Why not Cespedes?

Cespedes is certainly a step down from Heyward. I just don't know what long-term option will be better. I've yet to hear one I actually like more than signing/keeping Heyward. If they somehow pull off signing Lester AND Moncada I'll be giddy, despite not having Heyward. A guy like Moncada would have to excite you as a fan.
 
But that's the thing, chances are we aren't getting him. Or either of them for that matter. Going to be real interesting to see this plan develop.
 
50PoundHead said:
I'm more concerned about long term commitments, so Cespedes only having one year left on his deal doesn't bother me. I don't view Cespedes as an on-going piece.
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I understand that, but I just don't see the likely cost in a trade for a one-year stop-gap like Cespedes being a good move.
 
50PoundHead said:
Given the Red Sox' signings, they might simply give him away.
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It's not impossible you can get him on the relative cheap prospect-wise, but I think you'd have to wait it out. Or have it happen really quickly, like Fister to the Nats last year.
 
Braves1976 said:
I thought about Craig too but he seems to get injured more playing the outfield. So he seems a better fit for a team with an opening at first base or DH than us.
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If I recall, Craig's ankle injury happened at the plate after fouling a pitch off.
 
yeezus said:
No thanks on Cespedes. Feel he's a little overrated at this point despite the huge power.

Huge no thanks on Craig. He's 30, had a few pretty lucky seasons, and the Cards knew it.
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Allen Craig:

2010 (44 games)- 124 AB with .246 AVG, .298 OBP, .711 OPS and 4 HR, 18 RBI (9 BB / 26 K)

2011 (75 games)- 219 AB with .315 AVG, .362 OBP, .917 OPS and 11 HR, 40 RBI, 5 SB (15 BB / 40 K)

2012 (119 games)- 514 AB with .307 AVG, .354 OBP, .876 OPS and 22 HR, 92 RBI, 2 SB (37 BB / 89 K)

2013 (134 games)- 563 AB with .315 AVG, .373 OBP, .830 OPS and 13 HR, 97 RBI, 2 SB (40 BB / 100 K)

2014 (126 games)- 505 AB with .215 AVG, .279 OBP, .594 OPS and 8 HR, 46 RBI, 2 SB (35 BB / 113 K)

Career- .282 AVG / .337 OBP / .783 OPS with (162 game averages) 19 HR, and 95 RBI

It seems to me that he's only had one UNLUCKY season and that was last year (not including his rookie year, since 90% of rookies "struggle" and even his rookie year wasn't awful). He isn't going to hit 30 home runs but he can hit for a high average while driving in runs and potentially protecting Freeman. Not to mention how cheap he is with salary breakdowns like this:

2015- $5,500,500

2016- $9,000,000

2017- $11,000,000

2018- $13,000,000 *club option with a $1 million buyout.

So I'm sorry but I have to politely disagree with your "Huge no" on Craig, I would love to have him since it shouldn't/wouldn't cost much in terms of prospects.
 
blueagleace1 said:
Allen Craig:

2010 (44 games)- 124 AB with .246 AVG, .298 OBP, .711 OPS and 4 HR, 18 RBI (9 BB / 26 K)
2011 (75 games)- 219 AB with .315 AVG, .362 OBP, .917 OPS and 11 HR, 40 RBI, 5 SB (15 BB / 40 K)
2012 (119 games)- 514 AB with .307 AVG, .354 OBP, .876 OPS and 22 HR, 92 RBI, 2 SB (37 BB / 89 K)
2013 (134 games)- 563 AB with .315 AVG, .373 OBP, .830 OPS and 13 HR, 97 RBI, 2 SB (40 BB / 100 K)
2014 (126 games)- 505 AB with .215 AVG, .279 OBP, .594 OPS and 8 HR, 46 RBI, 2 SB (35 BB / 113 K)

Career- .282 AVG / .337 OBP / .783 OPS with (162 game averages) 19 HR, and 95 RBI

It seems to me that he's only had one UNLUCKY season and that was last year (not including his rookie year, since 90% of rookies "struggle" and even his rookie year wasn't awful). He isn't going to hit 30 home runs but he can hit for a high average while driving in runs and potentially protecting Freeman. Not to mention how cheap he is with salary breakdowns like this:

2015- $5,500,500
2016- $9,000,000
2017- $11,000,000
2018- $13,000,000 *club option with a $1 million buyout.

