Braves land Upton...the other Upton

[PaladinFan]

Atlanta swings a deal pending physicals that will send Justin Upton and Chris Johnson to Atlanta, and Martin Prado, Randall Delgado (RHP), Nick Ahmed (SS), and Zeke Spruill (RHP).

Deal will give the Braves both Upton brothers manning left and center for at least the next three years. The Braves now have three very good defensive outfielders, each of whom is a 20/20 guy. Puts Atlanta squarely in the conversation with Washington as "team to beat" in the National League.

Hate to see Prado go, as he is a fan favorite, but you gotta give something to get something. Braves managed to keep their top prospects. I imagine Johnson will compete with the Roadrunner, Juan Francisco, for the starting 3B job.

[AshevilleApp2]

Nice move.

[PaladinFan]

Atlanta does not have a true leadoff guy. Prado was the likely candidate (though he's not a true leadoff hitter).

Lineup has a ton of power, adds two right handed bats (an area of weakness in the past), but will likely compile a ton of strikeouts as well. Still, that's as formidable a lineup as there is in the NL right now.

[asumike83]

Maybe B.J. Upton will lead off? Has the wheels to steal 40+ bags but strikes out too much and doesn't have the OBP you want from that spot.

Love the outfield now but I hate losing Prado. He is one of the most versatile, underrated players in baseball. I heard the reason that Atlanta was willing to part ways is because he will be seeking a multi-year extension in the $11M-$12M/year range. Makes the deal a bit easier to swallow because I don't think they would have paid that much to keep him.

[PaladinFan]

Maybe B.J. Upton will lead off? Has the wheels to steal 40+ bags but strikes out too much and doesn't have the OBP you want from that spot.

Love the outfield now but I hate losing Prado. He is one of the most versatile, underrated players in baseball. I heard the reason that Atlanta was willing to part ways is because he will be seeking a multi-year extension in the $11M-$12M/year range. Makes the deal a bit easier to swallow because I don't think they would have paid that much to keep him.

BJ is probably too much power and too many strikeouts to leadoff. I'd play Heyward there.

As someone put it, "would you trade me your best player for a bunch of guys we can live with out?" Sure.

I get the impression the Prado re-signing deal was a catalyst. Prado and the Braves did not agree on an arbitration number, but were not so far off that it seemed worth worrying about (maybe $400k). Seems like he was eyeing free agency anyway (and probably an opportunity to be a starter at one position).

[citdog]

Prado was one of my favorite Braves but when you look at Chris Johnson's numbers it seems like the Braves have been able to acquire a starting outfielder and a third basemen to push Francisco and that they basically got the same offensive player back (johnson) for Prado. The only thing that Johnson doesn't do that is similar to Prado is play EVERY position.

[PaladinFan]

Prado was one of my favorite Braves but when you look at Chris Johnson's numbers it seems like the Braves have been able to acquire a starting outfielder and a third basemen to push Francisco and that they basically got the same offensive player back (johnson) for Prado. The only thing that Johnson doesn't do that is similar to Prado is play EVERY position.

Johnson's respectable. He was a starting player for the Astros and Diamondbacks, and is under team control for another several years. Granted, I think half of us could make a run at starting for the Astros.

Neither he nor Francisco are Chipper Jones. Simmons is an elite defender at shortstop, so you probably just have to catch balls hit to you, and not suck at the plate, to contribute at third. I think both Johnson and Francisco are capable of being a .250 hitter with 15 or so homers. That will be just fine in this lineup.

[citdog]

Johnson's respectable. He was a starting player for the Astros and Diamondbacks, and is under team control for another several years. Granted, I think half of us could make a run at starting for the Astros.

Neither he nor Francisco are Chipper Jones. Simmons is an elite defender at shortstop, so you probably just have to catch balls hit to you, and not suck at the plate, to contribute at third. I think both Johnson and Francisco are capable of being a .250 hitter with 15 or so homers. That will be just fine in this lineup.


what to do with Jordan Schafer? I don't believe he has the mental ability to do what Hinske did and sit around for eight innings and then be ready to pinch hit when the game is on the line in the 9th. He also doesn't have the pop to fill that role either. Richmond bound?

i know the AAA team is no longer in Richmond but i have to think about where it is now and i fear change.

[Gil Dobie]

Braves are looking good this year.

[TTUEagles]

Simmons will be the leadoff guy...I'm just hoping McCann and Uggla show up this year.

