Going to take the time to read through all the comments, but I find it funny that people will reference how it was a good thing that Glavine, Smoltz, and others (Chipper, Andruw, Furcal, etc.) were allowed to "take their lumps" and learn at the MLB level but they dislike this move.
The only problem I have with this line of thinking is it makes little difference (IMO) in the long run. If Camargo's going to be a utility guy, what difference does it make? Is it not better to give the experience to the player you expect to be the starter?
An Albies or Camargo promotion would make more sense on merit, but they've already moved Ozzie to 2B and made Camargo a utility guy, so there's not any kind of competition. They've already made him "the guy", so let him get the experience and learn since the hole is at HIS position.
Hmm, I wonder if you were making the same type comments back in 2011-2014 when people like myself were being annoyed by the FO's drafts and moves. The wannabe GMs were definitely right back then, using the same logic we are right now. Just because a person runs a baseball team doesn't mean they aren't capable of royally screwing up, and acting like they have some sort of immunity from critique because of their job is straight out idiotic and lazy logic.
I would never make any claims to scouting better than our scouts, but I don't need to when simple common sense applies.
Andruw was, IIRC, coming off two MiLB Player of the Year seasons. Chipper was ready out of the box.
More to the point, I think the question is less if he's being rushed than if it's wise to start his clock—before, per Hart, he's ready—before we're further on the rebuilding curve. It's hard to find an analog for that among position players in recent memory.
Andruw, Chipper, et all were also leaned upon to help us win... because, you know, we were trying to win then
What I see is:
- A player who is struggling in the minor being called up
- A player who is looked upon as a future significant contributor having his clock getting started early
- A player who, no matter how well or poorly he performs, will get us no closer to the playoffs than we already are
When was the last time you SAW him play?
I have a hunch clv will be defending this move!
Going to take the time to read through all the comments, but I find it funny that people will reference how it was a good thing that Glavine, Smoltz, and others (Chipper, Andruw, Furcal, etc.) were allowed to "take their lumps" and learn at the MLB level but they dislike this move.
The only funny thing really is you talking out of your butt about Glavine/Smoltz/Chipper/Andruw. None of them had to "take their lumps". Smoltz, Glavine, and Chipper all spent full seasons performing at an elite level in AAA before getting called to the majors, Andruw smoked every level of the minors before getting called up. Furcal didn't struggle in the minors before getting called up either, even though he got grabbed after high A. But that was a team in the middle of a playoff chase desperate for a SS, and Furcal had performed well in spring training.
Swanson getting called up has no relation to any of those players.
That's only a half true. Yes they had full AAA seasons, but Smoltz and Glav took their lumps on bad teams from '88-90.
If keeping him down for 2-3 weeks in 2017 gains an extra year of control then it was quite obviously a terribly shortsighted move done explicitly to sell tickets. In that scenario it is a truly indefensible move.
However, if the new CBA makes it so players need to be kept down in the minors for 3+ months to gain the extra year, suddenly this early promotion makes very little difference. There was likely zero chance the Braves would have kept Swanson at AAA for half the season anyways, so calling him up now loses the team no years of control.
I wouldn't be surprised if JS was privy to some info that strongly suggests the CBA will dramatically change the service time rules, and that inside knowledge was partly behind Swanson's promotion.
Regardless, at least now players like Teheran, Folty, Viz, Cabrera, Freeman, Kemp and Swanson make the team interesting to watch.
I think it's now beyond clear that they were planning on giving the keys to SS to Swanson from opening day next year. If that is a given, I see no problem with bringing him up now. He supposedly has 80 grade makeup, so I seriously doubt anything that could happen to him at the MLB level will hinder his development.
The argument should be whether or not he should have been counted on to start the year at SS next year.
If keeping him down for 2-3 weeks in 2017 gains an extra year of control then it was quite obviously a terribly shortsighted move done explicitly to sell tickets. In that scenario it is a truly indefensible move.
However, if the new CBA makes it so players need to be kept down in the minors for 3+ months to gain the extra year, suddenly this early promotion makes very little difference. There was likely zero chance the Braves would have kept Swanson at AAA for half the season anyways, so calling him up now loses the team no years of control.
I wouldn't be surprised if JS was privy to some info that strongly suggests the CBA will dramatically change the service time rules, and that inside knowledge was partly behind Swanson's promotion.