The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Did ‘King Felix’ do enough this spring to make Braves’ rotation?
Hello, fellow quarantined sports enthusiasts. Last week, I fielded questions on Twitter related to — you guessed it — the Braves. Below are a handful I’ll answer now. There surely will be more Q&A’s in the future, so tweet @ GabeBurnsAJC or email me at gabriel.burns@ajc.com.
Q: If baseball actually comes back and Cole Hamels is healthy when it resumes, do you still think King Felix (Hernandez) makes the squad?
A: I do. I didn’t feel Hamels’ health was as significant a factor in the Felix decision as some believed. If Hernandez showed he had something left — and it looked like he did — he’d make the team. If he didn’t, they’d cut him loose. The bottom line is his $1 million was a low cost to for him covering innings while Kyle Wright and the like log minor-league frames.
If there’s a season, we don’t know how the rebooted spring training will work. Leo Mazzone told me that pitchers would need roughly three weeks. Rosters will assuredly be expanded for at least a portion of the campaign, leaving fewer immediate and difficult decisions. So yes, I think Hernandez should be part of the Braves’ opening rotation, but that guess is surrounded by uncertainties.
If we do get a season, it will be unlike anything we’ve seen. So, predicting roster roles and layout is practically useless right now. I will end by saying I felt Hernandez made the team’s rotation, and the delay has robbed us of what could’ve been a pretty neat story (the Braves were even scheduled to play at Seattle early in the season).
Q: What was up with (Drew) Waters during spring training? I saw him play in five games. He looked overmatched at the plate. Do you find it concerning?
A: Nope, though it confirmed what we already knew: Waters needs to cut down on his strikeouts. It’s the glaring flaw in his otherwise exciting game. Despite his underwhelming at-bats (4 for 24 with 14 strikeouts), I’d say Waters came out of camp impressive in nearly every other way. His demeanor and passion popped out to everyone who encountered him.
If he’s going to fulfill his potential, that begins and ends with his ability to lessen those K-numbers. Everything else — the bat speed, foot speed, attitude, baseball IQ — is there. He’s only 21.
Q: What will the Braves outfield look like in the next 2-3 years?
A: The easy answer: Cristian Pache in center, Ronald Acuna in right, Drew Waters in left. That’s also the likeliest outcome. Maybe there’s a scenario in which the Braves deal one of their two top outfield prospects and replace one with a free agent or trade acquisition, but the smart money is on that trio roaming Truist Park by 2022.
I will say this: I don’t expect Pache or Waters to be traded. But if one were to go, the general belief seems to be that Waters is more expendable. Again, I stress, I don’t see either moved anytime soon, but if the Braves really feel they can acquire someone who makes the ultimate difference, you never know.
Q: What’s your dream lineup and starting rotation for 2021?
A: We’ve got plenty of time, so I’ll play along with the fantasy baseball idea.
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Ozzie Albies
3B: Austin Riley
SS: Francisco Lindor
LF: Marcell Ozuna (on another one-year deal; otherwise, pivot to another shortterm option)
CF: Cristian Pache
RF: Ronald Acuna
C: Travis d’Arnaud
I don’t think the Braves will land Lindor, but you said “dream.” To me, he’s the best player who’ll be realistically available in the next 12 months. This is more a testament to Lindor’s greatness than an indictment on Dansby Swanson, who was entering an important year.
Could they re-sign Lindor? The Braves have never been one for dishing out those huge deals. But they’re in a unique position with Acuna’s and Albies’ under-market contracts, and I feel this is a scenario where you could bite the bullet and pay a player a $200 million-plus deal. That said, they probably won’t, for better or worse. And as baseball continues to prove, those commitments are rarely for the best.
Would Lindor or a similar player be worth acquiring under the assumption you have no shot at re-signing him? Maybe. Depends on your situation and philosophy.