Braving the Rebuild

[Francoeurstein]

--Hello OOTP forums, I will be trying my hand at my first dynasty featuring the 2018 Atlanta Braves. My goal is to turn a franchise that is loaded with young talent into a powerhouse. I will not be reporting on a game-by-game basis, instead posting whenever a significant event occurs. Here are the goals set forth by owner John Malone:

-Play close to .500 ball this season
-Upgrade at 3B
-Make the playoffs in the next 4 seasons

All of these goals seem attainable given the nature of my team. We currently have a payroll of ~$83mil which will certainly grow in the future. Without further ado, let's meet the team!

LINEUP
C: Tyler Flowers/Kurt Suzuki- Flowers and Suzuki combine to make a solid catching tandem. They will be rotated regularly in order to remain fresh. Flowers is more defensive-minded while Suzuki is a better offensive player.
1B: Freddie Freeman- An annual MVP candidate and the face of the franchise. We're hoping he will anchor the middle of the lineup for the next great Atlanta team.
2B: Ozzie Albies- 21-year old that oozes talent. He's already a talented player, but projects to be an elite middle infielder that does everything well.
3B: Johan Camargo- Starting the season on the 10-day DL. He has decent pop and can play all over the infield. Probably better suited as a utility player.
SS: Dansby Swanson- Young shortstop that is coming off a disappointing 2017 campaign. He still possesses the upside of a solid hitting infielder, but needs to start playing well this year in order to be a part of the long-term plans.
LF: Ezequiel Carrera/Ronald Acuna- Carrera is just a placeholder until Acuna inevitably takes the league by storm. Acuna will start the season in AAA as he is only 20 years old. He is a potential 5-tool superstar capable of putting up MVP numbers.
CF: Ender Inciarte- Plus defender and baserunner with a solid bat. He will hit around .290 and bat leadoff for us.
RF: Nick Markakis- Painfully average player that provides a veteran presence. He will likely be gone after his contract expires this year.

Grade: C

BENCH
OF- Lane Adams
INF- Ryan Flaherty
INF- Charlie Culberson
INF- Christian Colon

Grade: C-

ROTATION
1. Julio Teheran- Rotation stalwart who has seen his stuff decline in recent years. He is still only 27, but he is more like a number 3/4 starter at this point in his career.
2. Brandon McCarthy- Well-traveled veteran who is coming off of a solid season in L.A. Good innings eater with a decent 5-pitch mix.
3. Sean Newcomb- Young lefty with significant upside. He has the potential to throw 4 plus pitches, but has trouble finding the strike zone. He is an adjustment or two away from being a solid #2 starter.
4. Mike Foltynewicz- 26-year old fireballing righty who has been underwhelming despite his high 90's velocity. Could be solid if he harnessed his velocity a little better.
5. Anibal Sanchez- Journeyman innings eater. He won't be confused for a Cy Young winner, but we're hoping he can pitch well enough for us to win.

Grade: C+

BULLPEN
CL- Arodys Vizcaino
SU- A.J. Minter
SU- Jose A. Ramirez
MR- Peter Moylan
MR- Dan Winkler
MR- Sam Freeman
MR- Rex Brothers

Grade: C

FARM SYSTEM
Top 10 Prospects:
1. OF Ronald Acuna (AAA)
2. RHP Kyle Wright (AA)
3. RHP Mike Soroka (AA)
4. RHP Touki Touissant (AA)
5. OF Christian Pache (A+)
6. 3B Austin Riley (AA)
7. LHP A.J. Minter (MLB)
8. LHP Kolby Allard (AAA)
9. LHP Luiz Gohara (AAA)
10. RHP Ian Anderson (A)

Grade: A

3rd ranked farm system in all of baseball, with 5 prospects in the top 100.
Projected to finish 3rd in the division with a 76-86 record.

[Francoeurstein]

Things get Chippy on Opening Day

March 29, 2018

--The Braves drop the season opener 7-5 against Philadelphia and most of the headlines came in the top of the 6th inning. Odubel Herrera hit a lead off home run to begin the inning and took time to admire it. He took his time rounding the bases in a slow-paced trot. This didn't sit well with the veteran Julio Teheran, who responded by subsequently plunking the next batter, Aaron Altherr. Altherr promptly charged the mound and attempted to swing on Teheran before the two were broken up. "Herrera took his time rounding the bases and it wasn't a good look. I felt like he showed me up. I probably should have handled it better, but I'm a competitor who felt disrespected in the moment" said Teheran when asked about the incident.

Both players were immediately ejected and handed suspensions. The league officed determined that Teheran will be suspended for 6 games, while Altherr will be suspended for 4. Ezequiel Carrera had a big game, going 3 for 4 and finishing a double shy of the cycle. The Braves were able to mount a 9th inning comeback, scoring two runs, but ultimately fell short.

It'll be interesting going forward to see the rivalry unfold between two up and coming teams in the NL East. The two teams will face each other 21 more times this season... This could be the beginning of a nasty divisional rivalry!

*Lucas Sims has been called up from AAA to make a spot start for Teheran.

[Francoeurstein]

Update: April 21, 2018

Current record 8-13, 5th place in the NL East
--The Braves have been a product of bad luck so far, with a plus run differential and a Pythagorean record of 11-10. The currently lead the NL in runs scored led by Ozzie Albies (.348/.410/.517), Ezequiel Carrera (.406 BA), and Nick Markakis (.329 BA). However, the pitching has been rough and the bullpen has been a disaster - ranking dead last in the NL with a 5.27 ERA. Ronald Acuna has been struggling in AAA with a mere .718 OPS, but he's got plenty of time to turn it around. With Carrera playing well, he is expected to stay in the minors a little bit longer in order to find his stroke.

