And this is why I feel bad for the pitcher, no matter the team. Careers shouldn't be cut short due to a dip shit manager.
I missed the first couple of innings, but he looked in command when I saw him. Was throwing 97-98 in the sixth inning still. Was around the zone a lot. Was fat af.
Best Player: OF Ronald Acuna After playing just 40 games at low Class A Rome in 2016 due to a broken thumb, Acuna made up for lost time by reaching Triple-A Gwinnett in July. The 19-year-old BA Minor League Player of the Year batted .325/.374/.522 with 21 home runs and 44 stolen bases across three levels. Early in the season, Acuna said he hoped to turn in a 20-20 performance. Mission accomplished. In fact, he ranked ninth in the minors in steals. He also placed third in the minors with 291 total bases, tied for 15th with 60 extra-base hits, and tied for 20th with 88 runs scored. The Venezuela native has emerged as the most promising prospect in the Braves organization since Jason Heyward or Andruw Jones before him. He needs to polish some aspects of his game, such as improving his basestealing efficiency and reducing his strikeout rate, but given the rapid adjustments he has made, Acuna has the skill set to be a superstar. Best Pitcher: RHP Bryse Wilson No Braves pitcher was more consistent than the 19-year-old Wilson, a 2016 fourth-rounder out of a North Carolina high school who spent the season at low Class A Rome. He led the organization with a 2.50 ERA (second in the South Atlantic League) and fifth with 139 strikeouts (third in the SAL). He also ranked third in the SAL with a .211 opponent average. A standout football player in high school, Wilson is an aggressive pitcher who mixes a mid-90s fastball with armside run and a hard mid-80s slider. He worked diligently on improving his changeup with Rome pitching coach Dan Meyer but needs more consistent depth on the pitch. Yet based on his first full season, Wilson gives the Braves another high-ceiling arm. Keep An Eye On: LHP Joey Wentz Other pitchers in the system may receive more hype, but Wentz, a 2016 supplemental first-round pick out of a Kansas high school, proved this season he is the real deal. The 19-year-old southpaw stands 6-foot-5 and mixes his pitches with aplomb with his easy and repeatable mechanics. His low-90s fastball has good armside run, and he mixes it well with his above-average curveball and changeup, both possessing excellent late break. He went 8-3, 2.60 at Rome and ranked second in the SAL with 152 strikeouts and third with a .209 opponent average. “Joey had a tremendous season for us and has an extremely bright future,” general manager John Coppolella said. “He’s a terrific athlete with plus stuff across the board, and his makeup is off the charts.” Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/ronald-acuna-shows-superstar-potential/#O7OvehhC6OGmY7Ru.99
Predicting the Atlanta Braves 2018 Roster Youth reigns supreme on a roster that gives up a sneak peak into the future. With September already halfway over it’s time to think about the looming off-season and the questions that surround the team. With the youth movement now in full swing there are a few questions regarding the long term structure of the roster. I decided to try and take a stab at my way too soon 2018 roster predictions! Roster Locks: 1B - Freddie Freeman. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. The perennial all-star is one of the best pure hitters in all of the majors and will be the face of the franchise for as long as the Braves can afford him. 2B - Ozzie Albies. After being mentioned a lot in trade talks the Braves finally, and I personally believe later than necessary, promoted Ozzie to the majors where he has absolutely thrived. The 20 year old has put up incredible numbers through 41 games hitting .292/.358/.481 good enough for a 117 wRC+, and provided much needed plus defense at second. SS - Dansby Swanson. Since his promotion back from Triple-A Dansby Swanson has been on an absolute tear hitting .303/.412/.413 while providing plus defense at short. Combined with Ozzie, the two of them provide a very unique double play combo that should be successful on both sides of the ball. CF - Ender Inciarte. Ender is once again putting together a very a solid season. Even when his bat isn’t at its best he is one of, if not the best, defensive center-fielders in the game. You can almost always count on Ender on putting together a 3 WAR season which is vastly needed on a team that will likely be filled with younger players soon. Pitchers must feel at ease with up the middle defense consisting of Ozzie, Dansby, and Ender. C - Tyler Flowers. If you predicted Tyler to have the season he has had - kudos to you. With his ridiculously cheap option he is an absolute certainty to be starting at catcher next year. He has battled injuries at time but through 90 games he has a 121 wRC+, hitting .286/.380/.449 while obliterating the rest of the league in RAA (Tyler is first with 26.5, Yasmani Grandal is second at 19.5). He doesn’t have the PA to qualify but if you lower the threshold to 300, Tyler is the 8th most valuable catcher in baseball with a 2.3 WAR. He will return. That’s about it for absolute positional roster locks. This leaves questions at third, left field, and right field. Nick Markakis and Matt Kemp make a combined $32M and according to Cot’s contracts the payroll for 2018 is going to be right around $70M before arbitration hearings for 10 players. That said that’s a considerable amount of money locked into two players that can be considered replacement level. Nick Markakis having a 0.8 WAR, and Matt Kemp coming in at a very