Braves may have an opportunity to trade Troy Glaus
It's possible the Braves could actually get something in trade for Troy Glaus.
Troy Glaus is tearing up Triple A, which really means only one thing: Troy Glaus can tear up Triple A.
He is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with two home runs in seven games for Gwinnett. How would he perform with the Braves back in the majors should he return when rosters expand? Possibly no different than he performed when he was dispatched by the Braves. He hit .237 in June, .182 in July and .208 in August.
Loading ...But the Braves may have an unexpected opportunity here: They actually may be able to get something for him.
Glaus is a free agent after this season and won’t likely be back with the team next year. But a few American League clubs apparently are interested in bringing him in for the final few weeks of the season, according to Foxsports.com.
From the story:
One major-league source said multiple American League teams have shown interest in Glaus. He could fit with teams who need help at first base and/or a designated hitter. The Red Sox, Rays, Twins, White Sox and Rangers could conceivably upgrade at one or both of those positions.
The Braves would have two reasons to keep Glaus: 1) As a potential bat off the bench down the stretch; 2) As insurance, should first basemen Derrek Lee have injury issues (he has had a bulging disc in his back this season and missed Sunday’s game with a strain in his side).
Eric Hinske, however, is also available to play first base and there’s still Freddie Freeman at Gwinnett. So where Glaus falls in the pecking order, even if they did bring him back, is debatable.
If the Braves could get a prospect for Glaus, isn’t it worth it?
It may sound strange, given Glaus was this team’s top run producer for a stretch earlier this season, but May was a long time ago.
What are your thoughts? I’ve also posted a poll.
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357 comments Add your comment
robdawg08
August 30th, 2010
11:42 am
Games at Va Tech though.
Depends on Freddie
August 30th, 2010
11:42 am
It all depends on Freddie Freeman– but not in the way you all might think. FF is a lefty; how well does he hit lefties? If you let Glaus go, and Derrick Lee gets hurt, then the Braves are back to their flailing and foundering against lefthanders, unless FF hits them well. So, does he? I guess there is no way we would know for sure, because the stats can only show us if he’s good at hitting MINOR LEAGUE lefties…
robdawg08
August 30th, 2010
11:42 am
I went with the Hokie pokies…
Reid Adair
August 30th, 2010
11:43 am
If they can move him, they should do it. But this is Frank Wren we’re talking about.
robdawg08
August 30th, 2010
11:44 am
Buster Posey,Ian Stewart,etc. are rookies that hits righties & lefties. Maybe Freeman can too ?
Pat
August 30th, 2010
11:45 am
His 8 quality at bats in the playoff stretch are more valuable than a 1-A RHP. Keep him.
Spud Webb
August 30th, 2010
11:47 am
Not sure what you think you’ll get for Glaus?? For sure not a top tier prospect. So I really see no point. Nobody will give much for him.
He can play two spots, can give you a PH dong. Braves need him, bottom line.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
11:47 am
8 quality at-bats may be a stretch. Funny how Glaus was getting slammed for his propensity to hit into double plays and now I’m hearing, “Don’t trade him. He could come back and hurt us in the playoffs.”
joemoedee
August 30th, 2010
11:50 am
Two weeks ago it was get rid of Glaus at any cost, now it is a travesty to even think of trading him. Make up your minds, people.
Derek Lee’s been here for 6 games and he’s a lemon? Seriously?
Sometimes I question how some people can even muster up the knowledge to turn on a PC, yet alone post on a blog.
If you can get value for Glaus, go for it. The bullpen is beginning to wear down, so any help there would be more beneficial versus another bat off of the bench with the current set of role players. With the rosters expanding this week, the chances of bringing up some useful bats outweigh decent middle relief.
stew
August 30th, 2010
11:54 am
Glaus isn’t worth anything. He hasn’t done anything in over two months. His swing always has been long. He’s a home run hitter who hasn’t been hitting home runs. He won’t get enough at bats to be consistent.
