Baseball Prospectus – Transaction Analysis: The Easts
I assume it’s premium, but it’s not listed that way… Anyway, generally positive comments on the Braves’ postseason moves. Excerpt:
The J.D. Drew trade is what you might call a high-risk, high-reward venture for the Braves. Drew certainly has the potential to hit a ton, and if he can give the Braves 140 games in right field, Atlanta GM John Schuerholz will look like a genius. That’s a pretty hefty ‘if’ though, considering that Drew has never played 140 big league games in a season. The Braves were smart enough to have the Cardinals tack on Eli Marrero to the trade, who can fill in if/when Johnny Estrada struggles and if/when Drew gets hurt. When it comes to playing time, bet on Marrero out of the three.
Also: Thomson is a good pickup, Julio still has platoon value, Matthews can back up Andruw but won’t, Gary Sheffield is insane, and on the relievers: “If Mazzone can boost the fortunes of the aptly-initialed AAAAs, shouldn’t the BBWAA just induct him into the Hall now?”
It weird because I hardly ever agree with BP’s take on anything but the Braves part of this article is exactly what I would have written.
Maybe I need to rethink my positions.
did you guys hear that maddux might go to the mets now that they saved $ on vlad?
also now the cubs have made him an offer
it’s hurtful to see him go anywhere besides atlanta BUT the mets just stings
it’ll be sad if their 1 and 2 guys are maddux and glavine
our hearts will be torn
I think Maddux is headed to the Cubs to be their fifth starter. I think he knows better than to go to New York. It had to hurt when the Padres decided the rather have David Wells though.
why did it hurt to see the padres get wells instead?
they paid wells close to nothing
also if the cubs get him they would NEVER make him the 5 starter….that would be a serious diss…maybe number 3 or maybe even 4…but clement is an idiot
Maddux would be insane to sign with the Mets after what happened to Glavine last year. I figure he goes to the Cubs and we get to hear Chip Caray gush all year about how Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are learning so much at the feet of the master…
Oh, God, no. They’re good enough already. If they learn anything we’re all in trouble.
I personally think Schuerholz did NOT sign Maddux cos he probably wanted to get his own contract extended. Do you think the Time warner exec.s would have taken him seriously if he got maddux for a high value just for sentimental reasons. Even though most of us who read this site love maddux, I think he must have thought about his career first on this one. After all he must have been VERy sentimental about it all (cos maddux was his biggest success story)
I am very anxious to find out who Maddog goes with (even though I know it won’t be us). I think it’s a shame if he goes for 7 million (what the cubs offered him, I think) cos we would have and could have paid him that much.
I got wait to see Clemens vs Maddux
A couple of years ago (June 3, 2000 – thanks retrosheet) Clemens faced Maddux in a game at the Ted. I knew I had to see the game. So I drove to Atlanta and got tickets for seats in straight away centerfield. 9 or 10 Cy Young Awards between them. And what did I get for my efforts? An 11-7 slugfest with Doggie giving up 7 runs and Rocket 6 and neither making it through the 6th inning.
I remember that game. It was the start after Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens went pitch-for-pitch in Yankee Stadium. I believe Trot Nixon ended up homering off of Clemens and the Yankees won, so everybody thought that the next start he had against Maddux would be just as bad ass. But like bamadan said, they both sucked. It was on Fox too, Saturday afternoon game. Ouch…
Yeah, I need to preview my posts before I post it. The Red Sox won, not the Yankees…
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the White Sox outbid the Cubs on maddux. They want to add a veteran starter to their staff, it would give them a shred of the chicagoland limelight and I think they have the money to do it.
Rob: I remember that game as well. Tried to get tickets, but it had been sold our for a while. Btw, Maddux threw a 6-hit shutout in his prior start against the Cubs, so an 11-7 game was probably the last thing anyone expected…
Down at the bottom of this article is a listing of all our NRIs so far. Haven’t seen a list anywhere. Drew’s brother, the former Marlin Chuck Smith and washed up Ranger Ryan Glynn are the highlights.
I wonder if Leo picks any of these guys???
We have now also gained C.J. Nitkowski. I just wonder why Damian Moss is too toxic to be given a chance.
Watch Nitkowski be this year’s Chris Hammond…
Atlanta has signed Russell Branyan to an NRI.
Solid move.
Solid move with virtually no downside. Branyan has some skills that we need – left handed bat, pretty good power, some walks, can play 1B, 3B or the corner OF. I don’t know how much he’ll get paid if he makes the team, but we can bet its not much more than league minimum. I definitely wouldn’t want Branyan as a full time starter, but as a pinch hitter and occassionally spelling DeRosa at 3B, insurance against a LaRoche flop or Drew injury, he seems like a good 25th man option.
On the other hand, I can’t remember the last Three True Outcomes player on the Braves. Branyan’s BA is and always will be ugly. He strikes out a ton and looks bad doing so. A slightly more athletic Rob Deer or Pete Incaviglia. That isn’t the type of offensive player oft times found on a Bobby Cox or John Scheurholz team. Who was the last? Schuerholz with Steve Balboni?
There was a Roeneike on the Braves about 15-20 years ago, but that was pre-Bobby IIRC.