Andy Marte

Marte

The Braves don't have any needs big enough to justify trading a talent like Marte for. Unless they get offered an absolute knock-your-socks off type deal, they should hold onto him. I think Kelly Johnson will be much better next year and Betemit will be an adequate stopgap at shortstop until Andrus or Escobar is ready to take over, and the Braves shouldn't trade Marte for a reliever, no matter how good.

I'm nearly certain Marte will be in the starting lineup next year at either third or first. LaRoche may have actually done the Braves a favor by slumping horribly down the stretch -- it should make the Braves realize that he (LaRoche) is a nice player to have around, but not someone you need to move your superstars and potential superstars around just to keep in the lineup...especially since he can only play first, and he doesn't really project as hitting enough to play there.

If I was in charge, Marte at third, Chipper to first, LaRoche traded for a reliever or prospects. The Braves might do that, or they may just insert Marte at first to avoid ruffling Chipper's feathers. Either way, he's in there.

by Tanto on Sep 20, 2025 11:23 AM EDT 0 recs

agree

Only I would take a slightly different angle and ask Chipper if he wants to stay at 3 or move to 1. The guy has been the class of the team and the consummate professional. For that, he should have some say in what position he plays.

I don't know what kind of deal someone would offer for him, but I agree that it would have to be pretty freakin' good - McCarthy/Aybar/Sowers/Wood kind of good.

by lenred on Sep 20, 2025 11:30 AM EDT up 0 recs

marte

What about Marte for Upton?

by natsfan2005 on Sep 20, 2025 11:25 AM EDT 0 recs

Very simple:

Andy Marte -> 3b
Chipper Jones -> 1b

Adam LaRoche -> Traded

I think Chipper will be more ameniable to move to 1b than he was to lf. It was the organization's long term plans to move him there until LaRoche had a good second half of the year last year.

I think scenario would particularily appeal to the Braves since 1). LaRoche hasn't developed much, and will be 26 next year, so we're /probably/ seeing as good as it gets from him 2). they need to keep Chipper healthy, and a move to 1b might help with that.

by smt on Sep 20, 2025 11:49 AM EDT 0 recs

Couldn't agree more.

by silvysilv on Sep 20, 2025 12:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

gotta do this

I'm sympathetic to Chipper's predicament, but, this is what makes sense for the team.

He certainly won't be moving anywhere else after 1B, anyway; that's as far right on the defensive spectrum as you can go.

and boom goes the dynamite.

by Mean Dean on Sep 20, 2025 12:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm not letting go of him for anything

This is the right deal, chipper needs to man up and move over

by sfjg85 on Sep 20, 2025 1:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

Basically Agree

I say that the Braves trade LaRoche (I've thought of packaging him with Estrada for some relief help or maybe an SP now that Hampton's down, with McCann taking over there), then offer Chipper the option of playing first or third. I feel that he'd move to first, allowing Marte to slip in.

I don't think you can really throw the towel in on Marte just because he struggled in those 15 games in the ML this season. We all would have liked to see a Franceour-like explosion of ability, but that's incredibly rare.

This is how I see the Braves lineup next year:

Wilson Betemit (SS)
Marcus Giles (2B)
Chipper Jones (1B)
Andruw Jones (CF)
Jeff Franceour (RF)
Kelly Johnson (LF)
Andy Marte (3B)
Brian McCann (C)
Pitcher

That's assuming that McCann doesn't break-through next season (I have a feeling he might). He'll slide up if that happens.

by cinqua on Sep 20, 2025 12:23 PM EDT 0 recs

Fingers Crossed

I think maybe Braves can get Brian Giles if he wants to play with Marcus and Braves use some prospects to help shuffle out some payroll.

To start the offseaon you shed Furcal, Kolb, Jordan and Mondesi. Thats 10.7 mil. And word is Hamton's insurance will cover like 75%.

If you get Brian Giles you can take more risks putting unproven young players in the lineup AND on the back end of the rotation.

