Atlanta Braves News and Notes: Morning Chop

Lucas Sims at Hank Aaron Stadium, Mobile. August 2015. Photo credit: Alan Carpenter, TomahawkTake.com

Several things this morning from around baseball that could be of interest to Atlanta Braves fans, including a bunch of pitching news:

It’s Dusty Baker – not Bud Black – who will manage the Washington Nationals for the next 2 seasons. Apparently, the Nationals opted to low-ball both of their top candidates for the job, and Black balked at that.
The Orioles are said to be ready to extend a Qualifying Offer to catcher Matt Wieters.
Nationals declined their option on reliever Casey Janssen
The Reds have declined their option on reliever Burke Badenhop
The Cardinals have declined their $9 million club option for relief pitcher Jonathan Broxton ($2 million buyout).
BaseballAmerica has a report out on Lucas Sims (subscription required). Headline indicates that he has ‘sharpened’ his breaking pitch this year.
In Arizona Fall League action yesterday, Sims had an excellent 3 inning outing: 4 K, 0 walks, 0 hits, and pitched around one error behind him. His ERA drops to 2.45 in 11 innings, and he has pitched very well since his first foray for Peoria.
That Peoria team isn’t hitting very well (only 2 players above .270) with the 3 Braves’ hitters feeling that too: OF Connor Lien (.171), SS Johan Camargo (.241), and C Joseph Odom (.105). This isn’t terribly surprising; many players see game action only about every other day, so getting into a rhythm can be difficult for the hitters.
Lucas Sims’ stats are the best of the Braves’ AFL pitchers, too, with Andrew Thurman really getting hit hard (16.50). He yielded a triple and 2 homers yesterday.
Overall, Peoria is 7-8, but that’s still just 1 game out of first place. The AFL Fall Stars game is this Saturday, and Sims would be ideally lined up to pitch there… and now that I look: yes… Lucas Sims is on the All-Star roster.
MLB Trade Rumors is echoing a Miami Herald report that Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez declined the overture of a long-term contract extension. Welcome to working with Scott Boras. Fernandez is still under team control through the 2018 season and is first-year arbitration eligible now.

Atlanta Braves News and Notes: Morning Chop

By Alan Carpenter | Nov 3, 2015

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