2018 Offseason And Targets

[Heyward]

Major flaws??? We have a good rotation that is extremely deep. We have a pretty good offense as is, that only lost Markakis and that we're likely to upgrade. Even catcher we have a solid vet already and even if we only brought back Zuk, we'd be bringing back a duo that have given us combined top 5 catcher production.

We have some holes, yes. But anybody categorizing this team as having "major flaws" is categorically wrong.

Markakis had a great year, sure we intend to add a corner OF'er, but not sure who it is depending who it is does all that much better than he does next year.

Is Camargo a fluke or the real deal. Swanson has concerns at the plate. Albies was up and down after his hot start. Not sold on another year of Zuk/Flowers if that happened again, catcher and corner OF are my biggest needs this winter if i was AA.

[Heyward]

Yes but when a team has money and prospects then why use just one source of capital.

Dont think Seattle would move Haniger to give him with a big contract to lessen value like the Braves did with Kimbrel.

Haniger alone would bring in a ****ing haul.

[MadduxFanII]

If we can't reel in someone like Grandal or Realmuto, Zunino might make sense as a fallback option. Offense plunged last year, but he was still able to jack some home runs, and B-Ref has him at 1.9 WAR. And he rates well on framing - 16th in MLB. He'll be 28 next year, still has a few years of control, and can be easily non-tendered if the bat doesn't improve.

[BeanieAntics]

Guys, here is the real, totally legitimate, question. We all know that signing either Harper or Machado is totally, 100%, doable and not stupid at all. But the real question is, SHOULD WE SIGN BOTH OF THEM!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Courtesy of Reddit and 929thegame.radio - https://929thegame.radio.com/article...d-bryce-harper

Sometimes I think our fanbase and/or writers is filled with guys who had one too many paint chips as a kid.

[Enscheff]

CAN THE BRAVES STILL GET DEE GORDON FOR ALBIES?????

CLVVVVVDEEERRRRRRPPPPPPP!!!!!!

[UNCBlue012]

Dont think Seattle would move Haniger to give him with a big contract to lessen value like the Braves did with Kimbrel.

Haniger alone would bring in a ****ing haul.

And the Braves should be the team to provide that ****ing haul. Dude is a PERFECT fit in Atlanta. Trade for Haniger, sign Grandal and a legit bullpen arm and we're set. (Line-em-up however)

Ender CF
Acuna LF
Freeman 1B
Haniger RF
Grandal C
Camargo 3B
Albies 2B
Swanson SS

That is sexy as hell.

[clvclv]

FG just released their FA tracker: https://www.fangraphs.com/tools/free...-tracker?pos=c

Sorting by positions of need for the Braves reveals...

Catcher
Grandal (QO) - 3.6 WAR, 3/45
Ramos - 2.8 WAR, 3/36
Group of 1.0-1.5 WAR guys

cOF
Harper (QO) - 4.9 WAR, 10/330
Pollock (QO) - 3.1 WAR, 4/64
Brantley - 2.6 WAR, 3/45
Cutch - 2.6 WAR, 3/42
Marwin - 1.7 WAR, 3/30
CarGo, Markakis, AJones at 1+ WAR

I don't think we talk about Cutch as a possibility enough. Outside of 2016, he still a consistently good bat who should be adequate in LF. He would be a good choice to move Acuna out of the leadoff slot.

I also don't have a good feel for whether or not a guy with a QO attached will disqualify someone for the Braves.

I've been mentioning McCutchen for months - don't let that get in the way of him being your idea though.

[Enscheff]

I've been mentioning McCutchen for months - don't let that get in the way of him being your idea though.

Reading comprehension...get some. Please? Someday? Maybe?

I said, "I don't think we talk about Cutch enough".

I did NOT say, "Nobody has talked about him in the past and I'm coming up with a new idea".

Again, you have proven your stupidity has no bounds. Well done.

Now quick, come up with a comment about porn...derrrrppppp!

[Carp]

Afraid I disagree there. Given how much more a part of the discussion prospects have become these days and the differing levels of comfort each organization has when it comes to "rushing" prospects, I think the values are much more susceptible to volatility than they once were. You were around back in the old days like I was - when the draft was an absolute crapshoot and so much more depended on your player development people and minor league organization in general. You drafted a kid (whether out of high school or college), sent him to rookie ball, and checked back in on him in 2-3 years unless he was just absolutely blowing the world up at a level. Even then, that often only led to an in-season promotion during that particular season. Kids making it to the cusp of the majors at 18-19 years old like Druw did was almost completely unheard of. Prospect fatigue didn't exist - if a kid struggled after being promoted, it was simply viewed as him adjusting to a higher level of competition. Nowadays if a kid doesn't back up a breakout season where he was young for his level with another really, really strong season at the next level where he's still one of the youngest players in his league people start saying he has plateaued and maybe isn't as good as you thought he was. Prospects are measured so much by their individual results these days that there's no place for actual "development" of a particular player in the rankings. If you take a kid - Anderson for instance - and say "I want you to throw 30% change-ups this season regardless of the count or results" because you're trying to make that part of his game better down the road and he goes 8-8 with a 4.20 ERA and his strikeouts go down his value tanks as far as the ranking community is concerned, and while they may not be looked at differently on an individual basis they get passed by a bunch of new flavors of the month.

