The Braves announced to reporters this morning that pitching coach Chuck Hernandez will not return in that role for the 2019 season (Twitter links via Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). The rest of the coaching staff is returning on new two-year contracts, which match the length of the extension inked by manager Brian Snitker earlier this morning. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman had previously tweeted that Hernandez’s spot on the coaching staff could be in jeopardy.
Though the Braves surprised with a 90-win season and a National League East division title in 2018, the team’s pitching staff was an obvious question mark down the stretch and proved to play a significant factor in the team’s early exit from the postseason. Atlanta pitchers walked an MLB-worst 10.31 percent of the hitters they faced during the regular season, and the Braves’ staff issued 27 walks in a 3-1 series loss to the Dodgers in the NLDS.
Hernandez, 57, will unsurprisingly take the fall for the staff’s inability to locate the strike zone, even if the blame can’t be solely placed on his shoulders. He spent three seasons in the Braves organization, serving as a minor league pitching coordinator in 2016 before taking the reins as the Major League pitching coach in 2o17. A baseball lifer, Hernandez began his career as a coach 33 years ago in the White Sox’ minor league system and has served on Major League staffs with the Braves, Marlins, Indians, Tigers, Rays and Angels (where he was named pitching coach at the age of 31 in 1992).
Burns notes that GM Alex Anthopoulos indicated an openness to retaining Hernandez in a different capacity (Twitter link), though it’s not clear whether Hernandez himself wants to return in a new role. Given his vast experience, he’d certainly be a candidate to land a coaching job elsewhere even after being cut loose in Atlanta, and he may simply prefer the opportunity to embark on a new challenge in another organization.
The rest of the Atlanta staff includes bench coach Walt Weiss, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, assistant hitting coach Jose Castro, first base coach Eric Young, third base coach Ron Washington, bullpen coach Marty Reed and catching coach Sal Fasano. The Braves will presumably go outside the organization to find a new pitching coach in the coming weeks.
Not unexpected but not all his fault either
These are ALL big league pitchers that can’t find the stike zone..and on the SAME team. There has to be something wrong with the coach’s direction. I also agree that the way the catcher calls the game comes into play. Once again, direction is coming from someone.. Bring back Leo!!!
Leo Mazzone. The most unsong hero of Braves pitching in the 90’s
Not unexpected but not all his fault
Dang; considering that the Braves finally got something out of Folty, which no teams had been able to before despite his tantalizing talent. And Anibal Sanchez’ little comeback was a nice surprise, along with some very good progress by Newcomb. There must be some behind-the-scenes stuff that isn’t showing up with the results.
My first comment I’m a dumbass for posting twice
Shake it off, bravesfan. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Get ‘em next time.
You have to be hard on yourself, otherwise the attack dogs come. Case in point: my post below. Disgusting replies. Tell me why you don’t think he was scapegoated, instead of going after the poster. Thinking he was scapegoated, is a credit to Braves’. (And I stand by my opinion, didn’t deserve the ax)
http://need.butthurt-report.org
your fired, but we would like to keep you in a different capacity
*you’re (stupid autocorrect should be fired also)
Not entirely his fault, but ya can’t fire the whole pitching staff.
The troll apparently deleted the comment I was replying to:
Why can’t they just go in a different direction? Why does it have to be a scapegoat? No one who is a fan of Atlanta expected 1st place in NLE, I don’t think anyone has a reason to “scapegoat” anyone in Atlanta.
Not a troll. Deleted post & Re-post. Let’s try not to insult, k?
Even after successful 2018, (won division, playoffs) think they scapegoated Chuck. They accomplished a lot 2018!
Would he have kept his job had they won WS, let alone beaten LAD? This seems like scapegoated Chuck for playoff exit. Enjoyed watching the Braves’ uprising this year.
the walks were a constant problem since just before the All-Star break. I think what really put the nail in the metaphorical coffin is when Touki came up and started walking at more than twice the rate that he did in the minors. As much credit as Hernandez deserves for maximizing results from Folty and Sanchez, not being able to correct the walk epidemic is a legit concern.
Thanks for the class. Learned something new, and from perspective of the fans who see ur team daily. Why i signed up.
