Looking towards 2025
- Thread starter Slippyjms
- Start date
This is just another dinosaur rant from an old player...we've seen this a million times.
Of course these guys in the lineup aren't good at getting on base...they aren't very good hitters, period.
Last year the Braves led MLB in HRs, and, by the way, they also led MLB in OBP. Do we think AA suddenly tried to build a roster that couldn't get on base? Of course not...the good players have been injured and the replacements can't get on base because they simply aren't very good. Below average players can't just "try to get on base more". That's absurd to even suggest.
So yeah, just a silly rant from an old player...
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Snit doesn't have those players on the bench because he doesn't play his bench players...and no bench player worth a damn wants to sign with Atlanta.
We've already covered this several times. The bench sucks because nobody wants to rot on the bench due to dino-Snit's inability to load manage.
bravesnumberone
Well-known member
Figure out what the direction is going to be on the DH re: Ozuna/Soler and figure out what our plan is catching-wise. I would also set Kelenic up with a sports psychologist.
Hudson2
Well-known member
What to do with Soler and Ozuna. I would rather have Ozuna but its not that simple bc Acuna needs to DH a couple of times a week and i’d rather have Soler in the field. After that the Snit thing needs to be figured out. If we go with a platoon in LF then we need to upgrade SS. After that we need to figure out C. If we traded Murphy and used Baldwin to play with TDA we would have the money to get Adames. Last would be SP.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
There is a universe where Acuan/Soler/Ozuna could exist on the same team and it work, but it would require a manager with an IQ higher than his waist size (which is being generous)
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
I agree but the roster has to be built for it and if that's the front offices intent it's their job to make sure the manager understands that. Ozuna very well may leave if he keeps hitting like this someone will offer him something stupid. Probably takes minimum of 3 years 100 million unless he is feeling really generous. So Soler could be the full-time DH in 2026.
First move would be figuring out 5th starter. Can we convince Charlie to come back for around 5-10 million for 1 more season or is he ready to hang it up? Sale, Strider, Schwelly, and Lopez is a great starting 4, but we need someone reliable in the 5th spot that can eat innings and not be terrible and potentially move into a more prominent role if someone gets injured. If not Charlie, I might look into Scherzer depending on the price.
SS has got to be addressed to. Hopefully with Kim.
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
I would trade Sean Murphy to the Red Sox for SS David Hamilton , INF prospect Chase Meidroth, a pitching prospect Luis Perales.
We need to refresh the team but we have zero payroll flexibility. Murphy missed half the year with injury that isn't a degenerative thing like a knee and had a down year but he is still coming off 2 great years before that. I think we could if we wanted to dump him on a Catcher needy team. Murphy at the least gives them an top defensive catcher to go with their young pitching. They have a pretty good hitting lefty catcher in AA but frnwhat I have read there are doubts about his durability because of his small frame. With Murphy his natural platoon partner they can ease him in. For the Braves we drop 15 million on payroll and 12 million in luxury tax savings. TDA seems like he will stay as long as we want him and Baldwin should work well a his natural platoon partner. At the least it's cheap. We can't spend 23 million a year for what we were getting a lot catcher. We can also suck at catcher for under 10 million. And hey, maybe Baldwin is pretty good.
I don't know what value Murphy will have but I think this is a reasonable asking price. Hamilton is a fringe MLB hitter but he is a lefty and he can play SS, CF, 3B, and ,2B as well as steal a lot of bases. He could push Arcia at SS for playing time. He has a lot of value as a base runner. Gives us a lot of positional flexibility which we need to hide Soler. And most importantly he has 5 years of team control left. Meidroth is a below average defensive 2B, bad SS, and doesn't have the arm for 3B but he does hit well and get on base. He just doesn't do it for much power. He can fill ok short term at any of this positions and could probably learn 1B and LF fairly easily. As we see this season when we need backups we just want them to not suck with the bat. We can live with sub par defense for a bit. Perales is a good pitching prospect who had TJ early last year. Great stuff with big reliever risk. TJ probably sealed that transition. If the Red Sox ball at anything I think it would be Perales. We need to develop our own quality and cheap relievers so we don't have to pay 15+ million a year for them. Or 10 million a year for setup men.
