End of Year Rumoring

by gondeee on Dec 27, 2006 2:09 PM EST in Braves Trade News

We got this lovely tidbit yesterday from Will Carroll (hat tip: ejruiz):

While I can't give specifics on the deal, there are still at least six teams involved in some discussions centering on Atlanta. The Braves are in full dump mode, trying to get something for Andruw Jones, trying to find Jones' replacement on the cheap, and working more on the bullpen. Leo Mazzone isn't there to build a bullpen out of dreck anymore. So how does this all work together? Why trade a young player like Andy Adam LaRoche if they're trying to control the payroll? Why deal Jones right now rather than at the deadline? The team is determined to find a solid bullpen and think they can do it with a series of deals that include LaRoche, Mike Gonzalez, Andruw Jones, and several CF candidates that I'm told include Rocco Baldelli, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Markakis. The deals appear to also have some other big names like Tim Hudson, Mark Teixeira, and Dontrelle Willis on the periphery. The three team deal that seemed close over the weekend doesn't seem so close now as the complexity has increased. Remember that John Schuerholz is normally a slow worker, so quiet on this front doesn't mean that nothing is happening.

And this opposite spin from David O'Brien:

Listening to [Schuerholz], I get a feeling the Braves might make another move or two, but also might not. I don't get a feeling they're working on a flurry of big moves, as some have suggested. Don't get that feeling at all.

"We're still talking, still looking for moves we can make that make us stronger," Schuerholz said. "But if we can't [make any more] we think our team... it's already stronger."

So what do these mixed signals mean? Well, DOB is the writer who's around the Braves the most, so one should probably trust his opinion more than that of Will Carroll's. Also, Carroll's column, while alluding to a bunch of "potential" moves, does not source any of these moves - it seems to be more of a "hunch" or a "feel." Of course while it is probably just a feeling, it's got some interesting possibilities mentioned. I think what we can glean from all this is that the Braves have several (read many) feelers out there.

The mention of the Marlins' Willis and the Tigers' Granderson is interesting, as this is the first mention I've seen in a national column. I know that the Marlins were trying to get a center fielder at the Winter Meetings and Granderson would fit the bill, so I wonder if there is some sort of three team melee that we have going where the Fish would get Curtis, we would get Willis, and the Tigers would get...well, the Tigers appear set at most every position after shoring up their offense with the acquisition of Gary Sheffield from the Yankees. And their rotation seems set as well with a strong front four.

It is also interesting to see Nick Markakis' name mentioned with the Baltimore group of players - we really seem to be driving a hard bargain with the O's. The only name that really surprised me was that of Mark Teixeira. He is a former Georgia Tech standout, but as a first baseman/designated hitter it doesn't seem like he would be a fit with the Braves - also his price tag wouldn't seem to fit the Braves payroll ($9M in `07). But he may be a piece that moves somewhere else - perhaps Teixeira to Baltimore, Markakis and Penn to Atlanta, and Hudson to Texas. All that is pure guessing so don't quote me (unless I turn out to be right).

Like many have been saying some of these trades might get rather radical in their complexity.

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Questions.

I can see the Rangers being very interested in two of our star players with critical contract situations: CF Andruw Jones and his impending free agency and/or SP Tim Hudson and his backloaded deal. With that in mind, I have some questions for you all...

What sort of package do you think the Rangers would give us for Andruw right now? They did sign Kenny Lofton to a 1year/$6M deal this offseason to play CF for them, but they could slide him over to LF (where bust Brad Wilkerson currently resides) without a problem, I think. RP Akinori Otsuka would probably be involved now that Eric Gagne is slotted as their closer, but who else would round things out? Would it be 1B Mark Teixeira, who would then be flipped to another team such as the Orioles or maybe even the Yankees? Could it be recently acquired SP Brandon McCarthy, who would enable us to offer the Devil Rays a good enough package, headlined by frontline-ish starting pitching, for CF Rocco Baldelli?? How about both???

Who do you think they'd give up for Tim Hudson? I don't think that he's worth Teixeira straight up, but it could be close. Would we add a little something in order to get him or would we settle for something else, such as Otsuka and a prospect?

The possibilities are endless and I seriously hope that we pull off something big soon. I mean, I like our team as it is in both the short and long term, but we could eliminate a lot of uncertainty by making a big deal or two. Thoughts?

by ejruiz on Dec 27, 2006 4:34 PM EST reply actions

Andruw to the Cubs?

The Cubs have AAA prospects in CF and 2B which would fit perfectly with what the Braves need in 2007 and 2008. Those players are CF Felix Pie and 2B Eric Patterson. The Cubs also have some marginal major league pitchers to include if necessary.

And Andruw Jones for Pie/Patterson/Angel Guzman appears to make a lot of sense.

Fake Teams - a fellow SBNation blog!

by Fake Teams @ Talking Chop on Dec 28, 2006 10:13 AM EST reply actions

Send Andruw to the AL!

While Pie, Patterson and Guzman for Andruw might make sense on the talent level, it would not be the best idea to ship a superstar of his caliber to a fellow NL would-be contender. I'd prefer to see him off to Texas for a comparable package, if at all possible.

That said, the Cubs are one of the few other teams in either league that might be interested, able to pay his long term price tag and loaded enough in the minors to build an attractive package for him.

by ejruiz on Dec 28, 2006 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

Problem is...

...that Andruw has already expressed that he doesn't want to go to a cold-weather city, and he's in the drivers seat with any trade. I do think the Cubs would prbably match up prospect-wise, but they would certainly not suit AJ.

by gondeee on Dec 28, 2006 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

Also

Andruw is a free agent after next season, and I'd be more shocked than I am about the Zito trade if the acquiring team didn't ask for a window to sign him. If the team can't afford Wells/Zito/Soriano money, they are not going to get him to sign.

Hence the Cubs. Texas would be nice. Kinsler could head the package but not sure what they have beyond that. Plus texas could just wait for him to become a FA.

Fake Teams - a fellow SBNation blog!

by Fake Teams @ Talking Chop on Dec 28, 2006 2:18 PM EST up reply actions

How About This One?

FIRST:

TEX gets CF Andruw Jones (signed to an extension)
BAL gets 1B Mark Teixeira (signed to an extension)
ATL gets RF Nick Markakis, SP Penn/Loewen*, a prospect from Baltimore** and RP Akinori Otsuka

THEN:

TB gets SP Penn/Loewen/Davies, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia and SS Yunel Escobar
ATL gets CF Rocco Baldelli or LF Carl Crawford

*There's a chance that the Orioles are making out like bandits in this deal; if that's the case, then maybe the Braves should get both of their MLB-ready SP prospects instead of just one.

**The value of this prospect would depend on the Braves opinion of the rest of the package that they'd be receiving from the Orioles.

by ejruiz on Dec 28, 2006 3:14 PM EST reply actions

I had thought about that one...

It would leave Texas firstbasemanless and with two center fielders, but they could move Lofton to left and Wilkerson to first (perhaps). Though, they have Catalanotto and Nelson Cruz penciled in the corner outfield spots, of course Cruz is not exciting.

by gondeee on Dec 28, 2006 5:19 PM EST up reply actions