Braves Will Be Even Better In 2014

[yeezus]

We lost a hitter who gave us 20 homers and a .796 OPS and 2 pitchers who combined for 185 quality innings. How are we not worse?

Gattis can pick up some of the slack from losing Mac, but by doing so you lose the prodution he gave us off the bench. Mac is significant loss and worth at least a win or two by himself. Floyd and Wood producing better than Huddy and Maholm isn't an impossible challenge, but that's a lot of quality innings that must be replaced and definitely not a sure thing.

91 wins is about where I'd place us, give or take a couple wins depending on how healthy/good Upton and Heyward are. Obviously if Upton turns in an MVP type of season like he did in 20211 it changes things, but you can't expect that.

Maholm and "quality innings" should not be in the same sentence. Wood can replace what Maholm did with his eyes closed.
I think there is reasonable expectation of improvement from a lot of guys, including our young pitchers.

 

[yeezus]

I'll bring this up again, but does giles ever defend the Braves, or say anything good about them? He pretty much only comes in threads to defend the gnats. There is no chance he's not a gnats fan, even if he wasn't before.

 

[thethe]

Its going to be funny when Gattis hits this year better than last year we won't hear a peep about how much we miss Mac.

 

[gilesfan]

Hanson through the 2011 all-star break had a sub 3 ERA for his career. He was also at around a strike out per inning. The only issue he had was he couldn't go deep into games, just like Strasburg. Yes I think Strasburg is more talented and the better pitcher but that doesn't take away from how good Hanson was before he started having his issues.

For ease, just using 09-11 full seasons.

Hanson 09-11 77 starts, 8.43 k/9, 2.89 bb/9, .80 HR/9, 3.28 ERA, 3.46 FIP

Stra career 75 starts, 10.44 k/9, 2.55 bb/9, .75 HR/9, 2.96 ERA, 2.79 FIP

 

[gilesfan]

I'll bring this up again, but does giles ever defend the Braves, or say anything good about them? He pretty much only comes in threads to defend the gnats. There is no chance he's not a gnats fan, even if he wasn't before.

Im trying to grasp what you are saying despite the triple negative, but to answer you question, yes, I defend the Braves when warranted. (see Mike Minor, who everyone is on his nuts now when I was backing him and 75% of the board wanted him gone). See Brian Mccann when thethe thought he was garbage.

This board, like most, is made up of a good chunk of blind homers. All I pointed out was the OP is doing exactly what he wrote an entire article criticizing another person for doing.

 

[thethe]

I said Mac was garbage. News to me.

I just think he was vastly overrated because of his early years. He is breaking down and won't age well at all unless he DH's consistently.

 

[yeezus]

Im trying to grasp what you are saying despite the triple negative, but to answer you question, yes, I defend the Braves when warranted. (see Mike Minor, who everyone is on his nuts now when I was backing him and 75% of the board wanted him gone). See Brian Mccann when thethe thought he was garbage.

This board, like most, is made up of a good chunk of blind homers. All I pointed out was the OP is doing exactly what he wrote an entire article criticizing another person for doing.

My "triple negative" is fine and correct.
Fans are fans. Fans will have a bias. It's not a stretch to say the gnat's rotation isn't "significantly" better than ours. An argument can be made both ways. You tend to take the argument against the Braves, rather than for. That makes you either a cynical asshole, or a gnats fan - or both.

 

[gilesfan]

My "triple negative" is fine and correct.
Fans are fans. Fans will have a bias. It's not a stretch to say the gnat's rotation isn't "significantly" better than ours. An argument can be made both ways. You tend to take the argument against the Braves, rather than for. That makes you either a cynical asshole, or a gnats fan - or both.

Cry me a river.

If you don't want to read non blind homer analysis, block my posts.

 

[yeezus]

Cry me a river.

If you don't want to read non blind homer analysis, block my posts.

Nothing you say makes my mad or upset. For the most part, you're a joke.
I'm just pointing out facts. If you feel a certain way, say it. What's the point in pretending on the internet this long?

 

[AUTiger7222]

Except the Braves will indeed miss those players. Anyone who can sit here and say we are a better team WITHOUT Mac (who is at worst the 4th best catcher in baseball) and Huddy/Maholm is being a HUGE homer.

I don't mind being called a huge homer in this case because I laid out my reasons why I think we won't miss them and I stick by those reasons.

 

[AUTiger7222]

Hudson pitched only once every 5th day. I don't see how his injury and a winning streak have any correlation whatsoever.

And with Beachy, you are assuming he returns to previous form and pitches over 130 innings (what Hudson gave us last yr). We have no idea what to expect from Beachy.

