Alex Anthopoulos has some major decisions to make. The Atlanta Braves are still very much a playoff club despite a dismal first half by Braves Country standards. While the opening pitching has been outstanding, the batting order has been anything but stellar. While Michael Harris II’s absence for over a month and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury are disappointing, it’s time to take action.
Chase Irle of Sports Talk ATL compiled a list of top Braves prospects who he believes may be attractive trade assets for Anthopoulos at the deadline. While we may differ on the Braves’ most important asset, I would prefer to move Drake Baldwin over Nacho Alvarez because Baldwin is now blocked by Travis d’Arnaud and Sean Murphy behind the plate.
I don’t want to trade Alvarez because he may be a revelation at shortstop. However, as Irle noted, he may be the next Vaughn Grissom, which is very plausible. Regarding the three pitchers he named, Owen Murphy is injured, and the overhyped combo of Hurston Waldrep and AJ Smith-Shawver has not impressed me. I’d transfer them, perhaps Baldwin?
As long as the Braves select well and grow in the minors, their farm system will never be depleted.
Drake Baldwin is trade bait since he is blocked on his route to the major leagues.
Trading away a potential star is never a wise idea. Atlanta traded a local talent from St. Simons, Adam Wainwright, to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for J.D. Drew. That’s just the cost of doing business sometimes. You will not win every transaction, but don’t be scared to make one. Other times, you may require a spark beyond the so-called Braves Way.
That old Schuerholzian term made me want to rip my eyes out with a rusty spoon. It was the reason the Braves turned into a miserable bag of junk under Fredi Gonzalez in the mid-2010s. The Braves devolved into an incestuous quagmire of utter decadence in the later years of John Schuerholz’s quasi-reign over the team. The finest decision this team ever made was to take a chance on Anthopoulos.
He did not grow up idolizing the ground Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, and Hank Aaron trod on. Anthopoulos only wanted his beloved Montreal Expos to be worthwhile. They never were, but they are now the Washington Nationals. After acquiring valuable lessons in Toronto and then Los Angeles, Anthopoulos moved to Atlanta to become baseball’s finest general manager.
Look. I don’t pretend to know every franchise’s farm system from top to bottom, and I’m not interested in learning about your favorite college or professional team’s depth chart. When I’m not working, I’d rather do something other than gaze at a spreadsheet or a chart. What I do understand is the power of narrative. That’s what works for me in all sports. Can I follow the tale being told?
So, while any of these Braves prospects may be the finest thing to happen to Atlanta since the airport, I’m not going to gush about any prospect. Like Danny Murtaugh, I’m too old for that. I recall doing this with Adam LaRoche, Jeff Francoeur, Julio Teheran, and Andrelton Simmons, and then stopping after Cristian Pache. Others may fawn over them. Not me. Give me a proven player!
So, if it means parting ways with Baldwin in a package deal to get us beyond Philadelphia, I’m all for it.