Toulon has had control problems since high school.
Toulon
yes, Touki has had control problems, but the main reason why he’s the minor league pitcher of the year for the Braves is because it seemed that he finally overcame that walk issue.
Wonder who will replace him ?
Pete Walker
I wish they’d pick me. I could use the extra money 🙁
Leo Mazzone
Leo rocks and his pitchers don’t surrender walks
To be honest I’m not sure who the top available pitching coach candidates would even be (not that my personal knowledge, or lack thereof in this case, matters). Anyone have any ideas of potential candidates? Of course it will probably be someone out of the box or out of left field.
Expect Pete Walker
There’s enough problems with walks as is. We don’t need another walker.
Braves pitching staff made some progress, but when your starters dont go past the 6th inning the pressure is on the bullpen and offense for most of the season which is going to win some games, but a worn out bullpen. Terhan has regressed also. the starters need to be streached out next season, if they want to a) compete and b) go far in the playoffs.
Foltynewicz’s season backs up your point.. He lead the team in innings pitched with a measly 183. In 16 of those starts, he didn’t finish the 6th inning. In 13 of those 16, he pitched 5 innings or less. And he was the ace of the staff.
When your best pitcher leaves the game early more often than not, you have the perfect recipe for burning out the bullpen. Analytics be damned. Starters need to go deeper into games.
Of course it would help if guys like Folty could pitch more efficiently. Maybe a new pitching coach will help.
Doug Brocail will probably be available
Frank “sweet music” Viola would be a good consideration.
Possible candidates:
1. Bryan Price
2. John Farrell
3. Pete Walker
4. Mel Stottlemyre Jr.
5. Doug Brocail
6. Roger McDowell
7. Charles Nagy
8. Juan Nieves
9. Chris Bosio
10. Dave Righetti
11. John Smoltz
12. Greg Maddux
13. Neil Allen
14. Rich Dubee
15. Dave Wallace
16. Jeff Jones
17. Steve McCatty
18. Bob McClure
19. Dom Chiti
20. Mark Prior
21. Buddy Carlyle
22. Reid Cornelius
23. Marty Reed
24. Leo Mazzone 😉
Bryan Price actually had verifiable success as a pitching coach. He would be a good candidate.
I would love to see Mad Dog come back as a coach. He would be incredible in helping the entire pitching staff take a more academic approach to the game and perfecting pitch selection. Unfortunately he’s kept his distance from the game outside of Cooperstown. I don’t see that changing.
With AA’s approach, it will be an interesting pick to see who comes in.
Maddux is too rich to coach. His brother Mike would be a good get, though.
I think you forgot a guy
Even if the Braves won the World Series, he shouldn’t have kept his job due to the fact of him not fixing the walk problem the whole damn season with all our pitchers. I know they were young and sometimes walks are apart of the development process but my God everyone was walking people from top to bottom from the rotation to the back of the pen. It cost us dearly in NLDS, not saying we would have won otherwise but it definitely would have been closer.
Specially when it wasn’t a problem at the beginning of the year.
Bring back Leo Mazzone, and if Mazzone is not available try for Greg Maddux.
Flowers is not a good caller behind the plate, Suzuki is the better catcher and the better player overall. Folty had a lower era with Suzuki catching and should’ve started as catcher in Game 4. No matter the way you look at it Lester loved pitching to David Ross. Why? Because Ross calls a good game. The difference between a really good pitcher and a great pitcher is the guy calling the game behind the plate..
You’d have to wonder why guys like Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright loved & love being caught by Yadi, it’s because he calls a pretty good game.
Houston have two of the best callers behind the plate in McCann and Maldonado. Verlander pitching with McCann catching-lowest ERA of all. I know it’s only a small sample size but it tells a story.
We just need a guy who is consistent and can teach throwing strikes
Smoltz noted during the DS that the Braves had gotten away from the Mazzone mantra of forcing your pitchers to master hitting a spot in one area of the strike zone whenever they needed a strike. Instead, Hernandez was telling the pitchers to “trust their stuff” and not worry so much about command. Hence the walks that piled up as the season went along, the pitchers got a little gassed, and may have lost some focus or discipline mechanically.