JoeFan
August 30th, 2010
11:57 am
Lee and Glaus are both questionable, which means the Braves should have promoted Freeman a month ago. He would now have a month’s worth of experience and the Braves would know what they have in him. The Braves though decided to go with another veteran who may not be physically able to perform. You have to ask yourself, who is really making these decisions. I say, go with a healthy, young player, Freeman, and use the other two off the bench, if they can still swing a bat without hurting themselves.
Mitchell
August 30th, 2010
12:00 pm
Have we gotten anything of value in return for players we’ve traded this season?
The trades are only making this team worse.
Enough. Troy gets the benefit of the doubt. Jason Heyward, Martin, Omar, Billy and Johnny Venters have all been huge but for an entire month Troy Glaus carried this team.
He may very well have something left. If he doesn’t, well, he can’t be worse than Derrek Lee.
Plate Appearance
August 30th, 2010
12:06 pm
NO!
The Braves can’t afford to trade Glaus the way Derek Lee has been hitting.
And they shouldn’t trade him — based on the huge part he’s already played this year — and his commitment to the Braves as a team player. He deserves to be involved in this playoff run.
But I wouldn’t put it past this GM. Wren has made one terrible trade after another. He’s not shown wisdom in his personnel moves.
GatorBrad
August 30th, 2010
12:07 pm
Hey Jeff… You think it’s possible to get some mileage on a trade that would include a package deal w/ him and Derek Lowe? My beloved Bravos will not advance very far into the playoffs (provided they make it) if they have Glaus hitting into inning ending DPs and Lowe hanging curve balls over the middle of the plate… the Braves win yesterday was due in no part to Lowe’s dismal performance and this appears to be a point of consistency at this pt in the season. The only question this leaves is who will take his place in the rotation. That is, unless the Braves get a serviceable pitcher (preferably a leftie) under the terms of said trade. Sorry to be long winded, but what do you think? Other posters are welcome to respond as well.
iop brave
August 30th, 2010
12:08 pm
Glaus is a right handed power hitter – we need that – he’s tough and carries himself like a pro – I don’t know if he can play both 1st & 3rd – but he definitely provides options & adds to the lineup
bushwacker
August 30th, 2010
12:10 pm
I’m glad to see most fans are loyal like Bobby, we know we NOT BE HERE without Glaus.
Dance with the ones that brung ya!
Hinske and Glaus deserve to be in the lineup!
Trey
August 30th, 2010
12:10 pm
I don’t know if we should. Glaus has done better for Atlanta than Lee. Lee may have less time in Atlanta, but Glaus has still done better. I wish we could find someone willing to take Lowe and most of his salary, even if not most, I’d be willing to pay for most of his if I was the Brave GM.
Naf Sevarb
August 30th, 2010
12:10 pm
Come on kids no way they trade him for a bag of balls. Rosters expand and Bobby loves Vets off the bench. He stays. Bet the house.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:14 pm
Mitchell- Have we gotten anything in value from these trades? Yes. Alex Gonzalez.
Coach
August 30th, 2010
12:15 pm
Nobody is going to give us a top prospect for Glaus so quit suggesting that. Glaus has proven that when rested he can still hit. Hinske is not an everyday player. If we keep Glaus and Lee platooning then in theory they should essentially be rested when playing, thereby being more productive. Let Diaz play everyday and let Melky play the majority of the time. Ankiel is your late innings D replacement and Hinske is your off the bench deep threat along with either Lee or Glaus.
Let’s be honest here. What makes the most sense is to bring up Freeman. The kid is raking and we aren’t getting much production at 1b anyway, it’s essentially been an automatic out all year (minus the month of May). However, I don’t see that happening at this point.
bushwacker
August 30th, 2010
12:16 pm
Lee is a joke, he was waived and no other team wanted him because he is hurt,you cannot swing the bat witha bad back.
Regardless of what happens with Glaus, cut Lee, we cannot afford to let him strike out 3 or 4 times a game, we are trying to win a pennant.
bushwacker
August 30th, 2010
12:18 pm
Best line up has Diaz in left with Melky in center and Glaus and Hinske platooning at first and Lee not on the roster!
