Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop 12/14

Hardball Talk

Braves president John Hart: “It’s not like I’m breaking up the ’27 Yankees”

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note:  Braves fans should be encouraged with Hart’s moves so far this offseason.  Many fans were on the ledge when we traded away Jason Heyward and we thoughts of the Braves being competitive in 2015 and 2016 started to go downhill.  Well Hart has signed a few players and has resisted  temptation to trade away stars Justin Upton or Evan Gattis without something great in return.  I have full confidence John Hart has the right mindset when trying to compile the Braves roster.

"The Braves traded Jason Heyward to the Cardinals last month in a deal that netted them Shelby Miller. It wasn’t a popular move with the fan base, but it was deemed necessary with Heyward one year away from free agency. Some more familiar faces could soon be on the move, with Justin Upton and Evan Gattis reportedly on the block, but new Braves president John Hart indicated to Jeff Schultz of theAtlanta Journal-Constitution that a change in direction doesn’t bother him.“Let’s be honest: This team finished 29th in offense,” Hart said. “It’s not like I’m breaking up the ’27 Yankees.”"

News Everyday

San Diego Padres Trade Rumors: Plans to Acquire Justin Upton

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Notes:  The rumors will continue to fly for the next few months about Upton moving from the Braves to some other team.  It’s great to speculate and listen to the experts but we really have no idea what is going on behind closed doors.  A team could could in late and blow Hart away with an offer.  We will just have to be patient.

"The Padres are in a desperate need to bulk up their offense. In 2014, the team was last in the league with only 535 runs scored. Although trading for Kemp will certainly boost their offense, adding another star player, like Upton, could make the Padres even stronger.Upton finished last season with the Atlanta Braves batting .270/.342/.491 with 29 homeruns and 102 RBI over 154 games. Getting Upton, however, can be tricky.Adam Wells with Bleacher Report writes:“Upton is more of a gamble than Kemp for the Padres if they are able to strike a deal…It’s asking a lot for the Padres to give up what they would have to in prospects for Upton and hope that they could find a way to re-sign him so that he’s not just a one-and-done.”"

Social Media Wall

Could David O’Brien be implying something this morning??