As the Atlanta Braves are winding down Spring Training, the team announced the addition of two veteran players on Monday. The team announced the signings of OF Peter Bourjos and INF/OF Ryan Flaherty to one-year deals. Each player signed a major league deal with the Braves, likely as a result of their strong showings in Spring Training.
Here is the tweet and press release from the official Twitter account of the Braves:
#Braves Agree to Terms with Peter Bourjos and Ryan Flaherty: pic.twitter.com/dFe7tkLcQV
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 26, 2018
Atlanta Signs Peter Bourjos, Ryan Flaherty to One-Year Deals
Background
Bourjos was at one time a valuable piece of the Los Angeles Angels outfield, but he has never been able to replicate the numbers he posted in 2011. That year he slashed .271/.327/.438 with 12 HRs, 26 doubles, 11 triples, 72 runs scored, and 22 stolen bases. At just 24-years old, he looked to be a promising talent to keep around.
Unfortunately, that season would be the high-water mark for Bourjos’ career. He has not eclipsed five HRs, nine steals, or 40 runs scored in a year since that season. At this point, he is simply a reserve outfield without much of a bat after hitting .223 with just five HRs across 100 games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
For Flaherty, he has been virtually a replacement level player over the course of his six-year career. He has only appeared in 90 or more games in a season twice, and he has appeared in a total of 97 games over the past two seasons.
The selling point for Flaherty is “versatility” as he can man a number of different positions. However, he is virtually no threat offensively after hitting .215 with three HRs and 21 runs scored over the past two seasons.
Outlook
Atlanta’s reasoning behind the signings, especially considering the fact that both players received a big league deal, is hard to pin down. Atlanta already has one outfielder on the decline in Nick Markakis and will be forced to clear one spot early in the season to make room for Ronald Acuna. Many fans would have preferred the Braves play youngsters Lane Adams and Preston Tucker in the meantime, but who knows if that will happen with the addition of Bourjos.
The signing of Flaherty is equally confusing. Yes, Atlanta will be without INF Johan Camargo on Opening Day, the most likely candidate to be the starting 3B, but Flaherty does not make sense as a starter. The addition of these two players is nothing more than adding a bit of depth to Atlanta’s MLB roster, but it does not make the moves any less confusing with the prospects and players already in the Braves organization.
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