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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6,746 comments Add your comment
RC
October 19th, 2012
11:26 am
I haven’t fully formed my opinion on how I feel about it, but what would people think about the Braves possibly trading for Alfonso Soriano? The Cubs would obviously have to eat a TON of salary, but I’d argue he’s a better bat in LF than say, Reed Johnson. The K’s and terrible defense concern me, but it’d be at least worth looking at closer I think.
Murph
October 19th, 2012
11:27 am
Thus, my stance on relative importance of the various elements.
A pie without the crust is just warm puddin’.
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
11:30 am
A pie without the crust is just warm puddin’.
But filling, nonetheless. That same cannot be said for the opposite.
Tumbledown
October 19th, 2012
11:31 am
While we can dispute whether the playoffs truly measure who the best team is, I do believe it measures something very important. Everybody in the organization gears up an extra notch for the playoffs, the fans feel the tension, and the stakes are high. To fight through and win the World Series is an important and praise-worthy accomplishment.
Whether or not the MLB playoffs is in reality a crapshoot where the mythical “best teams” do not usually win, I attach importance to winning the World Series and, for lack of better expression, feel real crummy when the Braves lose.
Lew
October 19th, 2012
11:35 am
I would pass on Soriano. Poor OBP of .322, though he hit pretty well last year. He won’t hit 32 HR in Atlanta (though half of his HR were at opponents’ parks) He ony hit 8 of those 32 HR against LHP wjile only hitting .260, .342, .497 against LHP – hardly the killer of LHP we’re looking for. Add all of this to the poor defense and the verdict should be to just leave him be.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
11:37 am
Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
AL scout on arod: “I can’t believe anyone would be interested.” #114MIL plus #30MIL in milestone HR bonuses
Not even those goons in Florida?
wreckmaniac
October 19th, 2012
11:42 am
5000 comments. Amazing. Makes UGA look like a commercial in a three hour movie. I especially like your points, Dave, on Bourne. He is not worth Boras money. I would shed Uggla also but his contract may be too high to unload. Suggestion: Call Boras and see if he can find a buyer for Uggla. If anyone can sell these guys for twice what they’re worth, its him.
Lew
October 19th, 2012
11:44 am
I’m pretty sure that we’ve exceeded 15, 000 before.
Gary O.
October 19th, 2012
11:44 am
I think it’s ironic that the Yankees traded Austin Jackson (who hit .300+ in the ALCS), Scherzer (who shut the Yankees down in game 4), and coke who pitched well in relief to the Tigers for Granderson (who struggled big time) back in 2009.
Given Swisher’s struggles in the playoffs, I wonder what his FA market value will be.
George_George
October 19th, 2012
11:46 am
Worse is the lack of passion the fans showed after an epic Braves collapse this season. Looking like a shoo-in most of the season, the Braves, who were 8½ games up in the National League wild-card race to start September, gave up their postseason spot on the last night of the season … Heads should have rolled. Instead, Braves first-year manager Fredi Gonzalez wasn’t under fire from the fan base and will be back this coming season. Again, most probably didn’t even notice.
**********************************************************
Good morning all
I have been trying to light a fire under FREDI for the past two years, but no onw but Lane, nowhere, and Brava listen.
Murph
October 19th, 2012
11:49 am
I don’t know that post-season play affects a player’s value much. If not for the regular season numbers some of these October chokers have put up, their teams might not have been playing at all.
Swisher will still make a lot of money even though he couldn’t buy a hit in the playoffs.
DAP
October 19th, 2012
11:52 am
braves could trade for wilson betemit to back up 1st and 3rd next season. he even played some innings in LF this past season. $1.7mil for a switch hitting utility guy with pop.
Lew
October 19th, 2012
11:52 am
Most probably didn’t even notice and no one got on Fredi’s case? What Never Never Land does that idiot live in?
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
11:52 am
Cardinals have a 2-6 of Beltran, Holliday, Craig, Freese, Molina.
That’s some serious pop – and the rise of Yadier as a hitter has fueled these last two titles, imo.
