I have been lurking around some Braves forums and they have been mentioning that they would welcome a "fire sale". Like trading Smoltz, A. Jones, C. Jones etc:. Do you guys think this will happen?

 

I have a feeling it will unless they Braves somehow make a run for the WC.

Hmm.. Smoltz, yes. Chipper, maybe. Andruw, maybe.

Bobby Cox, maybe.

 

But I'd rather them not. It's fun watching them with so many good players sit below us right now.

Hmm.. Smoltz, yes. Chipper, maybe. Andruw, maybe.

Bobby Cox, maybe.

 

But I'd rather them not. It's fun watching them with so many good players sit below us right now.

 

Yeah but I dont wanna see them go to the mets

I'd trade Smoltz and Chipper without question.

 

Andruw is too big of a cog to just let loose.

I have been lurking around some Braves forums and they have been mentioning that they would welcome a "fire sale". Like trading Smoltz, A. Jones, C. Jones etc:. Do you guys think this will happen?

 

I have a feeling it will unless they Braves somehow make a run for the WC.

 

Wasnt there a rumor that the Nats where going to have one also? What has become of this divison

I'd trade Smoltz and Chipper without question.

 

Andruw is too big of a cog to just let loose.

 

 

 

Well said, I agree :thumbup

It's funny cause ever since we did it and have been lately showing success, I have been a number of other MLB.com team forums where teams like the cubs and nats fans have been brining this up too. :lol

It's funny cause ever since we did it and have been lately showing success, I have been a number of other MLB.com team forums where teams like the cubs and nats fans have been brining this up too. :lol

 

Those wanna bes :mischief

Personally, I'd like to see part of the trade the Sox made in August 2000 for Dante Bichette reversed

Personally, I'd like to see part of the trade the Sox made in August 2000 for Dante Bichette reversed

 

 

I think you're the only person in the world who wants Reitsma.

 

Unless that's sarcasm, not really sure where you're going with that, or what the wink means. Afterall, it's hard to have scathing sarcasm with such an obscure reference.

As much as I dont like the Braves, something about a breakup of their core guys bothers me. But I guess theyve done it before, ie Maddux, Glavine.

 

I agree that theyll probably keep A. Jones.

Personally, I'd like to see part of the trade the Sox made in August 2000 for Dante Bichette reversed

 

 

I think you're the only person in the world who wants Reitsma.

 

Unless that's sarcasm, not really sure where you're going with that, or what the wink means. Afterall, it's hard to have scathing sarcasm with such an obscure reference.

 

In 2000, I attended about 75% of the SaraSox games. The team blew that year, but they had three starters who were highly rated: Casey Fossum, Josh Hancock...and Reitsma. I was surprised they traded Reitsma away. The winter before, the Rays took him in the Rule 5 and wanted to keep him, but couldn't make a deal with Trader Dan and he was returned during Spring Training. Later that season, when the Sox dealt with the Rockies for Mike Lansing and Rolando Arrojo, the Rockies wanted Reitsma, but again Duquette said no. That's why I was surprised when he was included in the Bichette deal.

 

OK, Reitsma's a closer now, but if he did come back to Fenway, I'd like to see him given a chance to return to the rotation. Sox did that before with D-Lowe, and it looks like one if Reitsma's Braves teammates has also come come full circle...from starter to closer to starter again.

 

I'd give him a shot...

the Jone's i really doubt, but Smoltz most likely yes

Do they have any prospect they can sell us?

I have been lurking around some Braves forums and they have been mentioning that they would welcome a "fire sale". Like trading Smoltz, A. Jones, C. Jones etc:. Do you guys think this will happen?

 

I have a feeling it will unless they Braves somehow make a run for the WC.

 

Wasnt there a rumor that the Nats where going to have one also? What has become of this divison

The 2006 Marlins and Mets. No hope to win now or in the future with those two clubs

Chipper can't be anything but a Brave

Braves' veterans will stay

Big names aren't in trade talks as team seeks closer

 

By DAVID O'BRIEN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Published on: 06/20/06

 

The 15-5 surge through May 28 that put the Braves in the thick of the NL East race is a faded memory, erased by an epic 3-17 slide that has buried them at the bottom of the division standings.

