifetime. He’s not Billy Wagner, but here’s a random stat that easily compares him to Penelope Cruz just cause I want more pictures of her. Ah screw it I can’t find the stat, whatever I’m going to The Pit and making love to 2lbs of brisket.”
Salamander
December 13th, 2009
12:28 pm
Pushing towards 50 pages… may as well yap about some blah.
I read the couple pages you posted last night Nolie regarding the experiences of a minor leaguer – excellent stuff. I know I’ve been critical of long posts in the past, but your post was informative and worth the read.
I was going to comment (somewhat extensively) on what ‘doubting Thomas Lentz’ said last night, but what’s the point – it will only spur him to post more passages from ‘Holy Blood, Holy Grail,’ or the latest garbage that hack Dan Brown tries to pass off as decent literature.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
12:28 pm
Hare*
Marko
December 13th, 2009
12:28 pm
It’s so stupid when bloggers note down what the contract should be for a certain player.
Example from a previous post:
Sign Xavier Nady – 2 yr/ 8 mil contract.
Sign Johnny Gomes – 1 yr/ 3 mil contract.
Sign Jack Cust – 1 yr/ 3 mil contract.
MFin04
December 13th, 2009
12:29 pm
Jose Lopez to play first or Juan Rivera to play the outfield. Those look like decent numbers…
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=6048
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=4956
AdirondackDave
December 13th, 2009
12:30 pm
Braves Lifer — I’m with you, it’s not what they start with, it’s what they end up with in spring training.
Eric In Albany N.Y.
December 13th, 2009
12:33 pm
how can u critisize wren? he clearly has been as agressive as any other guy out there! clearly the guy has not been on vacation this entire offseason. you people act like dealing with agents, free agents, and other teams gm’s is soooooooo easy! trust frank guys! even if he only gets one boper and let freeman or hayward start the season im sure all the fans will be satisfied with the result… sure he hasnt moved lowe yet but worst case is dont trade lowe start the season with freeman and hayward and sign a camron type guy bada boom bada bing. i think u guys would be happy. and the truth is that would mean only 1 more move would have been made. relax guys i vote let lowe start the season and trade him when he gets on a roll and add that huge bat by may. just relax everyone anything could happen and stop compairing the braves to everyone else just sit and trust wren!
Marko
December 13th, 2009
12:40 pm
A salary cap would not solve anything.
Put a salary cap on it and all of a sudden, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets will put the difference in money into getting the top scouts, top perks for players and management, and players would play there for less because it would be real attractive and they’d compete for championships every year. The same amount of money would be spent. Would just be dispersed differently.
dogsbrekky
December 13th, 2009
12:41 pm
Jay and JACK CUST – oh great another kkkk king!
I know he has some pop but apart from that he sucks rotten egg gas…. frequently
Jay212033
December 13th, 2009
12:41 pm
And Marko why is it so stupid to guess what a player MAY BE worth? Almost everything on this blog is just speculation in the off-season to pass time. If it bothers you skip it don’t moan and groan about it!
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 13th, 2009
12:42 pm
Relax DOB,
Take a chill pill
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 13th, 2009
12:44 pm
50!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOOOO!!!! I/we broke 50!
I want to thank everyone: Steve from OH, Soph, Cab jeffrey d, McFann, Andrew in PA, Rob who can’t be here because he’s on the 60 DL, our troops, DOB, and Frank Wren!!
And who can forget Wayne!
I can honestly say this is my proudest accomplishment in my last 30 minutes!
LOVE!
jebstuart
December 13th, 2009
12:45 pm
DOB –not you too! KKKKKust is far too strike out prone. 1533 ABS with 605 Ks, geez can Braves stand a 40% strike out rate and all the rallies they kill. Lot of money for a bench palyer as Cust is not a terrific fielder ( .968 or so FA when he did play the field).
Better the Braves keep their money for Cameron who has only 30% Ks and does add a modicum of defense.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
12:45 pm
“A salary cap would not solve anything.”
