If there’s some way to land Peavy without giving up Heyward, Hanson, and Schafer, obviously you pull the trigger. That’s going to be a lot of depth to trade though – look at what the D’Backs gave up for Haren and remember that Anderson and Gonzalez were better prospects than what the Braves would be including.

Two scenarios to debate: List reasonable package that San Diego might accept including Kelly, and another not including Kelly.

KJ + Schafer/Gorkys+ Beau Jones+Morton /Reyes

Hanson/Rohrbough+Schafer+Lillibridge+Jones+Reyes

"Saw DOB’s piece, and I think he’s dead on — but they cannot make that trade without dealing at least one of their three best prospects — Hanson and Schaefer and Jason Heyward. We’ll see if they take it that far. "

From my point of view, I just don’t think the braves have the pieces to make this move. For one, the system isn’t as stacked as it has been in the past with the lost of some big names from the Tex trade. From that point of view, I don’t think it’s a good idea. More practically, however, other teams should be able to put together more competitive packages. The Yankees make a lot of sense, having balked last year, but still having some darn good trading pieces in Hughes and Kennedy.

Kennedy? Kennedy has very small draft value. Maybe straight up for another player like Salty or somebody like that but no way a centerpiece would involve Kennedy for Peavy no way. Maybe you meant Hughes, Kennedy and then others.

Ok its gonna take alot to get Peavy, i expect this package to get Towers on the phone and REALLY ponder about the trade.

Braves get Peavy, and Brian Giles(basically we take his contract on)

Padres get Hanson, Flowers, KJ, Brandon Jones, and Morton or Reyes

Ok the REASON i added Giles here is because i dont think the Padres will really put Peavy on the market until the winter meetings or a little after and i think by this time if we dont get Dunn or Burrell then Giles seems like a solid fit for LF for one season. Now if we can get Dunn or Burrell then we have no need for Giles.

Ok anybody thinkin that we could get Peavy WITHOUT adding Hanson to the deal is dillusioned and only fooling themselves the Padres will want a Young Stud prospect picher in the deal. If Flowers stays behind the plate then he can be there catcher of the future. KJ would fit good in that park and play second for them and maybe they could lock him up to buy out a few seasons of free agency or if he has a good year next year or before he reaches free agency maybe they could get a good bit for him in a trade, Brandon Jones replaces Giles in the outfield, he would be cheap for them. If anybody thinks Jones is better than Giles now is also fooling themselves and is a VERY big Braves homer. And then the Padres will want Morton or Reyes to take Peavys spot in the rotation now and both are young, cheap and have good upside.

I think thats a good deal for the Braves especially if we dont have to trade Schafer, Hernandez, or Heyward, but they might not trade Peavy unless they get Schafer or Hernandez in the deal and say take out Jones, but im not sure though.

The Padres might want Frenchy in the deal, not sure but i would definately not be surprised about that if they somehow want a deal that involves Hanson, Frenchy, Flowers, and KJ. Im just throwin this idea out there so nobody come say your out of your mind, just throwin it out there.

The Braves are way more than one player away from competing. I think they need to sit on their prospects and let them develop, and use the great drafting position next season to knock one out of the park. Save the money that would have been uselessly blown on Lowe or Wolf or whatever, and use it to make big signings in the draft, guys that have fallen due to signability issues or other stuff, similar to what the Red Sox do.

In this scenario, there will probably be 2-3 more rocky years before our current crop of young prospects comes up. In these 2-3 years, there will be some bad records, but that just means more good draft picks and re-stocking of the system. Once the current batch of prospects has come up, use the newly acquired depth to trade for some good pieces and make a run.

This team won’t be turned around in one year, won’t be turned around in two. It’s going to take a minimum of three years before all of the guys make it up to the majors and make an impact.

In conclusion, sit tight, draft well, and build up an incredible farm system.

Yeah i agree about using some of the money to pay to guys in the draft and get guys that in years past we couldn’t afford. Why not spend $10 million to $13 million on the 2009 draft? I realize we have a seperate payroll for the draft but we can save some of that money that we have now to combine it with the money that we have seperately for the draft. The Red Sox spent about $10 million or close to it, hell even the Royals were big spenders in the draft this year. Moore is smart and knows how to win and the Royals will be challenging for the Central in 2 to 3 years. If Wren spends the money wisely then we will be in good shape for the future but if he spends it carelessly then we might be in a mess by the time the young guys are ready and there blocked by expensive guys that we cant get rid of and eats too much salary not to play and guys that we developed that need to be resigned leaves for free agency because we have no money. We dont wont that to happen.

Im really in favor of signing Dunn. The guy can hit, not that good in LF but serviceable about the same for Burrell neither one are very good in LF defensively. I would like to see us sign Dunn for 3-4 years 3 years preferably for $15 million a year. Yes he strikes out alot but we need a guy like him in the middle of our lineup and if we had to pay him $60 million over 4 years. Not awful, he should still produce good in those 4 years.

I would like for us to sign Lowe also. Hopefull we can sign Lowe for 3 years, no way i go past 3 years no way. Maybe pay him $17 million a year would prefer less but there will be alot of teams tryin to get him. $51 million over 3 years for Lowe. Thats $32 million right there. Hopefully we dont spend the rest and save some to put on the draft to get guys we normally dont get.

Then try to sign somebody like Byrd, or trade for Sanchez of the Giants or somethin like that. Nothin huge, nothin small, somethin in between. It would be good to resign Ohman also, maybe at $3.5 million a year for 3 years. $10.5 million for 3 years. More than likely another team would outbid this but i would not be for payin more than that for a middle reliever. but if that gets it done then thats $35.5 million we spent. Ok then resign Norton, he was a very very very good pinch hitter for us this year and we need to resign him if we do all these other moves then we need to get this done. $800 thousand to $1.5 million a year. Probably $1 million a year for 2 years. Thats $36.5 million spent and then if we sign a guy like Byrd or trade for a guy like Sanchez or somebody like that then just say $3 million at maximum. ok thats $39.5 million to $40 million spent. We have $5 million left if its really true that we have $45 million to spend this offseason. We should use that to get guys in the draft that we normally dont go after. If do all of this then why cant we compete next season? Its not like the Phillies and Mets are great teams. Good teams but we could be good also if we use the money wisely. NONE of these moves kills us over 4 years. If a move we make does not work out as expected then they are gone under 5 years. And Dunn is the only guy signed for 4 years.

But of course its real easy for me to sit here and type this, its gonna be REALLY hard to convince these guys to sign here and get them for 4 years and under especially with alot of other teams after them. Im glad im not the GM of the Braves.