AJC: Braves Could Go Into Rebuild Mode, Aim Toward 2017

If it's time to rebuild then Justin and Jason are gone, and they may as well ditch Walden too. In this scenario it makes little sense to worry about dealing BJ since his deal will be mostly complete by 2017, so they may as well ride it out.

Keep the core of Freeman, Simmons, Gattis, CB, Teheran, Wood and Kimbrel, then add to it with even younger guys from the trades involving Heyward, Justin and Walden. It would suck, but if they are going to do it....do it right.
 
Rebuild plan:

1. Justin to Seattle for Walker or Paxton.
2. Heyward to BoSox for one of their young IFers
3. Walden to someone for something
4. Sign Tomas
5. Sign one of the Cuban guys for 2B
6. Be so bad in 2015 they get a protected draft pick
7. Sign a couple big FAs after 2015 since they have a protected pick
8. Kick ass in 2016 and beyond!
 
Man, this is going to be an interesting offseason. Right now, it's anyone's guess who's going to be on the roster come April. To me, these are the only guys assured of being on the Opening Day roster:

Freddie Freeman
Craig Kimbrel
Alex Wood
Julio Teheran
Mike Minor
Andrelton Simmons

Some guys, like Christian Bethancourt and Chris Johnson are more than likely returning, but you can't be 100% sure. I don't know what will happen, but there is a change in the air. The changes coming may make us as Braves fans uncomfortable perhaps, but that's the nature of the game. I have complete trust in Schuerholtz and Hart to do what has to be done. We'll just have to see what comes about. I just have a feeling this is going to be a very different looking baseball team on Opening Day in Miami.
 
I am not against a rebuild. Just get the feeling that we need to stock pile the farm system or anything we do over 2015/2016 would just be a bandaid. If we commit to a rebuild, then there are very few players that are keepers. Freeman, Simmons, and Teheran.

Heyward and Justin you trade to the best package available, will only get worse after the start of the season and they become a half year rental instead of full year.
I would listen on Kimbrel to see what kind of market you can get for him. Don't have to trade because he is signed for 3 or 4 more years. But if someone blows your socks off with big talent coming back, you do it. You are not trying to be competitive over the next year or so anyway.
Gattis is not the long term solution. Again, don't absolutely have to trade, maybe wait for the deadline for a desperate team and deal him.
I would look into moving Minor. He is a good talent, probably a #2 or #3 starter, but will be coming close to free agency at the end of the rebuild.

With all of those players available, you can literally build this team any way you want in the future. Stock pile your farm system. Cut cash, then spend when you are close
 
Keep Freeman, Simmons, Kimbrell, JT, and Wood. That's a solid core. So it isn't like we'd be going to Astro's level of bad. Acquire the right players, and we may be back on top sooner than we think.
 
I don't buy this report but I do think the best way to get back to the world series is a full rebuild. If they do this it needs to be a full rebuild. I would only keep Freeman and players who I think will go up in value like Minor And Simmons. Maybe wait till mid season to trade some pitching when teams are more desperate. Assuming health of starters 3 years from now is not a good idea.
 
If we make the right moves, we're not that far away from competing for a championship. At least wait and see if we're in the race before we go into rebuild mode.
 
I wonder if they gauges the value of heywood/Justin and are getting Teixeira type offers that won't help us now but are hard to turn down and that is making them consider rebuilding.
 
Only way BJ (Sav doesn't like me using what I thnk of him so I respect that) is gone is that someone else needs to go like Gattis and I don't like it but get rid of his contract would do wonders for this team.

JH, BJ and CJ for Middlebrooks and Betts, we give them 10 mil to offset cost. Put Gattis in left and Peraza in center and hope J-Up resigns.

Go ahead you can shoot me now, but I want his (BJ) and Cock Jocks salary gone and we might have to give up Gattis or probably JeyHey for it.
 
I don't understand how a franchise can commit to a rebuild but say Kimbrel won't be traded. The best closer in baseball would bring back a ton of young talent, especially to a team that might not even be trying to win for the next year or two. What's the value of a great closer when you're trying to rebuild?
 
CJ9 said:
I don't understand how a franchise can commit to a rebuild but say Kimbrel won't be traded. The best closer in baseball would bring back a ton of young talent, especially to a team that might not even be trying to win for the next year or two. What's the value of a great closer when you're trying to rebuild?
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Great point.
 
DOB just tweeted that he thinks the Braves will only be a WC team at best next year. See, that's another thing I hate about DOB and the other Braves beat writers. He drinks whatever Kool-Aid the Braves are serving that day. If tomorrow Hart came out and said the Braves will be World Series front runners in 2015, he'd be singing right along with the chorus.
 
CyYoung31 said:
DOB just tweeted that he thinks the Braves will only be a WC team at best next year. See, that's another thing I hate about DOB and the other Braves beat writers. He drinks whatever Kool-Aid the Braves are serving that day. If tomorrow Hart came out and said the Braves will be World Series front runners in 2015, he'd be singing right along with the chorus.
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And what's wrong with the wild card anyways? They both played in the WS this year.
 
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