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:20 pm
whacker- Lee ha a great series vs St. Louis before we acquired him. Lee is slumping at the plate. He will hit better than he is currently. He plays a good defense as well.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:21 pm
I would rather see Ankiel in center than Chubs Cabrera. Yes, I think his defense is that much better than Melky’s.
@WreckBuZZ
August 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
This is an interesting development. I say if a team wants him bad enough, make the deal. Frank Wren is in a position to leverage Glaus for more than he’s really worth. Because the Braves don’t HAVE to move him. They could be just as happy to keep Glaus and have a power right handed bat to come off the bench and hopefully to be the DH when the Braves play in the World Series. But if they get a significant prospect in return, why not? I think they could go to war in the playoffs with Freddie Freeman as a bench bat.
hal
August 30th, 2010
12:27 pm
we sure as hell dident give up anything to get doyle alexander in fact it was us who traded him for smoltzie lol my we have a briiliant bunch here today im in awe at the nagative dlee comments though i thought he would be imune to the drivel on this blog reseerved for lowe leee glaus all white guys lol
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:28 pm
Disclaimer**** No dictionaries were harmed in hal’s post.
hal
August 30th, 2010
12:31 pm
;lets all pray in unison they dont have another heward type prospect can you say overrated brad komisk like
Matt
August 30th, 2010
12:32 pm
With Lee’s back and how little he’s hit since he’s been here you might as well keep him. Hinske is not the answer.
GatorBrad- would you trade more than a couple of fungos for Lowe and Glaus???
Matt
August 30th, 2010
12:33 pm
Jesse nice!!
Navigator
August 30th, 2010
12:33 pm
A good reason for not may be simple math. Those teams want the Braves to pay most of his salary and they will use him, much like the situation with Manny Ramirez. If some team however, will take his salary along with him, say good bye and move on. Fact is, there are numerous veterans on this team you could put into this category. It’s becoming obvious that Lee never wanted to leave Chicago, and his time here indicates it having done little in same league he came from. Let’s face it, Gonzalez is the only player that has played well since he came, and Ankiel is a head case (always has been). If he could make a change, his would be simple, change his bat position from pointing his bat at the first baseman and move it to the 12 o’clock position. The shorter swing would allow him to be on the fast ball sooner, instead of being behind it.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:40 pm
Navigator- maybe a pure salary dump like the Marlins did with Cody Ross.
Braves73
August 30th, 2010
12:44 pm
You can’t trade a guy who went out and performed at his highest level, never complained, and played through injuries. He is the consumate professionl and to trade him would be a very distasteful and probably would lower team chemistry. Also, Glaus has a history of performing at a high level in the playoffs (see his World Series MVP with the Angels).
Vol_In_Ohio
August 30th, 2010
12:48 pm
I would keep him unless it is a legit prospect, especially if he’s heated up a little bit in the minors. Big RH bat off the bench.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:49 pm
Braves73- That was 8 years and 2 healthy knees ago. He has a nice 6-7 week stretch. Was he hurt in April as well? What did he hit in April? Bobby Cox is accused all the time of being loyal to a fault. Any loyalty that involves Glaus playing significant major league innings down the stretch would be loyalty to a fault.
The Dude
August 30th, 2010
12:51 pm
Come on…no one is going to give up a prospect that has any value for Glaus. It’s to late in the season. The only up side to trading him would be to save a little money…which at this point is hardly anything. He’s much more valuable coming off the bench.
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:52 pm
Just checked out baseball-reference.com. What player is leading all of the National League in WAR??? Tim Hudson. This stat includes both pitchers and hitters.
bushwacker
August 30th, 2010
12:54 pm
JS, Will Glaus be eligible for the playoffs if still on the DL as of Spet 1?
bushwacker
August 30th, 2010
12:55 pm
Jesse,
would you rather see Bobby be loyal to Lee who is stiking out 3 -4 times a game or loyal to Glaus who leads the team in RBI’s?
