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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6,746 comments Add your comment
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
10:00 pm
Avg. OPS over past 3 season’s: Willingham .851, Hart .857
However, Willingham was at .827 before his monster season, Hart was at .866. Just me, but I’m not thinking Willingham will stay near those averages, heck, he may drop under .820. Hart, in his prime, is more likely to replicate another career avg. season. Just my opinion.
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
10:00 pm
Sam Holbrook shows up again umping in the Yanks-Tigers series. One would think SL would have requested him for their series with the Giants. Perhaps they will in the WS against the Tigers.
Choppinmama
October 14th, 2012
10:02 pm
A quick drive by to drop off a few ‘mama musings:
Bobby Cox would have never been caught dead with a team hoodie on in the dugout a ‘la Davey Johnson.
My quarter-inch fingernail growth since our one-and-done game is all gone after the Falcons pulled it out of the fire today.
Zombies, just like Godzilla, are laughable. Give me a good alien or vampire for a real spooky time.
“Hey, Capt. Jeter, can I sign your cast?”
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 14th, 2012
10:03 pm
you really should quit……
Definitely. I’m not changing any minds, and mine won’t be changed. Just hope that a Delgado or Teheran+ trade for Willingham happens, or I’ll howl again! It’ll be worse next year when his production falls off….
Peace folks.
vegas
October 14th, 2012
10:05 pm
The Braves are cheap, and cheap ===Norichika Aoki, and this guy can produce for the braves, just like he did for the brewers!!!
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:07 pm
Zombies, laughable?????? wait till the Zombie Apocalypse, you will regret that remark…..
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
10:07 pm
Agree, vegas, on Aoki but for some reason the Braves never go for the Japanese or Korean players. Don’t know why.
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:09 pm
I’ll pass on yet another lefty, we play under 500 ball against LHed starters. Enough is enough
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:10 pm
Braves never go for the Japanese or Korean players….dumbass
where the hell was KK from?
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:14 pm
too bad about Jeter. Not a Yanks fan at all and i hope they lose to Detroit, but you hate to see players get hurt bad
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
10:18 pm
So you named one, nolie, good job!
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:19 pm
and here I thought never meant …well never.
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:20 pm
you know, like…not once
Choppinmama
October 14th, 2012
10:20 pm
nolie – I’m always thinking “it’s just guys in really disgusting make-up”.
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:22 pm
yeah , but Zombies are all the craze right now, even in shooting competitions….
Q
October 14th, 2012
10:28 pm
Tell me if I’m crazy or if I’m missing something, but I think a player the Braves should go after is Jonny Gomes. RH batter solid power, performs well in big situations, and can be had for probably as little as 5 million dollars (5 times what he made last year) I’m sure there is some home cooking involved and he wants to stay in Oakland but I wouldn’t be suprised if Billy Beane doesn’t want to pay what he’s worth. Yes he has a lot of Uggla in his approach but he has a lot of Hinske in what he adds to the clubhouse. If the Braves went and got him they’d have the money to pay for a big CF (young, upton, etc) with room to spare.
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
10:45 pm
When my wife says “never” she said she really means “not very often”. In this instance, perhaps I meant “hardly ever”, which really means “very seldom” as in “they don’t make a habit of it”. Clear?
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:51 pm
oh sure, blame it on your wife
nolie
October 14th, 2012
10:55 pm
Gomes is pretty up and down, talk about a career year that is unlikely to approach again, it is kinda hard to feel very secuire about what you are gonna get and his platoon splits against righties are pretty crappy.
Too early to be settling for a platoon hitter IMO
Trader Jack
October 14th, 2012
10:56 pm
86 year old Tony Bennett belts out God Bless America – Gotta love it!
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
11:05 pm
I wanted to hear Tony Bennett sing “I Left My Heart in Juan Francisco” after GBA. Can’t believe he still uses a tuning harp after all these years. Must be pitch deaf.
nolie
October 14th, 2012
11:11 pm
if he was pitch deaf how could a tuning device help him much ?
M.V.P.Heyward
October 14th, 2012
11:18 pm
Shane Victorino & Josh Willingham would be enough to win it all in 2013.
