Offseason Underway for Atlanta Braves

On Thursday morning, the Braves got the free agent action underway with the signing of knuckleball journeyman R.A. Dickey. The 2012 NL Cy Young winner has had an inconsistent three years in Toronto since dizzying batters with the Mets.

The move isn’t ‘sexy’ and it isn’t season changing – but it does add veteran presence to a rotation that needs a pitcher to hold up the backend. Dickey isn’t going to up-end Teheran at the top of the rotation, but he can be the change of pace following Teheran and Foltynewicz.

This won’t be the defining free agent signing for the Braves this offseason. GM John Coppolella has already admitted that this free agent class of pitchers is weaker than years past or years ahead.

Coppy has been open with his plans this free agency.

“We feel like we have some impact, top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher (prospects). So we don’t want to sign anybody for six years. One, it would cripple us financially. Two, it would block young pitchers that we really like. For that reason, I think you’re going to see us go short-term on pitchers – one-year deals would be optimal. Two-year deals, we’ll see. But I don’t see us going beyond two years on any of these deals, just because we don’t want to block the young pitchers that we like so much. We feel like there’s a good group of them to where we want to see what they can do." (AJC)

Coppolella seems to trust his prospects more than the free agents on the market, so seeing Dickey signed to a one-year deal with a club option on the second year is no surprise. Last week, the Braves signed Josh Collmenter to a very similar deal with less money. Collmenter at one point was the future ace of the Arizona Diamondbacks – he’s a downhill pitcher with size that attacks the strike zone – but his ace potential was derailed with injuries and predictability.

Last season, Collmenter was released and traded between the Diamondback and Cubs, until finding a spot in Atlanta’s rotation. He made a handful of quality starts at the end of last season, and his role for next season is undefined. Coppolella said, “he can be a starter, he can pitch in the bullpen, he can be a long man. Kind of like a swiss army knife, if you will.” (NBC Sports)

The Braves won’t hold back a prospect from starting if he’s ready, and they don’t want veterans in the way of young pitchers – so Dickey and Collmenter could find themselves middle relievers by the end of the year if the Braves prospects develop like they should and move into the SunTrust Park rotation.

Other pitchers left on the market that are worth targeting:

Jason Hammel

Rich Hill

Ivan Nova

Doug Fister

Bartolo Colon

Edinson Volquez

Of that list, Volquez is likely to get the most years and money. Hammel probably falls second behind him, but Colon is probably the most interesting in the group – based on both his physical ability and longevity.

Colon is the pitcher I’d personally be most excited about because he’s dependable, can teach a wealth of knowledge to a young pitcher like Matt Wisler and most of all, he’s the most exciting player in baseball to watch at the plate.