That’s A Wrap
I know these aren’t the names most Atlanta Braves fans want to see but Coppy’s made it pretty clear he isn’t going to empty the locker in a trade and undo all the work he’s done so far. That means no Justin Verlander, Chris Sale or Zack Greinke; sorry.
If it’s a trade he’ll want it to be a small one and the Santiago deal would fit that. I know some will try to stretch that into Santiago and Brian Dozier for some package but for many reasons I don’t see that as realistic.
We’ve heard Coppy say that he wants tow pitchers and that’s been rumored to be stretched to three. The R.A. Dickey rumor also makes sense if he actually decides to play.
As well as his post season experience, Dickey takes the ball every fifth day, keeps his team in the game and has a strong work ethic. The latter traits are shared by the pitchers I included here.
Alvarez and Feldman are ground ball pitchers and Parker kept the ball in the park well before his injuries. Santiago isn’t either of those but he eats innings and his mix of stuff – if refined – makes him an interesting addition.
None of these guys are sexy additions, but looking at the free agent market it seems to make sense to sign guys that fit the Braves mold. The other advantage is that aside from Santiago’s arbitration year they look like being inexpensive adds.
While Feldman is clearly a stop-gap – as Dickey would be – if Alvarez or Parker regain form or Santiago finds the on switch, they could be a real steal. We know how Hart and Coppy like that kind of player don’t we?