Should the Atlanta Braves be Buyers or Sellers at the Deadline?

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Brian McCann has also seen a stint on the DL due to an eye infection but with the aid of some sports glasses, he seems to have now come around increasing his average and hitting around .300 since his return from the DL. 

Bench

The Bench has been fairly strong all year. 

However, the loss of Omar Infante really hurt the Braves.  Infante was the everything man and that had to be replaced.  Luckily Martin Prado stepped up and assumed the role and now has moved off the bench and into the starting lineup. 

Matt Diaz has been a big bat off the bench and a great sub for Francoeur and Anderson.  David Ross was a great offseason acquisition to serve as McCann's backup, and has been questioned as to taking over at first to help add some more power to the lineup. 

Now it comes down to the Trade Deadline and many people are doing everything just short of begging for the Braves to make a trade to add a big bat in the lineup and get rid of Francoeur, Johnson or Kotchman. 

First off, I don't want people to forget the 1991 Braves team that came back from 9.5 games out of first place to win the division. The way the Phillies and Mets are playing there is a  lot of opportunity to cut into the four-game deficit the Braves currently have. I don't really know If trading away a  lot of this team would help now or later.

That being said I would actually sit on this team this year.

Unless you can add a bat without giving up a lot in return. This team could break out at any moment. They won the last two games without Chipper, Frenchy hasn't been power, KJ has been anything but good, but Prado is adding a spark and McCann and McLouth are keeping this team together. If they can break out this is a very strong team. 

I have to say Frenchy has been slowly progressing and getting a little better. With that comes a little more confidence.

If the Braves were to trade for an outfielder, I would like to see them keep Frenchy the rest of the year and see if the new right fielder pressures Frenchy to be more patient. In the past he knew he would be back because the Braves didn't have anything else so why work hard to change his approach.

Now if they have someone who can replace him he might open his eyes and see he can be so much better and at the same time the Braves are showing confidence in him to get better, but allowing him to understand he is expendable. If the right package comes along (which I don't see) it could be worth trying.

So in conclusion, I would recommend that Frank Wren entertains all offers, and inquires about all possibilities, but in the end if he has to give up too much to recieve a player not to pull the string. 

This team is capable of winning a lot of ball games and they have a lot of second half players.  So we need to just wait and see, wait and see, but please don't be sellers and just keep what you got until the offseason.

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