Possible future trade targets..

[Hawk]

Yes I know. But I still don't see them just giving Mac away, even if they do acquire Wieters. There will be a market for Mac.

As is, but not many teams are going to be jumping to take on the $65MM he's owed.

[Heyward]

None of that equals contender. We have major holes without the hint of an answer.

No rush IMO. If the plan was 2017, eye on the Prize Braves brass.

Just keep turning assets. I don't think the answers we need are in FA, so we need pieces to trade and still keep the farm stocked up.

JUp, Ces or even Jason would fill one of our FA OF holes.

Although other than Jason, the length of the deal is a huge concern.

3B, LF, and C seem to be the biggest holes if you lock in Jace, Simba, Freeman, Nick, and maybe Maybin if he isnt dealt.

The bullpen has some in-house solutions with Withrow, Viz, Simmons, McKirahan, Luis, and some FA's they can sign. Grilli will return at some point if he doesnt retire.

SP has some combo of Julio, Wood, Miller, Wisler, Manny, Perez. Maybe they dip into the FA market if they deal one of the first 3 for a bat.

[Heyward]

I'd make a play for Wieters if the pick is protected.

The FO has some money to spend, only 50 mil or so committed to next year, so they gotta spend it on some players.

And we have a TON of players who are pre-arb.

[KB21]

Well, I don't see how the core of the team gets any younger.

The Braves could very well make a play for Wieters themselves. I think he's an upgrade from McCann in that he's younger, primarily, but also much better defensively.

You just don't really want to be paying a catcher $17-20MM into their mid/late 30s in the National League especially when you have a 1B locked up for a half-decade.

It's still the same concept as when they didn't resign Brian last year. Matt is in his age 29 season. He will be going into his age 30 season next year. He's one of the bigger pieces on the market, so he will get an offer close to what McCann got last year. So, Atlanta's choice would be to not sign McCann going into his age 30 season but sign Wieters going into his age 30 season.

[Hawk]

It's still the same concept as when they didn't resign Brian last year. Matt is in his age 29 season. He will be going into his age 30 season next year. He's one of the bigger pieces on the market, so he will get an offer close to what McCann got last year. So, Atlanta's choice would be to not sign McCann going into his age 30 season but sign Wieters going into his age 30 season.

I guess the biggest difference being that the Braves had two potential candidates that they anticipated stepping into McCann's shoes in Gattis/Bethancourt.

Now, we're basically looking at Lucas Herbert.

[Horsehide Harry]

Most of these proposed trades (Lucroy especially) are focused on winning in 2016 and beyond. If you believe the FO, they are focused on the beyond beginning in 2017.

Lucroy makes NO SENSE unless you plan to have him around in 2018, 2019, 2020 under the current plan.
And, even if you DO plan to extend him, you have to trade for the player he will likely be THEN not what he is today.

Lucroy, Braun, Tulo, McCann...what are those players like in 2017, 2018, 2019? I think they all are expensive shells of their prior selves. And the Braves can't afford those kinds of mistakes.

I'm not being overly critical here. I just think everyone needs to realize how incredibly hard it will be to trade for offense that is a. good and b. what the Braves need to fit the plan.

[msstate7]

Most of these proposed trades (Lucroy especially) are focused on winning in 2016 and beyond. If you believe the FO, they are focused on the beyond beginning in 2017.

Lucroy makes NO SENSE unless you plan to have him around in 2018, 2019, 2020 under the current plan.
And, even if you DO plan to extend him, you have to trade for the player he will likely be THEN not what he is today.

Lucroy, Braun, Tulo, McCann...what are those players like in 2017, 2018, 2019? I think they all are expensive shells of their prior selves. And the Braves can't afford those kinds of mistakes.

I'm not being overly critical here. I just think everyone needs to realize how incredibly hard it will be to trade for offense that is a. good and b. what the Braves need to fit the plan.

Didn't we try to get lucroy earlier this season?

[Heyward]

Most of these proposed trades (Lucroy especially) are focused on winning in 2016 and beyond. If you believe the FO, they are focused on the beyond beginning in 2017.

Lucroy makes NO SENSE unless you plan to have him around in 2018, 2019, 2020 under the current plan.
And, even if you DO plan to extend him, you have to trade for the player he will likely be THEN not what he is today.

Lucroy, Braun, Tulo, McCann...what are those players like in 2017, 2018, 2019? I think they all are expensive shells of their prior selves. And the Braves can't afford those kinds of mistakes.

