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Braves Have High Asking Price On Erick Aybar

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In the wake of a thumb injury that could cost Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta up to three months, Erick Aybar’s name quickly surfaced as a speculative trade target to replace Peralta in the short-term. Aybar is, after all, an affordable veteran that is one season away from free agency and is playing on a rebuilding Braves club. However, Atlanta GM John Coppolella tells David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the club isn’t keen on trading Aybar.

“Erick Aybar was a big part of the Andrelton Simmons trade,” said Coppolella of the trade in which the Braves landed Aybar, lefty Sean Newcomb and right-hander Chris Ellis in exchange for their franchise shortstop. “We don’t want to trade Erick Aybar; he’s a great, winning player. We need to win more games this year, and he’s going to be a big part of that. So we’re very happy to hold onto Erick Aybar.”

Of course, none of that is a firm statement expressing that Aybar will not be traded; the Braves, after all, offered similar sentiments about Craig Kimbrel last offseason but still traded him to the Padres in a blockbuster deal on the eve of Opening Day. The comments about Aybar, while indicating that the club does indeed value him highly, also are not quite as firm as the adamant stance that Coppolella took against trading first baseman Freddie Freeman. With Freeman’s name swirling in rumors, Coppolella took to the media to publicly state: “I’d give my right arm before we trade Freddie Freeman. It is not happening.”

On paper, Aybar would seem to be a prime trade candidate for the Braves. He’s earning $8.5MM this season in the final year of his contract, and the Braves don’t expect to contend this season, as the bulk of the highly touted minor leaguers they’ve acquired recently won’t be ready for the big leagues until 2017 or, at the earliest, mid-to-late 2016. Then again, Aybar is coming off something of a down season, having followed up a solid four-year stretch from 2011-14 that saw him bat .279/.317/.399 with a meek .270/.301/.338 slash in his age-31 season. O’Brien notes that it’s possible that the Braves could net more for Aybar in a summer trade, and that’s certainly true if he gets off to a good start to the season. In addition to being able to rebuild some of his stock over the season’s first three months, it stands to reason that there will be a greater number of potential suitors looking for a shortstop upgrade.

As O’Brien writes, Coppolella and the Braves feel that the trade in which the club landed Ender Inciarte, Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair in exchange for Shelby Miller accelerated the club’s timeline to contend, thereby shifting their focus to trades that will help them improve in both the immediate future and in the long term. If that is indeed the case, then it does seem unlikely that Atlanta would be able to receive immediate benefit from moving Aybar. Both Swanson and top prospect Ozhaino Albies are a ways from the Majors, and even a mid-2016 projection for either would be an aggressive timeline in forecasting their arrival in the Major Leagues.

Braves Notes: Olivera, Albies, Peterson

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Rival Execs Believe Braves Would Be Willing To Deal Aybar

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  • Despite the fact that the Cardinals will be without Jhonny Peralta for what looks to be a span of two to three months, the team has yet to call other clubs on potentially available shortstops, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark, as it awaits a final decision on Peralta’s recovery. One exec told Stark that he feels Braves shortstop Erick Aybar “has to be at the top of their list,” adding that “of the guys out there, he’s far and away the best player.” The Braves have shown a willingness to trade virtually anyone other than Freddie Freeman, so it would stand to reason that Aybar, a free agent at season’s end, could be had despite sitting atop Atlanta’s depth chart at shortstop. I took a look at a number of speculative shortstop options for the Redbirds shortly after Peralta’s injury.

Braves, Yankees Discussed Heyward/Simmons Blockbuster Last Winter

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Braves, Phil Coke Agree To Minor League Deal

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5:15pm: Coke did not receive an invite to Major League Spring Training, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

4:07pm: The Braves and left-hander Phil Coke have agreed to a minor league contract, reports MLive.com’s Chris Iott (via Twitter). The 33-year-old Coke is a client of Full Circle Sports Management.

Coke began the 2015 campaign with the Cubs but found himself designated for assignment and subsequently released after yielding seven earned runs in 10 innings with the club. Coke latched on with the Blue Jays on a minor league deal but pitched just 2 2/3 innings before the club attempted to option him to Triple-A Buffalo. Coke, as a player with with more than five years of service time, had the right to decline the optional assignment and did so in favor of free agency. He signed a new minor league deal with Oakland after that but surrendered 16 runs in 14 2/3 innings with their Triple-A affiliate and didn’t force his way onto the club’s big league roster.

