Braves donate Justin Upton to Padres for prospects

Millwood1Hitter said:
I have reason to believe that the Braves are going back to doing things the Braves way. I also have reason to believe that the Braves are planning on putting a championship caliber team on the field in the near future and well into the future.
Click to expand...

The organization needed a large influx of young talent. They also had (still have one) two players that more than likely were going to be too expensive for the mid market Braves. Seems like the only logical solution is what they are doing.
 
Not sure if posted, but earlier today.

Jon Heyman @JonHeymanCBS
calls on justin upton picking up after markakis deal. understandable considering lack of righty power around game. #braves
 
yeezus said:
So let me get this straight...

Let's trade 2/3 of our best players and replace them with significantly worse players.

People call that a good plan? WTF?
Click to expand...

And whats your plan if neither will re-sign?

Keep them and let them walk for draft picks in the 30's?
 
thethe said:
The organization needed a large influx of young talent. They also had (still have one) two players that more than likely were going to be too expensive for the mid market Braves. Seems like the only logical solution is what they are doing.
Click to expand...

Sure. If you cant afford Heyward or don't think he's worth what he's asking then trade him. That's fine and defensable. Then turning around and signing Markakis to 4 years is not. Especially when the team likely thinks he is comparable to Heyward. The team should either rebuild or try to contend. Trying to do both at the same time usually never works.
 
Heyward said:
And whats your plan if neither will re-sign?

Keep them and let them walk for draft picks in the 30's?
Click to expand...

Or trade them and rebuild and put all your extra resources towards that. Not signing a guy on the wrong side of 30 to a 4 year deal.
 
Enscheff said:
Really? What would the solution have been after they walked away to play in NY, LA, or Chi? Draft players with the 35th and 36th picks in the draft that would have a ~25% chance of helping by 2020? Use that money to sign a FA that was probably as mediocre as Markakis? Do we not realize all these currently young and cheap pitchers are going to be much more expensive by then, and also sucking up some of that freed money?

It is baffling to me how folks that seem to possess at least average intelligence and baseball savvy can say things like "We have $30M coming off the books, so we can spend $30M on FAs!", as if the majority of the current roster won't already be accounting for that through built in raises or arbitration awards. Do we not understand that young cost controlled players in the minor leagues are required to replace departing expensive players in order for mid-market teams to be competitive?

The fact of the matter is the Braves system was barren. It was barren to the point of being one of the worst 5 farm systems in the game. It was so bad that 1 year of Heyward and 2 years of a set up man were able to bring back a mid rotation starter with TOR potential and 4 years of control AND a pitching prospect that is probably now the best prospect in the entire system. That's how bad the minor league system is. Outside of Peraza and maybe Sims, no help is coming. None.

Heyward was used to help address that, and JUp/Gattis will be used to do the same. I just hope they focus on position players as the return.

Right now the Braves can afford 1 $20M+ player, and that player is the consistent middle of the order bat in Freeman. Hart has already said what we all know: the BJ and Uggla contracts are handcuffing the team. They can't afford to pay Heyward or JUp $20M+, so they converted them to controllable assets.

In a few years the team will probably be in position to add a $25M star, so let's hope it isn't another BJ. The Braves are about due for a big FA signing to actually work out for once.
Click to expand...

Post of the year! Well done sir!
 
Hawk said:
I think most fans (those of us who don't blindly approve of every move the Front Office makes) just want to see the team win.
Click to expand...

I do too but you keep Justin/Jason for a year, and watch them leave for draft picks?

Jason is awesome but if ramadon is right, his contract demands are insane. While a great player, maybe he turns it on in Stl and there for the rest of his career or whoever overpays him in FA.
 
I wouldnt trade Minor now, his value is at a low.

Maybe at the deadline if we're out of it and he's having a better year they flip him for some hitting.
 
thewupk said:
Sure. If you cant afford Heyward or don't think he's worth what he's asking then trade him. That's fine and defensable. Then turning around and signing Markakis to 4 years is not. Especially when the team likely thinks he is comparable to Heyward. The team should either rebuild or try to contend. Trying to do both at the same time usually never works.
Click to expand...

