Outfielder Ryan Church was designated for assignment by the Braves on Tuesday. In all likelihood this is a move to make room for Rafael Soriano on the 40-man roster. Church was likely not going to be tendered a contract later this month anyway, this way they may get something in return for him as they have 10-days to trade him or release him. Church stands to make several million more than the minimum next year through arbitration, and that's several million more than the Braves probably want to pay him

If they release him, then that ends the trade lineage of Jeff Francoeur. I said when we got Church, that he was a guy we could release whenever we wanted to, whereas Francoeur was not.