jpx7 (05-06-2017), Julio3000 (05-06-2017), nsacpi (05-06-2017), Runnin (05-06-2017), The Chosen One (05-06-2017)
certainly not outside the realm of possibility...we have threads dedicated to the overabundance of pitchers in our system...but the reality is...we just had to acquire 3 starting pitchers at market rates for 2017...and chances are we are going to have to acquire at least one at market rates for 2018....what does that say
Last edited by nsacpi; 05-06-2017 at 08:55 AM.
jpx7 (05-06-2017)
The Chosen One (05-06-2017)
For a team that has spent the majority if their player acquisition resources over the last 3 years turning themselves into a self proclaimed "pitching factory", any large FA signing of a pitcher is almost inexcusable. I think it is a given that they will have to patch 1-2 holes in the rotation every year, it would be an extreme failure in the overall process if they were forced to pay a premium for an impact arm.
All 3 of the Dickey, Colon and Garcia acquisitions were fine on their own, and any of the 3 would be an acceptable move to temporarily patch a hole or two in the rotation. But if it becomes common practice to spend $30M+ per year plus trade assets to patch 2-3 holes in the rotation...then what the hell was the point in stockpiling all this pitching?
I guess the easy answer is that most of the stockpiled pitching isn't ready yet, but there's a stinker in that answer, which is that Blair and Wisler should be but obviously aren't.
The flipside is that Coppy has done really well (IMO) at trading veteran rentals and spare parts for a decent return, so I guess we cross our fingers and hope that trend continues.
Looking at 2018, it seems to me we have these broad options for the starting rotation:
1) Go entirely in-house while filling the spots currently occupied by Colon and Jaime
2) Fill one of those spot with a 3 win pitcher and the other in-house
3) Fill both spots with more of the same (one year guys of the caliber of Colon and Jaime Garcia)
I think the third option is the worst. Between options 1 and 2 there is a debate worth having. And the right move probably turns on the acquisition cost of my hypothetical 3 win pitcher.
Last edited by nsacpi; 05-06-2017 at 03:18 PM.
I'd think we trade for a top shelf arm if the aquistion price is down based on midsession and offseason availability. Could see Quintana/Archer/Stroman/Gray/etc all available.
Almost all valuable position prospects currently in the organization are needed in order for the Braves to even have a chance at being competitive any time soon. The Braves have zero position talent available to trade for pitching upgrades.
Therefore, any trade for a 3 win pitcher will have to include pitching prospects that are so valuable a non-contending team would be unwise to trade them. No matter what the Posi-Braves fantasize about, this team has shown beyond all doubt they won't be competing for a playoff spot in 2018 either, so I think the best course of action will be to sign more rotation filler to give the Allard wave time to develop.
The Braves hitched their wagon to being able to develop impact starting pitching. The worst thing they could do is jump horse mid stream and try to start flipping those prospects for MLB pitchers.
Diamondbacks are doing great right now. No chance in trading their best pitcher
To me Blair was always a throw in (deal sweetener). I never expected him to be anything more than a 5th starter. Wisler, on the other hand....was a huge bust. Especially the way he started.
I would love to see you start making "predictions" that aren't after the fact. I haven't seen you claim to have made anything other than perfectly spot-on predictions. Weird, I know.
I didn't see a single poster here claim Blair was sweetener. In fact, the narrative was that Blair was possibly ready to step into the MLB rotation at the time he was acquired, and maybe even produce more than Miller was projected to produce.
Blair was the #40 BA prospect in 2014. He is the definition of a busted non-elite (meaning outside the Top 10) pitching prospect. But hey, I'm sure this current group of pitchers ranked 50-100 is much different.
Last edited by Enscheff; 05-06-2017 at 10:47 PM.
Maybe this isn't important but the unfortunate part of Blair busting is his ranking was due to his level of "safety". Our other current guys are ranked as highly as they are based on ceiling, but having their own risks. I think our bust rate could be higher than normal with out prospects, but think the ones that do pan out could be much better than others similarly ranked. Fried and Blair are similar in ranking with BA and Klaw but I feel as though Fried making it would be way more of a coup.