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
11:22 pm
Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s “pitch deficient”. Although I have heard of some people who were called “pitch deaf” who could hear a tuning harp. Had a friend in choir in high school who was that way.
low rider
October 14th, 2012
11:22 pm
Where is Pastornicky in this conversation. His average at aaa was pretty good. Let him play left in winter ball. Then give him 60 games in left to see if removal of the shortstop monkey will help his plate performance bloom.
Dum-Bass
October 14th, 2012
11:27 pm
I just can’t picture Pastornicky as anything but a second baseman. Still amazed he was not switched over to 2nd way before he even got to AAA. Somebody dropped the ball(pardon the pun) on that one.
ChattTownBrian
October 14th, 2012
11:54 pm
Yeah I agree Victorino and Willingham would be plenty enough o go with what we have. We could and probably would go far. JHey is about to really bust out. Y’all with me on that?
David O'Brien
October 14th, 2012
11:55 pm
DOB, Kiwanuka – very soulful. Also listened to his “Tell Me A Tale.” Big jazz influence in that song. Really super. Thanks for the refer. I’ll be listening to him now. — Jeff R
Yeah, the whole CD is really good. I’d never heard of him, and my man Warren had him on one of the listening stations at his Decatur CD store. I listened, bought. What a voice.
wink
October 15th, 2012
12:27 am
Memo to Wren:
Cardinals 6 runs on 8 hits; professional hitters…..victory Cardinals NLCS!
Wren can you guess what we need?
Watch & Learn!
kenhotlanta
October 15th, 2012
12:33 am
Tony Bennett. Amazing performance for an 86 year old man. Between him and the new Rolling Stones song, it’s a good week for us old geezers.
Half Empty
October 15th, 2012
12:59 am
I think he probably uses it to establish the key in which he is going to sing. If he was tone deaf he couldn’t recognize it as correct or copy it with his voice even tghough he can hear it
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:10 am
falcons continue to defy the odds.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:10 am
falcons continue to defy the odds.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:10 am
falcons continue to defy the odds.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:12 am
three straight wins when the outcome was in question.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:12 am
three straight wins when the outcome was in question.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:12 am
three straight wins when the outcome was in question.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:13 am
three staight posts.
uga-brave
October 15th, 2012
1:17 am
for all that ever eats in savannah i highly recomend Aligator Soul. real good stuff.
Bill M.
October 15th, 2012
6:33 am
I hope the Braves stays away from the older players. The player I wish they could get is Garcia from the Tigers. He’s only 21. I believe the Royals would trade Will Myers but it would cost. I would throw Delgado & Hanson at the Royals and see if they would bite.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
7:36 am
DOB, sent your Kiwanuka link out to family & friends. Going get his CDs, too. Thanks, again.
Capt.Mudd
October 15th, 2012
7:39 am
Well…..after watching the St. Louis Cards post season ’style,’ of play that is….I truly feel the Braves have more “needs” than those being touted by news sources.
Congrats Falcons….that one was too close and Oakland ran the ball with power….thought we were going to lose it.
Will the Tigers win it all?
Carl Farvman
October 15th, 2012
7:50 am
“I truly feel the Braves have more “needs” than those being touted by news sources. ”
Astute. Folks get lulled by this 94 win rhetoric and conclude that the club is really close to moving to the next level. This is as much about the right guys as it is shoring up perceived needs. The veteran leadersip shown by the Cards during the Nats series has never been evident in the Braves clubhouse for the time I’ve been following them. And, no, Chipper’s not the answer.
cowdogit
October 15th, 2012
8:24 am
These high salaries are a reward for past good years . Wren should stop giving security to these aging stars and invest his money on seven or eight good looking young players.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
8:29 am
Will the Tigers win it all?
I’m certainly pulling for them. Mainly because Leyland still wears spikes. He’s a baseball guy.
Of course, some here have said that the Tigers didn’t deserve a bye because “there are at least four teams better than the Tigers…”, and so forth. Hopefully, the foolishness that rates a division winner as a lesser team, for whatever lame reasoning, gets nuked by the actual postseason performance of that “lesser” team.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
8:30 am
The veteran leadersip shown by the Cards during the Nats series has never been evident in the Braves clubhouse for the time I’ve been following them.
No offense, but what a crock.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
8:32 am
These high salaries are a reward for past good years
So, it’s OK to cheat them when they’re young, but not OK to reward them later? Just want to make sure I have a handle on your business model.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
8:33 am
Wouldn’t mind seeing a Tigers-Cards match-up. Two tough teams.