Other notables:

April 4th: Lucas Sims pitches remarkably in Teheran's absence (8.1 IP, 0 ER, W). He will be demoted and likely re-promoted after he regains his stamina. Dan Winkler is recalled from AAA.

April 7th: Johan Camargo is activated from the DL. Christian Colon is DFA'd in order to make room.

April 12th: Struggling Rex Brothers (12.00 ERA) is demoted to AAA. Lucas Sims is recalled from Gwinnett.

April 16: Anibal Sanchez sustains a wrist injury after taking a swing in batting practice. It is not considered serious and he will be placed on the 10-day DL. Lucas Sims is slotted into the rotation and Shane Carle is promoted from Gwinnett.

Around the League:
-Joe Mauer notches his 2,000th hit
-Bartolo Colon promptly retires
-Stephen Strasburg sustains a season-ending injury (radial nerve decompression surgery)

[Francoeurstein]

May 14th, 2018
Current Record: 17-24 (4th in NL East), 27th in Power Rankings
--Well, two things have been constant this year. Underperforming our peripherals (20-21 Pythagorean record) and unsustainable performances from our corner outfielders. Rookies Gohara and Lucas Sims have pitched well, aided by a sub-3 ERA for veteran trade candidate Brandon McCarthy. Youngsters Folty and Sean Newcomb have struggled mightily. The catching tandem has been awful and Dansby Swanson (.576 OPS) is dangerously close to being demoted. Acuna has been okay (.741 OPS) in AAA, but with Carrera playing well, he still has time to develop.

Transactions:

April 24th: Dan Winkler (6.71 ERA) is demoted to AAA. Miguel Socolovich is called up from Gwinnett.

April 28th: Struggling Ender Inciarte (.511 OPS) has been placed on the 10 day DL with a herniated disc. His balky back has been holding him back all year, hopefully a week or two of recovery will help. Luiz Gohara will be recalled in his place.

May 5th: Rajai Davis is signed to a minor league contract. He will be placed in AAA Gwinnett.

May 6th: Shane Carle is demoted to AAA. Daniel Winkler is recalled from Gwinnett.

May 8th: Peter Bourjos is DFA'd to make room for Inciarte who returns from the DL.

May 9th: Peter Moylan announces his retirement at the end of the season

May 11th: Anibal Sanchez returns from the DL. Peter Moylan is DFA'd and Folty (6.80 ERA) is demoted to the bullpen. Derek Holland is signed to a minor league contract.

Notes:
-Noah Syndergaard fans 19 Phillies on May 13th
-Brad Peacock (HOU) requires season-ending surgery to repair ligaments in his elbow
-Trevor Bauer to miss the rest of the season with a torn rotator cuff
-The Dodgers are currently in last place with a 17-23 record

Team Stats:

[Francoeurstein]

Draft Day Update (June 4, 2018)

Record: 27-33, 3rd place in NL East (26th in Power Rankings)
--Draft day is here, folks! My team currently has been hot and cold, recently following a 5-game winning streak with a 4-game losing streak. Dansby Swanson (.565 OPS) was demoted to AAA on May 25th and the red-hot Johan Camargo has officially taken over at SS. Carerra (.325 BA) continues to play really well, but Acuna has turned it on at Gwinnett and is knocking on the door to the major leagues. It won't be too much longer until his long-waited arrival.

2018 Draft:
--With the 1st overall pick, Detroit selects RHP Casey Mize out of Auburn. Mize throws four plus pitches with elite command. He sits comfortably in the mid 90's and looks like a future major league ace. Here's how our first few picks looked:

1st round, 8th overall: C Joey Bart- The local product from Georgia Tech has a plus arm and plus raw power. There's some swing and miss in his game, but he has the upside of a solid defensive backstop hitting 25+ home runs annually.

2nd round, 55th overall: IF Lency Delgado- The young infielder out of a Florida HS is raw and toolsy. He's got a great 6'3" 215 lb frame and pretty good foot speed for a big guy. He might not be able to play SS professionally, but he profiles as a solid 3B/2B with plus power and a good feel for hitting.

3rd round, 85th overall: LHP Destin Dotson- High school lefty that has a solid feel for pitching, but not the highest ceiling. He throws 92-94 but his 6'7" frame suggests that he could add a few more ticks.

Around the League:
-Zack Greinke is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff. He was 7-2 with a 2.30 ERA.
-Francisco Lindor snaps his 27-game hitting streak
-Noah Syndergaard is out for the season with a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder. He is 7-4 with a 2.76 ERA.
-Manny Machado hits 3 home runs against Washington
-Max Stassi hits 3 home runs against Boston

[Francoeurstein]

IT'S ACUNA TIME
June 18th, 2018
--Well we're 36-36 and firing on all cylinders. We're only 3 games back of the second WC spot and looking for a boost in the lineup. Acuna is white-hot in Gwinnett and we believe that it's his time to shine in the majors! Today we will call him up and he will make his ML debut tomorrow against Toronto. He will split time in LF and CF and bat 5th in the lineup. This is the beginning of an exciting new era in Atlanta!

Transactions:
June 5th: Anibal Sanchez is re-activated from the DL. Sam Freeman is DFA'd in order to make room. Sanchez is inserted into a long relief role.

June 11th: Sean Newcomb (5.75 ERA) is demoted to the pen, Anibal Sanchez takes over.

