Atlanta Braves Have Major Personnel Decisions Looming in July

With the trade deadline just three weeks away, Frank Wren's job has not gotten any easier. One look at the Braves' record, roster, injuries, and payroll situation leaves the GM a bunch of potential decisions.

Braves' fans, as well as the players, coaches, manager, and front office, want to believe the Braves can stay in the hunt in the NL East and find a way into the playoffs.

Count me as one of them. However, if the team continues its puzzling play on the field for the next couple weeks, roster moves could be fast approaching.

The big question on everyone's mind is: What will the Braves do with Mark Teixeira?

Here's where the presence of egomaniacal agent Scott Boras totally screws things up. Jayson Stark is reporting that Boras is looking for contract similar to the one Johan Santana got from the Mets earlier this year.

This is the classic case of the agent being greedy and not doing what's best for the player. There are a number of teams that could pursue Teixeira at the deadline (Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Angels) or during the offseason (Mets, Orioles, Mariners, Indians).

The Braves like Teixeira, on and off the field. He seems to be happy there. His wife is from the area, and he played at Georgia Tech. If he stayed, he'd pair with Chipper Jones to continue give the Braves the best tandem of switch-hitters in baseball. 

Earlier this season, on a midweek national broadcast of a Braves game, ESPN analyst Rick Sutcliffe went so far to say that Teixeira is not only a great fit in Atlanta, but belongs there.

If the Braves keep falling back, it makes sense to get something back for him. They don't have a first baseman in the minors who is ready to step in at the major-league level immediately.

Scott Thorman showed some power last year, but not much else. Kala Kaaihue at AA Mississippi has similar numbers to Thorman—good power and RBI in the minors, but his average and strikeouts are a big concern.

Jason Heyward is having a great start to his professional career as an outfielder and could be switched to first base due to the Braves' depth in the outfield, but he'll be 19 in a month and still playing at Class A Rome this year.

A trade of Teixeira would have to include a player or prospect that could take over first base soon.

One look at the Braves' player salaries tells you all you need to know. The top eight salaried players (which include the recently acquired Julian Tavarez, whom the Braves are only paying the league minimum) are all at the end of their guaranteed contracts after the 2008 season, except for Tim Hudson.

Chipper Jones has an option that will surely be picked up, but his salary goes down to about $12 million in 2009. The salaries of Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Mike Hampton, Teixeira, and Mark Kotsay (and Tavarez) will all be off the books come Nov. 1.

Add up those totals, and you have $59.3 million that was on the payroll this year coming off the books next year. Arbitration numbers mean that the remaining Braves players' salaries (which total $43.5 million) would increase to a range of about $50-$55 million. Most of that $50 or so million would be going to Tim Hudson, Chipper Jones, and Rafael Soriano (about $33 million).

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?