John Hart is Up to Something

Our friend Ben just let us in on the news:  that arbitration-eligibles Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy were non-tendered by the Braves tonight.  I more-or-less feared that would happen with Medlen, though thought that Beachy’s salary level would make him worth the risk to see if he could come back from his latest surgery.  But not so.

However, the move that left me scratching my head was that Gus Schlosser was also non-tendered.

This one seems to make no sense whatsoever… here’s why:

• Typically, the non-tender process applies to arbitration-eligible players who’s cost during the upper years of the arbitration process is exceeding their performance value to the team.  But Schlosser isn’t even arbitration eligible… and won’t be until 2018.
• As such, he’s making the major-league minimum salary.  The Braves wouldn’t even save that money (around 510K) because somebody else will simply occupy that same slot on the 25-man roster… another major-league minimum player.  It’s a wash, as they say.
• We all collectively were questioning the move 2 weeks ago as Cody Martin (in particular) was left exposed to the Rule 5 draft (meaning that he was not afforded the protection of a slot on the 40-man roster).  If Hart was planning on booting Schlosser, then why didn’t he do so 2 weeks ago so that Martin could be protected??
• Schlosser had options, years of control, some major league experience… all reasons to keep him.

Unless….

Then It Hit Me

John Hart didn’t plan on releasing Schlosser two weeks ago.  Something has changed in the past day or two.

The removal of Beachy and Medlen from the 40-man list this afternoon created 2 open slots.  38 names.

Hart needed one more empty slot. And he needs it soon. 

So now we’re at 37 names.  Schlosser was the victim in this shell game involving the reconstruction of the Braves’ roster.

So… What’s Going On?

It has to be multiple things:

• Enough to force Hart to release a useful player outright in order to to create the extra vacancy.
• Note that if, for example, Evan Gattis were to be traded, his absence would actually create a fourth opening.
• A free agent signing (see more on this shortly) could be imminent/expected.
• So a signing along with a trade could chew up those 4 slots pretty quickly.

That’s as far as I’m willing to speculate right now… which is still pretty far down a flimsy tree limb.  It will be interesting to see this play out.