tOfficial 2019 Braves season thread

[Chewbaccer]

And really, our starting pitching is what it is. We don't have an ace. I'll take 6 innings and 3 runs from all of them every time. Our bullpen should be better with O'Day and a full season of Sobotka, but this team is gonna live and die with the offense.

Given how bad all of the starting pitchers who signed late last season did, I'd rather ride with what we have than get Keuchel.

 

[bamafan4evr12]

And really, our starting pitching is what it is. We don't have an ace. I'll take 6 innings and 3 runs from all of them every time. Our bullpen should be better with O'Day and a full season of Sobotka, but this team is gonna live and die with the offense.

Given how bad all of the starting pitchers who signed late last season did, I'd rather ride with what we have than get Keuchel.

IF we add Kimbrel I'll feel better about the bullpen and pitching overall. Kimbrel moves everyone else back a spot making it that much stronger.

My biggest concern is offense. Right now there are 3-4 glaring holes. RF, catcher, SS and CF. Some of those may improve from last year, but I'd be willing to bet at least 2 regress from last year

 

[Chewbaccer]

IF we add Kimbrel I'll feel better about the bullpen and pitching overall. Kimbrel moves everyone else back a spot making it that much stronger.

My biggest concern is offense. Right now there are 3-4 glaring holes. RF, catcher, SS and CF. Some of those may improve from last year, but I'd be willing to bet at least 2 regress from last year

I don't consider RF or CF to be glaring holes.

Markakis returning isn't what we were hoping for, but he was pretty good last season. Was a silver slugger and a gold glover, and even when his production dropped off in the second half, his clutch stats were still awesome. He had double the WAR Bryce Harper had last season. I don't expect a repeat of last season's numbers. .275, and around 10 homers sounds about right, but I don't expect a dropoff in his hitting with RISP, and those numbers are a lot more viable hitting deeper in the order than they are batting cleanup, and I'll bet good money he won't be our cleanup hitter this year. In a perfect world, Ender bounces back and is able to hit leadoff, and then have Donaldson-Freeman-Acuna behind him. If Donaldson stays healthy with those two protecting him in the lineup he should be seeing a lot of fastballs.

And Ender had a bad first half, but had a productive second half, and he's just 28 and had 200 hits in 2017. His baserunning was my biggest complaint, and he's the best defensive CF in the game.

This is Dansby's make it break it year though. He might have been our most clutch hitter last season, but overall it was pretty bad, but he was off to a good start and then he hurt his wrist and never was the same. I'll see what he does with a healthy wrist before I write him off, but he is the one I have the least amount of confidence in. But if he still doesn't have it, we'd be sacrificing a bit of defense, but Camargo is right there to take over if need be, and we'd still have Culberson as an insurance policy for Donaldson.

Catcher sucks. Only thing we have going for us there is Tyler Flowers is the best pitch framer in baseball and McCann calls a good game. I'm betting one of them gets DFA's by June and William Contreras takes over.

And with that, you'd have to expect improvement from Albies and Acuna and Freddie to be Freddie.

 

[bamafan4evr12]

I don't consider RF or CF to be glaring holes.

Markakis returning isn't what we were hoping for, but he was pretty good last season. Was a silver slugger and a gold glover, and even when his production dropped off in the second half, his clutch stats were still awesome. He had double the WAR Bryce Harper had last season. I don't expect a repeat of last season's numbers. .275, and around 10 homers sounds about right, but I don't expect a dropoff in his hitting with RISP, and those numbers are a lot more viable hitting deeper in the order than they are batting cleanup, and I'll bet good money he won't be our cleanup hitter this year. In a perfect world, Ender bounces back and is able to hit leadoff, and then have Donaldson-Freeman-Acuna behind him. If Donaldson stays healthy with those two protecting him in the lineup he should be seeing a lot of fastballs.

And Ender had a bad first half, but had a productive second half, and he's just 28 and had 200 hits in 2017. His baserunning was my biggest complaint, and he's the best defensive CF in the game.

This is Dansby's make it break it year though. He might have been our most clutch hitter last season, but overall it was pretty bad, but he was off to a good start and then he hurt his wrist and never was the same. I'll see what he does with a healthy wrist before I write him off, but he is the one I have the least amount of confidence in. But if he still doesn't have it, we'd be sacrificing a bit of defense, but Camargo is right there to take over if need be, and we'd still have Culberson as an insurance policy for Donaldson.

Catcher sucks. Only thing we have going for us there is Tyler Flowers is the best pitch framer in baseball and McCann calls a good game. I'm betting one of them gets DFA's by June and William Contreras takes over.

And with that, you'd have to expect improvement from Albies and Acuna and Freddie to be Freddie.

Agreed on Dansby, I give him a pass and want to give him a chance. I'd hang on to him because of his defense. Ender could bounce back but I think he needs to be 2017 leadoff Ender for us to have chance.

Catcher blows. It's a huge downgrade IMO.

