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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
223 comments Add your comment
northbeach Scott
November 1st, 2012
3:14 am
Gangham style, oppa, oppa.
Brandon
November 1st, 2012
6:10 am
Why all the love for B.J. Upton? He’s batted a mediocre .240 the past few seasons. I don’t care how fast he is. If he can’t get on base, what’s the point?
Carl Farvman
November 1st, 2012
8:24 am
“Also, although I’m really happy that McCann’s option was picked up, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s staying put. He may be trade bait. I for one think he’ll come back as good as he was before all the injuries and win a few more SS.”"
Yeah,be happy that it’s not your money. Nothing McCann has done the past 2 seasons suggest he’s worth that kind of money anymore. Teams that can’t make the tough decisions will always be looking in from the outside.
LawDawg
November 1st, 2012
10:11 am
There is nothing like looking at the suggested trades people post on this board as proof to how ignorant and, frankly, stupid many of you are. My personal favorites are the idea of Hanson for Jacoby Ellsbury and Uggla for A-Rod.
Lobosolo
November 1st, 2012
10:45 am
I hear you, Lawdog…. STUPID! Not to mention pathetically inept as “fans”… All I want for Christmas is for the whine babies on these threads to GO GET A BOOK AND LEARN WHAT BASEBALL IS ABOUT!!!! Quit the crying!!! Baseball isn’t for snotty, whiney blubberers…
Lobosolo
November 1st, 2012
10:48 am
Hey Carl Larvre, when’s the last time you were at the top of your profession? Never, right? Thought so…
Mitch Cumstein
November 1st, 2012
11:44 am
Since the Braves decided to pick up McCann’s $12 mil option, saying anything to further criticize it would be a waste of time.
The reality is that we’re now paying $25 mil (Uggla’s $13 mil) to two players who could either rebound and carry our offense…or who will continue to struggle like they have the past two years (whether being ineffective or injured).
If our payroll is $90 mil…that’s 28% of our payroll that is tired up in huge question marks..right off the top.
Because you cant assume that McCann (who will miss at least the first month of the season) and Uggla (whose struggles at the plate are well known the past two seasons) are going to automatically rebound……that leaves 72% (or $65 mil) left to fill out the other 23 players on the 25 man roster.
Barring a trade, Hudson and Maholm take up a combined $15.5mil ($9mil and $6.5mil)….leaving 55% ($49.5mil) left to fill out the remaining 21 slots.
With the direction Braves management has taken so far…it looks like they are going to keep Tommy Hanson….meaning that Hanson will probably get around $4 mil via salary arbitration….leaving 50% ($45.5mil) left to fill out the remaining 20 slots.
Martin Prado is due to get a raise to around $7-$8 mil for 2013 (I’ll say $7.5mil). If I’m correct, that will leave 42% ($38 mil) left for the remaining 19 slots on the 25 man roster.
Eric O’flaherty (arbitration) and David Ross (free agency) are two essential role players Braves management will surely bring back. EOF (probably $3 mil) and Ross (around $3.5 mil) will leave 35% ($31.5 mil) left for the remaining 17 slots.
Jason Heyward, another 1st time arbitration player, will get around $4 mil his first time. Now its 31% ($27.5mil) left for 16 slots.
Christian Martinez will probably get around $1.5 mil his first time in arbitration. That leaves 29% ($24 mil) left for 15 slots.
Now some good news. Craig Kimbrel, Freddie Freeman, Mike Minor Andreton Simmons are still not eligible for arbitration. Might as well count them to make a combined $2 mil in 2013. …leaving 24% ($22 mil) left for 11 roster slots.
The Braves will have to pay Brandon Beachy (even though he’s injured and not sure when he’ll come back) around $500K…along with whoever they bring in (Boscan?) to cheaply help Ross with the catching duties until McCann can play…that’s another $1 mil down the drain….leaving 23% ($21 mil) left for (no change) 11 roster slots.
Kris Medlen, while not sure what he’ll exactly get via arbitration despite his great second half….I’ll guess around $3.5 mil…which would leave 19% ($17.5 mil) for 10 roster slots.
Johnny Venters will probably get a raise to around $1.5 mil…..leaving 18% ($16mil) for 9 roster slots.
It looks like our starting 5 (Medlen, Hudson, Maholm, Minor and Hanson) are set to make a combined $23.5 mil.
Our projected line-up (McCann, Freeman, Uggla, Simmons, Prado and Heyward) so far are set to make a combined $37.5 mil.
Our bullpen (Venters, EOF, Venters, Martinez) so far are costing us around $6.5 mil.
Our bench consists of David Ross and cheap back up catcher (Boscan)…around a combined $4mil.
That leaves us with 2 starting line-up spots (CF and LF/3rd..depending on where the Braves really want to play Prado) to fill…..as well as 3 more bull pen guys (if we’re going with a 12 man pitching staff) and 4 more bench players…to fill out our 25 man roster.
The way I see it….$16mil left isnt a lot to play with.
Keeping McCann, Uggla and Hanson are going to cost us $29mil. We have $74 mil committed to the above 16 players.
Either Liberty ownership increases the payroll….or we’re going to have a hard time trying to do anything better…than a loss in a one game play-in game.
