Clubhouse Keeping and Other Notes.

The coaching staff is set, the big move has been made, and the AAA roster has been restocked.

So what now?

It would appear not all that much, but under the surface there is still work to be done. Before we go into all that, lets take a look at what has been done so far.

October 13, 2010 Freddi Gonzalez is named Braves manager to a bit of fanfare that was mostly centered around Bobby Cox's departure. The move wasn't much of a surprise, but still caused a bit of dissent among the factions that thought Joe Torre would be a wiser choice.

October 19, 2010 Melky Cabrera is released, and all of Braves Country lets out a sigh of relief. Hislackadaisical play, puzzling routes in center field , and the fact that he is due an arbitration raise made his departure more than necessary. 

Also dropped on this date were Takashi Saito, and J.C. Boscan. Saito pitched very well in Atlanta when healthy, but his contract had a clause requiring him to be released after the season. His age, and injury history made it unlikely that he would be resigned in any case. 

Boscan was just released to made space on the 40 man roster and has already been reassigned to Gwinnett.

October 27, 2010 Braves sign Beau Torbert to a minor league contract, he was Baseball America's independent league player of the year. The former Astros farmhand flirted with .400 with the Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants of the American Association. 

The Braves have had success from indy signings before, former closer Kerry Ligtenberg might be the most memorable example. He had 30 saves in 1997 after being traded for bats, balls and a small amount of cash.

Outfielder Brent Clevlen who saw limited time in Atlanta in 2010 was resigned, he's got a lot of tools but is nearing thirty may be running out of chances to put them all together.

November 2, 2010 The Braves exercise the options of Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante, both were a team friendly 2.5 million dollars. They also agreed to a one year $750k contact for reliever Scott Proctor, this move is a bit of a head scratcher, but since he spent all of 2010 in the Braves organization maybe they know something we don't.

Options declined on this date were Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel, neither lived up to expectations after they were acquired from the Royals for Gregor Blanco, Jesse Chavez and minor league left hander Tim Collins. They both had impact performances in the post season despite their struggles down the stretch.

November 3, 2010 Joe Mather is claimed off of waivers. Mather is a versatile player with some power, and has seen time at all three outfield positions and the infield corners. With a good spring training he could find himself in a role similar to the one Matt Diaz has filled the past three years.

November 13, 2010 Kenshin Kawakami is outrighted to AA Mississippi. This cleared space on the 40 man roster and perhaps provides some motivation for Kawakami to return to Japan, a move he seems reluctant to make. It is not believed that any  MLB team has any interest in him, though several NPB teams appear to. The Softbank Hawks, Yomiuri Giants, and Nippon Ham Fighters are names that have been mentioned.

November 16, 2010 Dan Uggla is acquired in exchange for Omar Infante and Mike Dunn. This is the big move that Braves fans have been waiting for, a right handed power threat that will solidify the middle of the lineup. Many fans were disappointed to see Infante go, but if Uggla plays like he is capable this is a fantastic deal.

November 19, 2010 Minor League slugger Cody Johnson is sent to the Yankees for cash. Johnson has big power, but even bigger holes in his swing.

Former Tigers AAA closer Jay Sborz to a minor league deal, he could conceivably see time in the pen in 2011.

November 22, 2010 the Braves sign four minor league free agents. Outfielder Jose Constanza a left handed switch hitter who has been called AAA's fastest player, he doesn't drive the ball much but is a good defender and may draw consideration if Nate McLouth stalls again in 2011.

Ed Lucas an infielder and Dartmouth grad who has shown some good on base skills and some speed in the minors.

Shawn Bowman a big slugging third baseman who has shown a lot of power but has had trouble being productive consistently.

The only one of these players to make the MLB so far is utility man Wilkin Castillo a switch hitter who can play anywhere on the diamond. He has seen time at every position except center field and on the mound. He has yet to hit much in AAA but his versatility makes him interesting.

So what is left for Atlanta?

First Eric Hinske, after providing clubhouse leadership and a versatile bat off the bench the Braves would like to have him back. It's been reported that he's in the process of deciding between the Braves and Brewers who have both offered him deals.

If Hinske doesn't return that might mean the non-tender candidate Matt Diaz might. After an injury plagued year Diaz had trouble returning to form, the Braves resign Hinske or another outfielder there might not be room on the roster for the fan favorite.

The nightmare that is arbitration ill be endured this season by six  Braves players, including Diaz, Martin Prado, Dan Uggla, Jiar Jurrjens, Eric O'Flaherty, and Peter Moylan. Diaz and Moylan have been mentioned as non-tender candidates, but Moylan has a very good shot of sticking around.

