{"id":8038,"date":"2017-08-07T15:19:02","date_gmt":"2017-08-07T19:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=8038"},"modified":"2017-08-07T15:19:02","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T19:19:02","slug":"braves-trade-flexibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2017\/08\/07\/braves-trade-flexibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Braves Trade of Sean Rodriguez Proves Roster Flexibility is Top Priority"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of shifting strategies, another Atlanta Braves<\/a> trade serves as evidence that roster flexibility is once again a top priority for team management.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, the Braves traded super-utility player Sean Rodriguez<\/a> to the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a>, acquiring minor league prospect Connor Joe<\/a> in return. But it\u2019s the enhanced payroll and roster flexibility they realize that signifies a continued strategic trend for a Braves front office which has made big moves in recent years.<\/p>\n

Braves Trade of Sean Rodriguez Proves Roster Flexibility is Top Priority<\/h2>\n

The Braves signed Rodriguez<\/a>, who had a breakout year with Pittsburgh in 2016, to be an everyday player at myriad positions in the infield and outfield. His season was delayed however by a devastating car accident<\/a> prior to Spring Training which he and his family were fortunate to survive. He\u2019s now healthy, so dealing him to gain roster flexibility seems counterintuitive. (Especially after his walk-off home run Sunday<\/a>\u00a0in his first game back with Pittsburgh vs. the San Diego Padres.) But viewed in context, it is a proof point of the continuing trend of asset fluidity emphasized by Braves management.<\/p>\n

Since 2013, team President of Baseball Operations, John Hart,<\/strong> and General Manager, John \u201cCoppy\u201d Coppolella<\/strong>, have instituted a culture in which team transactions have a long shelf life and cannot be judged at face value at the moment of conception. Their administration has been marked by a slew of high-profile moves that saw the Braves trade the likes of Justin Upton<\/a>, Craig Kimbrel<\/a>, Jason Heyward<\/a>, Andrelton Simmons<\/a> and Evan Gattis<\/a>. Each of these trades saw popular players depart, and, at the time, the Braves trade returns, to many fans, left much to be desired.<\/p>\n

Not all the returns have matured, though some are starting to, and others have fed subsequent deals to keep the Braves ahead of the 8-ball. The trade for one year of Heyward\u2019s service time famously landed Shelby Miller<\/a> and Tyrell Jenkins<\/a> from the St. Louis Cardinals, who were later dealt for four players \u2013 former No.1 draft pick Dansby Swanson<\/a>, newly minted All-Star Ender Inciarte<\/a>, pitching prospect Aaron Blair<\/a> and reliever Luke Jackson<\/a> \u2013 who have all graced the Braves roster this season. Simmons brought current starter Sean Newcomb<\/a> to Atlanta along with Chris Ellis, who was later moved himself.<\/p>\n

Houston Astros management were enamored enough with Gattis\u2019 immense power to part with current Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz<\/a> (10-6 this season after striking out 11 Marlins in a win Saturday) and third baseman Rio Ruiz<\/a>. Two trades with the Padres saw Kimbrel and the Uptons (and Melvin\u2019s horrific contract) leave town in exchange for current Braves pieces Max Fried<\/strong> (who was called up to the Majors Friday), Dustin Peterson<\/strong> and Jace Peterson<\/a>, as well as fleet-footed outfielder Mallex Smith<\/a>, who then was spun to Seattle in exchange for hard-throwing prospect Luiz Gohara<\/strong>, who is dealing at Triple-A Gwinnett and whom you may see in a Braves uniform before season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

The trend toward roster flexibility continues into 2017. Rodriguez is the third major off-season signing the Braves have parted with this season. Left-handed starter Jaime Garcia<\/a> was traded to the Minnesota Twins<\/a> for a pitching prospect. Ageless wonder Bartolo Colon<\/a>, who was signed away from the division rival New York Mets to a one-year deal<\/a>, was released after struggling mightily through the season\u2019s first half (though he pitched a complete game for his first win for Minnesota Friday).<\/p>\n

