Evolution of the Atlanta Braves rebuild part two: 2016
By James Kunkle
The trades
The very first trade that John Copolella made for the Atlanta Braves would be a huge one that really did not excite the fan base. On November 12, the Braves would trade Andrelton Simmons and Jose Briceno to the Los Angeles Angels for Erick Aybar, Chris Ellis, and Sean Newcomb.
Admittedly, I was unsure of this trade but I thought as great as Simmons was with the glove, he could not handle a bat well at all at the time and I had high hopes for Sean Newcomb to become an All-Star type pitcher.
Yes, Simmons was young on a relatively good team contract, but it was clear which way the Atlanta Braves were going and pitching was going to be the focal point.
Now as it turns out, Erick Aybar gave nothing to the Braves, neither did Ellis, and Newcomb has been decent but not as great as hoped.
One last detail on this trade was it probably paved the way for the next big one.
Of course, we are talking about the heist that the Braves pulled off with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Winter meetings on December 9.
It took the media about three seconds to rip this trade from the Diamondbacks position. Shelby Miller was sent out West with Gabe Speier for Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte, and Aaron Blair.
Swanson, of course, being the recently selected number one player in the MLB draft.
I do think it’s important to remember that Miller was coming off a pretty good season with the Braves and looked like a pitcher any team would feel comfortable with on the mound.
The funny thing to me is Inciarte has provided the most value to the Braves and he was probably the third most important piece of this trade at the time.
So with those two trades alone, the Braves netted three seemingly key members of their 2020 roster.
Hopefully Dansby Swanson can progress even more and make this trade an even bigger win for the Atlanta Braves.
The roster was not all shaped up on the trade market, though. The Atlanta Braves did sign free agent Tyler Flowers right before Christmas bringing the backstop back home after trading him years prior.
As well know, and to the dismay of some (myself included), Tyler Flowers is still on the team in 2020. Within weeks right here, John Coppolella acquired four members that are a part of the contending Braves now.