Atlanta Braves: Best Fallback Options Following Recent Signings
The Atlanta Braves lost two key players from their 2013 team as Brian McCann and Tim Hudson chose to go elsewhere in free agency.
General manager Frank Wren will explore all of his options to determine how best to replace them as the hot stove keeps heating up.
While losing both players was not the ideal situation for the Braves, there are options to pursue to ensure the Braves continue their success in 2014.
The Braves can turn their attention to trades, free agents or in-house players to fill their needs.
Here's a look at a few fallback options for the Braves after the recent signings of Hudson and McCann.
1. Kyle Lohse
1 of 5
Kyle Lohse has proven to be a reliable starter the past three seasons and could be a fit for the Braves.
Lohse would make sense in that he would add much needed experience to an inexperienced staff and has the ability to be a front-end starter (sub-3.5 ERA the past three seasons).
Trading for the 35-year-old would give the Braves a solid starter for two years and they wouldn't break the bank to acquire him (due $11 million over next two seasons).
The Brewers haven't actively been shopping the right-hander, but a small market team would surely listen to offers for Lohse.
Lohse looks to be a good fit for the Braves and is worth monitoring this offseason.
2. Paul Maholm
2 of 5
It's been widely assumed that Paul Maholm would be pitching for another team in 2014.
The Braves chose to leave the left-hander off their postseason roster as he struggled down the stretch.
However, the Braves could see the value in Maholm as a stabilizer as well as the likelihood he won't receive a huge deal.
Maholm doesn't offer the front-end ability that Hudson did, but he eats up innings and is reliable.
In terms of ERA, 2013 was his worst season since 2010 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The consistency of Maholm could be something the Braves value highly with the back end of their rotation a question mark (Brandon Beachy injury, Alex Wood and David Hale youth).
3. A.J. Burnett
3 of 5
A.J. Burnett is unsure if he'll pitch in 2014, and the salary he will make could be more than Wren is comfortable paying.
However, the 36-year-old would be a great fit in the Braves rotation.
Burnett rejuvenated his career over the past two seasons in Pittsburgh, winning 26 games over those seasons and striking out 209 batters with a 3.31 ERA in 2013.
Even at his age, Burnett features plus stuff that could allow him to dominate in postseason play despite his struggles this past postseason.
Burnett's price could prevent this from happening in the end, but he looks to be an intriguing option.
.png?w=256)
4. Evan Gattis
4 of 5
I don't view Evan Gattis as a fallback option, but it seems many Braves fans do.
The amount of people saying to trade Gattis or sign a free agent like Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been surprising.
Gattis offers 30-plus home run ability at a very low price.
The 27-year-old was arguably the best hitter for the Braves this postseason, as he was second on the team with a .357 average and led the team with a .438 on-base percentage.
Gattis seems to have a knack to deliver big hits in key moments as he provided many dramatic moments with home runs in 2013.
Prospect Christian Bethancourt offers superior defensive skills to Gattis but needs more time to develop offensively.
The Braves should be thankful to have two quality options at the catcher position for the foreseeable future.
5. J.R. Graham
5 of 5
The Braves could choose to not spend money on pitchers and choose to go with their young prospects.
One prospect that fans should not forget about is J.R. Graham.
MLB.com rates the 23-year-old as the No. 2 prospect in the organization, and it's easy to see why.
Graham compares to a young Hudson, as he is an athletic, right-hander with a mid-90s sinker that allows him to record ground-ball outs at a high frequency.
Graham is coming off a lost 2013 season in which he suffered from a shoulder injury.
I am not suggesting he'll begin the 2014 season in the rotation, but he could take a similar path that Alex Wood took in 2013 to insert himself into the rotation.
The Braves may not need to look outside of the organization to replace Tim Hudson.
.png?w=480)