What’s amazing is that Jon Jay, Allen Craig and David Freese were not highly touted prospects at all. Older players who all developed late. Cards have a nack for that. Matt Carpenter is another.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
11:52 am
“This wasn’t the first time Alex Rodriguez vanished when the stakes were highest…not even close. He’s hitting .162 over his last 117 post season ABs.”
It’s hard to even make the “small sample size” argument any more in support of this all-time choke artist.
But I’m sure Shaun’s Abacus will be able to dispute what the rest of the world sees.
117 AB’s isn’t the largest of sample sizes. That’s, what, like 30 games. Plus it’s not just about sample size. There’s also the fact that A-Rod is old and his body is worn down. So we’re basically judging a player’s specific abilities to come through in the playoffs or in clutch games on about 30 games worth of AB’s when he’s old and worn down. No scout, GM, etc. would find that information of much use. But, hey, fans aren’t scouts and GM’s and often don’t look at the game in the same ways as the well-informed insiders.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
11:53 am
braves could trade for wilson betemit to back up 1st and 3rd next season.
Not a bad idea at all, DAP.
Lew
October 19th, 2012
11:54 am
Lane Kiffin, you and Brava? Yep, people will always listen to that trio cause they’re so logical and rational.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
11:56 am
Freese will turn 30 next year. Allen Craig will turn 29. Jay will turn 28. Matt Carpenter will be 27 and Daniel Descalso will be 27.
All in their prime years, yet, not arbitration eligible.
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
11:59 am
All in their prime years, yet, not arbitration eligible.
…while Braves’ fans are ready to chunk Teheran to the curb at 21.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:00 pm
Efrim, a lot of those Cardinals players had questions marks, mostly from a defensive perspective. Everyone knew they were good hitters. I think that’s why they were underrated as prospects. No one knew what position Allen Craig would play or if he would even have a position.
I kind of see the Braves’ offense developing like the Cardinals. They may not have many absolute stud hitters but they are solid everywhere. And I think in the coming years the Braves will be better defensively.
Tumbledown, I feel crummy when the Braves lose in the playoffs and when teams that weren’t all that special over the long haul win. But I honestly don’t think we learn all that much about teams from their playoff performances. If we could match up the teams and replay the playoffs, I think we would often get different results each time. I think there are marginal baseball-type things that teams do to increase their chances for success in the playoffs. But I think chance plays an enormous role.
Murph
October 19th, 2012
12:01 pm
Nobody wants to bring back Andruw as a bench player, but you’re ok with bringing back Betemit?
Betemit would actually be a solid choice… I’d take him over any other bench guy we’ve got (except Ross) any day of the week.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
12:02 pm
…while Braves’ fans are ready to chunk Teheran….at 21.
for Willingham who’s 34. I love my creative editing. Learned it from MSNBC
Well, currently, Gattis is our only older position “prospect”. Maybe he ends up like those Cards players.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:03 pm
Also, I’ll add to my 11:52 am comment that the media members aren’t GM’s and scouts and often don’t look at the game in the same ways as the well-informed insiders.
For example, the Fox broadcasters made the claim that Miguel Cabrera had a good year defensively. And they almost acted as if Marco Scutaro was the Giants’ MVP, when he had to come out of Game 2.
King of Carrot Flowers
October 19th, 2012
12:04 pm
No, Shaun, I’m sure scouts, GMs, and “well-informed insiders” like yourself, all look at A-Rod as a clutch player who they’d love to have in their team’s starting lineup for the playoffs. No doubt about it.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
12:05 pm
braves could trade for wilson betemit to back up 1st and 3rd next season.
Not bad at all… as for his switch-hitting, not too impressed with that. He hits righties well, but sukks bad against lefties (.637 OPS)
Lew
October 19th, 2012
12:07 pm
Only Braves – Maybe so, but I’ll wait on Gattis to actually play more than half a season’s worth of games first. Age 25 and never played more than 80 something pro games in a season – hope he gets there while he’s still in his prime.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:07 pm
Older players who all developed late. Cards have a nack for that.
McGwire seems to be a pretty solid choice as a hitting coach…
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
12:08 pm
…while Braves’ fans are ready to chunk Teheran to the curb at 21.
