Reasoning for Braves to Trade Miller, In Greater Detail

Here is Chris Saunders giving his insight on the Atlanta Braves recent trade, what an article!!!!


Article by Chris Saunders

Atlanta Braves/Arizona Diamondbacks

                  

Trade: Dbacks traded outfielder Ender Inciarte, pitching prospect Aaron Blair and 2015 No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson to the Braves for pitchers Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier.

                  

Winner- Atlanta Braves- Braves have been doing a complete overhaul since President of baseball operations John Hart/ GM John Coppolella step in as General Manager in 2013 to help not just the major league club, which was only year removed when he was hired of a 96 win team in 2013. Last two years, however, have been unspectacular to say the least 79-83 in 2014 17 GB in the N.L. East and in 2015 67-95 23 GB. The goal of these losing season’s isn’t just to acquire numerous prospects nor to have the 1^st overall pick in the upcoming draft. Sole purpose in John Hart eyes for however long his tender is with the Atlanta Braves is to get younger/improve the farm system/lower the payroll/most of all field a competitive team by 2017 when they move into their new stadium. This is just one of many trades Hart has managed acquiring 2 prospects Blair/Swanson as well as a major leaguer Ender Inciarte for RHP Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier.

                                   

Inciarte- is the Major League ready piece of the deal for Atlanta. He’ll bring five years of club control to the Braves and can immediately slot into center field there, although he also has extensive experience at both corner positions. Inciarte, 25, was largely unheralded as a prospect but has batted a combined .292/.329/.386 in his first two Major League seasons, including a stellar .303/.338/.408 line in 2015. Inciarte is an elite defender at any of the three outfield spots; he’s amassed 52 Defensive Runs Saved in just 1972 innings at the Major League level. While he lacks much in the way of power and may see his surface-level rate stats decline by moving away from the hitters’ haven that is Phoenix’s Chase Field, Inciarte will help the Braves’ chances both in 2016 and into the next planned phase of the team’s status as contenders.

                                   

Swanson- 22 in February, is barely six months removed from being the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. A shortstop out of Vanderbilt, Swanson spent the summer playing with Arizona’s short-season Class-A affiliate in Hillsboro, where he batted .289/.394/.482 in 22 games/99 plate appearances. His inclusion significantly enhances the deal for Atlanta, who recently parted ways with shortstop Andrelton Simmons. While Swanson won’t be ready to jump to the Majors in 2016 — at least not early on — he gives the Braves a potential Simmons replacement at some point in the 2017 or 2018 season and joins 18-year-old (19 in January) Ozhaino Albies as an elite shortstop prospect rising through the ranks of the Atlanta farm system. BA’s scouting report noted that Swanson has no weaknesses in his toolkit, calling him a prototypical No. 2 hitter that has 15-homer pop with plus speed and a future as a solid, if not above-average defender at shortstop. MLB.com notes that most scouts think he can stick at shortstop, adding that he has off-the-charts makeup and could be in the Majors by 2018. Fun Fact he’s a Georgia boy attended Marietta, local high school in Georgia.

Blair- 23.. is a little more than two years removed from being a first-rounder himself (albeit, a compensatory first-round pick). Arizona selected him 36th overall in 2003, and he currently ranks 61st on MLB.com’s Top 100. BA rated him as the D-backs’ No. 2 prospect, trailing only the aforementioned Swanson. The Marshall University product split the 2015 season between Double-A and Triple-A, pitching to a combined 2.92 ERA with 6.7 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9. BA notes that he has a 91-95 mph heater with heavy sink that generates plenty of grounders in addition to a curveball that misses bats and a changeup that he uses to pitch to contact. MLB.com and BA both agree that Blair is nearly big league ready and should debut in 2016, with both calling him a potential mid-rotation starter.  

This trade just like many for the Atlanta Braves over the past year and half involve shedding payroll Miller/Heyward/ Simmons/Juan Uribe just to name a few for lower level or premium prospects pitching to be exact. Acquiring these prospects most notably players in Double A and Triple A will in a sense speed of the rebuilding process that the braves have entrusted Hart and Coppolella. Furthermore; with these prospects being highly touted and even ranked among top 10 in their former organizations Swanson being ranked 2^nd/Blair 1^st in Dbacks organization could only spell positive vibes for Atlanta in the near future. 

Now if you’re saying to yourself...”Wait isn’t trading prospects for major league talent a risk because in the word “Prospect” meaning potential and not a guarantee like said major league talent?” I do agree Braves are taking a risk trading away not just ordinary major league talent, but above average to elite talent for what they are hoping is equal or better value in multiple players.