Homer the Brave
November 1st, 2012
11:55 am
RIP Pasqual Perez
Tootie Fruity
November 1st, 2012
12:35 pm
Complete waste of money on McCann. Guess Wren wanted to appease the faithful with this move. Translation: I wouldn’t expect the playoffs next year.
wisher
November 1st, 2012
12:42 pm
would like to see us get alphonso soriano from the cubs
wisher
November 1st, 2012
12:42 pm
would like to see us get alphonso soriano from the cubs
wisher
November 1st, 2012
12:42 pm
would like to see us get alphonso soriano from the cubs
wisher
November 1st, 2012
12:42 pm
would like to see us get alphonso soriano from the cubs
wisher
November 1st, 2012
12:42 pm
would like to see us get alphonso soriano from the cubs
Posts about The Braves From Other Great Blogs issue #1 | Atlanta Braves Dugout Online | Atlanta Braves Blog
November 1st, 2012
12:56 pm
[...] be back with the Braves. The Braves announced on Tuesday that they have exerc more… Braves bringing back McCann, Hudson, Maholm – blogs.ajc.com 10/30/2012 Brian McCann and Tim Hudson will be back with the Braves next [...]
Bob
November 1st, 2012
1:26 pm
RIP Pasqual Perez (I-285)
Thoughts and Prayers to your Family, Friends, and Fans/Teammates.
jonathan
November 1st, 2012
2:09 pm
I call it like i see it. Frank Wren must be an idiot! McCann is done. Why would you give a washed up,too fat,too slow catcher 12 million dollars to play 3 quarters of a season to hit .225 , never hit the ball the other way. He is the easiest out in baseball. You can’t live in the first 4 years of his career because the last 2 have been awful. Wren just strapped us from going out and getting anyone. Uggla is another waste of 12 or 13 mil.
doug wiley
November 1st, 2012
3:11 pm
I have not been pleased by UGGLA’s performance as I am sure neither he nor the Braves are. He was signed for his offense which has been very subpar, but his defense has been better than expected, albeit the bar was low. We cannot trade him for one on one or any kind of deal with eating a portion of his contract. Just a fact.
Good hitting catchers are very rare and McCann has been injured the last two years. He maybe in decline, but I think it was a good option to see what he has left, not to mention what he brings to the clubhouse with Chipper gone.
If you look at what pitchers are going for, especially experienced starters (mentors) that have been long term successes, Hudson is a steal.
Malholm is a relatively inexpensive lefty with recent success for a short period of time until the starting rotation plays out.
Hanson has no trade value currently, but give him another half of a season so maybe you could get something for him.
Sign both Upton brothers and make it work. Move Prado to third.
Under this lineup, you buy time to see what is coming from the farm and some of the veterans may resurrect. We are loaded at starting pitching, SS, FB, RF and either 3rd or LF. SS is very good and 2nd is okay, but not fixable. Spend the money on athletes in the outfield or an outstanding third baseman. Wait until next year to address catcher or mid season. Ross is one heckuva a back up.
What we are missing is the dominant pitcher ala Smoltz at playoff time and the big bat ala Reggie Jackson. I do not think you will find many of those available. By the way, I would take ARod off the Yankees hands in a New York Minute (pun intended) at 40% of his salary. I believe his glory days may be over and his desire for those days may be over. He could come to Atlanta to fill in where Chipper played. One hall of famer fills the shoes of the former.
I know that is too many position players, but damned if I could not keep all 7 happy and fresh with rotations and when injuries do come. AROD, 3,SS,2 PRADO,LF,3,SS,2, UPTONS CF,LF,RF , MCCANN, C,1,DH HEYWARD RF,1, UGGLA 2,DH
Backup cather, Ross, Outfiieder , Johnson, PH Diaz
Official pinch runner: fastest minor league baseball player that cannot hit, but can be taught to bunt.
jj
November 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Braves just got Schafer off waviers…what a damn joke. Thought we final got rid of his a@@ and the get him back….hope he leaves his drugs in Texas as he has been busted twice..
mace224
November 1st, 2012
11:59 pm
Why is everybody slobbering over Blanco. He had a couple of hits in the world series. Big Deal. Also, get rid of Tehran before the interested teams find out he’s a bust.
Reed
November 2nd, 2012
2:15 pm
Hope Tuesday we trade away Obama, jus sayin
klaus
November 2nd, 2012
2:42 pm
Wren is making the calculated bet Mac will return healthy enough to trade at the deadline. There is no way Mac doesn’t test FA waters and once he does (if healthy) he will be gone. Wren knows this and he likely knows Ross is not a done deal. He had to take the option.
Unless Wren wants to get one measly draft pick for Mac (when he rejects the qualifying offer) expect Wren to trade Mac at the deadline or maybe before if Bethancourt or Gattis show him something either behind plate or at bat.
Ross is a coin toss bc many teams are looking for him to start and will offer him more money or years.
I would not be shocked to see Ross sign with another team on a 3 year deal and Wren scramble for a low priced vet to keep the spot warm until Mac is ready.
That person will platoon with the better of Bethancourt or Gattis (in terms of ST performance).
Hudson and Maholm were no brainers. Both give Wren the ability to trade a prospect in a package deal for an OF or 3B depending on the scenario.
McCann’s health could make or break Braves | Bona Baseball Boogaloo
March 6th, 2013
4:21 pm
[...] 2012, he was a five-time Silver Slugger Award winner was the best-hitting catcher in the National League. But in 2012, he hit a career low of [...]