Garcia\u2019s trade was no surprise. The Braves made a low-risk buy on the oft-injured veteran in the off-season, sending three prospects (including Ellis) \u2013 who have made a grand total of one Major League appearance this season \u2013 to the Cardinals for one year of Garcia\u2019s services at a palatable price. And though the Twins later flipped Garcia<\/a> to the New York Yankees for a better haul, the Braves focused on the financial flexibility gained by his departure. Colon was similarly a low-risk acquisition \u2013 a $12 million stopgap for one season, whose trade value evaporated after going 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in 13 starts for Atlanta, prompting his release.<\/p>\n

In Rodriguez\u2019s case, management deemed him expendable after recognizing the emergence of cheaper talent in Johan Camargo<\/a>, the ascension of second-base prospect Ozzie Albies<\/a>, the versatility of mid-season acquisition Danny Santana<\/a> and the likes of minor leaguers Ronald Acuna, Travis Demeritte<\/strong> and even Swanson waiting in the wings. So when the Pirates claimed Rodriguez off waivers following the July 31 trade deadline, the Braves let him and his remaining $7.5 million in salary through 2018 go, with the acquisition of Joe an added bonus.<\/p>\n

Team doctors initially thought Rodriguez\u2019s injured shoulder would cost him an entire season, prompting the snap acquisition of second baseman Brandon Phillips<\/a> from the Reds prior to Opening Day, another deal that had flexibility baked into it. The Braves picked up a respected veteran with local ties who is still capable of flashy defense and timely hitting for pennies on the dollar on a one-year deal. Phillips is an asset that could still be moved before season\u2019s end. The acquisition of Matt Adams<\/a> for middling prospects after Freddie Freeman<\/a> broke his wrist may also prove to have future ROI if the slugger is dealt away.<\/p>\n

The moves of the Hart-Coppolella era have been starkly distinct from the investment strategies of former General Manager, Frank Wren,<\/strong> or the big-budget \u201cbuy now\u201d attitude Ted Turner<\/strong>\u2019s teams exhibited in the 1990s.<\/p>\n

For much of their dynastic 14-year run as National League East division champions from 1991 through 2015, the Braves proved they could annually replenish the roster to accommodate injuries, departures or declining production, or simply to add talent redundancies to already potent rosters.<\/p>\n

The aggressive strategy came into the mainstream with the team\u2019s acquisition of reigning Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux<\/a> in the 1992 off-season, to join talented hurlers Steve Avery<\/a>, Tom Glavine<\/a> and John Smoltz<\/a>. Later additions like Denny Neagle<\/a>, Tim Hudson<\/a> and Russ Ortiz<\/a>, as well as developed talent like Kevin Millwood<\/a>, kept Atlanta\u2019s pitching near the top of the league. Offense was also present in the Braves\u2019 dealings, with high-profile acquisitions like Walt Weiss<\/a>, Andr\u00e9s Galarraga<\/a>, Brian Jordan<\/a>, Vinny Castilla<\/a>, Gary Sheffield<\/a> and J.D. Drew<\/a> keeping the Braves current with competition around the league.<\/p>\n

Wren also took a free-spending approach by signing the likes of Derek Lowe<\/a>, Kenshin Kawakami<\/a>, Billy Wagner<\/a>, Ervin Santana<\/a> and Melvin Upton<\/a> and inking Dan Uggla<\/a> to a big deal before his skills declined. He made a series of major trades throughout involving players like Uggla, Upton, Javier Vasquez<\/a> and Jair Jurrjens<\/a>, with the overwhelming majority of his moves focused on patching holes on the big-league roster. The moves had mixed results, though it was the failed long-term signings of Upton, Kawakami and Uggla and the pallid farm system he left behind that are the biggest blights on Wren\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n

Near the end of his time with Atlanta, Wren did focus on locking up Atlanta\u2019s young, talented core through lengthy contract extensions for Simmons, Kimbrel, Freeman and Julio Teheran<\/a>. These moves set the table for Hart and Coppolella, who have moved the former two stars to fuel an era of roster flexibility established on the foundation of the latter two stars. For now, at least.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>