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Atlanta Braves must solve third base

By Fred Owens

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: A quartet of players including Rio Ruiz - seen here making a throw to first base - had a shot at making the Atlanta Braves' third base job there’s; none did. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: A quartet of players including Rio Ruiz - seen here making a throw to first base - had a shot at making the Atlanta Braves' third base job there’s; none did. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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A quartet of players including Rio Ruiz had a shot at making the Atlanta Braves' third base job there’s; none did.
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 23: A quartet of players including Rio Ruiz – seen here making a throw to first base – had a shot at making the Atlanta Braves’ third base job there’s; none did. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

One of the big lineup questions for the Atlanta Braves in 2018 is who plays third base. Internal options tease us but none look ready. That leaves the marketplace ; finding a solution there won’t be easy.

A quartet of Atlanta Braves third basemen plus sundry ‘now and then’ players produced an offensively anemic .244/.297/.358/.655 line last season.  They finished 29th ahead of only the worst in baseball Giants.  It’s time to stop waiting and find a full-time, non-platoon third baseman.

Could one of the internal options suddenly emerge next spring? Of course. However, the 2018 Braves cannot afford to rely on ‘wait and see’ as a viable plan .

Last week Alan looked the two internal candidates, I’m not going to rehash that in-depth. I enjoy watching Johan Camargo but at this point he’s a utility man and Rio Ruiz a platoon player. Neither looks like a solution.

Platoons work in some instances – our catching last year for example –  when both halves of the platoon are strong; right now our third base options aren’t.

Atlanta Braves hot corner vacancy – free agents

Mike Moustakas leads the third base free agent market followed at a considerable distance by Todd Frazier.  More than one team will be in hard on Moustakas – the Giants and Mets for example – making him and expensive addition.   The Cardinals are said to be trying to trade for Josh Donaldson but Toronto repeatedly said he’s not available. I believe the Jays will try to extend the ‘bringer of rain’ and only trade him if that fails.

If Donaldson stays in Toronto the Cardinals will sign Moustakas. If the Jays trade Donaldson, they will play on Moustakas.  Either way I doubt he lands in Atlanta and that wouldn’t break my heart.

Todd Frazier

Todd Frazier’s bat deteriorated after he left Cincinnati and his traditional slash line isn’t pretty. That said in his last two seasons he posted wOBA – wRC+ of .326 – 104 and .335 –108. BP backs that up by giving him a true average TAv of .267 and .268 ; that’s 60 and 46 points higher respectively than his traditional BA.

UZR and DRS always liked Frazier while BP wasn’t as enamored with his work at third. This year BP saw him more favorably with the glove bringing all defensive metrics into agreement.

As a Yankee, Frazier’s been a spark that helped them to the post season. The Yankees prefer Frazier over Headley and he likes New York. that combination makes a Yankee contract almost a certainty as protection for a delayed Gleyber Torres return and to backup Greg Bird at first.

Frazier plays at 32 next season and will ask for a four or five-year deal worth 48-60M. If he would sign for fewer years he could fit but with Riley two years at most away that seems a little rich.

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