Whoever becomes the next pitching coach, I hope they re-sign Anibal Sanchez. He seemed to help the kids, along with producing surprisingly well on the mound.
Something Earl Weaver said always stuck with me. Asked to describe the difference between a major-league and minor-league pitcher, he said a major-leaguer should be able to throw a strike whenever he needs to.
I feel that we have forgotten one more person, Down under. Peter Moylan.
Tough, hes done some good work with a pretty young staff.
Most of the arms on the staff this year pitched deeper into the season than they ever had – it was probably inevitable that they would tire out. I don’t think their efforts against the Dodgers should have come as any surprise.
Still, someone has to take the fall inevitably.
I don’t think AA will be hiring John Farrell to be Pitching Coach. Not after the whole Red Sox affair. But, stranger things have happened.
If Atlanta wants Pete Walker, take him. Results are mixed,
AA might give Pat Hentgen a call. Bullpens overperformed when he worked with the Jays. He was tenacious and a bulldog when he pitched. He’d be great for that young staff.
Chuck’s had a tough run recently.
Still think LEO is the answer. Give him a chance to prove some of today’s ANAL-lytics is garbage when it comes to pitching. Let baseball Be baseball again.Mad Dog never threw 90+ and he’s in the HOF..
So many saying Leo, but there are reasons he isn’t employed anymore. Have you ever thought that one of the reasons he was so successful in Atlanta was the stable of young guns he had at the time? And please don’t attribute Greg Maddux’s success to Leo, because Fred was already at the top of his profession when he became a Brave.
I am expecting Marty Reed but hoping for Charles Nagy. With the Angels getting a new manager he may not wanna stick around. Also wouldn’t mind Dave Wallace I know him & Chiti we’re having some issues he may wanna take another run with a club. But all in all I think Nagy would be the best option.
Agree. Maddux was already one of the best but there were a lot of young arms that we’re successful also. Smoltz was the only one to have significant injury issues. Leo has voiced his opinion regarding the way pitchers ae treated today and I think that’s why he’s not coaching. He may just enjoy retirement more.
Good point
This post is 5’10” long on my phone.
As a Die Hard Braves Fan since 1982 (I was 10 years old growing up in Arkansas when I first started following The 1982 Braves on WTBS). I’ve been ‘hooked’ ever since (through THICK and THIN, lol).
This Braves team has not only A LOT of talent on The MLB Roster (ESPECIALLY young talent) but also A LOT of MILB high upside potential prospects who will be knocking on the door in the next year or two. Our GM, AA, will have A WEALTH of talent to choose from (whether to put into The Starting Rotation, The Bullpen, on The AAA Staff (to be there, on a moment’s notice; to be summoned up to Atlanta to fill a need in our Pitching Staff…….OR, even as ‘trade bait’).
I bring all this up, because I feel that The Braves have MORE than ENOUGH young/cheap/high upside Starting Pitching Talent…to BOTH build a potentially GREAT Starting 5 that can excel in BOTH The 2019 Season…AS WELL as potentially in The 2020 Season AND beyond. In other words, I see LITTLE NEED to bring in any ‘outside’ pitching talent. The Braves have what it takes to build a VERY STRONG BULLPEN in 2019 as well! Buying bullpen parts via Free Agency..is a VERY DICEY proposition! Given how variance plays a HUGE ROLE in how effective bullpen parts are in any given year (there are obviously ‘exceptions to the rule’..however ‘the exception to the rule DOES NOT make it ‘THE RULE”, lol)….I’d rather see The Braves put prospects who are not ready to be a starter..in our bullpen (as other teams have done with high upside prospects who eventually transition to The Starting Rotation in the next year or two).
Where I want to see The Braves SPEND MONEY..is addressing the lack of power in the middle of the lineup! A team CANNOT win playoff games…when 1. Nick “NOODLE BAT” Markakis is hitting cleanup (NO HOMERS in his last 177 regular season at-bats)….2. Tyler ‘batted .227 with ONLY 5 homers’ as your #5 hitter (as happened in Games 1 & 2 of The NLDS against The Dodgers…AS WELL as throughout a big chunk of The Regular Season).
