Last Year For The Bravos?

[Fritz Buelow]

Maddux and Glavine are Free Agents after this year.

If they both go, how long until Sheffield demands a trade?

Maddux has already stated that, if the Braves don't want him, he's interested in Arizona and SD as locations.

Should the Braves sign them? Just one? Which one?

Should the Braves play this year like there's no tomorrow?

Rumor has it that John S. will retire from GM at the end of the year - partly because he wants no part on how to deal with this situation.

Maddux, I think, is a Boras client. Makes it even worse, if so.

[BuzzBuzzard]

If I am the Braves, I don't make much of an attempt to sign them until late this year. It is a risk, but not more so than signing them now. I want to see what they've got left before opening the wallet.

[SmedIndy]

Pitchers can go just like THAT! No matter who you are. Let's see how they do, but I wouldn't give either of them a contract longer than 2-3 years after this one.

[pathogan]

I sign Maddux now...Glavine, i wait...

[Fritz Buelow]

Maddux will be 37 in 2003. Glavine will be 36. Neither should get more than three years. Not even sure I would do that for Maddux.

[satchel]

I'd definitely give Maddux three years, maybe even four if he were threatening to go elsewhere. He may not be posting the microscopic ERA's of the mid 90's but he's a finesse pitcher with no history of injury so he won't suddenly hit a wall and stop being able to throw. I think he'll be good for 200 innings/15-17 wins for a long time. Glavine's road has been rockier but I'll bet he gets three years from someone anyhow.

[SmedIndy]

Contrary to what it would seem, finesse guys don't last as long as power guys.

[Fritz Buelow]

Originally posted by SmedIndy
Contrary to what it would seem, finesse guys don't last as long as power guys.

And, when they go, it's usually quick.

[KCBOOMER]

Boras never signs. He always goes to the market so there's no need to waste a lot of time on Maddux. Make him a good offer and then move on. I bet both of them ask for at least four year deals.

[Duque]

Maddux is probably a better bet to pitch well as he ages than Glavine, but Glavine has been a Brave his entire career and probably would like to stay there.

I think how Marquis/Millwood/Spooneybarger/Moss et al. develop this year could be a key part in their decision making.

[satchel]

Originally posted by Fritz Buelow


And, when they go, it's usually quick.

Okay, but what I'm saying about Maddux is that there is no sign he is going anywhere. He has no history of injury, and his control, which is the principle source of his dominance, remains intact. It's hard to imagine that changing overnight.

[SmedIndy]

Originally posted by satchel


Okay, but what I'm saying about Maddux is that there is no sign he is going anywhere. He has no history of injury, and his control, which is the principle source of his dominance, remains intact. It's hard to imagine that changing overnight.

But it does, and could, especially at 37.

But he's not just a normally finesse slop-baller, either. He's "sneaky" fast, just has great location and mixes speeds well so no one thinks he's a true power pitcher.

[satchel]

Allright, so, is he a power pitcher or isn't he? If he is, then he's not subject to Steve's "finesse pitchers go fast" theory. If he's not, I still maintain that he's so unusual that you can't expect him to just shut down all of a sudden after a whole career without so much as a sore arm. He's not a power pitcher, and he's not a junkballer - he's in a class by himself, and still will be in 3 years.

[SmedIndy]

Originally posted by satchel
Allright, so, is he a power pitcher or isn't he? If he is, then he's not subject to Steve's "finesse pitchers go fast" theory. If he's not, I still maintain that he's so unusual that you can't expect him to just shut down all of a sudden after a whole career without so much as a sore arm. He's not a power pitcher, and he's not a junkballer - he's in a class by himself, and still will be in 3 years.

Actually, that's not much of a theory. It's pretty much a fact. (And I espoused it, so give blame where credit is due, eh?) If you don't have a high strikeout rate you're prone to either breaking down or being chased out of the league. (Or both).

He's a tweener. And the Braves do a decent job of keeping minor twinges, etc. silent. He is one of a kind, though, but still taking a risk that a pitcher will be consistent at ages 38, 39 and 40 is too much. He HAS to end this sometime.

I can't see Maddux losing effectiveness until he's at least 40. He's getting 6.7-6.9 Ks per game; he'll be able to win consistently when he's only getting 4 Ks per game.