So the apparent needs for this team remain a veteran relief pitcher and players to can backup at shortstop and center field capably.

J.J. Putz and Kerry Wood have been mentioned as fits for the Braves but both could be too expensive, the market for relief pitchers especially right handed ones is very deep this off season so look for them to make a signing before the spring.

Internal options to back up at shortstop are thin, Martin Prado has played a total of 15 innings at short but really shouldn't be considered an option. Diory Hernandez is probably the only player who is capable of filling this spot right out of spring training, Tyler Pastornicky, Myke Jones, Matt Lipka and Edward Salcedo may all be options in the next few years but are probably not going to be ready in 2011.

There are a few guys who could man center field in a pinch but no big name prospects close, Frank Wren has mentioned former opening day center fielder Jordan Schafer and AAA veteran Matt Young as guys who could fill this role internally. Schafer has had a couple of terrible years since we last saw him in Atlanta but still has all the tools that made him a top prospect at one point.

Young is a speedy player who has good on base skills and can play left and center field and second base, the knock against him is his size. He is generously listed at 5 foot 8 and doesn't have much of an arm, think a slightly slower Scott Podsednik.

Constanza as mentioned above could merit consideration, as could Joe Mather if he proves his range is good enough.

Their has been nothing more than speculation as to who the Braves are pursuing, this is often the case with Frank Wren he doesn't seem to like any information to be heard before he announces it. So lets get ready for surprises Braves fans I have a feeling we have at least one more coming before opening day.

Welcome to Atlanta Dan Uggla...

Just after four pm today the Braves announced they had acquired slugging second baseman Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins in exchange for fan favorite Omar Infante, and lefty Mike Dunn. Frank Wren did exactly what I said he wasn't going to do about three hours after I said it, and for that I eat my words.

Uggla is probably the best offensive second baseman in the game right now he posted a .283/33/105 line on the season. He provides the big time power threat from the right side that the Braves have been missing the past couple of seasons. He is sort of an all or nothing swinger, though he has improved in recent years, which makes him an oddity in the Braves organization but probably a welcome one.

His acquisition according to Frank Wren will move Martin Prado to left field, his normal winter baseball position. Prado will likely play third base until Chipper Jones is fully recovered from his ACL operation.

Uggla isn't quite the defender that Prado is but isn't abysmal and will provide some of the offense that the Braves have been missing the past few years.

Infate's departure will facilitate the need for a backup infielder who can play shortstop, and his attitude on and off the field will be missed.

All in all solid move Mr.Wren, you proved me wrong. Welcome to Atlanta Dan Uggla, let's go win some games.

GM Meetings, Early Christmas Presents...

A few weeks ago I outlined the potential free agent/ trade candidate fits for the Braves, since then there have been a few rumors circulating that have heightened the intrigue of the winter GM meeting this week.

New names to add to the potential trade candidate pool are; Ryan Braun, Justin Upton, B.J. Upton, Carlos Quentin, Delmon Young, and the all of the Oakland A's outfielders. Also available is Dan Uggla, it is believed that the Braves would move him to left field in the unlikely circumstance that they trade for him.

New the free agent pool is Scott Podsednik, the Dodgers picked up their half of his mutual option, but he declined. Indicating that he will probably be looking to make more than the 2Million that he would have made had he picked it up.

I'd also like to add Magglio Ordonez to the pool of available free agent outfielders, I didn't list him earlier because I was unsure if the broken ankle he suffered would allow him to start spring training normally. It appears that he is doing well and is going to be ready to play in the spring. He looks to be in line for a 1-2 year deal worth 6-10 million per season.

Breaking down the trade candidates;

Ryan Braun- He is exactly the player the Braves wold love to have, a young player(27 next season) coming into his prime. In four seasons he's never hit less than 25 home runs, and only hit under .300 once, he also brings some speed to the table stealing at least 14 bases in every big league season. He also has a fairly team friendly contract that runs through 2015, which means that by the time that his money starts to get fairly substantial the Braves will have Chipper Jones and Derek Lowe off the books. The bad part about Braun is the fact that he's coming off a relative down year hitting a career low 25 home runs with an OPS of .866, he also rates slightly below average in LF with a -9.3 UZR and he will likely cost a hefty price to move. 

The Brewers are desperate for pitching which means they will likely be asking for an MLB ready arm and either a top pitching prospect and a bullpen arm or two top prospects. A scenario that has been speculated is Jiar Jurrgens, Randall Delgado and Arodys Vizcaino for Braun. The Brewers would have more incentive to trade Corey Hart while his stock is up, but don't seem inclined to do so.