It would be A BIG TIME WASTE…to ‘go cheap’ when it came to addressing the lack of middle of the order power. I’m SICK AND TIRED of hearing ‘uh….we need to save payroll flexibility when it comes to re-signing our CHEAP young prospects in 2019 and 2020….who in 2021 and beyond become MORE EXPENSIVE’. First of all…there is NO GUARANTEE that our best young prospects…will even be receptive to signing on a potential ‘team friendly’ contact extension.
However, what I DO KNOW…is that it would be MUCH EASIER to get our young prospects to possibly ‘buy into’ signing long term contract extensions with The Braves…IF we can GO HELL DEEP in The Playoffs YEAR AFTER YEAR! The Braves NEED some serious power in our lineup…..which can ONLY be address via The Free Agency Offseason (UNLESS AA wants to overpay with prospects via The Trade Market).
Keep our prospects (especially THE PLETHORA of young pitching prospects we have…to build BOTH a Rotation AND Bullpen (not only in 2019…but also in future years…when The Braves will still have prospects working their way up to possibly replace ‘potentially pricey’ arbitration eligible pitchers who arent exactly ‘worth what they will command via arbitration’ come 2021-2020 and beyond)!
Before addressing who I feel The Braves should go after….let’s take a look at what I feel are ‘The Locks’ to be on The Braves in 2019 (and their salaries/position).
1. Freddie Freeman….1st…..($21 mil)
2. Ozzie Albies……………2nd…($600k…pre-arbittation/one more year)
3. Dansby Swanson…SS….($600k….pre-arbitration/last year)
4. Johan Camargo…..utility ($600k…pre-arbitration/one more year)
5. Tyler Flowers………..C………($4 mil.)
6. Charlie Culberson…utility….($1..5 mil….1st year arbitration estimate…possible trade chip IF AA cant get that figure a little lower).
7. Ronald Acuna……RF…..($600k…..pre-arbitration/2 more years)
8. Ender Inciarte….CF……($5 mil.)
9. Michael Reed….OF….($600k….pre-arbitration/3 more years)
10. Mike Folty…..SP…… ($6 mil….2nd year arbitration/2 more years before Free Agency)
11. Sean Newcomb….SP ($600k….pre-arbitration/1 more year)
12. Kevin Gausmann…SP ($9 mil….1 more year before Free Agency….could be traded IF he wants ‘too much’. He could sign some type of 2 year contract that pays him something like $20 mil over 2 years…kind of like how The Braves did with Jason Heyward when he was 2 years away from Free Agency).
13. #4 starter……SP………($600k….pre-arbitration/3 years away….the last 2 spots of The Rotation, will come from our PLETHORA of young pitching prospects who stand out/earn one of those 2 spots during Spring Training 2019)
14. #5 starter…….SP……..($600k…..pre-arbitration/3 years away….read #13’s prediction).
15. Darren O’Day…..RP….($9 mil. last year before becoming a Free Agent. While he’s coming back from a hamstring injury…at least it isnt arm related. Prior to his injury, he’s a VERY EFFECTIVE late inning option. If AA didnt have to absorb his 2019 salary in order to get Gausmann WITHOUT having to sacrifice any of our top pitching prospects…I would LOVE to see AA go after Craig Kimbrel. However, I dont see ANY MLB team taking a flyer on O’Day WITHOUT seeing him pitch meaningful games first. So The Braves are pretty much stuck with O’Day for 2019…meaning that he’s our ‘defacto closer’ for 2019).
16. Adrodys Vizcaino…..RP……..($5 mil….last year before Free Agency. Vizcaino will help form a ‘bullpen-by-committee’ likely approach by Braves Management for 2019).
17. AJ Minter……RP……..($600k……pre-arbitration/2 more years. He’ll be the main lefty come closing time…part of what I believe will be a 3-headed-bullpen-by-committee-closer).
18. Dan Winkler….RP…..($1.5 mil…..arbitration/1 more year before Free Agency. Great bullpen arm. Need to not overuse him in 2019).
19. Johnny Venters….RP…..($1.5 mil…..arbitration/1 more year before Free Agency. Another good BP arm. Also need to not overuse him in 2019).
20. Max Fried….RP……($600k….pre-arbitration/2 more years. A lefty who can BOTH pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen/get tough lefties out in high leverage situations).
