Braves, Wren send right message with deadline trades
Rick Ankiel, a converted pitcher, hit 25 homers in 2008 and will fill the Braves' void in center field.
Sports fans scream for a championship every season. But really all most expect is for somebody in the executive suite — whether it’s the person who’s making trades or clutching the checkbook — to care as much as they do.
As a general rule, “We’re building for next season,” just doesn’t play well with the guy in the $6 seat.
Given that, the Braves should be commended today. They’re being as passionate and proactive off the field as they have been on it. They’re trying to win now, not sitting back and praying for unicorns.
Maybe Philadelphia’s acquisition of Roy Oswalt spooked them a little. Maybe they see something special in this team. Maybe they’re intent on trying to send Bobby Cox out with a championship.
Kyle Farnsworth excelled as a closer for the Braves in 2005.
Does it matter?
Drink this up Atlanta: You have a team going for a championship.
Faced with a tight trade market and a thin budget, general manager Frank Wren managed to improve the team anyway. This is the way things are supposed to work with playoff contenders at trade deadlines.
Trade deadlines highlight the serious players and expose the pretenders.
The Braves made a five-player trade with Kansas City. Outfielder Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth come this way. Gregor Blanco, Jesse Chavez and prospect Tim Collins go that way. If you break this deal down by player, Chavez’s exit will result in the loudest single cheer. At some point, the question became not whether he would make it as a Brave, but whether he would make it to the parking lot.
He had a 5.89 ERA. He had given up six home runs, 40 hits and 12 walks in 36 2/3 innings. Torch-carrying villagers were starting to wait for him outside the stadium.
But Ankiel and Farnsworth provide immediate help. Ankiel can fill the Braves’ black hole in center field. He brings some power (having his 25 homers in 2008), even if he’s currently hitting only .261 with four homers. Farnsworth, who was briefly a lights-out closer for the Braves in 2005, has been strong out of the bullpen this season (3-0, 2.42).
Neither is a centerpiece. Neither has to be.
They fit what the Braves need and what this team has become. The roster lacks star power, but makes up for it in depth, aggressiveness and chemistry. They just needed a boost lately, with Philadelphia rising, the lineup settling and Troy Glaus looking more and more like a one-month wonder.
Credit Wren. If this and other recent moves lead to the Braves’ first postseason berth since 2005, he may have just sewed up Executive of the Year honors.
Approaching the trade deadline, Wren had to feel like he was duct-taped to a lamp post. Dead money was killing the budget. Fact is, for all of Wren’s success in rebuilding the roster over the past three years, he still was paying the price for three significant miscalculations: Derek Lowe (four years, $60 million), Kenshin Kawakami (three years, $23 million) and Nate McLouth (three years, $15.75 million). The three read like a bad 401k portfolio.
Lowe was signed to be an ace. He quickly become a fourth starter making $15 million a year. Kawakami was signed to be a second or third starter. By midway through this season he couldn’t even hang on to the No. 5 job and was jettisoned to the bullpen.
Nobody has seen him since. He’s like D.B. Cooper.
McLouth, acquired from Pittsburgh, was expected to be the perfect bridge to Jordan Schafer. That’s an “oops” to the second power.
Expensive mistakes hamstring general managers. Lowe, Kawakami and McLouth represent $27 million of an $85 million payroll (31.7 percent) this season. Factor in Chipper Jones’ $14 million contract, and that’s $41 million for four players (48.2 percent).
Wren suggested in recent days that he likely wouldn’t do anything. The market was too tight. The budget seemed blown. He also kind of liked his team.
“We’re talking to teams,” Wren said a few days ago, “but we’re not putting a full-court press on.”
Either he was being less than truthful then or something changed. Doesn’t matter. He chose not to sit back. Serious teams don’t do that. The message about this season seems clear.
♦
You don’t need no stinkin’ DVR: Last 3 posts
♦ Dwight Howard opens up on LeBron, Shaq and Josh’s wedding (sssh)
♦ Roy Oswalt going to Phillies, and Braves need to respond
♦ Blank says Falcons are playoff team again (and maybe more)
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490 comments Add your comment
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:16 pm
i hope Ankiel gets to cinci quick
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:17 pm
Matt R — Wow, that’s even more cynical than me.
BravesFan
July 31st, 2010
7:17 pm
DaVein: Who pinchruns when Glaus singles in the bottom og the 9th? Slow melky? the trade sucks, Frank Wren is doing what he can so don’t completely blame him. bring back Ted Turner please.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:17 pm
Jon — It was HGH, he was investigated and then baseball dropped it. Google.
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:18 pm
I guess wren thought lowe was worth those bucks
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:18 pm
“Chef” — There does seem to be a shuttle between the two teams, doesn’t there.
carlchamblee
July 31st, 2010
7:18 pm
Yanks pick up Berkman – MESSAGE
Phillies pick up Oswalt – MESSAGE
Braves swap 4th OFs (losing the better one) and middle relievers – NOT A MESSAGE
darrell starks
July 31st, 2010
7:18 pm
What the h is going here again bad trade waste of time.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!
stew
July 31st, 2010
7:19 pm
Ankiel isn’t an impact player. I want someone to hit homeruns. We haven’t been hitting them. We need righty power in the outfield. Then we can ditch Glaus and bring up Freddie.
