Trade Ideas Or Hallucinations

As the hot stove burns off its summer dust and trade talk begins, some fans are inhaling it deeply causing them to hallucinate. At least I hope it’s something as simple as inhaling some bad dust. Some of the ideas are really out there and worth a momentary smile before the folks sober up and apply a little logic to their proposals.

Before we start, here’s what the GM said the Braves were looking for this off season.

• RH  outfielder (with power preferably),
• Shortstop
• Utility infielder

This weekend he said a payroll increase is probably (according to @JimPowell Sunday.)

Hallucinations

The Top daydream of the weekend remains Jose Reyes. Three big reason’s I doubt that happens.

• Reyes wants $100 million and 5 – 7 years.
• Reyes hamstrings and ankles are suspect
• Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami

Even if he was inclined to be so foolish, the Lowe and Kawakami experience means you won’t see this GM giving that kind of money or contract length anytime soon.

Yonder Alonso? Only heard this once and would like to kill it at birth. Alonso is a first baseman. He can’t play third or left well. We have a first baseman, big blond kid named Freddie Freeman, Rookie of the Year candidate you may recall.  That ends that. . . I hope.

Not Paying Attention

Next up things that aren’t happening and folks should probably know why.

Trade with the Royals for Lorenzo Cain and Wil Myers.

• The Royals this morning traded their current centerfielder to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez , thus Lorenzo Cain is their CF starting next year. That makes a ton of sense for the Royals and Cain not an option.
• Wil Myers is still a AA player. Last year he took a step backwards after injury. He will be good again but he’s a year or two away. Nothing there the Braves can use now.

The trade for Jurrjens was the Royals’ idea in the first place (per @AJCBraves David O’Brien) and they backed away when the Braves asked for Myers as well as Cain. Cain never really made sense for the Braves unless they were going to flip him for a left fielder or a shortstop. We have this Michael Bourn guy in center. Pretty good player I’m told.

Nick Swisher has been bandied about as well. Swisher’s thrived with the Yankees and his personality makes him a likable guy and a desirable addition.

• Yankees just picked  up his $10.25 million option. They like him, want to keep him and don’t have a ready replacement
• The pitcher I suspect they’d want we won’t trade (Tommy Hanson)
• Swisher and our new hitting coach didn’t make friend the disastrous year he had in Chicago.

Can’t see Swisher coming over for anything we’d be willing to offer.

Rafael Furcal.  Furcal will likely end up in St Louis but even if he were free, the probability that he’d end up back in Atlanta after his past dealings with the front office are slim and none. And Slim left town.  It’s not happening so forget it.

If you’ve heard other ideas and would like my take on them let me know. I have some better ideas of my own I’ll share with you soon.