Marte did look unusually calm for a 21yo.
His 4.26 Pitches/PA would put him 4th in the MLB.

by vipervisor on Sep 20, 2025 1:11 PM EDT 0 recs

Uhhuh

I think the overwhelming consensus here is what should happen

Dump Laroche somehow, same goes for Johnny Eric Estrada, that would cut the teams double plays down by about 75%, surely the Braves can find a good righthanded backup catcher who plays above average defense, right?

Gently ask Chipper if he would agree to move to first, and if not, then make a run at Overbay, or just go with Marte at first and bring up Thorman to see if he can be usefull,

Plus, I think the Braves would really struggle next year without Furcal, so I would attempt to come to terms on a one or two year deal which would allow them to move their SS prospects along slower than would have to. This leaves Betemit as the super utility player. If he plays SS for an extended period the errors will pile up pretty fast.

by JFP on Sep 20, 2025 2:49 PM EDT 0 recs

I'm not a Marte fan

I just don't see it with this guy. He's never been dominant in any of his leagues. He's been good, but not dominant. I wanted to look up his numbers, but basbeall cube hasn't been working. Can anyone post his minor league numbers?

For all the hype surrounding him, I would have expected at least 1 great year or a 1/2 season breakout like Cabrera did.

I would trade him, but that's just me. Someone "sell me" on Marte.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 3:08 PM EDT 0 recs

One number

Looks at Marte's age relative to league and you'll see why everyone is so high on him. Also, he has a very broad base of skills and a good head on his shoulders.

But the age relative to league is a huge factor here.

by mhsiegel14 on Sep 20, 2025 3:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

And as it happens

His numbers are .275/.372/.502 at AAA for a 21 y/o. Now that's good eatin'!

You also have to remember prospect analysis is as much art as science. I haven't heard a scout yet who doesn't think he's got a bright future ahead.

by mhsiegel14 on Sep 20, 2025 3:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

MUST ARB FURCAL

Betemit is only viable option as it is now. AAA and AA SS didn't do well at all in 05.

Lose him and get a Pick or Get him for 1 more year and get to look see if Escobar can get to AA and hit there. His Defense is there. Luis Hernandez is in AA and still young. Will probly be there next year. Just needs to find his stroke, his K and BB numbers got up to solid level. But raising BA 50 points won't be easy.

ATL corner IF is only getting more crowded. Campbell can slugg and speed and defense look good. Saltalamacchia is a beast.

by vipervisor on Sep 20, 2025 3:20 PM EDT 0 recs

Marte

Marte doesn't have any one attribute that jumps out at you, but he does everything well except run. He can hit and hit for power, has a good eye at the plate and plays great defense. A .280 hitter with 30 home runs and 80 walks a year and a good glove sounds like a superstar to me...in fact, it's basically Scott Rolen.

And, as mentioned, he's been younger than the league at virtually every level and doesn't have any glaring injury problems.

by Tanto on Sep 20, 2025 3:28 PM EDT 0 recs

Marte

TRUE. He hasn't had a breakout year some people predicted last 2 years.

His defense is solid.

And EVERY year he is young for the league and puts up a .850-ish OPS while playing in Leagues/Parks that aren't hitter friendly. Myrtle Beach. Greenville.

This year he did a nice job of cutting down on his K's

2005 4.69 AB Per K
2004 3.69 AB Per K

by vipervisor on Sep 20, 2025 3:29 PM EDT 0 recs

Campbell

Campbell put up some nice stats in Appy league. He is a pretty decent prospect.

That said, I firmly believe the Braves or even a fantasy league owner should never base decisions on what to do with the future of their big league club based on the promise of an Appy League player.

If Campbell forces the issue and conquers AA/AAA then fine... but Appy League? Only the scouting director should be thinking about him at that point. If I'm the GM he doesn't enter into my thinking at all.

by natsfan2005 on Sep 20, 2025 3:32 PM EDT 0 recs

I'm just not

seeing a great hitter in his numbers. Good, yeah, okay I'll buy it. But to label him a superstar, I'm not so sure. His .275, should be .310.

Salty didn't have any problems hitting over .300 in Myrtle Beach.

