players we should target and why

Enscheff said:
The Braves payroll was $112M only so they could sign Santana. I would fully expect the payroll to be right around $100M for 2015, and probably under $100M.

There is simply no way on Earth we see Miller in a Braves uniform in 2015.

I would expect Hart/Coppy to be shopping in that middle tier of SPs that will cost less than $10M per year, and then filling out the bench and platoon partners via trades.

No way should a team with a terrible offense and significant payroll constraints be trading away a guy that can post an .800+ OPS while making $600k. It would be incompetent and border on lunacy.
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Again, I'm not saying we "will" or "should" sign him. Just pointing out that it's not something that can't happen.

To be honest, now that Cespedes has signed with Jay-Z, I fully expect Boston to press hard for Heyward this winter if they can move him. If I'm Hart I'm telling them not to call back until Betts is in the deal.
 
I believe there are going to be more changes then we have ever had since Ted Turner bought the team. Blowing it up and starting over in order to be ready for the new stadium is my prediction. Simmons, Freddy, Teheran and Wood are the only safe ones, IMHO. Put on your seat belts!
 
COGPK said:
I believe there are going to be more changes then we have ever had since Ted Turner bought the team. Blowing it up and starting over in order to be ready for the new stadium is my prediction. Simmons, Freddy, Teheran and Wood are the only safe ones, IMHO. Put on your seat belts!
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Curious to see what happens, but I think what you write is plausible. I think they will make every effort to extend Heyward's contract and if successful, they'll shop J. Upton. I wouldn't be surprised to see Andrelton traded if an amazing offer were to come forward. But it would have to be an amazing offer.
 
Given their contracts relative to expected production, Simmons and Teheran are our most valuable trade commodities.

Wood and Gattis also have high values given we have them for 5 and 4 more years of below market contractual control respectively.
 
50PoundHead said:
Curious to see what happens, but I think what you write is plausible. I think they will make every effort to extend Heyward's contract and if successful, they'll shop J. Upton. I wouldn't be surprised to see Andrelton traded if an amazing offer were to come forward. But it would have to be an amazing offer.
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Simmons was frustrating at the plate this year, but watching the WS should remind Braves fans what we have in him. We saw two fine defensive shortstops with excellent reps fail to make plays that Tron makes routinely, and get praised for plays that he makes in his sleep. That's no knock on Crawford or Escobar, just a measure of how good Simmons is.
 
We should target Braves Way players........Posey, Belt, Crawford, Sandoval, Perez, and Pence.
 
gilesfan said:
We should target Braves Way players........Posey, Belt, Crawford, Sandoval, Perez, and Pence.
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Plus Blanco, Huddy and Infante who are not just Braves Way players but former Braves players with massive amounts of grit, veteran leadership, clutchness and a fourth attribute whose name escapes me at the moment.
 
Julio3000 said:
Simmons was frustrating at the plate this year, but watching the WS should remind Braves fans what we have in him. We saw two fine defensive shortstops with excellent reps fail to make plays that Tron makes routinely, and get praised for plays that he makes in his sleep. That's no knock on Crawford or Escobar, just a measure of how good Simmons is.
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I don't disagree. It would take a helluva an offer to even remotely consider moving him. But someone might offer the moon and then what do we do. I am hard pressed to think he's ever going to be as good a hitter as he was in 2013. But there's no question he's valuable.
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't disagree. It would take a helluva an offer to even remotely consider moving him. But someone might offer the moon and then what do we do. I am hard pressed to think he's ever going to be as good a hitter as he was in 2013. But there's no question he's valuable.
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The thing about a player who has some bat control and makes contact regularly, is that he can tweak his approach and do a few things differently to get better. If contact was the problem, then yes I would agree that he might never hit well. But he's got size and strength. He puts the ball in play. He just needs to learn more how to become a more professional hitter. I think it's within his reach if he wants to learn.
 
Diesel said:
The thing about a player who has some bat control and makes contact regularly, is that he can tweak his approach and do a few things differently to get better. If contact was the problem, then yes I would agree that he might never hit well. But he's got size and strength. He puts the ball in play. He just needs to learn more how to become a more professional hitter. I think it's within his reach if he wants to learn.
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Legit points.
 
Diesel said:
The thing about a player who has some bat control and makes contact regularly, is that he can tweak his approach and do a few things differently to get better. If contact was the problem, then yes I would agree that he might never hit well. But he's got size and strength. He puts the ball in play. He just needs to learn more how to become a more professional hitter. I think it's within his reach if he wants to learn.
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Exactly, first and foremost it is up to Simmons. It's like trying to get a drug addict or an alcoholic break their habits, it ultimately is up to them whether or not they want to get better, and the same can be said for Simmons. But, this is why I'm really really excited to see what Seitzer can do, if Simmons has the mentality and willingness to open his ears and learn, out of all of them and Seitzer's approach to hitting I could see Andrelton improving the most.

