Hot stove could get stoked at GM meetings
Braves fans have craved action on the free-agent or trade fronts since Atlanta’s postseason ended abruptly with a Wild Card loss to St. Louis.
Well, there could at least be some rumblings from the desert during the annual general managers’ meetings Wednesday through Friday in Indian Wells, Calif.
Things are usually relatively sedate at the GM meetings compared to the annual Winter Meetings held in December, as teams do more laying of groundwork for trades rather than actual finalizing of deals. But two years ago the Braves pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade for Dan Uggla from the Marlins on the first day of the GM meetings in Orlando.
This year the Braves have not one but two holes to fill in their lineup – center fielder/leadoff man and either a left fielder or third baseman — and are believed to have about $25 million to spend on those two players’ salaries for next season.
Braves GM Frank Wren has been known to strike quickly when a possible deal arises.
“It’s always unlikely something major is going to happen at the GM meetings, because it’s usually just too early for the clubs to have gotten all the information they need,” he said. “You get accustomed to the dance that happens at the GM meetings, where you don’t really get to the specifics that you’d like, but you get an additional round of information.”
But, Wren said, you never know when a deal might materialize sooner than anticipated. Such as the Uggla trade, which Wren and Marlins GM Larry Beinfest had discussed for a few days before the meetings, then finalized quickly when the two were chatting during a group meeting on the first morning of the GM gathering in Orlando.
This year, there is reason to believe the GM meetings, and especially the subsequent four weeks period leading up to the Winter Meetings Dec. 3-6 in Nashville, could be more eventful than in the past. That’s because under baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement some key free-agency rules have changed.
In the past, teams didn’t have to offer arbitration to their own free agents until early December to assure they’d get draft-pick compensation if they lost those free agents to another team. That served to slow the free-agent market, because other teams would wait to find out which players were offered arbitration and would thus cost them a draft pick or picks to sign.
Under the new system, teams were required to make one-year, $13.3 million “qualifying offers” to their own free agents by Friday, five days after the World Series ended, and those players have seven days to accept or decline those offers.
Any free agent who receives a qualifying offer and then signs with another team will cost that team its top draft pick, or its second pick if the first pick is among the draft’s overall top 10.
By Friday, GMs will know exactly which free agents are available and which ones will cost a draft pick to sign.
“The timetables for some of the offseason dates have been moved up as part of the news basic agreement,” Wren said, “which should lead, I think in some cases, to guys having a better feel for their position in the marketplace. I would think that would lend to some possible quicker decisions, but it’s hard to say. Every market takes on its own characteristics.”
The Braves made a qualifying offer to their free-agent center fielder Michael Bourn, who’ll surely reject it as his agent, Scott Boras, looks for a salary in excess of $15 million annually in a multi-year deal for the stolen-base specialist and two-time former Golden Glove winner.
The Braves seem unlikely to offer nearly that much for a 30-year-old whose greatest asset is speed — an asset that usually doesn’t age as well as some others including power.
Wren said immediately after the season that the Braves would not overpay for free agents, and might look for two players for the salary of one top-salary-tier free agent if they can get more production from those two. That statement would seem to preclude the Braves from pursuing free-agent Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton, who reportedly seeks a long-term contract worth around $25 million annually.
The Braves could search for a replacement center fielder via trade – Minnesota’s Denard Span, Colorado’s Dexter Fowler and others could be available – or free agency, where San Francisco’s Angel Pagan stands out as someone who might produce comparable stats to Bourn and come at a cheaper price and perhaps a contract of two or three years instead of four or five.
Pagan didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Giants, so he couldn’t cost any draft-pick compensation to sign.
A switch-hitting former Met traded to San Francisco last winter, Pagan hit .288 with a league-leading 15 triples, a career-best 38 doubles and eight homers with 29 steals in 37 attempts. He made $4.85 million in 2012 and could more than double that salary as a free agent.
The Braves will move Martin Prado to third base to replace retired Chipper Jones if they decide the market is better suited to acquire a power-hitting left fielder than a third baseman, which appears will be the case.
Among free-agent outfielders, Dodgers (and ex-Phillies) center fielder Shane Victorino and the Angels’ Torii Hunter, 37, didn’t receive qualifying offers and could be signed without giving up a draft pick.
Cincinnati left fielder Ryan Ludwick, 34, became a free agent after opting out of a $5 million option for 2013. He hit .275 with 26 home runs and 80 RBIs for the the Reds.
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232 comments Add your comment
DHD
November 5th, 2012
6:58 pm
Get-r-dun!
Midnight earl
November 5th, 2012
7:02 pm
Wren usually comes out swinging so I expect some news out of the GM meetings.
DOB, Boras said each team has an extra 25 million from the MLB TV deal. Hey the braves acknowledged this?
ChipperisGod
November 5th, 2012
7:05 pm
Be smart, Frank. No washed up veterans. Good options out there like Pagan, Ludwick and some possible trades could be made for Revere/Willingham.
Fill those holes and resign Rossy and Reed! Bourn will unfortunately play for Washington, Philly, Cincy or some other team.
phoenix
November 5th, 2012
7:09 pm
Torii Hunter, Ryan Ludwick, on and on… all serviceable, competent mid-level Major Leaguers…none of whom will boost the Braves into deep post-season baseball. We’ve had a bunch of those types of pickups in recent years (Garret Anderson, Alex Gonzalez, Mark Kotsay, Derek Lowe…), all on the downhill slope, their best years behind them. Here we go again.
nsacpi
November 5th, 2012
7:09 pm
The new national TV contracts take effect in 2014. And yes, each team will see an increase in revenues of about $25 million. Which should translate to payrolls going up 15-20 million.
phoenix
November 5th, 2012
7:10 pm
Speaking of over-the-hill pickups, somehow I forget Uggla. I try really hard to forget him.
Aja hunt
November 5th, 2012
7:16 pm
Pagan I believe is the best fit for ATL, I bet he had less strikeouts than Bourn too.
Travis Turner
November 5th, 2012
7:23 pm
Sign Youkillis and BJ Upton and be done.
JoeBravesFan
November 5th, 2012
7:24 pm
Can’t wait to see what Wren & Co pull off this offseason! Prado will definitely be moved to 3rd, so I imagine they’ll be looking for players to fill LF and CF. Lots of options out there.
Wilson
November 5th, 2012
7:25 pm
How crazy would it be to pick up Pagan and Victorino?? I would have no problem with that.
BRAVESFAN
November 5th, 2012
7:30 pm
Pay for what they will do in the future, not what they did in the past!
Matt
November 5th, 2012
7:31 pm
DOB – no mention of Victorino? I’d love to get him
Rick C
November 5th, 2012
7:33 pm
Wilson, they need to get at least one power hitter. I would be fine with either one of those guys for CF, but getting both would be kind of redundant.
Travis Turner
November 5th, 2012
7:39 pm
Prado is a gold glove calibre left fielder. No need to move him.
Ken Stallings
November 5th, 2012
7:46 pm
One wonders if that Uggla trade happened so quickly because the Braves thought they were getting one level of production and the Marlins figured they were giving up a lesser value of production!
When the trade was made, it seemed like a steal, Uggla for Omar Infante and minor leager Mike Dunn seemed like a great deal for the Braves. But two years of disappointing offensive production makes one wonder if the Marlins saw this happening and saw an opportunity to limit their losses. Perhaps they also anticipated what their new stadium would be tailored for and knew a hitter like Uggla would fare even worse in such a pasture!
yogi
November 5th, 2012
7:48 pm
Angel Pagan , B J Upton for the outfield. Youkalis for third. Trade Uggla and return Prado to second base. This is realistic if you can dump Uggla
Wood
November 5th, 2012
7:49 pm
Looks like there are some good possibilities out there for us. For CF i like Pagan, BJ Upton or Victorino via FA or Justin Upton or Fowler via trade. For Outfield I like Cody Ross or Ludwick via FA or Revere via trade. Headley would be best if possible.
If we are able to grab either combo of these guys along with locking up our other young fielders and pitchers things will look good in braves country for a while.
Good luck Frank.
Matt
November 5th, 2012
7:53 pm
Travis – Prado would be a gold glove catcher too probably. The guy is the man. It makes sense to get the best players that fit, then fill in Prado where needed.
Rick C
November 5th, 2012
8:03 pm
Ken, the Marlins reportedly offered Uggla an extension that he turned down before they traded him.
yogi, besides that trading Uggla without eating most of the contract is extremely unrealistic right now, the guy you’d essentially want instead of him is Youkilis? I mean, his production was arguably worse than Uggla’s this past season.
Buttermilk Tuesdays
November 5th, 2012
8:04 pm
Are we seriously talking about Ryan Ludwick and Torii (not Torri, DOB) Hunter? One would think with the money we have available that we would aim a little higher.