Isn't there a point where a guy "needs to do it" before saying he is "all this and all that." If the biggest factor in his favor is age relative to league, then that's not very good. How about a batting title, HR title, or RBI title?

I think I see him as a .260ish, 25 HR, 80 RBI type.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 3:37 PM EDT 0 recs

Don't think that's far...

from what he'll put up.

I do see him more of a .265/30/100 guy though. He has more power than a 20 hr guy, and his body is still filling out. I don't think that BA will be terribly worring, since he has good (and improving every year) plate discipline, and his OBP will be much higher.

His defense has also improved every year.

by smt on Sep 20, 2025 4:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

in the numbers

One additional thing to keep in mind is that not everyone hits his productive peak at the same time.

Maybe Marte will improve his numbers...it's happened before.

For example, consider the following 3B prospect's numbers: a .211 AVG, .350 SLG (8 HR) line in AA (age 21), followed it with a .291/.550 (26 HR) line in the PCL (age 22), and then hit .206/.294 and .196/.373, with 1 and 18 HRs in his age 22-23 seasons in MLB (OBPs were .325, .324).

Clearly the PCL numbers look like those of at least a marginal prospect, but the remainder of those numbers aren't terribly good. The numbers in the remainder of the career, however, (like 529 more HRs) were more than acceptable....

-tmt

by Tom Talavage on Sep 21, 2025 1:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ok

I'll take it

by JFP on Sep 20, 2025 3:47 PM EDT 0 recs

Marte

If he had more ABs in AAA he'd of bee right there in top 3 RBI in AAA on a Team that wasn't good.

He was 12th in Slugging in Internation League.

He was 14th in OBP in Internation League.

by vipervisor on Sep 20, 2025 3:48 PM EDT 0 recs

One more thing

Where was Albet Pujols' breakout year....AA/AAA?

by JFP on Sep 20, 2025 3:48 PM EDT 0 recs

if memory serves me

Pujols went from MVP of the MWL straight to the major leagues. That's a pretty good breakout.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 4:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

One year in the minors

So would you say that was his breakout year, or just a promising year, and then because of an injury he was needed for the big club and had his breakout year in the Majors.

by JFP on Sep 20, 2025 5:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

not sure where you are going with this

but he went from a 19th round draft choice in '99 to a full season MWL MVP in '00 to the big leagues in '01. I guess '00 was his breakout or he would have been the 1st pick of the draft in '99.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 5:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Pujols

I can't even begin to explain how absurd I think it is when people use Pujols as a ground for arguing their case about a specific prospect.

Pujols is a once in a generation (maybe lifetime) exception - not the rule. I suppose if someone wants to act like every hot new prospect is the exception they can... good luck with that!

by natsfan2005 on Sep 20, 2025 6:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

The Braves Organization ---

Doesn't look at Stats. It's all in the makeup and getting the players ready for the big leagues. Marte will be fine.

Marte Francouer McCann Davies Any Questions?

by Hud Giles on Sep 20, 2025 4:03 PM EDT 0 recs

I get that part

I'm trying to "quantify" Marte. Do people think he'll be another Aramis Ramirez-type hitter or more Ron Cey?

I think he'll be more of a Cey than a A Ram or Rolen or A Rod.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 4:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Scott Rolen

isn't a bad comp based on minor league numbers. Of course, I don't expect Marte to be ever the fielder that Rolen is.

The difference between Marte and Rolen's minor league careers is of course the breakout. Rolen's breakout occured in AA ball after he partially repeated it at the age of 21. I think Marte would have broken out in a similiar way if he were at AA to start this year like Rolen was.

I don't think you can fault Marte here though; although he hasn't broken out, he hasn't ever repeated a level (even for part of a season), and he has seemingly improved every time he's gotten promoted.

by smt on Sep 20, 2025 6:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

Carlos Lee

I think a good comparison for Marte is Carlos Lee minus the stolen bases. In 2001, he hit 24 homeruns with 84 rbis and had a .270 average. In 2002, Carlos hit 26 homeruns with 80 rbis and had a .264 average. In 2003, Carlos hit 31 homeruns with 113 rbis and a .290 average. Then in 2004, Carlos hit 31 homeruns with 99 rbis and a .304 average. In 05, so far he has 32 homeruns and 107 rbis with a .270 average.

