What it will take to get Martin Prado

by Keith-Allen on Dec 2, 2011 2:50 AM EST

Recently the Braves offered Martin Prado to the Rockies for uber-prospect 3B Nolan Arenado and
Outfielder Seth Smith. The Rockies respectfully declined the offer. Those 2 players are about the equivalent to Nick Castellanos and Brennan Boesch. So as of right now, that asking price for Prado is quite high.

Frank Wren, the Atlanta Braves GM, has said that he doesn’t plan on trading Prado unless he knows the team is being improved. So anyone that was thinking the Tigers could trade Delmon Young straight up for Prado, that's just not going to happen. What the Braves want is a 3B prospect that can take over for Chipper Jones when he retires. Their current plan is to move Prado to 3B when Chipper retires. That's why they would be reluctant to trade Prado. They also want a low cost outfielder that would replace Prado in LF. So a trade that's going to work for the Braves is going to start with Nick Castellonos and one of our cheap corner outfielders. So we'd also have to give up either Boesch, Raburn, or Dirks (Delmon Young is too expensive for the Braves). Of that group, I think it would probably be Raburn that gets traded.

So right now, one way to get Prado is if we give up Castellanos and Raburn. That's a pretty steep cost for us and I'm sure a lot of people won't be happy if we make that trade. I understand why the Braves would be asking for that much though. Prado is an excellent versatile player, that the Brave's fans love very much.

There is one other possibility though. The Braves are also looking for a Center Fielder that could take over for Michael Bourn when he leaves. The only CF we got is Austin Jackson. So the next proposal would be AJax for Prado straight-up. Perhaps this is something the Tigers are considering and why they have shown interest in Coco Crisp and Yoenis Cespedes. Essentially we'd be getting either Crisp or Cespedes and Prado, and losing AJax. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I love AJax, but I think this would actually make our team better.

Some difficult decisions may be ahead. Winter Meetings start next week.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bless You Boys writing staff.

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Comments

Braves fan here

I think either proposal would be accepted but I don’t think your GM would consider either.

by Jay212033 on Dec 2, 2011 4:29 AM EST reply actions

Agreed

While I’m a fan of Prado coming to Detroit this offseason, I don’t like how high his asking price is currently. There are other options available (though, admittedly, not as good as Prado) that are far cheaper. Trading Jackson for Prado just fills one hole while creating another (I’m not high on Coco Crisp at all, as you’ll hear on the podcast later today).

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Dec 2, 2011 8:15 AM EST up reply actions

Like to have Prado but I like AJAX too

His D in CF is too important in spacious CF. Trade Young for a pitcher. Tigers should be calling any team looking for a DH. Young, very good hitter, but his range is not too good but can play LF in a pinch.

by Barry2 on Dec 2, 2011 9:50 AM EST reply actions

Teams don't trade for DH's

If a team needs a DH they fill it through the market by either:

1 – Signing a decent-defense guy that bumps a poor defender to DH (like if we signed Crisp and moved Delmon to DH)

2 – Signing a DH…like Thome, or Matsui, or Papi, or Damon, or Doumit, or Andrew Jones…there are a million of them on the market – absolutely no need to trade talent for one.

As bad as Delmon is in the field, he’s still better than a lot of guys in the league (see list above). I don’t think we’ll be trading Delmon with his salary. He’s not going to walk and he’s not a good LF and he’s not a very good #3 hitter, but he might hit 25 bombs and drive in 100 runs for 6-7M. I’ll take it.

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

by momotigers on Dec 2, 2011 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

That is why I would be asking for a solid 7 inning pitcher.

If we trade or keep Young is okay with me. I do like his bat and his salary. He just not a complete player.

by Barry2 on Dec 2, 2011 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

If he hits 25 bombs and drives in100 he is good in any spot but lead off who cares if he doesn’t walk…hit the ball drive in runs dont throw bats at umpires that’s his job

by syper17 on Dec 2, 2011 6:00 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

He has never hit 25 home runs in a season

Your right though he is a good hitter, I just him to hit 288 or near lifetime average.

by Barry2 on Dec 2, 2011 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

As much as I would like to see Prado sporting the old english D

Wren’s asking price for him is just ridiculous right now. I’m not much of a Kelly Johnson fan, but I’d take the flyer on him, before trading off significant pieces of the Tigers future for Prado.

by jumpsuit on Dec 2, 2011 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Great post

The asking price is simply too high. There are better alternatives. We could net a much bigger catch with the package the Braves want.

Chicks dig me, because I rarely wear underwear and when I do it's usually something unusual

by BrianCMU. on Dec 2, 2011 3:33 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

It's going to take a lot of martinis

Come on DD, get Frank Wren really drunk!

"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz

"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching

Contributor, Bless You Boys

by David Tokarz on Dec 4, 2011 4:58 PM EST reply actions

Perhaps Ali can help

If you see this man,

Tell him how great Raburn would be if he played LF for the Braves. He’s a southern boy that would fit perfect in Atlanta. He can also play 3B, if Chipper gets injured. He’s due to have a big year. He had a .341 AVG with a .967 OPS in the 2nd half of last season.