Braves Baseball Updates

[Lavabe]

I don't mind Blank getting the Braves, so long as he gets to hold onto the Falcons.
Cheers,
Lavabe

[unexpected]

I'll be the only Ranger fan to post on the boards...

First off, the Rangers haven't sucked for as long as anyone can remember. please. We had some fantastic teams in the 90's, and won our division twice in the past 10 years.

Secondly, I don't even think Teixera is any good. His numbers have gone wayyy down since they started drug testing, and they're also inflated because of our Ballpark.

Squawk all you want about his desire to win, but his agent is Boras- that says something. We offered him 18 million dollars for 7 years - a ridiculous sum of money, and he still turned it down. He may want 20 million, but everyone around him making 20 million is way above his league.

Since we knew he was leaving, it only made sense to trade him. At least we gutted your farm system in the process.

It's been pretty easy for us to get hitters- in the past 5 years, A-Rod, Alfonso Soriano, and Teixera have all been in homer heaven. Let's hope we clear a lot of payroll and gear up to throw 25 million at Santana.

[wilson]

At least we gutted your farm system in the process..

Hardly. Did you glean significant talent in the trade? Sure. But the Braves are widely regarded as having one of the best farm systems in all of professional sports. There are plenty more "prospects" where your new ones came from. Furthermore, John Schuerholz has shown a remarkable ability to know which young players would pan out and which ones wouldn't. That doesn't mean that no prospect he has ever traded has turned out to be a good player. Nevertheless, he has traded numerous "can't-miss" minor leaguers over the years who never sniffed the majors. Furthermore, as he has widely noted in recent days, the reasons for developing a good farm system are twofold: a) to someday produce big league-quality talent. The Braves have obviously done that in recent years, with McCann, Francoeur, Escobar, Andruw, Chipper, et. al. on the club now and countless others (such as Tom Glavine) having contributed significantly to the team's past dominance). b) to produce possible bargaining chips for in-season deals. Schuerholz of course availed himself and the team of that purpose this week.

Let's hope we clear a lot of payroll and gear up to throw 25 million at Santana.

If Santana takes any amount to come and play in that bandbox, I'll eat my shorts, especially when the Twins themselves have made known their intent to build around him and Morneau with a $25 million offer of their own. You can bet the Yankees, Mutts, and Red Sux won't remain silent, either.

Secondly, I don't even think Teixera is any good. His numbers have gone wayyy down since they started drug testing, and they're also inflated because of our Ballpark.

Wrong. In 2005, the first year under the drug-testing policy, Teixeira improved his batting average by 20 points, hit five more home runs, and drove in 32 more runs over the previous season. In 2006, his numbers were virtually exactly the same as in 2004, the last season before drug testing: .282 BA in 2006, .281 in 2004. 110 RBI in 2006, 112 in 2004. Home runs down a bit, but more hits and nearly identical run production (runs scored plus RBI): 209 in 2006, 213 in 2004. When you adjust this total for home runs, his production was slightly better in 2006. While Teixeira's road batting average is a bit lower than his Ballpark at Arlington figure, his overall production is roughly even. In fact, his 2006 road totals were significantly better than his home totals. I'm certainly not wringing my hands over the addition of a switch-hitting, multiple Gold Glove-winning cleanup hitter who, oh by the way, hit a homer last night at Turner Field, a prominent "pitcher's park." Crow all you want about the trade, but I assure you that the Braves aren't going anywhere as a result of one trade. For that matter, neither are the Rangers.

[JasonEvans]

If Santana takes any amount to come and play in that bandbox, I'll eat my shorts, especially when the Twins themselves have made known their intent to build around him and Morneau with a $25 million offer of their own. You can bet the Yankees, Mutts, and Red Sux won't remain silent, either.

FWIW, I see Santana's comments over the past few days about the Twins lack of activity at the trade deadline as an indication that he is none too pleased playing for a team with a very fixed budget. While Minnesoat may be willing to offer him just as much as any other club (even the Yankees), Johan seems like he wants to play for a winner, not for a team that is so hamstrug by his own salary that they cannot surround him with enough other quality players to win a ring.

