Atlanta Braves: still shopping in January or nah?

Braves could be set for 2018, or we could look completely different

Like most of us, I log into Atlanta Braves .com regularly throughout the day.  Checking in for any new articles or somehow breaking news that you missed on Twitter.  Tonight when I refreshed the page, my heart sank a bit.

Braves beat writer, Mark Bowman’s latest article is front and center right now.  The featured image has a picture of each Kolby Allard, Mike Soroka and Luiz Gohara.  The headline?  Would Braves deal top young arms?

I thought for a second I had missed something.

Though I realized it’s probably going to be a speculation post, I had to click on it to see what’s being written.  Everyone has an opinion of what the Braves will do within these final few weeks of the offseason, but when you’ve got Bowman writing about it, there might be something here.

The Braves have been linked to rumors of trading for outfielder Christian Yelich AND possibly catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins.  To do so, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos will have to get creative.

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Atlanta isn’t, and shouldn’t, give up top prospect Ronald Acuna.  Yeah, the Marlins probably asked about him and said no deal unless he’s included, but I don’t see AA falling for that.

My opinion is that each day that we get closer to Opening Day 2018, the price of Yelich goes down.  Why?  Because he wants out of Miami.  A few days ago, reports came out that Yelich is considering skipping the Marlins FanFest…which is contractually obligated.

Miami’s president Michael Hill told reporters this…“Christian is a member of the Miami Marlins. We expect him to be at Fanfest and to be ready for spring training,”

Oh course he would say that though.  At this point in the offseason, you can’t trust what anyone is saying — actually, now that I think about it, that’s all the time.

A trade for Yelich is still on the horizon.  Maybe now that Baseball America’s top 100 came out today, Derek Jeter and company will think again about the depth of our organization.  Problem is, who will it take to get him?

Thinking ahead a second

As I’m sitting here, gushing out my days thoughts into one post, does Yelich on the Braves make sense?  From a numbers, youth, contract, etc, etc, it make sense, but what about in this Braves lineup?

Trying to think ahead just a little, my big concern for the Braves lineup is no protection for Freddie Freeman.

Yelich has predominately batted either third or first in the Marlins lineup during his five-year career.  He’s batted 4th in the lineup just 30 times in his 643 career games.  Yeah, where you’re batting probably wouldn’t make that much difference, but Yelich isn’t really a power-hitter.

He’s hit 59 homers, 39 of which have came in the past two seasons.  Is he finding his power?  I’m not sure.  Check out this stat…he’s hit 18 of his home runs at Marlins Park.  The most at any other park is seven…Nationals Park.  Just thought that was interesting that he hasn’t shown much power away from his home park.  In 33 games at Turner Field, he never hit a bomb and over his 10 games last year at SunTrust Park, he didn’t hit one either.

Also, Yelich is a lefty.  If Yelich is acquired, that would mean the Braves could bat a lefty with their first four batters…and maybe five if Nick Markakis is still around.

Is this really what we want?

1. Ender Inciarte L
2. Ozzie Albies L
3. Freddie Freeman L
4. Yelich L
5. Markakis L
6. Flowers R
7. Camargo R
8. Swanson R

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I dunno, I’m just thinking while typing here.  Maybe it’s late, maybe I’m wrong.  There are lots of very positive aspects of Yelich, he’s a great young player that has a team friendly contract for five more years.  I’m just not sure he fits within the Braves lineup.

Maybe the lefty/righty lineup deal isn’t something to worry about.  Neither the spot where he could potentially hit.  But maybe it’s exactly what Anthopoulos is thinking…will someone give him a call and check in?!