1
00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,000
Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the latest edition of the

2
00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:28,400
Speaker 1: Hammer Territory podcast. It is myself, Sean Colemanhan Steven Tolbert

3
00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,160
Speaker 1: once again with you to talk all things Braves, baseball,

4
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:34,559
Speaker 1: and Steve and I have a bit of news for you.

5
00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,080
Speaker 1: Nothing's happening for the exact same spot we were a

6
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:40,920
Speaker 1: few nights ago. But you know what, Hey, that's the

7
00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:43,920
Speaker 1: point of being able to enjoy doing a podcast. We're

8
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,040
Speaker 1: always going to have content for you to discuss. Of course,

9
00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,960
Speaker 1: you can find myself at Stat's sac on Twitter. Steven

10
00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,519
Speaker 1: a Beandra Square Outliars Hammer Territory across all forms of

11
00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,160
Speaker 1: social media, part of the Foul Territory family of podcasts

12
00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:01,400
Speaker 1: at foul Territory across all forms of social media. So, Steven,

13
00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,960
Speaker 1: we've been looking at all off season at you know,

14
00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,200
Speaker 1: different things to discussions. We don't have a lot of

15
00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,760
Speaker 1: transactions going on, obviously, hardly any at all of note.

16
00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,480
Speaker 1: You know, we've discussed hypotheticals and we've discussed names to

17
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,880
Speaker 1: go after, We've discussed what other teams have done. You know,

18
00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,600
Speaker 1: we've covered pretty much all of it that you can cover.

19
00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,880
Speaker 1: We have covered this subject before and while that may

20
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,840
Speaker 1: not be the most exciting subject to cover. It is

21
00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:29,959
Speaker 1: a very very important factor, it seems, not only into

22
00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,240
Speaker 1: kind of how teams operate in the off season, but

23
00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,199
Speaker 1: also off season chitter chatter when it comes to trying

24
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,800
Speaker 1: to understand what may exactly be there for teams to

25
00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,360
Speaker 1: make moves or not make moves when it comes to money,

26
00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,080
Speaker 1: and of course I'm talking about payroll, the tax, things

27
00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,119
Speaker 1: such as that. And I'll be honest with you, Steven,

28
00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,080
Speaker 1: it can get pretty confusing when you get into the weeds.

29
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,080
Speaker 1: Not necessarily do when you get lost. Some do, but

30
00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,520
Speaker 1: the details get get a little get a little bit

31
00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,200
Speaker 1: complicated at times. But recent talking Dave Obrian you know,

32
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,760
Speaker 1: tweeted out about it earlier today as well, just talking

33
00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,160
Speaker 1: about you know, hey, the resetting the tax could be

34
00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,200
Speaker 1: something that's playing into the lack of activity from the

35
00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,359
Speaker 1: Braves so far this offseason. Steven Tobert, you have had

36
00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,240
Speaker 1: plenty of things to say about this. What say you

37
00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,760
Speaker 1: going on with the luxury tax and resetting the tax

38
00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:20,480
Speaker 1: if you will?

39
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, what's up, Sean, Good to be with you, buddy. So, yeah,

40
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,160
Speaker 2: I've heard this all off season. I've heard this about

41
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,400
Speaker 2: resetting the tax. Dave O Brian of The Athletic covers

42
00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,760
Speaker 2: the Bristlait. The Athletic tweeted about this earlier tonight, which

43
00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,200
Speaker 2: kind of set another round of it off. People have

44
00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,519
Speaker 2: been talking about it all year. As a explanation as

45
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,680
Speaker 2: to why the Braves have not done anything is because

46
00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,520
Speaker 2: they are trying to reset the tax. And what I

47
00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,320
Speaker 2: wanted to do tonight for the first part of the

48
00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,240
Speaker 2: show was to explain what that means so people understand

49
00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,560
Speaker 2: what it is, and to put some real numbers to

50
00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,440
Speaker 2: it so that we have some actual context for what

51
00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,720
Speaker 2: that's what that would mean for the team.

52
00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:02,440
Speaker 3: So the luxury tax is more.

53
00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,000
Speaker 2: Complicated than the cash payroll. We've talked about that before,

54
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,480
Speaker 2: and I try not to do too many shows on

55
00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,840
Speaker 2: the luxury tax because it gets kind of heady and

56
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,200
Speaker 2: I can hear people rolling their eyes, you know, every

57
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:14,720
Speaker 2: time I start talking about it, because a lot of

58
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,560
Speaker 2: people don't care about the nuts and bolts of this stuff.

59
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,120
Speaker 2: But the luxury tax is essentially the collective and average

60
00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,639
Speaker 2: annual values of all of your contracts, plus some other

61
00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,000
Speaker 2: things salary benefits, your forty man roster, arbitration pool, money,

62
00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,360
Speaker 2: stuff like that that all goes into one number, and

63
00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,840
Speaker 2: that number has to be with under a certain threshold

64
00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,360
Speaker 2: or you get taxed, and that threshold changes every year.

65
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,840
Speaker 2: It goes up every year. This is a collectively bargained number.

66
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,240
Speaker 2: For instance, this year is two forty one, last year

67
00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,080
Speaker 2: was two thirty four. Next year is like two forty eight.

68
00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:47,840
Speaker 2: So it goes up every year. It's part of the

69
00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,760
Speaker 2: collective bargaining agreement. And essentially, every dollar that you spend

70
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,280
Speaker 2: over that tax over that threshold gets taxed. And that's

71
00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,600
Speaker 2: important to remember that it's not that you get taxed

72
00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,640
Speaker 2: on your entire payroll. It's that you get taxed on

73
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,400
Speaker 2: your overages only, and that's an important part of this.

74
00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,480
Speaker 2: But there are two escalators in the luxury tax. It's

75
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,440
Speaker 2: how many consecutive years you have gone over the luxury tax,

76
00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,880
Speaker 2: and it's how far over the luxury tax you go.

77
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,320
Speaker 2: For tonight's purposes, we're only gonna talk about one of those.

78
00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,480
Speaker 2: We're gonna talk about how many consecutive years you've been

79
00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,760
Speaker 2: in the tax because that is the only one that

80
00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,880
Speaker 2: can be reset, and that's what people are talking about

81
00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,800
Speaker 2: when they say reset the tax. How many how far

82
00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,840
Speaker 2: you go over the tax is the same every time

83
00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,920
Speaker 2: no matter what, that can't be reset. The only thing

84
00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,480
Speaker 2: that can be reset is how many consecutive years you're

85
00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,160
Speaker 2: in and the penalties that come with that.

86
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,599
Speaker 3: So I mean just gonna use an example.

87
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,039
Speaker 2: Let's say the tax threshold is two hundred and forty million,

88
00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,520
Speaker 2: like it is this year, and let's say you go

89
00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,400
Speaker 2: over two hundred and fifty million. Let's say you go

90
00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,800
Speaker 2: over by ten million dollars. We're gonna use ten million

91
00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,160
Speaker 2: because it's a very easy number to do. If it's

92
00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,720
Speaker 2: the first time you've ever gone over the tax, right,

93
00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,680
Speaker 2: If it's your first year going over the tax, then

94
00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,800
Speaker 2: that ten million dollar over is taxed at twenty percent,

95
00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,200
Speaker 2: so you would pay two million dollars in tax for

96
00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,200
Speaker 2: a two hundred and fifty million dollar payroll. If it's

97
00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,920
Speaker 2: your second consecutive year of going over, then that ten

98
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,280
Speaker 2: million dollars would be taxed at thirty percent, so you

99
00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,640
Speaker 2: would pay three million dollars on a two hundred and

100
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,039
Speaker 2: fifty million dollar payroll. If it's your third consecutive.

101
00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,320
Speaker 3: Year of going over the tax or more it.

