2K24: Atlanta Braves

[The Dane]

We are 2 days away from a possible call-up for Acuna. Just got his 1st two hits after going 0-11 at AAA. Tucker has hit the ball well holding his position for Acuna. Wonder if the Braves bring him up and leave him at AAA for awhile longer.

This is an interesting situation. If their intention all along was to call him up before the Super2 date, then there is really no reason to leave him down a single day extra. However, if that 0-11 start worries them and tells them that he's not ready, maybe they wait and give Tucker a chance to prove himself. They're playing well right now, so I can almost see them leaving him down. I certainly wouldn't do that, but I can see why they would.

[Hornsby]

We are 2 days away from a possible call-up for Acuna. Just got his 1st two hits after going 0-11 at AAA. Tucker has hit the ball well holding his position for Acuna. Wonder if the Braves bring him up and leave him at AAA for awhile longer.

It depends on how he's hitting the ball, if every out is a sizzling liner, then the BA is meaningless, if it's filled with weak swing and misses, then is something to be concerned about. I don't have that information...but in 19 AB's he's struck out 8 times. No bueno. So they may leave him down until he get straightened out, but not because of Tucker, IMO. Acuna will be up within a week of a hot streak...and well before Super 2 time.

[cavebird]

It depends on how he's hitting the ball, if every out is a sizzling liner, then the BA is meaningless, if it's filled with weak swing and misses, then is something to be concerned about. I don't have that information...but in 19 AB's he's struck out 8 times. No bueno. So they may leave him down until he get straightened out, but not because of Tucker, IMO. Acuna will be up within a week of a hot streak...and well before Super 2 time.

At this point, he'll come up once he starts hitting. Tomorrow was the earliest possible date, but the odds of any games being played in Chicago Saturday or Sunday is remote. My guess is that they just call him up Monday, assuming he doesn't spend the whole weekend whiffing. They showed their hand about the Super 2 deadline or the extra year of control deadline by only filling his position with replacement level players (even if hot at the moment). He's 20 and not made his MLB debut and still has the hardest hit ball from statcast at SunTrust Park (playing for Braves Futures in the last exhibition game). One week and a day in AAA, that he smashed last year won't change much---the overall stats won't matter, but once he starts hitting, he'll be up.

[Roy Hobbs]

At this point, he'll come up once he starts hitting. Tomorrow was the earliest possible date, but the odds of any games being played in Chicago Saturday or Sunday is remote. My guess is that they just call him up Monday, assuming he doesn't spend the whole weekend whiffing. They showed their hand about the Super 2 deadline or the extra year of control deadline by only filling his position with replacement level players (even if hot at the moment). He's 20 and not made his MLB debut and still has the hardest hit ball from statcast at SunTrust Park (playing for Braves Futures in the last exhibition game). One week and a day in AAA, that he smashed last year won't change much---the overall stats won't matter, but once he starts hitting, he'll be up.

I've seen many players not hit at AAA then get called up and rake. Them waiting for him because of a small sample size at AAA is ridiculous. Bring him up now to help your team is what I say.

[The Dane]

I've seen many players not hit at AAA then get called up and rake. Them waiting for him because of a small sample size at AAA is ridiculous. Bring him up now to help your team is what I say.

Also, you have to think about the players, as people, not as commodities, which we tend to do. I agree that bringing him Acuna (and Riley) immediately helps them. However, if they bring up Acuna and send Tucker to the bench, they may lose Tucker, who in any other situation would be seen as a revelation. Here, he's just a roadblock for the player we really want to see. What do you think that does to him? He plays well, helps the team overperform and then they bench him for the prospect. Plus, from then on, he's riding the pine and not getting the chance to prove what he can do to other teams and get a chance to land somewhere else with more opportunity.

I agree that they should bring him up, but teams have different considerations than we do.

[chancellor]

I've seen many players not hit at AAA then get called up and rake. Them waiting for him because of a small sample size at AAA is ridiculous. Bring him up now to help your team is what I say.

Uh...bringing up a guy hitting .152 in AAA and K'ing 33% of the time probably isn't a real good plan to replace Preston Tucker. At this point. Sure, it's a small sample size, and Acuna could magically start hitting once called up. It has happened. But, fact is, Preston Tucker is really raking right now. It doesn't make sense in the short term or the long term to make that move. As cavebird noted, it's likely Tucker will revert to form shortly, at which point it'll actually make sense to bring Acuna up.

[Roy Hobbs]

Uh...bringing up a guy hitting .152 in AAA and K'ing 33% of the time probably isn't a real good plan to replace Preston Tucker. At this point. Sure, it's a small sample size, and Acuna could magically start hitting once called up. It has happened. But, fact is, Preston Tucker is really raking right now. It doesn't make sense in the short term or the long term to make that move. As cavebird noted, it's likely Tucker will revert to form shortly, at which point it'll actually make sense to bring Acuna up.