Or they would just go and dump all of the money into signing bonuses like the NFL does to get around a hard cap. I read somewhere on here that somebody suggested to let a team sign one Type A free agent pitcher and postion player a year . I think that maybe a decent way to limit the Yankees of the world.
Salamander
December 13th, 2009
12:46 pm
Music
I’ve plugged them before, but why not again? Baroness, a southern rock/metal band from Savannah, released an excellent Sophomore album (the Blue Record), which I think many regulars on the blog might enjoy (its really not that metal, more hard rock with gritty vocals). I think you might like them too DOB, at least based on the fact that you like Mastodon (who definitely influenced Baroness’ sound).
The latest Doomriders album is pretty awesome as well. Its a side project of a dude from Converge (Nate Newton), but Doomriders don’t sound much like his primary band (i.e. this is not a hardcore album). While the vocals are pretty gritty at times – the band’s sound has a ‘classic metal/hard rock’ style (Motorhead, old (i.e. good) Metallica, and Danzig spring to mind) complimented by current metal mainstays like High on Fire.
Both albums are total dude rock. Good stuff.
VaBraveFan
December 13th, 2009
12:47 pm
50 pages guys awesome!!
Jurrjens4NLCY
December 13th, 2009
12:47 pm
Lets go for 100!
The_Superhoo
December 13th, 2009
12:49 pm
DOB,
I think Turner Gill is a flash in a pan. I hope for your sake he isn’t. In related news, I’m THRILLED with UVA’s hire of London.
PS. Thanks for all the Hot Stove news this past week. It was a lot of fun!
Couch Tater
December 13th, 2009
12:50 pm
efrim, things that make you go hmmm….
Capps, who has closed for the Pirates the last three years, already had calls from three teams as of Sunday morning. His agent, Paul Kinzer, said Capps is interested in the Cubs, and apparently the team has reciprocated that interest.
John
December 13th, 2009
12:51 pm
I think the beauty of the Cust and Gomes idea is a first base platoon. They’re both butchers in the outfield, and the both have Diaz-esque splits against lefties and righties. Cust hit’s righties (career .864 OPS against righties, .734 against lefties) and Gomes hit’s lefties (career .885 against lefties, 758 against righties). No one’s really sure if either of them can actually play first though, since neither has ever played a major league inning there. But they’re both terrible in the outfield.
It seems like they would make a great package though, and together could provide a great power bat for the middle of the order.
J-MAN
December 13th, 2009
12:54 pm
Well a salary cap might not solve everything………… IT GIVES A CHANCE TO EVERY TEAM. But wiht that said the Pirates would still be awful.
Jay212033
December 13th, 2009
12:57 pm
dogsbrekky
Our team consists of a ton of guys who don’t K a lot and they also don’t hit many homers either. Ryan Howard Ks 200+ times a year and is average in the field but he walks and homers a lot as well. So if Howard was out there for 3-5 mil you wouldn’t take him? Even if Cust only hits .240/25 HR but has an OBP around .360 you wouldn’t take that? He hit many HR playing in Oakland which is not a hitters park by any means so personally I think he’ll fair much better in ATL.
Jake W.
December 13th, 2009
12:59 pm
“A salary cap would not solve anything” – marko
It would solve something. No one said everything would be perfect and the Marlins would now compete fairly with a team like the Yankees but it would help reign in the Yankees spending more than not having one would. I mean, you seem smart , tell me the way you think MLB can be fixed without one.
Klaus
December 13th, 2009
12:59 pm
The Braves challenge is when an opportunity presents itself to radically improve the team they have to take a lessor option due to payroll contraints.
I agree the goal here is not a $150-200mm payroll but the inability to stretch when the opportunity and need arises is one of the reasons they keep coming up a player short and why LF and 1B have been revolving door positions (key slugger spots btw).
Heck KJ moves to 2B was a money decision not a strategic one so you can add 2B to the list of I wonder who will be there next year positions (should Prado no work out).
Corporations manage their assets very differently than private owners. The design center is different (as is budget flexibility) and the notion fo “going for it” is less common.
