Braves

[smootness]

5:48 PM
@DOBrienAJC
#Braves promoted CF Mallex Smith to Triple-A after he hit .340 w/ .418 OBP, .830 OPS & 23 SB (6 CS) in 57 games at Double-A Mississippi
....

Congrats Mallex.

Interesting that we've been playing peraza in cf and we promote Mallex there. My guess is we're shopping peraza

Yeah, this obviously ends the Peraza-in-CF experiment. I think we either need to call him up to play 3B or switch him back to SS if we're planning on dealing him. They may still be waiting to get more of a look at Peterson, but they seem to have determined Peterson is the future at 2B. And with Albies coming, you can take that risk; even if Peterson slides in the next year or two, Albies should be ready by then to take over.

I think Peraza's best value to us at this point is clearly in a trade. I would try to package him and a SP prospect (Jenkins, Sanchez, Banuelos) and maybe something else smaller, like Eury Perez, and see what you can get.

[msstate7]

Yeah, this obviously ends the Peraza-in-CF experiment. I think we either need to call him up to play 3B or switch him back to SS if we're planning on dealing him. They may still be waiting to get more of a look at Peterson, but they seem to have determined Peterson is the future at 2B. And with Albies coming, you can take that risk; even if Peterson slides in the next year or two, Albies should be ready by then to take over.

I think Peraza's best value to us at this point is clearly in a trade. I would try to package him and a SP prospect (Jenkins, Sanchez, Banuelos) and maybe something else smaller, like Eury Perez, and see what you can get.
Lf, 3b, or c

[smootness]

Lf, 3b, or c

Yeah, those are the obvious targets. I'd prefer to get a RF and switch Markakis to LF, but a LF will be easier to get.

Maybin, Peraza, Jenkins, and Ruiz for Rendon? I don't know if that's enough, but I'd do it.

[msstate7]

Yeah, those are the obvious targets. I'd prefer to get a RF and switch Markakis to LF, but a LF will be easier to get.

Maybin, Peraza, Jenkins, and Ruiz for Rendon? I don't know if that's enough, but I'd do it.

Nice dream. Rendon is untouchable or should be

[msstate7]

This offense without FF is hard to watch. This is going to be one long dl stint

[msstate7]

Fredi bites us again. Miller leads off inning with walk. Rendon up who is 5 for his last 6 and fredi plays 3b in expecting a bunt. Ball bounces over 3b's head on what would've been a DP ball.

Hey fredi, you're the only idiot this side of Cohen that would bunt rendon there. 1-0 nats and that'll be enough. Fredi is too stupid to coach mlb

[shoeless joe]

Another stupid move by fredi...telling Terdo to tag on that fly out. Terrible coaching**

[msstate7]

Another stupid move by fredi...telling Terdo to tag on that fly out. Terrible coaching**

I actually think terry Pendleton sent him. You know TP is right in his ear on that flyball. No way a slow rookie goes with his 1b coach telling him no.

[shoeless joe]

I actually think terry Pendleton sent him. You know TP is right in his ear on that flyball. No way a slow rookie goes with his 1b coach telling him no.

No way in my mind does TP send him there. That's all on the runner anyway. The fact that he was even tagging there was absolute dumbassedry. Get what you can get, which would be a step shy of 2nd, and of it falls you score. I like Terdo by that was awful baseball. Joe was rite on with what he said.

[msstate7]

No way in my mind does TP send him there. That's all on the runner anyway. The fact that he was even tagging there was absolute dumbassedry. Get what you can get, which would be a step shy of 2nd, and of it falls you score. I like Terdo by that was awful baseball. Joe was rite on with what he said.

So terdo sees flyball and comes back to base... Is TP telling him no? If TP is telling him no and terdo goes anyway, send him down

[msstate7]

Are we seriously walking Danny Espinosa to get to span?!!!! Good grief, I hate this. So if we get span, the nats' hottest hitter (rendon) gets to hit. I don't get it...

[msstate7]

Oh and lefties are hitting .314 against avilan

[shoeless joe]

So terdo sees flyball and comes back to base... Is TP telling him no? If TP is telling him no and terdo goes anyway, send him down

Good question...I'm sure he's thinking there's no way he's actually going to try to advance. With the entire play unfolding in from of the runner I would assume it's on him...he just made a horrible decision.

[msstate7]

Are we seriously walking Danny Espinosa to get to span?!!!! Good grief, I hate this. So if we get span, the nats' hottest hitter (rendon) gets to hit. I don't get it...

Ok rendon had come out. I still didn't think it was a good move, but not as bad now

[msstate7]

Well I can't criticize what worked. Good job, avilan and fredi (spit) haha

[msstate7]

Mallex smith debut...
0-3 rbi, run, bb, k

Also had a fielding error

[msstate7]

Well if we lose tomorrow, hart might as well crank up the sale of veteran players. The one player we absolutely couldn't afford to lose is out and you see what it means to our offense

[smootness]

I don't think it's time to sell off yet, but we could be able to get some pretty good return if we're willing to part with Maybin and Grilli.

[msstate7]

3 runs in our last 31 innings. Throw out Saturday (obvious outlier) and we've scored 7 runs in 5 games. FF is obviously missed

[smootness]

Nice dream. Rendon is untouchable or should be

Probably, but this is part of the problem with going with almost solely pitching in the minors. Fans talk about being able to trade these guys for hitters, but what kind of legit young hitters are available?

We need a C, 3B, and OF going into 2016-2017, as you said. But we're either not going to be able to just sign somebody at these spots, or doing so will leave us with some bad deals.

Kyle Seager is a potential option at 3B in a trade, but his contract skyrockets in 2018. Arenado is untouchable. It's going to be tough.

I might go as far as Maybin, Peraza, Wood, Folty, and Ruiz in an offer for Rendon. If that didn't do it, then our best bet may just be to put Peraza at 3B for next year and bring back Uribe as insurance.

[msstate7]

I wouldn't mind seeing us go after Justin turner for 3b. Isn't Guerrero the future at 3b for them? I think turner could be gotten.

I'd like Alex Gordon for lf. Offer him good money for 2-3 years. That should give Davidson enough time to get ready.

And of course, weiters at catcher.

Peterson -- 2b
Maybin -- cf
FF -- 1b
Weiters -- c
Gordon -- lf
Turner -- 3b
Markakis -- rf
Simmons -- ss

I would love this lineup

[smootness]

Turner is a good name. He's only under contract for 2016, though, so hopefully we wouldn't be willing to give up too much. But he is mashing this year, so it still might be tough.

I don't see any way Gordon would sign a 2-3 year deal, assuming someone is offering more.

I would like to add Wieters for sure, as long as his contract doesn't break the bank. If we're looking for long-term options at 3B or OF, we may have to trade for prospects.

[dawgs]

#natitude

[dawgs]

Probably, but this is part of the problem with going with almost solely pitching in the minors. Fans talk about being able to trade these guys for hitters, but what kind of legit young hitters are available?

We need a C, 3B, and OF going into 2016-2017, as you said. But we're either not going to be able to just sign somebody at these spots, or doing so will leave us with some bad deals.

Kyle Seager is a potential option at 3B in a trade, but his contract skyrockets in 2018. Arenado is untouchable. It's going to be tough.

I might go as far as Maybin, Peraza, Wood, Folty, and Ruiz in an offer for Rendon. If that didn't do it, then our best bet may just be to put Peraza at 3B for next year and bring back Uribe as insurance.

nats aren't trading rendon for a bunch of pieces they don't need. nats have plenty of arms, and even plenty of young arms even if they trade or let strasburg and/or zimm walk soon. ross has looked great in his starts. roark is a solid back end of the rotation guy. then giolito and cole in the minors. so folty and wood aren't needs at all.

nats aren't dumb enough to view maybin as a highly valuable piece. plus michael taylor has been solid in his 1st extended exposure in the bigs and brian goodwin is coming along in a year or 2. even if the nats go outside the organization, they can find a player the caliber of maybin without giving up rendon.

pereza looks like a future big leaguer, but probably not as good as rendon, and the nats have trea turner coming in the ML to play SS too, so rendon + trea turner are 2 of 2B/SS/3B of the future.

in other words, the nats aren't going to bite on a deal for a bunch of lesser pieces comparable to or less than internal options. not for a all-star caliber 2B/3B under team control until 2020. nats aren't in a position of needing to deal 1 player for a multiple player haul.

as for trading arms for bats, you gotta find guys a lot closer to free agency to do it, then be willing to hand them a new deal. or make a 1 for 1 trade like the heyward/miller deal this past offseason. but you can't package a lot of lower ceiling guys for 1 all-star stud with 4 seasons of team control playing for a franchise that's already stacked with young talent and a decent farm system.

[msstate7]

#natitude

Yeah, you guys are better, but you better enjoy this run you're on. Nl east will be between the mets and Braves for years to come.

Aren't you glad Desmond refused that 100 million contract?

I know it's a few years away, but what do you think chances are you sign Harper? I say no way. He's gonna be a dodger, Yankee, or bosox. Think you guys end up trading him for a huge package?

[KB21]

I like Matt Wieters, but I don't like giving a big money, long term contract to a 29 year old catcher. The Braves should have just resigned Brian McCann if they plan on signing Matt Wieters. I think McCann is missed in the locker room much more than some thought he would be. He was a leader, and the lack of leadership on last year's team was a major reason that team did not meet expectations.

[KB21]

Probably, but this is part of the problem with going with almost solely pitching in the minors. Fans talk about being able to trade these guys for hitters, but what kind of legit young hitters are available?

We need a C, 3B, and OF going into 2016-2017, as you said. But we're either not going to be able to just sign somebody at these spots, or doing so will leave us with some bad deals.

Kyle Seager is a potential option at 3B in a trade, but his contract skyrockets in 2018. Arenado is untouchable. It's going to be tough.

I might go as far as Maybin, Peraza, Wood, Folty, and Ruiz in an offer for Rendon. If that didn't do it, then our best bet may just be to put Peraza at 3B for next year and bring back Uribe as insurance.

No way. I'm not giving up that much for a position player. An elite pitcher? Yes, but I'm not willing to do another Mark Teixiera deal. Especially when you are including two guys who I believe will be stalwarts in the pitching rotation.

[dawgs]

Yeah, you guys are better, but you better enjoy this run you're on. Nl east will be between the mets and Braves for years to come.

Aren't you glad Desmond refused that 100 million contract?

I know it's a few years away, but what do you think chances are you sign Harper? I say no way. He's gonna be a dodger, Yankee, or bosox. Think you guys end up trading him for a huge package?

I think Harper resigns. Nats have as much money as anyone and the lerner's aren't scared to spend it (unlike braves' ownership). Idea that the yanks, sawx, and Dodgers (only since magic's group took over ownership) will pay big money is ridiculous. He will hit free agency with a solid 5+ years of traditional peak age window left in them, and I can't imagine the franchise doesn't do everything they can to keep them. It won't come down to money, it'll be whether they just want to leave or not. You don't let generational talent go at 26 over money.

And yeah, Desmond screwed himself. Though I wonder if he's struggling so much because he's pressing? Nats also made a great move grabbing turner in the offseason to be the SS of the future. 2016 will probably be a stopgap SS at least initially with turner hopefully coming up later in the year and ideally taking the job and running with it.

[msstate7]

I think Harper resigns. Nats have as much money as anyone and the lerner's aren't scared to spend it (unlike braves' ownership). Idea that the yanks, sawx, and Dodgers (only since magic's group took over ownership) will pay big money is ridiculous. He will hit free agency with a solid 5+ years of traditional peak age window left in them, and I can't imagine the franchise doesn't do everything they can to keep them. It won't come down to money, it'll be whether they just want to leave or not. You don't let generational talent go at 26 over money.

And yeah, Desmond screwed himself. Though I wonder if he's struggling so much because he's pressing? Nats also made a great move grabbing turner in the offseason to be the SS of the future. 2016 will probably be a stopgap SS at least initially with turner hopefully coming up later in the year and ideally taking the job and running with it.

I don't doubt the nats will spend the money on Harper. I just doubt Harper resigns. I think he wants to be on a bigger stage.

** I'm entirely speculating. Harper could be very happy to finish a nat

[shoeless joe]

I don't doubt the nats will spend the money on Harper. I just doubt Harper resigns. I think he wants to be on a bigger stage.

** I'm entirely speculating. Harper could be very happy to finish a nat

He has stated publicly that his childhood dream has been to wear the pin stripes. They have a left handed hitters haven and will spend the money needed...he'll be a Yankee.

[msstate7]

1:56 AM
@mbraves
ROSTER MOVES: OF Sean Godfrey promoted to @mbraves from High-A Carolina. C Steve Rodriguez activated off the DL. INF Seth Loman released.

@BravesReddit
Godfrey is having himself a fine year. .304/.331/.425

Replaces Mallex Smith in CF for the MBraves

[msstate7]

@Braves
Congrats @albiesozhaino, SS with @TheRomeBraves, selected to World Team roster in the MLB All-Star Futures Game

...

It's gonna be very interesting where he's ranked in our next prospect ranking.

[smootness]

@Braves
Congrats @albiesozhaino, SS with @TheRomeBraves, selected to World Team roster in the MLB All-Star Futures Game

...

It's gonna be very interesting where he's ranked in our next prospect ranking.

Woah. He has to be one of the youngest guys to ever play in that game...right?

ETA: After looking, Julio Urias pitched in it last year as a 17-year-old. But Albies may be the youngest otherwise. Harper and Trout were both several months older when they played in it. Regardless, that's good company to be in.

[msstate7]

Braves Lineup:
Peterson 2B
Maybin CF
Markakis RF
Pierzynski C
Terdoslavich 1B
K Johnson 3B
Gomes LF
Ciriaco SS
Wisler P

What goes thru Fredi's head? Rookie pitcher on the mound in a huge game... I know... Let's rest Simmons (best ss in the game), our best 3b (uribe), and put our worst lf (Gomes) out there. Does this make sense to anyone?