JamesH
November 5th, 2012
8:08 pm
@ Travis Youkills isn’t the same player he use to be so he’s not a ideal target for 3rd either Prado or Headley are the only real good options and Braves and Padres match up nicely cause Padres need young talented pitching. Wright is a option to but not a very realistic one
Mark (another one)
November 5th, 2012
8:24 pm
I like the idea of Prado moving to 3rd and giving the Braves a strong infield. There are plenty of candidates for LF. A bet Prado could be a repeat all-star at 3rd, which is harder to find than a LF.
In my dreams I move McCann to 1st, Freeman to 3rd, Prado to LF and look for a catcher and CF. I often wondered why the Braves made Freeman a 1st baseman when he was drafted at 3rd and 1st. Oh we’ll. what’s done is done.
Commerce Tiger
November 5th, 2012
9:03 pm
I actually like Dexter Fowler a lot, he’s a local guy (a more proven one than say, Francoeur) and has as much or more speed than Bourn. He’s also in his mid 20’s.
JoeFan
November 5th, 2012
9:04 pm
Will not be surprised when Gattis is slotted into LF and Wren uses the extra cash to sign Pagan for CF and the rest to go after Greinke. That’s all rpoviding Liberty doesn’t tell Wren to send most of the excess cash back to the corporate coffers.
spaceman109
November 5th, 2012
9:05 pm
isn’t kevin youkilis like 82 years old now?!?
spaceman109
November 5th, 2012
9:06 pm
joefan…..who is gattis? help me out here
Bud
November 5th, 2012
9:17 pm
Pagan and Ludwick, two years each. I wouldn’t do more than two, though maybe three for Pagan, he is only 30. Ludwick is 34. will be 35 next July. If Ludwik wants more than two years, then don’t sign him.
Bud
November 5th, 2012
9:17 pm
Pagan and Ludwick, two years each. I wouldn’t do more than two, though maybe three for Pagan, he is only 30. Ludwick is 34. will be 35 next July. If Ludwik wants more than two years, then don’t sign him. I look for Gattis to be the left fieder by 2015.
Brain
November 5th, 2012
9:21 pm
1) Dexter Fowler is not a leadoff guy. He’s much more comfortable hitting #2 or down in the order. But he’s a helluva player coming off a very good year and showing he’s ready to be here and produce on the big stage.
2) For all of you who want only big name guys, consider the Giants’ roster this year. They’re the island of misfit toys, with the exception of Panda and Posey. They have outstanding pitching and guys who are substantially more concerned with winning than they are accumulating stats. There are no Ugglas on their roster. Just guys who take quality cuts and now how to move a runner over, etc.
Glen
November 5th, 2012
9:29 pm
Youklis & Hunter are past their prime & not good choices for the Braves. Pagan is intriguing for 2 years until Gattis is ready. Uggla has shown flashes of brilliance, so hopefully he will come out swinging.
Upton has moments where he looks great and others where he looks like a strikeout king whose head isn’t in the game. Fowler would be a good choice as he’s not a household name and not commanding a huge salary yet.
Caleb
November 5th, 2012
9:29 pm
@BRIAN: Excellent points, I agree with you.
travis
November 5th, 2012
9:31 pm
Enter your comments here
Caleb
November 5th, 2012
9:33 pm
I wonder why fowler isnt being talked about more? I guess he was mentioned in this article… or was he?
Herman Ruth
November 5th, 2012
9:36 pm
I expect another mediocre team next year.
Derek
November 5th, 2012
9:41 pm
I, for one, don’t like the idea of Angel Pagan. He certainly had a great year in a big ball park and will substantially benefit from overperforming during the World Series. He never really excelled during his time with NYM, thus being traded for another underperformer: Andres Torres. SF has the money to spend, especially with not bringing back Melky Cabrera, and they won’t let him go.
I’m big on Shane Victorino. Where Bourn and BJ Upton will get too many years, Victorino wants a starting role and could be had for 3 years, and substatially less than either of the two. He was great with PHI and knows the NL East, and would be a great leader in the clubhouse.
rj
November 5th, 2012
9:41 pm
whatever you do Frank please dump Uggla. We are stuck with the salary so eat all of it you have to in order to get rid of him. He is such a drag on the offense. The only good thing he did while in Atlanta is take the heat off the long term deal given to Hampton.
Expand Instant Replay
November 5th, 2012
9:42 pm
I expect another year of Horrible umpiring. When it comes results I wouldnt expect to see the Braves have another disappointing finish to 2013. The team cant seem to function in must win games (or even important games)
Expand Instant Replay
November 5th, 2012
9:46 pm
when it comes to* results…
Coach
November 5th, 2012
9:46 pm
I am surprised the Giants didn’t offer anything to Pagan, he had an incredible year. I think if you stood Pagan and Bourn side by side, dollar for dollar, and comparing the numbers, you would get way more bang for your buck with Pagan. Victorino would be a nice fit as well. I think Evan Gattis, great story of a guy who has worked his tail off to get to where he is now, will probably start the season in AAA and see what he does. He has punished the baseball on every level thus far. Management feels that by moving to left field will get him to the majors quicker since he is blocked by both McCann and Bethancourt. If anything, he could be a huge trade chip to help acquire what we need in either the outfield or third base. Anybody with a rolling marble in their head knows that the Braves aren’t even going to consider making an offer to Hamilton. Sure, they’re “intrigued” by him, hell, who isn’t?? I mean, Angeline Jolie is intriguing, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to get her!
It has been a long time since the Braves have had this kind of flexibility in terms of payroll, and I know that Wren will get the best players that he can get with what he’s got. I was a little hesitant about him when the season started, but he has raised some eyebrows and made some good decisions.
jj
November 5th, 2012
9:49 pm
Caleb, Dexter is under contract with Rockies and up for arbitration. Braves would have to make a trade to get him if CR would even think of trading him. You never know.
moboman
November 5th, 2012
9:57 pm
If Gattis is to make it, he will have to be fast tracked sooner than 2015. He’s not a kid. Expect him to make the roster sometime in 2013 as a righty pinch hitter, backup OF-C.
bring back blauser
November 5th, 2012
10:00 pm
why not go after Juan Pierre he would be a decent centerfielder who can get on base and run only drawback is his arm is not strong
phoenix
November 5th, 2012
10:00 pm
Brain at 9:21 p.m.: this makes more sense than anything DOB, or the rest of us have ever posted here:
consider the Giants’ roster this year. They’re the island of misfit toys, with the exception of Panda and Posey. They have outstanding pitching and guys who are substantially more concerned with winning than they are accumulating stats. There are no Ugglas on their roster. Just guys who take quality cuts and now how to move a runner over, etc.
moboman
November 5th, 2012
10:02 pm
AS for the horrible umpiring. Anyone notice how they quit showing the FOXTRAC every pitch halfway thru the playoffs? The umps were missing so many calls it was embarassing. The classic was during the Braves game when Medlin had thrown like 6-7 pitches to a batter, and despite the fact that EVERY pitch was in the strike box, the batter had a 3-2 count.
joe
November 5th, 2012
10:02 pm
I would do everything possible to get Headley in a trade….Put Prado in LF. Then try to trade for Ben Rever are Span to play CF. Headley would cost you 12 million for 3 years and 1 million for Rever and 6 million for Span. 10 million in 2013 at most..then go get a good SP with some of the 20 million you still have. If that didn’t work get Victorino for two years. Go Braves..
Billvillebaron
November 5th, 2012
10:07 pm
How about a trade for Choo? Then sign Hunter.
joe
November 5th, 2012
10:13 pm
Hunter is good but 37 and would want 3 years 36 million. Another old man.
Expand Instant Replay
November 5th, 2012
10:16 pm
Moboman: i noticed the that about fox trax in regular season games!! I was at the WC game and i didnt watch a single play off game or WS game…
Bvillebaron
November 5th, 2012
10:16 pm
Herman Ruth:
Would that be the same mediocre team that won 94 games last year?
Expand Instant Replay
November 5th, 2012
10:21 pm
moboman: I noticed that about fox trax in regular season games!! I was at the WC game but i didnt watch a single playoff or WS game…I have absolutely no doubt that they stopped showing fox trax a lot though, as i said, i noticed it in regular season games a lot.
Expand Instant Replay
November 5th, 2012
10:26 pm
stupid ajc.com. screwing up my posts.
Eric
November 5th, 2012
10:27 pm
What about Francisco at 3B? He was a top prospect and had pretty good stats in limited PT. I would love to see what he could do in a full year. And he’s cheap!!
Dreaming
November 5th, 2012
10:35 pm
I think dale Murphy and bob horner are available.
