The Blue Jays acquired shortstop Yunel Escobar and pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes from the Braves for shortstop Alex Gonzalez and minor leaguers Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky, according to a team press release. The Jays designated Ronald Uviedo for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.The move comes as a big surprise, as Escobar was perhaps one of the more valuable commodities in the game when the 2009 season concluded. Just a few days ago, MLB.com's Mark Bowman wrote that the Braves "simply aren't willing to sell low on a guy who they still view as the game's top defensive shortstop." Escobar was worth over four wins last year, but his power has disappeared in 301 plate appearances this year. Escobar will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season, so he'll be under the Jays' control through 2013. Escobar's attitude was a likely factor in the deal; Bowman wrote in June that "there's no doubt that Escobar's flamboyant approach to the game has continued to infuriate some members of the Braves organization." Back in February, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez went more in-depth on the attitude angle.

 

Gonzalez will replace Escobar as the Braves' starting shortstop as they enter the second half with a four game lead in the NL East. He doesn't get on base, but he's already hit 17 home runs on the season and continues to play strong defense. Gonzalez is owed another $1.23MM this year and has a $2.5MM club option for 2011. Braves GM Frank Wren told David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "This trade improves our club for the second half of the season."

 

Reyes, a 25-year-old southpaw, has spent most of the season at Triple A. His strikeout and walk rates are strong in his fourth stint at the level, but he's had problems with home runs and hits. Baseball America regarded Reyes as the Braves' eighth-best prospect heading into the 2007 season, calling him a "thick-bodied lefthander who does a good job of keeping hitters off balance." He's dealt with injuries, including Tommy John surgery in '04.

 

Collins, a 20-year-old lefty, was ranked 19th among Blue Jays prospects by Baseball America heading into this season. The 5'7" southpaw "gets outs with a solid fastball that tops out at 93 mph and a true 12-to-6 curveball that he spins really well." Working in relief, Collins has a 15.3 K/9 in 43 Double A innings this year. Pastornicky, a 20-year-old shortstop, was ranked 17th. He's described as a player who "doesn't have flashy tools but gets the most out of what he has." In the best case, he'll become a line drive top of the order hitter with solid defense, indicates BA. As for Uviedo, the Jays had acquired him from the Pirates in the June Dana Eveland deal. BA described him as rail-thin and homer-prone heading into the '09 season, but praised his fastball and slider.

 

My take: this is certainly a win-now move for the Braves, who are confident Gonzalez will provide more over the next few months than Escobar would have. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, managed the rare feat of acquiring three-plus years of a shortstop with star potential without giving up much.

 

 

Pretty good deal for the Braves. A-Gon has shown some good power this year, unlike Escobar.

Wow, the Braves got hosed. I've got to completely disagree with you Gizmo. Seabass is having easily the best year of his career at 33 and he's already started to slip off the numbers he had in mid-May. He's regression waiting to happen.

 

Yunel, while having a terrible year, had a .801 career OPS over three seasons coming into this one. He's 6 years younger, cheaper, and a better player. He's also fantastic defensively so this wasn't done for that reason.

 

 

I really don't know what the idea here was. Maybe they were sick of his attitude or something.

I'm stunned, Gonzales had a real good first half, but he's done that before and faded in the second half. Good defense, streaky offense. I'm with you Rabb, there has to have been some trouble with his attitude... otherwise I don't get this move for the Braves, not for this year, because I don't think they really need Escobar this year, but for the future.

Perhaps you guys are right. I haven't really paid much attention to AGon after the beginning of the season when he was raking. What about the other 2 players the Braves received? Anything there?

Terrible Long Term trade for the Braves. Gonzalez is making more then double what Escobar is making (last time I checked) and is 6 Years older....

I guess they want him to hope he keeps hitting and gives them a push into the playoffs but this one might come back to bite them, which is fine for me as a Marlin Fan.

