Atlanta Braves Trade Chris Johnson to Cleveland
Aug 4, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Cleveland Indians center fielder Michael Bourn hits a single against the Los Angeles Angels in the fifth inning during the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Just when you thought it would be safe to take a lazy late lunch on a Friday afternoon in August…
According to a flurry of twitter reports, the Atlanta Braves have traded Chris Johnson to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for OF/DH/1B Nick Swisher, old friend Michael Bourn, and at least $10 million in cash.
#Braves getting Bourne, Swisher and cash for Johnson to #Indians. That is the deal
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 7, 2015
The cash portion of the deal, which has to be approved by major league baseball, is said to be provided in order to even out the contract swap.
Source: Indians sending more than $10M to Braves along with Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher in deal, with Chris Johnson going to Cleveland.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 7, 2015
Chris Johnson is owed approximately $19M through the end of the 2017 season. The cash swap will essentially create an equal $ exchange
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 7, 2015
Those Pesky Contracts
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Yes, let’s look at those contracts, shall we?
- Chris Johnson. Currently $6,000,000, so roughly 1/3 of that remains. He is also inked for $7.5m in 2016 and $9m in 2017. There is an option clause for 2018 that will never be exercised – it has a $1m buyout. So he is still due $19.5 million.
- Michael Bourn. He still is working on the deal signed after leaving Atlanta: $13.5m this season and $14m in 2016, with a vesting clause for 2017 ($12m with 550 plate appearances in 2016). He is thus still due about $18.5 million, minimum.
- Nick Swisher. $15m now, $15m in 2016, and a $14m vesting option for 550 plate appearances in 2016 – and passing a physical. He is due $20 million.
So in adding up the monies for the former Indians, you get $38.5 million. If the Braves get $9.5 million, then it costs Cleveland $29 million for Johnson, and the Braves would likewise be obligated to $29 million. That’s not the $10 million+ cited by Jeff Passan, but perhaps there are other factors involved.
Okay, so…. why???
That’s a very interesting question, and there are several aspects of this that I am personally curious about. But here’s a set of best guesses:
1. This deal finally frees Chris Johnson. He’s good with that, too:
Chris Johnson said it was a bit of a relief to finally be traded after hearing the speculation for nearly a year
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 7, 2015
2. You can bet your house that neither Bourn’s nor Swisher’s deals will “vest” due to their 2016 performances. Thus the Braves will free up those slots in one year rather than over two more years, which was the case with CJ’s deal.
3. However, that presents a problem in terms of personnel… adding two more bodies.
Bourn has actually been playing very well in July and August, hitting nearly .300 over that period and even stealing a few more bases along the way. So that’s good.
Swisher is on a rehab assignment for his chronic knee issues, and could soon play some first base and left field.
But… Bourn plays center… does that put Maybin in left field? What about when Freddie Freeman comes back? Then you have four players and three positions for them. Maybin to LF, Freeman to 1B, Bourn to CF, and Swisher as the primary bench bat for the balance of the year.
Then there’s Mallex Smith, who has been hitting well at AAA over the past couple of weeks, and might get a CF trial in Atlanta in September. How does that all work?
4. I have to bet that the John Trust (Hart/Coppy/Schuerholz) have another move up their collective sleeves. If Swisher is healthy, then he could be the kind of bat that Atlanta is seeking for left field. But (a) since 2014, that’s been a big “if”, and (b) he’ll be 35 in 2016 with his last solid year coming in 2012 while donning Yankee pinstripes.
From this point of view, I would have to wonder if the Braves have a trade brewing that involves Cameron Maybin. That’s the only way I think this deal makes sense in terms of the personnel involved.
Without such a deal, then it’s merely moving deck furniture, sans the extra year from the Johnson contract.
5. There’s another possibility. By cutting the baby in two (two players, two contracts rather than one), it might be a lot easier to release one of them at season’s end. With $10-ish million cash in hand, that nearly ‘buys out’ the rest of one of those new contracts.
With Chris Johnson alone, the Braves would have had to write a check for $19.5 million to release him. Now they could – if they choose – write Swisher a $5 million check, add in the Cleveland money, and send him home.
Now combine that with a Maybin trade ($8m in 2016, $9 option for 2017)… that’s not horrible.
_____________
5:30pm UPDATE:
#Braves Hart said this trade has no bearing on Maybin. He loves Maybin. Sounds like planning to have him back.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 7, 2015
I don’t know that I buy this statement: with equal years, Maybin is clearly the more tradeable asset between the two. The only other scenarios I can imagine are: (a) Mallex Smith is held back into June 2016; (b) the Braves trade Bourn someplace while buying down his contract, which is a lot less likely.
Stay tuned… your ideas invited below.
In the meantime, the Braves now have two Nicks and no Johnsons.