Nick Markakis, Greek God of Exit Velocity

If the Braves had anyone in the system who was even remotely ready to step into a corner OF spot in the next 2 years, I would be all for trading Markakis. As we all know, they don't. Further, it's not like there are tons of options out there on the trade or FA market to fill a corner OF spot either. Off the top of my head I can see Braun via trade, and Cespedes via FA as the only 2 options that are realistic (Bautista is likely too expensive for the Braves).

So assuming Smith or Inciarte stays in CF, and whomever is brought from outside the organization plays in LF, the Braves still need a competent MLB-caliber guy in RF. Markakis is probably that guy. He has done absolutely nothing to warrant his exclusion from the next good Braves team, and it's not like his production will be easy for this organization to replace.
 
Julio3000 said:
Is it?

We replaced a potential franchise player with a 31-year old on a 4-year deal. He came to ATL recovering from neck surgery, swinging a league-average bat, and looking like a tree stump in RF. It could end up turning out just fine, but it's not like it was a self-evident slam-dunk win.
Click to expand...

Franchise player ?

As much as I enjoyed Heyward and wanted him to be a franchise player -- he just wasn't,isn't or ever going to be.

A nice every day player but franchise - in the league of Trout,Harper. Yadir,Posey,

unless of course you were talking about this guy:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5970/melvin-upton-jr.
 
smootness said:
He's killing it. Part of me says to trade him at the deadline if he keeps this up, but part of me would also like him in the lineup in 2017 and 2018. It's pretty hilarious in hindsight that so many Braves fans were so upset at that deal.
Click to expand...

the funny part isn't that the fans were upset. the funny part is that the fans were upset about adding payroll when the fans have been begging to add payroll for a decade.

this of course as the club has been slashing payroll left and right and the fans seem to believe the braves care about winning and not just maximizing profits. so really, the fans were upset that liberty's bottom line could be hurt by this signing more than anything else without knowing it.
 
57Brave said:
Franchise player ?

As much as I enjoyed Heyward and wanted him to be a franchise player -- he just wasn't,isn't or ever going to be.

A nice every day player but franchise - in the league of Trout,Harper. Yadir,Posey,

unless of course you were talking about this guy:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5970/melvin-upton-jr.
Click to expand...

Well, that's in the eye of the beholder, sure. But Heyward was one of 11 players in MLB to have 6 fWAR or more. The other 10 were Harper, Trout, Donaldson, Goldschmidt, Votto, Machado, Cespedes, Pollock, Cain, and Bryant.

So it may be subjective, but it's hardly a stretch.
 
Markakis was a 1.6 win player making like $11 million dollars. I'm not sure how anyone can spin that as being smart UNLESS he's traded for something of value. He's also already, when the Braves have another competitive team, he may be 40 years old.
 
Enscheff said:
If the Braves had anyone in the system who was even remotely ready to step into a corner OF spot in the next 2 years, I would be all for trading Markakis. As we all know, they don't. Further, it's not like there are tons of options out there on the trade or FA market to fill a corner OF spot either. Off the top of my head I can see Braun via trade, and Cespedes via FA as the only 2 options that are realistic (Bautista is likely too expensive for the Braves).

So assuming Smith or Inciarte stays in CF, and whomever is brought from outside the organization plays in LF, the Braves still need a competent MLB-caliber guy in RF. Markakis is probably that guy. He has done absolutely nothing to warrant his exclusion from the next good Braves team, and it's not like his production will be easy for this organization to replace.
Click to expand...

It's not about that for me.

If there is a team desperate for a LH bat at the deadline, maybe they give us a long term piece.

The Braves would then have a cost controlled SP, OF, 3B or C, 11 million free for 2017 and 2018 and a big hole in RF. For example, if we were able to get a C, 3B or LF (to trade an OF for OF I assume the team needs LH and we need RH) that we think would start for us in 17 or 18 (maybe Markakis plus a BP piece), then we stick Inciarte in RF and put Mallex in CF.

I don't think anyone is advocating dumping him right now. I'm not trading him for a RP. Not trading him for a utility infielder or 4th OF.

this is a sell high chance and see how high that is. I think on the FA market or via trade we could replace him.
 
gilesfan said:
Markakis was a 1.6 win player making like $11 million dollars. I'm not sure how anyone can spin that as being smart UNLESS he's traded for something of value. He's also already, when the Braves have another competitive team, he may be 40 years old.
Click to expand...

I agree on the WAR and money mostly. With costs going up and up that deal looks fine.

I think we will be competitive next year. And I think we will be a potential playoff team as soon as next year. I really believe we are going to get a lot of surplus value from CF, SS, and 2B with Albies and Swanson. I think we have enough arms that are close to put together a solid staff. And I think we have the money and assets to make moves from a position of strength.
 
gilesfan said:
Markakis was a 1.6 win player making like $11 million dollars. I'm not sure how anyone can spin that as being smart UNLESS he's traded for something of value. He's also already, when the Braves have another competitive team, he may be 40 years old.
Click to expand...

If you're not sure, just read the thread. Obviously you're a dunce for even questioning it. It's hilarious, even.
 
So I guess 15 games into 2016 means that the Nick the Stick haters were wrong? Who cares about the previous 5 years which show he's an average player at best.
 
The ONLY way the Markakis acquisition is remotely defensible - at this stage - is if you buy heavily into the notion of the club needing a 'name' veteran presence (both within the clubhouse and for attendance purposes).

Otherwise, backing a $44MM contract that has provided (and will almost surely continue to provide) production that could have probably been obtained for less than half the price is absolutely astonishing.
 
thewupk said:
So I guess 15 games into 2016 means that the Nick the Stick haters were wrong? Who cares about the previous 5 years which show he's an average player at best.
Click to expand...

I think the validation of the SSS is that he's hitting the ball hard. He's not dinking and dunking or getting lucky doubles that dance down the line.
 
smootness said:
...which is exactly the cost of a 1.6 WAR player on the FA market.
Click to expand...

It's a market value contract. That doesn't mean it was smart, or that they couldn't have gotten more for less. Bravo, though. You're burning the "crippling contract" strawman to the ground.
 
Russ2dollas said:
I think the validation of the SSS is that he's hitting the ball hard. He's not dinking and dunking or getting lucky doubles that dance down the line.
Click to expand...

It validates that what he's done so far isn't luck. Doesn't necessarily mean it will continue.
 
striker42 said:
we needed to field something that resembled a major league team
Click to expand...

I'm not definitively denying validity to this line of reasoning; but close variations of this statement are advanced all the time, to justify unnecessary and/or unwise signings by teams that promise to be bad in the near future, and its logic is never really parsed or unpacked. Why did the Braves need to field "something that resembled a major-league team" in 2015 (or 2016, for that matter)? And why—moreover—was Markakis' contract an eminently defensible corollary of this "need"?
 
I love Nick more than anyone here, but how do you have exit velocity when his hits never exit the playing field? Amirite.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top