2020 Atlanta Braves News

GTJake

GTJake

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JD was a weird guy from the get-go, so I think we expected too much from him in terms of loyalty.
With his personality, let him get off to a slow start and the Minnesota fans will be all over him ... and I won't shed a tear !
That being said I keep waiting for the big surprise that fills-in our hole at 3B.
 
GT_EE78

GT_EE78

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GTJake said:
JD was a weird guy from the get-go, so I think we expected too much from him in terms of loyalty.
With his personality, let him get off to a slow start and the Minnesota fans will be all over him ... and I won't shed a tear !
That being said I keep waiting for the big surprise that fills-in our hole at 3B.
Click to expand...
A year ago when he signed a 1 yr deal. this what i expected with Riley as long term 3B. I think Riley will work out fine.
OF via FA may be the best way to plug the cleanup spot. keeping prospects til closer to trade deadline.
Incierte can do late inning defense if the OF rotation gets jumbled.
 
Buzzbomb

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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I’m hear to defend Riley and Camargo. No, not offensively-that will be gravy on the Silver Skillet biscuit. If one of them wins out and plays daily, that one will find a groove. Ask any big leaguer, as they want ABs. Improvement for Riley will come in the way of MLB pitching. My point is, these are the best two fielding 3B guys in our system. Either would be as good as 2/3rds of the entire lot of players in the game today.

Josh fielded .969 last year and .958 career.

Austin was .966 at 5 positions. He’s a natural at 3B with his strong arm. He had most of his chances in the OF, a position he never played in his career-until a crash course last May, 2019.

Johan in his three year career in MLB has played in 7 different spots. Lifetime, .965 fielder.

I’m not worried about 3B, I want a power-infused OF. That’s our Achilles Heel. IMHO, the Braves are better with Ozuna, Riley/Camargo in the lineup, with Inciarte for late innings or days off.....as opposed to Donaldson, Ender and Pache not playing every day. I’d rather go with Kakes/Duvall and let Pache stay at AAA until June or July.
 
GTJake

GTJake

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Buzz, I'd be OK with giving Riley another full-time shot at 3rd if we'd pick-up a big-bat guy in the OF, mostly because as you said about his defense and maybe another day-to-day look at MLB pitching will bring him around (doubtful in my opinion but who knows, I'd be happy to be wrong) ...
Acuna
Inciarte/Markakis/DuVall
Big Bat Guy
 
Buzzbomb

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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Now you’re talking, Jake!

You will be happy to know, Riley has been working out full-steam.
He’s in the cages every day and not satisfied with his rookie campaign.
If we could buy him some time, just a year or two...you will get the power bat for the future, while Rain Bringer goes dry over the hill. Most big swingers like Stanton, Trout, Donaldson, took a few years.

Can you see this lineup, if Freddie is still viable?
Acuna, Waters, Freeman, Riley, Albies, Pache, Shewmake, Langliers.
 
YellowJacketFan2018

YellowJacketFan2018

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Buzzbomb said:
Now you’re talking, Jake!

You will be happy to know, Riley has been working out full-steam.
He’s in the cages every day and not satisfied with his rookie campaign.
If we could buy him some time, just a year or two...you will get the power bat for the future, while Rain Bringer goes dry over the hill. Most big swingers like Stanton, Trout, Donaldson, took a few years.

Can you see this lineup, if Freddie is still viable?
Acuna, Waters, Freeman, Riley, Albies, Pache, Shewmake, Langliers.
Click to expand...
I hope Austin Riley can hit as well as he fields
 
GT_EE78

GT_EE78

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YellowJacketFan2018

YellowJacketFan2018

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Buzzbomb

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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I believe we as fans, want instant gratification. If any of you are old enough to remember Rico Carty, he won a batting title in Atlanta hitting .366(lifetime .299 hitter), he had years of .255 & .272. Didn’t come up until 24 yo. And Riley zipped through the system by 21.

Chipper Jones in his first full year at 23 yo(he had 4 AB’s at 21 yo, injured all of his 22nd year of life), hit .265 with 99k’s in 123 games. He made 25 errors. In 2004, he hit .248 and fans thought his career was over. Lifetime .303 hitter.

Donaldson who hit .259 last year. Is an AL .273 lifetime hitter. He didn’t break in full-time until 26 years of age. 25 yo he missed all of MLB. 24 yo he had 32 ABs, hit .156
 
YellowJacketFan2018

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Buzzbomb said:
I believe we as fans, want instant gratification. If any of you are old enough to remember Rico Carty, he won a batting title in Atlanta hitting .366(lifetime .299 hitter), he had years of .255 & .272. Didn’t come up until 24 yo. And Riley zipped through the system by 21.

Chipper Jones in his first full year at 23 yo(he had 4 AB’s at 21 yo, injured all of his 22nd year of life), hit .265 with 99k’s in 123 games. He made 25 errors. In 2004, he hit .248 and fans thought his career was over. Lifetime .303 hitter.
Click to expand...
Dusty Baker was i believe in a situation where the Braves gave up on him and he was traded to the Dodgers
 
YellowJacketFan2018

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GT_EE78 said:
Nettles was one of my favorites on Billy Martin's Yankees. I can see Riley doing similar stats with low BA, high defense and power.
Now i'm gonna have to search for my old shoe box of 60's and 70's baseball cards as i thought it was Craig until i saw that stat site with Graig ......
Click to expand...
Or he could play two different positions and be solid like Joe Rudi was on the A's,Angels and Red Sox in the late 1960s-early 1980s:cigar:
 
Buzzbomb

Buzzbomb

Mello Yellow-Jacket
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This guy had a memorable 15 year career as a Mariner. We wouldn’t be the Braves, if we didn’t take a flyer on an aging pitcher:
The Braves have inked former star hurler Felix Hernandez to a minor-league deal, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). It includes an invitation to MLB camp and a possible $1MM salary in the majors.
 
YellowJacketFan2018

YellowJacketFan2018

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Buzzbomb said:
This guy had a memorable 15 year career as a Mariner. We wouldn’t be the Braves, if we didn’t take a flyer on an aging pitcher:
The Braves have inked former star hurler Felix Hernandez to a minor-league deal, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). It includes an invitation to MLB camp and a possible $1MM salary in the majors.
Click to expand...
The Braves signed a guy in Felix Hernandez who in my opinion has nothing left:cigar:
 
Buzzbomb

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Yes, as a 19 year-old phenom, he was sensational. Had a great 13 years....and then, 5.62 era in 2018, 6.42 in 2019....the fastball is down to 90 mph, 4 or 6 seam.
The only hope is that he turns into Gaylord Perry, having learned how to pitch and a change of scenery....otherwise cut him at the end of S.T. and save a million.
 
GT_EE78

GT_EE78

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Buzzbomb said:
This guy had a memorable 15 year career as a Mariner. We wouldn’t be the Braves, if we didn’t take a flyer on an aging pitcher:
The Braves have inked former star hurler Felix Hernandez to a minor-league deal, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). It includes an invitation to MLB camp and a possible $1MM salary in the majors.
Click to expand...
Don't give them any ideas, Bartolo Colon might still be available and lurking out there....
 
THWG

THWG

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I don't mind the signing. I mean it's a guy who was a Cy Young winner and is a great competitor. There is literally no risk with the signing. If he shows out in Spring training, we have a veteran 5th starter and more rotation depth. If his spring training is lousy, he can at least teach the young pitchers some things and then we cut him for basically nothing. This is a small, but valuable move that's no risk and all reward for the Braves.
 
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