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2020-21 Braves Offseason Thread


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11 minutes ago, tl;dr said:

With them doing stuff to the balls to make them not fly as much, I'm not sure he is worth as much as he was with us. 

The Braves still don't have a legit 4th outfielder unless the plan is to go with Ender. Ugh!

@jidady was so right about him. We should have moved him after his first year with the Braves when his value was as high as it was ever gonna be. Same with Folty.

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Current projected 26-man roster:

starters//bench

IF: Freeman, Albies, Swanson, Riley//Camargo, Adrianza
OF: Ozuna, Pache, Acuna//Almonte, Inciarte
C: d'Arnaud//Jackson
SP: Fried, Morton, Soroka, Anderson, Smiley
RHRP: Martin, Tomlin, Jackson, Webb 
LHRP: Smith, Minter, Matzek, Dayton

Roster Battles:

Bat-first infielder: Camargo vs Sandoval
Glove-first infielder: Adrianza vs Mayfield vs Unroe
Other OF options: Brugman, Trey Harris, Waters
C: Jackson vs Contreras
Other RHRP options: Arano, Edwards, N. Jones, Ynoa, Weigel, Sobotka, Walker
Other LHRP option: Newcomb

Starter depth: Wilson, Wright, Toussaint, Davidson, Muller, De La Cruz

The most obvious area of improvement right now would be to get an outfielder that could pinch hit.

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Jayson Stark did a write up on Morton...

 

 

“I think it’s important to have someone who has that type of experience,” Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos told us this winter. “I still think there’s value in that in this day and age. I still remember, when I was in Toronto, hearing Roy Halladay talk about the impact Pat Hentgen had on him as a young pitcher. I remember Hentgen talking about the impact Jack Morris and Roger Clemens had on him when he pitched. … I just think those lessons that older players can teach younger players is a real thing.”

So the Braves see Morton as an ideal veteran stabilizer who can provide perspective, wisdom, leadership and balance to one of the youngest staffs of any contender — a staff that also has 23-year-old ace Mike Soroka returning from an Achilles tear, by the way. Here’s why they were looking for a guy just like Charlie Morton:

• Of the Braves’ 60 regular-season games last year, 45 were started by pitchers 27 or younger — more than any playoff team except the Marlins (53).

• Overall, 51 of those 60 games were started by pitchers in their 20s — also the most of any playoff team except the Marlins (59).

• But the nine games started by Braves pitchers in their 30s — five by Josh Tomlin, three by Tommy Milone, one by Cole Hamels? Uh, they didn’t go so hot. To the tune of a 5.51 ERA, the third-worst by 30-something starters of any team in baseball and by far the worst of any playoff team.

Morton, on the other hand, has had one of the most remarkable late-career resurgences of any pitcher in this sport. His performance, since he joined the Astros in 2017 at age 33, ranks with this group of aces, all of whom own Cy Young trophies (except him):

Best active starters since age 33*
PITCHER YEARS ERA K/9 IP
Max Scherzer
2018-20
2.85
12.41
Justin Verlander
2016-20
2.87
10.98
Zack Greinke
2017-20
3.2
8.77
Charlie Morton
2017-20
3.34
10.64

(*min. 50 starts)

 On the surface, Morton’s 4.74 ERA and declining whiff rate last year in Tampa Bay might seem like a reason for concern. But not for the Braves, who saw a pitcher who was clearly set back by the COVID-19 shutdown and then got better as he went along.

Average four-seam fastball velocity

July: 92.5 mph
August: 93.0 mph
September: 94.1 mph
October: 95.0 mph

(Source: Statcast)

 “He’s already defied most of the doubters about his ability to stay healthy,” said one rival exec. “Great (addition), especially with so many young guns on that staff.”

So is anyone shocked that this was many execs’ favorite signing of the winter? For some reason, these people seem to love one-year deals for guys with ace upside. Go figure!

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TV time is set for Opening Day. Braves at Phillies, 3:05 PM on April 1. First road trip is Philly and DC. 

Home opener is April 9 at 7:20 against the same Phillies. First homestand is Philly and Miami. 

Braves won't wait too long to play regular season game against team outside the East for the first since 2019. Theyll travel to Wrigley on April 16. 

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26 minutes ago, youngbloodz said:

Seems like the Braves always open up on the road

They do open the season on the road a lot. Check it out.

  • 2021 - at Philadelphia
  • 2020 - at New York (If I remember right the pre-covid schedule had them opening in Philadelphia.)
  • 2019 - at Philadelphia
  • 2018 - vs. Philadelphia
  • 2017 - at New York
  • 2016 - vs. Washington
  • 2015 - at Miami
  • 2014 - at Milwaukee
  • 2013 - vs. Philadelphia
  • 2012 - at New York
  • 2011 - at Washington
  • 2010 - vs. Chicago
  • 2009 - at Philadelphia
  • 2008 - at Washington
  • 2007 - at Philadelphia
  • 2006 - at Los Angeles
  • 2005 - at Miami
  • 2004 - vs. New York
  • 2003 - vs. Montreal
  • 2002 - vs. Philadelphia
  • 2001 - at Cincinnati
  • 2000 - vs. Colorado
  • 1999 - vs. Philadelphia
  • 1998 - vs. Milwaukee
  • 1997 - at Houston
  • 1996 - vs. San Francisco
  • 1995 - vs. San Francisco

MLB making up for lost time and all the years the Braves used to open the season at home. Braves have opened at home only 4 times in the last 17 seasons.

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