Bowden's suggestion:
The trade: Alex Wood, Lucas Sims and a pitching prospect for Price.
I wouldn't do that, but it's a fair deal.
I still think you make a deal for Price if you can WITHOUT including Wood.
Sims, Bethancourt, and Peraza? I'm in. Sims, Peraza/Bethancourt, and a better "throw-in" pitching prospect than Bowden's probably thinking? I'm in.
In his scenario, Bowden's proposal is likely Wood, Sims, and probably Northcraft as the third player. If Friedman will take Sims and Mauricio Cabrera with whichever one of Peraza or Bethancourt he prefers, I'd make the deal. If it takes both Peraza and Bethancourt to make it work for Friedman I'd even consider it. You improve the team wherever you can - we're not going to be able to upgrade CF or 3B given what's going to be available on the market this year. The future downgrade from Peraza to La Stella and Bethancourt to a veteran defense-first backup Catcher is worth it.
As long as you get to keep Wood, you're dealing from a position of strength while upgrading whatever area you can. Assuming you don't believe La Stella's going to turn into a pumpkin, make the rotation as bulletproof as possible and make a run. A playoff rotation of Price, Teheran, Minor, and Floyd or Wood stacks up against any rotation in the game.
Trade Santana to the Yankees to get them to eat more of Uggla's money - would give you more to play with in an attempt to extend Price. Santana and half of what we owe Uggla for Betances or J. R. Murphy and Aaron Judge would be one idea.
There's just no way I think you can include Wood without a favorable extension signed - say 5/$100 million. As long as you keep Wood, the extension isn't completely necessary - even if you keep Price until the end of his current deal and let him go when he turns down the QO, you're going to be able to get a Sims-level replacement with the draft pick you get when he signs elsewhere. For those that think Sims is so untouchable, please take your Bill Shanks Braves' Colored Glasses off when you look at his stats and watch him pitch - he's struggling far more against High-A competition than Teheran, Minor, or Wood EVER did in their time in the minors (at any level). If you project him as anything better than a potential #3 when he reaches this level you must be Bill.
Scream about the Teixeira trade until you're blue in the face - the pieces we gave up to get him wouldn't have been impactful as Braves. Salty was blocked (and still would be). Andrus was blocked (and I'd personally rather have Simba today). Harrison was no better than either Minor or Wood, and is now likely done (with Uggla-type dollars owed him). Feliz flamed out as a starter (and would have blocked Kimbrel - which would you rather have in the 9th inning???). Beau Jones was just another Gilmartin/Northcraft/insert AAAA pitcher name here.