Billvillebaron
November 5th, 2012
10:36 pm
Hunter ain’t getting $36 million. If someone wants to pay that, then don ‘t sign him. At 37 he is still a good player, a great clubhouse presence and a right handed power bat.
Dingus
November 5th, 2012
10:36 pm
I think the Braves should trade Michael Bourn for Mike Trout and trade Eric Hinske for Josh Hamilton. Those would be good trades. Also, nothing ruins a good oatmeal cookie like raisins.
Kujohn
November 5th, 2012
10:55 pm
Go all out for Grienke too lead what should become the best pitching staff including bullpen in the league
Grienke. Medlin beachy (mid season) minor Hudson has about 3 good yrs left An plenty of depth Hanson muholm terahn Delgado
Pitching depth Can be used to trade for cheap outfielder
Shafer will be our center fielder. Only 26 our hitting coaches can turn him around.
Or just put Gattis in left he also is 26 Hit at every level An tearing up the winter league
Pitching is what the braves are known for an this pitching staff will put us back on the map
Heisenberg
November 5th, 2012
11:04 pm
Dingus, I am certain you are joking. And could their be a special ingredient in your oatmeal raisin cookies in place of the raisins? Do bake enough for all of us.
Bobo
November 5th, 2012
11:20 pm
Alright, I must say that the Braves get what they pay for. If they try to economize in this situation, we’re going to have another 88-74 year and go out in the 1st round of the playoffs again. Personally, I’d rather spend ALL $25 million on a player like Hamilton than go after a Ludwick and a Fowler. Why not get a guy that can put butts in the seats and put up ridiculous numbers that will be more than the other two guys combined? We need a bona fide superstar now that Chipper is gone. Hamilton would be worth it. We have enough young arms to trade one of them for a serviceable (and much cheaper) centerfielder than Bourne. Why not dangle Tommy Hanson for a 30-40 SB guy like Span and spend the FA money on Hamilton?
Bobo
November 5th, 2012
11:21 pm
I remember back in the day about 20 years ago that the Braves came to their senses then and realized that a guy by the name of Maddux was expensive, but worth the money.
rainman34
November 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
I just hope we are smart and dont make moves just to make them like the lowe and kk moves. Lets face it unless we can pull off something huge we will not be great next year we will be good just not great so dont mortgage the future just to make the playoffs lets build a champion. Oh yea I love me some Gattis would love to see him in left if he is a least league avg on d it would be awesome. If you have not seen the vid of him on youtube you need to check it out. He hit a go ahead homer and was beyond pumped. I love to see that kind of passion and love of the game.
jocrazy
November 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
frank uggla is a joe johnson. get rid of him.you r a hero.
jocrazy
November 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
frank uggla is a joe johnson. get rid of him.you r a hero.
jocrazy
November 5th, 2012
11:31 pm
frank uggla is a joe johnson. get rid of him.you r a hero.
aaa
November 5th, 2012
11:53 pm
Anyone saying the Braves should just plug in Prado wherever he’s needed is crazy. He’s a great player and deserves to be a starter at 3rd or LF (2nd is really where he belongs but that’s another story). Prado is a team player and he’s earned the right to be the starter, not treated as a stop-gap.
Mike McDonald
November 5th, 2012
11:54 pm
MLB mandates are now so convoluted by give-ups to the Players Union that the game is in a suicide dive. It is a lost cause that defies rational solution.
Merlin
November 5th, 2012
11:55 pm
What amazes me is that everyone thinks B J Upton is some kind of superstar when in fact he’s a mediocre hitter with horrible on base numbers and massive strike out numbers every year. doesn’t anyone actually read statistics? Upton was 242./298/.454 that’s 17th of 21 center fielders who qualified for a batting title. 298 OBP There were only 4 outfielders total in the majors (qualified for a batting title) that had an OBP lower that BJ.. that makes him 48th of 52. In the same group he was
51st if 52, only Granderson struck out more. BJ Upton will disappoint the team that signs him and I hope it isn’t the Braves
Kujohn
November 5th, 2012
11:57 pm
need to make a big splash Hamilton. Or chase Headly or Juston upton or zack Grienke Chipper put fans in the seats Only one can put fans in the seats equal to Chipper. That’s Hamilton He is a southern boy who has said before he likes Atl A true superstar Would excite the fan base
chophouse
November 6th, 2012
12:01 am
Torii Hunter hit .313 with 16 HR & 93 RBI’s and a 5.5 WAR. He might be older, but the guy can still play. Bring him in and put him in Left. Put Pagan/Victorino in CF and that is one solid outfield.
Cody Ross obviously had a great year last year. However, I have concerns about signing him to a 3 year, 25 mil deal which is what he’s demanding since he’s over 30 years old and just now had a breakout season. I’d much rather go with Hunter/Swisher who are both proven players who put up consistent numbers.
Big Jake
November 6th, 2012
12:14 am
Dingus, I just spat my water laughing. Thanks. It’s a game, folks. On a serious note, I would like to see what Wren could do,with a payroll comparable to the Phils.
Maybe the Chic Fil A folks would like to get into the baseball business?
Teddy B
November 6th, 2012
12:24 am
Every winter and trade deadline we talk about getting Ludwick, Cody Ross, and other bodies to fill the voids we have in the lineup. We haven’t been able to land any of them yet, wish we could just stop talking about getting any of these bums. It wouldn’t be worth the cost and they are all getting a year older every time we talk about picking up these guys.
Honestly the best names in the article were Pagan and Torii Hunter but even they are getting older and the numbers are dropping year after year. Lets aim higher and trade some prospects for a better outfielder or we could bring up some young guys. Evan Gattis might be a good move if he can be considered a legitimate outfielder, not sure how well he transitioned to the OF but we could watch his numbers in winter ball and go from there.
Rowsdower
November 6th, 2012
1:05 am
Please take park effect into account when evaluating guys like Ryan Ludwick. He played in a little league park that inflated his numbers. Very little chance he can duplicate those numbers in a pitcher’s park like Turner Field.
I would rather give up prospects for Chase Headley who killed it in a brutal home ballpark.
Bobby cox fan club
November 6th, 2012
1:10 am
Go after Cody Ross and Victorino/Pagan,or save that money and put Stefan Gartrell in LF,dude has power and hit HRs for Gwinett and also need to convert Ernesto Mejia to outfield,dude can also hit with power.Gattis also can hit so any of those guys,save the money and go with these guys,except get a leadoff hitter.resign Johnson and Ross and Durbin.Costanza woule be a good option.
Mitchell
November 6th, 2012
1:13 am
Will the Braves make a trade at the GM meetings?
Gosh, I hope so.
Frank Wren sucks.
Mitchell
November 6th, 2012
1:19 am
Herman Ruth
November 5th, 2012
9:36 pm
I expect another mediocre team next year.
Thank you!
What is with you people?
Like any of this matters.
If we even make another wild card game, we could have a hundred wins and still lose.
What more do you need to see from this team?
We’re not winning the division. We’re not winning the World Series.
We haven’t won a playoff series in eleven, going on twelve, years.
Same old s!%#. Brand new year.
Rowsdower
November 6th, 2012
1:20 am
Frank Wren sucks…LOL. All he’s done is build a perennial playoff team just like Schuerholz. I suppose he sucks too.
All a GM can do is lead a horse to water…he can’t make them hit and field when it matters.
Mitchell
November 6th, 2012
2:21 am
Per·en·ni·al [puh-ren-ee-uhl]
adjective
1. lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring: her perennial beauty.
2. (of plants) having a life cycle lasting more than two years.
3. lasting or continuing throughout the entire year, as a stream.
4. perpetual; everlasting; continuing; recurrent.
One and half playoff appearances in the seven seasons since the Braves last won a division title, in which both Scheurholz and Wren served as GM.
Five actual playoff games. One win.
Not sure where you get “perennial” or “playoff team” out of that equation.
Rowsdower
November 6th, 2012
3:27 am
He has built playoff teams 3 years in a row, nevermind the meltdown. That’s perennial in my book. Again, it’s not like he picked up a bat or put on a glove. Both teams that actually made the playoffs should’ve moved on. The team that didn’t was better than any other NL team but didn’t get it done. That isn’t on Wren.
If you want to bitch and moan, be a Royals fan…
Ted M
November 6th, 2012
5:03 am
What are the Braves plans, if any, for Juan Francisco? I don’t really think he is the answer. There are 10’s of millions of dollars at stake and he comes to spring training 25 lbs over weight…how lazy would a talent have to be to blow that off. I’m just surprised there has been no mention of him one way or the other.
