As the trade deadline nears, we offer a defense of Frank Wren
Mike Devereaux, eventual MVP of the 1995 NLCS, delivers the winning hit in Game 1. (AJC file photo)
Even as Braves fans scream, “Do something!”, it’s worth noting that the test of a general manager isn’t to do just anything — it’s to do the right thing. And sometimes what seems the right thing turns out to be …
Mark Teixeira.
The approach of another trade deadline takes us back to July 2007. The Braves made a big move, sending five prospects to Texas for the first baseman Teixeira and the reliever Ron Mahay. On the night Teixeira joined the Braves, Tim Hudson said, “Seems like they’re trying to make us win the World Series around here.”
That night Teixeira hit two home runs. Soon, two giddy fans from Auburn, Ala., had written a ditty and slapped it on YouTube. Sample lyric: “The National League it just ain’t fair-a/The Atlanta Braves got Mark Teixeira.” Also this: “The side effect is mild hysteria/The medical reason in Mark Teixeira.”
The reality, alas, was less scintillating. The Braves were 3 1/2 games out of first place when Teixeira arrived; they finished five back. They’d gone 56-51 without Teixeira; they went 28-27 with him. He was gone the next July, shipped to California ahead of impending free agency. Two of those five prospects grew up to help the Rangers reach the 2010 World Series.
The big heat on is Frank Wren to respond to the Giants’ acquisition of Carlos Beltran and to the Phillies’ trade for Hunter Pence. But a response isn’t always an answer, and here we cite another precedent. In 1983 the Braves were running ahead of the Dodgers, but Los Angeles landed the pitcher Rick Honeycutt. Determined to match, the Braves plucked Len Barker from Cleveland, but at the sky-high cost of Brett Butler, Brook Jacoby and Rick Behenna.
The Dodgers flew past the Braves in September. Barker won one game as a Brave in 1983, nine more the next two seasons. In any ranking of the worst trades in Atlanta Braves history, those two deadline deals would make the bottom five.
We mention this not to excuse Frank Wren from doing nothing yet — the guess is that Wren will move momentarily — but it’s not as if the GM has been trying to do nothing. Wren is the Charlie Hustle of general managers: His default position is to slide headfirst. Sometimes he overdoes it, which is how a team that acquired Javier Vazquez and Derek Lowe in one offseason felt compelled to add Kenshin Kawakami. But anyone who thinks Wren is sitting back watching the river flow is delusional.
Wren knows his team needs a bat, a center fielder, a leadoff man. He watches the games, same as you. But knowing you lack something doesn’t mean it’s available, and even if it is it might not be available at your price. The Phillies traded their best pitching prospect and their best non-pitching prospect to Houston for Pence. It has been reported that Wren offered Mike Minor, the Braves’ third-best pitching prospect. Does that make him stupid? Uh, no.
The Phillies sell out every game. When they lack starting pitching a few years down the road, they’ll buy more. (In recent years they’ve bought Roy Halladay, Joe Blanton, Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee twice.) The Braves can’t do that. They’ve spent half as much for this roster as Philadelphia has for its.
The Braves might have had Beltran, but Wren refused to trade one of his four top pitching prospects for a three-month rental. We can quibble over his decision — me, I’d have parted with Minor if it meant getting Beltran for however long — but nobody should suggest it was made lightly.
Wren wants to win a World Series, same as you, but there’s no assurance a big-ticket hire makes you a champ. Fred McGriff panned out. Teixeira didn’t. B.J. Surhoff, acquired by the Braves at the 2000 deadline, didn’t. Denny Neagle, acquired in 1996, didn’t. (Though he would win 36 games in 1997 and ‘98.) But Mike Devereaux, who arrived in an afterthought trade for the minor-leaguer Andre King in August 1995, became the most valuable player of the NLCS en route to Atlanta’s’ only World Series title.
More? Well, the acquisition who left the biggest imprint on October 2010 didn’t arrive in a deadline deal. The Giants bought Cody Ross off waivers from Florida on Aug. 22. He hit five postseason homers and drove in 10 runs.
