Spring Training 2015
- Thread starter Hawk
- Start date
If the Braves were actually operating from that philosophy then we'd see less of guys like EY, Gomes, Pierzynski, Callaspo, KJ, Grilli, Johnson, Outman, etc., and more of our minor league stock.
Where is this coming from? It's Spring Training, nothing irregular about reduced velocities.
As much value as Johnson, Grilli, Outman. Maybe more. Only 29.
Again, guys like Russell grow on trees, and if you don't believe that after watching our scouts find them over and over and over (and over and over) you haven't been paying attention. If Feigl turns out to be pretty good, he'll be gone before HE costs the Braves $2 million plus as well.
The position players are different for obvious reasons. Most of those guys were signed because the fickle Braves' fanbase simply won't stand for a complete rebuild (many on this board have screamed about a partial one all winter) and don't go to the stadium to begin with. If the team fielded a lineup full of prospects that simply aren't ready yet...Folty, Banuelos, Mallex Smith, Peraza, etc....The Ted would look like Fulton County Stadium looked in the 1980s for the next two years.
There's one player in that group that has trade value, including Russell.
Sorry, but this is complete speculation. The more likely explanation is that Hart believes in a hybrid rebuild that plays youth off of experience.
That's not the consensus on this board.
2 of those are former closers. So they should bring back a better bounty than a lefty specialist who has trouble getting lefties out.
Reportedly his velocity is way down. Further down than you'd expect this far into ST. He hasn't looked good at any point really. And supposedly even the lowly Mets don't want him.
Read the *amn tweet - Sherman said his reduced fastball velocity was one of the reasons the Mutts weren't interested.
Arguing about releasing James Russell ALMOST lowers the IQ level of everyone reading this thread - including me for joining the argument.
Hart definitely should have checked in here then. Just like before he traded Varvaro.
Dalyn
Fredi Gonzalez Supporter
If we really have a front office who bows to the will of a "fickle" fanbase, they are a huge problem.
There's absolutely nothing in the tweet (which I posted) that made any mention of Russell 'hiding an injury'.
Again, where's your source?
But, but ... I thought John cared about the 'fickle fanbase'.
Good lord, get your theories straight.
So is Rafael Soriano, so was Matt Capps.
This far into ST, I think you would expect to see higher velocity. Especially from a reliever. We break camp in less than a week.
His average velocity last season was between 87-89. It's never topped 90 in his career.
Not exactly a huge dip.
Dalyn
Fredi Gonzalez Supporter
Yep. The Mukaki Rebuild is all on Hart.
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/landing.php?player=460701
"Although he has not thrown an MLB pitch in 2015, James Russell threw 5,051 pitches that were tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2009 and 2014, including pitches thrown in the MLB Regular Season, Spring Training and Fall/Winter Ball. In 2014, he relied primarily on his Fourseam Fastball (90mph), Sinker (90mph) and Slider (82mph), also mixing in a Change (82mph), Cutter (88mph) and Curve (76mph)."
Topping out at 88 this late in camp - ESPECIALLY when he's been throwing more pitches because he was "competing" for a rotation spot - is a red flag.