Official 2024 Off-Season Thread!

[Carp]

If it doesn’t make sense to platoon Kelenic based on 30 ST at bats, then that’s probably not the reason Duvall was signed.

You yourself have been calling for RH OF depth. Seems more likely the Braves liked Duvall at this price point and decided it was worth platooning Kelenic so they could give enough at bats to Duvall to justify him signing here.

This.

[50PoundHead]

Duvall is a reasonable addition to the bench. However, Grichuk would have been better, and Grichuk was cheaper.

So why wait to platoon Kelenic? What did the Braves learn in the last week about Kelenic that they didn't already know back when they could have signed the superior player in Grichuk for less than they paid Duvall? Did 3 dozen ST PAs change their opinion on Kelenic? If so, it was very stupid to spend so many resources acquiring him if their mind was changed based on 30 ST PAs.

This just doesn't make sense, and smells like someone screwed up during the decision making process.

Grichuk would have been my preference as well, but Duvall is quality depth (which I don't think they had).

As per Kelenic, we don't know the thought process, but the decision to platoon is probably coming from well above Snitker. I'm old and I remember when they tried to tinker with Ron Gant's swing. The new approach didn't work at all for him so he went back to being a dead-pull hitter and his production returned to his normal levels. Could be the same thing with Kelenic. That said, I don't see how the brain trust could think that a guy with a .566 career OPS against LHP wasn't a candidate to be platooned. Only 294 career PAs against LHP, but that's a really ugly number.

[GovClintonTyree]

Duvall doesn't even have pronounced splits as well - I think Braves are concerned. At the very best maybe they think the bat positioning change will take a bunch of time to click.

Kelenic doesn't have pronounced splits either. He sucks against righties or lefties. But, since we're invested, we ought to do our usual thing - give him until Memorial Day to play himself out of his job. Or not. I'll be happy to be wrong.

[GovClintonTyree]

This.

I think Duvall is a fantastic fourth outfielder option. RHH, power, plays center, $3M, contributed to ring. Perfect! What's not to like?

[CyYoung31]

Platooning Kelenic based on 34 PAs in ST is moronic. If he was worth being the foundation of the entire offseason he is worth 200 consistent PAs to start the season.

Couldn’t agree more. I love Duvall though, so it’s hard for me to get mad.

[Enscheff]

The Duvall addition is fine, and yes, the Braves needed a real 4th OFer. The decision to platoon Kelenic based on 30 ST PAs is the dumb part. A lot of resources were spent acquiring him to be the everyday guy, and now, after 30 poor PAs in ST, they decide to platoon him.

News flash: Kelenic is not a different player now than he was a month ago. If he was good enough to warrant $26M a month ago, he is not suddenly a lesser player after 30 poor ST PAs. If the Braves opinion of Kelenic was so weak that 30 ST PAs changed their mind on him, they should not have spent $26M to acquire him.

[Enscheff]

To top it off the narrative the entire offseason was some form of "Kelenic will benefit from the reduced pressure, and just going out and playing everyday". Then, after 30 ST PAs they bring in a platoon partner.

Yeah, no pressure...too bad you lost your everyday role in early March.

This whole thing is turning into a bad joke.

[bravesnumberone]

I'm wondering if the Duvall acquisition runs deeper than a platoon option. I'm wondering if maybe the Acuña incident spooked them to where they didn't want to chance Luplow or Wall having to start a bunch of games.

[Slippyjms]

The Duvall addition is fine, and yes, the Braves needed a real 4th OFer. The decision to platoon Kelenic based on 30 ST PAs is the dumb part. A lot of resources were spent acquiring him to be the everyday guy, and now, after 30 poor PAs in ST, they decide to platoon him.

News flash: Kelenic is not a different player now than he was a month ago. If he was good enough to warrant $26M a month ago, he is not suddenly a lesser player after 30 poor ST PAs. If the Braves opinion of Kelenic was so weak that 30 ST PAs changed their mind on him, they should not have spent $26M to acquire him.

Who else would you have Duvall platoon with?

[striker42]

To top it off the narrative the entire offseason was some form of "Kelenic will benefit from the reduced pressure, and just going out and playing everyday". Then, after 30 ST PAs they bring in a platoon partner.

