Around Baseball Offseason Edition - Derek Jeter will retire at seasons end

Dalyn said:
I don't see what is wrong with admitting (as a fan) that the team has had a bad off-season (so far). Not a single problem from last year has been addressed. That's potentially problematic.
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I don't think we've had a bad off-season, so I'm not "admitting" anything.
What were our problems last year? It was under-performance and youth. From Uggla, BJ, JUp at times.
It's very reasonable to think we'll have improvements from a large majority of the team. Heyward, JUp, BJ, Simmons, Beachy, Teheran. Freeman and Minor have improved every year at the ML level. Why can't one of Minor or Teheran take the next step to ace status? It's not like they've proven nothing. They're young guys with very good stuff. Wood will probably be an improvement over what Hudson was last year.

I think we made a wise decision to sit tight. We could've given up the farm and lots of dollars for Price. No thanks. Could have traded too much for a guy like Howie Kendrick. No thanks. What else could have been done?

Our biggest issue in the post-season was the fact that no one hit. That includes the guy we lost, who went 0-13. Where were the big areas to address offensively? We weren't replacing BJ - sorry. There weren't many places to go at 2B.

I just don't see where there were obvious moves to be made. This was a very good, very young team last year (youngest opening day lineup in the bigs - probably the same this year) and they won 96 games. Losing McCann and Hudson does not knock us down that much, if at all.
 
Dalyn said:
It isn't about big name signings or sure things. It is about fixing issues with the team. Nothing at all wrong with expecting that from the Braves (or any other competitive team).
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What did you want addressed, and what were your ideas?
Were you willing to sacrifice the future? Those pretty much our only options - sacrifice the future and trade a lot of young, good, cheap pieces for one guy or stay put and let our young, very talented players develop.
 
Sometimes your best move is the one you don't make. There were some around here demanding Uggla's release. I'm glad that didn't happen. Others were willing to let him go for peanuts. That didn't happen either. Others were more focused on bringing in an established second baseman even if he had a big and risky contract, like Kinsler and Phillips. I'm glad we're going with the internal options instead. It might not work out. I think there is a good chance we make a mid-season move for a second baseman, but believe that trying the internal options first is the right move.
 
I cannot fathom why someone who wants this team to win now and in the future would want Brandon Phillips. He has 4 more years left at way too much money. He's not a good hitter at all.
 
yeezus said:
I don't think we've had a bad off-season, so I'm not "admitting" anything.
What were our problems last year? It was under-performance and youth. From Uggla, BJ, JUp at times.
It's very reasonable to think we'll have improvements from a large majority of the team. Heyward, JUp, BJ, Simmons, Beachy, Teheran. Freeman and Minor have improved every year at the ML level. Why can't one of Minor or Teheran take the next step to ace status? It's not like they've proven nothing. They're young guys with very good stuff. Wood will probably be an improvement over what Hudson was last year.

I think we made a wise decision to sit tight. We could've given up the farm and lots of dollars for Price. No thanks. Could have traded too much for a guy like Howie Kendrick. No thanks. What else could have been done?

Our biggest issue in the post-season was the fact that no one hit. That includes the guy we lost, who went 0-13. Where were the big areas to address offensively? We weren't replacing BJ - sorry. There weren't many places to go at 2B.

I just don't see where there were obvious moves to be made. This was a very good, very young team last year (youngest opening day lineup in the bigs - probably the same this year) and they won 96 games. Losing McCann and Hudson does not knock us down that much, if at all.
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You are overestimating the talent level on this team starting with Gattis. The reason we didn't win in the playoffs is no facet of our game performed.
 
nsacpi said:
Sometimes your best move is the one you don't make. There were some around here demanding Uggla's release. I'm glad that didn't happen. Others were willing to let him go for peanuts. That didn't happen either. Others were more focused on bringing in an established second baseman even if he had a big and risky contract, like Kinsler and Phillips. I'm glad we're going with the internal options instead. It might not work out. I think there is a good chance we make a mid-season move for a second baseman, but believe that trying the internal options first is the right move.
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I am sure they would move Uggla if they could. We've heard on and off all off-season about Wren trying to do so. There just isn't any takers at this point (and I suspect that won't change without Uggla proving he can see and hit again).
 
Braves1976 said:
I am sure they would move Uggla if they could. We've heard on and off all off-season about Wren trying to do so. There just isn't any takers at this point (and I suspect that won't change without Uggla proving he can see and hit again).
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I think the team just needs to change its Uggla pitch a little.

bkowl.gif
 
Hawk said:
@ajcbraves: O'Flaherty said he would've loved to stay w/ #Braves, said they handled it well, made clear all offseason it would be 1-yr offer...
[ http://twitter.com/ajcbraves/status/426116119003283456 ]
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I hate to see EOF leave, he was as dominate a lefty for us as they come. I am at least thankful that he didn't sign with our rival Nationals. However, it somewhat concerns me that they seem to have a shot at signing Balfour. Hopefully they miss out on signing him too.
 
Braves1976 said:
I am sure they would move Uggla if they could. We've heard on and off all off-season about Wren trying to do so. There just isn't any takers at this point (and I suspect that won't change without Uggla proving he can see and hit again).
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Oh yeah, they were trying to. But they weren't willing to just give him away and I give them credit for that.
 
Dalyn said:
It isn't about big name signings or sure things. It is about fixing issues with the team. Nothing at all wrong with expecting that from the Braves (or any other competitive team).
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I don't think any gm would have what you consider a good offseason with the resources wren has. That's my problem with it. Expectations should be grounded in reality. Since I doubt you will change your expectations I can now declare the 2015 offseason a failure and the 2016 offseason an disaster.
 
Boston signs Grady Sizemore to a one year deal. I mentioned his name weeks ago as someone we should at least consider. Good move for Boston.
 
Hawk said:
Base salary, yes, but with incentives he could make $6MM.
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Worth it if he actually performs well enough to earn the incentives. I mean, we are paying Gavin Floyd $4MM (+ roster and performance bonuses) for two or three months.
 
Hawk said:
Base salary, yes, but with incentives he could make $6MM.
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It will be interesting to see if Sizemore makes the Red Sox team. Before he was signed their bench projected to be Ross, Carp, Gomes and Herrera. Remember AL teams typically have a 4 man bench due to the DH. Sizemore is not going to displace Ross or Herrera who are the backup catcher and shortstop. He's not going to displace Gomes who platoons with Nava in left. And he's probably not going to beat out Carp who had a .885 OPS last year.

Some team might be able to pick him up off the waiver wire at the ML minimum at the end of spring training.
 
At this point, we just have to hope that we can stay more healthy than last year, that BJ and Uggla remember how to hit and that our young pitching doesn't freaking disappear in the postseason.

I wouldn't call the offseason really a success or a failure.
 
bravesnumberone said:
At this point, we just have to hope that we can stay more healthy than last year, that BJ and Uggla remember how to hit and that our young pitching doesn't freaking disappear in the postseason.

I wouldn't call the offseason really a success or a failure.
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It is a failure.

But hey, I'm an optimistic guy. It's only January 22nd.
 
We need some games to talk about.

That will prove failure or not.

Given how young this team is, I think it would be unfair to expect too much in 2014.

I expect it to be a satisfying year of baseball either way though.
 
VirginiaBrave said:
You are overestimating the talent level on this team starting with Gattis. The reason we didn't win in the playoffs is no facet of our game performed.
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Gattis and Chris Johnson were the only 2 Braves that did anything offensively in the playoffs. Gattis can give the Braves what McCann has given us the last 2 years.
 
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