The Atlanta Braves (thread 1)

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#8,626
#8,626
facepalm_statue.jpg


This is getting old.
 
#8,628
#8,628
Source: foxsports.com and Yahoo! Sports


APRIL 23 NEWS AND NOTES



Braves might be in market for Adrian Gonzalez — 4:32 p.m.

The Adrian Gonzalez trade market hasn’t materialized yet. After all, the Padres are 9-6 and lead the National League West by one game.

Many in baseball believe the Padres will make Gonzalez available before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The Red Sox are often cited as the leading candidate to land him.

But one veteran scout said a different team may have the greatest need for the slugging first baseman: the Atlanta Braves.

Of course, the Braves could stay within their organizational philosophy and simply promote from within. Freddie Freeman, one of the Braves’ top prospects, is also a first baseman. The 20-year-old is already at Triple-A, where he’s batting .254 with three home runs and eight RBIs.

The Braves have a superb starting rotation that should enable them to remain in contention during Bobby Cox’s final season as manager. But there are big questions about whether they have enough offense.

They had a .229 batting average entering the weekend, third-worst in the National League. Take away the four-run burst over the ninth and 10th innings on Tuesday night, and the Braves produced only three runs in three games against Philadelphia.

“They won’t score many runs once teams realize that you shouldn’t pitch to (Jason) Heyward – except inside,” the scout said.

First base is one area where Atlanta hasn’t received much production; according to OPS, the team ranks 14th among 16 NL teams at the position.

Everyday first baseman Troy Glaus is hitting .170 with two home runs and eight RBIs. (He was robbed of a homer by Philadelphia’s Shane Victorino on Wednesday night.) Glaus has a one-year, $1.75 million deal, so he isn’t necessarily part of the Braves’ long-term plans. — Jon Paul Morosi
 
#8,629
#8,629
robvols said:
Source: foxsports.com and Yahoo! Sports


APRIL 23 NEWS AND NOTES



Braves might be in market for Adrian Gonzalez — 4:32 p.m.

The Adrian Gonzalez trade market hasn’t materialized yet. After all, the Padres are 9-6 and lead the National League West by one game.

Many in baseball believe the Padres will make Gonzalez available before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The Red Sox are often cited as the leading candidate to land him.

But one veteran scout said a different team may have the greatest need for the slugging first baseman: the Atlanta Braves.

Of course, the Braves could stay within their organizational philosophy and simply promote from within. Freddie Freeman, one of the Braves’ top prospects, is also a first baseman. The 20-year-old is already at Triple-A, where he’s batting .254 with three home runs and eight RBIs.

The Braves have a superb starting rotation that should enable them to remain in contention during Bobby Cox’s final season as manager. But there are big questions about whether they have enough offense.

They had a .229 batting average entering the weekend, third-worst in the National League. Take away the four-run burst over the ninth and 10th innings on Tuesday night, and the Braves produced only three runs in three games against Philadelphia.

“They won’t score many runs once teams realize that you shouldn’t pitch to (Jason) Heyward – except inside,” the scout said.

First base is one area where Atlanta hasn’t received much production; according to OPS, the team ranks 14th among 16 NL teams at the position.

Everyday first baseman Troy Glaus is hitting .170 with two home runs and eight RBIs. (He was robbed of a homer by Philadelphia’s Shane Victorino on Wednesday night.) Glaus has a one-year, $1.75 million deal, so he isn’t necessarily part of the Braves’ long-term plans. — Jon Paul Morosi
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me.

I didn't read anything else.

:birgits_giggle:
 
#8,631
#8,631
CardassianVol said:
Lowe should just go ahead and change his name to Blowe.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
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Don't blame Lowe.

If Larry Wayne turns a 5-4-3 like he should instead of trying to pretend he was pre-Hooters Larry Wayne then the Cards don't score a run in the 6th.

That said, thank you very much for that blunder Larry Wayne. :hi:
 
#8,632
#8,632
It would be the Texieira trade all over again. The Braves would control Gonzalez this year and next, and then he'd be gone as a free agent. Or conceivably they could exercise his 2011 option and then trade him again this offseason if they decided Freeman was ready. The problem is that, for it to make much of a difference, the Braves would need to make this trade very soon, whereas the Padres will be inclined to string it along until July unless they get a ridiculous offer. The Braves badly overpaid in a trade to wind up Schuerholz's tenure; I would hate to see them do the same thing to finish up Cox's.

Wren really has bungled the first base situation badly. With his top-shelf 1B prospect still two or three years away, he traded away a mediocre 1B with several years left on his contract for a slightly better one whose contract expired immediately. And then rather than negotiate an extension with that guy -- because, God forbid, he might have started out asking for two years -- he had to take a flier on an old 3B coming off a bad injury who didn't even play first base. And now because -- shockingly! -- that move isn't working out, Wren has to try to trade from a position of desperation. All because he couldn't figure out how to bridge the gap between "Kotchman sucks right now" to "Freeman is likely to be ready in 2011."
 