Last night with CJ on 2nd with 2 outs and a lhp in the game, Fredi doesn't use Gomes in place of Kelly. Let's save Gomes for a rhp.

[War Machine Dawg]

I'd just settle for knowing why a guy with 0 HRs on the season is consistently batting in the 3 & 4 holes. We way overpaid Markakis for what we're getting at the plate.

[msstate7]

I'd just settle for knowing why a guy with 0 HRs on the season is consistently batting in the 3 & 4 holes. We way overpaid Markakis for what we're getting at the plate.

0 hr's, but he does have 16 doubles. Hopefully he picks up a few hr's... Like today

[dawgs]

I'd just settle for knowing why a guy with 0 HRs on the season is consistently batting in the 3 & 4 holes. We way overpaid Markakis for what we're getting at the plate.

Markakis isn't that different than what he's been with the Orioles the last few years. He just never developed into a power hitter at all. He was never expected to be Bryce Harper type power, but 20-25 with a ton of doubles was reasonable to expect and he just never got there.

[msstate7]

In the words of Jesus... It is finished.

Hart, trade anyone veteran someone will take. We're done so I hope this team completely collapses so we can get rid of fredi.

Hart isn't stupid. If myself and thousands of brave fans can see fredi is a dope, there's no way hart doesn't see it.

[dawgs]

In the words of Jesus... It is finished.

Hart, trade anyone veteran someone will take. We're done so I hope this team completely collapses so we can get rid of fredi.

Hart isn't stupid. If myself and thousands of brave fans can see fredi is a dope, there's no way hart doesn't see it.

If fredi has a buyout, just let him manage next season too. Then when y'all are ready to compete go get the manager you want. Just make sure fredi doesn't blow out any arms or screw up development until then.

[msstate7]

If fredi has a buyout, just let him manage next season too. Then when y'all are ready to compete go get the manager you want. Just make sure fredi doesn't blow out any arms or screw up development until then.

Fredi is in the last year of his contract. He won't be fired... Just not retained. Pretty sure that's right

What do you think as a non-fan of the Braves? Is fredi good or what? Am I giving him too tough a time?

[dawgs]

Fredi is in the last year of his contract. He won't be fired... Just not retained. Pretty sure that's right

What do you think as a non-fan of the Braves? Is fredi good or what? Am I giving him too tough a time?

Well I don't watch that many Braves games outside of when they play the nats, and even then, being across the country, not like I see all those. But my impression is fredi isn't that good of an in game manager. Definitely can do better.

[BoomBoom]

Braves Lineup:
Peterson 2B
Maybin CF
Markakis RF
Pierzynski C
Terdoslavich 1B
K Johnson 3B
Gomes LF
Ciriaco SS
Wisler P

What goes thru Fredi's head? Rookie pitcher on the mound in a huge game... I know... Let's rest Simmons (best ss in the game), our best 3b (uribe), and put our worst lf (Gomes) out there. Does this make sense to anyone?

Last night with CJ on 2nd with 2 outs and a lhp in the game, Fredi doesn't use Gomes in place of Kelly. Let's save Gomes for a rhp.

you rest vets on day games. that's all he was thinking. don't overthink it, he's playing checkers out there, not chess.

[msstate7]

6:48 PM
?@grantmcauley
#Braves now 1-8 vs. #Nationals this season.

ATL is 34-30 vs. rest of #MLB
WAS is 32-32 vs. rest of #MLB

That's your division race.

[BoomBoom]

6:48 PM
?@grantmcauley
#Braves now 1-8 vs. #Nationals this season.

ATL is 34-30 vs. rest of #MLB
WAS is 32-32 vs. rest of #MLB

That's your division race.

that's terrible.

[msstate7]

that's terrible.

Yes it is. 2 years ago we won the division by dominating the nats. Looks like we're getting some of our own medicine this year

[msstate7]

Bill shanks' new top 30...

1. Mallex Smith ? CF ? Gwinnett ? A kid with a .340 batting average, a .418 on base percentage and the potential to steal a base every time out is getting attention. It helps to have Peter Gammons mention that scouts are now comparing Smith to Kenny Lofton.

2. Touki Toussaint ? RHP ? Rome ? Acquired from the Diamondbacks, the 19-year-old has two plus pitches (fastball and curve) and they believe the changeup will be just as good eventually. It?ll be interesting to see how he handles the trade in the Sally League.

3. Ozhaino Albies ? SS ? Rome ? He?s really 18 and he?s really making a tremendous impression in Rome. Albies has a .376 OBP and a .322 batting average at the All-Star Break. He has done everything to justify his prospect status. The next Rafael Furcal.

4. Manny Banuelos ? LHP ? Gwinnett ? The former Yankees star prospect is back to where he was in 2011, when he almost made New York?s rotation. Now, he?s a half season away from possibly being in the Atlanta rotation to start the 2016 season.

5. Tyrell Jenkins ? RHP ? Mississippi ? The numbers are very good. It would be better if Jenkins had more strikeouts, but that?s nit-picking. He?s having a solid season in his first full year back after shoulder surgery a while back. May be ready sometime next season.

6. Jose Peraza ? SS/2B/CF ? Gwinnett ? He was in the top two or three coming into the season, and only the emergence of others has had Peraza fall a bit. But he?s again hitting near .300 and again stealing bases. Now it?s just a question of where he will play.

7. Braxton Davidson ? RF ? Rome ? Not many 19-year-olds will have a .400 OBP in the tough Sally League. Davidson is still making progress in his transition to the outfield, but he?s showing the ability to hit. That?s why the Braves drafted him a year ago in the first round.

8. Kolby Allard ? LHP ? Unsigned ? It?s hard to rate a player who has yet to throw a pro pitcher higher, but the Braves think this is the lowest he will be on one of these lists from now on. They think he?s a potential ace, but it?s just going to take a while. He?s just 17 years old.

9. Max Fried ? LHP ? Injured ? Don?t forget about this kid, who was acquired from the Padres in the Justin Upton trade. He?s recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the Braves think when he?s healthy he could take off and be at the top of this list 12 months from now.

10. Ricardo Sanchez ? LHP ? Rome ? Back after going to Florida to get stronger, Sanchez flashed a great curveball in his best start of the season last time out. The upside continues to be off the charts, and the Braves will watch him closely in the second half of the season.

11. Lucas Sims ? RHP ? Carolina ? Don?t blame Sims for being injured in the bus crash, and he has been passed by several of the new players. Before the accident, Sims was figuring things out. When he returns, Sims could get right back on track quickly. Still has great potential.

12. Steve Janas ? RHP ? Carolina ? Also a victim of the bus crash, Janas was doing really well early in the season. The Braves believe he?s a sleeper, and the 6th round pick from two years ago is a bit older (24) so he could come quickly.

13. Michael Soroka ? RHP ? TBD ? This is high for someone still just 17, but the Braves believe he has top-of-the-rotation potential. Soroka has advanced stuff for someone his age, and the Braves can?t wait to see him against pro competition.

14. Max Povse ? RHP ? Rome ? So far, last year?s 3rd rounder is doing tremendous work in the Sally League. We could see Povse sent to Carolina for the second half of the season if he has another good start or two. Tall kid who is really learning more about how to pitch.

15. Andrew Thurman ? RHP ? Carolina ? Another pitcher who has had his season cut short due to the bus crash, Thurman was really doing well before the accident. The Braves expect him back sometime in July. Also older (23), Thurman could come quickly once healthy.

16. Rio Ruiz ? 3B ? Mississippi ? This may be too high, considering Ruiz?s struggles in AA. But he is just 21 and the Braves still see progress. He needs to pull the ball more and generate power. It has been a rough start to his Braves career, but there is still promise for Ruiz.

17. Dustin Peterson ? LF ? Carolina ? Perhaps a surprise, Peterson has been very solid at the plate with power and getting on base. His season was interrupted by the bus accident, but his progress cannot be diminished in his first season with the Braves.

18. Caleb Beech ? RHP ? Rome ? Last year?s 13th round pick has been a big surprise, with outstanding numbers across the board. He might be moved up to Carolina to be challenged a bit, since the Sally League is a bit easy for him right now.

19. Dan Winkler ? RHP ? Injured ? Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Winkler was close to the big leagues last season with the Rockies before he was injured. It will be interesting to see whether the Braves let him start again (as he did with the Rockies) or make him a reliever.

20. Jason Hursh ? RHP ? Mississippi - Started off the season terribly but has been better lately. With the numbers getting interesting, when will the Braves put Hursh in the bullpen? That looks to be his future role, especially with the Braves struggling in the pen in Atlanta.

21. Garrett Fulenche ? RHP ? Danville
22. Arodys Vizcaino ? RHP ? Suspended
23. Shae Simmons ? RHP ? Injured
24. Alec Grosser ? RHP ? Rome
25. Chad Sobotka ? RHP ? Rome
26. A.J. Minter ? RHP ? Draft Pick
27. Jordan Edgerton ? 3B ? Rome
28. Austin Riley ? 3B ? Draft Pick
29. Daniel Castro ? INF ? Gwinnett
30. Johan Camargo ? SS ? Carolina

[msstate7]

I hate this list bc he didn't put wisler, folty, Bethancourt, peterson, and Perez on it. Come on dude, they're still prospects... Hell, 2 of them are still in AAA

[msstate7]

. Ozhaino Albies ? SS ? Rome ? He?s really 18 and he?s really making a tremendous impression in Rome. Albies has a .376 OBP and a .322 batting average at the All-Star Break. He has done everything to justify his prospect status. The next Rafael Furcal.

...

If this kid continues to progress, it's gonna be very interesting what happens at SS in 3-4 years. Would we do the unthinkable and trade Simmons?

[msstate7]

?@mlbbowman
The #Braves have six RH bats (position players) in tonight's lineup
Liriano's splits
vs. LH .236 BA .304 OBP
vs. RH .170 BA .241 OBP

[smootness]

Definitely stupid not to have Wisler on it. The rest are debatable. The only other one I'd include is Folty. Peterson and Bethancourt are definitely not prospects anymore.

It's not a terrible list. I think he definitely has Mallex and Banuelos too high and Fried, Ruiz, and Peterson too low. But he's not a real evaluator, so it doesn't really matter. He's a guy who will go almost solely off of minor league numbers.

My own list (no more credible than Shanks') would go something like this:
1. Albies
2. Folty
3. Toussaint
4. Wisler
5. Peraza
6. Davidson
7. Allard
8. Fried
9. Jenkins
10. Mallex
11. Ruiz
12. Banuelos
13. Peterson
14. Sims

The rest are kind of in the same boat. The exciting thing is that I think Albies, Toussaint, Davidson, Allard, Fried, Ruiz, and Sims could all still improve their standing quite a bit by either continuing to progress, coming back from injury, or turning around their current struggles.

[War Machine Dawg]

What jumps out at me from that list: We are SORELY lacking in the bats department. Need to move a few arms for some hitters.

[smootness]

What jumps out at me from that list: We are SORELY lacking in the bats department. Need to move a few arms for some hitters.

We'll probably have to make a couple moves within the next year or two, but we just signed two of the top 11 international prospects, both hitters, and we're poised to go all-in on next year's international market, so I think we'll be ok there down the road.

Albies, Davidson, Peraza, Ruiz, Mallex, Peterson...we don't have quite the top-end bats some systems do, but we're no worse than average there now. It's just our best bats are 2 years or more away and we're unbelievably loaded with pitching.

[msstate7]

Anyone know if there's a top flight catcher available internationally this year?

[smootness]

Anyone know if there's a top flight catcher available internationally this year?

I don't think so. Most of the international guys are 16-17, and Cuba doesn't usually produce catchers. And we wouldn't spend a ton anyway; we're holding out for next year.

[msstate7]

Hopefully Perez won't be out. Can't believe after a line drive off of him, fredi left him in despite a 4 pitch walk, another ball, balk, another ball, then finally beaned a guy. Fredi finally pulled him.

[msstate7]

4 straight losses... 6 games out... Collapse is here. I take solace in fredi is on his farewell tour... Book it!

[msstate7]

?@Braves
Williams Perez exited tonight's game in the 5th w/left foot contusion. Was seen by Pirates team doctor, x-rays were taken and are negative.

[shoeless joe]

Braves got gene Morgan'd last nite...line drive doesn't hit him they win.

[msstate7]

Braves got gene Morgan'd last nite...line drive doesn't hit him they win.

Very tough luck.

Williams Perez is my favorite brave pitcher right now. Really hope he's good to go his next start

[msstate7]

@ChrisCotillo
Source: #Braves promote RHP Jake Brigham to majors.

BravesReddit
Brigham's last 12 starts: 7-2 2.49 ERA, 0.9385 WHIP. So you could say he's having a pretty good year.

[smootness]

Very tough luck.

Williams Perez is my favorite brave pitcher right now. Really hope he's good to go his next start

They placed him on the DL. Looks like Banuelos may get a shot.

[msstate7]

They placed him on the DL. Looks like Banuelos may get a shot.

@ChrisCotillo
Source: #Braves promote RHP Jake Brigham to majors.

BravesReddit
Brigham's last 12 starts: 7-2 2.49 ERA, 0.9385 WHIP. So you could say he's having a pretty good year.

[msstate7]

4:47 PM
@mlbbowman
I know the "selling low" thought is used regarding trading Teheran. But you have to wonder if the "original value" will ever return

Teheran down 5-0 in 1st to pirates.

If I'm hart, I let Teheran look good at home one more time and call up Brewers. Work out some trade for lucroy. See if the Brewers are dumb enough to bite

[msstate7]

@KevinMcAlpin
After allowing 5 earned in the bottom of the 1st, Julio Teheran's road ERA now stands at 8.04 (39 ER/43.2 IP)

[msstate7]

We'll banuelos has blew any chance he had at getting promoted this week...


