Atlanta Braves Trade Closer Craig Kimbrel As Part Of Blockbuster Deal.

[Mitchell]

www.atlantabraves.com.

I dont understand this move at all.

The Atlanta Braves traded their closer, probably the top current closer in baseball, who is only 26 years old, and who is still under contract for three seasons.

With as dominating as Kimbrel is, and with the Braves already not forecast to be good this season even before this move, it would not surprise me to see Atlanta occupy the NL East cellar this season.

Opening Day is tomorrow of course.

Sigh! Play Ball!

 

[rdhd]

I agree Mitchell. Maybe won't even watch them this year. Of course, they have to worry more about the new stadium they want to build.

 

[JJB]

I dont understand this move at all.

What don't you understand about it? Read any analysis on it, and there's no question the Braves won this trade.

Unless you're a contending team, there's no need for an expensive closer, even if he's a very good one. A team with financial constraints like the Braves shouldn't be paying that much money for a closer anyway. They traded one of (if not the best) closer in baseball, get rid of one of the worst contracts in baseball, get two prospects AND a draft pick back, as well as Cameron Maybin (who may or may not rebound) almost for free.

Ditching Upton alone almost makes this trade worth it, but the Braves also get a Top 100 pitching prospect in Matt Wisler, an outfield prospect in Jordan Paroubeck, as well as the 41st overall draft pick in June.

The Braves are rebuilding for when they open their new stadium, and you can't "rebuild halfway". Read Chipper Jones' thoughts on the trade that he posted on Twitter. The Braves subtract salary and continue to rebuild.

None of this means you have to like the trade, but it's what happens when a team rebuilds. They're rebuilding around Freeman, Simmons, Teheran, and Wood, and they'll be ready to roll again in a few years.

 

[Mitchell]

Okay. You can have your opinion, JJB. I have mine. The baseball fans on Facebook seem to agree with me. The majority of them hate this trade just as much as I do.

 

[JJB]

Okay. You can have your opinion, JJB. I have mine. The baseball fans on Facebook seem to agree with me. The majority of them hate this trade just as much as I do.

I'd hate the trade too if I was a Braves fan, but I'd understand the reason behind it as well.

Rebuilding sucks, and every baseball fan has gone through it.

 

[Mitchell]

I know that, JJB. I went through it with the Braves in the late 1980s. I've been a Braves fan for over 30 years.

 

[JJB]

I know that, JJB. I went through it with the Braves in the late 1980s. I've been a Braves fan for over 30 years.

Good, then it'll really feel good when the Braves are dominant again in a few years, which this trade helps them get closer to.

 

[Mitchell]

Hope you're right.

 

[JJB]

Hope you're right.

John Hart knows what he's doing, and he's making up for mistakes by the previous administration (like the horrible Upton contract). Trading Kimbrel sucks, but getting rid of Upton AND getting prospects is great.

 

[Mitchell]

Okay. I hope you're right.

 

[Mitchell]

Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, who has been with the paper for over 20 years, put it this way.

He said, and I quote..

"The Braves traded away their Mariano Rivera, and the Braves care nothing about winning now".

I agree with Mr Bradley 100%.

While Kimbrel needs to continue pitching like he has the last few years, to be judged as a closer in Rivera's caliber. over the course of such a long career..

It seems to me,, that, even if ... the Braves thought they might not "contend" for two or three years, Kimbrel at 27 is young enough to go through a bit of a "rebuilding" process, that a team might have. It isnt like the guy is in his early or mid 30s.

I still hate this trade,. regardless of the spin of how it supposedly "makes the Braves better in the long run" or,., that "The Braves werent going to win now. "

I will be surprised if the Braves dont finish in last place in the NL East this year. Or.. at best, of the Phillies do turn out as bad as advertised, the best the Braves can realistically hope for is a very weak fourth place finish, with a terrible record.

 

[Mitchell]

I was thinking back in history, when the Braves traded/let superstar players leave.

