The trade deadline nears. Will Braves GM Wren pay the piper?
Mike Minor could be the key man in a major move. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
Look on the bright side. If you have to put your catcher and your center fielder on the disabled list, better to do it four days before the trading deadline than four days after. Right?
“You didn’t give me the alternative of not putting anybody on the disabled list,” Fredi Gonzalez said, speaking before his Braves played the second leg of their odd Wednesday doubleheader. (The first part ended at 1:50 a.m.) But the DL has become to the Braves as the Downtown Connector is to the Georgia DOT — a place of high occupancy and much consternation.
Among other developments over the course of 19 innings Tuesday-into-Wednesday, the Braves lost their best player. Brian McCann went on the DL with what we like to call Braves Syndrome — a tweaked oblique. Jordan Schafer, who got plunked in the left forearm in the 11th inning, was disabled with a broken left index finger. (”Needs to take the target off his left arm,” Gonzalez said.)
Complicating matters, Chipper Jones remained unavailable to do more than pinch-hit Wednesday night, and Jason Heyward, who was hitting .222, didn’t start because the Pirates were deploying left-hander Paul Maholm. This was the Braves’ starting outfield: Martin Prado, who’d gone 0-for-9 over the 19 innings; Nate McLouth, who was hitting the McLouthian .228, and Wilkin Ramirez, just up from Gwinnett. Batting cleanup for your Atlanta Braves: Dan Uggla, just now nuzzling up to .200.
The belief before those 19 innings was that general manager Frank Wren would make some manner of major trade ahead of the deadline. That belief is now a raging conviction. But doesn’t the knowledge that the Braves are without McCann complicate matters?
“Obviously it changes things a little bit,” Gonzalez said. “I think we were going to try to improve our club no matter what — even if Mac hadn’t gotten hurt. Now maybe the asking price just got a little higher.”
Did it? Said Wren: “It’s not as if he’s out for the year. If that was the case, things might be different. But for what we’re trying to do, the dynamics haven’t changed.”
A day that began with plate umpire Jerry Meals making a lousy call that became the buzz of the sports world remained frazzled throughout. (The Braves would win Wednesday night in a scant 10 innings, amassing two runs on 14 hits.) Colby Rasmus, identified by some as a person of interest to the Braves, was shipped to Toronto by St. Louis. Various reports held that Carlos Beltran, seen as the biggest of available names, was headed to the Giants, who might again play here in the Division Series.
It had been reported by Buster Olney of ESPN that the Braves removed themselves from the Beltran bidding by refusing to part with any of their four top pitching prospects — Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino, Mike Minor, Randall Delgado. Was that indeed the case?
Said Wren: “We’re not going to trade those guys for a short-term fix. That really doesn’t make sense. Those are premium-type prospects.”
Such a hard line makes sense — in theory. Beltran will become a free agent at season’s end and is represented by the dreaded Scott Boras. If the Braves are going to deal a Minor or a Delgado (or both), in a perfect world it would be for a guy like Houston’s Hunter Pence, who fills a need, makes reasonable money and is under contract through 2013. That said …
When you look on this lineup, you see, shall we say, imperfection. The scary part is that Uggla has hit in 18 consecutive games and raised his average, at least for a couple of innings, above the Mendoza Line, and still the Braves are hitting under .240. And that was with McCann having an MVP-type season. What happens these next few weeks?
“We’d like to improve our team,” Wren said, and the proper adjustments could make this club, which is on pace to win 93 games, a world champion. But those adjustments could come at a hefty price. As much as baseball are loath to part with young pitching, sometimes it’s the only way.
We’ll know soon enough if this GM is willing to ante up. The guess here: He’s willing, and he will.