Go Jackets
November 6th, 2012
6:22 am
Lead off speedster and a power right handed bat and we are golden.
mjone182@yahoo.com
November 6th, 2012
6:27 am
Herman Ruth, I don’t know what your definition of mediocre is, but 92 wins is not it for baseball.
For me, I’d personally like to see both Upton brothers in the Braves outfield next year. Make it so, Wren.
Game Changer
November 6th, 2012
6:38 am
John Smoltz should be the MANAGER OF THE ATLANTA BRAVES. It will not happen as long as Wren is around because SMOLTZ would not need him for anything. Wren has not done anything to improve the Braves roster since he got the GM job. HIRE JOHN SMOLTZ AS THE MANAGER OF THE ATLANTA BRAVES — WOULD BE THE BEST THING EVER –
joe
November 6th, 2012
6:46 am
Go Vote!
ncgary
November 6th, 2012
7:13 am
you mean i can vote twice?
what you eat for breakfast?
November 6th, 2012
7:14 am
So basically we get to go after “leftovers” and not top of the line quality players. *sigh*
Joe Nuxall
November 6th, 2012
7:29 am
Give Arizona Teheran or Hanson for Justin Upton and put him in left field. Sign BJ Upton as a free agent and keep him in center. Now this, folks, is a real good fix for the Braves. They’d be set.
Roy Gibbs
November 6th, 2012
7:45 am
Just booked our Spring Training trip Mar 13 – 22. Can’t wait to see the improvements that you guys
have made to my Braves. I’ll bet that Mr. Wren is just finishing his morning coffee and is furiously
jotting notes on all of your input. Go get ‘um, Frank.
Armchair Observer
November 6th, 2012
7:46 am
# It won’t matter who the Braves get if Fredi is sitting his hands in the dugout and not being aggressive. What is wrong playing for 1 run? A run here and a run there adds up with really good pitching, and a big inning occasionally.
# Headley sounds like the player they should pursue most aggressivley, then find a centerfielder (Victorino would be nice, even Tori Hunter for 2 years)
# Gattis should make the roster, along with Francisco there is pop off the bench with
Schafer as the speed guy.
# Uggla going nowhere, don’t laugh he could be league MVP next year if he puts it all together consistently.
jerry
November 6th, 2012
7:47 am
No way is Liberty Media dedicated to winning a World Series. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Armchair Observer
November 6th, 2012
7:48 am
# Say no to Uptons.
# Say no to Uptons!
# Say NO to Uptons!!!!!!
Joe Nuxall
November 6th, 2012
7:57 am
Dang Amrchair, you don’t have to be so Downton about Uptons.
cornjolio
November 6th, 2012
8:10 am
DUMP UGGLA
Frank Wren
November 6th, 2012
8:13 am
retreads, rehabs, & rejects are my specialty !
A healthy Brian McCann in 2013 is the equivalent of acquiring an ALLSTAR catcher !
As a result don’t look for any big name & budget-busting difference makers to be acquired this offseason.
I’m ready for spring training !
Cecil34
November 6th, 2012
8:19 am
Competitive and profitable – the two words that are the mission statement for the Braves and Wren as per Liberty Media via Terry McGuirk.
It is there in black and white from Tim Tucker’s interview with McGuirk before last season.
It makes me sick.
Keep your expectations low.
Joey
November 6th, 2012
8:19 am
Pagen and Victorino. Get em Frankie!
Let's Go
November 6th, 2012
8:30 am
Like Pagan, he would be a great fit in center with a very manageable salary. Stay away from Tori Hunter and Ryan Ludwick. Hunter is another Garret Anderson and Ludwick played in Cincinnati and that little league ballpark so his numbers are inflated. Dexter Fowler could be an interesting option but if he is available I could see a few teams interested which might mean the Braves would have to overpay for him with prospects. On the plus side if you could get him in a reasonable trade you would have control of him for 3 seasons before he is free agent eligible and it appears he is finally developing into a good everyday ballplayer.
RBrave
November 6th, 2012
8:32 am
Love the Braves policy of not overpaying for free agents, overpaying for 1 player that gets hurt or underachieves can wreck a ball club. ARod, Soriano, Dice-K,Puhouls (spelling). Cardinals did fine without him and that monster salary. Go Braves
Ricky
November 6th, 2012
8:35 am
I’m an Angels fan and think Torii Hunter is fantastic…very disappointed they aren’t bringing him back. The Braves should sign him to a 2 year deal to provide leadership, strong defense, and a productive bat until the farm has another prospect ready to go. I’d love to see Torii at Turner!
O.J.
November 6th, 2012
8:39 am
I saw no to Fowler, no to Hunter, no to Ludwick.
Yes to trading for Headley, and yes to signing BJ Upton or Angel Pagan
man and dog
November 6th, 2012
8:39 am
Frankie – Make another blockbuster trade and include Uggla in it again.
what you eat for breakfast?
November 6th, 2012
8:44 am
We will really need someone to put people in the seats at the ted, Sadly I do not think names like “Pagan” and “Fowler” will do that and people probably will not be sporting those jerseys.
Bravesfan77
November 6th, 2012
8:47 am
Please no more trades like Uggla. They never EVER work out. Just sign a free agent who’s father has taught him how to hit.
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
8:55 am
A lot a input from the fans as to how the holes should be filled. So Frank, you have the
information you said that is needed. Now, its time for you to get busy and get it done.
Brandon
November 6th, 2012
9:15 am
I don’t understand how people love bj upton so much and then hate uggla. Career wise, they have very similar numbers. Upton had a .298 on base percentage last season. That is HORRIBLE. No way that i would ever recommend him for the braves team.
Angel Pagan definitely looks like the best fit
Braves' fan
November 6th, 2012
9:19 am
Brian McCann was brought back in 2013 to put fans in the seats, even though he won’t
be available until May, if at all.
Winning is secondary to fan interest. That money could have been used to acquire a
much-needed slugger in his prime, instead of some retread that Wren is seeking when he goes dumpster diving this week.
DaltonBrave
November 6th, 2012
9:19 am
“But two years ago the Braves pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade for Dan Uggla”
Ha, how’d that work out for us?
DaltonBrave
November 6th, 2012
9:19 am
“But two years ago the Braves pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade for Dan Uggla”
Ha, how’d that work out for us?
bravesfaninnc
November 6th, 2012
9:20 am
“Pagen and Victorino. Get em Frankie!”
I agree with this. We need guys who are good at getting on base and making things happen. When you go for big boppers, you’re just hoping things will happen (which most of the time, they don’t)
CF Pagan
3B Prado
RF Heyward
1B Freeman
2B Uggla
C McCann
LF Victorino
SS Simmons
If Uggla and McCann can rebound in 2013 like Prado and Heyward did in 2012, this would be a very effective lineup.
Don
November 6th, 2012
9:30 am
“Wren could make another big deal like the Uggla deal.”
Lets hope he never makes another deal like the UGGLA deal. We may be safe – It would be difficult to find another deal that bad.
Of course, it was a great deal except for the minor details that he is not a good fielder, not a good hitter, and strikes our about twice as much as a decent player should.
BRAVELESS
November 6th, 2012
9:31 am
If the Braves trade Uggla it will give them almost $38 million for the free agency market. We can get two or three young quality players to fill all open positions. Always looking for bargain players will not bring a championship to Atlanta. Uggla has not earned his salary the last two years so it is time to cut bait and reduce your losses.
Brown
November 6th, 2012
9:34 am
Braveless, Atlanta would have to eat most of Uggla’s salary. I’d like to see him shipped, but it won’t clear up salary cap space.
Sam
November 6th, 2012
9:38 am
Angel Pagan is not the answer for the Braves in center. As I have said repeatedly, sign BJ and trade for Justin Upton. I can imagine kids wearing Justin Upton jerseys around Turner Field.
submariner
November 6th, 2012
9:54 am
Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence. Victorino in Center, Pence in Left and move “The Devil Wears Prado” to Third.
JNick
November 6th, 2012
10:06 am
Pagan, grossly overrated
Uggla will not be traded….get over it
Greinke will not be signed by the Braves
Upton will not be traded for simply for Teheran or Hanson (2 Braves whose trade values are at all time lows)
Check out Fowler’s home/road splits and let me know what you find
Padres have ZERO reason to move Headley – and won’t, anytime soon. Still under team control for 2 years….2014 at the absolute soonest (possible trade deadline blockbuster)
Next…
JNick
November 6th, 2012
10:08 am
Submariner, Pence will have to be non-tendered by the Giants before he would be available – and that’s still in question. Via arbitration, he’d likely get $12mil – as a FA, he’d ask for at least that much a year.
extremus
November 6th, 2012
10:25 am
I doubt that the Braves are going to be able to unload Uggla, and even if they do they’ll most likely end up paying most of his fat contract for the next several seasons as they did Derek Lowe this past year. That said, I think they’d be doing themselves a huge favor if they could move him and still get something significant in exchange. Prado is always talked about as Chipper’s replacement at third base, but honestly I’d rather see him move back to second, get a more traditional power/average bat at third, and see if they can do the same in left.
