2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I can't imagine that being legitimate.

[VTPack919]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I can't imagine that being legitimate.

Well you know how the media has been working as of late.

A story with a negative tilt towards the Braves? RUN IT! RUN IT NOW!

[royals19]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I know I'm a little late but that game last night was disappointing.... the whole series was disappointing. I absolutely cannot stand that Dodgers squad and their bandwagon. I think if the Braves would have played their game by getting guys on base, hitting the ball far and then getting quality innings and taking care of the baseball then I think they had a good chance to move on...

But they didn't do any of those things, they tried to scratch out runs (something the team isn't built for), the pitching was mediocre at best (aside from Minor and Garcia) and they weren't taking care of the baseball. The Dodgers weren't really anything special. Really, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford and some of the no-names beat the Braves.

This offseason, they've got a lot of touchy situations to visit.

• Resign McCann, or let him walk? (letting him walk would be the right front office move but a tough pill for the clubhouse to swallow).
• What's next for Uggla? (Surely the clubhouse is going to be different towards him and he's probably going to have an awkward relationship with the front office the rest of the time he's here).
• What happens to Hudson? Do you throw money at him or let him move on? (Like McCann, you should let him walk but on the other hand, he's fronted their rotation and means so much to the team?
• What happens with B.J.? (My guess is the organization isn't going to let him get away with what happened last season. I know he won't be sitting the bench all the time but you have to wonder what direction this relationship is going to move towards.)
• If the Braves let the aforementioned guys walk, who leads the clubhouse? (That might be the biggest problem. The Braves don't have a lot of on the field issues but them unraveling behind the scenes could be.)

My gut tells me this next chapter with the Braves is going to get really messy. Frankly, these are the types of decisions that I'm glad I don't have to make. They Braves are at a crossroads here with a lot of the veterans that they owe a lot to after all they've done for this organization. I really hope that this isn't the case and we don't face this type of crisis but at this point, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Okay...24 hours later and I'm already looking forward to next year. One thing that has stuck with me as I've thought about this last series loss is how similar it is to the 2010 loss to the Giants.

In that series we were forced to use a young Craig Kimbrel, Brooks Conrad and Troy Glaus at third because of injuries to Chipper, Prado, and Wagner. We really played poorly and lost in 4 games. In this game we end up having to use Gattis, Johnson and Freddy Garcia.

One thing that always struck me about the Braves of the 1990's was how injury free we were. Outside of losing Justice for the year in 1996 and Smoltz a couple of times, we didn't have any major injuries. Lately it seems like we can't stay healthy, especially at the end of the year.

Proud of what this team did...I don't agree that the future is dim for this team. They will be even better next year IMO.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

We need to make sure that the team lessens the necessity to "be hot" at the right time next year, because if it doesn't happen next year then we've wasted two years on this "boom or bust" ****.

Can't roll the dice and rest your fate on something that may or may not happen.

There needs to be some reliability. How that happens, I'm not sure.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Yeah, I don't get the pessimism about the future at all. Our top 4 starters are an average of 25 years old. The best offensive player (Freeman) is 24. The leader in WAR (Simmons) is also 24. The leader in home runs (Upton) is 26. Heyward, who was the best player on the team post all-star break, is also 24. Kimbrel, the best closer in the game, is 25. This is a very young team coming off a 96 win season despite dealing with a lot of injuries and drastic under performance from two starters.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I'm pessimistic about the Braves future overall, not necessarily because of the players on the team.

You can only see the same story so many times before it starts to wear on you.


Anyway, I don't know if it was covered, but here was what Kimbrel said to Perez when they showed him in the bullpen. I knew it was something like that. http://deadspin.com/craig-kimbrel-sa...-he-1442541137

[jake44np]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I know I'm a little late but that game last night was disappointing.... the whole series was disappointing. I absolutely cannot stand that Dodgers squad and their bandwagon. I think if the Braves would have played their game by getting guys on base, hitting the ball far and then getting quality innings and taking care of the baseball then I think they had a good chance to move on...

