Worst thing I saw all year? This Vazquez-Cabrera trade!
I guess it’s not a bad a year when it takes until Dec. 22 to happen across something really awful. And that was our lot in Atlanta sports. Even with Willie Martinez and Dave Wommack misdirecting defenses; even with Jason Elam developing a case of the yips; even with Greg Norton whiffing and Paul Hewitt wrangling timeouts … even then, it took until the penultimate week of the calendar year to find something that made you throw a shoe at yonder wall.
And here it is, and here goes said shoe.
Javier Vazquez for Melky Cabrera. The Braves’ best pitcher for the Yankees’ eighth- or ninth-best player. The anchor of a good rotation for a guy who isn’t really a big bopper.
I’ll have more to say on this later and at greater length, but for now I leave you with these words:
Frank Wren = Epic Fail.
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797 comments Add your comment
Brian
December 22nd, 2009
3:17 pm
Ray Pugh, affording Holliday and Bay for 2010 is not as big an issue as affording them in the years after that when our young players start getting big raises. I don’t think they’re keen on signing a one year deal.
Run To The Other Blog
December 22nd, 2009
3:17 pm
BRAD
December 22nd, 2009
3:14 pm
What if Viscaino is the next Mariano Rivera?
What if he is the next Chris Reitsma?
Phil
December 22nd, 2009
3:18 pm
Brian,
You are exactly right, Wren discussed this with Cox, you can bet on that. It’s not all Wren(although he’s an idiot), it’s both of those bumbling buffoons to blame.
But as I stated before, Bradley won’t criticize his idol, Moron Cox.
dpelfrey
December 22nd, 2009
3:18 pm
Bradley, the money saved doesn’t need to yield Holliday. Add LaRoche and Nady to the mix and this is a really solid ball club with one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. One thing people are overlooking is that the Braves have assembled one hell of a bullpen (Medlen, Dunn, O’Flaherty, Chavez, Moylan, Saito, Wagner).
Run To The Other Blog
December 22nd, 2009
3:18 pm
What if Viscaino is the next Mariano Rivera?
What if he is the next Dan Kolb?
bvillebaron
December 22nd, 2009
3:18 pm
Glen:
Frank Wren did not make the Texiera trade, John Schuerholz did. Get your facts straight!
frontofficedorks
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
Wow, what a terrible trade. It has been said in this blog already,this makes me sick. You trade your best pitcher last year, who impacted jair in a huge way, for nothing. an averaqe outfielder who brings mediocrity to the already average outfield. NO Power, what we needed, NO speed, Nothing of any value. The Braves will send cox off with a last place finish…maybe the nationals finish last. Wren is a flippin idiot.Way to go dorkus. maybe we can bring len barker back. at least it frees up the baseball season for other pastimes. best of luck Vasquez, You were the highlight of the year last year…A true professional.
Opinion
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
This just in: Braves have traded Frank Wren to the Albuquerque Isotopes for a load of infield dirt !
Bruce Jones
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
This is a completely stupid trade. We were supposed to trade one of our “6 starting pitchers” for a power hitting outfielder. Didn’t happen. I’m not completely comfortable with the rotation we have. Now we have nothing to trade for such a player plus we need a first baseman, not a bandaid like DeRosa(already had him) or Nady. I predict that after about 3 months into the season, we will be needing another starter because of injury. I am not looking forward to starting this season with Bobby Cox saying “I think we have a pretty good team” just to have things go south due to the lack of talent.
Baba O'Riley
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
According to mlb.com the Braves said Holliday and Bay were too ’spensive. The problem is that it’s highly unlikely even after this salary dump that the Braves will sign a big bat. Marlon Byrd, Adam Laroche, OR Nady.
JB
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
To all of you applauding the move or taking the “wait and see” attitude:
Here’s a novel concept: what about trying to win? Now?
Aren’t any of tired of waiting year after year for prospects to develop? How many years is enough to keep hearing the same thing?
We already lost YEARS now waiting for our “great” prospects to develop: “The Baby Braves.”
You’re essentially hoping that the horse comes in first in the race or that you win the lottery, because a prospect isn’t a sure thing.
bvillebaron
December 22nd, 2009
3:19 pm
Glen:
Frank Wren did not make the Texiera trade, John Schueholz did. Get your facts straight!
