nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
I think Matt Kemp had some similar injuries. Then has had a stretch of healthy seasons. The injuries affected Kemp's defense and I think there has been some effect on Brantley's defense as well.
2018 Offseason And Targets
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I think Matt Kemp had some similar injuries. Then has had a stretch of healthy seasons. The injuries affected Kemp's defense and I think there has been some effect on Brantley's defense as well.
bravesfanforlife88
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AS coming up next on MlBnetwork .... expecting more of the generic responses
Just becoming less and less interested in Brantley and Pollock by the hour. You just can't afford to have someone you somewhat expect to possibly go down for an extended period of time when you can get very close to the same production for the same money from a surer thing.
Games played per season (since 2013)...
Brantley - 151, 156, 137, 11, 90, 143.
Pollock - 137, 75, 157, 12, 112, 113
McCutchen - 157, 146, 157, 153, 156, 155
Out of that trio, Pollock is projected to provide 0.5 WAR more than the other two. Is anyone really willing to gamble on his health for 0.5 WAR, and is anyone willing to gamble on Brantley's health over McCutchen's - especially when all three are going to cost very close to the same money?
Nerfherders
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I'm beginning to agree here. McCutchen might be the best bet overall. He also has the highest potential ceiling, though it'd be asking alot to have him get back even close to his MVP days. Maybe Seitzer can work some magic with him and get him back to a .900 player?
striker42
Well-known member
It's entirely possible Brantley rattles off three or four years to perfect health. It's just that the recent history of several bad injuries makes him much more risky.
Which is why he's available for something approximating 3/45. He would cost 2x that if there were no risk.
Unfortunately for the Braves, there are 2 price point options to fill cOF on the FA market...$400M or $40M. It would be nice if the $100M injury-free Brantley option existed.
Maybe the better option is Peralta, or maybe it's Cutch. I don't really see a huge difference between any of those possibilities, and I'm not exactly sure why we focus on Brantley so much.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
He's had one substantial injury and he showed the reconstructed shoulder didn't zap his pop or bat speed. He showed he's healthy. The ankle injury required surgery... think that you're making a bigger deal about that than is realistic... this is not an uncommon type of injury. Of course he hasn't just had one injury... every single player in baseball has had multiple injuries. He does not have this chronic injury history like some make it out to be... people attribute tons of injuries to him when most of it was just a ton of time with one serious injury which he's show looks pretty close to a 100% to me...
striker42
Well-known member
This is exactly right. There is no perfect option out there right now. I'm holding out hope that someone will come available via trade that we haven't heard about.
Personally, of the options out there, my favorite is Peralta. But not by a lot.
striker42
Well-known member
The ankle injury wasn't like the little injuries every player in the game has to deal with. It caused him to miss two months and required surgery. So in the last 4 years he's had a major shoulder injury and a significant ankle injury (both soft tissue injuries). I don't think it's something you can just write off.
Nobody is writing them off...
it's why he's only going to make something approximating 3/45...
it's why even clvderp understands that a Brantley acquisition necessitates a quality 4th OFer be brought in too...
Southcack77
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Peralta isn't technically a current option, but he's an interesting case.
Just had a major power spike at Age 30 in a season where the Diamondbacks home field saw a fairly drastic reduction in HRs overall. HR/FB jumped from 10% and 12% to 23%. Looked at an article that suggested he has improved his launch angle a bit, but not really enough to explain all of the improvement. He just started hitting the ball harder.
Fairly significant splits as 150 wRC+ vs RHP, and 86 wRC+ vs left.
Relatively neutral fielder. Plays up in left but relatively average elsewhere.
Two years of control left. Age 31 and 32. Could be getting decline. Even more likely you are getting regression. And not exactly a non-injury risk. has missed most of a season for surgery to wrist.
his regression numbers would be something pretty similar to Markakis/Brantley. Moderate power with good OBP. Ok defender.
He's projected at about 8 million for 2019, which is cheaper than the 13-15 million I think the Braves might spend on a corner. It wouldn't be guaranteed and you are done after 2020, but I'm not sure that this is a tremendously better bargain than simply getting one of the free agents (depending on the prospect cost).
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Cutch may be the safest option out there.
He has been as durable as any player this decade. While much has been made about his decline as a player, outside of his .766 OPS in 2016, he has aged pretty well.
The Braves could do a lot worse than sticking Cutch's .360+ OBP in front of Freeman and Acuna in the lineup.
He has been as durable as any player this decade. While much has been made about his decline as a player, outside of his .766 OPS in 2016, he has aged pretty well.
The Braves could do a lot worse than sticking Cutch's .360+ OBP in front of Freeman and Acuna in the lineup.
are eddie rosario, starling marte, or michael conforto possible trade options? i think the mets try and compete next year. i don't see them as as bad as some may think. however, if conforto is available, he becomes my 1B choice with haniger 1A (provided he becomes available, tho it doesn't seem likely).
i'm slowly boarding this train as well.
Southcack77
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He or Brantley seem like the best option in free agency.
Just think Pollock will end up pricier and a longer commitment.
striker42
Well-known member
I wish Duvall hadn't fallen off a cliff. He'd have been perfect to pair with Brantley if he could still hit.
McCutchen is a safe option and he would look amazing hitting in front of Freeman and Acuna. However, I can't help but think someone is going to overpay for him just based on who he used to be.
Given the health concerns - and the likelihood of having to overpay with a chunk of our MLB-ready pitching depth - I'd have no problem at all with bumping the number to get McCutchen to hit in front of Freddie and Manchild. Cut Duvall loose if needed and see if he's still looking for a job when the dust settles. There's enough money available to sign Grandal, McCutchen, and Gonzalez and a 25th-Man on the cheap if you ditch him and Freeman and replace Freeman with Fried.
If Bowman's somehow right (not likely) or AA can find a taker for Julio, there's still going to be some money to upgrade the pen even further, and all that it costs you is the pick for Grandal (which is offset by having 2 of the first 20 picks) and you hold onto EVERY prospect.
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this is a justified concern. however, i'm hoping the fact that his trade market didn't appear to be huge is a good sign. if he can be had for the same contract as brantley, i'm starting to prefer cutch.
zbhargrove
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Yeah I think Cutch is my preferred option. He's the one that could likely revert back to one or two superstar years given some luck. Don't hear anything about AA being in on him so I take that as a good sign
zbhargrove
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The ankle hasn't bothered him since. You're making it more than it is. His shoulder is bionic now... sure there is risk... but he's not super injury prone like you are suggesting
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