Proving that John Coppolella neither sleeps, rests, or takes days off: the Braves have made a move to bolster their lineup on Thanksgiving Day.
Seems that Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman don’t get holidays, either, as they both were all over this Atlanta Braves‘ news today.
Sources: #Braves in agreement with free-agent infielder Sean Rodriguez on two-year deal for more than $11M, pending physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 24, 2016
Jon Heyman has the specific financials:
sean rodriguez gets $11.5M. $1.5M signing bonus. $5M each year. #braves
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 24, 2016
Introductions are in Order
Sean Rodriguez will be 32 next April, but profiles as a ‘poor man’s Ben Zobrist/Martin Prado‘ – a role that he seemed to blossom into with the Pirates in 2016.
In 2016, he saw action in 140 games, playing at literally every position on the field other than pitcher and catcher. He hit .270/.349/.510 for a robust .859 OPS with 18 homers and a 129 wRC+.
And as shown above, he’ll even get in the midst of a dust-up when necessary… and who doesn’t like somebody who doesn’t like the Nationals, right?
These numbers from 2016 actually haven’t been his usual production and constitutes career highs in average, homers (aside from a 31 HR outburst in 2009… most of those coming at AAA), OBP, slugging, plate appearance, and RBI.
So is he due for a regression? Yeah, probably… but at $5 million per season, I’d take a flier on that, and it appears the Braves have done so.
Sean-Rod is a product of Braddock High school in Miami and was drafted in 2003 by the Angels in the 3rd round. He broke into the majors with them in 2008, but moved on to the Rays in 2010, sticking around with them through 2014 before going to Pittsburgh.
Though a free agent, it’s perhaps a bit surprising that the Pirates let him walk since he had been used so often by them (269 games in 2 years). But that’s often the pattern in Pittsburgh.