Never seen a prospect that young at that high of a level get so much heat from fans, media, etc. Stuff was down, I know, but it’s not crazy to think he’ll bounce back in 2013 and the Braves would be foolish to sell low on him through trade.
Lew
October 19th, 2012
12:09 pm
.162 in 30 games for Uggla and people were calling for his benching, him to be traded and possibly even imprisonment and the death penalty.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:09 pm
They may not have many absolute stud hitters but they are solid everywhere
Eh, I’d wait until all the off-season moves have been made before I’d claim they are “solid everywhere.” Could be Biff ends up as the starting CF after Wren suffers sticker shock on all his “premium player” choices.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
12:10 pm
McGwire seems to be a pretty solid choice as a hitting coach…
Totally. And I don’t put too much into hitting coaches, but it’s really tough to not see it with him and the Cards. He’s done well with them.
Well, currently, Gattis is our only older position “prospect”. Maybe he ends up like those Cards players.
That’d certainlty be nice. At the very least, maybe he can become a platoon corner outfielder who mashes LHP. That’s a steal for the round they selected him at. Good find by DeMacio and co.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:10 pm
No, Shaun, I’m sure scouts, GMs, and “well-informed insiders” like yourself
At this point, clutch is out the window. He just can’t hit like he used to. So GM’s are certainly looking at that juxtaposed with the contract.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:10 pm
King of Carrot Flowers, a reason a GM or another insider wouldn’t want A-Rod is because he’s old and worn out. They wouldn’t give all that much thought to whether he’s a clutch player. They would assume that since he’s put together a Hall of Fame career in the majors and been given that opportunity by teams, that clutch is not something to consider. GM’s and insiders don’t believe in hocus pocus bullsh**.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
12:12 pm
Eh, I’d wait until all the off-season moves have been made before I’d claim they are “solid everywhere.” Could be Biff ends up as the starting CF after Wren suffers sticker shock on all his “premium player” choices.
Hah! Oh man, I can’t wait for the hot stove to heat up with the rumors boiling.
Braves interested in Craig Gentry for CF and Ryan Ludwick for LF.
Then, you’ll see folks go nuts off of his one season and completely disregard his previous three….
“Premium players”…..
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:12 pm
TennesseePaul, given Wren’s track record, I’m willing to bet that even if they have to go cheaper than they thought, he’ll still make sure he has solid players at every position.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:12 pm
And I don’t put too much into hitting coaches, but it’s really tough to not see it with him and the Cards
Agreed. I think, at times, the hitting coach is over hyped. But McGwire there seems to be setting up all his hitters with balanced approaches… haven’t heard anyone mention a communication problem either. So, he knows what to say and how to say it, and that’s pretty good. Credit the GM for getting players who have the skills to implement it as well. Just a good team.
DAP
October 19th, 2012
12:14 pm
TOBF as for his switch-hitting, not too impressed with that. He hits righties well, but sukks bad against lefties (.637 OPS)
good point there. vs righties he OPSes well over .800, so he makes up for it, as long as he is used right. good thing about him is that he is a veteran who can play several positions and has experience coming off the bench. i like him better than fransisco.
rumor is the O’s dont have a spot for him, so it could be a chance to snatch him up.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:15 pm
given Wren’s track record…he’ll still make sure he has solid players at every positio
You are speaking of the same Wren who entered a season with Garrett Anderson, right?
I’m going to wait an see. Wren has been “solid,” but he has yet to earn blind faith hope.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:18 pm
Braves interested in Craig Gentry for CF and Ryan Ludwick for LF.
The spin will make you dizzy… That will go down and we’ll hear all about how those were the premium players they targeted since mid-season 2 years ago. “Finally got ‘em!” Then there will be this obtuse split about how many times their teams won when they were in the line up after rain delays….
