Good test for Wren here. These things can be said with near certainty. 1) The Braves are not making the playoffs this year 2) Teixeira will not be signing his next contract with the Braves. So will he recognize these things and trade Tex, or will he get sucked into the "well we are still sort of close, so lets hope for a miracle hot streak" blackhole of thinking that they adapted last season?

This is a big one. If he blows it, it sets the franchise back a good bit. Not just another 'traded two players to get f'ing Jeff Ridgeway' type mistake.

will he get sucked into the "well we are still sort of close, so lets hope for a miracle hot streak" blackhole of thinking that they adapted last season?

Won't they also get a pair of first round draft picks if he walks?

Given that we traded 5 prospects, including 2 that are already in MLB, to get him, getting 2 picks in return if he walks doesn't seem worth it, for Tex's one and a half year. I hope they sign him for market, but if they do not, I hope 2 contenders with good farm systems get in a bidding war; the Braves need some bodies, including 3 outfielders.

Wren has already blown the Frenchie problem (and big boy is 2-13 with no walks since he got back from the minors; glad his 3 days in Mississippi "fixed" his swing). Bring back Drayton Moore.

#1--Braves making playoffs seems unlikely, Tex not signing with Atl a certainty. But unlikely isn't impossible, and someone has to play 1B, especially for a team that can't score.

#3--'Market' is probably 5/$100M or so. Screw that. And please don't blame Wren for Francoeur logging only 3 days in MS. Have you checked the problems Atl has in fielding position players lately?

Well if it means anything to you, the Braves also got Brett DeVall out of the Teixeira deal. (Compensation pick for losing Ron Mahay.)

#4: I think you're underestimating the market...

I'd put the O/U on years at 6.5 and dollars at $21.5M/year...

We Rangers fans thank the Braves organization for its largesse, BTW...

I do blame Wren for JF logging 3 days in MS. If Frenchie has any chance of ever succeeding in MLB, he needs to (a) realize there is a problem (always step one); and (b) go about fixing the problem (don't swing at balls well outside the strike zone). I am not sure he can ever accomplish #2, but (a) he certainly couldn't do it in 3 days, and (b) by bringing him back in 3 days, they sure didn't help him with realizing that there is a problem.

Why not sign Tex for 5/20? Who else are you going to build the team around? We have a great, HOF player who really has about 1 year left as a full-time player; a great catcher who is going to wear out in about 3 years; and...what? If they do not sign Tex, I think ATl is looking at a 70-92 team next year; not pretty fro a franchised used to success.

a great catcher who is going to wear out in about 3 years

Not necessarily. But if so, then why not consider a move to 1b?

Mark Teixera is not a player you spend 20 million a year on. He plays 1st base and isn't a claw-your-eyes-out-good hitter.

Movning McCann to 1b may be the very good long term solution.

I go back and forth on Tex. He is not a great hitter (only really good), but he fields the position very well, and unlike some 1B who carry way too much weight around and look to crap out by age 30 (Mo Vaughn wanna-be's), Tex looks to be in good shape, and at least looks as if he could sustain a .900 range OPS for several more years.

The main appeal to me with Tex is that the Braves right now have so many holes to fill, and no one above "A" ball looking like they can ever fill one, so why create one more hole by letting him walk? I really do not want to see Thorman manning the position.

Yeah, but the Braves do have Hanson, Schafer, Hernandez, and Heyward coming up. It's a loaded system, so the Braves should reload pretty quickly. I hope the Braves don't get more young players to add to that core.

yep, but none of them (nor Freeman, the same age as hayward and out-hitting him in Rome) will even have a full season of AA this year, so I do not think any are any closer than 2010.

Given that we traded 5 prospects, including 2 that are already in MLB, to get him, getting 2 picks in return if he walks doesn't seem worth it, for Tex's one and a half year.

That doesn't seem like a fair standard to me. The Braves didn't acquire Teixeira in order to turn him around for value a year later, but in order to make the playoffs. They haven't, but it's hard to place that at his doorstep - he was awesome down the stretch in '07, and he's been good this year, though not as good, surely, as the Braves hoped.

Teixeira has thusfar failed to drive the Braves to a pennant, but you can't expect the return from trade to make up for that - it's a sunk cost. The question is simply which teams want a 1B, and whether they are willing to give up prospects that are worth more than the combination of two draft picks and the decline in a chance at a playoff run this year. What teams might be looking to buy a first-baseman?

