Braves sign Travis D’Arnaud

[nsacpi]

To Be Fair...

D'Arnaud pinch hit a lot

Mac actually played 7 more games in the field (and started 17 more) while getting 50 less PAs.

What does this mean? I don't know. But D'Arnaud seems a pretty clear upgrade over Mac.

about half a win

[thewupk]

about half a win

maybe...

[DirkPiggler]

we can't type "****ty" around here? What the **** is that about?!

That's pretty shîtty if you ask me.

[Southcack77]

D'Arnaud really hits LHP. He's got that going for him.

[Enscheff]

Only can have 13 pitchers.

Why am I not as stoked about this Travis signing. He was ****ty all his career and then had a good year with juiced balls and crappy AL pitching. Maybe he found something but I think we are going to be disappointed with him by mid June.

Darn has the "room for more upside" narrative going for him that none of the other catchers below Grandal do, which is why he was considered the best of the rest. I think the thought process is something along the lines of:

1. He could be great (3+ fWAR) if he stayed healthy.
2. The Mets are probably the worst organization in the league at keeping players healthy.
3. He stayed healthy the moment he left the Mets.
4. He is more likely to stay healthy with the Braves than with the Mets.

I think I would have preferred Castro as a clean platoon partner with Flowers, but it's hard to criticize AA making the upside play with such an affordable contract. If Flownaud posts 4+ fWAR for $12M of the 2020 payroll, folks are going to be tripping over themselves to talk about how smart AA is.

[Russ2dollas]

I like the deal. Grandal was the only guy to move the needle at catcher.

We paid a two million premium to get this done now. I LOVE that. Gets the need met so we can focus on other things. Shows we are trying to make the team better and not focusing on value only.

My mind is full of indians trade options. They have all the pieces we need. Those multi piece deals almost never happen though.

[JxnMissFan]

Darn has the "room for more upside" narrative going for him that none of the other catchers below Grandal do, which is why he was considered the best of the rest. I think the thought process is something along the lines of:

1. He could be great (3+ fWAR) if he stayed healthy.
2. The Mets are probably the worst organization in the league at keeping players healthy.
3. He stayed healthy the moment he left the Mets.
4. He is more likely to stay healthy with the Braves than with the Mets.

I think I would have preferred Castro as a clean platoon partner with Flowers, but it's hard to criticize AA making the upside play with such an affordable contract. If Flownaud posts 4+ fWAR for $12M of the 2020 payroll, folks are going to be tripping over themselves to talk about how smart AA is.

I'm not to fond of the d'Arnaud signing (because of the contract amount), but I do agree it has the potential to be great move. The Braves system of splitting playing time between catchers has worked well over the past few years. Hopefully d'Arnaud will work the system as well as AJ, Kurt and BMac did.

I do like d'Arnaud better than paying Grandel 75 million. See Posey, BMac, Martin, etc, for examples of how those long term high value catchers deals work out.

[zbhargrove]

Don't we still have Cervelli under contract at league minimum?

No he’s a free agent

[JxnMissFan]

No he’s a free agent

Is there a max amount that can be given to a player to sign a minor league contract? Sign Cervelli to a minor league contract as a backup plan to Flowers/D'Arnaud.

[NYCBrave]

He is on the wrong side of 30. Same side platoon and never been great offensively except one year. Just another neck in the lineup. Should be fun. But we got good value. So there is that.

So often catchers are mistakenly judged only by hitting stats. Well the fact that D'Arnaud is above average at pitch framing should tell enough about why he was a top Target for is to pair with Flowers, another top pitch framer. Then there is the potential for upside with the bat, and extra rest from splitting time with Flowers.

[zbhargrove]

He is on the wrong side of 30. Same side platoon and never been great offensively except one year. Just another neck in the lineup. Should be fun. But we got good value. So there is that.

You are way underrating a healthy Travis

[Tapate50]

Zunino got 4.5 M and can’t hit his way out of a wet paper sack

[nsacpi]

Zunino got 4.5 M and can’t hit his way out of a wet paper sack

plus he ain't filipino

[Carp]

Is there a max amount that can be given to a player to sign a minor league contract? Sign Cervelli to a minor league contract as a backup plan to Flowers/D'Arnaud.

Considering the dearth of catching options, I'd say it's pretty likely some team will sign Cervelli at least to be a backup. Doubt he accepts a minor league deal.

[bravesfanforlife88]

[bravesfanMatt]

That Sean Newcomb is pretty good.