Quote:
Originally Posted by LegallyMinded
Are the Braves really going to be improved at all compared to last year?
This off-season, they lost Bourn (6.4 WAR), Prado (5.9 WAR) and Chipper Jones (3.0 WAR).
They're replacing those three with B.J. Upton (3.3WAR), Justin Upton (2.5 WAR), Juan Francisco (0.8 WAR) and Chris Johnson (0.8 WAR).
That's a loss of 15.3 WAR, and a gain of 7.4 WAR.
I realize just comparing Wins Above Replacement is relatively simplistic, and I suppose you would expect both Uptons to be better this year than last because of regression, natural improvement and/or recovery from injury, but that still seems like a pretty sizable gap to make up. If anything, it seems like the Braves are treading water this off-season.
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Good points. Still, if I'm a Braves fan, I can't argue with the emerging new core that's going to be on the field. JHey-Up-Up in the OF, Freeman at 1B and McCann behind the plate is already a solid lineup -- and that's not even including Uggla, who is mercurial but puts up good numbers with frequency. Then you get that rotation led by Medlen, Hudson... I dunno, they are darn good.