I can't shake this feeling....

I know many people are not expecting too much from our triple A pitchers. I have a feeling that Wisler, Blair, and Newcomb (to name a few)...might just come out of the gate HOT.

Why? Last year we threw them into the fire. This year? With the trades and signings....the pressure is kinda off.

What "if" Blair, Wisler, Newcomb (or any of the great AA guys) come out and basically pitch their way into a roster spot...a spot that if Folty takes another step...will not be there.

It's a great problem to have of course, but what will we do if we have two or three AAA guys dominating with no spot? Trade the vets early? Trade the AAA guys just as they have clicked??

I have a feeling this is the year it begins to come together for our triple A prospects...what a great mess that will be.

It isn't really a problem given the attrition you normally see in a season. Most teams give 8 or 9 pitchers at least ten starts. Guys like Newcomb and Wisler will have plenty of opportunities if they pitch well in AAA.

I think we will see a trade between now and spring training involving one or a combination of Garcia, Wisler, Blair, and maybe Newcomb.

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Originally Posted by Oklahomabrave

I think we will see a trade between now and spring training involving one or a combination of Garcia, Wisler, Blair, and maybe Newcomb.

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For what?

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Originally Posted by Oklahomabrave

I think we will see a trade between now and spring training involving one or a combination of Garcia, Wisler, Blair, and maybe Newcomb.

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I completely agree. I still think we see a trade go down for a TOR-type guy.

I think a mega trade for Archer or Quintana is possible. I'd love to see us make a deal with the cardinals or orioles for a catcher...just not sure why those teams would trade a young, controllable catcher.

It's also possible that we start with those vets and then look to flip the vets for something to make room for those guys.

I have a feeling we'll see Blair and Newcomb both take big steps forward. I think Blair gets past whatever issue cropped up last year. He's got the stuff and the command to be a good MLB starter and I expect him to pick up where he left off at the end of last year. As for Newcomb, I feel he'll shave a bit off his BB rate and will just explode as a result. If things go right I think we could be looking at having one of the most promising young left handers in the game.

As for Wisler? I'm not so confident. He got hit hard last year and it wasn't bad luck. He needs an out pitch and he needs to cut his HR rate significantly if he ever wants to be a contributor. I'm not confident that happens.

Remember Bud Norris? Remember Jhoulys Chacin? Remember Kyle Kendrick? Traded, traded, cut in camp. The veterans do not have a spot in the rotation carved in stone.

What TOR is out there?
Archer had a 4+ era last year and their asking price is sky high. I would rather keep my assets.

Gray had a 5+ ERA and their asking price is sky high also...

Quintana would be the ONLY guy that has consistently pitched well and to me is a proven TOR pitcher. Asking price? Probably a package like Dansby/Ozzie, Newcomb and Allard/Anderson...no thanks. He IS a great pitcher, but the guys we would give up have higher ceilings.

We are a year (at least) away from making a big trade. Reasons?

1. We don't know what we have. Refer to Adam Wainright. We could give away two aces to get one. There just hasn't been enough time to see what the guys in the minors really have. Let them go through the weeding out process, through tougher competition. Our whole thought process is "Draft for pitching, so you don't have to give up a ton to acquire it", and then we turn around and do JUST that??

2. We aren't going to win a WS this year. Just about everyone would agree we are maybe a playoff team next year and "hopefully" a contender in 2019. Why make that kind of trade? You would waste money, assets on a guy that would be pitching his best years on a non contending team. When we "did" reach that point...he would be a free agent "or close" when it really matters.

3. Is our rotation that bad?? We just dropped cash on some old but good guys, made a trade for a lefty in a contract year (which they magically perk up in a contract year), still have our ace in his prime and a young Folty just looking like he is on the verge to break out. Not to mention if one of the three or four AAA guys "click" as I brought up above. It's just really not the weakest spot on our team like last year.

4. Patience, patience, patience. We have a STACKED farm. We DONT NEED pitching. We have a foundation that could keep us rolling for over a decade. How dumb would we be to blow that up, because we just don't want to wait a year or so.

5. Pitching isn't what we need. Catcher...yes, 3rd....yes. You mention a trade like that, and I'm in. If you think Kemp helped us...just think what adding Longoria would do?!?! Here is a guy that would be here thru what 2022? THAT would be a huge get on a weak spot.

In saying this, I would be totally fine with us acquiring someone that would bite on pitchers like Blair, Wisler, Sims, etc. I DO NOT want to give away any of the really young under developed guys. We just don't know what we have yet. It's all about getting a deal in OUR favor. That won't happen on pitching right now because it's a buyers market. More times than not...the best deal is NO deal when you are a buyer.

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Originally Posted by rico43

Remember Bud Norris? Remember Jhoulys Chacin? Remember Kyle Kendrick? Traded, traded, cut in camp. The veterans do not have a spot in the rotation carved in stone.

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We didn't have that kind of money sunk into them...not even close.

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Originally Posted by Russ2dollas

I think a mega trade for Archer or Quintana is possible. I'd love to see us make a deal with the cardinals or orioles for a catcher...just not sure why those teams would trade a young, controllable catcher.

It's also possible that we start with those vets and then look to flip the vets for something to make room for those guys.

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How dare you think such a thing...turn in your Chop Country card!!!

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Originally Posted by TheBravos

What "if" Blair, Wisler, Newcomb (or any of the great AA guys) come out and basically pitch their way into a roster spot...a spot that if Folty takes another step...will not be there.

It's a great problem to have of course, but what will we do if we have two or three AAA guys dominating with no spot? Trade the vets early? Trade the AAA guys just as they have clicked??

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That's obviously the best case scenario; lets say Blair/Wisler pitch their way onto the major league rotation, that allows the Braves to turn around and flip Garcia/Colon/Dickey for prospects. I think that's what the Braves are hoping happens.