disappointing -0.4 WAR despite his league average 102 wRC+. There is not a world where the Braves can shed both contracts, if they do there needs to be a statue for Coppolella, and it is really doubtful that they just eat the contracts of the two players and release them. That said, one of them absolutely has to be moved with Ronald Acuna demanding he play in the majors with his play. In a perfect world Matt Kemp is somehow traded - freeing up close to $22M without having the Braves give up high ceiling assets to facilitate the trade however let’s go ahead and assume that doesn’t happen and it is Nick Markakis that is moved. That leaves Ronald Acuna in right field where his arm and defensive capabilities would provide the Braves with an incredible defensive outfield pair of Ender Inciarte and Ronald Acuna. Left Field - Matt Kemp Center Field - Ender Inciarte Right Field - Ronald Acuna The final position battle in play would be at third base which would likely be a platoon of Johan Camargo and Rio Ruiz. Camargo has taken the league by storm putting up 1.3 WAR in 70 games by hitting .304/.338/.478 and providing killer defense at third. Rio Ruiz has -0.1 WAR hitting .205/.277/.316 while providing solid defense at third as well. Johan Camargo thrives against lefties - collecting a 1.025 OPS this season in the minors against them, while Rio had a .751 OPS vs RHP in the minors. Camargo is due to regress some but they have the splits to be effective, if used correctly, at third base while both providing good defense. 2018 Roster Prediction: C - Flowers, 1B - Freeman, 2B - Ozzie, SS - Dansby, 3B - Camargo/Rio, LF - Kemp, CF - Ender, RF - Acuna. In a perfect world the Braves are able to shed the Kemp contract and are able to sign JD Martinez whose bat would play in perfectly in this lineup and help protect Freeman. It’s a young roster, and likely won’t be too competitive but will be a lot more entertaining to watch. The team will only go as far as the pitching goes and there will be a ton of Spring Training battles to watch as Newcomb, Fried, Sims, Gohara will fight for spots alongside Teheran, and Mike Foltynewicz. The Braves must spend in free agency for bullpen help but a core of Minter, Ramirez, Vizcaino, is a good one to build on. The 2018 roster may not be as competitive as we hope however it will bring our first real look at the future of the Braves and provide payroll flexibility for the Braves to spend big on some potential marquee free agents. The Braves are turning the corner and are set up nicely for a very long time.
Heyman: Braves will shop their veteran outfielders Ronald Acuna is more-than-likely going to be on the big league squad in 2018. With Ender Inciarte firmly entrenched as the starting center fielder, that leaves a bit of uncertainty when it comes to the future of Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports seemed to indicate that the Braves are going to attempt to shop both of those outfielders this offseason. The Braves see Markakis as a fair value at $10.5 million for 2018, so they wouldn’t look to pay down much or any of his contract, depending on the return. However, they understand they’d have to offset the $43 million to go on Kemp’s deal through 2019. They view Markakis as a solid pro, and different kind of corner outfielder in an era rife with power. Markakis, who turns 34 this November, is hitting .279/.361/.398 this season. His .759 OPS would be his highest mark since 2012 with the Baltimore Orioles.
Was LA only picking up Kemp's Salary for 1 year? I'd thought we were getting some salary relief and we weren't playing his entire contract.
The Future Pitching of the Atlanta Braves What does the rotation and bullpen of the future look like for Atlanta? With the Braves pitchers impressing of late it seems like the future for the Braves in their young rotation and bullpen is bright. Julio Teheran Everyone already knows how good Julio Teheran can be when everything is going his way but 2017 has not been all good for the 26-year-old righty. Julio is sporting a 4.52 ERA and a 4.95 xFIP this season, a far cry from the 3.21 ERA and 4.13 xFIP he posted last season. So, what seems to be Julio’s problem? Look no farther than the walk column where his BB/9 has increased from 1.96 in 2016 to 3.49 in 2017 and although his strikeout rate is close to his usual numbers, his increase in walks paired with a career high in home runs allowed has tanked his season. The hardest thing to figure out is the reason for his very different home/road splits as Julio pitches to a 2.84 ERA away from SunTrust Park in about the same amount of innings pitched as at home where he sports a 6.23 ERA. Another crazy stat is lefties have walked 54 times this season against Julio while right-handers have only walked 14 times. It’ll be interesting to see in 2018 if Julio adjusts and is able to get the walks under control. Mike Foltynewicz The Braves 25-year-old righty has had an interesting season in 2017. Mike Foltynewicz is sporting a 4.79 ERA with a 4.61 xFIP and the highest WAR of any pitcher on the Braves currently. Folty’s 2017 campaign has been an inconsistent one at best and there are times when he seems like the ace of the Braves and times where he isn’t even a fifth starter. This has been a rollercoaster of a season for Folty including a near no-hitter and 5 games that saw him give up 6 runs or more. Folty has done a great job this season of controlling his home runs allowed but has dipped a tad in velocity and sacrificed his four-seam fastball for the movement he can get on his two-seamer. Mike’s biggest focus in 2018 needs to be staying focused on the game and