Spring Training 2015

[weso1]

Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #Dodgers sign Brandon Beachy to 1-yr, major-league deal with club option for 16. Likely to start on DL as he recovers from 2nd TJ.

Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
Greinke, Anderson are potential FAs, so Beachy could be 2016 option if healthy. #Dodgers scout Pat Corrales saw him throw multiple times.

Ken Rosenthal
@Ken_Rosenthal
Beachy chose #Dodgers in part because his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, is based on LA. Could be factor late in season and in 2016.

Not really a good sign when you choose a particular team because they happen to be close to your surgeon.

[depley]

As much as I liked Beachy, no way would I have given him a 2 year ML deal worth at a min 5.75 million dollars. He has not proven he can stay on the field much less if he can come back from a 2nd TJ which few have done. I guess the Dodgers have money then can throw away if needed.

[Braves1976]

Given what both Beachy and Medlen have signed for, it would seem they should've had some trade value despite coming off injury.

[Hawk]

The Dodgers do have the money, but they have surprisingly been pretty spend-savvy this offseason. Corrales must have liked what he saw a whole lot.

[Braves1976]

As much as I liked Beachy, no way would I have given him a 2 year ML deal worth at a min 5.75 million dollars. He has not proven he can stay on the field much less if he can come back from a 2nd TJ which few have done. I guess the Dodgers have money then can throw away if needed.

Ken Rosenthal and MLBTR has it as a 1 year deal 2.75 million deal with a club option. They could always decline the option.

That said, the Braves could've still had him for less if they'd offered him arbitration as he wasn't due that much. Plus they'd still had another year of control unlike with Medlen.

[zbhargrove]

Given what both Beachy and Medlen have signed for, it would seem they should've had some trade value despite coming off injury.

You would never see any starter with any trade value coming off a second TJ unless they successfully pitched for a full year with zero setbacks... And since Capuano is pretty much the only starter to ever do that.... It's much more of a gamble than a lottery ticket.

[clvclv]

Any golf around that's worth a look?

All of the courses at the resort are pretty good - and help you avoid traffic if you're staying there.

You're in the heart of the golf capitol of the world - tons of courses within 60 miles.

[clvclv]

Do the Saturday BBQ, Beer, ticket combo if you can. Includes parking and 4 Rivers Smokehouse is catering. They definitely do not disappoint.

My friend's Dad got a few of us on at Bay Hill several years ago. I'm really ****ing horrible at golf, but it was one of the most difficult places I've ever played. This coming from somebody who plays Ocean Course on Kiawah semi-regularly.

Bay Hill's definitely no pushover. This coming from a former Assistant Professional at Osprey Point on Kiawah.

[clvclv]

The Dodgers do have the money, but they have surprisingly been pretty spend-savvy this offseason. Corrales must have liked what he saw a whole lot.

Afraid I've got to disagree with that one. $22 million for McCarthy and Anderson this season when you could've had Shields and Masterson for 28,250,000??? Looks a lot more like penny-pinching than spend-savvy to me personally. They saved much more than that difference when they let Hanley go back to Boston.

Their Pitcher expenditures have flummoxed me all winter - they'll pony-up a bag of cash to get rid of Kemp, but won't spend on Pitchers that would've had a chance to make their rotation almost as bulletproof as Washington's. Friedman & Pals need to realize it's OK to throw some of that money around, just don't be stupid with it. Shields for 4/75 feels like a much better signing than McCarthy for 4/48.

Maybe just me though.

[dak]

You would never see any starter with any trade value coming off a second TJ unless they successfully pitched for a full year with zero setbacks... And since Capuano is pretty much the only starter to ever do that.... It's much more of a gamble than a lottery ticket.

Beachy is definitely a significant risk moving forward, but high-risk / high-reward moves make sense for the Braves at this juncture. Especially when the risk comes in 2015 and the possible reward comes in 2016 when we're more competitive. Worst case, they're out $1.5m and they non-tender him after the season. Best case, you get 3-4 months out of him this year at a bargain price and he would end up making $4-5m in arbitration for 2016. He could be a shell of his former self and still be a bargain at $4-5 million.

[CyYoung31]

There’s an amusement park nearby. Worth checking out.

Have no idea how this post went unnoticed.

