Updated Roster news/thoughts

Anyone seen this yet?

http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/scott-spratts-10-bold-predictions-for-2014/

1. Jason Heyward will be the No. 1 overall player in 5×5 leagues with OBP instead of AVG; he will hit .295/.415/.540 with 30 home runs, 110 runs, 70 RBI, and 25 steals.

In 2012, Jason Heyward spent about half of his plate appearances in the third spot in the batting order and the other half in the four-to-seven range. A full-time move to the leadoff spot could add another 50 or more plate appearances over a full season. Of course, full season is the critical phrase. Heyward really has just one full season to his credit, in 2012. That year, he reached 651 plate appearances. Add the 50 and round to 700. For his career, Heyward has a .259/.352/.443 triple slash with 24 home runs, 95 runs, 75 RBI, and 14 steals per 700 plate appearances. As the leadoff man, those numbers should skew away from RBI and toward runs, but they are equally valuable in roto. Heyward has increased his line drive rate each of the last two seasons, from 13.1 percent in 2011 to 19.3 percent in 2012 and 21.4 percent last season. If that trend continues, his BABIP should jump 40-plus points from the .281 he had last year and carry his average to near .300. Meanwhile, most of the Braves’ lineup suffered down years in 2013. If even half recover and Heyward plays a full season, his counting stats should soar. He’s still impossibly young at 24, but I think this is the season he enters his prime and becomes a perennial MVP candidate.
Click to expand...
 
I think people are overlooking the offense. Heyward/JUpton/Freeman have mvp caliber talent. I don't think any team can match the upside of the braves lineup.if uggla and bj returned to form the power potential would be off the charts.
 
cajunrevenge said:
I think people are overlooking the offense. Heyward/JUpton/Freeman have mvp caliber talent. I don't think any team can match the upside of the braves lineup.if uggla and bj returned to form the power potential would be off the charts.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I think some people are being too pessimistic and not looking at all the things that could go right, which is a lot of things, IMO.
 
Just went through and made my best guesses on the opening day roster based on the latest rumblings from the Braves scribes. Now obviously last minute waiver claims, or trades could alter this, but this is my best guess if they go with what they have right now.

Starting Pitchers
Julio Teheran
Alex Wood
Freddie Garcia
David Hale

Relievers(8) Fredi has said he's going with a 12-man staff
Locks
Craig Kimbrel
David Carpenter
Luis Avilan
Jordan Walden
Anthony Varvaro

That leaves 3 spots and this is what I believe right now
Ian Thomas wins a spot to supply another lefty, he's non roster so a 40-man spot needs to be cleared, easy enough one of two between Beachy and Medlen.
Luis Vasquez wins a spot, he's on the 40-man.
The last spot is where it gets interesting, ideally, the Braves would like to start Gus Schlosser down at Gwinnett, however, I think because of the uncertainty of the rotation, he will be in the big league bullpen as a long man. If they don't go with Schlosser, I think Juan Jamie gets the final spot.

Rest of the Roster
Catchers(3)
Evan Gattis
Gerald Laird
Ryan Doumit

Infielders (6)
Freddie Freeman
Dan Uggla
Andrelton Simmons
Chris Johnson
Ramiro Pena
Tyler Greene(This is strictly based on comments made today by Bowman after an article he wrote about with quotes from Wren.) They want a second middle infielder, and Pastornicky won't be ready. If Greene makes the team a 40 man spot would have to be cleared.

Outfielders (4)
Jason Heyward
BJ Upton
Justin Upton
Jordan Schafer

Pitching Staff come June 1st
Starters
Ervin Santana
Mike Minor
Julio Teheran
Alex Wood
Gavin Floyd

Relievers
Craig Kimbrel
David Carpenter
Jordan Walden
Luis Avilan
Anthony Varvaro
Jonny Venters
Freddie Garcia(Longman)

So in this opening day scenario, 4 40-man roster spots would have to be created for Garcia, Thomas, Schlosser, and Greene and again two of those would be putting Medlen and Beachy on the 60-day DL, one would probably be Cory Gearin either being claimed on waivers or clearing waivers and taken off the 40-man, the other spot is anyone's guess.

I realize it's a pretty lengthy post, but I welcome any comments. And let's play ball, two weeks is too long.
 
I don't know if it will be Varvaro or Gearrin, but you're awfully close if not right on the mark.

I still think Wren will scour the last cuts from other teams and I wouldn't be surprised if our last bullpen arm and our 25th guy isn't in a Braves' uniform right now.
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't know if it will be Varvaro or Gearrin, but you're awfully close if not right on the mark.

I still think Wren will scour the last cuts from other teams and I wouldn't be surprised if our last bullpen arm and our 25th guy isn't in a Braves' uniform right now.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I would not be surprised at all, if there is a trade or waiver claim made during the last week of spring training, especially for the final bench spot because right now no one is stepping up. Tyler Greene wouldn't be bad if he would start hitting some. He does afterall have major league experience.
 
I do like the rotation as of June 1st. Minor, Santana, Julio and Floyd should all be 6+ inning guys which will be nice. Wood I think will be shut down in August or September to rest up for the post season and Freddy or Hale or whoever will pick up starts.

My ideal situation is someone with a live arm like Sims will be ready and we can have him make some key starts for us in September.
 
Pretty much on point. Greene hasn't done anything to merit a spot, and Pena can play short. I think Gearrin (because he is out of options) would get the nod over Schlosser in the short term, and I think Terdoslavich is a good bet for the bench as well.

Any last-minute deal would be for a pitcher, I think, but it would have to be a major heist to go down at this point.
 
Saw Bowman's comments. Surprised that you can make the team hitting .182. Rather see Cunningham or Terdo as the 25th man. Doesn'taAppear Pastor close to being ready.

