Atlanta Braves bullpen: Trade options abound but could be costly
By Fred Owens
One day later and we're still rewatching this pitch from Shane Greene.
Posted by Detroit Tigers on Monday, April 9, 2018
Shane Greene
Shane Greene came to the Tigers from the Yankees in 2015. They began using him as a close last season and made him full-time closer this year. I don’t consider him a closer on a good team but as a middle reliever who can close now and then he fits fine.
This season Greene’s thrown 35 1/3 innings in 36 games. His best numbers look like this.
- K Rate 20%
- BB Rate 6.7%
- Line Drive rate 15.6%
- Whiff Rate 29.9%
- Ground Ball rate 44.8%
- Fly Ball rate 39.6%
- NHIP rate 42.5%
On the other hand his chase rate is just 9.4% and while his SIERA (3.05) and DRA (3.04) both say his ERA (3.57) and FIP (3.97) don’t show the true picture, they are the highest of any pitchers discussed except those of Ryan Tepera whom you’ll meet later.
Greene is a good to very good pitcher, but when he gives up runs it can turn into a crooked number. He has about $950K left this year then two more arbitration years
Non-closers . . .
I narrowed the non-closer group down to five right-handed relievers; no lefties, they ’re always in higher demand and more expensive. A.J. Minter, Sam Freeman, and Jesse Biddle handle our left needs pretty well.
Most Talked about
Padres relievers get a lot of press and deserve it. For that reason and the years of control they offer, the Friars will ask a lot in return for Craig Stammen and they should. He’s owed another $1.2M this year and 2.5M next year, not horrible contracts by any means but added to the prospect cost. I’d ask but pass. Besides, Kirby Yates is the Padre I’d want.
Atlanta Braves
Yates a offers 28% K Rate, 47.6% ground ball rate, 18% whiff rate, and 44% chase rate. His 1.95 DRA. and 2.60 SIERA and an NHIP rate of 65%. That’s impressive and probably expensive. The Padres are farther along their rebuild path and Yate costs only $500K for the rest of this season with two more years of control. If Braves want a Padre Yates would be their choice.
There are three pitchers having good years and separating them depends on your priorities.
Hold that Tiger
Detroit being Detroit kept Joe Jimenez off the radar for a while. In 34 1/3 innings, he struck out 37 (26.4%), walked eight (5.7%) and posted a 2.36 DRA, 3.07 SIERA and a 53.7% NHIP.
He’s a heavy flyball pitcher(46.3% with a low line drive rate but his popup rate is near the bottom of the list. Joe makes about $285K for the remainder of the season and won’t be a free agent until 2024.
Anthony French writing for the Detroit Free Press discussed a few of the Tigers most obvious trade options. While Jimenez wasn’t mentioned, he opined about a deal for lefty Matt Boyd.
"a Boyd trade seems unlikely given his emergence this season and his contract status, unless the Tigers absolutely feel his early-season success is a mirage."
Boyd’s contract status and Jimenez are essentially the same. He’s a starter and Jimenez a reliever but I’d think the Tigers would also balk at dumping an inexpensive reliever as good as Jimenez for less than an overpay.
The same article compares Tiger closer Shane Greene to Kelvin Herrera. He’s not in the same conversation as Herrera but as noted he does look interesting.