102
00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:26,800
Speaker 2: Stops at three, you get that ten million gets taxed

103
00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,600
Speaker 2: at fifty percent, so you would pay five million dollars

104
00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,880
Speaker 2: of the ten million dollar overage. So that is the

105
00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,839
Speaker 2: number that everybody is talking about. That is the end

106
00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,480
Speaker 2: and the beginning and the end of What has caused

107
00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,039
Speaker 2: all of this conversation is that right now, the Braves

108
00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,520
Speaker 2: have gone over the tax two consecutive years, So if

109
00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,320
Speaker 2: they go over the tax again this off season, that'll

110
00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,680
Speaker 2: be their third consecutive year, which means everything they go over,

111
00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,120
Speaker 2: all of their overages would be taxed at fifty percent

112
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,760
Speaker 2: instead of thirty percent or twenty percent if they were

113
00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,760
Speaker 2: to reset it. And I want to lay that out

114
00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,120
Speaker 2: because I want to explain it people that it is.

115
00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:02,920
Speaker 3: A relatively small amount of money.

116
00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,320
Speaker 2: Like if the Braves go over, let's say the Brave's

117
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,880
Speaker 2: over twenty million dollars. If the Braves went over twenty

118
00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,680
Speaker 2: million dollars, then if it was their first year, if

119
00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,960
Speaker 2: they reset the tax, they would pay four million dollars

120
00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,560
Speaker 2: because that's twenty percent. If it was their third consecutive

121
00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,600
Speaker 2: year and they went over twenty million dollars, they would

122
00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,719
Speaker 2: pay ten million dollars. So the difference is six million

123
00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,640
Speaker 2: dollars between the bottom tier and the top tier. It's

124
00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,919
Speaker 2: a very small amount of money for a two hundred

125
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,960
Speaker 2: and fifty two hundred and sixty million dollar payroll. And

126
00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,279
Speaker 2: I want people to understand that because there's very little

127
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:39,560
Speaker 2: incentive to just fully resetting the tax in terms of

128
00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,719
Speaker 2: the money you're saving, because it's not it's it's really

129
00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,719
Speaker 2: not that much money. I think there are people that

130
00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,440
Speaker 2: think the taxes for your entire payroll, it's only the

131
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,840
Speaker 2: money you spend over the threshold, and so we're talking about,

132
00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,839
Speaker 2: you know, one two percent of the entire payroll. So

133
00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,120
Speaker 2: that's my first point is that it's a relatively small

134
00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,040
Speaker 2: amount of money. My second point is this Alex is

135
00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,719
Speaker 2: given one number and everything has to fit in that number.

136
00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,640
Speaker 2: We'll use last year as an example. Last year, the

137
00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,520
Speaker 2: Braves had about a two hundred and thirty five million

138
00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,400
Speaker 2: dollar cash payroll. Right, they had a two hundred thirty

139
00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,920
Speaker 2: five million dollar cash payroll last year, but because of

140
00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,240
Speaker 2: the way their contracts were spread out and the avs

141
00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,480
Speaker 2: of their contracts, their luxury tax number was like in

142
00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,960
Speaker 2: the two seventies, which was about forty million dollars over

143
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,720
Speaker 2: the tax. So they had about a fifteen million dollar

144
00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,320
Speaker 2: tax bill last year. So they had a two hundred

145
00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,360
Speaker 2: and thirty five million dollar cash payroll and a fifteen

146
00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:38,320
Speaker 2: million dollars tax bill. So total, the Braves spent about

147
00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,840
Speaker 2: two hundred and fifty million, And I bet you, I

148
00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:42,960
Speaker 2: bet you a decent amount of money. That was Alex's

149
00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,000
Speaker 2: all in number last year was two hundred and fifty

150
00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,160
Speaker 2: million dollars because he had a two hundred and thirty

151
00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,600
Speaker 2: five million dollar payroll and he had a fifteen million

152
00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:50,360
Speaker 2: dollar tax bill.

153
00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:51,920
Speaker 3: And that's how Alex does it.

154
00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,960
Speaker 2: He just gets an all in number, and however it

155
00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,400
Speaker 2: spread out is how it's spread out, like if it

156
00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,080
Speaker 2: if it's paying if it's paying the players or paying

157
00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,200
Speaker 2: the tax. It just has to fit within that budget.

158
00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,320
Speaker 2: So those are the two points I want to make.

159
00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,480
Speaker 2: There's no reason to duck the tax because all you

160
00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,120
Speaker 2: have to do is just fit it in your budget.

161
00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,560
Speaker 3: Like there's no it's not like.

162
00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,200
Speaker 2: It's not like the ownership says you have two hundred

163
00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,080
Speaker 2: and fifty million dollars to spend, but you can only

164
00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:19,920
Speaker 2: spend that two hundred and fifty million dollars on players.

165
00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:21,600
Speaker 2: You're not allowed to spend any of it on tax.

166
00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,040
Speaker 2: That doesn't make any sense. He's just given an all

167
00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,239
Speaker 2: in number and everything has to fit within that number,

168
00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:28,960
Speaker 2: and it's not that much money that you're saving by

169
00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,680
Speaker 2: resetting the tax. I really don't think Alex gives a

170
00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,000
Speaker 2: shit about the tax, I don't. I think he just

171
00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,520
Speaker 2: has to fit it within his budget. He's probably given

172
00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,200
Speaker 2: a two hundred and fifty two hundred and sixty million

173
00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,240
Speaker 2: dollar budget and he has to fit all the players

174
00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,080
Speaker 2: salaries and any tax he has to pay in that number.

175
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,640
Speaker 2: And as long as he can do that, he doesn't

176
00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,160
Speaker 2: care if they're the third consecutive year in the tax,

177
00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,840
Speaker 2: the fourth consecutive year, the twelfth consecutive year.

178
00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:51,680
Speaker 3: I don't think he cares.

179
00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,520
Speaker 2: And so all off season I've seen this and it's

180
00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,000
Speaker 2: just people talking about something that really does not matter

181
00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,120
Speaker 2: that much. I really don't think this is an issue.

182
00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,840
Speaker 2: There's just no reason for it to be an issue.

183
00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,839
Speaker 2: Doesn't make any sense. It's, you know, your first year

184
00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:10,640
Speaker 2: over the tax or fourth year of the tack. The

185
00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,600
Speaker 2: difference is not that big, So it's a little rant.

186
00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,480
Speaker 2: I'm not picking on dB. A lot of people have

187
00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,480
Speaker 2: said this, A lot of people have mentioned this. People

188
00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,400
Speaker 2: have tweated us. Are they resetting the tax and they're

189
00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,839
Speaker 2: resetting the tax. The difference is just not that big

190
00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,600
Speaker 2: and as long as Alice can fit the total number

191
00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,719
Speaker 2: within his budget, he doesn't care whether you know, two

192
00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:32,880
Speaker 2: hundred and thirty five million of his players and fifteen

193
00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,199
Speaker 2: million of his tax or whatever. He's just got to

194
00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,000
Speaker 2: fit in under his number. So I think it's something

195
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,720
Speaker 2: we can stop talking about because it's really not that

196
00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:40,240
Speaker 2: big a deal.

197
00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,240
Speaker 4: How's that New Year's resolution going for you? The fad

198
00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,000
Speaker 4: diets or the BS resolutions are so out. How about

199
00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,600
Speaker 4: just spending less on your wireless bilcrafts.

200
00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,720
Speaker 5: Mint Mobile to the Rescue Scottie. They've got half off

201
00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,240
Speaker 5: of their three month unlimited plan. That's three months planned

202
00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,719
Speaker 5: for only fifteen bucks a month. Baby.

203
00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,280
Speaker 6: All plans come with high speed data and unlimited talk

204
00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,920
Speaker 6: and text delivered on the nation's largest five G network.

205
00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,120
Speaker 5: Switching is easy. They'll convert your current phone and phone

206
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:11,040
Speaker 5: number for you too.

207
00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,200
Speaker 6: Switch to Mint and new customers can get half off

208
00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,800
Speaker 6: an unlimited plan until February second. To get your new

209
00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,920
Speaker 6: wireless plan for just fifteen bucks a month and get

210
00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,520
Speaker 6: the plan shipped to your door for free, go to

211
00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:29,760
Speaker 6: mintmobile dot com Flash Territory. That's mintmobile dot Com Flash Territory.

