2023 Atlanta Braves

[LowerWolf]

The last time I started one of these, the season turned out pretty well.

I'm surprised they're going with Arcia at SS to start the season.

[Amoo316]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I've not seen an official filing yet, but all signs point to Fried being put on the 15 day. At least we have both Soraka and Anderson to call up. I'm personally pulling for Soraka to find it again as he was supposed to be our Max Fried.

[Amoo316]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I feel both our kids looked pretty good this week.

Dodd only gave up 1 yesterday. Shuster had a Glavine first inning then seemed to calm down.

Considering they were their first official MLB starts as part of the rotation, I'm pretty happy with what we're seeing out of both of them.

Morton gave up 3, but avoided the long ball which was his issue last year. I'm concerned he gave up 9 hits in a little over 5 innings, but at least he has the veteran poise to get out of trouble. If he gives us an ERA anywhere under 4, I'm not going to complain about that.

[KSUowls]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Despite not watching a baseball game since the great game 6, my news feed will never stop giving me baseball updates lol.

This hit my feed today

Freddie Freeman since signing with the Dodgers

207 of a possible 210 games played

.324 AVG
.404 OBP
.520 SLG
156 wRC+
9.1 fWAR

I need to trade for him on my next OOTP play.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Earlier in the week, one of my Braves buddies said this team really missed having someone like Joc in the clubhouse to keep things loose in the postseason. Fair statement?

[canes21]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Arcia was supposed to somewhat be that guy. I'm not sure that was the main issue, but I would welcome Joc back with open arms.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Earlier in the week, one of my Braves buddies said this team really missed having someone like Joc in the clubhouse to keep things loose in the postseason. Fair statement?

That’s a great point; Joc had an attitude that has been sorely missing the last two years. The team is full of talented players, but maybe they need that piece that brings the mental toughness/looseness to the team.

IMO, AA really needs to go get an ace or two, like a Wheeler/Gallen type of guy. I know Strider is developing into that, but this is 3 straight post-seasons of the rotation being in shambles (that gets overlooked because we won in 2021). I think that the uncertainty of what you’re getting on the mound also puts a lot of pressure on the offense. Will be an interesting offseason for sure…


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[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

It's funny that the entire rebuild centered around starting pitching, and yet starting pitching remains the biggest question mark - other than will the offense actually show up in October.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I know he's earned the benefit of the doubt, but I don't get what AA has done this offseason.

Traded a bunch of guys for Aaron Bummer. And the justification for including Soroka and Nicky Lopez is that they were going to be non-tendered anyway. Specifically, Lopez was going to be NT because we didn't want to pay $4M a year for a seldom-used, light-hitting utility infielder.

We acquired Kelenic for very little, but took on two bad contracts in Marco Gonzales and Evan White. Kelenic was once a highly-touted prospect, but he hasn't really panned out yet. Potential is there, I get it, but there's no guarantee he'll work out. And again, we basically took on bad contracts to get him.

Gonzales is flipped to the Pirates for a PTBNL, so there's one bad contract moved. But we also sent cash considerations with him, so I assume we're paying most of that contract anyway.

White is then flipped to the Angels for Stassi and David Fletcher. So we successfully dumped White's contract .. except it turned out to be a salary dump for the Angels since Stassi makes $7M a year and Fletcher's contract is really just about as bad as White's. Stassi is then flipped to the White Sox for a PTBNL, but I've seen it reported we sent enough cash to cover his entire salary.

So at the end of the day, we've taken on more money. We have a new left fielder who may or may not pan out. And we now have an older, worse, more expensive version of Nicky Lopez in Fletcher who is signed for another year and who will soon have enough service time that he can't be sent to AAA.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I agree; when the offseason started with all of those moves I thought “okay, he’s got something big planned” and then it’s been crickets. We need pitching. I wanted Gray and that didn’t happen…not much else left out there.


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[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I agree; when the offseason started with all of those moves I thought “okay, he’s got something big planned” and then it’s been crickets. We need pitching. I wanted Gray and that didn’t happen…not much else left out there.


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Yeah, I thought the roster dump in the Bummer trade meant something big was coming and then nothing.

But even the moves he has made don't really add up to me. Acquire bad contracts and then flip them for equally bad, if not worse, contracts. At least we got Kelenic when we took on Gonzales and White. I don't see what we got flipping White for Stassi and Fletcher.

If you were going to non-tender Lopez because you didn't want to pay $4M for a utility guy who isn't going to play much, then why are you acquiring Fletcher? He's older and is going to make $6M this year and $6.5M next year.

He's earned the benefit of the doubt, so hopefully there's some plan that has yet to fully come to fruition.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Good article on Braves’ offseason: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/what-exa...XUN314EaPlDWtQ


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[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Good find on the article, SF.

Thinking about it some more, I'm OK with what AA has done this offseason. Everybody keeps clamoring for a SP, but he's really tried to address the playoff shortcomings.

The way playoff baseball is now, the bullpen is really more important than the rotation once you get to October. He's strengthened the pen, and a rotation of Strider/Fried/Morton/X should be good enough, assuming health.

I'm always skeptical of signing a pitcher to a longterm deal. And if you're going to trade for one, it's probably better to do it in July than December. And who knows, maybe Ian or Ynoa bounce back.

All the salary trades still don't make much sense to me, but the team as is is good enough to compete for a World Series title. He doesn't have a lot to trade from, but AA should have some trade chips at the deadline.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

Is it stupid to trade the hitter who had the best season for you?

I think I’d exercise Ozuna’s option then trade him. You’re not going to get a ton, but you’ll get more for him than Soler. And there’s not room on the roster for both of them, especially since Acuna is probably going to need some DH days.

[LowerWolf]

Re: 2023 Atlanta Braves

I know team threads are basically extinct, but this seems the best place to post this.

Got this in the mail today:



Probably unpopular opinion: I wish the Braves would use that as the alternate cap with the red and blue jerseys. Drop the all blue road cap and use the classic red-billed cap with the home whites and road grays.

Edit: The 2025 MLB style guide shows the red-billed caps for both the road grays and blues.