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:19 pm
King of Carrot Flowers, oh, and I’m not an insider nor do I claim to be. I just happen to pay attention to the way those folks view the game. It’s really not that hard to get some sort of an idea on how they view the game. You just pay attention to interviews with GM’s and listen to the media members who do actually have some inside knowledge of the workings of front offices, scouting, etc. Some of us, though, just choose to completely disregard how insiders view the game and go almost completely on how they want to view it. It doesn’t help that many media members feed us a narrow view of the game without regard to the insiders’ perspective, to a large degree.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:20 pm
TennesseePaul, he entered a season with Garrett Anderson back when they were coming off a 90-loss season. He knows he has a good team now and that he doesn’t need to go that route.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
12:21 pm
given Wren’s track record, I’m willing to bet that even if they have to go cheaper than they thought, he’ll still make sure he has solid players at every position.
Pastornicky – 2012
McLouth – 2011
Cabrera/Glaus – 2010
Anderson – 2009
Always something left to be desired. He has the opportunity this year to fill all of those holes, let’s see what happens.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
12:24 pm
He knows he has a good team now and that he doesn’t need to go that route.
Need to see it. He called it a more focused offseason, and he has 20 million to spend and pitching assets to trade – let’s see Wren work it.
This is the biggest offseason for Frank Wren to date, bigger than 2008/2009 because the expectations are much higher now and there isn’t guys you can point to on the farm saying “well, we’re awaiting those players(Heyward/Freeman/Hanson). He now has to build a division winner and not a team that will win high-80’s.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:24 pm
he entered a season with Garrett Anderson back when they were coming off a 90-loss season
He does it basically every year. You are more than welcome to have your hope and faith that he’ll fill out the roster with a Cardinals-esque depth. I’ll continue to wait and see. No harm done either way.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
12:25 pm
McGwire’s approach was the type you want from any hitter: Wait on your pitch and crush it. Don’t swing at anything that isn’t your pitch, even if it’s a strike, especially early in counts because there is a good chance you will make an out on it anyway.
Obviously it’s not that simple. Great hitters can’t automatically translate their approach to players. And I’m sure plenty of poor hitters have made great hitting coaches. But perhaps that should factor in to a team’s decision in hiring a hitting coach. If a hitter seemed to have the approach you want out of your players and can explain it, not much more you can ask for.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:28 pm
McGwire’s approach was the type you want from any hitter
McGwire also knows swings. He preaches a solid foundation and encourages a balanced stance.. You watch those hitters go up there and they basically all look the same. You don’t see a Juan Francisco style swing in the Cards lineup…. Guys just twisting up, turning their backs to the field, standing on one leg and spinning out of control to hit the ball. They’re all rooted into that box like assassins able to pound a pitch… coupled with a good approach to an at bat.
Homer the Brave
October 19th, 2012
12:29 pm
Any chance A-Rod is traded to the Braves if the Yanks agree to eat a huge portion of his salary?
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
12:30 pm
good thing about him is that he is a veteran who can play several positions and has experience coming off the bench. i like him better than fransisco.
Me too. Also, since he can backup 2 infield positions, both Rev and Janish can make the roster (though I think Janish should stay in AAA)
phil
October 19th, 2012
12:30 pm
At this point, after two awful years overall, I would take the retired Craig Biggio for Dan Uggla….
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:31 pm
Any chance A-Rod is traded to the Braves if the Yanks agree to eat a huge portion of his salary?
There’s an outside shot if the Yankees agree to pay 100% of his remaining contract, including performance bonuses and accept a hand shake from Wren in return. Then he could play the bench as part of a platoon.
phil
October 19th, 2012
12:31 pm
ARoid?
Why would we want an ancient guy like that who’s become injury-prone and is in clear decline?
DAP
October 19th, 2012
12:32 pm
this will also be the first season in 3 year where the braves wont come in with a rookie at a crucial position for them. (presumably). in 2010, we had heyward, in 2011, we had freedie freeman, in 2012 we had pastornicky, then later, simmons. guess all of our ML position talent has dried up, hunh?
Gary O.
October 19th, 2012
12:32 pm
TP, Efrim,
McGwire seems to be a pretty solid choice as a hitting coach…
Totally. And I don’t put too much into hitting coaches, but it’s really tough to not see it with him and the Cards. He’s done well with them..
Should we give Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa a call to see what they could do coaching our lineup
Murph
October 19th, 2012
12:39 pm
Remember the Livan pickup just before the start of the regular season? Yeah, keep that in mind when the team enters ST without a CF.
