July 27, 2009- Atlanta, GAA lot of big names and blockbuster trades dotted the GABA landscape as wheeling and dealing escalated in the week prior to the trading deadline.
Though they did not make some of those transactions with marquee names, the Atlanta Braves were none-the-less busy during the trading frenzy. General Manager Jobo Foster, leaning heavily on the reports from Braves' scouting, closed two deals that cost two familiar faces and brought in two excellent prospects to bolster the Braves' future.
Deal One: RP Buddy Carlyle (pictured below left), age 31, sent to the Washington Nationals for CF Stephen Englund (pictured above left), age 21.
Carlyle had struggled in Atlanta (4-1, 0 Saves, 5.40 ERA, 34 K in 36.1 IP) earlier this year and has been optioned to AAA affiliate Gwinnett, where he has seemed to get back on track (0-0, 2 Saves, 2.93 ERA, 19 K in 15.1 IP). Braves Scouting Director Roy Benson still considers Carlyle a quality arm coming out of the pen.
"Buddy is just a steady, come-to-work everyday, do his job without flash or frills kind of guy," Benson said. "He can still get it done. Especially so after his stint at AAA. He'd gotten in a bad habit of trying to overthrow and GABA hitters were slamming him. But he's corrected that in the International League; I think he'll do really good for Washington."So why let him go?
"We had a chance to pick up what, I think, is a top outfield prospect that in a few years is going to be knocking the cover off the ball," Benson predicted. "I know he struggled at Hagerstown, hitting lees than a buck-seventy; but, Stephen Englund makes good, solid contact at bat. He's got great power potential, a true cleanup hitter in the making. He's also very patient at the plate; he'll work the count on a pitcher. His defense is about average, but he has a solid combination of speed and acceleration. I can see him one day taking his place in our starting lineup."
Englund has been assigned to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A) and will report there this afternoon.
Deal Tw0: 3B Martin Prado (pictured below right), age 25 sent to the Florida Marlins for 3B Eric Campbell (pictured right), age 23.Earlier this year Florida GM Sam East tried to acquire Prado (who has a .307 batting average in 130 games in the bigs) and couldn't get him because the Braves saw him as an insurance policy should either Chipper Jones or Kelly Johnson go down with injuries. But, since they have stayed healthy, he has languished all season in AAA. Foster has said that Prado would not have been optioned to Gwinnett if the Braves did not feel it was necessary to carry 12 on their pitching staff.
Campbell was also with the Braves in spring training this year and was put on waivers & designated for assignment, taking him off the 40 man roster to make room for Nate McLouth who was acquired just before opening day. But, the Marlins spotted him on waivers and claimed him.
"My predecessor (Roy Clark, fired at the beginning of the season) was not very impressed with Eric," said Benson. "He considered him expendable; so based on his report the Braves waived him." (This reporter recalls seeing Bobby Cox livid over the loss of Campbell.)
Benson continued, but I've always been high on Eric. I believe he could be a dangerous, record breaking hitter as a successor to Chipper at third. Oh yeah, he's strong...if he can reach it, he can put it out of the park. He'll hit for average and he'll work a pitcher in every at bat. He's gonna be something special."
Campbell has been optioned to the Gwinnett Braves (AAA) and Benson believes he will be called up in September.
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