212
00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,520
Speaker 4: Forty five dollars upfront payment required equivalent to fifteen bucks

213
00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:34,960
Speaker 4: a month new customers on their first three month plan

214
00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:39,320
Speaker 4: only speed slower above forty gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees,

215
00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,000
Speaker 4: and restrictions apply. See mint mobile for details.

216
00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,400
Speaker 1: And of course, you know, the lack of activity, the

217
00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,160
Speaker 1: lack of movement, things like that, despite multiple needs of

218
00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:50,839
Speaker 1: being out there for the Braze, money is going to

219
00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:52,520
Speaker 1: be the first thing that that you know, people look at.

220
00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,280
Speaker 1: And of course you know when it comes to baseball,

221
00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,960
Speaker 1: it's the same, and you know NFL, it's the same

222
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,559
Speaker 1: in the NBA. That's why many franchises in the sports

223
00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,640
Speaker 1: had they hire people exactly to manage the cap, not

224
00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,160
Speaker 1: so much of baseball, basketball and football. My point that

225
00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:08,640
Speaker 1: I'm getting at is, though, is that people want to

226
00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,080
Speaker 1: talk about money, but for the Braves. That's the two

227
00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:12,880
Speaker 1: things that kind of don't make sense to me is

228
00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,360
Speaker 1: that you know, number one, why all of a sudden,

229
00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,880
Speaker 1: when money could become an issue in the middle of

230
00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,160
Speaker 1: their competitive window when it clearly has not been an

231
00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,840
Speaker 1: issue in the past. And number two, the sources that

232
00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,880
Speaker 1: help this team make money the battery, fans at the games,

233
00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,480
Speaker 1: things such as that playoff games, even though we've not

234
00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,960
Speaker 1: had many over the past couple of years. My point is,

235
00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,200
Speaker 1: though all those things are in a good spot. So

236
00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,240
Speaker 1: I'm not saying that money is not a factor in

237
00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,920
Speaker 1: the lack of activity this winter. I just don't think

238
00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,440
Speaker 1: it's as big of a factor as many a thing.

239
00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:45,280
Speaker 3: And I'll point this out.

240
00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,200
Speaker 2: A lot of people last offseason, DLB included, were saying

241
00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,040
Speaker 2: all year they were not going to go over the tax,

242
00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,560
Speaker 2: that that conversation was happening all last year too, and

243
00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,720
Speaker 2: then they went like forty million dollars over the tax

244
00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,480
Speaker 2: by the end. So, like I, Alex just has to

245
00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:02,880
Speaker 2: fit it all within his number.

246
00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:03,400
Speaker 3: That's it.

247
00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,480
Speaker 2: He just has to fit it with all within his number.

248
00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:07,679
Speaker 2: If that includes tax, then so big. It's just got

249
00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,160
Speaker 2: to fit within the number. So I just don't I

250
00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,480
Speaker 2: don't understand the fascination with it. I don't understand the

251
00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:18,040
Speaker 2: obsession with He's He's He's given a number and everything

252
00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,560
Speaker 2: has to fit under that number, the player salary, the tax, everything,

253
00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,319
Speaker 2: you know, there's no there's no reason to just.

254
00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:25,600
Speaker 3: Specifically duck the tax.

255
00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:29,640
Speaker 2: So yeah, I think the reason the Braves haven't made

256
00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:31,160
Speaker 2: it moves because they don't have they haven't found.

257
00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:31,840
Speaker 3: A deal they liked.

258
00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,600
Speaker 2: I do think they've had things that should have gotten

259
00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,640
Speaker 2: done that they thought were gonna get done that didn't.

260
00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,000
Speaker 2: I think they thought they had Jeff Hoffman. There's been

261
00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,640
Speaker 2: enough reporting on that by multiple sources that are that

262
00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,920
Speaker 2: I consider, you know, strong sources that the Braves had

263
00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,920
Speaker 2: to deal with Hoffman for about fifty million dollars. You know,

264
00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,280
Speaker 2: they didn't like his elbow or they didn't like his shoulder.

265
00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:54,880
Speaker 2: I mean that happens, you know.

266
00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,560
Speaker 3: Tanner Scott, there was real smoke around that.

267
00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,559
Speaker 2: I think the Braves were in that, but they got

268
00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,160
Speaker 2: outbid by the Dodgers or the guy just preferred to

269
00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:03,040
Speaker 2: play with the Dodgers.

270
00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:03,400
Speaker 3: You know.

271
00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,000
Speaker 2: I think they have money. I've said all off season

272
00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,120
Speaker 2: they have money to spend, and they don't care about

273
00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:12,400
Speaker 2: I don't think they care about the tax.

274
00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:13,200
Speaker 3: I really don't think.

275
00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,080
Speaker 2: Alex just has a number. He has an all in

276
00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,040
Speaker 2: number and he just has to be under that number.

277
00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,520
Speaker 2: And if that includes tax, so be it. And they

278
00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,439
Speaker 2: just haven't found deals they like. I do think they're

279
00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,800
Speaker 2: gonna make moves. I've said that all off season. If

280
00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,360
Speaker 2: they don't make any moves, then we will rip them

281
00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,080
Speaker 2: up and down for it. If they just sit on this,

282
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,400
Speaker 2: if they cut payroll by thirty forty million dollars like

283
00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,760
Speaker 2: it is right now, we're gonna rip them for it,

284
00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,839
Speaker 2: because that's a that's that's horseshit. I mean, the way

285
00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,840
Speaker 2: the battery is filled up every night, the fans have

286
00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,960
Speaker 2: done their part. Cutting payroll by that much is in

287
00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,840
Speaker 2: the middle of a contention. Window is not It is

288
00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,320
Speaker 2: terrible optics, and we'll rip them for it. But until

289
00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,400
Speaker 2: that point, until we get to the end of the offseason,

290
00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,000
Speaker 2: and that's what's happened, I'm going to work under the

291
00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,040
Speaker 2: assumption that Alex has money to spend, he doesn't care

292
00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:57,840
Speaker 2: about the tax, he's trying to make the team better.

293
00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,160
Speaker 2: It just we haven't gotten to the point where we

294
00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,640
Speaker 2: have deals yet. And until I see otherwise, that's that's

295
00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:05,640
Speaker 2: how I'm going to operate.

296
00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,880
Speaker 1: And in fact, you know, you know, elaborating a bit

297
00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:12,600
Speaker 1: on it, I think that there is one characteristic that

298
00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,760
Speaker 1: I feel is again, you know, assuming you're a bit

299
00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,360
Speaker 1: speculating a bit, but I do feel confident it's true.

300
00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,040
Speaker 1: I feel like that one thing that Alex Enthopolis is

301
00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:25,720
Speaker 1: is that he is someone who is firm insteadfast on

302
00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,480
Speaker 1: the number that he will approach for a player, and

303
00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,320
Speaker 1: if the number that he wants for that player, if

304
00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,760
Speaker 1: it's not there, if it goes beyond that, he's not

305
00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,120
Speaker 1: going to spend a lot of time trying to make

306
00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,160
Speaker 1: it work. He's going to pivot elsewhere. We've seen that

307
00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,920
Speaker 1: before with multiple former Braves that have gone on to

308
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,840
Speaker 1: other teams. We've seen it before where there's smoke around

309
00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,080
Speaker 1: the Braves and a certain free agent and they wind

310
00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,560
Speaker 1: up signing for at a mouth that is above what

311
00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,320
Speaker 1: I think many who cover the Braves in baseball would

312
00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,720
Speaker 1: be comfortable with. I think that plays a part in it.

313
00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,360
Speaker 1: To your point is that we are just seen in

314
00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,080
Speaker 1: a market where we know the he has been inflated.

315
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,960
Speaker 1: One thing is not changed is that Alex and Popless

316
00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,720
Speaker 1: is going to stick with what he feels makes sense

317
00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:08,680
Speaker 1: to spend on the player, and he's not going to

318
00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:13,680
Speaker 1: deviate from that no matter how much it seems the

319
00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,040
Speaker 1: player needs to be signed or moves need to be made,

320
00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,720
Speaker 1: He's going to make sure that those move fall within

321
00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,200
Speaker 1: the realm that he's comfortable with. Whether or not you

322
00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,240
Speaker 1: feel that that's a good trade of Alex or not.