So I'm sorry but I have to politely disagree with your "Huge no" on Craig, I would love to have him since it shouldn't/wouldn't cost much in terms of prospects.
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Craig is 30 years old and is showing signs of lost bat speed. He couldn't hit fastballs to save his life last year and the end of 2013. He's a minus defender and baserunner so unless he's well above league average as a hitter his contract is not even close to being worth it. He has been pretty lucky in his career. His BABIP between 2011-2013 was pretty high and he'd somehow have to get back in that range to be effective which is asking a lot IMO. So you got a guy who is a LF/1B/DH type that is going to clog the bases who is making too much money for too many years. He's definitely a huge no. If someone trades for him and he still sucks you have to eat his money and get no production since he would not be a very good bench player either. The Braves can't risk taking on these types of gambles at this point.
 
BremanFan88 said:
Craig is 30 years old and is showing signs of lost bat speed. He couldn't hit fastballs to save his life last year and the end of 2013. He's a minus defender and baserunner so unless he's well above league average as a hitter his contract is not even close to being worth it. He has been pretty lucky in his career. His BABIP between 2011-2013 was pretty high and he'd somehow have to get back in that range to be effective which is asking a lot IMO. So you got a guy who is a LF/1B/DH type that is going to clog the bases who is making too much money for too many years. He's definitely a huge no. If someone trades for him and he still sucks you have to eat his money and get no production since he would not be a very good bench player either. The Braves can't risk taking on these types of gambles at this point.
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Better to take a gamble on on out-of-shape Cuban, eh?

Point is, we can't pay full retail for shiny new risk-free players. We need to take calculated gambles. You could be right about Craig, but those are the types of gambles we need to take.
 
yeezus said:
Cespedes is certainly a step down from Heyward. I just don't know what long-term option will be better. I've yet to hear one I actually like more than signing/keeping Heyward. If they somehow pull off signing Lester AND Moncada I'll be giddy, despite not having Heyward. A guy like Moncada would have to excite you as a fan.
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Are you the guy doing the Captain Obvious commercials?
 
BremanFan88 said:
Craig is 30 years old and is showing signs of lost bat speed. He couldn't hit fastballs to save his life last year and the end of 2013. He's a minus defender and baserunner so unless he's well above league average as a hitter his contract is not even close to being worth it. He has been pretty lucky in his career. His BABIP between 2011-2013 was pretty high and he'd somehow have to get back in that range to be effective which is asking a lot IMO. So you got a guy who is a LF/1B/DH type that is going to clog the bases who is making too much money for too many years. He's definitely a huge no. If someone trades for him and he still sucks you have to eat his money and get no production since he would not be a very good bench player either. The Braves can't risk taking on these types of gambles at this point.
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The more I think about this, the more it bugs me. The dude didn't slowly deteriorate, he dropped off the face of the earth. He was hurt. He didn't lose .250 of OPS because he lost bat speed.

He was very consistent for three years prior. Question is whether he's healthy. If so, he's the type of bat we could use around here - disciplined, can go the other way, relatively low strikeouts (that is, not another one of these guys who strikes out 180 times and hits 15 homers). He can play the corner spots and 1B; here he'd play left or right, and he'd be just fine. "LF/DH/1B type implies he's not capable of playing defense. That's just not true.

And "clogging up the base paths" - what, he's going to get in Freddie's way as he's jetting around the basepaths? We don't run anyway. Everybody that comes here has their steals cut in half.

If he's healthy, I'd love to have him. Good hitter, not all or nothing /three true outcomes. He'd be good on our club.
 
GovClintonTyree said:
The more I think about this, the more it bugs me. The dude didn't slowly deteriorate, he dropped off the face of the earth. He was hurt. He didn't lose .250 of OPS because he lost bat speed.

He was very consistent for three years prior. Question is whether he's healthy. If so, he's the type of bat we could use around here - disciplined, can go the other way, relatively low strikeouts (that is, not another one of these guys who strikes out 180 times and hits 15 homers). He can play the corner spots and 1B; here he'd play left or right, and he'd be just fine. "LF/DH/1B type implies he's not capable of playing defense. That's just not true.

And "clogging up the base paths" - what, he's going to get in Freddie's way as he's jetting around the basepaths? We don't run anyway. Everybody that comes here has their steals cut in half.

If he's healthy, I'd love to have him. Good hitter, not all or nothing /three true outcomes. He'd be good on our club.
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Thank you.
 
I'd be down for Craig, i dont know what it would cost to get him though.

His contract is pretty team-friendly also.

Maybe he is losing it but prior to last year, the guy can flat out hit.
 
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