Report: Atlanta Braves Checking in on Chris Sale, Cut-up Artist

On one of Baseball’s most special weekends – the Hall of Fame celebration in Cooperstown – we set aside the business of the sport for a time and pause to honor the new inductees with the respect they deserve.

Never mind all that.

I think Chris Sale is determined to be in baseball’s headlines for the entire next week… and shockingly enough, there’s actually a Braves’ angle to all of this.  But don’t get too excited yet.

Let’s start with this part:

No, I definitely didn’t see that one coming.

All right, let’s at least look at this seriously, starting with what Sale brings to the table:

• Age 27.
• Under contract through 2019 via 2 team options
• If (when) those options are exercised, he’s due $38 million for 3 more years.
• All-Star:  5 years in a row (2012-16)
• Top six in Cy Young voting (2012-15)
• Averaging over 197 innings per year (2012-15)
• ERA+ values 225,156,140,137,173,114,128 each year in league (100 is average)
• He is an un-argued Ace in the sport.

Next:  what do the White Sox want for him?  Jon Heyman has the answer today:

"The asking price for superstar starting pitcher Chris Sale is extremely high, and interested parties really don’t blame the White Sox.Word going around is that the Chisox are seeking “five top prospects” for Sale. While that sounds like a lot in an era where teams are reluctant to surrender any prospects, Sale is not only acknowledged as one of the very best pitchers in baseball, but he has a very reasonable contract and is only 27 years old with no hint of arm issues.While a couple interested GMs said they doubted whether the Chisox would trade him based on the asking price, one said of the asking price, “They will get it.”"

Word is that the Rangers are being asked for both Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar… to start with.

Beat writer T.R. Sullivan reports tonight that the Rangers are willing, too, but not to include OF Nomar Mazara – which Sullivan thinks could be a deal-breaker.  Gallo and Mazara are their current #1 and #2 prospects, respectively.  They are good with including some pitching prospects, but balking at Mazara.

Taking Inventory

So what would be “5 top prospects” from the Braves’ point of view?  This is a question we’ve got to ask, for Coppy isn’t calling the White Sox just to chat.

Here’s the merge of recent rankings from BaseballAmerica and some others:

• Dansby Swanson
• Ozzie Albies
• Sean Newcomb
• Aaron Blair (graduated from most lists now)
• Kolby Allard
• Mike Soroka
• Kevin Maitan
• Touki Toussaint
• Max Fried

If the White Sox want 5 names, I could imagine that they would get at least 3 from this list, plus 2 other recognizable ones such as Tyrell Jenkins, John Gant, Mallex Smith, Chris Ellis, Rob Whalen… etc.

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Which ones would you offer?

• Do you try to keep Swanson, but think that maybe Jace Peterson might be the real thing and sell Albies?
• Do you like Inciarte enough that you think Mallex is expendable?
• You would have to think that Maitan is untouchable – and should be shielded regardless.
• Do you expand the deal to include somebody like a Todd Frazier?  After all, Sale doesn’t hit.
• Do you think that Chris Sale is really worth this price for 3 years?
• Would the White Sox really want what the Braves have… which is mostly pitching?
• No, don’t even think about trying to dump Hector Olivera in a deal like this.

I do not expect that the Braves would pull the trigger on a gun requiring so many bullets… but it’s a head-spinner to contemplate, nonetheless… and apparently the conversation has happened.  Heck, I thought I was reaching when I suggested Sonny Gray the other day.

The “ask” of 5 top prospects is so big that it actually has logistical issues – namely that the White Sox will have to be concerned about their own 40-man roster and whether they have the space for whatever they might receive… from any club.  This truly will be an unprecedented trade.

Yes, I Did Say “Will Be”

There’s a reason for that.

This afternoon, it seems that the White Sox were handed throwback uniforms to wear.  Multiple reports are suggesting that Sale himself was concerned about his comfort level in this uniform.

One thing led to another and after a while, Sale apparently took the matter into his own hands by  engaging in a bit of sabotage.

He started vandalizing the uniforms.   Not just his…. everybody’s.  Reports are that he “cut them all up”!  So the White Sox will be wearing regular apparel tonight.  Oh, and Sale won’t start the game, either:  he’s been sent home.

Honestly, I’m a little surprised there hasn’t been more push-back from players on some of these odd fashion choices, which are obviously being rolled out multiple times each year by every team for marketing purposes.  But now here’s a big push-back.

Some of these uniforms are certainly worse than others.  And it would seem that Chris Sale thought tonight’s White Sox version crossed the line.  Maybe they looked like these?

But this is not the first clubhouse blow-up from Sale this year, either.

Back during March’s flap over Adam LaRoche and his son, Sale accused his management of lying to the team about the incident, clearly taking LaRoche’s side.

While it is not known whether the decision to listen to trade offers for Sale is related to that episode, today’s matter might very well seal his fate.

Chris Sale might not pitch with the White Sox again.

Next: A 1st hand Kolby Allard Report

Get the popcorn.  This escalated quickly.  Hmmm…. wonder if Allard is on Coppy’s list for Sale.