Crasnick Article On BA

thewupk said:
Albies is going to be more than fine. 4 WAR player at 21 and this in a season where he was just average offensively. I think we all know he will be better than that.
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Shhhh.....you may be right. Georgiagirl retort in 5...4...3....2....
 
Jaw said:
I think Albies needs to prove he can adjust to pitchers before he can be considered a star or part of the foundation. That was a loooong slump we watched after his torrid start.
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I see Albies and Inciarte as having a similar baseball disease in that they go through these stretches where they look like they are fooling around at the plate. I realize they aren't, but they both get impatient and start swinging at crap.
 
50PoundHead said:
I think that is the biggest need regardless of position. Whether it's a corner outfielder, catcher, or third baseman, we need a legitimate stick. I'm not going to dis Markakis, but he just isn't a clean-up hitter.
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I think that fixes itself without having to go outside the organization for more than one piece.. It jumbles things around in a way that hasn't really been talked about much, but I wouldn't mind seeing what an Albies/Ender, Ender/Albies, Acuna, Freeman, Riley, Grandal or corner OF addition or Camargo as a corner OF, Flow/Zook or corner OF addition or Camargo as a corner OF, Dansby lineup could do if you just told everybody "this is where you're going to hit" and leave them alone. Ender went a long way towards being his old self in the second half (he hit .302, and hit .326 for the year when in the #2 hole), and if you believe Ozzie's going to make the correct adjustments the offense would have a chance to be really dynamic with Riley and either Grandal or the corner OF upgrade hitting behind Freddie.
 
Here's the thing, I'm more concerned about, to take the next step to having a real shot at the WS, you need a bonafide ace capable of being hot in the postseason. I'm not sure where that's coming for the Braves.

There are some easy moves to make for the Braves to where there will be improvement (although it might not be in wins given I think the East will be better next year, I'd say give or take 2 on the win total) but the story of the ace pitcher that can get hot in the postseason, I don't know how that's going to get answered.
 
50PoundHead said:
I think that is the biggest need regardless of position. Whether it's a corner outfielder, catcher, or third baseman, we need a legitimate stick. I'm not going to dis Markakis, but he just isn't a clean-up hitter.
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Do Pollock or Brantley fit the bill? Donaldson? Peralta? Just curious.
 
50PoundHead said:
I see Albies and Inciarte as having a similar baseball disease in that they go through these stretches where they look like they are fooling around at the plate. I realize they aren't, but they both get impatient and start swinging at crap.
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Ender is what he is offensively, and exactly what everyone with half a clue said he was since he joined the Braves: a roughly average bat that is barely playable vs LHP due to elite defense. At this point, any arguments to the contrary are simply wrong.

His struggles had everything to do with him getting pull happy. For his entire career, Ender has survived offensively by spraying the ball around and producing a relatively high BABIP of .320-.330 despite pedestrian exit velocities...all because he sprayed the ball all over the field. His career Pull/Cent/Oppo percentages are a nearly picture perfect 34/35/31, and were even closer before he pulled the ball 40% of the time this season.

Just let Ender sit in the bottom half of the lineup and provide elite defense in CF. That's what he is, so let him be that. If the Braves get a LHH cOFer like Gardner or Brantley or Peralta and a RHH 4th OFer (like what they thought Duvall was), they can do some shuffling to get that 4th OFer some PAs vs LHP at the expense of Ender and the new cOFer.
 
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GeorgiaGirl said:
Here's the thing, I'm more concerned about, to take the next step to having a real shot at the WS, you need a bonafide ace capable of being hot in the postseason. I'm not sure where that's coming for the Braves.

There are some easy moves to make for the Braves to where there will be improvement (although it might not be in wins given I think the East will be better next year, I'd say give or take 2 on the win total) but the story of the ace pitcher that can get hot in the postseason, I don't know how that's going to get answered.
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Ask the Brewers about needing a "bonafide ace" to succeed in the post season.

It is a complete myth. The Braves have the pitching talent to succeed in the post season if they are properly deployed.

Do not waste resources acquiring that "bonafide ace".
 
Enscheff said:
Ask the Brewers about needing a "bonafide ace" to succeed in the post season.

It is a complete myth. The Braves have the pitching talent to succeed in the post season if they are properly deployed.

Do not waste resources acquiring that "bonafide ace".
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Maybe I should say more need that pitcher that can get hot and carry you. The Brewers have something else which is why they outplayed the Dodgers for a few games (but are going to lose, sigh). An elite bullpen can carry you for a while, but that pitcher that can get hot will win you a WS.
 
Enscheff said:
Ender is what he is offensively, and exactly what everyone with half a clue said he was since he joined the Braves: a roughly average bat that is barely playable vs LHP due to elite defense. At this point, any arguments to the contrary are simply wrong.

His struggles had everything to do with him getting pull happy. For his entire career, Ender has survived offensively by spraying the ball around and producing a relatively high BABIP of .320-.330 despite pedestrian exit velocities...all because he sprayed the ball all over the field. His career Pull/Cent/Oppo percentages are a nearly picture perfect 34/35/31, and were even closer before he pulled the ball 40% of the time this season.

Just let Ender sit in the bottom half of the lineup and provide elite defense in CF. That's what he is, so let him be that. If the Braves get a LHH cOFer like Gardner or Brantley or Peralta and a RHH 4th OFer (like what they thought Duvall was), they can do some shuffling to get that 4th OFer some PAs vs LHP at the expense of Ender and the new cOFer.
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I agree that Ender gets pull happy, but he also gets slap happy instead of staying back on the ball and driving it the other way. But I'm fine with him hitting 7th and playing solid CF.
 
