“You go over it in your mind a million times. You ask yourself, ‘Is there something I could have done better?’” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

1. Stop taxing the bullpen;
2. Stop bunting every other play;
3. Stop pitching to studs when the Michael Martinez’s of the world await on deck;
4. Stop batting .230 hitters who get on base less than 30 percent of the time in the two-hole.

He asked.

A year-by-year look at the Wren years:

2007-’08

Signed Tom Glavine. A popular move but not the best use of $7 mil, especially when you consider the way it ended. PR doesn’t really figure into this eval, but I think we can agree FW gets an ‘F’ there.

Traded Renteria and Jose Ascanio for JJ, Gorkys Hernandez, Omar Infante and Will Ohman. A ++

Signing Corky Miller, releasing Brayan Pena. Seems like a minor transaction, but Pena was an outstanding clubhouse guy and, most importantly, a stabilizing influence on Yesco. Pena has been a decent backstop with the Royals while Corky may have been the worst Brave ever.

Traded Tex for Marek and Kotchman. Would’ve been better off with the draft picks that could’ve potentially netted Mike Trout and Tyler Skaggs, two of the best prospects in baseball.

Traded Tyler Flowers, Brent Lillibridge, Jon Gilmore and Santos Rodriguez for Javy Vazquez and Boone Logan. Seemed like a lot to give up but none of those Braves prospects have panned out while Javy V. was stellar in ’09.

Signed David Ross; selected Eric O’Flaherty off waivers. Very useful parts acquired for John Malone’s pocket change.

2009

Signed D. Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami. The Lowe signing can be rationalized but, with Vazquez already in the fold and Tommy Hanson nearly ready, KK wasn’t really necessary. The Braves dropped $83 million on the pair and have little to show for it. Thank God A.J. Burnett turned down FW’s offer, which was higher than what the Yanks ended up paying.

Traded Gorkys, Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton for McOut. Looked like a steal at the time but we all know how that turned out. His contract was something of an albatross, too.

Traded Francoeur for Ryan Church. Had to be done. Church offered little but the Lilburn Flash in the Pan had zero trade value at the time.

Dealt Kotchman to Boston for Adam LaRoche. Rochey almost single-handledy vaulted the Bravos into the playoffs in ’09, posting an OPS just shy of 1.000 in 57 games. Kotchman languished on the BoSox bench.

Signed Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito. Risky because of their age but they were more than effective.

Traded Rafael Soriano for Jesse Chavez. Finances dictated this trade but hard to believe the Braves couldn’t have done better.

Sent Javy Vazquez and Logan to the Yanks for Melky, Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino. No one was much happy with this deal at the time but if Arodys is as good as advertised it will be remembered fondly.

2010

Signed Troy Glaus and Eric Hinske. The Braves don’t make the playoffs in 2010 without these two. Excellent value.

Selected Cristhian Martinez off waivers from the Marlins.

Acquired Alex Gonzalez, Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky for Yesco and Jo-Jo Reyes. Yesco had worn out his welcome (could Brayan Pena have prevented it?) so FW wasn’t dealing from a position of strength. I still have my doubts about Pastornicky but if he pans out this will stand as a shrewd move.

Traded Gregor Blanco, Collins and J. Chavez for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth. If Collins can improve his location the Braves will regret this deal.

Acquired Derrek Lee for three prospects you’ve never heard of  and never will. No risk, no reward.

Traded Infante and Dunn to the Fish for Dan Uggla. An absolute steal, and while I have been critical of the five-year extension given to Uggla I’m starting to reconsider after seeing the contracts doled out this winter.

Traded Kyle Cofield for Scott Linebrink. When money is tight you shouldn’t be wasting millions on worn-out middle relievers.

2011

Traded Brett Oberholtzer, Paul Clemens, Juan Abreu and Jordan Schafer for Michael Bourn. Filled the team’s biggest need without giving up any of the franchise’s best prospects. The money should be there to re-sign Bourn though I wouldn’t overpay. I don’t think we have to worry about that happening as long as Liberty’s in charge.

Acquired Matt Diaz for a PTBNL. Not worth mentioning if Diaz had been a free agent, but as it stands the $2 mil Matty D. will receive in 2012 could’ve been put to better use.

Shipped Derek Lowe to Cleveland for Chris Jones. I was amazed FW got the Indians to assume $5 mil of Lowe’s remaining contract.

——————–

All told not a bad track record, one that would merit a better grade if not for the Fredi Gonzalez and Larry Parrish hires. TP gets the last laugh, and FW sees his grade docked to:

B-minus

(More Braves GM ratings here)

But the Bravos won’t be able to take advantage of that enhanced revenue stream for 20-plus years, thanks to the team’s previous corporate overlords.

“Whenever old [TV] deals are up and new deals get realized, there are big jumps in value. I have predicted that, knew it was coming,” McGuirk said. “And I think we have an undervalued local rights [deal].

“That being said, we inherited a deal that was done under [previous owner Turner Broadcasting/Time Warner] a little over four years ago, before the sale, that lasts out through 25 years. So there is no opportunity for a different deal than the one we have. Every single set of games on the different networks that we are seen on [Fox Sports South, SportSouth and Peachtree TV] are all 25-year deals or thereabouts.”

McGuirk said the deals call for “cost-of-living type increases” each year, but contain no options for renegotiation.

Corporate ownership sure has been good for the Bravos, hasn’t it? Score another gutter ball for Bud.

I was convinced Fielder was going to end up with the Nats, a move that would’ve made D.C. instant contenders in the East.

Thank you, Mike Illitch.

We were all pleased

Diaz, who has a .302 OBP and 7 homers in his last 200 games, will make $2 million this year. Hell, Brent Clevlen could give you that for a quarter of the price.

Two million might not seem like much but consider the consequences of the Diaz trade.

If not for Matty D.’s contract the Braves would’ve likely dealt for Seth Smith, who Oakland received for a couple of aging hurlers who project as fifth starters. The Braves could’ve easily offered a more talented package of pitchers without sacrificing any of their better prospects.

The only fathomable reason Smith is not a Brave is his $2.5 million salary. Subtract Diaz and they could’ve made him fit (one hopes $500,000 wouldn’t have been a barrier.)  It seems minor, but Smith is a better hitter and fielder capable of playing CF in a pinch.

As it stands the Bravos will likely have to carry three back-up OF’s since neither Diaz or Hinske can play CF. If something happens to Bourn who plays center? Good news for Jose Constanza, at least.

Perhaps Matty D. will rebound in 2012. He better, because we’re stuck with him.

Instead he’s going to Oakland, acquired for two middling pitchers ages 28 and 27. Hell, Todd Redmond and J.J. Hoover would have been a much more desirable package. The Braves could have afforded to trade both but apparently can’t afford another $2.5 mil.

Instead of a lefty hitter with a career.833 OPS backing up Martin, one who can play CF in a pinch, the Braves will have Matt Diaz, a liability with the glove who finished 2011 with an OPS lower than those posted by Gonzo and McOut.

The Braves play the Mets in six of their first 12 games. In between they face Houston and a Brewers team likely without Fielder and Braun. They end the month with four at home against the Pirates. 

May will be significantly tougher, with 12 games against the Reds and Cards, their first series against the Phils and a road trip to Tampa.

Let’s just hope he can stay healthy.