Atlanta Braves power drain
By Fred Owens
Free agent possibilities
Looking at a third baseman as the probable acquisition, the free agent field appears to be Todd Frazier and Eduardo Nunez. Nunez fails the defense test; he’s never been good enough at any position to hold the job as an every.day starter. Frazier wants a couple of years at $12M but that price could drop making him the kind of fall in your lap player AA is looking to land.
Frazier meets the Braves needs in other ways as well. He’s a right handed bat who consistently slugs over .400 and plays well above average defense per DRS and UZR, though FRAA isn’t as big a fan. There’s been discussion about the value of Frazier as an offensive player. I’ll try to clear that up though it’s possible I’ll muddy the waters even more.
If you’re an old-fashioned batting average guy, Frazier’s tour in the AL will make you cry. He played the majority of that time he played on an awful White Sox team that asked him to do things that did not play to his strengths. That didn’t help.
At the same time his wOBA’s been good to above average, he’s slugged over .400 in every professional season and hit 27 or more homers every season since 2014.
Until last season, production in high and medium leverage situations was at or above his career norms for a full season. Baseball Prospectus’ Tav shows him consistently above the expected .260 mark.
I believe Frazier signs back in New York but a two-year deal at $10m a year would work for the Braves.