John Smoltz once told me postseason baseball comes down to three hot starters, three hot relievers, and three hot hitters. That changes the way you evaluate Atlanta's rotation and its trade deadline.
One of your absolutely best articles, Lindsay. I couldn't agree more (other than your putting Peralta in the elite level - I would not want him for a Game Two guy). So, it seems to me that AA either says, "Even though we have a legit Game One guy in Sale, I'm not going to give up any young talent to get a legit Game Two guy. I'm really looking at 2028 ('27 will be a compromised mess fighting the owners) - Sale will no longer be a factor but our young guns might carry us to the Promised Land (and we won't have spent a ton of money doing it, which keeps McGuirk happy)" or he says, "In spite of June, we've had a great start to the year and if we get a legit Game Two guy we just might go deep - this opportunity doesn't come along often. We will lose some young talent but if we get to the WS it will have been worth it." Unfortunately, I am betting he goes half way - trading for a mid-level guy and then watching the Dodgers and Phillies flourish.
Certainly they would go with Peralta over any of the others - but that won't beat a Wheeler-Sanchez duo or any combination on the Dodger staff. But AA could sit back and say, "Well, I got an SP. I did my part". Hardly.
Excellent article. Thanks for providing a rational discussion about the Braves rotation. The “AA has to sign 2 starters or he’s a failure”crowd has been loud and wrong since March. Signing Basset, Giolito or Littell would not have helped the Braves in the post-season or the regular season. At some point I’d love to see analysis of the % of SP deals (FA or trade) that are positive for the acquiring team. My guess is less than a 25% success rate.
Is stretching out Fuentes completely out of the question in your opinion?
A lot of the recent reporting on this, including from friend of the program Jesús Caño of The Athletic, is that they don't think it's an option, no. He's thriving in the pen and they'd have both workload concerns and pitch mix concerns with trying to get him back into the rotation this late in the year. I do expect them to have him work this winter on being a starter next year, but right now, he'll likely stay in the pen
One of your absolutely best articles, Lindsay. I couldn't agree more (other than your putting Peralta in the elite level - I would not want him for a Game Two guy). So, it seems to me that AA either says, "Even though we have a legit Game One guy in Sale, I'm not going to give up any young talent to get a legit Game Two guy. I'm really looking at 2028 ('27 will be a compromised mess fighting the owners) - Sale will no longer be a factor but our young guns might carry us to the Promised Land (and we won't have spent a ton of money doing it, which keeps McGuirk happy)" or he says, "In spite of June, we've had a great start to the year and if we get a legit Game Two guy we just might go deep - this opportunity doesn't come along often. We will lose some young talent but if we get to the WS it will have been worth it." Unfortunately, I am betting he goes half way - trading for a mid-level guy and then watching the Dodgers and Phillies flourish.
I don't really want Peralta for a game two, either, but I feel like they'll go with him over some of the other internal options if he's the guy.
And thanks!
Certainly they would go with Peralta over any of the others - but that won't beat a Wheeler-Sanchez duo or any combination on the Dodger staff. But AA could sit back and say, "Well, I got an SP. I did my part". Hardly.
Excellent article. Thanks for providing a rational discussion about the Braves rotation. The “AA has to sign 2 starters or he’s a failure”crowd has been loud and wrong since March. Signing Basset, Giolito or Littell would not have helped the Braves in the post-season or the regular season. At some point I’d love to see analysis of the % of SP deals (FA or trade) that are positive for the acquiring team. My guess is less than a 25% success rate.
Is stretching out Fuentes completely out of the question in your opinion?
A lot of the recent reporting on this, including from friend of the program Jesús Caño of The Athletic, is that they don't think it's an option, no. He's thriving in the pen and they'd have both workload concerns and pitch mix concerns with trying to get him back into the rotation this late in the year. I do expect them to have him work this winter on being a starter next year, but right now, he'll likely stay in the pen