Comments on: Marcus Giles and the Hometown Discount http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/ News and commentary on the world of sports. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:00:52 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: James Joyner http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/comment-page-1/#comment-41039 James Joyner Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:14:45 +0000 http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/#comment-41039 A bigger budget would be nice, to be sure! Agreed on getting too many of the wrong veterans. Although the Hudson move was considered a steal at the time--he was signed for a reasonable price and was one of the game's top starters in what should have been his prime. There was no way to forecast his breakdown. The team has been vexed for years in trying to find decent late-inning relief pitching. Smoltz was the only stud closer that remained consistent but he desperately wanted back in the starting lineup and was needed in that role. A bigger budget would be nice, to be sure!

Agreed on getting too many of the wrong veterans. Although the Hudson move was considered a steal at the time–he was signed for a reasonable price and was one of the game’s top starters in what should have been his prime. There was no way to forecast his breakdown.

The team has been vexed for years in trying to find decent late-inning relief pitching. Smoltz was the only stud closer that remained consistent but he desperately wanted back in the starting lineup and was needed in that role.

]]> By: Ennuipundit http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/comment-page-1/#comment-40759 Ennuipundit Wed, 20 Dec 2006 16:43:29 +0000 http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/#comment-40759 Absolutely true. I am inclined to agree with Bradbury's notes regarding recent personal moves and their limited benefit to the Braves. Was Renteria the right guy to play shortstop? Keeping the less expensive Betemit at short, would have allowed them to pay Giles more, and they would have retained Andy Marte. I think the jury is still out on Marte, but lately Schuerholz has been dealing too much youth for the wrong veterans. Dan Meyer, Juan Cruz, Jose Capellan, Zach Miner and Roman Colon have all been dealt in the last couple of years, for Tim Hudson, Dan Kolb and Kyle Farnsworth. Kolb and Farnsworth are gone, but Hudson is not worth the salary he is drawing. And that impacts how much the other players get. I know they can't keep all the talent they develop. But they can do a better job of major league scouting to make sure the higher priced talent they bring in is going to perform. You suggested a firmer salary cap, but I don't think that's the answer for the Braves. Giles signed with the Padres for less than he made last year in Atlanta. The solution for Atlanta would be a bigger budget. Absolutely true. I am inclined to agree with Bradbury’s notes regarding recent personal moves and their limited benefit to the Braves. Was Renteria the right guy to play shortstop? Keeping the less expensive Betemit at short, would have allowed them to pay Giles more, and they would have retained Andy Marte. I think the jury is still out on Marte, but lately Schuerholz has been dealing too much youth for the wrong veterans. Dan Meyer, Juan Cruz, Jose Capellan, Zach Miner and Roman Colon have all been dealt in the last couple of years, for Tim Hudson, Dan Kolb and Kyle Farnsworth. Kolb and Farnsworth are gone, but Hudson is not worth the salary he is drawing. And that impacts how much the other players get.

I know they can’t keep all the talent they develop. But they can do a better job of major league scouting to make sure the higher priced talent they bring in is going to perform.

You suggested a firmer salary cap, but I don’t think that’s the answer for the Braves. Giles signed with the Padres for less than he made last year in Atlanta. The solution for Atlanta would be a bigger budget.

]]> By: James Joyner http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/comment-page-1/#comment-40641 James Joyner Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:36:46 +0000 http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-and-the-hometown-discount/#comment-40641 But Giles was a homegrown player, as is Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, and a whole array of their other starters. The problem is that they can't afford to keep all these guys when they get free agent eligible. More on that <a href="http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/2006/12/marcus-giles-signs-with-padres/" rel="nofollow">here</a>. It's true that the NFL has had more repeaters in recent years than MLB. Mostly, I think, it's because the Pats have figured out how to manage the cap better than other teams (although that gap is eroding) and the Pats got lucky with a 6th round pick on Tom Brady and have locked him up to a long term deal. One player can't carry a baseball team like a QB can a football team. But Giles was a homegrown player, as is Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, and a whole array of their other starters. The problem is that they can’t afford to keep all these guys when they get free agent eligible. More on that here.

It’s true that the NFL has had more repeaters in recent years than MLB. Mostly, I think, it’s because the Pats have figured out how to manage the cap better than other teams (although that gap is eroding) and the Pats got lucky with a 6th round pick on Tom Brady and have locked him up to a long term deal. One player can’t carry a baseball team like a QB can a football team.

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