Braves or Falcons: Who’s taking bigger risk minus big move?
"So Chipper: What do you think we should do before the trade deadline?"
Over the next few days, how the Braves and Falcons are viewed could change significantly. Or not at all. Here’s the question: Which team would be taking the bigger risk by doing nothing?
The breakdown:
♦ Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline is Sunday. The feeling here is that the Braves need to do something.
Loading ...I wasn’t completely convinced of this. But when center fielder Jordan Schafer’s finger injury turned out to be a slight bone chip and not just a sprain, and Chipper Jones tweaked his quadriceps in his first game back from a knee injury, it raised the level of concern. Adding Carlos Beltran to the rotation of outfielders — he can play center or right field, possibly in a platoon with the struggling Jason Heyward — would be huge. I know some are pushing for Houston’s Hunter Pence instead, but given that Pence is a 28-year-old batting .308, logic says he would cost significantly more in a trade — and there’s no certainty general manager Frank Wren even wants to give the New York Mets pitching prospect Mike Minor for Beltran.
♦ The Falcons decided to go the route of offense at the top of their draft, taking Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. But now that the lockout is over and free agency is here, the defense needs to be addressed.
I know some fans were upset with the drafting of Jones, given that their last view of the Falcons had the defense getting dismembered by the Green Bay Packers. But the offense needed another game-breaker, somebody who can change the tone of a game. Jones does that
But now, the pass rush must be improved. There are increasing indications that the Falcons may be priced out of the market for the likes of Ray Edwards and Carolina’s Charles Johnson. General manager Thomas Dimitroff’s focus right now appears to be on keeping the bulk of the starting offensive line intact, particularly tackle Tyson Clabo and guard Harvey Dahl. That would be a positive. But to assume the defense is going to get better just because Peria Jerry will be another year removed from a major injury and other young players will be further along is risky.
Who would be taking the bigger risk by doing nothing? It’s close. But I’ll say the Falcons. The Braves showed their resiliency last season after a flurry of injuries. Adding Beltran or Pence turns a strong team into a potential World Series team. But if the Falcons don’t add a pass rusher, they’re banking on a lot of things going right, particularly with their front four.
Ideally, both franchises make a move.
What are your thoughts — who’s taking the bigger risk with no move?
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Previously: Blank will repay staff for payroll cuts during lockout
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186 comments Add your comment
TIM
July 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
The falcons should bring back Jeff George. The braves should bring back Mike Hampton. While we’re at it, the hawks should bring back jon koncak.
l jones
July 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
I hope the Braves don’t give up a real good prospect for a .230 hitter like Upton. We’ve got those already. What has Beltran done against left-handed pitching this year? I heard it’s not so great, but I haven’t seen any numbers. It would be nice to find a shortstop who can hit a little bit, but I wouldn’t give up one of my best bargaining chips for any rent-a-player. I’d rather give up 2 or 3 of them for a good hitter who can contribute here long term.
JD
July 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Only the Braves need a big move. And the move is —- sell the team to Mr. BLANK!
deep south brave
July 26th, 2011
4:28 pm
Jeff,
One other name that I have read online connected to us, but haven’t seen on the blog: B.J. Upton. You think we could figure out a trade with the Rays for him. His speed alone, might be worth it.
chipl1960
July 26th, 2011
4:28 pm
Minor is left handed not right handed for your info Columbus. And Ryan when you do not win you LOSE not LOOSE. Please people have at least a little knowledge of what you are talking about before posting. And USE SPELLCHECK if you dont know how to spell. Jeez, what were you doing all day from 8-3:30 for 12 years in school. As an educator it is so easy to understand why our country is in such a mess. Five percent of the people make all the rules and decisions for the other 95 percent. Pathetic.
Buddy Whitley
July 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
The Braves are fading fast.When a pitching staff is overworked as the relievers are,you have a corner outfielder Heyward who is contributing nothing offensively (last count had 27 rbi’s) for the season,another injury to Chipper who is productive when healthy ( can not count on him the rest of the season),Uggla who has made minimal changes to his hitting philosphy, McLouth who should be nothing more than a fill -in,Gonzalez who can offer nothing offensively.
