50PoundHead
Hessmania Forever
I'm curious why d'Arnaud is getting ABs.
ENOUGH. Call up Swanson, trade for a hitter...
- Thread starter rico43
- Start date
Yeah, tanking is a deliberate strategy. Except for Zito and a few others, most of you aren't hockey fans also. This tactic was obvious in the NHL, in order to assure selection of can't miss, blue chip, future superstar. So, they instituted a draft lottery system to try and curtail the practice. It still made little difference, as 2 "generational talents" were draft eligible last June. Point is that #1 or no lower than #2 is part of the master plan. They're just not going to come out and tell you so. Meantime, message board rants is like pissing in the wind. Further, this "trade Vizcaino" trend on the board kind of disturbs me.
Well, this is good evidence of why fans would not make good GMs.
We suck this year, we're supposed to suck this year. It's still only May, so you need to either stop watching the team or figure out some way to watch that keeps you sane (I mainly tune in to watch our young pitchers).
Panic moves like rushing Swanson and blowing our wad on Jay F***in Bruce are a ticket to never-ending mediocrity.
We suck this year, we're supposed to suck this year. It's still only May, so you need to either stop watching the team or figure out some way to watch that keeps you sane (I mainly tune in to watch our young pitchers).
Panic moves like rushing Swanson and blowing our wad on Jay F***in Bruce are a ticket to never-ending mediocrity.
hot hand
sturg33
I
All the Braves have done the last 2 years is trade young players with talent
Heyward
Upton
Kimbrel
Wood
Simmons
Gattis
Peraza
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
I agree. But I would add that I think we can have a .500 team next year and should strive to improve it. There are ways to do so that don't cannibalize from the future (except for having a lower position in the draft). We should for example avoid signing guys in the FA market that would cost us a pick or that would imply a large financial commitment during the time frame when we would want to have the funds to extent some of the younger guys coming up through the minors.
Dalyn
Fredi Gonzalez Supporter
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
At least we got Viz for him. And now we can trade Viz!
If you've made it this far, you really have no choice other than to hold off on Swanson at this point - not until next season, but until the Super-Two cutoff. That said, something drastic needs to happen, beginning with releasing Aybar.
It's obvious that pretty much ANY offensive improvement will give this team a legitimate shot to win more games - they're "in" most of them now that the schedule has gotten a little more kind, and the pitching has been good enough to make them competitive if they could score 3-4 runs in most games. The young Pitchers are going to toss a clunker or two here and there, but that's part of the process. If Dansby goes on a tear for a couple weeks after the cutoff date, I'd promote him - until then, I'd tweak the lineup, pen, and rotation slightly and keep riding things out.
1.) Release Aybar - even if he has anything left, we're not going to get it out of him. You can see it in his eyes - he doesn't want to be here and doesn't care that anyone knows it.
2.) Move d'Arnaud to SS and leave him there until Swanson forces him out of the lineup. If we're going to get *hitty defense at the position, at least play somebody there that can help the offense.
3.) I completely understand why Snitker's mixing-and-matching while looking for a spark, but doing so with a bunch of AAAA players and washed-up vets isn't going to help the young Pitchers. It's not going to be long before the starters ALL feel like Shelby did last season - no matter how well they pitch, they have no shot at a win unless they throw a shutout. Given Folty and Perez' shaky control, that's just begging them to crumble - they need to feel like it's "OK" to give up a run or two if they can minimize the damage and hold teams there.
4.) Quit screwing around with Frenchy and play Mallex every day. If we're willing to deal with the growing pains on the mound (and with Dansby when he eventually comes up), deal with them with Mallex. This "second leadoff guy" in the 9 hole is such a waste. If the thought is that you can score more runs with Mallex and Ender hitting in front of Freddie and running wild, I'm sure the Pitchers would LOVE that to happen early in games - *ell, they might even have a lead to work with once in a while. Even if you're going to keep hitting down there, he needs to actually play against lefties if he's ever going to figure out how to hit them. Frenchy's been great WHEN he's been used for what he's good for - a pinch-hitter and a defensive replacement in the corners late in games. Use him when one of the starters can use a blow against a tough lefty, otherwise I don't want to see him before the 7th or 8th inning, period. Same thing with Castro - if you need to slide Chase to 3B and Beckham to 2B to be better defensively, that's fine. Otherwise, park his *ss on the bench until he can actually do something to help you win a game.