@GBravesMedia
After 3 in Pawtucket: Red Sox 3, #GBraves 2. Manny Banuelos has walked 5 in 3 IP for Gwinnett

7:24 PM
@GBravesMedia
Correction on Banuelos: 4 BB and i Hit Batter. He has been pulled replaced by Ryan Weber in B4

[msstate7]

We'll banuelos has blew any chance he had at getting promoted this week...


@GBravesMedia
After 3 in Pawtucket: Red Sox 3, #GBraves 2. Manny Banuelos has walked 5 in 3 IP for Gwinnett

7:24 PM
@GBravesMedia
Correction on Banuelos: 4 BB and i Hit Batter. He has been pulled replaced by Ryan Weber in B4

Well Nevermind...


@mlbbowman
Banuelos issued 4 BB in 3 IP (72 pitches) for @GwinnettBraves tonight. He's still the most likely candidate to start for ATL on Thursday.

[msstate7]

Former Padres manager Bud Black could be a possibility for the Braves if they eventually decide to replace Fredi Gonzalez. Black worked for the Indians front office when current Braves GM John Hart was in Cleveland, and Braves president John Schuerholz traded for Black all the way back in 1982, when Schuerholz was GM of the Royals.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/06/rosenthals-latest-padres-niese-cubs-jays.html

[msstate7]

9:33 PM
@mlbbowman
Ryan Kelly's contract will be purchased from Triple-A Gwinnett before tomorrow's game. Sugar Ray Marimon will be optioned to Gwinnett.

[msstate7]

9:40 PM
?@mlbbowman
Touki Toussaint will make his first start for the @TheRomeBraves tomorrow afternoon at State Mutual Stadium.

[smootness]

9:40 PM
?@mlbbowman
Touki Toussaint will make his first start for the @TheRomeBraves tomorrow afternoon at State Mutual Stadium.

I'm going tomorrow to see him. I will then relay a thoroughly detailed, insightful, and altogether groundbreaking scouting report upon my return.

[KB21]

Former Padres manager Bud Black could be a possibility for the Braves if they eventually decide to replace Fredi Gonzalez. Black worked for the Indians front office when current Braves GM John Hart was in Cleveland, and Braves president John Schuerholz traded for Black all the way back in 1982, when Schuerholz was GM of the Royals.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/06/rosenthals-latest-padres-niese-cubs-jays.html

I'm wondering if Rosenthal is just connecting dots or if he has actually heard something? My guess is, he is using Bud's connection with both John and John as a reason for saying this.

I'd like to see Terry Pendleton or Brian Snitker get the opportunity.

[shoeless joe]

I'm wondering if Rosenthal is just connecting dots or if he has actually heard something? My guess is, he is using Bud's connection with both John and John as a reason for saying this.

I'd like to see Terry Pendleton or Brian Snitker get the opportunity.

I wouldn't.

IF a change is made then I'd like to see someone outside the club get the nod. I don't lean one way or the other on black but hasn't he proven already this year that he can't win with a lot of the same players fredi couldn't win with?

[msstate7]

We may not win today, but Alex wood has been outstanding. Very impressive

[msstate7]

?@MiLB
Led by #Braves seventh-rounder Patrick Weigel's 4 IP, the @DanvilleBraves have a no-hitter through six innings.

@KevinMcAlpin
Touki Toussaint allowed 1 run on 2 hits over 4.1 IP with 5 BB & 5 Ks in his debut this afternoon with the @TheRomeBraves

[smootness]

Toussaint had good stuff today, but looked basically as advertised - a young kid with great stuff trying to get his command under control and learn how to pitch. He had 5 BB and 2 HBP, but there was only one ball hit reasonably hard off him, and batters were often late on his fastball. He didn't throw his curve until the 4th and buckled one batter's knees with it. The interesting thing to me was that his fastball only say 90-92 all game, where we were hearing he was sitting more like 93-94 and occasionally getting up to 96-97. But he looked like a guy who could be special.

As for the rest, Davidson is slimmer than I expected and much slimmer than his pre-draft videos from last year. He seemed to move relatively well in the OF, and if he keeps his weight down, I don't see why he can't ultimately stick in LF. He was facing a lefty today but still hit two balls really hard into right center, though the CF tracked one down.

Albies is a stud. He is tiny, but his swing is so sweet. And he looks good defensively, too; moved well, showed good range and good instincts. The interesting thing to me is that the one area I wasn't impressed with was his arm, it looked below-average on at least one throw...but Fangraphs rates it a 60, so they probably know more than me. Either way, he's going to be gooooood.

[msstate7]

Toussaint had good stuff today, but looked basically as advertised - a young kid with great stuff trying to get his command under control and learn how to pitch. He had 5 BB and 2 HBP, but there was only one ball hit reasonably hard off him, and batters were often late on his fastball. He didn't throw his curve until the 4th and buckled one batter's knees with it. The interesting thing to me was that his fastball only say 90-92 all game, where we were hearing he was sitting more like 93-94 and occasionally getting up to 96-97. But he looked like a guy who could be special.

As for the rest, Davidson is slimmer than I expected and much slimmer than his pre-draft videos from last year. He seemed to move relatively well in the OF, and if he keeps his weight down, I don't see why he can't ultimately stick in LF. He was facing a lefty today but still hit two balls really hard into right center, though the CF tracked one down.

Albies is a stud. He is tiny, but his swing is so sweet. And he looks good defensively, too; moved well, showed good range and good instincts. The interesting thing to me is that the one area I wasn't impressed with was his arm, it looked below-average on at least one throw...but Fangraphs rates it a 60, so they probably know more than me. Either way, he's going to be gooooood.

Thanks for the report.

What was your impression of tanner Murphy (c)? I saw he had a good day hitting, but he's struggled for the most part this year. Some brave fans think he could possibly be our catcher of the future, so I'd like your input

[KB21]

Thanks for the report.

What was your impression of tanner Murphy (c)? I saw he had a good day hitting, but he's struggled for the most part this year. Some brave fans think he could possibly be our catcher of the future, so I'd like your input

I was talking to a guy about Tanner recently. Basically, he said that Tanner is hitting the ball hard but right at folks right now. He's been on a bad luck streak. His LD% has actually increased this year, but his FB% has decreased, which explains his lack of power this year.

[msstate7]

M
Mark Bowman ?@mlbbowman 1m1 minute ago
Still too early to guess when Freeman might return, but there's still some hope he returns before the All-Star break

....
Really hope he does rehab assignment in pearl. Doubtful... Would love to see him play though

[starkvegasdawg]

M
Mark Bowman ?@mlbbowman 1m1 minute ago
Still too early to guess when Freeman might return, but there's still some hope he returns before the All-Star break

....
Really hope he does rehab assignment in pearl. Doubtful... Would love to see him play though

I got to see Chipper rehab in Pearl. I was watching the game when they announced his rehab date and immediately hopped online and ordered tickets. Ended up getting second row behind at 3rd base. Was close enough to hear the ball clearly pop his glove on balls hit to him. Only time I have ever seen that stadium sold out.

[msstate7]

I got to see Chipper rehab in Pearl. I was watching the game when they announced his rehab date and immediately hopped online and ordered tickets. Ended up getting second row behind at 3rd base. Was close enough to hear the ball clearly pop his glove on balls hit to him. Only time I have ever seen that stadium sold out.

That's awesome.

Braves futures vs Atlanta Braves was sellout a few years ago

[msstate7]

Mark Bowman ?@mlbbowman 11h11 hours ago
Manny Banuelos has posted a 1.59 ERA over his past 11 starts for the @GwinnettBraves. He will likely make his Major League debut on Thursday

[msstate7]

Nice to see folty bounce back tonight.

7.0 ip 5 h 1 er 3 bb 6 k

[KB21]

OK. I wonder what the market is going to be for Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson, Kelly Johnson, and perhaps Cameron Maybin? The Braves are to the point where, if they get a strong offer of players who will contribute in the future, they will be sellers. John Coppolella recently stated that the Braves weren't going to just move everyone on a free agent contract or everyone who is 30+ unless it makes sense to do it.

Grilli is going to be very attractive, IMO. There will be a few teams in the playoff mix that need bullpen help. Cameron Maybin is the guy the team doesn't have to trade. His playing well, is 28 years old, and has a manageable deal. He may be more valuable in a year than he is now. It would take a pretty significant offer to get him.

Much like the Phil Gosselin for Bronson Arroyo and Touki Toussaint trade, the Braves could be in a position to tell someone they will take on their bad contract if they give them a top prospect with that contract.

[msstate7]

OK. I wonder what the market is going to be for Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson, Kelly Johnson, and perhaps Cameron Maybin? The Braves are to the point where, if they get a strong offer of players who will contribute in the future, they will be sellers. John Coppolella recently stated that the Braves weren't going to just move everyone on a free agent contract or everyone who is 30+ unless it makes sense to do it.

Grilli is going to be very attractive, IMO. There will be a few teams in the playoff mix that need bullpen help. Cameron Maybin is the guy the team doesn't have to trade. His playing well, is 28 years old, and has a manageable deal. He may be more valuable in a year than he is now. It would take a pretty significant offer to get him.

Much like the Phil Gosselin for Bronson Arroyo and Touki Toussaint trade, the Braves could be in a position to tell someone they will take on their bad contract if they give them a top prospect with that contract.

I think the mets could use AJ and uribe. Even if they don't want em, surely someone does.

Jim Johnson and grilli should certainly be traded. Both should have nice value.

Chris Johnson is the player i most want to move bc of his bad contract. Perhaps if we package him with grilli or Johnson, we can move CJ.

I wouldn't trade Maybin unless we get a really good offer. We don't have a clear cut replacement yet. I think Mallex could be our cf, but he's struggling to hit since being promoted to AAA.

[msstate7]

?@BravesReddit
Braxton Davidson (@B_Davidson06) had the best month of his pro career, and it was really good.

.295/.431/.455 22K:18BB

@BravesReddit
Ozhaino Albies (@albiesozhaino) has 9 multi-hit games in his last 13 games. Hit an astounding .388/.407/.485 in June

[msstate7]

?@KevinMcAlpin
#Braves won?t announce tomorrow?s starter until after tonight?s game. Expect Manny Banuelos to make his MLB debut

[starkvegasdawg]

I think Uribe got all of that one.

[msstate7]

I think Uribe got all of that one.

Uribe has 3 homers in his last 5 games. Got to think the mets would have interest with David wright out.

[msstate7]

Wisler gets pulled in the 6th with 1 out and 1 on. He gave up 1 hit and only has 84 pitches. Fredi pulls him in favor of avilan bc Harper is up. Think fredi has any idea that avilan gives up a better BA to lefties? No way fredi looks at that

[shoeless joe]

Wisler gets pulled in the 6th with 1 out and 1 on. He gave up 1 hit and only has 84 pitches. Fredi pulls him in favor of avilan bc Harper is up. Think fredi has any idea that avilan gives up a better BA to lefties? No way fredi looks at that

Not that I disagree with you, Ida liked to have seen wisler finish the inning...but the last 4 batters he's faced have been walk, deep fly, walk, really deep fly.

[msstate7]

Harper with a single.

Prior to that hit...

Avilan vs rh = .179
Avilan vs lh = .309

Fredi is the dumbest manager in mlb

[msstate7]

It worked. I'll shut up, but I still don't like the move. Thank God the next hitter was RH. Avilan owns them

[msstate7]

Hats off to wisler. Facing the same team that destroyed him last week, he bounced back strong. Gotta get the walks down, but I don't think that will be a problem.

Now we need another rookie (banuelos) to give us a chance to win this series. Not gonna be easy... He's facing the best pitcher in baseball right now

[msstate7]

per MLB Pipeline

The Braves have an agreement in place with Cristian Pach?, OF ($1,400,000) and Derian Cruz, SS ($2,000,000)

Pache is their number 10 prospect and Cruz is their 24, do not know why the 24th got more money than the 10th

[msstate7]

Delete

[smootness]

I've seen Cruz as high as 5. We reportedly already have a deal in place with Kevin Maitan for next year, which would be incredible. He's the best international prospect to come along in the last 6+ years, perhaps going back to Miguel Cabrera.

[msstate7]

I've seen Cruz as high as 5. We reportedly already have a deal in place with Kevin Maitan for next year, which would be incredible. He's the best international prospect to come along in the last 6+ years, perhaps going back to Miguel Cabrera.

Wow. Position?

[smootness]

SS now but will likely move to 3B or another position, a la Cabrera.

[Tbonewannabe]

3rd is definitely needed. Get a great 3rd baseman and we have a pretty good infield. Is Bethancourt going to work out or do they have someone else lined up? AJ is a good bridge to someone else. Purely the MSU homer in me but I wish they had picked up Ed Easley.

[msstate7]

@Braves
@Braves and @OaklandAs completed a trade today, as ATL acquired International Bonus Pool Slot No. 53 in exchange for RHP Cody Martin.

@mlbbowman
The first of the moves the Braves will make to gain the $1M needed to add to their bonus pool to avoid penalty

@BravesReddit
$600K to go

@jjcoop36
Cody Martin was available in the Rule 5 draft and went unpicked. Now he's landed international slot money, not bad.

[BoomBoom]

I've seen Cruz as high as 5. We reportedly already have a deal in place with Kevin Maitan for next year, which would be incredible. He's the best international prospect to come along in the last 6+ years, perhaps going back to Miguel Cabrera.

So we have a 5* commitment?**

[KB21]

As far as 3B prospects go, keep an eye on 17 year old Venezuelan Juan Yepez who is currently in Orlando. He was their big international signing last year. Much like Ozhaino Albies, they had Yepez skip the DSL and go straight to the GCL.

[smootness]

As far as 3B prospects go, keep an eye on 17 year old Venezuelan Juan Yepez who is currently in Orlando. He was their big international signing last year. Much like Ozhaino Albies, they had Yepez skip the DSL and go straight to the GCL.

Agreed.

And Ruiz is still there. He'll still only be 22 next year; if he comes back to AA and plays well, he'll be in Atlanta soon after.

[msstate7]

Stolen from Braves' board...

