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Interesting deal: Young top of the rotation starter for young power-arm closer... I like this deal for the Angels.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=410642

Fantastic deal for the Angels imo, did I miss something here or did Hanson's value drop that significantly?

I was just about to post this in the Off-Season thread... beat me to it.

Anyway, this seems like a one-sided deal to me. I figure the Braves lost their interest in Hanson and expect him not to regain his early form. Hanson may not be a star or ace, but he's been a very good starter in this league for 3 of his 4 years... the one bad year coming after an injury. And he's still 26. I know Walden has closer-type stuff, but unless you're talking Rivera in his prime, I don't think a good relief pitcher is ever worth a good starter. Even more-so considering the Braves already have a fantastic bullpen.

I can't help but assume the Jays could've offered more than a potentially-good relief pitcher.

Are they maybe looking forward to open up some space for Teheran and Delgado? That entire pitching staff is STACKED.

TheMainEvent wrote:I was just about to post this in the Off-Season thread... beat me to it.

Anyway, this seems like a one-sided deal to me. I figure the Braves lost their interest in Hanson and expect him not to regain his early form. Hanson may not be a star or ace, but he's been a very good starter in this league for 3 of his 4 years... the one bad year coming after an injury. And he's still 26. I know Walden has closer-type stuff, but unless you're talking Rivera in his prime, I don't think a good relief pitcher is ever worth a good starter. Even more-so considering the Braves already have a fantastic bullpen.

I can't help but assume the Jays could've offered more than a potentially-good relief pitcher.

Agreed. I also was wondering whether the Jays would have had exploratory talks with the Braves cause Hanson would have been a great piece, but this deal almost smells of an impulsive move by Wren...

Jays connection: Atlanta picks up David Carpenter off waivers from Boston.

Hanson is done. Something's seriously wrong with his arm. He'll probably retire in a couple years IMO.

TheMainEvent wrote:
I can't help but assume the Jays could've offered more than a potentially-good relief pitcher.

I knew this would come up after the thread was made. I think with his recent injuries, that possibly scared AA a bit. Considering we already have question marks on players we've already acquired.

the braves have a deep farm systems and are stacked with pitchers. this however gives them a surplus in the bullpen. I'd like the jays to take a stab at venters.

Angels going to roll Scotty Downs as their closer again this year?

Starters always trump relievers, unless, as said it's Rivera or Hoffman.

Homer Jay wrote:Angels going to roll Scotty Downs as their closer again this year?

Starters always trump relievers, unless, as said it's Rivera or Hoffman.

Ernesto Frieri

Plus they signed Madson

Hanson comes with injury concerns

If healthy he's a top 20 starter

After coming back from injury last year his fastball dropped and people were all over it.

The over always cashed when it was him on the mound.

Apparently Hanson's shoulder will give up soon.

And Waldens delivery might mess his elbow up.

Risk for risk.

I liked Hanson and would take the risk as I was confident he'd be a sell low guy, but in a marketplace where the Jays are trying to compete, Walden or equivalent isn't actually that cheap if you have to replace him and the Jays would have to. Competent to good relievers are getting 6-7m per year. I think we all agree that the market for relievers is mental in all facets, but since it is and AA operates in the marketplace he couldn't match that for a guy with as many questions as Hanson.

The way the market is going, I really don't think there's going to be any chance that we end up with anyone but Happ in the 5th spot.

And boy, even tossing Jurrjens and Sheets, then moving Hanson for a reliever, the Braves rotation and depth is fantastic.

START
Medlen
Beachy
Minor
Hudson
Maholm (probably not in that order)
-----
Teheran
Delgado

PEN
Kimbrel
Venters
O'Flaherty
Walden
Martinez
Avilan

If Andrelton can avoid the swoon and they find a LFer, I won't even hate the Bourn--Upton move. They do need Freeman and Heyward to start carrying the show on offense. This team is a few breaks (aren't all teams I know, but fewer than most here) away from being very very powerful.

Simmons
Upton
Heyward
Freeman
Prado
Uggla
McCann
*LF*

I'd prefer Bourn/Simmons obviously, but if they can role the 25-40m they save into LF (plus 5-15 more that they get not having to buy a Walden in FA) it'll probably be okay.

Both guys come with some serious injury concerns, but if Hanson can put together a decent season it could be a huge deal for the Angels.

its always strange to see a team sell low on a young power arm like hanson.... i can only assume 2 things; the braves wont deal with boras and secondly, they dont believe in hansons ability to rebound.


Walden makes a tonne of sense, the braves are doing something similar to what the jays did last year, in that they're going with young unproven cost controllable arms and by adding walden to arguably the best bullpen in baseball, theyre ensuring they have the horses in the backend to support their young unproven arms.

only caveat is that the braves took the necessary time to properly build up and stretch out their young kids, hence theyre all coming off of tommy john and on the upswing, as opposed to being rushed and quite literally physically incapable of the workload presented to them (HUTCH!!!!)..... hence snap crackle pop...... damn kellogs rice krispies.....

agk47 wrote:its always strange to see a team sell low on a young power arm like hanson.... i can only assume 2 things; the braves wont deal with boras and secondly, they dont believe in hansons ability to rebound.


Walden makes a tonne of sense, the braves are doing something similar to what the jays did last year, in that they're going with young unproven cost controllable arms and by adding walden to arguably the best bullpen in baseball, theyre ensuring they have the horses in the backend to support their young unproven arms.

only caveat is that the braves took the necessary time to properly build up and stretch out their young kids, hence theyre all coming off of tommy john and on the upswing, as opposed to being rushed and quite literally physically incapable of the workload presented to them (HUTCH!!!!)..... hence snap crackle pop...... damn kellogs rice krispies.....

Tell that to Arodys Vizcaino, who made his MLB debut as a 20 year old and is currently recovering from TJ surgery. Or how about Brandon Beachy? You can't avoid a torn UCL. Abstinence is the only guaranteed method.

Also, the Braves wouldn't have had to deal with Boras until Hanson was a free agent in 2016. Doesn't seem too bright to trade the upside of a starter like Hanson for guaranteed mediocrity. They must think his shoulder is on the brink of falling apart. Could they really not get anybody better than Walden???