Ken Rosenthal reports "Furcal to sign with Braves"

by kevsny13 on Dec 16, 2008 5:15 AM EST Comment 41 comments

"The Braves are on the verge of a major offseason upset.

Rafael Furcal is coming home.

In a stunning turnaround, the free-agent shortstop has chosen the Braves over the A's, according to a major-league source.

A contract agreement is expected to be announced Tuesday, conditional on Furcal passing a physical." - Ken Rosenthal (To check out his full report click here)

If this story holds than I'm extremely anxious to see what Wren's next move is going to be. I think it goes without saying that Kelly or Yunel will playing for somewhere else next year (I know some have suggested moving Kelly back to LF but Wren and Cox have said as recently as this off season they don't consider him an outfield option). My prediction is that if they trade Kelly it'll be for a corner outfielder and they'll fill in the roatation with mid-tier guys like Randy Wolf and Jon Garland. If they trade Yunel it'll be for a top of the roatation guy and they'll sign someone like Juan Rivera to take over left. Of course that's just my humble opinion.

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I sure hope we have a deal in place already to move either KJ or Yunel

Because if we don’t, then there goes some of our leverage. Just like the world knows the Padres have to move Peavy, everybody will know we have to move KJ or Yunel, so other teams can afford to play hardball with us….we can’t end up stuck with 3 middle infielders, so something has to happen.

And yes, I know the Pads don’t have to move Peavy, but they really need to, so our situation will actually be a little more urgent.

And not that I’m wanting to trade either guy, I’m just saying that if we are going to, I really hope that deal is already in place.

by secondbass on Dec 16, 2008 5:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think your leverage goes down too much.

There will be alot of teams interested in Escobar.

by 10-4 on Dec 16, 2008 8:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Worst case...

Yunel goes to 2B, KJ goes to LF, but my guess is something’s up with KC or Pittsburgh for pitching for one of the two. If not, FW still must have something working to make the deal for Furcal.

by BBFAN46 on Dec 16, 2008 10:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If we trade KJ or Yunel for a Pirates starting pitcher I’ll be livid.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 10:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

“Livid” will not do my reaction justice!

by scstrato on Dec 16, 2008 10:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Amen. I would consider becoming a terrorist if that happens. You don't think it's with the reds do you?

by Charmin519 on Dec 16, 2008 10:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Really

Paul Maholm – 9-9, 3.71 ERA, 4.15FIP?
James prediction is 4.33, 203IP. Under team control for 3 more years.
I don’t think that’d be a bad return for KJ, a piece we probably don’t need anymore.

by Hizilla on Dec 16, 2008 11:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maholm is a nice middle of the rotation starter, but I thought the point of moving KJ or Yunel was to aquire an ace?

With that being said, a straight up deal KJ for Maholm may not be terrible. It all may be a moot point if the Braves really plan on platooning Kelly with Diaz in LF.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Putting KJ

In LF seems like a waste of decent/controllable MI talent that they could turn into a more useful piece than platooning KJ in LF.

by Hizilla on Dec 16, 2008 2:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep..

I could see KJ for Maholm. If the Furcal deal gets done, we will be overstoked with infielders and I don’t see KJ as the power hitting LF, so he does seem to become the expendable one. Seems like Kinzer is trying to play Boras now though; pitting Braves Vs. Dodgers to try to get a few more bucks or something.

by BBFAN46 on Dec 16, 2008 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like...

you may not have to be livid. Reports are now that Yunel is the SS, Furcal is at 2B and KJ is our power hitting LF (with some sarcasm). I share your Pittsburgh feelings. I don’t think they have anything we want, but soem reports were FW was talking to them about Maholm (?).

I would like to see us keep Yunel as Chipper’s replacement at 3B. Lord knows we haven’t had much luck raising our own 3B in the minors!

by BBFAN46 on Dec 16, 2008 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What about Furcal as the replacement for Chipper? I don't see him with us for 4 more years.

Then when furcal leaves (if we still have escobar), then he moves over to 3B.

by Charmin519 on Dec 16, 2008 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Shorty...

might have a little trouble with those high infield hoppers!

by BBFAN46 on Dec 16, 2008 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good point.

by AlRoBraves95 on Dec 16, 2008 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Would Furcal be worth it at 2nd??? A portion of his outstanding value is in his arm at shortstop…but I would HATE to lose Yunel…

by bwellnjonesco on Dec 16, 2008 8:20 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Definitely means

goodbye to Yunel Escobar. There has to be a big deal in place with Yunel.

by JFP on Dec 16, 2008 8:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Who has to go???