While Coke clearly had a down year in 2015, he’s a season removed from a 3.88 ERA across 58 innings with the Tigers and entered the 2015 campaign with a lifetime 4.16 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. His ground-ball rate has steadily increased throughout his career, topping 55 percent in each of the past two seasons, and his heater checked in at a strong average of 93 mph in 2015. Coke has held lefties to a .239/.298/.356 batting line throughout his career and will look to work his way into an Atlanta bullpen that also features lefty options in the form of Ian Krol (his former Tigers teammate), Matt Marksberry, Alex Torres and Rule 5 pick Evan Rutckyj.

NL Notes: Cole, Braves, Altherr, Klentak

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Last weekend, it was discovered that Pirates ace Gerrit Cole was displeased to have his contract renewed for the same pay as he earned last season. While Cole may be peeved by the lack of raise, it doesn’t mean he and the club don’t have common ground for an extension, writes Travis Sawchik of Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Former Phillies ace Cole Hamels made similar public comments back in 2008 before inking a three-year, $20MM deal for his arbitration seasons. Sawchik also relates a number of details about Cole’s specific situation as well as the players’ share of revenue league wide – it’s well worth a read.

  • The Braves rotation is a shadow of the unit that dominated the National League for over a decade, writes the associated press for the New York Times. The entire unit has issues. “Ace” Julio Teheran is coming off his worst major league season, and he’s the only lock for a job. As manager Fredi Gonzalez joked, there’s a wave of high profile arms, but they’re “out by the Marshall Islands.” Pitching prospects are notoriously fickle. Before the high ceiling talents get a chance to work in the majors, Atlanta fans will have to hope players like Matt Wisler, Mike Foltynewicz, and Bud Norris can show some sign of life.
  • Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr suffered a left-wrist injury on a diving play yesterday, writes Matt Breen of Philly.com. Altherr had the wrist in a splint today and has not received X-Rays yet. The former prospect is familiar with wrist injuries which sapped his development in late 2013 and early 2014. He doesn’t believe this round is anywhere as serious as his previous injury which required surgery. Altherr is widely expected to start for the Phillies after a breakout 2015 season. In my view, the club could option him if they preferred for him to ease into action in the minors.
  • For those curious about Phillies GM Matt Klentak’s playing background, Mike Sielski of Philly.com has the details. Klentak, 35, attended Dartmouth College where he played shortstop for head coach Bob Whalen – himself a friend of now-Mets GM Sandy Alderson. From there, it’s not a far jump to Moneyball. Klentak also offered a couple interesting quotes, including “Players will reach their ceilings when they’re playing confidently, when they’re in an environment that’s loose and that allows them to be the player that they want to be.“

Andrew McKirahan Out For Season

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Braves GM John Coppolella says lefty Andrew McKirahan will miss the entire 2016 season after tearing an elbow ligament earlier this week, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. As we noted earlier today, McKirahan appears likely to have Tommy John surgery. If he does, it will be his second time having the procedure, having also undergone it in 2012.

McKirahan went from the Cubs to the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft prior to last season, then headed to Atlanta on a waiver claim. He missed half of 2015 due to a PED suspension, but was a regular in the Braves’ bullpen down the stretch. For the year, he posted a 5.93 ERA in 27 1/3 innings, although he had 7.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 and threw a fastball that reached into the mid-90s. As Cunningham notes, McKirahan already faced an uphill battle in making the Braves’ Opening Day roster this season, since the organization has a variety of potential bullpen lefties, including veterans Ian Krol and Alex Torres along with Matt Marksberry, Hunter Cervenka and 2015 Rule 5 pick Evan Rutckyj.

NL Injury Notes: McKirahan, Walden, Hamilton

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Braves lefty Andrew McKirahan has a torn UCL and will likely have Tommy John surgery, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. McKirahan will visit with Dr. James Andrews, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (on Twitter). McKirahan left Wednesday’s game with discomfort in his left forearm and had an MRI. He had previously had Tommy John surgery in 2012. Since then, he headed from the Cubs to the Marlins in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft, then to the Braves on a waiver claim. He posted a 5.93 ERA (albeit with a decent 7.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9) in 27 1/3 innings in 2015, missing a significant portion of the year after a PED suspension. Here are more quick notes on injuries.