Nothing wrong with it (its their reality especially in a down turn) in their world but it does reduce a teams’ ability to get that one player that can put them over the hump.
Like I said I am cool with however the off season winds down. I am looking ahead to the Braves sale to a private owner where impact guys are not immediately dismissed out of hand due to payroll limitations.
On that last point adding $10mm to the Braves payroll (along with moving most of Lowe’s contract) would net them guys like Holliday and they would still have a lower payroll than the Mets and Phillies to name a few.
When you cannot go to the well and get an additional 5-10-15mm (rarely if ever) your dance card is constrained.
Now in fairness to Liberty they have increased payroll from ~82mm to the mid 95mm over a period of a few years. So kudos for that.
However they have another modest lurch forward in payroll ahead of them to get the Braves back into postseason limelight. It does not appear that move forward is in the cards this year so we are looking at 1yr fixes and guys like Cameron, Nady, Atkins, et al versus Bay or Holliday.
Until Liberty moves on Wren will be hamstrung and there is nothing for it but patience.
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
12:59 pm
talked to Boras last night, told me Xavier Nady has “a pretty big market” (I know, big shocker). But while Cards, Yanks and other teams are also interested, some as a fallback, I get the impression that a team (maybe Braves?) could sign him earlier than most Boras free agents because of the length of the contract.
Probably only going to be one year, though Boras is likely to ask for two to begin with. But if Nady is only going to get one year, the difference, at most, in contracts would likely be a couple mill. So if he sees a situation he likes, sounds as if he’d consider signing early, not wait around all winter.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
1:01 pm
Buster olney that “word is Adam LaRoche is looking for three years and $31.5 million.” All I have to say is wow!
joerochester
December 13th, 2009
1:04 pm
If a team non tenders a contract, and the player signs with another team, do they get arbitration, or just get a contract from the new team?
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
1:04 pm
Good for you, Superhoo.
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
1:06 pm
Braves Lifer: That’s probably reason Braves weren’t going to make, say, a one- or two-year offer at $7-8 mill per coming out of the box. What they might be willing to pay and what he wants are so far apart. They want to see what the market is, how it develops for 1Bs, before moving on that front.
tr
December 13th, 2009
1:08 pm
Any salary cap would also have to include a set minimum to which all teams should spend.
Rob in pain from (SC)
December 13th, 2009
1:08 pm
Carson Palmer doesn’t seem to throw as hard after last years elbow injury. He almost needed TJ surgery
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
1:09 pm
Joerochester: Non-tendered guys don’t get arbitration with new team they sign with this winter. They’re free agents once non-tendered.
A year from now, a player with the service time to be arbitration-eligible would get arb if his new team keeps him.
dogsbrekky
December 13th, 2009
1:12 pm
Jay – Ryan Howard can strike out 250 times for all I care cause he backs it up with 45 bombs and a 140 Million rbi… but I get your point/s
J-MAN
December 13th, 2009
1:13 pm
I agree tr B/C of teams like the Marlins and Rays and Royals, and Pirates. So I’d say $50 Mil min. and $105 Max
BeachBrave
December 13th, 2009
1:26 pm
tr is right. Salary cap without a salary minimum doesn’t get you there. Just ask the Tampa Bay Bucs – 1-11, while $30 million under the cap. Just having a cap does not solve the problem. Also, didn’t the Rays make the World Series just 2 years ago? So much for it being “impossible” to win without spending huge dollars. I actually favor a cap, but it by itself does not mean competitive balance. Forget about the Bucs – the NFL in general is more spread out between the good and bad teams than ever.
tr
December 13th, 2009
1:26 pm
J-MAN
Besides being reasonable in most any eyes, the union would never settle for less than a hard minimum to go with a soft maximum. Especially so, when you consider where we are now.
Marc in FL
December 13th, 2009
1:32 pm
The real solution is an offseason spending limit. The that the Yanks got Sabathia, Burnett, and Tex all in the same year was more disturbing than the fact that they got any one of the three on a big contract. Limiting the amount of money a team can spend on free agents promotes more contracts to players already on the roster and more franchise players, while also keeping the rate of inflation at a more reasonable pace as teams would more leverage against agents due to the new dynamics.