Well there isn't going to be another big signing probably as they are trying to fill the gaps with internal talent and talent returned from the deals made. Also, since Nick did not require surrendering a draft pick he was more attractive to the Braves. Braves can't just all out suck. The fanbase is iffy as is. If they put a horrible product on the field then they will lose a lot of money.
 
thewupk said:
Or trade them and rebuild and put all your extra resources towards that. Not signing a guy on the wrong side of 30 to a 4 year deal.
Click to expand...

They did trade Heyward for young assets.

And we'll see what they get for Justin assuming he's dealt.
 
thethe said:
Well there isn't going to be another big signing probably as they are trying to fill the gaps with internal talent and talent returned from the deals made. Also, since Nick did not require surrendering a draft pick he was more attractive to the Braves. Braves can't just all out suck. The fanbase is iffy as is. If they put a horrible product on the field then they will lose a lot of money.
Click to expand...

I understand that. The no pick is a big deal. But the the last two years of this deal (which are the first two in the new stadium) are likely to be Uggla and BJ bad. 11 million wasted on a sinkhole. That's just how I see Markakis aging. Any any wasted money like that is a bad thing for the Braves. I just figured that money could of been better spent elsewhere, like getting BJ out of here as quick as possible.
 
This how I feel about this offseason
(substitute Brett Lawrie for Jason Heyward and the Blue Jays for the Braves)

 
thewupk said:
I understand that. The no pick is a big deal. But the the last two years of this deal (which are the first two in the new stadium) are likely to be Uggla and BJ bad. 11 million wasted on a sinkhole. That's just how I see Markakis aging. Any any wasted money like that is a bad thing for the Braves. I just figured that money could of been better spent elsewhere, like getting BJ out of here as quick as possible.
Click to expand...

I agree that there is a risk the last two years of the deal could be very iffy but I don't think its fair to compare him to Uggla/BJ. Guy basically never strikes out more than 100 times a season. The types of players that can make contact are the ones that age better. When you have guys that K a lot when they are young is when you are in danger territory because once that swing speed slows down even a small amount it will equate to a lot more K's.
 
Heyward said:
They did trade Heyward for young assets.

And we'll see what they get for Justin assuming he's dealt.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling one of Gattis/JUp will bring back a SP like Walker, and the other will bring back a position prospect or 2 that can play OF or 3B.
 
thethe said:
I agree that there is a risk the last two years of the deal could be very iffy but I don't think its fair to compare him to Uggla/BJ. Guy basically never strikes out more than 100 times a season. The types of players that can make contact are the ones that age better. When you have guys that K a lot when they are young is when you are in danger territory because once that swing speed slows down even a small amount it will equate to a lot more K's.
Click to expand...

I would be willing to bet Markakis doesn't even start for the Braves all 4 years of his deal, at least not in RF.
 
Enscheff said:
I have a feeling one of Gattis/JUp will bring back a SP like Walker, and the other will bring back a position prospect or 2 that can play OF or 3B.
Click to expand...

If they can get Walker, i think they'd trade Minor once he rebuilds his value for some hitting.

I'm not sure they trade Gattis and JUp
 
thethe said:
I agree that there is a risk the last two years of the deal could be very iffy but I don't think its fair to compare him to Uggla/BJ. Guy basically never strikes out more than 100 times a season. The types of players that can make contact are the ones that age better. When you have guys that K a lot when they are young is when you are in danger territory because once that swing speed slows down even a small amount it will equate to a lot more K's.
Click to expand...

Nick isn't the same type of hitters as those guys. I am talking about his contract. And even low K guys age poorly especially when they weren't all that great to begin with. He's already been in decline and as he goes into his mid 30's it's not likely going to help. This isn't the 90's anymore where players stay productive until they are 40.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top