Braves

[msstate7]

Played first ST game today and won 7-4 over Toronto. Starting lineup was...

Inciarte
Swanson
FF
Kemp
Markakis
Phillips
Garcia
Flowers -- dh
Suzuki

I think that will be the opening day lineup with flowers catching.

This win is obviously a sign we're a 100 win team this year haha

[Tbonewannabe]

Colon, Dickey, and Tehran battling it out for the CY Young.

[msstate7]

FF (.714), Swanson (.800), and Garcia (.800) are coming out the gate hot. Hopefully this is a sign of the regular season

[Tbonewannabe]

Albies up in July or September?

[smootness]

This win is obviously a sign we're a 100 win team this year haha

That checks out.

[smootness]

Albies up in July or September?

Should be before that. I would think the latest you would bring him up is once the Super 2 deadline passes, assuming he's healthy.

[Tbonewannabe]

Should be before that. I would think the latest you would bring him up is once the Super 2 deadline passes, assuming he's healthy.

So could he play 3rd or Swanson or Philips move over there?

[msstate7]

So could he play 3rd or Swanson or Philips move over there?

If Albies is up in July, I assume Phillips is gone

[shoeless joe]

Going to come down to pitching IMO. I think they swing it well enough collectively to be in the WC hunt going into the last 6 weeks.

[msstate7]

Going to come down to pitching IMO. I think they swing it well enough collectively to be in the WC hunt going into the last 6 weeks.

Assuming colon doesn't fall off a cliff, I like the pitching

[Tbonewannabe]

Assuming colon doesn't fall off a cliff, I like the pitching

Is Colon and Dickey 1 year guys to help the young guys along or our starters for the next 2 or 3 years? If Albies comes up, does he learn behind Philips for the year or trade Philips?

[msstate7]

Is Colon and Dickey 1 year guys to help the young guys along or our starters for the next 2 or 3 years? If Albies comes up, does he learn behind Philips for the year or trade Philips?

Colon on 2-year. Dickey on 1

[SandlotDawg]

If Albies is up in July, I assume Phillips is gone

Yeah if we're in the hunt for a wild card and Albies is pushing to get into the lineup, I figure Phillips will be traded for a nice bullpen piece.

[BoomBoom]

Should be before that. I would think the latest you would bring him up is once the Super 2 deadline passes, assuming he's healthy.

depends on how his season goes. he's 20, coming off injury, the Braves are in no hurry, he does have some things to work on, and the Braves do seem to prefer having their hitters prove themselves over an entire season in AAA and then handing them the MLB job the next season. see Freeman, Heyward, Schafer, McCann, etc.

i would expect mid-June though, too, as both the earliest and the latest call-up, absent injury to Phillips.

we have to figure Sean Rodriguez into this too. if it's late June and he looks like he'll be back in a month or so, and Phillips is playing well, then there's just not ABs for Albies and i can see them giving him the ABs in AAA.

[GTHOM]

If Albies is up in July, I assume Phillips is gone

So we get Brandon Phillips just to get rid of him?? I am a Braves fan but I'l admit my interest has dropped since Chipper retired. Combine that along with us being absolute trash. Why the hell do we get rid of every good player we have? Im shocked FF is still around

[tenureplan]

We got him for nothing. He was still a 20 hr guy last year. If he doesn't pull an Ugla and hit above the mendoza with power and Albies is ready, then it a no brainer to get something bulpen-wise for him. He's not much longer for MLB, but maybe could help team this year.

[msstate7]

So we get Brandon Phillips just to get rid of him?? I am a Braves fan but I'l admit my interest has dropped since Chipper retired. Combine that along with us being absolute trash. Why the hell do we get rid of every good player we have? Im shocked FF is still around

Albies is gonna be one of the best 2b in MLB.

[smootness]

depends on how his season goes. he's 20, coming off injury, the Braves are in no hurry, he does have some things to work on, and the Braves do seem to prefer having their hitters prove themselves over an entire season in AAA and then handing them the MLB job the next season. see Freeman, Heyward, Schafer, McCann, etc.

i would expect mid-June though, too, as both the earliest and the latest call-up, absent injury to Phillips.

we have to figure Sean Rodriguez into this too. if it's late June and he looks like he'll be back in a month or so, and Phillips is playing well, then there's just not ABs for Albies and i can see them giving him the ABs in AAA.

This is just not the case. Even if you take those 4 you mentioned, Freeman is the only one who spent meaningful time in AAA before being called up. Heyward played 3 games in AAA, Schafer played 9, and McCann was called up from AA. Jeff Francoeur also never played in AAA. Looking at IF only - Dansby, Simmons, and Furcal never played a game in AAA before being called up.

Sean Rodriguez won't factor in, he's out for the year. And Phillips is not going to block Albies. Albies will play 2B once the Braves determine he's ready, nothing else will factor in. They'll either move Phillips to 3B, trade him, or bench him.

[msstate7]

This is just not the case. Even if you take those 4 you mentioned, Freeman is the only one who spent meaningful time in AAA before being called up. Heyward played 3 games in AAA, Schafer played 9, and McCann was called up from AA. Jeff Francoeur also never played in AAA. Looking at IF only - Dansby, Simmons, and Furcal never played a game in AAA before being called up.

