Braves sign Pierzynski

[Dalyn]

yep between a Mark Grace and John Olerud in stats.

Freeman has already hit 23 or more homeruns twice in his short career. Grace never even hit 18 (Freeman's lowest) and Olerud only hit 23 or more once is his long career. Freeman already has put up an OPS+ higher than any Grace ever had and Olerud only had two better. Both of those players also played in a much more offensive era. You really need to adjust your thinking to the present (in terms of offense).

 

[AerchAngel]

Votto had a much worse year and is injured and only getting older. He'll be 39-40 before his contract is up. Freeman had a much better year and played every game and is young and healthy and will be 31 (at the edge of his prime) when his contract is up (and he will still be making several million less than a 37-38 (at that time) Votto).

As for those numbers you threw out for a 20+ mil player. Two players in all of baseball managed that last year.

Wouldn't you expect more from a player, with that contract? Hell i would take .290, 25 and 90 and a .875 OPS and less than 120k's and we didn't get it and with no protection, I don't think he will be better. He will get walked or k in frustration.

 

[Dalyn]

Wouldn't you expect more from a player, with that contract? Hell i would take .290, 25 and 90 and a .875 OPS and less than 120k's and we didn't get it and with no protection, I don't think he will be better. He will get walked or k in frustration.

Freeman made five million in 2014. His numbers blew that price away. He won't make over 20 million until 2017.

 

[zitothebrave]

Who says we will be terrible? Anyone that realistically looks at the team. The farm is still below average as well.

We may have 1 above average hitter for his position (and slightly above at that, in Freeman). If Gattis is still on the team, that may make 2; however his defense will be a big problem.

The pitching should be ok, but you don't win many with the worst offense in the league; even if the pitching is great. (pitching should be good, not great)

Are you going to really expect 80 wins? 75?

I think the bigger issue is that everyone else is gonna be below average for position most likely, Except maybe Markakis and Johnson if they're lucky. It's sad the state of this tema, and people think our future is bright? We acquired osme interesting pitching prospects who have arm issues already. Sure it could all work out, but I'm not hopeful. Braves are seemingly going into a rebuild like they did in 87 or whenever Cox took over. The difference is that they don't have ANY position players worth a damn other than Peraza now. We're hoping our low A talents develop which may, but they may bust out. Trading Jason and Justin and not getting back a top flight position prospect is gonna kick our asses.

 

[thewupk]

I think the bigger issue is that everyone else is gonna be below average for position most likely, Except maybe Markakis and Johnson if they're lucky. It's sad the state of this tema, and people think our future is bright? We acquired osme interesting pitching prospects who have arm issues already. Sure it could all work out, but I'm not hopeful. Braves are seemingly going into a rebuild like they did in 87 or whenever Cox took over. The difference is that they don't have ANY position players worth a damn other than Peraza now. We're hoping our low A talents develop which may, but they may bust out. Trading Jason and Justin and not getting back a top flight position prospect is gonna kick our asses.

I think Simmons at worst will be the hitter he was in 2013 and he was right at league average for his position. But you are right in general. Our issue wasn't that we only had 3 and a half good hitters all year. It was the fact that everybody else was among the worst at their position offensively. You can hide one or two bats like that ll year if everyone else is average at worst or better (like the Braves were in 2013 with Uggla and BJ sucking ass) but not when half the lineup is doing.

 

[skillet]

Could have sworn this was the Pierzynski thread. Not a single word about him in several pages.

I don't like the signing due to his reported crappy attitude, but have to admit $2MM with $700,000 in incentives is a pretty good deal money wise.

 

[Carp]

Who says we will be terrible? Anyone that realistically looks at the team. The farm is still below average as well.

We may have 1 above average hitter for his position (and slightly above at that, in Freeman). If Gattis is still on the team, that may make 2; however his defense will be a big problem.

The pitching should be ok, but you don't win many with the worst offense in the league; even if the pitching is great. (pitching should be good, not great)

Are you going to really expect 80 wins? 75?

Farm is still below average??? In what bizzaro rating system are you talking about? 4 top 100 players currently. At least 2-3 more that could easily be top 100 with a good 2015.

Since when is a 140 OPS+ only "slightly above average" for any position? Freeman is a premiere hitter in the league. There are may be 5 better 1b then Freeman at best. Markakis is also above average along with Gattis. And I don't think you need a bunch of above average hitters to be successful. If you can just have the rest of the hitters be around league average, that would be better than what we ran out there last yr. And that includes our bench too, which was God awful.

Depending on who we get as the last starter, our pitching should be at least as good as last season, a season that saw us finish 5th in the MLB in ERA. I'll take that again.

 

[AerchAngel]

Could have sworn this was the Pierzynski thread. Not a single word about him in several pages.

I don't like the signing due to his reported crappy attitude, but have to admit $2MM with $700,000 in incentives is a pretty good deal money wise.

He is not worth talking about..... just saying.

At least we will have the juicy details of how he handles the pitchers.