Baseball, as you might have heard, is a funny old game. Those perceived as deadline winners don’t always, or even often, win in October. Consensus holds that the Giants made a winning move to get Beltran. Consensus also holds that the Phillies won by trading for Pence. At least one of those teams will not win the World Series. That’s a guarantee.
By Mark Bradley
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354 comments Add your comment
timboy6
July 31st, 2011
3:20 am
What the heck is wrong with Jeff Heyward? Oops, I meant Jason Francouer? Oops, wrong again, I just keep getting those two mixed up!
Tom
July 31st, 2011
4:35 am
Heyward is in commercials saying he has joined the fight against cancer. That is good. Hope he hits better then 238 against cancer.
Kevin
July 31st, 2011
7:54 am
Nothin be stickin fork in this if not gottin the fellow from Houston Jeff Franceour was be next idea can u just see it frenchy in world series in a Phillie uniform like was in Texas last year…..he be in phillie to after sunday….watch out Braves i like u all but Phillies are more in depth n pitchin power they be in world series after beatin Sam francisco this time in NLCS….if no bad stuff durin slumps hit u see giants back in world series again…..vs texas are boston ….i see for all you chicago folks stay away from The ted stay in wrigley field watch u gutless team lose to st.louis again i watch sat game on fox matt hoilday slide was dirty no cub pitcher had the brass balls to deck him at the plate when he came up……U left fielder has quit playin for u since 2005……U hire the wrong manager n u trade lou brock in 64 cardinals say thanks for w.series win too that year ernie banks was not a farm hand u got he came from the Negro league see why cubs been lied to on that….ha ha Cubs + wrigley field over flowin toilets bad nieghbor areas….what u get no world series games ever there so enjoy a 66-96 year n 64-98 in 2012…by then they have move to southside play for 3 years while they knock down u staduim n replace it……
longtimefan
July 31st, 2011
8:32 am
Good article.
Fact:Under Wren in 4 years the Braves have gone from one of the worst teams to the fourth best record in baseball.
Fact:Braves rank 8th in hitting in NL, Philles 7th.
Fact:Braves rank 4th in NL in pitching, Philles 2nd.
Fact: Braves minor league farm loaded with talent that will soon be on our major league roster or traded to upgrade position players.
None of us know what Wren has offered in an attempt to obtain an outfield bat. Many of you armchair GM geniuses I’ll bet are the same ones that were calling for Freeman to be sent down to the minors the first month of the season and were calling for benching,demoting or releasing! Dan Uggla. Thankfully we have professionals who evaluate Major league talent for a living making those decisions. Do you not realize Wren has to work under the tight constraints of a budget-not his choice. Like a chess match he has to look ahead several years and see who is due a raise thru arbitration or how much it will take to keep players like McCann. Do you really think it is all that easy? The only 3 teams with better records than Atlanta in MLB have almost double the payroll of the Braves, yet we are right up there with them. And this is without literally giving away the farm to placate a few uninformed fans who just want him to “do something”. I suspect he is trying to make a trade to upgrade our outfield even as I type, without giving up a key player we need in the next couple of years to compete.
JASon
July 31st, 2011
9:15 am
Its a pretty sad day when a team cannot afford to keep their best player. Especially when thousands of people pay for tickets to games just to see him play.
bbua
July 31st, 2011
9:18 am
I agree Michael Bourn is exactly what this team need but not at the expense of 2 of our 4 best pitching prospects. A fair deal for both teams would be Minor plus a couple of our B prospects. If Ed Wade feels diferently we should look elsewheres. BJ Upton of Tampa is a possibility and so is Coco Crisp. At first I agreed with everyone that he would be a horrible choice but after looking at stats, he is having a pretty good season. The cost wouldn’t be as great and he would be an improvement over what we currently have. He is not Michael Bourn but he would definitely help this team.
Monte
July 31st, 2011
9:40 am
Back in ‘91 wasn’t Alejandro Pena grabbed off waivers AFTER the deadline? That guy was a huge difference maker. Considering our budget limitations (we ain’t the Phillies), you gotta be smart not just aggressive. I want to be in the playoff’s for another 14 years straight. That means not giving away the farm – and adding the right pieces through free agency. I trust Wren to do the right thing.