Of course it makes sense to make this move long term. How could you say that? Hell, it makes sense to make this move before May. He doesn't have to replace Tucker, he could put Markakis on the bench. He's a veteran that could handle it.

[Hammer]

Of course it makes sense to make this move long term. How could you say that? Hell, it makes sense to make this move before May. He doesn't have to replace Tucker, he could put Markakis on the bench. He's a veteran that could handle it.

What is the benefit to the Braves of calling up Acuna now as opposed to in six weeks or so? Is this going to further Acuna's development in 2019 if he he gets an extra 75 or so at bats in the majors in May as opposed to in AAA?

The feeling I get is GMs would like to reduce the chances of having to send a blue chip player down again after they call him up. If thats accurate, I can see why they wouldnt want to bring a player up until the player is having at least a few weeks of success at his current level.

[Roy Hobbs]

What is the benefit to the Braves of calling up Acuna now as opposed to in six weeks or so? Is this going to further Acuna's development in 2019 if he he gets an extra 75 or so at bats in the majors in May as opposed to in AAA?

The feeling I get is GMs would like to reduce the chances of having to send a blue chip player down again after they call him up. If thats accurate, I can see why they wouldnt want to bring a player up until the player is having at least a few weeks of success at his current level.

Acuna read the hype and last year he left nothing else to prove in the minors and he was arguably the best player in baseball during spring training. He's probably pissed and bored. I bet he hits the ground running once called up. This little blip (small sample size) to start the season is a mirage.

[chancellor]

How can I say that bringing up Acuna right now has no benefit in the long term? Pretty easily, though The Dane stated it more elegantly than I will. Players and coaches recognize being promoted to the bigs and handed a starting job should be based on merit and benefitting the team in the long term, and even more preferentially, the short and long term. There's no way any player would look at what Acuna is doing at AAA ball and what Tucker and Markakis (who has nearly a .400 OBP) are doing and think that replacing either right now with Acuna is a merit-based decision or benefits the team right now. Nor would bringing up Acuna right now versus bringing him up in a month impact him or the Braves in the long term.

And to your point that he's "probably pissed and bored", if he's pulling a Pham and tanking it right now, why would a team want to encourage that?

[Hammer]

Acuna read the hype and last year he left nothing else to prove in the minors and he was arguably the best player in baseball during spring training. He's probably pissed and bored. I bet he hits the ground running once called up. This little blip (small sample size) to start the season is a mirage.

if a 20-year old is pissed and bored that he s spending a few more weeks in AAA than he anticipated, I would hate to see when those mean old pitchers strike him out on pitches he doesnt like.

[Roy Hobbs]

How can I say that bringing up Acuna right now has no benefit in the long term? Pretty easily, though The Dane stated it more elegantly than I will. Players and coaches recognize being promoted to the bigs and handed a starting job should be based on merit and benefitting the team in the long term, and even more preferentially, the short and long term. There's no way any player would look at what Acuna is doing at AAA ball and what Tucker and Markakis (who has nearly a .400 OBP) are doing and think that replacing either right now with Acuna is a merit-based decision or benefits the team right now. Nor would bringing up Acuna right now versus bringing him up in a month impact him or the Braves in the long term.

And to your point that he's "probably pissed and bored", if he's pulling a Pham and tanking it right now, why would a team want to encourage that?

Again, small sample size at AAA shouldn't be the reason not to promote him. I would think his body of work all last season and all of spring training trumps the small sample size at AAA.

[Roy Hobbs]

if a 20-year old is pissed and bored that he s spending a few more weeks in AAA than he anticipated, I would hate to see when those mean old pitchers strike him out on pitches he doesnt like.

I'm just saying not getting promoted when he expected to can have a short (hopefully only short term) affect on him that can distract from his focus. He proved all of last year and all of spring training that he is ready.

[Mithrandir]

Off topic, Inciarte blows thus far.

[pitbull]

As a baseball fan and also having Acuna on my farm it is always exciting to see a young player like this come up into the bigs. I do think that what Hammer and Chance are stating does have merits but I did read an article that shows 10 greatest season for 20 yr olds. Most of these players actually can up to the ML level while still teenagers. Some never played in the minors. Only one did kinda of so so Frank Robinson played A ball at 19 hitting .263 then promoted to the ML to start his HOF career. Not saying that Acuna belongs in the same class but he does have a chance to be a very special player. His time to prove he belongs will be coming soon.


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...in-mlb-history