Atlanta Braves 2014

[Baseball Hog]

4 year $44 mil for Nick Markakis.  Smart deal.  I like what the new regime is doing thus far.

[ucahogfan]

4 year $44 mil for Nick Markakis.  Smart deal.  I like what the new regime is doing thus far.

With 1 WAR going for about 6M on the open market, it will be a good deal for sure if he averages 2 WAR per season.  He is very durable playing at least 147 games in 8 of his 9 seasons.  I think he will slot in nicely in the 2 hole, but we lose a lot defensively without Heyward.  It will probably be a wash offensively.  Markakis will also be a LOT cheaper than J-Hey who is probably looking at a 10/200 type contract this time next year.

The signing of Jim Johnson is an interesting one.  I think he could probably be Walden's replacement as a setup guy.  He has struggled sometimes, but it seems like the Braves maximize guys like this out of the pen.

Another interesting thing is that we didn't tender contracts to Beachy or Medlen which makes them FAs.  While I think most experts had them pegged as key building blocks in our rotation with Teheran, Wood, and Minor, both are also coming off their 2nd TJ which doesn't have near the success rate as the 1st TJ.

I think it would be wise to look at trying to extend Wood.  He was one of the better pitchers in baseball last year and is still young.  He is a Georgia boy so he probably grew up a Braves fan and might give us a hometown discount.  If we could get him to accept a 7/45 type deal like Teheran, it would give us two young pitchers to build off of for the future.

I know we don't have the financial resources to sign Lester, but it would tell me that this team isn't in re-building mode and looking to still win big.  The signings of Markakis and Johnson make me think that Hart still wants us to be competitive and not go into a long term re-building project like the Cubs.

[pigture perfect]

Markakis is a great pick up. He is just so stinking steady. He's not going to blow you away with anything, but he's much more than solid.

[gutshot]

The stage is set for an Upton trade now. Markakis is in and the Mariners just filled a rotation spot (Happ) by clearing an outfield spot (Saunders). Expect Upton or Matt Kemp to be heading to Seattle within the next week with Walker or Paxton on the way out.

[gutshot]

If I were Hart I would be hitting Baltimore up for a pitcher also. They need an outfielder now and the Braves have 4. Don't know how willing Duquette would be to deal with Hart though at this point with a sour taste of the Markakis loss fresh in his mouth.

[gutshot]

Upton goes to San Diego in a move that makes it obvious that the Braves are not trying to compete in 2015.  I'm a bit underwhelmed by the return but Fried has number 2 starter potential if his rehab is successful.  Malex Smith is Kyle Wren all over again. (His brother, Michael, was a 1000 yard rusher for the Hogs in 2008). Jace Peterson is Tommy LaStella with more versatility, and Dustin Peterson is a potential masher who walks little, strikes out a ton, and doesn't show much defensive value at 3rd. 

The trade is gettig mixed reviews, so I will hold on to some hope that it works out.  Any thoughts of being competitive in 2015 are shot, though. 

[bulldog04]

Upton goes to San Diego in a move that makes it obvious that the Braves are not trying to compete in 2015.  I'm a bit underwhelmed by the return but Fried has number 2 starter potential if his rehab is successful.  Malex Smith is Kyle Wren all over again. (His brother, Michael, was a 1000 yard rusher for the Hogs in 2008). Jace Peterson is Tommy LaStella with more versatility, and Dustin Peterson is a potential masher who walks little, strikes out a ton, and doesn't show much defensive value at 3rd. 

The trade is gettig mixed reviews, so I will hold on to some hope that it works out.  Any thoughts of being competitive in 2015 are shot, though. 

Should've got Renfroe

[ucahogfan]

Upton goes to San Diego in a move that makes it obvious that the Braves are not trying to compete in 2015.  I'm a bit underwhelmed by the return but Fried has number 2 starter potential if his rehab is successful.  Malex Smith is Kyle Wren all over again. (His brother, Michael, was a 1000 yard rusher for the Hogs in 2008). Jace Peterson is Tommy LaStella with more versatility, and Dustin Peterson is a potential masher who walks little, strikes out a ton, and doesn't show much defensive value at 3rd. 