June 18th: Ronald Acuna called up to the bigs. Lane Adams is DFA'd

[Francoeurstein]

Mid-Season Update
July 2, 2018
42-41, 3rd in NL East (10 gb), 16th in Power Rankings
--Well the Braves are 42-41 and four games back of the second Wild Card. The next few weeks will determine whether or not we are buyers or sellers at the deadline. For now, things are looking up. Acuna has struggled in his first taste of major league action with a slash line of .250/.298/.341 in 44 AB. He only has two extra base hits, but we're not worried - the power will come. All-Star candidates Freddie Freeman and Johan Camargo have led the offense thus far. The pitching rotation has been solid and reliable, while the bullpen has made some major leaps forward. Rookie Luiz Gohara has yet to give up an earned run in 28 innings pitched!!! He, A.J. Minter, and Vizcaino have formed a dominant three-headed monster in the 'pen.

Down on the Farm:
-Touki Touissant has a 3.64 in AA Mississippi
-Austin Riley is slashing .260/.317/.517 in AA
-Bryse Wilson has a 3.24 ERA in 83 IP in A+ Florida
-19-year old Christian Pache is hitting .287 in A+
-Isranel Wilson is slashing .290/.352/.502 in A Rome
-Joey Bart is hitting .293 in 58 AB's in single-A

Top 10 Prospects Updated:
1. OF Ronald Acuna (MLB)
2. RHP Kyle Wright (AA)
3. C Joey Bart (A)
4. RHP Mike Soroka (AA)
5. RHP Ian Anderson (A)
6. LHP Kolby Allard (AAA)
7. 3B Austin Riley (AA)
8. LHP Max Fried (AAA)
9. CF Christian Pache (A)
10. RHP Bryse Wilson (A)

Transactions:

June 19th: Ronald Acuna goes 1-4 with a single in his major league debut.

June 25th: Dansby Swanson is recalled from AAA. He will start at SS while Camargo slides to 3B. Ryan Flaherty has been DFA'd

June 27th: Ronald Acuna hits his first major league home run!

July 2nd: Dansby Swanson is placed on the 10-day DL with a strained abdomen. Ryan Flaherty is recalled.

[Francoeurstein]

All-Star Break Update:
July 19, 2018
48-47, 3rd in NL East (8 gb), 13th in Power Rankings

--The All-Star break has rolled around and my Braves continue to hover around .500. Freddie Freeman and A.J. Minter were selected to represent "The A" in the All-Star Game - a contest that the AL won 6-3. At this point, it's difficult to determine whether or not we are going to buy or sell at the deadline. Although a playoff seed is unlikely, it wouldn't be fair to the fanbase to sell while being 4 games back of a Wildcard spot. Acuna continues to struggle, slashing a meager .218/.277/.310 through 22 games. We believe that the young phenom will start to hit his stride soon. Fellow phenom Ozzie Albies has been red hot as of line and has raised his OPS+ to 120 on the season.

Transactions:
-7/7: Sean Newcomb is placed on the 10 day DL with a sprained ankle. "Sad" Sam Freeman is recalled from AAA
7/15: Dansby Swanson is activated from the DL, Ryan Flaherty sent down
7/19: Newcomb is activated from the DL, Peter Moylan is DFA'd and likely to be released

Around the League:
-Carlos Gonzalez is out for the season with an ankle fracture
-The Mariners go on a 11-game winning streak, they are now 52-45 and in the thick of the division race
-The Yankees (48-48) and Dodgers (50-46) have underwhelmed thus far
-The Marlins sent Justin Bour to the Rangers for prospects Willie Calhoun, RHP Michael Matuella, and RHP Ariel Jurado
-The Brewers sent LHP Dan Jennings to the Twins for prospect LHP Alex Robinson
-The Athletics sent RHP Blake Treinen to the Dodgers for LHP Michael Boyle
-The Orioles send RHP Brad Brach and C Chance Sisco to the Brewers for C Jett Bandy
-The Marlins send RHP Brad Ziegler to the Phillies for a pair of low-level prospects
-The Brewers send RHP Oliver Drake to the Angels for SS Nonie Williams and RHP Luis Pino
-The A's send Jed Lowrie to the Brewers for 3B Lucas Erceg, OF Tyrone Taylor, and IF Mauricio Dubon
-Giancarlo Stanton hits his 300th dong
-The A's send Jonathan Lucroy to the Red Sox for OF Cole Brannen and RHP Bryan Bello

[Francoeurstein]

Trade Deadline Update
August 1st, 2018
52-54, 3rd place (12 GB), 19th in Power Rankings
--Well after falling behind 6 games of the second Wildcard spot, I thought it would be best to trade away some short-term assets at the trade deadline. We decided to ship Markakis and Flowers to Houston in return for a 4-player package. We recieved 24-year old RHP Riley Ferrell who looks like he has a solid future as a high-leverage reliever. He has a good fastball-slider combo and sits in the mid 90's. He has been dominant in AAA (1.28 ERA) and will likely be called up soon to contribute to the major league squad. We also recieve 22-year old LHP Brett Adcock, a crafty lefty who has the upside of a #4 starter. He is assigned to AA Mississippi. Additionally, we recieve C Tim Federowicz who will back up Kurt Suzuki and OF Jake Marinick who has struggled this year (-0.2 WAR). He will platoon with Carrera in rightfield.

Transactions:
7/26: Peter Moylan has been released
7/26: Sean Newcomb has been demoted to AAA Gwinnett, Rex Brothers recalled
7/27: Send Nick Markakis (retaining 100%) and Tyler Flowers to Houston for RHP Riley Ferrell, LHP Brett Adcock, C Tim Federowicz, and OF Jake Marisnick
7/27: Place Federowicz and Marisnick on the active roster
7/28: Get no-hit by Clayton Kershaw!

