When the Braves made the trade for Matt Adams, it was logical to assume he would be a nice fill-in at first base until Freddie Freeman returned from a fractured wrist. But something unexpected happen: Adams has been far greater than a nice fill-in.
After homering (again) and adding a run-scoring single Monday night against San Francisco, Adams was batting .306 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs in 28 games. He has a slugging percentage of .658 and an OPS of 1.018.
The only player on the roster who ranks ahead of him in slugging percentage and OPS is the one he replaced -- Freeman.
So now imagine this: a batting order stacked with Freeman, Adams and Matt Kemp.
This is almost certainly a lost season, and this certainly was not the Braves' plan. But have we reached the point with Adams where the Braves should seriously consider NOT trading him?
This will be a big decision as the team nears the non-waiver trade deadline. This issue has been debated by fans for weeks. It just took me a while to be convinced that keeping Adams might be the way to go. Some fans have suggested the Braves should consider trading Freeman and keeping Adams at first base. Wrong. A guy goes on the disabled list and suddenly everybody forgets that he was hitting .341 with a 1.209 OPS when he left.
We call this: fan amnesia.
But Adams' power and production makes one wonder whether the Braves should sacrifice something defensively and force the issue in the outfield. It's no secret the organization doesn't have a lot of power coming up. It also has become clear SunTrust Park is going to be a hitters-friendly park, beyond what anybody anticipated.
As pitcher R.A. Dickey said to our David O'Brien after Monday's game, "We all miss Freddie, but this guy’s been everything -- more than anything that we could have probably hoped for in the moment. I’m hoping we can find a spot for him in a few weeks when Freddie comes back somehow."
St. Louis tried playing Adams for six games in left field, but apparently wasn't convinced he would develop into a viable option, otherwise they would have kept him. Adams is best as a first baseman or a designated hitter. The Cardinals couldn't justify his $2.8 million salary this season, nor the significant raise he'll probably get in his final year of arbitration (before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2019).
But depending on the offers they get, the Braves should consider finding another position for Adams. Would it better to keep Adams and trade right fielder Nick Markakis? Maybe. With the need for power and the fact the Braves needing to score a lot of runs to compensate for the pitching staff, it might be the way to go.
Subscribe to the, “We Never Played The Game” podcast with the AJC's Jeff Schultz and WSB’s Zach Klein on iTunes. Episodes also can be downloaded from on-demand link on WSBRadio.com.
Recent tunes on the digital jukebox
- Falcons should have honored White on stage alone -- without Vick
- Louisville cares more about revenue and Rick Pitino than morals
- Leap of faith leads Tech player to leave football, enter seminary
- Holyfield: 'The only thing in my life I did right all the time was boxing'
- Holyfield's fist is in bronze but his heart got him into Hall of Fame
- Sarkisian back after awakening moment; he, Falcons should benefit
- Braves should call Colon's DL stint what it is: a mental-health break
- If Braves don't get things together, veteran dump may begin soon
- Colon has become embarrassment, Braves can't let this continue
- Teheran struggles, and don't be surprised if trade rumors start again
- As Holyfield prepares for Hall honor, he's thinking of mother, getting house back
- My pick for 5 best fights of Evander Holyfield's career
- Hawks' Schlenk has done it all -- but can he do this job?
- Forget golf: Tiger Woods' arrest needs to be his bottom
- Falcons' offense set tone, now division rivals trying to copy script
- Braves' strange homestand has familiar ending: Bartolo Colon grease fire
- Braves become motivated sellers ($39 per month, $2.17 per game)
- Hawks hope Warriors' Schlenk ready to be big-picture guy
- Three weeks later, there's lack of clarity on Hawks' GM search
- Hawks ask fans for GM candidates, and well...('blond Dennis Rodman?)
- Millsap takes step toward free agency, and it might be for the best
- If NCAA does nothing to Baylor, why does it exist
- Freeman's injury: Something in rebuild Braves couldn't plan for
- Braves' nightmare becomes reality: Freddie Freeman out about 10 weeks
