We may not be writing here much anymore (okay never). But it's because we have all soured on the team's off-season moves and are confused/don't want to jinx this somewhat fun, overachieving team.
Nonetheless, I will come back here to say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE AVERY!
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Jason Heyward Follow-Up
Jason Heyward told Dave O'Brien today that the Braves never approached him about an extension. Let me reiterate that: our homegrown, hometown, MVP-caliber, 25-year-old right fielder indicated that he was interested in signing a long-term extension or at least "remaining in Atlanta beyond 2015" and the Braves never opened discussions. John Hart never once discussed even a framework. The speculation around the media was of course that the Braves approached him and determined that he was out of their price range, which sadly was incorrect.
This news makes me sad. It is disheartening. I am disappointed, but of course I cannot be shocked. This just furthers my lack of confidence in the way that this organization has been run for nearly a decade now.
My sincere hope is that Jason Heyward is back in Atlanta in 2016. He's been the most valuable player on the Braves since his first game in the majors, and I will truly miss watching him play baseball everyday.
This news makes me sad. It is disheartening. I am disappointed, but of course I cannot be shocked. This just furthers my lack of confidence in the way that this organization has been run for nearly a decade now.
My sincere hope is that Jason Heyward is back in Atlanta in 2016. He's been the most valuable player on the Braves since his first game in the majors, and I will truly miss watching him play baseball everyday.
Monday, November 17, 2014
2015 Hot Stove (aka mayday mayday Jason Heyward has been traded)
I have been intending to write a long post about the 2014 season, where the Braves go in 2015, etc. I would love to spend some time writing about John Hart and John Coppolella. But then we reached DEFCOM ONE MILLION BECAUSE THE BRAVES JUST TRADED TOMMY LA STELLA AND JASON HEYWARD. If you cannot tell already by my use of all-caps, this will not be a statistically based post but instead is basically pure emotion about trading away some of the only enjoyable parts of a horrific team.
John Hart has made three trades this week:
1. Kyle Wren (future CF) traded for a bag of peanuts.
2. Tommy La Stella traded to bring back Arodys but also for $800k in international money.
3. Jason Heyward exiled to St. Louis.
This is early in the offseason. Other deals (hopefully) will be made. But on November 17, the Braves have the following lineup:
C - Christian Bethancourt
1B - Freddie Freeman
2B - Phil Gosselin
SS - Andrelton Simmons
3B - Chris Johnson
LF - Evan Gattis
CF - BJ Upton
RF - Justin Upton
Writing it down makes it feel so much worse. This team will not score runs. Now they also won't prevent runs from scoring as the Braves essentially swapped out the best outfielder in baseball for the worst. The only positions that I would keep the same are catcher, first, short, and right field. Gosselin is not even short-term second base option, and Jose Peraza cannot get here fast enough. Chris Johnson is a bad hitter and possibly the worst defensive third baseman in baseball. Anything that Evan Gattis brings as a hitter will be napalmed by his defense in left. BJ Upton in Atlanta is the human form of a dumpster fire.
The Braves rotation is young and cheap: Teheran, Wood, Miller, Minor, Beachy/Medlen/Hale. Did the Braves really need Shelby Miller though?? After getting above-average work from castoffs like Aaron Harang, is the rotation really a spot that needed to be upgraded?
I understand that the Braves decided that Jason Heyward was not going to sign long term in Atlanta and therefore needed to maximize his return. (Prediction: Heyward gets 10 years and $225 million from the Yankees in the offseason.) Selling high on Walden seems like a good idea, but the Cardinals wouldn't have traded Shelby Miller straight up for Jason Heyward?? That seems ridiculous. Pretending that Tyrell Jenkins is anything more than a lottery ticket is just silly and insincere.
There are rumors that this trade is just the third of many in the offseason shakeup. Justin Upton and Evan Gattis could be next out the door.
For today, Jason Heyward you will be truly missed. I hope that you win your first Most Valuable Player award next season in St. Louis and then get that huge contract. [Holding out hope that Heyward miraculously resigns in Atlanta next offseason.]
John Hart has made three trades this week:
1. Kyle Wren (future CF) traded for a bag of peanuts.
2. Tommy La Stella traded to bring back Arodys but also for $800k in international money.
3. Jason Heyward exiled to St. Louis.
This is early in the offseason. Other deals (hopefully) will be made. But on November 17, the Braves have the following lineup:
C - Christian Bethancourt
1B - Freddie Freeman
2B - Phil Gosselin
SS - Andrelton Simmons
3B - Chris Johnson
LF - Evan Gattis
CF - BJ Upton
RF - Justin Upton
Writing it down makes it feel so much worse. This team will not score runs. Now they also won't prevent runs from scoring as the Braves essentially swapped out the best outfielder in baseball for the worst. The only positions that I would keep the same are catcher, first, short, and right field. Gosselin is not even short-term second base option, and Jose Peraza cannot get here fast enough. Chris Johnson is a bad hitter and possibly the worst defensive third baseman in baseball. Anything that Evan Gattis brings as a hitter will be napalmed by his defense in left. BJ Upton in Atlanta is the human form of a dumpster fire.
The Braves rotation is young and cheap: Teheran, Wood, Miller, Minor, Beachy/Medlen/Hale. Did the Braves really need Shelby Miller though?? After getting above-average work from castoffs like Aaron Harang, is the rotation really a spot that needed to be upgraded?
I understand that the Braves decided that Jason Heyward was not going to sign long term in Atlanta and therefore needed to maximize his return. (Prediction: Heyward gets 10 years and $225 million from the Yankees in the offseason.) Selling high on Walden seems like a good idea, but the Cardinals wouldn't have traded Shelby Miller straight up for Jason Heyward?? That seems ridiculous. Pretending that Tyrell Jenkins is anything more than a lottery ticket is just silly and insincere.
There are rumors that this trade is just the third of many in the offseason shakeup. Justin Upton and Evan Gattis could be next out the door.
For today, Jason Heyward you will be truly missed. I hope that you win your first Most Valuable Player award next season in St. Louis and then get that huge contract. [Holding out hope that Heyward miraculously resigns in Atlanta next offseason.]
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
What now?
The Braves have fallen under .500 for the first time all season. This team is a dumpster fire. I have not been able to watch a full game in weeks because I just have no interest.
At some point once the season is over, I will write an autopsy of the 2014 Braves, but quite honestly there will probably be a lot of "I told you so" because this is exactly the team I expected.
At some point once the season is over, I will write an autopsy of the 2014 Braves, but quite honestly there will probably be a lot of "I told you so" because this is exactly the team I expected.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Raising Teenagers
Russell Carlton writes a wonderful blog over at Baseball Prospectus called "Baseball Therapy." Having only recently become a Baseball Prospectus subscriber -- it only costs $40 per year (!!) and is well worth the investment -- I was not familiar with his writing. He is thoughtful and excellent and writes about the type of issues facing baseball that I am interested in (and am interested in writing about here).
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