Chris Johnson Trade Trouble Highlights Predicament Frank Wren Left With Atlanta Braves

Chris Johnson
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

There are a lot of fans of the Atlanta Braves who are having difficulty during this season for one reason or another. It’s not easy to convince a group of fans that watched their team win 14 straight division titles that sometimes you have to rebuild. This is even more difficult for the fans of the Braves, however, because of how well the team was run before former GM Frank Wren took over. The current trade difficulty surrounding Chris Johnson highlights exactly how bad of a situation the Braves found themselves in after Wren’s tenure.

Johnson is a third baseman who has publicly stated that he wants to be traded. The Braves have also publicly stated that they want to trade him. He wants more playing time, and the Braves want to be rid of the contract he was given. Therein lies the description of a problem. Wren gave a contract to a player who is so bad that he has been unable to be traded even though all parties want him to go elsewhere.

It’s not because he is a bad player either since he does still have good qualities. The problem of course is the money he was given after his career-best season for the Braves a few years ago. Now the Braves can’t get rid of him to save their lives. It really is amazing that the front office has turned things around as well as they have after the mess Wren left them. Melvin Upton Jr. is just another example of the same situation. His contract was so bad that the San Diego Padres clearly made a bad financial decision in the trade that brought Upton to town even though it included closer Craig Kimbrel.

Given the situation with Johnson, one can probably expect him to be moved before the trade deadline, but the question is not to which team he will move. The question that needs to be answered is which valuable player – one whose contract doesn’t far overreach their performance – will the Braves be forced to get rid of in order to be rid of Johnson and his contract. Whoever it is will probably anger Braves fans once again, but that anger will be misplaced if it is directed at anyone but Wren.

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

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