attacking hitters inside with his ability to get a lot of movement on his two-seamer. Mike also has a little growing up to do on the mound and can’t go sweating the small stuff, thankfully he’s no John Lackey and I think he will show much better poise and consistency in 2018. Sean Newcomb This season has been a relatively successful one for the Braves rookie Sean Newcomb, a season that saw him promoted from Gwinnett after a strong couple of games to the majors and by rookie standards has put up some pretty decent numbers. In 17 games for Atlanta this season Sean has posted a 4.32 ERA and a 4.58 xFIP good numbers by rookie standards and chalked full of room to grow. Sean has had a problem, per usual, with walks in 2017 and has a BB/9 of 5.12 and that is going to be Sean’s biggest hurdle in the majors. He has shown great swing-and-miss quality stuff in his short time in Atlanta with a 9.64 K/9 this year. The interesting thing is his HR/FB rate has nearly doubled from his minor league average. From A ball to AAA he never posted a HR/FB rate above 6.7 but his MLB HR/FB rate is at 12% which will probably be something that regresses to normal over time. Sean has some of the highest upside in the Braves rotation and if he can bring his walk rate down any little bit he’s going to have a very bright future in Atlanta. Luiz Gohara Although the 21 year old has only made two starts in Atlanta it’s easy to see why the Braves coveted him so much. Born in Brazil, Luiz Gohara sports the highest fastball velocity of a lefty starter in the major leagues by a good stretch at 97.1 MPH. Pair that lightning bolt fastball with a plus slider to watch guys swing-and-miss all day and night. In the Braves minor league system this season Gohara posted 147 strikeouts in 123.2 innings pitched and only walked 44 over that same stretch. In his latest start Gohara got his first MLB win after going 6 innings against division foe Washington, striking out 6 and giving up one earned run. Gohara is going to be a part of the Braves rotation in the coming years and at only 21 years old is one of Atlanta’s brightest young stars. Max Fried Max Fried is an interesting case for Atlanta. After beginning the year in AA Fried posted a 5.92 ERA but a 3.78 xFIP suggesting he was the victim of a high BABIP which is true. Fried has always had a healthy strikeout rate and a low HR/FB rate and after two quality games at AAA was brought up to join Atlanta’s bullpen. Fried has made two starts so far and has definitely given the Braves some things to think about with him after beating the Cubs with 5 innings of one run ball. It’ll be interesting to see if Fried can stick in rotation or if he is destined for the bullpen but either way expect to see his name on the roster next season. Lucas Sims Lucas Sims has been to and repeated almost every level of the Braves system and is a shining example of how to take your time developing pitchers. Sims is still only 23 and has had a good strikeout rate over his minor league career. He was named the AAA Braves pitcher of the year after he had a 3.75 ERA and a 3.39 xFIP in Gwinnett. So far Lucas has been in and out of rotation but probably profiles to be a reliver for Atlanta with the plethora of starters in Atlanta’s farm system. Akeel Morris Akeel Morris has been outstanding since coming over from the Mets in trade. For Gwinnett and Mississippi this season Akeel posted a cumulative 2.65 ERA and in his short stint in Atlanta posted a 1.23 ERA. He deserves a spot in Atlanta and should have one in 2018. A.J. Minter A.J. Minter probably has the highest upside of any Braves minor league reliver. He has come to Atlanta and pitched to the tune of a 2.70 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 innings. He features a fastball that sits in the high 90’s with a slider and cutter that are also both hard. In the Pipeline: Kolby Allard After being drafted by the Braves in the first round of the 2015 draft Allard has shown ace potential. This season at the ripe age of 20 at AA Mississippi Allard posted a 3.18 ERA and a 3.42 xFIP to go along with 129 strikeouts as Kolby was able to reach his innings goal of 150. Mike Soroka Soroka was the other Braves first round selection in 2015 and much like his counterpart Allard has pitched immaculately. Also 20, Soroka was at Mississippi this season and one-upped Allard with a 2.75 ERA and a 3.28 xFIP. Soroka had 125 strikeouts in 153.2 innings pitched and projects to be a top of the rotation guy as well. Kyle Wright The Braves selected Wright with the 5th pick overall of the 2017 draft and in his 17 innings pitched between rookie ball and Florida A+ he showed why. Wright is a college pitcher out of Vandy with 4 plus pitches (cough, cough, David Price, cough) and had a 2.65 ERA over his short time in the Braves system in 2017. His ETA is 2019 but don’t be surprised if he zooms through the minors in 2018 to get a September call-up. Touki Toussaint Touki Toussaint probably has the highest ceiling of any Braves starting pitching prospect. Touki has a plus plus fastball, a plus curveball and an average changeup that culminates to be anything but average. He had a 5.04 ERA at Florida this season but that was misleading as he also had a 3.27 xFIP. He struck out 123 in just 105.1 innings at Florida and then 44 more in 39.2 innings at Mississippi. Walks are going to be his biggest hurdle as well but if he can control them any little bit he could be the Braves ace in the future. As you can imagine there are probably a few names that will be traded, a few that will be added but with the pipeline so stocked full of pitching Braves fans have reason to be excited.