Justin Upton- We have been hearing about Upton for years which makes it hard to believe that the Diamondback talented right fielder will only be 23 during the 2011 season. He brings power and speed to the table, and though he is still developing as a player his ceiling is incredibly high. Last year he digressed some after his 2009 all star campaign(.300/26/86) but is still considered to be the D-Backs main building block should they choose to keep him posting a .273/16/66 line last season. 

His contract like Braun's runs through 2015, it's a little less team friendly reaching 14.5 million in it's final season to Braun's 12million. He has a higher ceiling so the asking price could be even higher, to net Upton Frank Wren would likely need to trade top pitching prospect Julio Tehran. That makes this deal even less likely to happen. In Atlanta he would have to move to left or center field with Jason Heyward entrenched in right, Upton has said in the past the he can play CF and his 7.6 UZR in RF indicate he may be correct.

B.J. Upton-The older Upton Brother is only 25 and has been a full time big league player since 2007 when he found a permanent home in CF after bouncing around the infield at 2B and 3B for a few seasons. His hitting statistics are enigmatic, he clearly has potential to post a .275/25/80 line with 40+ stolen bases, but has yet to put all that potential together. His batting average has dropped steadily every season, though his power last season was better than every year other than 2007. 

He's an above average defensive center fielder so that would allow Nate McLouth to play left field, but the Braves don't seem inclined to add another streaky bat to their outfield mix. The asking price is reportedly an all time low, but I wouldn't give this deal a great shot at happening. Though the fact that he's going year to year instead of a long term deal may make him  appealing.

Carlos Quentin- He's got more power than any player the Braves have had since Mark Texeria, and is capable of putting up a fantastic offensive year at any time. He's coming off a so-so .243/26/87 campaign, but   has been hampered by injuries some in the past few years. He offers nothing defensively, though his numbers in LF (-14 UZR) are less dismal than those he posted in RF (-22) he has an average arm but nearly all of his value is with the bat. 

He's gong through arbitration year to year so if he's monstrously unproductive he could always be non-tendered. It's always hard to predict White Sox GM Ken Williams but Wren has worked with him before and both like to move quickly so if a deal happens we probably wont hear about it until it's nearly complete.

Delmon Young- I listed Michael Cuddyer as a trade candidate earlier, but some sources think the Twins are more likely to deal Young. His numbers this year may be slightly above what he's capable(.298/21/112), or he may just be coming into his own as a hitter at age 25. The Twins need bullpen help as most of their 'pen are now free agents, so a Brandon Beachy/Mike Dunn swap for Young may be an optimistic starting point.

Defensively he's rates as just below average in left field(-9.4 UZR) with about an average arm. He also going though year to year arbitration so he won't break the bank unless he puts up monster numbers.

A's Outfielders- I mentioned Coco Crisp in an earlier post, though now that his option has been picked up it seems that Crisp and David DeJesus are the least likely to be moved from the A's. GM Billy Beane has been extremely busy this off season already and probably will be until opening day. With Crips and DeJesus off the table that leaves Rajai Davis, Ryan Sweeny, and Conor Jackson as the potential odd men out in Oakland.

Davis is an all speed guy, he's a decent average hitter(.284 last season) but his OPB is a sometimes a little low at .320 last season. He's a good defensive outfielder at the corners, though slightly below average in center field. He has tons of speed and a terrible arm. The asking price would have to be fairly low for Atlanta to have interest he'll be less expensive than some other options, but his age 30 next season will likely make him less appealing.

Sweeny is also a good corner outfielder who can play center, but not any better than Nate McLouth. He has a decent arm and good on base skills but almost no power and not a lot of speed. Think Ryan Langerhans with better OBP. Not many teams would view him as an everyday starter and the Braves are among thsoe who would not.

Jackson, will probably be non-tendered coming off an off year even by his modest standards. I like his skills, but with Joe Mather in the fold, with a near identical skill set,  don't expect the Braves to be a player for Jackson.

To mention Uggla briefly, he's will be too costly to trade for because the Braves are a division rival. He will be playing outside of Florida in 2011 but don't expect it to be in Atlanta.

Speaking again of the free agents, I don't think the Braves will make a play for Scott Podsednik. They could have had him any of the last few seasons and have passed, a declining speed player who is only an above average fielder in right field and has no arm isn't a huge interest to them. Though his speed could make him an interesting platoon option if things are forced to go that way.

Ordonez has had a lot of injuries recently, but could still be very useful if he could be had on a one year deal. His declining range could be hidden a little better in Turner Fields left field as opposed to Comerica's spacious right. Even at this stage he may price himself out of the Brave price range.

