What to do about 2nd base?

[frosgrim]

It certainly seems that the Braves will have a different starting 2nd baseman for the 2014 season. The question is who that guy will be.

From what I can gather here are the options:

1) Trade Uggla for Brandon Phillips of the Reds. Plus is that this sounds like a swap of guys who no longer fit in with their clubs. More than likely it will cost the Braves a upper mid prospect. Phillips could bat leadoff and plays good defense. The problem is that he's in decline and is 32 years old.

2) Sign Omar Infante. We know what he gives you, a good but not spectacular bat, very good defense and all out hustle. The problem is what do you do with Uggla? Second, how does a mid-spending team eat Ugg's contract AND pay for a guy like Infante who will get a good salary this year? I really don't see this one happening.

3) Hope that super prospect La Stella continues to develop and can take over at 2nd in spring. You then move Uggla for whatever you can get or just release him. I say this is the most likely scenario as La Stella is performing well in the Fall League and can bat leadoff. He's already 24 so now is the time to call him up.

Add your ideas here about other trades or moves to fix the 2nd base problem. What I'm nearly certain of is that Uggla will not be with the team come the end of Spring Training.

[macdaddy]

Trade Uggla for something. I wouldn't trade for Philips or I think we're back where we started. I'd go young a second. If we get just middling production from a second baseman that's way ahead of Uggla. We just need a solid contact hitter and good fielder. The team will sink or swim on the productions for Uptons, heyward and freddie.

[benhillboy]

Get rid of Uggla. I don't care how or what we get back. Prime example of addition by subtraction. I also wouldn't touch Phillips with a ten foot pole. He's a child. I wouldn't mind Infante back at all. Better all around player than Uggla at a discount big enough to start construction on the new stadium a year in advance.

Edited November 11, 2013 by benhillboy

[DJlaysitup]

The Uggla situation is a tough one in my opinion. Obviously if we could trade him for a 3 day old donut (and get out from under his contract) we would.

I just hate seeing our team paying guys not to play for us. I would keep him and hope that the experience of being left off the playoff roster gets his head straight and gets him to bat for average. He is most likely a lost cause though...

[frosgrim]

The Uggla situation is a tough one in my opinion. Obviously if we could trade him for a 3 day old donut (and get out from under his contract) we would.

I just hate seeing our team paying guys not to play for us. I would keep him and hope that the experience of being left off the playoff roster gets his head straight and gets him to bat for average. He is most likely a lost cause though...

I agree DJ, i think this is why the Phillips deal is being talked about. Essentially the Reds give up their problem for our problem. Unfortunately, the Braves will have to include some other minor league talent. In the short-run this might make sense, but Phillips has two or three years on his contract.

My hope is that Wren takes a deep breath and realizes that we can roll the dice with the cheap, but unproven La Stella and still retain some financial flexibility as well as not having to move any trade pieces. Uggla can compete for a job in Spring. If he doesn't show anything just cut him. It is a ton of salary to eat, but isn't it better to eat that salary than to take on another bad contract while loosing prospects?

The only argument I could make for making the Phillips trade is that it does utilize Uggla's salary in the following manner. If we move Ugs for Phillips, then we can see if Phillips can actually play for us and be a productive player. If so, then we got something for Ugs' salary. If we release Ugs we can't also trade for Phillips because we are still paying Uggla. I could see Wren using this logic to make the deal happen.

[MrMeltdown]

I would trade him for Ian Kinsler of the Rangers.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/hot-stove-texas-rangers-ian-kinsler-elvis-andrus-face-squeeze-out-matt-garza-jason-vargas-matt-wieters-max-scherzer-110913

Kinsler has 4 years 57 million left on current contract.

Uggla has 2 years $26 million left.

I totally understand that you would be taking on more salary, $31 million more for the extra 2 years, but I would do it because Kinsler is a definite upgrade and has a professional bat which we could use.

On the other hand, the Infante thought is also good. If you could pay him $31 million or less over 4 years then that would be a deal that is just as good or better than getting Kinsler.