By Mark Bradley
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261 comments Add your comment
jonny
July 27th, 2011
11:24 pm
I agree mark wren wont trade for he knows he cant give up prospects for a player who hasnt been that great yet
UGA Grad
July 27th, 2011
11:25 pm
Tom: People like you were probably one of the guys I was talking about who were screaming for Teixeira. Tex was a solid bat at the time, just like the guys we are looking at now. You don’t need 7 awesome minor league pitchers who have potential. The only guy anybody had even heard of that we gave up was Andrus and Saltalamacchia had shown SOME promise, not much. You act like we gave up 3 or 4 solid offensive players. Yes, Andrus would have started over Brooks in the Giants nlds series. We may have won the WS, we could have got swept by the phils in the nlcs. Also, the funniest thing ever….the braves have like 5 really good trades compared to this minor setback trade.
jk
July 27th, 2011
11:26 pm
what about going after hardy from baltimore…put him at SS, and our offense might be solved…anyone know what his contract status is
Don Green
July 27th, 2011
11:29 pm
I’d go after Bourn over Upton or Pence. Then grab anther RH platoon player like R.Johnson, Ludwick, Willingham, Cuddyer, or a Nationals flip of Gomes. Whichever one of those RH sticks you could get the cheapest.
Bourn will come cheaper than Pence and in my opinion fills a legitimate need, a speedy leadoff hitter to disrupt things on the base paths and create havoc for defenses. Guy is a great glove, too.
The other RH bat could then platoon in RF with Heyward against lefties and play LF when Prado was needed to spell Chipper to keep him healthy.
Then you could field this order:
CF-Bourn
LF-Prado
3B-Chipper
C- McCann
1B-Freeman
2B-Uggla
RF-Heyward
SS-Gonzalez
Guys like Schafer, McLouth, Hinske, Ross, Lugo, would be a strong bench. Then I would concentrate on one more decent, cheap bullpen arm for depth.
So I say go for:
1. Bourn
2. A cheap rental as RH outfielder
3. A cheap rental as a RP
4. Possibly a better cheap SS than Lugo
5. Another cheap RP if he fell in your lap
Don’t think you would have to give up much in the way of prospects. If Bourn is too expensive for you after arbitration next year you trade him over the winter. Especially if you think Schafer could do the job.
I also might look at Ian Desmond from Washington, they seem willing to trade him. Maybe something for Desmond, Gomes, and a Nationals RP in a package.
Maybe the Houston trade could include CF-Bourn, SS-Barmes, RP Melancon
The Washington trade could include OF-Gome and an RP
Don Green
July 27th, 2011
11:30 pm
Hardy was a free agent, but he just signed a 3 year extension with Baltimore. Would have been a great get for the Braves.
Brett
July 27th, 2011
11:31 pm
Can we trade for rowand? for cheap…..seams that his production went down because of the stadium….
Brett
July 27th, 2011
11:34 pm
TRADE FOR ROWAND!!!!!
Tony
July 27th, 2011
11:36 pm
If Wren is serious about the Braves’ chances, he will have to add first an outfield bat. There is uncertainty with Chipper and two of the outfield positions. We must seriously be thinking about the possibility of injury in the stretch run. So, let’s go Wren and let’s go Braves!
Don Green
July 27th, 2011
11:39 pm
Pat Burrell just got released by the Giants. Jorge Cantu got released by the Padres two weeks ago. Sign both of those right handed sticks to a minor league deal and see if either could be ready by the end of August to provide some bench depth.
ToccoaDawg
July 27th, 2011
11:40 pm
I agree with wren. Don’t sell the future for a short term fix. We will need ALL those young pitchers in the years to come. 29 innings in 2 days should have proven that. we have other prospects we could trade that won’t hurt us as bad.
VinceVanGo
July 27th, 2011
11:41 pm
I don’t have the answers but I know this! With McCann out of the lineup opposing teams are going to be very careful about giving Uggla & Freeman anything to hit because they are all the Braves have left that are producing right now. They can be easily pitched around because the rest of the Braves lineup is so weak. I suspect that most teams could intentionally walk Uggla & Freeman back to back and not give up any runs(unless David Ross is batting behind them.) It’s a scary scenario and one that calls to go out and get a right handed hitter who can give protection until B. Mac comes back.
Mister Frisky
July 27th, 2011
11:44 pm
Yeah keep all those young arms I’m sure those guys on the farm can’t wait to get to the Bigs and not get any run support either.
Why Not?
July 27th, 2011
11:47 pm
After seeing Christihan (sp) Martinez hit last night… see if he can play the OF? Gotta be better than what’s out there now.