To throw in a wild card Softbank Hawks outfielder Hitoshi Tamura is expected to declare international free agency today. He's an older guy at 34 but has displayed power when healthy with 24 home runs this season, and as many as 40 in a season in the NPB . He's had injury issues, but could be very good in a platoon or semi full time role. It's negotiable if he's that much better than Matt Diaz and if his body could hold up for a full season, but at the 1-3 million one year deal he will likely get he could be a decent piece. Frank Wren might be  wary of Japanese players after the Kawakmi deal, though Saito worked out good.

Braves Player Profile, Q&A with LHP Chris Masters

Recently I got the opportunity to have a quick Q&A with Braves left-handed pitching prospect, Kennesaw Georgia native, and all around good guy Chris Masters. He will likely begin the 2010 season with the Braves newest Minor League team, the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Matt White: First off thanks for agreeing to be interviewed and congrats on having a solid season for the Rome Braves. How did you like Rome in the time you spent there?

Chris Masters: I enjoyed playing in Rome. It was nice that it was only an hour away from my hometown in Kennesaw, Georgia and the family and friends got to come up alot which was great.  The coaches and the management were top notch and the city as a whole made it very accomodating for us.

MW:  You had a very good season but had a few rough outings at the end, did you get fatigued from a longer season?

CM: The first half went great.  I got to start for the South in the All Star game, but after a small injury to my elbow I did not really get back to throwing like I did earlier on.  I think it taught me alot of how to get back into the rhythm of things because I havent really ever experienced even a small injury in my career.  It was my first full season so I got a good feel of it and will know how to work out and condition my body and arm for a full schedule hopefully with no drop off this time.

MW: You played with some of the Braves other top prospects this year(Julio Tehran, Edwardo Salcedo, Myke Jones) what player were you most impressed with?

CM: I would definitely have to say Julio Teheran.  I have played with him for part of both seasons and the improvements, maturity, athleticism, and work ethic have really been impressive.  He is a standup guy who works hard and has some of the best stuff I have seen.  Very mature for his age.  I think Atlanta will be seeing him late next season or definitely in 2012.  

MW: If you could have any catcher for your personal backstop, past, present or even a non-professional who would you pick and why?

CM: I think I would choose Jason Varitek as my personal catcher.  This is not because he is the best receiver or has the best arm, but is one of the best students of the game I have ever seen.  Being able to pick his brain and to work with him I feel would make me so much better.  He really put in the work of studying hitters and really got on cue with all the pitchers he caught.

MW:Who do you think has had the most influence on you as a player?

CM: My dad has truly been the one who has really pushed me and instilled the drive and determination to be successful in baseball.  He worked me hard, but never overboard and taught me to be humble and how to carry myself on the field.  He put alot of hours in with me, got me in good leagues, and got me the lessons I needed to refine my game. 

MW:Minor league teams spend a lot of time of buses, how do you pass the time?

CM: Minor Leaguers get pretty creative on the bus haha.  We will play cards, bring our own movies or dvd sets, read, or just shoot the breeze.  Bringing your own pillow and even a sleeping bag to lay out on the floor of the bus if it is late.  Sleep aids become your new best friend ha.

MW: You have been mentioned in trade speculation some in the last two years, does that bother you at all?

CM: Trade speculation is a very interesting process and I am very optimistic about it.  Although I love the Braves organization, if I were traded to someone else, I would be totally fine with it.  I feel that I would have helped the Braves get someone they needed and also would feel good that someone else traded someone to get me in there system.  To me that shows that they would not have traded for you if they did not think you could make it all the way.

MW: Who is the toughest hitter you have faced so far in professional baseball?

CM:  J.D. Martinez in the Astros Organization who is flying through the Minor Leagues is a tough hitter.  His statistics were freakishly good, strong power hitter with amazing plate discipline and not many weaknesses in the zone.  I think he will be in big league spring training to start this year.

MW:Pitchers are notorious for rituals and superstitions, do you have any you don't mind sharing?

CM: I bow behind the mound take my hat off and pray right after the national anthem.  I also before every batter talk to myself out loud of how I am going to approach this batter and say some things to maintain my focus and agrression followed by two glove taps.  I also going on to the field turn side way and hurdle over the line.  I am a lefty, pretty much everything I do is weird haha.

MW:If you could go back in time to see one historical event what would it be?

CM:  I would love to have been there for Christ's resurrection and spend time with him until his ascension.  The joy of knowing that the person you serve, has resurrecting power would truly allow a faith level that could not be shaken. 