MLB GMs don't care about prospect rankings. How they view Newk, Fried, Gohara, and Allard will likely remain unchanged by this time next sesso. aside from injury/decrease in velocity or a dramatic increase in performance. The main thing affecting their value will be years remaining of control.

[Carp]

Heyman: Sounds now like Mariners intend to hold onto Haniger, Diaz and Gonzalez. Word is: “Everyone else is up for grabs.”

This just got a lot less interesting for the Braves. I expect to see constant Paxton rumors though.

Could just be talk to drive up prices though. Haniger most certainly won't match up with their future competitive window.

The major concern for matching up in a trade is that our best prospects are MLB ready. Aside from Pache and Waters, we simply don't have any lower level prospects of serious note. May be a package centered around Wright, Anderson and Pache might entice them however.

[Oklahomabrave]

[Carp]

Markakis had a great year, sure we intend to add a corner OF'er, but not sure who it is depending who it is does all that much better than he does next year.

Is Camargo a fluke or the real deal. Swanson has concerns at the plate. Albies was up and down after his hot start. Not sold on another year of Zuk/Flowers if that happened again, catcher and corner OF are my biggest needs this winter if i was AA.

You can poke holes about any team. To assume major flaws is fool hearted. We have good, young players most of whom are coming off very good seasons. There is no valid reason to assume they won't have similar or better seasons, with the exception of Acuna (as a rule, I try to not expect MVP caliber seasons from 21 year olds). Your only point is catcher, but even then it's not that great of a risk, especially if you bring in another solid option like Zuk or Mac. The only clear improvement at catcher I'd be interested in is either Grandal at a reduced salary (3/50) or Yan Gomes if the Indians are salary dumping.

[zbhargrove]

You can poke holes about any team. To assume major flaws is fool hearted. We have good, young players most of whom are coming off very good seasons. There is no valid reason to assume they won't have similar or better seasons, with the exception of Acuna (as a rule, I try to not expect MVP caliber seasons from 21 year olds). Your only point is catcher, but even then it's not that great of a risk, especially if you bring in another solid option like Zuk or Mac. The only clear improvement at catcher I'd be interested in is either Grandal at a reduced salary (3/50) or Yan Gomes if the Indians are salary dumping.

If you can't see clear improvement potential over Markakis, I don't know what to tell you.

[Chico]

#Braves interested in adding a closer, GM Alex Anthopoulos confirmed. Craig Kimbrel, a third-round pick of Atlanta in 2008, is among the available free agents. @MLB @MLBNetwork

I don’t think it’ll be Kimbrel, but I do think we could add a high leverage arm.

[msstate7]

#Braves interested in adding a closer, GM Alex Anthopoulos confirmed. Craig Kimbrel, a third-round pick of Atlanta in 2008, is among the available free agents. @MLB @MLBNetwork

I don’t think it’ll be Kimbrel, but I do think we could add a high leverage arm.

Familia

[bravesfanMatt]

Familia

Probably in that end of the pool or some sort of trade. If we really do add a reliever. For me we need to address RF and bench first. Keep eye on catcher. Then pitching last.

[Heyward]

#Braves interested in adding a closer, GM Alex Anthopoulos confirmed. Craig Kimbrel, a third-round pick of Atlanta in 2008, is among the available free agents. @MLB @MLBNetwork

I don’t think it’ll be Kimbrel, but I do think we could add a high leverage arm.

There's alot of good high leverage arms out there.

Ottavino, Britton, Familia, Robertson to name a few.

[nsacpi]

There's alot of good high leverage arms out there.

Ottavino, Britton, Familia, Robertson to name a few.

Soria

[CJ9]

Interesting William Contreras note from Anthopoulos talking to the media today. AJC:

Anthopoulos compared modern-day catching situations to how the NFL now uses running backs by committee. Across baseball, teams are favoring two-catcher systems rather than an individual carrying the bulk.

Miami catcher J.T. Realmuto is one of the few well-rounded backstops left, and a player the Braves have maintained interest in dating back the past year. But they also have their own upcomer prospect, William Contreras, who projects as one capable of handing routine duties.

“We’re really excited about him,” Anthopoulos said. “We like him as one of our better, young position players. We like everything about him. We like the bat, the way he receives. We like his tools. He doesn’t get talked about but he’s right there as one of our best position player (prospects) in our minds.”

[Tapate50]

How’s his D and framing?