The Braves record without Hudson last season was still great dude. They didn't miss a beat after he got hurt. The Braves still kept winning despite getting absolutely ZERO production from McCann in the 2nd half of the season. Oh and McCann missed all of April too. The Braves have the confidence in knowing that they can win without Hudson and McCann because of how many games they won last year without them. Brandon Beachy gave us absolutely nothing last year. Anything we get from him this season is a bonus.

 

[AUTiger7222]

We should also be getting two more months of Heyward as our right fielder. Not to mention that with Gattis as a full-time catcher we don't have to witness him embarrass himself in left field which did give runs back throughout the season. Even without any improvements offensively as a full time catcher he projects to be a low 3 high 2 win player. That will be a slight drop off from Mac but it won't be huge. Now if Gattis' BABIP corrects itself like I think it will then he will be much much better offensively.

Combined Hudson and Maholm gave us 284 innings at a 4.21 ERA. Those innings definitely have to be replaced but I wouldn't necessarily cal them quality, especially in Maholms case. Starters in the NL last year put up a 3.86 era so those were below average innings ERA wise. Which says a lot considering the Braves were 6th in starter ERA last year despite those two.

Thank you! Finally someone that gets it!

 

[AUTiger7222]

Maholm and "quality innings" should not be in the same sentence. Wood can replace what Maholm did with his eyes closed.
I think there is reasonable expectation of improvement from a lot of guys, including our young pitchers.

Exactly. There's good reason to expect a lot of improvement across the board wiping out anything we would potentially miss by not having Hudson and McCann.

 

[gilesfan]

Nothing you say makes my mad or upset. For the most part, you're a joke.
I'm just pointing out facts. If you feel a certain way, say it. What's the point in pretending on the internet this long?

Im top secret spy sent to find how what Braves fans think. It's been going on for over 25 years.

 

[thewupk]

For ease, just using 09-11 full seasons.

Hanson 09-11 77 starts, 8.43 k/9, 2.89 bb/9, .80 HR/9, 3.28 ERA, 3.46 FIP
Stra career 75 starts, 10.44 k/9, 2.55 bb/9, .75 HR/9, 2.96 ERA, 2.79 FIP

Also includes a half season of Hanson where he was garbage thanks to his shoulder problem that has derailed his career. It was only 26 innings but they were so bad (minus his k/9) that it skewed his stats pretty good. Without that you have 8.27 k/9, 2.84 bb/9, .68 HR/9, 2.99 ERA, 3.30 FIP. Is it on the level that Stars is? No. But it's still damn good Only 23 starters had a FIP under 3.3 last year and that's with a lower scoring environment. Hanson imo was at the back end of top 20 pitchers in baseball before his shoulder gave out.

 

[thewupk]

I said Mac was garbage. News to me.

I just think he was vastly overrated because of his early years. He is breaking down and won't age well at all unless he DH's consistently.

He is not overrated by anyone and he's not in decline either. Most people see him as a 120 WRC+ hitter and 4 WAR catcher. And that's precisely what he is.

 

[gilesfan]

Also includes a half season of Hanson where he was garbage thanks to his shoulder problem that has derailed his career. It was only 26 innings but they were so bad (minus his k/9) that it skewed his stats pretty good. Without that you have 8.27 k/9, 2.84 bb/9, .68 HR/9, 2.99 ERA, 3.30 FIP. Is it on the level that Stars is? No. But it's still damn good Only 23 starters had a FIP under 3.3 last year and that's with a lower scoring environment. Hanson imo was at the back end of top 20 pitchers in baseball before his shoulder gave out.

Yeah, I agree Hanson was a very good young pitcher that showed a ton of potential. He was never at the level of Strasburg, which was my point.

 

[AUTiger7222]

Yeah, I agree Hanson was a very good young pitcher that showed a ton of potential. He was never at the level of Strasburg, which was my point.

I never said Strasburg and Hanson were on the same level. I said Strasburg is a better version of Hanson. Those were my exact words. A guy with great stuff that struggles to pitch deep into games on a consistent basis because his control isn't that good.

 

[AUTiger7222]

He is not overrated by anyone and he's not in decline either. Most people see him as a 120 WRC+ hitter and 4 WAR catcher. And that's precisely what he is.

McCann is indeed in decline.

2005-2009 - .293/.356/.497 (.853). 121 OPS+
2010-2013 - .257/.342/.444 (.786). 113 OPS+

 

[NinersSBChamps]

So again I ask why no players can regress this season, but only Braves players improve from last season?