Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson underwent wrist surgery recently to “remove a loose body,” per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (via Twitter). The procedure is not expected to keep Swanson from fully participating in Spring Training.
Swanson, 24, turned in a solid effort last year for the Atlanta organization. He hit only .238/.304/.395, but put the ball over the fence 14 times in 533 plate appearances. Defensive metrics regarded him as a well-above-average performer at short, enough of a showing to largely justify his near-regular action up the middle.
While the Braves can largely rest easy as to Swanson’s health, it’ll be interesting to see how the team handles its infield mix this winter. Johan Camargo and Ozzie Albies each had more productive campaigns than did Swanson, so it’s not as if there’s a glaring need. But the club could conceivably pursue an upgrade. More realistically, adding another piece to the mix could make some sense, particularly if the Braves are skeptical that utilityman Charlie Culberson will continue to outperform his batted-ball data.
However it may seem from the outside, though, Braves GM Alex Anthopolous made clear today that he doesn’t see a need to seek change in the infield mix. As David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets, the club’s top baseball decisionmaker says that, within the organization, “we feel like we’re set in the infield.”
whiteroddy
Hoping for a speedy recovery for Dansby. As a Braves fan, I’m content with the Dansby’s production. With the way the lineup is constructed, his batting line is acceptable. He produced a 2.3 WAR with positive marks on defense (1.7 dWAR & 10 Rdrs). Fits the classic SS mold…smooth defender that will frustrate and occasionally surprise you at the plate (mostly frustrate). The Braves have openings in the OF and behind the plate to upgrade the offense. Also in need of some SP and RP help. Money is better spent elsewhere. Can’t overlook the fact that Dansby’s skill set doesn’t drive up the arbitration costs as much as a power bat. local fan favorite as well. I hope they can just be content with the guy and let him play his game.
clarknaddison
Well said white. He’s young, this was his floor. He has a high ceiling and is likely to improve.
UGA_Steve
Agreed.
I have seen a bunch of people throwing him in trades to move him and put Camargo at SS and bring up Riley for 3B. It’s just not practical.
You have a young, controllable SS who is 16th in the majors in WAR if you use his worst WAR (1.9) and as high as 10th if you use the defense heavy version (2.3). I do have to figure out how WAR can differ depending on site, but that’s another story. He has done this despite a fluke injury in his first full year and another one last year. If he gets healthy and his offense trends up, he is a top five NL shortstop, especially when you consider cost.
I have seen him in a half dozen offers for Realmuto because Realmuto is young. Swanson is younger and plays a position that doesn’t dovetail at age 28 (Realmuto’s age at beginning of next year). It’s crazy how many people just look at bombs and write off solid players..
stratcrowder
Braves fans will soon see that they have a budding star in their midst. This kid is the real-deal and will be a strong hitter going forward. When he was in college, I saw unlimited potential….very Ripken-like. I would’ve liked for them to have kept him in the upper minors a tad longer. The numbers he’s put up so far aren’t even close to his actual skills. I wondered if his struggles were of a physical nature, and the wrist is perhaps the most crucial for an MLB player. I’m not a Braves fan at all, but I’d take this kid on my team anytime.
metseventually 2
I’m not sure how a 699ops is a solid campaign. If his defense was like Simmons’ then I’d understand…
bhambrave
Other than his BA, he wasn’t bad. Above average defense, above average base-running, 8% walk rate, not yet 25, good hair.
What’s not to like?
petfoodfella
His defense was far better than it would have been w/ Camargo, and just about anyone easily attainable for Atlanta. Swanson is the future of SS, Albies 2b and hopefully swing a trade for Arenado to man third for the next 10 years (w/ contract extension obviously)
errorsintheoutfield
GREAT hair
juicemane
What’s not to like? His bat in any major league line-up.
silverbackjack
breaking news right here
bhambrave
When the starting SS on a contending team has surgery, then it’s news on a baseball news website.
silverbackjack
it’s minor wrist surgery, not Tommy John, relax.
bhambrave
You implied it wasn’t news. I said it was, on a baseball news site. Relax.
bhambrave
It took Andrelton a few years to get his offense untracked. Hopefully Dansby will follow a similar offensive development track.
bobtillman
It seems strange to me that many Braves fans hate on Swanson. On a team that obviously has emphasized pitching, it seems to me a strong defensive SS would be a necessity. And no, Swanson isn’t Simba….who the heck is…you’re talking a generational talent there……
Having Swanson as your SS isn’t going to keep you from the playoffs…..he’s still cheap, and developing. Very worth keeping around, IMHO.
braves25
I am not against Swanson at all! I like him a lot….However, I also know the Braves need a power bat behind Freeman. 3rd base could be a position to fill that need and move Camargo to SS. Then Swanson can be in a package for that frontline starter we need!
