Atlanta Braves news: The Morning Chop, The Dansby Swanson move, Jim Johnson on the trading block
By Jeff Schafer
Phillies, Braves begin series amid trade rumors
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: It’s the Friday before the MLB Trade Deadline…what’s going to happen?! One thing we know for sure will happen, many trades will occur blockbusters or smaller ones. Will the Atlanta Braves be apart of these? I think so.
I’m pretty sure the Braves are moving past the point of trading for Sonny Gray. The asking price was just too high and it involved prospects we didn’t want to give away. Time to move on. There will be some free agents at the end of this year that the Braves could pick up that won’t hurt the Braves minor league system.
The Braves are currently 13 games behind the Washington Nationals for the NL East and 8.5 away from a Wild Card spot. It’s difficult to say this, but our 2017 playoff hopes are slim.
Trading away a couple of these veteran players would only help the Braves in the long run…come on Coppy, let’s see what you’ve got!
"The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves start a four-game series on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, but both teams could have different-looking rosters by the time they finish the series Monday.Both clubs have already been active sellers on the trade market. Atlanta dealt starter Jaime Garcia to Minnesota for 19-year-old pitcher Huascar Ynoa earlier in the week.The teams could make more deals before Monday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. Each of the scheduled starters for Friday night’s series opener, Jeremy Hellickson of the Phillies and Julio Teheran for the Braves, has been the subject of trade rumors."
Braves ship struggling shortstop Dansby Swanson to minors
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Did the Atlanta Braves make the right call by sending Dansby Swanson to Triple-A Gwinnett? Yes, absolutely. With Johan Camargo surging for the Braves and with Freddie Freeman playing third base now, Dansby didn’t have a position to play…his nearly .200 batting average didn’t help either.
Swanson wasn’t in the Gwinnett’s lineup on Thursday because he had to fly across the country and wasn’t there yet. Saw people on twitter making jokes about him not playing at that level either…cool it. He wasn’t there yet.
The 23-year-old will get to play against his buddy once again, Ozzie Albies, and they can rekindle their relationship up the middle. These two guys are still the Braves future middle infielders.
"The Atlanta Braves have optioned struggling shortstop Dansby Swanson to Triple-A Gwinnett.Swanson was expected to be the figurehead of a rebuilding team. He was the No. 1 overall pick by Arizona in 2015 and was regarded as one of the National League’s top rookies. He has hit only .213 with six homers and 35 RBIs. He has only three hits in 25 at-bats since the All-Star break.The Braves made the move following Wednesday’s 10-3 loss at Arizona. The team says a corresponding move will be made before Friday’s game at Philadelphia."
Next: Braves and Tigers trading partners?
Johnson joined Braves to work with McDowell
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Braves closer Jim Johnson is signed with the Braves through the 2018 season, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be a part of the organization until then. Many other teams are currently scouting the 34-year-old as the Braves are currently listening to offers.
The veteran pitcher holds a 4.10 ERA in 2017 with 22 saves. He’s always been a consistent and solid relief pitcher and would fit in very nicely with a playoff team (hopefully those teams are reading these nice words I’m saying about him).
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com and Baseball America tweeted out this morning that the Braves are indeed listening, but not actively looking to move him. Hmm, okay. If I had to guess, if the Braves were offered a decent prospect for Johnson, they’d do it.
I don’t think Johnson will be a part of the Braves by August 1st.
The #Braves are listening on reliever Jim Johnson, but not actively looking to move him. Several teams have had scouts in to look at him.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 28, 2017
"When former All-Star closer Jim Johnson began evaluating his best employment options for the upcoming season, he was influenced by former A’s teammate Eric O’Flaherty‘s suggestion that he come to Atlanta to work under the tutelage of Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell.After exchanging a few phone conversations with McDowell, Johnson opted to sign a one-year deal with the Braves, who are hoping the veteran reliever quickly regains confidence in his sinker, a pitch that deserted him as he struggled with both the A’s and Tigers last season."
"“I think one of the biggest motivators was coming here and having a chance to work with Roger,” Johnson said. “He’s been in those situations before where he knows some days [the sinker] acts different and some days it doesn’t. But we’ve just started, so we’ll have some time to figure some things out.”"