After a flurry of trades Friday, the number of players rumored to be targets of the Braves shrank as well.
Later that day, the Atlanta Braves lost to the Dodgers for the second consecutive day and fans started to wonder when –if ever – a trade would emerge to reinforce the roster.
The Atlanta Braves only acquisition during the current trade chaos – Jonny Venters – arrived and pitched a scoreless sixth inning. That cheered the fans up and they needed it after realizing the Sam Freeman still had a seat in the bullpen. On-field events since then haven’t exactly buoyed their spirits, either.
The Phillies borrowed Asdrubal Cabrera from the Mets for a triple-A pitcher yesterday afternoon. That move apparently panicked the Brewers who opened their checkbook and told asked Royals GM Dayton Moore to be gentle.
He wasn’t gentle but the rumor that wouldn’t die finally did later in the day. The Brewers had a rush of blood to the head that resulted in trading a lot more players than necessary to Kansas City for Mike Moustakas. Surely, they could have added Brian Dozier or Jonathan Schoop for that price.
I remember a trade taking Lorenzo Cain to Kansas City designed to do the same thing. That trade returned Zack Greinke who was at least pitching well. Moustakas is slumping and to insert him, the Crew has to move Travis Shaw to unfamiliar territory – second base. What could go wrong?
Late Saturday night the Yankees traded former Braves lefty Chasen Shreve and RHP Giovanny Gallegos to the Cardinals for lefty Luke Volt and international signing money. That move allowed them to add J.A. Happ to the roster. Trivia over, let’s move to the Braves.
A Gray day
According to Brendan Kuty writing for NJ.com, the Braves had a scout at Yankee Stadium Thursday night, “specifically to watch Gray.”
Kuty quoted a source, “with knowledge of the team’s personnel decisions”, but who of course wished to remain anonymous. How this meshes with the Braves wants and needs depends on how you see Sonny Gray.
Is he the guy who threw 13 innings against the Tigers in the 2013 ALDS including eight, four-hit, shutout innings in-game two -or- the essentially .500 pitcher (12-14) he’s been since moving to New York last year?
In the year he’s worn the Yankee logo he’s thrown 166 1/3 innings with a 4.55 ERA (97 ERA+) and a 1.383 WHIP.
While his K/9 remains steady, his walk rate rose from 2.9 to 3.8 per nine and he’s allowed just over a home run every nine innings.
Does this mean:
- Gray’s not doing the same things, or
- Gray’s pitching against tougher opposition in the AL East, or
- Gray isn’t comfortable being in the glare of the New York media every day?
Who knows why pitcher’s these things happen to pitchers. I know teams were reported scouting Gray last weekend and the Yankees are one of a handful of teams scouting Chris Archer. What does that have to do with Gray?