21. Chad Sobotka…..RP…..($600k…..pre-arbitration/3 more years. Tough on righties who can throw gas. Hopefully he’ll continue to develop).
22. Bullpen piece….RP….($600k….pre-arbitration/3 more years. The Braves have A PLEHTORA of options to fill the long relief role/spot starter-type to pitch on short notice/if one of our starters gets knocked out in the first couple of innings. Also, if any of our above relief pitchers OR starters get hurt….AAA will have A PLETHORA of options to turn to who can come up and fill those roles)!
I understand that BOTH Julio Teheran (at $11 mil for 2019 with a $1 mil 2020 buyout/$12 mil 2020 salary) and Adam Duval (arbitration eligible/$3 mil salary estimate) are on The Books for 2019. However I feel that there is NO WAY that Teheran doesnt get traded in the offseason (The Braves have cheaper/more talented options coming up than Teheran…..however Teheran will have value for other teams, given the contracts routinely signed by BUMS who are worse than Teheran, lol. I dont expect The Braves to get much in return for Teheran….what’s important…is that his $11 mil 2019 salary is REMOVED from the books). Also, Duval is an obvious DFA candidate. He simply LOST IT (reminds me of what happened to Austin Kearns years ago).
Assuming that AA takes my advice on trading Teheran/DFAing Duval…that would leave The 2019 Braves needing 1. a starting catcher (Flowers is the backup)…2. A starting Left Fielder (bye-bye Nick ‘NOODLE/CUCKOLD BAT” Markakis)…3. A 3rd baseman (Camargo should be our ‘super-sub/Ben Zobrist-type’ bench player for 2019).
My contention is that The Braves should have NO PROBLEM with a $150 mil Opening Day Payroll (with the option of increasing it by another $10-$15 mil SHOULD a need arise by The July 2019 Trade Deadline). I’m SICK AND TIRED of hearing how ‘the max’ Opening Day Payroll was $122 mil a year ago (implying that The Braves ‘only’ have around $30-$35 mil available to add to the current payroll)!
According to my math….The 5 Starting pitchers of Folty/Newcomb/Gausmann/4th/5th starters coming from our PLETHORA of high upside pitching prospects…will total $16.9 mil in 2019.
The 8 man bullpen of O’Day/Vizcaino/Minter/Winkler/Venters/Sobotka/Fried/Long-Relief-Type from our PLETHORA of high upside young pitching talent….will total $19.4 mil in 2019.
The 4 man Bench of Camargo/Flowers/Culberson/Reed…..will total $6.7 mil in 2019.
The current 5 man Starting Lineup of Freeman/Albies/Swanson/Inciarte/Acuna……will total $27.8 mil.
Those 22 postions….will total $70.8 mil….leaving $79.2 mil to fill the holes that Left Field/3rd base/Catcher presents.
If AA feels that Austin Riley is THE FUTURE…then The Braves should pencil him in as our Opening Day 3rd baseman/#5 or #6 hitter. His power from the right side would be HELLA WELCOME in our lineup.
However, if AA has ‘question marks’ concerning Riley…then AA should package Riley (along with one or two of our ‘2nd tier’ starting pitching prospects…Realmuto is only 2 years away from Free Agency….The Marlins ARE NOT going to get ‘a king’s ransom’ for Realmuto, lol. Riley has a lot of power…and is HELLA CHEAP for the next 3 years).
So either The Braves trade for Realmuto by sacrificing Riley/a couple of others (he’s in line to get a raise to around $6 mil in 2019)…..which would leave The Braves with around $73.1 mil to fill Left Field/3rd base…..OR…..The Braves keep Riley as our 2019 Opening Day 3rd Baseman (he’ll only be paid $600k)…which would leave The Braves with $78.6 mil to fill Left Field/Catcher.
