But yes, the Braves just got better. As I noted above, I cannot fathom this trade. Are the Feesh trying to tell us that even given their tightwad, piss-on-the-fans mentality they could not have found a taker for a 30-homer, 105-ribby guy pretty much in his prime outside the division at the very least? Or that these two mediocrities are the best they could have gotten for him? If I didn’t value what little hair I have left I’d be scratching my head over it in my sleep. I always knew Scrooge McLoria and the Chihuahua were a couple of Fagins, but I now have to consider seriously the proposition that Larry Beinfest is an idiot, too. My metaphysical foundations are being shaken. I might just blow this team off altogether next season and instead watch soc…soc…soc…no, I can’t say it. Not yet. But I fear that I’ll be desperate enough to blurt it out by the end of the GM’s meeting.

As for this trade, well done on Wren’s part to recognize an available salary dump and capitalize on it. Seems to me that the logical move now is to use their horde of young pitching to find out just how available Colby Rasmus really is. CF is their only major hole remaining, and Rasmus being pre-arb makes him even more attractive. The Braves aren’t big spenders, but they have enough of a budget that they can afford to use prospects as trade chits and not be ruined. It’s time to cash in.

Yes, this is the salary dump that I have been predicting all along. The Feesh are going to be taking up the cellar with the blacksnakes and vinegaroons this coming season, reconstituted boolpen or not. Last season they couldn’t hold a lead. This coming season, they’re going to be lucky to have any leads to hold.

I want to see if the Player’s Association tolerates this. I hold out no hope, of course, that our drooling decerebrated dithering dolt of a commissioner will burp about it.