Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: can we finish the off-season yet?

The big news of the day on Tuesday was Nolan Arenado‘s contract extension – a deal that should set the bar for many others.  But the Atlanta Braves continue to be spectators.

Yes – the Atlanta Braves appear to have a really good team assembled.  But whether that’s good enough is a topic worthy of debate.

Certainly, if Alex Anthopoulos made attempts at players like Edwin Diaz, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his bullpen.

Certainly, if Alex Anthopoulos made attempts at players like Michael Brantley, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his outfield.

Certainly, if Alex Anthopoulos made attempts at players like J.T. Realmuto, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his catching situation.

Certainly, if Alex Anthopoulos noted early on – and later on  – that he wanted a frontline starter, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his starting pitching situation.

However, here we are at the end of February and it now appears that everybody is now satisfied with where they are.  With respect to the bullpen, that’s expressly the word coming out this morning from Dave O’Brien in TheAthletic (subscription required).

"“I think this bullpen is good,” said [Johnny] Venters, who became one of the few pitchers to come back from three Tommy John surgeries and pitch again at a high level. “We’re in fine shape. I think we’re capable of getting the job done. Especially when you add a guy like O’Day. To have a guy that’s put up the numbers and pitched in the big situations that Darren has, to throw him down there in the mix I think is huge. I think we’re fine, I really do.”"

Okay.  Maybe they are.  Maybe the outfield is okay… the bench… the rotation… the catching.  But it’s evident that doubts exist(ed).

The reticence of the Atlanta Braves to do any more than they did this Winter is… surprising… almost shocking.  Especially after getting a coup in getting Josh Donaldson to sign, all indicators seemed to point toward “more”.

That all makes today’s news a bit more damning… that Nolan Arenado and the Rockies have agreed to an 8-year extension in excess of a quarter-billion dollars.

Others took note:

Arenado’s deal – and Manny Machado‘s before him – have firmly established where the market for the top players sits.  The best will still get their money and their years.

The bar is now set for position players like Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, etc.  (though I have no idea what’s going on with Bryce Harper).

These are among the best of the best, and I’m not at all suggesting that the Braves need to pursue one or more of these players.  But there was still a lot of room between there are where the Braves are.

What does Craig Kimbrel still want?  Is he still looking for $16m or more per year?  How much did the team miss on Brantley by?  Edwin Diaz?  Realmuto?

I swear:  this off-season is turning me into Jeff Schultz, and I’m not liking that feeling.

So now I’m wondering if Atlanta shouldn’t consider attempting to keep Donaldson for a couple more years if he’d be willing.  I like Austin Riley, but if Donaldson stays healthy, there’s not even a question on which player would be better.

Except that given recent activity – the Atlanta Braves seem content to wait for things to fall into their laps.  Here’s Mark Bowman’s take from Christmas 2018:

"Quite frankly, because of the years and dollars, Kimbrel has not even been on the Braves’ radar. If we reach a point where he has to accept a three-year deal, then it might be time to at least think about a potential return to Atlanta. But that would only stand as a possibility if the Braves still have enough remaining financial flexibility after addressing needs to add a frontline starter and an outfielder."

After spending $4 million on an outfielder… nothing else has happened and it would appear that nothing has changed.  *sigh*

Duvall running out of time

0 for 5 with a walk in 6 plate appearances.

Spring Training won’t necessarily help you make a team, but it can certainly get you kicked off of one.

For a player who really needed to make an early splash, Adam Duvall has stumbled out of the blocks this Spring, despite being afforded opportunities in 3 of the 4 games played thus far.

In Mark Bowman’s writeup – which kind of reads like an early epitaph – he quotes Brian Snitker as having Duvall’s back:

"“His bat head was moving all over the place too. He worked really hard to smooth everything out. I really like where he’s at right now. It’s just about getting his timing. He’s in a really good place mentally right now. We’ll see what happens.”"

But Bowman also detailed the financial part… the part with the deadlines on when the Atlanta Braves could cut Duvall and ‘only’ owe him fractions of his $2.875 million salary.

The first deadline is the 16th day of Spring Training (guessing that to be roughly March 8 based on the Braves’ reporting date of February 21).  That gives him another week+ to merge this ‘good place mentally’ with a ‘good results place’.

Gotta give the Braves credit for giving Duvall every possible opportunity… but perhaps this is why Austin Riley’s outfield reps were to be delayed.