House That Hank Built
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Predicting the coming Atlanta Braves off-season

By Fred Owens

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 04: Brian McCann #16 of the Atlanta Braves is interviewed after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 04: Brian McCann #16 of the Atlanta Braves is interviewed after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 29: Atlanta Braves Fans in The Battery Atlanta before Opening Day at SunTrust Park had a season to remember, followed by a postseason exit to forget. They expect postseason that allows the team to win the division again in 2020. This time they want to go all the way to the World Series. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The Atlanta Braves early exit from postseason play started their off-season planning early. After two years as GM, do we know any more about the approach Alex Anthopoulos may take or what to expect?

When he took over as Atlanta Braves GM in 2017, the media were full of stories about Alex Anthopoulos, the gunslinger, or to mix metaphors: the Ninja GM… wheeling, and dealing behind the scenes to create blockbuster moves.

At the same time, Alex Anthopoulos said he wasn’t going to trade any prospects until he had a feel for their potential.  True to his word, he made only small moves except for dumping Matt Kemp.

He signed Anibal Sanchez and Ryan Flaherty, and a jumble of lottery tickets to start the season and shuffled them as the year progressed. At the deadline, he added Jonny Venters for one last successful hurrah, right-handed bat Adam Duvall, Brad Brach for the bullpen, and Kevin Gausman. In August, he added Lucas Duda and Rene Rivera for the postseason.

According to a post by Ian Hunter in 2016, that’s the real Alex Anthopoulos style,

". . . leading up to the winter of 2012, Anthopoulos’ (acquired) young talent, (brought) in “change of scenery” guys and stockpiling young arms."

What changed in 2012 to make him deviate so radically from his preferred style? The John Farrell debacle.

After two less-than-stellar years in Canada (154-170 record), Farrell finally got the job he pined for when the Jays traded future Brave David Carpenter to Boston, released Farrell from his managerial contract, and received utility infielder Mike Aviles from Boston.

Hunter speculates that the awkward departure of John Farrell for Boston created pressure on Anthopoulos to do something to change the mood.

". . .(perhaps) those moves were actually spearheaded by . . . as a means to save face for the Blue Jays organization . . .Anthopoulos was lauded as a God and it galvanized his status as the “Ninja GM”. But . . . those trades weren’t indicative of a typical Alex Anthopoulos deal. Those were “win now” moves."

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