323
00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,520
Speaker 1: It's simply something that's been consistent during his time with

324
00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:27,040
Speaker 1: the Braves.

325
00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,040
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you can make the argument that that's a

326
00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,920
Speaker 2: positive trait or a negative. I mean, we're not going

327
00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:36,640
Speaker 2: to tell you how to think. Like there are people

328
00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,880
Speaker 2: that said, you know that he he made you know,

329
00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,240
Speaker 2: he drew too strong of a line in the sand

330
00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,240
Speaker 2: with Freddie Freeman, like he should have been more willing

331
00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,240
Speaker 2: to go up. You know, everybody's got their own opinion

332
00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:49,520
Speaker 2: on that. There's people that said he should have been

333
00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,080
Speaker 2: more willing to go higher, on Max Freed or Danzy Sponson,

334
00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:58,160
Speaker 2: like that is that's how Alex is. And on the whole,

335
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,280
Speaker 2: he's been right and he's been very good at his job.

336
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,280
Speaker 2: The Braves have made the playoffs seven consecutive years, they

337
00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,920
Speaker 2: won a World Series. They want a pennant, Like on

338
00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,080
Speaker 2: the whole, you have to say, he's been right more

339
00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:10,800
Speaker 2: than he's been wrong, but you're.

340
00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,120
Speaker 3: Right, Like that's just how he is.

341
00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,560
Speaker 2: He They they set a number and they don't really

342
00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,040
Speaker 2: come off that number for any reason, and if somebody

343
00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,800
Speaker 2: else outbids them, they say goodbye to the player.

344
00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,359
Speaker 3: And I listen, I've been frustrated.

345
00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,680
Speaker 2: I thought they should have been more aggressive with Freddie Freeman,

346
00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,600
Speaker 2: you know, but they weren't, and that's just how they operate.

347
00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:31,840
Speaker 2: But I also thought it. I think it helps Hione

348
00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,720
Speaker 2: in cases like Danzy Swanson. I did not want to

349
00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,320
Speaker 2: pay Dancy Swanson one hundred and eighty million dollars. I

350
00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,080
Speaker 2: did not want to pay Max Freed two hundred and

351
00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,960
Speaker 2: twenty million dollars. Like on the whole, I think he's

352
00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,440
Speaker 2: been right more than he's been wrong. But you're right,

353
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,040
Speaker 2: that's his that's his way, that's how he's been since

354
00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,280
Speaker 2: day one, and you know it's probably not gonna change

355
00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,040
Speaker 2: at this point. I mean, you know, that's just how

356
00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:54,920
Speaker 2: he is. That's that's how they run their front office.

357
00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,160
Speaker 2: And you know, I wouldn't expect it to be any.

358
00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:02,360
Speaker 1: Different, absolutely, And the thing about it is is that

359
00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,440
Speaker 1: you know, again, you know that in that sort of instance,

360
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,560
Speaker 1: the track record speaks for itself, and I feel like,

361
00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,200
Speaker 1: you know, people's opinions of that track record, probably right now,

362
00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,720
Speaker 1: are are a bit, how shall I say, a bit

363
00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,320
Speaker 1: biased towards the negative because moves aren't being made at

364
00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,320
Speaker 1: the moment. But I do think that overall, when it

365
00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,880
Speaker 1: comes to the Braves being in the position that they

366
00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,040
Speaker 1: want to be more often than not to start the season.

367
00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,159
Speaker 1: They've been there every year. Now it's just the opportunity

368
00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,400
Speaker 1: for them to close the deal a bit more often.

369
00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:36,679
Speaker 1: But want to shift gears here a little bit because

370
00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,760
Speaker 1: I want to, you know, elaborate a bit more on

371
00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,080
Speaker 1: something that we talked about on the last podcast, Stephen,

372
00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,480
Speaker 1: and you know, we went into depth. I had mentioned

373
00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,960
Speaker 1: when it came to you know, looking at our bullpen,

374
00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,400
Speaker 1: you'd made the comment that if we were to lose

375
00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:53,120
Speaker 1: Rice Sellyglacias for a long stretch this year, or if

376
00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,560
Speaker 1: we were to see Rice Selly Glacias regressive it when

377
00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,800
Speaker 1: it comes to his production, our bullpen would be in

378
00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,639
Speaker 1: a pretty bad spot as it is right now. And

379
00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,359
Speaker 1: I made the comment that, you know, something that's a

380
00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,560
Speaker 1: bit concerning is the fact that the Braves just have

381
00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,639
Speaker 1: not had a track record of having you know, reliable

382
00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,600
Speaker 1: bullpen depth that they have grown. They're in homegrown bullpen

383
00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,879
Speaker 1: talents now, that trait, I think is the you know,

384
00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:20,080
Speaker 1: true of most teams. But I bring this up because

385
00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,280
Speaker 1: we got a question, you know, over the past few

386
00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:25,800
Speaker 1: days since the last podcast, we got a question in

387
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,879
Speaker 1: regards to another prospect This question came from looking it

388
00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,200
Speaker 1: up right now, forgive me. This question was in regards

389
00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,359
Speaker 1: to Nacho Alvarez and it's from Bradley Cookes. His question

390
00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:41,000
Speaker 1: is why has there been little to no mention of

391
00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:46,560
Speaker 1: Nacho Alvarez potentially being a clear option at the shortstop

392
00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,920
Speaker 1: position for the Braves. Yes, he had a cup of

393
00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,800
Speaker 1: coffee last year and you know it didn't go as well,

394
00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,120
Speaker 1: but he's been considered a top prospect in the Brave

395
00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,840
Speaker 1: system for a couple of years. Obviously, it doesn't take

396
00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,760
Speaker 1: much it seems, especially offensively, to be another option besides

397
00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,000
Speaker 1: Orlando Arcia currently in the Braves mixture at shortstop. But

398
00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,880
Speaker 1: Stephen would say you about that whole thought of why

399
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,239
Speaker 1: Nacho Alvarez may not necessarily be in the conversation right

400
00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:17,040
Speaker 1: now when it comes to being an option for the

401
00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:18,960
Speaker 1: Braves at shortstop.

402
00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:25,119
Speaker 2: Well, I think the easiest answer is there's nobody in

403
00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,080
Speaker 2: the organization. I don't think that believes that Nacho long

404
00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:34,359
Speaker 2: term is a shortstop defensively, which is the first place

405
00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,760
Speaker 2: you always have to start with this position. Defensively, you know,

406
00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,159
Speaker 2: most people consider him more of a second base type.

407
00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,560
Speaker 2: There's a lot of von Grissom and Nacho Alvarez quite honestly.

408
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:45,920
Speaker 2: You know, there's questions about the bat, there's questions about

409
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:46,480
Speaker 2: the defense.

410
00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:47,359
Speaker 3: You know.

411
00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:51,399
Speaker 2: I think he got hyped up more last year, A

412
00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:53,520
Speaker 2: because he was having a really good year in Triple A,

413
00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,520
Speaker 2: and B because Orlando Arcio was just in the dumpster

414
00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,119
Speaker 2: for most of the year last year and people were

415
00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,639
Speaker 2: desperate for anything, and so the hype train kind of

416
00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,400
Speaker 2: got out of control. Objectively, Nacho Albarez is probably more

417
00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:10,200
Speaker 2: of a second base, maybe even more of a utility

418
00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:14,240
Speaker 2: bench piece on a on a championship caliber team. I don't,

419
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,119
Speaker 2: I don't, I don't know anybody, and I'm gonna get

420
00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:18,960
Speaker 2: your opinion on this in a second. I haven't talked

421
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,840
Speaker 2: to anybody that believes that Nacho's a long term shortstop. Again,

422
00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,200
Speaker 2: I think it's very similar to Von Grissom, and I

423
00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,280
Speaker 2: think I said this on one of our last shows.

