Big Braves Trade Rumors

[Mattingly]

Just saw these rumors after surfing around the internet. Don't know if there's any truth to their substance but they are at least real rumors being reported by Peter Gammons and other sports writers. Thought I'd throw them out there to get feedback from Braves fans:

1) Braves trade Marcus Giles and minor leaguer Dan Meyer to Oakland for one of Big Three Zito, Mulder, or Hudson. (Zito is most likely).

That's a high price to pay for a top of the rotation starter, but it does give Atlanta a young pitcher who could be the ace of this staff for several years. One can only imagine how good any of these three could become spending their prime years under Leo Mazzone. they'd have a real hard time parting with Giles, though. He is a sparkplug for this team and one of the best second basemen in baseball. He and Furcal also make a great combination at the top of the order. I know we all just saw in October how important good pitching is, but even the Red Sox staff couldn't have done what they did without clutch hits from guys like Ortiz, Ramirez, etc. Trading Giles and presumably losing JD Drew to free agency would leave the Braves dangerously thin in their lineup. Especially if Smoltz starts and stays healthy, I think I'd rather have Giles than Zito.

2) Braves trade Andruw Jones to Yankees for Javier Vazquez and minor leaguer Scott Proctor. Yanks agree to pay some of Vazquez's remaining $34.5 million contract.

I don't know why the Yankees would give up that and still pay some of Vazquez's salary for Andruw Jones but nevertheless the rumor appeared in Newsday. This trade has much the same downside as the A's trade above and not quite as much potential upside. This deal might save us some money depending on how much NYY would pay, and it's no secret the Braves have long coveted Vazquez. He looked like a future ace before struggling a little in the Bronx pressure cooker.

If either of these trades were really being pondered, the Braves would have to have a contingency in place to replace Giles or Jones' bats before they traded them. As long as the Braves could keep a decent lineup on the field, I'd be all in favor of them trying to build a dominant rotation again. After all, for the first time in several years it was the starting pitchers surrendering too many runs to the Astros that cost the braves the NLDS.

[thomas]

hmm, interesting. i am ont a braves fan(cubs all the way) i will still comment on this. with the As trade, i have hard rumors about one of the bibg three getting traded out of Oakland, but i havent heard any specific teams. about the second trade, it makes no sense, the yankees already have a clogged outfield and besides there has been a vazquez and some prospects(wow, the yankees have prospects? ) to arizona for randy johnson, so i dont think that the second one can happen.

[Mattingly]

This could work. Bernie Williams is aging, so andrew jones plays center field. Besides, when free agency is over, the Yankees will have a cloged starting rotation as well.

[thomas]

ok then but if th e yankees get jones and bernie plays dh, then what do they do with kennny lofton?

[schilling]

I think this would be a good trade for both teams. It could work. The Bubba Yankees could just throw Kenny Loften into the package.