Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Acuna or later?

The Rule 5 Draft and the 40-man roster

There are concerns that the Braves are going to be over-extended this Fall and could lose players because there is a lack of 40-man space.  Those concerns are valid, but I also expect that there could be some ‘aggressive non-tenders’ this Fall to help combat the problem.

Well, since Minter is being added today, you can probably already be stunned at that.

How many need to be protected?  Glad you asked… and that question has been wonderfully answered for us…

I won’t try to speculate on how this will be handled at this time, though there are some more obvious names than others:  Luiz Gohara is a lead-pipe cinch to be protected.  Beyond that… let’s just say that I expect a lot of wheeling and dealing by Coppy after the World Series and prior to November 20th… the date in which rosters have to be set in advance of the Rule 5 draft.

The addition of AJ. Minter today will require a 40-man roster spot (2 are open, as of this morning correction: ONE spot is open…the addition of Dan Winkler, taken off the 60-day DL, was #39).  So any promotion of Acuna or Gohara or whomever would require the removal of someone else.

But the reason Acuna’s case is different (again, my opinion) has nothing to do with the 40-man, the Rule 5, or the service time.  It’s because of Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis, and Ender Inciarte.

If Acuna is called up, he’s gonna play.  That displaces at least one of these veterans.  It also signals who the “odd man out” might be next year, which would reduce Coppy’s leverage (if he even has any) for possible off-season trade negotiations to move that player.

So if there’s any reason for Acuna to stay in the minors on September 5th, that would be it.  I’ll sure that Coppy has already been trying to move one of the current corner outfielders before August 31st, but it’s a tall order… and may be a tall order this Winter, too.

Rest assured, Acuna is coming… we just don’t know exactly when.