Braves sign Sean Rodriguez

[zbhargrove]

I know I'm in the minority, but I think Albies will be a better offensive player then Dansby after is all said and done.
I'm not saying I don't think Swanson is a really great player, I just look at Albies age and what he's done in the minors and believe he will be a better hitter.
People seem down on him for being moved to 2nd.yes I understand it's a less important position WAR wise and such then shortstop but if he hits like I think he will then we would have a perfect top of the order with he,Dansby and Freeman.I wouldn't trade him unless it brought back an ace.If we trade prospects it should be from our depth of pitching instead of our scarce position players.

We are only talking about trading him for an ace...

[Buzzworm]

I understand that lol.my post was mainly trying to say he seems undervalued.to me he just seems like Jose Altuve jr.
That would be pretty special

[Southcack77]

This thread sort of went all kinds of crazy places.

They just signed a veteran, super utility guy. I think he'll probably fill a veteran, super utility role, which is useful for any team, even a bad one.

If I had to read tea leaves, I think it probably suggest that the Braves aren't likely to commit any more money to big free agent deals in 2017 or trade for expensive contracts more than it suggests they are about to decimate the farm system in an ill advised attempt to contend or that they are about to trade Albies in particular.

I don't even know that I much care about signing Rodriguez, but from a long term contending standpoint, I'm pretty sure I'd rather be committing 5 million in 2018 to Rodriguez than 8 and 9 million to Castro in 2018 and 2019.

I remain bemused by the idea that Rodriguez at this commitment level is somehow bad mojo, but signing a backup level catcher with supposed framing abilities to a three year deal is somehow smart.

Neither play really suggests a world series contender. The longer, more expensive deal, is not only more restrictive to the future, but would be even more demonstrative that the Braves were going for it in 2017.

If you could have gotten Castro below market value great. But there is nothing smart about exploiting market inefficiencies when the market forces you to pay for the hidden value. It is not an inefficiency at that point, if it even exists to begin with.

[GovClintonTyree]

To be clear, the article says he added a leg kick. If that's all it takes to become Bautista I would hope all players would make that change.

We will check back in on his season in August and see how much water this prediction holds.

Of course there's a lot more nuance and detail in the article and in the adjustments he made than you're suggesting.

[thethe]

Of course there's a lot more nuance and detail in the article and in the adjustments he made than you're suggesting.

Fangraphs put an article out that called the move a must make and included all the bells and whisles that Encheff wanted.

[nsacpi]

Players get hot for 200-400 at bats all the time. Once in a while it represents a breakthrough. Most of the time it is just a hot streak.

Anyone remember Adonis Garcia circa 2015. He put up a .790 OPS in 198 ABs. Anyone still think that was the real Adonis?

[zbhargrove]

Players get hot for 200-400 at bats all the time. Once in a while it represents a breakthrough. Most of the time it is just a hot streak.

Anyone remember Adonis Garcia circa 2015. He put up a .790 OPS in 198 ABs. Anyone still think that was the real Adonis?

To be fair, we really can't be sure what the real Adonis is. During his very limited sampling in the MLB, he's had two scorching hot streaks and one slump. And again, no one is saying Rodriguez is for sure some new all star player, we are saying he can be a very solid platoon player with above average defense on a traditionally weak position in baseball.

[nsacpi]

To be fair, we really can't be sure what the real Adonis is. During his very limited sampling in the MLB, he's had two scorching hot streaks and one slump. And again, no one is saying Rodriguez is for sure some new all star player, we are saying he can be a very solid platoon player with above average defense on a traditionally weak position in baseball.

I think we all understand that none of us of can say "for sure" anything about a player. What the discussion is really about is probabilities. Which outcomes are more likely than others.

[zbhargrove]

I think we all understand that none of us of can say "for sure" anything about a player. What the discussion is really about is probabilities. Which outcomes are more likely than others.

I think the probability of being a very good platoon player is pretty high.

[nsacpi]

I think the probability of being a very good platoon player is pretty high.

Rodriguez or Garcia?

[nsacpi]

2017 Steamer projections:

Garcia .270/.306/.406
Rodriguez .233/.296/.402
Jace .246/328/.349
KJ .236/.297/.386
D'Arnaud .242/.294/.335
Swanson .258/.321/.394
Albies .262/.315/.367
Demeritte .194/.259/.323

This is the group of players who will probably get 90% of the at bats at second, third and short this upcoming season.

[mfree80]

Rodriguez or Garcia?

Yes!

[clvclv]

2017 Steamer projections:

Garcia .270/.306/.406
Rodriguez .233/.296/.402
Jace .246/328/.349
KJ .236/.297/.386
D'Arnaud .242/.294/.335
Swanson .258/.321/.394
Albies .262/.315/.367
Demeritte .194/.259/.323

This is the group of players who will probably get 90% of the at bats at second, third and short this upcoming season.

We all know to expect a little regression, but that still seems awfully pessimistic to me.

[zbhargrove]

Rodriguez or Garcia?

Was referring to Rodriguez but both probably

[smootness]

We all know to expect a little regression, but that still seems awfully pessimistic to me.

Most of those seem pretty pessimistic.

[Enscheff]

We all know to expect a little regression, but that still seems awfully pessimistic to me.

That is a .715 OPS. The projection systems see 375 PAs with a .745 OPS in AA, and weigh that performance more heavily than 135 September PAs of .800 at the MLB level against 40 man rosters.

I do expect him to put up numbers closer to is AA performance though. I'm convinced he was playing through some sort of injury last year, even if we never hear anything about it.

[Enscheff]

Most of those seem pretty pessimistic.

That's likely because most fans overrate their players without exception.

[DirkPiggler]

That is a .715 OPS. The projection systems see 375 PAs with a .745 OPS in AA, and weigh that performance more heavily than 135 September PAs of .800 at the MLB level against 40 man rosters.

I do expect him to put up numbers closer to is AA performance though. I'm convinced he was playing through some sort of injury last year, even if we never hear anything about it.

Swanson's AA numbers were likely artificially lower than they should have been due to the ballpark at Mississippi. You would think the projections would take that into account.

[nsacpi]

Swanson's AA numbers were likely artificially lower than they should have been due to the ballpark at Mississippi. You would think the projections would take that into account.

Mississippi is one of the tougher hitting environments in the minors. Something to keep in mind with respect to Albies and Dustin Peterson as well.

[zbhargrove]

That's likely because most fans overrate their players without exception.

Not really. Projections are rarely correct