MW:Thanks again for agreeing to be interviewed I know all the Tarpslides readers will be really interested.

Silver Slugger Winners

Yesterday the MLB network did a really classy Silver Slugger presentation that simulcasted on mlb.com. They announced each winner and played a highlight real of that player and showed some satistics that show them worthy of winning. It was very well done, but we are not here to critique the ceremony. It's out job to see it everyone who took home hardware earned it.

Your winners are....

NL                                                                     AL
C-Brian McCann                                                C-Joe Mauer                                                  
1B-Albert Pujoles                                               1B-Miguel Cabrerra
2B-Dan Uggla                                                     2B-Robinson Cano
3B-Ryan Zimmerman                                          3B-Adrian Beltre
SS-Troy Tulowitzki                                             SS-Alexi Ramirez
OF-Carlos Gonzalez                                           OF-Jose Bautista
Ryan Braun                                                                Josh Hamilton
Matt Holiday                                                             Carl Crawford
P-Yovani Gallardo                                              DH-Vladimir Guererro


It's a fairly robust list packed with All-Stars and perennial award contenders, though a few new faces are sprinkled in. Like Jose Bautista, Bautista's 54 home runs put him ahead of other outfielders that had good years also like Alex Rios, Delmon Young and Shin-Soo Choo. It was well deserved for the Hank Aaron award winner, especially considering that the AL is packed with big names like Nelson Cruz, Nick Swisher, Torii Hunter, and Iciro Suzuki who are all capable of being elite offensive players.

The catching story is a familiar one, McCann winning his fourth Silver Slugger(third consecutive) and Mauer his third. It's hard to say that either of them didn't deserve it, but neither one was the clear cut winner before the awards were announced, McCann (.269/21/77) came down to the wire with Giants rookie Buster Posey, much like in the post season, who put up a .305 average and 18 home runs after taking over for Bengie Molina in April. They figure to be rivals for the Silver Slugger for years to come.

Mauer(.327/9/75) on the other hand had to contend with John Buck(.280/20/66), Victor Martinez(.302/20/79), and Mike Napoli(.238/26/68). You could make a very good case for V-Mart because his average was near Mauer, but he displayed much more power. Buck and Napoli fall sort of the other two, but belong in the conversation because of the strong numbers they put up. Mauer's .327 average and the fact that the Twins lineup is so dependent on him, despite his home run totals falling back to earth after  hitting 28 in his MVP 2009 season.

Joey Votto is the only other player who could have stolen the silver slugger from Prince Albert, and you could make a case that he should have. He beat Pujoles in batting average(.324 to .312) OBP(.424 to .414) and slugging percentage(.600 to .596), Pujoles got the best of Votto in home runs(42 to 38) and RBI(118 to 113). Basically it was a photo finish for these two fantastic players, and you can't go wrong with numbers like those. It just goes to show that the voters put more stock in counting numbers than ratios, and with these in particular maybe they should because the ratios were so close.

With an off years by Mark Texeria and Carlos Pena, and injuries to Kendry Morales, Keven Youkolis, and Justin Morneau the Award was Miguel Cabrera's to win. His only real competition came in the form of White Sox slugger Paul Konerko who put up a (.312/39/111) line, but with Cabrera hitting an impressive .328 to go with his 38 home runs, and 126 RBI it wasn't that close.

Dan Uggla and Martin Prado were going head to head for the second base award. With Uggla's 33 dingers, and Prado's late season injuries hurting his numbers, Uggla was the clear cut winner.

Robinson Cano was the steadying force in a fluctuating Yankee lineup, hitting .319, with 29 home runs and 109 RBI. Second base's bigger power threats Aaron Hill(.206/26.68) and Ian Kinsler(.286/9/45) both had off years, and perennial favorite Dustin Pedroia(.288/12/410 missed much of the second half with a foot injury. Which opened the door wide open for Cano to come in and grab it.

Ryan Zimmerman(.307/25/85) earned this one, but David wright wasn't far off(.283/29/103 and 19 stolen bases) it could have gone either way. I think Zimmerman may not have as high an offensive ceiling as Wright, but was better this year, in what many would consider a weaker lineup. After than it was pretty slim pickings in the NL with only Placido Polanco and Scott Rolen exceeding expectations. A lot of bad years from big names at the hot corner.

Adrian Beltre was thrilled to be away from the hitter's nightmare that is Safeco Field, and it showed in his numbers. Evan Longoria was his chief competition, but Beltre bested him by hitting around thirty points higher with about ten more RBI. It's ironic that the third baseman known for his glove (Beltre) won the Silver Slugger, and the third baseman known for his hitting (Longoria) won the Gold Glove.