[PaladinFan]

what to do with Jordan Schafer? I don't believe he has the mental ability to do what Hinske did and sit around for eight innings and then be ready to pinch hit when the game is on the line in the 9th. He also doesn't have the pop to fill that role either. Richmond bound?

i know the AAA team is no longer in Richmond but i have to think about where it is now and i fear change.

It is an interesting question.

My guess is that there are really three open spots on the Braves' bench. Of the five roster spots, I think one will go to Gerald Laird (or Pagnozzi until McCann returns), and one to Reed Johnson (OF - RH).

One spot will go, I think, to either Ernesto Mejia or Chris Johnson (newly acquired) as a righthanded corner infielder. Johnson has a bit more versatility as he can play third, but Mejia has that raw "hit it to the moon power." With the lineup strong, I think Johnson will get that spot and Mejia to AAA.

One spot will go to a utility player/middle infielder. That will either be Ramiro Pena, Tyler Pastornicky, or Paul Janish. Pena may have the inside because he is (1) on a major league deal, and (2) a switch hitter.

One final spot, I think, will go to a useful pinch runner. Pastornicky, Schafer, and Constanza seem to be the likely candidates here. I think Schafer might get the inside leg here (1) he's left handed, and (2) he is out of options (I think). I'm less concerned with the defense, as both Schafer and Constanza are fairly decent fielders. With that trio in the outfield, I'm not sure there will be many balls finding grass out there.

Still, Atlanta will have good depth at all positions if and when called upon.

[PaladinFan]

Simmons will be the leadoff guy...I'm just hoping McCann and Uggla show up this year.

I don't mind Uggla. Yes, he strikes out a ton. He also lead the NL in walks. Despite hitting .220, he still had 19 homers. If he is just moderately better (even if the walks come down), he helps the Braves immensely.

Besides, you are talking about a second baseman that potentially could hit .240 and 20+ homers out of the seven hole. Braves will go lefty-righty-lefty pretty much down the entire order, and you are talking about 7-8 hitters that are legitimate 20+ homer guys.

[I Bleed Purple]

Simmons
Older Upton
Hayward
Younger Upton
Freeman
Uggla
McCann
3rd Base

Swap McCann out for 3rd base while McCann is recovering. Keeps the left right thing going for the entire year.

[citdog]

Simmons
Older Upton
Heyward
Younger Upton
Freeman
Uggla
McCann
3rd Base

Swap McCann out for 3rd base while McCann is recovering. Keeps the left right thing going for the entire year.

That's a pretty stout lineup right there.

there will be some swinging and missing though.

[seantaylor]

Atlanta swings a deal pending physicals that will send Justin Upton and Chris Johnson to Atlanta, and Martin Prado, Randall Delgado (RHP), Nick Ahmed (SS), and Zeke Spruill (RHP).

Deal will give the Braves both Upton brothers manning left and center for at least the next three years. The Braves now have three very good defensive outfielders, each of whom is a 20/20 guy. Puts Atlanta squarely in the conversation with Washington as "team to beat" in the National League.

Hate to see Prado go, as he is a fan favorite, but you gotta give something to get something. Braves managed to keep their top prospects. I imagine Johnson will compete with the Roadrunner, Juan Francisco, for the starting 3B job.

That is a ton of strikeouts coming from that outfield. And neither Upton is good defensively, not sure where you got that idea.

I'm not sure the Braves are even the second best team in the NL East this coming season, though they should finish there. The Nats are the team to beat in the entire MLB, and have just improved their only weaknesses through free agency with a bonafide lead off hitter, Haren replacing Jackson will be the best #5 in baseball, and Soriano to strengthen the pen. Not to mention full seasons out of Harper, Strasburg, Storen, Werth, and Ramos

[PaladinFan]

That is a ton of strikeouts coming from that outfield. And neither Upton is good defensively, not sure where you got that idea.

I'm not sure the Braves are even the second best team in the NL East this coming season, though they should finish there. The Nats are the team to beat in the entire MLB, and have just improved their only weaknesses through free agency with a bonafide lead off hitter, Haren replacing Jackson will be the best #5 in baseball, and Soriano to strengthen the pen. Not to mention full seasons out of Harper, Strasburg, Storen, Werth, and Ramos

I have no problem saying the Nationals are the team to beat. They had the best record. Still, the Braves finished 4 games back with 94 wins. So, it is not as though they are trailing the pack by a substantial margin.