I dont know how Carlos Lee produced in the minors and how he was as a prospect, but I think I could definitely seeing Marte progressing to be a 30 homerun, 100 rbi guy with a .280 to .290 average (as he progresses). I'll think he'll turn out to be a very solid ballplayer that any GM would love to have on his team. I also believe he will go to some All Star Games.

Sabean, stop giving away our 1st round draft picks!!

by z4 landshark on Sep 20, 2025 9:42 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'll go with the consensus

I'd say trade Laroche for a decent bullpen arm, and then slot in Chipper and Marte at the corners.

For those of you questioning Marte's future numbers, I think most Braves fans are envisioning something like the numbers Andruw has been putting up prior to this year - 25-30 hr, 90-100 RBI, and an average between .250 and .275. Maybe not a true superstar, but definitely someone you could fit into your lineup.

by AJ25 on Sep 20, 2025 5:02 PM EDT 0 recs

Superstar

He may not be a superstar, but those are star numbers, especially if he continues his above-average OBP numbers and plays a consitently above-average third base, which it seems he can. He's going to be a very good ball player.

Bob Abreu for Kevin Stocker....I'll take it-Chuck Lamar

by Tyler on Sep 20, 2025 5:05 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think that...

is a fair assement with Marte's numbers. I do think he'll have slightly better OBP than Andruw did in his typical year.

by smt on Sep 20, 2025 6:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

that's my problem---

the Andruw comp. Andruw annihilated minor league pitching--anyone could have labeled him a star--and see how his average season has been. Where are the numbers from Marte to even go the Jones route? They are not there. I'd feel better if he had a 35 HR year or a .320 year, but at the end it's another .275 with 20 some odd HR's.

If he hits .260 with 25, I think that will be pretty good. What is not in the numbers that says "he's gonna be a star" at 3B for a long time?

He's the one guy everyone is "ON" about, but I can't get a good feeling.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 20, 2025 6:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

gotta agree with So Cal

i think marte will be a good player, in line with the .265, 25, 80 projection i saw one person put up. possibly a bit more hr and rbi but not much. i just haven't seen the statistical performance in the minors to back up this idea of him as a can't miss star. of course i might suffer from the bias of comparing him with one david wright. in wright's age 21 season he tore up AA (not gonna bother posting them cuz marte didn't spend any time in AA this year), got promoted to AAA, tore it up for a .298 .388 .579 .967 OPS and then performed at a .293 avg, .332 obp, .525 slg, .857 OPS level in 69 games in the majors. in his age 21 season, this one, marte put up .275 avg .372 obp .506 slg .878 OPS in AAA. really good numbers, just not numbers to be blown away by. also, i remember wright and marte being compared frequently when both were in the minors. so i have always kept an eye on both of them. wright always had the statistical benchmarks that would lead you to believe he was capable of this type of performance. marte has not. which isn't to say he won't have a good career, he may have a great career. but i think i agree with So Cal Bob's main point of wanting to be convinced before i accept that he is this great star in the making. (hope i summarized your point accurately So Cal)
all that said, i think the NL east is gonna have some great 3B comparisons over the next decade, especially if the fish move cabrera back to 3B and put hermida in the OF. also factoring in wil be ryan zimmerman with the nats. good to see all these young 3B popping up, i have always found it to be a very interesting position. thanks for "listening".

by DavidWrightismyGod on Sep 20, 2025 7:33 PM EDT up 0 recs

Why I'm a Believer

I hear what you're saying, but just because a guy hasn't put up dominant numbers in the minor leagues doesn't mean he can't put up big numbers in the majors.

Look at Jhonny Peralta, for instance. Here's a guy who didn't even have Marte's scouting pedigree, but there were a number of people who were firmly in his corner. He was consistently young for his level, and didn't even put up decent numbers until last year at AAA. Look at him now.