Overall it's about trading a costly veteran that isn't producing for 3 cheap role players. Two bench players/fringe starters and a reliever. This would go a long way to fixing some of the depth issues of the team.
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
We got like 20 prospects knocking on the door. As well as the ghost of prospect Ian Anderson. If a good deals out there I don't mind but I don't think a SP is a must have for the off-season.
First move is obviously picking up Ozuna's option. No matter how they resolve the DH log jam, that 1 year deal is valuable.
Next, I decline the Luke Jackson option.
Then I pick up the TDA and Bummer options.
After the easy option decisions are made, I find out if the payroll number is $230M to reset penalties, or if I have another year with a $270M payroll number.
If the payroll number is $230M I can't afford Laureano on the bench, but if it's $270M I go ahead and offer him arb and plan on paying him $7M to be Acuna insurance.
Regardless of the payroll number, I offer Kelenic arb to be a bench OFer and/or part time player as Acuna/Harris insurance.
Regardless of the payroll number, I try to trade Soler away. If no team is willing to take on that contract I deal with him in LF. Teams can win with a bad defender in LF.
If the payroll is $230M I look to trade Murphy and go cheaper at C with TDA/Baldwin. If the payroll is $270M I keep Murphy and hope he rebounds in 2025.
If the payroll is $230M I focus all the rest of the cash on getting the best SP I can afford. I won't speculate on options.
If the payroll is $270M I try to get Adames to push Arcia to the bench, but if there's no cash then Arcia gets another year and I deal with the low end offensive output.
Then I sit back, relax, and hope for a roster-wide rebound and 100+ wins.
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bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
I just don't see the Braves trading Murphy when Baldwin hasn't seen an MLB pitch in 2024. You would have to trade him well ahead of spring when you could really get a good look at what Baldwin is. I just don't see the team taking the risk of Baldwin being the next Nacho/Grissom (I know he hits the ball harder)..
The reason they can risk going with Baldwin is the presence of TDA as an everyday option. Worst case scenario is Baldwin is a backup, and the Murphy cash may be required to fill in the rotation due to reduced payroll.
Folks may be assuming too much with Strider...there's a very real possibility he doesn't come back from a 2nd elbow surgery. The rotation may be in big trouble if it's just Sale, Lopez and Schwelly.
Folks may be assuming too much with Strider...there's a very real possibility he doesn't come back from a 2nd elbow surgery. The rotation may be in big trouble if it's just Sale, Lopez and Schwelly.
cajunrevenge
Well-known member
We had no Murphy for half the season and he **** the bed when he does play so it's not like we are at risk of losing a lot of production. Last I looked we were even top 10 in catcher WAR.
And I don't think the Braves will trade Murphy, the question was what would we do first not what will the braves actually do. I am certain they will do next to nothing and hope better injury luck fixes everything.
And I don't think the Braves will trade Murphy, the question was what would we do first not what will the braves actually do. I am certain they will do next to nothing and hope better injury luck fixes everything.
They also have Tromp, who is not a star by any means, but has proven to be a viable option if needed.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
I don't think you can say Murphy sucks literally after posting that some team would take his entire salary and give the Braves prospect to boot. At that point you are just arguing with yourself.
bravesfanMatt
Steve Harvey'd
I agree on the Strider point. Been saying that too.. even with it being a brace and not a full blown TJS.. But back to Murphy.. I guess I don't see AA risking another headache by chancing TDA being the primary catcher next year if Baldwin falls flat (not like he has been raking all season for the Braves).. not only is TDA subpar, he is injury prone as most catchers are.. I see the Murphy and TDA duo back next year at almost 100% imo.
Hudson2
Well-known member
I agree bc AA isn't gonna trade somebody he just locked up. I dont think Soler gets traded either so he can replace Ozuna in 25’. SS, SP, and the bench are gonna be the 3 places AA goes and i wouldnt rule out a trade for Crochet to add another legit guy to the rotation. Strider and Acuna both very well may struggle next year and Soler and Crochet would be good back up plans for both.