Shortstop in both leagues was the right call all the way, Tulowitzki and Ramirez were both the class at a weak position.

In the Outfield you just can't argue with the inclusion of Carl Crawford(.307/19/90 47SB), Josh Hamilton(.359/32/100), or Carlos Gonzalez(.336/34/117 26SB). They should have had their names checked on everyone's ballots. Jose Bautista(.260/54/124) as stated earlier probably earned this one based on his enormous home run total.

Holliday(.312/28/103 and Braun(.304/25/103) both had outstanding season, though because of what they are capable of it doesn't seen as impressive. One could argue that Jayson Werth(.296/27/85) should have merited consideration. Braun's Brewer teammate Corey Hart(.283/31/102) probably just missed being on the list because of injuries that hampered him in the second half. With injuries to Andre Either, Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran, and down years by Matt Kemp, Alfonso Soriano and Shane Victorino thinned the pool greatly.

At DH Vlad(.300/29/115) showed that he can still rake, even if he can't play right anymore. He beat out David Ortiz(.270/32/102)and Billy Butler(.318/15/78) to claim the only DH exclusive award.

For the pitchers it was Yovani Gallardo, who displayed prodigious power hitting 4 home runs. The only argument another pitcher has an argument is probably Clayton Kershaw who lead all pitchers with 18 sacrifice hits. It's a different direction but that is what most pitchers are asked to do when they are at the plate.

So those are your winners, congrats to all of them.

NL Gold Glove Award Winners

Yesterday the NL Gold Glove award winners were announced, there were a few surprises but not so many as their could have been from the close NL races.
The list of winners reads like this:

P-Bronson Arroyo
C-Yadier Molina
1B-Albert Pujoles
2B-Brandon Phillips
3B-Scott Rolen
SS-Troy Tulowitzki
OF-Michael Bourn
Carlos Gomez
Shane Victorino

A fairly predictable list though not completely without intrigue. First time winners are Arroyo, Gonzalez, and Tulowitzki. Voters seem to have been influenced by hitting to some extent in the voting the past few years, and this year was no exception. However they seem to have gotten most of these right, or at least close enough to avoid some of the AL's outrage.

P-Adam Wainwright, last years winner made another strong case this year committing only one error on the year. Arroyo however had zero, and that is downright impressive, especially considering how well he fields  to the first base side. Tim Hudson, and Jon Garland also deserve consideration, but with no errors Arroyo earned this one.

C-The catchers race was a three horse tie that Molina won by reputation, Miguel Olivo, and Carlos Ruiz were right there with him statistically. Molina seemed slightly less rangy this season, but still displayed an arm like a rocket launcher and didn't have many errors(5) or passed balls(7). Olivo had a downright gaudy 42% of runners caught stealing, his error numbers(9) are not ideal for a catcher, but he helped out the Colorado pitching staff by shutting down the running game. Ruiz doesn't have stats that make you look twice, and that may be the most impressive thing about his game, only 6 errors and 4 passed balls are certainly impressive. As were his pitch calling skills, not that you need them with Halladay and Oswalt.

1B-Pujoles only really had one serious contender for his second Gold Glove and that was rookie Ike Davis of the Mets. Pujoles only had four errors this season, a video game type number for a first baseman. His UZR was a fairly average 1.5 while Davis displayed a 10.1. Davis did have nine errors however, and that may have cost him the hardware.

2B-The O-Dog stole the Gold Glove last year before defecting to the AL last winer, so it seemed that it would again come down to two longtime standouts Chase Utley and Brandon Phillips. So it did, Utley had a fantastic UZR besting Philips 10.3 to 9.7, but his 11 errors and numerous injuries gave the award back to Phillips who only booted three all year. A surprise candidate was the diminutive David Eckstien, who posted a respectable 6.6 UZR, but didn't commit a single error in 2010.

3B-The ever rangy Ryan Zimmerman seemed a lock to win this one, but this 17 errors probably scared off voters. They opted for Scott Rolen, who despite diminished range only mad eight errors this season.Which will give him eight Gold Gloves on his career. Chase Headly of the Padres may have earned it though, his 16.5 UZR was incredible at third base and he only made 13 errors. Not too shabby for the hot corner.

SS-Tulowitzki was the man with the glove this year, and got the deserved hardware. Last years winner Jimmy Rollins only had six errors but that was probably due to playing far fewer games this season, and diminished range more than his actual fielding prowess. The closest competition was light hitting Brendan Ryan his 10.5 UZR bests Tulowitzki's 7.1 but his 17 errors are less appealing than Tulo's 10. Tulo probably has the best arm from shortstop in the MLB, which will probably prompt a switch to third base later in his career. For now he is the top dog at short.