GeorgiaGirl said:
Maybe I should say more need that pitcher that can get hot and carry you. The Brewers have something else which is why they outplayed the Dodgers for a few games (but are going to lose, sigh). An elite bullpen can carry you for a while, but that pitcher that can get hot will win you a WS.
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Given the strides Folty took this season, I'm not sure he can't be that guy - maybe not the "name" everyone wants, but with the confidence of having 2018 in his back pocket I think it's fair to count on him at the top rather than spending lots of prospect capital looking for that guy that can be more than a marginal upgrade over Mike.

When looking for the type of SP you mention, which names qualify? Scherzer's not going anywhere. Neither are Kershaw, Sale, Verlander, Cole, or most of the other "name" guys. When you get beyond them, who's that guy???

He made great start-to-start adjustments against the Dodgers in the playoffs, enough so that I even think he's finally turned that corner - and I've always been one of his biggest "haters". His next step is not being prepared enough for that first start, and I think he's capable of taking that step now.
 
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clvclv said:
Given the strides Folty took this season, I'm not sure he can't be that guy - maybe not the "name" everyone wants, but with the confidence of having 2018 in his back pocket I think it's fair to count on him at the top rather than spending lots of prospect capital looking for that guy that can be more than a marginal upgrade over Mike.

When looking for the type of SP you mention, which names qualify? Scherzer's not going anywhere. Neither are Kershaw, Sale, Verlander, Cole, or most of the other "name" guys. When you get beyond them, who's that guy???

He made great start-to-start adjustments against the Dodgers in the playoffs, enough so that I even think he's finally turned that corner - and I've always been one of his biggest "haters". His next step is not being prepared enough for that first start, and I think he's capable of taking that step now.
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I'm just thinking recent WS winners outside the Royals pen had a pitcher carry you. In most cases, a great bullpen can get you all the way, a hot pitcher will close the deal.
 
GeorgiaGirl said:
I'm just thinking recent WS winners outside the Royals pen had a pitcher carry you. In most cases, a great bullpen can get you all the way, a hot pitcher will close the deal.
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I don't think anyone's disagreeing with your thought - only that there's not really anyone "available" who can be that "hot Pitcher" that won't cost an arm and a leg and are any more proven in that role than Folty (or potentially several other guys we already have) could be when that time comes.

Of course they could all fall on their faces, but it's probably fair to think that Touki, Wright, a healthy Soroka, a focused Gohara, or an Anderson with experience could possibly be that type of guy at some point as well.

Not saying there aren't other (possibly better) options, but who do you go get that doesn't require a huge overpay? Bumgarner has his health issues and is only controllable for one more year, Paxton has his health issues, the Mutts aren't trading us one of their guys without getting a monstrous overpay in return. There just aren't many surer things to be that guy that AA could get that's not a relatively fair cost/value option.
 
Albies worries me very much going forward. But I didnt think he would have close to as good of season as he did. So what do I know. Atleast he plays quality defense.
 
I thought Albies was more of a .280/.340/.410-420ish hitter. The thing that gets at me is over a reasonable amount of at bats, even if you discount the power, he looked like a .750-.770ish OPS'er batting lefty going forward, but all of a sudden over a decent number of PAs, he's pitcher quality batting lefty?

Young and inconsistent to me looks a lot more like, perhaps a .225/.300/.320 line on one side and not a .157/.234/.245 line. That first line tells me that you're talking about a guy that is still learning and growing. The second line tells me that there are more problems than just a guy that is inconsistent and still growing.

But with what Seitzer has been able to do, the best thing to do with him is to just sit and wait. He's already helped him make small changes, but over a bigger break, let's see what happens here.
 
clvclv said:
I don't think anyone's disagreeing with your thought - only that there's not really anyone "available" who can be that "hot Pitcher" that won't cost an arm and a leg and are any more proven in that role than Folty (or potentially several other guys we already have) could be when that time comes.

Of course they could all fall on their faces, but it's probably fair to think that Touki, Wright, a healthy Soroka, a focused Gohara, or an Anderson with experience could possibly be that type of guy at some point as well.

Not saying there aren't other (possibly better) options, but who do you go get that doesn't require a huge overpay? Bumgarner has his health issues and is only controllable for one more year, Paxton has his health issues, the Mutts aren't trading us one of their guys without getting a monstrous overpay in return. There just aren't many surer things to be that guy that AA could get that's not a relatively fair cost/value option.
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DeGrom would be available I’d think.
 
clvclv said:
I don't think anyone's disagreeing with your thought - only that there's not really anyone "available" who can be that "hot Pitcher" that won't cost an arm and a leg and are any more proven in that role than Folty (or potentially several other guys we already have) could be when that time comes.

Of course they could all fall on their faces, but it's probably fair to think that Touki, Wright, a healthy Soroka, a focused Gohara, or an Anderson with experience could possibly be that type of guy at some point as well.

Not saying there aren't other (possibly better) options, but who do you go get that doesn't require a huge overpay? Bumgarner has his health issues and is only controllable for one more year, Paxton has his health issues, the Mutts aren't trading us one of their guys without getting a monstrous overpay in return. There just aren't many surer things to be that guy that AA could get that's not a relatively fair cost/value option.
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If Paxton were available I’d definitely take that gamble. I really hope the Mariners sell in general, because I’d love Haniger.
 
nsacpi said:
Do Pollock or Brantley fit the bill? Donaldson? Peralta? Just curious.
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I have no specific preference and I'm not that down on Markakis (provided he comes back at a bargain rate). I don't necessarily believe in the concept of protection, but it would be nice to see someone behind Freeman in the order who had more consistent power than Markakis. I'm not that big on Donaldson (guy strikes me as an a**), but if they could sign him on a "comeback" contract, it may be what the doctor ordered.

I'm not big on Brantley, but he's not a terrible option. Pollock and Peralta are interesting names.
 
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