Several months, 60 lineups and 24 relief pitchers later, I asked Braves executive John Hart if he would do anything differently this winter, given the benefit of hindsight. He laughed, as if a Jimmy Buffett lyric was rolling through his cranium: "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."
“I’d probably do everything differently,” Hart said. “But that’s just the way I am.”
Having left the golf course and a cushy broadcasting gig to run point on the Braves’ roster makeover, Hart has made a blur of moves since the winter. But four trades stood out above all others: The deals sent away an entire starting outfield — Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Melvin Upton Jr. — catcher Evan Gattis and closer Craig Kimbrel for mostly young players and prospects.
Given the Braves didn’t receive much major-league-ready talent in return, grading the deals today is somewhat like grading an NFL draft after a few hours. But it’s the All-Star break, a time for analysis. So here goes:
Nov. 17: Braves trade Heyward, a home-grown talent and once considered a franchise centerpiece, and reliever Jordan Walden to St. Louis for starter Shelby Miller and reliever Tyrell Jenkins.
Hart asked about players other than Jenkins as a second piece in the deal, but this really is about Heyward vs. Miller. OK, I get it. The Braves’ chances of re-signing Heyward after the season were slim. The problem really was created by former general manager Frank Wren, who botched the previous Heyward negotiations and signed him for only two years. But Heyward is turning into the player the Braves had hoped for, hitting .293 since the first month (after a .217 April). They’ll get burned if he continues to ascend, whether it’s with the Cardinals or another team. Hart did well in getting Miller, who leads the staff in innings and starters in ERA (2.38) and quality starts (12 of 18), even while going winless in 10 straight. If this season isn’t an aberration, it could be a win-win for both teams. GRADE: B.
Dec. 19: Braves deal The Good Upton and pitching prospect Aaron Northcraft to San Diego for young second baseman Jace Peterson and three prospects: pitcher Max Fried, third baseman Dustin Peterson, outfielder Mallex Smith.
Upton, also nearing free agency, is an All-Star. He’s the same hitter he was in Atlanta (14 homers, 48 RBIs, .253) and would’ve helped this year’s Braves. Hart landed a starting second baseman in Peterson (though his offensive production has tailed off), which is good, but there are a number of unknowns with the prospects. Fried was a coveted first-round pick in 2012 but is coming off Tommy John surgery. Smith was just promoted to Triple-A. Dustin Peterson as a high upside, but he’s 20 years old and in A ball. Hart admits he originally sought other players from the Padres. GRADE: C-plus.
Jan. 14: Gattis and pitching prospect James Hoyt go to Houston for young pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and two prospects: pitcher Andrew Thurman and third baseman Rio Ruiz.
Gattis, with a contract that pays him only $526,500, leads Houston in home runs (15) and RBIs (54). He would lead the Braves in both categories as well. He has been used almost exclusively as a designated hitter, and the Braves say if they had brought him back it would’ve been as an outfielder, not a catcher. Why? Because that starting position was being handed to Christian Bethancourt, who was thought to be ready, but instead struggled and is back in the minors. My view: If Gattis had been kept, he would’ve helped the lineup, even as an outfielder, and given Bethancourt’s journey there’s a decent chance Gattis would’ve wound up splitting catching duties with A.J. Pierzynski. Foltynewicz’s short tenure as a starter didn’t go well (5.19 ERA in five starts), but the Braves like his arm (52 strikeouts, 18 walks, 54 2/3 innings). Ruiz and Thurman: young and long term. GRADE: D.
April 15: The day before the regular-season opener, Kimbrel and The Lesser Upton go to San Diego for outfielders Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin and Jordan Paroubeck and pitcher Matt Wisler.
It’s a difficult deal to assess because it wasn’t a trade — it was a salary dump. Hart had deflected interest in Kimbrel all winter. But then San Diego surprisingly said they would be willing to take Upton and the remaining $46 million-plus left on his contract if the Braves put Kimbrel on the table. Just like that, Kimbrel was gone. Maybin has been a nice surprise, but he’s not a long-term answer. The loss of Kimbrel destroyed the bullpen because Hart had no time to prepare for the deal by acquiring other relief help. The Braves have the second-worst bullpen ERA (4.40) in the majors to the Colorado Rockies (4.52), whom they just lost four straight to. Upton still be Upton (.213). Kimbrel struggled early, but has been strong in the past two months. Grade(s): A in economics; F in baseball.
