Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Signing Bartolo Colon & R.A. Dickey Will Benefit Julio Teheran
By Jeff Schafer
With Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey, Braves Look to Contend Now
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: As of November 20th, the Atlanta Braves rotation already looks a lot better heading into the next season then it did one year prior. Question marks circled all around our rotation heading into the 2016 campaign, but as we sit right now we’ve got lock down guys that should be solid.
One of the benefits about signing Colon and Dickey that many aren’t talking about right now is Julio Teheran. He’s still only 25-years-old and for the past few years has been looked upon to be the veteran of the rotation and be THE guy.
I think the signings of these two veterans takes a lot of pressure off of the kid — yes, it seems like he’s been around forever but he’s still a kid. The two-time NL All-Star (2014, 2016) will still be on top of the Braves rotation, but everything isn’t riding on his shoulders now. I expect a huge 2017 for Julio Teheran.
"Colon and Dickey recently agreed to one-year contracts, each with a team option for 2018. The Braves insist their unorthodox moves show how serious they are about contending again for a postseason spot.The major target of their rebuilding plan was the starting rotation. That’s where Colon and Dickey come in, giving the Braves two players who can eat up innings and mentor younger pitchers without requiring the sort of long-term commitment that might block the path of several top prospects.“These aren’t four- or five-year deals,” General Manager John Coppolella said. “These won’t, theoretically, block any of our kids. It will just give them a little more time. Guys that may have been force-fed up here now have a little more time to get their sea legs under them as they turn into really good big-league pitchers.”"
Dear Atlanta Braves, please don’t sell the farm for an ace
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Will a Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves trade involving Chris Sale happen? Most likely no.
The White Sox are smart as well as the Braves. Sox want multiple top prospects for Sale and the Braves won’t give such a package up. No one wants to be on the opposite side of an awful trade (aka the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015 with Shelby Miller).
Would it be nice to have Sale in our 2017 rotation? Absolutely, but I’d rather keep our farm system intact. We’ve got Sale-like caliber pitchers in our minor leagues, we’ll just have to wait on those guys to develop.
"Also, projecting prospects is an inexact science. Perhaps the Braves only have to part with a sizeable package of fool’s gold that never pans out at the major league level. Who honestly knows at this point?Coppolella has proven himself capable of pulling off unorthodox and impressive trades. Maybe he has another one up his sleeve.However, given the state of the franchise and the colossal cost of acquiring a frontline starter like Sale, Archer, or Gray, this armchair GM hopes Coppy and Co. stand pat. Rebuilding has been a slow and arduous process, especially for a fan base that had grown used to seeing division titles. Now is not the time to grow impatient, though. The team has already weathered two seasons of doing it the right way. Resisting the urge to swing for the fences will pay dividends in the long run, even if it means another season of mediocrity."
Next: Should The Braves Look at Trevor Plouffe?
Four Atlanta Braves Prospects to Debut in 2017
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: A guy a lot of us are extremely excited for…Patrick Weigel. Many didn’t even know the 22-year-old this time last year, but he shot up the Braves prospect list after the season he had in 2016.
The Braves drafted him in the 7th round of the 2015 draft out of the University of Houston. The pick looked decent…a hard throwing 6’6″, 220 pound pitcher, but I don’t think we were sure what we had drafted. This guy is and will be a stud of a pitcher.
He’ll most likely start the season in Double-A Mississippi — since he only got three starts there in 2016 — but should shoot up to Gwinnett and possibly Atlanta in 2017.
The other names on this list was Ozzie Albies, Sean Newcomb and A.J. Minter. We’ll most likely see Albies in Atlanta in 2017 if he’s healthy as well as Minter, but I’m not sure about Newcomb. He needs to cut down on his walks and get his command in order. He also hasn’t pitched above Double-A so I see Newcomb spending a lot of time in Gwinnett this season.
"Weigel has put himself in a fantastic position after a strong 2016. He was named the Braves organizational pitcher of the year for the season, and posted a 2.47 ERA over 24 starts between Rome and Mississippi. Weigel recorded 152 strikeouts to just 55 walks en route to a fantastic 1.04 WHIP. The hard-throwing righty is poised for a big breakthrough in the near future.The one concern for Weigel is the fact that just three of his starts came at the AA level. Weigel, however, possesses a potent fastball that should translate well at any level. The concerns with Atlanta’s rotation have already been mentioned, and Weigel is in position to take advantage of that. Weigel will make appearances for the Braves in Suntrust Park next season. The only question then will be if Weigel is better suited for a late-innings role in the bullpen or a spot in the rotation."