Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Ron Washington's Thoughts, Jim Johnson's Numbers
Washington thought he had Braves manager’s job, report says
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: These are interesting comments from Ron Washington, who thought he had the Atlanta Braves managerial role. The Braves organization took time and interviewed a could candidates outside of the organization so at times it felt as though they were not going with Brian Snitker. After the job he did turning around this team in 2016, I don’t know how they couldn’t give the job to Snit. Players, media, fans, everyone wanted Snit back in this spot. I’m wondering if the Braves gave Washington an agreement that if Snit and the Braves don’t perform well in 2017 or after 2017, the job is his. I hope Snit takes these Braves to the playoffs and we don’t have to worry about that!
Interesting comment by Ron Washington, who interviewed for the Braves manager’s job before being hired as the third-base coach instead:
“I thought my interview was good to the point I got that I had the (manager’s) job, no doubt in my mind,” Washington told the San Jose Mercury News. “But you never know what the other side is thinking and how it will go. They offered me a different job in the organization.
“They really liked the job Brian Snitker did as their interim guy, which is good….”
Dansby Swanson and Patrick Weigel named Atlanta Braves Organizational Prospects of the Year
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Of course the golden boy received this award, who else would they give that to? And that’s not a diss on Swanson, I love Swanny, I’m just saying it was a no-brainer. For the pitching prospect of the year, that may have been a little tougher. I’m happy and excited that they gave this award to Weigel. He’s pitched outstanding for the Braves in Low-A and Double-A in 2016. He shot up our prospect list and will be featured pretty high on our 2017 prospect list coming out in a few days.
On Tuesday, MLB Pipeline named its Organizational Prospects of the Year. For each club, they selected one pitcher and one position player. Today, we’re going to look at their selections for the Atlanta Braves.
For the position player, MLB Pipeline chose uber-prospect Dansby Swanson. After arriving in the Braves organization via an offseason trade, Swanson has shown why the Arizona Diamondbacks took him number one overall in the 2015 draft.
Rather than single out one of the more high-profile names in the Atlanta system, they went with up and coming righty Patrick Weigel. A seventh-round draft pick in 2015, Weigel struggled in his first taste of professional baseball before exploding onto the scene this season. He began the season with Low-A Rome and tore up the competition.
Braves closer Jim Johnson gets $10 million in 2-year deal
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The numbers are finally announced! Johnson got a $1 million signing bonus plus a $4.5 million contract for the next year years. That’s a pretty escalated number the Braves offered him, good for Johnson, but I’m surprised the Braves went that high. In 2015, Johnson made $1.6 million and in 2016 he made $2.5 million. Yes, he is a veteran pitcher still with something left in the tank and the Braves do have money to spend, but did they just give him an extra couple million dollars? 2017 will be Johnson’s 34-year-old season and his 12 year (2006 and 2007 he only appeared in one game so next year will be pretty much his 10th year) in the big leagues. Whatever it is, when he’s with the Braves organization, he pitches like he did during his All-Star year in 2012 with the Orioles.
Atlanta Braves closer Jim Johnson is guaranteed $10 million under his new two-year contract.
The 33-year-old right-hander went 2-6 with a 3.06 ERA this year and 20 saves in 23 chances. He had been eligible for free agency.
Johnson gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $4.5 million in each of the next two seasons. He can earn an additional $1.75 million annually in performance bonuses based on games finished: $250,000 for 30 and each additional five through 60.
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