Around the League:
-The Angels send OF Jabari Blash to the Mets for 1B Dominic Smith and RHP Anthony Swarzak
-The Rays send SS Adeiny Hechavarria to the Cardinals for IF Jedd Gyorko
-The White Sox send 1B Jose Abreu and 4.38million to the Marlins for RHP Colton Hock and RHP Will Hibbs
-The Tigers send OF Mikie Mahtook and RHP Jason Foley to the Mariners for DH Nelson Cruz and 4.8million in cash
-The Yankees send RHP Dillon Tate and RHP Adam Warren to the Twins for IF Eduardo Escobar
-The Nationals send OF Adam Eaton to the White Sox for LHP Luis Avilan and RHP Reynaldo Lopez
-The Reds send RHP Rasiel Iglesias to the Blue Jays for IF Logan Warmoth
-The Blue Jays send 3B Yangervis Solarte to the Phillies for RHP Jerad Eickhoff
-The Astros send RHP Charlie Morton to the Cardinals for OF Tyler O'Neill and 1B Jose Martinez
-The A's send RHP Kendall Graveman to the Blue Jays for OF Anthony Alford
-The Mariners send OF Kyle Lewis and RHP Nick Vincent to the Phillies for OF Aaron Altherr
-The Marlins send RHP Jose Urena to the A's for RHP Logan Shore
-The White Sox send RHP Michael Kopech to the Marlins for C Jared Barnes (???)

[Francoeurstein]

September 1, 2018
60-74, 4th place (20 GB), 30th in Power Rankings
--Well when it rains, it pours. We took a huge step back in the month of Augusr, going 8-18 and going from a promising .500 team to a candidate for a top-5 overall pick in next years draft. Oddly enough, Freddie Freeman won the NL Player of the Month, hitting .412 with 6 homers. He's having a fine season with a 152 OPS+ and 5.5 WAR. Aside from him Albies, and Camargo, the offense has been a trainwreck. Acuna and Swanson have played better as of late, but have still ultimately underwhelmed this season. The latter looks like his future in "The A" is bleak. Since being demoted to the bullpen, Folty has returned to the rotation and been solid. Him and Teheran have been our two most consistent starters thus far. Our bullpen has come back to earth, as Gohara and Vizcaino have been bitten by the regression monster. Minter has been given the keys to the closer role, and Jose Ramirez has thrown 18 consecutive scoreless innings. Things aren't all bad - but we've got some work to do in order to progress this rebuild. We are currently looking to extend Ozzie Albies to a long, team-friendly contract - stay tuned. September will be an opportunity for a lot of the young guys to play and grow since we are effectively done for the season.

8/10: Johan Camargo is placed on the 10-day DL with an ankle sprain. Rio Ruiz is called up to take his spot at 3B.
8/10: Danny Santana is optioned to AAA, Ryan Flaherty called up.
8/26: Johan Camargo is activated from the DL, Rio Ruiz optioned to AAA.

Around the League:
-Dustin Fowler (OAK) has one of the greatest games in major league history. A 7-for-7 effort which included hitting for the cycle. He had 3 singles, a double, two triples, and a home run. Wow! The game lasted 14 innings.
-Justin Verlander records his 200th win
-4 teams (ARI, LAD, CHC, STL) are all within a 1/2 game of the second WC spot in the NL.
-Houston and Cleveland boast a tie for the majors best record at 86-48

[Francoeurstein]

End of Season Report
73-89, tied for 5th place, 21 GB, 25th overall in Power Rankings
--Well, after a promising few months, the wheels fall off and my Braves end up finishing tied for last place in the NL East. There are a lot of positive takeaways, however. For one, Dansby Swanson hit a blistering .343 in the month of September and finally looked the part of a major league hitter. That will be a positive development going into 2019. While Acuna looked overmatched, we were able to give him regular playing time as a 20-year old in the major leagues. He still possesses otherworldy talent and we believe that he will take a major step forward next year as he becomes accustomed to major league pitching. Ozzie Albies posted a 5.3 WAR as a 21-year old, and we inked him to a 8 year/$101 million extension that we believe is a total steal. Freeman continued his legacy, posting a 6.5 WAR in what appears to be a Hall of Fame peak for the 28 year old first baseman. The offensive core looks solid, but there are many holes to filled - mainly at catcher and rightfield. There's some work to be done on the pitching side of things. Julio Teheran had a fine season, with a 125 ERA+ in 243 innings pitched (I turned up pitcher stamina in this sim). Folty had a dramatic turnaround, posting a 3.35 ERA over his last 123 innings before requiring season-ending surgery in the beginning of September. Behind those two, the rotation was rocky for the most part - but there's still plenty of young talent that has time to figure it out. A.J. Minter looks the part of a true bullpen ace and Riley Ferrell looked good in a September call-up. This off-season we will have a fair amount of money to spend, so expect moves to be made!

Transactions:

9/4: Mike Foltynewicz opts to have surgery on his right knee to clean up a torn meniscus. He will miss the rest of the season, but should be good to go by '19. Luiz Gohara will give it a go in the rotation.
9/5: Ozzie Albies signs an 8 year/$101 million extension. The deal is mostly backloaded and he will recieve 2.5 mill next year.

