We suck.
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We suck.
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JC’ed
Gattis is not young…
What he is is large and slow, and likely to become larger and slower imminently, seems to be the Braves’ assessment.
For all of the people who want to move Gattis to LF for more playing time, please go look at any sabermetrics site. We already have a subpar LF defensively, but over the course of a full season, he would look like a gold glove winner compared to what Gattis would average out to be. For every HR he gave us, he would cost us a run, so it cancels out in the end.
Also, the people thinking Gattis is a potential 40 HR man behind plate should look at history. 40 HRs by a catcher in one season has only happened 5 times. 2 of those times were by Mike Piazza. It would be 6 times, but I was just going by the HRs they hit while actually playing catcher that season
Also, there have only been 33 catchers in history with seasons where he has had more than 30 HRs. I have supplied a link to the list I used for this information.
http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/30hr.htm
Take a look at that list. Gattis cannot keep up as a hitter with most people on that list aside from the occasional person who just had a career year. It is not just a power game either I am referring to. Many of the catchers on that list were just good pure hitters.
Now, I love watching Gattis play. He is exciting. I just think with the way history goes with catchers that it makes sense to explore trade opportunities for a player that could help improve this team 150-162 games a year instead of one that is only going to get 120 tops.
Everybody talks about losing his power in the lineup. Who cares about the power. If we can get a true leadoff presence in the deal and perhaps get rid of a bad contract in the process, our team improves. Look at J. Upton and Freeman’s seasons. No one can tell me that there total numbers would not be better if they had people on consistently in front of them.
Also, there will be some of you who say some of those catchers HR totals were inflated by PEDs. This will only strengthen my argument that expecting a catcher who sits 1-2 games a week to contribute with high HR totals is asking a lot. The others on the list played before the PEDs era back when catchers played everyday which is not the case in today’s game.
John Rocker is going to be on the next season of Survivor. I guess they needed someone to appeal to the loudmouth racist demographic.
@2
Good point.
Most people here talk about how losing one of our top hitters on an already struggling offensive team is a stupid idea. It seems to me that most people are not thinking about the implications of a deal with Gattis.
Gattis would not be a straight up trade, and if he was, the Braves really should fire their front office. A Gattis trade should only happen if it allows us to unload a bad contract such as a B.J. or possibly a Johnson. I prefer to unload B.J. myself because there is still a little hope for Johnson whereas I have no hope for B.J.
Perhaps we get a true leadoff hitter in the deal or a decent bat for corner OF or 3rd base. Perhaps we get a good arm. It is all good. The true benefit of the deal though would be the money saved by unloading a bad contract.
I do not think people realize how strapped for cash the Braves are budget wise over the next couple of seasons. The money saved from unloading a bad contract could help us improve multiple positions. Yes, we would downgrade at catcher somewhat, but could upgrade in the OF, IF, and bench depending on how the money was spent.
Gattis is a true rarity at catcher with his power, but he is 28 years old with an injury history. The position will not get any easier on his body. I am not saying go with Bethancourt and Laird back there which is what I think many people think is the case if we get rid of Gattis.
We can always explore what is available in free agency catcher wise. We might not ever get to a combo of catchers who hit 20 HRs, but if we can get 15 HRs and a .260 average out of a platoon catcher situation and upgrade on several other spots on our team via the trade and money saved. It is something that must be done.
Gattis is making barely the league minimum. It is literally insane for a mid-market, cost conscious team with no offense to trade our most cost-productive hitter. Insane. The only possible justification for doing so is if they expect him to fall off a cliff in the near future and so want to secure a return before that happens.
@5 What about trading him with BJ for a prospect?
Gosselin is in for CJ today. Expect a third-baseman who runs to first when there is a double-play ball. Expect a win.
@5
Gattis is just another streaky batter in a group of streaky batters. The one difference is he is a streaky batter that only plays in 75% of the games in a season. Yes, he is cost efficient, but he is eye candy for any AL team thinking he is a 40 HR guy.
Do I think Gattis is a 30-40 HR a year guy? Yes, I do, but not while he is in the NL only playing 75% of the games. The guy is 28 years old with a history of injuries. The position of catcher is not going to get any easier on his body.