Albies got his 100th hit of the season tonight which makes him the 1st player in MiLB to get to 100 hits on the year & he has 10 more hits than his nearest competitor.

SAL Rankings:
2nd in runs
5th in triples
1st in at bats
7th in stolen bases

[msstate7]

Excellent debut by banuelos tonight...

5.2 ip 2 h 0 er 0 bb 7 k


I really like banuelos and wisler. Oh and I don't think we've seen the last of folty and Perez. Spring training next year is gonna be very interesting with all the above and Jenkins could be in the mix too

[smootness]

Stolen from Braves' board...

Albies got his 100th hit of the season tonight which makes him the 1st player in MiLB to get to 100 hits on the year & he has 10 more hits than his nearest competitor.

SAL Rankings:
2nd in runs
5th in triples
1st in at bats
7th in stolen bases

He's only 5th in the SAL in triples?! Good grief, he has 8 of them.

But yes, he's having a phenomenal year and could move up 2 or more levels next year.

And Banuelos looked great tonight. If he can consistently bring that changeup, he has a chance to be very good. He was efficient tonight, too; needs to keep that up.

[KB21]

Excellent debut by banuelos tonight...

5.2 ip 2 h 0 er 0 bb 7 k


I really like banuelos and wisler. Oh and I don't think we've seen the last of folty and Perez. Spring training next year is gonna be very interesting with all the above and Jenkins could be in the mix too

It's a good problem to have. This is much better than running Harang and Garcia out there like we have done the past two years.

Think about this: Shelby Miller, Alex Wood, Julio Teheran, Manny Banuelos, and Williams Perez are all 24. Michael Foltynewicz is 23. Matt Wisler is 22. Tyrell Jenkins is 22. Wes Parsons is 22. Lucas Sims is 21. Max Povse is 21.

[KB21]

Also, Austin Riley broke out tonight going 3 for 4 with 2 doubles.

[War Machine Dawg]

It's a good problem to have. This is much better than running Harang and Garcia out there like we have done the past two years.

Think about this: Shelby Miller, Alex Wood, Julio Teheran, Manny Banuelos, and Williams Perez are all 24. Michael Foltynewicz is 23. Matt Wisler is 22. Tyrell Jenkins is 22. Wes Parsons is 22. Lucas Sims is 21. Max Povse is 21.

Some of those guys are moving to the pen. Don't know who, but it's inevitable. That, or we'll trade a few for bats. And you can't forget Touki Touissant who's just 19.

[Tbonewannabe]

Finally getting some depth back. Cross your fingers we don't run into the whole staff going down to injury like before.

[msstate7]

Also, Austin Riley broke out tonight going 3 for 4 with 2 doubles.

Where is he?

I check Gwinnett, Mississippi, Carolina, and rome's box score every day. Gonna have to add 1 more

[msstate7]

Some of those guys are moving to the pen. Don't know who, but it's inevitable. That, or we'll trade a few for bats. And you can't forget Touki Touissant who's just 19.

I think it's a pretty safe guess that more than 1 will be traded.

[KB21]

Some of those guys are moving to the pen. Don't know who, but it's inevitable. That, or we'll trade a few for bats. And you can't forget Touki Touissant who's just 19.

Touki, Ricardo Sanchez, and Kolby Allard are a ways away. The team finally has depth on the pitching front, and they did not have this before John Hart and John Coppolella took over.

[KB21]

Where is he?

I check Gwinnett, Mississippi, Carolina, and rome's box score every day. Gonna have to add 1 more

GCL Braves

[KB21]

Also, the Braves have gone heavily into the international market this year. They have agreed to deals with SS Derian Cruz and OF Cristian Pache out of the Dominican. They also reportedly will sign SS Juan Morales from Venezuela. They made some moves yesterday to get some international signing slots, dealing Cody Martin to Oakland for some slot money, Garrett Fulenchek to Tampa Bay for some slot money, and Caleb Dirks/Jordan Paroubek to the Dodgers for slot money. The Braves also reportedly have already made a "wink wink" agreement with Kevin Maitan, who is drawing comparisons to Miguel Cabrerra and is the top international prospect for the 2016 signing period.

[msstate7]

Also, the Braves have gone heavily into the international market this year. They have agreed to deals with SS Derian Cruz and OF Cristian Pache out of the Dominican. They also reportedly will sign SS Juan Morales from Venezuela. They made some moves yesterday to get some international signing slots, dealing Cody Martin to Oakland for some slot money, Garrett Fulenchek to Tampa Bay for some slot money, and Caleb Dirks/Jordan Paroubek to the Dodgers for slot money. The Braves also reportedly have already made a "wink wink" agreement with Kevin Maitan, who is drawing comparisons to Miguel Cabrerra and is the top international prospect for the 2016 signing period.

Don't we still have to make another trade to not be over money on international signing this year? God, I hate trying to keep up with the business side of baseball

[msstate7]

11:37 AM
The Braves are looking to upgrade their offense and have let other clubs know that they?re willing to trade from their recently bolstered stable of pitching prospects in order to acquire a bat, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN (via Twitter). According to Stark, Atlanta has asked other clubs about the availability of their young catchers.

[War Machine Dawg]

11:37 AM
The Braves are looking to upgrade their offense and have let other clubs know that they?re willing to trade from their recently bolstered stable of pitching prospects in order to acquire a bat, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN (via Twitter). According to Stark, Atlanta has asked other clubs about the availability of their young catchers.

In other words, we're giving up on Bethancourt. Trading Gattis was the worst move of the offseason, even if we did get Folty for him.

[msstate7]

No one here has really mentioned it, but our bullpen has really stepped it up lately. Mckirahan and vizcaino will be available soon so hopefully they can help even more

[KB21]

I don't believe the Braves are giving up on a 23 year old catcher that is currently hitting .327 at Gwinnett. The Braves are likely anticipating a market for AJ Pierzinski though, and may move him. I feel they want a young catcher to go with Bethancourt and have a competition between the two. There were rumors earlier that the Braves might be interested in someone like Gary Sanchez from the Yankees.

[smootness]

In other words, we're giving up on Bethancourt. Trading Gattis was the worst move of the offseason, even if we did get Folty for him.

The Braves clearly we're not comfortable with Gattis at catcher going forward, so it really doesn't play into this. The Astros haven't been comfortable with it, either.

[msstate7]

Over the next 10 games, we face all 3 last place teams in the nl (Phillies x3, at Brewers x3, at Rockies x4). In this same period, the mets schedule is brutal (at Dodgers x3, at Giants x3, dbacks x3). The nats schedule is so-so (Giants x3, Reds x3, at Orioles x3).

It'll be very interesting what hart does if we move into 2nd place and down only 3 to the nats at the break with FF coming back

Since FF's injury, here's the list of pitchers we've faced...

Buchholz, deGrom, syndergaard, Harvey, Strasburg, Zimmermann, fister, liriano, Morton, Locke, Zimmermann, fister, and scherzer

That's a pretty tough stretch for a healthy team. It's pretty brutal if you take a team's best hitter away. I think you'll see the offense come back some starting tonight.

[msstate7]

@DOBrienAJC
#Braves Vizcaino activated from DL with Triple-A Gwinnett, eligible to rejoin big-league club Sat. (80-game PED suspensio

[War Machine Dawg]

The Braves clearly we're not comfortable with Gattis at catcher going forward, so it really doesn't play into this. The Astros haven't been comfortable with it, either.

The Astros have Jason Castro. No way you don't put him behind the plate. Big difference. The idea that Gattis wasn't a catcher is laughable to me, considering he's been a catcher his whole life and made it to The Show catching. Yet somehow a pinhead in a suit decides a guy can't play that position? It's insanity. The pitching staff loved Gattis back there. That should count for something.

[msstate7]

Steve Janas got promoted from Carolina to Mississippi.

Carolina stats...
37.0 ip 0.49 era 4 bb 18 h 24 k

His first start tonight for miss...
5.2 ip 0 er 0 bb 3 h 3 k

I don't even know who he is. Hopefully he keeps this up

[War Machine Dawg]

Steve Janas got promoted from Carolina to Mississippi.

Carolina stats...
37.0 ip 0.49 era 4 bb 18 h 24 k

His first start tonight for miss...
5.2 ip 0 er 0 bb 3 h 3 k

I don't even know who he is. Hopefully he keeps this up

Geez, no kidding. Now we've got pitching prospects coming out of nowhere. No wonder we're willing to shop a couple for a bat. Going to be interesting to see what we do at the deadline. Still think I'd stand pat this season and wait for next year.

[msstate7]

Peterson now 5 for his last 44. 15 k's and 3 walks in that stretch. Peterson better start hitting again or he could find himself replaced by peraza

[KB21]

Janas is a 23 year old RHP. 6th round pick out of Kennesaw State in 2013. 6'5", 195 lbs.

Matt Marksberry is another pitching prospect from that draft that just got promoted to Gwinnett in the past week. 6'2", 195 lbs lefty out of Campbell College.

[KB21]

Peterson now 5 for his last 44. 15 k's and 3 walks in that stretch. Peterson better start hitting again or he could find himself replaced by peraza

Peraza was 9 for his last 44 with zero walks

[msstate7]

Peraza was 9 for his last 44 with zero walks

Only 5 k's though, 8 rbi's, and 2 sb's.

For the record, I'm a Peterson fan and don't want him replaced. I could definitely see peraza getting his shot though if Peterson continues to struggle. I don't think Peterson would be sent down though... Just having both up

[msstate7]

?@BravesReddit
Ozhaino Albies extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

Now hitting .393/.414/.515 during that span

...

Wren left our farm in a mess, but he did do something right. He left us with albies and Davidson. I think both are gonna be outstanding

[KB21]

?@BravesReddit
Ozhaino Albies extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

Now hitting .393/.414/.515 during that span

...

Hart left our farm in a mess, but he did do something right. He left us with albies and Davidson. I think both are gonna be outstanding

You mean Wren. The return of Roy Clark to the organization and the promotion of Brian Bridges to scouting director will change the draft outlook for the Braves. Getting Chad MacDonald as a "special assistant" to the GM was big as well.

[msstate7]

You mean Wren. The return of Roy Clark to the organization and the promotion of Brian Bridges to scouting director will change the draft outlook for the Braves. Getting Chad MacDonald as a "special assistant" to the GM was big as well.

Yep. Oops

[smootness]

The Astros have Jason Castro. No way you don't put him behind the plate. Big difference. The idea that Gattis wasn't a catcher is laughable to me, considering he's been a catcher his whole life and made it to The Show catching. Yet somehow a pinhead in a suit decides a guy can't play that position? It's insanity. The pitching staff loved Gattis back there. That should count for something.

You're right about Castro. Even still, Castro hasn't played 70 games this year and yet Gattis still hasn't caught even 1 inning for them. He was a catcher throughout the minors because the Braves hoped he could develop there enough to play it in the majors, not because he was a catcher. Every scouting report for him coming through the minors said that he was anywhere from a butcher behind the plate to not horrific but not good enough to stick there in the majors. He did look decent enough there in a short span in Atlanta, but 1) he's already not that close from 30, which is not a good age for a catcher, and 2) the Braves and pretty much everyone else have agreed that he isn't good enough to stick at catcher long-term in the majors.

You may disagree, and I'm even slightly skeptical of that after seeing him, but it is a pretty large consensus. So regardless of your feelings on him as a catcher, the Braves didn't feel he was a legitimate option there, so the trade makes sense from that standpoint.

[War Machine Dawg]

You're right about Castro. Even still, Castro hasn't played 70 games this year and yet Gattis still hasn't caught even 1 inning for them. He was a catcher throughout the minors because the Braves hoped he could develop there enough to play it in the majors, not because he was a catcher. Every scouting report for him coming through the minors said that he was anywhere from a butcher behind the plate to not horrific but not good enough to stick there in the majors. He did look decent enough there in a short span in Atlanta, but 1) he's already not that close from 30, which is not a good age for a catcher, and 2) the Braves and pretty much everyone else have agreed that he isn't good enough to stick at catcher long-term in the majors.

You may disagree, and I'm even slightly skeptical of that after seeing him, but it is a pretty large consensus. So regardless of your feelings on him as a catcher, the Braves didn't feel he was a legitimate option there, so the trade makes sense from that standpoint.

1) I get the age argument, but Gattis was out of the game for several years. His knees don't have the wear and tear most catchers do by their late 20s. Just seems like a cop out excuse from suits in an office.

2) That may be the consensus, but my eyes told me a different story after watching him for the better part of two seasons. Put it like this, after watching Gattis last year and watching Bethancourt this year, if I didn't know anything about either and you told me that Bethancourt is supposed to be the defensive stud between the two, I'd laugh in your face and call you insane.

We got a lot for Gattis, it just irks me to see a guy get run down by a bunch of guys sitting in an office who either never played or haven't played in about 120 years. It just seems like Gattis got a reputation early on in the minors, fairly or not, and it never changed regardless of how he actually played. Especially when he's a guy who'd be a huge upgrade in the middle of our lineup this season. Having Markakis batting 4 with 0 HRs this close to the ASB is horrific. I know he's not a 20+ HR guy, but he's been pretty consistent about hitting 15 HRs. At this point I'll be shocked if he winds up with 10. He needs to be hitting 2 or 8 if he isn't providing any sort of power threat behind Freeman.

[KB21]

Austin Riley went 1 for 3 with a double yesterday. He also made his third error of the year at 3B. He has his average up to .183 on the year.

[msstate7]

Mallex smith yesterday's double header...

4-9 with a double, triple, and an assist

He's now hitting .250 in AAA.

[msstate7]

Eric young jr is now hitting .289 in AAA. Wonder if we see him again soon.

[msstate7]

Kevin McAlpin ?@KevinMcAlpin 32s33 seconds ago
#Braves reliever Andrew McKirahan will begin a rehab assignment with Gwinnett.