Around the League:
-Brad Miller has a 6-hit game against Cleveland
-Rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani has surgery on his elbow to remove bone chips. He will miss the rest of the season for the Wildcard Angels.
-Dan Duquette is fired as the G.M. of Baltimore
-Mitch Haniger hits 3 home runs against the Rangers
-Robinson Cano records his 2,500th career hit
-Willie Calhoun (MIA) snaps a 25-game hitting streak

Playoff Tree:
AL Seeding
1. Cleveland 103-59
2. Houston 98-64
3. Boston 87-75
4. Los Angeles (WC) 88-74
5. Minnesota (WC) 86-76

NL
1. Chicago 97-65
2. New York 94-68
3. Los Angeles 93-69
4. Washington (WC) 92-70
5. St. Louis (WC) 85-78

[Francoeurstein]

The Cubs win the World Series in 6 games against the Indians! Kyle Schwarber wins the WS MVP going 5-13 with 3 home runs. He drove in all 3 runs in the clinching game 6 victory.

Braves News:
-Folty awarded 2.6m in arbitration
-Rex Brothers awarded 1.1m in arbitration
-Sam Freeman non-tendered
-Jose A. Ramirez awarded 900k in arb
-Chase Whitley awarded 1.8m in arb
-Daniel Winkler awarded 750k in arb
-Arodys Vizcaino awarded 3.8m in arb
-Tim Federowicz awarded 750k in arb
-Ryan Flaherty awarded 750k in arb
-Charlie Culberson awarded 750k in arb
-Danny Santana awarded 750k in arb
-Ezequiel Carrera awarded 900k in arb
-Jake Marisnick awarded 2.2m in arb
-Brandon McCarthy option year declined - will become FA
-Anibal Sanchez contract expires
-Kurt Suzuki resigns for 1 year at 2.6m

Point of Emphasis this Off-Season:
-Acquire a power hitter: This past season we ranked dead last in the majors with 126 home runs. We only had two players (Albies, Freeman) in double digits. This is embarassing and needs to improve.
-Acquire starting pitching depth: With McCarthy leaving, there will be a major innings void. Right now only Teheran and Folty have a guaranteed spot in the rotation. There are a lot of young arms in the system that can compete for a spot, but we need to beef up the depth.
-Upgrade at C and RF. Right now we plan on keeping Suzuki around for his leadership, but he's not that effective as a 36-year old. We need to acquire a legitimate starting catcher. In the outfield, Acuna and Inciarte are set in stone, but that's about it. A power-hitting corner outfielder would be a massive upgrade.

Owner Goals:
Review of 2018 Goals...
-Finish around .500: FAILED
-Upgrade at 3B: Somewhat succeeded, Camargo had a 2.3 WAR
-Build a playoff team in the next 4 seasons: It's looking like we're on the right track


Final Team Stats:

[Francoeurstein]

Off-Season Report

Transactions:
12/5: Sign Clayton Kershaw to a 7 year deal worth $154 million. We were able to sign arguably the best pitcher in the game to a fairly team-friendly deal. Kershaw expressed a great desire to come pitch in Atlanta to help a young team develop into something special. He is coming off a season in which he won his 4th Cy Young award in which he posted a whopping 9.5 WAR. This acquisition will undoubtedly boost our team and our attendance figures. Kershaw will be the best pitcher the city of Atlanta has seen since Greg Maddux.

12/11: Ozzie Albies is awarded the NL Gold Glove for 2nd Base!

12/18: OF Billy McKinney is selected in the Rule 5 Draft. McKinney is a toolsy 24-year old that will see time at all 3 outfield positions.

12/21: C Tim Federowicz and RHP Ricardo Sanchez are selected off waivers

12/22: We send RHP Dylan Bice and RHP Ian Prospect (#83 prospect in baseball) to the White Sox for OF Adam Eaton. Eaton is coming off of a solid 2.6 WAR season and will be a major upgrade to our outfield. He is owed $25 million over the next 3 years.

1/29: Sign C Jonathan Lucroy to a 2 year deal worth $12.2 million. Lucroy is a solid leader coming off of a 1.5 WAR season with Oakland and Boston. He will be a solid addition to the lineup and the pitching staff.


Around the League:
-Bryce Harper .332/.452/.627, 46 HR, 9.3 WAR wins the NL MVP
-Mike Trout .329/.446/.651, 50 HR, 9.9 WAR wins the AL MVP
-Clayton Kershaw 18-6, 2.51 ERA, 9.5 WAR wins the NL CYA
-Dallas Keuchel 22-6, 3.22 ERA, 7.2 WAR wins the AL CYA
-J.P. Crawford .275/.374/.400, 4.8 WAR wins the NL ROY
-Shohei Ohtani 15-11, 3.48 ERA, .265/.331/.511, 5.1 WAR wins the AL ROY

-The Rangers sign Charlie Blackmon signs a 5 year deal worth $132 million
-Dallas Keuchel signs with the Cardinals for 7 years/165m
-Brian Dozier signs with the Dodgers for 4 years/59.6m
-Josh Donaldson signs with the Angels for 5 years/83m
-Star Japanese 1B Yukinaha Onishi for 4 years/40.7m
-Cole Hamels signs with the Twins for 3 years/36m
-Daniel Murphy signs with the Astros for 5 years/90m
-Bryce Harper signs with the Blue Jays for 6 years/189m
-Yasmani Grandal signs with the Nationals for 6 years/78m
-Ervin Santana signs with the Mets for 3 years/35.1m
-Andrew McCutchen signs with the Rays for 5 years/76m
-Mike Moustakas signs with the Yankees for 6 years/79.2m
-Adrian Beltre signs with the Royals for 2 years/22m
-Joakim Soria signs with the Dodgers for 3 years/33m
-J.A. Happ signs with the Padres for 2 years/35m
-Craig Kimbrel signs with the Rangers for 1 year/9.1m
-Logan Forsythe signs with the A's for 1 year/7.2m
-Drew Pomeranz signs with the Astros for 3 years/27m
-Andrew Miller signs with the Brewers for 1 year/5.6m
-The Royals send LHP Richard Lovelady to the Red Sox for 1B Mitch Moreland and RHP Trevor Oaks
-The Giants send #8 overall prospect Carter Stewart and RHP Cory Gearrin to the Brewers for Keon Broxton
-The Twins send OF Zack Granite and RHP Alex Schick to the Rockies for LHP Kyle Freeland
-The Rangers send 1B Justin Bour to the Mets for OF Yoenis Cespedes