I see the Yankees and Red Sox breaking the bank for him. Each team will use the money they are currently paying to Schilling and Clements to go after Santana.

-Jason "the pity is that Minnesota is as good as anyone at being good on a tight budget... but Johan thinks they are just not quite good enough" Evans

[unexpected]

If I recall correctly, I thought the Big New Drug Testing policy was put in last year (2006, versus 2005). These sites seem to support this, but they look a bit circumspect:

http://www.drugfreesport.com/insight...D=33&TopicID=6

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-New-ML...licy&id=276529

They say that drug policy was approved in November, 2005 after the World Series. Effective 2006 Season - where he hit 33 dingers and 110 RBIs.

His projected stats for this year are even worse: he's had a horrific start to this year, and is projected to hit 21 dingers and 80 RBIs.

You guys get excited over those numbers? He wasn't even our representative to the All-Star game. He may be a good player, but over 20 million? Pennant-defining guy? I don't think so.

And yea, the Rangers still aren't going to go anywhere, and probably not for a while- which is okay with me. When the time is right, at least we have ownership that's willing to bust out the bank, so I don't mind biding our time trying to develop quality pitching.

[unexpected]

It's been noted that we took the Braves #1, #2, and #3 prospects. I think it's facetious to say thatthe farm system is exactly the way it was before- yes the Braves have drafted really well, and they've done an amazing job of flipping their draft picks into MLB players, but as it stands now, their farm system is significantly worse this Thursday than it was last Thursday.

Additionally, re: Santana, yea, we might not get him because of the Ballpark, but at least it won't be for lack of money. Hicks has said that he won't be outbid for Santana, and we'll have a lot of payroll room to work with.

I'm curious to see what the Yankees do- there was a report today that said Steinbrenner's health might be declining. If they sell the YES network, then they also lose a significant cash source.

[EarlJam]

...so I don't mind biding our time trying to develop quality pitching.

As a long-time suffering Orioles fan, I've been saying this for years. It's ALL about the pitching in baseball. The O's have some good young talent, but they can't seem to get a full rotation over the hump. It's frustrating. We've made some great moves overall in the past though: Like getting rid of Curt Schilling, Pete Harnisch, Steve Finley and a handful of other scrubs I'm sure I'm not thinking of right now.

-EarlJam

[wilson]

Testing was ramped up in 2006, but introduced in 2005:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

His projected stats for this year are even worse: he's had a horrific start to this year, and is projected to hit 21 dingers and 80 RBIs.

Again, you're pretty wrong. That "horrific" start was due in large part to his having missed 30 or so games due to injury. Extrapolated to a full season, your stated numbers still come out to roughly 30 homers and 115 RBI. He did start a bit slowly when he was on he field, but that's all the more evidence that your cited numbers are misleading. He has caught up nicely to his career averages since getting it going, but having started in a hole, of course his season-long numbers are a bit off.

As for the Rangers developing pitching, that's just funny. What pitchers have they developed in the past decade? When your biggest pitching-related splash was the ~$60 million signing of Chan Ho Park, you've got problems.

Furthermore, pretty much everyone who studies/watches/writes about baseball for a living demonstrably disagrees with you, proclaiming the Braves among the "big winners" (if not the big winners) of the trade deadline, right back in the pennant race, and John Schuerholz as the genius he is:

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog...dgammons_peter

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...oop/index.html

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10275066

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...olz/index.html

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[unexpected]

Okay, so real MLB drug testing started in 2006- there was no penalties for doping in 2005.

Teixeira went on the DL June 8th, and came back after the All-Star break. While he did miss 27 games, he was doing absolutely zero in April and the first half of May (before he went absolutely nuts towards the second part of May). I have both him and Andruw Jones (what the heck is wrong with him?)