Sean Rodriguez won't factor in, he's out for the year. And Phillips is not going to block Albies. Albies will play 2B once the Braves determine he's ready, nothing else will factor in. They'll either move Phillips to 3B, trade him, or bench him.

What if the stars align and we're in it for the wildcard with Phillips having a good year? I think if Phillips has a good year, you have to play him at 2b till the deadline regardless of team results

[Tbonewannabe]

What if the stars align and we're in it for the wildcard with Phillips having a good year? I think if Phillips has a good year, you have to play him at 2b till the deadline regardless of team results

Comes back to: Can Albies or Swanson play 3rd if you want both in the lineup? 3rd and catcher are our weakest spots. We are now good in the outfield and the infield except those 2. Who is the 3rd baseman of the future? Is it Austin Riley or is there someone else in the system?

[smootness]

What if the stars align and we're in it for the wildcard with Phillips having a good year? I think if Phillips has a good year, you have to play him at 2b till the deadline regardless of team results

Then you put Albies at 2B and move Phillips to 3B. You do what is best for Albies' development, especially considering that he will likely be better than Phillips from day 1.

[smootness]

Comes back to: Can Albies or Swanson play 3rd if you want both in the lineup? 3rd and catcher are our weakest spots. We are now good in the outfield and the infield except those 2. Who is the 3rd baseman of the future? Is it Austin Riley or is there someone else in the system?

Riley is the hope, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to hit the pitching at higher levels. Had we not dropped out of the top 2, or had he fallen, taking Nick Senzel last year would have helped solve that problem at 3B.

Maitan is the most likely long-term 3B, but he's probably 2020 at the earliest.

[msstate7]

Comes back to: Can Albies or Swanson play 3rd if you want both in the lineup? 3rd and catcher are our weakest spots. We are now good in the outfield and the infield except those 2. Who is the 3rd baseman of the future? Is it Austin Riley or is there someone else in the system?

I don't see Swanson or Albies playing anywhere, but MIF.

Rio Ruiz will almost certainly get a shot at 3b this year platooning with Garcia

[msstate7]

Then you put Albies at 2B and move Phillips to 3B. You do what is best for Albies' development, especially considering that he will likely be better than Phillips from day 1.

You must not realize how good Garcia is gonna be this year**

I do wish he had Ruiz would surprise this year. I love Garcia... I realize he isn't likely to live up to my hopes though

[Tbonewannabe]

I don't see Swanson or Albies playing anywhere, but MIF.

Rio Ruiz will almost certainly get a shot at 3b this year platooning with Garcia

Garcia doesn't impress me. I know they are building for the longterm but it would be nice to have someone that could do more than hit it hard occasionally. Just looked at last year's stat line and it wasn't as bad as I remembered. Hit .273 with 14 HRs.

[msstate7]

Garcia doesn't impress me. I know they are building for the longterm but it would be nice to have someone that could do more than hit it hard occasionally. Just looked at last year's stat line and it wasn't as bad as I remembered. Hit .273 with 14 HRs.

He had a really good 2nd half offensively and defensively, but he was really bad in the 1st half. Who knows what you'll get when it comes to Garcia? He's a career (761 PAs) .274/.307/.430 hitter. I'm hoping he can ops at .750 this year and play the defense of his 2nd half last year

[smootness]

As a fan, I like Garcia. He's fun to watch, has some pop, and plays hard. But he's not any kind of answer; he's a placeholder until you find someone better.

[msstate7]

As a fan, I like Garcia. He's fun to watch, has some pop, and plays hard. But he's not any kind of answer; he's a placeholder until you find someone better.

Yeah, I'm not wanting to lock him up long term. I am pulling for him and Ruiz this year though.

[BoomBoom]

This is just not the case. Even if you take those 4 you mentioned, Freeman is the only one who spent meaningful time in AAA before being called up. Heyward played 3 games in AAA, Schafer played 9, and McCann was called up from AA. Jeff Francoeur also never played in AAA. Looking at IF only - Dansby, Simmons, and Furcal never played a game in AAA before being called up.

Sean Rodriguez won't factor in, he's out for the year. And Phillips is not going to block Albies. Albies will play 2B once the Braves determine he's ready, nothing else will factor in. They'll either move Phillips to 3B, trade him, or bench him.

Man, I totally misrembered those guys. I should have remembered that the Braves consider AA as comparable to AAA. The new management probably has a different view of managing service time though.

Sean rodriguez is likely out for the year, but not necessarily.

I view Albies as a great prospect, but based on floor not ceiling. Playing 2B and having no power limits that ceiling. As such, it makes more sense to take your time with him and maximize his 6 year value, especially if any delay means a potential year or two at SS if Swanson leaves in FA.

If he's ready, he'll come up in June. But he wont be called up just if he can contribute.

[smootness]

Albies will be up as soon as he proves he's healthy and ready. They're not going to hold him out the whole year, so once the Super 2 deadline passes, might as well call him up.