Q: Should the Braves trade Jair Jurrjens? A: Are you NUTS?
Better trade this guy before he messes up and breaks too many records. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Usually Braves fans posit trades in this fanciful way: “Greg Norton for Albert Pujols — that’d be a great move!” But here, courtesy of Buster Olney and his ESPN Insider blog, we have something different. We have baseball people asking if the Braves would consider trading Jair Jurrjens.
Writes Olney (link requires registration):
Some rival executives have wondered if that pitching depth would allow Atlanta to consider a very bold move with a pitcher whose stock has reached its zenith — Jair Jurrjens, who is 10-3 with a 2.07 ERA and a midseason candidate for the Cy Young Award. If the Braves actually dangled Jurrjens in the market, they could put themselves in position to get an impact offensive position player in return.
Just to reiterate: All the discussion among rival evaluators about Jurrjens is pure speculation.
Well, thank heavens. The Braves have had many good pitchers over the past 20 years, but not many have ever been better over half a season than J.J. in the year 2011. As Joe Lemire notes on SI.com, since 1990 only four starting pitchers have finished a season with an ERA under 2.00 — Greg Maddux twice, Pedro Martinez twice, Roger Clemens twice and Kevin Brown once. Jurrjens is, as Olney mentioned, at 2.07.
Oh, and there’s this: He’s 25 years old! He’s arbitration-eligible again after this season — he and the Braves settled for $3.25 million over the winter — but he won’t be eligible to become a free agent until after the 2013 season. (Yes, his agent is Scott Boras.) He can be the ace of this superb staff for at least two more years.
I know, I know. His trade value will never be higher than it is today. Neither will Brian McCann’s, and I’d suggest the Braves hang on to him, too.
As for Kenshin Kawakami … I might part with him if the Rangers offered Josh Hamilton. Might, I said.
By Mark Bradley
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270 comments Add your comment
D man
July 1st, 2011
10:05 am
We do have an offensive weapon already in Jiar Jurrjens because he saves a couple of runs every time he pitches.
Joycee Banicheck
July 1st, 2011
10:05 am
I see Sum Ting Wong with trading for Shin Soo Choo
Gary
July 1st, 2011
10:07 am
I would keep JJ. You can never have too much pitching (see Braves 2006-2008) and the Braves can get a good bat (Pence, Upton) without giving up JJ. Face it folks, Matt Kemp is not going anywhere and the Dodgers are content to build around him, Ethier, and Kershaw. Hunter Pence would be a great addition – can hit for power, average, and has good speed – and can be had for a decent package.
Chris from the Rock
July 1st, 2011
11:06 am
I see Delgado, Clemens and perhaps Lowe in the offseason, as most likely to go. The Braves really need to hold onto Minor and Olberholter merely just because they are the only lefties in the upper levels in the system.
ATL > PHI
July 1st, 2011
11:16 am
Is it just me or has Mike Minor showed me sooo much less than Beachy AND teheran and delgado when they made spot starts?
heartofdarkness
July 1st, 2011
11:36 am
A 30 year old Frank Robinson was sent to Baltimore in exchange for pitcher Milt Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. During Robinson’s five year career in Baltimore, the Orioles won two World Series. Along with winning the triple crown, Robinson was a tremendous leader in the clubhouse. Milt Pappas won over 200 games during his 16 year career, was the ace of the Oriole staff when he was traded to the Reds and the starting pitcher in the All Star game.
It does not appear that there is a player of Robinson’s calibre and reliability playing today. The trade was made by both teams to fortify perceived weaknesses on the respective rosters, not in response to escalating salary considerations. That being said, clearly there can be a good argument in favor of trading your ace.
reckingball
July 1st, 2011
12:16 pm
Talk it to death, but, bottom line, trading JJ, aint going to happen.
bobby
July 1st, 2011
1:55 pm
anybody who suggests to trade J.J. is a moron.
