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Atlanta Braves retain Tyler Flowers; decline on R.A. Dickey

By Alan Carpenter

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 30: Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey #19 of the Atlanta Braves attempts to make a throw to first base after fielding a ground ball in the fourth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 30, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 30: Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey #19 of the Atlanta Braves attempts to make a throw to first base after fielding a ground ball in the fourth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 30, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Braves’ roster juggling continues this day as two key members of the 2017 team learn their fates.

The Atlanta Braves has done the obvious and the not-so-obvious today.  The option of catcher Tyler Flowers has been picked up, but the option for pitcher R.A. Dickey has been declined.

What is unknown at this moment is whether this means that Dickey has elected to retire from baseball or if the Braves took this step unilaterally.

Late in the season, the team was said to be leaning strongly toward bringing back the Nashville knuckleballer, but 42-year-old former Cy Young award winner (he will be 43 next week) was reportedly considering his own options on whether to continue his career.

This was Dickey’s 15th major league season and first with the Braves.  He will receive a $500K buyout of that option as a consequence of today’s action.

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If this is indeed the end for Dickey, he will finish with these career marks, having thrown for 6 different clubs at the major league level (Rangers, Mariners, Twins, Mets, Blue Jays, and Braves):

  • 120 wins, 118 losses
  • 4.04 ERA over 2073.2 innings pitched
  • A WHIP of 1.30 facing 8,791 batters
  • 663 walks, 1477 strikeouts
  • 15 complete games and 6 shutouts
  • 91 wild pitchers and 90 hit batsmen
  • He also recorded 2 saves.

Dickey’s Cy Young year was 2012 with the Mets:  a 2.73 ERA with a 20-6 record over 233.2 innings, 230 strikeouts included – all career bests.

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In case you missed it, pitchers Armando Rivera and Ian Krol were out-righted from the 40-man roster this weekend.

All of this leaves the 40-man roster in this condition:

  • 21 pitchers (22 once the World Series ends and the disabled list is dissolved)
  • 4 catchers (Flowers, Suzuki, Tony Sanchez, and David Freitas)
  • 8 infielders
  • 5 outfielders (plus Danny Santana on the 60-day list)

That’s 38 at the moment and 40 shortly.  But there’s still a lot of work to be done between now and the November 20 Rule 5 roster set-up deadline – and the December 2nd non-tender deadline.

Next: Roster Reverberations

Never mind that the Braves still need a GM… and probably some coaches.  But they definitely have a hole in the rotation now.

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