Brad in NY
October 15th, 2012
9:02 am
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Sid Bream’s slide and it wasn’t noted at all on ajc.com as far as I can tell…
Lew
October 15th, 2012
9:07 am
Older players making too much? Well, we COULD go to the NFL version of “fair” and pay them huge amounts when they first come in the league and then dump them when they don’t earn the bucks first time around. Of course that would mean non – guaranteed salaries and we all know THAT ain’t going to happen given the strength of the Players Association.
Not to mention that under our system, we haven’t had a strike recently. The rest of the Pro Sports leagues? Not so much.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:11 am
Hart has hit lefties a bit harder than Josh has, similar SLG vs righties. He’s 30, Rios is 31. Both better options in my opinion, if they were available.
I’m unsure what stats you’re looking at. I’m not seeing this.
Rios’ contract is for 2 years at near double the cost than Willingham. Hart is one year, over 10 million. Still not seeing either as a better option.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:12 am
Of course, some here have said that the Tigers didn’t deserve a bye because “there are at least four teams better than the Tigers…”, and so forth. Hopefully, the foolishness that rates a division winner as a lesser team, for whatever lame reasoning, gets nuked by the actual postseason performance of that “lesser” team.
Sorry, man. Still do not agree with it. Christ, Robinson Cano was hitting .600 for two weeks right before the postseason and is now 0 for his last 45 or something like that.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:14 am
The Cardinals catch breaks and also have a very deep offensive lineup. Beltran, Holliday, Craig, Molina, and Freese. That’s a serious middle of the order.
McFann :Ô: :Ô: :ô:
October 15th, 2012
9:15 am
Paul, Mixxo, ace, McFann just to name a few who have been bullied
Not too crazy about who I’m being lumped with, there…
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:17 am
And Beltran continues to prove that he is an elite player. His stats are really strong over the 162regular + 7 playoff games.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:19 am
Efrim, I just believe that you cannot compare teams in different divisions simply by won-loss. Because there is no way to know how the Rays, for example, would have fared playing in the Central, for example. You might think they would have done well, but there’s just no telling. 18 against the Tigers and White Sox? Who knows?
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 15th, 2012
9:19 am
I’m unsure what stats you’re looking at. I’m not seeing this.
Career stats vs RHP and LHP. Hart and Willingham have roughly the same number of PAs for their career, so it is “fair”.
Hart’s contracts is “worse” than Willinghams, albeit by 3mil, but there is a possibility for an extension.
richbrave
October 15th, 2012
9:20 am
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
DOMINICAN – First game
EASTERN BULLS
LHS/RP YOHAN FLANDE [0.00 ERA] 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.
ORIENTE STARS
CF FELIX PIE [.333 BA] 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B [1], 1 BB, 1 CS [1].
MEXICO
HERMOSILLO ORANGES
CF TODD CUNNINGHAM [.400 BA] 1-3, 1 R, 1 SAC
PUERTO RICO
No games
VENEZUELA
CARACAS LIONS
CF JOSH KROEGER [.250 BA] 0-2, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 1 Outfield Assist [3B].
LARA CARDINALS
PR/CF JOSE YEPEZ [.000 BA] 0-1, 1 R.
ZULIA EAGLES
1B ERNESTO MEJIA [.333 BA] 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B [1], 1 3B [1], 1 E [1, fielding].
DH EVAN ‘Big Jim’ GATTIS [.313 BA] 1-3, 1 RBI [6], 1 SF.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:20 am
That’s a serious middle of the order.
I still like the Jints to win it.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 15th, 2012
9:21 am
But I’m done w/ that argument anyway. Just pray a Delgado or Teheran+ trade for Josh doesn’t happen!
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:22 am
rich, do you have the rosters of the Dominican teams? I believe Teheran and Delgado are pitching there this winter.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:23 am
But I’m done w/ that argument anyway.
Right. You mean, for this hour, correct?
Dadgum.....