Seriously… I believe someone mentioned Adam Jones from Baltimore??? I’d love to see that but is that really even an option???
jonny
July 27th, 2011
11:47 pm
I have got it!!!!!!! why dont we go back in time and trade delgado minor viscaino and tehran for beltran reyes and bobby parnell world series hahah
jonny
July 27th, 2011
11:50 pm
but seriously would the mets be able to resist a package including two of our four upcoming top pitching prospects (delgado minor viscaino and tehran) for reyes? or do you think that would be too much for a year or so rental
Don Green
July 27th, 2011
11:56 pm
I can’t believe Baltimore trading Adam Jones, but you might as well make the call. He is arbitration eligible next year but only makes $2 million right now. Has 18 HRs from his CF spot.
Dam Arizona is winning again in San Diego. Up 4-2 in the 7th and have 2 runners on with no outs , so it should get worse. Need to keep our eyes on them. Right behind us in the wild card race.
UGA Grad
July 27th, 2011
11:56 pm
Don Green: It is almost certain that if we got Bourn, then we would have to give up Schafer in return. I agree though, I would go after him before Upton.
Top trade needs in this order, not that we need all of these IMO:
1) A serious power bat (Kemp, Pence, Justin Upton, Ramirez) not Ludwick or Willingham.
2) A leadoff man such as Bourn.
3) A good RHP reliever (Clippard, Adams, Wuertz)
4) A good utility man, I think going after Infante would be awesome. That would mean we basically got Uggla for nothing, haha.
5) A back end of the rotation guy.
M10
July 28th, 2011
12:22 am
You mean to tell me the Braves did’nt want to give up Minor for Beltran,just stupid.You need OFFENCE.
JORDAN
July 28th, 2011
12:27 am
WREN WILL MAKE A MOVE I JUST HOPE ITS BETTER THEN THE RICK ANKEL MOVE HE PULLED LAST YEAR…. I STARTED A BRAVES BLOG YALL SHOULD CHECK ME OUT- IF YOU LIKE MY BLOGS FOLLOW ME AND FEEL FREE TO COMMENT.. HERES THE LINK
http://jordanhbraves.blogspot.com/
rboggs
July 28th, 2011
12:31 am
is there anyway we could trade DLOWE for just crap as a salary dump, then trade minor for pence? that we free up some money, plus Lowe isn’t that good.
Athenzdawg
July 28th, 2011
1:42 am
Please don’t waste our time for Josh Willingham if we needed another outfielder who was a “platoon” player who batted .240 which is his average now….we might as well keep who we have. We have won or lost with the crap thats in the field now, might as well keep our pitching and not give it up for more crap
SB75
July 28th, 2011
2:18 am
Bourn is a good player, having a great year. But I don’t think the Braves FO is ready to give up on Jordan. Houston would likely want him in the package. Everything I have jeard sounds as if they are pleased with the kid, despite that OBP.
SB75
July 28th, 2011
2:31 am
The Braves should just go ahead and get Upton, Place him in CF now and RF next year moving Jason to left and putting Jordan in CF. Sit back and watch B.J. have a career year in his walk year!
Away: .278/.357/.471/.828 with 9hr’s and 11 SB’s
Grass: .275/.361/.473/.834 with 8hr’s and 9 SB’s
Get him out of Tampa and on grass and a good CF’er offensively and defensively.
Parker
July 28th, 2011
2:40 am
Trade whatever it takes to get Bourne, then use whoever is hot between mclouth and heyward in right and bat them 7th. With Moylan coming back we could use one more rh reliever for now, and then move Lowe and Beachy to the pen for the playoffs since you only need three starters for the playoffs. Bourne would keep us legitimate for now, and then when McCann and chipper come back the lineup could look like this
Bourne cf
Prado lf
Freeman 1st
McCann c
Uggla 2nd
Jones 3rd
Heyward/McLouth rf
Gonzalez ss
The 7, 8, 9 spots would probably be a black hole, but otherwise a solid top 6 that could easily get enough runs for our pitching.
Parker
July 28th, 2011
2:42 am
You’d also have a bench of Hinske, mclouth/ Heyward, Conrad, and Ross. Not bad.
clay
July 28th, 2011
2:47 am
After the beltran thing is through. We def HAVE to get Pence. He would be here 2 more years and we could re sign him. So it would make sense to give up minor for Pence. I dont understand why Wren hasn’t made a trade yet. It’s obvious we need a bat and a middle reliever.
