Been a playoff team 2 out of the last 3 years. I'd project them to be a WC team in 2025 and it's clear their owner will spend money.
Offseason Hot Stove 2024-25 Thread
- Thread starter CrimsonCowboy
- Start date
Been a playoff team 2 out of the last 3 years. I'd project them to be a WC team in 2025 and it's clear their owner will spend money.
UNCBlue012
Well-known member
I would love to agree with you, but they will be winners. Plus, Stears/Cohen aren't idiots - they're going to re-sign Pete, add an ace (or one of the top guys) and bolster depth to the roster. Still, I think we're looking at the Braves and Phillies fighting for the division crown and the Mets coming in for the WC.
GovClintonTyree
<B>Vencer a Los Doyers</B>
Biggest thing that means is that the Dodgers can outspend their mistakes. Which is exactly what they do. Others have less margin for error. Doesn't mean you can't win, but you can't throw around dollars prospects and know you can buy another one if the first one doesn't work out. I think that's why I get frustrated in the winter because every move a mid-payroll team makes has to work so AA takes his time playing 4-D chess while rich idiots like the Mets throw (record amounts of) money at it.
UNCBlue012
Well-known member
My hope is that he's done doing the Kelenic **** where he gets creative and makes a million steps to save a few dollars. In theory, it's fine... but it's not really all that helpful. Just go for the players you want/need. Be smart, but don't overthink it.
Worse rotation for sure. Not a worse lineup, imo. Unless the Phillies sign Bregman or Alonso or trade for Rooker, they will have a significantly worse season offensively, imo.
And Mets core is much younger than the Phillthies. Aside from Lindior and Senga, their core is younger than 30. Vientos, Soto, Alvarez, Acuna Jr.
UNCBlue012
Well-known member
The Mets just committed $805M to a single player, and as Passan said last night - they’re just getting started. I hate the Mets, but they’re going to be a problem. They’ll likely re-sign Pete Alonso or pursue a big-name replacement like Santander or Teo (if he doesn’t go back to LA). On top of that, they'll add a high-end pitcher through free agency - Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, or Sean Manaea - or via trade (think Crochet or Castillo). And they’ll likely add more depth, possibly landing another big-name player. Unfortunately, Cohen has made it clear he’s willing to spend whatever it takes to win. He's not stopping anytime soon.
msstate7
Well-known member
Is Acuna part of their core? He put up a 69 wrc+ in AAA last season in 587 PA before his 166 wrc+ in 40 PA at MLB.
I mentioned this trade earlier in the off-season and I think it seems more likely now with the Strider news:
Luis Castillo and JP Crawford and cash to Atlanta
Mariners receive Arcia, Elder, and Lucas Braun.
This is mostly a salary dump for Seattle. Castillo is still a good pitcher, but that contract is under water at this point. Crawford is still a good player despite his 2024 season, but isn't especially cheap and the Mariners have Cole Young ready to take over. Arcia also provides them a super cheap SS to fill the gap until mid-season when they can bring Young up.
Luis Castillo and JP Crawford and cash to Atlanta
Mariners receive Arcia, Elder, and Lucas Braun.
This is mostly a salary dump for Seattle. Castillo is still a good pitcher, but that contract is under water at this point. Crawford is still a good player despite his 2024 season, but isn't especially cheap and the Mariners have Cole Young ready to take over. Arcia also provides them a super cheap SS to fill the gap until mid-season when they can bring Young up.
50PoundHead
Hessmania Forever
First player in history to go from the diamond directly into the nursing home. I don't know how well he's going to hit in his late-50s.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
you guys are homers if you don't go into this season thinking the Braves are at best the 3rd best team..
only 3 pitchers to start the year 2 of which are injury prone and the 3rd a breakout rookie who will get to face a league ready for him.. aging, declining players at 1st and catcher signed to huge deals.. a second baseman who just now swung at the first pitch of the season for strike one... a massively depleted bullpen... oh and their best player on two crap knees, who is still being told by the idiot savant leading the team to jump for every catch and steal as many bases as he can.. No Left fielder and no shortstop on top of all that.