[Francoeurstein]

2019 Pre-Season Report

Owner Goals:
-Play close to .500 ball this season
-Upgrade at Catcher this season
-Acquire a Top Player
-Increase attendance from 24,532 to 33,000

Pre-season prediction: 86-76, 2nd in the NL East

C: Jonathan Lucroy- Not the best defensive catcher in the league, but he handles pitchers very well. He is capable of providing good pop and league average offense.
1B: Freddie Freeman- Perennial MVP candidate and the heart and soul of the Braves.
2B: Ozzie Albies- Ozzie had a monster season last year, and he's still only 22. If he increases his offensive output, then he will be an MVP caliber player.
3B: Johan Camargo- Not the most talented player, but coming off of a solid 2.6 WAR season. He plays solid defense all over the infield and is a plus contributor anywhere.
SS: Dansby Swanson- We're hoping a red-hot September will carry into 2019. He hasn't hit for power yet in his young career, but he's capable of hitting 15-20 home runs as he continues to develop. This could be a make or break year for Dansby.
LF: Ronald Acuna- He didn't play well last year in a short stint - but he's still only 21 and one of the most talented players in the majors. If he starts to tap into his potential, he will be a dynamic player, capable of being dynamic on both sides of the ball.
CF: Ender Inciarte- Had a down year last year by his standards, but his Gold Glove defense gives him a high floor. If the 28-year old can go back to hitting .290+, then he will be a fine asset from the leadoff spot in the order.
RF: Adam Eaton- Does everything well but hit for power. Still, he's an elite fielder, good baserunner, and good contact hitter. Rounds out arguably the best defensive outfield in the National League.

Grade: B

Bench:
C- Kurt Suzuki
3B- Rio Ruiz
IF- Charlie Culberson
OF- Billy McKinney
OF- Ezequiel Carrera

Grade: B-

Rotation:
1. Clayton Kershaw- The absolute best pitcher in baseball who plans on continuing his legacy in Atlanta. Could go down as one of the greatest of all-time.
2. Julio Teheran- Unfortunately, Teheran sustained an elbow injury that will keep him out until June. When he returns, he will fit nicely into the rotation as a solid innings eater.
3. Mike Foltynewicz- It's hard to tell what kind of pitcher Folty is. He's very hold and cold, but he possesses an upper-90's fastball and two plus breaking balls. We're hoping that newly hired pitching coach Chuck Crim can help him harness his stuff.
4. Luiz Gohara- He was elite out of the pen last year before the wheels started to fall off. We're hoping the 22-year old will use his elite fastball-slider combo to succeed as a starting pitcher. Otherwise, he'll profile as a solid reliever.
5. Max Fried- The 25-year old rookie has always had great stuff, including one of the best curveballs around. Sometimes he has mechanical issues and struggles with command. He's got nice upside and we're hoping he can reach it after a good Spring Training.

Grade: C+

Bullpen:
CL- A.J. Minter
SU- Arodys Vizcaino
LHSU- Grant Dayton
LHMR- Rex Brothers
MR- Miguel Socolovich
MR- Riley Ferrell
MR- Jose A. Ramirez

Grade: B-

Down on the Farm:
Top 10 Prospects
1. RHP Kyle Wright AAA (#19 overall): High floor pitcher with a solid four pitch mix. His fastball sits 92-96 and he can command it well. Probably has the upside of a #2 or 3 starter, but is a pretty good bet to reach it soon.
2. RHP Mike Soroka AAA (#54 overall): Another high floor pitcher. He throws in the low-90's and doesn't have any elite pitches, but has plus-plus command. He was limited to 27.2 innings in AA last year, but his plus pitchability has him nearly ML ready at age 21.
3. C Joey Bart AA (#85 overall): Last years #8 overall pick. He has a cannon behind the dish and 25-30 home run potential. His Achilles heel is that he has a long swing and is susceptible to strike outs. Still, he looks the part of a solid major league Catcher.
4. LHP Kolby Allard AAA: Allard is young, throws his fastball in the 92-94 range, and has three plus pitches. However, his fastball is straight and he is prone to getting hit hard. He is a few adjustments away from being a solid lefty starter.
5. LHP Joey Wentz AA: Lefty with plus pitchability who dominated single-A as a 20-year old. He commands his low 90's fastball very well and has a high spin rate curveball. He's probably a few years away from making an impact.
6. RHP Bryse Wilson AA: Doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but can command three pitches and compete. Ceiling of a back of the rotation innings eater.
7. CF Christian Pache AA: Held his own as a 19-year old in high-A. He may never be a great hitter, but is an elite centerfielder with plus-plus speed. Comparable to Ender Inciarte from the right side.
8. 3B Austin Riley AAA: 22-year old 3B that is almost major league ready. Has solid power evidenced by his 29 home runs in Mississippi last year. There's some swing and miss to his game, but there's also 35 home run upside.
9. IF Lency Delgado A: Advanced bat for his age, but behind with the glove. He will likely profile as an average third baseman with good gap-to-gap power.
10. C William Contreras A: Very advanced behind the plate and flashes great defensive tools. His bat is slow to develop, but his glove gives him solid upside.