Inbox: Will 2018 be a rebuilding year? Beat reporter Mark Bowman fields fans' questions Does the front office view 2018 as a year of development for the young players or do you expect them to make moves in order to contend? -- @timhall89 Ownership and some executives might be tempted to make a big splash via free agency or a trade this winter in an effort to not only avoid what would be a fifth straight losing season, but to also possibly make a run toward the postseason. It currently seems more realistic to project the Braves to become playoff contenders in 2019. But if the right deal or right piece becomes available, the club may be willing to use its resources to make a significant acquisition. Of course, if this route is chosen, there should be a high level of confidence the required asset would be capable of providing significant value beyond next year, when it will be more feasible to project Atlanta as a legit playoff contender. There is certainly reason to be excited about what 2018 might bring. Ronald Acuna, MLBPipeline.com's No. 5 overall propect will make his much-anticipated debut, and at some during the season, Mike Soroka, Kolby Allard and possibly Kyle Wright will likely be deemed ready to join a rotation that has already welcomed Sean Newcomb, Luiz Gohara, Max Fried and Lucas Sims at different points this year. Even if the Braves don't acquire a third baseman this year, there's a lot to like about the offensive potential. But pitching will influence when the Braves are ready to take that next step and begin to further distance themselves from the most painful portions of their rebuild. Gohara and Newcomb have provided a glimpse of what might be coming as the Braves prepare to welcome Soroka, Allard and some of their other legitimate top-flight pitching prospects. Mike Foltynewicz and Julio Teheran will also likely be back within the rotation next year. Over the next few weeks and months, the Braves have to decide who might fill the final rotation spot to begin next year. Should either Fried or Sims fill that spot? Would it be best to trade for a controllable top-of-the-rotation starter? Or should R.A. Dickey's $8 million option be exercised? Dickey's recent struggles have made the decision more interesting. But if the Braves don't acquire a top-flight controllable starter, it will likely be more economically wise to exercise Dickey's option, rather than spend money on an unfamiliar short-term asset, who might no longer be needed once Soroka and the other rising prospects are given a chance to gain a couple more months of development on the farm. How early could we see Acuna at the MLB level next season? -- @KeneelySports As long as Acuna meets expectations throughout Spring Training next year, he will likely make it impossible for the Braves not to put him on next year's Opening Day roster. Of course, before this occurs, the club will spend this winter creating a lineup spot by attempting to trade either Matt Kemp or Nick Markakis. As mentioned in last week's Inbox, Markakis is the more likely to be traded because teams will not have interest in assuming Kemp's contract. From a financial and "controllability" standpoint, there may be benefits to waiting until the middle of April or possibly at some point in May to promote Acuna. But the current sense around the club is that the young phenom will most likely be in Atlanta's Opening Day lineup next year. If Brian Snitker is on the way out, will the front office really go with internal options or look outside for a new voice? -- @WVHCrash This was addressed last week, but because it will remain a popular topic, it's worth mentioning again that Ron Washington would be the top internal candidate if the Braves don't exercise Snitker's 2018 option. If the Braves do opt for a new voice, they won't rule out the possibility of pursuing external options. But Washington, a runner-up during last year's interview process, is the current favorite. Terry Pendleton, Eddie Perez and Bo Porter are the other internal candidates who would be considered. Why is Freddie Freeman still playing? Can he not do any more damage to his wrist? -- @bhobbs85 There are no structural concerns regarding Freeman's previously fractured left wrist. Yeah, because he spent a little more than a month in a cast and then began subjecting the wrist to daily rigors, he understandably experienced some fatigue during most of August. But since he attempted to preserve strength and energy by not taking batting practice on the field, he hasn't necessarily felt like he's still been swinging a "wet newspaper." This certainly isn't a unique approach. Many players have chosen to bypass batting practice to preserve energy for games. One of the first players I covered to do so was Javy Lopez, who stayed away from the afternoon sun as much as possible during his 43-homer season in 2003. Is there a chance Austin Riley will have a chance to win a job either through Spring Training or early in the 2018 season? -- @HoldenPerkins It was encouraging to see Riley produce a .900 OPS after his promotion to Double-A Mississippi and steadily mature as an offensive threat as this season progressed. The 20-year-old is a physically gifted prospect with upside from the power perspective. But I think we need to see him grow into his body a little more before making an accurate projection about his ability to have the footwork necessary to handle third base as early as next season. Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman dresses up as Willy Wonka for his son’s birthday Braves Freeman is one cool cat By now, we all know that Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is one heck of a ball player. We also know that he has an extremely beautiful wife. What we’ve learned within the past year is that he’s an amazing father. On September 18, 2016 Freddie and his wife Chelsea welcomed into the world their newborn baby boy, Charlie. This is better than any TV show. You’d yell “Be careful!”. But your neighbor wouldn’t hear you anyway. So instead, tell your dryer to keep tumbling and watch the madness. If you don’t follow Chelsea or Freddie on social media, you should. They’re terrific. If you do, you’ve probably seen the many photos of Charlie this past year —hopefully this doesn’t come across as too creepy. Which brings us to today…one year since their child was born…Frederick Charles Freeman II. So how you ask does a one year old in the Freeman household celebrate their birthday? Obviously with a chocolate factory! That’s right…Chelsea and Freddie went all out for their one-year old’s birthday with a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed party! That uber-awesome! And so cool that they thought to do this…I wonder if it was all in their planning when naming Charlie. Below are a few photos from Chelsea’s Instagram page. Go to her page to see additional photos. You’ll see friends and family there, but no word on if the bubble-gum girl or Oompa Loompas were there as well as if golden tickets were given out to the attendees. This party looks amazing…food, cake, friends, family, chocolate, Willy Wonka! What else do you need?
