Winning a postseason series might be its own reward, but for players, coaches and team personnel, there are financial rewards as well, David Waldstein of the New York Times notes. Postseason series wins mean bonuses, and while those bonuses aren’t significant for a star like Miguel Cabrera (a full share for a World Series win in 2013 was $307K, compared to Cabrera’s 2014 salary of $22MM), they can make a huge difference for coaches and less highly paid players. “Our coach Brian Butterfield, when he was with the Red Sox, he gave his house to his son and his grandkids and moved into a new house,” says infielder Kelly Johnson, now an Oriole. “It changes lives. Guys are paying off college loans, house payments and cars. You can’t beat that.” Here’s more from around the big leagues.
- The Braves will replace scouting coordinator Tony DeMacio with crosschecker Brian Bridges, John Manuel of Baseball America writes, citing a tweet by Peter Gammons. Former scouting director Roy Clark will return to the organization as a special assistant to the general manager. DeMacio presided over drafts that included players like Andrelton Simmons and Evan Gattis, but the Braves’ current farm system is not highly regarded. Still, the timing of these changes is somewhat odd, since the Braves don’t have a permanent general manager right now, just an interim GM in John Hart, who stepped up when the Braves fired Frank Wren. Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan tweets that these moves suggest the Braves may simply keep Hart as their GM and have him groom assistant GM John Coppolella to eventually replace him.
- The Padres have hired Chris Kemp as director of international scouting, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. Kemp had previously been an area scout with the Rangers, for whom new Padres GM A.J. Preller also worked. Preller’s own key interest is international scouting, so it’s not surprising that he would hire someone with whom he’s familiar to direct that department. MLB.com’s Corey Brock notes (via Twitter) that the Padres’ hiring of Kemp does not violate the Padres and Rangers’ agreement that Preller not take staff with him from Texas, because Kemp is being promoted.
BG921
Hmm, nothing surprises me with the Braves these days. The fan base has already been slowly losing interest and with these *changes*, or going back to old ways, it isn’t helping things. This franchise needs an entirely new direction… Gotta get away from the “good old boy” system put in place by Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz.
Paulie Walnuts
From ownership to the fan base, the Braves organization has too much of a country club atmosphere. Success breeds complacency which breeds failure.
Prime example of this is the Phillies’ Labor Day no hitter against Atlanta. It’s a holiday, the Braves are a game behind Milwaukee for a playoff spot and the stadium is less than 70% full. The team sleepwalks through the game…no fire, no drive. Papelbon closes out the ninth inning on nine pitches, as if there’s a BBQ waiting.
Cobby_Box
Papelbon is the Phillies closer, what does he have to do with it at all?
Paulie Walnuts
Cole Hamels and three relievers combined for a no-hitter against Atlanta on Sept. 1.
atlbravosfan
34,178 (69.2% full) – % is based on regular season capacity
So, yes, the stadium was ‘70% full.’
Paulie Walnuts
69.2 < 70
rundmc1981
Agreed, but if that were true, Wren would still be in, along with Gonzalez. Based on the moves recently made and Schuerholz’s words, it seems as though he thought there were bigger problems with the lack of development on the farm. Gonzalez still being here also speaks about how intrusive Wren was on the big league club – texting hitting tips at times to players. Take the move of hiring a coach like Bo Porter with player development skills and former MLB managerial experience as a short leash for Gonzalez. If next season were anything like this season, Gonzalez won’t finish the year, regardless of what Cox feels. Getting Roy Clark is a great move for scouting.
Caught Looking
Someone needs to tell Kelly Johnson that Butterfield is still with the Red Sox
eddiea
I think Johnson was saying when he was there Butterfield did that. Not saying Butterfield left, but it could confuse one who didn’t know better. Like I just confused myself on story. Either way, coach did a good thing for g-kids.
tomymogo
Braves getting Roy Clark back is excellent news, one of the best scouts in the business. I hope John Hart stays for a year or 2 and then Coopy takes over.
That business aside, what do you do to get back to winning. 2015 is gonna be tough there is no doubt, they should first trade BJ Upton, 2 trade Gattis or Justin Upton.
I would like the Braves to explore platoons at 3B and Catcher, I believe they have two prime candidates for it with Chris Johnson and Christian Bethancourt who kill lefties but struggle vs righties.
They need an outfielder to play CF or RF, the two best fits IMO are via trade Adam Eaton and Dexter Fowler. At 2B they need a short term fix, one year somebody like Daniel Murphy makes a lot of sense
TSOLID
Everyone talking about trading Upton… Who you gonna replace the .270/29/102 With in a Trade?? Get REAL!!
Bigdawg Shane Bennett
People keep talking about using a platoon at catcher but with Bethancourt and laird and that makes zero sense,laird makes more money then Gattis does and his hitting is terrible,why not keep Gattis as the starter and then let Christain take over when he is ready,he had more passed balls then gattis in 200 fewer innnings and his hitting is nowhere near as good as gattis… find a way to trade b.j and johnson and put jup back in rf and heyward in center,then find a solid 3rd basemen(prado) would be nice to have back and then short term at 2nd until peraza is ready… quit moving heyward up and down the lineup and let him hit 2nd or 5th.. we could sign him to a extension pretty cheap right now imo and let jup walk after next year,we also need a front line pitcher and hope minor and a few others get better…they will have to do something because they cant afford a half empty stadium come 2017
Fred Mandy
Gattis is at max trade value, worth more at DH than as a poor catcher or left fielder. Heywood will not sign “cheaply” nor can Murphy be had for a year. Tough, unpopular decisions will need to be made this year, and I think Hart stays as GM to make them, takes the flack so Copolella can assume the position with less baggage.
Bigdawg Shane Bennett
i agree as far as a max value for gattis but his bat is still cheap enough and he would be no worse then klesko was in left if thats where they moved him and if heyward was in center he would help him out alot, i also think heyward would sign a 5 yr 60 million deal… he isnt gonna get much more then that if even that much,but i do believe they will trade him and lots of big changes heading our way…only guys not moving for sure are freeman,simmons and teheran all others are tradeable…. i hope hart stays as GM as well…
Lee Trocinski
You are way off on Heyward’s numbers. If Choo can get 7/130 at age 31, Heyward is going to get at least 7/150 at age 26, even with his merely above-average bat. I’d give him the 7/150, because he will get way more if he actually reverts back to 2010 or 2012 form.
rundmc1981
Lol. NYM is not going to give up Murphy without giving up a lot. And the same could be said about HOU/CHW with Eaton/Fowler. HOU gave up some prized arms for Fowler.