[BoomBoom]

In other words, we're giving up on Bethancourt. Trading Gattis was the worst move of the offseason, even if we did get Folty for him.

more like we have decided he'll be a backup C, not a starter. that was always a very likely possibility.

[BoomBoom]

1) I get the age argument, but Gattis was out of the game for several years. His knees don't have the wear and tear most catchers do by their late 20s. Just seems like a cop out excuse from suits in an office.

2) That may be the consensus, but my eyes told me a different story after watching him for the better part of two seasons. Put it like this, after watching Gattis last year and watching Bethancourt this year, if I didn't know anything about either and you told me that Bethancourt is supposed to be the defensive stud between the two, I'd laugh in your face and call you insane.

We got a lot for Gattis, it just irks me to see a guy get run down by a bunch of guys sitting in an office who either never played or haven't played in about 120 years. It just seems like Gattis got a reputation early on in the minors, fairly or not, and it never changed regardless of how he actually played. Especially when he's a guy who'd be a huge upgrade in the middle of our lineup this season. Having Markakis batting 4 with 0 HRs this close to the ASB is horrific. I know he's not a 20+ HR guy, but he's been pretty consistent about hitting 15 HRs. At this point I'll be shocked if he winds up with 10. He needs to be hitting 2 or 8 if he isn't providing any sort of power threat behind Freeman.

even if you accept Gattis as a starting C, you still only want him playing about 100 games there. since he's even worse in LF than behind the plate, his value is maximized in the AL, where he can DH a good bit even if he does catch a good bit. true, if we kept him and he hit 40 bombs this year, we'd have gotten more for him, but if he got hurt, looked bad behind the plate, or slumped, then we'd have gotten far far less. it was a good trade given that this is a rebuilding year.

[msstate7]

@BravesReddit
Touki is good.

DBacks did not make a very good decision.

5IP 1H 2K 2BB

[msstate7]

@BravesReddit
Rio Ruiz (@ruiz_rio) hit his first HR as a #Braves player. Hitting .317/.394/.413 in his last 20 games.

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/CJEpGeJW8AAIyVd.mp4

[msstate7]

@BravesReddit
Carlos Franco of the #Mudcats might be one to watch in the second half of the season. His last 9 games: .323/.382/.548

[msstate7]

Ok, I bash fredi when he deserves it, but he deserves some credit now. I thought this team was finished after Tuesday night's game with nats, but they've recovered nicely and about to win 4th in a row with 2 straight series wins. If we can somehow get the nats' lead down to 3 by the break, this could get interesting when FF, Williams Perez, and mckirahan return.

[msstate7]

8:46 PM
@GBravesMedia
Final line for @Folty25: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO, 104 pitches (60 strikes).

[shoeless joe]

Ok, I bash fredi when he deserves it, but he deserves some credit now. I thought this team was finished after Tuesday night's game with nats, but they've recovered nicely and about to win 4th in a row with 2 straight series wins. If we can somehow get the nats' lead down to 3 by the break, this could get interesting when FF, Williams Perez, and mckirahan return.

I'm still convinced that this team is what it is. But I have seen a ton of things that have me way more excited about next year than I thought I would be. Now, if the young pitchers hold up for the rest of the season then they could stay in the race for a while.

[msstate7]

@Ken_Rosenthal
Sources: #Braves continue pushing 3B Chris Johnson in trade proposals, including deals in which he would be attached to another player.

#Braves used same model when they required #Padres to take Upton Jr. to get Kimbrel. #SFGiants among teams with no interest in Johnson.

One way those clubs could line up $$$ would be Johnson, Maybin for Peavy, Pagan. Sources say that precise combination was not discussed.

Peavy, in first yr of two-yr deal with full no-trade clause, one of four SPs under contract to #SFGiants in ?16. Pagan still valued by club.

[msstate7]

I'm still convinced that this team is what it is. But I have seen a ton of things that have me way more excited about next year than I thought I would be. Now, if the young pitchers hold up for the rest of the season then they could stay in the race for a while.

I don't think we'll win the division this year. I just hope we can hang around long enough to keep me interested till football season. I truly think next year it'll be us and the mets racing for the east

[msstate7]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/07/cafardos-latest-revere-kennedy-hamels-blue-jays.html
Braves closer Jason Grilli is one of the Blue Jays? targets as the team looks for bullpen help. Grilli would cost less in both salary and trade chips than Jonathan Papelbon or Francisco Rodriguez, two closers who have also been connected to the Jays this summer. Atlanta isn?t yet looking to move Grilli, however, as the team is still in the race.

[KB21]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/07/cafardos-latest-revere-kennedy-hamels-blue-jays.html
Braves closer Jason Grilli is one of the Blue Jays? targets as the team looks for bullpen help. Grilli would cost less in both salary and trade chips than Jonathan Papelbon or Francisco Rodriguez, two closers who have also been connected to the Jays this summer. Atlanta isn?t yet looking to move Grilli, however, as the team is still in the race.

Remember the talk the other day that the Braves were asking around for young catching prospects?

Well, Toronto has one named Max Pentecost, and he was Steve Janas's catcher at Kennesaw State. I wonder if Toronto would start the discussion there? Atlanta can even take a bad contract off their hands to get him if they have one they would like to get rid of.

[War Machine Dawg]

I say we should stand pat or be sellers this season. What we need is an impact bat and more bullpen help. Bullpen arms are available, but I get the feeling we'd rather try to upgrade there on the cheap. Personally, I'd pick up Neftali Feliz. He's got huge upside, and we've had success fixing pitchers. He could be a nice closer or set-up option if we move Grilli. The big problem I see is that there aren't many bats on the market this season. Or if they are, they're going to want way more than I think we're willing to pay right now. Better to stand firm or sell for a few more prospects, preferably hitters, than try to buy. We aren't winning the division and that's the only way I see us making the playoffs this year. WC will be two of the Pirates, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants. NL East will only get the champ in this season.

[msstate7]

?@BravesReddit
Ozhaino Albies (@albiesozhaino) extended his hitting streak to 16 games.

Albies has failed to record a hit in just ELEVEN games. He's played 75.

Albies has more multi-hit games than hitless games

[msstate7]

Masset blew the game today and...

@mlbbowman
Masset and Eveland were DFA'd. Carpenter and Vizcaino are coming up.

...

Hart doesn't play around. I like it

[War Machine Dawg]

Also, this is a different David Carpenter than the one we traded to the Yanks. That Carpenter is now with the Nats. I still say we should kick the tires on Neftali Feliz. Sometimes a guy just needs a change of scenery.

[msstate7]

@KevinMcAlpin
In 27 appearances with Gwinnett, Carpenter posted an 0.73 ERA (3 ER/37 IP) with 15 BB & 36 K. Opponents hitting .183 vs the RHP

...

Gotta keep the walks down

Vizcaino has been hitting 100 mph regularly in the minors. Hopefully his 2nd pitch is effective

[KB21]

It is time to start targeting young position players who are blocked by someone on the big league club that will be ready to play in 2017. The only hitters in this line up that I believe will be there in 2017 are Freddie and Andrelton. Maybe Jace, but I'd be tempted to give Peraza a look at 2nd right now.

[War Machine Dawg]

It is time to start targeting young position players who are blocked by someone on the big league club that will be ready to play in 2017. The only hitters in this line up that I believe will be there in 2017 are Freddie and Andrelton. Maybe Jace, but I'd be tempted to give Peraza a look at 2nd right now.

We'll still have Markakis. Believe he signed a 4-year deal. I wouldn't mind moving JP to 3B and giving Peraza a look at 2B. Problem is that Pete doesn't have the pop you want for a 3B.

[msstate7]

It is time to start targeting young position players who are blocked by someone on the big league club that will be ready to play in 2017. The only hitters in this line up that I believe will be there in 2017 are Freddie and Andrelton. Maybe Jace, but I'd be tempted to give Peraza a look at 2nd right now.

I agree about going after some position players asap. We aren't gonna win anything this year, so trade grilli, Jim Johnson, uribe, AJ, and hopefully Chris Johnson and Gomes to get a 3b, catcher, or LF. I would trade a pitching prospect if that's what it took too

[KB21]

Peraza 2 for 3 tonight with an RBI.

[msstate7]

@KevinMcAlpin
#Braves haven't scored a single run for Shelby Miller over his last four starts. Atlanta has scored one run in his last five starts.

Over the last 17 games (dating to June 17), #Braves starters have posted a 2.68 ERA (31 ER/104 IP) with 27 BB & 84 Ks

[smootness]

I agree about going after some position players asap. We aren't gonna win anything this year, so trade grilli, Jim Johnson, uribe, AJ, and hopefully Chris Johnson and Gomes to get a 3b, catcher, or LF. I would trade a pitching prospect if that's what it took too

We'll have to include some of our young pitching if we want any kind of impactful player. Even if you traded Grilli, Uribe, and Maybin, the best you're going to get is probably a decent prospect.

Pierzynski, CJ, and Gomes won't net us anything. In fact, we would have to include something else just to get somebody to take CJ off our hands.

[KB21]

Austin Riley started his pro career 0-15 in the GCL. Since that 0-15 start, Austin is hitting .333/.364/.476 in his last 22 at bats. 27% K rate and around 5% BB rate. Hopefully, he can keep it up.

Other splits:

Braxton Davidson since 5/15 -- .297/.418/.413
Rio Ruiz since 5/29 -- .291/.390/.384

Before he was injured in the bus accident, Dustin Peterson was hitting .314/.392/.448 in A+ ball. He has struggled since coming back from the wreck. Hopefully, he can turn it on and get back into a groove.

Jose Briceno since 5/31 -- .298/.338/.439

Also note, Ozhaino Albies started the year hitting .160/.276/.160 in his first 25 at bats. Since then, he has hit .346/.394/.448 with a 7.0% BB rate and a 11% K rate.

Christian Bethancourt since getting demoted to AAA has hit .328/.349/.426

[msstate7]

We'll have to include some of our young pitching if we want any kind of impactful player. Even if you traded Grilli, Uribe, and Maybin, the best you're going to get is probably a decent prospect.

Pierzynski, CJ, and Gomes won't net us anything. In fact, we would have to include something else just to get somebody to take CJ off our hands.

I'd hold Maybin. Not sure how long it will Mallex to ready or even if he will be our cf... I think he will though.

I wouldn't mind trading one of our pitching prospects for a catcher or 3b though. There's really no catchers or 3b available in the FA market this year. Would love to get weiters, but really doubt Orioles let him get away.

We could possibly use peraza along with a pitching prospect to get a blue chip 3b, LF, or catcher.

[msstate7]

Jul-5 9:42 PM
@Buster_ESPN
By the way, on Maybin: He's been playing well for the Braves and ATL not open to dealing him now.

[msstate7]

7:23 AM
@EvanDrellich
Source: Astros make minor league deal with Braves, sending them Mitch Lambson.

@grantmcauley
LHP Mitch Lambson, 24, is 2-1, 2.60 ERA & 9BB/30K in 34.2 IP between AA & AAA for #Astros. Career 9.9 K/9. #Braves

http://tomahawktake.com/2015/07/06/braves-acquire-minor-league-pitcher/

[War Machine Dawg]

Hey 7, been meaning to ask you: What's the most active Braves message board? I'd like to jump on one, but want to make sure there's some traffic before I do.

[msstate7]

Hey 7, been meaning to ask you: What's the most active Braves message board? I'd like to jump on one, but want to make sure there's some traffic before I do.

I don't know if it's the most active, but this is my favorite...

http://www.forums.mlb.com/discussions/Atlanta_Braves/ml-braves?mobile=y

[smootness]

Hey 7, been meaning to ask you: What's the most active Braves message board? I'd like to jump on one, but want to make sure there's some traffic before I do.

The two most heavily trafficked sites that I know of are talkingchop.com (really good site, but the 'message board' aspect is limited to comments on articles, so the setup isn't the best) and chopcountry.com.

[msstate7]

Baseball Prospectus just released their midseason top 50 prospect list.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=26850#commentMessage

39. SS Ozhaino Albies (Braves)

Age: 18 (1/7/97)

Placement on pre-season 101: N/A

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Low-A Rome

Developmental Update: Albies has well-below-average raw power, and it's likely not a part of his game in the long run. However, the rest of his tool set has the potential to shine bright. Albies has the potential to be above average or better with his hit tool, speed, arm, and defensive tools, all at a premium defensive position. Four tools at shortstop are tough to find, and Albies has hit for his entire professional career at this early stage of development. While the power may ultimately hinder just how valuable his bat is, Albies has a high floor and will certainly provide value up the middle. ?Tucker Blair

--------------------------------------------------------------------

45. 2B Jose Peraza (Braves)

Age: 21 (4/30/94)

Placement on pre-season 101: 92

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Triple-A Gwinnett

Developmental Update: If Peraza were playing in essentially any other organization he?d likely still be playing shortstop. He?s a plus-plus runner with excellent instincts so he should pile up the steals. The swing is very much geared for contact but his quick wrists allow him to shoot line drives to right field, even if the build and path give him very little chance for power. He?s a heady defender who uses his speed to make plays to his left and right, with just enough arm strength to handle short, and more than enough to be a potential plus defender on the other side of the bag. ? Christopher Crawford
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Albies is the youngest player on the list.

...

