Official Offseason Thread #2

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Originally Posted by iamaj

How is a 1 game playoff justifiable when one team is 6 games better than the other? Under the old format, the Braves would have gone to Cincinnati. They could have won that series.

Also, the Braves gained 5 wins over 2011. They got better, and that was with Hanson struggling, Jurrjens getting 10 starts, McCann hurt, Uggla's power loss and only 50 games of Simmons. I'm not saying they shouldn't try to improve, but it is not as if they were some 81-81 club that just can't get it together.

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I'm not saying the 1-game playoff was right, I'm saying everyone could have avoided it but the Braves did not, in part because of decisions they made that seemed (to some people) harmless at the time.

Besides, how do you know we would have beaten the Reds? The Braves lost the regular season series 5-1, swept at GABP by a tally of 16-8. Are you sure you wanted any part of that place with our flyball pitchers?

I believe fans would be best served having lowered expectations for McCann and Uggla in 2013 because both could just be on the decline. If those two come back strong, then great, it's like found money... but McCann is reaching the 30-year old/1,000 games mark when many catchers fall off. He's been injured the last few seasons actually and has five consecutive years of declining OPS. And while Uggla's walks are great, he has a nearly 150-point drop in OPS from his last year with the Marlins. Like I said, the results simply haven't been there for this lineup.

Seeing how much money we have left I'd love to take a shot a Nick Swisher on a similar contract to BJ Upton. Back load it a little (10, 16.5,16.5,17)

Prado
Upton
Heyward
Swisher
Freeman
Uggla
McCann
Simmons

Would still give us a little flex for the bench 2M or so.

I dunno if I want to go 4 years with him. But I think the Indians have offered him around a 4 year 45-50M deal.

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Originally Posted by Wrench

I dunno if I want to go 4 years with him. But I think the Indians have offered him around a 4 year 45-50M deal.

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I'd go 4 years especially if thats the price. Thats only 12.5 a year thought he's cost more. Fact is hes a model of consistancy. 4 would be my max though.

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Originally Posted by Braves_Fan_RSD

Seeing how much money we have left I'd love to take a shot a Nick Swisher on a similar contract to BJ Upton. Back load it a little (10, 16.5,16.5,17)

Prado
Upton
Heyward
Swisher
Freeman
Uggla
McCann
Simmons

Would still give us a little flex for the bench 2M or so.

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I'd rather front load any deal like that to have more money later when we need to resign our young guys.

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Originally Posted by CaseyRyback

I'd rather front load any deal like that to have more money later when we need to resign our young guys.

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But it would be impossible for us to do that seeing as we only have ~$12 mil in cap room this year.

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Originally Posted by Fly

Just like we could have won the 1-game playoff.

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I like the Braves chances in a legitimate series over a 1-game playoff. In a game where the best teams usually lose around 60 times a year, a 1 game playoff is not a good determent of who the better team is. In the 2012 postseason alone, 3 of 7 series had the game 1 loser winning the series.

All this strays away from my original point that the Braves have a good team in place and while another move would be nice, they have a great chance to make the playoffs as they are.

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Originally Posted by Bravo95

I'm not saying the 1-game playoff was right, I'm saying everyone could have avoided it but the Braves did not, in part because of decisions they made that seemed (to some people) harmless at the time.

Besides, how do you know we would have beaten the Reds? The Braves lost the regular season series 5-1, swept at GABP by a tally of 16-8. Are you sure you wanted any part of that place with our flyball pitchers?

I believe fans would be best served having lowered expectations for McCann and Uggla in 2013 because both could just be on the decline. If those two come back strong, then great, it's like found money... but McCann is reaching the 30-year old/1,000 games mark when many catchers fall off. He's been injured the last few seasons actually and has five consecutive years of declining OPS. And while Uggla's walks are great, he has a nearly 150-point drop in OPS from his last year with the Marlins. Like I said, the results simply haven't been there for this lineup.

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I said "could," not "would." I have no idea how it would have ended. The games you're referencing happened in May. Probably wouldn't have been useful for predictions considering the Braves were in an 8 game losing streak during the sweep. I wouldn't build an argument around that or even use it to support an argument.

I was against retaining McCann, but I think it is fair to believe he won't play worse than he did in 2012. And as bad as he was, his 2.0 WAR was 10th among all MLB catchers with at least 450 PAs. I definitely understand the disappointment, but I don't see how the Braves could get more production from that position unless they declined his option and put the money toward improving another position or hope he rebounds a little.

Uggla was 7th among all MLB 2Bs with his WAR of 3.5. I understand that he hasn't been as valuable as what he is being paid, but, like McCann, there aren't that many easily obtainable upgrades.

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Originally Posted by Braves_Fan_RSD

I'd go 4 years especially if thats the price. Thats only 12.5 a year thought he's cost more. Fact is hes a model of consistancy. 4 would be my max though.

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I have been against the Swisher idea in the past. But with his price droping to the 12 mil per price range, I could warm to it. Adding BJ and possibly Nick to the Braves should increase our hr total by at least 25.

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Originally Posted by SB75

I have been against the Swisher idea in the past. But with his price droping to the 12 mil per price range, I could warm to it. Adding BJ and possibly Nick to the Braves should increase our hr total by at least 25.

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Not to mention he also brings a .274/.366/.478/.844 slash line over the past three seasons, and before any one screams Yankee Stadium here are his splits over that same time:

Home: .281/.369/.479/.848 38 HR
Away: .267/.363/.478/.841 38 HR

Swisher is ok. Not really what i wanted. But he has been consistent, and can get alot of rbi chances in this lineup as well.

Another note to all of you against Swisher (still baffled)

Over the past three season NO Braves player has posted an OPS over .800 in that span. The closest is Jason Heyward at .799. Swisher would easily be the best offensive player on the team, and has posted UZR/150 of +5.74 in RF over the past three seasons, so not shabby with the glove either.

Been a supporter of Swisher to the Braves. If he can be had for that price, I'd be for it. Would prefer just 3 years, but could accept 4. If Wren wants him, I think he could make it work for the payroll (backloading or trading EOF).

I'm for Swisher, just don't see FW signing him. Seemed like his eyes was set on a lead off type guy in LF.

I'd also love Swisher, a lineup like this would be amazing:

3B Prado
CF Upton
RF Heyward
LF Swisher
1B Freeman
2B Uggla
C McCann
SS Simmons