The Braves feel as if they need a bat -- preferably one who hits right-handed, plays center field and can lead off. But do they HAVE to trade for a bat to win the World Series? No -- because they still run out there a pitching staff that can shut down any team's offense, in October or any other month.
So teams that have spoken with Atlanta, even in the wake of the disappointment in losing out in the Pence bid-a-thon Friday, say the Braves have no plans to do something this weekend that they wouldn't have done last week or last month -- just because Rumor Central readers everywhere think they need to make a deal.
Are they frustrated over seeing Pence go to their division nemesis, the Phillies? Oh, yeah.
Are they aggravated that the price tag Houston asked them for -- reportedly four of their top pitching prospects, two from their "untouchable" tier and two from the next tier down -- seemed as if it was steeper than what the Phillies paid? You bet.
Would they love to find exactly the right fit at exactly the right, affordable price before this deadline? No doubt about it.
But as the deadline draws closer, teams that have spoken with the Braves don't have the feeling they're close to any deal for any of the bats on their list.
They took a run at Marlon Byrd of the Cubs. Not going to be traded.
They looked into Denard Span of the Twins. But the Twins are only trading Span for other major league players -- or, at the very least, big league-ready players. And the Twins are heavily targeting live bullpen arms. So they match up better with Washington than with Atlanta, which has no interest in subtracting from its big league mix at a time in which injuries have decimated that mix enough.
Michael Bourn is also on the Braves' radar, even though he hits left-handed. But if the Astros ask for the same package for Bourn that they asked for on Pence, he won't be with the Braves.
B.J. Upton is another name that would fit. But clubs that have spoken with the Braves say their camp is mixed about whether to pay a hefty price for a year-plus of the Rays' enigmatic center fielder.
Other names the Braves could kick around? Coco Crisp is one, but he doesn't supply the type of offense they would prefer. Carlos Quentin is another, but the White Sox only appear interested in dealing him if they get a huge return. The names of Ryan Ludwick and Josh Willingham will get linked to Atlanta on the rumor circuit over the next 24 hours -- but there are no signs the Braves have pursued either of late.
So an official of one team who spoke with the Braves said he was told, "We've only got to weather the storm for 14 days, until [Brian] McCann gets back." By then, they hope Chipper Jones will be healthy; Peter Moylan will be back in their bullpen; and they will feel like the urgency to DO SOMETHING will have lessened. If not, there's always August.
After all, what month was it last year in which the team that won it all picked up its World Series cleanup hitter (Cody Ross)? It wasn't July. It was August -- on a waiver claim. And how'd that work out?