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
If anyone was wondering if the 2nd wild card was a good idea, well, guess you’re not wondering anymore. While the Cards are happy they got in as the #2 and lucky at that, the Braves were the unlucky ones for sure. But having said that there is no way Atlanta would have been doing what the Cards are doing. They just aren’t built that way. Not yet. St Louis has legitimized the 2nd wild card for all going forward. Had the roles been reversed Atlanta would already be out and fans all over would have been screaming about the 2nd wild card and how it’s not needed. Kudos to St Louis.
I’m not certain the Cards will make the WS but I do know that Detroit will win the thing. Simply can’t see it any other way.
Through all this post season I think Wren understands he has huge needs. Not tweaks. He is correct on the Braves’ needs for premium impact payers. IMO we need those players at 3rd and LF. If we can get those players and move Prado to 2nd base where he belongs then I think you have the nucleus of a serious WS threat. You could get away with a serviceable CF. You could eat some of Uggla’s salary and deal him along with a prospect to acquire one of the said needs. I don’t think Uggla has a long future in Atlanta and if Wren finds an opening via trade to dump him I think he will do so.
Rock on…..the Braves probably pick up McCann’s option. Depends on the surgery options and recovery time. Real tough to fork over 12 mil even if insurance picks up the tab. If Mac and Uggla have similar years next year that’s 25 mil spent for production they can get cheaper. If I was Wren, I wouldn’t keep both Uggla and McCann next year but would err on the side of McCann.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
9:25 am
But I’m done w/ that argument anyway. Just pray a Delgado or Teheran+ trade for Josh doesn’t happen!
Generally, I think Wren been fairly stingy in what he gives up in trades. I’m sure someone will find an example or two of Wren overpaying in a trade, but not as a rule.
Hence, I’m not inclined to believe that Wren will give away the store this winter to meet the Braves’ needs.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
9:30 am
I’m not certain the Cards will make the WS but I do know that Detroit will win the thing. Simply can’t see it any other way.
I wouldn’t bet against the Cards making the World Series, and I wouldn’t bet that Detroit has it in the bag, regardless.
I love the way the Cards play baseball. Not a flashy team; just a tough, get-it-done crew.
Having said that, I think a Cards-Tigers series would be good watchin’.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:30 am
If Mac and Uggla have similar years next year that’s 25 mil spent for production they can get cheaper.
This is always a specious argument. If they have bust years, why would one want that kind of “performance” at any price, regardless of how cheap it is?
The other side of the argument, getting better performance for the same money, makes a lot more sense. The thing is, where are you most likely to get better performance than last year? From the two players already on the roster who have proven, repeatedly, that they are better offensive players than they showed in 2012.
This ain’t rocket science.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
9:31 am
McFann :Ô: :Ô: :ô:
ACE and you – simpatico!
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:34 am
Hence, I’m not inclined to believe that Wren will give away the store this winter to meet the Braves’ needs.
Burn and pillage, I say.
You could just about gut this farm system and you wouldn’t have lost a bunch.
Besides, they’ve already drafted every soft-tossing lefty out there, maybe this is the year they draft otherwise, LOL.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 15th, 2012
9:35 am
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/nlcs-game-1-carlos-beltran-back-in-postseason-and-loving-every-minute-st-louis-cardinals-beat-san-francisco-giants-101412
TennesseePaul
October 15th, 2012
9:37 am
I’m certainly pulling for them. Mainly because Leyland still wears spikes. He’s a baseball guy.
I’ll pull for the Tigers to get to the WS, so the Yanks don’t have a shot.
But I’m pulling for the NL all the way.
Dadgum.....
October 15th, 2012
9:42 am
Hence, I’m not inclined to believe that Wren will give away the store this winter to meet the Braves’ needs.
——————-
I’m also more inclined to think any move made by Wren won’t make us serious WS contenders either. That’s kind of like Rizzo spinning the playoff fiasco of the Nats by saying they are young and will learn from it when you have experienced players all over the field. Rizzo looks like an idiot (and was) for sitting Strasburg now pining they lost due to inexperience is just ignorant. They could have lost with Strasburg but in the end it was the pitching that shot them in the foot. Nuff said.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:47 am
But I’m pulling for the NL all the way.
NWIH I will pull for the Cards to win a 3rd World Series in 7 seasons after an 83 win division title, 90 wins and a lottery ticket-esque entry, and this year as the 5th best record in their own league.
Credit them for doing everything they can with those breaks, but I can’t root for that team.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:52 am
Burn and pillage, I say. You could just about gut this farm system and you wouldn’t have lost a bunch.
