When the subject of model franchises arises, we gravitate to the Cardinal Way or the Moneyball A’s or whatever statistical jujitsu the Rays are doing to remain high-level contenders despite low payrolls.
But since 2009, the Yankees have MLB’s best record (484-341). The second best belongs not to the Cardinals, A’s or Rays, but to the Braves (466-359).
The Yankees have invested roughly $1.24 billion in that time, the Braves less than half that, about $552 million.
Yet, despite at least 86 wins in each of the past five seasons and a strong start this year, Atlanta remains the hidden model as the Braves arrive at Citi Field for a three-game series.
“We don’t get caught up in that,” Atlanta general manager Frank Wren said by phone. “We hold ourselves to a pretty high standard around here.”
Why is Atlanta ignored in the model realm? Probably because this version inherited the same problem as the 1991-2005 Braves, who made 14 straight postseasons, but won just one title.
These Braves have reached the playoffs three of the past five years, yet have won a combined two games and been eliminated in their first series each time. Of course, where would the Mets sign up for this? In the same period, they have spent roughly $644.5 million for no playoff appearances and the 23rd-best record (382-443).
When asked for Atlanta’s secret sauce, the word repeated most often by outside executives was “consistency.” From their great run of the early 1990s to now, the Braves have had just two GMs (John Schuerholtz and Wren) and two managers (Bobby Cox and Fredi Gonzalez).
“The Braves are a great lesson in continuity,” said a National League scout. “They have had strikingly little turnover on the baseball side and their philosophy has been consistent throughout. They are very clear about the type of player they are looking for and acquire those types. That also extends to what they are looking for in people (scouts, coaches, etc) on the baseball side: they do their homework, bring in good people.”
An NL personnel head said: “It’s a group of decision-makers that has been together for a long time. They know their strengths, know what players fit for them and don’t panic when they hit the inevitable bump in the road. Wash, rinse, repeat.”
The bump last season was the horrendous work of their two highest-paid players (Dan Uggla, B.J. Upton). Nevertheless, with Washington expected to breeze to the NL East title, the Braves went 13-6 against the Nationals and won the division handily.
The Nationals were supposed to have learned from that and were again expected to waltz to an NL East crown this year — especially after the Braves lost two starters (ace Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy) for the year after Tommy John surgery. They also lost Mike Minor for most of the first month with shoulder tendinitis.
Yet, despite the absence of three-fifths of its projected rotation, Atlanta is already 5-1 versus Washington and sports an overall 1.58 rotation ERA, the majors’ best by nearly a run. Amazingly, just one of the 14 pitchers who threw the most innings for the Braves in 2012 has thrown a single pitch for them this year (closer Craig Kimbrel). The successful turnover speaks to a strong front office.
The Mets — under Sandy Alderson — are trying to get that constancy. But there is more than the same people in the same jobs.
Alderson is still working on a feeding system as good as Atlanta’s. The Braves survive Brian McCann going to the Yankees or Chipper Jones retiring because their procurement and development system still delivers homegrown jewels such as Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, Kimbrel, Evan Gattis, Julio Teheran and Alex Wood.
The Braves have a reputation for finding usefulness on the junk heap. Exhibit A this year is Aaron Harang, who Atlanta picked up at the end of spring and carries a 0.96 ERA into a series-opening start against the Mets.
This year, the Braves acted like a team that expects 90 wins — not just talks about it — when they expanded what was a Mets-like $90 million payroll to sign Ervin Santana to a one-year, $14.1 million deal after they learned Medlen and Beachy were gone for 2014. Santana has a 0.64 ERA in two starts. Potential Mets shortstop Stephen Drew remains unemployed.
Now, Minor is due back next week. Gavin Floyd, who Atlanta signed for $4 million to complete his Tommy John rehab, is scheduled back next month. The rotation looks as if it will be reinforced, and — big picture — this is a mostly young team that with the anticipated dough from a new stadium opening in 2017 has inked Freeman, Simmons, Teheran and Kimbrel long-term.
So for the Mets, the rest of the NL East and the whole sport, the Braves look as if they will continue to be a model franchise, whether anyone notices or not.
Mets won’t give up on Nimmo
Brandon Nimmo is best known for not being Jose Fernandez. He was the first draft pick of Sandy Alderson’s Mets regime, 13th overall, in 2011. The Marlins took Fernandez next.
The thought of a rotation featuring Fernandez, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard is that combination of dream and nightmare for Mets fans. Meanwhile, Nimmo has yet to rise above High-A.
But the Mets have not given up on the outfielder. He got off strong last season before being hit on his hand by a pitch that did much to derail his 2013. He is off strong again at St. Lucie, hitting .400 through 13 games with 10 walks and a 1.020 OPS.
What the Mets want to remind folks is had Nimmo gone to college he would be eligible in the coming draft as a junior. He just turned 21 in March. Thus, there is still time to make folks remember him for more than not being Jose Fernandez.
Young guns a rarity for Yankees
Thirty-five starters 25 or younger are so far qualified for the ERA title. Among the top 10 in ERA in that group are three sets of teammates: Michael Wacha and Joe Kelly (who went on the disabled list Thursday) of the Cardinals, Julio Teheran and Alex Wood of the Braves, and Michael Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees.
There are full-season concerns for both Pineda (coming back from shoulder surgery) and Tanaka (who never before has pitched a full season mostly on four days’ rest). So, who knows if they will even qualify for the ERA title (by throwing 162 innings), much less pitch nearly as well as they have to date.
But just to show how rare this is for the Yankees: From 1998-2013, the Yankees had a pitcher in his age-25-or-younger season qualify for the ERA title just three times: Phil Hughes (2010) and Ivan Nova (2011-12). The last time they had two in the same season was 1995 with Sterling Hitchock and Andy Pettitte. Before that you would have to go to 1967 with Fritz Peterson and Mel Stottlemyre.