Reaction to the Atlanta Braves trade deadline inaction

Get Back on the Horse… or Fail to Ride

So is that the problem? The fear of failure in a trade deal?

I can tell you what kind of failure there is out there:  it’s the situation the Braves have right now… This clearly could have been improved upon, whether that was last week, last Winter, or beyond.

Players like Clevinger don’t grow on trees. He’s not quite the caliber of Mike Soroka, Clayton Kershaw, or Jacob deGrom, but he’s close — and seems to be heading in that direction.

He’s also controllable for this and two more seasons. Getting that kind of talent available on the open market — with only 1 or 2 other clubs willing to even get deep into the conversation about acquiring him — is exceedingly rare. This is the kind of deal the Atlanta Braves must win.

The implications are huge — and we’re not talking about just 2020. In 2021-22, Atlanta could have led with a frontline of Soroka/Fried/Clevinger and perhaps Anderson and (see the prior list and pick your favorite name).

Now add the young offense and defense already in hand, and you have a formula for locking down the NL East for multiple years. How much is that worth?

Another Opportunity Lost

So the message I have for the Braves front office is simply this:  when? And if not now, then when?

2020 was supposed to be the ‘go for it’ year with a huge payroll… ah, except there was that pitching problem right out of the gate when your lone high-dollar acquisition (Cole Hamels) suffered from the aches and pains of advanced years… which everybody was hoping to avoid despite issues just a year ago as a Cub.

Oh, did I neglect to mention that Mike Clevinger hasn’t turned 30 yet?

In many respects, I can understand passing on the rest of the better offerings available on Monday:

• Taijuan Walker: innings eater, little more than that
• Robbie Ray: still trying to recover from having screwed up his mechanics in the off-season
• Joe Musgrove: a bit risky after his injury; but maybe this next Winter…?
• Mike Minor: bad year and probably hates our guts
• Lance Lynn: great, but too expensive and 33 years old.
• Trevor Bauer: I mean, if the Reds aren’t selling, then you can’t get him.
• Marcos Gonzales, Zach Plesac, Zac Gallen: ditto, as their respective teams weren’t selling.

But Clevinger? I’m sorry, but you can’t allow the Padres to get away with that one. This was a beatable package and one that should have been beaten. It would have been a franchise-changing day.

Of note:  it isn’t that you ‘lose’ these prospects when you trade them.  You also gain a valuable asset.  When people pay millions for a classic work of art, they don’t lose that money… it’s an investment that gains in value until sold again.

So now the Atlanta Braves looking at a playoff chase involving Max, a rookie, and then it’s “all hands on deck”.  Meanwhile, the Padres changed themselves quite dramatically.

I believe Brian Snitker referred to his rotation situation as “unsustainable” a few days ago (via TheAthletic).

Likely so. It was also preventable.  GRADE:   F