Around the Majors - 2022 Version
- Thread starter thethe
- Start date
chop2chip
Well-known member
Update on this 2 weeks later. Since this post, Riley has been +3 OOA, including +2 on balls “in”. Fun travels into the world of small defensive sample sizes.
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Yup. 3 years of defensive data is equivalent to 1 year of hitting data. So Riley's bad numbers from the first two months are like a blip in the grand scheme of things. That play on Sunday with the bases loaded was awesome.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
what the heck man.. we are razor thin at pitching right now. imagine this team with a 4 week DL stint from anyone of our 4 main starters.
There were no good options with what was leftover after Verlander/Rodon. That was the whole point.
I actually believe we could sustain an injury as I'm still a believer in Ynoa/Muller/Soroka.
chop2chip
Well-known member
What would William Contreras get back in a trade?
Not advocating we actually trade him considering our need for cheap controllable players. But there is this concept of selling high and I can’t imagine his stock being higher at the moment.
There probably isn’t a player available that would entice me enough, but it’s a fun thought exercise considering we have limited trade assets.
Not advocating we actually trade him considering our need for cheap controllable players. But there is this concept of selling high and I can’t imagine his stock being higher at the moment.
There probably isn’t a player available that would entice me enough, but it’s a fun thought exercise considering we have limited trade assets.
Afraid that's about as big a waste as discussions about Freeman during the rebuild - "maximizing value" trades sometimes make sense involving controllable young players during rebuilds (see Reynolds, Bryan), but this team is a legitimate contender defending a Title. This type of team simply doesn't make trades like that when they're in their window.
That said - and it's much easier to follow "the plan" from fans' perspective when the team has ripped off 7 in a row - it's really tough to see Alex making ANY move before the deadline is near at this point. Contreras' emergence and Harris' defense and the appearance that he's getting more comfortable at the plate has probably bought enough time to allow Rosario to heal and time to continue to wait and see what happens with Waters. Even though the rotation has struggled at times, Wright's emergence leaves you with no glaring NEEDS there - you have time to let Morton and Strider work through things while you have enough depth in Gwinnett to cover a short-term injury or bit of ineffectiveness by plugging Davidson/Elder/Ynoa in for a couple of starts here and there while Soroka works towards a potential return and you try to follow the Wright script with Muller.
It's pretty amazing how quickly 7 wins can entirely change the outlook on your season, but that's EXACTLY what our numbers-inclined friends have been preaching for quite some time - and EXACTLY why Alex is presently one of the best minds in the game. Don't get caught up in early struggles and having players nicked-up as long as you aren't in danger of falling so far behind that a hot 10 game stretch doesn't put you right back in the middle of the race - especially when you have the pieces the Braves do. You're still in position to get into the playoffs, and even after this hot streak you still haven't had one of those stretches with EVERYTHING hitting on all cylinders.
Also highly depends on good his bat is going to be. His brother has been a consistent 2+ WAR player and will have made 22 million in total before he's set to become a free agent at the end of the year. His surplus value after year 1 would have been well over 70 million. I don't think it's outlandish to think William will have a similar evaluation after this year.
Yeah - A full year of lets say wRC+ 120-130 plus acceptable defense behind the plate (and maybe not an embarrassing showing in LF) would absolutely inflate his surplus value.
That bat is special. And sometimes the way hitters take close pitches can give you insight into their vision. I think Contreras has the goods.
Lets just say its more of a thought exercise. I doubt there exists one sane Brave fan that wants to trade Contreras.
There is something to be said about always selling high but even the Rays wouldn't trade Contreras at this point. With a super thin system the Braves are going to need players like Contreras to develop into 2-3 WAR guys (or better) to extend the window of contention through at least Acuna's remaining years. And I believe that should be AA's focus in the long-term scale of the franchise. Build a team that can contend while Acuna is still here.
I mean once Langliers was traded I think it pretty much set in stone that the team is going to give Contreras every opportunity to be the catcher of the future.
Don't sleep on him in LF 2-3 games a week while TDA continues to the revolving door of 'primary' veteran catchers.
I've said that I think Contreras needs to be in the lineup every 4 out of 5 games. When TDA is healthy he should be the starting catcher right now. I'd have Contreras catch when TDA needs a day off and then have him in LF or DH in the other games. Whether it's Contreras or Ozuna in LF I don't really care at this point. Harris and Acuna will play good defense in the other outfield spots.
Shouldn't be hard to get him games. I personally think that Contreras should be no worse than Ozuna in the OF and would be more comfortable with him in LF on days that Acuna is DH. Ozuna could probably use the rest as well.
Contreras in LF when Acuna DH (2 days a week)
Contreras at C when TDA is not (2 days a week)
This shouldn't be hard for Snit to accomplish. The long term success of the Braves is much more reliant on Contreras being real than Ozuna for the rest of his deal.