The Braves are a mess right now and until they can prove that Olson and methhead can rebound..Acuna and Strider are a fraction of what they once were and that the rest of the band aide pitching staff can stay healthy.. then the Braves are a clear 3rd best team imo..
only 3 pitchers to start the year 2 of which are injury prone and the 3rd a breakout rookie who will get to face a league ready for him.. aging, declining players at 1st and catcher signed to huge deals.. a second baseman who just now swung at the first pitch of the season for strike one... a massively depleted bullpen... oh and their best player on two crap knees, who is still being told by the idiot savant leading the team to jump for every catch and steal as many bases as he can.. No Left fielder and no shortstop on top of all that.
The Braves are a mess right now and until they can prove that Olson and methhead can rebound..Acuna and Strider are a fraction of what they once were and that the rest of the band aide pitching staff can stay healthy.. then the Braves are a clear 3rd best team imo..
Maybe it's a little early. But he was a top 100 prospect coming into last season. He's likely a 2b, but he can play all over. So the offense doesn't have to be spectacular if he's playing 2b or CF. He's posted solid BB/K rates throughout his minor league career, along with decent pop. His average EV in his limited MLB career is 89 and his BABIP was only .300, which largely means his limited production in the MLB wasn't entirely luck driven.
We finished above the Mets and like 4 games back of the Phils despite missing our 2 best players and a bevy of other players for months. Unless you are predicting similar luck on injuries or major regression from other players, there is zero reason to think the Phillies or Mets are better than we are.
Last edited by a moderator:
UNCBlue012
Well-known member
ESPN lists the Braves as the third-best chance to win the 2025 WS, FOX Sports as No. 2, CBS as No. 3 and FanDuel as No. 2. So no, it's just you talking out of your ass.
Yes, the Braves have concerns. But there isn't a laundry list. lmao
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
The Braves finished above them only because they didn't play the 2nd game of the double header. And the Mets just signed a top 3 hitter in baseball.
That said, I don't anticipate much from either Strider or Acuna this year. Both are coming back from serious injuries and we already have an idea of what Acuna will look like based on '22.. except this time, he has 2 robo knees. And to expect a repeat of Lopez and Sale's 24 season is not smart. So, until we can see how Olson, ozzie and MethHead will rebound.. how Baldwin will handle MLB.. who will be the 3rd outfielder.. who will be in the pen, who will cover innings in the rotation... then yeah.. I don't see the Braves as being better than the other 2 right now.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
those all care way more about football than baseball.. and they are not looking at Acuna and Strider both coming back from major injuries and could struggle a lot this year as they get back to normal.
I also don't just trust that Olson and Murph will just rebound from below average years.. plus we don't have any idea who will actually be in Left nor who will fill out the pen and rotation.
Acuna, even with 2 "Robo knees" is far better than what we ran out in his absence last year. We are also getting Riley back, along with not missing Harris and Albiies for over 2 months. What reason is there is not anticipate much from Acuna and Strider this year? I mean sure, it's possible. But it isn't like their injuries are unique that no one has ever returned from. These are literally injuries the happen every year and the recovery rate is very high.
Olson was literally the same hitter in the 2nd half of the year that he was for most of 2023. He's a streaky guy. But as long as he can avoid doing what he did in July, he should finish around his career numbers, if not better. Murphy is the only guy I am remotely worried about. But even he had a career worst .223 BABIP. That simply isn't likely to repeat itself.
Last edited by a moderator:
Zips have the Braves, as is, as a mid 90s win team. Anything can happen of course, which we saw last year, but that kind of projection is strong. The Braves still have a a ****load of talent.
msstate7
Well-known member
Does ZiPS account for guys like Acuna and strider coming off major injury?
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
I agree.. I don't think the team is bad perse.. I just don't know if 2025 is going to be the year. I worry about strider with the fact he went with the patch versus the repair.. supposed to be a shorter recovery time and we now learned that he won't be ready for opening day. I hope that doesn't come back to bite him. But even if healthy, pitchers typically take almost 2 full years to get back fully. He is scheduled to be ready around late May.. so maybe hit the Bigs in June.. I could see 1-2 war from him next year.
Acuna also not back until May or June.. I doubt he is the same force we have come to love until 2026.
There is a lot of patch work holes to fill for 2025 (JJ included) and I am not sure AA has the capital to do it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if by the all star break this team is hovering around .500 and in 3rd place.