50 Is Too Many Blog Pages!
December 13th, 2009
1:32 pm
Whats next on the blog dob?
Eric In Albany N.Y.
December 13th, 2009
1:32 pm
Cant Wait To Get A Bat!
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
1:33 pm
All this talk about a salary cap is relative. How many of you were complaining when Ted Turner had an open wallet and we had 14 divisional titles to show for it? Parody in baseball rivals that of football and the other major sports so I am not sure that much needs to be changed. A player being in team control for the first six years gives everyone a fighting chance to be competitive. You can just look at our own division as an example. Florida is competitive every year and has two recent world championships to show for it. The Mets spend like a drunk sailor that just got to port and therefore are very off and on despite a large payroll. I mean even your suggested range favors the Braves by suggesting a $105M max without providing any reasons. I am all for if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.
JasonInFL
December 13th, 2009
1:36 pm
DOB, need your help…I have been out of touch for the last couple of years regarding movies…actually, last 5 or so. But, just got a new flat screen with Netflix streaming video, and wireless blu-ray player…so, now all I need are some good movies to watch. Seriously, I have watched The Dark Knight and tha’ts about it. Can you recommend some movies for me to catch up on?
P'cola Brave
December 13th, 2009
1:36 pm
DOB
Would the Braves consider Heyward more of a leadoff bat or middle to late order bat?
C's
December 13th, 2009
1:38 pm
Really? Heyward is nothing close to a leadoff bat.
MoBrave
December 13th, 2009
1:40 pm
What about Marcus Thames for LF? Dude averages 30 HR over 162 games and plays adequate defense.
joerochester
December 13th, 2009
1:40 pm
Thanks for clearing that up, DOB.
John
December 13th, 2009
1:41 pm
I think the Braves hope Heyward to eventually become a 3-hole guy, but there’s no way Bobby starts him out anywhere in the top 2/3rds of the order.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
1:42 pm
Heyward #3 or #5 hitter with Freeman batting cleanup is how I see it. Not this year of course but in the near future.
Jay212033
December 13th, 2009
1:42 pm
Heyward has been a 3 hole hitter almost all of his professional career.
CB
December 13th, 2009
1:43 pm
It would not surprise me if the Braves might already have a trade planned with a team for a big hitter that will be contingent upon their trading Lowe. A player with a salary of 10-12mil could be possible then,maybe a player type like Konerko.
Andrew in PA
December 13th, 2009
1:43 pm
Jurrjens,did you pull an all nighter for the 50 pages?
Andrew in PA
December 13th, 2009
1:44 pm
DOB,is going to talk about Gomes and Cust on the next blog,thanks guys.
Paul Lentz
December 13th, 2009
1:48 pm
jeffrey d………….I guess that you forgot to see the posting I was responding to last night. Jurrjens said that he was watching ‘Da Vinci Code’ on TNT last night while blogging.
Again, not surprising, considering your kind.
P'cola Brave
December 13th, 2009
1:49 pm
I wonder if the Braves will look at Podsednik for LF. He had a really good year and could bat leadoff allowing McClouth to be more in a RBI role.
I know he doesn’t hit a lot of homeruns but having someone with really good speed and good OBP at leadoff would be a benefit.
unbelievable
December 13th, 2009
1:51 pm
Marcus Thames sucks…we got rid of our sub .300 OBP guy, lets dont bring in another
joerochester
December 13th, 2009
1:52 pm
Ehh, I don’t like Podsednik. He had a good season last year, but I don’t have very high expectations for him this year.
CB
December 13th, 2009
1:53 pm
Paul Lentz, most of the bloggers here have a good opinion of jeffrey d. Would you tell us what you mean by your kind?
