It's a little early to be talking trade, but that's just what we're about to do. Jon Paul Morosi at Fox Sports thinks that the Braves may be a team that will enter the expected sweepstakes for the Padres first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez. Morosi attributes this guess/rumor to a "veteran scout."
At this point this rumor is just a writer trying to put a team with a problem together with the best possible solution on the trade market. Landing someone like Gonzalez would take a Teixeira-esque package, maybe more. A trade like this is made even more difficult by the memories of the Peavy negotiations just over a year ago. While there is a different General Manager in San Diego, the organizational need to get maximum return in prospects on a player like Gonzalez has not gone away.
The Braves are probably even less likely to make this trade because of the memory of the Teixeira trade. He didn't help them make the post-season and we were forced to pawn him off the next season for lesser quality players. Frank Wren and the Braves front office may be a bit gun-shy in parting with so many prospects in one deal. Teixeira also busted the organizational belief that a big name acquisition is a cure-all. Gonzalez is signed at a very affordable price through 2011.
Still, it's too early to start talking trade. We still need to give Troy Glaus time to come around, and if he can't then there are other options that the team may want to explore first, like giving the everyday first base job to Eric Hinske, or promoting Freddie Freeman.
Stay tuned, though. If the Braves offense doesn't come around, I would think some sort of move would be made. Of course, right now one guy likely won't fix the Braves offensive problems.
0 recs | 40 comments
i dont wanna hear about this shit again
homerun - April 23, 2010
Trade everybody!
This offense is BRUTAL!!!
Jay212033 - April 23, 2010
Dunn > gonzo
homerun - April 23, 2010
In what world?
Jay212033 - April 23, 2010
Thank you
Was thinking the same thing. Someone has been comparing career OPS, I think, where the edge goes to Dunn. That fails to consider that Gonzo hits for a better average and has done all of his damage in a weak lineup in the worst hitter’s park in baseball. Edge Gonzo.
J-Freak - April 23, 2010
In terms of what we’d have to give up for Gonzo… I’d take Dunn in a heartbeat.
homerun - April 23, 2010
You'd still have to give up good players to get Dunn as well
Plus he’s worth 10 mil, horrible defense and will add to our already record number of Ks. NO THANKS!
Jay212033 - April 23, 2010
Can we trade Pendleton?
HereComesBream - April 23, 2010 via mobile
Can we trade Pendleton?
HereComesBream - April 23, 2010 via mobile
ehh.....
i’d rather have chase headley than this old expensive bitch.
RipHard - April 23, 2010
What?!?!
Expensive?!?! 4.5 mil is expensive for a 40 HR guy w/ great D at 1B?
Jay212033 - April 23, 2010
Maybe he means expensive in terms of prospects we’d have to give up?
kauf67 - April 23, 2010
I wish I could get paid for writing a bunch of nonsense down. That dude has a nice gig.
Windu - April 23, 2010
It's called reporting
Which this sentence would indicate: “Morosi attributes this guess/rumor to a ‘veteran scout.’” He even says there probably isn’t much behind the rumor
kauf67 - April 23, 2010
I think the Braves like Freeman more in the long run. Although Gonzo is cheap Freddie is still way cheaper and he wont cost 4 of our top prospects. This isnt going to happen!
That a boy - April 23, 2010
no
bring back Julio Franco hes only like 50 years old
Erihury - April 23, 2010
I don’t know why you wouldn’t entertain this idea. I wouldn’t sale the farm, but he would be an huge answer to our main problem. Worst comes to worst, you end up trading him at the deadline next year or keep him and get a first round and supplemental pick. We don’t know about Freeman, we know about Agon.
wcubmac - April 23, 2010
I pray to Pujols we don’t.
Scott Coleman - April 23, 2010 via mobile
I’m in San Diego right now. Gonzo IS that franchise right now. Hometown kid, only player on the roster you would recognize, etc. It will take a lot to get him. If / when they trade him, that small fanbase is going to evaporate and they have a new GM and front office staff.
They’ve also won 7 games in a row and have a certain “nobody believed in us spark”. They’re really playing with a ton of heart and enthusiasm right now. It’s still way, WAY too early to even think about such a bad team being in contention by the deadline, but it’s worth noting for purposes of this discussion.
Instead of asking how much better could we be with Gonzo we should be asking why is San Diego better when all they have is Gonzo.
DCP916 - April 23, 2010
I think this is assuming the Pads stop playing so far above their heads. If they’re leading the division come July, they probably won’t trade Gonzalez. But they probably won’t be leading the division come July.
Weldon - April 23, 2010
Hope you enjoy this
Comments section of the MLBTR piece has this suggested package to lure A-Gon away from the Padres…
Freeman
Schafer
Teheran
Vizcaino
DelGado (did not specify which)
and a few non blue chip prospects
This guy is either a Padres fan or a complete idiot Braves fan. Thought y’all might enjoy this after another loss. It made me laugh.
bighop - April 23, 2010
That package is obviously too much, but I wouldn’t have a problem with a package built around Schafer, Freeman and one of the Teheran, Vizcaino or Delgado…assuming we’re in serious contention around the trade deadline and Glaus is still battling the Mendoza line. But let’s hope he isn’t.
Not sure they would really want Freeman, though.
Weldon - April 23, 2010
Not even close to worth that in my opinion.
bighop - April 23, 2010
You would trade Schafer, Freeman and Teheran for a year and a half of Adrian Gonzalez?
I’m glad you’re not out GM.
Scott Coleman - April 23, 2010 via mobile
Me too.
I don’t want to say I absolutely would make that trade, but I would at least consider it if we’re serious contenders and Glaus continues to fall on his face.