424
00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:29,919
Speaker 2: I think it's gonna end up very similar to how

425
00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,840
Speaker 2: Von Grissom ended up, with him being traded as a

426
00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:35,399
Speaker 2: part of something to bring something more valuable back because

427
00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,080
Speaker 2: the Braves just don't have a need for a second

428
00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,960
Speaker 2: basement right now. So yeah, I don't think anybody used.

429
00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:45,880
Speaker 2: Nacho's a shortstop long term, and that's the only place

430
00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,320
Speaker 2: in the infield that the Braves have an opening anytime soon.

431
00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,600
Speaker 2: So my guess is Nacho's gonna get moved.

432
00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:53,240
Speaker 3: I thought he'd be moved.

433
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,119
Speaker 2: This offseason, quite honestly, tried to take advantage of the

434
00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,480
Speaker 2: value he built up last year in TRIPAA. He still

435
00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,639
Speaker 2: might I would not be surprised at all. I like

436
00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:01,840
Speaker 2: he was a Dylan CS trade or something like that.

437
00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,199
Speaker 2: But I just don't think anybody views him in the

438
00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,520
Speaker 2: organization around the game prospect guys, I don't think anybody

439
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,840
Speaker 2: views him as a shortstop, and short stop is the

440
00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,360
Speaker 2: only place the Braves can upgrade on the dirt right now.

441
00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,240
Speaker 1: And the other thing about it is is that the

442
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:21,720
Speaker 1: skill set that Nacho Alvarez has as his profile as

443
00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,159
Speaker 1: a prospect. And I'm looking at this more from a

444
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,880
Speaker 1: statistical lens. I by no means am a prospect has

445
00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,960
Speaker 1: furg or anything like that. There are much more knowledgeable

446
00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,520
Speaker 1: people in Braves country when it comes to prospects. But

447
00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,080
Speaker 1: I will say, in looking at kind of how prospects

448
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,760
Speaker 1: who have profiled similar to Nacho Alvarez have matured, there

449
00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,840
Speaker 1: is just such a narrow avenue, Stephen, for Nacho Alvarez

450
00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,000
Speaker 1: to really have a successful long term career in the majors.

451
00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,399
Speaker 1: He has good on base skills, which is a very

452
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,400
Speaker 1: good thing, and when you compare that being his strength

453
00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:55,000
Speaker 1: to where Orlando Rci lax, that probably elevates the value

454
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,080
Speaker 1: of Nacho Alvarez in the mind of some Braves fans.

455
00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,040
Speaker 1: But beyond that, there's such a narrow He does not

456
00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,840
Speaker 1: hit for power. He is not a strong defender. He

457
00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,560
Speaker 1: does not he can't play defense really at a premium position.

458
00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,800
Speaker 1: And I think also even though it was a cup

459
00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:13,800
Speaker 1: of coffee, you saw the flaws in his overall game.

460
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,320
Speaker 1: Translating to the major league level, it didn't take long

461
00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:19,399
Speaker 1: to see that they would be clearly evident. I know

462
00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,880
Speaker 1: that he has good on base skills, but the problem

463
00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,720
Speaker 1: is is that he did very lift, had very little

464
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,520
Speaker 1: production against fastballs, which was the most frequent pitch he saw.

465
00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,080
Speaker 1: And so while he has good on bass skills, pitchers

466
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,840
Speaker 1: are just going to throw heat at him over the

467
00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,199
Speaker 1: plate with the confidence that he's not going to do

468
00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:37,640
Speaker 1: much with it. So that type of profile just does

469
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,840
Speaker 1: not translate very well to the major league level. And

470
00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:42,399
Speaker 1: that's why I think we got a bit of an

471
00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,080
Speaker 1: indication that while many think highly of Nacho, however, is

472
00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,880
Speaker 1: within the Braves, within Braves Country, that may not necessarily

473
00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,280
Speaker 1: be the case overall. When it comes to baseball.

474
00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, again, it's like von Grissom, and von Grissom probably

475
00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,240
Speaker 2: had more power than the Nacho does. But you know,

476
00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:00,399
Speaker 2: the glove's not good enough to play short, the bat's

477
00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:04,119
Speaker 2: not good enough to play third. You're kind of pigeonholed

478
00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,720
Speaker 2: as a second baseman. You know, there's there may be

479
00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,639
Speaker 2: some there might be enough athleticism to play the left field,

480
00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:12,240
Speaker 2: but again, you gotta have a pretty good bat to

481
00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:13,080
Speaker 2: play left field.

482
00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:15,840
Speaker 3: The arm's not good enough for right field.

483
00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,200
Speaker 2: Like you just get you get pigeonholed because you can't

484
00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,720
Speaker 2: do certain things. When that happens, kind of reminds me

485
00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:23,879
Speaker 2: of Jose Perrazza. I don't know that it's a blast

486
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:25,760
Speaker 2: from the past. A long time ago. He was he

487
00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,000
Speaker 2: was one of the bravest top prospects because the Bras

488
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,480
Speaker 2: farm system was was crap back then, and so he

489
00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,520
Speaker 2: got a lot of hype. But when it came to

490
00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,679
Speaker 2: his actual skill set, there wasn't a lot of substance there,

491
00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,679
Speaker 2: he ended up being kind of a bench piece, utility

492
00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,520
Speaker 2: piece for his career. I kind of see Nacho going

493
00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,879
Speaker 2: the same way. I think he could be a decent

494
00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,280
Speaker 2: utility guy, bench guy. You know, if he can get

495
00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,680
Speaker 2: second base, if he can really get that position down

496
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,639
Speaker 2: and play it well defensively and run, you know, kind

497
00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,359
Speaker 2: of an empty batting average or not a lot of power,

498
00:23:58,119 --> 00:23:59,520
Speaker 2: you might be able to carve out a career as

499
00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,040
Speaker 2: a second base spent somewhere. But yeah, I mean this

500
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,200
Speaker 2: is not like a premium you know, Baseball America just

501
00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,720
Speaker 2: released our Top one hundred and Nacho wasn't on it,

502
00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 2: So like, this is not like some premium prospect that

503
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:15,840
Speaker 2: has to have a place to play. You know, he

504
00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:18,080
Speaker 2: got hype last year because of how bad Orlando was

505
00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:19,760
Speaker 2: and how good a year he was having in tripa A.

506
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:21,320
Speaker 3: But the skill set just doesn't match.

507
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:23,880
Speaker 2: And again, if your glove's not good enough for short

508
00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,520
Speaker 2: your bat's not good enough for third seconds, the only

509
00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,320
Speaker 2: place you could play the brace have assie for the

510
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:29,119
Speaker 2: next few years.

511
00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:30,879
Speaker 3: I think he's gonna get traded.

512
00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,639
Speaker 2: I if you'd asked me in November, where would Nacho

513
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,080
Speaker 2: Alvaros be in late January, I would have already said

514
00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,000
Speaker 2: he'd been traded, but obviously the Brads haven't made any moves,

515
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,520
Speaker 2: so it still wouldn't surprised me if he was in

516
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,640
Speaker 2: another organization by the time we got to opening day.

517
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,159
Speaker 3: But yeah, he's not. He's just not a short stop.

518
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,479
Speaker 1: Well, and to me, this, you know, shines a spotlight

519
00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:54,520
Speaker 1: on a couple of things. First off is this is

520
00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,719
Speaker 1: that I know that for many the shortstop position was,

521
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,720
Speaker 1: you know, look like a major need this offseason. But

522
00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,399
Speaker 1: at the very least we had an incumbent. We had

523
00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,320
Speaker 1: Orlando Arcia, and I am the first to say, for sure,

524
00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,080
Speaker 1: we'll discuss Orlando Arcia in the shortstop position.

525
00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:12,160
Speaker 3: Yeah it's still imagined.

526
00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:15,679
Speaker 1: Yeah, position capsule. We'll do that later on. But the

527
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,120
Speaker 1: point is is that they're not going to have anybody

528
00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,240
Speaker 1: a year from now, and if Nacho Alvarez isn't muwed

529
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,920
Speaker 1: as a shortstop, there's nobody in the pipeline as well.

