Austin @recruitingguru: Has Jace Peterson hit his reality in the bigs?
Jace has not been the same hitter in July, as he’s hit just 11-for-58 (.190) so far this month. However, I think the reality is that every player goes through slumps in a season. Jace also got off to a slow start this season…It was not too long ago some thought Alberto Callaspo could be better fit to start at second. Be patient, Jace has made big strides this season after a rough stint with the Padres last season. We saw how Tommy La Stella sort of fell apart as the season winded down on him, but I think Jace is a better defensive player and clutch hitter. Look for him to bounce back.
Sonny Dearth @sdearth: Is any veteran untouchable for July trades besides Freddie and Andrelton? If so, which one? Thanks.
Sonny, the crazy thing about Freeman and Simmons are that these guys are merely veterans at this point in their careers They are both just 25 years old and entering their prime. Now take into account that Jace Peterson is the same age. With that being said, the Braves are not going to part ways with assets that benefit them in the future unless it means getting rid of Chris Johnson’s contract. Any player over the age of 30 however, with the exception of Nick Markakis, is a candidate to be moved. A.J. Pierzynski, Chris Johnson and Jim Johnson are a few players rumored to be on the block.
Eric Walters @EricTWalters: Why the hell did we extend Fredi?
I wake up and ask myself this question everyday. Wrong move.
James Reeves @tooveracious: Do you think moving to a new ballpark outside of the city will have a positive impact on attendance and play?
It’s pretty simple in Atlanta: if you win, people show up. If you don’t, they won’t. Of course, when a new stadium goes up, exceptions can be made. No matter what, a ton of people will go to games when the ballpark opens to see what it’s all about. The Braves, however, plan on moving in with style. Their retooling process has a huge emphasis on being contenders in two seasons, and the team is pretty competitive now. Imagine if half our prospects pan out to be anything and we make a signing or two… the Braves have a great foundation to work with. Now with all that being said, I do have questions about the traffic situation for the new stadium. Cobb County has their work cut out for them. We hope they can make traveling to games a smoother process than it is now. With all this being said however, expect a ton more sell outs in 2017 with the new stadium having a lower capacity. The Braves have only sold out 4 times this season.