Scouts and officials with other teams said all week the Braves’ asking price for sluggers Justin Upton or Evan Gattis was steep, and John Hart, Braves president of baseball operations, probably wouldn’t disagree with that assessment.
On the last full day at the Winter Meetings, Hart indicated Wednesday afternoon that the Braves weren’t close to finalizing any deals and might very well leave the four-day event Thursday without making a trade.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of clubs,” said Hart, whose Braves made a couple of relatively small free-agent signings Monday and Tuesday, but hadn’t made the big-splash trade — Upton for multiple young players — that so many predicted they’d make at the Winter Meetings.
“We didn’t come in with any preconceived notion that we were going to walk out of here with making some big trade,” Hart said. “But along the way, we’ve been very aggressive in our conversations. We’ve got a good feel. But unless it’s exactly what we want, we’re under no timetable and under no pressure to make a move. If it’s something that works and makes good sense, believe me we’re not afraid to pull the trigger. But that hasn’t happened.”
The Braves would trade Justin Upton only because the left fielder is eligible for free agency after this season, and they don’t think they could afford to re-sign him. But Hart insists that the worst-case scenario — they keep the Silver Slugger award winner and get a compensatory draft pick if he signs elsewhere next winter — is not such a bad option.
But if they don’t trade Upton, there will presumably be nowhere for Gattis to get regular playing time except back at his catching position — the position where the Braves have rookie Christian Bethancourt penciled in for next season. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said this week that as of now, if no one is traded, Gattis would be the primary catcher and Bethancourt the backup. If they trade Upton, Gattis would likely become the primary left fielder in 2015.
Most believe the Braves eventually will trade Upton, one of the few right-handed power bats still available in a market where plenty of teams are looking for such a hitter. Whether this week, next week, next month or even later, the Braves should be able to get a satisfactory return if they trade Upton.
Hart, who has decades of experience in these situations, likely won’t succumb to any sort of pressure to do a deal just because some outside observers or opposing teams are growing impatient.
“You have to also understand that other people have an agenda as well,” Hart said of potential trade partners. “Just because we want to do something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that that fits A), their timetable, or B), what it is that they want. … We’ve come close on some things. And in one way, shape or form (it fell through), whether it’s us going, no, it’s not right, we’re not taking something that doesn’t work for us. That’s our ability to know our players.
“Maybe we’ve frustrated some people. And we’ve been frustrated a little bit. We come in as straight shooters. We’re not tricky. We’re not coming in trying to invent a five-player trade. We’re not going to oversell or overvalue our players.”
The Braves got their short-term second baseman — to man the position until prospect Jose Peraza is ready — when they agreed to terms this week with versatile veteran Alberto Callaspo on a one-year, $3 million deal expected to be finalized Thursday. Their main remaining priority need is a starting pitcher to fill out their rotation.
Hart said they’ve spoken with the representatives for several potentially affordable free-agent pitchers and indicated they could be closer to a deal with one of those pitchers than they were to a trade of Upton or anyone else.
Compensatory pick assured: The Braves will get a compensatory draft pick created between the first and second rounds of the June draft once free-agent pitcher Ervin Santana signs with another team. It looked like that would happen Wednesday with the Twins, but other teams have gotten involved and Minnesota's initial offer might not be enough. The Braves will get a compensatory pick because they made a qualifying offer of $15.3 million to Santana, who declined it as did every other free agent who received a qualifying offer.
Rule 5 draft: Hart said the Braves know they could lose a player or two in Thursday's Rule 5 draft. He didn't name anyone, but pitchers Cody Martin and former top prospect J.R. Graham are possibilities to get plucked by other teams. Because of injuries, Graham has lost quite a bit off his formerly 100-mph fastball, and it remains to be seen whether a team would take him and be willing to keep him on its 25-man major league roster all season after he posted a 5.55 ERA in 27 games (19 starts) with only 50 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings last season at Double-A Mississippi.
Meanwhile, the Braves have one open spot on their 40-man roster if one of the players they have an eye on remains available when they pick in the Rule 5 draft. However, the Braves are going to have to make room on their roster as soon as contracts are finalized for Callaspo and Cuban outfielder Dian Toscano, the other free agent who agreed to terms with the Braves. On Wednesday they were working out final details on the payment schedule in Toscano’s contract.