Wren will get someone other than Constanza to play CF. May not be a player better than Constanza, but it won’t be Constanza.
My guess, if I had to make one right now, would be that Wren pulls Johnny Damon away from the brink of retirement to patrol CF and hit leadoff.
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
12:51 pm
Wren pulls Johnny Damon away from the brink of retirement to patrol CF and hit leadoff.
HA! That would be exactly Garrett Anderson all over again.
jeffrey d
October 19th, 2012
12:52 pm
Loaf
Nowhere man
October 19th, 2012
12:59 pm
Fredi still has never won a playoff game.
Shaun
October 19th, 2012
1:02 pm
I doubt Wren will fill both the centerfield and the leftfield/thirdbase hole with risky players.
Nowhere man
October 19th, 2012
1:02 pm
It will soon be time for the Bourn Disappearance or was that the second half of the last two seasons?
Nowhere man
October 19th, 2012
1:04 pm
Loaf one of the best nicknames ever.
Nowhere man
October 19th, 2012
1:07 pm
Time to walk Peanut. Oh yea that’s George’s dog.
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
1:09 pm
It’s really not that hard to get some sort of an idea on how [baseball insiders] view the game.
It appears that it must be harder than you, personally, think.
Nowhere man
October 19th, 2012
1:09 pm
Time to walk Hooter Oh yea that’s Chipper’s dog.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
1:13 pm
A brain is nowhere to be found in nowhere man’s head
jeffrey d
October 19th, 2012
1:15 pm
Loaf one of the best nicknames ever.
Credit to RHR, wherever she is
RC
October 19th, 2012
1:18 pm
This is the biggest offseason for Frank Wren to date, bigger than 2008/2009 because the expectations are much higher now and there isn’t guys you can point to on the farm saying “well, we’re awaiting those players(Heyward/Freeman/Hanson). He now has to build a division winner and not a team that will win high-80’s. – Efrim
I certainly get your logic here, but I’m going to have to disagree. While the expectation in 2009/2010 was certainly lower, Wren was also tasked with completely rebuilding a starting rotation and bridging that gap between “rebuilding” and “reloading”. While he made mistakes then, I think it’s fair to say that he weathered that storm pretty well and avoided the team falling into a long “rebuilding” cycle.
I will say that this season Wren may have fewer moves to make, but the moves he does have to make each carry more importance than the moves a few years back would have. At that point in time there was so much work to be done that a single move was a very small piece of the overall puzzle. With so much of the team already in place for next year, each move he makes this offseason is made on a marginal basis, where each additional “win” that this team adds is much more valuable than an additional win for a team starting off at around 85 wins.
brian
October 19th, 2012
1:34 pm
nobody should bail out the Yankees on AROD. They not only overpaid players but gave players way too long a contract which gives aging players the salary they got when they were in their prime. The Yankees could have let AROD walk when he chose to void his contract in 2007 (or whenever it was). Now they owe all that money for someone who got benched in a critical at bat versus Baltimore (brilliant, gutsy move by Girardi), benched in deciding game 5 of the ALDS, and benched in critical games in the ALCS.
They swooped in and got Teixeira by overpaying him and giving him way too many years. Now they are paying a good hitter as an elite player.
phil
October 19th, 2012
1:37 pm
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
1:40 pm
Happy Friday guys…
Whats funny is all the ARod jokes….I don’t like ARod either (more as a person than player) and think theres about a 1.2% chance the Braves would have ANY interest in him….but to make jokes about his supposed lack of talent is quite comical when his career WORST in OPS still would have been the 4th best on the 2012 Braves and he’s just 2 years removed from a 125 RBI season…
Understandably he’s been in decline since his absurd 54 HR season but to say he’s not any better than what we have is absurd when we don’t even know what we have….
Like I said, I don’t want him….but there is a whole lot of garbage being thrown around right now that I can see
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
1:42 pm
I doubt Wren will fill both the centerfield and the leftfield/thirdbase hole with risky players.
He only need fill one position with a risky player for it to be inappropriately described as “solid everywhere.” Hence my desire to wait and see what he does.
