Latest Braves Notes from the GM Meetings

by gondeee on Nov 5, 2008 6:37 PM EST in Braves Trade News

From the only Braves beat writer covering the GM Meetings, here are some highlights:

The Braves will NOT trade both Escobar and Kelly Johnson this offseason, though that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t trade one.

Braves are getting calls and inquiries into availability of Jeff Francoeur, mostly from teams curious as to what it would take to get the erstwhile Golden Boy (hint: more than it would take to get Just Any Guy who produced stats as woeful as Francoeur’s in 2008). I wouldn’t call it actively shopping him, but I also wouldn’t argue much with anyone who characterized it that way.

The Braves met with Mike Hampton’s agent Tuesday, and both sides understand Hampton will see what else is out there but would like to come back to Atlanta if he doesn’t get as good or better offer from a team closer to his kids in Arizona.

There’s a couple other Japanese pitchers who are about to become free agents and might have interest from the Braves, but these are guys in their early 30s, who’ve gone through the eight years in the Japanese professional league to get their free agency (as opposed to Junichi Tazawa, 22, who the Braves just made a multi-year offer, a right-hander who’s going straight from Japan’s industrial league to America, which doesn’t sit well with Japanese pro-league folks, by the way.

And finally, the latest on the Jake Peavy trade:

Would a package of Escobar and, say, pitchers Kris Medlen and Charlie Morton, plus another lesser prospect, get the Peavy deal done? I’m going to go out on a limb and say probably so, because Escobar is regarded highly around baseball. More highly than some Braves fans might realize, folks who got a little turned off at times during his injury-plagued and occasionally temper-flaring season.

That seems like a weak package for Peavy, unless the Padres have tunnel vision for Escobar and see him as some sort of building block they must have.

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Comments

Can we please not trade Escobar?

His glove is phenomenal and if he can get his head in it he will be insanely valuable for a long while. Trade KJ if that’s what we want. C’mon!

by Perrinbar on Nov 5, 2008 7:19 PM EST reply actions

He was one of the top 10 SS in baseball this year

and has the potential to be top 5 if his bat improves.

by BraveBronco0121 on Nov 6, 2008 1:18 AM EST up reply actions

Just throwing this out there....

I am not sure what the braves wouild b seeking for a return on Francouer, but just an idea on what might be a good trade for both parties and individuals involved…..Frenchy for Homer Bailey.

by bravesbeast1985 on Nov 5, 2008 8:51 PM EST reply actions

pass. bailey is looking more and more like a 4A pitcher.

Following the Braves...one long hard drink at a time.

by bigjoe on Nov 5, 2008 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

A thousand times no..

…on his over hyped under performing ass.

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by RainDelay on Nov 5, 2008 8:54 PM EST up reply actions

I’m not sure the Reds could use less OBP in that lineup. They already have guys like Bruce, Phillips, and Encarnacion who are more sluggers than on-base guys.

Bailey would be a decent return for Francoeur though. His stuff was down from 2008, but he delivered a pretty similar preformance FIP-wise at AAA. He’s only 22/23 next year too. Definately a good buy low candidate as the upside is a #2 starter.

by 17843 on Nov 5, 2008 9:35 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t say this about a player often, but Homer Bailey is terrible. At least Frenchy was good once, there’s a chance it might happen again, Bailey has just been awful and, as far as I can see from watching him and talking to his teammates about him, he’ll continue to be awful.

by cbwilk on Nov 6, 2008 2:52 AM EST up reply actions

Dayton Moore

Apparently Dayton Moore is the anti-Billy Beane, accumulating low-OBP players to form a lineup that’s designed to get out of an inning in less than 10 pitches. Apparently he offered Billy Butler for Yuniesky “60 walks in 525 career games” Betancourt last season, and Seattle retardedly turned it down. Meanwhile, he signs Jose Guillen and his .300 OBP, trades for Mike Jacobs and his SUB .300 OBP, and continually trots out Ross Gload.
I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that the Royals had like the 3rd lowest walk total in 2008 in the last 100 years or something insane like that. I’m sure Mike Jacobs and Jeff Francoeur will fis that one.

by drdonkeypunch on Nov 5, 2008 9:06 PM EST reply actions

I can agree with your opinions....

on the front that we may be better off staying with Frenchy. However, if the braves are going to trade Frenchy, I would say do it for another immensely talented youngster who has struggled in the majors.

by bravesbeast1985 on Nov 5, 2008 9:08 PM EST reply actions

My reason being....

Is that the only way that the braves trade away frenchy is if they can get a youngster that has a high talent ceiling that could impact the braves into the future. It is highly unlikely any team would trade a young player that came off a successful season forr Frenchy, so our best find may be for a young player who has great talent but has not found consisitency at the major league level yet.

by bravesbeast1985 on Nov 5, 2008 9:12 PM EST reply actions

interesting because...

I see myself as someone who thinks Escobar is a building block we must have. you do not trade a top-10 SS that are young and controllable, especially when you don’t have a viable replacement. That is just bad business. I would much, much rather see the Braves trade away KJ, Medlen, Morton and a higher caliber prospect like Flowers/Freeman or Locke…

by MIZIKE on Nov 5, 2008 11:48 PM EST reply actions