2017 Braves.
- Thread starter jcc03004
- Start date
UNCBlue012
Well-known member
I would be REALLY surprised if Cespedes doesn't opt out. Maybe if the Mets make a push and make the playoffs he stays, but he wants a ring and I think last year may have been a one-good-year type thing for New York.
None of those are bad contracts really. Prado, Turner, Desmond, Hellickson, and Hill should all receive QO's though. I'm starting to think Rich Hill may be an option. The downside of his age may be counteracted with the lack of overall innings pitched. Crafty lefties can last a little longer in this league. I could also see a Fister signing as a #4 innings eater. Nova seems like a potential overpay based on a hot streak. Cashner has to be running out of good will a this point. I know I'm in the minority, but Wieters on a 3/30 deal is not bad considering we would not lose a pick or prospects in a trade.
yeezus
It's OVER 5,000!
I'd sign any of those guys to those deals except Nova, Ramos, and Wieters.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
I don't think I'm signing Hill to anything close to that given his age and injury history. I also don't think I'd sign Cashner, he doesn't look like he's putting anything together. I thought Nova was a joke also at first, until I looked at what he's done since he's been in the NL... he's been VERY good in the NL. I think he may be a quiet steal. I'd do 3/42 for him.
yeezus
It's OVER 5,000!
Ok, agreed: Wouldn't sign Hill. Cashner is closer. But we have enough SP and I wouldn't want him taking up a spot.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
I didn't want Nova until I looked closer. He still has decent velocity, has been great in the NL and has some real solid years in the AL
Russ2dollas
10 yr, $185 million Extension
I'd love Prado at 3/33. Especially if he's still willing to move around. He could still play 3B, 2B, or a corner for us. If we sign him early then it would open up a ton of opportunities the rest of the offseason.
And the flexabilty helps you in case you have other opportunities or players in the minors that change plans. If Ruiz suddenly became a legit option you aren't stuck with a bench bat. Or if Albies took longer to recover you'd have a good 2B option. You could sit Kemp a little more to try and maximize him.
And the flexabilty helps you in case you have other opportunities or players in the minors that change plans. If Ruiz suddenly became a legit option you aren't stuck with a bench bat. Or if Albies took longer to recover you'd have a good 2B option. You could sit Kemp a little more to try and maximize him.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
Wieters at 3/30 actually isn't that bad... I'd think about it, just not excited about it with his defense.
Wieters defense isn't just bad, it's Kemp-bad. A competently run team does not want Kemp-bad defense up the middle.
He is not even a 1 WAR player, and I don't think WAR includes framing runs, which Wieters is terrible at. He is worse than AJP when it comes to framing.
If the Braves give Wieters $30M I will have lost all faith in the FO's ability to construct a contending MLB roster. They could get Castro (who is better according to WAR, which doesn't include his superb framing) for 1/3 of what Wieters will cost, and he will be a much better platoon partner with Flowers.
Looking at their stats, Castro is a vastly superior defender, vastly superior framer, will be roughly 1/3 the price, has been worth more WAR, and only trails Wieters in career OPS by .034 (.738 to .704) with very similar career OBP (.317 to .310).
This fallacy that Wieters is some sort of slugger at catcher hasn't been true for half a decade.
zbhargrove
Well-known member
cool
According to Fangraphs they're both at 1.2 this year in WAR. Not counting framing I have not read or heard anything about Wieters defense. He's always graded out well, even last year when he was recovering from TJ.
You may have an argument on the price part, but I highly doubt Castro would be 1/3 of the price of Wieters. Nobody is talking up Wieters as a 15M a year player, and I doubt Castro sign for 3-4M a year.
I'm talking in terms of total dollars. Wieters for around 3/30 vs Castro for about 2/10.
Considering they are at worst/best equal according to WAR, and Castro is worth 20+ framing runs per season more than Wieters, I think the choice is clear. Especially when you factor in the Braves already have a RHed catcher in Flowers who would be a superb platoon mate with a LHed hitter like Castro (who just so happens to have a .787 OPS vs RHers this season, and .757 for his career).
A Flowers/Castro platoon would likely produce a ~.750 OPS with elite pitch framing numbers (both Flowers and Castro are top 5 in MLB pitch framing). They would probably produce 3+ WAR in addition to a combined 15-20 framing runs above average. All for about $10M per season.
chop2chip
Well-known member
Are there examples of effective platoons at catcher? I would be concerned with mixing up which catcher our pitchers work with.
And I still haven't seen a good example why Flowers shouldn't be the starting catcher next year.
If Castro were to sign for 2/10 then that is a no brainer, but I don't see that. I'm not against Castro at all, but it'll take a lot more than that.