Dale Murphy in 1990. Murph, as we know, was a beloved Brave for a decade and a half, someone who might well be in the Hall of Fame, had he gotten. 50 more homers, and played for better teams.

Yet, when Murph was traded for virtually nothing, he was on the downside of his career, and had been producing mediocre numbers, for last place teams, for three seasons prior to the trade

When Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux left as free agents in 2002 and 2003.

The Braves were guilty of letting two superstar pitchers who would be 300 game winners, and Hall of Famers, leave in back to back seasons.

Yet, both were in their late 30s, and while they were still "Good" pitchers when they left Atlanta, one could say they would have been considered on the "downsides" of their careers, if there was such a thing with them, even though they both won their 300th game in another place.

This .. is completely different. Craig Kimbrel is the best relief pitcher in baseball, in the prime of his career. Based on his stats since he became the Braves closer, he could have another 5 to 10 more productive years left, as he isnt even 27.

I dont like this move no matter how one spins it.

It will be interesting to see how it works out for the Braves.

 

[Mitchell]

Not to bump this five plus month old thread.. but..

My prediction of the Braves not being good this season came true.

Even though they may not finish in "last", because they are four games ahead of the last place Phillies with less than two weeks to go, Atlanta will still finish with between 95 and 100 losses, and over twenty games out of first.

They have had a very bad year, and I think their decision to keep manager Fredi Gonzalez for 2016 is absolutely wrong.

 

[rdhd]

Hey Mitch...where ya been? And yeh.....did the Braves play this season?

 

[Mitchell]

I've been around, rd, just not as much as in the past.

I've hardly paid attention to the Braves this season. They are at Citi Field this week. I didnt go to any Mets-Braves games in NY this season, or really watch any of the games.

 

[Sodahead]

Hey Mitch...where ya been? And yeh.....did the Braves play this season?

Sadly I have seen many of their games this year. They could have stayed home and played just as well. us Braves fans aren't used to them being this bad. We're more accustomed to them being really good and then crashing and burning in the playoffs!

 

[Mitchell]

Not to bump this thread.. but.. as baseball fans know, the Braves have started 2016 with an 0-7 record.

According to many writers.. "The Fredi Gonzalez watch is on".

I didnt think they should have re signed him at the end of last year after they lost 95 games.

This year, with an 0-7 start, and likely headed for a 100 or more loss season, Gonzalez will hopefully be fired during the season, or at least, at season's end.

 

[Sodahead]

Not to bump this thread.. but.. as baseball fans know, the Braves have started 2016 with an 0-7 record.

According to many writers.. "The Fredi Gonzalez watch is on".

I didnt think they should have re signed him at the end of last year after they lost 95 games.

This year, with an 0-7 start, and likely headed for a 100 or more loss season, Gonzalez will hopefully be fired during the season, or at least, at season's end.

I dunno Mitch. It wasn't like they were expecting to be a good team this year, so firing a manager because he loses with a sub par team seems kind of backwards. They are building for the future, so his job security may not hinge on the wins and loss record so much as some other quality they are looking for down the road. My guess is if they fire him, it will be after the season to get a new guy i as their prosepcts start making their way to the majors

Honestly, I was never a fan of the hire to begin with, going back to his first season at the helm.

 

[Mitchell]

I see your point, Soda.

The Braves are now 0-8.

In three other terrible seasons they had during their previous down period from 1985 to 1990, before their collapse the last year plus .

1985.. Fired manager Eddie Haas with about 3 weeks left in the season.

1988 After a 12-27 start, Fired Chuck Tanner.

1990. In last place in June, fired Russ Nixon, and GM Bobby Cox took the manager reins, on his way to immortality, fourteen straight division titles, and the HOF,

I'm wondering if the 2016 Braves will be worse than the 54-106 1988 Braves.

I think Fredi will be fired. It's just a matter of when.

 

[Mitchell]

As baseball fans know, Fredi Gonzalez was fired today, with the team in last place with a 9-28 record, and 13.5 games out. This move is not surprising, considering the Braves terrible play this year.