Gearrin really needs a couple of good appearances to avoid the waiver wire.

SChlosser might be OK as a long man, but we have to limit his innings and he's going to get a lot of starts in AAA. Long man usually doesn't pitch much. Other two spots are anyone's guess. Thomas didn't help himself yesterday and Jaime has been good. Vasquez coming on nicely. Couple more weeks to get this settled.
 
Not 100% sure on this, but I think Doumit's defense at catcher is pretty poor. Should be a fun year with him and Gattis behind the plate
 
PurpleBrave said:
Not 100% sure on this, but I think Doumit's defense at catcher is pretty poor. Should be a fun year with him and Gattis behind the plate
Click to expand...

Doumit sucks behind the plate, but he won't play there too often unless Gattis is hurt. I think Doumit will be more of a offensive replacement. We'll probably see him go to the OF if BJ isn't hitting and shuffle the OF around (Heyward Center, Justin right and Doumit left) he's gonna be used like Gattis was last year as a sub across the board and play the position of Bat.

But Gattis isn't a bad catcher. It's a downgrade from Mac to him, but Mac was near the top of the second group of catchers (not a Molina or Wieters, but near Ruiz and co as the above averages)
 
Last week we mentioned Gus Schlosser (RHP, ATL) as a candidate for a bullpen job, but serious elbow injuries to Kris Medlen (RHP, ATL) and Brandon Beachy (RHP, ATL) have influenced the team to shift him back to a starting pitcher. Medlen had Tommy John surgery on March 18. Tommy John surgery was recommended to Beachy, but he has sought a second opinion from Dr. Neal El Attrache, who has had some success in the past with platelet-rich plasma therapy. Schlosser has impressed this spring (9.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB and 10 K) and figures to be at the top of the list should the team need to summon a starting pitcher from the minors. There is also a chance that they could possibly opt to use him as a long reliever, at least for the first couple weeks of the season. Then, once Ervin Santana (RHP, ATL) and/or Mike Minor (LHP, ATL) are ready, he could join the starting rotation at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Since the team will begin the season with a four-man rotation (they won’t need a fifth starter until April 12), there are three bullpen spots up for grabs. As of now, it appears that the leading candidates are Ryan Buchter (LHP, ATL), Ian Thomas (LHP, ATL), Juan Jamie (RHP, ATL) and Luis Vasquez (RHP, ATL). Cory Gearrin (RHP, ATL) has had two brutal outings this spring and could be on the outside looking in despite the fact that he's out of minor league options.

It will be interesting to see what the team has in mind for the aforementioned Thomas. The 26-year-old toiled in the Independent League prior to signing with the Braves in 2012. The Braves initially used him as a reliever, but moved him into the starting rotation at Double-A Mississippi last season and the results were very positive (2.94 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 9.0 Dom, 3.2 Ctl in 67.1 IP over 13 starts; 2.76 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 10.6 Dom and 3.2 Ctl in 104.1 IP overall). He has been pitching an inning per appearance so far this spring (6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 11 K in six outings).

Tyler Pastornicky (INF, ATL) likely won’t be ready for Opening Day as he recovers from August surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. Back on February 27, we discussed non-roster invitee Tyler Greene (2B/SS/3B/OF, ATL) as a sleeper for the last spot on the bench and he looks to be the leading candidate to get the nod, at least until Pastornicky is good to go.
 
As it stands now, I think Greene is the leading candidate for the 25th man, crappy hitting or not. He can play all the IF positions (as can Pena), but I'm guessing Pena is going to be used a defensive replacement on a regular basis for 3B late in games. If that's the case, you have to have a second option for late game double-switches, etc., and Greene is the guy that provides the most flexibility for that. It's too bad Terdoslavich can't play 3B. If he could, he'd be a lock to make the team.

Doumit's defense is a subject of much derision from a number of quarters. There was a Fangraphs article that I'm too lazy to find that pointed out how the Pirates' pitching was worse when he was catching and the pattern was so apparent that it was clear it was not a fluke.
 
Our bench looks a lot better with Pastor on it. The faster he gets ready, the better IMO. Should be game ready any day now...
 
Braves optioned RHP Luis Vasquez, C Christian Bethancourt, OF Todd Cunningham, and RHP Juan Jaime to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Vasquez has been slowed in Braves camp by a lat injury that he suffered in the Dominican Winter League. He should get a look in Atlanta eventually. None of the other cuts made Thursday by the Braves were a surprise.
 
Less than 2 weeks to go before opening day and there are still a couple spots left to be won or lost.

Four of the five bench spots are set: Laird, Doumit, Pena and Schafer.

It is clear that the team would like the fifth spot to go to a right-handed hitting infielder. But Pastornicky has yet to appear in a game. This has opened up an opportunity for Tyler Greene. But he has not hit or fielded well. They might be willing to give him the spot for a couple weeks while Pastornicky gets into game shape. Terdoslavich has started to hit better and is another possibility, but I think he would be better off going to Gwinnett and getting regular at bats. Constanza is also a possibility, but being an outfielder and lefty hitter hurts his chances.

In the pen we have four guys who are locks: Kimbrel, Walden, Carpenter, Avilan. We will probably go with four starters and eight relievers at the start of the season. So there are four pen spots left. My guess is that the four right now are Varvaro, Buchter, Gearrin and Schlosser. Thomas is also in the mix. There is a decent chance the team will pick up a reliever late in spring training.
 
Depending on Pastornicky's progress, Wren may be scouring the waiver wire to fill the last bullpen spot and the last bench spot. There are some interesting auditions going on and Fredi looks to be lining up the brackets for the competition.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top