Fangraphs: What, exactly, are the Braves up to?

[Enscheff]

Don't you remember that we didn't need a starter at the deadline because Kyle Wright was going to come back fully healthy and could be relied upon in the playoffs?

Yes, I remember that nonsense tossed around as a forgone conclusion. Everyone also assumed Morton would be straightened out, and Fried would be 100%. Obviously, that wasn’t the case, as was easily foreseen.

Now the usual suspects will chime in with “bUt ThE oFFenSe suCKed derrrrpp”

[bravesfanMatt]

I still think the pen is more important than starters come playoff time. The way the system is setup, a great pen is a factor in every game. Couple that with just 2 great starters and any team can win it all. Again I am not saying I wouldn’t mind a stroman signing but I like what AA is doing with the pen. That will win in Oct. that and our hitters not sleepwalking up to the plate.

[Hudson2]

AA has a history with Stroman so it makes sense. AA has really loaded up the bullpen and upgraded LF so one more bench piece and Stroman and this would be an excellent offseason.

[Deester11]

Yes, I remember that nonsense tossed around as a forgone conclusion. Everyone also assumed Morton would be straightened out, and Fried would be 100%. Obviously, that wasn’t the case, as was easily foreseen.

Now the usual suspects will chime in with “bUt ThE oFFenSe suCKed derrrrpp”

You know this!😂😂

[NYCBrave]

AA has a history with Stroman so it makes sense. AA has really loaded up the bullpen and upgraded LF so one more bench piece and Stroman and this would be an excellent offseason.

Call me crazy. But I don't necessarily feel confident in Stroman starting a playoff game.

[Tapate50]

Don't you remember that we didn't need a starter at the deadline because Kyle Wright was going to come back fully healthy and could be relied upon in the playoffs?

No- not but maybe one person was counting on KW coming back from shoulder issues at all last season.

[thewupk]

I would buy that argument if AA had bought a SP at the last deadline when they needed one more than they do now.

Just sign Stroman. He’s been the obvious answer for months.

I'd argue we need one now more than at the deadline last year.

[striker42]

No- not but maybe one person was counting on KW coming back from shoulder issues at all last season.

I was strongly advocating for a starter last year and encountered a fair few arguing we didn't need one because Fried and Wright werpe coming back.

[Tapate50]

Max and Kyle are very different situations.

No one was counting on Kyle

[CyYoung31]

No- not but maybe one person was counting on KW coming back from shoulder issues at all last season.

We weren’t buying it, but that’s what the front office was selling.

[jpx7]

I would buy that argument if AA had bought a SP at the last deadline when they needed one more than they do now.

Just sign Stroman. He’s been the obvious answer for months.

As far as free agents go who could be counted on to start a playoff game, Snell and Montgomery are probably "non-starters" because AA is not going to get into or win a bidding war for them. Even if all the teams that went after and missed on Yamamoto only offered those guys half of what he got from the Dodgers, the Braves aren't going over $150 million for either. Unless I'm just missing someone, Stroman is basically the only one left in free agency who fits the bill. Even he is just as likely as Fried or Morton to be injured come playoff time. If you want to roll dice, maybe Giolito if he can pitch like he did 2019-2021?

Trade-wise, we'd probably have to wait the White Sox out on Cease, but I think someone is going to eventually cave in and grab him before the start of the season. Don't see AA emptying the tank for Burnes, but would he surprise us and trade a large package for Freddy Peralta or Luis Castillo out of nowhere if Seattle is really thinking about unloading more guys?

I still like the idea of Imanaga, and it looks like—even with his price rising somewhat in the wake of the Dodgers' signings—he can likely be had for something around 5/$100m. That's not bad for someone who presents more risk (coming to the US following sterling NPB results, but less raw stuff than Yamamoto), but potentially more reward, than a SP like Stroman.

[Hulavol]

No- not but maybe one person was counting on KW coming back from shoulder issues at all last season.

Hey - I was ! I was that dumbass - In case you forgot …

[Tapate50]

Bless your heart.

Anyway- I don’t consider one person a reasonable faction size to argue against. Unless
You are Enscheff, who will argue with people who agree with him

[Carp]

Don't you remember that we didn't need a starter at the deadline because Kyle Wright was going to come back fully healthy and could be relied upon in the playoffs?

NEED being the key word here. We were a 100 win team while missing Fried and Wright practically all season.

[Enscheff]

I suppose someone is going to have to go back through the deadline thread. Sometimes I confuse the sentiment outside this board with what folks around here are actually saying, but I too remember the “we don’t need a SP” crew confidently listing Wright as a playoff SP.

[Enscheff]

I’m confident several posts by me saying “if Elder starts a game the Braves are doomed”.

[DirkPiggler]

Yes, I remember that nonsense tossed around as a forgone conclusion. Everyone also assumed Morton would be straightened out, and Fried would be 100%. Obviously, that wasn’t the case, as was easily foreseen.

Now the usual suspects will chime in with “bUt ThE oFFenSe suCKed derrrrpp”

The fact that we needed to pick up another starter at the deadline, and shouldn't have had Elder starting a playoff game, does not preclude the other statement that the offense sucked in the playoffs from being true.

Regardless of who we had on the roster, if you had asked anyone on here 100% of us would have taken a scenario where we had Fried and Strider set to start four of five games in a short series against the Phillies, with the first two in Atlanta and Ranger Suarez starting two of those games against our top pitchers. Elder's game three start in that series should have come with a 2-0 lead if the best offense in baseball hadn't fallen victim to the junkballing mid-tier lefty, kryptonite to so many Braves teams of the past.

My personal wild assed theory is that Morton was probably healthy enough to start in Elder's place, and that AA gambled that the team could get past Philly without him in the hopes of making 100% sure Charlie was ready for the NLCS. There was really no need to put Morton on the DL at the end of the regular season, with the division locked up and home field advantage all but assured. That error ranks just behind not adding a starter at the deadline in front office mistakes that potentially brought the season to a premature end.

[Tapate50]

I’m confident several posts by me saying “if Elder starts a game the Braves are doomed”.

And in fact they were doomed no matter what. We let Ranger give us the deep Stroman strokes.

Can't hit- can't score.

Phils were on EVERYTHING we threw. They also played lights out defense for the second straight year.

[Tapate50]

The fact that we needed to pick up another starter at the deadline, and shouldn't have had Elder starting a playoff game, does not preclude the other statement that the offense sucked in the playoffs from being true.

Regardless of who we had on the roster, if you had asked anyone on here 100% of us would have taken a scenario where we had Fried and Strider set to start four of five games in a short series against the Phillies, with the first two in Atlanta and Ranger Suarez starting two of those games against our top pitchers. Elder's game three start in that series should have come with a 2-0 lead if the best offense in baseball hadn't fallen victim to the junkballing mid-tier lefty, kryptonite to so many Braves teams of the past.

My personal wild assed theory is that Morton was probably healthy enough to start in Elder's place, and that AA gambled that the team could get past Philly without him in the hopes of making 100% sure Charlie was ready for the NLCS. There was really no need to put Morton on the DL at the end of the regular season, with the division locked up and home field advantage all but assured. That error ranks just behind not adding a starter at the deadline in front office mistakes that potentially brought the season to a premature end.

And ranks right up there with the error of " Our best pitcher Mike Soroka pitches better on the road, so only start him once"

[Enscheff]

And “Kimbrel can’t get more than 3 outs despite being the most dominant arm in the game”.