For All Those Not Worried About Our Offense

[mdbdotcom]

Saying Nick and Cruz don't make a a huge difference is ignoring history. Without those two guys last season I doubt we make the playoffs.

Saying that the loss in production from losing those two guys will be mitigated by the increased production of having MW and Manny healthy with CD improving over last season is something I can buy to a degree. I have hopes that this is the case. Lets not pretend though that we know come October that we will not be lamenting losing one or the other of those guys because we came up short, at this point its far to early to tell.

Yes, but we scored more runs in 2013 than in 2014 because Davis was a monster and Machado had a good year (51 doubles). Nick's overall output was not terribly impressive in 2014. I am not concerned at all about replacing his production. And if you are going to talk about missing him, you have to take into consideration there is a good chance he won't be ready to start the season on time. What he will contribut to the Braves this season is totally up in the air. If we end up missing Cruz, it will be because more than one player failed to help pick up the slack.

[weams]

Saying Nick and Cruz don't make a a huge difference is ignoring history. Without those two guys last season I doubt we make the playoffs.

Saying that the loss in production from losing those two guys will be mitigated by the increased production of having MW and Manny healthy with CD improving over last season is something I can buy to a degree. I have hopes that this is the case. Lets not pretend though that we know come October that we will not be lamenting losing one or the other of those guys because we came up short, at this point its far to early to tell.

They did not make a big difference on that team. Maybe in 2015 they would have. That team still wills the division going away with replacement players instead. Cruz was HUGE for three months. And he was Schoop for three months. Nick was Travis Snider. Or ALejandro De Aza.

[weams]

He didn't beat the shift in 2013 either. If he hits, the shift will be a minor inconvenience.

Maybe Scott Boras has some talking points for that.

[SteveO]

Yes, but we scored more runs in 2013 than in 2014 because Davis was a monster and Machado had a good year (51 doubles). Nick's overall output was not terribly impressive in 2014. I am not concerned at all about replacing his production. And if you are going to talk about missing him, you have to take into consideration there is a good chance he won't be ready to start the season on time. What he will contribut to the Braves this season is totally up in the air. If we end up missing Cruz, it will be because more than one player failed to help pick up the slack.

I totally agree. I am also hopeful that the O's and those guys can replace that production. If I were a betting man I would put money on those guys picking up the slack.

To me it was a reasonable risk to let those guys go and I think it was the right move when looking at the money they got and the implications that having that on our books would have long term.

All that said, I would hardly scoff at the contingent of people who have concerns about if we can make that production up. Every team in baseball have questions surrounding them, its the nature of the beast. I think DD has done the best he can with the resources he has to balance winning now and being flexible moving forward.

[SteveO]

Maybe Scott Boras has some talking points for that.

Awesome response lmao.

I bet that swarmy weasel has powerpoints that support the shift and call for a ban on it depending on the client

[eddie83]

I think DeAza will be a difference maker in either direction. I am confident in Jones and Machado. Hardy will be solid and I hope with more power. Wieters will be like usual I bet. I expect Davis to be better. Hard to imagine Schoop will be worse but you never know. I think Snider, Pearce, Young and as I said before DeAza will be the key. I think those 4 will go a long way in whether we are an average offense or above average. We don't get on base enough to be great.

[weams]

Awesome response lmao.

I bet that swarmy weasel has powerpoints that support the shift and call for a ban on it depending on the client

My disdain for his clients shines through in my posts.

[mdbdotcom]

I totally agree. I am also hopeful that the O's and those guys can replace that production. If I were a betting man I would put money on those guys picking up the slack.

To me it was a reasonable risk to let those guys go and I think it was the right move when looking at the money they got and the implications that having that on our books would have long term.

All that said, I would hardly scoff at the contingent of people who have concerns about if we can make that production up. Every team in baseball have questions surrounding them, its the nature of the beast. I think DD has done the best he can with the resources he has to balance winning now and being flexible moving forward.

It would be nice to have a banger in the middle of the lineup. Maybe this is the year some of Machado's doubles turn into home runs. Last season he hit 10 doubles and nine home runs in 44 June-July games. That extrapolates to 35 doubles and 32 home runs over 156 games. Numbers like that would pick up a lot of slack.

[Beef Supreme]

As has been said, you can't win the pennant in the first month of the season, but you sure can lose it..

Tigers started 35-5 in 1984. Played .500 the rest of the season. Won World Series.

You can win the pennant in the first month and a half. :-)

[Beef Supreme]

I think DeAza will be a difference maker in either direction. I am confident in Jones and Machado. Hardy will be solid and I hope with more power. Wieters will be like usual I bet. I expect Davis to be better. Hard to imagine Schoop will be worse but you never know. I think Snider, Pearce, Young and as I said before DeAza will be the key. I think those 4 will go a long way in whether we are an average offense or above average. We don't get on base enough to be great.

Third in MLB in total bases. Eighth in runs scored.

What teams had a ''great'' offense last year?

What criteria do you use to determine a ''great offense''?

[SteveO]

It would be nice to have a banger in the middle of the lineup. Maybe this is the year some of Machado's doubles turn into home runs. Last season he hit 10 doubles and nine home runs in 44 June-July games. That extrapolates to 35 doubles and 32 home runs over 156 games. Numbers like that would pick up a lot of slack.

I have very high hope for Manny this season. Putting up numbers like that would not shock me.

I am also hopeful that JJ will have better power numbers.

[mdbdotcom]

I have very high hope for Manny this season. Putting up numbers like that would not shock me.

I am also hopeful that JJ will have better power numbers.

Schoop's new athleticism and more discriminating eye could also make him much better at the plate than last year.

[SteveO]

Tigers started 35-5 in 1984. Played .500 the rest of the season. Won World Series.

You can win the pennant in the first month and a half. :-)

They went 69-53 after that start to finish 104 -58 ....while that is not a 35-5 clip it is 16 games above .500 and hardly what I would describe as wining the pennant in the first month and half.

[El Gordo]

It would be nice to have a banger in the middle of the lineup. Maybe this is the year some of Machado's doubles turn into home runs. Last season he hit 10 doubles and nine home runs in 44 June-July games. That extrapolates to 35 doubles and 32 home runs over 156 games. Numbers like that would pick up a lot of slack.

Machado was on pace to hit 30 HR over 162 G las year. If he plays a full season I wouldn't be surprised if he came close to that.

[Beef Supreme]

They went 69-53 after that start to finish 104 -58 ....while that is not a 35-5 clip it is 16 games above .500 and hardly what I would describe as wining the pennant in the first month and half.

You are right -- that should have read ''over the last two months.'' Tigers got up by five games in mid-April and never looked back. My hyperbole aside, that start had a lot to do with winning that pennant.