I'm not being overly critical here. I just think everyone needs to realize how incredibly hard it will be to trade for offense that is a. good and b. what the Braves need to fit the plan.

Who do you trade for then?

Young, controllable impact hitters are very hard to trade for.

[Heyward]

Didn't we try to get lucroy earlier this season?

Yes and No, they called about him and Mil wasnt gonna trade him, thats about it.

[msstate7]

Yes and No, they called about him and Mil wasnt gonna trade him, thats about it.

Just saying posters mentioning lucroy wasn't that crazy considering the FO called about him

[Horsehide Harry]

Who do you trade for then?

Young, controllable impact hitters are very hard to trade for.

You have to trade for prospects now who won't be prospects then. And the only way the Braves will get good bats back right now is by trading the good guys that they currently have at the ML level that are somewhat expendable (Miller, Wood, maybe Teheran due to the upcoming FA market), Simmons (due to Peraza short term, Albies long term), Maybin (not on the radar in 2017, 2018 and have Smith in the wings plus FA options Fowler, Jackson), Markakis if you can get anything for him because you are focused on 2017, 2018 and what kind of player will Markakis be then?).

[Horsehide Harry]

Yes and No, they called about him and Mil wasnt gonna trade him, thats about it.

The Braves were trying to buy low too.

[Chico]

Christian Villanueva from the Cubs is a 3b prospect blocked who shouldn't cost much.

[nsacpi]

How do u explain Markakis

Most of these proposed trades (Lucroy especially) are focused on winning in 2016 and beyond. If you believe the FO, they are focused on the beyond beginning in 2017.

Lucroy makes NO SENSE unless you plan to have him around in 2018, 2019, 2020 under the current plan.
And, even if you DO plan to extend him, you have to trade for the player he will likely be THEN not what he is today.

Lucroy, Braun, Tulo, McCann...what are those players like in 2017, 2018, 2019? I think they all are expensive shells of their prior selves. And the Braves can't afford those kinds of mistakes.

I'm not being overly critical here. I just think everyone needs to realize how incredibly hard it will be to trade for offense that is a. good and b. what the Braves need to fit the plan.

[KB21]

I guess the biggest difference being that the Braves had two potential candidates that they anticipated stepping into McCann's shoes in Gattis/Bethancourt.

Now, we're basically looking at Lucas Herbert.

There shouldn't be any difference in the way Bethancourt is viewed now vs last year. He's still a 23 year old prospect that struggled in his first go around of MLB. The tools are still there. The only difference is that there is some doubt with regards to his make up/intangibles. Blake Swihart is a 23 year old catcher that struggled just as much as Bethancourt has in his first taste of MLB.

[keithlaw]

There shouldn't be any difference in the way Bethancourt is viewed now vs last year. He's still a 23 year old prospect that struggled in his first go around of MLB. The tools are still there. The only difference is that there is some doubt with regards to his make up/intangibles. Blake Swihart is a 23 year old catcher that struggled just as much as Bethancourt has in his first taste of MLB.

Those doubts about his make up aren't new.

[Hawk]

There shouldn't be any difference in the way Bethancourt is viewed now vs last year. He's still a 23 year old prospect that struggled in his first go around of MLB. The tools are still there. The only difference is that there is some doubt with regards to his make up/intangibles. Blake Swihart is a 23 year old catcher that struggled just as much as Bethancourt has in his first taste of MLB.

I agree, but it doesn't appear as though the Braves do. At this rate, if Pierzynski is traded, Lavarnway probably gets the nod over Christian.

[KB21]

Also, we shouldn't be looking at Miller, Teheran, and Wood as trade chips. These guys are all 24 year old starters under control who are above average starting pitchers. They are building blocks, not trade chips, unless you want a team that can hit but can't pitch worth a damn.

[Tapate50]

I didn't think Wieters was even catching consecutive games this year? I have my doubts if someone still slow coming off injury is a wise investment for a ball club with a middling payroll.

[zbhargrove]

There shouldn't be any difference in the way Bethancourt is viewed now vs last year. He's still a 23 year old prospect that struggled in his first go around of MLB. The tools are still there. The only difference is that there is some doubt with regards to his make up/intangibles. Blake Swihart is a 23 year old catcher that struggled just as much as Bethancourt has in his first taste of MLB.

Swihart has been bad but nowhere near as bad as Bethancourt