Did Falcons just take lead over Braves in title pursuit? (Update: Phillies get Pence)
Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff just moved closer to a title.
(UPDATED: 9:15 p.m. with news of Philadelphia trading for Houston outfielder Hunter Pence.)
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff just worked his magic to sign defensive end Ray Edwards.
Frank Wren: You’re on the clock.
This is an important time for both the Falcons and Braves. The NFL is in free agency and major league baseball is bumping up against the trade deadline. This is when championship contenders often
Can Frank Wren get help for Fredi Gonzalez and Braves?
are determined.
The Falcons believed they needed to add at least one significant player on defense to compete for a Super Bowl. Edwards should provide that. He gives them a pass rusher from the left side as a complement to John Abraham.
The Braves need to add some offensive power, preferably a right-handed hitting outfielder who can drive in runs. Wren has had talks for several different players, but he hasn’t pushed the button on a deal yet. He balked at letting go of a valued pitching prospect (Mike Minor) for a rental player (Carlos Beltran).
The question now: Are the Braves willing to do what it would take to land a high-profile player like Houston’s Hunter Pence or the Chicago White Sox’ Carlos Quentin, or do they settle for somebody the next tier down (Ryan Ludwick or Josh Willingham) and hope the rest of the roster gets healthy enough for the stretch drive?
UPDATE: The Braves apparently pushed for Pence but Philadelphia pushed harder and acquired the outfielder from the Astros, according to multiple outlets. Fox Sports baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal first reported Houston will get four prospects in the deal, including two highly coveted ones: first baseman Jonathan Singleton and pitcher Jarred Cosart. So the Braves have now seen their biggest competition in the National League, the Phillies and Giants, both make major moves.
Dimitroff has worked this condensed free agency period brilliantly. Now it’s Wren’s turn.
For what it’s worth, in March I ranked Atlanta’s then-four pro sports general managers, and Dimitroff edged Wren for the top spot. We’ll re-evaluate after the Braves and Falcons complete their seasons.
There is still time before Sunday’s trade deadline for the Braves to make a move. San Francisco, coming off a World Series, already made its move by trading for Beltran. Philadelphia is pursuing several players and some believe may have the inside track on Pence.
We’ll find out soon enough how serious the Braves are about winning a World Series this year.
By Jeff Schultz
♦
Earlier: As Braves talk trade, Ross says ‘We need a piece’
Earlier: Braves would be taking a risk without major move
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231 comments Add your comment
Van Brocklin
July 30th, 2011
10:35 am
`
The 2011 Falcons will now take the lead
over the 1972 Miami Dolphins with a 19-0 record and a “perfect season”.
.
Elliot
July 30th, 2011
10:50 am
I have no problem with passing on Beltran, but we should have done whatever needed to get Pence. This team hasn’t made a big, team-changing, put us over the top deal since Fred McGriff in 1993.
Falcons4Eva
July 30th, 2011
10:55 am
@smitty….You’re missing the point on the comparrison between Thomas Dimitroff and Frank Wren. The job of the GM is to make the team better via the acquisition of talent. Frank Wren has failed in that effort – especially at a time when it matters most. Honestly, who do you have more faith in – Frank Wren or Thomas Dimitroff…Exactly.
Holding on to prospects is only as good as the championships they bring. Looks to me like the Phillies have championships – AND gave up prospects…So you can do BOTH!
So next year we will have 5 starting pitchers plus 4 more starting pitchers! Wow. How exciting that is next year, and the next year. We need a bat damit.
What is Frank Wren Thinking?
July 30th, 2011
10:57 am
I am new at this GM thing. I wonder if I’m supposed to be doing something?
Oh well, now where is my putter?
And where did I put my lucky penny?
Falcons4Eva
July 30th, 2011
11:04 am
Frank Wren is the Village Idiot!.
Betcha all next week he is going to put spin on the fact that he’s a miserable failure! Don’t give me any BS about the price was to high for Pence and Beltran. The fact of the matter is, how is it the Phillies can do it (giving up top prospects) and and stay on course to go to the World Series 4 times in the past 5 years…
Who among us REALLY REALLY believe we have a better than 50% chance of getting by both Giants and Philies? Hell, we even struggled to score against the Pirates – a 3rd place team in the Central. Look what happened to the Pirates yesterday by the Phillies – GOT CLOBBERED! and we barely scored.
Falcons can’t get here soon enough!
