Alas and alack, I would bet against a trade of this magnititude with the AL Central rival Minnesota Twins. Chicago has already added one lefty contact bat this offseason ( Andrew Benintendi), though you can always fit another, and Arraez's on-base ability would be a welcome addition to an offense that lost José Abreu to free agency. Arraez has limitations defensively - his range at second base will really be tested with the anti-shift rules set to kick in next year - but he's arguably the best bat-to-ball hitter in the game, and there were signs he is coming into some power in 2022. It can be a new second baseman and Gonzalez. It's not a new second baseman or Gonzalez. He's versatile and the White Sox would have no trouble getting him into the lineup after bringing in a new second baseman. Also, Gonzalez played every position other than first base, center field, and catcher in 2022. Gonzalez has power and prospect pedigree, though his 34.4 percent strikeout rate and 2.8 percent walk rate between Triple-A and the big leagues this year suggests an aggressive approach ripe for exploitation. Also, Andrus (and Iglesias) would be easy to cast aside should Grissom or Shewmake really force the issue next summer. José Iglesias, another unsigned free agent, is an acceptable answer here as well. He later went to the Texas Rangers in the Mark Teixeira trade and now, at age 34, things could come full circle with Andrus returning to Atlanta as a stopgap until Shewmake is ready, or Grissom shows he can handle shortstop defensively. It has been nearly 17 years since the Braves signed Andrus as an amateur out of Venezuela. The Braves could offer the Brewers upper level high-end pitching prospects and Adames comes with two years of control, plus he'd help replace the offensive thump Atlanta lost in Swanson. Milwaukee Brewers GM Matt Arnold said he intends to keep Adames - "We want to put a really good product on the field in 2023 and (Adames will) have to be part of that if we're going to do that," Arnold told MLB.com at the Winter Meetings - but the Brewers said that about Josh Hader right up until they traded him. It's another to go into the season with an unproven kid as Plan A, especially at a crucial up the middle position like shortstop. It's one thing to call up Grissom or Michael Harris II to help cover for injuries during the season. That said, Atlanta's World Series window is wide open. Top shortstop prospect and 2019 first rounder Braden Shewmake was just OK in Triple-A in 2022, though he's a solid defensive shortstop, and could get a look next year. There's a lot more to playing defense than just putting the glove on and going out there, and if the ball comes to you, you catch it." A young kid that's just used to going out there, putting the glove on and playing. "Get him thinking right, getting him to understand the nuances of being a shortstop, the things you have to do, the way you have to go about your business. "That's why they're giving me time with him right now, to get him right," Washington told The Athletic about his work his Grissom last month. The Braves have Grissom working with infield guru Ron Washington, who helped turn Marcus Semien in a very good defensive shortstop earlier in his career. Grissom performed well when he was first called up this past season, though he cooled down late, and he's not a natural shortstop. The Braves were unable to re-sign Swanson even though he was willing to take a discount to return, so now shortstop is wide open. Why they're here: They're here because of who's not here: Dansby Swanson.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |