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

[lovesports443]

Wait, so you are knocking ATL for having a pluthera of young talent in the majors, for being a top 5 team in all of baseball last year (based on record), and for trading no real sure fire prospects to obtain a 25 year old MvP candidate for at least 3 years? You do understand that C is the only place ATL will lose a position player in the next 3 years, right? And that while maholm and Hudsf will be gone, Beachy will return? And ATL has a top C prospect and loads of young arms? I'm sure you
know all this, though.

And anyone who thinks EoF is ATL best pen arm is not well informed seeings how no RP was better than Kimbrel last year.

"In an effort to add another lefty to their ‘pen, one rival executive said that the Nationals could sign free agent right-hander Kyle Lohse and use southpaw Ross Detwiler as a reliever."

Okay no more bickering on here from me. It's not getting me anywhere. We shall see how this plays out.

[hammerinhank]

Okay no more bickering on here from me. It's not getting me anywhere. We shall see how this plays out.

If I could thank this post I would.

[Bravo95]

Guys relax, he's right. It's not like the Nats choked in spectacular fashion in last season's playoffs or anything. We all saw their championship parade down Whatever Street. Also, Braves bullpen = overrated. Kimbrel? Flash in the pan.

[Nomar]

Yeah Strasburg barely matters

[ugafan]

Yeah Strasburg barely matters

1. Nobody said anything close to that.

2. You know absolutely nothing about baseball if you think the Zimmerman would be our best starter.

[Nomar]

1. Nobody said anything close to that.

2. You know absolutely nothing about baseball if you think the Zimmerman would be our best starter.

1. My point was that while the Nats choked, they didn't have Strasburg. It's a series so it's not possible for me to say that the outcome would've been too different if he was, but he is their best pitcher.

2. Please get a bit more mad. Who is better the Zimmerman on that staff? Medlen is far from a sure thing, and it's not like I'm not a fan of his. He had better numbers than Hudson too and Hudson likely is only going to get worse at this point. Please prove to me why he wouldn't be your best starting pitcher.

[beldugo]

1. My point was that while the Nats choked, they didn't have Strasburg. It's a series so it's not possible for me to say that the outcome would've been too different if he was, but he is their best pitcher.

2. Please get a bit more mad. Who is better the Zimmerman on that staff? Medlen is far from a sure thing, and it's not like I'm not a fan of his. He had better numbers than Hudson too and Hudson likely is only going to get worse at this point. Please prove to me why he wouldn't be your best starting pitcher.

I proved to you earlier why i think Medlen is better, Zimmerman would be our number two, easly.

[Jeffy25]

Medlen pitched so little innings.

It's hard to know what kind of pitcher he will be next year.

My shot in the dark guess is low 3 ERA, high 2's with a 67 winning percentage.

That might be a little optimistic, but he was damn good last year.

[Nomar]

I proved to you earlier why i think Medlen is better, Zimmerman would be our number two, easly.

My bad man, I've been on my phone so I missed that. But in a bit less than one year worth of starts, Medlen's FIP and xFIP are very impressive (in starts they are 3.32 FIP and 3.18 xFIP), but they are influenced by one of the biggest hot streaks that I've ever seen. Zimmerman has already proven himself in multiple seasons. He's a #2 or strong #3. I'm not saying Medlen can't or won't be better, but if I had both on my team this year, Zimmerman would start above him. Medlen needs to be that good over a full season of starts before I say he's better than Jordan Zimmerman. I really don't see this as a crazy point of view.

[beldugo]

My bad man, I've been on my phone so I missed that. But in a bit less than one year worth of starts, Medlen's FIP and xFIP are very impressive (in starts they are 3.32 FIP and 3.18 xFIP), but they are influenced by one of the biggest hot streaks that I've ever seen. Zimmerman has already proven himself in multiple seasons. He's a #2 or strong #3. I'm not saying Medlen can't or won't be better, but if I had both on my team this year, Zimmerman would start above him. Medlen needs to be that good over a full season of starts before I say he's better than Jordan Zimmerman. I really don't see this as a crazy point of view.

I agree, Zimmerman has been doing it for more time than Medlen who had TJ in 2010. We just have to wait and see, because if Medlen is anywhere close to the pitcher he was in the second half of 2012 he's better than Zimmerman. The reason i think he will is because he has excellent control, doesn't give up homers and strikeout a high number of players, and he has done that in his mlb career and in the minors.

[Nomar]

I agree, Zimmerman has been doing it for more time than Medlen who had TJ in 2010. We just have to wait and see, because if Medlen is anywhere close to the pitcher he was in the second half of 2012 he's better than Zimmerman. The reason i think he will is because he has excellent control, doesn't give up homers and strikeout a high number of players, and he has done that in his mlb career and in the minors.

Great point because my thought was that if Medlen keeps his BB rate where it is, he's going to be great. He had Cliff Lee type control at the end of last year. Fun to watch.

[todu82]

Really good pickup here for Atlanta. The NL East is going to be mighty interesting next year.

[Zmaster52]

Am I the only one who thinks the Braves got worse?

Comparing them all to last year (if you want to go in terms of WAR)

Prado > Justin Upton
Bourn > BJ Upton
Chipper > Johnson

All three of those guys are worse defensively than the initial 3. Justin Upton has an upside and is only improving but I don't think BJ or Johnson will get much better. Not to mention that Medlen is a huge question mark coming off of a phenomenal season. Who knows if that Hanson for Walden trade would benefit them. I'd take Hanson over Teherean in a second.

Uggla and McCann have also been on rocky slopes the past few years but did not finish strong. Granted, they can easily turn it around and go back to their former selves but I see them on the decline at this point.

That team will also strike out a lot, Upton and Uggla striking out north of 25% of the time, Freeman, Heyward, and JUpton striking out around 20% of the time. That could also hurt the team a good deal.

But that's the beauty of baseball, anything can happen in the snap of your fingers, eager to see what happens next.

[Coach100]

K's are outs the same as anything else. OBP and RISP numbers seem much better barometers of how this offense will perform. And ATL has been playing with a shell of Chipper, so while Johnson/Fransisco is a downgrade, 3B would have been a downgrade anyways.

Not sure why everyone tjinks Medlen will regress so much. Again, ATL won't win every start the guy makes, but his peripherals as a SP suggest a top-of-the-rotation SP.

And again, Prado is not a superior player to Upton. Prado's WAR was greatly inflatted by his defense and he has shown his maximum offensive ability. Upton's D will only improve in LF, helping his WAR. Plus Upton mashed late in the season after his wrist injury cleared up. If he returns near his OFF production of 2011 this season and with his DEF in LF he could flirt with a 6 WAR.

ATl will have a full season of Medlen, Simmons, and Maholm. They will have players like Heyward and Freeman with another year under their belts. And I doubt McCann and Uggle get worse.And Hudson will get a full of season with no back surgery. Just seems to me ATL will be every bit as good as last year.

something Prado won't sniff at 3B for ARI.

[robdizzle3]

Bourn sucked imo in the second half.. First half he couldnt stay off base.. i dont know the numbers, but this is what I remember and all I saw was him striking out.. Our power has gotten up, but so did our K's, which we seemed to do anyways.. Prado will be missed big time, but not so much Bourn.. I truly believe Justin and BJ will out the work in to be great ballplayers.