The Atlanta Braves have signed R.A. Dickey to a 1 year deal with a option for 2018. The value of the contract is yet to be revealed.
With Atlanta, the veteran knuckleballer will be tasked with providing innings and experience to an otherwise youthful staff. He notched over 200 frames annually from 2011 through 2015, and might have again last year had the Blue Jays not limited his exposure late in the year.
Certainly, the Braves won’t expect the Dickey of yore, but there’s some reason to hope he can still provide quality in addition to length out of the rotation. Dickey won the Cy Young award 37 years of age and provided the Jays with a 3.95 ERA over his first three campaigns in Toronto.
I’m not really sure what the hell Atlanta is thinking here. They are still a ways away from contending for anything real, and their minor-league system at the moment is like 95% pitchers. Apparently Atlanta is searching for several starters this off-season and there’s even talk of them going hard after Matt Wieters for whatever that’s worth.
2017 World Series champs Atlanta Braves. (•_•)
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The Barves have about as much of a chance of winning the 2017 World Series as Donald Trump has of being elected President.
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You better watch out. Remember when dirtyharry said that he had shaken the hands of several presidents and pointed out that he was a glamerous jet setter?
War with Canada may be imminent.
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I forgot about that. Whatever we must do to make Canada take full responsibility for Justin Bieber, I will let Avril Get away with marrying nickelback , but the Celine and her husband / management things when she was 15? Is that copacetic?
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Are you guys kidding? Canada is going to have to build a wall to keep us out.
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Ren stole my comment and Gator my response.
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It’s not a head scratcher at all. (Possibly it’s a nut-scratcher, depending on how tight the jock strap is for Dickey).
As Craig pointed out, the Braves are still rebuilding and it’s useful to have an innings eater. The fact that 95% of their farm is pitchers means a LOT of churn and rotating doors to find out who the heck can REALLY pitch. The bullpen is going to be leaned on a LOT.
The Phillies did the same thing last year. They had a LOT young pitching but you don’t want the entire rotation to consist of nothing but puppies until they are battle tested and contending.
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Who’s….Craig????
Otherwise, I agree with you. It’s a good move – he’ll bring them innings enough to leave some of their prospects in the minors for seasoning, and he brings VETERANNNNNN PRESENNNNNCE to a young team.
He also brings idiosyncrasies. This ought to be fun. Welcome back to real baseball, Biggeth Dicketh.
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Dickey no like DH. DH make ball go far. Dickey no like ball go far. Me like ball go far.
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3.95 ERA in the Yeti League ain’t half bad. Biggeth Dicketh may have had the most consistent season with the Mutts of any knuckleballer ever.
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Not only Biggeth Dicketh, Prof, but I see your Barves also signed Bartolo the Magnificent™. Talk about an embarrassment of riches…
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Yeah, having the Barves in town is going to be like when a nursing home group visits the Seaquarium.
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