5.) Trade Markakis to the Royals no matter how much salary you have to eat, and get Garcia back up here - we've got to have his bat back. They both want - and need him. Get Ender's arm in RF where it belongs (not to mention get Nick's out of there).
6.) Quit screwing around with A. J. behind the plate. He's Tyler's backup, so play him like it. He's fine in the clubhouse, and doesn't call as bad a game as many think. Cut out the platoon crap and play him when Flowers needs a day off.
7.) Get Simmons up here by releasing EOF and give everyone in the pen a role - Vizcaino closing, Shae in the 8th, everybody else somewhere in front of them. EOF has been a LOOGY at best (the few times he's been worth spitting on), and we've got other guys who can fill that role.
This team needs offense so desperately that you simply have to play the bats - no matter what that does to the defense. The Pitchers have done a good job of working around bad defense most of the year - if you can get them some more runs, there's no reason to think they won't still do so. Run, run, run - every time Ender, Chase, and Mallex get on base, they need to be on the move.
RF - Inciarte
SS- d'Arnaud
1B - Freeman
C - Flowers
2B- KJ
3B- Beckham
LF- Garcia
SP
CF- Mallex
It's obvious that pretty much ANY offensive improvement will give this team a legitimate shot to win more games - they're "in" most of them now that the schedule has gotten a little more kind, and the pitching has been good enough to make them competitive if they could score 3-4 runs in most games. The young Pitchers are going to toss a clunker or two here and there, but that's part of the process. If Dansby goes on a tear for a couple weeks after the cutoff date, I'd promote him - until then, I'd tweak the lineup, pen, and rotation slightly and keep riding things out.
1.) Release Aybar - even if he has anything left, we're not going to get it out of him. You can see it in his eyes - he doesn't want to be here and doesn't care that anyone knows it.
2.) Move d'Arnaud to SS and leave him there until Swanson forces him out of the lineup. If we're going to get *hitty defense at the position, at least play somebody there that can help the offense.
3.) I completely understand why Snitker's mixing-and-matching while looking for a spark, but doing so with a bunch of AAAA players and washed-up vets isn't going to help the young Pitchers. It's not going to be long before the starters ALL feel like Shelby did last season - no matter how well they pitch, they have no shot at a win unless they throw a shutout. Given Folty and Perez' shaky control, that's just begging them to crumble - they need to feel like it's "OK" to give up a run or two if they can minimize the damage and hold teams there.
4.) Quit screwing around with Frenchy and play Mallex every day. If we're willing to deal with the growing pains on the mound (and with Dansby when he eventually comes up), deal with them with Mallex. This "second leadoff guy" in the 9 hole is such a waste. If the thought is that you can score more runs with Mallex and Ender hitting in front of Freddie and running wild, I'm sure the Pitchers would LOVE that to happen early in games - *ell, they might even have a lead to work with once in a while. Even if you're going to keep hitting down there, he needs to actually play against lefties if he's ever going to figure out how to hit them. Frenchy's been great WHEN he's been used for what he's good for - a pinch-hitter and a defensive replacement in the corners late in games. Use him when one of the starters can use a blow against a tough lefty, otherwise I don't want to see him before the 7th or 8th inning, period. Same thing with Castro - if you need to slide Chase to 3B and Beckham to 2B to be better defensively, that's fine. Otherwise, park his *ss on the bench until he can actually do something to help you win a game.
5.) Trade Markakis to the Royals no matter how much salary you have to eat, and get Garcia back up here - we've got to have his bat back. They both want - and need him. Get Ender's arm in RF where it belongs (not to mention get Nick's out of there).
6.) Quit screwing around with A. J. behind the plate. He's Tyler's backup, so play him like it. He's fine in the clubhouse, and doesn't call as bad a game as many think. Cut out the platoon crap and play him when Flowers needs a day off.
