Braves Trade Mark Teixeira to Angels

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jul 29, 2008 9:47 PM EDT

The Braves have traded Mark Teixeira to the Angels for first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor leaguer Steven Marek. The Teixeira situation has been a mess for the Braves, who paid a king's ransom to get him last year and are getting back significantly less than that. Still, this isn't a bad trade in isolation, when you consider that Teixeira is now only a rental. Marek's only a good minor league reliever, but Kotchman is still young and should benefit from a move to the easier league. He should be decent and cheap for the next few years--think Adam LaRoche, but less inconsistent.

Obviously, this probably shuts the book on the Jason Bay-to-Atlanta rumors, if that book weren't on the shelf collecting dust already anyway.

By the way, this trade highlights the importance of trading star players before impending free agency causes their value to dwindle. By this point next year, Neftali Feliz, who the Rangers acquired in the first Teixeira trade a year ago, could be one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. Elvis Andrus, another player the Rangers acquired, is quietly putting together a decent year at Class AA at age 19 and still has a ton of upside. And all three of the other players who came to Texas look like they have some kind of future.

That's the price the Braves paid for a year and a half of Teixeira (and a half of a year of passable reliever Ron Mahay). Now they're selling a half a year of Teixeira, and they're getting a league-average first baseman with a hint of upside and a minor league reliever.

This is why it's a good idea to aggressively shop someone like Bay now rather than later.

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Comments

Bay

If NH currently feels we can’t resign Bay in the next 18 months, he has to deal Bay now. If he waits until the offseason to trade Bay, he’ll get less. The only way I see holding on to Bay is if NH believes he has a good chance to extend Bay in the offseason. Personally, I think we do have a good chance to extend him in the offseason and would be happy if we did. We gotta put the Matt Morris savings somewhere, right? And if the Nutters ever want to field a competitive team, Bay’s $12-15M per extension shouldn’t take money away from signing the Alvarezes of the future.

by Chad Bahamas on Jul 29, 2008 7:07 PM EDT reply actions

To me this paves the way for a Bay trade, not the opposite

They will need another big bat and instead of overpaying for a free agent, they can acquire Bay and control him next year.

If I had to guess, I think this trade makes a Bay trade very likely.

by buccoboy on Jul 29, 2008 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

Bay

No way should the Pirates ever extend Bay… certainly not at $12-15 M per year. I don’t think that they should extend him … period.

by thegunner on Jul 29, 2008 7:56 PM EDT reply actions

thegunner

I would agree with you that Bay is not worth $15 million/yr and so I would not be upset to see him go if that is truly his asking price. Although I would prefer to keep him, I would not be opposed to a trade that gives us in return some quality players with a definite up-side and not the “innings-eaters” we received from the Yankees. In fact, I’d much rather see the money go into signing Latin youngsters and would be pleased if we got some ones with very-large upsides—even if they don’t pan out. You can take the $15 million that might have gone to Bay and sign 30 teenagers at $500,000 each and should be able to find at least two who can put up numbers similar to Bay.

by Illinois Pirate Fan on Jul 30, 2008 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Buccoboy...

I read that way too. The traded for Kotchman and not a prospect which means, IMO, they are thinking about competing again next year. Also, there offense centers around Chipper Jones who isn’t getting younger so they are definitely in a win now mode. If they make the trade for Bay the upgrade a pathectially power absent outfield. That move coupled with getting Kotchman is definitely an upgrade from Tex. I see them as our best suitor, potentially.

by Slick1 on Jul 29, 2008 9:38 PM EDT reply actions

So much for 4 prospects for Bay

If the Braves only received a young major leaguer (though a very good one) and a minor leaguer (not a very good one) for Tex, no way the Pirates can expect any more than that. Tex has better career stats than Bay, though not by much, and Tex is a year younger. That being said, who do the Braves have to make this trade work for both sides?? I’d settle for a top prospect and two minor prospects.

by long4willie on Jul 30, 2008 1:13 AM EDT reply actions

1.5 years left for Bay, 0.5 for Tex

That’s a huge difference, which will be reflected in Bay’s trade value. Bay is also cheaper than Tex, and that helps his trade value as well.

The only guy on the Braves who could anchor a Bay deal for me is Howard, and they’ve said that he’s not on the table.

I’m glad that Tex went to a team that wasn’t interested in Bay, since it helps us keep our options open ( with Boaton and Tampa and the real LA and such).

by Vlad on Jul 30, 2008 1:30 AM EDT up reply actions