Andrelton Simmons

[Edwards Kings]

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports the Angels have acquired Andrelton Simmons from the Braves.
It had been rumored since late Wednesday that the Braves were discussing Simmons with multiple teams. It's still unknown what the Braves will get in return for the 26-year-old. Simmons batted .265/.321/.338 but is obviously more valuable for his defense. He's still under team control through 2020.



Supposedly got the top two pitching prospects and Aybar from the Angels...but still....



Man....I hate it...I understand it....but I hate it....

[DOUGHBOYS]

That's a pretty good haul for a defensive shortstop.
The Braves sure have a lot of good arms in their system.
Aybar to be flipped before the new stadium opens, I'm sure.

The Angels just made their pitchers a little more appealing for later rounds.
Their middle defense has been mediocre for a long time.
Maybe the new league can jump start Simmons offensive capabilities.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Is Freddie Freeman the only untradeable Brave veteran?
Could he even be traded?

[Teufel Hunden]

Is Freddie Freeman the only untradeable Brave veteran?
Could he even be traded?

I think Freddie is gone also.

[Bronx Yankees]

Is Freddie Freeman the only untradeable Brave veteran?
Could he even be traded?

I think Freddie is gone also.

Imagine Freeman on the Pirates. Now that is a match!

Mike

[Teufel Hunden]

Is Freddie Freeman the only untradeable Brave veteran?
Could he even be traded?

I think Freddie is gone also.

Imagine Freeman on the Pirates. Now that is a match!

Mike

That does seem like a great fit.

1) Salary is reasonable
2) Window is next 3-4 years for Pirates
3) If you are rebuilding then better off blowing it up entirely for picks and save money
4) Pirates have obvious need at 1B
5) Pirates have plenty of prospects to deal

[Edwards Kings]

You guys are killing me....

[Bronx Yankees]

You have my sympathies. Truly, I do not know what the Braves are doing. They want to rebuild? Fine, dump veterans and other high-priced players. But, why would you get rid of a young, Gold Glove shortstop with a manageable contract? Granted, I'm no expert on the guys they got, but isn't Simmons one of the players you are building around? Gloves like his do not grow on trees. Very puzzling. Hang in there. Maybe this trade will look better in a few years.

Mike

[DOUGHBOYS]

I feel for you too, Wayne.
It seems that the Braves really don't know what they want to do till they get their new stadium. For the last year, they don't seem to have a direction, except to stockpile young arms.
Who knows?
Those arms may turn out great.
But until then, their management is like the undecided woman giving direction to the delivery man,
"No, wait, I want the couch there."
"No wait, there!"
"No wait, I want another couch...."

Maybin on the block next?

[Edwards Kings]

I can only hope that, like in the 90's/00's when Chipper was the constant, they keep Freddie. 2016 Braves:

Freeman 1B
Peterson 2B
Aybar SS
Garcia 3B
Olivera LF
Maybin CF (it would really surprise me if he makes it to spring training)
Markakis RF
Pierzynski C

Some will surly change and I see platoon's galore, but if you are the NL East, are you scared yet?

After Teheran and Miller, who knows with the rotation:

Newcomb (surely)
Weber
Wisler
Banuelos

Or further in the minors:

Jenkins RHP
Fried (LHP 22 but only in A ball last year)
Sims (RHP 21 AA)
Ellis (RHP 23 other pitcher in the Simmons trade)

Then you have:
Sanchez (18 from another LAA trade A ball)
Toussaint (RHP 19 A ball)
Allard (LHP 18 R)

Deep and wide, and like Asia, a long way away.

Position players really limited to the low minors with Albies the marque shortstop only being 19 (in January) having only played A ball, 3B Ruiz (from Houston for Oso Blanco) 21, AA and Davidson, OF, 19 also A ball.

I know they are playing for '17, but will the team be ready? Looks more like '18 or '19 to me.

[NorCalAtlFan]

hope is all you/we have wayne.

it was a great move for a team with a bunch of young starting pitchers to deplete their up the middle defense

[DOUGHBOYS]

Man, tht division is a mess!
I know the Mets made the World Series, but a couple of starting pitching injuries, they could be as bad as all the rest.
The Nationals have Harper as their offense.
The Phillies have finally fired the guy that made them the team they are.
The Marlins have some promise, but an owner who shoots himself in the foot and has hired Mattingly.
The Braves belong!

[BEF]

This is a combination baseball and money play. From a baseball side, they got two very good prospects, especially Newcomb, who will be in their rotation in either 2016 or 17. They are also obviously huge believers in their minor league SS prospects.

From the money side, it's pretty clear:

2016: if they keep Aybar for the year, it will cost them a total of $500k. Simmons is signed for $6m and Aybar for $8.5m, but the Angels are paying $2m of that figure.

2017-20: Simmons is due $47m. Their rookie SS, assuming he becomes arb eligible in '20 and is good, will make a total of about $4m.

So bottom line, for the next five years they save a total of around $42m and pick up two cheap but excellent arms.

I think they're following the Mets game plan; overwhelm your opponent with great pitching, live with less defense, and try to put together just enough offense to make it to the next level.

