AJC writers answer your Braves questions at AJC.com each Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. Today, beat writer David O’Brien provides the updates:
Q: When Christian Bethancourt struggled last year with defense and offense, I was wondering why the trade of Evan Gattis was needed. Were we sold a bill of goods on Bethancourt? Always a prospect but never a major player?
A: Sold a bill of goods? How so? The kid has all the tools in the world. No one ever said anything other than he was a great prospect with all the tools to become a big-time player. That's not being sold a bill of goods, that's a player not reaching his potential. At least not yet. Still young. All we can do is report what we see in a player, what scouts and managers and other players see, how he's rated. Can't guarantee a player reaches his potential.
Q: How do you see the offseason shaking out? Do you think the Braves will make a splash with either free agency or a trade?
A: Not singular "a trade." They're going to keep shaking things up, keep stockpiling young pitchers, but I'd also expect them to make a move or two to acquire some offense this winter. First stage was/is getting pitching back to elite level that the franchise enjoyed for so long, that was the basis for their division-title runs, etc.
Q: What are the chances we see Peter Moylan pitch this year?
A: He's pitching on a regular basis at Triple-A. If/when he shows there that he could help in majors, we'll see him. So far, he's not impressed enough to be brought up. Numbers just haven't been there yet.
Q: Agreed that Freddie Freeman’s absence hurts badly. Do you see them dangling Julio Teheran in the offseason to get a bat?
A: Would not surprise me at all. But he'll need to have better results rest of the way to draw major interest, I'd think.
Q: Heard any indication that the Cardinals/Astros data breach has changed the way the Braves do business or store their player info?
A: Don't think that's a big concern for most teams. Special circumstances: a tech-savvy official left one team (and left a lot of upset people in his wake) to go to another team, set up a special servers or a system to store all the data, previous team knew how he operated and that there was such a system in place, and some in former organization decided to see whether his old passwords would work at the new place.
Q: Do the Braves plan on adding Arodys Vizcaino and Andrew McKirihan to the roster when their suspensions are up?
A: That's the plan, according to Fredi when I asked him last week. Of course, might not be the exact day each is eligible, might depend some on who's struggling, if each of them is ready, etc.
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