Braves And Blue Jays Swap Shortstops

Well, this is an odd little swap:

The Braves have acquired shortstop Alex Gonzalez, left-handed minor-league pitcher Tim Collins and minor-league shortstop Tyler Pastornicky from the Blue Jays in exchange for shortstop Yunel Escobar and left-handed pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes.

Gonzalez is having a good year, but he's 33. Escobar is having an awful year, but he's only 27. Braves are clearly in win-now mode.

almost 2 years ago Al Yellon 28 comments 0 recs |

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Pastornicky is a former Lugnut!

We have met the enemy and they are us! ~ Walt Kelly, Pogo, 1971

by Zeke on Jul 14, 2010 11:36 AM CDT reply actions

Yikes. I should have checked my memory/facts first.

Collins is the former Lugnut (2008), not Pastornicky. I would have SWORN T.P. was a Lugnut. Oh well…

We have met the enemy and they are us! ~ Walt Kelly, Pogo, 1971

by Zeke on Jul 14, 2010 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Man, Yunel is way better than Alex.

But he’s also a head case and acts like a baby. So there’s that.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jul 14, 2010 12:58 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

that more than anything

would seem to be the motivation behind this deal. I’m not sure I remember a player weighing on Bobby Cox more than Escobar has the last few years. I think this is the Braves organization showing Cox some respect in trying to get rid of a problem and improve the team for his last run

follow me on twitter for fantasy sports analysis @http://twitter.com/DrewDinkmeyer or get the full analysis at www.fantistics.com

by DartmouthCubsFan on Jul 14, 2010 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed.

Look at how much turmoil Z or MB have caused his team. Yunel is gone to prevent that.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jul 14, 2010 4:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Bobby Cox had his moments with Andruw Jones

But he was able to fix them. And if you’re looking for another SS that made Bobby tear his hair out, look no further then The Blauser.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Jul 14, 2010 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Alex Gonzalez...

makes me sad everytime I hear his name..

by Ryno G on Jul 14, 2010 1:05 PM CDT reply actions

you know

there are a lot of alex gonzalezes. and i’m pretty sure this one isn’t the one that makes you sad.

by circuitclout on Jul 14, 2010 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Well BEFORE a certain series started I referred to THIS one as the BAD

Alex Gonzalez but at the end not so much.

"Lou Piniella's been a great manager for a long time and I stand by him completely"

by Doggie Stalker on Jul 14, 2010 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions

This one definitely isn't the one.

The one who played on the Cubs is no longer active.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jul 14, 2010 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions

You're right..

that was my bad.

by Ryno G on Jul 14, 2010 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Just to clarify I KNOW that

That is why he was the “Bad” Alex Gonzalez. How did I know that the Cubs Alex Gonzalez would be the “bad one” in the end?

"Lou Piniella's been a great manager for a long time and I stand by him completely"

by Doggie Stalker on Jul 14, 2010 10:04 PM CDT up reply actions

This Alex Gonzalez

actually hit the two-run double off Dave Veres in the seventh inning of Game 7 that provided the two insurance runs that the Marlins needed.

So you can be sad about that.

by Josh Timmers on Jul 15, 2010 12:53 AM CDT up reply actions

wow

thats dumb

by jesus christos on Jul 14, 2010 1:33 PM CDT reply actions

Maybe the Braves would think

that Fukudome or Z would help them win now.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Jul 14, 2010 1:52 PM CDT reply actions

If Atlanta would take on 100% of their remaining contracts....

I would let them go for nothing. To me, to have those contracts off the books along with Lee and Lilly at the end of this year, now suddenly we’re back in business. Hey, I can still dream, right?

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Jul 14, 2010 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

dreaming is illegal in these parts

by jesus christos on Jul 14, 2010 2:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Braves don't do No-Trade clauses

And last I checked Z has one and Fukudome has a list of 15 teams he can’t be traded to.

"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman

by BucknerKongCardenal on Jul 14, 2010 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Horrible trade on Braves Part

Escobar is probably better than Gonzalez right now (true talent) and is under team control for 3 (?) more years. Gonzalez is a journeymen at best. Unless the two pitchers they got are legitimate prospects, this was a bad trade.

by JSB on Jul 14, 2010 3:19 PM CDT reply actions

I suppose....

… they’re hoping to get the rest of this year as a decent year out of Gonzalez and then figure out what to do. This is clearly a win-now deal.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jul 14, 2010 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not disagreeing

but the true talent Escobar is hitting .238 / .334 / .284 this year. I think the Braves have had enough of Escobar.

by rlpete on Jul 14, 2010 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions

They've had enough of his attitude

and his bat.

by Josh Timmers on Jul 15, 2010 12:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Un pregunta....

Do you have to get a special work permit to play baseball in Canada? Or does a player need a work permit if they don’t live in the U.S but play ball in the U.S?

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." John Lennon

by Cubbiegoon on Jul 14, 2010 4:37 PM CDT reply actions

You do need work permits and proper visas.

There have been occasions when teams have been held up entering Canada because players’ paperwork was not in order.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jul 14, 2010 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions

We still have baseball in Canada?

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jul 14, 2010 4:51 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Toronto is a pretty cool city to visit I've been told.

Course a lot of reasons for that I couldn’t state here.

"The ones who want to achieve and win championships motivate themselves." - Da Coach

by Sandberg's evil twin on Jul 14, 2010 7:10 PM CDT up reply actions

cryptic

"Wait, are you saying I'm a sunshine-pumping, koolaid-drinking, Soriano-loving, rainbow-rising, unicorn-riding, double-clutching, Sweet Lou-backing, Hendry-supporting, hey hey whaddya saying, Cubs are going all the waying, glass is overflowing, Rothschild is all-knowing, Cubs fan? - ballhawk

by vonde6 on Jul 14, 2010 7:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Underage (to us) drinking, strip clubs, and casinos, I assume.

You could probably throw in decriminalized pot, too.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Jul 14, 2010 8:53 PM CDT up reply actions