Roy Clark May Be Returning To The Braves

[Gary82]

Looks like we're getting back to the "Braves Way."


Whatever that means.


I am glad he's coming back, though.

[Knucksie]

I was big of a fan of Wren as there was and defended everything he did (because it was mostly good). But, I think its clear why he was ousted. It seems nobody liked working for him.

To get a guy like Clark back into the fold is an amazing sign. This is something that should make Braves nation excited!

First of all, you have to stop referring to this team's fan base as "Braves Nation." It sucks ass wind beyond all belief. Leave that to Red Sox, Yankees and Cardinals fans.

[KB21]

The Braves scouting staff is now much better than it was previously. Roy Clark is back. Brian Bridges has been promoted to Tony DeMacio's position. Gordon Blakeley has been added to head the international scouting. Next step is for John Hart to take the GM job with John Coppolella waiting in the wings.

[emk418]

Fantastic news

[Enscheff]

The Braves scouting staff is now much better than it was previously. Roy Clark is back. Brian Bridges has been promoted to Tony DeMacio's position. Gordon Blakeley has been added to head the international scouting. Next step is for John Hart to take the GM job with John Coppolella waiting in the wings.

I think that's exactly what has already happened...

[Dalyn]

I think that's exactly what has already happened...

Yeah. I think it's pretty obvious.

[thethe]

What I think is going to be funny is that when Peraza continues to excel next year in AAA and Albies is lighting it up along witha Sims bounceback we are going to hear about how the new scouting staff is bringing the Braves back to where they once were.

I know there were problems behind the scenes but Wren has not left the organization barren.

[yeezus]

LOL @ Wren "ruining the organization from top to bottom." Are people serious with that crap?

[50PoundHead]

What I think is going to be funny is that when Peraza continues to excel next year in AAA and Albies is lighting it up along witha Sims bounceback we are going to hear about how the new scouting staff is bringing the Braves back to where they once were.

I know there were problems behind the scenes but Wren has not left the organization barren.

You need more than 3 guys to field a team. There is very little quality in the system right now, especially at the higher levels.

[thethe]

You need more than 3 guys to field a team. There is very little quality in the system right now, especially at the higher levels.

There is very little high end quality at the upper levels. That can change real quick. Wren has produced very productive major leaguers in his time as GM. I would say its probably towards the middle in comparison to other GM's during his time.

I really just don't get this notion that the minor leagues suffered under his watch.

[50PoundHead]

There is very little high end quality at the upper levels. That can change real quick. Wren has produced very productive major leaguers in his time as GM. I would say its probably towards the middle in comparison to other GM's during his time.

I really just don't get this notion that the minor leagues suffered under his watch.

Name eight starters--one at each position--that you believe will be a full-time major league regular. I count 3: Peraza-2B, Albies--SS, Davidson--LF (and two of those guys are light years away). If you can't look up and down a system and do that, you've got a bad farm system.

Look at the pitching staffs in Rome and Lynchburg. Rejects from other systems and guys from independent leagues played huge roles for those teams. That's not a winning strategy.

[thethe]

Name eight starters--one at each position--that you believe will be a full-time major league regular. I count 3: Peraza-2B, Albies--SS, Davidson--LF (and two of those guys are light years away). If you can't look up and down a system and do that, you've got a bad farm system.

Look at the pitching staffs in Rome and Lynchburg. Rejects from other systems and guys from independent leagues played huge roles for those teams. That's not a winning strategy.

You are a more knowledgeable baseball fan than I am so I won't question your evaluation techniques. The way I see it is if the system is producing at least two major leaguers per year that contribute then its a good system. How many GM's in baseball can say they have produced a trip of Wood/Simmons/Gattis in the last couple of years?

[CrimsonCowboy]

AJC: Braves bringing back former scouting chief Roy Clark

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseb...014_braves_sfp

[Tomahawking4life]

All these changes being made, yet the Front Office is not changing one of the things that needs to be fixed the most.

When will Fredi G be gone?

[Knucksie]

Looks like we're getting back to the "Braves Way."

