Atlanta Braves Should Resign Catcher Tyler Flowers
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves should extend catcher Tyler Flowers before the end of the season. Flowers has had his best seasons with the Braves and should remain in Atlanta for the time being.
Tyler Flowers is currently part of an Atlanta Braves platoon at the catcher position. Sharing time with Kurt Suzuki, Flowers has been consistent and a calming presence for a young pitching staff. Signing Flowers to an extension is the right move to make for the Braves.
Flowers is a thirty-two-year-old veteran who has spent the last three years with the Atlanta Braves. They have been his best seasons to date offensively and he could be used in a variety of roles.
Flowers is a unique piece for the Braves in that he can be a starter or the backup catcher. He does his job at a high level and would allow the Braves flexibility in free agency.
Flowers would give the Braves the ability to feel confident in him as their starting catcher or to look for an upgrade to platoon.
In his career Flowers is a .240 hitter though he has hit much better than that with the Braves. Signing Flowers would be a great decision for the Braves and their pitching staff.
Flower’s defense isn’t the best in the League but he calls a great game and has a calming presence behind the plate.
Kurt Suzuki is set to hit free agency as well at the end of the season. With both of the Braves catchers set to hit the market Flowers should be the primary target considering his age and longer track record with the Braves.
If Flowers were to hit the open market he would have plenty of suitors in a market full of catchers. It is hard to predict exactly how much it would take to lock up Flowers considering the stale free agency market.
He is currently making $4-million considering that a two year $5-million dollar extension seems more than fair for the veteran. A veteran the Braves could well use in 2018 and beyond.