Braves donate Justin Upton to Padres for prospects

[ramadon101]

Seriously - it's damned if you do, damned if you don't with some people on here.

If Hart had jumped on the first or second deal proposed for Upton, I'm sure the return would not have included anything close to some of the names being thrown about now (i.e., Walker, Crick, Panik, etc), and people would have panned Hart for not exploring the market fully.

Last I checked, the offseason isn't over. Hell ST hasn't started. Chances are someone will have an injury, experience a setback, etc. And that's not even including teams that are still in the Upton hunt (like the Os, Cubs, Royals, and even the Padres if the Myers trade doesn't happen or Kemp for some unforeseen reason doesn't pass his physical). Even if we go to war with JUp on the roster, I can bet you some team will want him mid-season assuming we're not in the hunt ourselves. Ca-Ca happens folks.

Patience is the right approach here. Worst case scenario is we have an entire year's worth of Upton and get a draft pick. That's worst case.

[emk418]

Seriously - it's damned if you do, damned if you don't with some people on here.

If Hart had jumped on the first or second deal proposed for Upton, I'm sure the return would not have included anything close to some of the names being thrown about now (i.e., Walker, Crick, Panik, etc), and people would have panned Hart for not exploring the market fully.

Last I checked, the offseason isn't over. Hell ST hasn't started. Chances are someone will have an injury, experience a setback, etc. And that's not even including teams that are still in the Upton hunt (like the Os, Cubs, Royals, and even the Padres if the Myers trade doesn't happen or Kemp for some unforeseen reason doesn't pass his physical). Even if we go to war with JUp on the roster, I can bet you some team will want him mid-season assuming we're not in the hunt ourselves. Ca-Ca happens folks.

Patience is the right approach here. Worst case scenario is we have an entire year's worth of Upton and get a draft pick. That's worst case.

Look...we really don't know what's actually been discussed. I'm trying to stay optimistic that we will still get a very good deal and it's definitely very possible. I'm just concerned that Hart has scared off some of our best matches by demanding too much leaving us with less attractive options. But the worst case scenario you mentioned is a very bad scenario in my opinion. But again, I'm not saying hart has blown our chance to trade Justin at all. It's just a concern seeing so many possible matches fill needs elsewhere.

[chop2chip]

I'm curious what offers Hart has turned down. I don't think anyone here has the slightest clue what has been on the table. Everything seems to be conjecture at this point. The closest that we have heard is the Braves want a bigger package than the Heyward return. Has there been anything leaked of what's actually been offered for Upton?

[dak]

At this juncture, SF and BAL seem to be the best possibilities for an Upton trade. SF seems more focused on pitching at the moment, but they could really use a bat. I think BAL is more likely to sign Rasmus or Aoki, as they've mostly been looking at LHH to replace Markakis. Reds have a need, but they just traded 2 SPs in part to clear payroll.

Things can obviously change at any moment. I still expect Upton to be traded, but I think it's a defensible opinion that we've lost leverage. May need to wait for some currently unforeseen event to occur (injury, big trade, etc.) in order to regain enough leverage to execute a trade that makes sense for us.

[dak]

And then Bowman waddles in to make me look like an idiot . . .

@mlbbowman
Though it might seem like the options are decreasing, the #Braves have talked to at least five teams today re: J-Up and Gattis.

[Deester11]

And then Bowman waddles in to make me look like an idiot . . .

@mlbbowman
Though it might seem like the options are decreasing, the #Braves have talked to at least five teams today re: J-Up and Gattis.

How the heck does he know, was he in the room? LOL... I digress. We will see I guess.

[COGPK]

Upton to the Reds for Chapman and make him a starter. I know.

[cajunrevenge]

Options are decreasing for us and for the teams bidding. It only takes 2 teams to have a bidding war.

[clvclv]

I'm curious what offers Hart has turned down. I don't think anyone here has the slightest clue what has been on the table. Everything seems to be conjecture at this point. The closest that we have heard is the Braves want a bigger package than the Heyward return. Has there been anything leaked of what's actually been offered for Upton?

Absolutely nothing that I've seen personally - only speculation from the usual suspects and "experts".

[gilesfan]

Oh my God... An established MLB pitcher with top of the rotation upside and a big time starting prospect is peanuts?

Oh, we got that?

[Braves1976]

And then Bowman waddles in to make me look like an idiot . . .

@mlbbowman
Though it might seem like the options are decreasing, the #Braves have talked to at least five teams today re: J-Up and Gattis.

That isn't saying much if anything different than what we already know. Keep in mind that some of those teams are probably calling about Gattis and not Upton (such as Texas who seem to only have interest in Gattis, though they are open to a three-team deal involving Upton according to previous reports).

[Deester11]

Just get it done so we can get on with our lives. LOL

[zbhargrove]

Oh, we got that?

Yes in reality we did get that... Maybe not in your troll world

[gilesfan]

Yes in reality we did get that... Maybe not in your troll world

My world only considers top 25 prospects as "big time" prospects and considers middle of the rotation starters......what they are.

[Carp]

People need to chill. There will ALWAYS be a good market for J-Up. He is an elite hitter and teams will always covet a player like him. You're really telling me that Justin Ruggiano is going to prevent the M's from trading for Upton if they really wanted him?

[Carp]

My world only considers top 25 prospects as "big time" prospects and considers middle of the rotation starters......what they are.

Your world is delusional. Reports have come out that other Gms, believe the Cards gave up too much for 1 year of Heyward.

[MadduxFanII]

My guess (and obviously it's just that) is that Hart has no real intention of playing out 2015 with Justin on the team and walking away with only a draft choice to show for it. He might do that, if all the trades offered to him are legitimately awful and bring back no one of value, but I think that's a last resort, and even then he'll hope to make a trade mid-season.

Hart has to say he's willing to do that, and he's right to say so, just as I think he was right to wait out the market, but it clearly isn't helping him generate much leverage. If he received offers with the sort of returns we've been batting about on this board, Hart would already have traded Upton. I suspect that if the Mariners were willing to give up Walker, Upton would be finalizing a lease on a lovely waterfront condo in Seattle right about now. It's possible that dragging this out can get that sort of return, but that strikes me as fabulously unlikely and dependent upon some exogenous shock- think Victor Martinez hurting his knee and Detroit responding by giving Prince Fielder a panic contract.

All that said, I think Upton's getting traded within a few weeks, and the return is really going to piss us off. Probably a prospect in the top 75-100 range (and probably a pitcher) and another minor leaguer either without enough experience to get much of a ranking or with serious flaws (injuries, most likely) that prevent him from being highly regarded. And we'll all rage about that return (myself included), and we'll hear about how much the Braves' scouts love the second prospect, and Hart will say something vaguely smarmy about Upton or the team that pisses a bunch of us off and at the end of the day that'll end up being the only return that was ever truly realistic, because "years of control" is now the industry's dominant buzz phrase.

[CyYoung31]

The decreasing number of candidates might mean that they decide to do the smart thing and keep him.

[Orphan Black]

There are rumblings that Matt Kemp may have failed his physical.

[50PoundHead]

How the heck does he know, was he in the room? LOL... I digress. We will see I guess.

Couldn't get through the door.