Cool It On Smith, Will Ya? Okay.

It seems like 90% of the trade rumors we hear about the Atlanta Braves are 100% distasteful to Braves fans, and are oddly biased in favor of the other team -- something that is historically rare in recent Braves trades. Perhaps that's why there hasn't actually been a trade that has happened from any of these rumors.

The latest and most often repeated rumor this off-season comes back to the surface, this time with the note that interest has in fact cooled. Here is Colorado Rockies beat writer Troy Renck:

While outfielder Seth Smith remains a coveted commodity, the Atlanta Braves​' interest has cooled, according to a major league source with the direct knowledge of the talks.

The Braves are unwilling to move infielder Martin Prado​, the Rockies' desired target, without an accompanying move to add infield depth.

Three things there. First, I'm glad these talks have cooled. Second, I'm glad that the Braves were holding firm by asking for multiple pieces in exchange for Smith. Third, notice how Prado is said to be infield depth for the Braves. That tells me the Braves still view him has an important backup for Chipper Jones at third base -- as they should.

Renck also says this about the other most often discussed Braves trade chip:

Always a longshot to land Braves pitcher Jair Jurrjens​, Colorado is not pursuing the right-hander, and was never a serious suitor. With six weeks remaining until spring training, the Rockies are currently focusing on minor trades while continuing to canvas for rotation help.

They are really fixated on Prado. Hopefully the Braves would make them pay big time if Colorado were to actually acquire him. And that could have been what submarined the talks. According to Ken Rosenthal, it seems like the Braves were trying to get quite a bit from the Rockies:

Talks with the Braves cooled when the teams could not agree on the pitching prospect that the Rockies would include with Smith to get Martin Prado, sources say.

All off-season we've been hearing that it was one of the center field prospects on the Rockies that the Braves were trying to acquire along with Smith, but to learn that it might have been a pitching prospect is very intriguing. This brings the Braves thinking into light, and gives us an idea of how they are approaching trades. They used to only trade away pitching prospects, but with Jurrjens and Arodys Vizcaino acquired in the last few years, the Braves seem to be trying to use trades to acquire top-end pitching talent.

At this point if a trade is to happen I've got to think that it's going to happen with a team that hasn't been mentioned in any rumors yet. It seems like the Rockies and Orioles trade options have been discussed and shot down so many times that the media has proven there's no match there. Maybe that's just me hoping the Braves don't trade with either of those teams.

UPDATE:

Good point about the pitching prospect from David O'Brien:

If this is the case, if the Braves’ focus with Colorado had indeed shifted from center-field prospect to pitching prospect in package with Smith, then to me that’s an indication Atlanta was and probably still is trying to get center fielder Adam Jones from Baltimore, and would use any pitching prospect it received from Colorado either to replace the one that the Braves might lose in a deal for Jones, or actually use that pitching prospect from the Rockies as part of a package Atlanta would send to Baltimore for Jones because the Braves wouldn’t agree to part with one of their own pitching prospects that the O’s covet.

The problem is that I don't want any of those rumors to come true.