TnBrian
December 13th, 2009
1:57 pm
I know this is like the twentieth time I’ve said this since they’ve been linked to Nady, but I still think he’d be a very good signing. Not more than a year ago he’d have been a blog favorite to acquire. Now because of his surgery people seem worried to death about it. All I can say is that I have faith that the Braves wouldn’t sign a guy if they thought he would be that big of a risk. Not any more than 37 year old Cameron, even though he’s not been injury prone & will probably still put up solid numbers. But, his age is something to consider, especially if he wants a multi-year contract.
DOB, wow on that LaRoche thing. He’s definitely not going to be a Brave next year.
o-me
December 13th, 2009
1:59 pm
The # 5000 blogger gets a free Bobby Cox nose picker from Dollar General. You may change it for a picture of Norton if you wish. Happy Holidays all….don’t forget the reason for the season..Paul.
All I want for Christmas is a hard hitting 1st baseman and a power hitter with some speed to play LF. Thanks for another day to enjoy life…read the DOB blogs and watch the Braves.
Paul Lentz
December 13th, 2009
2:00 pm
I have a feeling that it could be after New Year’s before something gets done with John Lackey, which means that Braves fans will have to wait until after the holidays before Derek Lowe gets traded.
Once Lowe gets traded (and how much of his contract the Braves have to eat), then it will make sense to speculate who the Braves can go after via free agency. However, until then, it’s pretty much a waste of time.
It’s common knowledge that the Braves are on a budget (probably around $95 mil). So knowing that, what sense does it make to go after a Mercedes if all you can afford is a Buick (meaning the Braves have to eat so much of Lowe’s contract that it cuts significantly into their available spending for improving the offense)? Or…..why settle for a Buick when you can possibly afford to go after a Mercedes (meaning that Frank Wren somehow manages to dump Lowe’s whole contract on some sucker of a team)?
Once the Lowe situation is settled, then I will post who I feel the Braves need to go after. But until then, it’s purely a guessing game.
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:01 pm
Another blog please!!!
Lentz is more
December 13th, 2009
2:03 pm
Oh, so we have to wait until then to hear the great Dentz predictions, how will we get by…
TnBrian
December 13th, 2009
2:05 pm
Paul Lentz, awww, but I want to know NOW who you think the Braves will target. Damnit! You’re a tease, aren’t you?
Paul Lentz
December 13th, 2009
2:07 pm
jeffrey d typically takes cheap shots at people. He will routinely take something out of context and try and make someone look bad. For instance, last night, a poster said the he was watching ‘Da Vinci Code’ on TNT. Given it was late, I engaged in a discussion with him about my take on the movie. Since the premise of the movie had to deal with the possibility of “jesus” having a family…….I decided to post my take on this premise.
Yet jeffrey d conveniently leaves that out. All he does is post “where did the jesus stuff come from”. Typical, from his kind.
Paul Lentz
December 13th, 2009
2:10 pm
TnBrian……as much as I would like to speculate on who the Braves should go after, because of the budget constraints the Braves have, it only makes sense to wait until Derek Lowe is traded.
However, best case scenario (meaning Frank Wren works a miracle and dumps Lowe’s whole contract on some sucker of a team)……….I would LOVE to see the Braves make a go at Matt Holliday.
Lentz is more
December 13th, 2009
2:12 pm
well, there you have it, the master has spoken…
TnBrian
December 13th, 2009
2:23 pm
Yeah, Matt Holliday… .300/30 HR/100 RBI hitter. It’d be nice, but you seriously think Atlanta will outbid the two NY’s teams, Boston & Anaheim?
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
2:25 pm
Matt Holliday? I would be happier spreading the love around maybe with a one year deal to Mike Cameron, a trade for Swisher, and a two year deal for Garko all for under the 18M Holliday would get.
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
2:26 pm
Angels are Lowe possibility, if they can’t re-sign Lackey. I think they can re-sign Lackey. Seattle, Boston, Yanks other Lowe possibilities.
How ’bout Mets? If Braves don’t mind trading in division. But Mets already have bad O. Perez contract. Maybe — horrors — a swap of two years and $24 mill of Perez for three years and $45 mill for Lowe? OK, I didn’t just type that.