530
00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,399
Speaker 1: The point that I'm getting at is is that the

531
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,120
Speaker 1: talk about the shortstop position is only going to continue

532
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,080
Speaker 1: to grow because I don't think the Braves view or

533
00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,199
Speaker 1: Lando Arcia, even if he has a year like he

534
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,880
Speaker 1: did in twenty twenty three don't feel that they think

535
00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,240
Speaker 1: he's the long term answer. So it's likely they're going

536
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:42,800
Speaker 1: to have to figure something out going outside the organization

537
00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,880
Speaker 1: within the next year. That's on top of again what

538
00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,800
Speaker 1: they're having to feel when it comes to their needs

539
00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,280
Speaker 1: this season. So I think that that's something else we know.

540
00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:53,880
Speaker 1: It's kind of like a year ago when we were

541
00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,240
Speaker 1: talking about more than likely we were going to see

542
00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,359
Speaker 1: Max Reed, you know, lead, We're going to have to

543
00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:00,960
Speaker 1: figure out how to potentially find another a thankfully you know,

544
00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,680
Speaker 1: Spencer Swellenbach or not a low piz Chris Sale. Those

545
00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,600
Speaker 1: helped out on that in I don't see that type

546
00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,080
Speaker 1: of success happening over the next year for the shortstop position.

547
00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,359
Speaker 1: That's only going to become a bigger need as time

548
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:11,720
Speaker 1: goes on.

549
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:14,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, quite frankly, the Braves kind of have

550
00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:20,919
Speaker 2: avoid in position player prospects overall. I mean, you know,

551
00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,320
Speaker 2: we saw it last year when they needed outfielders. There

552
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,520
Speaker 2: was nobody to go get, like they had to go

553
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,240
Speaker 2: get Loreano, they had to they remember they tried Eddie Rozario,

554
00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,760
Speaker 2: they brought him off the dumpster pile.

555
00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,840
Speaker 3: I mean, they had no one and I'll.

556
00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,359
Speaker 2: Make this point and I've thought about this before. So

557
00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,360
Speaker 2: the Braves had a three or four year period where

558
00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:43,800
Speaker 2: they were not allowed to sign international free agents, and

559
00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,960
Speaker 2: that was from like twenty seventeen to like twenty twenty one.

560
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,399
Speaker 2: But you have to remember, because you're signing sixteen year olds,

561
00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:53,040
Speaker 2: there's like a five year lag time between when you

562
00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,760
Speaker 2: sign those guys and when they're actually prospects that can

563
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,760
Speaker 2: do something for you in your system. And so the

564
00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:02,200
Speaker 2: penalties were from seven team to twenty one. But we're

565
00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,480
Speaker 2: right now in that lag time where we're feeling the

566
00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,000
Speaker 2: lack of international prospects in the system because they couldn't

567
00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,359
Speaker 2: sign them five years ago. And if the Braves had

568
00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,920
Speaker 2: a full international class in those years, then those guys

569
00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,479
Speaker 2: would be at the point where their prospect level, you know,

570
00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:25,280
Speaker 2: Triple A major league level players right now. And so

571
00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:29,720
Speaker 2: while we got the penalties in seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, and twenty,

572
00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,560
Speaker 2: right now is when you actually pay for those penalties

573
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,680
Speaker 2: because you don't you have that huge gap of disruption

574
00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,520
Speaker 2: in your in your prospect pipeline because you don't have

575
00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:41,800
Speaker 2: those players, and it's not going to be until like

576
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,719
Speaker 2: twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven, when the guys that

577
00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:46,880
Speaker 2: they were able to sign in twenty twenty one come

578
00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,800
Speaker 2: back or come up, that we're kind of going to

579
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,600
Speaker 2: be officially out of that, out of the woods of

580
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,520
Speaker 2: those penalties. So you know, when you look at the pipeline,

581
00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:58,280
Speaker 2: the Braves have been winning a lot, so they don't

582
00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:00,880
Speaker 2: draft very high, and they had that four year disruption

583
00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:02,680
Speaker 2: where they couldn't sign international players.

584
00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:05,280
Speaker 3: You're feeling the heat of that. Now.

585
00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:07,680
Speaker 2: You're paying for that now because this is the point

586
00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,159
Speaker 2: where all those guys would be up or in Triple

587
00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:13,680
Speaker 2: A or on prospect list, and you know it's gonna

588
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,760
Speaker 2: be a couple of years more until we get past that.

589
00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:17,560
Speaker 2: But yeah, the Braves don't have a ton of position.

590
00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:23,720
Speaker 2: I mean, Drake Baldwin. It's like Drake Baldwin and that's it. Really,

591
00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,480
Speaker 2: There's not a lot out there. So you know, that's

592
00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:29,159
Speaker 2: why the depth on the roster is important. That's why

593
00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,399
Speaker 2: I think the Braves need to add more outfielders. I

594
00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:35,000
Speaker 2: think they need to add a shortstop because there's not

595
00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:36,680
Speaker 2: a lot in Triple A or Double A in terms

596
00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,120
Speaker 2: of position player prospects.

597
00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, and now I also think that it spot slights.

598
00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,600
Speaker 1: The fact, well, if right now we're feeling the effect

599
00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:47,520
Speaker 1: of the lack of signings between seventeen and twenty one,

600
00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,240
Speaker 1: that just shines the spotlight on the signings that we've

601
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,360
Speaker 1: had over the past few years. They're not going to

602
00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,880
Speaker 1: start impacting us until the end of this decade, in

603
00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,760
Speaker 1: the next decade. Jose Perdermo, Luis Guanipa. You know, a

604
00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:01,680
Speaker 1: couple of the talents that we signed year, they're four

605
00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,280
Speaker 1: to five years away, so they're not an answer right now.

606
00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,760
Speaker 1: And you also look and go back, you know to

607
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,800
Speaker 1: where you know, you know post you know, seeing the

608
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,840
Speaker 1: Acunya and the Rileys and before them the Abby's and

609
00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:15,960
Speaker 1: all that. You know, the end of last decade, those

610
00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:21,120
Speaker 1: talents coming in, there's been three people Shay Long, the Leers,

611
00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,240
Speaker 1: Lange Leers, yeah, whatever you wanted to say. His last name.

612
00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:26,800
Speaker 1: Drafted ninth overall. Believe in either the twenty twenty or

613
00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,920
Speaker 1: twenty one draft. Him and Braden shoe Make were drafted

614
00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,080
Speaker 1: both in the first round that year. Shoemate didn't pan out.

615
00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:38,360
Speaker 1: Jay got traded to the A's in the uh matt

616
00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:40,400
Speaker 1: Olsen trade. He's worked out. I guess he had a

617
00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,200
Speaker 1: pretty decent year last year. Of course, William Contreras has

618
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,200
Speaker 1: been great for Milwaukee, and at the time I think,

619
00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,000
Speaker 1: you know, it was you know, at least sensible to

620
00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,520
Speaker 1: trading b Shawn Murphy and then you've got Michael Harris.

621
00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,040
Speaker 1: The point that I'm getting at is that when the

622
00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,720
Speaker 1: Braves have, you know, they've hit on a few, but

623
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,440
Speaker 1: those depth pieces though, that that depth that you can

624
00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,160
Speaker 1: rely on in the CA that may be a player

625
00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:04,200
Speaker 1: that you bring in doesn't work out, or having multiple

626
00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:07,080
Speaker 1: options that are at least notable where someone could work

627
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,440
Speaker 1: out better than you would expect it. It's just not

628
00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,440
Speaker 1: been there. And it goes back to your point. I

629
00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,240
Speaker 1: feel about the lack of depth that has been created

630
00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,120
Speaker 1: from not being able to sign those international talents. And

631
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,680
Speaker 1: that brings another point and that that's kind of how

632
00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,720
Speaker 1: we're going to well have a special guest on Hero

633
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,040
Speaker 1: the next week who I talked about this with, you

634
00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:28,520
Speaker 1: know last year. The Braves focus right now when it

635
00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,920
Speaker 1: comes to adding talent to the minor leagues, it's split

636
00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,479
Speaker 1: in my opinion. They look to add top to your

637
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,640
Speaker 1: pitching talent for the act. They look to add positional

638
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,040
Speaker 1: talent through the international signing period, and because the international

639
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,760
Speaker 1: signing period those players are so young, you're just not

640
00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:47,120
Speaker 1: going to get immediate impact when it comes to the

641
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,680
Speaker 1: position players. And that's what the Braves, that's what they

642
00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:54,000
Speaker 1: need right now. The need for at least notable position

643
00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,720
Speaker 1: player prospects is a glaring, glaring home in the organization

644
00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:58,080
Speaker 1: right now.