 

[Carp]

Wouldn't you expect more from a player, with that contract? Hell i would take .290, 25 and 90 and a .875 OPS and less than 120k's and we didn't get it and with no protection, I don't think he will be better. He will get walked or k in frustration.

Hitting was way down, and he still put up a 138 OPS+. Anyone that "expects" a lot more from any player not named Cabrera or Trout is being foolish.

 

[AerchAngel]

C Pocoroba vs Hot head = Pocoroba wins

1b Montanez vs Freeman = Freeman wins

2b Gilbreath vs Who the hell knows = Gilbreath wins by default

3b Moore vs Johnson = tie, they both sucked

SS Rockett vs Simba = Simba with an easy win

LF Sarge vs Gattis = Sarge is a Phillies homer and that hurts

CF Office vs BJ = Office

RF Burroughs vs Mukaki = Burroughs

Hitting, the late 70's braves and their putrid records, not even including Murphy and Horner is better than the crap we have now. We are going to absolutely suck in hitting.

Pitching, we will be top 3, but can we score enough runs to actually scare anyone.

 

[Runnin]

I always give the FO the benefit of the doubt and the trusting side of me says perhaps Hart likes Pierzynski's prickly personality and experience. Sometimes in the last couple of years it felt like we had too many good guys, too many passive types who "ho hum" their way through another September swoon.

Or maybe the coaches agree that Bethancourt could use a ball-busting backup to toughen him up a little. As big and strong as Gattis is, he could use more gravel in his girdle too. At any rate, he's not going to hurt this team and it only takes a few seconds to designated someone for assignment.

 

[AerchAngel]

I always give the FO the benefit of the doubt and the trusting side of me says perhaps Hart likes Pierzynski's prickly personality and experience. Sometimes in the last couple of years it felt like we had too many good guys, too many passive types who "ho hum" their way through another September swoon.

Or maybe the coaches agree that Bethancourt could use a ball-busting backup to toughen him up a little. As big and strong as Gattis is, he could use more gravel in his girdle too. At any rate, he's not going to hurt this team and it only takes a few seconds to designated someone for assignment.

Great post, I see what you are saying.

 

[Julio3000]

Hope we at least get a Chris Johnson vs. AJ fistfight in the dugout to keep the summer interesting.

 

[AerchAngel]

Hope we at least get a Chris Johnson vs. AJ fistfight in the dugout to keep the summer interesting.

I would actually pay money for that.

 

[Julio3000]

Looking on the bright side, maybe AJ will piss in Harper's ear a little bit when the Nats come to town. Teheran on the mound and AJ behind the plate might be enough to get in his head.

 

[AerchAngel]

Hitting was way down, and he still put up a 138 OPS+. Anyone that "expects" a lot more from any player not named Cabrera or Trout is being foolish.

If that is the case, I wonder what Justin Upton is worth?

How can teams afford these players if 18 and 78 with an .288 average can net your 22 mil?

I know we are going to be frugal, that is for damn sure, get use to it.

 

[skillet]

I always give the FO the benefit of the doubt and the trusting side of me says perhaps Hart likes Pierzynski's prickly personality and experience. Sometimes in the last couple of years it felt like we had too many good guys, too many passive types who "ho hum" their way through another September swoon.

Or maybe the coaches agree that Bethancourt could use a ball-busting backup to toughen him up a little. As big and strong as Gattis is, he could use more gravel in his girdle too. At any rate, he's not going to hurt this team and it only takes a few seconds to designated someone for assignment.

That is true. So many times we would suck and it seemed like noone really gave a damn.

 

[Carp]

If that is the case, I wonder what Justin Upton is worth?

How can teams afford these players if 18 and 78 with an .288 average can net your 22 mil?

I know we are going to be frugal, that is for damn sure, get use to it.

Yet you wanted to give Heyward the same amount despite significantly worse average, RBI, and hr rates?

Upton had more opportunities with guys on base. That's why he has more RBI's. Freeman actually drove guys in more frequently, but no one was ever on base in front of him.

As far as power, this is the first year that Freeman didn't hit at least 20 homers. And in the post steroid era, 20 homers makes you a very good power hitter.

 

[AerchAngel]

Yet you wanted to give Heyward the same amount despite significantly worse average, RBI, and hr rates?

Upton had more opportunities with guys on base. That's why he has more RBI's. Freeman actually drove guys in more frequently, but no one was ever on base in front of him.

As far as power, this is the first year that Freeman didn't hit at least 20 homers. And in the post steroid era, 20 homers makes you a very good power hitter.

Nope, I never said anything about Heyward, EVER. Everyone can backed that up from me.

 

[AerchAngel]

Oh another thing Carp, I don't think any player in baseball should get 15 mil or more a year so that statement is pure rubbish. I would be the first person to say he isn't worth it. If I had to pay any player that amount and based on their history is Trout and Cabrera and maybe Stanton and the list ends there.

People on here think I am cheap and they are right. I made a lil cash playing pro ball (basketball), but the money they are getting now I saw, what a bunch of crap.