[Teufel Hunden]

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Braves have been shopping first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Several league sources called Freeman "the talk of the Arizona Fall League" as general manager John Coppolella has been talking to several clubs. Prevailing wisdom is that the Braves would like to shed salary this winter, and Freeman is still owed $116.5 million over the next six seasons.

[Bronx Yankees]

I saw that about Freeman. Not surprising given the Simmons trade, I guess, but I really am not sure this is going to be a successful rebuild. If the Braves needed to shed salary that badly, why sign Nick Markakis last year for four years/$44 million? I understand that to rebuild, you have to shed some salaries, but I would have thought that Freeman and Simmons would be the keepers that you rebuild around.

Mike

[Teufel Hunden]

The Hector Olivera trade is even stranger. Could be the Mets success and Nats roster forced the Braves to face the reality that they were not going to compete for NL East for 3-4 years so they needed to change direction.

[Bronx Yankees]

The Hector Olivera trade is even stranger. Could be the Mets success and Nats roster forced the Braves to face the reality that they were not going to compete for NL East for 3-4 years so they needed to change direction.

You're right. I forgot about that trade. If memory serves, they gave up Alex Wood (young, cheap starting pitcher) and Jose Peraza (younger top prospect with minimum salary or thereabouts) for a 30-year-old 3B (who apparently can't play 3B) with a higher contract. Can't remember who else was involved. But, hey, they also picked up Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher toward the end of last year. They'll have a fun time trying to unload those contracts. Puzzling. Not sure this is in response to Nats and Mets though. I think the Nats are looking worse now than they were right before last season started. The Mets had a great year and should have one of best rotations for years to come, but with Cespedes and Murphy exiting via free agency, the jury is out whether the Mets' offense will be reloaded or revert back to a weakness.

Going to be a tough year for Braves fans, I think. Sorry guys.

Mike

[Edwards Kings]

The Hector Olivera trade is even stranger. Could be the Mets success and Nats roster forced the Braves to face the reality that they were not going to compete for NL East for 3-4 years so they needed to change direction.

The Braves sent starting pitchers Alex Wood and Bronson Arroyo, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan and Jose Peraza to the Dodgers. In return, Atlanta got Olivera, reliever Paco Rodriguez and Zachary Bird. All this occurred in late July.

I got this one IF you believe Wood was back end of the rotation (K-rate down, walking people, prone to the blow-up) and had soured on Peraza (good speed, OBP too low to make a leadoff hitter). And the Braves got? Bird (filler), Rodriguez (TJS by mid September), and Olivera, whom they now say will play LF (though I do not buy it) for about $55m over the next five years.

Bu then to trade Simmons and maybe Freeman? I do not get it. The Braves may now be stacked in young (unproven) arms, but where is the OF going to come from in '17? Catcher? Right side of the infield?

I have proven time and time again I do not know nothing from nothing, but this is confusing.

[DOUGHBOYS]

When free agency began, the biggest knock against it, from a fan's point of view was that there was now no sense of loyalty from players. This is the first case of a franchise having no loyalty to their fans.
Who do Atlanta fans come out and root for?
Just the uniform.
Most won't really know a name. Those that know some baseball will recognize the names 'Markakis' and 'Pierzynski', but mostly because of things they've done with other teams.
I flat out do not know what the Braves are up to.

[Edwards Kings]

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Braves general manager John Coppolella strongly denied that the team is considering trading Freddie Freeman.

There's been all sorts of chatter about Freeman's future after last week's trade of Andrelton Simmons, but Coppolella tried to put the speculation to rest. "I cannot make it any more clear: We are not trading Freddie Freeman," said Coppolella. "We are not. I’d give my right arm before we trade Freddie Freeman. It is not happening." You can't blame fans for being skeptical about those words, but the Braves are rebuilding with aim of being competitive when they move into their new suburban ballpark in 2017 and (as of now) they want Freeman to be a part of it. The 26-year-old is under contract through 2021.



It ain't much...but its sumptin....

[Teufel Hunden]

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Braves general manager John Coppolella strongly denied that the team is considering trading Freddie Freeman.

There's been all sorts of chatter about Freeman's future after last week's trade of Andrelton Simmons, but Coppolella tried to put the speculation to rest. "I cannot make it any more clear: We are not trading Freddie Freeman," said Coppolella. "We are not. I’d give my right arm before we trade Freddie Freeman. It is not happening." You can't blame fans for being skeptical about those words, but the Braves are rebuilding with aim of being competitive when they move into their new suburban ballpark in 2017 and (as of now) they want Freeman to be a part of it. The 26-year-old is under contract through 2021.



It ain't much...but its sumptin....

Looks like Freddie better learn to signal to the bullpen with his right leg or something. Because this has the look of an owner telling the media that a coach has his full support while they prepare to drop the axe the following week. At the very least it should help with season ticket sales and possibly drive up the asking price a little bit.

Seems to me the Braves would be foolish to spend money on being competitive until 2018 anyway. The first year the new stadium is open they will draw plenty of fans who just want to check out the new digs.