Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Cabrera, GM Meetings, Hot Stove on Fire

Braves reliever Mauricio Cabrera signing autographs prior to a Mississippi Braves game in August 2015. Photo credit Alan Carpenter, TomahawkTake.com

Mauricio Cabrera at the Arizona Fall League

Giants fans were abuzz last week when one of their relief prospects was hitting 101 on the radar gun at the AFL Stars game.  The game announcers suggested that no one in the league was throwing harder!

Guess again.

Now… the bigger question for Cabrera hasn’t been “how fast does it go?” but instead “where does it go?” or “did he take out the mascot?”

Well, last night was a bit of a mixed bag for the 22 year old Cabrera.  He tossed 1.2 innings of relief, and nearly filled up all of the slots on his pitching line:  2 hits, 1 run (it was earned), 1 walk, and 1 strikeout.

This gives him an AFL stretch of 9.1 innings in 7 games with 14 hits allowed (at least 2 every outing except 1), 8 earned, 4 walks and 11 strikeouts.  While that’s still within the Small Sample Size confines, it’s all part of this attempt to convert into a shutdown reliever.  There’s still work to do, but he’s got the tools to work with… especially with gas of this octane level.

Jul 24, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman

(7) avoids the collision with Miami Marlins right fielder

(27) on a double play in the 6th inning of their game at Turner Field. Marlins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Collision on base paths topic at GM meetings

ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT / WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL

BOCA RATON, Fla. — After watching Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada carried off the field with a broken leg during the playoffs when the Dodgers’ Chase Utley upended him, Major League Baseball is examining whether to adopt a rule eliminating slides not directly at bases on force plays.

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The discussion comes two years after MLB banned home-plate collisions. Central baseball officials spoke with teams and the rules committee met at this week’s annual gathering of general managers. There will be more talk at next month’s winter meetings and consultation with the players’ association.

“We don’t want to have guys carried off the field,” Joe Torre, MLB’s chief baseball officer, said Wednesday. “Obviously, you can’t lose sight of what the game is about. You don’t want somebody just not trying to get to second base and not trying to keep the inning going. It’s a thin line that you have to walk, and that’s why it’s really tough to put pen to paper.”

[ Excerpted – more at the link above.  Well, you knew this would probably come up.  The next question involves how far baseball intends to go with it.  There’s the “late” slide, the “airborne” slide, and the “zip code” slide… in which it’s tough to tell whether the runner is even in the same zip code as second base.

If the rule is to be changed, then here’s part of what I would personally want to recommend:

1. Runner must be able to reach second base on his slide
2. When sliding, runner must start slide and be in contact with the ground before reaching second base; if not sliding, then must not initiate contact with any fielder in vicinity (minimum penalty:  obstruction; umpire may award 1 or 2 outs as warranted).
3. Fielder must be able to tag the base or the runner while in possession of the ball (i.e., the “neighborhood” play is banned)
4. There’s more that should be written about legal contact between runner and fielder around second base… but this is exactly the tricky part.  ]

Next: Simmons Rumor Wrap-up

Nov 8, 2015; Chandler, AZ, USA; Top fuel hydro driver Todd Plate explodes the engine on fire to his boat “Problem Child” during the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series World Finals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Gas was Thrown on the Hot Stove

Well now.  If you thought the off-season was boring already, then let’s kick ‘er up a notch.  Fred added this bolt-out-of-the-blue to his news piece from last night.  People have noticed.  Here’s how it got started:

Yes – the Atlanta Braves are apparently seriously listening to trade offers for Andrelton Simmons.

I’ll let that sink in for a sec.

Jonah Keri is a Grantland writer (or at least was until last week or so when social media told him that he and all of his coleagues had been dumped by ESPN) so this isn’t an idle rumor.  In fact, it kinda gained steam – and breadth – as the night progressed.

As we were trying to sort this out, we learned that the Giants were not involved… makes sense, as they have a Gold Glove shortstop (yes, that still stings).  Also, the Dodgers would seem to be good with their infielders, though Justin Turner apparently had a micro-fracture surgery procedure performed on his left knee.  The claim is that he’ll be ready for Spring Training… but every one of these surgeries I’m heard of has required more time to return than planned.  In any case, forget the Dodgers in this mess.

That leaves the Rockies (who have a shortstop that beat up his wife) and the Padres.  Both could have SS needs – the Padres definitely do.

But Wait, There’s More!

• ANGELS… and DODGERS?

Okay, so maybe the Dodgers aren’t crazy about what they have assembled after all – which includes Turner, Corey Seager, Alex Guerrero, Enrique Hernandez and Jose Peraza.  Or they recognize that Andrelton Simmons is the GOAT and that he’s an upgrade from… everybody.

Oh… yes… about the Mets…

• METS

In point of fact, it might be easier to list teams not interested in Simba:  Blue Jays (maybe), Cubs, Indians, Giants, Astros, and Marlins.  Short of these few, you’d have to think that if Atlanta has truly opened the door on this particular piece of prime real estate – and I think they have – many visitors might walk in and check out the view.

Next: Building on the Cheap

More on this during the day as things develop… it’s clearly not over.