I am 100% ok with keeping Swanson, don’t get me wrong! Just you have to be willing to give up talent to get talent back. So for me Swanson is an expendable piece…if we trade from the MLB roster!
It is an option is all I am saying!
bhambrave
We’d be selling low on Dansby. Not a good time to trade him, imo.
BasedBallGuru
As long as theres anyone out there who thinks Dansby will ever hit he will have surplus trade value. Im of the camp that expect all that hope and optimism is gone after another year hitting in 230s. Dansby is still probably overrated compared to what he is : a Nick Ahmed ceiling with a Tim Tebow overrated hype train in tow.
Hes a fine regular on a non contender looking for a cheap player though (Arbitration ignores defense). Thats not too bad.
MLBTRCommenter
Nick Ahmed ceiling? Ahmed has been worth 1.9 fWAR over 455 games in his career. Dans was worth 1.9 fWAR in 2018 alone. Both may be defensive-oriented shortstops, but Swanson has a much higher ceiling than what he or Ahmed did in 2018.
BasedBallGuru
Ahmed is a gold glove winning SS who hits better than Dansby (not saying much). Dansby hit 266 in AA. Cant hit offspeed. The magic leap for his offense, some people are expecting isnt there.
Also: Ahmed has nearly 6 war for his career and had 3.2. war last season. I get it though, you have to get very cherry picky with stats to defend him. Great hair, hustles alot, doesnt magically improve his stats in some weird peopls minds.
bhambrave
Ahmed is 28. Dansby is 24.
MLBTRCommenter
Ahmed is a phenomenal defensive player, there’s no doubt about that. And if you want to use Baseball-Reference WAR that’s fine. They use DRS for defensive value, which explains the disconnect (FanGraphs uses UZR).
And while they both haven’t been great hitters to date, saying he hits better than Dansby is just factually inaccurate. Dansby has a career wRC+ of 76 while Ahmed’s career wRC+ is 67. Ahmed was marginally better in 2018 (by 4 wRC+) while being a full 4 years older than Swanson. This isn’t to say Dansby will become a Bregman-like hitter, but I’d rather bet on him than Ahmed.
Lastly, if you’re going to call me out for being “cherry picky with stats” then you probably shouldn’t use his batting average in AA as a defense to your argument.
UGA_Steve
Ahmed is a .229 career hitter. Do you even check things before you roll them out? His OPS+ is 69 while Dansby’s is 82. Meaning Dansby is a significantly better hitter already, and that is despite playing with a wrist issue from a slide. Those are nagging and take away a ton of your pop if you have ever tried to hit with a sore wrist.
If the offseason helps the wrist and the surgery repairs his ligament(unrelated), he should be ready to go and improve. Ahmed had a great year last year, but his peripherals suggest a fall back on the power. His fielding is better than Dansby due to a better RF, but that number is arbitrary as it factors in putouts and assists which can be heavily altered by pitchers. All other fielding numbers are almost perfectly equal, and again Dansby is four years younger and still improving.
If you don’t learn to look at all the numbers, as well as all of the factors involved, you will never be a guru.
UGA_Steve
I am glad you posted that as I had just noticed the difference in the two sites and was wonder why the WAR varied.
BasedBallGuru
Ahmed has produced as well or better offensively in the seasons he got regular playing time. getting a few dozen at bats as a derfensive fill in, and counting them is a cute way to make Ahmed look worse, but isnt based in reality. Ahmed also hit over 300 in a season in triple A so he has at least proved somewhere other than in college hes a major league capable hitter.
Pretend Im the irrational one if you want, but if Dansby was drafted in the second round and had less pretty hair, noone would get triggered at all over saying Ahmed is a better player.
Billy 3
Agreed 100%… You have to give talent to get talent. We do need a power bat behind Freeman and I would say a RH power bar so we agree there also. We have many options for starting pitching, but if we trade Dansby we have to move Camargo or Albies to SS which just creates another positional need.
Maybe Riley’s ready maybe he needs another year in the minors.
But if we trade Folty for Mitch Haniger we don’t disturb our infield.
We fill the hole in RF & the power RH bat behind Freeman from an area that we have a surplus
johnrealtime
He was such a highly touted prospect that so many compared to Jeter. They’re likely disappointed he isn’t a top SS at this point
He’s still a good player with a lot of room to grow and improve. Not everyone is an Acuna, some are Jose Bautistas (i’m merely referring to development time with that comp)
RunDMC
It is strange, but part of that frustration is bitterness from it not being Andrelton Simmons — and seeing him still be the best glove in the game in LA. Honestly though, Swanson is hard to hate.
steelerbravenation
Swanson was clutch last year in the late innings and his defense is far and away better than what was projected. He was rushed up to the majors and his offense has suffered because of it. He will come around. Camargo is just fine as the 3B moving forward. The offense was not the problem.
