Show #169: Braves Start Their Off Season Moves
Looking back at the WS. The Awards Season. Hinske and McLouth. And the Derek Lowe trade.
179 Responses to “Show #169: Braves Start Their Off Season Moves”
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Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 » Show All
November 3rd, 2011 at 1:03 am
I’m not a huge La Russa fan, I agree with the pompous, jerk stuff said on the show, but it baffles me how he continues to push the right button when it counts with his platoons, utility players, relievers, and shuffling his lineup. It’s also amazing that he and Torre are 2 of the worst at managing a bullpen, but they’ve won so much in the postseason.
Mac’s injury killed him defensively and offensively, and he still has some bad habits defensively. Molina has a cannon and he gets rid of it really, really fast. I hate Molina because even when Mac starts an All-Star game Molina still manages to play 6 innings of the game, but Molina is a stud defensively. That guy has come a long way with the bat, too.
Gonzalez was robbed. So was Freeman, Imo.
Curt, how can you forget Ruiz? He hits like .900 against us.
Love more Hinske.
I really hope the Cardinals don’t sign McLouth. Somehow he will hit .280 for them. (See Reggie Sanders)
I think the Lowe deal is kind of like a GM’s version of a mob hit.
“10,000,000 and a corpse!” with a Derek Lowe shadow facade in the background. Someone make the ABT shirt now! I will buy it.
I was really disappointed with Lowe getting starts down the stretch, when it really mattered. It was like we were making decisions with the logic of “Well, Derek has been mostly terrible this year, but Derek was good last September…. so he’ll be good this September.” C’mon. And then you trade him a month later. Bad management on multiple levels. You gotta wonder what if someone else makes his late season starts…
I’m pulling for Medlen. We need more Medlens on this team.
I’m with you guys on offseason acquisitions. Don’t get your hopes up. We need better production from the current players to be a better team.
I personally think this is Minor’s year to lockdown a starting spot or he’s definite trade bait. Gilmartin being drafted number 1 this year kind of put the writing on the wall for Minor.
November 3rd, 2011 at 1:06 am
BTW, great, funny show. Good to hear from y’all again!
November 3rd, 2011 at 7:52 am
Thanks Nate. We’ll try and put at least one show up a month in the off season, just to keep in touch.
November 3rd, 2011 at 9:06 am
Great show. The name Chris jones does sound suspect. Anyway I think Medlen would be more valuable right now in the bullpen because we need someone to trust to spell O’ventbral every once in a while. My opinion could change if we acquire an extra late inning guy this off season though.
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:00 am
Hoping that MLB someday has a new cap format taking the best aspects of NFL, NBA and NHL caps. I mean a real cap, not the one that now exists where rich teams (Yankees) just pay a fine. They could even start at a fairly high level, say around $1.4 mil. Some teams couldn’t/wouldn’t spend that amount anyway but it would narrow the gap between the low budget teams and the Yankees, Red sox, Phillies, etc. Yes, I realize that the high budget doesn’t always payout but I prefer a more level playing field.
However, if someone with Ted Turner pockets buys the Braves, I would reconsider.
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:11 am
I think they also need to raise the minimum. I’m pretty certain there is a minimum cap that teams must meet or be penalized. I think they should raise it. If you don’t want to be in the business, get out of it. David Glass should not be rewarded for not caring about his team.
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:19 am
Following up on #6, an interesting article from Forbes from 2010 on minimum payroll.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2010/08/31/mlb-financials-show-need-for-minimum-payrolls/
john j – the Ted Turner comment was great.
November 3rd, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Speaking of reckless conjecture and/or interesting
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/11/braves-open-to-trading-jurrjens-prado.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed
November 3rd, 2011 at 8:49 pm
That was me
November 3rd, 2011 at 9:09 pm
I’m such a crazy ho for a big move over the winter that I’m all for it ( the JJ and Prado rumors). In reality, it scares me. JJ because I think his value is pretty low right now (compared to what it could be after a strong start in 2012) and I think Prado comes back strong next year.
November 3rd, 2011 at 9:56 pm
It would be in the Braces best interest to stay pat and evaluate JJ and Prado through the all star break next year. Then they can make any move they need. Prado could very well be a batting champ next year.