But they didn't do any of those things, they tried to scratch out runs (something the team isn't built for), the pitching was mediocre at best (aside from Minor and Garcia) and they weren't taking care of the baseball. The Dodgers weren't really anything special. Really, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford and some of the no-names beat the Braves.

This offseason, they've got a lot of touchy situations to visit.

• Resign McCann, or let him walk? (letting him walk would be the right front office move but a tough pill for the clubhouse to swallow).
• What's next for Uggla? (Surely the clubhouse is going to be different towards him and he's probably going to have an awkward relationship with the front office the rest of the time he's here).
• What happens to Hudson? Do you throw money at him or let him move on? (Like McCann, you should let him walk but on the other hand, he's fronted their rotation and means so much to the team?
• What happens with B.J.? (My guess is the organization isn't going to let him get away with what happened last season. I know he won't be sitting the bench all the time but you have to wonder what direction this relationship is going to move towards.)
• If the Braves let the aforementioned guys walk, who leads the clubhouse? (That might be the biggest problem. The Braves don't have a lot of on the field issues but them unraveling behind the scenes could be.)

My gut tells me this next chapter with the Braves is going to get really messy. Frankly, these are the types of decisions that I'm glad I don't have to make. They Braves are at a crossroads here with a lot of the veterans that they owe a lot to after all they've done for this organization. I really hope that this isn't the case and we don't face this type of crisis but at this point, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility.

Not surprising that a sox fan would hate the dodgers. Lol

[kjtrippe]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Is Brandon Arroyo a FA this year? That would be a nice sign.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Is Brandon Arroyo a FA this year? That would be a nice sign.

I don't know if he is, but man, I DO NOT want Arroyo. Derek Lowe 2.0 for us IMO.

Now, I am reading that the Braves are going to make inquiries into what it would take to get David Price from the Rays. I have no idea what that would cost us, but I would LOVE it ONLY if we could sign him long term.

IMO, the Braves really do need a top of the line starter. Minor, Medlen, and Teheran (at this point anyway) are really #2's who can be a #1 on a given day. We need that guy that other teams are afraid to face and we just don't have that right now.

[kjtrippe]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Now, I am reading that the Braves are going to make inquiries into what it would take to get David Price from the Rays. I have no idea what that would cost us, but I would LOVE it ONLY if we could sign him long term.

Like 7 year-ish?

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Like 7 year-ish?

I'm very hesitant to give players long term deals, let alone pitchers. A 5-year deal is what I would want, but don't know if that's realistic.

[kjtrippe]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I'm very hesitant to give players long term deals, let alone pitchers. A 5-year deal is what I would want, but don't know if that's realistic.

I believe Price is seeking no less than a 7-year $100 million deal. You think the Braves will do that? And how would you solve the C and 2B positions?

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

I'm perfectly fine with the rotation as is. There may not be a true ace, but there's five (six if they bring back Hudson) very good SPs. And Minor, Beachy and/or Teheran still have time to become an ace. And then you've still got Hale, Gilmartin, Graham and others down in the minors. I just don't think SP is a concern at this point - ace or no ace.

And longterm deals for SPs almost never work out in the big picture - see Zito, Santana, Beckett or even Mike Hampton. Even Sabathia is beginning to look bad for the Yankees. I love Price, but we're already hamstrung by one former Rays' big contract. If we get Price, I'd almost rather it be a one-and-done type deal, but I'm not willing to give up the prospects it would take to get him for a rental.

If they can somehow dump Uggla and get somebody like Altuve to play second and hit leadoff, I'd be pretty happy with coming back with basically the same team. The only other move I'd really like to see is a big bat to come off the bench ... and for B.J. to retire.

[thefakeJTS]

Re: 2013 Atlanta Braves Thread

Sims/Graham, Bethancourt/Gattis, Elander, and a another lower pitching prospect is probably what it would take to get Price. Then we would have to trade Uggla in order to lock him up long term.