Regardless, this offseason is a very tall order to fill for Frank Wren, and though he has more money to play with than he has the past few years, it’s still short of what would probably meet all the Braves’ needs, and I don’t think Liberty Media is going to give him much if any wiggle room.
extremus
November 6th, 2012
10:25 am
I doubt that the Braves are going to be able to unload Uggla, and even if they do they’ll most likely end up paying most of his fat contract for the next several seasons as they did Derek Lowe this past year. That said, I think they’d be doing themselves a huge favor if they could move him and still get something significant in exchange. Prado is always talked about as Chipper’s replacement at third base, but honestly I’d rather see him move back to second, get a more traditional power/average bat at third, and see if they can do the same in left.
Regardless, this offseason is a very tall order to fill for Frank Wren, and though he has more money to play with than he has the past few years, it’s still short of what would probably meet all the Braves’ needs, and I don’t think Liberty Media is going to give him much if any wiggle room.
JoeBravesFan
November 6th, 2012
10:27 am
Is there an AL team in need of a 2B? If so, trade Uggla to them as a 2B/DH, move Prado back to 2nd and go after players to play 3B, LF and CF. Cody Ross’s asking price isn’t too unrealistic, but he’s made it pretty clear he doesn’t want to play here.
Peter
November 6th, 2012
10:29 am
Can the Braves trade Both WREN and Uggla there ?
That would be an improvement ! I am sure Wren is goi9ng to give away too much to get anybody……his history proves it !
Edward
November 6th, 2012
10:29 am
I don’t see a free agent outfielder that can help the Braves. They will have to make a trade for an outfielder.
Atlanta Braves Links of the Day For November 6, 2012 | Atlanta Braves Dugout Online | Atlanta Braves Blog
November 6th, 2012
10:36 am
[...] Hot stove could get stoked at GM meetings [...]
Jack Clompus
November 6th, 2012
10:45 am
“resign” is not the same as re-sign. Can we all agree on this…………….?
Jack Clompus
November 6th, 2012
10:47 am
“Submariner, Pence will have to be non-tendered by the Giants before he would be available..”
Please, not Pence. He is such an oddball.
John
November 6th, 2012
10:54 am
How about we trade Uggla for a 3rd baseman or Outfielder move Prado back to 2nd and spend the $ to fill the other hole
John
November 6th, 2012
10:54 am
How about we trade Uggla for a 3rd baseman or Outfielder move Prado back to 2nd and spend the $ to fill the other hole
Braves Oldie
November 6th, 2012
10:58 am
Folks it is sad to say, but you just cant take the Braves seriously anymore. I’ve followed this franchise for many years, bad times to great times. Until this team is sold it will not be a serious contender. The Braves will not make any big trades or free agents, that is just the facts. They may bring in some retreads on their downhill but that is all we will get.
The Braves are just summer entertainment at this point.
Rick C
November 6th, 2012
11:02 am
John, they are not going to get any players of worth trading Uggla right now, and they would have to eat most of his contract too. Stop suggesting it. He’s not going anywhere right now.
Vinny
November 6th, 2012
11:14 am
Trade freeman for ellsbury. Sign berkman for first until mac learns how to play it.
Ellsbury
Prado
Heyward
Berkman
Mac
Uggla
francisco/gattis/johnson
Simmons
Rick C
November 6th, 2012
11:16 am
I really hope you are just joking Vinny.
Vinny
November 6th, 2012
11:35 am
Ellsbury and berkman are both capable of .950 ops seasons. And mac needs to move from catcher and first is the only option.
GM Meetings To Take Place This Week
November 6th, 2012
11:36 am
[...] might be a little different. David O’Brien does a nice job of explaining how the new CBA will affect this years Winter [...]
Rick C
November 6th, 2012
11:46 am
Ellsbury is a good player, but trading one of our core players and replacing him with an aging player who only played in 32 games last season does not make any sense. And to add to that, at this point Mac has no experience at first base, we have no idea if he will bounce back this year or not, and even if so, him and the Braves still need to come to terms on a new contract. Way too many variables to account for in the future, and the idea is terrible to begin with. Mac will probably be gone after next season, but so be it. Even if he could learn first base and play it adequately, I’d rather continue with the younger, healthy, controllable and cheap player who is at his natural position.
Dum-Bass
November 6th, 2012
12:08 pm
Here’s hoping they trade for a manager who knows what he’s doing. That can be done now. They might actually make it INTO the playoffs and not just a silly play-in game! If we can just get rid of the current President(it’s gonna happen today!) and the inept Braves manager, life would be good again.
NEW CARS
November 6th, 2012
12:21 pm
Teheran, Venters, Pastornicky and Gilmartin for Chase Headley. Leave Prado in LF and go then sign Pagan or Bourn for CF…
Pagan/Bourn
Prado
Heyward
Headley
Freeman
Uggla
Ross/McCann
Simmons
I like that lineup a lot, and we wouldn’t be giving up a core guy. The question is would that be enough for the Padres, or would they require a high level prospect that we don’t have. Would we be willing to give up Delgado as well.
Hunter
November 6th, 2012
12:31 pm
I see BJ Upton – MLB Free-Agency: Destination Predictions for 15 of The Best Available Players – http://gral.in/mlb15
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
Dum-Bass: What specificaly makes Fredi G. inept and why do you say he does not know what he is doing? He lead the Braves to 94 wins in 2012 and 89 wins in 2011.
There are how many MLB managers who have managed the same team the last two years that have better records for 2011 1nd 2012?
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
Dum-Bass: What specificaly makes Fredi G. inept and why do you say he does not know what he is doing? He lead the Braves to 94 wins in 2012 and 89 wins in 2011.
There are how many MLB managers who have managed the same team the last two years that have better records for 2011 1nd 2012?
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
Dum-Bass: What specificaly makes Fredi G. inept and why do you say he does not know what he is doing? He lead the Braves to 94 wins in 2012 and 89 wins in 2011.
There are how many MLB managers who have managed the same team the last two years that have better records for 2011 1nd 2012?
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
Dum-Bass: What specificaly makes Fredi G. inept and why do you say he does not know what he is doing? He lead the Braves to 94 wins in 2012 and 89 wins in 2011.
There are how many MLB managers who have managed the same team the last two years that have better records for 2011 1nd 2012?
pdt
November 6th, 2012
12:51 pm
Would love to see another blockbuster deal involving Uggla come out of these meetings.
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
12:52 pm
DOB: Sorry for the multiple posts.
Rick C
November 6th, 2012
12:56 pm
Dum-Bass, as I tried to explain to you on a recent Bradley column, the WC game was a playoff game. If you think differently, you’re wrong.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
No they are LAZY.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
November 6th, 2012
1:49 pm
No they are LAZY.
Braves Fan
November 6th, 2012
2:24 pm
Why would Frank Wren spend $12M to bring back the less than productive and injury prone Brian McCann for one more year? He talks about not overpaying for top players yet he’s wasting money on B-Mac when he could re-sign Bourn instead
Ray
November 6th, 2012
2:56 pm
Before any of you start freaking out about Wren not signing this player or that player remember it takes 2. Wren can offer a FA a deal but its up the player and agent to accept. Good example was last winter so many were jumping on Wren for not signing Cody Ross. Not a single one of us knew that he had offered Ross a deal only to accept the offer from the Redsox. So unless you know for a fact he hadn’t talked or made an offer for a certain FA, then don’t bash when you don’t have the full story. Use some common sense.
TB
November 6th, 2012
2:57 pm
I can’t ever see Victorino as a Brave. We can do a whole lot better. Way better!!!
Braves' fan
November 6th, 2012
3:05 pm
Victorino hits .450 against the Braves and .250 against the rest of the league.
Kind of like Uggla did when he was a Marlin.
BlueMoon
November 6th, 2012
3:08 pm
Stick Gattis in left, Prado on 3rd and go after an ace for the pitching staff. Line up someone like a Greinke with Medlen and you have an outstanding 1-2 punch.
benchwarmer
November 6th, 2012
3:27 pm
I like Pagan and Victorino. Uggla and McCann have tremendous upside capability. If(again) thay can have good years the Bravos will do very well! Big ifs in pitching are Hanson, is his slide going to continue?, Beachy, will he comeback later in the year with the same performance level. Who will step up this year, Delgado?, will the real Ventors Please step forward. May need one more SP but ST will be soon enough to tell barring some trade that makes the concern moot.
