Braves update

[BoomBoom]

Shelby Miller got optioned to AAA as he's been horrible all year. my God what a trade rape that was. could turn into 17 years of good to great players in exchange for a pitcher that couldn't keep his job.

prospect ranking midseason updates are out:

http://www.talkingchop.com/2016/7/12...-prospect-list

http://www.gondeee.com/2016/07/13/br...-35-prospects/

big surprise for me is Ronald Acuna. shades of Andruw Jones, except with elite hit tool but less power. hopefully he prefers working out to buffets...

Dustin Pederson is a surprise too. all of a sudden the Braves have a few legit position player prospects.

the rebuild timeline already got pushed back to 2017....i'm thinking it's quickly becoming 2018, though the payroll money to be spent next year may change all of that.

2018 starting lineups:

C ? (Braves now have several good C prospects, but they are all young and in Rookie ball, won't be ready any time soon.)
1B Freeman
2B Albies
SS Swanson
3B Ruiz
LF D Peterson
CF Mallex
RF Inciarte

SP Teheran
SP Wisler
SP Folty
SP Newcomb
SP Blair/Sims
P
Aces in the wings: Allard, Muller, Wentz, Anderson, Toussant, Soroka, Povse, Fried.....holy crap.
Position players in the wings: Austin Riley, Maitan, Acuna, 2 or 3 Latin SS prospects.

BP Minter (could be the next Kimbrel, we'll see him by next year, maybe this September)
BP Jenkins (Braves are now grooming him for the bullpen, but he may force their hand as a SP, may be the next
BP probably a couple of the above guys that don't develop well
BP who knows, but no worries as there's talent galore in the system, and this team has no problem finding diamonds in the rough for the BP.


needs: Power. i have a hard time seeing Dustin Peterson as a power hitter, but it's hard to tell as he's blossomed in Pearl which is a cavernous pitcher's park. Riley is a gamble at this point, he's striking out a ton.

Conclusion: with the money they have to spend, they can sign any FA they want. i'm talking a 10 year $300M deal. they need a mashing OF. who they pick will make or break their championship plans. i would wait on Harper and break the bank, i wouldn't gamble on an aging hitter again like Batista or even Cespedes. add that, and they can trade a CF or SP or two for whatever else they want. with that, there literally is no hole anywhere on that team, and the talent may keep coming for years.

good times are ahead.

[msstate7]

I wonder what Harper will actually sign for. No chance it's us though... He'll be on a major market team (Yankees or Dodgers would be my guess)

[Tbonewannabe]

Trout locked up for a while?

[BoomBoom]

I wonder what Harper will actually sign for. No chance it's us though... He'll be on a major market team (Yankees or Dodgers would be my guess)

why? we have so much to spend and he helps us more than any of them.

[Really Clark?]

Trout locked up for a while?

He is under contract until 2021. Will make $19-20 Mil next year and $33-34 MIL the following 3 years each.

[BoomBoom]

Trout locked up for a while?

signed thru 2020, when he'll make $33.25M. that's half the Brave's current payroll.

[msstate7]

why? we have so much to spend and he helps us more than any of them.

Just don't think he'll wanna come to Atlanta for one reason. Just think he's gonna be a Yankee

[Really Clark?]

why? we have so much to spend and he helps us more than any of them.

Still not sure we will be able to pay one player $40-50 Mil per year for 10-15 years. Most believe, barring an injury or big production down turn the next two years, that when he is a FA in 2019 the starting price will be $500 MIL and go up from there. Stanton just signed for $325 MIL so Boras is going to use that number plus inflation and one of the highest wRC+ numbers in history to add to it. If his wRC+ just stays the same over the next few years, he will be considered Bonds and Cabrea like. And Boras will not let him sign for anything less than the highest contract in history. Some pundits think it could get into the $750 MIL range. That's a lot of dough. A GM even in the big markets will have to be creative to make that work.

[BrunswickDawg]

Almost posted this earlier today - DOB with the AJC had a great article today on Swanson and Albies and how they became close in spring training and are really feeding off each other at AA right now - http://atlantabraves.blog.ajc.com/20...y-to-have-him/

[msstate7]

Almost posted this earlier today - DOB with the AJC had a great article today on Swanson and Albies and how they became close in spring training and are really feeding off each other at AA right now - http://atlantabraves.blog.ajc.com/20...y-to-have-him/

Swanson 2-2, hr (6th), 2 rbi

Can't wait to see him in Atlanta

[Bully13]

Braves update: they suck. Yeah I said it. Go Mets. , go royals, go Rangers. The Cardinals suck too.

I feel better.

[msstate7]

Braves update: they suck. Yeah I said it. Go Mets. , go royals, go Rangers. The Cardinals suck too.

I feel better.

Mets, Royals, and Rangers are lib teams**