Thread: Article: Trade Target Team Profile: Atlanta Braves

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?75...Atlanta-Braves

Twins were linked to Gilmartin in the 2010 draft, too. I'm sure he still has some fans in our FO.

Another great article on possible trade partners. I hope that someone in the front office is reading these.

Originally Posted by glunn

Another great article on possible trade partners. I hope that someone in the front office is reading these.

I'm sure Ryan has this site bookmarked.

I hate the Braves so as long as we totally fleece them I'm good with whatever. But no thanks on Gilmartin.

I wonder just how reasonable it would be for the Twins go get one of those top 3 guys. I would think that the Braves would need to be outmaneuvered for some of these other guys and need to feel like they had to respond to another contender. Boy, I'd be really happy with any of them.

It may work in the Twins favor that they play in the AL, as the other teams with top-flight starters all play in the NL, and the Braves may not want to deliver a young starter to teams their directly competitive with (all other things being equal, that is).

Originally Posted by PseudoSABR

the Braves may not want to deliver a young starter to teams their directly competitive with

Ummm....perhaps you forgot a little thing called the 1991 World Series???? Yeah.

Another name to add to the list is the Braves' 2011 4th round pick, J.R. Graham. He's a 22 year old righty in high-A who is starting full-time for the first time.

Everything you read about him talks about how electric his stuff is. He works primarily off of a low-mid 90s sinking fastball and a slider, and, given his 2 pitch mix, he may very well be a reliever.

He has only struck out only 61 batters in 92 2/3 innings, but he has also walked just 16. He has been successful this season despite the noticeable lack of strikeouts because he's an absolute ground ball machine, generating 2.23 outs on the ground to every 1 in the air.

A Liriano for Diamond trade sounds fair. Billy Bullock?

Yes, I'm kidding, but it kind of makes you choke, doesn't it?

I'd chop off my arm to get Christian Bethancourt, but that's a bit too rich for for ATL to give up.

Originally Posted by DPJ

I'd chop off my arm to get Christian Bethancourt, but that's a bit too rich for for ATL to give up.

Bethancourt's hitting just .253/.276/.281 in AA this season in 49 games. He has not had an isolated discipline above .025 since 2009. I'd probably want to see some marked improvement in both his plate discipline and power before dismembering myself.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

I wonder just how reasonable it would be for the Twins go get one of those top 3 guys. I would think that the Braves would need to be outmaneuvered for some of these other guys and need to feel like they had to respond to another contender. Boy, I'd be really happy with any of them.

Agree. I can't imagine that anything above a AA prospect would be an option for Liriano. Having said that, those listed seem promising.

Originally Posted by mini_tb

Bethancourt's hitting just .253/.276/.281 in AA this season in 49 games. He has not had an isolated discipline above .025 since 2009. I'd probably want to see some marked improvement in both his plate discipline and power before dismembering myself.

ATL has pushed him agressively, hell he's only 20 year old playing at AA.

The athleticism behind the plate is there and I believe in the end he'll hit enough to be a damn fine catcher. Maybe not a star, but an cheap cost controlled everyday catcher as it looks like Mauer being a full-time catcher is over.

There's been a lot of chatter linking Greinke to the Braves, but clearly the price is quite a bit steeper for him. They just might decide to roll the dice on Liriano instead.

Originally Posted by fetch

I hate the Braves so as long as we totally fleece them I'm good with whatever. But no thanks on Gilmartin.

And why on earth would you "hate" them?

Originally Posted by mini_tb

Bethancourt's hitting just .253/.276/.281 in AA this season in 49 games. He has not had an isolated discipline above .025 since 2009. I'd probably want to see some marked improvement in both his plate discipline and power before dismembering myself.

Yet every scout you talk to says he's the best catching defender they've ever seen and compare the bat very favorably to Yadier Molina, who really didn't bring any real power until he was in the majors, either.

Originally Posted by Musk21

There's been a lot of chatter linking Greinke to the Braves, but clearly the price is quite a bit steeper for him. They just might decide to roll the dice on Liriano instead.

The Greinke interest has been in acquiring him while extending him, a la Santana to the Mets. Otherwise, they aren't willing to pay much in prospects for a rental, according to Frank Wren's recent local and national interviews.

My post on this would be that the Minor/Liriano thing would fly all day if it was proposed on both ends, I think. Gilmartin is on the way as a Minor clone in the Braves organization, and Minor on the way was why Diamond was traded to the Twins. I could definitely see that being a possibility. Otherwise, guys like Teheran and Delgado will be saved for a guy they want to re-sign for 2013 and beyond as Brandon Beachy will be back in mid-2013 and money continues to fall off their books to have good money to invest in a starter if they feel the need rather than trading the farm for one.

Teheran is literally untouchable. He has ridiculous potential that the Braves have zero intention of trading away. It would also be a moonshot to pry away Minor and Vizcaino. All of these guys are extremely unrealistic for Liriano which is what you hinted at being the most likely deal. And it is, since the Braves shouldn't have any interest in Morneau or Span.Otherwise I'm fine with the article, John. I just think "Potential Trade Targets" should be guys who could actually be traded.