TO
July 31st, 2010
7:19 pm
The Braves team and management infuriate me. How can Wren even possibly be mentioned as a candidate for EOY when he makes bonehead decisions. Really, what did the Braves do to improve themselves with this trade? The get bullpen help for an already good bullpen? They trade one stopgap CF (Blanco) for another (Ankiel) who is a shell of what he was in 2008? Little power, doesn’t hit for average, or even get on base? They scored two runs today and that’s probably what they’re going to average the remainder of the season…I’m no baseball expert or GM, but I’m guessing they should be getting a decent bat, especially if they want to contend for the wild card.
Harry
July 31st, 2010
7:20 pm
Melky for vasquez! yunel for gonzalez. and now this. what a joke. this team is done.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:20 pm
Level — My age? So should I make analogies that appeal only to 18-to-25 year olds? Hey, read a history book!
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:20 pm
one of the few spots i got to see the game was glaus striking out with 2 (i think) aboard. wren, give troy the directions to gwinett.
darrell starks
July 31st, 2010
7:21 pm
Freeman call up is and emergency now.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:21 pm
Carl — Yeah, that’s me. Lapdog.
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:22 pm
all of wren’s moves seem to be just trying to upgrade mediocrity with just below average.
Rick Ankiel - MeMiM
July 31st, 2010
7:22 pm
[...] Octavio Dotel, Rick Ankiel, Kyle Farnsworth, Chad Qualls and Ryan Theriot also joined the playoff chase and Ryan Church highlighted a five-player deal… Braves, Wren Send Right Message With Deadline Trades | Jeff Schultz [...]
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:22 pm
Surprised, really, that these comments (so far) are so universally anti trade. It tells me most of you folks were expecting something unrealistic like a $10 million player coming here. That just wasn’t going to happen.
carlchamblee
July 31st, 2010
7:22 pm
He took HGH – admitted it (blamed his doc of course) – baseball dropping it does not mean he didn’t cheat. HE ADMITTED IT.
Maybe he and Glausy can scare up an old supply.
darrell starks
July 31st, 2010
7:23 pm
Power slugging pct 3,4, 5, is the lowest in majors now.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:23 pm
Bill — OK, that’s one.
ATLfan15
July 31st, 2010
7:23 pm
Ankiel? Farnsworth?! that’s the best Wren could do for a deadline trade?
i’ll never understand why Blanco wasn’t given another chance….oh well, like another post said, whatever we get from Ankiel will be better than what we’ve gotten from Melky/Nate. the only message he sends with this trade is ‘i don’t care if we finish second…we’re just hoping for the wild card’.
TampaGator
July 31st, 2010
7:23 pm
How about sending Troy Claus to AAA next….man is he bad right now. I guess Hinske and Glaus will now alternate at first and Ankeil will alternate in left and Milkey will be in center full time. The Braves, I do not feel, have enough (even with this trade) to hold off the Phils or the other wild card challengers. I hope I am wrong.
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:23 pm
Jeffrey, when we spoke last night you indicated doubts about wren doing anything today noteworthy. did this change your mind? i mean REALLY change your mind?
carlchamblee
July 31st, 2010
7:24 pm
Sorry, but calling Wren EOY material for this marginal-at-best trade screams lapdog.
TampaGator
July 31st, 2010
7:25 pm
Why not send McClouth instead of Blanco to KC. Anyone else notice the Braves stopped their winning ways when Blanco was sent out. I think he added a lot of spark to the club….and we all know Bobby Cox does not like spark of any kind.
Rick Ankiel | Ifdny
July 31st, 2010
7:25 pm
[...] reliever Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco and minor-league lefty Tim Collins.ChaveRick Ankiel – The trade sends outfielder Rick Ankiel and right-handed reliever Kyle Farnsworth to the Braves [...]
Ralph
July 31st, 2010
7:25 pm
It doesn’t matter who the braves get in trade, as long as they have Bobby Cox they will not win anything, PERIOD. Braves do not have one starter that I would let pitch after the sixth inning no matter how great they were pitching in the sixth, they all cave in by the seventh with a very rare exception, with the bullpin they have they would win a lot more games if they would pull the starter after six innings.
BravesFan
July 31st, 2010
7:26 pm
Laroche for Glaus and Melky was unavailable? Come on Wren make some relevant deadline trades. Or make the right move now by CALLING UP FREEMAN PRONTO!
Braves73
July 31st, 2010
7:26 pm
Welcome to bargain basement dealings…Thanks Liberty Media! It’s really a shame when the Braves are putting together a roster with a budget of $85 mill and the Phillies are working with $130+…baseball is joke. Why not impose a salary cap like the most successful sport in the US… the NFL.
Navigator
July 31st, 2010
7:26 pm
What difference does it make this year, we have a manager that doesn’t know when to pull a pitcher, and keeps a no hit first baseman in the middle of the order. Hey, the two additions should go well with the rest of this teams laid back do nothing players.
