Monday, April 6, 2020

Hot Stove League Review: Braves


The Braves are coming off back-to-back NL East championships, have a nice core of brilliant young players and a strong farm system.  Having said that, it remains to be seen if they come out of this year's Hot Stove League with as good a team as they started let alone better.  Key Moves:

Free Agents Lost:  Josh Donaldson(3B), Dallas Keuchel(LHP), Julio Tehran(RHP), Matt Joyce(OF), Jerry Blevins(LHP), Billy Hamilton(OF), Francisco Cervelli(C), Anthony Swarzak(RHP), John Ryan Murphy(C).

Free Agents Signed:  Will Smith(LHP- 3 years/$40 M), Marcell Ozuna(OF-1 yr/$18 M), Cole Hamels(LHP-1yr/$18 M), Travis D'Arnaud(C- 2 yr/$16 M), Chris Martin(RHP-re-sign), Nick Markakis(OF-re-sign), Tyler Flowers(C-re-sign), Darren O'Day(RHP-re-sign), Adeiny Hecheverria(SS).

Trades:  None.

Minor League Free Agents:  Felix Hernandez(RHP), Josh Tomlin(RHP), Charlie Culberson(IF), Yonder Alonso(1B), Chris Rusin(LHP), Yangervis Solarte(IF), Peter O'Brien(C), Rafael Ortega(OF).

Summary:  A mixed bag here.  Ozuna is an upgrade in the OF at a nice price but doesn't fill the hole left by Josh Donaldson at 3B. Will Smith helps the bullpen if he is fully healthy which I am not convinced of, but at a big price.  Hamels might have some gas left in the tank but had shoulder issues in spring training.  Braves have to hope Austin Riley can get is K's under control and some of their pitching prospects can get over the AAA-MLB hump.

Grade:  C.
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 7, 2020 at 11:45 AM

    And they can resign Jerry Blevins -- think they want him?
    The East will be a beast although losing Syndergaard and Wheeler isn't going to help the Mets (Porcello & Wacha?).
    Syndergaard is always injured. An entry in MLB.com:

    July 23, 2018 New York Mets placed RHP Noah Syndergaard on the 10-day disabled list. Hand, foot and mouth disease.

    Is that a joke?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 7, 2020 at 5:18 PM

    As General Manager of the Dodgers, Zaidi traded Yordan Alvarez for Josh Fields August 1, 2016.
    It was good for a while.
    The guy who signed Alvarez in Cuba -- apparently the only person in the organization who knew him -- must have gone out that night and started a week-long binge.
    The paid $2M Because they were over, the penalty doubled it.

    OTOH, FZ may be ecstatic right now that he did that!

    ReplyDelete

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