DetroitBraves
July 31st, 2011
9:45 am
Larry, I’m with you. We’re going to trade for Kemp, Adam Jones, Curtis Granderson, or Jacoby Ellsbury? Whew! Those guys are hard to deal for in fantasy league baseball, much less real life. Yes, I’m sure the Yankees are looking to unload Granderson, an MVP candidate, for a minor league pitching prospect since they are such a cash-strapped, patient organization – not really concerned about winning now but rather looking several years down the road.
The only thing I would disagree with you on is Schafer being here in 2 years. Who cares? He’s proven over many minor and major league at-bats that he just can’t play at this level. After this deadline thing sorts itself out the Braves are either going to be set for a while with a new guy, or they’ll be looking for another centerfielder soon enough.
Schafer Is A Druggie Loser
July 31st, 2011
9:47 am
Once a druggie, always a druggie – Schaefer isn’t worth spit….we need to admit that and go on and invest and find a true ball player and not a druggie to be on the team. Schafer is a LOSER!!!!!
tybeedave
July 31st, 2011
10:04 am
done deal for bourne!! Cost us four players….
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
mountain_jim
July 31st, 2011
10:13 am
@SInow/si-mlb
» SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman
#astros get OF schafer, pitchers oberholtzer, clemns, abreu for bourn, as @jaysonst reported
Red Stick
July 31st, 2011
10:20 am
I like Pence but I think Bourne is a better overall player with his ability to steal bases and handle CF, which has been a sore spot for the Braves for years.
I don’t know who the Astros got in return but Buster Olney says the Braves didn’t give up any of their top prospects.
I think this is much better than giving up top pitching prospects for a 3 month rental player (Beltran).
Good job Wren.
Red Stick
July 31st, 2011
10:21 am
I didn’t see your post mountain_jim. thanks for the info.
Red Stick
July 31st, 2011
10:23 am
Tweet from Buster Olney at 10:05 est:
“Strong trade for the Braves; they get Bourn without giving up any top pitching prospects.”
Optimistic Brave
July 31st, 2011
10:23 am
Wow! A deal alas! Great move… the Braves just moved one step closer to the WS. And for the Heyward doubters, watch his offense come back now…I hope there is no hesitation in the future to pull the trigger on other free agents. Let’s go Braves!
Red Stick
July 31st, 2011
10:25 am
oops he said “without giving up any top prospects”. Not just pitching.
Brent
July 31st, 2011
10:33 am
I’m man enough to say this – WAY TO GO FRANK WREN! Optimistic, I’m not a Heyward “doubter” but I do wish they would send him to AAA for the majority of August to get his swing back, adjust, get healthy, whatever it takes to make him better (watch 24/7 video of Freddy driving the ball to all fields)
Optimistic Brave
July 31st, 2011
11:21 am
(Smile)…I understand Brent, but it was just a couple of years ago everyone was yelling for the Braves to get Heyward to the big stage. He had a pretty good season, and now some are calling for his head, so to speak. I think he will be fine, especially after acquiring Bourn. No one was suggesting demotion for Uggla, and it has taken him all season to find his “whatever” he was looking for. Let us understand this clearly (for all), Heyward is a slugger who plays good defense as well. So going forward, Heyward only needs some minor adjustments, like getting back to being patient, and looking for his pitch, even if it involves striking out more (ouch). LOL
BeerDawg
July 31st, 2011
12:44 pm
All right Braves fans….the team did their part, now do yours. I’m tired of so called fans complaining about our team but we rank in the bottom 1/3 when it comes to attendance. There’s no reason for us not to sell out every game if the Philthies can. As much as I hate them, they have loyal, rabid fans….and to my dismay, that is not the case here in Atlanta. We have a great shot now of going all the way in the playoffs…..so get yourself out to the F’ing ballpark and SHOW SUPPORT!!!!
ADS
July 31st, 2011
1:44 pm
who needs bourn we got CO stanza.
Falcons4Eva
July 31st, 2011
2:23 pm
The fact that Wren is about to speak on TV during the game broadcast tells me that he’s done with trading for now. So this is it. Bourn and done.
