Parting with Kemp after the way he has impacted this lineup since the All-Star break would be absolutley stupid. Getting rid of Inciarte since he is the best top of the lineup hitter we have had in years and his defense is excellent would also be stupid. Inciarte has All Star and Gold glove potential. Getting rid of a young talent like Mallex Smith would also be stupid. He has top notch speed. His bad isn't horrible and his defense is also excellent. Now. Getting rid of Markakis depending on the package the Braves could receive could be benificial. It all just depends on what the braves could get for him. I'm not one to think that Markakis has to stay in Atlanta. He has hit 12 HR this season and has got some power back after his neck surgery. He is a very solid player but this team needs bullpen help to an extreme. And a front line starter as well. Would Markakis net the braves that? Doubtful but he is the best OF option to get rid of out of these 4 guys. If Inciarte would have hit like he has hit the second half of the season all year long than he would be in the conversation of MVP possibly. That's crazy to think considering how easily the Braves got him in the Shelby miller trade and the way he started the season but he has been absolutley amazing for the braves since the all star break. Kemp may be getting older but his power bat is something the Braves CANNOT get rid of. He has helped get better pitches for Freeman in front of him and since he's been on the team the Braves have put up some great numbers. Mallex is to young to really be able to know his absolute worth and with to small of a sample size the braves need to see what he can do next year to gauge his worth before they trade him. Markakis is the only one who the Braves could afford to give up and feel good about it in the future even if he did happen to excel at the team he was traded to. The option of keeping all 4 guys isn't a bad idea either. But this Braves front office has to find a way to trade for some bullpen help or a front line starter. Maybe they don't make any trades. Maybe they just use the available money to sign some pieces or maybe the young pitching the braves have will be ready a month into the season next year. It's all kind of hard to gauge at this moment considering how well the team is currently playing.
Joe Stout - 8 years ago
It would take a monster package for me to be willing to part with Kemp, Markakis, or Inciarte. Mallex Smith would be the only one I would consider trading. I agree that the addition of Kemp has been responsible for overall surge our offense has taken. Markakis is one of the best overall hitters I've ever seen. Inciarte has really provided a much needed spark plug for our offense in the lead off spot. Kemp provides the much needed power outfielder we;ve been looking for. For these reasons I;m not sure how we could improve our outfield. We should concentrate on acquiring good starting pitching and maybe upgrade the catchers position.
Thomas Burchett - 8 years ago
Kemp must be kept, regardless of this articles opinion that everyone would have hit just as good without Kemp. I Don't believe it. F Freeman had some hot streaks as always on and off before Kemp but with Kemp behind him he took off CAREER BEST HITTING POST KEMP. The Whole team's offense exploded after kemp was obtained. It not just his power its his STAR player ability to get big hits. You don't get 100+ RBI's on 2 bad teams 2 years in a row unless you are clutch. Kemp is worth every dime of the 18 mil a season. He deepens the line-up creates the L-R-L-R hitting order that makes managing vs the Braves difficult. Plus adding Kemp made all the other players feel like they were on a major league team not a Rebuild AAAA Team. Gave all a shot in the Arm, Inciarte Garcia Freeman Kemp Markakis Flowers Peterson & Swanson has actually become a fixed ML line-up that has had a lot of come-backs and big rally's. IT DID NOT HAPPEN BEFORE KEMP VERY OFTEN. KEMP HAS TO STAY.Markakis is a good hitter but not a clean up hitter, a #5 suites him much much better after the to big GUNS .
Southpaw - 8 years ago
It would be a mistake to trade Markakis. He is the quintessential ball player: consistent, controlled temperament. Good defensively and offensively. Reasonable contract. Lives close to Sun Trust. If anyone goes, it should be Kemp. With that said the four are a perfect fit. Injuries occur. We need depth. Sign Francoeur too. Don't change a thing in outfield. Make trades with prospects unless someone knocks your sox off. I would like to see Adam Wainwright and Brian McCann at Sun Trust park in 2017.