George_George
October 19th, 2012
1:44 pm
No A-ROD in ATL. I think he has come to the end of his career road. I he play next year, but may not finish season.
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
1:44 pm
Brian-
While I agree w/ some of your opinions…..
No one can agree that a team that could afford the guy would let him walk after a 54 HR 156 RBI complete in every way season…..his 2007 season was about as historic as you can get
TennesseePaul
October 19th, 2012
1:44 pm
And given the way the team has treated left field, as a dumping grounds for whatever didn’t fit or couldn’t be found, I suspect Wren will blow the load on CF, and just “stick” a player in LF. And that CF contract will come with a lot of complaints. I could very well see that contract making the Uggla extension look pretty.
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
1:49 pm
RC-
Fewer moves may need to be made, but I’m not so sure about that….
We have the 2 holes everyone knows about, but we also have to address the MLB worst bench we had in 2012 and then have to rely on and hope the rotation performs and the pen doesn’t fall apart….for everything that went wrong in 2012 w/ the bats, you could say to a point went right w/ the pitching in that there were historic seasons from both Medlen and Kimbrel, a superb 2nd half from Minor, and a great all around effort from an entire pen sans Jonny Venters…
All of that could go wrong in 2013…we just don’t know….
But like was said, the team with the few moves it makes and can make needs to position themselves to contend w/ Washington and Phily and try to win the division because as we witnessed first hand, you absolutely do not want to be in the 1 game play-in, especially given we know the history that is the Atlanta Braves and elimination game heartbreak.
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
1:51 pm
Murph-
You’re planning on sending me into early retirement aren’t you?
Johnny Damon couldn’t “patrol” CF 5 years ago
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
1:53 pm
TP-
It isn’t just him….
When was the last time we had a solid LF…..Ron Gant?
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
1:55 pm
Pastornicky for CF… good speed, bat.
Now get a LF and pitcher!
P-Town Brave ©
October 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
In fact, after doing some checking….the last player we had to man LF for more than 2 consecutive years….
Ryan Klesko, who was conceivably a converted 1b who played LF from 94-98 in ATL
IF Prado stayed in LF, he’d be the longest tenured Brave there since Klesko
Since 1998, a black hole…..in case some aren’t good at math, thats 14 years folks…..
DAP
October 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
p-town, your right. the team will look much different, especially on the bench and outfield.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
I will say that this season Wren may have fewer moves to make, but the moves he does have to make each carry more importance than the moves a few years back would have.
And that’s the part that makes it so much harder, imo. Given that it’s a focused offseason, the farm system is worse now than it was back then. Those players are here now, heading into their 3rd or 4th season. He needs to now add “premium players” because everything else is pretty much set, and he knows it. To me, that’s much harder. Could just be two moves he makes, but each is crucial to the team moving forward.
And given the way the team has treated left field, as a dumping grounds for whatever didn’t fit or couldn’t be found, I suspect Wren will blow the load on CF, and just “stick” a player in LF. And that CF contract will come with a lot of complaints. I could very well see that contract making the Uggla extension look pretty.
I think Wren’s #1 priority is finding a CF who can leadoff, and I disagree with that approach. Just seems that way based on his comments.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:04 pm
If he gives Angel Pagan a four or five year deal, I’d bet that comes up more lame than Uggla’s deal. Braves can’t afford two contracts like that. One is fine, but two contracts 12 million+ and it makes it really tough.
phil
October 19th, 2012
2:05 pm
Put anyone in left field….
It hasn’t mattered in years anyway.
Heck, I’ll even volunteer!
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
2:06 pm
If he gives Angel Pagan a four or five year deal
Man, just hush with that.
RC
October 19th, 2012
2:08 pm
All of that could go wrong in 2013…we just don’t know….
That’s certainly true of any year, but with the information we have I don’t think Wren should PLAN for those things to go wrong. I think he needs to plan to fix the areas that are obvious holes first, and then start working on the contingency plans that need to be in place if any particular area of the team turns out to not be as good as he originally thought. He’s done a pretty good job of that in the past, and I expect nothing less this year.
TheOnlyBravesFan
October 19th, 2012
2:12 pm
In fact, after doing some checking….the last player we had to man LF for more than 2 consecutive years….