We have had many decent pitchers play in the Ballpark - we've had Nolan Ryan, Kenny Rogers, and in 1997/1998, we had Rick Helling and Aaron Sele (in 1997 i think they both won 20 games).

As far as pitchers we've developed, yea, we don't have such a great track record. All of the good pitchers we draft, we usually trade to other teams. We've drafted Helling, Kevin Brown, Chris Young (just off the top of my head).

Our current farm system of pitchers is supposed to be pretty good- in fact most of our current pitching staff is home grown. Outside of Millwood, Padilla, and Otsuka, we've pretty much developed the rest of our staff.

Regardless, I think my original point still stands: Given that Teixera was going to leave, I think we made an excellent trade. This trade reminds me a lot of the Carlos Lee trade last year (another ugh!).

[wilson]

Okay, so real MLB drug testing started in 2006- there was no penalties for doping in 2005.

Did you read the article? It clearly stated a 10-game suspension for the first offense. Absurdly light sanctions, to be sure, but sanctions nonetheless. Still solid evidence that your insinuation that Teixeira's best statistical years were ill-gotten was unfounded and borderline libelous (not to mention really, really tacky).

I won't bother with the fact that the good pitching seasons you cited occurred a minimum of ten years ago (and for the record, Nolan Ryan never came close to playing at the Ballpark in Arlington).

[unexpected]

I'm glad that Braves Nation feels like they made a good trade. The "experts" said we made a great trade last year picking up Carlos Lee. Most analysts also said that Brandon McCarthy had a bigger upside that John Danks, and that Adam Eaton had a higher ceiling than Chris Young. ugh.

Sometimes in life, it is possible to have a situation where everyone wins. Most of the media here is greatful that we got rid of him. Too often in Rangers past we sacrifice tomorrow for building today, when there really was no today. We're a terrible team right now. We need to do something to get better. Keeping Tex around wasn't going to make us any better. Him hitting 80 HR's next year still leaves us in the same dumpy hole we're in now.

Embrace Tex if you want, but be forewarned, he has the exact same disposition as McRoberts.

[DevilAlumna]

As a long-time suffering Orioles fan, I've been saying this for years. It's ALL about the pitching in baseball. The O's have some good young talent, but they can't seem to get a full rotation over the hump. It's frustrating. We've made some great moves overall in the past though: Like getting rid of Curt Schilling, Pete Harnisch, Steve Finley and a handful of other scrubs I'm sure I'm not thinking of right now.

-EarlJam

The Moose!

[EarlJam]

The Moose!

May he burn in Hell.

Kidding, but he pretty much chose to leave Baltimore. The O's offered him good money but he still bolted to the Evil Empire. That's like Laettner transfering to UNC.

-EarlJam

[EarlJam]

Okay, not really, but in key series with the Mets, the man is just a bad I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.. Another clutch hit tonight.

Also, great call by the third base coack to wave Kelly Johnson around 3rd. Even had he gotten thrown out, it was the right thing to do.

Lastly, I am in love with John Smoltz too.

-EarlJam

[jimsumner]

Earl, How do you feel about Atlanta's bullpen?

[hc5duke]

Earl, How do you feel about Atlanta's bullpen?

Speaking of which (but not really), it's a good thing EarlJam weren't posting this in the 90s. John Rocker might have a problem with you...

[EarlJam]

Earl, How do you feel about Atlanta's bullpen?

I hate Atlanta's bullpen.

-EarlJam

[Dukerati]

I would throw Andruw Jones off a bridge right now if I saw him. Last night was devestating.

[EarlJam]

I would throw Andruw Jones off a bridge right now if I saw him. Last night was devestating.

Agreed. And it's not a good sign that Smoltz was "flat." Yes, he pitched a gritty game but he struggled. Lacked zip, fire. Not the typical Smoltz.

-EarlJam

P.S. Also, the sky is falling.

[merry]

Our dog's name is Chipper Jones. And no, we don't kick him.