Atlanta Braves: Nolan Arenado goes to St. Louis, so now what?

It wasn’t solely about Nolan Arenado this week, but last night certainly was.  In the meantime, the Atlanta Braves… are treading water.

Since news broke that All-World third baseman Nolan Arenado was being traded — maybe more like “gift-wrapped” — to the St. Louis Cardinals, I’ve been trying to resolve how this could have happened without the Atlanta Braves as the recipient of the Gold Glover.

After all, this has all the earmarks of a salary dump… and yet the Cards are going to receive exactly the kind of financial assistance from Colorado that we’d expected for such a deal:  up to $50 million of the $199 million remaining on this contract… while giving up no prospects of great significance.

Rockies fans should be livid… and I suppose they are:

There are some aspects of this deal that I suppose might have been objectionable to the front office of the Atlanta Braves, those being…

• Adding another year to Arenado’s contract for $15 million to waive his no-trade clause
• The reinstatement of that no-trade clause for the balance of the contract
• His $35 million salary over the next 4 years (though reduced significantly by Colorado)
• The two opt-outs being part of the contract.

Of these… only the contract length (to 2027) might have actually been a real objection for a player like Arenado.  You don’t quibble about such things if you’re given the opportunity.

The opt-outs are inconsequential:  the prospects given up would not have been any barrier whatsoever — even if one was exercised.  But who opts to leave a $35 million payday??

That can only really mean one of two things:

• the Braves are really strapped for cash themselves… or…
• Arenado rejected the opportunity to waive his no-trade clause for the Braves.

In the meantime…

What have the Atlanta Braves done this week? Added 3 more minor league contracts.

Here’s what’s happened in the past week alone with position players:

• George Springer signs with Toronto (6 years, $150 million total)
• Michael Brantley re-signs with Houston (2 years, $16 million apiece)
• J.T. Realmuto re-signs with Philadelphia (5 years, $125 million total)
• Astros sign catcher Jason Castro ($4.5m in 2021, $2.5m in 2022, plus bonuses)
• Joc Pederson signs with the Cubs (1 year, $7 million)
• Eddie Rosario signs with the Indians (1 year, $8 million… and we thought they were having money troubles)
• Marcus Semien signs with the Blue Jays (1 year, $18 million)
• Jurickson Profar signs with Padres (3 years, $21 million)
• Even Tommy La Stella got a payday — good for him (3 years, $19.5 million from the Giants)
• Nationals get catcher Alex Avila for $1.5 million in 2021

Note that almost literally everyone on this list above represents a player that the Braves could have used — and in theory, could have paid for (since they were allegedly “in” on both Springer and Realmuto).

And yet nothing has happened to improve this team.

So at this point, the remaining free agent hitters out there are named “Nelson Cruz” and “Marcell Ozuna“.  Unless there’s a trade brewing, that’s the entire list.

Atlanta Braves fans should be careful about this knee-jerk reaction.

Expect to see a lot of mentions today about Colorado shortstop Trevor Story… framed in a couple of bi-polar takes:

• The Rockies should lock him up now with an extension
• The Rockies should trade him immediately

On the first point:  I can’t imagine Story wanting to stick around in Denver after this Arenado debacle.

On the second point:  He’s under team control for just 2021, so a trade should happen, but buyer beware:  his splits are scary…

• Home:  .994 OPS.
• On the road:  .760 OPS
• vs. RHP:  .264 average, .826 OPS.
• vs. LHP:  .310, 1.008 OPS

So out of Coors Field against Right-handed pitching (the strongly pre-dominant type you get in the NL East)… he’s an average hitter at best.  Stay away!

So that’s about it… barring an earth-shattering deal, the Atlanta Braves have missed their window of opportunity.  They have utterly failed to take advantage of a depressed market and their offense will be weaker in 2021 as a result.

We’ll be circling the wagons here (not “circling” back on free agents — the good ones are gone) in the hopes that something changes, but today is a day to once again reflect on the ones that continue to get away from the Braves.