Braves’ trade of J-Up to Padres starting to pay bigger rewards David O'Brien September 19, 2017 Braves prospect Luiz Gohara makes his third major league start tonight when he tries to beat reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and the Nats for the second time in seven days. And that, combined with the presence of pitching prospect Touki Toussaint at SunTrust Park on Friday to receive the Braves’ high Single-A Pitcher of the Year award, got me thinking about The Trade That Keeps on Giving. Luiz Gohara is pictured during his win at Washington on Wednesday, when the Braves rookie allowed one earned run in six innings and Nationals Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer gave up seven runs in six-plus innings. The two pitchers will face each other again tonight in Atlanta. (AP photo) General manager John Coppolella and the Braves have made a multitude of bold trades in the past three years, including a few that haven’t work out – the Hector Olivera deal stands firmly atop that list – but many more that have either turned out as well or in some cases far better for the Braves than for the other team(s) involved. The Shelby Miller-to-Arizona trade understandably receives the most attention among one-sided deals in the Braves’ favor. They got now-Gold Glove center fielder Ender Inciarte and former No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson in that trade for a pitcher (Miller) who has struggled to a 5-14 record and 5.78 ERA in 24 MLB starts over two seasons for Arizona. But today, I’m going to take a deeper dive into another trade that, in the long run, might possibly work out even better for the Braves, given the level of young pitching involved. (Of course we never know how the likes of Gohara are going to develop long term, but so far he’s looking pretty damn good.) The trade: Eleven months after former Braves general manager Frank Wren acquired slugger Justin Upton in a trade from Arizona, the Braves’ new regime headed by Coppolella and John Hart traded Upton to San Diego along with minor league pitcher Aaron Northcraft on Dec. 19, 2014, in exchange for lefty prospect Max Fried, outfield prospect Mallex Smith, corner outfielder/third base prospect Dustin Peterson and utility player Jace Peterson. Upton was owed $14.5 million in 2015, the final season of a big contract he had signed with Arizona. He would become a free agent after one season with the Padres and sign a six-year, $132.75 million contract with Detroit. The Braves had Mallex Smith for one season in the minors and one in the majors before trading him in January to the Mariners with injury-plagued reliever Shae Simmons in exchange for lefty prospects Gohara, who beat the Nationals last week in his second major league start, and Thomas Burrows, a former University of Alabama closer and fourth-round draft pick in 2016, who posted a 2.16 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings this season at low-A Rome. Of the $14.5 million that the Braves saved by trading Upton with a year left on his contract, they used $10 million, in effect, to get highly regarded if still-raw pitching prospect Touki Toussaint from the Diamondbacks by also taking Bronson Arroyo and his salary from Arizona in that trade and sending utility player Phil Gosselin to the D-backs. The Braves took aging veteran Arroyo in that deal to get Toussaint, who was the Braves’ high-A Florida Pitcher of the Year this season after posting 167 strikeouts (albeit with 64 walks and a 4.53 ERA) in 145 innings between Single-A and Double-A. The Braves had looked around and checked with a few teams about a deal in which they could take on a bad contract (using the savings from Upton) to get a top young prospect, and the Diamondbacks with Arroyo/Toussaint was the team that was willing to do it, so eager were they to unload the final year of Arroyo’s contract. Touki Touissaint was the Braves’ high Single-A Pitcher of the Year. (Hyosub Shin/AJC) Getting back to the original Upton deal and the biggest piece the Braves got directly from the Padres: Fried, 23, missed almost two full seasons recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery and was slowed earlier this season by finger-blister problems in Double-A. But the lefty was called to the majors after getting that worked out, made four big-league relief appearances, went to Triple-A briefly, then beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field this month in his first major league start, displaying a curveball that could potentially be one of the best in the big leagues. Lefties Gohara, with his high-90s fastball and devastating slider, and Fried should be strong candidates for spots in the Braves’ opening-day rotation next season. Dustin Peterson, who turned 23 this month, hit .282 with 52 extra-base hits and a .343 OBP in Double-A in 2016 and was competing for a major league roster spot this past spring training before a broken hand ended that bid and required surgery that caused him to miss much of the season. He was still regaining strength in the second half of the minor league season when he returned, but will be back at 100 percent for spring training and should be a strong bench candidate. Jace Peterson was the Braves’ starting second baseman in 2015 and for much of 2016 and has been part of a productive bench for most of this season. The Justin Upton trade was the impetus for getting all of the above players to the Braves organization. In effect, the Braves gave up one year of Upton and got a potential 30 years of major league service (before free agency) from the group of pitching prospects Gohara, Fried and Toussaint and utility players Jace and Dustin Peterson. And saved $4.5 million in the process. If, say, two of the starting prospects Gohara, Fried and Toussaint turn out to be as good as many project, and Dustin Peterson becomes at least a solid major league fourth outfielder, think about what the Braves will have gotten in return for trading one year of Justin Upton. Not all trades work out as planned. Some work out really poorly. But when you can make a couple of deals that work out as well as the Shelby Miller-to-Arizona and Justin Upton-to-San Diego trades have for the Braves, it makes the misfires a lot easier to swallow. Postscript: Upton was traded from the Tigers to the Angels three weeks ago and is owed $88.5 million over the next four seasons (unless he exercises an opt-out clause and again becomes a free agent after this season).
How do you feel about teams manipulating service time? As much as Id love to see Ronald Acuna on the Braves opening day roster, it's easy to see why they would potentially keep him down for an extra year of control Jeff Sullivan - I hate that it happens but I can't deny that it works in a team's own long-term interests. What's the benefit of having Acuna on the opening-day roster when you can control him a whole extra year if you just leave him down a couple of weeks? - Think the Cubs are paying any sort of cost for having played this game with Bryant? They're not - It's something to be addressed. This shouldn't be so strongly incentivized. The number of service days required to count as a full year should be reduced, so that teams pay more of a penalty leaving a player down What are the chances that the braves can get rid of both Markakis and Kemp this offseason? Jeff Sullivan Well a problem is they're useless The team most likely to like them is the team that currently has them Markakis, they could flip. Kemp is just nothing
Snitker spent 11 years on the Atlanta coaching staff and 20 years as a minor league manager. He said he can't imagine working for another organization, but doesn't expect to hear his fate until the season ends Oct. 1. "This has been my life," he said. "The majority of time I've been alive I've been with the Atlanta Braves. So yeah, it's going to be hard to think about being somewhere else."