I’d trade everyone above Low-A Rome except for Teheran and Graham, including Delgado….. – but I’m not sure what that gets us.
Besides, they’ve already drafted every soft-tossing lefty out there, maybe this is the year they draft otherwise, LOL.
His quote about the Mexican League LHP Daniel Rodriguez they signed speaks volumes about Wren and the org. philosophy:
“We’ve seen the value of (left-handing pitching) just watching (Paul) Maholm and what he can do to other clubs,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said.
“We have not had an opportunity to have a lot of left-handers in our rotation in recent years, and so he was a guy that stood out for us and our scouts internationally and also statistically.”
“We see him as a guy that would somewhat similar to (first-round pick Sean) Gilmartin in that he’d be a guy that would likely be in the Gwinnett rotation to start the season next year,” Wren said. “And who knows after that.”
Dadgum.....
October 15th, 2012
9:53 am
Most likely Verlander will pitch in games 1,4, & 7 if needed. Can’t see St Louis or San Fran beating him 2 out of 3 games which is most likely what it would take. I liked Detroit all season and they are even better now.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:53 am
Besides, they’ve already drafted every soft-tossing lefty out there, maybe this is the year they draft otherwise, LOL.
And to this point, we will be getting two Top 40 draft picks in 2013 and that’ll help the farm considerably…..heck, even if they are high floor LHP’s.
Mixxo
October 15th, 2012
9:55 am
McFann :Ô: :Ô: :ô: @ 9:15…
I suggest you ‘deal with it.’
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
9:55 am
I will be rooting for Detroit in the World Series. Been tough for that town, and I think this would be great. Besides, Cards won in 2011 and have an incredibly bright future. Giants – well, they won in 2010 and if anyone knows who Chris “Mad Dog” Russo is, you know why I am not rooting for the Giants.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
9:56 am
heck, even if they are high floor LHP’s
Geez, man, don’t even whisper that.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 15th, 2012
10:00 am
I’d trade everyone above Low-A Rome except for Teheran and Graham, including Delgado
For David Price yes. Willingham, no.
And to this point, we will be getting two Top 40 draft picks in 2013
Any good OF or 2B/3B prospects?
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
10:01 am
I don’t know much about Rodriguez, obviously, having never seen him pitch. But the Mexican League does have a rep as a hitters’ league, so maybe the guy has a little sumpin’.
Lew
October 15th, 2012
10:02 am
I don’t know -it IS Detroit. The fans may burn down what remains of the city if they win the WS.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 15th, 2012
10:02 am
Efrim: Can’t even root for the Cards since they have Beltran? I still do “hate” them, and want the Tigers to win, but I wouldn’t mind Beltran getting his ring. He won’t get the chance next year, as the Braves will be champs.
Tumbledown
October 15th, 2012
10:02 am
Russo is quite annoying with his worshipping of the Giants. He also loves to take swipes at Atlanta sports’ fans. Whether deserved to some degree or not, it is tiresome.
Tumbledown
October 15th, 2012
10:04 am
Never understood the mentality: We won the championship so let’s overturn a few cars and set fire to some structures.
Lew
October 15th, 2012
10:06 am
I never understood it either Tumbledown – But it keeps happening.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
10:07 am
For David Price yes. Willingham, no.
We do not have enough to acquire Price. Not nearly enough. And we match up poorly with the Rays. We match up very well with the Twins.
Dadgum.....
October 15th, 2012
10:08 am
Never understood the mentality: We won the championship so let’s overturn a few cars and set fire to some structures.—-Tumbledown
Damn funny. Yep….there is a little bit of “Middle East beast” in a lot of people.
Murph
October 15th, 2012
10:09 am
I’d trade everyone above Low-A Rome except for Teheran and Graham, including Delgado
I still think Delgado will end up producing more than Teheran over his career, but yeah, gotta trade talent to get talent.
I wonder if San Diego would take our entire minor league system in exchange for Headley, minus Graham and JT?
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
10:11 am
Any good OF or 2B/3B prospects?
Too early to tell. Lots of college pitching, apparently. Which I wouldn’t mind so long as it wasn’t a LHP who couldn’t break 90.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
10:14 am
I wonder if San Diego would take our entire minor league system in exchange for Headley, minus Graham and JT?
