With the signing of Zach Duke by the Chicago White Sox to a 3-year, $15M deal, the Braves now face a similar issue they’ve faced since Jonny Venters went down to Tommy John surgery before the 2013 season. Andrew Miller will most likely be WAY out of the Braves’ price range, and my personal #2 lefty reliever on the market, Tom Gorzelanny (Duke was my #3), will likely get around the same contract as Duke, if not even more AAV due to Gorzy’s longer track record as a successful LOOGY. This leaves a collection of guys who are inconsistent or old in general in the free agent market. So what should the Braves do?
In house
Under the radar, the Braves have made some moves that could take care of the position on their own. Donnie Veal, a LHP who pitched for the White Sox last season in the major and minor leagues, has had control issues, but he’s certainly shown a very high ability to keep power down and contact rates lower when pitching to same-handed hitters. Veal features a heavy fastball that runs up to 95 with a curveball that is inconsistent and a changeup that had been graded as a “plus” pitch at one point in his minor league development. He comes to the mound with an intimidating 6’4, 230-lb frame as well.
Greg Smith might be my favorite signing of the offseason thus far, which in an offseason where not much has happened in the signing area could be seen as damning with faint praise, but it may take a pretty good signing to move past this one in my book. This may seem odd for a 30 year-old minor league journeyman who has had 2 cups of coffee in his nearly 10-year major league career, but here’s the thing: he’s always pitched as a starter. Out of 193 minor league appearances, 177 have been as a starter. The reason I really like the idea of Smith as a lefty is simple – control. While his stuff is nothing that will overpower you, a mid- to upper-80s fastball, a curveball, and a changeup, he’s been noted for his control in the minor leagues as evidenced by his 2.1 BB/9 numbers in AAA last season as a starter. Most know that fastball velocity will tick up a mile or two with a move to the bullpen, and his changeup has often been considered a weapon for him, that a move to the bullpen could be just the thing to turn his career around and bring the Braves one of the better offseason signings in the game.
Still out there
Fred acquired Franklin Morales on a minor league deal in the FanSided Faux Winter Meetings. I’m not sure he is able to be signed on a minor league deal, but if he is, I would like that signing quite a bit. Morales is a guy that has been used as a starter and a swingman for many teams due to a multi-pitch repertoire, but he has shown over and over his domination of left-handed hitters that would make him an ideal LOOGY. Last season while with Colorado, he held opposing left-handed hitters to a 62 tOPS+ (per Baseball-Reference.com, tOPS+ is defined as “OPS for split relative to player’s total OPS” with 100 being exactly equal to his total OPS, over 100 indicating higher batter success and under 100 indicating higher pitcher success), which means he cut production by opposing left-handed hitters by 38% from their typical production, a very solid number for a LOOGY. Even at a modest $1M offer, he’d be more than worth it, especially if the Braves could sweep in and sign him before big guns like Miller and Gorzelanny sign and leave their suitors looking for the next best thing.
Josh Outman may have the best pitching last name in all of baseball, and in his early time in the Phillies system, he was certainly epitomizing his name, with a strikeout per inning in low-A along with a 2.89 ERA. Surgery and other injuries along the way have really taken away his longevity in a game, and he’s found his way to the bullpen at this point. Outman’s biggest struggle his entire time in professional baseball has been his control. Even in the bullpen, he’s shown struggles, resulting in 4+ BB/9 ratios in the major leagues. However, his dominance versus lefties cannot be denied, as he put up a 60 tOPS+ versus lefties last season in the Cleveland and Yankee bullpens. He likely will be available for a minor league deal, and perhaps, the Braves could really score a coup by snagging both Morales and Outman on minor league deals to enhance their bullpen depth throughout the system and allow for any injuries that may creep up.
Who’s LEFT standing?
While many saw the struggles from the left side in 2014 as a major crux in the Braves bullpen (perhaps its only glaring one), there seems to not only be the depth in the system currently, but some smart moves by the front office this offseason to add depth from the left side in the system on the cheap. Grabbing one of Morales or Outman (or both!) would simply add to that depth. While under the radar, this is certainly something the front office has done well this offseason already.