Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Rosenthal gets a message about the Braves

So if it’s Duvall…

There’s that phrase “if the market for a desirable free agent of trade candidate plummets”.

Regardless of position, the Braves are signaling that they still want to upgrade at other positions… and while you could argue that only minimal other improvements are needed to really put the team in a good spot for 2019, this is still a good sign.

So that means… business as usual? The team that’s always looking to improve itself is… looking to improve itself.

Captain Obvious thinks that sounds like a lot of non-speak if you parse it that way… but that’s still not the main message being delivered here.

The Little Word ‘if’

However, there’s that caveat included “if the market… plummets”.

That phrase is directed at anyone or any team that would like to do business in Atlanta. The meaning is simple: your price is too high for our liking and you will have to come in lower if you want to play here.

There could be another, more subtle, message in there as well: “first come, first served.”

It’s about 1 more player… regardless of whether we’re talking reliever, starter, catcher… or whatever.

So if it’s Miami-and-J.T. Realmuto or Cleveland-and-Corey Kluber or A.J. Pollock or Craig Kimbrel or Bryc… well, it won’t be Bryce Harper… the Braves are telling anybody who might listen that they think the prices are higher than they are willing to go – on anybody.