Albies

[msstate7]

The guy is killing it at rome. Do you see a promotion coming up for him? I'm probably getting way to excited, but I don't see the minors holding this kid more than 3 years.

When albies is ready, do you see him as our SS or a trade piece?

[yeezus]

His stock just keeps rising. He may be a top 10 guy in a year or two. I wouldn't trade him.

[striker42]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if he ended the year in AA next season, got a long look in ST in 2017 and reached the majors at some point that year. Slick fielding speedsters can move fast through a system.

He should get a promotion to Carolina soon.

[The Chosen One]

I hope I can see him in savannah next month before a promotion occurs.

[KB21]

The guy is killing it at rome. Do you see a promotion coming up for him? I'm probably getting way to excited, but I don't see the minors holding this kid more than 3 years.

When albies is ready, do you see him as our SS or a trade piece?

I see him as the 2B of the future. When he gets close, Atlanta will move him over and have the Curacaoan middle infield.

[thethe]

I would let him play out the year in Rome. Then next year if he impresses in camp, which I think we all know he will, then you push him to AA.

[The Chosen One]

If he has a great year next year in 2016, he may be in Atlanta in 2017. Flipmaster Hart may end up flipping Peterson.

[dak]

With Simmons and Peterson in place, it's in the Braves' best interest to slow-play things with Peraza and Albies. Let them fully develop, and preserve their asset value from a service time perspective.

Peraza has two more option years after 2015. Ideally, I hope to see him stay at AAA until after the Super-Two "deadline" in 2016. We would then have the ability to control him through 2022.

With Albies, we have an eternity since this is his first year out of short-season baseball. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a taste of High A this year as a positive reinforcement mechanism, but would hope that he will start the 2016 season back in Carolina. I would hate to see him pushed aggressively when there IS a need at the MLB-level, and I'd definitely want to avoid such a scenario when there IS NOT a need at the MLB-level. Rougned Odor is a recent example of a player that was probably pushed too fast.

[thethe]

Odor just had a blistering June.

[dak]

Odor just had a blistering June.

Yep, if they would have brought him up for the first time in June 2015, the Rangers would control him for an additional year. Instead, they had him skip AAA and come up last year to play on a last place team.

[JohnAdcox]

speedsters can move fast.

Cute.

[Julio3000]

Odor just had a blistering June.

Who nose if he can keep it up?

[nsacpi]

He's very good and very young. The big question is whether he will develop some power. I'm talking about doubles and triples, not home runs. A player with his profile who can deliver 40 extra base hits in the major leagues is an All-Star. At whatever position. Not saying that it is a sure thing Albies turns into that kind of player, but his performance this year makes me think there is a decent chance for that sort of outcome.

[smootness]

Keep him in Rome this year, perhaps call him up for a couple weeks at the end of the year. Start him in Carolina next year with the chance to move up quickly if he shows he's ready. But I'd keep him at each level for at least 2 months just to allow him to adjust and really settle in before moving him.

As for position, if his arm is what it looked like to me, then he may be a 2B all the way. If his arm is enough to keep him a plus defender at SS, then you just let it play out. Perhaps trade Simmons, but my preference will still probably be to move him to 2B at least until Simmons' contract is up.

[smootness]

He's very good and very young. The big question is whether he will develop some power. I'm talking about doubles and triples, not home runs. A player with his profile who can deliver 40 extra base hits in the major leagues is an All-Star. At whatever position. Not saying that it is a sure thing Albies turns into that kind of player, but his performance this year makes me think there is a decent chance for that sort of outcome.

With his swing, I think he can definitely develop some more power as he fills out a little more. But even without a HR this year, he has 23 XBH in 325 AB. That's fine. Even with his current tools, if it all translates to the major league level, he's an All-Star.

[nsacpi]

His BABIP numbers have been insane. .414 in the GCL. .395 in Danville. .380 in Rome. It obviously will come down with the defenses improving at each level. Wonder where it will settle at.

[smootness]

His BABIP numbers have been insane. .414 in the GCL. .395 in Danville. .380 in Rome. It obviously will come down with the defenses improving at each level. Wonder where it will settle at.

True, but his BABIP will likely always be among the highest at any level. He makes consistently hard contact and has great speed.

I'm not saying this is your argument, but it's a myth that .300 is where everyone's BABIP should roughly fall. Ichiro's average BABIP his first 10 years in the league was about .355. Anyone who hits for a high average without a ton of HR will have a high BABIP.

[nsacpi]

True, but his BABIP will likely always be among the highest at any level. He makes consistently hard contact and has great speed.

I'm not saying this is your argument, but it's a myth that .300 is where everyone's BABIP should roughly fall. Ichiro's average BABIP his first 10 years in the league was about .355. Anyone who hits for a high average without a ton of HR will have a high BABIP.

The .355 from Ichiro is one of the highest of all time for a 10 year period. It could happen for another player, but you don't want to project something like that for any minor leaguer. Major league history is full of very good fast left-handed or switch hitters who did not approach that sort of BABIP.

[smootness]

The .355 from Ichiro is one of the highest of all time for a 10 year period. It could happen for another player, but you don't want to project something like that for any minor leaguer. Major league history is full of very good fast left-handed or switch hitters who did not approach that sort of BABIP.

