Left-hander Sean Newcomb will open the year in the Braves’ rotation, Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. He’ll be part of a quintet that should also include Julio Teheran, Brandon McCarthy and Mike Foltynewicz, though it’s not yet clear who will occupy the fifth spot. The 24-year-old Newcomb debuted in the majors last season and recorded a 4.32 ERA/4.19 FIP across 100 innings, also posting a promising K/9 (9.72) but a troubling BB/9 (5.13). Braves manager Brian Snitker is impressed with the progress Newcomb has made since last year, saying: “Amazing where he’s at to me right now from where he was a year ago. How much improvement that guy’s made. The confidence, his mound presence, the competitiveness, the whole thing from a year ago today. It’s so much better.”
Now for the latest on one of Atlanta’s division rivals…
- The Mets are considering trading out-of-options right-hander Rafael Montero, who’s drawing some interest from other teams, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports. A deal is not imminent, though, according to Ehalt. The 27-year-old struggled in the majors last season during his first extensive action in the bigs, with a 5.52 ERA and a 5.07 BB/9 over 119 innings (34 appearances, 18 starts). He did strike out 8.62 batters per nine and log a 4.37 FIP, though, to go with a 48.1 groundball percentage.
- Mets southpaw Jason Vargas took a line drive off the right hand Friday, and now his status for the start of the season is in question, per Tim Healey of Newsday. X-rays came back negative, but Vargas noted that “it’s sore,” and he’s set to see a hand specialist (though he seems largely unconcerned). Manager Mickey Callaway added that he’s “not quite sure” whether the Mets will be able to open the year with Vargas, who’s currently in line to start their third game of the season. The Mets added Vargas on a two-year, $16MM deal in the offseason, hoping he’d provide a competent innings eater to a rotation that lacked those during an injury-plagued 2017.
- More on the Mets, who utilized infielder Wilmer Flores in left field on Saturday. If the Mets are serious about Flores as an outfield option, it could benefit the rest of their roster, Tim Britton of The Athletic observes (subscription required). Flores as a fifth outfielder would give the Mets the ability to assemble a 13-man pitching staff, including eight in the bullpen, Britton notes. Regardless, Callaway is intent on finding at-bats for Flores, who was an above-average hitter from 2016-17. “You saw why he needs to be playing multiple positions, because the kid can hit,” Callaway said. “We need to get him as many at-bats as we can this season.”
Hopefully this season Newcomb quits throwing 100 pitches before the fifth inning is over. He has the stuff just not the control.
Not worth trading Simmons for what we got
Agree
I won’t disagree that up to this point the deal was a big win for the Angels, but I was just trying to focus on the topic of the article. Not much any of us can do about a trade made a few years ago unfortunately.
Honestly I don’t see how it is a win for the Angels. Loved Simba in Atlanta, but they’ve stayed a starter short and lacking in offense while he has been in Anaheim. Really hard to balance 100 innings compared to several years of ball that hasn’t resulted in anything for the Angels. Also Ellis was part of that trade and a piece that netted Shelby Miller which brought Ender to Atlanta… Perinneal gold glove defense from one spot to another with additional upside. How is it so lopsided?
Cut that out. Andrelton Simmons has been a significantly more valuable player and the Braves still might not have a SS if Swanson doesn’t pan out. An annual 5 win SS is a hell of a lot more valuable than a talentedyoung pitcher with control issues.
Why are we judging a trade this early in? Seriously? Give it a few more years. So reactionary…
So because the Angels lacking offense as a team makes the trade bad? How does that make sense? By that logic, Mike Trout is a bust. Simmons had a 7.1 bWAR last season. Newcomb has only done the exact thing that had scared scouts and had him drop in the first round of that draft, and that’s walk hitters. Even the makeshift rotation the Angels had last year didn’t have a problem walking hitters. The Angels stole that trade.
At the time of the trade, Simmons was coming off his 3rd disappointing season as the plate. The Braves rolled the dice and traded him thinking he’d reached his ceiling as a hitter. I had no issue with the trade or the return, as Simmons wouldn’t have made the Braves a contender the last few years. Newcomb still has plenty of potential as a starter, and could be a dominant reliever if starting doesn’t work out.
Up to this point I agree. Unless Newcomb figures out the control problems. Also, if Swanson is a bust then the Simmons trade looks really bad.
Honestly I don’t see how it is a win for the Angels. Loved Simba in Atlanta, but they’ve stayed a starter short and lacking in offense while he has been in Anaheim. Really hard to balance 100 innings compared to several years of ball that hasn’t resulted in anything for the Angels. Also Ellis was part of that trade and a piece that netted Shelby Miller which brought Ender to Atlanta… Perinneal gold glove defense from one spot to another with additional upside. How is it so lopsided?
Was Ellis a big piece of the Shelby miller trade? Would they have made the deal with a similar prospect? I’m sure they would have because their target was Shelby Miller. If andrelton Simmons was a brave today you’d get a whole lot more in return than Sean Newcomb in a trade. Believe that.
Does Montero for Broxton straight up seem perfect or Jesus Aguilar for Montero seem good to anyone else?
I’d be very happy with getting Broxton for Montero.
Another disappointment coming Eventually. Oh no, what’s going to protect Mr Bill from Sluggo?
Where’d your anti-semitic comment about Alderson go? Hm.
Aguilar for Montero would definitely work for the brewers. Aguilars out of options as well and There’s plenty of 1B/DH guys available for little to nothing but Aguilar has shown some promise.
Coppi did some good work for the Braves no matter what you think about his ethics. However, his trade for Newcombe, at this point, doesn’t look like part of it. We could be proven wrong. Maybe Newcomb will show up this year as the second coming of John Smoltz. But to make the trade worth it that’s almost what it takes. You are talking about baseballs best glove and his bat is no longer taking anything away from that.
Up to this point I agree. Unless Newcomb figures out the control problems. Also, if Swanson is a bust then the Simmons trade looks really bad.