Atlanta Braves looking to balance lineup: add a left-handed bat

The Trade Market

Fangraphs estimates the club’s competitive balance payroll – including contributions to the player benefit fund and the pre-arbitration bonus pool – at $206,816,539.

In theory, that leaves them with around $23M before hitting the initial tax threshold; barring something unforeseen,  I doubt they get close to the threshold.

Any trade the Atlanta Braves make will depend on the cost in both prospect capital and payroll, balanced against team control and resources.

That’s a Wrap

Anthopoulos said in his interview that it’s an extremely slow market; even teams who know they’ll sell won’t trade unless the other team overpays because they can get the same price at the deadline, and trading early means a PR hit in the clubhouse as well as the stands.

He expects things to pick up a bit as we get closer to the All Star Game and Rule 4 draft. Remember that he announced the Joc Pederson deal immediately after the All Star Game last year, and that went well enough.

Until then, please keep reading our posts and listening to Off Leo’s Rocker. Otherwise, Alan and I are just talking to ourselves. We do that anyway, but at least this way, we can act like others are listening.