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:57 pm
**Braves
November 4th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Great article by Crasnick at ESPN: http://espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove11/story/_/id/7188935/atlanta-braves-ready-move-forward
November 4th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
I still think the Braves should consider trading ANY Boras client and I wouldn’t lose sleep (considering we’ll lose the palyers anyway). I actually feel better about JJ than Hanson. Hanson gives off a bad/jerky vibe. He seems to lack passion and he and Boras will KILL the Braves when it comes time to re-up. As Princess Lea said, “I don’t know…I got a baaaad feeling about this”.
November 4th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
#13 – yes, but we still have a few years before Tommy and his Borass shows itself.
November 4th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
And by #13, I of course meant #14.
November 5th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Vinnie – for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drkh0YLF8rI
November 5th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Just finished listening. It’s like baseball isn’t done for the year if you guys keep talking.
I’m 100% aboard giving Medlen a place in the starting rotation.
Most importantly: Steve, who the HELL doesn’t like Rolo’s? Chocolate and caramel. AND you can pop ‘em like Rolaids.
November 5th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
You know, a bunch of us want Medlen as the #5, and then you have this paragraph from Carol’s latest blog at the AJC:
For the Braves, the asking price is high for Jurrjens, given both his track record and the risk on their end. Now that the Braves have traded Derek Lowe and cleared $5 million there, Tim Hudson and Jurrjens are their most veteran starters. The Braves don’t know how Tommy Hanson’s shoulder will hold up after he missed the better part of the last two months of the season. And the remaining candidates for the rotation – Brandon Beachy, Mike Minor, Randall Delgado and Julio Teheran – combined don’t have half as much service time as Jurrjens.
Medlen is not even mentioned! Think she’s heard talk around the organization? Makes me think that.
Anne – can’t you name 10 – 15 candy bars you’d rather have than Rolos? That was my only point.
November 6th, 2011 at 11:53 am
I think 10-15 is a stretch
November 6th, 2011 at 11:53 am
Big Whatchamacallit fan
November 6th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
So new SI has a hot stove section of trades that won’t happen, but should.
#1: Mike Minor and Julio Teheran for Andre Ethier
November 6th, 2011 at 9:48 pm
That would be a terrible trade. Is the writer a Dodger fan?
November 7th, 2011 at 9:04 am
Is anyone?
November 7th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Just finished listening to the new podcast — great stuff, as always. A few thoughts.
Lowe’s 2011 September: I doubt that this won’t come as a shock, but this was his worst month as a Brave. Look at these numbers:
- 0 wins — his only winless month while in Atlanta
- 5 losses — going hand-in-hand with the above, this was his highest 1-month total
- 8.75 ERA — by far, his worst for any month
- 23.2 IP — lowest one-month total
- 23 earned runs — tied for his highest one-month total (June 2009)
- 1.986 WHIP — highest for any month
As you guys said, he was AWFUL this season. After March/April, he didn’t have a month in which he posted an ERA below 4.40. But a month like this really couldn’t have come at a worse time.
I’ve read a few writers saying that the Indians got a deal cause he’s a sinkerballer, a veteran, and he’ll help the younger guys on the staff…but if I were a Cleveland fan, no way I’d be excited about that trade.
Minor vs. Medlen — I gotta disagree about Medlen being the 5th starter. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but Minor had a good year for us. He wasn’t able to go very deep in most games and he tended at times to give back a lead that the offense built, but he’s still learning and developing as a pitcher. He’s still very young, and if Wren isn’t going to trade him at the deadline (#CarlosBeltranRumors), then he needs to be starting games.
Now, about Medlen: like I said, I love the guy, and I would like to see him in the rotation. But y’all are making A LOT out of the 4 outs he got in the final game vs. Philly. Really? 4 outs merits a spot in the rotation above Minor, who made 15 starts this year and, when you take out the first start, he had an ERA under 3.80?? Do y’all remember the 4 outs that Medlen got in that game? They were Michael Martinez, John Mayberry, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Ruiz (he also gave up a single to Wilson Valdez). Not exactly Rollins/Howard/Utley/Pence kind of guys, and let’s also remember that these guys were in their 4th/5th at-bat of the night, too.
Point being — I love Medlen, and I do hope that he’s a starter for us next year, but not above Minor. If I’m pencilling in my rotation for next year, I’d have:
Hudson
Hanson
Beachy
Minor
Teheran/Delgado (tough call who to start, though I’d probably lean toward Teheran since he’s got the higher ceiling)
Obviously I think they’re going to trade Jurrjens since he’s not listed in there.