When you play a 160 game schedule the second part of the season begins to wear on players stamina and the Braves need a shot in the arm if they want to be a wild card team. If they stand pat I predict they will not finish as a wild card team. Their apparent needs are some middle relief help,an outfielder who can provide some offense and rbi success,a hitting coach that can influence hitters, and a Manager who can adjust his batting order and move Heyward out of the # 2 hole.This position is for an individual who gets a lot of bats when rbi opportunities exist and is one of your better hitters.
JD
July 26th, 2011
4:33 pm
Actually the reason Braves are 2 : 1 leader of this question is : the Falcons have to sign about 25 players…there are too many moving pieces to be able to truly quantify what they need to do. Obviously they need defensive pressure on the QB and/or one more CB. But if you just resign the OrL and Snelling, Weems and a LB you are still in great shape if you add a couple of mid level DLs.
Meanwhile, our Bravos continue to amaze at the inability to make contact. This K ratio is astonishing. I don’t think any one hitter is capable of stemming the K tide. Too many below average (no pun intended) hitters. We need speed. We have not been able to manufacture runs for years. J- Hey to AA where he belongs and add a Bourn even Pierre to the OF. We need some life in this lineup before it really is too late.
Serbok
July 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers~ will DOMINATE this division~!
For MANY Years!
Josh Freeman? LMAO
Is gonna be the next Peyton!
joemoedee
July 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
Why have the Phillies been so good? Starting Pitching. Their offense and the Braves offense have been similar.
Just a random thought that popped into my head while driving this morning and listening to Cowherd’s show. Seattle is terrible. However, Seattle has an incredible SP.
*puts on his mock GM hat*
Trade two of your young stud pitchers (eg, Minor and Beachy) for Felix. Seattle wins as they get two guys that could start today. Atlanta wins as they get one of the best pitchers in baseball and not on a rental. Money bumps a little this year, but next year you drop a lot off of the books. (Lowe, Kawakami, etc)
You essentially turn yourself into a younger version of the Phillies, with a better bullpen. You go into a series with JJ, Hudson, Felix and Hanson, with D Lowe as a 5th starter/reliever? You have to like the odds.
Alas, it will probably never happen. But that’s what I think of when it comes to bold moves.
Don Green
July 26th, 2011
4:53 pm
If I am the Braves, I would not make a deal with one of my better prospects unless I could pick up a relatively young player that would potentially stay for awhile like Rasmus, Pence, Upton, or Bourn.
Absent of that, here are the moves I would make if I am the Braves:
1. I would sign Jorge Cantu to a minor league contract. He had a miserable year in San Diego and got released a couple of weeks ago but he is only 29 years old, and can play 1B and 3B. If you can turn him around in the minors he might add some right handed hitting bench depth if not this year, possibly next.
2. I would go to the Baltimore Orioles and make a deal for shortstop, J.J. Hardy and relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez for a couple of low level minor league prospects. Hardy has hit 14 HRs and is hitting .278 and would be a substantial upgrade over Alex Gonzalez. He is still only 28 yers old and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He does make $5 million right now but you might even be able to sign him for a multi-year deal that wouldn’t be too expensive until your younger minor league shortstops are ready by using the money you save on Alex Gonzalez. Mike Gonzalez is a lefty reliever and also a free agent at the end of the year. He did a good job for us a couple of years ago and you let him take some of the work load off of Johnny Venters to keep him fresh.
3. I would go after one of the cheaper righthanded OF bats that are going to be free agents after this season like Jonny Gomes, Reed Johnson, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, or Michael Cuddyer. Just whichever one would cost me the very least in terms of a mid-level prospect. Platoon him with Heyward in RF agaisnt left handed pitchers. Or play him in LF on the days that you don’t have Prado subbing for Chipper at 3B.