Adolfo guzman
July 28th, 2011
3:36 am
He has made crap choices in the past it won’t surprise me if he doesn’t do the right thing before sunday. Pitchers come and go put if you want to win ballgames and head into the post season with a chance of going all the way than we need a great right handed hitter. So in the next couple of days we will see if the braves gm do the right thing and I hope he does because I’m a huge braves fan, and hope we win tomorrows game to catch up to tue phillies or give us a bigger lead in the wild card
GwinnettDad
July 28th, 2011
3:42 am
Julio Lugo? I mean, Julio Lugo? Any team that has to play Julio Lugo needs a transfusion!
No Braves team has had as many .220 hitters!
My grandmother could throw a pitch past Heyward if ishe located it on the outside corner.
Seems to be with a few exceptions, such as catcher and first base, and recently second base, the Braves need offensive help at every position. Thank heavens for pitching and defense.
Comparing the Braves and Phillies outfields: Fan’s outlook – Yahoo! Sports – 5138th Edition | latest information from USA
July 28th, 2011
4:39 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Packer Ed
July 28th, 2011
5:21 am
Braves need to part with Lowe and chipper and save about $30,000,000 for next year. Should be able to get two (2) free agents with that money saved or at least one very good free agent. The four (4) pitching prospects would be untouchables if I were Frank Wren. One of the four would fill Lowes spot.
Vicdawg
July 28th, 2011
7:10 am
Just came back from LA and saw the Dodgers play. Hey how bout Matt Kemp. Right handed batter and centerfielder. Over .300 average, 27 HR and a boatload of RBIs. Has played in 306 consectutive games–so he must be durable. Braves need him NOW!!!
Marvin Mangrum
July 28th, 2011
7:13 am
I would only trade my hurlers for a Ty Cobb type or a Ruthian sort, 15 homers and a 262 average is a little off. Again, a little off. However I would do this, I would fire the person who, on a AAA team has 4 guys batting under 200. Then I would fire the person who brings those 4 up to the majors, Im assuming so they can bat just a little bit worse. I watch, last nite the hitters after Freeman, hell, I thought they were little leaguers. If our right fielder can no longer hit, is there no where to send him, until he can possibly bat 240 or some other scary #? 4 players, maybe, and a pitcher then 4 I dont knows, or huhs! Gees!
Rumor Mill
July 28th, 2011
7:33 am
MARLON BYRD . CASE CLOSED
LeftyLeach
July 28th, 2011
7:34 am
Think we need more ‘O’ at the top ? Andrus, got ridda him. Escobar, too emotional ? Look at their OBP’s vs. our CF’s… Like a right handed bat? Diaz, Francouer, Cabrera, Ross,Betamit, Rivera… didn’t want em ! Church & McClouth; wanted Them ?? Go figure.
Southpaw
July 28th, 2011
7:49 am
Pence is the reasonable player to pursue. We’ll probably have to eat McClouth’s (most of it) salary if he’s in the deal. We will have to give up a valuable pitching prospect, but that’s what’s needed today (to complete the big trade) to stay in the race. If we don’t make a move, then the wild card is up for grabs.
GTT
July 28th, 2011
7:58 am
Said Wren: “We’re not going to trade those guys for a short-term fix. That really doesn’t make sense. Those are premium-type prospects.”
Best news I’ve heard.
Duh
July 28th, 2011
8:17 am
But here what he did say. You know that if he can get a young, non-boras, outfielder, that will be a long term fix, then it will be worth a trade. Mark, gees, Beltran make no sense unless you are able to sign him long term. Now, with the injury bug alive and well, we need several pieces. Giving a young potential arm for two months is like icing on a bad cake. Duh!
DetroitBraves
July 28th, 2011
8:20 am
Packer Ed, how exactly would you part with Lowe and Chipper? I mean, without paying them. They’ve tried to part with Lowe but there have been no takers. Chipper has 10-5 rights.
I also always love the “untouchable” prospect stance. Inflexibility breeds championships, don’t you know?
