the deadline

So... here we are a few days before the non wavier deadline, one of my favorite times of the year. It seems no matter how good our team is that every year we need a piece or two for the August and September stretch run. It would appear that the 2012 Braves need about three pieces to make a deep run into October, and with Greinke gone and Dempster unlikely; it looks like the front office will have to make do with two of the three. The starting pitcher will have to come from the current forty man roster

Many of us Braves fans have been wanting Kris Medlen in the starting rotation all year and it would seem that will be the case on Tuesday. Through out his career with the Braves we are 14-4 behind him when he starts, which is a whole lot better than we can say for some of the guys that have pitched for us this year (Jurrjens). Chris has one of the best change ups in the game today and has been a solid bullpen guy all year. With his return to the rotation we are able to keep all of our young arms with in the system and not spend twenty million per year on a guy like Greinke. All in all a good move for the 2013 through 2018 clubs.

The hangup with 54 moving to the starting five is we have to find a lock down bull pen arm. This year we have not enjoyed the same seventh, eighth, and ninth as we did last year. Kimbrell has been all but untouchable, and O'flaherty has been pretty solid, but we can't count on Venters like we did last year. So we  find the largest whole of the Brave's ball club in the bull pen.  If we are not able to make some sort of move before Tuesday to fill the hole in the bullpen I believe we are going to have a tough time down the stretch.

We also have to replace Matt Diaz, who is sidelined for the second time in his career with with splinters from a palm tree. Yea, you read right, splinters from a palm tree. the top of our line up is strong: Bourn, Prado, Heyward, Jones, Freeman, and McCann, but they can be a little suspect when facing a top lefty. The obvious answer is a right handed bat that can come off of the bench. I don't know who that might be, but the less obvious answer... wait for it...  TRADE UGGLA. If we could get a contact type of left fielder for old Dan and move Prado back to his natural position if think that would extend the line up enough to make a run into the post season.

Please understand that I don't have Frank Wren's job for a reason, but I'm trying to think out of the box a little. The Braves might be able to fill two needs by moving Uggla. He should be worth a bull pen arm and a left fielder. All I know is we have to do something before Tuesday.  

GO BRAVES!!!