Knowing the Braves farm system they probably have another Elvis Andrus waiting in the wings lol

The reason they traded Yunel Escobar is because apparently he is being all "Hanley" this season, not hustling and basically going through the motions, and when you don't put up "Hanley" kind of numbers, you won't last long on any team.

 

So basically they wanted to get rid of a clubhouse cancer and bring in a guy who is having a career year offensively and is well known for playing excellent defense.

The reason they traded Yunel Escobar is because apparently he is being all "Hanley" this season, not hustling and basically going through the motions, and when you don't put up "Hanley" kind of numbers, you won't last long on any team.

 

So basically they wanted to get rid of a clubhouse cancer and bring in a guy who is having a career year offensively and is well known for playing excellent defense.

 

It can't have anything to do with defense, Yunel's defense has been better than Seabass's this year and really every year.

I'm just saying that's something they don't have to worry about with A-Gon. Obviously they traded for him because of the offense. Gonzalez is having a career year offensively, Yunel is absolutely terrible this year offensively. Gonzalez has 18 home runs this year, Escobar has 0.

 

You get the picture by now.

I'm just saying that's something they don't have to worry about with A-Gon. Obviously they traded for him because of the offense. Gonzalez is having a career year offensively, Yunel is absolutely terrible this year offensively. Gonzalez has 18 home runs this year, Escobar has 0.

 

You get the picture by now.

 

The problem is that this first half has been so out of character for Gonzo that he's just asking to regress in the second half. I'd be at least a little surprised if he ended the season with 31 home runs but wouldn't be surprised at all if he finished it with 20. It also doesn't help that in his career he's been a 1st half player.

 

But whatever, it's the Braves. I'm happy whenever they mess up. Yunel's killed is in his career, even this year where he's not killing anything.

Wow, how Ironic---

He risked his life to come to the United States, and now he's shipped up to Canada.

 

At least he's making money.

Wow, the Braves got hosed. I've got to completely disagree with you Gizmo. Seabass is having easily the best year of his career at 33 and he's already started to slip off the numbers he had in mid-May. He's regression waiting to happen.

 

Yunel, while having a terrible year, had a .801 career OPS over three seasons coming into this one. He's 6 years younger, cheaper, and a better player. He's also fantastic defensively so this wasn't done for that reason.

 

 

I really don't know what the idea here was. Maybe they were sick of his attitude or something.

 

 

 

I completely agreed with you. I was floored when I saw they gave up Escobar AND Reyes. I'm happy we don't have to see Escobar anymore. Thanks Braves!

I think this is a pretty poorly worded title considering Gonzalez isnt exactly a small piece in a trade.

This deal makes perfect sense for the Braves. They've got an excellent team this year, and even if Gonzalez does regress, he still makes that team a lot better. I don't care how talented a player is, if he is 27 and is doing literally completely nothing offensively, then you can't be counting on that guy to be a major of a playoff team.

 

I also don't really understand why anybody considers Reyes worth anything. The guy has been completely terrible in all of his major league time. Worth taking a flier on in a trade, but nothing more than what he was- a throw in.

 

There's no doubt that the Braves could be better off in two years having kept Escobar, but they're trying to put together a winner now and in doing that, Gonzalez makes more sense for them.

This deal makes perfect sense for the Braves. They've got an excellent team this year, and even if Gonzalez does regress, he still makes that team a lot better. I don't care how talented a player is, if he is 27 and is doing literally completely nothing offensively, then you can't be counting on that guy to be a major of a playoff team.

 

I also don't really understand why anybody considers Reyes worth anything. The guy has been completely terrible in all of his major league time. Worth taking a flier on in a trade, but nothing more than what he was- a throw in.

 

There's no doubt that the Braves could be better off in two years having kept Escobar, but they're trying to put together a winner now and in doing that, Gonzalez makes more sense for them.

 

 

 

Agreed. but waaay too much give away by the Jay's in my eye's, idk if you feel me or not.

Alex Gonzalez has a .296 OBP. That's Mike Jacobs bad.

Alex Gonzalez has a .296 OBP. That's Mike Jacobs bad.

