No big trades looming for Braves

By CARROLL ROGERS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When faced with the last two trade deadlines, the Braves have been right in the thick of the biggest deals in baseball, first acquiring Mark Teixeira in 2007 from the Rangers, then trading him away to the Angels last year.

Not so, this July 31. The Braves figure to go much more quietly through Friday’s deadline, most likely making only a tweak to their roster, if anything.

“I’ve talked to a lot of clubs last week and today,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said Monday. “I can’t tell you that anything is really imminent or on the front burner.”

Though it may seem presumptuous for a team 6 1/2 games out of first place, for the first time in a while, the Braves don’t feel they have any glaring needs. They may add an additional arm to the bullpen, but otherwise don’t see any big weaknesses.

“Our club is functioning real well right now,” Wren said. “The chemistry is good, the lineup [is] strong, the pitching staff has been pretty solid all year long one-through-12. That being said, we’re always open to improve our club but we feel pretty good.”

Wren has spent the past eight months building this roster, by bolstering the rotation with the additions of Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami last winter and shoring up the lineup with midseason trades for center fielder Nate McLouth and right fielder Ryan Church.

For the first three months of the season, the Braves offense was holding them back. But after manager Bobby Cox made Martin Prado the everyday second baseman and dropped Yunel Escobar into a run-producing spot in the order, the Braves have taken off.

Lately, they are playing with as much momentum as they’ve shown since when they first acquired Teixeira. Entering the three-game series with the Florida Marlins Tuesday night, Atlanta has won 17 of the last 24 games and eight of 11 since the All-Star break. After taking two of three from Milwaukee over the weekend, the club has won three series in a row, something it hadn’t done since early May.

The Braves arrive in Miami tied with the Marlins not just for second place in the NL East but also for fourth place in the wild card standings. As well as the Phillies have played, the Braves remain in contention.

“I think the foundation has been laid for us to take the next step,” third baseman Chipper Jones said. “We’re all happy with where this club is headed. I think they did what we absolutely had to do to get back in the hunt, which was to solidify our pitching staff.

“Can there be things done here and there to improve? Of course there can. I think Frank is always looking to try and improve us, whenever he gets the chance. But position player-wise, the way we’re swinging the bats right now, I’m happy with it.”

The Braves’ .295 team batting average for July leads the National League. Their 127 runs scored in July is second in the NL only to the Phillies (136). After hitting only 59 home runs in the first three months of the season, the Braves have hit 27 home runs in July.

With Escobar’s production since moving down in the order, that need for a power bat in the middle of the lineup has faded, at least for now, giving Wren time to perhaps address that in the offseason.

“We just haven’t seen the right situation for us and as the season has gone on, our power has started to show,” said Wren.

Tim Hudson is projected to come back from elbow surgery in late August or early September. Omar Infante should be back to bolster the bench in mid-August. Wren feels their returns will be as big a boost as a big trade at the deadline.

When Hudson returns, the Braves will have a surplus of starting pitching but that’s a problem Wren is happy to take on. The Braves aren’t prepared to trade Vazquez, who has been one of their top performers in the first half. Where they might look to make a deal is with second baseman Kelly Johnson, who is in a reserve role for now. Overall, the Braves feel pretty well set.

“Everyone is encouraged,” Wren said. “We’re playing our best baseball at the right time.”