Will TWW still exist in October 2014?

10/8/2013 8:35:45 AM

there's always next year!

10/8/2013 8:58:45 AM

10/8/2013 9:08:45 AM

Id say this team will look a good bit different come March.

Carpenter has good stuff, but he got rocked this postseason.

10/8/2013 10:44:54 AM

I'll bitch and complain all off season, but come March, I'll be right back out there, rooting like I always do (rooting? routing?)











[Edited on October 8, 2013 at 12:28 PM. Reason : c]

10/8/2013 12:21:13 PM

That Kimbrel gif is awesome. Fredi sure fucked up not bringing him in following Puig's double.

The Braves should be in the wild card hunt if nothing else next year since the Phils, Mets, and Marlins will still suck huge dick. Nats will probably win the East with their stud starting pitching.

McCann will be in the AL so just a shot in the dark on next year's lineup:

1. Heyward - CF
2. Upton - RF
3. Freeman - 1B
4. Gattis - C
5. C.Johnson - 3B
6. Simmons - SS
7. Uggla or some homeless guy, same thing - 2B
8. BJ Upton or my grandma, same thing - LF

Starting rotation:
1. Minor
2. Medlen
3. Hudson (not sure if he'll be back by spring training)
4. Teheran
5. Wood

Maholm is not coming back. Who knows with Beachy. Wonder if they'll keep Freddy Garcia?

Overall another I expect around 90 wins and a wild card spot.

10/9/2013 9:03:27 AM

Priority #1 is figure out Uggla and BJ, if they even have anything to offer next season. And then have to at least try and see what it would take to get a top-line ace for the front of the rotation.. I've heard that David Price is likely to be available, but it will take a king's ransom, plus I've heard the Dodgers will pursue him which means they will probably get him. Can you imagine a rotation of Kershaw, Greinke, Price and Ryu? Good lord. We also need high average/on-base guys, a lineup of strikeouts and home runs will not work it's obvious. That being said, we will most likely have the exact same team, minus McCann. Hopefully Hudson, Beachy, and then later Venters and maybe O'Flaherty (free agent?) can all make it back close to their old-selves.

10/9/2013 9:21:19 AM

We have to go after an ace. Not sure how that will happen. I'd love to see us unload BJ and Uggla, but if only one definitely make it Uggla. I thought for sure Fredi's loyalty to Uggla would have kept him in the lineup during the NLDS. But it seems as though Fredi has seen the writing on the wall and knows it's time to find another second basemen.

If Gattis is our future at catcher then so be it. I just hope he can learn to manage a game and become a leader on the field and not just a heavy bat.

Medlen, Minor, and Teheran are really the only givens in the lineup. I honestly don't think Hudson or Beachy will ever be the same. Garcia is likely gone and Malholm is definitely gone. Alex Wood could be on the tail end of the rotation to start the season.

10/9/2013 9:32:50 AM

Sad to see McCann likely go. At least Gattis has a lot of upside. It would be nice if we could sign and trade McCann for an ace or something.

10/9/2013 9:45:57 AM

can anyone with Insider copy and paste?
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-office/post?id=7960

10/9/2013 10:04:55 AM

^ here you go:

The Atlanta Braves ran away with the National League East by winning 96 games and finishing 10 games ahead of the preseason favorite Washington Nationals, only to get eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games in the NLDS.

One thing we know about the Braves organization is they are not complacent, and in order to improve their club they will now have to work on a new plan for second base, catcher and possibly a top-of-the-rotation impact starter.

Here is what’s next for the Braves:

1. Brian McCann: Thanks for the memories

McCann, 29, was drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2002 draft. A Georgia native, he doesn’t want to leave the Braves and the feeling is mutual. However, the business side of baseball sometimes interferes with the best-laid plans and that’s exactly what I expect to have happen here. McCann will be the most sought-after catcher in free agency and the bidding war is expected to escalate to record levels.

Big-market teams like the Rangers, Yankees and Angels either have an opening or need an upgrade. McCann brings leadership qualities, an elite ability to call a game and a middle-of-the-order-type bat. To say he is a high-character player is an understatement. Expect the Braves to give McCann a qualifying offer and then accept a supplemental first-round pick as compensation when he signs a huge deal elsewhere.