If we trade for Realmuto….I would LOVE to see The Braves use that $73.1 mil…to make DUAL OFFERS to BOTH Manny Machado AND Bryce Harper (offering $35-$40 mil type deals to EACH of them)! If each were to agree to a $35 mil a year type deals with The Braves…that would only put The 2019 Opening Day Payroll at $146.9 mil (look,
Sun Trust Field/the surrounding Battery Properties are A PRINTING PRESS OF DOLLARS for The Braves Organization (with even more development in 2019 and beyond). Also, REGULARLY HOSTING Playoff Games at Sun Trust…for MULTIPLE ROUNDS….will also SIGNIFICANTLY add to team revenue. Also, with the added STAR ATTRACTION of Machado and Harper to The Braves….The Braves can charge more for THE RICH PEOPLE”s seats/suites at Sun Trust. If it were to take $40 mil a year to sign BOTH Machado and Harper…then The Braves should DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT. That would give The Braves a 2019 Opening Day Payroll of $156.9 mil (with $ left over to add at The July Trade Deadline should a need arise).
Depending on how much it would take to sign Machado and Harper (2019 Opening Day Payroll of between $146.9 mil-$156.9 mil)….just look at what this 2019 Starting Lineup would look like:
1. Acuna……RF
2. Albies……2nd
3. Freeman….1st
4. Machado….3rd
5. Harper…..LF
6. Realmuto…C
7. Inciarte…..CF
8. Swanson….SS
Johan Camargo would be The Super Sub to give a number of our players a day off each week (he would be fresher as well). Also, if Albies were to struggle in 2019….Snitker could put Realmuto in the #2 hole and Albies in the #6 hole. Regardless…that would be A POWERFUL Lineup….with NO ONE over 28 years old!
Not only is that a powerful offense…but also very good defensive lineup! This lineup could stay together for a number of years!
A good offense/defense….would give our Pitching Staff time to develop! I would rather AA stay away from acquiring an ‘Ace’ like deGroom…because their salaries would rise significantly (also because he’s only 2 years away from Free Agency). The Braves have LOADS of high upside starting pitching talent….why not give the likes of Mike Soroka, Touki Tousiant, Kyle Wright, Bryce Wilson, Joey Wentz and Ian Anderson (among others) a chance to be Long Term Aces for The Braves (especially at cheap prices while The Braves are paying the likes of Machado, Harper and Freeman lots of money)?
I’m sure that Machado and Harper would only sign with opt outs after years #3-#4 (which would be IDEAL for The Braves…ESPECIALLY if both were to really HIT during those years)…..giving both players another chance for a big payday before they are 30 years old (which again, would be ideal for The Braves…because hopefully by then we’ll have players like Christian Pache and other hitters that we drafted in 2018 and hopefully in 2019…who will be ready to play/fill in for those players….AS players like Albies and Acuna get ready for ‘big payday extension offers’ by The Braves.
OR…..if The Braves were to keep Riley at 3rd…..then we’d have $78.6 mil to address left field/catcher….which 1. offering $35-$40 mil a year offer to Bryce Harper….and 2. Sign Yasmani Grandal to a $18-$20 mil a year type deal. That would leave The Braves with a 2019 Opening Day Payroll of between $124.4 mil and $131.4 mil.
Our 2019 Opening Day Lineup would be the following:
1. Acuna….RF
2. Albies….2nd
3. Freeman….1st
4. Riley……3rd
5. Harper….LF
6. Grandal…C
7. Inciarte….CF
8. Swanson….SS
I would bat Riley 4th (even though he’s a rookie)….because he has power AND because it would split up Freddie and Harper (both left handed hitters). In other words, having Riley hitting in between Freddie and Harper….would eliminate opposing managers from bringing in a tough lefty to face BOTH Freddie AND Harper…WITHOUT having to face a power righty bat like Riley.
Personally…..I like the first option (trading for Realmuto….going ALL-IN by signing BOTH Harper AND Machado). The Braves would be SERIOUS CONTENDERS for years to come with that lineup! If a team is making The Playoffs EVERY YEAR…..the payroll CANNOT stay the same. It HAS to go up! The young talent that The Braves have……would keep our pitching costs low (prime example….there’s a chance that Gausmann, no matter how good he pitches in 2019…..will be a trade candidate next offseason…because The Braves have A PLETHORA of young, high upside Starting Pitching talent coming up The System! Heck, Gausmann may end up being traded by The July 2019 Trade Deadline….IF some of our AAA pitching studs ‘force the issue’. Why give Gausmann a raise on his already $9 mil 2019 Salary…IF a young prospect has the potential to pitch BETTER? That move there…is how money can be trimmed from The 2020 Payroll!