Jared
July 1st, 2011
1:58 pm
no wonder most of the people that typically post on the ajc blogs are idiots… they inherit it from the bloggers themselves.
jurrjens is the ONLY pitcher on the staff that would bring anything of value. nobody will take Lowe’s entire salary. huddy is a 10-5 player and will likely reject any trades. hanson has more years of team control. beachy is cheap. minor brings us nothing.
if we want an impact MLB player, and not a 1/2 year rental, we will have to trade an impact MLB pitcher. Jurrjens is our only one.
but it probably wont happen during the season. watch out this winter, though.
aprilglaspie
July 1st, 2011
2:59 pm
This sort of mindless specculation takes place all the time. For instance, there is endless talk about the Dodgers trading Kershaw, like that might happen.
heartofdarkness
July 1st, 2011
6:22 pm
april, what did GHWB tell you to tell Saddam?
Chief pitchanono
July 1st, 2011
6:49 pm
Wren has to at least listen. Its doubtfull, but if someone throws a ridiculous offer at you then maybe you make the move. If we could get a good outfielder that we can control for a while, and some studd prospects of the bat variety, (think were good on pitching down there) then maybe you do it. I mean we go to the playoffs without him last year, and this is the most valuable he will ever be so you gotta at least listen. I mean we all know that he will be traded sometime in the next 24 months so its really just a matter of when. My guess is this time next year, by then I expect at least one or two of our top prospects to be knocking on the door and Jurggens will still have good value with 18 months or so left before free agency. If the offense wasn’t struggling so bad I could see Wren possibly doing it this year and getting maximum return, but with no guarantees with the offense, I don’t see it happening. Go Braves!!
fluffhead
July 2nd, 2011
12:49 am
Jared, (and everyone pushing for a trade, sorry you’re the last one pushing it and attempting to sound like an expert-which you aren’t and look stupid) I’m glad you aren’t our GM.
Jurrjens is the best pitcher in our system. He is an impact MLB player, not to mention legitimate Cy Young candidate. Why trade him?
William O
July 2nd, 2011
5:15 pm
Ill give you a couple of reasons that you dont deal JJ good pitching will negate any hitting and you can never have too much quality pitching. next year lowe goes, the contract is up on KK. minor and teheran arent ready you will have a big three in JJ hanson and hudson. you dont need powerhouse lineup if you have great pitching. medlan you dont know how hes going to come back. when chipper retires after the season and all the money thats coming off the books. it will be more than ample enough to go out and get some bats. this team minus the players coming off the books is more than enough to get by. what you would be getting at the deadline is nothing more than a rentals. Im tired of giving up talent for rentals. You go out and get an outfielder with some speed and can hit for average. we have more than enough pop in the middle of the lineup. we need setup men to drive in. theres going to be guys out there. maddux was borases guy back in the nineties and you have to admit that we always found the money to sign him and with all the money coming off the books at the end of the season and the season after that is more than enough to cover.. and you dont have to mortgage the farm. You dont throw away a cy young award winner for a guy like nelson cruz who will be what 32 with a guy like JJ that is only 25 and could be achoring the the staff for years to come. use your good sense man. great pitching concels out great hitting. dont believe that just ask the texas rangers about the world series. they came into the series with the best hitting team in the majors and who won? You got it We will stilll have the nasty boys in the back end of the pen. we have moylan and O’flariday in the middle. We have prado coming of the dl we should send chipper to get the minor arthroscopic sergery now and we have the break at the all star break we would be back just after the break and we would be back just after the break and at full strength.
Big Fly
July 3rd, 2011
10:01 am
Remember the scene in Frankenstein where all the townspeople form a mob with pitchforks and torches? That’s what it would be like among Braves fans towards Frank Wren if he trades J.J.
gomabman
July 3rd, 2011
10:07 am
Uh…never!
Roll Tide
July 3rd, 2011
10:55 am
Trade Lowe. He just does not fit in in Atlanta. Or, trade Moylan.
JOHN
July 3rd, 2011
2:28 pm
TRADE FOR HALLADAY
JOHN
July 3rd, 2011
2:32 pm
TRADE FOR HALLADAY YOU WANT PRINT IT
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3:24 pm
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