2015 Atlanta Braves

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

The Braves are right at the top 5 in runs even without any power. Singles and doubles can win you games if you're consistent. The problem lately is the whole team isn't being consistent. Peterson is I'm a slump, no one is coming through with runners on. The team is in a bad slump. I'd imagine they'll get out of it soon. Hopefully this isn't the tale of the rest of the year.

If you steal bases maybe. Which they don't, really. They don't really hit doubles either. Their dead last in extra base hits. You don't win like that. So you have a team that is slightly (.006) above average at getting on base and awful (.026 below nl average) at hitting for power. That's a recipe for a bad offensive team. And we're not talking a few less homeruns. We're talking 24 below the NL average. They could have Pujols hitting as a dh and still be below average. And he leads the AL. You don't need to be all power hitters like we were in previous years, but you need something. The Royals hit about the same number of Homers as the Braves are on pace for last year, did it with a slg % 10 pts higher, and nearly twice as many stolen bases.

[canes21]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

So after another blowout loss, are you all still going to be excited about the future. Aside from Jace and Williams Perez, what else is there to be excited for? Wisler still has a while to go to become seriously MLB ready, Foltynewicz too. We can build a team around Simmons, a Freeman, and Jace, but after that, what is there?

At the rate this team is getting worse as the year goes on, we'll be lucky to field a .500 ball club when the new park opens up.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

So after another blowout loss, are you all still going to be excited about the future. Aside from Jace and Williams Perez, what else is there to be excited for? Wisler still has a while to go to become seriously MLB ready, Foltynewicz too. We can build a team around Simmons, a Freeman, and Jace, but after that, what is there?

At the rate this team is getting worse as the year goes on, we'll be lucky to field a .500 ball club when the new park opens up.

That's a bit of an overreaction, don't 'cha think? Teams slump...we are playing good teams...I don't think the last week is indicative of our season.

Most of our talent is in the minors or learning on the job in the majors...the team will spend money on FA's to get a bat or two, and we jut drafted a ton of talent. Safe to say the team in 2017 won't resemble this year's team very much at all.

[canes21]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

But we still lack plenty of talent around the diamond. Sure we have some good pitching prospects, only one great one in Wisler. They've stocked up on potential 2 through 4 pitchers in the minors, but I still don't see what we have anywhere else. Our catcher of the future is well behind where he was expected to be defensively. Who's going to play 3rd in the future or any outfield spot.

Fortunately the team has a solid set in Peterson, Freeman, and Simmons, but after that, what do we have to really hang out hats on? Teheran, who was supposed to be our ace, is just bad this year, Wood has been okay, Perez has been great, but we all know it likely won't last.

Sure, maybe I overreacted a bit, but I really am not confident in the future like most others here seem to be. I just don't see it. I like seeing the team be competitive and they've not been that near as much lately.

With the Cubs we saw there turnaround coming from a mile away. The talent was there in the farm. With the Braves, it's not even close to being like that and if we can't reach a level like that, how are we supposed to be a playoff team in 2017?

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

But we still lack plenty of talent around the diamond. Sure we have some good pitching prospects, only one great one in Wisler. They've stocked up on potential 2 through 4 pitchers in the minors, but I still don't see what we have anywhere else. Our catcher of the future is well behind where he was expected to be defensively. Who's going to play 3rd in the future or any outfield spot.

Fortunately the team has a solid set in Peterson, Freeman, and Simmons, but after that, what do we have to really hang out hats on? Teheran, who was supposed to be our ace, is just bad this year, Wood has been okay, Perez has been great, but we all know it likely won't last.

Sure, maybe I overreacted a bit, but I really am not confident in the future like most others here seem to be. I just don't see it. I like seeing the team be competitive and they've not been that near as much lately.

With the Cubs we saw there turnaround coming from a mile away. The talent was there in the farm. With the Braves, it's not even close to being like that and if we can't reach a level like that, how are we supposed to be a playoff team in 2017?

They has been there for 3+ years...it didn't happen overnight. Let's give it time. It is frustrating watching mediocrity, but Bobby Cox, Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz aren't walking through the door, so it's time to look to the future.

[canes21]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

They has been there for 3+ years...it didn't happen overnight. Let's give it time. It is frustrating watching mediocrity, but Bobby Cox, Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz aren't walking through the door, so it's time to look to the future.

The Braves don't have the farm to get me excited for the future. Not right now.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

The Braves don't have the farm to get me excited for the future. Not right now.

Last year at this time our farm system was in the 25-30 range...today it's top 10. We are trending in the right direction.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

*** all around.

[KSUowls]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

It's pointless to react to a single game, or even a 3 game series in June. We started off 7-0, did that mean this was the best team in baseball? No, but baseball is a season of ups and downs. We knew that this was just a .500 team going into the season, and right now we do not even have our best player in the lineup. We have a lot of young pitching talent that is going to take a little time to refine. The lack of impact position players in the farm is a little concerning. There are still some intriguing prospects though who can help to fill out this roster.

[canes21]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

We have a farm full of mid-rotation guys. We just have a lot of them. After that, what is there? Are we still going all in on Bethancourt despite how bad he was this year? Who is the future at 3rd? Who's the future in left? What about in right once Markakis starts his decline?

There are still more ?'s than A's with the organization. Right now Peterson, Freeman, Simmons are all we really have to seriously build a future around in the field. Sure, we're better off right now than we were a year ago, but I still don't see the light creeping out anywhere.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

Speaking of the minors, what's the deal with Dian Toscano? When does he start playing?

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

I actually don't love Peterson. Long term, he's a utility guy off the bench. .345 obp, no power, 8 for 16 stealing. It's still Peraza's job longterm

[canes21]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

Right now he's continually improving his fielding and is an RBI machine for a 2nd basemen. He's one of the only players that seems to be growing somewhat.

[KSUowls]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

A bunch of mid rotation guys is a bit harsh. We have 3 pitchers in the top 80 for overall prospects at any position. We have that to go along with Shelby Miller who is establishing himself as an ace already, and potentially guys like Julio (if he can get back to form), Alex Wood, and Williams Perez. In the outfield we have Malex Smith and Braxton Davidson in the pipeline with a few others.

I'm fine with Jace peterson. I think he has a chance to be a productive member of this ball club for a while and the lack of homeruns doesn't concern me at all. The SB % does little bit, but I need more of a sample size before I trash him on that given his success in the minors at that. We're not going to bat 8 all-stars in our lineup ever. So, I'm fine have a guys like him who can get on base at a good clip and put the ball in play.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: 2015 Atlanta Braves

34 RBI is setting the bar really low for an "rbi machine". Besides that, RBIs are largely a luck statistic and not indicative of a player's performance. As far as his track record in the minors, he hasn't been a great base stealer since moving past A-ball. AA, AAA, and Majors combined, he's still just a 60% base stealer, and at that point, you're hurting your team by running more than helping. He only has 18 total extra base hits this season. The only thing he truly does well is walk. Peraza isn't ready yet, but he could be soon. .294/.322/.372 isn't quite where you'd like to see him, but he's 21 and in Triple A. He's a better defender than Peterson, and a better base stealer (19 for 22 this season). He's the starting Second baseman by 2017 at the absolute latest. Albies is also a middle infielder, and while he's still a few years away, he has upside too.

The biggest problem I have with our farm system is that postition player wise it's all the same kind of player; decent on base guys with varying levels of speed and no power. The only guys in our top 30 prospects who project any kind of power are fringe prospects and in rookie or A-ball. I don't think you can win, if you're running guys with less 5 hr/year at 2b, C, CF, and LF, and maybe 3B. We need a serious influx of power longterm.