Willingham would just continue that….
Get Gordon! (Or Myers, if KC is crazy enough to oblige)
DAP
October 19th, 2012
2:14 pm
scoots If he gives Angel Pagan a four or five year deal
Man, just hush with that.
same thought right here. im starting to think like scoots…things are looking up!
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:14 pm
Man, just hush with that.
Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Angel Pagan, Nick Swisher, Cody Ross, Ryan Ludwick.
“Premium players”.
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
2:15 pm
Get Gordon!
Gordon is no more than a lefty Prado. I don’t think that’s exactly what the FO has in mind.
nolie
October 19th, 2012
2:15 pm
And people would hate us…hillbilly
pretty funny considering throughout baseball St Louis is thought of as the best town in baseball and the fans as about the best fans. Sour grapes is sad
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:16 pm
Sorry. Forgot our boy, Shane.
Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Angel Pagan, Shane Victorino, Nick Swisher, Cody Ross, Ryan Ludwick.
“Premium players”.
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
2:17 pm
things are looking up!
That’s one way of looking at it. Don’t exactly know if being happy about it is the way to go, though.
RC
October 19th, 2012
2:19 pm
Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Angel Pagan, Shane Victorino, Nick Swisher,
Cody Ross, Ryan Ludwick.“Premium players”.
This feels more appropriate
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
2:19 pm
Efrim, that list would delight Rachael Ray, so many of ‘em are cooked.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:21 pm
David O’Brien @ajcbraves
@david29acosta Yes, but Freeman had two 18-HR seasons in minors. By the way, Leonard is actually older (24) than Freeman (23).
That 2010 crew will all be at Gwinnett this coming year: 3B Joe Leonard, 1B Joey Terdoslavich, 2B 2B Phil Gosselin, OF Todd Cunningham.
jeffrey d
October 19th, 2012
2:21 pm
Gordon is no more than a lefty Prado
What’s wrong with Prado?
RC
October 19th, 2012
2:22 pm
Gordon is no more than a lefty Prado
I’m pretty sure Prado could play lefty if they needed him to for some reason. Guy does everything.
RC
October 19th, 2012
2:23 pm
That 2010 crew will all be at Gwinnett this coming year: 3B Joe Leonard, 1B Joey Terdoslavich, 2B 2B Phil Gosselin, OF Todd Cunningham.
It’s like a low-ceiling All-Start team….
ncscoots
October 19th, 2012
2:25 pm
What’s wrong with Prado?
Not a thing, except for not being a righty slugger who could hit in the middle of the order. Neither is Gordon.
Efrim
October 19th, 2012
2:25 pm
Pagan is a good player, .285/.337/.427, 111 OPS+ over the last four seasons with good defense in CF. But I just don’t think he is the type of player the Braves can invest in long term. I think his price will surprise a lot of people. Bourn, Upton, Pagan, and Swisher are going to get grossly overpaid.
I do think Shane Victorino is the one free agent the Braves will take a good look at. I do not think he will require four gauaranteed years based off of his year – no way.
Lemke's Knuckler
October 19th, 2012
2:25 pm
The Braves have gotten very good at finding the low risk, moderate reward guys. They can probably keep putting up solid 85+ win seasons year after year with that approach. But at some point I think they need to throw caution to the wind and go after a high risk, high reward guy. I know the Tex trade was the worst ever and the organization has been gun shy ever since, but I don’t regret that trade from the standpoint of who they gave up to get Tex. The problem I had with it right then and there was the Braves didn’t have the pitching to make a run in the postseason regardless of who they added offensively. But the Braves have that top tier pitching staff again, and if that type of staff was in place in 2007 when they traded for Tex, I have little doubt they would have made the playoffs and probably could have won the whole thing.
My point is this. The Braves have the pitching for the next few years, there’s no doubt about that. It’s time to gamble on a high risk, high reward guy that can be a dynamic force in this lineup. It could backfire, yes. But the alternative is signing a few mediocre guys to fill the open positions and settling for another solid season that ends before October 10.
That’s just how I feel today. Probably change my mind tomorrow.