The trade is gettig mixed reviews, so I will hold on to some hope that it works out.  Any thoughts of being competitive in 2015 are shot, though.

I like the return we got from the Padres and just what we have gotten in general for the trades this offseason based on what we have in the big leagues right now.

Like you said, Fried has number 2 potential as a LHP.  The track record for success on the 1st TJ is very good and he could even come back throwing harder.  LHPs with his collection of pitches can be tough to find.  Adding in Sims and our collection of young pitchers in Atlanta like Teheran, Minor, and Wood, the future is bring on the mound.  It would be nice to lock up Wood and Minor (coming off a rough year) to team friendly contracts like Teheran did.

Dustin Peterson could develop into a solid player.  His older brother DJ is a standout in the Mariners farm right now, and Dustin has the talent to be much like his brother.  The tools are there to be a very good hitter, but like you said, we need to keep a good look on his plate discipline.

Jace Peterson could be the replacement for La Stella, but I like the return we got in the La Stella trade.  We got Viz back and he can be the set up guy to replace Walden.

It appears that this front office is coveting speed with Smith, Wren, Peraza, and Albies.

This offseason has been an interesting one, but I think it is a very good offseason setting us up for the new stadium in 2017.  The Nats have a lot of their top players coming into FA and out of cheap team control the next couple of years, but the Mets and Marlins could be big players with their young pitching staffs.  The East is looking up everywhere outside of Philly who should have fired Ruben Amaro a long time ago.  No reason to have a poor farm system with a bunch of expensive older guys who could get solid returns and lose that many games.

[ucahogfan]

Very interesting trade with the Yankees sending Carpenter and Shreve for Manny Banuelos.  We give up 2 decent options out of the pen for a very solid prospect in Banuelos.  Much like Fried, Banuelos is a high-risk, high-reward player coming off TJ surgery although Banuelos had a decent year in the minors last year.

While we have shipped out some of our top players this offseason and still have BJ Upton, I've liked what Hart has done.  We have sent out our young players that we didn't lock up last offseason and are heading towards FA while brining in a lot of good young prospects and a cheap, cost-controlled potential top of the rotation starter in Shelby Miller.  Our farm system has gone from one of the worst in baseball to one that should be solidly in the upper half now.

[ucahogfan]

Good to see Smoltz get into Cooperstown on his 1st ballot.  Chipper should join him, Glavine, and Maddux in a couple of years.

[pigture perfect]

It was great to smoltz get in. Probably had the best natural stuff off that great Atlanta staff.

[pigture perfect]

I don't necessarily understand the Gattis trade. I thought he was going to be one of the best through there in a long time.

[ucahogfan]

I don't necessarily understand the Gattis trade. I thought he was going to be one of the best through there in a long time.

I personally love the return we got for Gattis and think it is better than what we got for JUpton.  Foltynewicz is a top 60 prospect who has one of the best fastballs in the minors.  He profiles either as a middle of the rotation starter or a stud at the back end of the pen.  Ruiz is a talented 3B prospect who is a talented hitter and should be good enough to stick defensively at the hot corner.  Andrew Thurman is a nice piece from UC Irvine and might be in a buy low situation after a tough year in the minors.

Hart has done some interesting things this offseason.  We traded a good portion of our young core who were going to cost a lot of money for younger players which give us some financial flexibility.  Our farm system has gone from a terrible one at the beginning of 2014 to one of the deepest in the majors now.

[bulldog04]

No more B.J. Upton.

His name now will be Melvin Upton Jr.

[gutshot]

No more B.J. Upton.

His name now will be Melvin Upton Jr.

I'm sure I will still be calling him the same names I called him for the last 2 seasons. 

[AirForceHog]

Not looking very optimistic for the Bravos. I have been keeping up with them during spring training and I sure hope that it gets better.