It’s becoming more clear — Jair Jurrjens will be traded.
From what I can read into Braves fans’ comments all over the web, there is a very mixed emotional bunch on the subject. You can weigh all the pros and cons of it folks, but it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time. Jon Heyman is reporting that 10 teams are now involved and that the Reds are very interested in him. If you have 10 teams involved, chances are one will offer a big enough package to pry him away from the Braves.
It’s time to face reality. I was one who was extremely excited to see him come to Atlanta and thought Wren pulled off an unforgettable trade. I thought Jurrjens could be the next ace for the team, at the very least a solid number two. I still think that hasn’t changed.
But the best part of it, the Braves have guys waiting in the wings who can be the same thing, and cheaper. Guys like Julio Teheran, Randall Delgado, Mike Minor. And with the emergence of Brandon Beachy, Jurrjens becomes expendable. It’s part of baseball, and any pitcher should know coming to Atlanta sets a higher standard. It’s why the Braves don’t sign many free agents. They know they’ll have to trade them before their deal is up, it’s the way they work. When you have a prospect-rich minor league stocked with ace-caliber starting pitchers, it’s the best position to be in.
Martin Prado might not be traded, but we’ve seen the last of Jair Jurrjens.
Ken Rosenthal is reporting that teams view Edgar Renteria as a jack-of-all-trades bench player who can play various positions and is a nice backup to third. Anyone else thinking what I’m thinking? If the Braves do trade Prado, a person like Renteria becomes even more necessary. So, If you see the Braves trading Prado, look for a Renteria signing. And if you see a Renteria signing, look for a Prado trade.
With the moves by the other teams in the NL East, Wren’s feeling a little bit of pressure to pull off some deals himself.