OF-Not surprisingly the voters picked three center fielders from the NL. It's hard to say that a great fielder like Shane Victorino was undeserving, but his 2.1 UZR was almost twenty points lower than Andres Torres(21.2) and Jay Bruce(20.2). Torres was particularly impressive with only one error in 2010. Car-Go is a good fielder but was probably not one of the top three, or even top six and can thank his offensive prowess for bringing him the spotlight. Bourn won his outright, with his fantastic speed in CF and a good arm(8 assists).

So to the outrage of the sporting world here are the 2010 NL Tarpslides R-Us Gold Glove winners:

P-Bronson Arroyo
C-Miguel Olivo
1B-Albert Pujoles
2B-Brandon Phillips
3B-Chase Headly
SS-Troy Tulowitzki
OF-Michael Bourn
Jay Bruce
Andres Torres

Congratulations for the winners.

AL Gold Glove Winners

It's that time of the year again, here come the awards. The winners, the snubs, and ESPN analysts basing their opinions on the 2005 season are sure to cause plenty of drama, even though the first big free agent is yet to sign.
The American League Gold Glove winners read like this:

P- Mark Beuhrle
C-Joe Mauer
1B-Mark Texeria
2B- Robinson Cano
3B-Evan Longoria
SS-Derek Jeter
OF-Iciro Suzuki
Franklin Gutierrez
Carl Crawford

Many of these are pretty accurate, I mean for the love of any deity you care to mention ESPN called their top  play rating system the "Beuhrle Meter".Though among these are several omissions, that are nearly criminal, and a couple of players who probably got  an award based on reputation instead of performance. So here's a positional breakdown of the winners compared to their closest competition.

P-Beuhrle's only real competition were a couple of young guns in Rickey Romero, and Trevor Cahill. It really could have gone to any of them and no one would bellyache too badly. Point of fact is that Marky Mark didn't have an error all year, despite having plenty of chances and turning 4 double plays.

C- It was a tight race behind the plate, at least statistically Mauer and A.J. Pierzynski had almost identical stats, and former Georgia Tech standout Matt Weiters had an ever higher percentage of runners caught stealing. The only real beef about Mauer winning is that he only caught 108 games this year, though when you consider that neither A.J. or Weiters caught more than 127 that argument probably falls apart.

1B-The Yankee infield rake in the awards in this category, but none of them was a clear standout at their position. That couldn't be true than with Mark Texeria this season, he is extremely sure handed with only 3 errors all year (and that is very impressive) but his range was diminished and he has a fairly average arm. Rangier options like Daric Barton, and Carlos Pena would have to merit some consideration, and the strong armed Lyle Overbay took part in 139 double plays this year.

2B-Second base had several great candidates this year, perennial favorite Orlando Hudson, Mark Ellis, rookie Sean Rodriguez, Ian Kinsler and this years winner Robinson Cano. Cano is not a bad fielder, in fact he is very good, but he was probably not the most deserving candidate. Hudson and Ellis both post UZR's over 9 and neither had more than 8 errors(Ellis only had 3) Cano only had 3, but his UZR was a pedestrian -.6.

3B- This is perhaps the hardest position to pick a favorite;Adrian Beltre, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Jose Lopez, Evan Longoria, Michael Young, Alex Rodriguez, third is packed with good glove men. Longoria won, and deserved too but it would have been a bad pick had Beltre, Lopez, or Kouzmanoff won it.

SS- Jeter flat out stole this award, his range is rapidly declining (-4.6 UZR) he only had 6 errors but only because he doesn't get to as many balls anymore. Elvis Andrus, Alexi Ramirez, and Cliff Pennington all had great defensive years and were more deserving than the Yankee Capitan. 

OF- Crawford and Ichiro clearly deserved their awards this year, Crawford's 18.5 UZR and stingy 2 errors are fantastic, and Ichiro coupled a 15.6 UZR with a cannon for a left arm to capture his well deserved tenth award. Franklin Gutierrez, is a fantastic outfielder but I think there might have been a better choice. With an unbelievable 21.9 UZR, 12 outfield assists Brett Gardner was the most deserving Yankee player, yet didn't get the Gold Glove. It is probable that Gutierrez received his award as sort of a make up call from last season, when he clearly deserved one, but a declining Tori Hunter got it instead.


All of that being said here is the Tarpslides R-Us AL Gold Glove awards, if the recipients want I'll even write in down so they have have something to remember it by.