Mags Ordonez is another example of a guy who never put up the power numbers in the minors scouts said he would in the majors. There are plenty of others -- heck, Rolen never hit more than 14 home runs in a minor league season, and even in his great half-year at AA Reading he still popped only nine.

Yes, scouts have been wrong before. But the Braves have a pretty good track record when it comes to identifying which of their hitting prospects will pan out and should be kept, and which they should cut loose (Jermaine Dye's about the only one I can think off the top of my head who "got away".)

There's nothing alarming in Marte's statistical profile, no glaring weaknesses. The scouting community is basically unanimous in their praise of him. And Atlanta's front office clearly feels that he'll be a good one.

At a certain point you just have to take it on faith that all those smart people know what they're talking about, even if he hasn't yet had a monster year.

Go ahead and shoot your mouth off, like it might kill the silence.

by ESiegrist on Sep 20, 2025 8:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

i agree

that just cuz there aren't dominating stats in the minors it doesn't mean a guy won't be able to post great numbers in the majors. and in fact i think marte will be a very good player. i'm not saying he is gonna be a bum, far from it. i guess i just am reserving my top praise for now. marte has a very good chance to be a player, his minor league numbers are very very good. i'm just not gonna predict years and years of all-star performance quite yet, cuz i can't take stuff on faith, just how i am.

by DavidWrightismyGod on Sep 21, 2025 10:16 AM EDT up 0 recs

I don't disagree

with anything you wrote. I just expect "more performance" from someoen thought of as highly as Marte. I think he's Ron Cey until he shows he's Aramis Ramirez (I'm only talking about the bat before I get blasted about defense).

I do disagree, albeit slightly, with your comment about Peralta. HE DID have the breakout I would like to see from Marte. He hit .323/.382/.489 with 44 2B's and 15 HR's. That's was a fantastic year and sure beats the heck out of .270 with 20+ HR's. With all the people in Marte's corner, why can't he put up a year like Peralta?

And for the Rolen (.290 3 years and then .361 in AA) and Maggs (hit .329 in his AAA season), they might not have had the 25-30 HR season, but they had no issues hitting above .300 which Marte just can't do.

I like him and I hope he proves me wrong.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 1:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

I Think...

You're too fixated on Marte's batting averages.

You say Peralta's .323/.382/.489 2004 season is exactly what you're looking for from Marte. Well, Marte hit .285/.372/.469 at Myrtle Beach in 2003 -- you're talking about little more than Crash Davis' proverbial "one dying quail a week" difference between those two stat lines.

When you're looking for core offensive skills that will translate to the majors, what's more important -- batting average? Or walk rate and ISO?

Go ahead and shoot your mouth off, like it might kill the silence.

by ESiegrist on Sep 21, 2025 5:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

maybe so

and I will take All 3. ;-) To get that extra hit per week, you would need 3 to 4 quality at bats, so it's not quite as simple as the Crash Davis idiom.

Let me throw a question back, can you project a .300+ season when they guy has failed to do so in his past and hasn't come close by using walk rate and ISO?

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 5:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

.300 seasons

can you project a .300+ season when they guy has failed to do so in his past and hasn't come close by using walk rate and ISO

What does a .300 season matter? Have I been deluded all my life in believing that Mike Schmidt was a superstar (and more of one than George Brett) because he only had one (1) .300 season?

Clearly the "safe" projection systems that everyone develops and utilizes (i.e., those that rely upon regression to the mean for the pool of players) would never have projected a .300 season for Schmidt, who never hit above .291 (and that in the PCL) until 1981, and never did so in anything resembling a full season.

BUT...one would expect (based on the Weak Law of Large Numbers) that walk rates and (year-to-year) variance in batting average are correlated. Fewer ABs should produce a lesser quality estimate of the "true" AVG ability/skill of the player, implying that single-season AVG is a less relevant measure of the performance of such players. Note that this reduction in relevance is in addition to the normal statement that AVG is not terribly well-correlated with run production.

So, for a comparable number of PAs, the observed AVG is less meaningful as a measure of Marte's abilities than it is for, say, Francoeur.

