Braves Future

[BoomBoom]

Since it's the last day of the season, and the Braves are currently fighting to finish anywhere from 2nd to last to 6th to last, I figured i'd look ahead to the future.

2017:
SP Teheran
SP FA/Trade
SP Folty
SP Collmenter
SP Wisler

C FA/Flowers
1B Freddie
2B Peterson (Albies called up in June)
SS Dansby
3B Garcia/Ruiz
LF Kemp
CF Ender
RF Markakis


The wildcard here is Mallex Smith. He currently doesn't have a spot, so that may entice the Braves to make a trade, but i think Markakis still has little trade value, and i think they want a legit 4th OF especially with Kemp's injury history, so i think they keep him for now. 3B is a spot they could upgrade, but with Riley and Maitan in the wings, and with both Garcia and Ruiz pre-arb for the next couple years, and with complementary splits, i think they platoon them there. Jace Peterson will slide into the utility role once Albies is called up in June.

SP is trickier. Only Teheran and Folty have guaranteed spots. They have said Wisler will have to earn the 5th spot, after a disappointing year for him. Collmenter has pitched well of late out of nowhere, and has a option for next year, so i'll pencil him in there. The other SP will likely come from a trade, though with Blair and Newcomb in the wings i don't know if that's wise. Collmenter will likely either flame out, or be traded mid-season, opening a spot for one of Blair, Newcomb, or Lucas Sims.

2018:
SP Teheran
SP Folty
SP Wisler/Blair
SP Newcomb
SP Povse

C FA
1B Freddie
2B Albies
SS Dansby
3B Garcia/Ruiz
LF Kemp
CF Mallex
RF Ender

Dustin Peterson (LF) will be ready by here, but there won't be a spot for him. AJ Minter will be drawing Kimbrel comparisons by here too. I'm predicting Lucas Sims never puts it all together to crack the Braves rotation, but he probably bounces around MLB for years. Other than those, there's shockingly little talent that will be up by even mid-2018. The metric crap-ton of talent in the system is almost all 2019-2020 ETA.

2019:
SP Teheran
SP Folty
SP Newcomb
SP Wisler
SP Blair
SP Povse
SP Allard
SP Fried
SP Toussaint
SP Anderson
SP Weigel
SP Soroka


C FA
1B Freddie
2B Albies
SS Dansby
3B Riley
LF Kemp
CF Mallex
RF Ender

This is where things start to get ridiculous. That's 12 legit SP options for 2019, with about another 5 in the wings for the year after. These are all 1st round picks that are already producing in High A or AA (except Anderson, this years #3 pick). One or two may not make it, but there's not much projection in this, for the most part they are almost there already. And this is without spending a dime in free agency. The only guys that even get a raise by 2019 are Folty, Ender, and Mallex. I think they package a couple of those SP prospects with Kemp for an upgrade in the OF, then spend the money they'll have left over to lock up guys like Dansby and Albies for years. And then there's potentially a whole wave of position talent coming in 2020, but it's too early to project that yet.

The future is bright Braves fans.

[msstate7]

Wouldn't mind us signing Luis valbuena for 2-3 years at 3b. He's been a 2+ WAR player the last 2 years. Got pop

[Really Clark?]

Good breakdown. I do think the sign a FA starter this offseason. Maybe two if they are not sold on Blair being consistant enough yet. He has shown flashes late this season

[MetEdDawg]

There's two schools of thought here. First question is do we think we can get within 10-12 games of making the playoffs next year if we stay relatively quiet in the offseason. If yes we have to do these things:

1) Upgrade catcher. One or two year rental is fine by me.

2) Need a power RH bat long term. 3B or OF it doesn't matter. If you can clear Markakis in the process I would do it. But we need power and we need it long term to build around.

3) Need a 13-15 game winner free agent pickup to put next to Teheran.

These moves will get you the extra 10-12 games to make it to the playoffs. And don't we have a good chunk of change to spend this offseason?? If you think you can get there next year you do it.

The other school of thought is you say we will be ok with a .500 record, let the young pitchers take some lumps but now the offense looks a little better so they will have some more support. Save a little money and rip it in 2018 with the load of young pitchers we have. I think 2017 we can compete for the Wild Card if we make the above moves.

[BoomBoom]

There's two schools of thought here. First question is do we think we can get within 10-12 games of making the playoffs next year if we stay relatively quiet in the offseason. If yes we have to do these things:

1) Upgrade catcher. One or two year rental is fine by me.

2) Need a power RH bat long term. 3B or OF it doesn't matter. If you can clear Markakis in the process I would do it. But we need power and we need it long term to build around.

3) Need a 13-15 game winner free agent pickup to put next to Teheran.

These moves will get you the extra 10-12 games to make it to the playoffs. And don't we have a good chunk of change to spend this offseason?? If you think you can get there next year you do it.

The other school of thought is you say we will be ok with a .500 record, let the young pitchers take some lumps but now the offense looks a little better so they will have some more support. Save a little money and rip it in 2018 with the load of young pitchers we have. I think 2017 we can compete for the Wild Card if we make the above moves.

Catcher looks like the only one. FO recent comments are that they are happy with 3B. surprisingly, they also said 2 or even 3 new SPs.

i don't know what to do with the OF. not too hard to upgrade RF. or LF for that matter. should probably sell high on Kemp before he goes full Uggla. the harder problem is they have 2 CFs. i'm guessing they keep Mallex as a 4th OF for now, and defer on making a decision. i do know i don't want to go into 2018 with Kemp and Markakis.