Braves sign veteran reliever White | ajc.com
Gabe White, one year, $650 K. White was brutal last season, putting up a 6.94 ERA, featuring an ungodly 14 homers in 59 2/3 IP. He’s always been a little homer-prone, but it really got away from him last season. His strikeouts are down as well. But he’s been a good pitcher in the past and it’s not a bad idea to give him a try given that he won’t be paid all that much. I’m generally not wild about giving guaranteed money to relievers unless they’re sure things, but this is fairly reasonable. Heck, Tom Martin’s getting $1.9 million and he’s not half the pitcher White was at his best.
i completely agree with you, Mac. White could be this year’s El Pulpo for a lot less money (and a lefty, no less).
Also, a little random speculation here, but the following is from an espn.com article discussing the possible Shawn Green to Arizona deal:
If the Green talks fail, Kendrick said the Diamondbacks have other plans to find a right fielder. The team also expects to acquire a center fielder soon.
“I think that one is going to surprise people,” Kendrick said without elaborating.
i know it’s pure speculation, but do y’all think there is any chance that JS might have an Andruw to Arizona deal in the works? Any players in the desert that might be appealing? Probably reading waaaay too much into that quote, but isn’t that what the offseason is for?
The Braves have no other outfielders, they aren’t going to trade Andruw. I’m guessing they have something with the Mets to pick up Cameron if the Mets get Beltran.
Taken from an ESPN chat from Friday afternoon:
Schaef (Vicksburg, MS): Any idea what the Braves are going to do in the OF?
SportsNation Scott Ridge: Jeff Francoeur is the top prospect in their organization. If he has a decent spring, wouldn’t be surprised if he makes the team. There are rumblings that Brian Jordan could be headed back to Atlanta, but there are still plenty of free agent optionsleft like Danny Bautista or Jeromy Burnitz. Heck, there’s even a former two-time MVP available — Juan Gonzalez.
Probably should have tread that before I posted it because he didn’t actually say much at all.
Milwood’s contract with the Indians is interesting:
“Under the innovative deal with agent Scott Boras, which has not yet been finalized, Millwood will be guaranteed $3 million in salary. He also gets a $4 million signing bonus, but that money is contingent on him not spending more than 20 days on the disabled list for a shoulder or elbow injury sustained while pitching — not fielding or batting.”
I can’t see how the player’s union would allow such a deal. Wait until he’s already been on the 15 day DL once and is eligible in the team’s opinion to go back on yet he feels he can pitch. That could get interesting.
Chris Hammond signed a one year deal for 750k with the Padres. Interesting…I guess he wouldn’t have been a good fit back with the Braves? He had a decent year last year for Oakland.
“Heck, there’s even a former two-time MVP available — Juan Gonzalez.”
I have heard that the Indians have or are close to signing Gonzalez to a minor league deal.
I really think they should try to get Mags Ordonez to sign a nice 1 year incentive laden contract to play RF. A LF platoon with pretty much anyone would be a perfect compliment.
projected lineup
furcal ss
giles 2b
c jones 3b
ordonez rf
a jones cf
franco/laroche 1b
estrada c
francoeur/carroccio lf
Anything’s possible.
White’s OK, certainly not great. He’s got a real cool scruffy reliever look, so he at least has that going for him. I wouldn’t mind taking Farnsworth from the Cubs (anyone hear anything more on that??)
That whole Millwood deal is unreal. I believe he was offered a guaranteed contract worth somewhere in the $40 million range sometime last year and his agent Boras made him turn it down.
OUCH!
I don’t think the Braves have a shot at Mags as long as the Cubs need another OF bat. I just figure that whatever offer the Braves can make to the guy, the Cubs can better it.
It would be interesting to look through teams’ 40 man rosters and non-roster spring training invitees to try to get a sense of what teams are likely to cut loose an OF during spring training (sorta like the Braves did with Matthews last year). I think Mac pointed it out earlier, but a team like the Orioles might be in that situation — having too many quad-A outfielders vying for too few spots.
The Indians got Millwood, 1 year, 7 million.
Haven’t the Braves ben interested in White for a few years now? I think it’s a good chance to take.
The Braves have wanted to get White for like five years now. He finally had a bad enough year that they could afford him. Good move for JS.
