Billy and Takashi: Reactions to a Gun-Slinging Braves' GM

Well, the last two days were exciting, weren't they?

Two legitimate end-of-the-'pen options coming in.

Sure, they're 38 and 39, but Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito's track records indicate that they know what they're doing.

Wagner is sitting just a few saves short of 400 with 1,092 career Ks.

Saito sports a career 2.05 ERA that he has accumulated since turning 36 in his first Major League season with the Dodgers.

Despite their injury 'issues' (and I use 'these' for a reason), these guys are solid pick-ups.

Wagner's coming back from a surgery that sports a success rate in the 90s, and Saito experienced no issues with his elbow with Boston last season.

Yes, this gives the Braves these two as major parts of their team (late-inning relief with no legit replacements if both were to go down; but when you weigh their 'fixed' risks versus Soriano and Gonzalez's 'nagging' risks for about $4-8MM less, you have to like the value.)

What I can say most about these moves, though, is this: it's nice.

It's nice to see an offseason progressing quickly.

It's nice to see the Braves' front office getting what they need.

And, more than anything, it's nice to see the Wren-bashers receding into their holes.

"Oh, he's an idiot."

"Oh, he doesn't respect this team."

"Oh, he doesn't get anything done...it's just talk, talk, talk and no action."

That's what we saw last year around the Braves' blogosphere.

Now, not so much.

You know why?

Because all of his moves, to an extent, have proved to be successful.

Edgar Renteria became Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez (who became Nate McLouth).

Prospects became Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan.

Smoltz became Kawakami and Lowe (in a roundabout way).

Losing Glavine became gaining Hanson.

Casey Kotchman became Adam LaRoche's second half.

You see? 

This guy's starting to get respect, and based on the above series of moves, I trust the Saito and Wagner signings.

Are they the lefty-righty dynamic duo that Soriano and Gonzo were?

No.

But should they be solid?

Yes.

Now let's just hope that someone like Marlon Byrd or Mike Cameron is boarding a plane to Atlanta...and we can rest even easier in Braves' Nation (but, I don't know if my heart can handle another press conference this week without exploding). 

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