Alex Anthopoulos faces crucial decisions. Despite a challenging first half, the Atlanta Braves remain a playoff contender. The starting pitching has been excellent, but the batting lineup has struggled. The extended absence of Michael Harris II and the season-long loss of Ronald Acuña Jr. have certainly hurt, but it’s time to make a move!
Chase Irle of Sports Talk ATL identified top Braves prospects who could be potential trade assets for Anthopoulos at the deadline. Although we may disagree on the Braves’ most valuable asset, I would prefer to trade Drake Baldwin over Nacho Alvarez. Baldwin is currently blocked by Travis d’Arnaud and Sean Murphy in Atlanta.
I don’t want to trade Alvarez because he could be a future star at shortstop, though he might turn out like Vaughn Grissom, as Irle suggested. Regarding the pitchers Irle mentioned, Owen Murphy is injured, and Hurston Waldrep and AJ Smith-Shawver have not impressed me. I would consider trading them, and maybe Baldwin too.
As long as the Braves continue to draft well and develop their minor league talent, their farm system will remain strong.
Drake Baldwin is a prime trade candidate since he’s blocked from reaching the majors.
Trading a potential star is never ideal. I recall when Atlanta traded homegrown prospect Adam Wainwright to the St. Louis Cardinals for J.D. Drew. It’s part of the business. You won’t win every trade, but that shouldn’t deter you from making them. Sometimes, you need a spark beyond the “Braves Way.”
That outdated Schuerholzian mindset frustrated me. It led to the Braves’ decline under Fredi Gonzalez in the mid-2010s. The Braves became stagnant during John Schuerholz’s later years. Hiring Anthopoulos was the best move the team made.
Anthopoulos didn’t idolize Braves legends like Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, and Hank Aaron. He longed for the Montreal Expos to succeed. After learning valuable lessons in Toronto and Los Angeles, Anthopoulos joined Atlanta and became one of baseball’s greatest general managers.
I don’t claim to know every team’s farm system or depth chart. I have other interests beyond studying spreadsheets and charts. What I do understand is the power of narrative in sports. Can I connect with the story being told?
While any Braves prospect could become a significant asset, I don’t get overly excited about prospects. I’ve seen it with Adam LaRoche, Jeff Francoeur, Julio Teheran, Andrelton Simmons, and stopped after Cristian Pache. Let others fawn over them. I prefer proven players.
If trading Baldwin in a package deal helps us surpass Philadelphia, I’m all for it.
