Difficulty of Finding Bats

[Heyward]

There are lots of factors. But if this season is any indication the Braves sold high on Gattis at the right time. Gattis has a ton of power but has been a very poor hitter this season. And it's not hard to see that continuing with his poor approach at the plate.

I agree, i was pro trade-Gattis, not that i hated him but he has no value to NL teams.

And if he stays, gets hurt, etc, his value is shot, it had to be done.

I agree with everything else.

 

[smootness]

Really? Four years of a guy who wasn't going to play more than 120 games for your team because he couldn't play any positions defensively is better than getting a potential top of the rotation starter in Mike Foltynewicz and a potential starting third baseman in Rio Ruiz, both of whom were top 100 prospects on some lists after the Braves got them?

I'm not saying it was clearly a bad trade, just saying that perhaps in hindsight, given the market for hitters with a pulse, we could have gotten more.

His value to us has nothing to do with the trade; it's his value to the Astros. He put up over 2 WAR last year and could reasonably be expected to do similarly or better this year with his sole focus on hitting and as he got more looks at major league pitching.

I'm not saying we should have kept him. But we can't say on one hand that the going rate for a guy with no track record and upside of .280 with 20 HR is Alex Wood and a top 30 prospect, then turn around and say a guy with 30 HR power shouldn't bring you back something similar.

And if we're using Gattis' performance after the trade to evaluate it, then what we got is a reliever and a guy who can't hit AA pitching.

I'm still ok with the return for the most part, but if that was the going rate for Gattis, we gave up too much for Olivera; likewise, if we gave up proper value for Olivera, we didn't get enough for Gattis. That's my point.

 

[nsacpi]

More on the relative supply of pitching and hitting. From BA regarding the trade deadline deals:

Of the 57 prospects who were traded in the past two weeks, 44 of them (77 percent) were pitchers.

So why is there such a focus on trading for pitching? Part of it is circumstance. Multiple pro scouting directors and front-office officials said that there were few available position prospects who impressed and were available.

“There are more quality arms than bats right now in the minor leagues,” said an official in a National League team’s front office. “It’s easy to take a flier on an arm, on a guy throwing 95.”

“Legit position players are scarce these days, but (in the long-term) it’s probably just a fluke,” said another NL front office official.

 

[yeezus]

Olivera is a much more sought-after piece than Gattis.

 

[nsacpi]

The reason we have ended up with mainly pitching from the trades we've been making is that this mainly is what other teams have been offering. There was no attempt to strive for a more even balance because it so happened that we lacked pitching depth, especially at the A level. There was still enough of a perceived need to rebuild depth at that level that we took 12 consecutive pitchers at one point in the draft. I think this was a case where what other teams offered dovetailed with a perceived need.

Going forward I think we are likely to look for more hitting in trade returns. But I think we are going to find it much more difficult to get good hitting prospects. We did get Olivera, but it was no accident that we had to include a very good young hitting prospect of our own in the trade.

 

[Knucksie]

Finally, I will note that the past few off-seasons I've tracked what FA pitchers get paid per projected WAR and what hitters get paid. Typically, pitchers have been paid more by this measure. But this switched dramatically last off-season. I don't think it will switch back anytime soon.

Over in the UK, there was a phenomenon called trainspotting. It might still be happening now. Small groups of older gentleman, in a specific style of raincoat (anoraks), would gather an record the departures of trains throughout the day.

 

[nsacpi]

Over in the UK, there was a phenomenon called trainspotting. It might still be happening now. Small groups of older gentleman, in a specific style of raincoat (anoraks), would gather an record the departures of trains throughout the day.

There is a movie about this hobby called The Station Agent that I would recommend. Not set in the UK.

Actually, I see there is a British movie titled Trainspotting that has gotten good reviews. But it does not appear to be about the hobby.

 

[Knucksie]

There is a movie about this hobby called The Station Agent that I would recommend. Not set in the UK.

Actually, I see there is a British movie titled Trainspotting that has gotten good reviews. But it does not appear to be about the hobby.

Yes, "Trainspotting," the movie, is a much different subject. Very early Ewan McGregor.

 

[smootness]

Olivera is a much more sought-after piece than Gattis.

Then we should trade Olivera now.

In all honesty, though, I do think we should trade Olivera in the event he comes up and has success immediately. If we're in favor of 'selling high' on Wood, then we should sell high on Olivera. His contract would be attractive to other teams if he has shown he can be a good major league hitter. And a 22-year-old is far more valuable for us going forward than a 31-year-old.