DHD
July 31st, 2011
3:03 pm
You need to defend Wren? Ha!!
WooYeah
July 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
Excellent article, Mark. We did the right thing by holding out until the end. The Phillies overpaid for Pence, and the Giants get Beltran for only a few more months. Wren is building a long-term winner here. Excellent trade.
Kinley
August 1st, 2011
12:36 am
Very nicely put. The point about the Teixeira deal is one I’ve been making to friends for a couple years now. We sacrificed the future for a win-now mentality that never panned out. These kinds of things are fickle, and you have to be able to balance the future and the present.
I think Bourn is a good player who will allow the Braves to sort of change their stripes, at least to some extent. I think it’s a much more practical move than acquiring Beltran. I really have never been terribly impressed with Beltran. Aside from his 2004 postseason, his performance has never matched his hype to me. And I think it’s a bit more practical than Pence also, if just for the simple reason that Bourn fills a more pressing need and role that Pence would not have fit into so nicely.
Bourne Identity
August 1st, 2011
11:42 am
Braves get chopped liver (Bourn) while Phillies get steak (Pence). I’m hungry…
Bourne Identity
August 1st, 2011
11:45 am
The Teixeira trade woulda been fine if Braves had resigned him. But when they let him walk it became one of the worst trades ever.
Jamaaliver
August 1st, 2011
3:29 pm
Bourne, Braves actually traded Texeira to the Angels if I remember correctly. So it’s not like he walked away for nothing.
Bourne Identity
August 1st, 2011
3:38 pm
Wrong dude. He signed free agent deal.
Jay in Tampa
August 1st, 2011
3:54 pm
Tex went to LA Angels for Casey Kotchman, which was almost better than nothing. Bourn was a great addition for the Braves.
Ron Hyatt
August 1st, 2011
10:06 pm
Until “Booby Ball” is no longer the philosophy in Atlanta, expect more “edge of greatness with just enough flashes of mediocrity to blow it” baseball.
Bourn Too Late
August 1st, 2011
10:56 pm
Hey Mark, new player but same old lack of hitting. Fatboy Livan dominated them. Sad.
ScottBravesFan
August 1st, 2011
11:37 pm
The media needs to stop overrating Hunter Pence. The way some of them talk about him he’s the second coming of Micky Mantle.
TheAntiMe
August 2nd, 2011
5:04 am
The media needs to stop overrating Hunter Pence. The way some of them talk about him he’s the second coming of Micky Mantle.
Let them keep proclaiming Pence as some sort of superstar. It caused the Phillies to seriously overpay and put a dent in their farm system as far as top prospects go. It made me laugh that certain people on certain message boards were expecting the Braves to gut their farm system for Michael Bourn because Philadelphia did for Pence.
Don’t get me wrong, Bourn is just what the doctor ordered for the Bravos lineup but the Braves were perfectly willing to continue to let Jordan Schafer develop into a leadoff hitter so there was no way that the Astros were going to get a Hunter Pence haul from the Bravos. Not only that, if the Astros could have gotten a better deal for Bourn they would have taken it. Pitching is a commodity in MLB and the Astros received three good prospects who are nearly ready for The Show.
Flatulent Old Dawg
August 2nd, 2011
8:57 am
Until the Braves are sold to someone that cares about winning and not just the bottom line; we will never know if Frank Wren is worth spit. He has to keep the budget within a narrow margin that he really can’t afford a big number contract in a trade. So maybe after this season we’ll see if he’s got pair when he has to decide if they want Chipper back, decide on Lowe’s future and remake this team from a Bobby Cox 3 run homer organization into 1 that can run, hit and field. Any team that has only 13 sacrifice flys this late in the season is in dire need of a change in philosophy!!!!!!!!
COOPER
August 2nd, 2011
4:30 pm
If Hayward can not hit left handed pitchers then he needs to go back to Gwinnett a little longer. He is only 21 years old. As much as I am pulling for Hayward we need a starter in right field , not another platoon.