They have depth. They need elite prospects back. A year after trading Mat Latos, I see no reason for them to trade Headley – especially for a team that struggles to score runs.
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
10:14 am
Soft-toss, hard throw, just get the outs, I say!
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
10:15 am
Soft-toss, hard throw, just get the outs, I say!
Not when the entire rotation and system has no starters that can break 90mph. That’s just stupid. Overkill.
Efrim
October 15th, 2012
10:18 am
Look at the Cardinals. Trevor Rosenthal, Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, and Shelby Miller – all starting pitching prospects – coming out of the bullpen in the playoffs and throwing 93-97mph. Rosenthal hit 100mph 7 times in his last appearance. And they command that fastball. It’s not out of control.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
10:19 am
Soft-toss, hard throw, just get the outs, I say!
Wouldn’t it be nice, though, just every once in a while, to be able to get a K with men at 2B and 3B? You know, if only to be surprised occasionally?
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
10:20 am
Not when the entire rotation and system has no starters that can break 90mph. That’s just stupid. Overkill.
I don’t know, the Braves’ rotation played the instrumental role in getting the Braves to 94 wins and the post season. The pitchers, much more than the offense, got the Braves to the WC. Yet, some keep seeing deficiencies. I’m all for improvements, but the real problem with Braves lies in the lack of offense.
That’s Wren’s target this off-season.
CB
October 15th, 2012
10:23 am
Doesn’t the short guy throw over 90?
Jeff R
October 15th, 2012
10:23 am
Wouldn’t it be nice, though, just every once in a while, to be able to get a K with men at 2B and 3B? You know, if only to be surprised occasionally?
Sure! And it would be nice to see the Braves scratch more than a couple runs all-too-often and actually advance runners.
The primary problem with the Bravos is offense. Just is.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
10:26 am
The primary problem with the Bravos is offense. Just is.
I don’t think anybody is disagreeing with that, Jeff. And if it turns out to be an either/or choice, then offense it is.
But I happen to think there might be a way to do both.
Walt Coogan
October 15th, 2012
10:27 am
Sign Pagan to a four or five-year contract? That idea sounds like a stretch and strikeouts are way less important than on-base percentage for a guy hitting leadoff, especially in the National League. The emphasis needs to be on working counts and reaching base, not simply avoiding strikeouts to move runners along, particularly when you’re hitting behind the pitcher. Also, even though he struggled to hit the ball in the second half, Bourn’s on-base percentage from August 1 through the end of the regular season was actually a surprisingly healthy .354 and according to Baseball-Reference.com’s Defensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement) figures, Bourn constituted the best defensive outfielder in the National League by far. Many “eye ball” assessments would probably agree and defense needs to be considered as well as offense.
I wouldn’t trade a top pitching prospect such as Delgado or Teheran for Willingham. Sure, the latter just enjoyed a monstrous season, but he’s also in his thirties and his trade value will be inflated after a career year that he is unlikely to duplicate. Consider how the Braves overpaid Dan Uggla after a career year, too. Also, Teheran’s stuff may have been worse simply because he proved unmotivated by the prospect of a second season at Triple-A. Hopefully he has learned a lesson and will be more focused moving forward, but at twenty-one, he is too young to give up on.
Certainly, I concur about picking up the options on McCann, Hudson, and Maholm and retaining the arbitration-eligible players aside from Jurrjens, but one idea would be to keep Prado in left field and find a right-handed third baseman to participate in a platoon with Juan Francisco. For Francisco showed serious power and decent defense in 2012 and for his major league career, he has batted .272 with a .320 on-base percentage and a .487 slugging average in 319 plate appearances (14 home runs) versus right-handed pitching. I’d be interested in further exploring that low-cost talent and not just giving up on it or relegating it to the bench, so long as it is paired with a platoon partner versus left-handed pitching. Conceivably, Martin Prado could move to third base versus southpaws, while Reed Johnson plays left field in those starts. That way, the Braves could save their money and prospects and just re-sign Michael Bourn rather than overpaying for a defensively challenged corner outfielder such as Nick Swisher or Josh Willingham.
ncscoots
October 15th, 2012
10:27 am
Doesn’t the short guy throw over 90?
Max effort. Probably an illusion, anyway.