Taken from Braveshomer on mlb.com

[msstate7]

The two most heavily trafficked sites that I know of are talkingchop.com (really good site, but the 'message board' aspect is limited to comments on articles, so the setup isn't the best) and chopcountry.com.
Really hate talkingchop's format, but it is a good read

[msstate7]

Baseball Prospectus just released their midseason top 50 prospect list.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=26850#commentMessage

39. SS Ozhaino Albies (Braves)

Age: 18 (1/7/97)

Placement on pre-season 101: N/A

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Low-A Rome

Developmental Update: Albies has well-below-average raw power, and it's likely not a part of his game in the long run. However, the rest of his tool set has the potential to shine bright. Albies has the potential to be above average or better with his hit tool, speed, arm, and defensive tools, all at a premium defensive position. Four tools at shortstop are tough to find, and Albies has hit for his entire professional career at this early stage of development. While the power may ultimately hinder just how valuable his bat is, Albies has a high floor and will certainly provide value up the middle. ?Tucker Blair

--------------------------------------------------------------------

45. 2B Jose Peraza (Braves)

Age: 21 (4/30/94)

Placement on pre-season 101: 92

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Triple-A Gwinnett

Developmental Update: If Peraza were playing in essentially any other organization he?d likely still be playing shortstop. He?s a plus-plus runner with excellent instincts so he should pile up the steals. The swing is very much geared for contact but his quick wrists allow him to shoot line drives to right field, even if the build and path give him very little chance for power. He?s a heady defender who uses his speed to make plays to his left and right, with just enough arm strength to handle short, and more than enough to be a potential plus defender on the other side of the bag. ? Christopher Crawford
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Albies is the youngest player on the list.

...

Taken from Braveshomer on mlb.com

Intersting that they say peraza would be a SS. If we plan on going forward with Peterson, should we move peraza to SS at Gwinnett? His trade value would be much better as a SS

[msstate7]

DOBrienAJC
#Braves haven't signed their No. 1 draft pick Kolby Allard, looks like legit chance LH might go to UCLA. They signed their other top picks.

[smootness]

Intersting that they say peraza would be a SS. If we plan on going forward with Peterson, should we move peraza to SS at Gwinnett? His trade value would be much better as a SS

Yes.

[War Machine Dawg]

DOBrienAJC
#Braves haven't signed their No. 1 draft pick Kolby Allard, looks like legit chance LH might go to UCLA. They signed their other top picks.

Trade Peterson. Having a SS caliber defender at 2B to go with Simba would make us arguably the best defensive middle infield in MLB. And Peraza's skill set at the plate is what we need way more than Peterson. We haven't had a true leadoff hitter since Furcal. Bourn for a couple of years was effective, but it's been a long drought. I know Pete is your boy, but Peraza is the future. Pete is just keeping the spot warm.

[smootness]

Trade Peterson. Having a SS caliber defender at 2B to go with Simba would make us arguably the best defensive middle infield in MLB. And Peraza's skill set at the plate is what we need way more than Peterson. We haven't had a true leadoff hitter since Furcal. Bourn for a couple of years was effective, but it's been a long drought. I know Pete is your boy, but Peraza is the future. Pete is just keeping the spot warm.

I disagree. Peterson has probably been at least as good as Peraza would be defensively at 2B so far this year. And I like Peterson's offensive profile more. Peraza may hit for a higher average, but Peterson will likely have the better OBP and has more power now and room to develop even more.

I think Peraza's offensive ceiling is somewhere around .310/.350/.400, where Peterson's is probably more like .290/.370/.420. While Peraza does have more speed, Peterson is no slouch there, and if there isn't much difference in the defense, I'd go Peterson.

[BoomBoom]

DOBrienAJC
#Braves haven't signed their No. 1 draft pick Kolby Allard, looks like legit chance LH might go to UCLA. They signed their other top picks.

Given that they have the money available to give him #8 pick slot money, $4M+, he'd be crazy not to sign.

[dawgs]

Baseball Prospectus just released their midseason top 50 prospect list.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=26850#commentMessage

39. SS Ozhaino Albies (Braves)

Age: 18 (1/7/97)

Placement on pre-season 101: N/A

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Low-A Rome

Developmental Update: Albies has well-below-average raw power, and it's likely not a part of his game in the long run. However, the rest of his tool set has the potential to shine bright. Albies has the potential to be above average or better with his hit tool, speed, arm, and defensive tools, all at a premium defensive position. Four tools at shortstop are tough to find, and Albies has hit for his entire professional career at this early stage of development. While the power may ultimately hinder just how valuable his bat is, Albies has a high floor and will certainly provide value up the middle. ?Tucker Blair

--------------------------------------------------------------------

45. 2B Jose Peraza (Braves)

Age: 21 (4/30/94)

Placement on pre-season 101: 92

Current MiLB level/Affiliate: Triple-A Gwinnett

Developmental Update: If Peraza were playing in essentially any other organization he?d likely still be playing shortstop. He?s a plus-plus runner with excellent instincts so he should pile up the steals. The swing is very much geared for contact but his quick wrists allow him to shoot line drives to right field, even if the build and path give him very little chance for power. He?s a heady defender who uses his speed to make plays to his left and right, with just enough arm strength to handle short, and more than enough to be a potential plus defender on the other side of the bag. ? Christopher Crawford
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Albies is the youngest player on the list.

...

Taken from Braveshomer on mlb.com

Any chance we can get that whole list without paying for the site?

[msstate7]

Any chance we can get that whole list without paying for the site?

I'll check with guy who posted it. I just copy and pasted his post

[msstate7]

Given that they have the money available to give him #8 pick slot money, $4M+, he'd be crazy not to sign.

That's gonna sting if he turns us down

[KB21]

I disagree. Peterson has probably been at least as good as Peraza would be defensively at 2B so far this year. And I like Peterson's offensive profile more. Peraza may hit for a higher average, but Peterson will likely have the better OBP and has more power now and room to develop even more.

I think Peraza's offensive ceiling is somewhere around .310/.350/.400, where Peterson's is probably more like .290/.370/.420. While Peraza does have more speed, Peterson is no slouch there, and if there isn't much difference in the defense, I'd go Peterson.

Peraza's OBP is largely based on his ability to hit for high average. He has maintained an ISO OBP of around 0.025 through A+, AA, and AAA ball, so I'm not anticipating that he would top out as a .350 OBP unless he hits around .325 as far as his average go. As a result, I do not believe he is the legitimate lead off hitter that War Machine is looking for. When comparing him to Furcal, Raffy had close to a 10% walk rate during his minor league career. Peraza's has been consistently around 3.5% the past two years.

[KB21]

Also, Austin Riley went 1 for 4 with another double today. He is 8 for his last 22 with 4 of those 8 hits being doubles. He was 0 for 20 to start his pro career. Right now, he is striking out a lot and walking very little. That will need to turn around, but he's young. Most 18 year old players do not come in with polished skills and plate discipline.

[KB21]

Kevin McAlpin ‏@KevinMcAlpin 50m50 minutes ago
Over the last 18 games, #Braves starters have posted a 2.79 ERA (34 ER/109.2 IP) with 90 strikeouts & 28 walks

....and none of the braves starters are older than 24.

[smootness]

Peraza's OBP is largely based on his ability to hit for high average. He has maintained an ISO OBP of around 0.025 through A+, AA, and AAA ball, so I'm not anticipating that he would top out as a .350 OBP unless he hits around .325 as far as his average go. As a result, I do not believe he is the legitimate lead off hitter that War Machine is looking for. When comparing him to Furcal, Raffy had close to a 10% walk rate during his minor league career. Peraza's has been consistently around 3.5% the past two years.

So you're disagreeing with me by agreeing with me?

I said that Peterson has better on-base skills. I listed .350 as what I figure his OBP ceiling roughly is because he is 21 and there's certainly a chance he improves his walk rate some as he ages.

[msstate7]

@BravesReddit
Since the start of June Grilli now has a 1.17 ERA and has limited opponents to a .520 OPS

[msstate7]

Kevin McAlpin ?@KevinMcAlpin 1m1 minute ago
Since the start of May, Cameron Maybin is hitting .319 with 4 HR, 34 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 59 games. #Braves

[msstate7]

@BravesMILB
Bethancourt's Defense:

After a passed ball in his first AAA game he has not allowed one in 14 games since

He has caught 4 of 9 runners

Of course saying that he made a throwing error today, but that was his first error in AAA

...

He's hitting .338 with an ops of .804. He also has 5 sb's.

[msstate7]

@mlbbowman
Foltynewicz has been recalled from Gwinnett to provide an extra arm in the bullpen. Terdoslavich was optioned.

[msstate7]

3 straight series wins to get back to .500. Banuelos and wisler helped us win series vs nats and Brewers. Need Teheran to be the old Teheran and get the sweep tomorrow

[KB21]

Folty's issues are all in his head right now. He lets bad plays effect him too much, and when it happens, he overthrows and loses his command. Felt there were a couple of times tonight where AJ needed to go out and calm his tail down.

[msstate7]

Vizcaino and carpenter had outstanding debuts last night. Carpenter has a really nice slider. Carpenter's strike out of Braun was huge

[msstate7]

Folty's issues are all in his head right now. He lets bad plays effect him too much, and when it happens, he overthrows and loses his command. Felt there were a couple of times tonight where AJ needed to go out and calm his tail down.

Yeah folty needs to be able to throw his fastball on the edges of the zone, not in the middle. Needs to throw that slider where it looks like a strike. No one is offering on his slider it seems

[msstate7]

@BravesReddit
Here comes @ruiz_rio. Over his last 33(30 hits) games he's hitting .297/.388/.386

[msstate7]

Kevin McAlpin ‏@KevinMcAlpin 57s57 seconds ago
#Braves have promoted RHP Tyrell Jenkins to Triple-A Gwinnett. Jenkins posted a 3.00 ERA in 16 starts at Double-A Mississippi.

[msstate7]

Unbelievable. Fredi just isn't a smart man. Think those 2 singles to start the inning were a good sign avilan was useless today? No way, let em pitch to Gomez. 3-run hr and we lose now.

[shoeless joe]

Unbelievable. Fredi just isn't a smart man. Think those 2 singles to start the inning were a good sign avilan was useless today? No way, let em pitch to Gomez. 3-run hr and we lose now.

See, this is Fredi's genius...he knew the back end guys needed a rest so he made sure we didn't have to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Move over joe maddon, fredi is slidin in!!! *

[msstate7]

See, this is Fredi's genius...he knew the back end guys needed a rest so he made sure we didn't have to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Move over joe maddon, fredi is slidin in!!! *

Would you think the save is in the 8th with 2 on, no out with the numbers 2-4 hitters up or in the 9th? I think the game is on the line right there.

I can forgive Fredi for letting avilan start the inning, but not for letting avilan have a melt down. I would've pulled avilan after the first guy reached, but certainly after the 1st 2 reached. Once it's 1st and 2nd with no outs, you bring in your normal 8th inning guy who has been very good and who happens to have a great sinker... You know... Go for the DP. Worry about the 9th when you get there. As it is we saved jim Johnson for the Rockies series, yet Fredi's smart and I'm stupid.

[shoeless joe]

Would you think the save is in the 8th with 2 on, no out with the numbers 2-4 hitters up or in the 9th? I think the game is on the line right there.

I can forgive Fredi for letting avilan start the inning, but not for letting avilan have a melt down. I would've pulled avilan after the first guy reached, but certainly after the 1st 2 reached. Once it's 1st and 2nd with no outs, you bring in your normal 8th inning guy who has been very good and who happens to have a great sinker... You know... Go for the DP. Worry about the 9th when you get there. As it is we saved jim Johnson for the Rockies series, yet Fredi's smart and I'm stupid.

I was being highly sarcastic.

[War Machine Dawg]

Would you think the save is in the 8th with 2 on, no out with the numbers 2-4 hitters up or in the 9th? I think the game is on the line right there.

I can forgive Fredi for letting avilan start the inning, but not for letting avilan have a melt down. I would've pulled avilan after the first guy reached, but certainly after the 1st 2 reached. Once it's 1st and 2nd with no outs, you bring in your normal 8th inning guy who has been very good and who happens to have a great sinker... You know... Go for the DP. Worry about the 9th when you get there. As it is we saved jim Johnson for the Rockies series, yet Fredi's smart and I'm stupid.

Damn, 7. You totally missed on this one. Even without the sarcasterisk, I thought it was pretty damn obvious the Joe was being sarcastic.

[msstate7]

Damn, 7. You totally missed on this one. Even without the sarcasterisk, I thought it was pretty damn obvious the Joe was being sarcastic.

Yeah, I was seeing red at the time. Usually the way it goes is I rip fredi, then shoeless takes up for him.

[shoeless joe]

Yeah, I was seeing red at the time. Usually the way it goes is I rip fredi, then shoeless takes up for him.


But instead I threw you a curve and you flailed and missed it badly...

It was a tough loss and I wondered at the time how many games in a row avilan could go without imploding, and we got the answer. But the good news is that Teheran pitched outstanding and the team overall is playing pretty good. Good series in Colorado and this team could be in a good spot going into the break. All that in spite of, or because of the manager...just however you choose to look at it.

[msstate7]

But instead I threw you a curve and you flailed and missed it badly...

It was a tough loss and I wondered at the time how many games in a row avilan could go without imploding, and we got the answer. But the good news is that Teheran pitched outstanding and the team overall is playing pretty good. Good series in Colorado and this team could be in a good spot going into the break. All that in spite of, or because of the manager...just however you choose to look at it.

I'm ready to see mckirahan. Lord willing, he can get a lefty out.

We're playing well and it seems we have a good shot at winning this series, but I have a bad feeling for some reason. If we split, I'll be happy to be 1 under at the break. Hopefully FF can help us get on a roll, but the 2nd half start is absolutely brutal.

Few things I'm interested in the 2nd half (besides trades obviously)...

Mckirahan -- will he be effective. Will he be a piece for our bullpen going forward?

Williams Perez/banuelos/wisler -- which 2 stick in rotation? Does odd man out bounce to the pen?

2b -- does peraza get a shot if Peterson keeps struggling?

Uribe/AJ -- can the old guys hold up?

Bethancourt -- does he get his final shot this year or do we hold off till next season?

[tenureplan]

So my daughter went to a Gwinnett Braves game with her summer camp today. I told her to keep an eye on prospects, but she fell asleep. While asleep, she got hit by a foul ball in the shoulder. She came home with $50 of complimentary merchandise. I told her to let the alligator bite her at the zoo next week.

[msstate7]

So my daughter went to a Gwinnett Braves game with her summer camp today. I told her to keep an eye on prospects, but she fell asleep. While asleep, she got hit by a foul ball in the shoulder. She came home with $50 of complimentary merchandise. I told her to let the alligator bite her at the zoo next week.