Vicdawg, just saw Ryan Braun play. I liked him. Thinking the Braves could trade McLouth and Lowe for him. Maybe if they throw in Scott Proctor the Brewers would pick up half of Braun’s salary.
The case for Marlon Byrd is closed if it is the case of the league average bat playing below average defense.
Furman Bitcher
July 28th, 2011
8:22 am
Guys we cant pitch all of those guys. We have a surplus so trade one of them for a bat we can control for a few seasons. I didnt like the Beltran deal for 2 months. But get a guy like Pence or Upton that we control then I say Bye Bye Minor. Remember we just drafted a Minor clone in Gilmarten.
Furman Bitcher
July 28th, 2011
8:23 am
We also have a couple of other good arms below the top 4 guys
NEW CARS
July 28th, 2011
8:23 am
Would you give up a Delgado and a couple of other guys for Adam Jones….Upton is a definite upgrade over what we have and have an answer for next year or two….I’m for bringing up Pasternicky now and putting Lugo out to pasture, he was never all that good in the first place and there is a reason he wasn’t playing before we signed him…
juice sourcer
July 28th, 2011
8:26 am
Didn’t the Giants just win the World Series last year with pitching and very little hitting? Timely hitting yes but their everyday line up was nothing like many of the other teams in the playoffs.
DetroitBraves
July 28th, 2011
8:30 am
Adam Jones has walked 21 times in 417 plate appearances so he would fit right in with the Braves. His defense is hard to get a a read on. I believe he’s a good defender, but there have been years, including this one, where the numbers don’t support that. But either way, is he even available? Still young and relatively cheap. In Baltimore’s position they probably have to consider everything but I wouldn’t think he would be the first guy they want to ship elsewhere.
Blackberry Cobbler
July 28th, 2011
8:31 am
Watching Ramirez and Lugo last night was frightening. Those 2 in the lineup is horrible. The Braves need a big bat desperately especially with Mac out and Chipper so fragile not to mention that Gonzalez is a huge dissappointment and Shafer just doesn’t have it.
rock
July 28th, 2011
8:38 am
This is a no brainer. You got 4 or 5 starters hitting around .200 and your hitters can’t hit left handed pitchers. THE BRAVES NEEDS SOME HITTERS ESPECIALLY RIGTH HANDED HITTERS. The Braves need to make several trades to up-grade a dismal and weak line-up. Wren has been very tardy on correcting this problem.
Zach Carey
July 28th, 2011
8:39 am
The braves should just go all out for Hunter Pence, before da Phillies decide to take him.
Give up Minor if u have to but take Hunter Pence unless u want bitches like Nate Mclouth and Julio Lugo in Ur lineup
Zach Carey
July 28th, 2011
8:39 am
The braves should just go all out for Hunter Pence, before da Phillies decide to take him.
Give up Minor if u have to but take Hunter Pence unless u want bitches like Nate Mclouth and Julio Lugo in Ur lineup. Just do it Wren
Dr. Phil
July 28th, 2011
8:41 am
If Wren should get Pence, I will take back most of the bad things I have said about him.
Roger "The Beaver"
July 28th, 2011
8:46 am
An Atl homeboy here, 55+ years…depressing to admit that we only have one WS title. Wren, as the GM you have the power to make the moves for “The Now” required to bring us another WS Title…sorry Chipper feels we don’t need anyone else, but, hey we do! This would really be a sad shame to see the Phillies continue to rock the east, when we have the opportunity to rise again to the top. Mr. Wren, simply put, don’t worry about job security and “pull the trigger” for Hunter Pence, NOW.
Our desire for another title in atlanta is all consuming at this time, as this is the ONLY objective….”win baby win.” As “Pit Bull” would say, “give me tonight, we may not be here tomorrow.”
Frank, a challenge for you…Get Hunter Pence, and earn your own WS Championship Ring, and place in baseball history.
Katherine
July 28th, 2011
9:03 am
What about going after hanley ramirez? There have been rumors about him either wanting to leave florida or other players wanting him to leave……..That would be amazing to have a good short stop who actually hits. I think the shortstop position is more of a problem than the outfield. And what was with the lineup yesterday? No heyward, hinkse, or even conrad? Really? I’m hoping it was just because of the 19 inning game the night before but it was an awful lineup.