PHOENIX – It sounds more and more like the Braves will make moves aimed toward competing for titles in 2017 and beyond rather than the next two seasons, although president of baseball operations John Hart said the decision hasn't been made yet.
“We obviously have all options open, and I think a lot of it’s going to be dictated by what we’re able to do in the starting-pitching market,” Hart said Wednesday on the third day of baseball’s general managers meetings that end Thursday.
The Braves’ offseason priority is to acquire a couple of pitchers who could step into their rotation, and they’re positioned better to do that via trades than free agency. Especially since they don’t have enough room in their payroll to spend lavishly, and Hart has made it clear they won’t consider top-tier free agent pitchers.
Some might be see an issue in the Braves trading one or more from a group of three of their top hitters – corner outfielders Justin Upton and Jason Heyward, catcher Evan Gattis, all of whom are drawing considerable trade interest – to get the pitching help they want.
One plans is to trade one or both corner outfielders and move Gattis to left field, since rookie Christian Bethancourt is penciled in to catch next season and the Braves are pursuing at least one veteran catcher to help. The Braves intend to either play Gattis primarily in left or trade him, and Hart prefers to keep him because of his immense power and the fact that Gattis is still a year away from arbitration and under contractual control for four seasons.
“We have not talked to Evan, and have made no final decisions,” Hart said Wednesday night. “We are considering many options. Nothing is settled here.”
Is trading away hitters is robbing Peter to pay Paul, especially since the offense already was bad last season, ranking 29th in the majors in runs score? If the Braves decide to point toward 2017, when they'll move into their new ballpark in Cobb County, then sacrificing some short-term offense for the longer-term rebuild is a price they're willing to pay.
Especially since Heyward and Upton are both eligible for free agency after the 2015 season and Hart said he expected both to explore the open market and has no contract-extension talks planned with either. (Once a player gets inside the final year before free agency, it’s common to wait and test the open market.)
“What we’re able to do in the starting pitching market, that is going to, I think, fully engage us as to what we do in 2015, if we want to come back with a somewhat intact ballclub,” Hart said. “And then obviously if we can’t do that, there’s other options that we’ll certainly examine.”
Those other options would be of the “R” word variety. Rebuild. Hart didn’t get into specifics, but those options would presumably be a matter of whether the Braves take a step or two back for 2015, but keep enough talent perhaps have a shot at a .500 record and wild-card contention if things fall right.
Or do they really go for an overhaul by trading both corner outfielders and Gattis, perhaps even getting a team to take center fielder B.J. Upton off their hands by making him a prerequisite in a deal for Gattis or a younger player (though that still seems an overly optimistic proposition).
The Braves also will listen to trade interest in relievers including Jordan Walden, David Carpenter and presumably anyone else in the bullpen other than Craig Kimbrel, who led the National League in saves and finished in a three-way tie for ninth in Wednesday’s balloting for the NL Cy Young Award.
Kimbrel has led or tied for the NL lead in saves in each of his first four full seasons in the majors, and ranked in the top 10 in Cy Young votes each year.