 

So where do the Braves ? 13 1/2 games behind division-leading New York and 8 behind wild card leader Cincinnati ? go from here?

 

Contrary to speculation by fans and media, the Braves have no plans to trade veteran stalwarts and start rebuilding, a person familiar with the Braves' discussions said Monday. The team hasn't discussed trading John Smoltz, Tim Hudson or the Joneses, Chipper and Andruw. All are signed beyond this season, and Smoltz and Chipper Jones can veto any trade.

 

The team says it believes Mike Hampton will be fully recovered from elbow surgery next season and join Smoltz and Hudson to lead a formidable starting rotation.

 

Nor do the Braves plan to trade top prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia this summer in a package to get a big bat or top closer to bolster their club for a second-half run.

 

Braves officials want to see how the team plays in the next 10 days, at home against Toronto and on a trip to Tampa Bay and Yankee Stadium. Then, they'll have a better idea if there's realistic hope of a postseason berth.

 

"It's frustrating and perplexing and dismaying, aggravating, all that," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said of his team's struggles, which can be tied partly to injuries, but also to experienced players who have underperformed, and the unpredictable nature of relying so heavily on young players.

 

The Braves have depended on a bevy of second-year players in key roles, and only catcher Brian McCann from that group has improved upon his rookie performance.

 

If they keep losing, the Braves would re-evaluate and might intensify attempts to trade pitchers John Thomson, Jorge Sosa, and perhaps others.

 

Schuerholz was adamant when asked if the state of flux in team ownership has affected his ability to trade or add payroll.

 

"Zero effect," he said. "We have everything we've had in the past. There's been zero impact from the pending sale. Zero. Z-e-r-o."

 

The Braves still have several million dollars available to spend after failing to land a closer this winter.

 

When asked if the team needed to trade for someone simply to provide a "spark," Schuerholz said the current players could provide that.

 

"If we play the type of baseball we're capable of playing, I think we could make a mark on this division and in this postseason picture," Schuerholz said Sunday. A few hours later, the beleaguered bullpen gave up seven runs in the last two innings of a 10-7 loss to Boston.

 

That extended their losing streak to seven games, the Braves' longest since 1990.

 

Schuerholz has tried for weeks to bolster the bullpen, which has a 5.29 ERA ? more than a quarter-run worse than any other National League team ? and a league-high 14 blown saves. The market is dry and no closers are expected to become available until near the July 31 trade deadline.

 

The first seeds for the bullpen debacle were sown this winter when the Braves bid for several closers and missed out on each, including Braves free agent Kyle Farnsworth (who went to the Yankees), San Diego's Trevor Hoffman, Cleveland's Bob Wickman and Detroit's Todd Jones.

 

Then, the Braves lost two potential future closers, Blaine Boyer and Joey Devine, to injuries in the season's first week. Boyer is out all season; Devine is rehabbing his back and could return later this summer.

 

Wickman could be among those available near the trade deadline, but the Braves won't mortgage their future by giving up a wealth of young talent for a quick fix if they don't have a good shot at the playoffs.

 

There lies the dilemma ? teams with playoff hopes aren't ready to start dumping players, but the Braves might be out of it when teams are ready.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/b...aves.html?imw=Y

So much for a fire sale.

I have been lurking around some Braves forums and they have been mentioning that they would welcome a "fire sale". Like trading Smoltz, A. Jones, C. Jones etc:. Do you guys think this will happen?

 

I have a feeling it will unless they Braves somehow make a run for the WC.

 

Wasnt there a rumor that the Nats where going to have one also? What has become of this divison

No, what happened was the new owners kind of mentioned their reforming of the team and people quickly jumped into thinking it was a firesale. More or less, it's a small one if any, they want to put Guillen, Johnson and Livan around to see if anyone will bite. The new owners are focused on improving the farm system and those type of players that are turning into t heir 30's are at risk of being traded.