[dak]

Fredi Gonzalez audio interview with Grant McCauley. Toward the end there's talk of the 5th starter battle, and Fredi lists all the usual candidates and then says that the winner may be "someone they haven't thought of". If Wandy / Stults don't look like the answer, I think they go out and get a veteran off the scrap heap versus giving the job to Folty.

https://soundcloud.com/gmcauley/1-on...medium=twitter

[dak]

A few small pieces of news after today's workout. Second item is most important, but the third definitely most amusing!

@DOBrienAJC
No surprise: #Braves Fredi G said if all things go as planned, no injuries or setbacks, Teheran is obvious choice for Opening Day starter.

@DOBrienAJC
#Braves Mike Minor looked to be in midseason form today, Fredi G said. Manager very encouraged watching Minor's bullpen session.

@JeffSchultzAJC
#Braves exec John Hart made passing reference to "Melvin" (B.J.) Upton, then confirmed player will go by Melvin Upton Jr, this season.

[The Chosen One]

He realized he was no longer Bossman.

[clvclv]

Fredi Gonzalez audio interview with Grant McCauley. Toward the end there's talk of the 5th starter battle, and Fredi lists all the usual candidates and then says that the winner may be "someone they haven't thought of". If Wandy / Stults don't look like the answer, I think they go out and get a veteran off the scrap heap versus giving the job to Folty.

https://soundcloud.com/gmcauley/1-on...medium=twitter

If one of Wandy/Stults/Wang doesn't appear to be able to win the job, I wonder if the "someone they haven't thought of" refers to Cody Martin. Much like Hale before he was dealt, Martin now definitely doesn't fit in the organization's long-term plans anywhere. Might not hurt to give him a shot to impress someone else that could use a piece at the back of their rotation and see if we could get a decent prospect to dream on or some international bonus money for him.

Ideally we can have Folty and Banuelos spend as long as needed at Gwinnett until they give Hart no other choice but putting them into the rotation. If that's sometime this year, so be it. I just hope they allow both to "let them know when they're ready" by mowing down hitters consistently in AAA.

[drewdat]

@JeffSchultzAJC
#Braves exec John Hart made passing reference to "Melvin" (B.J.) Upton, then confirmed player will go by Melvin Upton Jr, this season.

Why not go with Melvin Upton IV? (never mind, Wikipedia and everywhere else have his birth name listed without Jr.)

Maybe he finally looked up BJ on urbandictionary.

[Braves1976]

If one of Wandy/Stults/Wang doesn't appear to be able to win the job, I wonder if the "someone they haven't thought of" refers to Cody Martin. Much like Hale before he was dealt, Martin now definitely doesn't fit in the organization's long-term plans anywhere. Might not hurt to give him a shot to impress someone else that could use a piece at the back of their rotation and see if we could get a decent prospect to dream on or some international bonus money for him.

Ideally we can have Folty and Banuelos spend as long as needed at Gwinnett until they give Hart no other choice but putting them into the rotation. If that's sometime this year, so be it. I just hope they allow both to "let them know when they're ready" by mowing down hitters consistently in AAA.

Martin has seemed to be a slow starter in the past, so he'll need to impress early this go-around to have any shot. What he showed last Spring Training won't get him noticed. Further, Martin reminds me somewhat of Todd Redmond who now pitches for the Blue Jays in the Majors after never getting a shot here. Redmond y'all may recall pitched the first no hitter in Gwinnett history and still didn't even get a cup of coffee with the Braves.

[50PoundHead]

Why not go with Melvin Upton IV? (never mind, Wikipedia and everywhere else have his birth name listed without Jr.)

Maybe he finally looked up BJ on urbandictionary.

And who started calling him Melvin about mid-season last year?

Melvin Upton IV has the same ring as Thurston Howell III and they are both in the same income strata.

[Braves1976]

And who started calling him Melvin about mid-season last year?

Melvin Upton IV has the same ring as Thurston Howell III and they are both in the same income strata.

You just gave me a Joe Thurston flashback:



That said, are you talking about when fans started calling him Melvin after he tried the glasses and hit a little? Also, Bowman reports that the Braves were willing to eat at least half of BJ's, er, Melvin's remaining contract in order to trade him this off-season but still found no interest.

[kendiz]

MetroWest is decent and cheap ... and public.

Shingle Creek is another, albeit significantly more expensive. There's also Shades of Green if you have any military affiliation. Disney owns like 5 courses in the immediate area, too

Like kendiz said, though, there is golf everywhere.

Shingle Creek is an impressive place all the way around.