Memo to the Braves

[WraithSentinel]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

If we do not want to go through another Mike Hampton deal stay away from this guy. He was a huge risk to begin with. Now he is nothing more than damaged goods.

[DrReality]

I wonder how much Schurholz will play in moving forward . . . . would hope to have his input on our moves. Can't say I know much about the new GM.

[Admin]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

If we do not want to go through another Mike Hampton deal stay away from this guy. He was a huge risk to begin with. Now he is nothing more than damaged goods.

I'd say the same about staying away from Sabathia as well. The Indians rode him fairly hard but the Brewers have absolutely used this kid and it's only a matter of time before his body breaks down.

[Atlsportfanz]

Well, the Braves simly have to pursue FA pitching. Which is something that most teams are not letting slip away. So the Braves might have to hope to hit on a couple of boom/bust type players like Sheets. I would prefer they stay away from him but if they are serious about being a championship team again, that's likely the road they are going to have to go down.

They simply don't have the trade bait in their farm system to get any true #1 or #2 starters back in trades.

[WraithSentinel]

CC is built for the heavy work load. Braves are in need of pitching. Sheets is just too much of a risk for what he is going to want which is around $12-$15 mil per.

[Admin]

CC is built for the heavy work load. Braves are in need of pitching. Sheets is just too much of a risk for what he is going to want which is around $12-$15 mil per.

Most pitchers that pitch so many long games break down at some point and he has a lot of innings on his arm for being as young as he is. I would just be worried to give him a big contract if I were a GM.

[AnakinJoe]

I'd like to see them make a run at Ryan Dempster (yeah, I know that he sucked last night but he has another good 4-5 years in him) and Oliver Perez (just reaching his prime). Both of those guys are in a grouping below CC, Garland & Lowe. But they are young enough that they should still be very good when Hudson returns in '10. And their price tag should be reasonable.

I also hope that Wren goes hard after a big-time bat. Our only 2 prime-time run producers are incapable of playing 155 games/season... Chipper due to injuries and McCann due to his position. I'd like to think Escobar will be great when healthy and that KJ can be a .300 hitter with 80 RBIs as he becomes more consistent. But that's a guess, based on limited data. I'd take Adam Dunn and his 200 KOs in a heart-beat.

[AHF]

Perez and Dempster are probably the kind of guys we will end up gambling on. With FA pitching there are always going to be huge gambles whether they are gambling on Curt Schilling, Barry Zito, Mike Hampton, Tim Hudson, etc.

I don't think we can be a team that is dumping $20M/year into a pitcher given where we are right now.

[frosgrim]

AJ Burnett, if he opts out, is the guy the Braves really need to push for. He's had some durability issues, but not like Sheets. A few others that I think might make good additions:

Lowe, he's up and down, but is an innings eater and can be very effective

Jon Garland- enigmatic pitcher than can be really on or really off. Might be worth a try if the price is right

Randy Wolf- again a middle of the road pitcher, but pitched 190+ innings and is servicable.

The facts are that there just isn't much in the way of FA this season, either in pitching or in hitters. The best hitters available aren't that great outside of Mark Texiera, whom we won't sign. Here is what I see in the way of power hitters that are available. It isn't much:

Dunn

Giombi

Sexson

Kent (dudes 41!)

Hank Blalock (club option, so he could be available- but has a long history of injury now)

Gabe Kapler (that he makes this list shows how poor the talent is in the FA market)

Juan Rivera (enigmatic player that has issues, but can hit)

What it comes down to is that I think the Braves will make a hard run at one FA pitcher. From Wren's interivews it sounded like Sheets was a guy he was considering. I would go after Burnett instead.

Possible rotation:

Burnett

Jurgens

Hampton (yes, I know, but is there really a better option out there?)

Parr

Morton

Not great, but has potential. Hudson might be ready for August, which would be a huge boost late in the season.

I think the power hitting LFer is going to come in a trade. The Braves have some infield talent that can be moved. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see the Braves make a multiplayer move that could include Kotchman and/or Francouer to get a pitcher and a power hitting outfielder.