I guess I’m in the minority here, but I don’t think Schafer’s going to amount to too awful much. He may have been hurt last year, but his numbers in AA weren’t all that overwhelming in the first place.
Freeman’s a nice player and the three arms all have high ceilings, but if you really think Gonzalez can push you over the edge and to a championship…well, you gotta give something up to get something. Not every trade can be as lopsided as the Doyle Alexander and Fred McGriff deals.
Weldon - April 24, 2010
I understand your point, but the issue is still this: we’d empty the farm to get this guy for a year and a half. Unless we can get rid of DLowe’s contract, we don’t have the money to pay Gonzo a multi year contract. And even if one of the 3 or 4 guys included in this scenario turn out to be an above average player, he’ll probably have more value than Gonzo will in the year that he’s here.
Scott Coleman - April 24, 2010 via mobile
I just reject the idea that we’d be emptying the farm. Schafer’s not all that valuable to me, and trading one of the Latin troika still leaves us a pair of really good arms down there. As far as Freeman is concerned, it’s doubtful he would be involved (like I said, Blanks) but I wouldn’t hate trading him. He’s a first baseman with limited pop. A good prospect, but certainly not untouchable as far as I’m concerned.
It would look bad if the team fell on its face, or it could work out as well as the last time we traded for a Padres first baseman. It’s likely a moot point anyway.
Weldon - April 24, 2010
Are you serious? Look how much the Tex trade set us back and you want to do it again. I hope that Freedie Freeman is not traded. I would actually like to see the Braves develop a guy to play first base that is going to be here for the next 6 or so years instead of changing 1st baseman every year.
ScottBravesFan - April 24, 2010
I'll respond as soon as I clean the vomit off my monitor.
Bronn - April 23, 2010
I thought this might get a reaction, sorry about the monitor
bighop - April 23, 2010
Seriously
Two years of Gonzalez so we can mortgage the entire future of the franchise? WTH was that guy thinking?
After the two years are up, Gonzalez walks, gets a MUCH bigger deal than the Braves will ever afford, and we’ve got nothing at first base in the farm system. Insanity.
I’d rather not make the move on Gonzo at all, but if I had to, I’d take Freeman off the table. No sense in putting us in exactly the same position just two years down the road, where we’re in need of a first baseman.
Something like:
Schafer
Vizcaino/Teheran (one of these)
Spruill
Milligan
And some other throw-in, like Scott Diamond or Mycal Jones, maybe Brandon Hicks.
I think that’s a pretty nice package, and if the Padres can top it, good for them. If their fans have expectations like that package you posted, they’re going to be really pissed off regardless what they end up getting.
That’s probably the best the Braves can offer because they’re not going to totally strip their farm system. I don’t see them moving Bethancourt unless they’re getting a huge return, so he’d be off the table as part of some large package. They’re not touching Salcedo until he’s at least had a chance to play organized professional baseball. And they will by no means ship off both Vizcaino and Teheran. And Freeman is untouchable because we really want to hand him the 1B job next season.
Bronn - April 24, 2010
Exactly. Why else would we sign Glaus to a 1-year deal if we were planning on someone else besides Freeman to man 1B? If we didn’t have Freeman as our 1B of the future, we would’ve re-sign Roachy or looked into trades.
Scott Coleman - April 24, 2010
Why not just take the whole farm system and change the name from Braves to whatever they want.
romone_braves91 - April 23, 2010
At least he’s not asking for Randy Gress
Bronn - April 23, 2010
I think the guy missed Hanson and Heyward while we are giving everything away.
romone_braves91 - April 23, 2010
Yeah, no...
but the main question is where do we put Glaus? On the bench? And you assume Freeman would be required in the deal. If we make a deal, I’d assume it’d be for a leadoff hitter, not a 1B. The organization seems to think pretty highly of Freeman, and I see no reason to give up on him now when the idea of a young core seems so possible with him, Heyward, McCann, Esco among others and the numerous young arms.
Mr. Sanchez - April 24, 2010
If you go out and buy AGonz, then I expect Glaus would be released. That would be part of the price that would have to be considered… that or send Brooksy down and keep him for that role (we’d have 2 ‘Hinskes’, then). I kinda doubt that one.
As some have mentioned, though, I think the Texiera Episode is still fresh in everybody’s mind enough that the ONLY way I would forsee this coming to pass is if he was signed to a long-term deal as a condition of the trade.
carpengui - April 24, 2010
Glaus has a cheap deal, so they might would like him...
so Glaus and Freeman are part of the package for AGon? Maybe match Escobar for Evereth Cabrera to lighten the prospect load. If only the Padres had a leadoff man to bring in.
I’d like the idea of trading with the Devil Rays, for BJ Upton (McLouth and a pair of prospects?) or Fernando Perez (as he seems kind of a AAAA OF for them, maybe some of our AAAA Ps like Marek, Parr, Redmond, Proctor, Dunn, Jojo, Hyde, etc) since I assume Desmond Jennings isn’t available and Carl Crawford would not be worth the price for a few month rental.
Mr. Sanchez - April 24, 2010
Going Off Topic and not trying to start a Rosterbation
Derrek Lee > Gonzo. A little less power, Right handed bat, hit for average, and he is a club house guy.
If the Cubs keep the pace of being terrible, we could potentially trade for him for probably less the cost in prospects and we could convince him of a contract extension. If we traded for him now, it would be just for this year as a rental and offer him a arbitration for draft picks. I’m not saying this is the best solution but it’s a better one than Gonzo. Just throwing it out there to see how TC feel.
romone_braves91 - April 24, 2010
THIS
Derek Lee is a better fit than Gonzalez
jeg - April 24, 2010
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