I'm not saying we should expect that, and I'm not going to project his BABIP. But if he continues to hit well over .300 at each stop in the minors, especially given his age, I'm not going to suggest he'll hit below .300 in the majors because his BABIP will normalize to something close to .300.

Plenty of players have average BABIPs above .300, and plenty have average BABIPs below .300. That's my point. It's a good tool to determine luck in a season like the one Chris Johnson had, but I hate it when evaluations like that are made without watching what a guy is actually doing. I'm sure there were people who said BJ's .266 BABIP in 2013 was 'unlucky'. And obviously even if it had jumped to .300, he still wouldn't have been good with all the K's he had. But it wasn't unlucky. He was hitting the ball that poorly and has continued to do so since.

My only point is that BABIP is useful as a tool in certain situations, but it always has to be compared to that player, not the league average, and the way they're currently hitting the ball has to be taken into account. It's certainly unrealistic to think Albies will have a .380+ BABIP in the majors, obviously. But it's not out of the question he can post a .335+ BABIP consistently and hit over .300 with regularity.

[Enscheff]

Peraza is probably trade bait sometime before the 2017 season to help bring in a RHed bat for 3B, C or the OF. Jace is fine at 2B until he starts getting expensive. As soon as he starts making decent money in his arb years I imagine he will become a non-tender or trade candidate, at which point Albies should be ready to take over for him at 2B.

That's really how the Braves should be handling all players that aren't franchise cornerstone caliber players (and almost all pitchers). Guys like Simmons and Freeman get long term extensions, but everyone else gets flipped for prospects as soon as they start getting expensive. Fill their spots with those prospects as they mature, and fill the holes with veteran FAs (like AJ and Uribe) on short 1-2 year deals.

[UNCBlue012]

I've wanted to trade Peraza for a while anyways. He could be an absolute baller, don't get me wrong. But, I think we can get a lot for the guy.

[Russ2dollas]

I hope he fills out. He's so young. Do we have a lot of star MLB players at that size?

Top 10 guys are projected stars. Can you be a star hitter at 150 pounds?

[auyushu]

I hope he fills out. He's so young. Do we have a lot of star MLB players at that size?

Top 10 guys are projected stars. Can you be a star hitter at 150 pounds?


Pedroia is 5'8 165, so at 2B or SS, yes you can. I imagine Albies will be 160-170 pounds once he hits his 20s.

[clvclv]

Peraza is probably trade bait sometime before the 2017 season to help bring in a RHed bat for 3B, C or the OF. Jace is fine at 2B until he starts getting expensive. As soon as he starts making decent money in his arb years I imagine he will become a non-tender or trade candidate, at which point Albies should be ready to take over for him at 2B.

That's really how the Braves should be handling all players that aren't franchise cornerstone caliber players (and almost all pitchers). Guys like Simmons and Freeman get long term extensions, but everyone else gets flipped for prospects as soon as they start getting expensive. Fill their spots with those prospects as they mature, and fill the holes with veteran FAs (like AJ and Uribe) on short 1-2 year deals.


What?!?!?

You mean "The Braves Way"???

:happy0157::eusa_clap::happy0157::eusa_clap::happy 0157:

[cajunrevenge]

If Albies defense at SS is good I am intrigued by the idea of moving Andrelton to 3b. His cannon for an arm and quick reflexes would be perfect for the position. Our other middle infield prospects don't have that cannon needed to be a top defender at 3b. Get some extreme ground ball pitchers and profit.

[smootness]

If Albies defense at SS is good I am intrigued by the idea of moving Andrelton to 3b. His cannon for an arm and quick reflexes would be perfect for the position. Our other middle infield prospects don't have that cannon needed to be a top defender at 3b. Get some extreme ground ball pitchers and profit.

I'm not a fan, only because it reduces both Simmons' defensive and offensive value. He would become fairly replaceable as a 3B.

[cajunrevenge]

I'm not a fan, only because it reduces both Simmons' defensive and offensive value. He would become fairly replaceable as a 3B.

I get that but I think he could play more off the line letting the SS cheat up the middle. We could also use more shifts with Andrelton the only one on the left side. This is speculation based on Albies having gold glove range at SS.

[Julio3000]

Albies could and probably will carry another 15 lbs with no problem.

[jimsnores]

If Albies defense at SS is good I am intrigued by the idea of moving Andrelton to 3b. His cannon for an arm and quick reflexes would be perfect for the position. Our other middle infield prospects don't have that cannon needed to be a top defender at 3b. Get some extreme ground ball pitchers and profit.

Andrelton is a historically great defensive shortstop. I can't imagine moving him at least until late in his career.

[keithlaw]

Albies could and probably will carry another 15 lbs with no problem.

Not if Shanks has anything to do with it

[gilesfan]

Why on earth would you move the best defensive SS in baseball away from SS? Plus, you want his bat at 3B?

[zitothebrave]

How I see things shaking out.

Trade Peterson or Peraza in a deal to get an OF bat or C. Other holds the position down for another year or 2. Move Albies along slowly though. He's only 18. No reason to rush him. He will either supplant Simmons at SS (read Simmons traded) or supplant Peterson/Peraza at 2B. Kid is gonna be part of our future.