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Buying or Selling?
Written by Colin on June 24, 2008 – 7:45 amAre the Braves buying or selling in the trade market this year?
Will they be pulling out some of the stops to try and make a postseason run? Or will they be selling the recently hot Mark Teixeira to the highest bidder?
I believe the answer lies in the next few series. Last night we dropped a game to the Brewers and Ben Sheets, who was absolutely phenomenal. But he’s their ace. If we want to be buyers, we’ve got to finish out the series strong. This losing at home stuff can’t happen if we keep playing .300 ball on the road.
If we lose out to the Brewskies, we have nothing to look forward to. Next is on the road to Toronto – and for anyone who can’t remember, we are horrible on the road. Horrible. Toronto is in last place in the AL East, but we need to take the majority of that series to be buyers. We’re only 4.5 games back (albiet in fourth place) and we can make up some of that space and try to come back and contend. A great place to make that up is next week’s series against the currently first-place Phillies at home. A buying team sweeps the Phillies. A selling team continues to meander its way just below the .500 mark.
We’re definitely a selling team if we lose the majority of the Brewers and Phillies games. We’re losing our potency at home and not gaining much on the road.
Do you want the Braves to buy or sell at this point? Is it worth trying to salvage the season and make a postseason run? Or should we throw it in the scrap heap and build for next season?
Tags: Buying Or Selling, Trade Rumors, Trades
Posted in General | 12 Comments »
By Smitty on Jun 24, 2008 | Reply
Wow, that’s a hard one. At what point do Wren and co throw in the towel and start cutting bait? It is so difficult for me to objectively regard the season as lost.
We gave up so much for Tex, yet, we want to get some value for him if we have a serious hope of retaining his services. And I think we have a 50/50 shot, given that we will have some major salary freed up with Hampton, Glavine, Smoltz (?) not returning.
But does Tex just go to the highest bidder?
Do the Braves go against corporate culture and designate an enormous portion of team salary to one guy?
I know Gred Maddux could have gone to the Yankees, but chose the Braves. Maybe Tex would see the value in staying with a National League team. Of course, there’s always the Mets, who will be shopping for a 1st baseman.
It will just be interesting to see if this new ownership group + Wren will stick to the culture previous administrations have had.
If they do, and if we lose the next two series, I think we are selling the farm, prized pig and all.
By JBinATL on Jun 24, 2008 | Reply
I’ll say just as mentioned on my site, I don’t think it’s time to throw in the towel. The teams who’ve had some postseason success have played their best baseball down the stretch.
But look at it historically. The Amazin’ Mets of ‘69. The Miracle Braves. These teams were all but out of it and managed to come back. Even the 1991/93 Braves were on the ropes for a while.
The key for this years’ Braves will be the ability to stay healthy and provide depth. We all know what a problem that has been.
JB in ATL
By Andrew Kneeland on Jun 25, 2008 | Reply
Great thinker question. I would have to agree with you. It is too early to decide whether to buy or sell as you are only 4.5 games back.
I would say that if you fall to seven or eight games behind before or during the All-Star break, it’s time to start selling.
I know it’s going to be tough, but you have to get rid of Tex. He is riding cloud nine right now, and teams would give an arm and leg for him.
By Colin on Jun 25, 2008 | Reply
I don’t want an arm and a leg – just arms. Young pitching prospects, that is.
By Dan on Jun 26, 2008 | Reply
At this point in the season I would buy low on some arms and bench help because that is what this team needs the most right now. I have been underwhelmed by the Braves bench largely because of the injuries putting less talent on the field and on the bench.
Buying low on Shawn Chacon may not be such a terrible thing after his choking incident with Astros GM Ed Wade. I would have to imagine that with the Astros now over ten games out, he would be practically free. The question is would the Braves want to bring in the guy who just was suspended for choking his General Manager.
Off the bench, there are always capable options available. If Toronto decides that they cannot compete Rod Barajas and Gregg Zaun provide great bats as backup options to McCann. Jody Gerut and Scott Hairston in San Diego could be potential buy low options if the Braves need any outfield support. Also, Tampa Bay’s Jonny Gomes has power and his .213 average means that he is cheap and hitting better than Corky Miller, Greg Norton, Brent Lillibridge and Ruben Gotay! That statistic alone tells me that the team is suffering because of a lack of talent on the bench — something that can be altered with a good waiver claim or cheap trade.
By Dan on Jun 26, 2008 | Reply
I forgot to mention my point…brilliant, eh?