Poor Astros didn’t get Beltran and probably won’t get Clemens for another year. Their team looks a lot worse all of a sudden. Good thing they have a stocked farm system… oh wait.
So the Mets now are better with Beltran. But does anyone think they are better than the Braves yet?
He’s not really that much of an upgrade. Mike Cameron is 90 percent of the player Beltran is. The largest difference between the two is simply their home parks. The Mets will probably trade Cameron now, though an outfield with him in right and Beltran in center would be really strong defensively.
Yeah, I don’t really think the Mets are better than the Braves yet, but I just wanted to spark some debate.
Cameron had a down year last year. In a good year, you are right, he isn’t much different than Beltran. Is there any way we could get cameron from them?
Beltran was significantly better than Cameron last year and he’s much younger. However, Cameron makes 1/3rd as much money now. The Mets won’t trade him, because they have no other corner outfielder. I think on paper the Mets are better than the Braves, but then again, I thought that when they had Robbie Alomar and Mo Vaughn. This is why they play the games 🙂
I think the Mets will wish they had signed Al Leiter, who was the anchor of their rotation. I just don’t think they’ll have the pitching to beat the Braves.
I must agree with David. Time and time again, teams have made the playoffs because of pitching and the Braves have arguably the best rotation in baseball. (With the acquisition of Johnson, the Yankees 1-2 is excellent.) I honestly cannot believe that Pedro will win more than 15 games this year as he is perennially hurt and his velocity is no longer higher than 92.
I think that Braves need one more RBI man to make a serious run at the Series. Jones, Jones, and Giles just aren’t going to cut it unless Andruw drives in 130 and hits .320 (no one in their right mind believes this). I like the Ordonez idea, and the Braves like taking chances with people who have a lot of talent and have had some trouble with injuries (i.e. JD Drew) I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see!
Oh, Beltran’s a better player than Cameron. But the actual difference between them right now isn’t really that great, if they were in the same park. (And it’s mostly batting average, which can wildly fluctuate from year to year.) Beltran will be a whole lot better than Cameron in three or four years, but he’s worth maybe two games in the standings over what they had, and they paid a boatload of money for it.
Now, if they get something good back for Cameron (from the D-Backs?) then we’re talking. Right now, they have no first baseman and their middle infielders combine to make one good player.
I think mike cameron is pretty comparable to Andruw Jones, both are elite center fielders with mediocre offensive production. Lots of strikeouts decent walk totals and low batting average. Considering payroll constraints, and the fact that Andruw makes about three times as much as cameron, I’d almost like to see us deal Andruw for a corner outfield bat and then acquire Cameron somehow.
The difference in Jones and Cameron is power and rbi’s. But, I think if Andruw wants to stay a CF he better get in better shape. Every year he seems to add 5 pounds. He is getting round! He didn’t cover the ground he has in the past.
Cameron hit 30 homers and 30 doubles last season. Andruw hit 29 and 34. The biggest difference between the two is that Andruw’s career BA is .268, Cameron’s .248. Cameron draws more walks, Andruw has a smidge more power, but that’s the big reason. And half of that is, again, the parks.
David Pinto at Baseballmusings makes the arguement (via win shares) that the Pedro and Beltran signings only improve the Mets to a .500 team. Remember, this is still pretty much the same team that won only 71 games last year.
Of course, the Braves have lost their best player from last year, weakening them some. Still, I have to believe that they’re better than the Mets, if not the best team in the division.
According to the poll results at espn.com, at least the majority of 21,000+ still think the Braves are the better team. I doubt those are all Braves fans voting so it is nice to see some respect.
Let’s get Cliff Floyd.
Braves signed outfielder Esix Snead to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Our savior has arrived!! Not.
If the Mets get Delgado, they might be up to 85 wins next year. Let’s just hope the pressure is too much for them.
How can they afford to have Martinez, Beltran, and Delgado? Seems like a ton of money tied up in 4 players with Piazza being the other.
Good comment Baldbrave. Check out Esix’s pic on ESPN.com. Can’t even get his hat on straight for his MLB pic.
espn says that Cameron wants out of NY b/c he doesn’t want to play RF, which pretty much means he wouldn’t want to come to the Braves, either. Also, there is talk of Eric Byrnes to Arizona . . . 283/347/467 w/ 20 homers would’ve looked good in RF next year.