Red Stick
July 30th, 2011
11:31 am
It seems like the Phillies gave up alot for Pence. I don’t think the Braves should have given up 2 of the top pitching prospects for him.
Hopefully they will get Quentin.
Gumby
July 30th, 2011
11:52 am
The Phillies payroll for 2011 is double the Braves team payroll . The problem fro the Braves and Frank Wren is the lack of an MLB salary cap. Without one a GMs hands are tied, unless he wants to give up 2 pitching prospects. Baseball without a salary cap is now only going to be won by the rich teams.
Major League Baseball Salaries 2011 MLB Salaries by Team
TEAM TOTAL PAYROLL
Philadelphia Phillies $ 172,976,379
Atlanta Braves $ 87,002,692
Difference $ 85,973,687
DawgDad
July 30th, 2011
12:10 pm
We still don’t know what if anything Wren will do, so judgment is somewhat preliminary. Flat and simple, the reason the Braves did not land Pence or already have a player like him on the roster is — Chipper Jones. Chipper is eating an awful lot of payroll for value returned.
Effectively the Phillies replaced Jayson Werth with Pence. Whether or not they overpaid remains to be seen. It is hard envision the Braves coming up with a four-player package like the Phillies did, but I’ll say this, those top four pitching prospects the Braves have so far protected had better step right in and pick up the slack when age and Scott Boras start decimating the Braves starting rotation. Fans will not forget Wren sitting on the sidelines and watching a player of Pence’s caliber walk into the Philly clubhouse.
The left-handed imbalance in the Braves lineup and especially the outfield must still be cured if the Braves want to be a serious factor in the playoff and World Series hunt. Hinske-Constanza-Heyward — I’m shaking my head in sadness. I like all of these guys individually, but collectively this is a GM nightmare.
Sunshine Falcon
July 30th, 2011
12:13 pm
Mr. Blank local owner dude, who wants to win a Super Bowl above all else.
The Time Warner Group out of NEW YORK CITY, they are just using the Braves as a tax write off.
That’s my take.
Get Quentin, and prove me wrong.
ryan m
July 30th, 2011
12:23 pm
2 completely different situations Jeff. Falcons are in the beginning of their season and they made a splash with Edwards. Braves did the same at the beginning of their year with uggla. Falcons have an ownet who cares about winning. Braves don’t. Wren is not going to leverage the future for a rental or overpay a player which is smart. He will do something to help the club but you r simplifying the situation to get the blow hards in a frenzy. Not a well thought out blog
Sunshine Falcon
July 30th, 2011
12:29 pm
TommyP I read your post after I posted.
I would love to get Bourn, in here, too!
ryan m
July 30th, 2011
12:29 pm
It was the smartest blog in the world if all u want is to give the uninformed a soap box
Hillbilly D
July 30th, 2011
12:41 pm
The White Sox are only 3 games back in their division, which they may very well be good enough to win. Rumors of Carlos Quentin being on the trading block may be overblown.
Van Brocklin
July 30th, 2011
1:08 pm
The Windy City is always overblown.
Duh!
July 30th, 2011
1:09 pm
Coming down the road will be the need for starters. Look at it realistically friends. Lowe will be gone. Huddie, gone. We will not be able to afford both Jurgens and Hanson. Those young arms are tomorrows starters for Atlanta. You just can’t mortgage the future when the owners are unwilling to spend a lot of money. So it is indeed a fine line we are walking, hoping it all holds up long enough to make it to the post season and living in the reality of where we are. It ain’t perdy but it is afterall, all we have.
Shonuff
July 30th, 2011
2:05 pm
Schultz,
Nobody cares about your fantasy Atlanta GM rankings. You’re a hack.
Sincerely,
Shonuff
Isam
July 30th, 2011
2:12 pm
Ted Turner is not the owner of the Bravos but the owners of QVC are. Not much money to do anything. Not sure why Dimitroff and Wren would be in close competition. The Dimitroff moves in the last few including bringing on Tony Gonzalez has been head and shoulders above any things Wren has put forth in at least the last half decade. Renting Texiera for quality prospects was his doing, bringing on Kawakami too. Blank and Dimitroff are like the new Turner and Schuerholz…Renting Beltran was not worth it but getting Pence for a couple of years might have been. Hopefully, Wren does something to keep the Braves competitive by tomorrow!
