This has been one great week

[Managuarantano's Volunteers]

even more remarkable with this finishing stretch is the team ERA which is among the worst in baseball. They have done it with defense and hitting, if you could somehow drop that 4.40 ERA down to a say 3.40 ERA this team would be dangerous. For me that means you need to somehow trade for an ace to go in front of Teheran, or sign a free agent, and that might be someone like a Rich Hill, who would not require giving up a draft pick as he cannot be given a qualifying offer since he was traded mid year. Sure he might be old, but his results are very ace like plus he would give us a left hander in the rotation. Give the guy a 3 year deal at 15-18M per year and you might just get him.

and for all those lamenting the fact we have played ourselves out of the first pick, remember Trout was a 27th pick, not a #1...... there is no gotta have consensus first pick in the upcoming draft.

If you believe in the drafting strategy they utilized last year, then it's never about who the first pick is. It's about how much money you have for overslot guys.

[Hudson2]

Last year who we all thought would be the top 3 wasn't. So we'll still get an excellent pick in the top 5.

[GovClintonTyree]

I have some concerns about Coppy since he isn't a real baseball guy, but he has surrounded himself with strong baseball guys in Roy Clark, Gordon Blakeley, Brian Bridges, Rick Williams.....etc.

Brian Snitker is the obvious choice for manager though.

No, Coppy is a spreadsheet guru, like 2/3 of this board. That's what makes him so enticing.

[GovClintonTyree]

A manager who uses data to inform his decisions...that's useful. I'm guessing Snit does that.

And yes, I agree he's done an awesome job.

[GovClintonTyree]

Get an ace, Sale, Quintana or anyone else, we will be in the playoffs next year guaranteed.

No disrespect to Teheran, dude is like Rick Mahler (God rest his soul a good man), keeping the rotation solid, but we need someone to share the burden and put him at #2 so he doesn't have to exert so much effort to win every freaking game.

Don't really feel the Mahler analogy, but I do agree if Julio is your number two, you're probably in the hunt.

We'd need some young pitching to take the next step, but I think they will.

[thewupk]

No, Coppy is a spreadsheet guru, like 2/3 of this board. That's what makes him so enticing.

You know who a real baseball guy is? Dave Stewart.

[GovClintonTyree]

You don't suppose Tampa is stupid enough to deal Archer, do you?

He's got some between-the-ears stuff going on, but I think he's a terrific young pitcher.

[GovClintonTyree]

You know who a real baseball guy is? Dave Stewart.

Hahahahaha

Yeah, not quite what I meant, but point taken. I want a GM who is informed by data, too, not by a medium. Or gut. Or whatever the **** Stew was thinking.

Sabean.

[thewupk]

Hahahahaha

Yeah, not quite what I meant, but point taken. I want a GM who is informed by data, too, not by a medium. Or gut. Or whatever the **** Stew was thinking.

Sabean.

A mix of both is obvious the right choice. I feel at the major league level that most teams these days have a good idea of what a players value is. They may differ from model to model but for teams they look into advanced statistics they know what's going on. I would hope the Braves are one of these teams going forward when making their FA choices and trades. Now your scout side should be something you look to for example if you notice a player that you think with a few adjustments can take the next step. Those are guys to target as well. The Braves were famous for this with Leo and getting pitchers to hit the low and away strike.

[smootness]

Why would anyone assume Coppy is not a baseball guy?

[zbhargrove]

Yay winning meaningless games is so awesome. Just points to the fact that the front office is cheap. They don't want to pay up for the first overall pick.

But you don't care about prospects.... Just winning with veterans so why do you care? The Braves have been very good as the year has moved on against very good teams.

[NinersSBChamps]

But you don't care about prospects.... Just winning with veterans so why do you care? The Braves have been very good as the year has moved on against very good teams.

Well everyone around here thinks having the top pick is automatically going to turn into a star.

[rico43]

Well everyone around here thinks having the top pick is automatically going to turn into a star.

The difference in payout to No. 2 or 3 to the No. 1 is absurd. Braves will have much stronger draft without No.1 -- unless they lose two picks due to FA signees.

[zbhargrove]

Well everyone around here thinks having the top pick is automatically going to turn into a star.

Well the basic mathematical probability does suggest the higher the pick, the higher the likelihood that player succeeds. But most would rather go ahead and see signs of being competitive and frankly the next 2 years look like they could be very solid. And there's really not much difference in the top 5 picks traditionally except in rare circumstances

[bravesfanMatt]

Well the basic mathematical probability does suggest the higher the pick, the higher the likelihood that player succeeds. But most would rather go ahead and see signs of being competitive and frankly the next 2 years look like they could be very solid. And there's really not much difference in the top 5 picks traditionally except in rare circumstances

If we can be competitive in 18 and 19, then that is just gravy on the biscuit.. I really didn't think we would be that good until the Rome guys started arriving (mid 2018+).. if we start competing prior to that, then that just makes our 2018 and 19 teams even more dangerous, because we will have good pieces we will have to trade to make room for the stud class.

[smootness]

The difference in payout to No. 2 or 3 to the No. 1 is absurd. Braves will have much stronger draft without No.1 -- unless they lose two picks due to FA signees.

?

[rico43]

?

Referring to bonus slots; don't know until later what team's budget will actually be. But this year, the No. 1 draft slot $ amount was $9 mil, No. 2 is $7.76 mil, No. 3 was $6.5 mil. Braves at 3 were able to pick off several tough signs by going over slot. If your No.1 wants all that slot money, it makes what the Braves did in 2016 impossible.

[smootness]

Referring to bonus slots; don't know until later what team's budget will actually be. But this year, the No. 1 draft slot $ amount was $9 mil, No. 2 is $7.76 mil, No. 3 was $6.5 mil. Braves at 3 were able to pick off several tough signs by going over slot. If your No.1 wants all that slot money, it makes what the Braves did in 2016 impossible.

Yeah, but that's true at any spot. The #1 pick is not more likely to sign for slot than 2 or 3. In fact, the #1 pick will basically always end up with more room under slot. Unless I read your original post wrong.