Stark's Latest: Braves, Robertson, Igawa

If I were the Yanks, I'd tell Igawa there is a sure fire way to get you back to Japan. Get us our 20 million dollar posting fee back and rip up your contract.

Yeah. Doubtfull.

“One possibly available starter who hasn't gotten much buzz: Nate Robertson. The 30 year-old southpaw hasn't pitched well since '06, and he's signed through 2010.”

…The contract is pretty tough to swallow for a pitcher who doesn’t even touch LgAvg though. 7M next year, 10 the year after and a bonus for IP ~ while who knows where his ERA lands with the 1.4+ WHIP…

“Kei Igawa, signed through 2011, asked the Yankees if they could find a way to ship him back to Japan during the winter. They couldn't find a way to make it work.”

…That’s hard to believe. Wonder if saving face was the biggest factor ~ afterall, cant imagine ESPN would ever stop talking about the PR disaster such a move would create…

Lillibridge is stinking it up bad this year. He's going to have to bounce back big time to be considered a "nice piece" again.

Lillibridge still has value despite his recent struggles. i wouldn't necessarily call him expendable as he would be nice to keep but its true that he probably will not have a role in atlanta other than supersub. i do not see schafer as expendable at all. who's gonna play cf when kotsay's job here is done? as far as i know, jordan schafer is still the braves' cf star of the future...correct me if i'm wrong there. the proposal of lillibridge and james for harden is interesting. i don't know if the braves could snag harden for that price as his comeback seems to be progressing nicely and i think he can still return to ace or near-ace form. even if he didn't, i think that if i were frank wren, that would be a risk i would be willing to take for lillibridge (who is blocked by escobar and would simply be a luxury at the major league level) and james (who can't seem to put together any semblance of his success from last year). i keep schafer for sure, but try to get what i can for lillibridge (perhaps by taking a flyer on a guy like harden).

if i were to trade lillibridge, however, i would not do it now while his stock has taken a bit of a hit. i don't know why he isn't hitting but i would wait until he starts doing so (and i think he will soon) to pull the trigger. it seems counterintuitive, but maybe a callup to atlanta would light a fire under him.

Campillo and JoJo Reyes have pitched really good for the Braves so far although they do have blisters at the moment. So right now we dont have to rush for a trade. Lillibridge and James for Harden is interesting but Harden is just NEVER healthy. But it would be a risk that I might take. No way would I trade Schafer for Maddux and Giles. I just dont think Schafer is expendable like some think he might be.

jacklaf, well Gorkys Hernandez COULD be our CF of the future perhaps if we for some reason did trade Schafer. I would rather see Frenchy in RF, Schafer in CF, and Gorkys in LF. That would be by far the Best defensive outfield in the game.

Anybody think maybe a Tommy Hanson, Lillibridge, Brandon Jones, and Chuck James or Cody Johnson would be enough to get Blanton? I think Hanson could be similar to Blanton.

I like the fact that the braves are looking for a piece to help out now and in the future. However, we really need to make sure that we do not overpay for a pitcher. For one, Campillo and JoJo, as has been mentioned, are not pitching bad at all right now, and Jeff Bennent is capable of being an adequate spot starter as well. Second, Braves#1, the truth is that the package u suggest for Blanton is obviously way too much in terms of potential for blanton, but the reality is that you are exactly right in thinking that would be the asking price. If we want durability, as well as a pitcher who is still quite young and improving, I would love to attempt to get Daniel Cabrera. He will not cost as much in terms of prospects, and probably would put up similar numbers to Blanton. Obviously, his struggles of the past make him less attractive, but those struggles are probably what would make him less costly. I definately think that the braves need to make a move, and hopefully see them do it sooner than later, because our arms in the pen could use a starter who could go seven or eight innings.

Another idea could be a starter in toronto, even though it probably would cost too much and none of the pitchers are avaliable.

Why do people still insist on calling Mike Hampton in Atlanta a debacle? Yeah he's been hurt the last few years, but insurance has picked up most of his salary. Considering the Braves weren't paying him anything from 2003-2005 when he put up 430 IP of better than average pitching, the deal actually worked out pretty well.

As for the possibility of Daniel Cabrera, I don't know that he really fits the Braves criteria. He's not especially young and next year is his last year of arbitration. His underlying stats are also nowhere near as good as his ERA would suggest. I hope the Braves steer clear of him.

I agree with the fact that his underlying stats are not in line with his ERA, but he is improving across the board. He was just a suggestion, as he could be a very capable number 3 in the NL, and would not be overpriced like blanton.