Other moves (whether after 2019 or 2020) would be to eventually trade Folty and Newcomb. By Opening Day 2021…I feel that the following will be our Opening Day Starting 5:
1. Mike Soroka…….($600k…could be a Super 2 IF he makes The 2019 Opening Day Roster. Regardless, he could very well be our ACE by then)
2. Touki Tousiant….($600k…..he’ll be in his last pre-arbitration year)
3. Kyle Wright……….($600k……same as Touki)
4. Ian Anderson……($600k…..he may not come up until sometime in late in 2019 or 2020..meaning that he’ll still be several years away from arbitration. Regardless, he has Ace-like potential)
5. Joey Wentz……($600k……same as Anderson. While not quite the upside as Anderson/Soroka…he’ll be a TOUGH lefty for opponents to face).
I know that it sounds CRAZY…however it is not impossible to imagine that THE ABOVE/Potential 2021 Starting Rotation…..leading The Braves to The 2021 Playoffs (in addition to being HELLA CHEAP)! That’s why AA SHOULD NOT trade any of our talented pitching prospects! That’s not even including the likes of Bryce Wilson, Patrick Weigel, Kyle Muller and Luis Gohara (2019 will be important for him….he has A TERRIBLE 2018…due to family deaths/issues..as well as injury issues. If he can live up to his potential….The Braves will have SICK depth).
It would be A SHAME…if The Braves decided to ‘nickel and dime’ the next few years……we have TOO MUCH CHEAP high upside talent….to NOT GO FOR IT during The 2018 Free Agent Offseason!
Who’s your publishing company haha
I like being ‘thorough’, lol. While I didnt intend to be so ‘longwinded’, the more I wrote, the more I felt I needed to ‘explain’ the points I wanted to make about the direction I felt that The Braves should go this offseason. I really feel that with THE PLETHORA of high upside/cheap, pre-arbitration salaries filling out a big chunk of our roster the next few years…it would be FOOLISH for Braves Management to NOT spend significantly filling the obvious weak spots of our roster: The Lack of Middle of the Order POWER!
I detailed 2 approaches on how I feel that The Braves could address this…which required me to be elaborate in the above post. I LOVE The Braves, however I’m a realist when it comes to the economics of the game. Still, The Braves current payroll/The PLETHORA of young, high upside pitching prospects/Freddie Freeman and Ender Inciarte on ‘team friendly contracts’ the next few years…..gives The Braves a unique opportunity to be HELLA BOLD this offseason!
But no one really knows what you are talking about since I doubt anyone bothered to read your previous novel … I mean post
paullentz1972 lost cred after he took the potshot at Markakis. Unnecessary.
Dude, Markakis SUCKED as our cleanup hitter during most of the 4 years he was with The Braves (other than his statistically LUCKY 1st 5 weeks of The 2018 Season)! From May 9th to the end of the season…Markakis hit ONLY 7 homers in his last 524 Regular Season at-bats (NONE in his last 177 Regular Season at-bats….NONE in his 14 Post Season at-bats).
So when I say “NOODLE BAT’ Markakis…that is WHAT HE WAS! A NOODLE-CUCKOLD hitter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am one Braves fan who WILL NOT miss Markakis!
Given that 90% of the planet believes in some form of A MADE UP GOD that DOES NOT exist…..I give LITTLE credence to/have LITTLE respect for The Masses! In other words, those who refuse to take medication for their ADHD-type afflictions…..will never be able to read through/comprehend the points I made in my ‘novel’ (as you put it).
Eyesore
There is medication for ADHD-types like you, ok Sling Blade?
Three things I noticed from your novel:
First, you really like the world Plethora.
Second, Nick Markakis probably pissed on your coffee or stole your girlfriend, because, boy! do you HATE him…
Third, you are incredibly naive to think that you can get Realmuto for Riley and a couple of 2nd tier prospects AND sign both Harper and Machado for $20 million per year each. Actually naive might be the wrong word, delusional might be more accurate.