20th ranked minor league system, but very deep with solid prospects.
Grade: B

[Francoeurstein]

May 4th, 2019
17-10, 1 GB, 4th in Power Rankings

--Oh what the difference a year makes. We find ourselves playing incredibly well to start the season, and a lot of it has to do with newly acquired ace Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is fresh off winning the NL Pitcher of the Month Award, going 4-0 with a sparkling 1.93 ERA. Newly acquired players Jonathan Lucroy and Adam Eaton have been a major boost as well. Dansby Swanson and Johan Camargo have gotten off to rocky starts thus far - the latter has seen his plate appearances decrease in favor to the red hot Rio Ruiz. Acuna had a promising month as well, slashing .279/.361/.385. The rotation and bullpen have been pretty solid as well. Recently injured A.J. Minter has gotten off to a rocky start, but he's averaging a ridiculous 20.5 k/9 and we're not at all worried. Behind Kershaw: Max Fried, Luiz Gohara, and Sean Newcomb have been a solid supporting cast. All good in "The A"!

Transactions:
5/4: A.J. Minter is placed on the 10-day DL and is expected to miss two weeks with a sore wrist. Chase Whitley is recalled from his rehab assignment to take his roster spot.

Around the League:
-Chris Sale signs a 5 year/96m extension with Boston
-Joey Votto hits home run number 300
-Tim Anderson hits for the cycle
-Washington Nationals owner Ted Lerner passes suddenly
-Blake Snell is set to miss the season with a torn flexor tendon in his left elbow
-Rockies starter German Marquez is out for the season with a ruptured disc in his lumbar spine
-Justin Upton hits his 300th career HR
-Free-Agent signing J.A. Happ is set to miss 4 months for San Diego with a torn rotator cuff
-Mark Melancon is out for the season with a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder
-Miguel Cabrera hits his 500th home run!
-Madison Bumgarner signs a 5 year/81.9 extension with San Francisco

[Francoeurstein]

May 29th, 2019
27-22, 1 GB, 13th in Power Rankings
--May hasn't been too kind to us, as we've begun to hit a few bumps in the road. With that being said, there are a lot of positives despite the recent struggles. For one, Ozzie Albies is hitting .332 and looks like a true MVP candidate. Acuna is hitting .290 and looks like he belongs in the major leagues. Dansby Swanson has even turned it around, hitting .333 in May. The entire rotation, including Kershaw, has struggled as of late. We recently got news that Max Fried is out for the entire season, which is a big blow - he had a solid 3.78 ERA. Julio Teheran is back, but he looked rusty in his first start. Rookie Mike Soroka threw a complete game gem in his major league debut, he will certainly be back in the majors soon.

5/13: Struggling Johan Camargo is demoted to AAA. Austin Riley is promoted and will start at 3B. Camargo has a 35 OPS+ in 93 plate apperances, while Austin Riley has a .921 OPS in Gwinnett.

5/18: Chase Whitley is placed on the 10-day DL, A.J. Minter is activated from the DL.

5/18: Riley Ferrell is demoted to AAA. Mike Soroka is recalled and will take over Folty's spot in the rotation. Folty is demoted to the bullpen.

5/20: Grant Dayton is demoted to AAA. Phillip Pfeiffer is promoted.

5/22: A.J. Minter is placed on the 10-day DL with a herniated disc. He is expected to miss 2 weeks. Dan Winkler is recalled from Gwinnett.

5/23: Julio Teheran is activated from the DL. Mike Soroka is sent down to Gwinnett.

5/29: Max Fried is placed on the 60 day DL and is going to miss the season with a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder. Chase Whitley is activated from the DL.

Around the League:
-Brian McCann hits his 300th HR
-Miami fires skipper Don Mattingly
-Marco Hernandez of the Red Sox snaps his 28-game hitting streak
-Ozzie Albies is tied for the NL lead in WAR (2.6)
-The Red Sox are a ridiculous 36-13

[Francoeurstein]

Draft-Day Update:
June 4, 2018
30-24, 1 GB

--The Chicago White Sox selected C Shea Langeliers from Baylor with the 1st overall pick. Considered the best catching prospect since Buster Posey, Langeliers is a well rounded player that does everything well. He shouldn't spend too much time toiling in the minors, and he's a good bet to be a perennial All-Star catcher.

Atlanta's Picks:
1st round, 9th overall: OF Jasiah Dixon- Dixon is a premiere athlete from the prep ranks in Southern California. He possesses elite speed and outfield range and is a good bet to stay in center. His plate discipline could use some work, but he's got a good feel for hitting and 20+ homer upside.
3rd round, 76th overall: RHP Kendall Williams- This talented righty from a Mississippi high school will be difficult to sign. He's 6'6" and throws with a good downhill plane, generating velocity in the low to mid 90's. He's got a solid 4 pitch mix.
4th round, 106th overall: RHP Dutch Landis- Another solid prep righty. He's got well above-average control of his low 90's fastball and a Bugs Bunny changeup.