The Braves shouldn't expect to compete next year. But they should expect to get better and it would be nice to have a manager who can help them take steps forward vs a guy who puts a RP out there with a 97 ERA
You guys aren't going to believe this but Kemp is the worst defensive outfielder in all of baseball and Markakis isn't far behind:
Ozzie Albies: Work in progress, but already impressive David O'Brien September 26, 2017 NEW YORK – The Braves already felt pretty good about prospect Ozzie Albies as a long-term piece of the puzzle, but his performance over his first two months in the majors has strengthened that view and erased any doubts about the little second baseman’s potential as a big-impact player. Switch-hitting rookie Ozzie Albies is already making a big impact, but the Braves think adjustments he’s working on will help assure long-term success. (Getty Images) Diminutive but dynamic, Albies has hit .306 with a .394 on-base percentage and .879 OPS in his past 35 games, and had his third homer in a 12-game span Monday in a 9-2 win against the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader at Citi Field. “Leverage,” Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer said earlier Monday, when I asked him what makes Albies special and about the ongoing adjustments the 20-year-old is making to continue his progress and sustain long-term success. “He’s got so much leverage. With these (Seitzer holds up his hands, to demonstrate perhaps Albies’ greatest strength). What a gift.” Albies is not more than 5 feet 8 (in cleats) and perhaps 165 pounds, but has arms like steel cables. Biceps ready to burst through the hi-tech fabric shirt he wears beneath his uniform. Washboard abs that look as if body fat decided to give up and not even bother trying to cling to the kid from Curacao. Which is all well and good, but wouldn’t mean a thing if Albies didn’t have baseball skills. And he’s got those in abundance. Soft, lightning-quick hands. Great footwork around second base. A strong arm. He’s either the fastest player on the team or in a virtual tie with Lane Adams, who might have more top-end speed but slightly less quickness out of the blocks than Albies with his piston-like short legs. Braves manager Brian Snitker, like so many others in the dugout, loves to watch an Albies at-bat in anticipation of a ball hit to the gap. When that happens, it’s off to the races and only a matter of time before Albies’ helmet flies off as he caroms around the base paths en route to a double or triple. “Oz just keeps doing it,” Snitker said. It’s fun to watch this kid play. He’s another very skilled young player that’s going to be on that TV every now and then with stuff he’s going to do in this game.” But for that to happen, for him to be part of a long-term middle-infield tandem with Dansby Swanson that the Braves could be a foundational piece of championship teams, Albies will need to continue making adjustments. Swanson learned that about himself earlier this season when the presumed next Face of the Franchise suddenly slumped, and kept slumping until Swanson was finally demoted to Triple-A. Swanson has been a lot better since returning from a stint in the minors, a relief to many observers who wondered if expectations might have been too high after the shortstop’s initial success in a two-month late-season call to the majors last season, when he hit .302 with a .361 OBP and .803 OPS in 38 games. Since returning from the minor, he’s hit more like he did during those two months and less like he did during his extended struggles earlier this season. After hitting .213 with a .599 OPS in 95 games through July 26 before he was optioned to Triple-A, Swanson has hit .277 with a .741 OPS in 43 games since returning to the majors. (However, he hit .333 with an .879 OPS in his first 28 games back, but only .167 with a .478 OPS in his past 15 through Monday’s doubleheader.) Which brings us to Albies, and how Seitzer wants to help put the second baseman in the best position to enjoy long-term sustained success. It’s why special assistant Chipper Jones and Triple-A hitting coach John Moses worked with Albies on things like balance and toning down some complexities particularly in the switch-hitter’s left-handed swing while he was at Gwinnett, and why Seitzer ramped up that work and more once Albies got to the big leagues. Albies is one of the first Braves to the ballpark every day and goes through early sessions with Seitzer, who pounds home the message and thought process in why they’re having Albies reduce the pronounced leg lift in his swing and some of the excess movement in his bat before he rifles it into hitting position. The coaches at Gwinnett and now with the big club wanted Albies to stop hitting so many fly balls that tended to get caught at the warning track, and instead hit line drives, hit the ball on the ground and to the gaps to utilize his speed, and if he did things right the home runs and extra-base hits would come naturally. So far, so good. Albies hit .179 (10-for-56) with a .230 OBP and .339 slugging percentage (.569 OPS) and 32.7 ground-ball rate in his first 16 games in the majors, and has hit .306 (41-for-134) with a .394 OBP and .485 slugging percentage (.879 OPS) and a 42.5 ground-ball rate in 35 games since. By the way, for what it’s worth, the Braves were 6-10 in his first 16 games and are 17-18 in his past 35 games. With runners