P-Mark Beuhrle
C- Joe Mauer
1B-Carlos Pena
2B-Mark Ellis
3B- Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS-Elvis Andrus
OF- Ichiro Suzuki
Carl Crawford
Brett Gardner

Hot Stove, Don't Get Burned!

So the Braves have made their first off season acquisition in claiming Joe Mather from the Cardinals.  Not an earth shattering move, but possibly a useful one. "Joey Bombs" as he was known in St.Louis can play all four corner spots and is athletic enough to play occasionally in center. He has some power, but has struggled with injury issues the last couple of years.

What the Braves are trying to do with Mather is seeing if they can use him as a righty sub that could potentially be a low cost replacement for Matt Diaz should he be non-tendered. He could be sort of a Nelson Cruz story, a guy with some tools who finally gets it together in his late 20's. Worst case scenario he spends a lot of the year in AAA and gets a few at bats if someone gets injured.

The Braves Coaching Staff is finally all in order, and there are some new faces in the clubhouse for Atlanta to go along with Bobby's holdovers.

So here are the guys you know;
Roger McDowell, Pitching Coach
Terry Pendleton, moved from Hitting Coach to 1B/Fielding Coach
Brian Snitker, 3B Coach

New Faces;
Freddi Gonzalez, Manager. Freddi returns to the Braves as Bobby Cox's replacement. He should be a good guy to have in that spot, and one of the few who will not try to be Bobby Cox and will hopefully help Atlanta get it done this year.
Carlos Tosca, Bench Coach. Former Toronto manager, was Gonzalez's bench coach in Florida. He's a great baseball guy, and a good pickup as bench coach.
Larry Parrish-Former power hitter for the Rangers, and Expos. Also a longtime Tigers organizational guy, including being their manager in parts of 1998/1999. Has never been a big league hitting coach, but must have done something to impress the brass.

That's the staff at a glance, one thing that I think is interesting is that on top of Freddi, both Tosca, and Parrish have been major league managers. For those of you who are keeping score that is three chefs in the kitchen, let's hope they can stir the pot well together.

A new beginning...

The World Series is over, the Giants won it all in five games thanks to good pitching, and more luck in three weeks than most teams have in an entire year. Congratulations Giants.

But here on November 2, 2010 that's not the most important thing to Braves fans is it?

Not by a long shot.

Today the off season officially begins. What that means for the Bravos is that for the next five days they have exclusive rights to speak with Troy Glaus, Derek Lee, and Eric Hinske.

I imagine that the conversations with Glause and Lee will go something like this: "well it was great having you around, thanks for the good times. Good luck next season."

Glaus will probably be looking for a job in the AL that would allow him to DH at least part time. The Rays, A's, and Mariners are just a few teams that could find room for Glaus.

Derek Lee is a type-A free agent, but probably won't be offered arbitration so the Braves will not net a draft pick. He will find a spot on a team looking for a right handed first baseman, Baltimore is known to be interested. The Braves wont offer arbitration because the chances are too great that he would accept after having a down year, and with the emergence of Freddy Freeman first base is not one of the Braves major needs. The only circumstances that they would offer arbitration, would be if they found a trade suitor that they could flip him to almost immediately.

That being said, a right handed first base option could be appealing to the Braves to back up Freeman, and rest him against tough left-handers. Jorge Cantu, Xavier Nady, and Jose Lopez could all be options if they aren't retained by their current teams.

Hinske is an interesting case because the Braves would like to keep him, but may not have a place for him or the funds he requires. They will probably offer him 2 million or a little less on a one year deal, he will probably test free agent waters and could return if his services aren't worth more to another team.

Scott Procor who was signed last off season while recovering from Tommy John surgery only pitched a handful of innings for Atlanta this year but it is expected that the Braves will announce that they have brought him back on a deal that will pay him 750K and incentives that could bring the total up to 1MM.

I think this is mainly a depth move, but if he can return to the form that he showed in New York a few years ago he could be helpful. I don't really understand why they gave him a guaranteed contract when they could probably find a better option in the free agent market.

As expected the Braves also picked up the options for Omar Infante and Alex Gonzalez, this was a virtual no brainer as there are not any better shortstop options available for 2.5MM. Infante is coming off a very good campaign that saw him play 2b, 3b, SS, Lf and Rf while hitting .321. He will also make 2.5MM. Both are affordable and effective options that will fulfill their purposes.

The top free agents this season are Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee, and Adam Dunn. Though the Braves likely aren't players for any of them. It's possible that they could make offers to Werth, and Dunn if they decide he can play left field, but probably wont have the funds. So look for Frank Wren to start getting creative starting next Monday.