The Atlanta Braves stove is still ice cold

So here we are now in the back half of the month of January. We knew things were moving slowly, but… it’s getting historically so.

Some context is always helpful when trying to figure out just how slow the off-season is really going. To this point, the Atlanta Braves have signed exactly zero free agents and made one major trade.

We know why… it’s because the Braves have a new General Manager, he’s proceeding with caution, not sure whether the team is ready to compete yet (i.e., whether enough of the youngsters are ready to ‘take that next step forward’)… insert your favorite GM cliche here.

But just how does this 2017-18 period compare to other recent off-seasons in the November-to-January time frames? Especially those during this rebuild?

The answer? Pretty cold…

2017-18

OF Preston Tucker traded to Atlanta from Houston for a PTBNL (still waiting)
Matt Kemp to Dodgers for Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Charlie Culberson, Adrian Gonzalez.
RHP Jim Johnson traded to LA Angels for LHP Justin Kelly
RHP Josh Ravin traded to Atlanta from Dodgers (cash)
SIGNED: No one
CLAIMS: RHP Chase Whitley (Tampa Bay); RHP Anyelo Gomez (Yankees/Rule 5), LHP Grant Dayton (Dodgers)
Released/Option declined/Non-tendered/etc: Adonis Garcia, Matt Adams, Jace Peterson, Danny Santana, Adrian Gonzalez, Jason Motte, R.A. Dickey
Claimed Elsewhere: Util Micah Johnson to Reds, C David Freitas to Mariners

2016-17

(minor league deals omitted)

2B Brandon Phillips traded to Atlanta from Reds for LHP Andrew McKirahan, RHP Carlos Portuondo, cash.
2B Micah Johnson traded to Atlanta from Dodgers (PTBNL)
CF Mallex Smith, RHP Shae Simmons to Seattle for LHP Luiz Gohara, LHP Thomas Burrows
LHP Alberto Rodriguez to Giants for cash.
LHP Tyler Pike to Atlanta from Seattle
LHP Brady Feigl, RHP Tyrell Jenkins to Texas for RHP Luke Jackson
LHP Jaime Garcia to Atlanta from Cardinals for RHP Chris Ellis, RHP John Gant, 2B Luke Dykstra
C Alex Jackson, PTBNL to Atlanta from Seattle for RHP Max Povse, RHP Rob Whalen
SIGNED: C Kurt Suzuki, LHP Jacob Lindgren, RHP R.A. Dickey, RHP Bartolo Colon, INF Sean Rodriguez
CLAIMS: 1B Christian Walker (Orioles), LF Adam Walker (Orioles), RHP Armando Rivero (Rule 5), C Tuffy Gosewich (Arizona)
Released/Option declined/Non-tendered/etc: RHP Williams Perez, RHP Chris Withrow, LHP Eric O’Flaherty, C A.J. Pierzynski, OF Emilio Bonifacio
Claimed Elsewhere: C Tuffy Gosewich (Seattle), RHP Ryan Weber (Seattle)

2015-16

C Christian Bethancourt to Padres for RHP Casey Kelly, C Ricardo Rodriguez
RHP Shelby Miller to Arizona and LHP Gabe Speier for CF Ender Inciarte, RHP Aaron Blair, SS Dansby Swanson
RHP Jose Ramirez to Seattle for RHP Ryne Harper, cash
OF Cameron Maybin to Detroit for LHP Gabe Speier, LHP Ian Krol
SS Andrelton Simmons, C Jose Briceno to Angels for SS Erick Aybar, LHP Sean Newcomb, RHP Chris Ellis, cash (*sigh*)
SIGNED: 2B Kelly Johnson, C Tyler Flowers, Util Emilio Bonifacio, INF Gordon Beckham, RHP Jim Johnson, RHP Bud Norris, C A.J Pierzynski (re-signed)
CLAIMS: P Evan Rutckyj (Yankees, Rule 5)
Released/Option declined/Non-tendered/etc: 3B Pedro Ciriaco, LF Eury Perez, LHP Mike Minor, C John Buck, RHP Peter Moylan, LHP Ross Detwiler, RHP Edwin Jackson
Claimed Elsewhere: 1B Joey Terdoslavich (Orioles)

2014-15

More from Tomahawk Take

RHP David Hale, RHP Gus Schlosser to Rockies for C Jose Criceno, C Chris O’Dowd

LHP Hector Daniel Rodriguez to Orioles (cash)

C Evan Gattis and RHP James Hoyt to Astros for RHP Mike Foltynewicz, 3B Rio Ruiz, RHP Andrew Thurman

3B Kyle Kubitza to Angels for LHP Ricardo Sanchez

LF Justin Upton, RHP Aaron Northcraft to Padres for 2B Jace Peterson, LHP Max Fried, 3B Dustin Peterson, CF Mallex Smith

LHP Chasen Shreve, RHP David Carpenter to Yankees for LHP Manny Banuelos

CF Kyle Wren to Brewers for RHP Zach Quintana

RHP Arodys Vizcaino to Atlanta for 2B Tommy La Stella

RF Jason Heyward and RHP Jordan Walden to Cardinals for RHP Shelby Miller and RHP Tyrell Jenkins

SIGNED: LF Jonny Gomes, Dian Toscano, LHP Josh Outman, C A.J. Pierzynski, RHP Jason Grilli, 3B Alberto Callaspo, P Gus Schlosser, RF Nick Markakis, RHP, Jim Johnson, LF Zoilo Almonte

CLAIMS: OF Eury Perez (Yankees), RHP Daniel Winkler (Rockies, Rule 5)

Released/Option declined/Non-tendered/etc: LF Jose Constanza, RHP Gus Schlosser (see above), RHP Brandon Beachy, RHP Kris Medlen, LHP Jonny Venters

Claimed Elsewhere: J.R. Graham (Twins, Rule 5)

Next: Lots of Cross-Country Flying Going On

So there we are… a slow process, to be sure. The Braves do have a viable team now and there’s still time to make improvements, but it’s getting late.

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