645
00:30:59,360 --> 00:30:59,560
Speaker 3: Yeah.

646
00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean Michael Harris and Langeliers were drafted. I

647
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:09,640
Speaker 2: think Quilliam Contreras was a international signing if correct. Yes, yeah,

648
00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,920
Speaker 2: it was a while ago too. I mean he was

649
00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:16,760
Speaker 2: like in the I think he was before Ntoppolis even so,

650
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,800
Speaker 2: so yeah, I mean you're right. And again, when you

651
00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:23,320
Speaker 2: don't have international creator or you don't have international prospects

652
00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,800
Speaker 2: for four years, this is the point where you pay

653
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:28,719
Speaker 2: for that, Like right now is where the Braves are

654
00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:32,640
Speaker 2: paying the price for that. And you know, they have

655
00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:38,400
Speaker 2: gone very heavy pitching in the domestic draft, and I

656
00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,960
Speaker 2: understand why pitching is very expensive and so it's much

657
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,520
Speaker 2: better to have pitching in your organization than try to

658
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:43,880
Speaker 2: get it.

659
00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,200
Speaker 3: But you know, I think they would have thought a J.

660
00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,920
Speaker 2: Smith Schalver or Hurston Waldrop may have been a little

661
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,120
Speaker 2: farther along by now or at least they hoped they would.

662
00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:55,440
Speaker 2: I still think the Braves are in the market for

663
00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,720
Speaker 2: another starter, at least I hope they are. But but yeah,

664
00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,920
Speaker 2: I mean it's a real problem. I mean right now

665
00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,200
Speaker 2: is this lack of position players that the Braves have had.

666
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,760
Speaker 2: I mean, basically since Michael Harris came up, you know,

667
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,920
Speaker 2: Von Grissom, everybody thought he would be better than he was.

668
00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:14,240
Speaker 2: He still has a chance to have a decent career.

669
00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,560
Speaker 2: Not cho Alvarez, I think is a bit overrated. It's

670
00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,040
Speaker 2: basically Drake Baldwin and you know Shae leg Leaders who

671
00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:25,720
Speaker 2: they traded for Metolson. So they need position player prospects desperately.

672
00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:28,600
Speaker 2: You know, I'm very curious to see this next draft

673
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,600
Speaker 2: that happens in July if maybe they they they focus

674
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:33,440
Speaker 2: a little more on that because it is a glaring

675
00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:37,240
Speaker 2: hole in the organization. And listen, the Braves aren't gonna

676
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,360
Speaker 2: make any like selling moves anytime soon where they're gonna

677
00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:42,960
Speaker 2: get prospects back in the trade. That's not what you

678
00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:44,520
Speaker 2: do when you're trying to win a World Series. So

679
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,880
Speaker 2: the only way to get these players in your system

680
00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:49,240
Speaker 2: is to draft them or to sign them as international

681
00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,000
Speaker 2: free agents. And if you sign him as international free agents,

682
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,080
Speaker 2: they're seven, you know, six five, six years away.

683
00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:56,960
Speaker 3: So I am.

684
00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:59,040
Speaker 2: Curious to see if the Braves maybe shift that focus

685
00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,440
Speaker 2: a little bit in the draft where they go a

686
00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,520
Speaker 2: little bit more position players just to try to fill

687
00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:04,400
Speaker 2: some of these gaps.

688
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,640
Speaker 3: But so far they have it. So if all, they've

689
00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:07,840
Speaker 3: gone very pitching heavy.

690
00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:09,680
Speaker 2: I think Alex is taking a pitcher in the first

691
00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,160
Speaker 2: round the last three years or so.

692
00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,880
Speaker 3: I'm not a big draft guy, but but.

693
00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a problem and there the Braves are paying

694
00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,360
Speaker 2: for it right now with basically zero position players outside

695
00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,080
Speaker 2: of Drake Baldwin in Triple A or Double A.

696
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:25,880
Speaker 1: And I know that it's rare, and I don't really

697
00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:27,520
Speaker 1: you know, correct me if I'm wrong with Steve, and

698
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,200
Speaker 1: I don't really think that we've seen Alex and top

699
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,400
Speaker 1: let's do this. But if we we were getting some

700
00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:36,040
Speaker 1: names back who you know, not not the wall drops

701
00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,640
Speaker 1: or the A. J. Smith shovers, this could be if

702
00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:41,400
Speaker 1: there's another thing to look forward to in twenty twenty five,

703
00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:46,440
Speaker 1: there are probably a handful maybe five, seven eight prospects

704
00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:48,560
Speaker 1: who are you know, Single A, Double A or higher

705
00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,120
Speaker 1: that are pitching prospects in the Brave system that you

706
00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,760
Speaker 1: could really see takeoff in terms of, you know, elevating

707
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:56,640
Speaker 1: their prospect status. If the Blade Braves get a plethora

708
00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,760
Speaker 1: of arms, maybe they swap one of them for a

709
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,400
Speaker 1: sable position prospect. I know that that's a rare trade,

710
00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,360
Speaker 1: but it's a creative move that in Alexandopolis I think

711
00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,000
Speaker 1: is a pretty creative guy. That could be something that

712
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:10,360
Speaker 1: could be on the horizon. I think it's more unlikely

713
00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:12,680
Speaker 1: than likely. But the whole point is is that we

714
00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:14,840
Speaker 1: keep talking about there is a reason why it felt

715
00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,719
Speaker 1: like Alexandopolis was moving heaven and Earth to go get

716
00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,400
Speaker 1: Jared Kellning last year. It was because he was controlled

717
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,120
Speaker 1: for five years and they just didn't have any other

718
00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,279
Speaker 1: option to feel a clear need. We're likely going to

719
00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:27,840
Speaker 1: have to see something like that to fill the shortstop

720
00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:29,319
Speaker 1: position over the next year.

721
00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, and listen, Hasan Kim is still out there technically,

722
00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:34,799
Speaker 2: you know, until he signs else.

723
00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:36,800
Speaker 3: I mean I have I told Grant this.

724
00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:39,960
Speaker 2: I've been waiting for him to sign anywhere else so

725
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:43,440
Speaker 2: I can just check Shortstop off the list. But until

726
00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,960
Speaker 2: somebody signs him, I'm going to assume the Braves are

727
00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,480
Speaker 2: at least somewhat interested because they need they need a shortstop,

728
00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:52,120
Speaker 2: and you know, I don't he's not gonna be able

729
00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,520
Speaker 2: to play opening day. I think he's not gonna be

730
00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:54,880
Speaker 2: able to play for the first month or so. But

731
00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:56,560
Speaker 2: Orlando could hold it down for a month and then

732
00:34:56,600 --> 00:35:01,640
Speaker 2: you go to Kim.

733
00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,200
Speaker 3: So until he signs elsewhere. That's technically still out there.

734
00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:03,960
Speaker 3: And like you said, the.

735
00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,879
Speaker 2: Braves don't have anybody behind Orlando. This is Orlando's last

736
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:12,560
Speaker 2: year of guaranteed money. They need a shortstop. They've needed

737
00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:15,759
Speaker 2: a short stop since Dance be left. It wouldn't surprise me.

738
00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:18,640
Speaker 2: But yeah, the lack of position player prospects. You know,

739
00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:22,040
Speaker 2: na show when von Grissom both got tagged as big

740
00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,359
Speaker 2: time prospects, but again that was because of the lack

741
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:26,640
Speaker 2: of prospects the Braves have in their system, quite honestly,

742
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:29,879
Speaker 2: and I think both guys have kind of shown that.

