When it comes to trade rumors and the Atlanta Braves, it is so hard to get a good read on what the Braves are up to at any given moment. Atlanta runs a tight ship when it comes to leaks and if any transaction is reported before the team announces it, that is the exception to the rule. However, the current level of silence is spooky even by their standards.
We know that the Braves are largely done addressing their absolute needs. However, Atlanta has long been connected to the starting pitching market and there are still plenty of arms available of varying quality on the market. You would think that experts would at least entertain the Braves as a possible landing spot for a couple of them.
Don't count Jim Bowden among those experts that see things that way. After the Winter Meetings wrapped up, Bowden put together a list of free agent fits with breakdowns of each player and where he thought they could land. Despite it being a relatively thorough list of free agents, the Braves were not mentioned a single time as a possible landing spot for any of them.
Jim Bowden essentially implied the Braves are going to be non-factor for impact free agents the rest of the offseason
Now, this is Bowden we are talking about. His connected-ness around the league is very suspect (hence why he is wrong so often). Making a list of free agents and then mentioning the same five or six big market teams over and over again isn't exactly analysis, and is also something that is very much in the realm of possibility with Bowden.
However, in a way, he does have a point with Atlanta's absence. Could the Braves still spend this offseason? Sure, it is absolutely possible. However, signing Ha-Seong Kim to play shortstop was the last mandatory move Atlanta had to make. It would be nice if they targeted a top free agent starter, although that would likely cost them a draft pick and put them WAY over the luxury tax threshold. If the Braves stuck to minor moves of the way, that would be very defensible.
The one place we won't get many clues from is the Braves' front office. They will never say how much money they have to spend nor who they are interested in. If Atlanta ends up making another move, we probably won't know about it until it is done. Just don't be surprised if that day doesn't come, because the Braves have kind of done enough for now.