Yeah, no pressure...too bad you lost your everyday role in early March.

This whole thing is turning into a bad joke.

I have faith that AA isn't going to panic after 30 ST ABs when Kelenic is working on his swing. I think it's more likely that AA was waiting for prices to drop with the public face of being willing to roll with Kelenic full-time. Posturing.

[The Chosen One]

I have faith that AA isn't going to panic after 30 ST ABs when Kelenic is working on his swing. I think it's more likely that AA was waiting for prices to drop with the public face of being willing to roll with Kelenic full-time. Posturing.

The wild card here is Snit.

Snit loves Duvy. And Snit doesn't know how to properly utilize a platoon to begin with. Would not surprise me at all if Duvall is getting games against RHP regularly once he goes 1-4 with a 3-run homer and 3 k's, even if Kelenic is in a mild slump.

Snit is also the guy if Kelenic was coming up late in the game with runners on against a RHP, would get pinch hit for Duvall because of Snit's memories of Duvall hitting a slam in 2021 WS.

[Tapate50]

Got a lot of insiders on this forum.

Didn’t realize that

[UNCBlue012]

Is it a 150% fact that we'll see a strict platoon with Duvall/Kelenic or has it mainly just been reported from the Braves' trash-ass reporters? Some of y'all are reacting to news coming from often bad sources.

[CyYoung31]

Got a lot of insiders on this forum.

Didn’t realize that

You know it’s true.

[CJ9]

Is it a 150% fact that we'll see a strict platoon with Duvall/Kelenic or has it mainly just been reported from the Braves' trash-ass reporters? Some of y'all are reacting to news coming from often bad sources.

They reported what AA said.

[bravesnumberone]

So the Nationals are putting Rosario in CF???

[Enscheff]

I have faith that AA isn't going to panic after 30 ST ABs when Kelenic is working on his swing. I think it's more likely that AA was waiting for prices to drop with the public face of being willing to roll with Kelenic full-time. Posturing.

OK, then why not get the superior platoon option who was cheaper?

2022-2023 Duvall vs LHP: .312 xwOBA
2022-2023 Grichuk vs LHP: .363 xwOBA

This Duvall signing has all the trademarks of a clown show panic signing by a group caught off guard by the idea that Kelenic may flop, and/or Acuna may reinjure the knee trying to steal 100 bases. Which, by the way, are ALL risks I detailed months ago when spelling out the need for someone like Grichuk. And now, the Braves finally got a lesser more expensive version of the exact player I was pounding the table to acquire. So yeah...great work fellas, you finally realized something posters on an internet forum knew months ago.

Grichuk is younger, much better vs LHP, probably a better defender, and signed for less money to perform the exact same role with another team about 3 weeks ago. Who in their right mind would prefer the worse, older, more expensive platoon player? Who "postures" to ultimately sign the worse player to a worse deal? Bravo on the negotiating skills?

So what changed in those 3 weeks when the Braves supposedly didn't have enough PAs available to attract a guy like Grichuk, but now suddenly have those PAs for a lesser player in Duvall?

Has their view on Kelenic changed over the course of 3 weeks in ST? If so, spending $26M on him was foolish.

Has their view on Acuna's knee changed just because he had meniscus inflammation? If so, they need to completely revamp their rest and conditioning program if they just now learned guys with a history of major knee injuries should MAYBE be thought of as a risk...like I've been saying for, oh, 15 months now.

[50PoundHead]

I feel the same way Enscheff.

[Enscheff]

I feel the same way Enscheff.

Oh wow, guys....we just learned Kelenic may not be good and Acuna may have future knee issues after major surgery!

We didn't know this 3 weeks ago when the superior 4th OFer signed for $2M, so we better run out and panic buy the lesser 4th OFer for $3M!!

Good job guys! That was a tricky lesson to learn, even though forum posters understood it months ago!

Whew...now that we learned so much and did such a great job, let's head to the Waffle House to celebrate!!

[bravesfanMatt]

I am just glad the braves got someone. Not going to really panic that a part time player might be slightly worse than player Y. I am way more concerned on managing of said player than if this weak side platoon is marginally worse.