That can only mean that Shanks will start writing another book.

[Gary82]

That can only mean that Shanks will start writing another book.

with a foreword written by Patio Daddio.

[Gary82]

All these changes being made, yet the Front Office is not changing one of the things that needs to be fixed the most.

When will Fredi G be gone?

Not this year and probably not next year either.

[nsacpi]

You need more than 3 guys to field a team. There is very little quality in the system right now, especially at the higher levels.

There was a worrisome dead spot in both single A teams. Lynchburg had some decent players at the start, but did not have much after Peraza and Wren were promoted. Rome was a disaster most of the season, especially on the pitching side.

Looking ahead to 2015, we should be ok at AAA, with many of the college guys taken in the Wren/Manno/DeMacio drafts providing the depth. It isn't a group of future stars, but every organization needs players like that to get through all the injuries that happen over the course of the season.

AA is going to be thin, except for a couple strong pitching prospects (Sims and Parsons).

High A is going to be weak as well. There is just simply a gap in our system that stretches over two levels. Not good at all. It will hurt our major league depth a couple years down the road.

Low A should be a fun team to watch. Guys who could be there include Albies, Grosser, Davidson, Murphy, Miranda, Edgerton, Dykstra. A lot of very young talent.

[KB21]

The Braves did OK during the Wren/Manno/Demacio drafts if you grade the drafts by the amount of players that can get to the AAA level. The problem is, they drafted very few legitimate major league prospects who are high level, impact players. Evan Gattis is a nice story, but he's probably going to be traded this offseason to an AL team where he can DH. Alex Wood was a great pick. Lucas Sims is a high level prospect. So, they have essentially drafted two high level prospects prior to this past year. Frank Wren and company inherited a system that already had Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, and Julio Teheran, and Craig Kimbrel and Mike Minor was drafted during the Roy Clark years.

Here's the Braves problem with the Demacio drafts. They played it safe. They went after college guys with limited upside to build depth in the system, but outside of Alex Wood, that group of college guys has not produced a high level prospect.

Under Roy, the Braves routinely had high level, impact prospects. Whether it was Adam Wainwright, Brian McCann, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, or high level prospects that didn't pan out at the major league level such as Jeff Francouer or Andy Marte.

[zitothebrave]

I have to disagree with your statements. How can you say Wren was a problem, but then say he inherited minor. If you want to say Wren's scouting department is a problem that's fine, but he either deserves no direct blame for it or some credit for Minor.

Our drafts from 2010-2014 have already produced 3 very good major league players. Gattis, Simmons, and Wood. We have 2 great pitchign prospects in the upper minors now with Hursh and Sims and would have a third if not for TINSTAPP (aka Graham's shoulder) We have some promising young bats in the lower minors.

I challenge the high level impact comment though. Look at our top 10 prospects in 2005 and 2006, which were are golden years for prospects

2005

Francoeur - Bust
Marte - Bust
McCann - Star
Davies - Bust
Lerew - Bust
Jake Stevens - DOn't think he made the majors.
Luis Hernandez - Bust
Kelly Johnson - Good
Salty - Good
Blaine BOyer - Bust

2006 (only gonna talk about new ones)
Andrus - probably just below star
Feliz - Good
Escobar - Good
Devine - Flamed out
Chuck James - Flamed out
Brandon Jones - Did he make it after he busted for us?
Eric Campbell - Bust
Beau Jones - Bust

The guys you listed as high level impact prospects were drafted from an 8 year sample with a minimum 7 year evaluation time. You're criticizing a 5 year sample with a maximum 4 year evaluation time. You're comparing apples to oranges. I'm not saying that Wren and co was amazing and a marvel. But I think they get too much ****. They completed their first task in 2 years, restock the upper minors after they were ravaged by JS and co since the ones up there doing well were on their way to graduation. They didn't get a chance to go after part 2.

The struggle the Braves have seemingly had in the Wren era they didn't in the JS era is in international signings, and I think a lot of that had to do with things outside Wren's control. Be it increase competition internationally, or new tighter rules.