Official 2024 Off-Season Thread!

CyYoung31 said:
Truth be told, I don’t even want Snitker fired. I just want AA to completely take the reins on all the tactical decision making out of his hands, which is something he should’ve done a long time ago. I blame Snitker actively losing us games as much on AA as anything.
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Problem is it would almost be unprecedented to have a manager in the dugout taking all tactical decisions from someone upstairs.

The clubhouse and players wouldn't like it. Your best bet is to just find an analytics-leaning minded manager. Funnily enough, I think the Game 1 lineup was actually the front office putting Ozzie at cleanup and Riley at 2nd. That's definitely NOT a snitker move. But after it didn't work, Snitker put Harris back at 9th and went with the regular season lineup.
 
NinersSBChamps said:
8 runs in 4 games. Yet Snitker is the one holding this team back?
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No, no, no. The offense is 100% to blame, nothing else. But Snitker’s pitching management in game 3 cost us any shot at a comeback. And he’s cost us games in the past. You shouldn’t have to overcome your manager too.
 
This was an incredibly easy team (and season) to manage. In all the HR hoopla, you don't see it mentioned much that the Braves came within one run of tying the record for most first-inning runs since 1961 (2000 Cardinals scored 147, 2023 Braves scored 146). Braves scored in the first inning in 65 games (40% of all games). Always easier to manage with a lead and shielded both Snitker and the team to some extent.

If there's a willing stathead out there, I would be curious to know the average lead/deficit the Braves had by inning throughout 2023. I know there were a couple of thrilling comebacks, but I don't recall that many. They established early leads. They somehow managed to amass 26 blown saves (had a 67% save rate), so it's not all early-game performance that vaulted them to 104 wins. I just think it masks a lot of issues.
 
Here's what I have for the 2024 payroll assuming Morton and Rosario stay:

Pos Player 2024 Salary 2024 Luxury
1 C Murphy $9.00 $12.20
2 1B Olson $22.00 $21.00
3 2B Albies $7.00 $5.00
4 3B Riley $21.00 $21.20
5 SS Arcia $2.00 $2.43
6 RF Acuna $17.00 $12.50
7 CF Harris $5.00 $9.00
8 LF Rosario $9.00 $9.00
9 DH Ozuna $16.00 $16.00

10 SP1 Fried $14.40 $14.40
11 SP2 Morton $20.00 $20.00
12 SP3 Strider $1.00 $12.50
13 SP4 Elder $0.70 $0.70
14 SP5 FA


15 BN1 Lopez $3.90 $3.90
16 BN2 TDA $8.00 $8.00
17 BN3 OF
18 BN4 UTIL

19 BP1 Iglesias $16.00 $14.50
20 BP2 Yates $5.75 $5.75
21 BP3 Matzek $1.90 $1.55
22 BP4 Hernandez $0.70 $0.70
23 BP5 Minter $6.50 $6.50
24 BP6 Tonkin $1.00 $1.00
25 BP7 Anderson $1.60 $1.60
26 BP8 Lee $0.70 $0.70

Total $190.15 $200.13

Cap is going to be roughly $237M, and I fully expect the Braves to be at or over the cap (excited to be saying that). So that's a minimum of ~$35M to spend.

It's going to be hard to upgrade LF compared to a $10M-$12M platoon involving Rosario. My opinion is grab a RHH 4th OFer like Grichuk and leave the lineup alone. Despite the failure in October, this lineup is still the best in the sport.

AA has to use all the available cash plus Grissom to bring in as much impact pitching as possible. I would consider one of Lopez or Arcia as other assets worth flipping for arms. Arms should be his primary focus, and I'm confident he will get it done. $35M+ plus Grissom is a nice wallet to go shopping with.
 
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CyYoung31 said:
No, no, no. The offense is 100% to blame, nothing else. But Snitker’s pitching management in game 3 cost us any shot at a comeback. And he’s cost us games in the past. You shouldn’t have to overcome your manager too.
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And I think it’s fair to criticize Snit for how unprepared the players were. Is it 100% his fault? No. But I don’t recall much push back when he was praised for his clubhouse management when things go well. It doesn’t make sense to have it both ways.

And as someone who gave AtlJones the hardest time about Murphy’s playing time in the second half, that clearly was a disaster. Boy was I wrong on that one.
 
NYCBrave said:
There is no answer. The Dodgers are the model organization, are great every season, have the model manager in Dave Roberts, and can't seem to rise up to the moment every post season either.
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Dodgers have bad luck recently in terms of injuries. They had a some key guys injured vs us in 2021 (Muncy out, Scherzer dead arm). Also Bauer got suspended midway through that season. 2022 they lost Buehler in mid-June. Lost Dustin May and Blake Treinen as well. Tony Gonsolin had the same issuer Strider had with being hurt before the playoffs and a little rusty coming back.

And obviously this year they lost 3/5 of their rotation to injury/suspension.
 
The Chosen One said:
Problem is it would almost be unprecedented to have a manager in the dugout taking all tactical decisions from someone upstairs.

