This week the Atlanta Braves traded for Dan Uggla. The second basemen is the right handed power bat that the Braves have been needing for the last couple of seasons. They haven’t had that threat from the right side of the plate since Andruw Jones departed for the Dodgers a couple of years ago. To get Uggla, the Braves had to give up All-Star super utility player Omar Infante and left-handed reliever Mike Dunn. Infante came to the Braves from the Tigers in the Renteria trade and Dunn came to Atlanta in the Javier Vazquez trade with the Yankees.
It wasn’t difficult to see Dunn go, but it was hard to hear Infante wouldn’t be playing with the Braves anymore. Omar was a great player to watch and he played the game the right way. He hustled out ground balls, battled in his at-bats, and played wherever the Braves needed him without complaining. Along with Prado, they were two Braves that you just knew every night would leave it all on the field for the sake of the team.
Overall, I’m happy with the trade. It was something the Braves had to do. The team had enough players that could hit .300 and knock 4 balls out of the park a year. They need someone who can really put fear into an opposing pitcher so other teams can’t just pitch around McCann and Heyward every game.
I have to say, I am really enjoying the Frank Wren era in Atlanta. He makes big moves and since he’s taken over as GM, I’ve never felt like the Braves front office has mailed in a season or not tried to put a winning team on the field. They have taken some gambles on guys like Melky Cabrera and Troy Glaus but they were trying. The Glaus deal wasn’t bad because it was only a 1 year deal at $1 million.
Melky on the other hand was a complete loss, but the Braves cut him and I was thrilled about that. I knew he was a massive mistake when he made the throwing error in the Cincinnati game and was laughing about it as the Braves lead in the NL East was completely falling apart. You never see great players laugh stuff like that off. I stopped giving him the benefit of the doubt as soon as that happened.
The Braves had said that they won’t be pursuing any big name free agents and I’m fine with that. The guys that are out there are great, but they are going to demand big dollars. I don’t want to see the Braves hinder themselves for the future with a big contract that won’t work out. I’d rather see them save the money and lock up home grown stars like Heyward, McCann, and Hanson when the time comes with those big contracts.
As good as Derek Lowe pitched last season, I’m counting down the days until his $15 million a year is off the books. I’d have to believe that Lowe and Chipper’s contracts will be off the payroll at roughly the same time. Lowe has 2 more years and Chipper can’t have any more than 2 years left. Chipper is my favorite player, but his time is coming and the team could use the money flexibility when it does get here.
As the hot stove league continues on, I’ll be looking to see who the Braves acquire to play in their outfield. That’s really the last remaining piece they need to find. There’s been rumors of Colby Rasmus and Jacoby Ellsbury, but I’d have to believe the asking price for either one of those players would be too high. We’ll have to see what the Braves can pull off in the next 2 months.
