I for one, like most Braves fans, am very happy with how the Braves have operated since the arrival of John Hart after some very controversial moves. Some moves have worked better than expected (Shelby Miller, Cameron Maybin, Mallex Smith), while others not so much (Alberto Callaspo, Eric Stults, Trevor Cahill). Even with the fact that we are under .500, there is a lot to be excited about if you are a Braves fan...but what do we do next? Well, I will look at a few things the Braves could do to be even more exciting and begin to build an organization that will reclaim the East for years to come.

First, the draft....

As you more than likely know, the Braves are well primed to have a big draft this year. We are picking higher than usual, and we have more picks to play with than any other team. But who to take?

Best case scenario:

Pick 1 (14) Tyler Stephenson, Daz Cameron, Kolby Allard, Garrett Whitley, or a falling prospect (Dillon Tate?)

Most mocks have the Braves selecting Georgia prep players, and although I would hate for them to limit themselves to that, this year is a particularly good year to do that (at least to some degree). Stephenson and Cameron look to be long gone by this pick, however the MLB Draft is a weird thing and we can hope that they will fall to us. Allard and Whitley are not from Georgia, however they have a ton of upside as prep players and at least one should be there at 14. I have seen quotes from some scouts that certain players are sliding and Dillon Tate is one of them. If he fell, I for one would snatch him up (unless there is a significant reason behind his slide that we don't know about).

Pick 2 (28) Cornelius Randolph, Donny Everett, Chris Betts, Dakota Chalmers, Ashe Russell, or an injured hurler (Brady Aiken?)

To have two picks within the first 28 is pretty nice, and the Braves could be in position to snag a couple high quality talents just with these two picks alone. Randolph probably won't make it here, and Everett is starting to climb up boards with comparisons being made to Tyler Kolek. Betts, the second best catcher behind Stephenson, may get over drafted due to his position. Chalmers or Russell would be the best choice here if the rest are unavailable. They both have the potential to fill out physically and stick as starters in the big leagues. I have heard some talk about taking Aiken or Matuella here if they are available, and I have to say I am pretty against this. Both have had Tommy John, which the Braves have in no means shied away from, but unless they are available late I'm not sure I would want them at least this year as we already have plenty of talent recovering from injury to some degree.

The rest of the draft can focus on what the Braves like to do....pitching, pitching, and more pitching. After the draft, the organization will want to evaluate the big league talent. As much as I love our new-look offense and the young pitching we are seeing and will continue to see, there will more than likely be a yard sale in Atlanta that can add to our future excitement off the heels of the draft.

The Obvious: Release/ DFA Eric Young Jr. and Trevor Cahill. Little to no trade value. They are occupying spots that others could have (Eury Perez for EY and possibly Manny Banuelos or Cody Martin for Cahill).

The Risky but Worth it: Trade A.J. Pierzynski, Jonny Gomes, Kelly Johnson, Jason Grilli, Juan Uribe. These guys have all been the "veteran presence" this club seemed to lack, so I'm sure John Hart will not want to send all of these guys out. However, aside from Gomes who has not played all that well and Uribe who we will have to wait and see, these guys have some trade value that we could take advantage of. Pierzynski especially needs to go as he is being overplayed and blocking Bethancourt. If the Braves truly don't like Bethancourt, trade A.J. and bring up Nieves or Lavarnway to share time with the rest of the year.

The Just Plain Risky. Trade Cameron Maybin, and Alex Wood. Maybin is doing very well, however with Jose Peraza being moved to CF and Mallex on the way, there is at least an opportunity to move Maybin now while his value is on the rise. He could certainly find his way back to Atlanta next year to allow these guys to mature in the minors, but if we move him now we could save some salary commitments while also opening the door for Peraza to get his feet wet. If you really don't like that, then maybe Cunningham and Eury Perez can play some center, while Terdo comes back up to play left. Either way, Maybin could go to a team like Minnesota for a guy like Stephen Gonsalves (or maybe more if we add to the deal money or more talent). Not bad for the throw in to the Craig Kimbrel trade. Now, for Alex Wood. With all the pitching we have coming up, we can at least entertain offers for Alex. His mechanics and relatively meager velocity leave some to still question him in the majors and there will be teams that don't want to pay the hefty price for Cole Hamels or Johnny Cueto on the trade market. With the financial component and youth on our side, the Braves could be in position to ask for a lot in return and probably get it. A team like Boston would be a good fit, and I could see us bringing in a haul or Brian Johnson, Manuel Margot, and Jackie Bradley Jr. for Alex and maybe even more than that. Would be worth it long term.

So now the year is over and hopefully a few of our prospects have gotten their feet wet and Braves fan are excited about the future. We drafted well and made a few deals, and now we are in position to possibly compete in the East by the time we open the new park. Financially speaking, we are the envy of the league as Dan Uggla, Carlos Quentin, B.J. Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Cameron Maybin, Trevor Cahill, Jason Grilli, A.J. Pierzynski, and others are off the books, allowing us ample cap space to be huge buyers on the market. So what do we do?

First, we attempt an extension with Shelby Miller. Very important, could supplant Teheran as our number 1.

Next, we resolve the Mike Minor situation. I am all for tendering him a contract to at least see if there is any value in the tank. We have the cap space and he isn't terribly burdensome. Why not keep him if only to release or trade him in the spring if we don't like what we see?

Next, we gauge more trades. Perhaps a guy like Williams Perez is a guy we can get something back for if he sticks in rotation and overperforms as he has so far? Or Cody Martin? ......or even dare I say Andrelton Simmons? We do have Peraza, Peterson, and Albies as far as middle infielders go...could we make a Jason Heyward type decision by moving an elite defender who doesn't offer much with the bat? Would the Dodgers get involved and offer a Corey Seager? I love Andrelton as much as the next guy, but this is a move that could happen. I won't put anything past John Hart at this point.

Now the big one...free agency. Even with the money that we have, I do not want the Braves to tackle the big fish in this market (Price, Cueto, Upton). I am much more fond of the Red Sox approach several years ago in which they added multiple guys on moderate deals and won the World Series. I could see the Braves targeting guys like Mike Leake, Eric O'Flaherty, Jim Johnson (again), and others to make the team competitive now while also aiding the future. These moves may not have the sex appeal most Braves fans would like, but they would help to at the very least, allow the Braves to make more trades and add more talent later on down the road.

In conclusion, the Braves could look like this in Spring next year...

C Bethancourt (FA option George Kottaras) (Definitely an area to address even if Stephenson falls to us in draft)

1B Freeman

2B Peterson

SS Peraza

3B Seager

LF Mallex (or Terdo, Cunningham, Eury, FA option)

CF Bradley Jr.

RF Markakis

SP Miller

SP Teheran

SP Foltyniewicz

SP Leake

SP Wisler

BP O'Flaherty

BP Avilan

BP Simmons

BP Vizcaino

BP Withrow

BP Johnson

BP Cunniff

BP Minor? Maybe...More than likely no, but free agent options are always Braves thing for BP.

Will the team I have constructed win the East??? No, probably not. But it will be exciting and have a ton of depth and upside in the minors. Not to mention rumblings that Braves intend to blow past international pool next July 2. Will any of this happen? Probably not and I'm sure whoever reads this will spend all their time telling me how it will never happen. But, hey, it's been fun and let me know what moves you like or hate. Thanks.