7.) Get Simmons up here by releasing EOF and give everyone in the pen a role - Vizcaino closing, Shae in the 8th, everybody else somewhere in front of them. EOF has been a LOOGY at best (the few times he's been worth spitting on), and we've got other guys who can fill that role.
This team needs offense so desperately that you simply have to play the bats - no matter what that does to the defense. The Pitchers have done a good job of working around bad defense most of the year - if you can get them some more runs, there's no reason to think they won't still do so. Run, run, run - every time Ender, Chase, and Mallex get on base, they need to be on the move.
RF - Inciarte
SS- d'Arnaud
1B - Freeman
C - Flowers
2B- KJ
3B- Beckham
LF- Garcia
SP
CF- Mallex
67 ABs certainly can't be thought of as a small simple size at all - he really ought to be their All-Star representative if you think about it. As a matter of fact, maybe he can backup Chase d'Arnaud since he's hitting .375/.468/.525/.993.
Oh yeah, I absolutely agree that the team probably won't be awful next year and that we should start looking to build on it. I'm even in favor of trading Teheran if it brings us back a Benintendi or Bregman. I'm just not in favor of spending prospects to get Jay "-1.2 WAR since 2013" Bruce or starting Swanson's service clock early in the name of sucking a little less this season. When your reasoning includes propositions like "Casey Kelly is ready for prime time" and "Chase D'arnaud is our 3B of the future," you're probably not making decisions from a rational place.
Julio3000
<B>A Chip Off the Old Rock</B>
Yeah, I'm mystified as to how trading Julion would make us better in the short run. Even if we got a stud corner guy for him, we still have to replace the 150 or so quality innings that he's going to get us from here out. We then have a rotation full of youngsters whose workloads would have to be carefully managed, so those innings would likely end up being taken on by Bud Norris or the like.
sturg33
I
Funny how you hate all former Braves... when they had no choice in their departures
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
The logic would similar to trading Simmons (whether you favored the move or not is another matter). But I guess we are not in the same place as we were last off-season. That seems to be the gist of JC's recent comments (which need the usual spin disclaimer).
very good post.
Not as funny as how some people would eat the corn out of Tommy's *hit are.
Honestly - he's THAT big a loss?
453 ABs, .260/.338/.360/.698, 29 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 4 HRs, 2 SBs
Everybody knew this year would be bad, and now that we are worse than what we thought - some people want to pull the plug?
Tell me, whats the difference between a 75 win season or a 60 win season? How does the 75 win season actually help the Braves more in the long-term? You still don't get anywhere near the playoffs, you get a lesser draft pick, less slot money............. I love the Braves, but if this season is going to be a lost year -- make it epically LOST and get the best draft pick.
You have to take the long-view in the rebuild and not make rash decisions to chase useless wins.
Let me tell you; as a Phoenix Suns fan -- there's nothing worse in sports than mediocrity.
Tell me, whats the difference between a 75 win season or a 60 win season? How does the 75 win season actually help the Braves more in the long-term? You still don't get anywhere near the playoffs, you get a lesser draft pick, less slot money............. I love the Braves, but if this season is going to be a lost year -- make it epically LOST and get the best draft pick.
You have to take the long-view in the rebuild and not make rash decisions to chase useless wins.
Let me tell you; as a Phoenix Suns fan -- there's nothing worse in sports than mediocrity.
Dalyn
Fredi Gonzalez Supporter
I like Stella!. I even want him back on the team. That is different than thinking he was some big loss. The Braves got the best in that deal.
sturg33
I
It was just a fun comment from Dalyn who always liked TLS... you've of course get butt-hurt whenever the almighty Johns are questioned
Dalyn
Fredi Gonzalez Supporter
Yeah. I have fun with Stella!. It's one of the reasons I like him. Same way with Cody Martin. That doesn't mean I actually think they are supreme stars in the making, though I WOULD love to see Stella! in the ideal position for him throughout a full year. I think he could put up something like .282 .377 .433.