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Years from now, fans of the Atlanta Braves might or might not remember the few players they have seen go to other teams this past offseason and during the regular season, but they will not be able to forget the perfection of the trade market achieved by interim GM John Hart and company. The most recent trade that reached perfection is a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks that sent Phil Gosselin away for veteran pitcher Bronson Arroyo and pitching prospect Touki Toussaint.
On the surface, this deal might not look perfect and in fact might look puzzling, but once the true nature of the trade comes to light, the brilliance can be clearly seen. Arroyo is a veteran and he is recovering from Tommy John Surgery this season, so it might seem odd that the Braves were willing to part with a good position player and take on nearly $10 million for him. That’s just the surface of the deal however. Toussaint is the key.
The young pitcher was the first-round pick of the Diamondbacks in the 2014 MLB Draft and was ranked as their fourth prospect during his first full season of professional ball. His upside is huge as he could turn into yet another ace-level pitcher for the Braves’ quickly improving farm system. If he realizes even most of his potential, the small price Hart and the team are paying to gain his future will be seen as a steal.
Its not only about the kid, though, as Arroyo still seemingly should have plenty of juice left to either contribute in coming seasons once healthy or even serve as trade bait in the future. In the meantime, he is yet another positive veteran presence to be around the younger guys on this team. The young position players have veterans to show the way and now the young arms of the Braves have a veteran on their side as well.
Yes, another nearly perfect trade by Hart and the Braves’ staff.
David Miller is an MLB Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