in scoring position, Albies is hitting an impressive .283 (15-for-53) with six extra-base hits (three homers), six walks, eight strikeouts, a .344 OBP, robus .528 slugging percentage and .873 OPS. Is the hitting coach pleased with Albies’ progress? “Yeah. And for me he’s halfway there,” Seitzer said. “Maybe a hair over halfway. He’s still got cleaning up to do – we’ve talked about that – in the offseason, and adjustments, and how (to go about it) from a drill standpoint. He’s tried so hard for so long to make these adjustments and had a difficult time doing it. He’s still focused on it and working on it, but it’s just not where it needs to be yet. So it’s just going to take some more critical surgery workout and drill work in order to get the things finally finished off.” When I mentioned to Seitzer than I know some outsider observers will say, “But why mess with his stance when he he’s hitting,” Seitzer didn’t hesitate with his reply. “Dansby hit when he came up last year, too,” he said. “Dansby had much less going on as far as a cleaner swing, that when pitchers…. I think Ozzie’s got better hands than Dansby, but Dansby’s got a cleaner swing. I think when pitchers start making adjustments – (Albies) is a talented little son of a buck, there’s no doubt. But we just have to be careful with expectations for young players, because there’s still growing pains that have to be endured.” This is the thing that every major league veteran player, every coach, every manager, every scout will tell you: When hitters first arrive in the big leagues, opponents don’t know much if anything about them. They’re not focused on stopping that hitter, they’re focused on one or two or three big guns in the lineup. But as a young hitter has more and more success, and after teams face him multiple times, and particularly in his second season in the big leagues, opposing teams will develop a detailed scouting report on him. A “book” on the hitter. And if he has a weakness, any weakness, that weakness absolutely will be exploited. Count on that. So, the goal is to simplify Albies’ swing, less moving parts, which can be particularly beneficial in helping a young hitter avoid extended slumps. Things don’t get as out of whack for a hitter when he doesn’t have so much going on at the plate. It’s worth noting, Albies’ lowest average (.234) and OPS (.696) have been in 25 games vs. NL East opponents, all of whom have now seen him in multiple series. He’s hit .361/.984 in 10 games vs. NL Central opponents, .257/.864 in 10 games vs. NL West opponents and .280/.748 in six games vs. AL West opponents. And after hitting .277/.799 in 28 August games, he’s hit .258/.778 in 23 September games. So where does Albies stand with the improvements and adjustments he’s making? “He’s better with his leg kick; it’s not so high,” Seitzer said. “He’s only coming off the ground maybe four or five inches. He gets big at times; I have to remind him, stay, low. But the bat tip is the biggest thing (that still needs work). He’s got less going on from a distance standpoint, from his start to his launch position. But he’s still got the bat tip where he starts it off flat, but then he gets up here (Seitzer demonstrates how Albies tips the bat forward when his hands are up, just before the pitch is delivered) and then when he goes and takes his hands back you see the bat tip forward, which means it has to come back in order to get in position (to hit). “So we want him, when he comes up, to maintain that angle when the hands go back, then it’s more of a direct path.” Make no mistake, Albies can succeed with flaws in his swing. He has already. But Seitzer is looking big picture, trying to help the kid get the most out of his immense talent and help him avoid becoming frustrated when he slumps by working to make sure he does all he can to limit the difficult stretches. Particularly for a switch-hitter, it’s easy for things to get out of sync. So far, here’s what the switch-hitting Albies has done from both sides of the plate: Batting left-handed: .253 (37-for-146) with 13 extra-base hits, 15 walks, 29 strikeouts, .327 OBP, .411 slugging percentage, .738 OPS. Batting right-handed: .318 (14-for-44) with five extra-base hits, seven walks, six strikeouts, .412 OBP, .545 slugging, .957 OPS “He’s made good adjustments from an approach standpoint to where he’s really trying to stay low (and hit it at) the shortstop,” Seitzer said. “Between the pitcher and shortstop is where he’s trying to hit the ball. Instead of trying to hit a line drive the other way, because when he loses that barrel, they’re lazy fly balls. And he can’t afford to hit a lazy fly ball. He’s got to stay low and hard and then let the ball jump into the gap and out of the park on occasion. But I believe that’s probably the biggest thing that has helped him have the success that he’s had, is being able to control his path with the barrel. “The hardest thing is, when somebody has pop you don’t want to tell them not to use it. You want to let it happen, not try to make it happen. Because most guys when they hit homer go, ‘Holy cow, I wasn’t trying to a homer.’ When you’re trying to hit a homer you usually come back and sit by me and talk about it.” By the way, in 23 Braves wins, Albies has hit .315 (28-for-89) with an .871 OPS. In 28 Braves losses, he’s hit .228 (23-for-101) with a .716 OPS The little man looks fully capable of making a big impact.