George Holman
December 22nd, 2009
3:20 pm
You are right on it. This I don’t get!
fieldofdreams
December 22nd, 2009
3:20 pm
If Vizcaino is as good as projected, we groom him to be a closer. Can Cabrera play center? If so he’ll push the guy we got from Pittsburgh, for sure. And let’s keep our fingers crossed that Wren can now sign a first baseman and / or an outfielder.
JB
December 22nd, 2009
3:21 pm
Ray Pugh
aka
Frank Wren’s mother
M\r. Thomas Anthony "The Taxman Cometh" Jones, SR (Waf-SS, ret.)
December 22nd, 2009
3:21 pm
Mr. Melky Cabrera is good feilding outfeilder with a very good arm. Why is Mark bradley criticizing him before he even plays a game for the Braves. We would better here in Atlanta if we exterminated these so-called columnists who do not file their Income Tax Returns!!!
Let’s give Mr. Melky Cabrera an opportunity before we lynch Bradley and his henchmen lynch him!!!!!! Fair is Fair.
Run To The Other Blog
December 22nd, 2009
3:21 pm
“At first, when I thought it was Javy for Melky Cabrera I was appalled. But you all need to read the scouting reports on Vizcaino. He is the #2 ranked prospect (Baseball Prospectus) in the entire Yankees farm system, behind only Montero. He will be the #5 ranked prospect in the Braves system. Dunn is an upgrade over Logan.”
Well until one of these prospects turns out to be something of a big leaguer instead of just a prospect it IS IN FACT Vazquez for Melky!
End of story.
chipperrules
December 22nd, 2009
3:22 pm
geez, melky? bag of bats and balls would be better.
even norton would be…….well I wouldnt go THAT far
Brian
December 22nd, 2009
3:22 pm
JB, I’m saying “wait and see” as in let’s see how 2010 plays out before attacking the trade, not wait 5 years down the road.
Bruce Jones, you said: “We were supposed to trade one of our “6 starting pitchers” for a power hitting outfielder.” I challenge you to find one single instance of Frank Wren saying anything like this.
Phil
December 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
Frank Wren, 2010 GM of the Year!
Bobby Cox, 2010 Coach of the Year!
Jack
December 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
Wren, your family jewels are on the block. After getting a vinyl recliner and a set of aluminum flatware for your best pitcher, you darn well better sign a BIG bopper. You have to, or your name is mud … not it’s $#^&.
JTH
December 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
Fire Frank Wren.
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
Frank Wren called Melky Cabrera “a perfect fit.”
Baba O'Riley
December 22nd, 2009
3:23 pm
Will Wren’s presser be televised by the comedy Channel or will it be featured on Punk’d?
Run To The Other Blog
December 22nd, 2009
3:24 pm
Something for all of you Wren apologists to digest:
Any time you have to dump salary so you can fill another need, you’ve made a bad trade or signing that necessitated you dump salary.
Lowe and Vazquez were both Wren signings.
Baba O'Riley
December 22nd, 2009
3:24 pm
A perfect fit for the Pirates.
Fire Wren
December 22nd, 2009
3:24 pm
I don’t see how people can say that this is understandable since no one wants Lowe’s salary. Who signed Lowe last year to that big fat salary?
Run To The Other Blog
December 22nd, 2009
3:25 pm
Mark? Did you expect anything less from the Braves spin machine? LMAO
willie martinez
December 22nd, 2009
3:25 pm
a perfect fit for what?
alan
December 22nd, 2009
3:25 pm
Well we got suckered again by Frank Wrenn. Another so-so player for Vasquez. Can’t we get anyone for derek lowe? I rather have curtis lowe even if dead. Another season that sucks awaits us.
Phil
December 22nd, 2009
3:25 pm
Frank Wren also called Bobby Cox a “great manager”……
Baba O'Riley
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
OK Wreb apologists…how is this a perfect fit?
Ramblinwreck83
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
I guess everyone of the UGA fans on here thinks that next year will be a 9-10 win season. What i can’t understand is that quite a few defense players will be gone next year and UGA will have to get a DC that will improve but not make the defense lights out in 1 year. Also a QB who hasn’t played a lick shouldn’t bode well for UGA especially in the great SEC. I do find it humerous that all the UGA fans on here have got it through their thick skulls that Tech will not be good next year and UGA will be so much better. Very puzzling and a little amusing.
