KTE Braves -- April 10-12

[Frayed Knot]

As Butch might have said to Sundance while looking over the roster of the 2015 Atlanta Braves: Who are these guys?

It�s almost easier to start with who�s NOT there as following a two-year period in which they traded for or signed (both from the outside and from within) numerous players to long-term deals. But then starting the middle of last year with the bailing out of Dan Uggla's contract despite still owing many millions, they've spent the last six+ months undoing many of those transactions.
The most notably departed is their entire 2014 starting outfield of Jason Heyward + Upton x2. Also sent packing: the 400 PAs of Evan Gattis; at 2nd base the 145 PAs of Dan Uggla (145) plus Tommy LaStella and Tyler Pastornicky who were supposed to replace Uggla at 2nd; on the mound they need to replace the 31 starts they got in �14 from Ervin Santana, the 33 from Aaron Harang, and the 25 from Mike Minor; and if you look to the bullpen you won�t find Craig Kimbrel, or Jordan Walden, or Anthony Vavaro, or Eric O�Flaherty, or David Carpenter. And of course there were various role players who won't be back.


Cast and crew for 2015 so far:
1B - Freddie Freeman
2B - Jace Peterson (24 y/o former 1S draft pick by SD, had 63 ML ABs prior to this season)
SS - Andreton Simmons
3B - either Alberto Callaspo (formerly of Oak, LAA, KC, ARZ) or one of several Johnsons: Chris (Atl last year) or Kelly (Brave back in 2005-09)
OF - Kelly Johnson, Cameron Maybin (Det, Mia, SD), Nick Markakis (Balt), Jonny Gomes (Bos et al)
C - Christian Bethancourt (113 ABs w/Atl in '14) & AJ Pierzynski


That's enough for now ... I'm exhausted

[Centerfield]

Your starters are Eric Stultz (never heard of him), Julio Teheran and Alex Wood. Teheran and Wood are pretty good.

[Centerfield]

Wait, I remember Eric Stults. He was that kid in Mask right?

[Frayed Knot]

Friday [u:3io6rgly]7:35[/u:3io6rgly] (Atlanta does that late start thing on Friday's only): Niese vs Eric Stults
Stults is a 35 y/o lefty who showed up via one of the 17 separate trades the Braves & Padres made this past winter. He's heading into his 9th ML season with his 5th ML team (LAD, CHW, COL, SD). Is a career 35-43 (not helped by an 8-17 in 2014) with a 4.12 ERA/1.34 WHiP in 126 games/104 starts.

Saturday 7:05 -- Gee vs Julio Teheran
Braves going with the 4-man rotation for now so Teheran gets his 2nd start of the year. Held Miami to 1 run over 6 IP, 8 hits, 4 K, 1 BB on opening day

Sunday 1:35 -- Colon vs Alex Wood
Wood (LHP) started 24 games last year (plus 11 in relief) with an ERA (2.78) better than his 11-11 record. Is 0-2/4.10 vs NYM over 5 starts.
Gave up 2 runs over 5 innings vs Miami in his 1st start of the year.


Braves swept the Marlins giving up only 5 runs over the whole series.
Pen:
Jason Grilli seems like the titular closer and has 2 saves already this year.
Also Jim Johnson (the former closer in Baltimore until his ERA shot to 7+ last year), Brandon Cunniff (a 26 y/o rookie), Cody Martin (25 y/o rookie), Luis Avilan (LH - 4th season w/Braves), Juan Jamie (27 y/o - ML debut last June), Andrew McKirahan (2nd lefty, has yet to appear)

[Theoldmole]

This guy?

[Edgy MD]

The rain's picking up and the wind ripping it round, but we've got to get his
game in, Eric! The future could DEPEND on it!

[stevejrogers]

Couldn't find anything really defined as a hub like this as currently constituted, or at least one that isn't tied to some conglomorate like SB, Fansided, ESPN, MLB, etc so probably going to scrap that part of this "nugget" for the Bravos as I'm sure stuff can be found following the links provided:

Podcast

Atlanta Baseball Talk

A podcast for the Twitter generation: Braves Win! Braves Win!

As part of the Seamheads Podcasting Network, there is Braves Banter.

FWIW, I'm slightly worried about the insanity I may be looking at for the Philly series...assuming the crap that was lurking around one of their main boards that made the MoFo look like the GSS is still in operation!