Rick Ankiel - Ardub
July 31st, 2010
7:26 pm
[...] playing for the Swing of the Quad Cities Rick Ankiel stats, news, and photos on ESPN.com. News:Rick Ankiel – Ankiel was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals through the 2009 season. Rick Ankiel in the minor [...]
TampaGator
July 31st, 2010
7:27 pm
If the Braves want to win….call up Freeman and alternate him with Glaus for the rest of the year. But calling up Freeman now is about money and the Braves are not about spending money any more…especially to win.
BravesFan
July 31st, 2010
7:27 pm
Ralph, so right. The only reason we won in ‘95 was because of Mezzone and his gang.
G
July 31st, 2010
7:27 pm
I am not so much anti trade as I am anti Wren as well as your comment that this sends a message.
Real UT
July 31st, 2010
7:29 pm
Farnsworth is an upgrade over Chavez. The Braves should be really concerned with the state of the offense. Having Chipper and Glaus put up an 0-for in the middle of the lineup is killing us. At least Chipper occasionally contributes with an RBI single and some walks. All Troy can do right is draw walks. It is so obvious to everyone except Braves’ players and coaching staff that Glaus needs some rest. How long will the offensive struggle continue????
Tmac
July 31st, 2010
7:29 pm
Don’t like this trade? cause of Blanco?
What did you people expect to get, Babe Ruth for a bag of baseballs?
Blanco is a good guy, but not even a coveted backup CF.
We didn’t give up anything and we helped the 2 area’s of need. I am one of the first to bash FW for some of his moves (jeff references in this article), but he did well on this one.
(those who cling to Blanco and think this trade is not good) Get over yourself!!!
BravesFan
July 31st, 2010
7:32 pm
Real UT, remember who’s the manager? The only reg. player who gets rest is Chipper and it’s cuz he demands it. Prado’s had like 2 off days all year, and heyward’s had 2. Glaus has had 3 (injuries/pains don’t count). I mean Venters has almost as many appearances as Moylan! As long as Bobby is manager, we’ll go nowhere.
todd grantham
July 31st, 2010
7:32 pm
lets face it. wren had to do something to at least somewhat answer the phillies.
he might be quoted: ” i didnt say this trade was good. i said it was the best i could do.”
Mikey
July 31st, 2010
7:32 pm
“three significant miscalculations: Derek Lowe (four years, $60 million), Kenshin Kawakami (three years, $23 million) and Nate McLouth (three years, $15.75 million). The three read like a bad 401k portfolio.”
Left out the worst: Chipper at $13M this year, 2011, and 2012. He is possibly the worst 3B in the NL, offensively and defensively. A money pit. Let’s hope he retires with that money paid out over 30 years as a “consultant”.
Asheville Dawg
July 31st, 2010
7:34 pm
I will now put the torch down and return to my village. Glad to see you gone Chavez. Didn’t know who you were Collins, so not a great loss. I liked Blanco, so it was a down grade for Ankiel. Farnsworth way better than Chavez, but so would just a plain rock be.
100 points for D. B. Cooper reference. Maybe Kenshin has gone to meet D.B., cause I haven’t seen either in the past month. Of course Cooper disappeared in 1973.
NRBQ
July 31st, 2010
7:34 pm
Stew:
The Braves have a power righty in left field. But Bobby only plays him once a week.
And this isn’t a swap of Ankiel for Blanco, because Bobby was never gonna give Blanco any starts.
Mikey
July 31st, 2010
7:34 pm
and let us hope we go to a real platoon: Glaus should sit (in favor of Hinske) against all righties. And we can jigger our outfield as well.
Brad
July 31st, 2010
7:35 pm
I like the trade. Ankiel is a pretty good outfielder with a very good arm.
How bout this trade… KK, Lowe, Nate.. for Pujols. That’s what we should have done!
I get so tired of people wanting to trade player that are not performing and expecting to get something exceptional in return.
Rich Clary
July 31st, 2010
7:35 pm
Farnsworth is an upgrade from Chavez. Ankiel is an upgrade over Mcclouth. They give bobby some room to manuever…maneuver…man…make some moves in the lineup…
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:37 pm
BravesFan — I agree Braves coud’ve done worse than bringing back LaRoche. But why does Arizona make that trade?
DaveinNEPA
July 31st, 2010
7:37 pm
My biggest concern with the team right now is the way Cox constructs the batting order.
Chipper should not be hitting 3rd nor should Glaus be hitting 5th. One thing cox has never been able to do is structure his batting order to the hot hitters.
This is what I would hope to see tomorrow.
Infante
Chipper (still has decent OBP, let himn set table)
Heyward
McCann
Hinske/Diaz
Ankiel
Glaus
Gonzalez
Pitcher
Jesse James
July 31st, 2010
7:38 pm
Time to sit Glaus!
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:38 pm
Tmac — Thanks for the needed perspective.
Jeff Schultz
July 31st, 2010
7:41 pm
Brad — KK, Lowe and Nate for Pujols? Ah come on, how could the Cardinals possibly turn that down! OK, we’ll throw in Glaus. And a box of Twinkies.