  • Cardinals righty Jordan Walden’s return from the shoulder issues that sidelined him for most of last year appears to be going well so far, writes MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. Walden pitched a scoreless inning against the Astros Friday. Walden was a key part of the Braves’ bullpens in 2013 and 2014 and was expected to help the Cardinals after arriving in the late 2014 trade involving Jason Heyward and Shelby Miller. He only pitched 10 1/3 innings last season, however, none after April 29.
  • Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton was scratched from yesterday’s game with a stiff right shoulder, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets. Hamilton had surgery on the shoulder near the end of last season to fix a torn labrum and had conceded late last month that the shoulder wasn’t completely healthy (although he did say it was “feeling good” and that he wouldn’t be limited in Spring Training). There’s no indication yet, however, that the speedster’s current shoulder stiffness is serious.

Braves Release David Carpenter, Ryan Kelly

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The Braves have announced that they’ve released veteran reliever David Carpenter, along with journeyman righty Ryan Kelly. They also sent a number of players to minor league camp, including 2014 first-rounder Braxton Davidson.

Carpenter (not to be confused with the former Angels reliever also named David Carpenter who briefly pitched for the Braves last year) was a key part of the Braves’ bullpen in 2013 and 2014. The Braves sent him and Chasen Shreve to the Yankees for Manny Banuelos prior to the 2015 season, but Carpenter pitched for only two months in New York and was ultimately shipped to Washington. For the year, he posted a 4.01 ERA, 5.5 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 24 2/3 innings, also struggling with shoulder trouble. The Braves signed him to a minor-league deal in November.

The 28-year-old Kelly made it to the Majors in 2015, his ninth year in pro ball. He allowed 14 runs in 16 2/3 innings with the Braves but fared very well in the minors, posting a remarkable 0.77 ERA, along with 9.2 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9, in 47 innings split between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves’ decision to release him this early in camp seemingly reflects a belief that he won’t be able to carry over his minor-league success to the big leagues, but given his minor-league success, he’ll surely get a chance elsewhere.

Swisher Recognizes Reasons For Trade To Braves

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When the Indians signed Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56MM deal prior to the 2013 season, they didn’t anticipate his knees giving him serious trouble just one year in.  By 2015, the deal looked to be a bad one for the Indians and they were more than motivated to unload the money owed to him.  The Tribe found a taker in August, sending Swisher, Michael Bourn’s bad contract, and $15MM to Atlanta for third baseman Chris Johnson.   Swisher says he completely understands the Indians’ reasons for dealing him.

Nick Swisher (vertical)

“It was a business move and I don’t blame [the Indians] for doing that,” Swisher told MLBTR prior to Friday’s Spring Training game against the Phillies. “I got hurt in the second year of a five-year deal [his deal includes an option] and my production was down.  I was hired to do a job and I didn’t get it done, so I don’t blame them.  It made a lot of sense as a business move.”

Now more than 18 months removed from double arthroscopic surgery on his knees, Swisher says that he “feels great” and is eager to show what he can do on the field.  After first undergoing surgery in 2014, Swisher turned in a weak .208/.278/.331 line and followed that up with an even worse .198/.261/.297 batting line in 30 games in 2015.  Now, he believes that he can inch closer to the form he displayed in the previous eight seasons, when he slashed .257/.362/.464 and averaged 26 homers per season.

If Swisher shows in Spring Training that he can hit reasonably well, he might not be in Atlanta for long.  In January, it was reported that the Braves would like to trade Swisher and/or Bourn before Opening Day.  The talk will heat up if Swisher starts raking in March, but don’t expect the 35-year-old to be scanning the web for the latest mentions of his name.

“There’s too much stuff going on to pay attention to that.  I’ve kind of been doing this for a little bit and in the offseason, people write stuff that has no truth to it.  I think, for me, I’ve been doing it long enough to know that it’s all B.S.  Until something does happen, that’s when you can really believe things,” Swisher said.

Swisher finds himself on a team that is designed to compete in 2017, not 2016.  The veteran understands the team’s plan but he is not necessarily crazy about the prospect of spending the year in the cellar.

“It’s different.  It’s something I’m not used to.  Where I’m at in my life and my career, I want to win and I want to win now.  I don’t know how many years I got left,” said Swisher.  “I just know that I want to keep going out there and keep enjoying this piece of grass every day that I keep coming out to.  I’m just so fortunate in my career and I’ve been able to do a lot of great things.  I just want to ride this thing until the wheels fall off and I want to make my mark on this game, somehow.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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