Bonus point: it is impossible to finish reading your post, I tried, but you stick your foot in your proverbial mouth so much, it becomes painful to keep going.
First thing I noticed about you…is that your comprehension skills SUCK!
1. Do YOU have anything against the word PLETHORA being used?
2. What PISSED ME OFF…is seeing Brian Snitker REPEATEDLY INSERT Nick “I SUCK’ Markakis as our cleanup hitter DESPITE Markakis ONLY hitting 7 homers in his last 534 Regular Season at-bats since May 9th (and NONE in his last 177 Regular Season at-bats……NONE in the 4 NLDS games against The Dodgers). Markakis running like he’s in quicksand after balls hit to him in the outfield…I WILL NOT miss!
3. If teams were willing to pay A PREMIUM PRICE for Realmuto (last winter Realmuto had THREE SEASONS of team control) they would have done so LAST WINTER! However, with only 2 years before Realmuto becomes a FREE AGENT…..I seriously doubt that it would cost The Braves more than Austin Riley AND a couple of 2nd tier Pitching Prospects (again, teams are SHYING AWAY from giving up the farm for one player. Look at what happened at The July Trade Deadline! How many top 50 MLB prospects were traded this past July?).
4. I NEVER said that Harper and Machado were going to cost $20 mil each…you STUPID MORON! I said that with the 22 players I proposed that The Braves should keep for 2019 (assuming that Teheran and his $11 mil 2019 salary gets traded this offseason AND Adam Duval and his estimated $3 mil 2019 arbitration salary gets non-tendered)……will only cost them $70.8 mil. That would leave $79.2 mil left over (I feel that The Braves can more than afford an 2019 Opening Day Payroll of $150 mil-ish).
By trading for Realmuto (he’s estimated to get a raise to around $6 mil via arbitration)…that would leave $73.2 mil to BE BOLD and go after a left fielder AND 3rd baseman with some SERIOUS POP! Harper AND Machado fit that bill. It’s going to cost between $35-$40 mil a year EACH to sign both Harper and Machado. If each agrees to a $35 mil a year deal….that adds $70 mil to The Braves Payroll…putting The Opening Day Payroll at $146.8 mil. If both players want $40 mil a year EACH…then that would increase The Braves Opening Day Payroll to $156.8 mil.
Regardless, The Braves should make ALL THREE MOVES! Trading for Realmuto……signing BOTH Harper AND Machado…would give The Braves A REALLY BALANCED/TOUGH Starting 8 (NONE of whom are over 28 years old)!
5. There’s medication for MORONS LIKE YOU who are afflicted with ADHD!
So instead of misquoting me, Sling Blade….EITHER read what someone posts IN FULL…OR STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As long as Julie-0 is gone, I will be happy. We got rid of Hernandez and Julie-0 needs to go with him..A couple bats, some experience and consistency in the bullpen and we will be good to go.
Well honestly, if he told them to throw with 85/90% effort and not 100%, they’d gain the little command needed to not walk 10% of the hitters faced. Hell when Newk was pitching great, he was throwing more 93/94 and not 95/96. When Folty had his best games, he sat 95 not 98. Sanchez and Julio are examples of this. Julio may have had a “rough” year but the dude still had more great games than bad ones, his biggest issue was just trying to get too crafty ahead in counts.
I hope we can sign Sanchez and keep JT. They could both be used as long relievers and spot starters. If we get a solid Starter and keep Newcomb he could go to the BP too.
I hate to lay the blame on Hernandez but watching the Braves all season there was an obvious issue with the pitchers approach to throwing strikes. Almost like the players weren’t confident in their stuff and would continue throwing balls in hopes of the batters chasing instead of pounding the zone and having the confidence that the batter can’t hit their best pitch. Maybe it was something Chuck Hernandez would preach to the staff but there was an obvious issue with their approach on the mound and it was that was for the majority of the year. You knew a lot of times that the lead off batter was going to get walked. It was almost a guarantee. With that said it’s on the players to do their jobs but it might be the best thing for this young staff and bullpen to have a new coach in their ear to help them throw more deceiving pitches and pound the zone and learn how to dominate hitters with their command. This staff has a ton of potential but it will take some work for them to get there.