1. Ronald Acuna, OF, Mississippi (Braves) | i 19 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 Signed: Venezuela, 2014 Simply reaching Double-A would have been an accomplishment for Acuna, who missed three months with a broken thumb while at low Class A last year. Instead, the 19-year-old's mature hitting approach earned him promotions to Double-A in May and Triple-A in July. All told, the high-energy center fielder batted .325/.374/.522 with 21 home runs and 44 stolen bases. Acuna has superstar potential because all five of his tools grade as plus or better. His outstanding power to all fields made Mississippi's spacious park look small, and when he stays short to the ball he can turn around velocity with ease. He will hit for a high average because he identifies pitches well and lines the ball gap to gap. With his top-of-the-scale speed, Acuna is an excellent baserunner and prolific basestealer, albeit an inefficient one. He shines in center field with plus-plus range and arm strength as well as strong instincts. 4. Mike Soroka, RHP, Mississippi (Braves) | Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 225 Drafted: HS—Calgary, 2015 (1) After tossing 143 innings in his full-season debut in 2016, the durable Soroka added 154 more this season while jumping directly from low Class A to Double-A as a teenager. He ranked second in the SL in ERA (2.75) and walk rate (2.0 per nine innings) as the ace of the Mississippi pitching staff, the youngest in the league. Soroka exudes confidence and poise on the mound and has a simple, repeatable delivery that translates to plus command. He pitches at 92 mph and tops out at 95 with a live fastball he can sink for ground balls or ramp up for strikeouts. Soroka throws a plus slider as an out pitch, using it to expand the zone versus righthanders and to back-foot lefthanders. Soroka's average changeup runs away from lefthanders and keeps them from sitting fastball. He began throwing an average curveball early in counts to alter eye levels and change the velocity range from his slider and changeup. 5. Luiz Gohara, LHP, Mississippi (Braves) | Age: 21 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 210 Signed: Brazil, 2012 (Mariners) Gohara failed to crack a full-season roster out of spring training in each of his four seasons with the Mariners, but he gained attention at low Class A Clinton when assigned there last July. The Braves looked past the work ethic questions surrounding Gohara, who could be as many as 80 pounds heavier than his listed weight of 210, when they traded for him in January. He reached the majors in September. Gohara sits 95-97 mph with his fastball, giving him uncommon arm strength from the left side. Athletic despite his jumbo frame, he repeats his mechanics and showed greater competitiveness this season by throwing more strikes with his fastball. Gohara's power mid-80s slider grades as plus—he just needs to improve the shape and arm speed of the pitch. Gohara throws a below-average changeup that the Braves had to force him to throw the second or third time through the order. 6. Austin Riley, 3B, Mississippi (Braves) | Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 220 Drafted: HS—Southaven, Miss., 2015 (1s) Like fellow Braves prospects Ronald Acuna and Luiz Gohara, Riley began the year at high Class A Florida before earning an in-season promotion to Mississippi. The powerfully built third baseman shined in the SL at age 20 and finished the season with 20 home runs for the second year in a row. Riley can demolish the ball when he barrels it with plus-plus raw power and impact in-game power. He hit some of the longest home runs in the league this season, though his power plays almost exclusively to his pull side. Riley began spraying the ball around the field later in the season and could develop an average hit tool. A two-way player in high school—many teams preferred him as a pitcher—Riley has committed to improving his lateral range and footwork at third base in pro ball. With a plus arm, good hands and surprising athleticism, he profiles as an average defender. 10. Kolby Allard, LHP, Mississippi (Braves) | i Age: 20 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 190 Drafted: HS—San Clemente, Calif., 2015 (1) Allard helped pitch low Class A Rome to the South Atlantic League title in 2016 before jumping directly to Double-A this season, along with fellow 19-year-old Mike Soroka. Waylaid by back trouble in his draft year, Allard answered durability questions in 2017 by leading the SL with 27 starts and ranking fifth with 129 strikeouts. Allard lacks the physicality and velocity of Mississippi rotation-mates Soroka or Luiz Gohara, relying instead on a sneaky 88-90 mph fastball that touches 93 to set up his above-average secondary stuff. He is unafraid to work inside to righthanders with a fastball that features late cut but little plane. Allard generates swings and misses with a plus 1-to-7 curveball, which plays up because of his athleticism and pitchability. His changeup improved markedly in 2017 to above-average, giving him a high floor as three-pitch lefty starter. 19. Max Fried, LHP, Mississippi (Braves) | Age: 23 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 200 Drafted: HS—Los Angeles, 2012 (1/Padres) Not often does a Double-A pitcher with an ERA pushing 6.00 crack a league top prospect list, but Fried is the exception because he pitches with two plus pitches at his best. Additionally, he spent most of the SL season plagued by blister problems that cleared up once he reached Triple-A and then the big leagues, where he debuted on Aug. 8. Unable to go to his trademark curveball for chunks of the season because of blisters, Fried learned to work with his fastball and changeup. He pitches at 92 mph and can touch 97 mph with a plus fastball that he still needs to locate better for early-count strikes. Both of Fried's secondary pitches are weapons. His plus curveball ranges from 70-80 mph and generates a high rate of swings and misses. He uses his average changeup less frequently but to good effect. Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-southern-league-top-20-prospects/#YDwXEUxf5bLP2o3c.99
Is Riley close enough to a MLB debut that we keep our patchwork 3B or do we try and sign/deal for one?
That Allard write up is really disappointing. A year ago, the velocity reports on him were mid 90s. Now they're 88-90? Yikes. I wouldn't mind selling high on him this offseason.
I don't think that matters to the Braves. You've seen them be aggressive with timelines already, and I think that'll continue next season.
He has been slow to adapt at every level so far. He always picks it up eventually, but tends to have a hard time after promotions. I don't think a year at AAA with a possible Sept call up is out of the question.
I was not stating he would be a fixture in 2018. I just think he has a chance at breaking in next year at some point.
So obviously with a whole offseason to go, but let's assume we get some decent bullpen help and add one Markakis-level signing (as in, the type of player Markakis was when we signed him, not last season Markakis). Are we closer to .500 or Wild Card contention next season? I'm leaning the former.