Wade
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
Horrible trade. To get Vazquez he gave up Flowers. Now he gets Melky in return??? Those prospects better turn out to be great, and there better be something big in the works for a bat. And now they still have Derek “no one put a gun to their head” Lowe??? Wow, thats a way to build a team to send off Bobby Cox with.
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
I’m paraphrasing here, but Frank Wren thinks this is a wonderful deal for the Braves.
I’m about to write something suggesting it is perhaps less than that.
David
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
Frank Wren is a complete moron. A guy with an ERA under three traded for — as you had already mentioned, Mark — the 8th or 9th best player on the Yankees (hitter, that is). It’s’ pathetic. Frank Wren is a complete and utter idiot.
Joshua
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
This is only a bad trade if the Braves do not make a substantial acquisition. NOBODY in baseball was going to give up anything more for Vazquez. Why? Because the rest of the league realizes that last season was a fluke. It was better to trade the guy now while his value was the highest, and since we really can’t expect to get the kind of bat you all seem to want for any player we have, the best move is to free up the most possible money. Meanwhile, we added speed and defense, as well as a decent hitter from both sides of the plate who is strong in the clutch, and freed $10 million. If you can see the merits of the trade, you are extremely short sighted. As I said, if we do nothing else this offseason, then your complaints will be justified. But good grief, to expect to get Adrian Gonzalez in return for Javy Vazquez is just plain silly.
Kane337
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
LMAO Mark Bradley. You using “Epic Fail” had me laughing for about 5 minutes. That caught me by surprise. I never thought I’d ever see you write that. haha!
JB
December 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Braves can’t afford top tier talent…or general managers.
Erik
December 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Mark,
They say they are going to trade Cabera for Dan Uggla. That might be worst trade possible. This is a guy that hit sub .250. It will be another long season for the Braves fans! Great Pitching no Hitting = another season missing the playoffs.
Jeff Walker
December 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Your an idiot, and a negative one at that. Yes, Melky is not what anyone would think of as an improvement to the offense, but you can’t call the deal a failure until Vizcaino has a chance to prove his worth or lack of. He is the big piece. Plus we freed up $9M while trading our 3RD BEST PITCHER! Nobody would take Vasquez over Jurrjens or Hanson. Maybe the deal is bad, but you won’t know that for sure until Vizcaino gets a shot, he may be a #1 starter for teams that feature Heyward and Freeman in their prime!
willie martinez
December 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Wrenn just wants some balance: mediocre pitching to match the mediocre offense.
Snoozin'
December 22nd, 2009
3:27 pm
Well until one of these prospects turns out to be something of a big leaguer instead of just a prospect it IS IN FACT Vazquez for Melky!
No, it is ONE year of Vazquez for an elite prospect, a decent young centerfielder, salary relief, and an upgrade at relief pitcher. THOSE are the facts!!
Prospects are extremely valuable to teams with limited payrolls – like the Braves.
Too many people here WAY overvalued Javy Vazquez.
Opinion
December 22nd, 2009
3:28 pm
BREAKING NEWS TO FRANK WREN:
In Major League Baseball only 3 of the starting 9 are outfielders, so why do we have 10 oufielders on our team??????????
Bruce Jones
December 22nd, 2009
3:28 pm
Brian, all the comments about the Braves situation were that they could not keep all 6 starters. If I’m not mistaken, and I may be, I thought I heard comments from Wren on 680 the Fan that they would pursue a power hitter using their depth of starters. Like I said, I may be wrong, but I believe I heard that. I don’t think we can get a proven power hitter for just prospects, only a young guy who had a great one yr. or a washed up retread like we got from the Angels last yr.
Brian
December 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
Well my goodness, Mark, I would hope Wren thinks that. Are you surprised? Do you think he would have made the trade if he didn’t think it was good?
Opinion
December 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
A blind squirrel could of made a better trade than this !!!!!!!
Baba O'Riley
December 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
A decent hitter? .269 with little power (outside Yankee Stadium). We had Melky last year, only he went by the name of Ryan Church.
willie martinez
December 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
i wouldnt expect him to say “i just made the greatest trade for the yankees”
Jeff Walker
December 22nd, 2009
3:30 pm
If only we could get the New York Media to trade their best writer for the AJC’s worst (Mark Bradley)