Braves sign Gavin Floyd 1 yr 4M + incentives

[emk418]

Why can't BJ be awful again? Same with Uggla. The whole "if" factor for the Braves has gotten old. If so and so rebounds from last season....

Once again there are too many "what if" scenarios with the Braves heading into the season.

CF, 2B, C, and back end rotation are all areas of concern.

I have some hope in BJ bouncing back to a certain level. But Uggla has been in a steep decline every year here. He's not turning that around here.

[mfree80]

Every team has areas of concern, and those who address them by throwing out big contracts, don't often win championships... sometimes, but more often not.

I say we cheer for the moves to turn to gold, and stop attacking everything FW and FG do until they actually play the games.

[GovClintonTyree]

Novel idea.

There's not much to be done, frankly.

[emk418]

Every team has areas of concern, and those who address them by throwing out big contracts, don't often win championships... sometimes, but more often not.

I say we cheer for the moves to turn to gold, and stop attacking everything FW and FG do until they actually play the games.

Agreed. But there's also a big difference between "attacking" a move Wren makes and simply not agreeing or liking it and posting your opinion on it. There's absolutely a line that can be crossed but there's nothing wrong with saying you don't like the move and listing the reasons why.

I love Frank Wren. I think he's a very good GM but I just personally don't like the move. Definitely not a terrible signing but personally would have picked up someone we know can contribute.

[NinersSBChamps]

I think we have our catcher. I don't see what the issue is there. I think LaStella gives us a nice replacement option for Uggla. I don't see the issue with the back end of the rotation. I think a lot of teams would be happy to have our #4 and #5 starters. CF is definitely a big question mark, but we're stuck with it for now. I guess Schafer isn't a horrible option as a back up, but we definitely need BJ to improve.

Our back end rotation includes two guys coming off tommy john. We have 4 healthy starters at this point.

[clvclv]

Our back end rotation includes two guys coming off tommy john. We have 4 healthy starters at this point.

You really want to complain about that???

The Yankees just spent $299 million and the back end of their rotation includes David Phelps, Pineda trying to return from much more serious shoulder surgery, and Adam Warren...AND their current Opening Day 2B and 3B are Brian Roberts and Kelly Johnson.

We have problems? Seriously???

[emk418]

Our back end rotation includes two guys coming off tommy john. We have 4 healthy starters at this point.

I guess I'm being too optimistic but I'm not overly concerned about Beachy.

[weso1]

Our back end rotation includes two guys coming off tommy john. We have 4 healthy starters at this point.

Beachy is the only one in our initial starting 5 coming off TJ, and that was way back in June 2012. Floyd is really a #6 starter for us who in a best case scenario will eventually replace a struggling starter or when one gets hurt.

[Heyward]

Agreed. But there's also a big difference between "attacking" a move Wren makes and simply not agreeing or liking it and posting your opinion on it. There's absolutely a line that can be crossed but there's nothing wrong with saying you don't like the move and listing the reasons why.

I love Frank Wren. I think he's a very good GM but I just personally don't like the move. Definitely not a terrible signing but personally would have picked up someone we know can contribute.

Have you seen the report of what the Cubs are asking for JS are now?

What do u want him to do?

That for Price is actually intriguing.

[tvsportscaster]

Have you seen the report of what the Cubs are asking for JS are now?

What do u want him to do?

That for Price is actually intriguing.

Yeah, but I think that price will actually come down for JS when the Cubs realize he won't resign, as for Price, if that's whattthe Brave have to give up, I'd do that in a heartbeat. You can have room for only so many prospects. Part of what prospects are for is do be as used as trade bait to make your Major League roster better. Frank Wren has been drawing a little criticism and even from columnists and that criticism is certainly warranted. He has had a horrendous off season.

[Heyward]

Yeah, but I think that price will actually come down for JS when the Cubs realize he won't resign, as for Price, if that's whattthe Brave have to give up, I'd do that in a heartbeat. You can have room for only so many prospects. Part of what prospects are for is do be as used as trade bait to make your Major League roster better. Frank Wren has been drawing a little criticism and even from columnists and that criticism is certainly warranted. He has had a horrendous off season.

Just saw that Sims would probably have to be involved too.

So Wood, Sims, CB, and one more for Price.

ANd no, Wren hasnt had a horrendous offseason given we didnt have to do much, so wrong there.

And while it will most likely come down, it will still cost alot for JS.

[tvsportscaster]

Just saw that Sims would probably have to be involved too.