Ultimately, Marte's AVG numbers are the least predictive (by a wide margin, I would posit) of his three rate stats, and thus should be among the least of your concerns regarding his future performance.

-tmt

by Tom Talavage on Sep 21, 2025 11:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

AVG, Ks not entirely irrelevant

I like Isolated Discipline (ISOd) and Isolated Power/SLG (ISO) as more than most. I do feel they are consistent repeatable skills more so than AVG. I will certainly use these stats to make decisions on players.

That said, I think do agree with those who state that you ideally want a .300+ AVG and the high ISOd and ISO when trying to peg someone as a superstar and future MVP candidate. All 3 is ideal.

I don't find Batting Average and High Batter K rates as irrelevant as some 'statheads'. I saw a comment in the Rickie Weeks diary that if Weeks has an OBP of .380 who cares if he strikes out 200 times. I do care a little. In the postseason the quality of pitching often really ramps up. Hitters with Hi-K rates and alot of offensive value rapped up in BBs/HBPs can be more effectively handled by pitcher who can control the strike zone well and get ahead in counts.

I have Edmonds on my team. So I don't ignore Hi-K players. They are still highly valueable. But I do believe a guy like Sheffield who hits .300 and Ks much less while posting roughly the same OPS is more of a threat against quality pitching. Ideally the guy with a broad base of well developed offensive skills is even better than the upper echelon take and rake hitter.

by natsfan2005 on Sep 22, 2025 12:27 AM EDT up 0 recs

I understand your point Tom

however, Schmidt won HR titles and Gold Gloves and drove in a lot of runs. That made him a Superstar in his own right.

I haven't heard one projection of Marte as a 40 HR guy and 500+ career HR guy. I've heard 20-30 HR projections. That combined with a .270 average is not Mike Schmidt and certainly not a superstar. It's just a good player and there is nothing wrong with that.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 22, 2025 1:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Rolen

Rolen hit .361 in AA after partially repeating it. I think Marte might have done the same thing if he started in AA this year.

Of course, these are "if" and speculations, but the fact is that Marte has never even partially repeated repeated a level (except for, I suppose AAA->Cup of Tea in MLB-> AAA this year). While doing so, he has seemingly improved most of his peripherals as he gets promoted. That's a sign of a great prospect when he does it in such a young age.

I don't know if he'll be a star, but he has great upside.

by smt on Sep 21, 2025 5:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

I agree with your premise

I think he's good, but I don't think "superstar"--yet.

Not so sure your Rolen analogy is apt, if my memory serves me, Rolen played 2 or 3 levels 1 season ending in AA, then started the next year in AA. That's really not "repeating" as he never had a full season in AA to begin with.

Oh well, all good points. I'm still on the fence as to "very good" player or "superstar" as some would claim.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 5:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

The Braves Organization ---

doesn't look at stats-
yes they do, they say that they don't but they do, just as the A's claim they look at nothing but stats.

I'll rephrase- people writing books about these organizations make the above innaccurate generalizations.

The Braves spend more time on observation and scouting than propbably any organization, but that doesn't mean they are not cognizant of Marte's AA batting average. They publically questioned Giles' makeup at points in the past- but when hhe hit 35hrs in A ball it didn't stop them from promoting him.

by Johnny Ruin on Sep 20, 2025 6:44 PM EDT 0 recs

My approach

Move Chipper to 1B
Have Marte as your starting 3B
Have LaRoche learn some LF/RF and use him as your primary backup at 1B and the outfield corners. He's also your backup planb in case Kelly Johnson or Jeff Francour struggles.

by JM Barten on Sep 20, 2025 11:42 PM EDT 0 recs

Other ideas

These are all pretty conventional ideas. What if the Braves could use the defensive spectrum to their advantage and trade Marte for a 1B with even higher potential? Ryan Howard or someone better.

by achiappanza on Sep 21, 2025 3:52 AM EDT 0 recs

Marte

Unfortunately, LaRoche is probably too slow for the outfield.