Jesse Stone
August 30th, 2010
12:57 pm
whacker- Lee has struck out a total of 8 times in 8 games played. What kind of math are you using that says he strikes out 3-4 times a game?
chin music
August 30th, 2010
1:04 pm
I advised Glaus following his 2 strikeouts in Monday’s Gwinnett game. He subsequently walked twicw and went on a tear since. Coincidence? I think not! Head up and eyes on the ball. Go Troy!!
DawgDad
August 30th, 2010
1:04 pm
At this point I would probably hang on to Glaus unless I get something back I think could help the team win this year. Braves could use a good defensive middle infielder to come off the bench.
If Troy is more comfortable at third he could help off the bench and sub for Lee; Prado can slide over to first and do a credible job defensively. At this stage a big bat coming off the bench or filling in is more valuable than a marginal prospect, and Troy isn’t all that expensive. We saw yesterday how valuable an extra bat coming off the bench can be.
Darryl Blackberry
August 30th, 2010
1:09 pm
After all the loyalty we showed him — and after all the production he gave us in May and June — it would be a shame to give up on him now. He’s worked hard and deserves a shot at a WS ring with the rest of the Braves. Besides, Hinske has struggled in the Dog Days, Lee’s been hurt, and we don’t know with any certainty that Freeman will hit well in a pressure situation. We need Glaus as an insurance policy and prime-time bench player. With his knees rested, his DPs will decrease and his production will increase.
SCBravesFan
August 30th, 2010
1:10 pm
Keep him. He is a cheap insurance policy.
Mathman
August 30th, 2010
1:14 pm
Eric, you didn’t compare fielding and it is not close. Lee is a good fielder who can run and catch popups, Glaus cannot. Lee can field with range, Glaus has none. Lee can bend over. Glaus can stumble over.
MP
August 30th, 2010
1:16 pm
at this point unless we can pick up someone golden in return (not likely) i say keep him. sure, it’s AAA pitching. but, if he’s getting his swing back i think he’d be all right in the wings for pinch hitting or spelling lee at 1st here and there. NO third base, though! prado and infante stay in this line up every day. and, let’s see some more diaz while we’re at it, bobby!
Larry
August 30th, 2010
1:16 pm
The trade that would impact us the best would be trading Cox at regular season’s end. Or, would he consider a pre-postseason retirement to give us a legitimate chance at finishing it all with a win?
1-14
Braves Fan Since "80
August 30th, 2010
1:17 pm
I can not imagine getting a “no miss type” prospect….. we have to take a 2 tooler with the possibility of adding defense or batting…. I just do not see it as much as I like the thought of it.
I like D Lee and ankiel on this team and both are not swingig the bat very well but hitting the ball hard…. I think both will be better…. Keep Glaus for pop and backup and if we go the distance he deserves to celebrate with the team!
Dave
August 30th, 2010
1:17 pm
I would put Troy back on 1st and give Lee back to the CUBs. Lee’s been a waste of time.
Fols
August 30th, 2010
1:18 pm
This is going to come back to haunt us somehow isn’t it?
How does a team take over first place, hold onto it for this long and go through such a drastic change in the starting line-up? It’s unreal but it’s worked. Half the team that was in first place at the all-star break is either in the minor leagues or injured. Troy carried us on his back for a few months.
Yet here we are? We aren’t going to get much for him at this point of the year. So those of you suggesting getting helpful pieces I hope are kidding? This is nothing more than a prospect chance.
My quick thoughts:
1 – Has Lee done anything to ease our minds other than a better glove? Maybe with Prado/Infante at 3rd and 2nd respectively we need that better glove?
2 – Freeman is a trendy option but realistically I don’t see it happening. We’re in too important of a position to even try it. All of you asking for Freeman are the same people that would rip into Bobby if he goes that route at this time of year. Admit it.
3 – I don’t like the idea of Troy playing 3rd….that spells disaster.
I say we hold onto him just in case.