Obviously, and it's been harped repeatedly, Walker was not the right guy for the job and was a bad fit with a team filled with young hitters trying to find their way. First and foremost his reputation in Chicago was less than desirable, and was ran out of town, and his philosophy and approach did not fit with what would maximize the talent's and abilities of our young core.
 
50PoundHead said:
Legit points.
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Im not sure it's possible for players to learn not to swing at bad pitches. Occasionally you get some older players that swing at less pitches overall, but I'm not sure their is reliable data showing players can make significant improvements in their pitch recognition.
 
With Simmons it is not so much pitch recognition as not trying to murder the pitches he swings at. He's got to change his mindset to line drive up the middle.
 
nsacpi said:
With Simmons it is not so much pitch recognition as not trying to murder the pitches he swings at. He's got to change his mindset to line drive up the middle.
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I think his lower half fundamentals are poor. To me, he's an arm swinger with great plate coverage, hence the balls-in-play that don't do a whole lot. I don't see him as someone who is going to walk a bunch or strike out a bunch. Like you say, he has to learn to appreciate what he can do with a pitch and not try to do more than that.
 
Diesel said:
The thing about a player who has some bat control and makes contact regularly, is that he can tweak his approach and do a few things differently to get better. If contact was the problem, then yes I would agree that he might never hit well. But he's got size and strength. He puts the ball in play. He just needs to learn more how to become a more professional hitter. I think it's within his reach if he wants to learn.
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I mostly agree with this. Simmons has all the tools to become a good hitter. He just needs to figure out how to put it all together.

Remember, he just finished his 24 year old season, and had a grand total of 203 PAs in AA prior to being called up. He was in no way ready to face MLB pitching.

I think he hit a few HRs last year and forgot what kind of hitter he was supposed to be. When the HR power didn't show up this season all he was left with was a low OBP and little power. He never hit for much power in the minors, so the surprise HR total was probably the worst thing that could have happened for his development.

Of all the poor hitters in the lineup last year, Simmons is the one I worry about the least.
 
Apparently, the Braves have a test of hand-eye coordination they give to all the players they are thinking of drafting. Simmons has the highest score on that for what its worth.
 
nsacpi said:
Apparently, the Braves have a test of hand-eye coordination they give to all the players they are thinking of drafting. Simmons has the highest score on that for what its worth.
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And if that's not the problem, at least he can narrow things down.
 
cajunrevenge said:
I am a lot more optimistic about our hitters with the new hitting coach. If he can fix Melky he can fix our hitters
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Agreed but we better not expect him to fix BJ and keep him. BJ needs to be off the team regardless of how much salary we eat.
 
It's scary to think that Simmons has a career 11.7 dWAR after his age 24 season. The all-time leader in dWAR is Ozzie Smith with 43.4. After Ozzie's age 24 season, he had 4.1 dWAR. To compare even further, Simmons has had seasons of 5.4, 3.9 and 2.4 (in only 49 games - projected 7.93 over 162 games). Ozzie only had one season over 3.9 dWAR at 4.7. At this rate, Simmons will surpass Ozzie before he turns 32. We're looking at potentially one of the greatest defensive players ever to play this game. Simmons is a great player on a World Series team if he never improves his hitting. As he matures and now with Kevin Seitzer, I expect Simmons to develop well. As he learns the strike zone and improves his patience, I think he'll begin shooting the ball all over the field. I actually see a lot of Matt Diaz in his swing and wish he took the same approach. Andrelton is a player that should retire a Brave with multiple rings. There is no reason to even think about trading him.

Anyway, this team can win now. Keep Heyward and trade J. Upton, B. Upton, C. Johnson, T. LaStella, P. Gosselin, prospects within reason, etc. for a new 3B, CF, LF and/or salary relief. Resign Santana, Harang, Bonifacio. Roll with something like...

2B Peraza
RF Heyward
3B Trade/FA
1B Freeman
C Gattis
LF Trade/FA
SS Simmons
CF Trade/FA

Teheran
Wood
Santana
Minor
Harang

This all depends on if the Braves can trade B. Upton without paying a significant amount of his contract. Either way, if I'm Seitzer, I am getting in touch with BJ yesterday in case we get stuck with him as our 2015 starting CF (with his retooled swing, he produces a .313/.389/.520, 30 homers, 40 steals and finally reaches his true potential:tchop:)
 
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