Parting with Kemp after the way he has impacted this lineup since the All-Star break would be absolutley stupid. Getting rid of Inciarte since he is the best top of the lineup hitter we have had in years and his defense is excellent would also be stupid. Inciarte has All Star and Gold glove potential. Getting rid of a young talent like Mallex Smith would also be stupid. He has top notch speed. His bad isn't horrible and his defense is also excellent. Now. Getting rid of Markakis depending on the package the Braves could receive could be benificial. It all just depends on what the braves could get for him. I'm not one to think that Markakis has to stay in Atlanta. He has hit 12 HR this season and has got some power back after his neck surgery. He is a very solid player but this team needs bullpen help to an extreme. And a front line starter as well. Would Markakis net the braves that? Doubtful but he is the best OF option to get rid of out of these 4 guys. If Inciarte would have hit like he has hit the second half of the season all year long than he would be in the conversation of MVP possibly. That's crazy to think considering how easily the Braves got him in the Shelby miller trade and the way he started the season but he has been absolutley amazing for the braves since the all star break. Kemp may be getting older but his power bat is something the Braves CANNOT get rid of. He has helped get better pitches for Freeman in front of him and since he's been on the team the Braves have put up some great numbers. Mallex is to young to really be able to know his absolute worth and with to small of a sample size the braves need to see what he can do next year to gauge his worth before they trade him. Markakis is the only one who the Braves could afford to give up and feel good about it in the future even if he did happen to excel at the team he was traded to. The option of keeping all 4 guys isn't a bad idea either. But this Braves front office has to find a way to trade for some bullpen help or a front line starter. Maybe they don't make any trades. Maybe they just use the available money to sign some pieces or maybe the young pitching the braves have will be ready a month into the season next year. It's all kind of hard to gauge at this moment considering how well the team is currently playing.
It would take a monster package for me to be willing to part with Kemp, Markakis, or Inciarte. Mallex Smith would be the only one I would consider trading. I agree that the addition of Kemp has been responsible for overall surge our offense has taken. Markakis is one of the best overall hitters I've ever seen. Inciarte has really provided a much needed spark plug for our offense in the lead off spot. Kemp provides the much needed power outfielder we;ve been looking for. For these reasons I;m not sure how we could improve our outfield. We should concentrate on acquiring good starting pitching and maybe upgrade the catchers position.
Kemp must be kept, regardless of this articles opinion that everyone would have hit just as good without Kemp. I Don't believe it. F Freeman had some hot streaks as always on and off before Kemp but with Kemp behind him he took off CAREER BEST HITTING POST KEMP. The Whole team's offense exploded after kemp was obtained. It not just his power its his STAR player ability to get big hits. You don't get 100+ RBI's on 2 bad teams 2 years in a row unless you are clutch. Kemp is worth every dime of the 18 mil a season. He deepens the line-up creates the L-R-L-R hitting order that makes managing vs the Braves difficult. Plus adding Kemp made all the other players feel like they were on a major league team not a Rebuild AAAA Team. Gave all a shot in the Arm, Inciarte Garcia Freeman Kemp Markakis Flowers Peterson & Swanson has actually become a fixed ML line-up that has had a lot of come-backs and big rally's. IT DID NOT HAPPEN BEFORE KEMP VERY OFTEN. KEMP HAS TO STAY.Markakis is a good hitter but not a clean up hitter, a #5 suites him much much better after the to big GUNS .
It would be a mistake to trade Markakis. He is the quintessential ball player: consistent, controlled temperament. Good defensively and offensively. Reasonable contract. Lives close to Sun Trust. If anyone goes, it should be Kemp. With that said the four are a perfect fit. Injuries occur. We need depth. Sign Francoeur too. Don't change a thing in outfield. Make trades with prospects unless someone knocks your sox off. I would like to see Adam Wainwright and Brian McCann at Sun Trust park in 2017.