They will then be forced to turn to rookie Evan Gattis and top catching prospect Christian Bethancourt to fill the position. Gattis provides the right-handed power the Braves need in the lineup while Bethancourt is a tremendous defensive catcher who might start the year in Triple-A but is certainly ready defensively now.

2. Eat the remaining two years, $26 million on Dan Uggla's contract

Braves GM Frank Wren was praised in the industry back in November of 2010 when he dealt left-handed pitcher Mike Dunn and utility infielder Omar Infante to the Marlins in exchange for Dan Uggla. At the time, the Marlins were criticized because they refused to give Uggla a fourth year as part of a contract extension and decided to trade him instead.

The Braves quickly gave him the fourth year as part of a $62 million deal, and two years later the 33-year-old's decline is so severe there are several in the Braves organization who think they are better off just releasing him if they can’t find anyone to trade him to (even if they have to pay all of his remaining salary).

How do you release a player who belted 22 home runs? Because hitting homers is pretty much his only skill at this point. He posted a .179/.309/.362 slash line in 2013 a year after hitting .220. In the second half he hit .133/.298/.231 with just four homers. More importantly, the Braves already have too many hitters with a tendency to strike out and need a contact hitter for that position to improve the team.

Elliot Johnson is not the answer and neither is Paul Janish. I think they will look at outside alternatives but will not be shopping in the Robinson Cano aisle. With a solid farm system to work with they could pursue the likes of Jedd Gyorko, Jose Altuve or maybe even Gordon Beckham via trade.

3. Check the cost of David Price

The Braves have always built their teams around starting pitching and with an aging Tim Hudson they would love to be able to acquire a true No. 1 starter to put ahead of Mike Minor and Julio Teheran. Price would be the perfect fit and most in the industry think the Rays will deal him this offseason. The Braves could offer an enticing package of pitching prospects -- such as J.R. Graham and Lucas Sims -- and maybe one of their two young catchers, such as Bethancourt.

4. Fix B.J. Upton

The Braves are going to have to be creative to find a way to make Upton a comeback player of the year candidate in 2014. They tried to tweak him, change him, put him back to where he was, overhaul him and then finally found a spot on the bench for him. For the Braves to win in 2014 they need their best defensive outfield next year of Jason Heyward in right field, B.J. Upton in center field and Justin Upton in left field.

They need B.J. to return to the form that led to the five-year, $75.25 million deal that expires after the 2017 season. So whether it’s hiring one of his former hitting coaches, a new visualization coach or a different song on his iPhone, it’s an offseason project that must become a priority.

[Edited on October 9, 2013 at 10:15 AM. Reason : .]

10/9/2013 10:15:17 AM

How many times have we seen a hitter come to the Braves just to suck it up

McClouth, Melky, Upton, and Uggla all come to mind

10/9/2013 10:49:19 AM

Regarding the 2B situation, I forgot about Ramiro Pena too. He was playing well before he got hurt, but I am not sure if he'll be ready by ST. He deserves the starting gig if he is healthy over Uggla. Braves are stuck with BJ for at least one more season unfortunately.

Also if Schafer comes back, they could do a platoon with BJ and at least the defense would not be sacrificed like it was with Gattis.

[Edited on October 9, 2013 at 11:03 AM. Reason : sd]

10/9/2013 11:01:18 AM

Quote :

"McClouth, Melky, Upton, and Uggla all come to mind"

McClouth is like a career .240 hitter, he's always been garbage at the plate. Melky wasn't much worse than his career norm in Atlanta. You can't compare that year to his roid years. Upton is the only one to really shit the bed. Uggla fell off a cliff, but he was going to decline anywya.

10/9/2013 11:20:55 AM

without doing any research, Price sounds damn good

10/9/2013 12:58:58 PM

David Price is kind of a cry baby though and has not performed well in big games (he did pitch well in one of their elimination games this year though). Adding him would be great, but I just don't see how the Braves can afford it with an already weak farm system.

10/9/2013 1:10:09 PM

Price will be in LA and they'll become the new Yankees for the next 15 years.