Cleveland needs OF I say trade Inciarte, Newcomb & Riley to the Indians for Kluber.
bhambrave
I still have a fantasy of the Braves getting Trout. Start with those three and add a couple of top prospects.
RunDMC
It’s a fantasy — wake up. We have a playoff team. The guy seems almost a lock to be a Phillie because of his roots.
bravesfan
Seems like they could have gotten the ball rolling on this a bit earlier. Braves season ended like almost a month ago. Anyways, hope he recovers a better ball player. I still think he’s our future, but this is prob the last year I’m willing to give him to figure it out
joedirte4life
If he can somehow get the BA to .270 then no one will have anything to complain about
doxiedevil
a career year !
braves2
his overall line might not look that great but the numbers on paper dont tell the whole story.
BasedBallGuru
Why dont stats count pretty hair yet?
bhambrave
That’s an advanced metric. Bill James is still studying it.
chippahawk
I believe he hurt his wrist much much earlier in the season and tried to tough through it.. He was hitting the ball with authority the first month or so of the season to all parts of the field. Just an assumption, but the dudes got heart for the game like Freddy and doesn’t want to sit, can’t hate that!
BasedBallGuru
Instead of hurting his wrist the last week of the season, not affecting his stats at all, as reported; You think he hurt it all year and decided to stop playing hurt for the playoffs?
Listening to people defend Dansby is hilarious.
SoCalBrave
He hurt his left wrist on May and he was never the same. It’s not unreasonable to think that he never completely recovered from that sprain and ultimately resulted in the ligament tear that ensued in September.
bhambrave
He re-injured it at the end of the season. If you’re going to discuss a player, make sure you have your facts straight before you criticize other posters.
BasedBallGuru
I have my facts straight. Thanks. Because its a reinjury of a season long injury, it somehow makes sense to you what he said?. Was he also injured last year whe. he was demoted to triple a for hittinhlg in the 100s until an injury forced him back in the libeup? ArE mY fAcTs CrOOkEd StIlL?
bhambrave
Your attitude is.
UGA_Steve
He did hurt his wrist earlier in the year guru. He hurt it on a slide on April, then re-aggravated it on a swing on May 2nd and the Braves put him on the DL.
If you look at his stats before the slide and after it, it was a ridiculous change.
.358 BA with a .976 OPS before the slide
..191 BA with a .468 OPS over the next 12 games after the initial injury on the slide
I can’t be certain it bothered him the whole year, so I don’t know that it impacted his stats. Wrist injuries are about the worst for hitters though, so who knows.
UGA_Steve
Can’t edit, but I believe it was April 20th, sliding to tag out a Met. Can only find one video of it and it stops before he got up shaking his wrist. I remember it because I was like ‘crap, we just lost Swanson’ and I was thinking it was a shame since he was red hot.
Given April 20th the data above might be a little off, but not by much. He simply looked bad swinging the next few games and his numbers really started to slide, then the DL stint and he never got it going.
acmeants
I’m a longtime Braves fan and I love our infield. There is always room for improvement but it may very well come from the guys we have. Our most pressing needs are an outfielder to replace Markakis, a great closer and a number one starter. Someone on another post suggested we try to trade for Kluber, which would be fantastic if we can control him for three years. Not sure if the two years of club options can be included. He would cost us talent-wise but it would go a long way in taking us back deep into the playoffs. I would not be in favor of spending big on Kimbrel, but there are other suitable and proven arms out there.
doxiedevil
Swanson thinks he is a power hitter with 15 homers, probably why he strikes out far to much. If he could go the other way more and work on hitting line drives he just might become a .280 hitter and still hit 10 or 12 homers.
Braves will stick with him until someone grabs third base and pushes Camargo to SS or maybe Albies moves to SS if a second baseman moves up the system. Swanson will have to hit better in 2019 or he could run out of chances, young or not.
Fan favorite but this is a business.
Erie4312
Braves sign Brantley for a couple of years for around 13 mil a year.
Trade Riley, Soroka, and alex jackson for JT
sign some bullpen arms in FA
allow young pictures to develop and see who is for real on rotation
trade for a veteran starter with postseason experience at trade deadline if needed
braves cowboys
Swanson reminds me of Adam Everett, but with a little more power.
If I’m the Braves, though, I either move Albies or camargo to short and get Daniel Murphy or a power bat at third and use TV dinner as a great defensive replacement.