So it's time to get to know the Vanderbilt star, who someday could join fellow No. The past two seasons have seen the Cubs bottom out, finishing a combined 34 games under .500. First off, Miller struck out 14 batters in those seven innings, which is a significant number. They let Kyle Schwarber leave as a free agent in December 2020, rather than go to salary arbitration with him, and traded away Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Bez at the trading deadline in 2021 an acknowledgment that the team was getting more expensive but playing worse. Reactions to the trade quickly swayed from being impressed at who the Diamondbacks kept, to shocked at who the team moved. On December 9, 2015, Stewart sent Swanson, pitching prospect Aaron Blair, and outfielder Ender Inciarte to the Braves in exchange for starter Shelby Miller and minor league pitcher Gabe Speier. Twitter Facebook Youtube. They did not pay the top of the market for their new shortstop, but I fear he will never have a season like he did last year in Atlanta. The 27-year-old, who was formerly with the Arizona Diamondbacks, joined the Braves in 2015. After being traded to the Braves, it was the first step of an amazing journey that God had in store for me. The had another big year, exhibiting more power than ever and rocketing to the top of draft boards. The top acquisition of the off-season for Jed Hoyer and the Cubs was Dansby Swanson, who had starred at shortstop for the Atlanta Braves. Not entirely. As a high school senior in 2012, Swanson was drafted by Colorado in the 38th round. However, he is only under the Braves control through 2022, so theres no guarantee he does that in a Braves uniform. His parents were outstanding athletes as well, "Nancy Dansby Swanson and Cooter Swanson were star athletes at Troy State in the late 1970s," DecaturDaily.com reports. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Despite missing half of 2021, Mack outsnapped Davenport so significantly (2,889 to 2,249) that Davenport would need to set a new career high (640) in 2023 just to equal Mack even if the former Bear and current Charger doesnt suit up. As Ricketts noted, the sudden strategic shift can be partially attributed to the teams going 39-31 to close out the 2022 season. In 2014, he was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. The Yankees sent Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to the Tigers. Reach Jeremy Cluffat jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. It's hard not to wonder how different things would have been if that trade never happened. He switched to shortstop for his junior season. And after Chicagos rebuilding project made an abrupt U-turn this winter, into splurging some $310 million to sign 10 free agents, there is renewed energy in Cubs camp. Ricketts said Jed Hoyer, the Cubs president of baseball operations, had a great off-season in acquiring talent, filling holes and positioning the Cubs to get back to winning games. Hes battled problems with his mechanics. Hes pitched in just 45 games in MLB since the start of the 2017 season, and opted out of the 2020 campaign due the pandemic (in addition to dealing with injuries as well as stints in the minor leagues). The Marlins, who will use Joey Wendle, Jordan Groshans, and perhaps Jon Berti and/or Jacob Amaya to replace the traded Miguel Rojas, are a hair above them at 24th . "Swanson hit .323 during the CWS, scoring five times and driving in two runs," according to Omaha.com. Swanson posted to Instagram on Tuesday night with a goodbye message, both written and with a 3-minute tribute video, that will surely get fans in their feelings. But so, too, was this: The Cubs drew the fewest fans to Wrigley Field in a full season since 1997. Miller now sports a two-pitch mix a slider accompanied by a four-seam fastball that the Dodgers likely believe they can utilize effectively in their bullpen since 1) this is a major league contract and 2) theyre no stranger to reclamation projects. Nico kicks ass AND chews bubble gum. 2 starter the D-backs needed to take them to the next level nobody is arguing that rationale. The franchise remains flush enough to have outspent 25 other clubs on the free-agent market this winter (only the Yankees, Padres, Mets and Phillies spent more). Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff. Gambling problem? Swanson is the fourth College World Series MOP to be the No. Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports, via Reuters, outspent 25 other clubs on the free-agent market. The brutal process of starting over took a turn this off-season thanks to $310 million in free agents. As for Taillon, it sounds like he was always intrigued by the Cubs, but there were two other serious pursuers. Spencer Bingol is a Featured Writer at Beyond the Box Score. Its a perfect match. So if youre behind in the count, hunt a fastball. Stuff like that. However, he doesn't miss a lot of bats and his 9.2 percent swinging strike rate was both tied for his full season best, and almost exactlyleague average for a starter. 2023 www.azcentral.com. The Bulldogs also remain the overall . The first-overall pick in the 2015 draft, Dansby Swanson was probably one of the last players in the entire Diamondbacks organization that anyone expected to move. Swanson has hit .249 in his six seasons in Atlanta, with 77 home runs and 315 RBIs during his time with the Braves, whiledeveloping into a defensive standout. Though it became expected after a certain point, Atlanta Braves fans hoped that the organization would find a way to keep Dansby Swanson around as the shortstop hit free agency this offseason. "He also contributed . Thats deserving of praise. Diamondbacks give up Dansby Swanson, farm for ShelbyMiller, The Royals are on the verge of returning to relevancy, Morning Mound Visit: Reds sign Tommy Pham to one-year deal, Morning Mound Visit: Ghost runner rule reinstated, Offensive woes will hold back elite pitching in Guardians maiden voyage, Morning Mound Visit: Rockies extend Ryan McMahon. He had his best season to date in 2015, but still was only tied for the25th-most valuable pitching season in the majors. (Brady Aiken!). A three-way deal between the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians is underway. And, oh yeah, he led Vanderbilt to its first College World Series title. I feel like every time you opened social media this off-season, it seemed like we were getting another guy.. All NFL; NFL Draft; MLB. So far the incredible rankings team of 26 writers has ranked and written up more than 600 players. In an utter and complete surprise, Arizona parted. Dansby Swanson shined for the Braves with his defense and his bat in. He looks around a clubhouse dotted with fresh, young faces and rich, new free agents and acknowledges the glory days of the past and the impending challenges of the now. Dansby Swanson is still adjusting to new colors, but he already notices the difference. He falls in line with the Braves' noted strategy of collecting as many high-upside Minor League arms as humanly possible. Mancini got a two-year deal. The Los Angeles Dodgers now have fewer options to replace Justin Turner with as the Houston Astros made a key signing on Monday. Swanson signed a monster deal to head to the Chicago Cubs, thus breaking the hearts of many fans in the Metro. At 25, Hoerner is one of the few young Cubs to have established himself as a foundation piece, having first come to the majors in 2019 during the last gasps of a dynasty that never quite happened. However, Scherzer has been one of the best pitchers in the league since the trade. Dansby Swanson inks seven-year, $177 million deal with Cubs. Swanson was supposed to be part of the Diamondbacks' turnaround. This draft class also featured Andrew Benintendi, Walker Buehler, and Mike Soroka, among many others. That strategy was also seen last season as the Braves acquired Touki Toussaint from the Diamondbacks -- meaning that each of Arizona's last three first-round picks (2013-2015) have been traded to Atlanta. There was an emphasis on run prevention: Swanson, Bellinger and Barnhart all are Gold Glove winners, and with Nico Hoerner moving to second base from shortstop to accommodate Swanson, few teams will be better defensively up the middle than the Cubs. They didnt have a viable replacement on the roster and, when that hole was exposed, the team was toast. Im a huge fan of acquiring overqualified players and putting them in positions to provide redundancy for the roster. Stewarts tenure was defined by one trade which really set the organization back. The Boston Red Sox traded Mike Goss (minors), Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon and Jorge De La Rosa to the Diamondbacks for Curt Schilling. The far more controversial question is whether he is actually worth the monumental package that Arizona gave up for him. Whether the process of breaking through that 108-year barrier took so much energy that nothing could ever be the same. Without Swanson, an injury to Hoerner would force a square peg like Christopher Morel or Zach McKinstry into a round hole. The last 6+ years have been truly remarkable. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Swanson left Vanderbilt after the 2015 season to join the Diamondbacks and begin his professional baseball career. Meanwhile, Miller fell off a cliff once he joined the Diamondbacks, making the Braves front office look like geniuses. Itll continue to be that way long after Swanson is gone. The actual 2023 Cubs have two quality shortstops, one of whom offers a solid history of durability. While the headline of this article indicates its about Dansby Swanson, I want to set this up properly, so bear with me a moment while I talk about the NHL and NFL. It's become even worse with Swanson winning a World Series as the Braves' No. In fact, hes among the best in the world at what he does and, entering his age-27 season, he should be in his football prime. In the past 6 years, yall have seen me grow from a young kid out of college, to a now married man. You can follow him on Twitter at@SpencerBingol. Originally drafted by the Diamondbacks with the first overall pick, Swanson came to the Braves in one of the most one-sided trades the Braves have been a part of in recent history. He didn't sign, of course, opting to go to Vanderbilt. Bats/throws: R/R. One would think not. If I see a pattern from a pitcher, well talk about it, said Taillon, who signed a four-year, $68 million deal in December. down by the river said a hanky panky lyrics. I feel like, when you have that kind of fan support, you want to honor the fans as much as you can with a competitive team. Here are some football and hockey analogies that show why Swanson is so valuable to the Cubs. But Swanson also noticed Cubs fans, in particular, and how they support their team. He signed outfielder Yasmany Toms out of Cuba to a six-year deal worth $68.5 million. Internally, the Cubs leadership still cant believe that the club failed to sign any of the old core to extensions, and continues to wonder if the combustion of the World Series team was unavoidable. He played in just 11 games, hitting .188/.435/.250 with no home runs and a stolen base. Thatcher Demko announced himself as a top-flight option in the COVID bubble, grabbing the No. The Braves called up Swanson to make his major league debut in mid-August of 2016. The 2020 season is just about upon us, and TDG ranking SZN is almost concluded. Just months later . Despite the fairly quiet . Through the end of the regular season, he registered multiple hits in 12 of 38 games, finishing the year with a major league OPS of .803. Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner should be in the middle with Hosmer at first, but the third base and utility/backup infield positions figure to be shared by Patrick Wisdom, Nick Madrigal . Photo: Kevin French/Icon Sportswire But thats a problem for the hypothetical 2023 Cubs. He's an excellent defensive shortstop whose glove work actually improved in 2022. And if Miller succeeds? . Here is what they are bringing to Atlanta's system. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). six consecutive times and counting. This was a player who could boost a team's playoff chances not only for the coming year, but for the foreseeable future as welland he was attainable. Inciarte has been a quality pro, hitting .280 in his career with 263 RBIs. Home; NFL. He only played in 23 games and had nine home runs in a D-Backs uniform. 1 overall spot in the MLB Draft. He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 College World Series. Pollock included in any deal, a trade seemed anything but certain. He added the free agents Jameson Taillon and Drew Smyly to the teams starting rotation. The Milwaukee Brewers sent Noochie Varner to the Diamondbacks on Dec. 15 to complete the trade. Needless to say, Swanson was a highly touted prospect. sign back TA. Justin Dansby and Leonidas Dansby played in the minors. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. As such, it's. Swanson . play. And Trey Mancini, too? The optimism that the franchise was finally moving in the right direction was real. 12-09-2015: Atlanta Braves traded Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier to Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Ender Inciarte, Aaron Blair and Dansby Swanson. Although he starred collegiately at Vanderbilt and was drafted No. Need we say more? Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 30, 2022. A shortstop who just so happened to be the No. 1 shortstop. No matter what, though, the Braves absolutely fleeced the D-Backs in the Swanson trade. LAKELAND, Fla. Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has withdrawn from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic due to inflammation in his right knee. Dodgers in agreement with free-agent right-hander Shelby Miller, pending physical, sources tell @TheAthletic. In shifting gears this winter, Hoyers vision was sharp and consistent. Only time will tell if the Atlanta Braves made the right decision letting Dansby Swanson walk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. I will always cherish the memories and relationships that were created with teammates, staff members, and the rest of Braves Country. But its obviously something wed like to be more consistent with here.. His 7.14 ERA is more than a run worse than any other pitcher with at least 14 MLB starts this season. To his credit, however, Swanson (a) continued to develop his offensive game, and (b) save for relatively minor wrist and heel injuries in 2018 and 2019, respectively, kept himself available with his elite glove. When the Cubs beat Cleveland in the 2016 World Series, breaking a 108-year drought, it seemed as if a dynasty was forming. He rewarded his coach by hitting .333/.411/.475 and being named first team All-SEC. By design, most of the deals are short so as not to block the paths of key minor league prospects. 10 68.1k 16. But more than just creating a redundancy on the roster, Swanson brings a durable, reliable shortstop to a roster with a similarly talented shortstop Nico Hoerner who comes with a lengthy and troubling injury history. Did we mention he was a member of the San Francisco Giants in 2022 after the Yankees let him go in June? Its not a knock against anything about Atlanta, trust me. One hundred eight years, everything going on behind that, to go and accomplish that feat as a group together, it took a lot. Because of the Braves' plan for the future, Swanson and Blair are the two keys to the deal. The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series and a shortstop played a big role in the team's impressive postseason run to the title. and even Tyler Anderson over the last few years. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. That takes time. More Braves News: The Podcast to be Named Later recaps the Sean Murphy trade, discusses Dansby Swanson's market, and more. The trade became infamous for Arizona fans, as Shelby Miller (the primary piece headed to the D'Backs) immediately struggled with his new team, while Georgia-born Swanson blossomed with his. Baseball Trades & Transactions Involving Dansby Swanson. Hes battled injuries. And the Diamondbacks gave up all that for him? He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 College World Series, "Swanson hit .323 during the CWS, scoring five times and driving in two runs," according to Omaha.com. Durability and redundancy: In praise of Dansby Swanson, Cubs 4, Padres 0: The first Spring Training no-hitter in Cubs history. One thing to watch with Miller in 2016 will be his four-seam fastball. Stewarts rsum with the D-Backs isnt great even if you remove the Swanson trade. honestly try to run it back with the same or similar BP. The 23-year-old was expected to be part of a stacked lineup for the Dominican Republic. Jackson pitched a no-hitter for the team before eventually being traded for Daniel Hudson. We felt this is where we were called to be, to spend the next seven years of our life together, he said. And and! 1 picks. The Diamondbacks might believe the package they sent for Shelby Miller was fair given their expectations for him and the players they gave up, but they are overpaying market prices. Hell be another weapon in the mix. Cubs fans are plenty familiar with this approach employed by the Cubs with Javier Bez and Addison Russell during the last competitive window. They made something out of nothing with Evan Phillips, Phil Bickford, Corey Knebel, Alex Vesia, Yency Almonte and even Tyler Anderson over the last few years. Anyone can read what you share. The Braves were unable to re-sign Dansby Swanson, who inked a lucrative deal with the Cubs, and the shortstop sent an emotional goodbye message to Atlanta. The Marietta, Ga., native was born James Dansby Swanson (Dansby is his mother's maiden name). He relied more heavily on the pitch as 2015 wore on, and saw a consistent velocity drop and flattening out of the pitch throughout the year. The Diamondbacks dont even know when or if Miller willbe called back up this season. By the way, there has never been a major league player with the first, middle or last name Dansby. 1 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2015 MLB Draft. In particular, Im thinking about (a) the NHL trade deadline, and (b) the Bears approach to free agency and the draft. Jon Heyman reported earlier in the week that the Braves declined Swanson's $140 million counteroffer, which Heyman notes is the same deal Trevor Story and Javier Baez received.