Experiment, Part 2
Johan Camargo had a slow start to the season due to injury. 4 different third basemen have been run out to the position for the Bravos already in 2018: Camargo, Bautista, Ryan Flaherty, and Charlie Culberson.
None of them are named Rio Ruiz, by the way.
We started the season with indecision. We’re where we are now because the Braves clearly continue to struggle with a decision on this particular decision.
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Of note: if Atlanta had any designs on promoting Austin Riley to the majors quickly, this would be the time to make that happen… and clearly it isn’t being done.
Today is May 20. Atlanta has played 45 games.
There are 48 more games before the All-Star Game (yeah – more than I thought, too) and another 10 after that until the July 31st trading deadline hits.
I believe Johan Camargo’s third base lease runs somewhere between now and July 15th (the last game before the All-Star break). He thus has that long to show whether he’s an asset or a liability.
That’s a significant amount of time – and even if he ultimately isn’t “enough” (however the team opts to define that term), he should still be a valuable threat off the bench.
Once early-to-mid July rolls around, that’s “trade season” and if the Braves are continuing to surprise and impress, then things will happen on the trade front if a change needs to be made. Anthopoulos so much as said so in that interview from Friday.
By the way: that third base market? Might be easily navigated this year. Buster Olney calls it a “Seller Beware” market… a perfect set up for Atlanta.
Josh Donaldson? Mike Moustakas? Others not named ‘Machado’ (too expensive)?
Next: Let's Listen to what Alex Had to Say
The Braves will have seen enough to be able to make a decision by then, but for now… it’s Camargo’s job to lose.