Don
August 2nd, 2011
8:52 pm
Marky must be speechless by those amazing braves! Too bad the idiot didn’t write 8 reasons why the braves will catch the phillies. Im sure he thought about it. How’s that pitching going! This team is on the verge of imploding. What will be funny is the astros will have a better August than the braves. 0-2 so far and a sweep is coming. Say goodbye to the playoffs.
Peter
August 2nd, 2011
9:04 pm
Well I really beleive Wren screwed up last year, changed the whole complexion of the club at the worst time, and now we have Gonzales instead of Escobar……. another old guy who is impatient at the plate and looks worse each time I see him hit.
I also think this is a telling thought……..Any team that has only 13 sacrifice fly’s this late in the season is in dire need of a change in philosophy!!!!!!!!
Well we are trying with the new speed in Bourne…….now watch as his speed is not put to use ?
New Blog ?
August 3rd, 2011
9:01 am
Mark, its been 3 days now. Can you muster up enough energy to type a new 2 minute blog ? This one is getting old & crusty. Kinda molded too.
Teaser
August 3rd, 2011
9:04 am
Trading two prospects doesn’t hurt Phillies one bit. They have the money to sign free agents and don’t need to develop players. Its called being more fortunate. The less fortunate Braves have to build teams from scratch. There’s why the Phillies are better. Duh Huh !
Remarkable
August 3rd, 2011
10:01 am
Who do you come up with the statement that “Denny Neagle, acquired in 1996, didn’t (Pan Out). Though he would win 36 games in 1997 and ‘98.” It seems to me that he Panned Out very nicely. We didn’t win a World Series but you can’t say that he didn’t win games for us. He did. That averages out to 18 games a year. We wish we had someone who would win 18 games a year.
Just Asking
August 3rd, 2011
10:03 am
I agree with “New Blog ?” Can you muster up enough energy to type a new 2 minute blog ? Come on Mark, give us something new. I’m tired of seeing this on the web page.
Just Asking
August 3rd, 2011
10:09 am
HEYWARD: It does look like Hayward needs to be sent down for a couple of weeks. It might help his focus.
CHIPPER: I’m a BIG Chipper fan. I love the way he plays. I love to see him at the plate and in the field. I’m starting to see that he cannot stay healthy enough to play a season in the Bigs anymore. I hate to say this, but it looks like it’s time for him to retire.
Mark, maybe you should write the hard article calling for Chipper to announce that this is his last season and let us honor him appropriately at some game in September.
Keselowski taken to hospital after crash at test : Gambling Poker Blog
August 3rd, 2011
7:42 pm
[...] As the trade deadline nears, we offer a defense of Frank Wren [...]
jeffrey d
August 4th, 2011
2:34 pm
Whiners – I’m pretty sure Mark’s on vacation
bad brad
August 4th, 2011
5:55 pm
Let’s get this up to 350 posts and maybe he will make a bonus and take it down. Shame on AJC for this crap. If this was a print newspaper you wouldnt publish the same story 6 days in a row.
gcs
August 4th, 2011
7:32 pm
Where ya at, Bradley?
TheAntiMe
August 5th, 2011
8:15 am
Mark Bradley reprises his role as Judd, for the Defense.
I do agree with you, MB, just having a little fun with the headline.
Dirty Dawg
August 5th, 2011
11:03 am
Well if Mark’s not gonna do it it’ll be up to us to ‘carry the ball’…some thoughts about the ‘deadline deals’. Seems to me that Philly let a good right-fielder, with power, go after last season…only to have to trade for one this season. I suppose they’re paying Pence less than they would have had to pay Werth, but then maybe not…speaking of Pence, if having Jason on the roster meant that they couldn’t justify going after Hunter, then we’re gonna be sorry for years to come. To me it’s not just that Heyward needs some time to ‘re-focus’, he needs to overhaul his entire swing/approach at the plate. No question he’s a phenomenal athlete but his swing is so ‘loopy’ it’s a wonder he ever hits the ball squarely…and as for ‘The Bourn Addition’, his talents will only be realized if we’ve got somebody on the coaching staff that knows how to use ‘em. Is it too late to get Davey Lopes out of LA?