I am not saying give him up for nothing. This would be madness and a true reason to get rid of the front office. I say get rid of him only if the right trade offer comes along. Gattis is a catcher. Catcher is not a position that is untouchable in the NL unless you are freak athlete because we do not have the luxury of a DH. Gattis is not a freak athlete. He is not built for agility which means injuries are a near certainty unless given regular rest from the catcher position.
In the end, Baseball is a business. If a trade comes along this winter that involves Gattis that potentially makes the team better, it will probably be made. We will have all of next season to figure out if it was the right move or not. Contrary to popular belief, I do believe the makeup of this team will look different next year. I have no idea what positions it might involve, but this season has shown that we need a few consistent bats in our lineup who aren’t all built around big time streaks.
Freeman is here for the long run, and I believe the same for Heyward and Simmons, too. All other positions are up for grabs.
I know what many of you are already thinking with that comment. What about Justin Upton? I ask, how many of y’all actually think we will be able to afford Justin Upton after next season?
I do think Justin Upton is still here next year, but I would not put my life on it. There have definitely been stranger things happen in the past. We all talk about Gattis cause he is the easy target as a package with B.J. What if the actual B.J. package involves the other Upton brother, and we do end up with Gattis as an everyday LF?
Ah, this winter should be an interesting one.
@5 Anything is dependent on the details, obviously. It would just have to be a damn good prospect to replace the kind of low-cost production Gattis provides, and I don’t see how we could both get that and convince a team to take BJ. So I just don’t see that being a net positive for the team, unless we’re giving up on the next couple years, in which case that kind of trade can make more sense.
It’s just rather unusual to try and improve by dealing from a position of weakness (offense).
A 3-3.5 WAR catcher is much harder to find than a 3-3.5 WAR left fielder.
Gattis isn’t yet a 3 WAR catcher. And the question is, is it reasonable to expect him to be one next year? I’m not so sure that it is.
@11 He’s on pace for 3 fWAR right now. Slightly less rWAR.
Gattis’ Oliver WAR projections for the next five years:
2.2
2.2
2
1.5
1.3
That ain’t nothing. I remain cautiously optimistic that we can get a really good return that’ll help us relatively soon.
I give projections less weight in his case than usual, given they are based on comparisons to players that didn’t take 4 years off.
Jason finally remembered we’re playing the Mets.
Nobody regurgitates a lead as efficiently as these guys.
Good thing the lead was just un-regurgitated. Don’t think too much about that image; I didn’t.
This is one Bonifacio away from being the best lineup the braves have trotted out all year.
Jim and Don were just on the radio raving about how great Walker and Fletcher are. I can’t remember the last time I heard that.
Did Chip just say in order for baseball to increase offensive numbers that they should widen the strike zone? Did I hear that right? That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard him say.
@20, It was hard to follow. But I think he said if umpires were calling the ball an inch off the black, it would force hitters to swing more, which would mean more balls in play, which means you’d have fewer strikeouts and more hits and more offense, which is what makes baseball fun.
If you think about it, it does have a certain kind of logic that makes absolutely no sense.
I think what Chip wants is for the game to be shorter so he can go home.
Pick it, Simba. Oh, yeah.
WOW, Simmons. I thought for sure that was a clean hit!
Words can’t describe how good that was
AN-DREL-TON! whoo-hoo
I have tears in my eyes, that play was so beautiful.
Simmons is the best shortstop I have ever seen
I’m not sure anyone else who has ever played baseball could have made that play. That’s how seriously good it was.
Geez, Kimbrel, please don’t do this to us…
Win: Terehan
Save: Andrelton
Comparing to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxzR0RKRWTQ looks like Andrelton ranges deeper into the outfield grass and further to his right. Didn’t get as much on the throw as ol’ Jeets did, but it’s basically unbelievable that he got to it and was able to make any kind of throw, let alone actually make the out. Good job, Andrelton.
And remember Citi Field is one of the spots testing out that fancy defensive wizardry this year. I hope we get to watch that one like we got to watch Heyward’s catch last year when they announced the gizmo.
Exactly, Edward. Lots of shortstops can range deep in the hole and make a tough throw. But not going that far right AND that deep. Jeter was barely on the outfield grass. And throw in the situation (tying run coming from 3rd in the bottom of the 8th).
We still suck. Glad we accidentally won. 3 runs a game is getting beyond old.
Recapped.