upcoming season

by dooce22 on Feb 4, 2012 2:31 PM EST

cant wait for the season to start. I love our club with such a good mix of veteran guys with so many young guys too. I hope J-Hey will bounce back and from what I've read and heard there is no question he will bounce back. I also like the pitching staff and the pen but my only question is can the younger guys continue to pitch well and late in the ball games. The pen got worn out in 2nd half.

My only questions are 1. Will (can) we keep Bourne? 2. Are we keeping Prado b/c he can be insurance if Chipper gets hurt?

I dont see the need to make any big trades at all unless we can pull off a big one before the all star break depending on any injuries.

I think we'll be fine at SS b/c we have enough bats in our lineup and bench that we can afford a light hitting SS.

What if anything do the Braves need at this point or with guys bouncing back and a full season with Borne are we okay?

This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.

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Prado will certainly be an asset at 3rd

because we all know chipper wont play but 120 games at the most

GO DAWGS!!! GO PALADINS!!!

by geapsquash on Feb 4, 2012 2:39 PM EST reply actions

I think Prado’s increased value as a third baseman was certainly a reason he was kept. It may also be a reason that Diaz still has a job, as a platoon between Hinske and Diaz on the days Chipper is out or on the DL is not the absolute worst pairing in the world.

I could definitely see a trade for a shortstop if Pastornicky struggles, similar to how they traded for McLouth after Schafer’s rough debut. I could also see Pastornicky hitting and fielding at a league average level and that situation is avoided, but that is all to be determined.

Follow @Ben_Duronio

by BenDuronio on Feb 4, 2012 6:16 PM EST reply actions

I have a feeling that the team will make an effort to keep Bourn. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t think we have anyone coming up in the system that could provide what he does both in Center and at the top of the lineup. I think we learned how important it is to have a guy who can get on base and steal 40+ bases a year is ever since Furcal left. We have plenty of pitching, and with Freeman Uggla Mac and (hopefully) Heyward, we will have plenty of pop in the lineup, which helps the chances of the FO feeling comfortable re-signing him.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Feb 4, 2012 6:56 PM EST reply actions

Boras Client

And Boras has already called Bourn “the best” CF, which, obviously, is just agent up-talk, but Boras knows he can probably get Bourn a 5-7 year 14-18M/yr type deal based on his gold gloves and steals alone. This isn’t money the Braves have with the fat contracts on Uggla and (hopefully) McCann in place after 2012 and most of our current young talent moving into arbitration-based raises. Keeping Bourn would be great and we’d almost certainly have to see an actual budget raise along with the selling of JJ (and probably either Prado or seeing Chipper retire) to stand any chance. How Heyward performs in 2012 will have a lot of influence on how much offensive production and defensive ability we really need in the OF; more is always better, but we just don’t have “more” money.

by crimsonqueen9 on Feb 4, 2012 11:24 PM EST up reply actions

I forgot he was with Boras, in my head I had a 3-5 year ~$10M contract in mind, but if its going to come down to that kind of money, they need to walk away. We have some pitchers who are going to get pretty expensive in a few years, which will be helped by Hudson and Chipper’s contracts ending eventually.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Feb 5, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

he does both in Center and at the top of the lineup.

what he does in Center? no doubt we don’t have anyone close to ready who can do that. However, at the top of the lineup? we have some guys in A and AA who project to be that.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Feb 5, 2012 5:40 AM EST up reply actions

Are they going to be MLB ready next year? And the reason I said that was because yeah we may have some guys coming up eventually, but they need to play a position too, not just hit.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Feb 5, 2012 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

Doubt we keep Bourne...

But i do see us trading for a young center fielder WITH speed and good defense starting next year…

"Performance comes from work and dedication, belief and strength. Words and excuses get you nowhere." -Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves Rightfielder

by jdelsandro on Feb 5, 2012 12:18 AM EST reply actions

Blue Jays

Marisnick or Gose could be available at the deadline (both project in CF). I like Marisnick much more due to his polish, but Gose’s tools are just silly.

I could see the Jays, if they’re in the thick of the hunt come the trade deadline, trade for JJ. I’d do a JJ for Marisnick deal. Seems to work for both teams.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Feb 5, 2012 5:46 AM EST up reply actions

I agree...

The Jays have a few nice polished prospects in their system… Marisnick and Gose are two of them…. Maybe even get Matt Dean thrown in the deal for depth at both 3B and SS

"Performance comes from work and dedication, belief and strength. Words and excuses get you nowhere." -Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves Rightfielder

by jdelsandro on Feb 5, 2012 9:31 AM EST up reply actions

… are we okay?

the prevailing wisdom around here seems to be that the Braves should be a 90 wins or more team in the upcoming season.

however, a slight minority of our regulars are quite concerned about our okay-ness and make numerous good points that 90 wins could be a real stretch, to include the obvious improvements via aggressive off-season moves made by other teams in our division and the age- and health-related issues that are evident.

personally, I’m optimistic and hopeful, but suspect, ultimately, we will all have to wait and see based on the games actually being played.

by fandave on Feb 5, 2012 9:16 AM EST reply actions

unfortunately

i feel we’re not a 90 win team. I’ve see some projections that, gasp, have us in 4th in the division.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Feb 5, 2012 11:23 AM EST up reply actions

I would like to make sure that I never subscribe to your newsletter. This may be the least optimistic prediction I’ve seen yet this off-season.

You shouldn’t sip liquor.
-justincredubil02

no, Jack Daniel is whiskey.
-ChopMaster

"Welcome to the show, Brandon Beachy. I think you’re going to stay a while."

by abraves257 on Feb 5, 2012 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

I believe that some of those predictions are based

on how awful our offense was last year The only two teams in our division that have a chance of being better than us are the Phills and Nats . I just don’t see the Marlins staying healthy enough to be able to overcome the double digit wins they finished behind us last year . Hell , even if they stay healthy they may not catch us . I’m on the optimistic side on this one . But I see Heyward having a huge year and having an effect on our offense where it rubs off on some other guys (Uggla , Prado ) to where they put up some close to career best to go along with some pretty good pitching suprises in Beachy and Minor .

I think when the dust settles at the end of the season it will look like this in our division ,

Phillies / Braves (I think these two stay within 10 games of each throughout the until the end)
Braves / Phillies (see above)
Nats (they have improved , but so have we by subtraction and getting guys healthy)
Marlins (I just don’t see them staying healthy and they have quite a few ??’s going into the season)
Mets (enough said)

by bravesdude on Feb 5, 2012 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

I'm cautiously optimistic for this next year.

As long as we don’t suffer any major injuries, we have a really good team.

by rxadam on Feb 5, 2012 9:43 PM EST reply actions

I'll go one step further .

As long as we don’t have a major injury at a position we will be fine . I think our pitching may be able to withstand a hit or two and still be solid enough to compete .

by bravesdude on Feb 6, 2012 12:02 PM EST up reply actions