Hope she's ok.

Jenkins in his AAA debut was outstanding

7.0 ip 7 h 0 er 1 bb 7 k

[tenureplan]

She's fine, she has a small laces tatoo on the shoulder. That's a lot of hits and strikeouts to go that deep. Most of the hits came early in the count?

[msstate7]

She's fine, she has a small laces tatoo on the shoulder. That's a lot of hits and strikeouts to go that deep. Most of the hits came early in the count?

Couldn't tell you. Looked at box score. All 7 hits were singles though. Oh and the team Jenkins faced has 2nd best record in AAA

[msstate7]

Told ya I had a bad feeling about this series.

Sometimes you just gotta laugh at Fredi's ignorance. Starting Gomes in LF at a park with such a huge outfield. Yeah, fredi, brilliant

[shoeless joe]

Told ya I had a bad feeling about this series.

Sometimes you just gotta laugh at Fredi's ignorance. Starting Gomes in LF at a park with such a huge outfield. Yeah, fredi, brilliant

I didn't watch any of the game so did Gomes in left cost the team anything? I'm figuring fredi thought a little more pop was needed but who knows. I was astoundingly unimpressed with Perez during the brewer series so that may have played into it as well.

[msstate7]

I didn't watch any of the game so did Gomes in left cost the team anything? I'm figuring fredi thought a little more pop was needed but who knows. I was astoundingly unimpressed with Perez during the brewer series so that may have played into it as well.

Absolutely no range by Gomes resulted in 2 huge hits.

You're right about Perez though. He can cover a little ground though.

Defense in LF has been horrendous all year. Maybe we should've just played gattis there. Gattis is terrible in left, but his bat would make up for it somewhat. Besides Kelly (still bad defensively), we get no production and no defense.

[shoeless joe]

Absolutely no range by Gomes resulted in 2 huge hits.

You're right about Perez though. He can cover a little ground though.

Defense in LF has been horrendous all year. Maybe we should've just played gattis there. Gattis is terrible in left, but his bat would make up for it somewhat. Besides Kelly (still bad defensively), we get no production and no defense.

Not saying it's rite but I imagine the thought process was to get Gomes' bat in the line-up especially with Freddy out. But, like you, I prefer to have good speed on the huge outfield.

Next few weeks will be interesting. The pen has started to pitch but the O can't get it done with Freddy out. IMO it's time to find out what some of the vets can bring. But even as I type this I can't help but think that a Hot week would have them rite back in the middle of things.

[KB21]

Absolutely no range by Gomes resulted in 2 huge hits.

You're right about Perez though. He can cover a little ground though.

Defense in LF has been horrendous all year. Maybe we should've just played gattis there. Gattis is terrible in left, but his bat would make up for it somewhat. Besides Kelly (still bad defensively), we get no production and no defense.

A worse decision was putting Brigham in after the rain delay the other day instead of Folty.

[msstate7]

A worse decision was putting Brigham in after the rain delay the other day instead of Folty.
I agree.

An even worse decision was not looking at the radar and starting wood to begin with.

It's all a moot point though when we can't hit the Rockies' terrible bullpen. The offense has been abysmal when you consider how terrible the pitching we've faced is and we we can't hit them

[smootness]

Not saying it's rite but I imagine the thought process was to get Gomes' bat in the line-up especially with Freddy out. But, like you, I prefer to have good speed on the huge outfield.

Next few weeks will be interesting. The pen has started to pitch but the O can't get it done with Freddy out. IMO it's time to find out what some of the vets can bring. But even as I type this I can't help but think that a Hot week would have them rite back in the middle of things.

Gomes faced 3 righties in his 4 PAs, so getting him in the lineup for a game like last night is also generally a negative. Gomes has negative value now unless he's hitting against a lefty, and even then, his defense almost negates any offense.

[BoomBoom]

Grilli carried off the field. looked like an Achilles injury. sucks for him and the team.

[msstate7]

Grilli carried off the field. looked like an Achilles injury. sucks for him and the team.

Losing him as a trade piece really sucks.

[War Machine Dawg]

Grilli done for the year with an Achilles. We are f'n cursed. He'd have fetched a good haul from a contender in need of bullpen help.

[msstate7]

Fredi is just so dumb...

We've struggled to score the entire series. In the top of the 6th we score 3 and have bases loaded 1-out with wood up. Teheran, banuelos, carpenter, hell pretty much everyone available, but grilli. No fredi doesn't ph. We get nothing. Then pulls wood before he even makes it out of the 6th.


We're done. I want us to lose whatever the number of losses it takes to never see fredi wearing a Braves' uniform again

[msstate7]

Since Fredi's assist in avilan's loss on Wednesday, we've lost 4 more in a row. I knew that was a devastating loss.

[BoomBoom]

Fredi is just so dumb...

We've struggled to score the entire series. In the top of the 6th we score 3 and have bases loaded 1-out with wood up. Teheran, banuelos, carpenter, hell pretty much everyone available, but grilli. No fredi doesn't ph. We get nothing. Then pulls wood before he even makes it out of the 6th.


We're done. I want us to lose whatever the number of losses it takes to never see fredi wearing a Braves' uniform again

Games like that make it apparent he has no idea what he is doing.

[msstate7]

Atlanta BravesVerified account
‏@Braves
#Braves announced today that they have extended the contract of manager Fredi Gonzalez through the 2016 season, with a club option for 2017
...
Wow. I hate this

[shoeless joe]

Atlanta BravesVerified account
‏@Braves
#Braves announced today that they have extended the contract of manager Fredi Gonzalez through the 2016 season, with a club option for 2017
...
Wow. I hate this

Indifferent.

Change for the sake of change never ends well. If management felt they had a better option then that would've made sense...obviously they didn't.

[msstate7]

Indifferent.

Change for the sake of change never ends well. If management felt they had a better option then that would've made sense...obviously they didn't.

Should've at least waited till after the season.

[War Machine Dawg]

I'm pretty pissed off about it. I'm fine with extending TP and Seitzer. They're damn good coaches, imo.

I'm on the fence with McDowell. He's gotten great results, but a whole lot of young, promising pitchers have flamed out on his watch, too. What I've been reading is that he's great at scouting, identifying hitters' weaknesses, and game planning, but not very good with being able to fine tune mechanics. And as we all know, mechanics are a major factor with injuries and longevity. I'd be fine going a different direction with someone who is more mechanics based in their approach.

Fredi needs to go yesterday. He's clueless. The way he "manages" a bullpen is absurd. And how our September '11 collapse seems to be forgotten mystifies me.

Frankly, I don't think the Braves management has any real vision, from the front office all the way to ownership. We're nothing more than a tax shelter for Liberty Media. I wish like hell Arthur Blank could've bought the club. This Back to the Future shit with all our front office reshuffling is completely ridiculous. I like John Hart, but Coppy was ready for the job. There is no reason he needed to be trained by someone 150 years old. All the top GMs in baseball right now are in their 30s and 40s. The Braves desperately need an infusion of new blood, both in the front office and in the dugout. Fredi is the antithesis of fresh blood, being Cox's right hand for so long. The whole rebuild pisses me off. If we're going to blow it up, then blow it the hell up instead of bringing back all these guys from the glory days who could never win the Big One.

[MetEdDawg]

Here's what I'll say. I actually think the Braves are 1-2 position players away from being contenders and I maintain that if Freeman hadn't gotten hurt we would be in the division race. The starting rotation is good enough to get to the playoffs and Teheran, Wood, and Miller are all signed for 3-4 more years and we've already seen what Wisler, Perez, and Banuelos can do. I like Freeman, Peterson, and Simmons. I like Markakis and I like Maybin. But we DESPERATELY need a RH power bat. Whether that person plays LF or 3B, we need to get someone who can bring power from the right side. Bullpen needs fixing and we've been making moves to try and do that.

If I'm the Braves, I hold pat at the deadline and look to make some moves in the offseason because I believe the Braves can compete next year. Have to keep Maybin, and I think he will stay because he's close to home and is gelling with Seitzer. But we've got to get a power RH bat and we've got the pitching prospects to do it. Package a couple pitchers together and see who bites. We will also have to address catcher because I'm not sure Bethancourt can hit at a high enough level to be effective. He's got to hit and so far he hasn't been able to do that. I think we can piece together 3B with Chris Johnson and Uribe for next year. But if we can get a legit LF, address catcher, and get a lefty in the pen not named Avilan, I think we've got a chance next year.

[KB21]

Here's what I'll say. I actually think the Braves are 1-2 position players away from being contenders and I maintain that if Freeman hadn't gotten hurt we would be in the division race. The starting rotation is good enough to get to the playoffs and Teheran, Wood, and Miller are all signed for 3-4 more years and we've already seen what Wisler, Perez, and Banuelos can do. I like Freeman, Peterson, and Simmons. I like Markakis and I like Maybin. But we DESPERATELY need a RH power bat. Whether that person plays LF or 3B, we need to get someone who can bring power from the right side. Bullpen needs fixing and we've been making moves to try and do that.

If I'm the Braves, I hold pat at the deadline and look to make some moves in the offseason because I believe the Braves can compete next year. Have to keep Maybin, and I think he will stay because he's close to home and is gelling with Seitzer. But we've got to get a power RH bat and we've got the pitching prospects to do it. Package a couple pitchers together and see who bites. We will also have to address catcher because I'm not sure Bethancourt can hit at a high enough level to be effective. He's got to hit and so far he hasn't been able to do that. I think we can piece together 3B with Chris Johnson and Uribe for next year. But if we can get a legit LF, address catcher, and get a lefty in the pen not named Avilan, I think we've got a chance next year.

The issue with Bethancourt is not his bat, IMO. The potential to not only hit but hit for power is there. He's got a loose, athletic swing and can really drive the ball when he is in the right mindset. His issue is intangibles. While he has great defensive potential, he's the kind of guy that would rather show off his strong arm than master the art of pitch framing. He also hasn't shown the ability to work the pitching staff like he should. John Hart specifically mentioned that he told Brian Snitker to work on specific things with Bethancourt: shows up early, prepares for game, goes over scouting report, works the pitcher.

This article is also out there: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2015/jun/18/bethancourt-tries-to-get-back-on-track-with-g/


Bethancourt hit just a .208 in 29 games before being sent down, but it was passed balls that had become the main concern. He had four in his last five games and had also committed three errors this season.

#That wasn’t what you expect from somewhat who built his prospect status mainly on defense.

#“It’s best for the kid to go down there and get some playing time,” said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who turned to A.J. Pierzynski as his regular catcher after the veteran had a hot start.

#“I think he just needs to work on catching,” Gonzalez said. “But it’s hard to work those things out at the big league level and try to produce.”

#Bethancourt’s time back with Gwinnett could be short. The Braves, though, are watching closely how he responds.

#“It’s going to be good for him, as long as he has his head right and wants to do it,” Gonzalez said. “I think he’ll come back sooner than later.”

There seems to be a lot of signs pointing to the idea that Bethancourt simply doesn't have the right mindset right now. Even last night, he made a careless throw trying to throw out a runner that was going to be very difficult. Instead of being smart and sitting on the ball, he tried to show off his arm. The ball sailed into center field. That guy scored later, and that run was the difference in the game.

I really like what John Hart and the scouting staff have done, especially with building back up a farm system that had deteriorated drastically under Frank Wren's watch. I'm indifferent on the Fredi Gonzalez move. I would have liked to have seen Terry Pendelton, Eddie Perez, or Brian Snitker get a shot, but Fredi gets far more criticism than he deserves. He gets criticized for doing things every manager in baseball does.

[MetEdDawg]

The issue with Bethancourt is not his bat, IMO. The potential to not only hit but hit for power is there. He's got a loose, athletic swing and can really drive the ball when he is in the right mindset. His issue is intangibles. While he has great defensive potential, he's the kind of guy that would rather show off his strong arm than master the art of pitch framing. He also hasn't shown the ability to work the pitching staff like he should. John Hart specifically mentioned that he told Brian Snitker to work on specific things with Bethancourt: shows up early, prepares for game, goes over scouting report, works the pitcher.

This article is also out there: http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2015/jun/18/bethancourt-tries-to-get-back-on-track-with-g/



There seems to be a lot of signs pointing to the idea that Bethancourt simply doesn't have the right mindset right now. Even last night, he made a careless throw trying to throw out a runner that was going to be very difficult. Instead of being smart and sitting on the ball, he tried to show off his arm. The ball sailed into center field. That guy scored later, and that run was the difference in the game.

I really like what John Hart and the scouting staff have done, especially with building back up a farm system that had deteriorated drastically under Frank Wren's watch. I'm indifferent on the Fredi Gonzalez move. I would have liked to have seen Terry Pendelton, Eddie Perez, or Brian Snitker get a shot, but Fredi gets far more criticism than he deserves. He gets criticized for doing things every manager in baseball does.

I'm hoping it's just head stuff for Bethancourt. Wonder if he got a little complacent having been called up so early. He's supposed to be the long term guy and if he's going to do that, he has to play good defense and hit the baseball consistently.

Totally agree on Fredi taking too much heat. Wren was the one that deserved it and he got canned for it, rightly so. We depleted out farm system terribly and I feel made some awful moves. Liked Justin Upton alright, but BJ was an awful move and I think most of us said that from day 1. But we needed a competent hitting coach badly and we've finally got one and you can see the difference. We are great with RISP, we are good with 2 outs, and we are much more disciplined at the plate. We need another bat because we don't have a ton of firepower and finally have the farm system to get one long term.

I still maintain with Freeman healthy this team would be at or above .500 and still competing for the East, even with one of the worst bullpens in baseball, so I think the pieces are in place to make a run at it next year. But I think most thought we would be one of the worst teams in baseball and at the moment, we are actually 16th in baseball in win percentage, so right in the middle of the pack. I think we can build off of that and make a few moves to position ourselves for a good shot next year. Get a few arms in the bullpen, get a RH power guy, and that to me would be enough to make the playoffs if we can keep what we've got.

