A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Derek Lowe

by gondeee on Nov 17, 2008 8:23 AM EST in Free Agents Comment 14 comments

Which one of these free agents is most likely to get signed by the Atlanta Braves?

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - A.J. Burnett	18-10	35	34	1	0	0	0	221.1	211	109	100	19	86	231	4.07	1.34

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Ryan Dempster	17-6	33	33	1	0	0	0	206.2	174	75	68	14	76	187	2.96	1.21

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Derek Lowe	14-11	34	34	1	0	0	0	211.0	194	84	76	14	45	147	3.24	1.13

Vote and discuss. This is not which one you want to be a Brave more than the other two, but which one you think will end up being signed.

Poll

Which one of these three free agent pitchers is most likely to be signed by the Atlanta Braves?

A.J. Burnett

222 votes

Ryan Dempster

106 votes

Derek Lowe

109 votes

437 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 14 comments

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Comments

I Voted For Burnett.

I think the Braves will over pay for him because they may view him as the best potential ace in the market. I think the Yanks will get Sabathia and Lowe, leaving Burnett for us.

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Nov 17, 2008 8:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I did as well

Mostly because I think the Cubs are resigning Dempster and the Yankees are signing Lowe.

Braves will probably have to battle with the Blue Jays and Orioles for Burnett’s services. I think he is the most likely to sign with the Braves, but I still have a tough time thinking that the Braves will actually offer the 5 years and 80 million to lock him up. He is the mist likely though.

Braves are going to have a tough time signing any of these three. Which is why, in the the end, I expect Braves-Padres to get the Peavy deal completed.

by NEBravesFan33 on Nov 17, 2008 9:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ben Sheets

I’d rather have him than Burnett. The injury concern should be pretty much the same. Burnett was obviously smart enough to opt out after a healthy season. If he was injured this season, he would have just tried to get the 30+ starts next season.

by VictorW on Nov 17, 2008 10:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

And for clarification

The only reason I’d prefer Sheets is cause he’d cost less and take less years. Haven’t heard much about any team really targeting him this offseason.

by VictorW on Nov 17, 2008 10:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you should put brad penny on this

as he’s a cheaper than all and potentially higher upside than lowe at least.

by son.of.sourman on Nov 17, 2008 10:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think the Braves are looking at Penny, and they’ve come out and said they’re not really interested in Sheets because of his injury concerns. I imagine the same holds true for Penny.

by soup du jour on Nov 17, 2008 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I voted Burnett, simply because the Yankees and Red Sox are fighting over Lowe, and I think the Cubs are far and away the favorites to land Dempster.

by soup du jour on Nov 17, 2008 10:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Burnette

i voted for AJ because I feel that he is the best #1 type starter out there, I see lowe as a good pitcher but I don’t want a 38-39 year old pitcher being paid 15 million we saw what happens when we tried this with Glavine, Hampton, and Smoltz. I also don’t want Dempster he has been a reliever that last 5 years and has only made a combined 26 starts in the 5 years previous to last season. People didn’t really have a scouting report on him and he was basically an unknown as a starter. I think he has a bit of a regression next season and is a .500 or below pitcher for the next 2 years. I would think seriously about offering Burnette a 5 year 80 million dollar deal but have it where he can opt out again after 3 years and you limit your injury concern as well as let him have a chance to get another big contract at age 34

by mauck98 on Nov 17, 2008 12:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Very Uncertain

I think its very exciting that the Braves are finally returning to the upper tiers of the free agent market after a long time of staying away. That said, I have to wonder if we really have a chance to sign any of those top arms.

I certainly don’t believe that any offer that we make will match offers that might come from the Yankees. Hopefully, Frank Wren has a enough coin to pull it off. So far, they are saying all the right things.

by opoverlord on Nov 17, 2008 12:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

TOMMY HANSON.

Tommy Freaking Hanson
today went 5 innings with 1 hit allowed and 2 walks with 10 strikeouts
Tyler Flowers
today went 3 for 4 with 3 rbi’s and homerun

If we can sign Burnett and maybe Oliver Perez
Our rotation will be strong….

A.J Burnett
Jair Jurrjens
Oliver Perez/Mike Hampton?
Campillo/Hanson <—- if he still dominates in spring training, why not #4 starter?
Morton/Reyes

That would be a solid rotation considering Hudson coming back, and maybe Glavine?

Our Bullpen will be solid as well as long as no one gets hurt..
Smoltz<—- if he can still throw..
Moylan<—— dont know how he will do after surgery
Soriano<—— set up man?
Bennett <—- ground ball double plays?
Ohman?<—- we definitely need a lefty….
Gonzo as closer

Thoughts?

by Funky_Braves_Fan on Nov 17, 2008 5:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

NO

The Braves are far too smart to sign Oliver Perez.

Gonzo as closer … My prediction is that Gonzo will eventually be replaced as closer by Soriano. Bobby will probably stick with him too long, but eventually Gonzo will go back to being Gonzo.

by scstrato on Nov 17, 2008 6:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait

So you think Soriano will start the season as the team’s closer or Gonzo? I’m confused…

Anyway, A.J. is clearly the best free agent pitcher available not named CC. Considering the Braves needs, I would expect Wren to go hard after him.

by ChipperTeixeira89 on Nov 17, 2008 7:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hard to say

When the Braves had the prolific trio of Wickman, Soriano, and Gonzalez, it was pretty clear how it worked – depending on the lineup, Bobby went with Soriano or Gonzalez depending on the situation, and then Wickman was the closer. And then Wickman went on the DL for sucking, and for the week that both Gonzalez and Soriano were actually healthy, or rather not injured, Bobby decided to close games depending on amount of lefties or righties were coming in the lineup. Soriano earned two saves in this span, and Gonzalez got one of his own. Unfortunately Gonzalez felt something strange while getting shelled by the Nationals, and then was on the DL a few days later.

With both available, who’s to say Bobby wouldn’t go back to that kind of setup? After Soriano gets healthy and regains his velocity, and Gonzalez can somehow get back up to a more optimal arm strength, the two-closer luxury could be an option, or one of them could be an alluring trade piece.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Nov 18, 2008 8:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Peavy

I love it, everyone on this board was raising hell about Peavy’s elbow, but they are now lobbying for the Braves to sign AJ Burnett. AJ has great stuff, but is very prone to injury. Between the two, there is no question that Jake Peavy is the better pitcher.

Here is to hoping that the Braves find a way to land Peavy.

by dmack on Nov 18, 2008 9:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs