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BRAVES NEWS
Bartolo struggles, but Braves rally and Adam Walker walks the Braves off 7-6
The Braves came out with a win on Monday despite a rough start from Bartolo Colon, who allowed five runs on eights hits in his three innings of work. The offense bailed the Braves out as the bullpen limited the opposing damage the rest of the way. Tied 6-6 in the ninth, Adam Brett Walker hit a walk-off RBI double that scored pinch-runner Ronald Acuna to give the Braves the victory.
Braves place 9 players in Fangraphs’ 2017 Top 100 Prospects List
Breaking: The Braves have a good farm system. Every time one of these lists comes out we can all be reminded that help is on the way to Atlanta soon. Eric Cole did a write-up on the list yesterday:
The Braves put 9(!) prospects on Eric’s list with Dansby Swanson (4), Ozzie Albies (11), Ronald Acuna (35), Kolby Allard (41), Kevin Maitan (48), Ian Anderson (54), Max Fried (62), Luiz Gohara (70), and Mike Soroka (93). All of these players had received top 100 nods from at least one other publication this offseason with Keith Law’s list being the closest to Eric’s at first glance.
Braves claim LHP Kevin Chapman off waivers from Astros
Welcome to Atlanta, Kevin. Though Aroldis may be the Chapman we all deserve, he’s probably not the one we need right now.
If Braves want to win, they must trade for Evan Longoria right now
Here is an interesting proposal for the Braves with regards to upgrading a deficient position. David Schoenfield of ESPN.com seems to feel that trading a package beginning with Ozzie Albies (who he considers to be blocked by Swanson...) for Longoria would give the Braves enough of a boost in the short-term to be worth the prospect cost.
I’m not big on trade proposals, but you could start with Albies, considering he is blocked by Swanson at shortstop (yes, Albies also played second base last year, but without much power his bat projects better as a shortstop than second baseman). The Rays have Willy Adames as their top prospect, but many believe he’ll have to move from shortstop to third base. They acquired Matt Duffy last summer from the Giants with the idea of trying him at shortstop, but he’s battling a heel injury, and despite his surprising rookie season in 2015, his ultimate profile is likely that of backup infielder (he could play third base until Adames is ready and then slide over to second or a utility role). From there, you dig into the Braves’ deep arsenal of pitching prospects: Sean Newcomb or Ian Anderson or Mike Soroka or Patrick Weigel or Touki Toussaint.
MLB NEWS
Desmond headed for surgery, out indefinitely
Tough news for the Rockies as their prized offseason acquisition, Ian Desmond, fractured his hand on a hit-by-pitch on Sunday. The team did not announce a timetable for Desmond’s return, but in his absence will have noted strikeout enthusiast Mark Reynolds filling in at first base.
Tebow notches first spring hit, snags liner
If you can avoid crying, this sideshow is almost funny. If Tebow retired today I honestly think his name would be on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2023. A hit and a flailing catch that Adam Dunn would have made into a routine play are apparently newsworthy, so instead of being the change I want to see in the world, I included this story.