The clubhouse and players wouldn't like it. Your best bet is to just find an analytics-leaning minded manager. Funnily enough, I think the Game 1 lineup was actually the front office putting Ozzie at cleanup and Riley at 2nd. That's definitely NOT a snitker move. But after it didn't work, Snitker put Harris back at 9th and went with the regular season lineup.
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I think the analytics team sends Snitker the line-ups. I think the in-game stuff is likely pretty much Snitker's, especially within innings, but I could be wrong about all of it. At any rate, I don't think the analytics team for the Braves gets anywhere near as involved as they do in Toronto, where they are generally attributed with the decision to Berrios when he was dominating the Twins. I've always been an advocate of getting guys slotted in the appropriate spot in the line-up and have them remain there for the most part. The principles of line-up construction are pretty standard although the game has changed a lot.
 
chop2chip said:
And I think it’s fair to criticize Snit for how unprepared the players were. Is it 100% his fault? No. But I don’t recall much push back when he was praised for his clubhouse management when things go well. It doesn’t make sense to have it both ways.

And as someone who gave AtlJones the hardest time about Murphy’s playing time in the second half, that clearly was a disaster. Boy was I wrong on that one.
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Murphy played September 30th (2nd to last game)

His next start was October 7th, 6 days in between

His next start was October 12th, 4 days in between

Malpractice
 
cajunrevenge said:
Every year Acuna was on the NLDS roster we lost. The only year we made the playoffs since he got to the majors he was injured and didnt play we won the WS. When did the Nats win the world series? The year after Bryce Harper left. I think the evidence is clear about what we need to do to be a good playoff team. Just get rid of our best player.
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Acuna was on the 2020 roster than took the Dodgers to game 7 of the NLCS.
 
Burnes has been one name floated by Milwaukee beat writers as being on the trade block this season. However, Woodruff had shoulder surgery today and is expected to miss most of the season so i doubt that happens now
 
Here's my thing about the Phillies series and the manager decisions. The Phillies are a pretty easy team to manage against. You don't let Schwarber Turner or Harper beat you. Turner and Harper had way too much impact on the series.
 
CyYoung31 said:
Btw, Jeff Schultz is a ****ing hack.
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I’ve been waiting 5 months for his Ozuna mea culpa that never came.

And now he’s moved on to blaming Acuna for not having Dansby and Freddie’s leadership abilities (while conveniently not mentioning how the Cubs and Dodgers both somehow managed to choke in a worse way than the Braves).
 
chop2chip said:
Criticism of Snit’s strategic decisioning is easy. It’s obviously has become a liability. A goat could manage this team and we’d make a 12 team playoff.

Snit has received roses for 7 years about how well he manages the personalities on the team. And he deserves that praise! But at the same time, he deserves criticism about how uninspired the team has played the last two years. Something is clearly off with how the team prepared for the playoff format. On top of that, the players embarrassed themselves in the clubhouse and dugout.

If these guys looked prepared then I could maybe forgive the occasional gaffe of leaving a pitcher in too long. But I can’t point to a single thing he did well this whole series.
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What is "clear" is that the team lost.

Whether that had something to do with preparation is wild speculation and probably sour grapes. Most likely they prepared as professionally for the postseason as they prepared for the regular season.
 
bravesfanforlife88 said:
Burnes has been one name floated by Milwaukee beat writers as being on the trade block this season. However, Woodruff had shoulder surgery today and is expected to miss most of the season so i doubt that happens now
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We don't have the prospect capital to pull in a big SP via trade. We're gonna have to go shopping for at least 2 pitchers depending on what Morton decides. I think Stroman opts out and I think he goes to the top of AA's list. I also hope they can sign someone like Seth Lugo or Alex Wood as our swingman.
 
Carp said:
We don't have the prospect capital to pull in a big SP via trade. We're gonna have to go shopping for at least 2 pitchers depending on what Morton decides. I think Stroman opts out and I think he goes to the top of AA's list. I also hope they can sign someone like Seth Lugo or Alex Wood as our swingman.
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Oh, great! Another one of my least favorite players who broke in with one of my least favorite teams.
 
Southcack77 said:
What is "clear" is that the team lost.

Whether that had something to do with preparation is wild speculation and probably sour grapes. Most likely they prepared as professionally for the postseason as they prepared for the regular season.
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What did Snitker do well this series?

How were role players expected to perform when they got minimal reps during the regular season?

Murphy played 2 games in a 15 day span. There is a reason guys need a rehab stint coming back from injury.

Snitker back tracked on his strategy to use an optimized lineup in game 1 because he “didn’t like how it looked”. That allowed the Phillies to use lefties all game to neutralize Olson (yes Olson deserves the most blame for not delivering).

His players were acting like buffoons in the dugout (and clubhouse). That video of Arcia acting like a clown is going to linger around this team for a long time.

There’s not a single thing I can point to and say he did well. Call it sour grapes but we we are only going to have a few shots with this core and we’ve wasted the last two.
 
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