#8,634
#8,634
dantheman617 said:
I say get Gonzo. He is a solid player all around
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The question isn't whether Gonzalez would be a huge upgrade over Glaus. Of course he would be. The question is what the Braves would have to give up to get him. To get Teixeira, the Braves gave up guys who are now the Rangers' starting shortstop, starting pitcher, and closer. To extract Gonzalez from San Diego -- especially early enough in the season to make a difference -- would be similarly expensive.

I'd love to see them make a deal too, but I hate to see what it would cost.
 
#8,635
#8,635
Very good perspective on that. Our farm leagues has always been our strong hold. It would be tough to keep giving other teams our upcoming talent.
 
#8,636
#8,636
After how the Texeira trade worked out for them, I don't see the Braves going down that road again. They've already emptied the farm system once for a first-baseman they weren't gonna be able to keep, I just don't see them doing that again.

Btw, I'm in St. Louis for business and was able to go to the game last night. First time here and was very impressed with Busch Stadium. Top-notch facility made even better by the knowledge and passion of the fan-base. Very impressed with the entire experience.. Would recommend it to any baseball fan.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#8,637
#8,637
The Padres don't appear to have a top-shelf 1B prospect. I think the Braves would have trouble landing Gonzalez unless they were willing to give up Freeman himself.
 
#8,639
#8,639
It depends. They're sort of linked in the public mind, but Freeman is nowhere the caliber of prospect that Heyward is. Gonzalez would be a game-changer for the Braves for two seasons. (If they could get him now, rather than waiting until July 31.) The Braves would have to have a serious powwow to decide exactly how can't-miss Freeman is. If they're not absolutely 100 percent sold on him being an all-star caliber player, then I think they'd have to think hard about making the trade.
 
#8,641
#8,641
He's 28 and heading right into his prime. He's ridiculously cheap this year and next, but then he becomes a free agent and will command a Teixeira-like contract. If the Braves do decide to try to trade for him, the one thing I hope is that they don't delude themselves for a second that they have any shot at signing him to an extension.
 
#8,642
#8,642
Kyle Blanks is moving from LF to 1B for the Padres the second Adrian is gone. I highly doubt Freeman would be in the package headed that way.
 
#8,643
#8,643
GAVol said:
OF was not his original position. He played 2nd base until he got to the majors when they stuck him in LF out of necessity.

Honestly, I don't see how they could have tendered him a contract last year after the way he fell on his face.
Click to expand...

Kelly Johnson didn't play a game at 2nd base until he reached the Majors. He was initially a SS in the minors, and made the switch to mostly OF in 2004.
 
#8,644
#8,644
not to be negative but Kelly has 8 HRs on the year. Obviously his production will come down but how much was TP hurting him? I always thought Kelly had all-star potential, but just being held back by Bobby and TP.
 
#8,645
#8,645
VOLNBAMA said:
not to be negative but Kelly has 8 HRs on the year. Obviously his production will come down but how much was TP hurting him? I always thought Kelly had all-star potential, but just being held back by Bobby and TP.
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The guy probably hit about .270 in 1,000+ ABs and had 2nd base gift wrapped for him. I'm not sure what else the Braves were supposed to do.
 
#8,646
#8,646
Bobby and his stupid platoons held him back. Also no telling what kind of advice TP was giving him. Kelly was in serious need of a scenery change.
 
#8,647
#8,647
VOLNBAMA said:
Bobby and his stupid platoons held him back. Also no telling what kind of advice TP was giving him. Kelly was in serious need of a scenery change.
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He wasn't platooning the last 3 years until they gave up on him and played Prado last year. I bet he was getting 550+ ABs a year in 07 and 08.

As far as Pendleton goes, who knows what effect he had, but the current results don't bode well.
 
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#8,648
#8,648
Kellly was a decent hitter for those 2 years. Still think TP was holding him back. He seems to have that effect on our hitters.
 
#8,649
#8,649
TBrown said:
Kyle Blanks is moving from LF to 1B for the Padres the second Adrian is gone. I highly doubt Freeman would be in the package headed that way.
Click to expand...

That's good, but then the package would have to include Teheran and/or Minor, whom the Braves are going to want in a year or two. Any way you slice it Gonzalez would be very expensive -- a problem which could have been avoided if Wren had simply tried to bring back LaRoche.
 
#8,650
#8,650
TBrown said:
Kelly Johnson didn't play a game at 2nd base until he reached the Majors. He was initially a SS in the minors, and made the switch to mostly OF in 2004.
Click to expand...
My mistake then. I thought he was a middle infielder all the way through until he got to MLB.
 
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