Ender Inciarte sucks. He probably would’ve not sucked in 2019 if he’d have stayed healthy, but the hammy turned his Grammy nominated defense into Alanis Morrisette’s “Ironic”, which isn’t ironic in the slightest, rather just bad luck, and the defense rests… in negative Outs Above Average according to Statcast. When speed deteriorates, defense is the first go to and Ender plays a position that needs legs. They gone…. and they’re not coming back. Braves owe him a prorated $8.7MM for the 2021 season and a buyout of $1MM for his 2022 option. That’s going to get declined faster than Lindsey Lohan’s credit cards. It’s time to move on. At this point, he’s costing the team wins. It’s time to move on. AA, you’re not going to recoup the money. This hypothetical only works if Ender is gone. I’m going to pretend that AA knows this, so…Onward and Upward!

Ender, Need a Buddy?

For this hypothetical to work, there needs to be a 2nd deletion. I’ve enjoyed the heck out of Ehire Adrianza. He’s been a solid defender that’s covered all over. However, in this scenario, the Braves will be adding flexibility that should relieve Adrianza of his super-utility duties. We appreciate you, Ehire, and wish you the best whether it be with the Stripers or another MLB club.

Ender DFA’d, Adrianza DFA’d. 2 Roster spots open.

A Trade

This isn’t the trade that will turn the team around, but it is a trade that adds a solid bat, a solid glove, and provides a little more flexibility via position. It also gets rid of a problem that just won’t go away. Sean Newcomb has likely one of the highest ceilings in the Braves organization…but he just can’t throw strikes regularly. While the velo is extraordinary, teams have picked up on his inability to throw strikes and will continue to keep the bats on shoulders until that turns around. There’s a chance that Newcomb will go elsewhere and ball out but it’s year 5 and it’s time to see him get an opportunity in another uni.

The Deal:

Some are going to question either side of this and I get it. Why would the Diamondbacks want Sean Newcomb? Why would the Braves want Asdrubel Cabrera? First, the Diamondbacks would want Sean Newcomb for the same reason the Braves have wanted him these last 4.5 years…potential. The arm is elite. If they unlock his command, they’ve got a real stud on their hands. As for Cabrera, he’s got so much value as a part time starter and bench bat. He’s a veteran switch-hitting bat with a mid-700s career OPS from both sides of the plate. As a 7th-8th hitter in a lineup, that has value. As the first hitter off the bench, it has a lot of value. Consistency is key and he’s provided it for 15 years straight.

The 2nd Move

With this move, the Braves are now in need of a backup SS as Ehire Adrianza will no longer be serving in that role. Orlando Arcia has really come on at AAA and his defense have never been questioned. His K% has dropped dramatically and his power is blazing…and it’s not just the ball at AAA. He’s demolishing baseballs and has kept it going all year. This man deserves a promotion and he’ll get it in this hypothetical.

The Benefits

There are a lot of benefits here, mainly from an offensive perspective. However, Cabrera is about a neutral defensive 3B and that plays better than what we’ve seen from Austin Riley this year. This also helps the Braves create matchups vs. starting pitchers whether it be moving Riley to the OF and letting Arcia and Cabrera coexist at 3B, or have Almonte and Heredia platoon in CF providing both with less exposure which would likely aid in maintaining effectiveness.

Hypothetical Lineups

vs. RHP

  1. Ronald Acuna Jr.
  2. Freddie Freeman
  3. Ozzie Albies
  4. Austin Riley (LF)
  5. Asdrubal Cabrera (3B)
  6. William Contreras
  7. Guillermo Heredia
  8. Dansby Swanson

vs. LHP

  1. Ronald Acuña Jr.
  2. Freddie Freeman
  3. Ozzie Albies
  4. Abraham Almonte (still cannot believe this is happening)
  5. Austin Riley (LF)
  6. William Contreras
  7. Orlando Arcia (3B)
  8. Dansby Swanson

YOU MUST READ THIS PARAGRAPH!

This plan isn’t fool proof and there’s a large chance that both Heredia and Almonte turn back into pumpkins, but it’s a step toward helping out the team’s offense and defense in one blow without hurting the farm. If Braves are going anywhere, they’ll need to make big moves in the bullpen and add a SP. This doesn’t deter from that plan.

Thoughts?

Tonight’s Lineup

Degrom vs. Muller. Here. We. Go.