So Wood, Sims, CB, and one more for Price.

ANd no, Wren hasnt had a horrendous offseason given we didnt have to do much, so wrong there.

And while it will most likely come down, it will still cost alot for JS.

We'll agree to disagree about Wren having a horrendous off-season. Only thing I know is they had 25 extra million from the new National TV deal and he hasn't done squat with it. If everyone is content with first round playoff exits, then yeah, Wren has had a remarkable off season

[emk418]

Have you seen the report of what the Cubs are asking for JS are now?

What do u want him to do?

That for Price is actually intriguing.

Yea what Bowman is reporting it would take for Price is actually very intriguing.

[Heyward]

We'll agree to disagree about Wren having a horrendous off-season. Only thing I know is they had 25 extra million from the new National TV deal and he hasn't done squat with it. If everyone is content with first round playoff exits, then yeah, Wren has had a remarkable off season

Check the 2015 payroll thread, we dont have as much as you think

Besides, even if we did, what do you spend it on in the FA market?

[Heyward]

Yea what Bowman is reporting it would take for Price is actually very intriguing.

IF he'd sign an extension, i'd probably do it.

I would guess they want Sims too.

[thewupk]

We'll agree to disagree about Wren having a horrendous off-season. Only thing I know is they had 25 extra million from the new National TV deal and he hasn't done squat with it. If everyone is content with first round playoff exits, then yeah, Wren has had a remarkable off season

You must be new here. The Braves could have the best team in the history of the world and get bounced in the first round. It's a crapshoot. No player(s) will change that.

[Heyward]

You must be new here. The Braves could have the best team in the history of the world and get bounced in the first round. It's a crapshoot. No player(s) will change that.

Is this wrong?

Playoffs are a crapshoot in baseball.

[sgtpepper1972]

In the 22 years I've been a Braves fan, I've seen us fall in the playoffs with just about every sort of team. We've lost with rotations stuffed with aces and shaky bullpens. We've lost with decent rotations and outstanding bullpens. We've lost with outstanding rotations and outstanding bullpens. We've lost with outstanding pitching staffs and poor offenses. We've lost with fair pitching staffs and outstanding offenses. We've lost with offenses that hit the ball out of the park and with offenses that drew lots of walks and offenses that struck out a ton and offenses that made a ton of contact and offenses that scored lots of runs and offenses that scuffled. We've lost with great defenses and average defenses and mediocre defenses and poor defenses.

We've had great, 100+ win teams fall in the LDS (2002, 2003). We've had extraordinary, amazing teams fall in the LCS (1993, 1998). We've lost with a newly minted Hall of Fame manager. We've lost with teams assembled by a future Hall of Fame executive.

The lesson here is simple: the only thing you can do to improve your chances in October is to improve your team overall, and even then you're just making a marginal change in your odds. Since there are rarely mediocre teams in the playoffs (that .500 Padres team a few years ago notwithstanding), a postseason series is usually a battle between two reasonably good teams. And when two reasonably good teams play five games, picking the one that's going to win three games is largely just a matter of guess work.

There's no magic October Formula(TM). You want top-notch, shutdown aces? Been there, done that, witnessed the heartbreak. My namesake headed our rotation for a decade and is a couple months away from being the least controversial Hall of Famer in recent memory. One title from him. And he was backed by what was arguably the greatest rotation in the history of the game.

You want David Price? Sure, we all do. He's a great pitcher. And since he became a starter, Tampa has never advanced beyond the LDS.

In fact, let's go big and give up the farm for Clayton Kershaw. He'll guarantee a deep postseason run. Except since becoming a starter for LA, the Dodgers are 2-2 in his postseason series and he has a 1-3 record and a 4.23 ERA.

Put simply, there's nothing you can do in the off-season that will significantly affect your odds of winning a postseason series, save improving your team to the point where you can reasonably expect to make a postseason series. If you're already in that position, then you, as a general manager, just have to accept that what happens in October is out of your hands, unless you're capable of assembling a true, 1998 Yankees-esque juggernaut.

Very well said!

[weso1]

I don't think it's a complete crapshoot. Because if all other things are equal but you've got Kershaw and Greinke as your one and two then you've got a better chance to win a 5 game series compared to other teams that don't have comparable starters. You've got to face the best pitcher in baseball twice then your chances aren't as good as the team that doesn't. It's not gauranteed by any means, but maybe more like 60/40.

[weso1]

Very well said!

Sav should make the whole thing his quote of the month.