Monday, December 28, 2009
I'd like to see the Braves...
1. Trade Melky Cabrera. They don't need to be spending two or three million on a fourth outfielder. Package him and a prospect for somebody who merits a starting job in the outfield, or else just ship him off for a passable prospect.
2. Don't trade for Dan Uggla. He'll hit homers, sure, but with two arbitration years coming he'll cost more than he's probably worth. I'm not entirely sold on Martin Prado but he's more than earned the starting job at second after last season.
3. Sign Eric Hinske. He's a solid left-handed bat off the bench and a capable sub at all corner positions. He could get 500 ABs between third, first, and the outfield, with double-digit power and an OPS near .800. Not great at all, but a better fourth OF / supersub than Cabrera, and at probably half the price.
4. Invent a time machine and redo last off-season. The trade for Vazquez was great. Too bad the Lowe and Kawakami signings forced the team to deal him again for an overrated stiff and a guy years away from contributing. Frank Wren seems to act out of panic or desperation far too often, from the post-Smoltz/Burnett signing of Lowe, to the Soriano and Vazquez salary dumps. He did well with the LaRoche, McLouth, and initial Vazquez trades, but it's hard to be all that excited or confident in his future as GM.
1. Trade Melky Cabrera. They don't need to be spending two or three million on a fourth outfielder. Package him and a prospect for somebody who merits a starting job in the outfield, or else just ship him off for a passable prospect.
2. Don't trade for Dan Uggla. He'll hit homers, sure, but with two arbitration years coming he'll cost more than he's probably worth. I'm not entirely sold on Martin Prado but he's more than earned the starting job at second after last season.
3. Sign Eric Hinske. He's a solid left-handed bat off the bench and a capable sub at all corner positions. He could get 500 ABs between third, first, and the outfield, with double-digit power and an OPS near .800. Not great at all, but a better fourth OF / supersub than Cabrera, and at probably half the price.
4. Invent a time machine and redo last off-season. The trade for Vazquez was great. Too bad the Lowe and Kawakami signings forced the team to deal him again for an overrated stiff and a guy years away from contributing. Frank Wren seems to act out of panic or desperation far too often, from the post-Smoltz/Burnett signing of Lowe, to the Soriano and Vazquez salary dumps. He did well with the LaRoche, McLouth, and initial Vazquez trades, but it's hard to be all that excited or confident in his future as GM.
