Welcome to the Hot Stove Report, your semi-regular capsule of all of the off-season news, rumors, transactions, and winter league action for the Atlanta Braves. Check in with us every Monday through the start of spring training as we sift though everything Braves.
Braves Rake In The Hardware
The Braves did very well during award season. Here’s a complete list of trophies that can now adorn the mantles of players or future exhibits in the Braves Hall of Fame.
Freddie Freeman: Gold Glove (1B), Wilson Defensive Player of the Year (1B), Sporting News NL All-Star Team (1B). Finished 4th in MVP balloting.
Nick Markakis: Gold Glove (RF), Silver Slugger (RF). Finished 18th in MVP balloting.
Ronald Acuña Jr.: NL Rookie of the Year. Finished 12th in MVP balloting.
Ender Inciarte: Gold Glove (CF).
Brian Snitker: NL Manager of the Year, Sporting News Manager of the Year.
Mike Foltynewicz was on enough ballots to finish 8th in Cy Young Award voting, the first time a Braves pitcher has appeared on ballots since Craig Kimbrel in 2014.
Winter League Report
Arizona
The Arizona Fall League concluded in dramatic fashion on Saturday, with the Peoria Javelinas defeating the Salt River Rafters in the championship game in the bottom of the 10th inning on a walk-off solo home run by Braves first baseman Braxton Davidson. Left-hander Adam McCreery pitched a scoreless top of the frame to earn the win.
Peoria came back to score two runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game 2-2 after being dominated by a series of pitchers. Braves centerfielder Cristian Pache went 1-for-5 on the day with a first inning bunt single. Davidson started at first base and went 2-for-5 with a rocket single that knocked down Nationals second baseman Carter Kieboom and then the game-winning homer deep to right field.
The win was the capstone of an impressive 21-9 regular season record for Peoria, the best record by an AFL team in 8 seasons. Davidson tied for the league lead in home runs with 6 , while Pache recorded a .279/.323/.360 batting line.
In a strange twist, Davidson apparently injured his foot during his home run trot and ended up having to be helped off the field. In the video below you can see the mammoth shot itself (and mammoth bat flip), then Davidson basically having to hop to home plate. Reports as of Sunday indicated Davidson didn’t suffer a fracture as initially feared.
With this walk off blast from @Braves Braxton Davidson, the Peoria Javelinas have won the 2018 AFL Championship! pic.twitter.com/g9f2NPHlRC
— Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) November 17, 2018
Dominican Republic
Right-hander Jacob Webb is heading home from a 10-game stint with Estrellas Orientales according to his agency on Twitter. Webb pitched to a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings, striking out 14 and earning 4 saves. Webb will be eligible for the Rule V draft in December, and the strong exhibition by Webb will help his chances of landing on a 40-man roster this offseason, either with Atlanta or another team.
After 4 starts for las Estrallas, righty Wes Parsons made a 4-inning relief appearance on Wednesday, allowing only one run and lowering his season ERA to 3.54 in 20.1 innings.
Venezuela
Mississippi left-hander Ricardo Sanchez had another good start for Navegantes del Magallanes on Thursday, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) in 5 innings while striking out 4. Sanchez now sports a 3.21 ERA in 6 starts and 28 innings.
Sanchez’s Mississippi teammate Alejandro Salazar joined in the action this week, playing for Aguilas de Zulia. The infielder got off to a strong start, going 7-for-13 with 4 doubles while starting at second base.
Australia
The Australian Baseball League kicked off last week with two Braves in the ranks. Florida outfielder Gary Schwartz has joined the Melbourne Aces while Gwinnett utilityman Nicholas Shumpert is playing for the Adelaide Bite. Both players got off to good starts. Schwartz has gone 5-for-13 with 2 doubles while starting in right field for the Aces. Shumpert likewise has started his winter going 5-for-12 with a double and 2 stolen bases.
Former Braves farmhands Steven Kent, an Australian native, and Kyle Kinman are both pitching for the Canberra Calvary.
Braves To Set 40-Man Roster By Tuesday
November 20 is the deadline for major league teams to add any prospects to the major league 40-man roster to protect them from potentially getting poached by other teams in the Rule V draft in December. Eligibility for the draft is somewhat complicated, but the rule of thumb is that minor leaguers that were drafted as college juniors or seniors are eligible after four seasons, and other players are eligible after five.