Is it going to be Kelly or Yunel? One of them is already in place for a trade, in all likelyhood. I just hope that this is going to be made in order for Rafael to move to 2nd and we keep Kelly. There is still a very high ceiling on Yunel’s game and I believe we have basically seen what Kelly can do. If KJ was less streaky then I wouldn’t mind keeping him but he is very inconsistant.

by Fischerking on Dec 16, 2008 8:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Furcal would go to short

and Yunel would go to second. He has a lot of minor league innings there, but I’ll admit he is a little slow on the doubleplay turn.

Fookie
Escobar
Chipper
McCann
etc.

Braves teams of the 90’s scored runs in bunches and this would provide a good base as we prepare for 2010. 2009 is a 3rd place finish for sure with the current roster

by themurph on Dec 16, 2008 8:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

and after that

we have Francoeur, Kotchman, Blanco/Schafer/Anderson, and Johnson. Not too much to work with. That is a good top though. But I don’t really see McCann as a 4 hitter. He is more of a 5 hitter.

Mark Bowman says we plan to have Furcal at SS, Yunel at 2B, and KJ in LF. I could still see us trading KJ for a middle of the rotation pitcher or more powerful LF.

by scottyboy10 on Dec 16, 2008 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Furcal at SS and Yunel at 2B is retarded.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I meant it the other way around

Yunel at SS and Furcal at 2B. My bad.

by scottyboy10 on Dec 16, 2008 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No worries then, although I’ve seen people posting on MLBTR that Furcal should play SS because he was a Brave before Yunel was. Not saying that would have been your reasoning if you were serious, but…really?

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 3:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So much for my swearing off rosterbation.

by 10-4 on Dec 16, 2008 8:44 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Best Idea

I see us doing a Deal with KC for Grienke and Guillen. I bet a deal will look like this.

Royals Receive: Kelly Johnson, Jeff Francoeur, Jeff Locke.

Braves Receive: Zack Greinke, Jose Guillen+ 10 million to pay Guillen over the next 2 years.

by mauck98 on Dec 16, 2008 5:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

BAHAHAHAHHAHAHA you’re out of your mind

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Dec 16, 2008 6:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

so who would be put in RF since we have filled our hole in LF?

by Charmin519 on Dec 16, 2008 6:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

simple: JASON HEYWARD

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Dec 16, 2008 7:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

priceless.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 7:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hey you never know andruw was brought up early, how much in the minors to he play b4 he came up in 96?

by Brandonba on Dec 16, 2008 7:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

andruw absolutely shot up the ladder though. at 17 in the rookie leagues, he OPSed .769. not too shabby for a kid. at 18 in A-ball, he went for an .873 OPS (higher than heyward at a younger age). then at age 19, he went through FOUR levels including the majors, throwing up an ungodly 1.070 OPS in the minors (getting better at each stop, which is just insane).

having heyward START would be a ridiculously stupid move and would kill his career, no doubt. but if he can do what andruw did at age 19…giddy up

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Dec 16, 2008 7:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That made me sad

I almost forgot how good Andruw used to be.

by VictorW on Dec 16, 2008 8:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

god, if you wanna get real depressed, look at his FULL lines for 1996. dropped my jaw. how many 19 year olds go 30/30 over 3 levels?

BIG JOE SUCK ONE

by bigjoe on Dec 16, 2008 8:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hopefully he rebounds, it would be a shame if he flamed out. i thought he was hall of fame material

by Brandonba on Dec 16, 2008 9:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He's down in the Dominican now

Still struggling with his bat. Here is the article

Pretty good read on what injury last year, free agency in 2009, weight loss, etc….

by Charmin519 on Dec 16, 2008 10:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow…

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 10:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously! I was so pumped when I got to see him play for Richmond that year. He was frikin outstanding back then.

by cbwilk on Dec 17, 2008 1:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

actually

we just filled out RF hole, that we created by trading Jeff. We could still sign any Of we wanted outside of Manny. We would have spent around the 25 million mark. 11.5 for vasquez, 2.2 for Grienke, 7 for Guillen. We got our two starters and now we can sign the LF of our choice.

by mauck98 on Dec 16, 2008 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Guillen is making $12 million next season.

I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.

by Smoltz's Beard on Dec 16, 2008 8:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So we give up two players that are under control and a good prospect

for two years of Greinke and three years of aging OF that will cost 12 million a year minus the 10 that the royals would give us. (which wouldn’t happen)

Plus we sign a more expensive LF from the FA that is also old and now in that contract for two years.

Am I following……

by Charmin519 on Dec 16, 2008 8:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs