Atlanta Braves: Buyers Or Sellers Question Starting To Bubble

The Atlanta Braves (42-29) lead the NL East and are enjoying a respite, as this is written. Because of their success, trade deadline questions are percolating.

You ever have those moments when you have the TV on in the background, you walk into the room, see or hear something, then begin yelling at those folks wagging their fingers and clacking their teeth? Not even talking about during an actual game, either. That kind of moment happened the other day when I saw a “buyers in play” deal for Manny Machado on MLB Network. Our Atlanta Braves were in that category. It was one of those C+C Music factory moments.

What is meant by that, if you didn’t get the musical reference, is that it isn’t as cut and dry a topic as one would think. Just a few short weeks ago it would have been assumed that our Braves would be “sellers” at the coming trade deadline. The Non-Waiver trade deadline date is July 31st. And approaching fast.

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Even the “A-Train” (Hater of All Haters) is downright positive about where the Atlanta Braves sit currently. Their record is split evenly at home and away, and even with substantive and crucial stints on the DL by a number of key players, Acuna, Soroka, Teheran, Folty, etc., the Braves continue to produce and win games. At this point, in the latter half of June, one can only surmise that this isn’t a mirage, but the beginning fruits of the rebuilding labor of the past few years.

If one, then, comes to that conclusion, the entire “to buy or sell at the deadline” conversation has a taken a whole new turn. If the Braves can win the NL East, and they can, why would you sell for the future? Isn’t the future now, if you are in a Divisional race?

One of the tragic beauties of this season, thus far, has been Starting Pitching. Beautiful, because they have been rock solid, and have helped our team win. Tragic, because they might have been so good that you can’t part with them. Who would’ve ever thought that in March? Well, some of you, but nobody listens to you, because you say it every year.

This year it is true, though. Just look at ERA. Sanchez- 1.93, Folty-2.16, Soroka-2.57, Newcomb-2.70, Teheran-3.97, McCarthy- 4.89. That Teheran ERA is normal, because he has never been able to pitch at STP. McCarthy is the only one getting touched up on a regular basis.

With dudes like Kolby Allard still waiting to get that Major League bump, do we really need to get rid of Markakis for other Pitchers or prospects? That was assumed just a few weeks ago by most experts. Do you get rid of some of this quality pitching to go get a dude like Machado? 3rd Base needs help, but at the expense of pitching? Frankly, this writer has no idea.

It makes sense to play the long game, stick to plan, and get aggressive next year when you have cash. It also makes sense, if these young Pitchers are for real, and Folty and Teheran have started to hone in, to play to win now. A guy like Manny Machado, in this lineup, would make us prohibitive favorites to win our division, assuming the level of pitching hasn’t fallen off.

It’s beautiful that the Atlanta Braves are playing well. But because they are playing so well, philosophical questions that were never really considered have now bubbled to the surface of even national media types. Crazy questions just 5 weeks ago now have become avant-garde and forward thinking.

Next: Atlanta Braves Five Off-Season Free Agent Targets

It’s about to get real, y’all.

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