The Braves and the Nationals will battle strongly for the division title. This has probably been Atlanta's strongest offseason since 1993, when Greg Maddux came to town. The Braves have bolstered their lineup, strengthened their bench, became more right handed, and improved what was already the best bullpen in baseball by adding Jordan Walden. It's been a good winter.

I'm under no preconceptions that the losses of Jones and Prado won't hurt somewhere. Those guys are fantastic players, and one is perhaps the best third baseman in the past 30 years. I still think the Braves have positioned themselves nicely to make a play for the division. In the winter, that's about all you can ask for.

[LeadBolt]

The real questions for the Braves are: 1). Will they stay healthy; 2). Who becomes the clubhouse leader with Jones & Prado gone; & 3). Will these guys gel together or fall apart from in-fighting?

[cbarrier90]

SoCon fans unite!

Great job by Frank Wren to bolster the lineup and the bullpen to protect Fredi from himself. Surely he can't screw this up, can he?

[bulldog10jw]

Justin Upton is not that good defensively. Maybe he will be better in left field than he was in right.

[PaladinFan]

The real questions for the Braves are: 1). Will they stay healthy; 2). Who becomes the clubhouse leader with Jones & Prado gone; & 3). Will these guys gel together or fall apart from in-fighting?

I think the question of health is a concern for any team. Few make it through a 162 game season unscathed, and virtually none can withstand the prolonged absence of key players. Every team has questions heading into a season, no matter how stout they are on paper.

The Jones/Prado question is a good one. Unanswerable, probably. One point not often mentioned, though, is the Braves "corporate culture." Unlike most MLB teams, the entire Braves system (but Lynchburg) is owned by the same group. These guys that come up in the system are taught "Braves baseball" from rookie ball up to the majors. Whenever someone steps down, they bring in someone else who understands the system and how things are done right into their place.

You cannot replace Chipper Jones. We all understood that dynasty for the mid 90s-mid 2000s would eventually pass the torch. That already occurred smoothly with the front office. It occurred smoothly with the manager. Now we get to see if it will occur smoothly to the field as well. New generation just takes over where the last left off.

[PaladinFan]

Justin Upton is not that good defensively. Maybe he will be better in left field than he was in right.

Certainly. Less of a premium on leftfield defense. He's not Andruw Jones, but he's not Raul Ibanez either.

[ASU_Fanatic]

Ahhhh man I like the same team as citdog. Oh well, Braves and Nationals are preseason two best teams in baseball. I hate giving up Prado he was one of my favorites but we weren't resigning him anyways. Key is Uggla, he has been a major disappointment. Well I'm ready for this season, please no injury bug and I hope we win the division. It was ridiculous we were like 7 games better than St. Louis last year and had 1 game to prove it

[PaladinFan]

Ahhhh man I like the same team as citdog. Oh well, Braves and Nationals are preseason two best teams in baseball. I hate giving up Prado he was one of my favorites but we weren't resigning him anyways. Key is Uggla, he has been a major disappointment. Well I'm ready for this season, please no injury bug and I hope we win the division. It was ridiculous we were like 7 games better than St. Louis last year and had 1 game to prove it

Not to mention a 222 foot "infield fly" that probably cost the Braves the game.

[Gil Dobie]

Ahhhh man I like the same team as citdog. Oh well, Braves and Nationals are preseason two best teams in baseball. I hate giving up Prado he was one of my favorites but we weren't resigning him anyways. Key is Uggla, he has been a major disappointment. Well I'm ready for this season, please no injury bug and I hope we win the division. It was ridiculous we were like 7 games better than St. Louis last year and had 1 game to prove it

San Fran and Detroit might beg to differ.

[ASU_Fanatic]

Not to mention a 222 foot "infield fly" that probably cost the Braves the game.

we were still down by like 4 runs.

[PaladinFan]

we were still down by like 4 runs.

It was still an uphill battle. Braves were down three in the eighth.

Still, if the play was correctly called, it is bases loaded with one out. Recall the next hitter walked, which would have plated another run. You then have a 6-4 game, 1 out, and Bourn and Prado to give you just a single to tie it. Would the Braves have won? Probably not. But you'd have at least liked for them to have let the players decide that inning.

At the end of the day, the moral here is that as long as MLB wants to do this weird wildcard one game playoff, you need to win the division.