Markakis, I don't even expect .275 or 10 homers from him. That's why I think its a hole. Maybe he can hit .275 but I really don't even see him hitting 10 homers. Hopefully he is not hitting cleanup for us. But I still don't expect much from him.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Agreed on Dansby, I give him a pass and want to give him a chance. I'd hang on to him because of his defense. Ender could bounce back but I think he needs to be 2017 leadoff Ender for us to have chance.

Catcher blows. It's a huge downgrade IMO.

Markakis, I don't even expect .275 or 10 homers from him. That's why I think its a hole. Maybe he can hit .275 but I really don't even see him hitting 10 homers. Hopefully he is not hitting cleanup for us. But I still don't expect much from him.

We just got to get thorugh this year at Catcher because Williams Contreras is a Stud. He is gonna be one of the best in the game IMO and better than his brother.

 

[Mondo Jay]

We just got to get thorugh this year at Catcher because Williams Contreras is a Stud. He is gonna be one of the best in the game IMO and better than his brother.

I am pleased the Braves didn't deal him away. (yet)

 

[bamafan4evr12]

We just got to get thorugh this year at Catcher because Williams Contreras is a Stud. He is gonna be one of the best in the game IMO and better than his brother.

Agreed. I'm excited to see him, Pache, Waters and the pitchers progression this year

 

[Rod Freakin' Dangerfield]

Can't go from winning the East to 4th freakin' place this year, though. Anything less than a wild card is a colossal failure.

 

[brandonk989]

It's a process guys. I was a little frustrated at first as well that we didn't spend what we could have to bring in a big name but look at what's coming down the pipeline. Young pitchers, a stud at 3B, multiple studs in the outfield, a stud at catcher. We're building what was built in the 90s. If that means a minor set back this year, I'm okay with it. That being said, I think we'll be just fine with a full year of Acuna, and the bullpen being better with O'Day coming back.

 

[Rod Freakin' Dangerfield]

It's a process guys. I was a little frustrated at first as well that we didn't spend what we could have to bring in a big name but look at what's coming down the pipeline. Young pitchers, a stud at 3B, multiple studs in the outfield, a stud at catcher. We're building what was built in the 90s. If that means a minor set back this year, I'm okay with it. That being said, I think we'll be just fine with a full year of Acuna, and the bullpen being better with O'Day coming back.

I ain't sold on this one. He kills way more gnats than the average "stud."

 

[bamafan4evr12]

Can't go from winning the East to 4th freakin' place this year, though. Anything less than a wild card is a colossal failure.

This x1000000

Edit to say, I think we're headed to a 3rd place finish sadly

 

[brandonk989]

I ain't sold on this one. He kills way more gnats than the average "stud."

Trying to be optimistic. Nobody gave us a chance last year. I'm sure I'll end up just as frustrated as you guys by the end of the year.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Guys, we can finish 3rd and still make the playoffs. And with us playing the AL Central I think its possible.


But im pretty pissed at this offseason

 

[Rod Freakin' Dangerfield]

Guys, we can finish 3rd and still make the playoffs. And with us playing the AL Central I think its possible.


But im pretty pissed at this offseason

Won’t happen. Too many good teams in the NL Central for that to happen.

 

[Chewbaccer]

It's a process guys. I was a little frustrated at first as well that we didn't spend what we could have to bring in a big name but look at what's coming down the pipeline. Young pitchers, a stud at 3B, multiple studs in the outfield, a stud at catcher. We're building what was built in the 90s. If that means a minor set back this year, I'm okay with it. That being said, I think we'll be just fine with a full year of Acuna, and the bullpen being better with O'Day coming back.

Homegrown talent is great, but we're not winning in 95 if we don't have Maddux and McGriff.

We're good enough to be a playoff team, it'll be tough, but we can do it, but we're gonna have to add pieces from outside the organization to win it all.

The Astros don't win without Verlander.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Lost to the Tigers 7-4
Fried left with a cut on his finger.
Sobotka struggled.

Ender went 2for3
Contreras went 2for2

And Pedro Florimon is still killing it which sucks because he is not good but him hitting .455 may allowed to take Duvalls spot on roster.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Lost to the Tigers 7-4
Fried left with a cut on his finger.
Sobotka struggled.

Ender went 2for3
Contreras went 2for2

And Pedro Florimon is still killing it which sucks because he is not good but him hitting .455 may allowed to take Duvalls spot on roster.

Florimon isn't good, but it would be damn near impossible to do worse for us than Duvall did last season. 6 singles and a double for a guy that was supposed to provide power off the bench.

Has Lucas Duda signed anywhere? I wouldn't mind him being a bench option.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Florimon isn't good, but it would be damn near impossible to do worse for us than Duvall did last season. 6 singles and a double for a guy that was supposed to provide power off the bench.

Has Lucas Duda signed anywhere? I wouldn't mind him being a bench option.

I like Dudas bat but he can only play 1B and IDK if we are gonna have a bench guy that cant play multiple positions.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Duvall is 0 for 10 this spring.

Culberson is 0 for 13.

I know Charlie will get it going but Duvall needs to be among the first cuts

 

[Chewbaccer]

I like Dudas bat but he can only play 1B and IDK if we are gonna have a bench guy that cant play multiple positions.

He's player corner OF before, plus Charlie and Camargo can play pretty well anywhere.