Official official offseason thread
- Thread starter Hudson2
- Start date
VirginiaBrave
Well-known member
I have come to your way of thinking just a little bit. But it will mean competitive teams year in and year out but not always championship teams.
Nobody always has championship teams. Again, what in the world are you ranting about? What possible compliant could any rational human being with more than 4 brain cells have about the way AA has built the Braves?
The worst thing we can say is that Snit is a dinosaur tactically, and AA may have tied the future of the team too heavily to a bunch of good/great value extensions. There is literally nothing legitimate to complain about.
The worst thing we can say is that Snit is a dinosaur tactically, and AA may have tied the future of the team too heavily to a bunch of good/great value extensions. There is literally nothing legitimate to complain about.
The year we won it all... was probably one of the weakest rosters we've had. And that's even before Acuna got hurt.
Last year is one of the strongest teams we've ever had and we fell short.
So is that Snit's fault or Anthopolous?
?VirginiaBrave
Well-known member
What I am saying is simple. Any Braves star that makes it to free agency under the current regime won't be brought back. They will simply be replaced by somebody younger and cheaper. Not complaining, just pointing it out.
Hudson2
Well-known member
It’s happened twice. One was Freeman’s agent over playing his hand and the other was us not seeing the value in Dansby long term. If Freeman had it to do all over again he’d be at 1b for the Braves still. If the Braves see the value and both sides can agree on something fair then they’ll bring back anybody.
once again ignoring that Atlanta offered a better deal than Freeman got from LAD
OcalaBrave
Spring Training Invitee
I see the Freeman and Swanson situations as very different. Freeman already played out his first big contract. He was faced with the choice of being a Brave for life or making maximum dollars during his career. His agent completely lost the trail and he ended up not being a Brave for life and not maximizing dollars. Swanson played out team control. That tells me he turned down the first big contract choosing to maximize the dollars he'd get as quickly as possible. Those are two different paths. I suspect those that are currently on contracts buying out arbitration will be talked to about extensions at appropriate times. Those like Fried that choose to play out team control are likely choosing the fastest way out of town and won't be resigned once they hit FA.
The best on paper roster in MLB isn't guaranteed a world series win. That is why they play the games. Continuing to permit talent like Freeman, Swanson and (potentially) Fried to leave the organization without any return is a tough strategy to understand. That's why I'd be in favor of dealing Fried for the right return. It might not maximize the Braves chances of winning a title this year or next, but with the team's current window, the right deal for Fried could set up the rotation for years to come.
The best on paper roster in MLB isn't guaranteed a world series win. That is why they play the games. Continuing to permit talent like Freeman, Swanson and (potentially) Fried to leave the organization without any return is a tough strategy to understand. That's why I'd be in favor of dealing Fried for the right return. It might not maximize the Braves chances of winning a title this year or next, but with the team's current window, the right deal for Fried could set up the rotation for years to come.
bravesfanforlife88
Well-known member
Not sure if it has been mentioned, but Chipper has rejoined the Braves as a hitting instructor. Last time he was with us we won the WS so we got that going for us.
Horsehide Harry
<B>Mr. Free Trade</B>
A holistic view should be applied to a franchise each year. This should include where a team is on talent at both the ML and miL, where the team is in regards to contention, how committed you are to capturing a trophy, how committed you are to maintaining a competitive window, etc.
I personally feel differently depending on the situation. I (famously or infamously depending on your viewpoint) called for Freeman to be traded during the middle of the rebuild, theorizing that he was more valuable as a trade piece in building a competitor than as a long term piece as a competitive team. That was both right and wrong - wrong because the Braves became competitive faster than I expected and won a WS; right in that the Braves ultimately lost Freeman in FA for nothing more than a watered down pick.
I also felt that without a Freeman trade, the farm would be dry by the time the team needed another influx of key contributors in order to remain competitive. Again, both right and wrong but mostly wrong to this point since the Braves payroll pushed into dollars that no one expected to see (at least not me) and found some gems that were statistically unlikely (Strider, Harris, Contreras, Grissom). But we've finally gotten there in all likelihood with the farm where all the talent looks to be at least 4-5 years away AND the payroll appears to be close to being maxed out.
Swanson was different in that the Braves were clearly contending, he played a position of need with no real alternative around, and really didn't blossom in value until his FA year. Trading him would have been pretty pointless given the circumstances.
Which brings me to now. The Braves appear to be tapped out on payroll and are facing big gambles at a number of positions (LF & SS being the main ones), have few internal options - yes, Grissom get's a shot and Wash likes him, but what would you expect him to say -, and have no money to buy fixes. They are gambling that things go just right and they have great injury health, which is what most teams have to do each and every year.
I think rolling with what you have is certainly a viable alternative. But I also see the merit in a Dodgers/Rays type blend of approaches - spend money like a large market team but stay under the tax, extend the players you want to keep if they'll sign, trade those that won't extend at best value with as little disruption to the ML team as possible. That's why, while not advocating for a Fried trade, I certainly would be open to exploring what a return would look like from potential suitors and be willing to pull the trigger if I got what I wanted - even in the face of what appears to be a reasonably good contending opportunity for 2023. Your 2023 gamble goes up (already a year of gambles) but, if the return is right and pays off, your 2024 and beyond becomes much brighter and allows you to bridge to the new wave of talent starting up through the low minors.
I guess since covid is over he can work again
You were not wrong to suggest trading Freeman during the rebuild. That was at the time, unlike holding onto Teheran, a very viable plan.
Trading Fried is most likely only a possibility during the last year of his control, and only if the Braves are out of contention at the deadline. It is very unlikely the Braves won’t be in contention, so it is very unlikely they will trade Fried.
Trading Fried is most likely only a possibility during the last year of his control, and only if the Braves are out of contention at the deadline. It is very unlikely the Braves won’t be in contention, so it is very unlikely they will trade Fried.
I was all for blowing it all up. I didn't see the need to keep Freeman. We were gonna suck for those rebuilding years, so what was the point? Freeman wasn't that great enough to sell 35k tickets every night at Turner Field.
Mad Dog Murph
Well-known member
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
I guess I don’t get a boost of confidence on someone doing basic drills that little leaguers do. Nothing about arm strength or range. I mean I would feel better if he threw it in a trash can from center field personally.
Deester11
Well-known member
Lmao...h3ll nah Matt.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
I mean… I’m certainly glad he can do basic fielding drills considering he’s in the majors and playing his native position. I’m hopeful he can swing it but videos like this aren’t going to give you any actual idea of how he’s going to really play in games.
bravesfanforlife88
Well-known member
Braves are really spinning it hard that he can handle the position and putting all the praise or blame on Washington.