Justin Upton traded to Braves for Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, +specs

[beldugo]

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-bl...etty-darn-low/

Dude, we really don't need a lot of prospects at least not for the next 3 years, we have time to draft some high school players and develop them. besides catcher all our offense is under contract for at least the next three years, Freeman, Simmons, J.Upton, J.Heyward are all 25 or less. BJ upton signed a 5 year contract, Dan Uggla is under contract for three more years. In the rotation, Medlen, Beachy, Minor are all at least under contract for the next three years and we have the best closer in baseball who is 24 years old. So how the hell do you expect the braves to have a top 5 farm after all our graduations? in fact why the hell do we need to have a top 5 farm when almost everybody is young and under contract?

[HowFit]

Braves are in a win it now. They have hitters for the future like the nats go skole, moore, rendon, goodwin, giolitto, and cole waiting.

If I could make a penny for every time you say that, I would be VERY rich!

[hammerinhank]

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-bl...etty-darn-low/

You really have no clue do you? First that article is a year old.

When you graduate guys like Heyward, Freeman, Kimbrel, Minor, Beachy, etc.. from your farm it is bound to take a bit of a dip.

[beldugo]

we def have the talent to be an top 5 offense

We have the talent, but everything need to work out well for that to happen and that almost never happen.

[HowFit]

Enjoy having Eric O’Flaherty as he will be on another team next year. Too bad your farm system is thining also.

Are you saying we're old?

[lovesports443]

Dude, we really don't need a lot of prospects at least not for the next 3 years, we have time to draft some high school players and develop them. besides catcher all our offense is under contract for at least the next three years, Freeman, Simmons, J.Upton, J.Heyward are all 25 or less. BJ upton signed a 5 year contract, Dan Uggla is under contract for three more years. In the rotation, Medlen, Beachy, Minor are all at least under contract for the next three years and we have the best closer in baseball who is 24 years old. So how the hell do you expect the braves to have a top 5 farm after all our graduations? in fact why the hell do we need to have a top 5 farm when almost everybody is young and under contract?

Who won the division again? If I lost a hockey team and my football team choked I would be confident in my baseball team to. Prospects for the next three years okay!

[Coach100]

Prado will lose value moving to 3B where his defense will not inflate his WAR so much. J Upton will increase his WAR by moving to LF. Couple that with the fact that Upton was injured and wore a wrist brace most of the year but smashed the ball after removing the brace and Upton should have a very solid season, leaving a hitter friendly park and all. And Upton is entering his prime just now, Prado will be leaving his soon.

ATL is building to win over the next 3-5 years. Adding Upton's for at least 3 and 5 years at controlled salaries helps that cause. ATL also now has money to lock up guys like Medlen, Heyward, Kimbrell, and Freeman long term with about 10 million left over this year.

And for the record, ATL can't continue to win every Medlen start, but his numbers (on the surface and beneath) show a clear sign of a top-level starter. ATL has created a roster with few question marks (3B) and few weaknesses (strikeout totals for hitters). It produced the 5th best record in baseball last year and finished 4 games behind the Nats. I am sure this season will be close again.

[HickCaesar]

Yeah this year. What about three years from now. What bats are waiting in the wings? Your best bullpen pitcher will sign with another team possibly and Mccan will be gone.

All of our best bats are 25 years old or younger and not even in their primes yet. If anything this lineup will be even better in three years as they mature, (prime Heyward anyone?) and we have a proven scouting and farm system that I am confident will replenish the prospect pool. You don't bring up as much talent as we have over the past three years and still have a super deep farm system.

That being said I still think the Nats are the favorites in the division due to their rotation, but it will be a great race and a great battle over the next few years.

[hammerinhank]

Who won the division again? If I lost a hockey team and my football team choked I would be confident in my baseball team to. Prospects for the next three years okay!

I have come across my fair share of idiotic posters over the years but my friend I think you are above and beyond.

[HickCaesar]

Who won the division again? If I lost a hockey team and my football team choked I would be confident in my baseball team to. Prospects for the next three years okay!

Obvious troll detected, why don't you hop back on your main account?

[lovesports443]

I have come across my fair share of idiotic posters over the years but my friend I think you are above and beyond.

Sorry my ravens took you guys out!

[HowFit]

How's your NHL team doing hammerinhank?

[the brave eagle]

Who won the division again? If I lost a hockey team and my football team choked I would be confident in my baseball team to. Prospects for the next three years okay!

haha you something special, yeah you guys won one division title, try winning 14 in a row an then talk about how good your national team is

[HowFit]

Sorry my ravens took you guys out!

Hater gone HATE!

[HowFit]

In this post you said that the Braves just got worse this offseason, and then you point out the great SS we only had for 49 games, that alone will make us a much better team, the Braves played the first part of the season with Tyler Pastornicky at SS, the guy had a -1.1 WAR in 76 games, then Simmons got injured and we had Paul Janish at SS he managed a -0.2 WAR in 55 games. Andrelton Simmons in those 49 games had a 2.2 WAR. Having Simmons for an entire year will make this team a lot better, J.Upton just have to return to his "old" self (2011) and i find that to be more probable than to Martin Prado to be a 6 WAR player again. BJ and Bourn are close they are probably a 4 WAR player. Heyward and Freeman probably will continue to improve, so there's no way the Braves got worse this offseason, you are way off base on that statement.

Not to mention McCann with a healthy shoulder and IF Uggla returns to 2011 form...