Div.3 Superstar
November 6th, 2012
3:28 pm
Grady Sizemore would be a worthwhile investment. Low risk high reward type of guy and he still relatively young at 30.
StingerSplash
November 6th, 2012
3:30 pm
Coulda gone all day without thinking about Garret (one T) Anderson in a Braves uni. Coulda gone the rest of my life without reliving that. Thanks, phoenix. Had forgotten just how truly bad he was. Made Raul Mondesi look like a good pickup.
StingerSplash
November 6th, 2012
3:32 pm
Grady Sizemore has a second residence on the disabled list. He’s spent so much time there they made him president of the homeowners association.
Moving on.
benchwarmer
November 6th, 2012
3:32 pm
What has the President got to do with the Braves upcoming season?
jbill
November 6th, 2012
3:37 pm
JNICK–Padres need pitching is a damn good reason to trade Headley. Twins also need pitching so get Ben Rever -r- Span.
Justin Upton would be a great fit for Braves but would have to give up alot.
Someone said keep “Shafer for speed”..funny he’s been caught twice for ? already. If it was you are me we would be in jail.Ship his a@@ out.
JustIn
November 6th, 2012
3:54 pm
Hot Stove Moves
Trade – Hanson –SP, Delgado – SP & Terdo – 3B for Headley – 3B
Trade – Minor – SP, Gilmartin – SP, Avilan – RP, Constanza – OF, Gattis – C, OF, DH & Pastornicky – SS for Hernandez – SP
Sign Zach Greinke – SP
Sign Angel Pagan – CF
Re-sign David Ross – C
Re-sign Reed Johnson – OF
Re-sign Chad Durbin – RP
Starting Pitchers
2013 2014
Hernandez Hernandez
Greinke Greinke
Medlen Medlen
Hudson Beachy
Malholm Teheran
Lineup Bench
Pagan – CF Francisco – 3B
Prado – LF Ross – C
Heyward – RF Johnson – OF
Headley – 3B Janish – SS
Freeman – 1B Schafer – OF
McCann – C** Mejia – 1B
Uggla – 2B
Simmons – SS **Betancourt – C, until return
Bullpen
Gearrin Venters
Martinez O’Flaherty
Durbin Kimbrel
Rick C
November 6th, 2012
4:02 pm
Braves Fan, picking up McCann’s option does not have any effect on if they can bring back Bourn or not.
Nerdville
November 6th, 2012
4:10 pm
you guys are suckers if you think wren will do anything significant at those meetings.
Ron
November 6th, 2012
4:26 pm
U guys want the Braves to sign Torii Hunter, he’s DH material. Ludwick isn’t good either, inflated numbers hitting in that bandbox in Cinn. and he cannot hit lefties, not what the Braves need. The Braves need someone like Victorino or Span or Revere for CF. For LF, a right handed power bat such as Willingham. It would be nice to trade Uggla away but my guess we are stuck with him. If I were Wren I would sign Victorino as my CF, he is a switch hitter, does well at Turner Field, good clubhouse guy and hits with RISP. I would trade for Willingham from Minn. for Jurrijens or Delgado or Tehran and cpl of minor leaguers. Line-up would then be: 1) Victorino CF 2) Prado 3rd 3) Heyward RF 4) Willingham LF 5) Freeman 1st 6) Uggla 2nd 7) McCann/Ross/Gattis
Simmons SS 9) Pitcher. Rotation: 1) Medlen 2) Minor 3) Hudson 4) Maholm 5) Delgado/Tehran/Hanson or whoever. Beachy back at All-Star, he is then my #2 guy behind Medlen and everyone else moves down and whoever is #5 goes to minors/traded/whatever. Bullpen: Kimbrel, Venters, O’Flaherty, Avilian, Gearrin, Durbin, C. Martinez. Bench: Francisco, D.Ross, Schafer, Pastornicky, E. Mejia. Gattis plays until McCann is back then back to minors. Hinske, Baker, Diaz, Janish( too low batting avg. to take bench space and other options if Simmons hurt at any time) do not come back. R. Johnson will sign somewhere else. Mejia was added to 40 man roster( right handed hitting back- up 1st baseman power bat). 2013 Bravos!!
Jay Dubu
November 6th, 2012
4:37 pm
With the Bay Area’s history of “juicing”, I get leery of a players from that area, especially, when said player was average or below everywhere they played, and once they get to the Bay Area, they become much better.
tony
November 6th, 2012
4:55 pm
Resign Bourn and try to sign free agent David Wright and Josh Hamilton. Trade Uggla and move Prado to 2nd base.
jbill
November 6th, 2012
5:11 pm
David Wright is not a free agent..Mets picked up his option 16 million. Braves could trade for him but it would take a bank.
Bobby Cerasuolo
November 6th, 2012
5:17 pm
i say offer Uggla McCann and Spruill to the D-backs for Upton. then offer Hanson and Pastornicky to Twins for Denard Spann. Or trade Uggla McCann Pastornicky and Matt Lipka to the Rockies for Fowler and DJ LeMahieu then take w/e money is left over and make a go at Hamilton and give Gattis a shot at catcher along with Bethancourt and Ross.
bobbymahlon
November 6th, 2012
5:47 pm
Sign Victorino and Wright and we win 90-100 games. Give Gattis a shot as a back up catcher and left fielder, what can we lose with him.
Dreaming
November 6th, 2012
5:51 pm
Josh Hamilton for left Shane victorino in center(with the extra 25 million next year from the tv deal and 25 this year) this is definitely possible. You have to think about money 2-3 yrs ahead. Also, there’ s no way they resign McCann next year so that ’s another 12 million to lock up the young guys.
Amber Girl
November 6th, 2012
5:52 pm
HUH?
bobbymahlon
November 6th, 2012
6:33 pm
I’ll settle for Headley and Victorino.
Charles
November 6th, 2012
6:47 pm
I think the Bravos should go all the way and go after Lohse!!!!
Amber Girl
November 6th, 2012
6:47 pm
Who made you guys a GM? You’re guessing. Give it up.
Charles
November 6th, 2012
6:49 pm
They need to go after Lohse!!!!
Jack Clompus
November 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
“Uggla……….blockbuster trade………..”
Let’s please stop referring to this trade as Blockbuster. Nobody in baseball, save for a local writer or 2 and a collection of unknowledgeable fans, ever considered this Blockbuster…….and this was even before we knew how bad he is.
Jack Clompus
November 6th, 2012
7:46 pm
“They need to go after Lohse!!!!”
OK, somebody jumped out of the box and proposed something that makes sense. A very solid 2 or 3 guy in your rotation who will plug an important hole for a couple years…very good team guy, as well. So nice to hear from a thinker instead of folks wanting to sign old stars and drug addicts.
Jack Clompus
November 6th, 2012
7:48 pm
Amber, just hang with us. Wren is reading this and taking notes.
blueridge
November 6th, 2012
8:44 pm
I think we should invest again in pitching. Go get Greinke. Figure out LF and CF later.
Last time I checked the SF Giants (The Marco Scutaro, Gregor Blanco SF Giants) won the last two out of three WS Championships.
Spend your money on pitching!
urban redneck
November 6th, 2012
9:19 pm
these trade ideas are making me chuckle. the dude that said trade FF almost made me wet myself. i hope that person does not breed.
why have we not re-signed david ross?
dylan
November 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
trade for dexter fowler, move prado to second, package uggla and mccann to tampa bay for zobrist and james shields, try to sign david wright, if not get marco scutaro and have prado play third, then sign aj pierzynski for a season to split time with ross until bethancourt is ready.
offseason solved
dylan
November 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
sorry, forgot that wrights option was picked up. id trade teheran and beachy for him (beachy is dynamite, but we’d have to give up something good for wright)
David O'Brien
November 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
It was 95 degrees and sunny when I got here to Indian Wells a few hours ago. The GMs generally don’t mess around when they choose a meeting site (although they went scaled-down austere for a couple of years a while back).
https://twitter.com/ajcbraves/status/265964447590408192/photo/1
P'cola Brave
November 6th, 2012
9:56 pm
I see the Braves trying to trade for Willingham who is under contract for next two years @ 7 mil per and would be a nice bridge gap to Gattis. Also with the interleague games being spread out throughout the season it should help keep him healthy. I then see them adding either Pagan or Victorino for CF.
klaus
November 6th, 2012
10:39 pm
Getting both Uptons would be great – tough to see it happening in ATL. One maybe, two, really tough.
Pagan is a nice player but not a difference maker.
What we have to remember (and hope Wren does as well) is this lineup struggled quite a bit when Chipper was sitting.
With Chipper gone you cannot assume kids from 2012 will suddenly turn it up a notch (consistently) and carry the team. Chipper added a sense of calm and purpose to the line up and the dugout.