Here is a list of Braves minor leagues that would be eligible this season and what level they ended the 2018 season at:
Infielders: Braxton Davidson (A+), Ray-Patrick Didder (AA), Kurt Hoesktra (A+), Kevin Josephina (A), Sean Kazmar Jr. (AAA), Alejandro Salazar (AA), Luis Valenzuela (AA)
Outfielders: Travis Demeritte (AA), Shean Michel (A)
Catchers: Sal Giardina (AAA), Alex Jackson (AAA), Carlos Martinez (AA), Jonathan Morales (AA), Ricardo Rodriguez (Rk+)
Starting Pitchers: Dilmer Mejia (A+), Alan Rangel (A), Filyer Sanchez (A+), Patrick Weigel (AAA), Matt Withrow (AA), Huascar Ynoa (A+)
Right-handed Relievers: Caleb Dirks (AAA), Josh Graham (AA), Jason Hursh (AA), Javier Ciriaco (Rk), Deyvis Julian (Rk), Sean McLaughlin (A+), Luis Mora (Rk+), Bradley Roney (AA), Jacob Webb (AAA)
Left-handed Relievers: Chase Johnson-Mullins (A+), Jon Kennedy (A+), Michael Mader (AA), Philip Pfeifer (AAA), Kelvin Rodriguez (A)
Of the players listed, the most likely to go would be Weigel, Didder, Jackson, Webb, and Pfiefer. The Braves currently have 4 spots open on the 40-man roster, and teams this time of year like to keep at least one spot open in case they can take a player trying to pass through waivers.
My feeling is that Weigel is the most likely to be added to the 40-man roster, followed by Webb and Didder.
Rumors, News, and Innuendo
- The hot name on the trade front this week was the New York Yankees’ Sonny Gray. The Yankees acquired Gray at the non-waiver deadline in 2017 from the Oakland A’s for three prospects, but the right-hander, who pitched to a 3.42 ERA in parts of 5 seasons in Oakland, has been a big disappointment in the Big Apple. He has pitched to a 4.51 ERA in 41 games with New York, including 7 relief appearances after he was bumped from the rotation in August. Most concerning for the Yankees is Gray’s 6.55 ERA at Yankee Stadium since the acquisition, but that also is what could make him an intriguing buy-low candidate for other teams who may believe that Gray can turn it around getting out of New York in time for his his contract year. The Braves are rumored to be one of at least nine teams that have checked in on Gray.
- The Athletic’s David O’Brien quoted Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos Sunday: ““You always need to get a sense of what spot you may block for the next year’s class, when you’re talking about signing someone (to a multi-year deal). I just think it’s important, if you’re looking at free agency most times you’re looking at a long-term deal. It’s hard to predict two classes ahead. One class ahead (beyond 2019), I think you have to be aware of it.” If the Braves are reluctant to enter into a long-term deal with any 2019 free agents because they have specific targets in the 2020 class, it make players like Sonny Gray who potentially could be had for a relatively small return because of their lack of team control interesting to the Braves. In addition to Gray, Pittsburgh catcher Francisco Cervelli, Cincinnati infielder/outfielder Scooter Gennett, Cleveland infielder Jason Kipnis, Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun, Mets right-hander Zach Wheeler, and Pittsburgh righty Ivan Nova could be potential trade targets.
- Pursuit of Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto has reportedly quieted from all teams as team president and primary decision-maker Derek Jeter has set a very high price for the All-Star. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi indicates that the Houston Astros have been one of the more ardent pursuers, but they are balking at the Marlins insistence of either right-hander Forrest Whitley or outfielder Kyle Tucker as the headliner for any package; Whitley is considered by many to be the top pitching prospect in baseball today, while Tucker is a top-10 overall prospect as well. The Marlins are reportedly reluctant to trade Realmuto within the division, so the Braves, Nationals, and Philles — all of whom have reported interest — may have to come up with a package that would better the Astros or another non-division team’s offer.
Your Moment of Zen
Ronald Acuña Jr. doing Rookie of the Year things in Japan. pic.twitter.com/Aid5aHbA2z
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) November 15, 2018
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