Wren panics, Braves suffer

12/10/2009 at 2:15 am | In the braintrust, trades | 3 Comments

I have a hard time believing he couldn’t get more for Sori. Jesse Chavez looks like Bob Walk, but he’s not as good. The 26-year-old Pirate castoff projects as this year’s Chad Paronto — Kevin Grycrapski if we’re lucky.

FW should’ve held out for more. I’m not sure I would’ve traded Manny Acosta for Sanchez, let alone a reasonably priced closer who saved 27 games and struck out nearly 1.5 an inning last season.

–CB

Nady coming to Atlanta?

12/10/2009 at 2:06 am | In free agents | Leave a Comment

Maybe CD has some influence with the hierarchy — there appears to be mutual interest between the Bravos and Xavier Nady, who would play 1B.

–CB

Could BMF and some salary relief bring a gamechanger?

12/09/2009 at 9:41 pm | In BMF, trades | 2 Comments

UPDATE: DOB says the deal could be finalized by morning. No word on who the Braves will get in return.

The Braves are in serious talks with Tampa about BMF, who would fill a gaping hole in the Rays bullpen.

To finalize a trade with the cash-strapped Rays, the Braves might have to consider paying a small portion of Soriano’s salary and receiving a better player or prospect than might otherwise be expected in such a deal.

Do it. Hell, I’d think big and dangle Jordan Schafer and maybe even Freddie Freeman to get Carl Crawford or B.J. Upton. I doubt that’s going to happen, but there may be a chance to obtain a player who projects similarly.

Birmingham-born Desmond Jennings missed most of the 2008 season to injury, but he blossomed last year between the Double-A Biscuits and Triple-A Bulls: .318-11-62, .401 OBP, .487 slugging, 52 steals in 59 chances. And he makes good contact, striking out just 67 times in ‘09. I doubt the 23-year-old will be easy to get, but if paying a portion of Sori’s salary makes it happen, FW shouldn’t hesitate.

Fernando Perez would be a lesser, though not unattractive, option. The switch hitting speedster was injured most of last season, but in 2008 he looked impressive in a late-season cup of coffee with the Rays. That year at Durham he hit .288 with 53 steals and a .361 OBP. I’d expect more than Perez in a trade for Sori, but he’d be a welcome addition nonetheless.

–CB

Hire Jimmy Piersall

12/09/2009 at 6:05 pm | In voices of the braves | 2 Comments

We’re more likely to be saddled with Chip on local broadcasts, but his grandfather’s former partner would be preferred. Actually, I’d have a better chance of landing that gig than Piersall.

MLB just aired Carlton Fisk’s return to Boston from 1981, with Harry and Piersall behind the mic. Here’s a few choice samples:

Harry: “Miss Boston just went by in a yellow sweater.”
Piersall (who came up with the BoSox): “There’s not many Miss Bostons in this town.”
Harry: “Maybe she’s Miss Greater Boston.”
Piersall: “The women here make you want to moo.”

Piersall, after Chicago’s Greg Pryor whiffed on a running bunt.

Piersall: “Come on, get in front of the ball and bunt it!”
Harry: “Looks like he was trying to get a head start.”
Piersall: “He couldn’t beat out a bunt to first if he took a taxi.”

Piersall, after a close call by ump Marty Springstead: “Come on Springstead, you homer!” I would’ve loved hearing Piersall’s take on Bill Hohn’s fist bump with Marlins catcher John Baker.

–CB

Thoughts on bats and the once BMF

12/09/2009 at 3:58 pm | In BMF, the offseason | 9 Comments

Publicly declaring your intention to trade a guy would not seem to give you much leverage. If you’re say, the Astros, and you want Soriano, and you make an offer that’s not great but better than the two or three others Wren gets, you can just wait it out. No need to raise your offer too much because you know the Braves have to make a move. 

Soriano’s a good reliever, so there should be some demand. But if the demand were all that great, I doubt Soriano would be a Brave right now. He would’ve rejected arbitration to seek his (longer-term) fortune elsewhere.

Truth is, a lot of trades are made when it is obvious a club more or less has to move a guy. I mean, it’s no secret the Braves would like to trade Lowe. It was widely known Detroit was looking to shed salary before they dealt Granderson and Edwin Jackson. Most salary-driven trades are not surprises.

However it plays out, the fate of Lowe — or Vazquez — and Soriano will set the course for the rest of this offseason because of the finances.  So far as Braves GM Wren has made mostly sound moves. It’s easy now to argue he gave Lowe too much money for too many years, but it’s also easy to see why he did it. He faces another test in the coming months.

The local organ’s man on the beat wrote that Wren said there’s one team that has expressed interest in acquiring Soriano and Lowe. You’d have to figure it’s the Yankees. Who else would take on that much salary? CB figures maybe they’d send the Braves Nick Swisher in such a deal. Swisher is hardly the second coming of Henry Aaron, but he’d add some pop at a reasonable salary — about $8 mill per for the next two seasons.     

On the other hand, Wren also has said he doubts the home team will net the bat it needs via trade. GMs say a lot of things. I’d rather have Swisher than a free agent likely to be available on the aisles the Braves can shop — Marlon Byrd, Mike Cameron, et al. Xavier Nady is more intriguing and could be affordable as he’s trying to come back from Tommy John surgery. Other than Nady, I suspect the best hope for a new impact bat might be a big rookie season from Jason Heyward.  

– CD

The BMF problem

12/07/2009 at 11:48 am | In BMF | 14 Comments

And keep in mind that under MLB rules Soriano could not be traded until June 1 without his permission, so Atlanta could not simply turn around and deal him.

–CB

Yet another reliever coming to Atlanta?

12/07/2009 at 10:36 am | In Bullpen, Derek Lowe | 5 Comments

Brian Bruney, who looks like a young Bob Wickman, appears headed to Atlanta. I’m wondering if this could be the Derek Lowe salary dump?

UPDATE: Wrong again, NY Post. Bruney’s going to Washington.

BMF threatens Braves offseason plans

12/06/2009 at 3:35 pm | In BMF | 5 Comments

Soriano’s agent said Saturday that the pitcher is giving serious consideration to accepting arbitration and returning to Atlanta for a one-year deal.

“It’s going to go down to the wire,” said agent Peter Greenberg. “It’s definitely going to be a last-minute decision for us.”

If he does return, the Braves will boast the best bullpen in baseball. The downside, of course, is that it would seriously complicate the team’s pursuit of a big bat. With Billy Wagner wanting to come to Atlanta, FW might’ve been wise to wait until BMF decided what he wanted to do before spending his potential salary on two free agent relievers.

–CB

Yawn

12/04/2009 at 6:06 pm | In free agents | 7 Comments

Marlon Byrd and Mark DeRosa do not light my fire. Neither does Nick Johnson, whose injury history makes Chipper look like Cal Ripken Jr.

–CB

Braves near deal with Saito

12/03/2009 at 3:11 pm | In Bullpen, free agents | 7 Comments

One year and $3 mil, reports CBS’ Danny Knobler.

The upside, assuming a deal is consummated: Atlanta’s bullpen will have two proven closers for a combined price of $10 mil — much more than it would cost to retain Gonzo and BMF. In 2007, Saito and Wagner combined for 73 saves.

The downside: The youngest of the two is 38 (Saito is 40) and both are coming off major surgeries.

Still, I like the signings, which aren’t onerous in length or price. As I wrote last week, Saito has been a stud during his short MLB career. In 245 career innings he has 297 strikeouts, 83 saves and a 2.05 ERA.

–CB

UPDATE: It’s official.

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