If the Braves buy low now, and I mean today…no, yesterday — then there is still an opportunity for this team to come back around and be the World Series contender that ESPN predicted back in March with so many players on the mend. If things come together and they win a few games going into the all-star break, then the Braves ought to consider a bigger splash with a Randy Winn or Erik Bedard/Bronson Arroyo/Paul Byrd (high to low on available starting pitching spectrum not named CC) to add some more presence.
Make some cheap additions to the bench, catch lightning in a bottle, whatever it is — and the Braves could be within striking distance and in a great position to add big in July. If I were in that office, I would not be content with the bench one bit. Like him or not, Corky Miller is 4-40 (.100) and was the last out in last night’s game, stranding runners on the corners. Hell, I’d feel more comfortable letting Campillo hit over Miller at this point.
It’s time for Frank Wren to do something about the bench.
By Smitty on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
Wow, that's a hard one. At what point do Wren and co throw in the towel and start cutting bait? It is so difficult for me to objectively regard the season as lost.
We gave up so much for Tex, yet, we want to get some value for him if we have a serious hope of retaining his services. And I think we have a 50/50 shot, given that we will have some major salary freed up with Hampton, Glavine, Smoltz (?) not returning.
But does Tex just go to the highest bidder?
Do the Braves go against corporate culture and designate an enormous portion of team salary to one guy?
I know Gred Maddux could have gone to the Yankees, but chose the Braves. Maybe Tex would see the value in staying with a National League team. Of course, there's always the Mets, who will be shopping for a 1st baseman.
It will just be interesting to see if this new ownership group Wren will stick to the culture previous administrations have had.
If they do, and if we lose the next two series, I think we are selling the farm, prized pig and all.
By JBinATL on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
I'll say just as mentioned on my site, I don't think it's time to throw in the towel. The teams who've had some postseason success have played their best baseball down the stretch.
But look at it historically. The Amazin' Mets of '69. The Miracle Braves. These teams were all but out of it and managed to come back. Even the 1991/93 Braves were on the ropes for a while.
The key for this years' Braves will be the ability to stay healthy and provide depth. We all know what a problem that has been.
JB in ATL
By Andrew Kneeland on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
Great thinker question. I would have to agree with you. It is too early to decide whether to buy or sell as you are only 4.5 games back.
I would say that if you fall to seven or eight games behind before or during the All-Star break, it's time to start selling.
I know it's going to be tough, but you have to get rid of Tex. He is riding cloud nine right now, and teams would give an arm and leg for him.
By Colin on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
I don't want an arm and a leg – just arms. Young pitching prospects, that is.
By Dan on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
At this point in the season I would buy low on some arms and bench help because that is what this team needs the most right now. I have been underwhelmed by the Braves bench largely because of the injuries putting less talent on the field and on the bench.
Buying low on Shawn Chacon may not be such a terrible thing after his choking incident with Astros GM Ed Wade. I would have to imagine that with the Astros now over ten games out, he would be practically free. The question is would the Braves want to bring in the guy who just was suspended for choking his General Manager.
Off the bench, there are always capable options available. If Toronto decides that they cannot compete Rod Barajas and Gregg Zaun provide great bats as backup options to McCann. Jody Gerut and Scott Hairston in San Diego could be potential buy low options if the Braves need any outfield support. Also, Tampa Bay's Jonny Gomes has power and his .213 average means that he is cheap and hitting better than Corky Miller, Greg Norton, Brent Lillibridge and Ruben Gotay! That statistic alone tells me that the team is suffering because of a lack of talent on the bench — something that can be altered with a good waiver claim or cheap trade.
By Dan on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply
I forgot to mention my point…brilliant, eh?
If the Braves buy low now, and I mean today…no, yesterday — then there is still an opportunity for this team to come back around and be the World Series contender that ESPN predicted back in March with so many players on the mend. If things come together and they win a few games going into the all-star break, then the Braves ought to consider a bigger splash with a Randy Winn or Erik Bedard/Bronson Arroyo/Paul Byrd (high to low on available starting pitching spectrum not named CC) to add some more presence.
Make some cheap additions to the bench, catch lightning in a bottle, whatever it is — and the Braves could be within striking distance and in a great position to add big in July. If I were in that office, I would not be content with the bench one bit. Like him or not, Corky Miller is 4-40 (.100) and was the last out in last night's game, stranding runners on the corners. Hell, I'd feel more comfortable letting Campillo hit over Miller at this point.
It's time for Frank Wren to do something about the bench.