It seems that despite the Braves’ best efforts to fold this season away due to injuries, the Phillies are NOT letting them go quietly into the night. Atlanta is still in this thing! True the team is under .500, but the division crown is still within reach as the team has nearly reached the all-star break. With a HUGE series against the Phillies starting tomorrow, this team could find itself only one game back come July 4. So it might not yet be time to unload everyone like Tex or Gonzo for prospects for the future. Let’s officially make one last charge at this thing and begin the rebuilding this offseason after Tex departs, but not before giving the Bravos two first round draft picks.
First things first, an outfield bat is needed. Mark Kotsay is slated to come back, but with Chipper Jones likely headed to the DL, it looks like LF Brandon Jones will stick around. Unfortunately Jeff Francoeur is struggling to hit his weight, and I think he could be the one to go. In Cincinnati, it appears that Junior Griffey may be headed out, and super-youngster Jay Bruce could shift to CF when Griffey does go. I say send Frenchy to Cincy (a change of scenery might do him a world of good) and in return, demand Homer Bailey. The Reds appear to be willing to depart with Bailey over Volquez and Cueto, and if they can get a guy with the talent that Francoeur has displayed in the past, that is a deal they should jump all over. On the Braves end of it, Bailey is the young power pitcher that will sit at number five in the rotation this season, then steadily move up over the next few years. Imagine a rotation of Huddy, Jurrjens, Reyes, Bailey and Morton for the next three years. Sounds good to me. Bailey has the stuff to be a No.1 or 2 if he reaches his potential. Outfield candidates that could replace Frenchy include a stopgap in Xavier Nady from Pittsburgh or Raul Ibanez from Seattle. I don’t think it would take TOO much to pry those guys from their situations, especially Ibanez from Seattle, where that organization seems to be purging everything that Ichiro doesn’t like.
Another move I might make if I was in charge of things, with Chipper Jones likely to go on the DL and perhaps miss quite a bit of time down the stretch is calling Ken Williams of the Chicago White Sox and ask if Joe Crede is still available. The Chi-Sox have been waiting for Josh Fields to come to the bigs for a while, and Crede was actively shopped this past off-season, but his low average was scaring some teams off. He is hitting .271 right now with 15 homers and would look good in the 5 hole for the Braves. When/if Chipper does come back, you can rest Jones or pinch hit Crede, whatever. Then after the season, if Crede leaves via free agency, you are looking at a comp pick from MLB. If you choose to resign him, move Chipper to first and tell him it will help save his body for the future.
In essence, I am trying to pull a Billy Beane here, rebuild while reloading. I am rebuilding with Homer Bailey and reloading in the sense that, Jordan Schaffer will be ready to do next season and an outfield with Schaffer, Diaz, Blanco, Kotsay (you’d resign him. His options are limited right now, and I think he’d be happy to return), and Brandon Jones would suffice. Even add Nady to the mix (he could play some first as well should Chipper get hurt next season) and you have a lineup that could do some things. If you get Crede for the stretch run this season, and you DO make it to the World Series, you have your DH right there.
These are moves that make sense to me and I don’t think acquiring Ibanez and Crede would break the bank and as far as giving up Frenchy, you are getting a great young arm with huge potential. You’ve usually got to give something to get something and Homer Bailey benefits me more right now that a slumping Frenchy does. All I’m saying.
No comments:
Post a Comment