Marte may not be a superstar--only a star, but then again is that so bad? I would be cautious of trying to fixate on Marte's career minor league numbers because he has not always been completely healthy. He had a great year at Macon in 2002, but injuries slowed (bud did not stop his performance) his output. Bascially, I think that he still probably has a huge upside. We are looking at a classic kind of power-hitting 3B and comparisions with Cey, Bonilla, Glaus, Rolen and even Schmidt could prove to be apt.

Like many others on this list, I think that LaRoche should be traded for pitching (probably relievers, but the Braves may want to be flexible here) and then Marte either goes to first or third. Many of us have long believed that first is Chipper's eventual destination.

This move would also have the added benefit of freeing Scott Thorman for trading.

by hisslk on Sep 21, 2025 6:06 AM EDT 0 recs

with the arm LaRoche

has, maybe they could move him to the bullpen becoming ATL's LOOGY?

Just kidding.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 12:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Absolutely Not

As a Braves fan, I hope not. They have two huge decisions to make next year: Furcal and Andruw Jones. The BEST decision would be to let Raffy go, sign Andruw, move Betemit to short and then let Chipper and Marte take the 3B and leftfield positions. If Chipper will move again (the preferable) then Marte has third. If Chipper won't move (as he's indicated) then Marte plays Left. Unlike many on the Board, I don't see Chipper playing first. I think he'd scotch that idea and I fear that he'll also reject going back to left field. So Marte in left may not be that bad as he's much better than Kelly Johnson or Langerhans.

My fear is that they sign Furcal and Andruw can't be signed and then trade Marte for a mediocre outfielder. Knowing the Braves, that's what they'll do.

by picard on Sep 21, 2025 12:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Andruw Jones isn't an FA...

till after 2007.

by smt on Sep 21, 2025 12:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

I hope you are kidding

it sounds as if you are questioning Shuerholz from making the right moves. I hope you would be happy with 14 straight divisions titles and a World Series win. I think ATL continually makes excellent personnel decisions.

As a Cub fan, I'll trade ya?

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 1:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Have you seen this guy...

While I agree Marte has not put up eye popping numbers; truth of the matter is he has played in some very difficult ballparks (i.e., Myrtle Beach and Richmond) which has worked to suppress his numbers. Being from the Richmond area, I did get to the ballpark a couple of times to view him and some visiting players. This guy is made to be a player "Man among boys" in his presence. The last guy I recall seeing the ball jump off his bat like that was none other than Chipper when he played Single A for Durham. I will take him as a 3B, 1B or LF; anyway to get him on the field!

by klmstrat on Sep 21, 2025 1:39 PM EDT 0 recs

not sure if you are asking me?

but I've seen him on TV when he was called up. Looked overmatched, but he's not first in that long line.

I'm not down on him, but I'm just not as high as a lot of people are. I just want a great season in his production before I drink the kool-aid.

I wish he were coming up in the Cubs system. I have to deal with Ronny Cedeno as our "up and comer." Wanna trade? LOL :-D

by So Cal Bob on Sep 21, 2025 3:30 PM EDT 0 recs

re:not sure if you are asking me?

I really didn't think Marte looked overmatched when he was called up, especially his first time. He worked the count well and hit a lot of balls hard right at people.

As for the Peralta breakout year, Peralta had a lower OPS than Marte at AAA despite being younger. That being the case, you can't really say Peralta had a breakout year but Marte didn't.

by The Origenist on Sep 22, 2025 10:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

look at 1 measure to form your opinion?

that's pretty foolish.

Peralta had a better year in AAA than Marte did this year. He hit 50 friggin' points higher. Big deal if he had a few more walks.

You can keep Brad Wilkerson, I'll take Manny Ramirez. That's the same comp you just made.

Look, for the last time, I'm not down on Marte. I just haven't seen "superstar" in his performance.

by So Cal Bob on Sep 23, 2025 2:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Marte is still a baby...

...I would be reluctant to get rid of laroche until Marte proves he is ready. So far he hasn't shown he can hit major league pitching. Keeping Laroche gives you flexibility too in case of an injury.

by alstl04 on Sep 21, 2025 10:29 PM EDT 0 recs