Braves1976 (12-24-2018), jpx7 (12-24-2018)
I'm going to give this post a one off response and assume you're not a troll.
2018 1st Half OPS: 877
2018 2nd Half OPS: 701
2017 OPS: 744
2016 OPS: 738
2015 OPS: 746
2014 OPS: 729
One of these is not like the other. One of these is not the same.
At this point we have a clear idea of what Neck is capable of offensively. Now I'm happy we were able to catch lightning in the bottle in the 1st half with Neck. He helped us win games and his 1st half production is one of the reasons we won the division. But smart teams realize it for what it and strive to do better.
Braves1976 (12-24-2018), jpx7 (12-24-2018)
Guess we don't have any internal options right? Assuming we don't trade Riley or move him to OF and that Pache isn't ready. Do we even have any of Adams, Santana or Tucker on the roster? Not wanting or recommending any, mind you. Just curious who all we have left on the roster
clvclv (12-25-2018)
jpx7 (12-24-2018)
Matt Joyce numbers over the same period:
2014: .732 (493 PA)
2015: .564 (284 PA)
2016: .866 (293 PA)
2017: .808 (544 PA)
2018: .675 (246 PA)
He projects as essentially the same hitter as Muk in 2019. Which has to inform what kind of offer AA makes to Muk if they decide to go in that direction. Any offer has to be based on the idea Muk projects as a 1 WAR player in 2019.
"I am a victim, I will tell you. I am a victim."
"I am your retribution."
While I'm totally in agreement that Neck won't repeat his 2018, Lenny is technically correct. Going by month, he had a .831 OPS or better every month until August. So 4 of the 6 months would be 2/3. Again though, I'm totally in agreement that it's highly unlikely he'll repeat that again.
I get that month by month school of thought. But his August on was so awful that it brought down his entire second half stats to terrible... so the stats I used were still completely half season stats and still were awful
And his April really wasn't fantastic
Edit: it was June not April that the cracks started to show...
Last edited by zbhargrove; 12-24-2018 at 12:53 PM.
The same team with a downgrade at catcher and cOF, canceling out most or all of the JD upgrade. JD also comes with some significant injury risk.
This course of action is betting on improvements to come organically from young players improving. That’s a pretty good bet for this talented roster, but many expected improvements from FAs, trades and organic growth.
AA has to have something up his sleeve, and it’s probably one of JTR or Haniger coupled with Gray.
I don't think it will be either JTR or Haniger at this point. The Marlins have badly played the JTR deal and are running out of locations. Other teams know this and will dig in even further on their offers. I'm actually a little surprised and maybe dubious that the Braves have offered Riley for him since Donaldson is a one year guy and if they thought Camargo was the long term guy there, then why Donaldson in the first place. I think Miami ends up holding JTR for an in-season trade.
As for Haniger, if Seattle was going to trade him, I think they would have done it by now. I think they will hold him to avoid being historically bad during a rebuild which is one of the worst value sins possible.
I can see a possible Gray trade along with Clint Frazier. But the rhetoric about Gray being a ToR guy coming from the talking heads tells me that the Yankees don't think they have to trade him at all, at least not right now.
So much of this offseason depends on where Harper and Machado end up (especially Harper) that I think there will still be reaction moves that occur once the dust settles on those two.
For instance, if Harper goes to the Dodgers or Cubs, then either team may have some more moves to make. The Dodgers have started clearing their payroll. The Cubs really haven't yet.
The Cubs almost certainly would have to move Heyward plus to make a Harper move work.
I think Riley is available because Rendon, Arenado and JD will all be available next off season. I fully expect the Braves to be favorites for those guys.
This linchpin of this off season for the Braves is likely Grandal. Once he signs the JTR drama will come to an end, and then the Braves either get Haniger or JTR.
If they fail to get JTR or Haniger I will have to chalk this offseason up as a failure, the degree of which depends on how far down the list of contingencies they go to fill cOF.
Wonder how much of Heyward's contract the Cubs would have to pay for us to consider taking him back