[msstate7]

I'm hoping it's just head stuff for Bethancourt. Wonder if he got a little complacent having been called up so early. He's supposed to be the long term guy and if he's going to do that, he has to play good defense and hit the baseball consistently.

Totally agree on Fredi taking too much heat. Wren was the one that deserved it and he got canned for it, rightly so. We depleted out farm system terribly and I feel made some awful moves. Liked Justin Upton alright, but BJ was an awful move and I think most of us said that from day 1. But we needed a competent hitting coach badly and we've finally got one and you can see the difference. We are great with RISP, we are good with 2 outs, and we are much more disciplined at the plate. We need another bat because we don't have a ton of firepower and finally have the farm system to get one long term.

I still maintain with Freeman healthy this team would be at or above .500 and still competing for the East, even with one of the worst bullpens in baseball, so I think the pieces are in place to make a run at it next year. But I think most thought we would be one of the worst teams in baseball and at the moment, we are actually 16th in baseball in win percentage, so right in the middle of the pack. I think we can build off of that and make a few moves to position ourselves for a good shot next year. Get a few arms in the bullpen, get a RH power guy, and that to me would be enough to make the playoffs if we can keep what we've got.

We have to upgrade to win the east next year IMO. The Mets' pitching staff is gonna be straight up sick assuming wheeler comes back strong.

I think we should re-sign uribe. I don't have a problem with trading high on Maybin. My dream is getting span for a couple years till Mallex is ready. Need some power on at least one corner of OF

[MetEdDawg]

We have to upgrade to win the east next year IMO. The Mets' pitching staff is gonna be straight up sick assuming wheeler comes back strong.

I think we should re-sign uribe. I don't have a problem with trading high on Maybin. My dream is getting span for a couple years till Mallex is ready. Need some power on at least one corner of OF

I actually love Maybin and really want to keep him. Think he's the kind of guy that could make this team special because he wants to be in Atlanta and he's exploding under Seitzer. Always talking about how much he loves it and I think we could get him for 3 years around 8 or 9 million a year.

We've got the money to make a good move. Maybe get Cespedes for 3-5 years. I would love an OF of Cespedes, Maybin, and Markakis. I'm with you that we can keep Uribe for another year and platoon him with someone. Then Simmons, Peterson, Freeman. AJ is supposed to retire but I wonder if he wants another year after what he's been able to do this year. If so I say try and keep him to help Bethancourt for another year.

I think our rotation is solid enough to compete. Miller, Teheran, Wood, Wisler, Banuelos to me is a pretty good starting 5 with Williams Perez spot starting some.

[shoeless joe]

I'm pretty pissed off about it. I'm fine with extending TP and Seitzer. They're damn good coaches, imo.

I'm on the fence with McDowell. He's gotten great results, but a whole lot of young, promising pitchers have flamed out on his watch, too. What I've been reading is that he's great at scouting, identifying hitters' weaknesses, and game planning, but not very good with being able to fine tune mechanics. And as we all know, mechanics are a major factor with injuries and longevity. I'd be fine going a different direction with someone who is more mechanics based in their approach.

Fredi needs to go yesterday. He's clueless. The way he "manages" a bullpen is absurd. And how our September '11 collapse seems to be forgotten mystifies me.

Frankly, I don't think the Braves management has any real vision, from the front office all the way to ownership. We're nothing more than a tax shelter for Liberty Media. I wish like hell Arthur Blank could've bought the club. This Back to the Future shit with all our front office reshuffling is completely ridiculous. I like John Hart, but Coppy was ready for the job. There is no reason he needed to be trained by someone 150 years old. All the top GMs in baseball right now are in their 30s and 40s. The Braves desperately need an infusion of new blood, both in the front office and in the dugout. Fredi is the antithesis of fresh blood, being Cox's right hand for so long. The whole rebuild pisses me off. If we're going to blow it up, then blow it the hell up instead of bringing back all these guys from the glory days who could never win the Big One.

So much wrong in this post I don't know where to start...

I do agree that fredi misuses the pen regularly.

[msstate7]

I do agree that fredi misuses the pen regularly.

Fredi's #1 fan questioning him? haha

[KB21]

I'm hoping it's just head stuff for Bethancourt. Wonder if he got a little complacent having been called up so early. He's supposed to be the long term guy and if he's going to do that, he has to play good defense and hit the baseball consistently.

Totally agree on Fredi taking too much heat. Wren was the one that deserved it and he got canned for it, rightly so. We depleted out farm system terribly and I feel made some awful moves. Liked Justin Upton alright, but BJ was an awful move and I think most of us said that from day 1. But we needed a competent hitting coach badly and we've finally got one and you can see the difference. We are great with RISP, we are good with 2 outs, and we are much more disciplined at the plate. We need another bat because we don't have a ton of firepower and finally have the farm system to get one long term.

I still maintain with Freeman healthy this team would be at or above .500 and still competing for the East, even with one of the worst bullpens in baseball, so I think the pieces are in place to make a run at it next year. But I think most thought we would be one of the worst teams in baseball and at the moment, we are actually 16th in baseball in win percentage, so right in the middle of the pack. I think we can build off of that and make a few moves to position ourselves for a good shot next year. Get a few arms in the bullpen, get a RH power guy, and that to me would be enough to make the playoffs if we can keep what we've got.

I agree with this. The majority of people felt the Braves would be one of the worst teams in baseball, and they have far exceeded expectations. I would disagree with anyone that believe another manager would have done better with this team.

[KB21]

I actually love Maybin and really want to keep him. Think he's the kind of guy that could make this team special because he wants to be in Atlanta and he's exploding under Seitzer. Always talking about how much he loves it and I think we could get him for 3 years around 8 or 9 million a year.

We've got the money to make a good move. Maybe get Cespedes for 3-5 years. I would love an OF of Cespedes, Maybin, and Markakis. I'm with you that we can keep Uribe for another year and platoon him with someone. Then Simmons, Peterson, Freeman. AJ is supposed to retire but I wonder if he wants another year after what he's been able to do this year. If so I say try and keep him to help Bethancourt for another year.

I think our rotation is solid enough to compete. Miller, Teheran, Wood, Wisler, Banuelos to me is a pretty good starting 5 with Williams Perez spot starting some.

Cespedes is reportedly not a good locker room guy. I'd pass on giving him big bucks.

[MetEdDawg]

Cespedes is reportedly not a good locker room guy. I'd pass on giving him big bucks.

I wonder with a Hispanic manager and a lot of Hispanic influence on the team if that would be something that might help that. Fredi is from Cuba and so is Cespedes. Wonder if that is something we feel could provide him an environment to thrive in.

[KB21]

Article by Mark Bradley: http://twib.in/l/kGe4XAMoy8a

I agree with him. If you are looking for a difference making manager, there aren't many. I think Buck Showalter is clearly the one guy who can come into a losing situation and make it a winning situation. What he has done with the Orioles is remarkable.

[KB21]

I wonder with a Hispanic manager and a lot of Hispanic influence on the team if that would be something that might help that. Fredi is from Cuba and so is Cespedes. Wonder if that is something we feel could provide him an environment to thrive in.

I don't know. Remember the blow up in Miami when Fredi took Hanley Ramirez out of the game for loafing after a ball? The biggest thing Fredi asks his players to do is give great effort and respect the game. The article I mentioned talked about Chris Johnson not running hard on what should have been a double in Colorado. He didn't play the next day.

[War Machine Dawg]

So much wrong in this post I don't know where to start...

I do agree that fredi misuses the pen regularly.

Such as? The info on McDowell is straight from the AJC. And no reasonable person can tell me we haven't gone Back to the Future with our front office. Schuerholz, Cox, and Hart are the Good Ol' Boys Club from back in the day. Once again, straight from the AJC. I'm not knocking Hart. He's a hell of a GM and I love most of the moves he's made so far. But the top 3-5 GMs in baseball are young guys - Mozeliak, Epstein, and the Houston GM all immediately spring to mind. There just wasn't a good reason to not hand the reigns to Coppy. And we've inbred our coaching system for long, it's become comical. We need someone from the outside to bring in some fresh perspective.

[War Machine Dawg]

I actually love Maybin and really want to keep him. Think he's the kind of guy that could make this team special because he wants to be in Atlanta and he's exploding under Seitzer. Always talking about how much he loves it and I think we could get him for 3 years around 8 or 9 million a year.

We've got the money to make a good move. Maybe get Cespedes for 3-5 years. I would love an OF of Cespedes, Maybin, and Markakis. I'm with you that we can keep Uribe for another year and platoon him with someone. Then Simmons, Peterson, Freeman. AJ is supposed to retire but I wonder if he wants another year after what he's been able to do this year. If so I say try and keep him to help Bethancourt for another year.

I think our rotation is solid enough to compete. Miller, Teheran, Wood, Wisler, Banuelos to me is a pretty good starting 5 with Williams Perez spot starting some.

I don't think Perez's stuff translates to the pen very well. And we can't rule out Folty in the rotation competition, either. He's probably got the best pure stuff of any starter in the system. Bottom line, we've got a glut of pitchers. No reason not to package a couple for a legit, big time bat.

[BoomBoom]

I agree with this. The majority of people felt the Braves would be one of the worst teams in baseball, and they have far exceeded expectations. I would disagree with anyone that believe another manager would have done better with this team.

Thats because Fredi's skillset is geared more towards making a mediocre team into an average team, and not
towards making a good team into a championship team.

A manager that cant manage a bullpen but is great at the rest is about as useful as an elite talent RB that can't hold onto the ball.

[shoeless joe]

Slightly off topic... But was a tuff loss tonite...did anyone else catch the blatant "F" bomb on the MLB network rite after smoltz finished up an interview and before a commercial? Was either dan odowd or that Joel Sherman but I found it somewhat hilarious and somewhat odd that they never acknowledged it afterward. It was clear and obvious...occurred about 530 this afternoon.

[msstate7]

Slightly off topic... But was a tuff loss tonite...did anyone else catch the blatant "F" bomb on the MLB network rite after smoltz finished up an interview and before a commercial? Was either dan odowd or that Joel Sherman but I found it somewhat hilarious and somewhat odd that they never acknowledged it afterward. It was clear and obvious...occurred about 530 this afternoon.

It was a tough loss. I've given up though, so I'm not upset. In fact, I'm thrilled with wood, vizcaino, and Jenkins (gwinnett) pitching so well tonight

[War Machine Dawg]

Apparently the Mets inquired about Simba's availability. We basically said he's available, but the price is exorbitant.

Also, it looks like we may be quietly shopping Teheran.

[trob115]

I wouldn't mind dealing Simmons if it was for the right players. It would've probably taken the mets giving up DeGrom or wheeler for Hart to even think about it.

I read somewhere earlier that the Braves may take a feeler on Cargo from the Rockies. That would be a good option for us if we are willing to absorb that contact.

[War Machine Dawg]

I wouldn't mind dealing Simmons if it was for the right players. It would've probably taken the mets giving up DeGrom or wheeler for Hart to even think about it.

I read somewhere earlier that the Braves may take a feeler on Cargo from the Rockies. That would be a good option for us if we are willing to absorb that contact.

I kinda figured it was one of their top MLB pitchers plus at least 2 top prospects for Simba.

Wouldn't mind getting the Rox CarGo, but I'd rather ship Teheran to Milwaukee for Lucroy and their CarGo.

[shoeless joe]

I kinda figured it was one of their top MLB pitchers plus at least 2 top prospects for Simba.

Wouldn't mind getting the Rox CarGo, but I'd rather ship Teheran to Milwaukee for Lucroy and their CarGo.

I will no longer root for the braves of they get Gomez from the brewers. He is the epitome of how NOT to play the game. I absolutely hate and have zero respect for him. He is the most selfish player I have ever witnessed in 25+ years of being a baseball fan.

My personal bias aside, hart would be a dumbass to do that anyway. We know that fredi is not the best at handling entitled prima dona types, so unless you're trying to undermine him why would you go out and get the biggest one there is.

[msstate7]

Wouldn't mind getting cargo from Colorado. I'd offer uribe a deal too.

Markakis
Maybin
FF
Cargo
Uribe
Peterson
Simmons
Bethancourt

If we could somehow get weiters...

Markakis
Maybin
FF
Weiters
Cargo
Uribe
Peterson
Simmons

The 2nd lineup could contend

[starkvegasdawg]

Well, Tehrehan not exactly fooling them tonight. I remembered why I try to find something else to watch.

[msstate7]

Well, Tehrehan not exactly fooling them tonight. I remembered why I try to find something else to watch.

I really wouldn't mind parting ways with him. I pitcher that can't pitch away from home is garbage

[dawgs]

Not crazy about the nats picking up paps today. Storen is killing it (along with Harper and scherzer, the only 3 projected regulars that have been at or better than expectations this year) and now they are again not showing confidence in him. Wouldn't surprise me to see him completely collapse in a setup roll and really don't blame him.

[msstate7]

Not crazy about the nats picking up paps today. Storen is killing it (along with Harper and scherzer, the only 3 projected regulars that have been at or better than expectations this year) and now they are again not showing confidence in him. Wouldn't surprise me to see him completely collapse in a setup roll and really don't blame him.

I didn't like it either. Are you guys standing pat now?

[War Machine Dawg]

I really wouldn't mind parting ways with him. I pitcher that can't pitch away from home is garbage

He's having a shitty year, but it happens. He's been fine prior to this year. Weird, unexplainable shit happens in baseball. That's basically how I see Teheran's home/road split this year. If it happens again next year, that is when I'd get concerned. There are way too many instances of pitchers in particular having a crazy, anomalous year then bouncing right back. I'd bet way more that's what happens with Teheran than he goes the other direction.

That said, we'd get a king's ransom if we moved him. He's a legit ace that would be under club control for 3-5 more years. We should be able to get a big time bat plus at least one top tier prospect for him.