10/9/2013 1:42:02 PM

Hopefully it only takes the like 4-5 to get old and still have to pay them and start sucking

10/9/2013 5:40:54 PM

#Barves


never forget

10/10/2013 8:03:00 AM

lol


http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Upper-Deck-Vintage-197-Danys-Baez-signed-autographed-card-Atlanta-Braves-/350909158357?pt=US_Autographed_Trading_Cards&hash=item51b3d0d3d5

10/25/2013 10:57:23 AM

Shit

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-pitching-coach-mcdowell-could-jump-to-phill/nbffb/

11/2/2013 1:17:47 AM

^he signed a contract extension.


$14.1 mil qualifying offer extended to McCann

declined contract option on Reed Johnson.

11/4/2013 4:20:59 PM

^ Assures that we get 1st round pick compensation when he signs with another team. Hate to see us lose Hudson though as he's a godo clubhouse guy and veteran leader. I imagine he will not want to take a pay cut. I really wish the Braves had some money to spend, but even if they did they would just waste it on guys like Uggla and BJ Upton.

11/5/2013 12:44:02 PM

I don't know... Hudson and his family are REALLY entrenched down here. With his career wrapping up I could see him taking a cut to stay around.

11/5/2013 1:23:24 PM

Quote :

"Assures that we get 1st round pick compensation when he signs with another team"

1st 11 picks are protected. Second round pick if he goes to one of those teams.

11/5/2013 1:41:08 PM

^ 10-4. Isn't it a sandwich pick though between rounds so it's like a really late 1st rounder?





[Edited on November 5, 2013 at 3:15 PM. Reason : l]

11/5/2013 3:10:51 PM

http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/baseball/braves-plan-to-build-new-stadium-in-cobb/nbpNQ/

Quote :

"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The Atlanta Braves plan to build a new stadium in Cobb County and move there from Turner Field at the start of the 2017 season, team officials said today. Braves executives John Schuerholz, Mike Plant and Derek Schiller, in a meeting with a small group of reporters, said the new ballpark will be built at the northwest intersection of I-75 and I-285 in the Galleria/Cumberland Mall area. They said the team has “secured” 60 acres of land for the project. The Braves said the project will be built in partnership with Cobb County. They indicated that Cobb County would provide public funds toward building the stadium but declined to provide details on that. The Braves have played in downtown Atlanta since moving here from Milwaukee in 1966 and have played in Turner Field since 1997. The team officials said the Braves will play the next three seasons at Turner Field before moving to Cobb. The Braves’ 20-season lease at Turner Field expires after the 2016 season."

11/11/2013 9:23:15 AM

Oh cool, let's move even further away from MARTA

11/11/2013 9:44:06 AM

I am fucking livid. This is bullshit. Fuck you Braves.

11/11/2013 10:29:12 AM

I, for one, approve this move

11/11/2013 10:32:45 AM

11/11/2013 10:34:05 AM

Turner is a cesspool. Good riddance.

11/11/2013 10:38:02 AM

The new location is a LOT further away from transit and is in area where EVERYONE will have to drive along basically two routes to get to the game. Both these routes are already gridlocked as shit in the afternoon and the majority of the games are at 7pm so they are fucked. The current location is more in a grid pattern and has a lot more options and routes to get to it. The location for the new stadium as far as traffic and such is stupid and annoying, but what gets me more is the abandonment of the city. You will never see the Yankees in New Jersey. I never thought the Braves, one of the leading institutions of Atl would succomb to white flight.

11/11/2013 10:50:55 AM

Quote :

"You will never see the Yankees in New Jersey."

Because the Yankees used their political muscle to put a gun to the head of the Bronx Borough Council and force them to ignore certain laws the New Yankee Stadium was supposed to meet.

11/11/2013 2:35:06 PM

didn't see this news until this afternoon and def. reacted like the GIF up there ... I think mainly because they've only been at Turner for such a short time

11/11/2013 4:42:15 PM

Goodnight, Sweet Prince

11/11/2013 6:01:34 PM

The move makes sense. It was tough to get to the stadium downtown and it sounds like it'll still be tough to get there based on the location, but you'll have a better neighborhood, nice shops/restaurants, and will attract the people that want to go and be there.

11/11/2013 6:28:52 PM

lol

11/11/2013 10:39:34 PM

I live ten minutes from turner field, and never had any issue getting to/from games, finding parking, problems with "the surroundings of the stadium", etc. This is just a move to appease lazy ass crackers living in cul-de-sac hell in Cobb and Gwinnett, and to try to squeeze the city for money. Fuck 'me, go Rays.

