The Atlanta Braves Are Not Tanking; Justin Upton Rumors
The Justin Upton rumors show that the Atlanta Braves are not ‘tanking.’
Yesterday in these pages, Alan laid laid bare the revelation that the Braves pursued Justin Upton this Winter. This news understandably strikes many of us as a bit of a contradiction.
“We just sold Upton for the future, and now we are trying to bring him back?!”
Let me do what I can to set our minds straight. That our Beloved Bravos were in the market to sign a high-dollar corner outfielder speaks volumes as to the intentions of our front office.
The Braves are not Tanking
I’ve suggested a few times this offseason that the Braves are not looking to finish as lowly as possible in 2016. We’ve added veteran pieces to areas of need. Be it outfield, infield, starting rotation, or bullpen, the Braves have sought to plug holes with big leaguers on the cheap. I have come to believe that the Braves are genuinely trying to make the most of 2016, as we concertedly march towards a brighter future.
This Upton report is a case in point.
The story is that the Braves were willing to go 9 figures on Upton. Why would we do that?!
- JUp is a much more productive player than Nick Markakis, who the Orioles showed interest in re-acquiring.
- JUp will be in his 29 year old season in 2017. This is the year the Braves hope to return to competitiveness. 29 years old is also in the prime of the typical power hitter, based on aging curves. He would have helped us win in a big way.
- Given the wealth of OF options that the Braves have, he could have been flipped to address other areas of need. With Hector Olivera, Ender Inciarte, and Mallex Smith primed to roam the outfield by 2017, Upton could have been flipped for:
- A third baseman with more upside than Adonis Garcias‘ “if his out-of-nowhere bat continues, it may compensate for his horrible defense.”
- A catcher that is, well… better than Tyler Flowers.
- A starting pitcher that would solidify a rotation that is hinging on the development of a lot of youngsters, and the still to be seen “real” Julio Teheran.
So what?
Above, I discussed a lot of hypothetical speculation. Still, it signals something important about our Braves. Coppy and Co. aren’t tanking at all. While we can’t deny that 2015 and 2016 would have involved more wins if we hadn’t have started this rebuild process, the future is strikingly bright.
The Braves franchise is primed and ready to strike at any opportunity to accelerate this rebuild. An Upton signing is an afterthought now, as it essentially was all along. But a savvy, bargain buy of a power hitter that could have been flipped for other needs as our prospects graduated would have been a big win. This is not an example of mixed signals for the front office. It’s an example of of a predator licking its lips, waiting to strike.
More from Tomahawk Take
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Justin Upton was just a bit too good to slide down into our trap. But it should give us hope that the Braves were lurking in the shadows on this one.
It should keep us on the edge of our seat.
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UPDATE: it just came out on MLB Trade Rumors that the Braves were seriously inquiring about a 3-team trade to acquire Jonathan Lucroy. This furthers my argument, I’d say. Excitement! Read Alan’s nice analysis of the rumor by clicking the link directly below!