 

 

And if he continues his career long regression in the 2nd half of the season that number could get lower...

Honestley I don't think this trade will work out for Atlanta offensively as much as they'd like it to. He doesn't get on base much and is going to be facing more pitchers that are both better and that he hasn't seen much of which gives him a major disadvantage.

 

I could see him giving the Braves stellar defense, another 7 or 8 homeruns and about 30 more RBI's pending on what spot he'll hit in the order but Overall he shouldn't really big a big difference maker for the Braves Playoff Push.

 

Whoever a guy named Heyward could make a huge difference in the playoff race.

I'm glad we dont have to see much more of Escobar no matter how poor he has been this season. Disliked him ever since that HR where he admired it for seemingly ages then trotted round the bases painfully slowly.

I'm glad we dont have to see much more of Escobar no matter how poor he has been this season. Disliked him ever since that HR where he admired it for seemingly ages then trotted round the bases painfully slowly.

 

 

I believe they we're losing that game to and I remeber when he took that huge Ricky Henderson like turn around 1st base.

Alex Gonzalez has a .296 OBP. That's Mike Jacobs bad.

 

We should've offered Bonifacio.

Blue Jays for second straight year got off to a good start and now is one game under .500 at the break. 44-45. Still, they can finish over .500 unlike last year.

But whatever, it's the Braves. I'm happy whenever they mess up.

 

 

You obviously don't get it. Anybody looking at this trade from a per talent exchange standpoint is going to miss the point. The Braves did not trade Escobar because he's had a bad first half with the bat or because they think Alex Gonzalez is some wonderful player worth dumping a cheap, young shortstop for. This wasn't about talent. It was about Escobar's continued poor attitude. He was, from all accounts, a clubhouse cancer. Bobby Cox maybe especially was sick of his on-the-field mental lapses and all-too-frequent lackadaisical play. He had to go. The fact that Escobar has been terrible offensively this year only made this inevitable move a bit easier to take.

 

The Braves didn't "mess up." Escobar did. Repeatedly. And that's why he was shipped out of town.

 

Considering the circumstances, the Braves didn't do too badly. Gonzalez is, at the very least, serviceable. He'll provide a decent stopgap until the Braves can find a long-term replacement.

But whatever, it's the Braves. I'm happy whenever they mess up.

 

 

You obviously don't get it. Anybody looking at this trade from a per talent exchange standpoint is going to miss the point. The Braves did not trade Escobar because he's had a bad first half with the bat or because they think Alex Gonzalez is some wonderful player worth dumping a cheap, young shortstop for. This wasn't about talent. It was about Escobar's continued poor attitude. He was, from all accounts, a clubhouse cancer. Bobby Cox maybe especially was sick of his on-the-field mental lapses and all-too-frequent lackadaisical play. He had to go. The fact that Escobar has been terrible offensively this year only made this inevitable move a bit easier to take.

 

The Braves didn't "mess up." Escobar did. Repeatedly. And that's why he was shipped out of town.

 

Considering the circumstances, the Braves didn't do too badly. Gonzalez is, at the very least, serviceable. He'll provide a decent stopgap until the Braves can find a long-term replacement.

You're messing up if you're trading players for personal reasons when they help you win games. Especially when you're shipping them out for way under market price.

You're messing up if you're trading players for personal reasons when they help you win games. Especially when you're shipping them out for way under market price.

 

 

Like I said before, you don't get it. Yunel backed the Braves into a corner with his on the field and off the field issues. Things just weren't going to work out.

You're messing up if you're trading players for personal reasons when they help you win games. Especially when you're shipping them out for way under market price.

 

 

Like I said before, you don't get it. Yunel backed the Braves into a corner with his on the field and off the field issues. Things just weren't going to work out.

No, I get it fine, I just think it's stupid. Stuff like off-field issues don't matter, playing does. Yes, he was having his first bad half-season ever but over the last 3 years he's been a top 5 SS in this league. You don't trade that for what they did.