House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves’ Summer trade plans going up in smoke?

By Alan Carpenter

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 26: An elephant takes the field to re-enact the historic elephant on the field event at Arden Street during the AFL 2017 JLT Community Series match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Hawthorn Hawks at Arden Street Oval on February 26, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 26: An elephant takes the field to re-enact the historic elephant on the field event at Arden Street during the AFL 2017 JLT Community Series match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Hawthorn Hawks at Arden Street Oval on February 26, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images) /
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Jun 2, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) tags Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Josh Harrison (5) for an out in the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 2, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) tags Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Josh Harrison (5) for an out in the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

An Aside – a Lesson in Contrasts

You may not be entirely aware of this story out of New York, but here it is in a nutshell:

The Mets want Asdrubal Cabrera to slide over the third base…or second.  Anything but shortstop.  This was asked some time ago.  However, Cabrera has reportedly set a price for changing positions – that the Mets pick up his contract option for 2018.

The Mets are now 32-41 and in a near free-fall.  Cabrera (31½ years old) probably sees a position change as diminishing his value for his pending free agency.

Both of those are likely factoring into this squabble, but the upshot is this:  his team needs him to change positions, Cabrera is refusing, and so now he wants to leave.

The Contrast…

So here in Atlanta we see a star player who sees that his replacement is routinely killing baseballs and he is wondering “How can we keep that guy’s bat in the lineup?”  I will add “and keep him from being traded away”.

With that thought firmly in mind, Freeman gets creative and volunteers to try third base to do so… probably ahead of schedule, no less.

Now you see the difference between a “team” and a bunch of players named on a lineup card.  But even that comes with implications…

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