Besides, Braves would still have six starters and it wouldn’t clear up much immediate payroll.
joerochester
December 13th, 2009
2:27 pm
Good post, Braves Lifer. I’d rather get three decent players that would make contributions than one Matt Holliday.
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
2:30 pm
Another blog please!!! — MaineBrave
No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.
BravesFanChris25
December 13th, 2009
2:31 pm
DOB with the WIN!
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:33 pm
“No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.”
——————————-
I’m a multi millionaire that should be no problem, i’ll have my maid on that pronto!
Now get that new blog up
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:33 pm
Anyone else watching these sorry falcons
Daybed Wagmoe
December 13th, 2009
2:34 pm
Maybe — horrors — a swap of two years and $24 mill of Perez for three years and $45 mill for Lowe? OK, I didn’t just type that.
Besides, Braves would still have six starters and it wouldn’t clear up much immediate payroll.
You know, with all due respect, this is the kind of trade that you’d jump all over and dismiss in a heartbeat if a blogger posted it.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
2:34 pm
“No problem. You come wrap my Christmas presents and take them to UPS store tomorrow, and pay my bills and do my laundry, and I’ll get a new blog up right away.”
Lol. Lol. Lol… That kind of answer is why I keep coming back. Anyways you posted the latest blog after only about two to three days of the other one; so you are ahead of schedule in my book.
Soph
December 13th, 2009
2:35 pm
jeffrey d typically takes cheap shots at people.
No he doesn’t. No one took a cheap shot at you. The poster that originally posted about the movie wasn’t even talking about the plot of the movie. You’re the one that took it to a whole other level. Just stay away from topics like that on the blog and we won’t have this problem. Simple as that.
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:35 pm
What happened to blog family first?
TnBrian
December 13th, 2009
2:35 pm
Brave Lifer, Garko? You’d rather have Garko than Nady or even Blalock? I set my standards for my team a little higher than that.
Soph
December 13th, 2009
2:37 pm
MaineBrave – I’m watching but it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be considering Ryan & Turner are out. The Falcons are still in it. The defense makes me want to gag though.
TnBrian
December 13th, 2009
2:39 pm
Speaking of laundry, somebody send me a new washer for Christmas since mine leaks. We put old shirts & towles to block the water from leaking all over the place. I also shot a rat with my pellet gun last night. Little bastard scared me… laying on the bed & saw something in the corner of my eye, got my gun out & shot that critter in the head.
Jake W.
December 13th, 2009
2:41 pm
Braves Lifer to your 1:33 post
When Ted Turner owned the braves the Yankees weren’t 70 million dollars in front of them in payroll. Thats the approximate difference this past season from the Yankees and the team with the second highest payroll. The difference in payroll has become much larger since then. I’m not one of the people who believe that our payroll now is a problem but I would be lying if I said this league and the disparities they have in payrolls isn’t a problem. It doesn’t guarantee winning for higher payroll teams but it makes it a whole lot easier.
The Florida Marlins in 2003 were an exception. When they won in 1997 they had one of the highest payrolls. Tampa Bay making it to the World Series in 2008 was a nice story but look at them now. Florida Marlins have been “competitive” for a while but haven’t made the playoffs since that 2003 title. There really isn’t as much parody as it would seem. Twins made the playoffs but were eliminated quickly in the first round. Rockies made it to the series and were swept out by the Red Sox. The question is how long will these lower payroll teams put up with being simply “competitive” and not want to be a serious championship contender.
That first round matchup between the Yanks and the Twins highlighted the difference between competitive teams and teams that just flat out have more talent. There are always exceptions which are what the Rockies, Twins, Marlins, and Rays have been, but more times than not it’s simply the rule over the exception. Some may not have a problem with the occasional playoff appearance (if they make it that is because as pirates and royals fans know its been a while) , but others will have a problem with it and can you really blame them.
N8
December 13th, 2009
2:42 pm
“Anyone else watching these sorry falcons?”
No. But if they’re losing I’m smiling. Can you say “mid” 2nd round pick to my Chiefs for Tony Gonazlez? Bah da da da daaaaaa…. I’m lovin’ it.