Losing that will require more than a Pagan, Victorino, Span or Ludwick type of player.
They will need a horse in his prime to put the team on his back. Without that professional hitter in the lineup expect more bipolar offensive performances and a one and done in the post season.
SF did win with a quirky mix of guys (who had amazing chemistry – something most Braves teams lack). They also have an infinitely better manager than what we have in ATL. Bochy has two rings inside of three years. Fredi may never win one before he hangs it up in ATL. Some of that will be on Liberty/Wren and but the buck will stop with Fredi.
In any case, the Braves need more sure things than nice little players bc they don’t have a WS winning manager in the dugout. Meaning he is not one to turn lemons into lemonade.
PS – Yes dumpling Uggla at almost any cost would be a great idea. That contract was a huge mistake as was the trade. Ready fire aim move that seemed too good to be turn bc it was.
benchwarmer
November 7th, 2012
12:24 am
Uggla becomes comback player of the year in 2013 and contends for MVP. As streaky as this man is, it is possible you know. When he is good he is very, very good.
klaus
November 7th, 2012
1:43 am
Mac is not a waste a 12mm unless he is un-tradeable at the deadline.
I expect him to be traded if A) they are totally out of it at the deadline or B) hanging around at the deadline and Bethancourt or another option (Gattis?) is good enough to take a flier at the WC.
I don’t see a scenario where Wren passes up getting some decent pieces for Mac over the summer unless they are leading the division and look to be a serious WS contender. Then he will ride it out and take the pick after Mac declines the qualifying offer and signs with an AL team for 6+yrs.
Jack Clompus
November 7th, 2012
8:30 am
Let’s settle down and not try to buy our way to a championship. Hopefully Wren will not take the advice on these boards and stock up on a bunch of Ugglas and drug addicts…….and washed up pitchers. Let’s stay away from fat FAs and drug addicts. We already have too many bubbas on the roster.
Braves' fan
November 7th, 2012
8:31 am
“Uggla becomes comback player of the year in 2013 and contends for MVP. As streaky as this man is, it is possible you know. When he is good he is very, very good.”
When was that, benchwarmer?
No Flag Since Lemke
November 7th, 2012
8:35 am
Run do not walk away from BJ Upton. Have watched his career here in Tampa Bay and he is a head case and a strikeout machine. If the CF position is going to come from the free agent market, let it be Pagan. The caveat here is he might have had his career year last year. As for Upton, would not be surprised to see him where Pagan was last season – SF.
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
9:47 am
good morning from the land down under.. Looking forward to see what happens at winter meetings. Don’t look for Wren to do much but hope he surprises me. I know he will do better than you so called GM’S
Zing
November 7th, 2012
9:56 am
Anybody with an OBP below .300 is not someone you want on your team. Even Uggla was above .340, thanks to all the walks. (He tied with Michael Bourn at .348).
urban redneck
November 7th, 2012
11:34 am
trade beachy? holy shirt man. are you drunk? guess it’s five oçlock somewhere…..
Juan Franciscofor 3B
November 7th, 2012
12:06 pm
say if he drops the weight during the winter and does what the Braves ask him to, give him a shot at winning the 3B job…leave Prado in LF and we interally acquire our power hitting 3B wthout giving anything up…then the Braves could pursue someong like Josh Hamilton for CF, a player that would bring booties to the seats!
No. 1 Braves Fan
November 7th, 2012
1:36 pm
In Palm Springs, it is only 10:35 a:m. I have a feeling Wren is going to do something good for the Braves today.
Astro Joe
November 7th, 2012
3:00 pm
Jason Bay just agreed to a buyout from the Mets and is a free agent. Mets are paying him to leave NYC. If Gattis is maybe a season away, watching Bay compete with Uggla for most disappointing right-handed hitter in an Atlanta uniform may not be the worse way to go. We can probably sign him for next to nothing since the Mets are paying him big.
klaus
November 7th, 2012
3:14 pm
No to Bay. He needs to go to the AL West for a complete retooling and reinvention.
I would prefer Justin Upton to BJ but I think BJ could thrive in a new spot. Well do better
Hamilton at 29 perhaps at 31 going on 32 and starting to stumble a bit, not so much.
The Braves should want guys in their 20s who are athletic & without substance abuse baggage especially if they are A) going to spend a boat load of money or B) trade precious prospects.
They cannot afford to waste either commodity above under Liberty. That is why deals like the Dempster for Delgado are so terrible (shortsighted) and we are lucky they failed.
Trading a young arm for a 30 something guy who has peaked is bad business under a tight fisted corporate owner. Every mistake you have to keep or part with 80% of their salary to unload.
See Uggla, Lowe, KK, McOUT, etc.
Ben
November 7th, 2012
3:35 pm
David,
I have enjoyed your blog immensely over the years and was hoping you could clear something up for me. I keep reading hazy explanations of the Braves tv contract. I have heard that it is a 30 year deal with payouts way below its worth and that this deal is why we can not compete with teams like the dodgers, who receive $225 million a year from there new deal. Here’s what I would like to know:
Do we have a 30 year contract and is it among the worst in baseball? If true, who is responsible for brokering such a deal? And is there any way to get out of it?
Posts about The Braves From Other Great Blogs issue #1 | Atlanta Braves Dugout Online | Atlanta Braves Blog
November 7th, 2012
3:37 pm
[...] that shows his peers had the utmost respect for him both as a player and a man. more… Hot stove could get stoked at GM meetings – blogs.ajc.com 11/05/2012 Braves fans have craved action on the free-agent or trade fronts [...]
Nostradamus
November 7th, 2012
3:46 pm
Frank with white hair give away young pitching talent for Willingham of Minnesota who would hit like Uggla once in Atlanta …
dylan
November 7th, 2012
4:32 pm
Definatly not drunk. If not beachy who would you offer for Wright that would realistically work? They aren’t going to deal their best player for scrubs. Yes beachy is sick, but first off, noone knows how well he’ll respond after Tommy John. Some pitchers come back fine, some never get it back. Besides, medlen and minor both offer more upside in terms of potential than beachy, and the braves have plenty of sp. You can’t get someone like Wright for nothing,and the meta need good sp more than anything else. They won’t give up Wright for minor leaguers who aren’t ready, or for an almost retired huddy, or for mediocre maholm or Hanson. Braves need a 3n since prado is much better at 2nd, regardless if he likes 3b better. Wright I’d worth beachy. It gives you a top 3rd baseman, and a top rh middle ofthe lineup bat.
So if you don’t like this trade, who would you give up? Huddy? Hanson? Maholm? Teheran? Delgado? They aren’t dumb enough to give up their best player for middle of the pack or over the hill or unproven minor leaguers.
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
4:36 pm
Shame Shame On you fans who think you are Brave fans, Quit trying to be GM and wait and see what happens. WREN makes big bucks to make those decisions.
cornjolio
November 7th, 2012
4:40 pm
Uggla, Hanson, Maholm & Delgado to Mets for David Wright; we’ll eat some of Uggla’s contract
dylan
November 7th, 2012
4:49 pm
Uggla Hanson maholm and mccann for DAVID WRIGHT?! Noone is stupid enough to trade an elite player for 4 mediocre/injured players. And throwing ideas on who the braves should get doesn’t make me less of a braves fan, means I actually care about the direction of this team. I’m tired of washed up players on the verge of retirement being brought I’m and touted as “great” signings and “difference makers”
Trader Jack
November 7th, 2012
4:51 pm
“Uggla, Hanson, Maholm & Delgado to Mets for David Wright; we’ll eat some of Uggla’s contract”. – cornjolio
Mets would get 3 starting pitchers & the 2012 NL All Star second baseman.
I’d do it only if Wright signed a longterm deal with the Braves. Then move Prado to 2b. Then Wren would have to find a LF & CF.
Trader Jack
November 7th, 2012
4:57 pm
“I’m tired of washed up players on the verge of retirement being brought I’m and touted as “great” signings and “difference makers” – dylan
Aren’t we all ! Thats all we are going to get until Liberty sells the team; or Wren stops tying up the payroll with overpriced players like Uggla, McLouth, Kawakami & Lowe. Signing the injured McCann to another year was not thinking outside the box. That restricts the payroll even further and increases the likelihood of Wren bringing in more
old, broken down players to fit within payroll limitations.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
4:58 pm
There is NO way the mets, who are trying to rebuild and get back tp neutral would trade their best player for 4 of our worst. This isn’t mlb the show 2012, there is no force trades option.