Transactions:
5/30- Promoted Mike Soroka to the bigs, sent down Daniel Winkler
6/1- Demoted Austin Riley to AAA, recalled Johan Camargo
6/2- DFA'd Chase Whitley and activated A.J. Minter from the DL

[Francoeurstein]

June 1st, 2019
41-37, 2.5 gb, 11th in Power Rankings
--After a blistering hot start, we've cooled down significantly - going 24-27 in our last 51 games. We are still very much in it, however, sitting only 2.5 games back in the division and the second Wildcard spot. If this team is still competitive at the All-Star break then I will make an effort to improve the team. The pitching staff has struggled mightily, especially Julio Teheran who "improved" to a 6.50 ERA with two strong starts in a row. Mike Soroka has been a solid contributor, but outside of Clayton Kershaw, there's not one pitcher I would trust starting a playoff game. On offense, Dansby Swanson has really started to put it together, and he currently boasts an OPS+ of 113. Freddie Freeman has been white hot and Adam Eaton is finally starting to hit. This lineup still lacks home run power, as we are last in the league in total home runs. We are first in batting average, though.

6/1: Folty DFA'd, Lucas Sims called up from AAA. Sean Newcomb demoted to the bullpen.

Around the League:
-Mookie Betts hits 3 home runs against Baltimore
-Baltimore ace Dylan Bundy is out for the season with a ruptured disc in his lower back
-Jose Abreu (MIA) hits 3 home runs against Toronto
-Adam Jones (KCR) hits his 300th home run

Mid-Season Top Prospects:
1. RHP Kyle Wright (AAA) 32nd overall
2. C Joey Bart (AA) 55th overall
3. RHP Mike Soroka (MLB) 58th overall
4. LHP Kolby Allard (AAA)
5. LHP Joey Wentz (AA)
6. 3B Austin Riley (AAA)
7. OF Christian Pache (AA)
8. IF Lency Delgado (A)
9. RHP Bryse Wilson (AA)
10. RHP Cooper Benson (R)

Team Stats:

[Francoeurstein]

All-Star Break Report
49-47, 6.5 gb, 18th in Power Rankings

--In July, our worst opponent got the best of us - the injury bug. On the 4th, Freeman got injured and was expected to miss a month. We played adequately in his absence, led by rookie Austin Riley and Ike Davis. However, on the 17th, Albies was placed on the DL and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. Without our two best position players, we inevitably struggled. Sandwiched in between thse two incidents was a trade - Sean Newcomb and two lower-tier prospects for Jeff Samardzija (retaining 80%) and Will Smith. Shark has been pretty solid this season, posting a 109 ERA+ in 120+ innings pitched, while Smith has been a bullpen ace with a 2.27 ERA on the season. Unfortunately, our pitching depth took another hit when Luiz Gohara sustained a serious injury that'll have him out of comission for a year plus. We are still in the thick of the Wildcard chase, only 3 games back of the second spot - but it's going to be difficult with two stars simulataneously hurt for the next couple of weeks. Thank God for the All-Star Break. The Braves have 4 representatives in the ASG: Albies, Freeman, Kershaw, and Lucroy

7/2: Dansby Swanson collects 5 hits against Boston

7/4: Freddie Freeman fractures his thumb and is expected to miss 4 weeks. He has been placed on the 10-day DL and Austin Riley has been recalled from AAA. Rio Ruiz and Johan Camargo are expected to platoon at 1st.

7/8: Rio Ruiz has been demoted to AAA. Ike Davis is promoted.

7/12: Trade LHP Sean Newcomb, RHP Brad Roney, and OF Adrian Ramos to San Francsico for RHP Jeff Samardzija (retaining 80%) and LHP Will Smith. Lucas Sims is optioned back to AAA.

7/17: Luiz Gohara is out for 12-13 months with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow

7/17: Ozzie Albies is out for 3 weeks with an intercostal strain. Travis Demeritte is promoted to take his spot at 2B.


Around the League:
-Gary Sanchez homers 3 times against Seattle
-Seattle sends LHP James Paxton to the Cubs for RHP Alex Lange and UTIL Ben Zobrist
-Kenta Maeda is out for the season with a torn labrum
-Sonny Gray is out for the season with bone chips in his elbow
-The Padres send RHP Carter Capps and OF Angel Solarte to the Mets for RHP Justin Dunn
-The Tigers send RHP Gerson Moreno and RHP Chaz Roe to the Indians for IF Brad Miller
-Scott Kingery hits 3 home runs against Pittsburgh
-Tyler Anderson throws a no-hitter against Oakland
-Edwin Encarnacion hits home run number 400!
-Yukinaga Onishi (STL) hits for the cycle!

[Francoeurstein]

August 19, 2019
62-56, 5 gb, 10th in Power Rankings
--We're playing well and staying in the thick of the playoff race. Julio Teheran sustained a season-ending injury earlier in the month, but that probably won't hurt us - he has a 7.18 ERA and hasn't looked right all year. Rookie Austin Riley has played admirably at 3B, and he's been particularly hot in August, hitting 7 home runs so far. Swanson and Acuna have inspired confidence with their play as well. Jeff Samardzija has been dominant as a Brave, going 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 6 starts. Rookie Mike Soroka has been money, with a 3.29 ERA in 14 starts to begin his promising major league career. Top prospect Kyle Wright is expected to make his major league debut later this week. Even if we don't make the postseason this year, the future looks bright in Atlanta.

8/1: Freddie Freeman activated from DL. Johan Camargo optioned to AAA.

8/4: Ozzie Albies activated from DL. Travis Demeritte optioned to AAA.

8/12: Kolby Allard sent down, top prospect Kyle Wright called up.

8/14: Julio Teheran is injured with an elbow strain and placed on the 60-day DL. Lucas Sims recalled.

8/14: Phillip Pfeiffer optioned to AAA, Grant Dayton recalled

Around the League:
-Elvis Andrus has a 6-hit game!