Steve
July 30th, 2011
2:15 pm
How about Freeman and one of the big name minor leaguers for Konerko and Quentin? I know it sounds a little ridiculous at first, but think about it, look at both teams, their age and what they have in the minors.
Hillbilly D
July 30th, 2011
2:23 pm
One thing that has to be pointed out, in fairness, is that it’s easier to make money with an NFL franchise than with an MLB franchise. It’s hard to actually lose money with the TV contract. Comparing Wren and Dimitroff is really an apples/oranges comparison.
And let’s remember, Turner’s first 15 years as an owner weren’t anything to write home about. When he hired Scherholz and got out of the way, is when things turned around.
What is Frank Wren Thinking?
July 30th, 2011
2:53 pm
I wonder what a trade deadline is?
smitty
July 30th, 2011
3:02 pm
4eva……the job of a GM is to manage all the talent…….including acquisition but at what cost…….as
someone pointed out, the braves dont have the cash/payroll to go out and buy players, they have to do it the old fashioned way and develop talent on the farm…….pitching is always at a premium and hudson and lowe are not getting any younger…..despite uggla’s start, chipper’s injury, the braves have managed to win a few games……….maybe pence would have been the missing piece, maybe not, but wren (and i am sure others were involved in the decision) judged the cost too high…….lets see how the falcons and braves seasons pan out and then we can discuss the merits of the respective GM’s……until then its pointless suggesting that dimitroff is in “first place” because he had the money to bring in edwards and drafted jones at WR………we’ll all see if the giants’ acquiring
beltran or the phils obtaining pence is the difference maker……..its a toss up as far as i’m concerned
time will tell…..
mike
July 30th, 2011
3:17 pm
philly can afford big splash(lee, pence) because they get countless sell out, do you remember last braves sellout, even in playoff. you got point. we lost hockey team, hawks playing in half empty arena, braves same just above pathetic marlins fans, so what you expect from gm, i expect selling the team but new owners not going to be with deep pocket, it’s not working in a worst pro sport city in USA. what working? you know “let go dawgs” this is unfortunate reality in Atlanta.
NFL, NFLPA working on final details of new CBA – Atlanta Journal Constitution | News Channel 12 | Latest Breaking Local News and World Headlines
July 30th, 2011
4:00 pm
[...] Did Falcons just take lead over Braves in title pursuit? (Update: Phillies get Pence) [...]
Slimjr
July 30th, 2011
6:54 pm
Eagles 47, Falcons 18
2012 MVP= Mike Vick!
bj
July 30th, 2011
10:08 pm
TD is one smart man…thanks Blank for going out and getting him.
Wren is ok but not as polished a dealer as JS was..Hope he gets Bourn are BJ..can’t stand Juice Schafer and nate.
wins-by-a-link
July 30th, 2011
10:58 pm
Don’t blame Frank Wren, He can only do so much with what Liberty Media gives him, The Braves need local ownership like the Falcons who are much more likely to win a championship than are the Braves.
Keith
July 31st, 2011
12:45 am
Wren has been great for the most part. Don’t be surprised if he makes a deal for a bat that is “unknown” or not the normal names being thrown around….
Bourn make sense to me,, even t hough he’s left handed. Above average defense, great speed, and solid avg.
Keith
July 31st, 2011
12:46 am
Re: Simjr
While I do agree that Philly could very well beat the Falcons this year, the odds of Vick making another bad decision (i.e. dogfighting, birthday bash gone bad, etc.) are greater than him getting MVP.
GO BIRDS!
Ted M
July 31st, 2011
10:04 am
8:46am: The Braves acquired center fielder Michael Bourn from the Astros for four minor leaguers, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He says the deal is done and will be announced shortly. Ken Davidoff of Newsday tweets that the Braves will receive money in the deal as well.
Bourn, 28, is hitting .303/.363/.403 in 473 plate appearances, and he leads MLB with 39 steals. The Scott Boras client has $1.45MM remaining on his contract this year and is arbitration eligible for 2012 before hitting free agency. The Astros’ outfield purge continues, as they sent Hunter Pence to the Phillies on Friday.
rtrider
July 31st, 2011
10:08 am
Michael Bourn to ATL for Schafer + 3 young pitching prospects (none of the big 4). The news just broke. Great deal for the Braves
Ted M
July 31st, 2011
10:09 am
8:59am: The Astros will receive Jordan Schafer, Brett Oberholtzer, Paul Clemens, Juan Abreu, tweets ESPN’s Jayson Stark.