11/11/2013 10:47:26 PM

This sucks the dick for Fulton County as they will now have a useless baseball park they own. As a Braves fan that lives in NC and can only sporadically attend games, I am all for this move as it'll supposedly generate more revenue for the organization. Utlimately all I want is for the Braves to win and if the upper management feels this will help the Braves win, then more power to them.

11/12/2013 10:18:12 AM

Quote :

"Also, Census data shows the team is moving to a much more prosperous area, with a median household income of about $61,000 and a poverty level of 8.6 percent, compared to $23,000 and nearly 40 percent for the neighborhood surrounding Turner Field. "

11/12/2013 4:51:44 PM

Why are the Braves being demonized for this

11/12/2013 5:29:08 PM

something to do with how public money is used to build stadiums

11/12/2013 5:57:42 PM

I'll share a few reasons why I'm unhappy about the stadium move. Now, I'll admit these are Atlantan-centric issues, so I'm not expecting them to necessarily resonate with y'all. Just figured I'd share this perspective for some context.

1) the city is already strapped for cash, and the Braves were asking the city for $150+M for renovations to a 16-year-old stadium. Turner Field is fine - it's not great, not amazing, but definitely adequate. And definitely not old enough for a team to be making demands and threats about leaving the county and city with an empty stadium. Additionally, many of the problems with Turner Field's accessibility that the Braves listed as their reasons for moving will be equally as problematic (if not more so) at the proposed location for the new stadium. So what it really boils down to is "hey, shit, Cobb county gonna give us lots of money for a brand new stadium, might as well do take them up on that offer!"

2) Cobb County isn't part of Atlanta, and they want it that way. Anytime proposals for expanding public transit to the northern suburbs are proposed, the northern suburbs have fought to defeat them. They want to be separate and distance themselves from the city. In exchange, as an Atlantan I pay a much higher tax rate to support the infrastructure and public services of Atlanta. These services serve the businesses and industries located in the city which draw all the transplants that live in suburbia to this metro area. Cobb and Gwinnett counties would be empty if it weren't for the industries drawn to Atlanta (the airport, for instance, is a huge draw for companies to locate here, and was developed by the city, not the suburban counties). And now the Braves are moving to Cobb freakin' county, primarily because instead of using their tax money to support infrastructure improvements for the broader metro area, they'd rather pay $450M to steal the braves.

3) selfishly, I've really enjoyed watching the city grow and evolve in the 8 years i've lived here. It's become much more diverse, began to finally take on an identity as a city rather than a collection of transplants, and there's been a real movement to revitalize the city to stem the flight to the suburbs. I went to high school in Durham, and I was very impressed last year when I visited to see a similar evolution there. The Braves leaving the city is a bit of a slap to the face to all Atlantans who have worked to make this a better place.

I completely understand the allure of having a new stadium paid for you, with big money suites, etc, at a location that is closer to many fans. I totally get it. Of the three pro franchises in Atlanta, the braves definitely have the least "diverse" fan base, and the demographics of Cobb County more closely match their fan base than do the demographics of south Fulton. So this move may very well lead to increased ticket sales, but I wouldn't say it's a guarantee - there are still thousands of ticket-buying braves fans here in the city that have supported this franchise. And most of us feel a bit betrayed. Oh well.

11/12/2013 8:42:11 PM

bye bye Timmy

thanks for your time

2/$23 to SFG

11/18/2013 4:10:08 PM

That is an incredible deal for Huddy

11/18/2013 4:39:17 PM

Damn that sucks that we lost Hudson, but I am happy for him. He gets to finish his career back near where he started and playing in a mega pitchers park. Do the Braves get any compensation for losing him since I don't think they made a qualifying offer?

Gaints overpaid big time though. LOL too that they are paying Linecum $35MM the next two seasons.

11/19/2013 7:50:55 AM

it's really depressing watching McCann getting looked at by the Yankees....he was supposed to be here forever

11/19/2013 9:07:59 AM

McCann is not worth the money that the AL teams will pay him. The Braves have three (Gattis, Laird, and Betancourt) other catchers ready to take his place too.

11/19/2013 9:17:21 AM

^I agree.

11/19/2013 10:32:29 AM