Atlanta Braves news and links: Team explains why Dansby Swanson is “untouchable”

BRAVES NEWS

Braves front office explains why Swanson is nearly “untouchable” in trade talks

When the Chris Sale trade rumors were flying all over the place, it was eventually reported that the Braves had deemed Dansby Swanson as being untouchable in any trade. That was probably the move that ultimately convinced the White Sox to move on, but keeping Swanson in the fold is a pretty smart move. John Coppolella and John Hart recently spoke to the AJC and explained why they’re so high on their potential shortstop of the future.

“I mean, I [Hart] had Omar Vizquel for years. Loved him. And he was always in the shadow of A-Rod because (Alex Rodriguez) hit 40. And (Nomar) Garciaparra, and all those guys. But Dansby’s got the same kind of qualities. Omar was a gifted offensive player, but (beyond that) he’s one of those guys that you just go, man, he just makes your team better, makes your clubhouse better. To answer your question, everybody I talk to says, ‘Boy, I love your shortstop (Swanson). I love the way this guy plays.’ The guys got some qualities that remind me of some really good players. Great leaders.”

Coppolella then got into the conversation: “Yeah, and just to John’s points, I don’t think you can put any playables or comparisons on him, I just know we’re better with him, and the whole is greater than the parts. This is a special guy that makes people around him better. He’s in the right spot, he gets the big hit at the right time. And he’s somebody that you feel good when you see him there in the lineup at shortstop. He’s just somebody we’re real fortunate to have. And we hope that he’s here for a very long time.”

TC Roundtable: Are the Braves on the right track?

It’s time for another roundtable here at this lovely Braves community, and the first topic of our recent roundtable series has to do with whether or not the Braves are on the right track when it comes to the grand rebuild that the Braves are still in the middle of right now.

TC prospect rankings: 25-21

While the staff roundtable gave their opinion on whether or not the rebuild was on the right track, our minor league crew got down to brass tacks when it came to actually ranking the most important prosspects on the farm. The top 25 preseason prospect ranking list officially got underway, with number 25 being Brett Cumberland.

Collier County, FL says “no” to Braves spring training complex

The Braves can officially cross one particular location off of their list of potential new homes for spring training, as the Sarasota Herald-Tribune is reporting that the Collier County commission has decided to end talks with the Braves in regards to a spring training complex. The search continues for the Braves as far as a new spring training home is concerned.

MLB NEWS

Pirates want “MLB-ready” players in potential McCutchen trade

In a sign that the Pirates have probably shifted positions on their decision to trade Andrew McCutchen, rumor has it (via Jon Heyman) that the Pirates are seeking “MLB-ready” talent in a potential trade. It’s a big leap from the prospect haul that they were reportedly after, and our friends at Bucs Dugout are starting to believe that McCutchen probably won’t be traded this offseason.

Kenley Jansen had higher offers from other teams

Conventional knowledge of this year’s free agent market had us believing that Kenley Jansen was going to be in line for a substantial payday, and he eventually got it from the Dodgers as he ended up re-signing with Los Angeles for $80 million over five years. As it turns out, Jansen decided that familiarity meant more than getting as much money as possible, because he apparently had offers on the table from teams who were offering even more money — namely the Nationals and Marlins.

Jansen’s agent, Adam Katz, spoke with Joel Sherman about Jansen returning to the Dodgers, which Sherman revealed in a series of tweets.

“The Nationals’ presentation was exceptional and generous and for more money. They conducted recruitment of this player in a high caliber professional way. Kenley and I were very impressed,” Katz said. “At the end of the day Kenley loves Los Angeles, his Dodger family, the fans here and although money was a factor, it wasn’t the most important thing.”