Trader Jack
November 7th, 2012
5:45 pm
dylan,
Expect more washed-up players from Frank Wren; that’s his specialty
dylan
November 7th, 2012
6:07 pm
I always expect it from wren, but that doesn’t mean I won’t continue to hold out hope that they’ll wise up. So ill continue to “play GM” until I’m satisfied our real GM knows what the heck he’s doing in terms of going after a championship and not being satisfied with wild card spots
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
6:44 pm
Patience, Patience, Confidence, Confidence. You guys have no idea what those words mean?
Insider
November 7th, 2012
6:46 pm
Since Ted Turner & his wallet let the Braves go, Braves’ philosophy has been to have a solid pitching staff & a couple of stud regulars in the everyday lineup, which should guarantee 85-90 wins a year and keep fan interest up at least until September. Anything above that is a bonus as they have to go cheap in certain key areas. Even With Lowe & Chipper off the books, they’ll go cheap for CF & possibly LF, especially if they make McCann a longterm deal after 2013.
I could see Ryan Langerhans in CF and some hasbeen in LF with Prado on 3B.
Win 90 games, draw 2.5 million and sell lots ofconcessions is the Braves annual goal, making Liberty Media a modest profit.. Getting back to the World Series is a pipe dream.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
6:52 pm
Amber, patience is needed when your team is heading in a proper direction or rebuilding. Confidence comes when you see your team as a whole take strides in reaching new heights. For a storied franchise used to winning pennants for almost a decade and a half straight, these shouldn’t even need to be said. The fact that they do need to be said shows we are not headed in the right direction. The face of our franchise has retired, the one who was supposed to take his place has been going downhill quickly and now is injured, and ownership won’t give a decent payroll or look for above average talent because it costs too much.
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
7:05 pm
@dylan I respect your opinion very much. However, The Braves have the 3rd best farm system inbaseball. For the first time in a long time,they have over 25 million to spend. They haves all the pieces in place. They are ripe for a major major trade. They have the players and money to pull it off. That is why I say confidence and patience will prevail.
Chief Knock-A-Homa
November 7th, 2012
7:32 pm
Thoughts on the possibility of taking a flyer on Jason Bay?? With the way the Mets are picking up his salary, and his poor showing, he could be had cheap to try and resurrect with the Braves…
If he’s healthy, he could be the right handed power in left with Prado at third… Would leave a good portion of the budget left for a center field play in free agency or in a trade…
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:00 pm
@amber, I know they have the pieces, but don’t be fooled by our farm system, the best prospects are all pitchers and 3 position players. Mejia looks mote like a dh, and the jury is still out on terdo. I’m just worried about them being themselves and being cheap with their acquisitions instead of going for it all. We don’t have to have power, good hitters prevail over power every time. Case and point SF and Washington.
If they go all out on Wright, it fills our 2 biggest needs and possibly a 3rd; giving Atlanta another superstar that can bring fans to the stadium. Fowler is the perfect leadoff man for us, fast,switch hitter who is young and is putting it all together. Our bench would be set up great with fransisco, rev, and constanza IF they were used right.
They have a chance to put together a legit best team in baseball, but they have to be willing to spend both money, and a top pitcher to do it. (which they should because we have an overabundance)
And @chief,
No way should the braves even consider bringing in Jason bay. The guy had like 3 good seasons. He is Nate mcclouth but worse in the field and more injury prone and represents everything the braves do that pisses people off; overspending for washed up vets and claiming they are difference makers. I’d rather bring back andruw than go for bay. At least andruw can hit 20 hrs and still play wicked d, and strikes out the same amount.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:02 pm
Btw, thanks for branching out and actually responding to someone who doesn’t normally post.
usually people ignore new bloggers
ATL Insider
November 7th, 2012
8:15 pm
My offseason predictions for the Braves “big” moves:
1) Trade Tommy Hanson for Justin Upton (at least these would be the key pieces) for LF.
2) Sign Angel Pagan or Shane Victorino for CF after the bidding for Bourne gets out of hand.
Of course there will be other moves (ie resigning David Ross and Reed Johnson), but these would be the major ones.
The projected lineup:
CF Pagan/Victorino
3B Prado
RF Heyward
LF Upton
1B Freeman
2B Uggla
C Ross/McCann
SS Simmons
The projected rotation:
SP Medlen
SP Hudson
SP Minor
SP Maholm
SP Delgado/Tehran/Beachy (once he recovers)
Chief Knock-A-Homa
November 7th, 2012
8:20 pm
dylan – I mentioned bringing in Bay ONLY if he can be had for cheap… Otherwise, I would agree with you…
I think if he can be had for nothing (which he probably will be because of the Mets paying his original salary still), he would be worth taking the chance on… You can always cut him loose and not be out anything but the cheap salary… And, if he is revived, what a pickup…
Either way, you’re right – this is the kind of move the Braves usually make and I can see Wren putting this into play…
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
8:33 pm
@ dylan Thank you for the info. As you probably know, I am very young and not very knowledgeable. I just put out there my opinion on the knowledge that I do know. Thank you for helping me
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:38 pm
Haha no worries amber, you probably have more of a life than me. Not many 21 year olds who obsess over the braves like I do. Don’t mean to sound like a Dick, and I respect your opinion as well, from what I’ve read throughout these blogs forever, you’re one of the better posters.
I just try to throw out my opinion unbiased (unless it comes to chipper) just do my research and try to be helpful since I feel wren needs all he can get lol
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
8:42 pm
Thank you dylan but you are older thn me. I am 14
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:46 pm
Nice! Good to see the next generation of rabid bravo fans.hopefully they’ll deliver the same awe and pleasure they have given me for so long.
Btw if you like keeping up with baseball news and all that check out rotoworld.com, I’m addicted to that site
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:51 pm
@chief
Yeah hed probably be cheap and itd be cool to see him resurge here, but I’m to the point where I’d rather him blow up somewhere else just to see the braves break that trend of overpaying and hoping for career years. You’re right though, I’m fairly certain thatll be one of wrens moves
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
8:53 pm
Can I get it in Australia?
dylan
November 7th, 2012
8:57 pm
I don’t see why not. A down under bravo fan? Now I’m really impressed!
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
9:02 pm
I recently moved here from Dallas Texas. My uncle was a brave fan and he taught me everything that I know. I have know idea where you are but if you are interested it is 4:05 Thurs nov.8 here.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
9:06 pm
Nice I’m all the way in Georgia myself, so I grew up on chipper andruw and gallaraga
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
9:11 pm
Ok Have to go eat and do homework Thanks for chatting. Hope to catch you again down the line. Goodbye from New South Wales Australia
Amber Girl
November 7th, 2012
9:11 pm
Ok Have to go eat and do homework Thanks for chatting. Hope to catch you again down the line. Goodbye from New South Wales Australia
jbill
November 7th, 2012
9:47 pm
Amber how is Whiskey River…
jbill
November 7th, 2012
10:10 pm
Trade for Ben Rever and or Span….CF..
Trade Hanson and Uggla anyway possible..Prado at 2b get a 3b Handley? and LF’er.
Jack Clompus
November 7th, 2012
10:14 pm
“Amber, patience is needed when your team is heading…………..”
Folks, Amber could very well be Bubba. Keep that in mind.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
10:15 pm
Jbill,
Revere would be better than span, but I’d prefer Fowler, who could be had decently priced through trade. Headley would actually be a great fallback option for 3rd if they couldn’t get Wright, as long as SD didn’t ask for too much for him.
Michael young would also be a great guy to get for 3rd or 2nd.
Jack Clompus
November 7th, 2012
10:20 pm
You guys are still throwing out proposals for adding fat, washed up FAs and overpay for a bunch of pitchers. C’mon, build with a strong farm system, add an occasional FA, and a timely and smart trade here and there. All this talk of moving people around and getting odd balls like Pence and druggies like Hamilton. Why the desperation? This team isn’t even close to playing in the last game of the season. Guess what? Neither are about 25 other teams. Man, all this talk of overpaying for fat FAs is tiring.
dylan
November 7th, 2012
11:06 pm
Ok I don’t know if you’re saying that to me, but none of the players I put forward are “fat fa” or “washed up” or “odd balls”.
Its not as easy as “develop a strong farm system” if you don’t have the prospects, you don’t have them. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but teams aren’t really willing to just give up top prospects. So until you get those top prospects, through the draft, rule 5, trades, etc. You have to bridge the gap with FA or trade for players. Otherwise you end up like the royals or pirates.
Amber Girl
November 8th, 2012
10:20 am
If Jbill would pay attention, he would know that Whiskey River is deceased. Go Braves!!!
Dan Uggla's Swing
November 8th, 2012
9:25 pm
Sign Otis Nixon and Ron Gant, each for 5 years/ $75 million
Jimbo
November 9th, 2012
1:19 pm
How about Span and Willingham from the Twins? They are desperate for pitching. Maybe JJ and one of the young guys?