Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Braves ship Vasquez to the damn Yankees

Braves trade Vasquez. I don't blame fans for howling. Atlanta deals its best starter in 2009 while keeping a pissed off Derek Lowe and his $15 per on the roster? Well, the harsh reality is you have to have two teams to make a deal and no one is lining up to add Lowe's salary to their debt load. Give Atlanta credit for making a decisive move, but it sure seems like a top notch starter should bring more than a middling outfielder and a minor league pitcher. No fantasy owner would roll over so quickly!
Cabrera really doesn't fit with the Braves where McLouth gives them a quality CF, but he could be a good piece to trade, based on his solid production and reasonable paycheck. (The Yankees pedigree seems to matter to some teams as well.)
This article mentions Dan Uggla and he's exactly the kind of higher priced player Atlanta could get for Cabrera, particularly if they deal with a team with limited cash.
Boone Logan was fairly effective against lefties last year and he was a good addition for New York. Who knows about the minor leaguers Atlanta added? The pitcher has some pretty good numbers and should be in the mix. He looks about ready to show if he is or isn't a MLB pitcher.
From a value for value standpoint, the Braves clearly lost ground on this trade. But it's hard to judge it until you see what they do with the payroll flexibility they gained and how they use the Cabrera chip.
All that said, I'll miss Vasquez. He was a pleasure to see pitch last season.

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