From Jayson Stark:
#Braves agree on deal w #Astros for Michael Bourn. Hou gets J Schafer, lhp Brett Oberholtzer, rhp Paul Clemens & rhp Juan Abreu.
This is a really good trade for the Braves. Not only do they get to add a solid defensive outfielder and plus bat to their team, but they can do so without having to give up much in return. Schafer currently has a career .223/.310/.303 line in the majors, and none of the pitching prospects are considered top prospects. Somehow, the Braves managed to craft a deal that didn’t involve giving up one of their top four pitching prospects – Teheran, Delgado, Minor, and Vizcaino are all rated in Baseball America’s Top 100 list – making this a pretty awesome deal for them.
Michael Bourn is a tragically underrated outfielder. While he doesn’t hit with homerun power like his Houston-trade-buddy Hunter Pence, he still provides a considerable amount of offensive punch. He’s a sure bet to hit around .270-.280, display good plate discipline, and steal a ton of bases. He’s also an above average defensive center fielder, which can be tough to find and acquire. He’s a better overall player right now than B.J. Upton is, but the Braves were able to acquire him for much less than the Rays were asking for Upton.
So in the end, it looks like the Rays are going to be stuck. There are no other teams on the market looking for a bat or an outfielder — or at least, no teams that seem to have significant interest in acquiring either — so the Rays will likely hold onto Upton for now. This has shaped up to be a rather disappointing trade deadline for them, and while it’s not over yet, I’m not sure the Rays can pull off anything at this point to make me change my mind that much.
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