4. I would go after one of the other relievers who are going to be free agents at the end of this season that would also cost me the least in terms of a low to mid-level prospect such as Chad Qualls, Rafael Bentancourt, Matt Belisle, Clay Condray, Jon Rauch, John Grabow, Michael Wurtz, Jason Fraser, Kerry Wood, or Jamey Wright. Let them walk at seasons end.
I would argue tht if you make these moves you have vastly improved this team and it won’t require you to give up what it takes to get the really big name guys available.
joemoedee
July 26th, 2011
5:00 pm
Baltimore just signed Hardy to a 3 year deal, he isn’t going anywhere.
I like the Cantu move for depth.
I like an additional MR.
I don’t see Jonny Gomes, Reed Johnson, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, or Michael Cuddyer as the difference maker between a Wild Card team, and a championship team, though.
ronnie
July 26th, 2011
5:08 pm
trade Jason Heyward he is hurt all the time and can’t hit for avg. at all
WILLIE G LOVES FOOTBALL
July 26th, 2011
5:16 pm
they both need to get something . braves a starting pitcher and and a bat , the falcons, a lb, cb, and de or they will not make the playoffs you heard this from the gambler.
boots
July 26th, 2011
5:17 pm
I trust Arthur Blank to do the right thing much more than I do Liberty Media, whoever they are.
Don Green
July 26th, 2011
5:22 pm
joemoedee @ 5:00 pm:
Thanks, I did not realize that Hardy had signed an extension with Baltimore. I still like the idea of trying to pick up a shortstop to replace Alex Gonzalez. He is just awful. In fact if there was one stud free agent I would be willing to rent, it would be Jose Reyes, if the Mets would deal him.
Maybe you could do the same scenario with Houston and not give up much to rent free agent shortstop Clint Barmes and a reliever like Wilton Lopez or Mark Melancon.
Only thing that I was thinking was that all of those hitters hit lefthanders well. In fact Johnson at .356 and Cuddyer at .344 and Gomes at .300 all have pounded left handed pitchers. They could be an effective alternative to Nate McLouth or Jason Heyward against left handed pitching.
BigHittas
July 26th, 2011
5:24 pm
What would we have to give up to get Pence AND Bourn?
How bout Minor, McClouth, and Hinske/ or player to be named later?
Don Green
July 26th, 2011
5:34 pm
BigHittas:
I am guessing that to get both Pence and Bourn you’d probably have to give up Heyward and Minor. Can’t see the Astros wanting McLouth or Hinske.
chuck
July 26th, 2011
5:41 pm
How can a reliever be over worked when they pitch one inning every two days?
FalconsBraves1231
July 26th, 2011
5:55 pm
People really don’t wanna trade MIKE MINOR for BELTRON?? Seriously why are yall acting as if Minor is Roy Halladay?? I would make this deal in 0 seconds. Some say we have one of the top farm systems in baseball, it shouldn’t be too hard to call up another arm. Its not like where trading one of our current rotational pitchers, its a minor league player!
braves are pretenders!!
July 26th, 2011
5:57 pm
The only trade the braves could make to make them a contender would be to trade this so called manager they have. This guy is the worst game day manager of any of the teams competing for the wildcard. He got totally out managed last night by the Pirates manager. This guy never does anything to advance runners, and he continues to have the worst contact hitter in the N.L.(Heyward) batting second. So i guess the Falcons have the best chance, but they showed what they are made of last year with the home field in the playoffs. It’s a sad time to be a sports fan in the state of Georgia. UGA and the Braves have the worst managers or coaches in their respective leagues, and the Falcons are a paper weight when it comes to bigtime playoffs. And i didn’t even mention Ga.Tech, OMG!!
Bobby
July 26th, 2011
6:03 pm
It is too late to expect that adding one big bat is going to bring the Braves around. We have three or four big bats on the team already who are not hitting their weight, McCANN excepted, but without them we would be two or three places lower in the division. Add to that the injuries are piling up. I say forget this panic move and see who is available after the season. Then make plans and trades that will benefit the team for the next two or three seasons. There will be no world series play, league title, or division title this year and it’s time we face facts and act accordingly. Hype and hope have carried us as far as they can.