Wow. That was weak. Time for a Big Mac.
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:42 pm
Decoud is straight azz
Steve McP
December 13th, 2009
2:42 pm
If DOB had posted the Oliver Perez “trade” at 2.30 in the morning instead of 2.30 in the afternoon, then we would be thinking that we had the DOB drunk posting requested by one blogger last night.
Soph
December 13th, 2009
2:45 pm
Ugh, Falcons D. Ridiculous.
MZ
December 13th, 2009
2:47 pm
DOB ——
Nah, haven’t seen “Serious Man” yet, but there’s this old, one-screen theater in New Orleans that’s showing it, “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Scarface” while I’m gonna be down there covering the Saints and N.O. Bowl next weekend … just trying to decide which one to see … “Avatar” will also be at the IMAX … while I’m down there, I also plan on seeing Flow Tribe’s Christmas Crunktacular at Tipitina’s (with the Revivalists) … you heard much of the Revivalists?
stamper
December 13th, 2009
2:48 pm
ridiculous calling the officials, too… that was a rough pass interference call
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
2:49 pm
I remember last year debating on wether or not to sign Oliver Perez or Lowe. One of the man arguements was Perez stats at turner field?
2006: 5.1 IP ERA 10.13 WHIP 1.88
2007: 14IP ERA 0.64 WHIP 0.79
2008: 6IP ERA 4.50 WHIP 1.50
2009: 6IP ERA 4.50 WHIP 1.50
Overall: 38.1IP ERA 3.29 WHIP 1.25
Hardly a great sample size but it was worth the research.
David O'Brien
December 13th, 2009
2:49 pm
You know, with all due respect, this is the kind of trade that you’d jump all over and dismiss in a heartbeat if a blogger posted it. — Daybed
Maybe you missed the part where I did exactly that — jumped on it and dismissed it. In the next paragraph after I mentioned it.
Jake W.
December 13th, 2009
2:50 pm
“Ugh, Falcons D. Ridiculous.”- Soph
It is horrible but the saints got a little help that last drive with the pass interference on Grimes. By the letter of the law they should have called it but I don’t think that gets called if its say Jenkins against one of their defenders. Some recievers just get more respect but that should have been a no call to me.
Braves Lifer
December 13th, 2009
2:55 pm
TnBrian- “Brave Lifer, Garko? You’d rather have Garko than Nady or even Blalock? I set my standards for my team a little higher than that.”
In that senerio Garko would be the Fourth OFer and Back up 1st Baseman. Garko likely arb figure was $2-3M and the Giants refused to pay him that. Knowing that is it unlikely to think that we could sign him at 2yrs for $3.5M? Nady is going to more expensive than that by far and Blalock was a DH for Texas right? Didn’t he also hit for a worse average than Garko while making $6.2M?
Soph
December 13th, 2009
2:56 pm
True, Jake but to have them 3rd & 19 with a chance to hold them to a FG and give up a big run TD like that? Blah.
Oh well. TD Jenkins!
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:57 pm
Lets Get Juan Rivera, how bad is his defense?
Better than GA im assuming
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
2:58 pm
Jenks actually caught a pass.
Too bad our defense won’t hold up
Jake W.
December 13th, 2009
3:00 pm
Oh Yeah Soph, not taking away from anything you said. It is horrible and that 3rd and long play pretty much sums up our defensive season. I have never seen a team give up more 3rd and longs. But one of the few times we do make a play to have it taken away on an iffy penalty hurts but hey, at least were not getting blown out…..yet.
joerochester
December 13th, 2009
3:00 pm
Is Laroche the best 1B on the market?
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
3:00 pm
Swissssssss cheese defense FTW!
justdoit
December 13th, 2009
3:01 pm
DoB – do you think the Angels might be willing to give up Rivera For Lowe if they are not able to re-sign Lackey?
MaineBrave
December 13th, 2009
3:02 pm
HEY ARE MY EYES WORKING CORRECTLY? We stopppppped the saints? On 3rd and 1????
Get outta here