Brace yourselves, Atlanta Braves fans. Another franchise player might be about to make his exit.
Less than a week after the Braves traded slick-fielding shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Los Angeles Angels, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal quoted an unnamed MLB official who said Atlanta is, "shopping everyone owed money."
As Rosenthal added, that includes right-hander Julio Teheran and veteran outfielders Nick Markakis and Cameron Maybin.
But the biggest name potentially on the block—the one that could leave the Braves faithful thrashing in their sleep—is first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Freeman has already been dangled, and another unnamed official told Rosenthal that trade chatter around 26-year-old two-time All-Star was "the talk of the [Arizona] Fall League" as rival scouts began to circle.
Why wouldn't they? Freeman is a rare talent, and he's locked up through 2021 after inking an eight-year, $135 million extension in 2014.
That's a sizable investment, even for a player with as much skill and potential as Freeman. And while the trio of 20-home run seasons he posted between 2011 and 2013 teased superstar power, he's hit just 18 in each of the last two seasons and watched his OPS decline.
Plus, there's the wrist injury that cost Freeman time last season and kept him out of the starting lineup for the Braves' final four games.
So, while prospective suitors will undoubtedly come calling, they might be wary about absolutely emptying the farm.
That's what the Braves need to demand, though, and if they can't get it, they should keep Freeman—from a strategic and public-relations standpoint.
Remember, this is a club that won 96 games in 2013. They had Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Brian McCann, Craig Kimbrel and Simmons. They were a young, hungry squad on the rise.
Or not, as it turned out. Two seasons later, the franchise is in full rebuild mode. They lost 95 games in 2015 and avoided the cellar in the National League East only thanks to the even-more-woeful Philadelphia Phillies.
That would seem to be an argument for jettisoning Freeman, shedding his salary and further restocking the farm. But as the Braves get ready to move into their shiny new stadium in 2017, they need to give the tomahawk-chopping masses something to hang their hopes on.
If they can move Freeman and net a glistening pile of blue chips, fine. But if the best they can muster is the type of good-but-not-overwhelming return they got for Simmons, they should take a pass.
Yes, Atlanta snagged left-hander Sean Newcomb, the Halos' No. 1 prospect and the No. 19 prospect in the game, according to MLB.com. And they added veteran shortstop Erick Aybar, who could replace Simmons' production at the plate if not in the field.
To part with Freeman, however, the Braves need to get more.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who acquired Heyward from the Braves for right-hander Shelby Miller last November, need a boost in their lineup and have a perennially fertile farm system.
The Angels could use a slugging first baseman as they look to protect Mike Trout and ease Albert Pujols into a designated hitter role, though they just spent their trade capital on a deal with these same Braves.
The Boston Red Sox, who are loaded with minor league talent, might be the best fit, especially if they can somehow dump Hanley Ramirez. New President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has a history of aggressive wheeling and dealing and has already moved to bring in Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres.
If the Red Sox were willing to send back a top prospect like infielder Yoan Moncada and/or one of their young, MLB-ready studs such as shortstop Xander Bogaerts or catcher Blake Swihart, Atlanta should pounce.
Otherwise, keep Freeman in a Braves uniform and construct the rebuild around him.
Every decision a front office makes should ultimately be about winning, either now or in the future. But GMs and executives also have to consider perception and loyalty as they aim to appease the folks who buy the tickets and sip the overpriced beer—as David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution spelled out:
...Simmons and Freddie Freeman are the last two fan-favorite players left on the team, the kind of players whose names you see on the back of countless jerseys and T-shirts at every Braves home game, and scattered around road stadiums when the Braves are in town, too.
Fans want to know they can become attached to players and that not every one of them is going to be shipped out. But if a fan got attached to a particular Braves player during the 2013 or 2014 seasons, that player is most likely gone now.
Freeman, on the other hand, is still around—for now. That could change soon, and perhaps it'll ultimately be for the best.
Before the Braves agree to any deal involving Freeman, however, they'd better be damn sure they're getting a king's ransom. Because if they don't, Atlanta's loyal subjects might make an exit of their own.
All statistics and contract information current as of Nov. 15 and courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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