Trade Rumors: Atlanta Braves Outfield Trade Talk
By Fred Owens
May 17, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna (13) makes a catch during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The Price
The Marlins are looking for . . . pitching. No surprise there and major league ready pitching is what’s being discussed. The names being tossed around according to MLBTR are Indian starters Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, and Trevor Bauer so it would seem that a major league or major league ready arm is the price. Those names would be analogous to someone like Alex Wood or Manny Banuelos but a prospect like Tyrell Jenkins might also be acceptable.
Ozuna makes $545K, has 1.153 years of service time, is first time arbitration eligible in 2016 and under team control through 2019.
That’s A Wrap
I like the idea of Ozuna. Ozuna can play the corners as well as center and has shown as much if not more power than Maybin. He also makes the outfield defense a lot tighter. I’d probably move Nick to left and then decide who was in right after that as both Maybin and Ozuna would provide better coverage now that Markakis arm is showing that it’s not as good as it once was.
Peter Gammons on MLB Network around 1:30 central suggested the Marlins wanted arms with three years of control or more. That would be Wood, Jenkins or another top level prospect.
Today’s news that Banuelos has gone to the DL with elbow issues throws another wrench into the rebuild plans because it affect who can and can’t be traded while sticking to the plan.
What’s your take? Should the Braves try to grab Ozuna?