 

I am quite impressed with the nats farm system though, it's terrible but you always find rare gold like Cordero, Zimmerman, and O'Connor

I'd kinda like to see the Joneses stay in Atlanta. Chipper may be traded, but I don't see Andruw going anywhere. He's still got a whole lot of good seasons left.

Article

 

Smoltz says he's open to trade talk

By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer

June 20, 2006

 

ATLANTA (AP) -- John Smoltz said he's ready to leave Atlanta if a trade can help the last-place Braves.

 

The 17-year veteran, who's played his entire career in Atlanta, said his once-firm opinion against leaving the Braves changed this year. But he said he still hopes to finish his career in Atlanta.

 

The Braves, who began a three-game series with Toronto on Tuesday night, have lost seven straight games and 17 of 20 to fall to last place in the NL East. If the tumble in the standings changes the Braves' focus in the trade market from buyers to sellers, Smoltz said, "I'm open to whatever is best for the team."

 

Smoltz downplayed his comments that he originally made in an ESPN interview Sunday, saying he was only answering "the old if question, if they asked you to be traded.

 

"I said, two years ago I wouldn't have thought about it," he said. "I'm not an idiot. If it happens, I'd be open to it. That's it."

 

The Braves hold an $8 million option on Smoltz, 39, for the 2007 season, the same salary the right-hander is earning this year.

 

"We don't want any of our main guys going anywhere," teammate Tim Hudson said.

 

"We want to be in a situation where we will be buyers and not sellers and it's on our backs to make sure that doesn't happen. We've got to start turning it around and giving those guys reason to be buyers and not sellers."

 

Smoltz is only 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA. He was 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA last year in his return to the starting rotation.

 

Smoltz, the career leader in postseason wins with a 15-4 record and 2.66 ERA, likely would draw considerable interest from contending teams, perhaps including his hometown Detroit Tigers.

 

But Braves general manager John Schuerholz said he doesn't expect the comments from Smoltz to generate trade inquiries.

 

"I really doubt it. They know our organization," Schuerholz said.

 

"The best way for them to realize or to assume the Braves are interested in making a deal is if I were to call them."

 

Smoltz also said he doesn't expect his comments to lead to serious trade offers, saying it's just talk. He said he was surprised in the interest in his comments, saying "I got a chuckle out of it."

 

Some of his teammates were not laughing, however.

 

"I don't know that as a teammate of his and a guy that wants to have the best chance to win, it's not what I want to hear, obviously," Hudson said.

 

Third baseman Chipper Jones said the questions about Smoltz could be based on more than speculation.

 

"Where there's smoke, there's fire," Jones said.

 

"I think we all first and foremost are loyal to our team. If someone finds it important enough to approach a player and pose them the question, then obviously it has been bantered about upstairs."

 

Those questions have extended all the way to the kids in Smoltz's annual baseball camp this week. Smoltz said one camper asked him Tuesday morning if the Braves were mathematically eliminated from the playoff chase.

 

"Things change. Times change," Smoltz said. "I'm happy. Very happy. I would like to be in first place but as I told the camper today, we're not mathematically eliminated."

 

But the Braves would need a dramatic turnaround to return to the playoffs. Smoltz was part of the Braves' 1990 team that finished 67-95 and in last place in the NL West, but the team has since won 14 straight division titles.

 

Smoltz is the only player to have been a member of each of the playoff teams.

 

"I can say without a shadow of a doubt John would love nothing more than to finish his career here," Jones said, "but times have changed and economics have changed and a lot of guys don't know which way the organization is going to go."

 

Smoltz says he plans on playing at least one more season.

 

"I'm healthy. I'm excited about the future," he said. "Whereas maybe two years ago it looked a little more difficult for me. And everyone knows my personal desire. ... Obviously, my desire is to stay here."