743
00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,160
Speaker 3: So, yeah, they need something, and.

744
00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,280
Speaker 2: You know, the Celtic move was almost certainly a desperation

745
00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:39,360
Speaker 2: to try to get some outfield depths, some young outfield

746
00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,279
Speaker 2: depth somewhere, because the Braves don't have any outfield depth either.

747
00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:47,280
Speaker 2: They don't have any third base, shortstop, outfield, first base.

748
00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:48,439
Speaker 3: I mean they don't.

749
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,239
Speaker 2: They just don't have position player depth in the mind.

750
00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,000
Speaker 2: They don't have top prospects, and that is a big problem.

751
00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,399
Speaker 2: And it also shows up on the trade market where

752
00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,800
Speaker 2: you're trying to make deals and other teams have prospects

753
00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,200
Speaker 2: they can give and the Braves don't.

754
00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:01,200
Speaker 3: Really, that's why everybody who talks.

755
00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,520
Speaker 2: To the praise has probably been asking for Drake Baldwin

756
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:07,680
Speaker 2: because they don't have anybody else to give. Really, that's

757
00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:09,799
Speaker 2: at that level unless some team is just desperate for

758
00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:12,080
Speaker 2: pitching and wants a bunch of young pitchings. So it's

759
00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:13,960
Speaker 2: a problem. You're a hundred percent right, it's a great point.

760
00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,080
Speaker 2: I mean, it's definitely a problem.

761
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:19,000
Speaker 1: So then the thing I'll in with is this, Stephen,

762
00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,280
Speaker 1: is that I know that everybody is praying for moves,

763
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:25,000
Speaker 1: talking about moves, things such as that. My suggestion would

764
00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:30,120
Speaker 1: be this, either in addition to that or in lieu

765
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:33,880
Speaker 1: of that, I want for us to look at something

766
00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:37,120
Speaker 1: in a bit of a different light. I'm going to

767
00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:40,200
Speaker 1: be wishing doing whatever you need to do to hope

768
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,480
Speaker 1: for the best. I'm going to be looking for ed

769
00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:49,000
Speaker 1: that Jared Kelnick, Orlando Arcia and Sean Murphy that we

770
00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,600
Speaker 1: saw for the first two months of the twenty and

771
00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,400
Speaker 1: twenty three season. I implore you to go look at

772
00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:56,680
Speaker 1: what Jared Kelnick did for the first two much of

773
00:36:56,680 --> 00:36:59,240
Speaker 1: the twenty twenty three season. That is why the Braves

774
00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:02,080
Speaker 1: moved havn nerd go get you. If we could get

775
00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:05,160
Speaker 1: those three returning to those two to their forms for

776
00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:07,520
Speaker 1: those two months of baseball, we'll be perfectly fine.

777
00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:11,640
Speaker 2: And I'll say this about that, Sean Murphy has a

778
00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:14,600
Speaker 2: track record of like five years of being a really

779
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,840
Speaker 2: good player. So Jared Kelnick and Orlando Sea don't like

780
00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:21,520
Speaker 2: neither one of those guys has a significant track record

781
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:24,600
Speaker 2: of doing anything like I have way way more confidence

782
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:27,839
Speaker 2: and Sean Murphy bouncing back without a strained o bleak

783
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,600
Speaker 2: and missing two months of the season. I just think

784
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:33,200
Speaker 2: Orlando is See and Jered Kelnick are very good, quite honestly.

785
00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:37,319
Speaker 2: So I would love, I would love the Braves to

786
00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,439
Speaker 2: go add another outfielder and add a shortstop if they can,

787
00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,560
Speaker 2: because you don't know what you're gonna get from Ronald.

788
00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,000
Speaker 2: I don't think Jered Kelnick is very good, quite frankly,

789
00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:49,279
Speaker 2: I don't think Orlando or c is very good. I

790
00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:53,360
Speaker 2: would love that, But you know there are needs at

791
00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,080
Speaker 2: the pitching side too, their needs and starter.

792
00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:56,160
Speaker 3: Their need is a reliever.

793
00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:00,600
Speaker 2: So at this point I'll take anything. But but yeah,

794
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,200
Speaker 2: I mean not having any sort of options in the

795
00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:06,800
Speaker 2: minor leagues for left field, for shortstop, for third base.

796
00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:08,600
Speaker 2: I mean, you saw it last year when guys got hurt.

797
00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,040
Speaker 2: The Braves had nobody to call up, Like, the Braves

798
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,200
Speaker 2: had to go get Gio Orchella because they had nobody.

799
00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:17,399
Speaker 2: They had to go get Ramon Loriano because they had nobody.

800
00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:19,720
Speaker 3: It's a big deal. It really is a problem.

801
00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,040
Speaker 2: And that's why I think the Braves need to go

802
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,120
Speaker 2: get another outfielder, because if it happens again, they're going

803
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,040
Speaker 2: to be in the same spot they were last year

804
00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:28,840
Speaker 2: where they have to go get guys off the dumpster piles.

805
00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,479
Speaker 2: So go get some outfielders, Go get a short stop.

806
00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:34,879
Speaker 2: It would make our lives so much easier, not only

807
00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:37,600
Speaker 2: on this podcast, but the team would be better.

808
00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:39,560
Speaker 3: Go do it.

809
00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,200
Speaker 2: I'm all in, Go do it.

810
00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:46,040
Speaker 1: Just every podcast just takes that full vicious circle, Stephen,

811
00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,240
Speaker 1: to come right back to the same point. Just do something,

812
00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,600
Speaker 1: just something, yeah, anything else for you. As we wrap up,

813
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:54,920
Speaker 1: this edition in the Habit Territory podcast.

814
00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:56,920
Speaker 2: I want to make the point one more time. The

815
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,439
Speaker 2: luxury tax is not as nearly as big a deal.

816
00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:02,040
Speaker 2: Setting the luxury tax is not nearly as big a

817
00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:03,960
Speaker 2: deal as people think it is. The amount of money

818
00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:08,279
Speaker 2: you say by resetting is very small. There's almost no

819
00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:12,239
Speaker 2: Alex just has one number and he has to fit

820
00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,160
Speaker 2: everything in that number, like he doesn't care if fifteen

821
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,439
Speaker 2: million dollars of it is tax, it doesn't matter.

822
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:18,920
Speaker 3: It just has to fit in the number.

823
00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:21,520
Speaker 2: Stop worrying about whether or not they're resetting the luxury tax.

824
00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:23,279
Speaker 2: It's not that big a deal. It's a very small

825
00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:26,239
Speaker 2: amount of money they're saving by doing it. It has

826
00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,960
Speaker 2: very little impact. I just the amount of gets talked

827
00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,960
Speaker 2: about and the amount it matters are not equal. So

828
00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:34,279
Speaker 2: I just don't worry about it.

829
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:35,120
Speaker 3: It's not a big deal.

830
00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,520
Speaker 2: That's I want that to be the final statement on

831
00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:41,400
Speaker 2: this show, the luxury tax. Resetting the luxury tax is

832
00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:42,239
Speaker 2: not that big a deal.

833
00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:45,520
Speaker 1: But you know what is a big deal is that

834
00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:48,520
Speaker 1: we're going to continue churning out content as this off

835
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:52,560
Speaker 1: season goes along. Moves or no moves, We're gonna make

836
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,719
Speaker 1: moves ourselves and it's gonna be to the next conversation.

837
00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,600
Speaker 1: Of course, you can find at Steven Tolbert always good

838
00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:02,120
Speaker 1: for a conversation on Twitter, slash x, at Vonder Square, Outliars.

839
00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:05,719
Speaker 1: My name is Sean Coleman at Stats, sac foul Territory,

840
00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:08,960
Speaker 1: at foul Territory, across all forms of social media, at Amatory,

841
00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,920
Speaker 1: across all forms of social media. It is always a

842
00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:14,880
Speaker 1: pleasure to be with you. Until next time moves or

843
00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:18,279
Speaker 1: no moves, go braves, we will be here to cover

844
00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:20,960
Speaker 1: it all for you here on the Hammor Territory Podcast