SAL
July 26th, 2011
6:05 pm
Beltran hits .227 right handed. Duh, can you say McClouth and Ankeil. Please don’t get Beltran for 2 months.
Ronald Millsaps
July 26th, 2011
6:06 pm
The Falcons very well might need a move since they DID make a move. Trading five draft picks translates into a considerable sum. Their defense was not good at all against Green Bay, so what did they do? Draft offensively!
Delbert D.
July 26th, 2011
6:13 pm
No one in the photo is paying the least bit of attention to Frank Wren.
Bonzo
July 26th, 2011
6:14 pm
I think the Braves should hold onto the two catchers, Prado, and the only three real pitchers we have in the bull pen, and put everybody else on the trading block. The other players now on the roster have simply not done their job.
Bonzo
July 26th, 2011
6:18 pm
Delbert D….you are right. Nobody in the picture even knows Wren is talking. I don’t think they care that he’s there or trying to talk to them.
richie
July 26th, 2011
6:30 pm
i say we give minor, delgado, and a outfield prospect to houston for Pence, then trade a package of two relief prospects to San Diego for Heath Bell. two needs filled. drop off nate mcclouth for little return and get a willingham or perhaps ryan spilborghs from Colorado to fortify the bench. That way we still keep our two best pitching prospects and fill our needs
Larry
July 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Falcons need a DE, NB and a Defensive Coordinator to make the next level.
The Braves need a Manager with more than a double digit IQ, a SS, an OF and a whole new approach to offense…speed and contact, situational hitting.
Larry
July 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
SAL
July 26th, 2011
6:05 pm
Beltran hits .227 right handed. Duh, can you say McClouth and Ankeil. Please don’t get Beltran for 2 months.
Perhaps true, SAL, but how does his left handed average look compared to any of our current left handed outfielders?
Anything would be an improvement over Heyward!
The Nature Boy
July 26th, 2011
6:58 pm
@ Ronald Millsaps..Aaron Rogers played “the perfect game” that Saturday night in January….plz realize that..(I finally have) the Falcons needed an additional weapon on offense…and now that have it..albeit “unproven”…the Falcon need to retain O-Line bigs..if not Matty Ice Water will be toes up…with a cracked rib…JMHO
The Nature Boy
July 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
@ Larry..I’m too lazy to google past drafts…but haven’t the Falcons drafted a DE, like EVERY freaking year….just sayin…
Heyward still determined to make impact on Braves' season | Jeff Schultz
July 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
[...] there’s something different about Heyward this year, and it’s the reason the Braves are looking for offensive help in the trade market. Make no mistake: Notwithstanding Chipper Jones’ extended string of ailments, Dan Uggla’s [...]
Don Green
July 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
The Washington Nationals just acquired Jonny Gomes from the Cincinnati Reds for minor league OF Bill Rhinehart and minor league LHP Chris Manno.
Gomes crushes left handed hitting. Good pick up by the Nationals.
Don Green
July 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
I meant to say Gomes crushes left handed pitching above. Sorry.e
Holoman
July 28th, 2011
10:26 am
Delgado is the top Braves pitching prospect according to many.
IrishBlu
July 29th, 2011
4:56 am
@AJC Editor
Are you illiterate or just BLIND. NO WHERE in the article does it say ANYTHING about Mr. Larry Jones playing center field. You might wanna recheck your facts before you go bad mouthing someone’s writing.
Anyways a longtime Bravoes fan I’ve seen us get to where we need to be with PITCHING. Heath Bell would be a GREAT pickup. I know he is a closer, but even said in his own words that he would be a setup man in the right situation. Craig is LIGHTS OUT right now, but by bringing Bell in we could save Craig some wear and tear in his body. He doesn’t look lifeboat, but you gotta remember he’s still a rook, and the rest could do him some good. Plus, God forbid that this would happen, if Kimbrel happens to either get hurt or pull a Mark Wholers (DFA inability to pitch) we’ve got a (non Danny Kolb) all-star close to step right in.
Anyway, that’s my 2 cents plus a nickel.
GO BRAVES!!!