Atlanta Braves Waiver Wire Rumors

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Jul 29, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) hits a sacrifice fly to advance a runner against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Why Not?

The downside of Puig is the enigma and the apparent clubhouse disruption he brings with him. He wasn’t the only Cuban expatriate on the team but the others that were there, though older, were to busy trying to manage themselves to help the shooting star that was Puig. Except that is Juan Uribe.

Uribe seemed to be able to reach the young man and get him to understand things more clearly. Then the Dodgers traded Juan to the Braves and things went south again.

While the Braves don’t have Uribe any longer they do have Adonis Garcia, an older player like Uribe who is no longer a defensive liability and has worked hard to earn his spot. Whether he could do the job of mentoring Puig is a question without an answer, The other issue is Puig’s seemingly endless bout of hamstring of injuries,

Date	Team	Notes
4/26/2015	Dodgers	placed on 15-day DL with strained left hamstring
6/6/2015	Dodgers	activated from 15-day DL
8/28/2015	Dodgers	placed on 15-day DL with strained right hamstring
10/3/2015	Dodgers	activated from 15-day DL
6/3/2016	Dodgers	placed on 15-day DL with strained left hamstring
6/21/2016	Dodgers	activated from 15-day DL

Data from Pro Sports Transactions

It’s possible that a new conditioning program could improve that situation, after all he’s just 25 and that should be possible. We have players on the roster who are expendable but Puig’s acquisition would make for a crowded outfield and make Nick Markakis future cloudy. While Puig has played center he isn’t Ender Inciarte and we know Kemp will play so it would seem a trade for him would require movement of Markakis and his contract.

Next: Leaving on a Jet Plane

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