-Yankees? They seem to like having DH to hide various poor defenders, but switching in Teixeira would be a solid offensive and defensive upgrade
-Angels? I didn't realize how poorly their 1B and DH have been hitting (727 and 725 OPS, respectively), but it's hard to see them dumping/moving Kotchman, and they have a plethora of possible DHs, they're just playing the wrong ones, and getting bad performance from, well, everyone - plus I assume they like having DH open for Vlad - but putting Tex's bat in the lineup would probably make a big difference if Scioscia could juggle the personalities and PT
-Rays? Pena's defense has been ok, and Floyd's hit well when healthy - if Floyd gets hurt again, they could be buyers for a bat, but they probably arent' right now

The real problem is that there aren't many likely buyers that need a 1B. Red Sox (Youks/Papi), White Sox (Konerko/Thome), Cubs (Lee), Milwaukee (Fielder), Cardinals (Pujols), Dodgers (Loney), Diamondbacks (Jackson), Phillies (Howard), Mets (Delgado)

The Yankees or Angels seem like the most likely. But I don't see the market being open like it is for starting pitching.

I don't know what market value is on Tex, but I think he's worth more to the Braves than to most other teams. Their best hitter is old and frequently injured; their second best hitter is a catcher, and so misses 20+ games a year to rest. Their other good hitters aren't power hitters. The team needs another consistent power bat who's good for 150+ games a year, either at 1B or in the outfield. I don't think the free agent crop this winter looks promising on that front, so they may need to pony up for Tex.

I fear, though, that their reasoning will be "We're about to get Hampton and Glavine and Soriano back, that's like trading for two starters and a reliever! we can bounce back!"

-Angels? I didn't realize how poorly their 1B and DH have been hitting (727 and 725 OPS, respectively), but it's hard to see them dumping/moving Kotchman

Angels tried to trade Kotch for Teixiera last year, and a few years ago were willing to dump him and sign Paul Konerko. They are better off for not making both moves (part of the price for Tex would have been one of the 2008 allstar pitchers).

It wouldn't surprise me to see them try again, but I hope they don't. Kotchman hit last year and will hit again, plus he's a great defender. Stick with him, he's cheap, spend the big bucks somewhere else.

Also, Kotch's OPS is around 750 - the lower figure posted above ain't his fault, it's Robb Quinlan's. Not that that is anything special, but he's better offensively than half the starting 1B in the AL, and better than all of them defensively. This while playing under his ability.

What teams might be looking to buy a first-baseman?

The Orioles will be very interested in Texiera. And I agree with #9.

If the Braves could get Casey Kotchman and a good minor league pitcher (Anthony Ortega maybe - I don't know much about the Angels' farm system, and he popped out at me. Maybe even Adenhart?) for Teixeira, then I'd probably be on board with that. Somebody has to play first base for the Braves next year, and it had better not be Thorman.

I think the Dodgers are a reasonable target actually, assuming they have interest in Teixeira long-term. Loney's not exactly tearing the cover off the ball this year (I know, previous seasons count too). Strictly on baseball terms (i.e. not money), I'd rather have Teixeira for the next 5 years (admittedly it's close). I tend towards agreeing with #10 and thinking that Teixeira is somewhere in the Derrek Lee/Eddie Murray sort of career where he will be very good but rarely great for many years.

We have a great, HOF player who really has about 1 year left as a full-time player;

Of course said HoFer might want to move to 1B at this point.

I think the Braves may just stand pat and collect what I assume are gonna be four draft picks (two for Teixeira, probably two for Ohman) and let Roy Clark work his magic.

They do have $48M to find a 1B next season...

Well, what will that $48M buy? All the money in the world won't buy much if there isn't anything out there. Good first base options available this offseason are Teixeira and... anyone else? Maybe Prince Fielder could be had in the right trade if what's-his-name (not LaPorta, obviously, the other guy) is ready. People talk about how it's so easy to fill first base, but after seeing the Braves trot out Scott Thorman, Robert Fick, Rico Brogna, Matt Franco, Julio Franco, Wes Helms, pre-All Star Break Adam LaRoche, Craig Wilson, Brian Jordan, and whoever else, I'm not so sure.

Mark Teixera is not a player you spend 20 million a year on.

Yeah, I'd say there is absolutely no chance he gets 20 a year. Sure, both New York teams will be after a 1b in the offseason, but they also need 2/3 of an outfield each, not to mention pitching.

Yeah, but Baltimore supposedly loves him. And the New York media has already stated that the Yankees will be in the hunt.

I will be severely disappointed if the Mets don't make him or Dunn a significant offer to play first. He's perfect for them. He might not be an elite hitter but he's a very good defensive player and he's on the right-side of 30.

I would consider picking up Delgado's option. He looks great since April. If he ends up with an 850+ OPS this year, I think the Mets should go ahead and do it.

Yeah, I'd say there is absolutely no chance he gets 20 a year.

MLB is supposedly awash in cash and crappy players have signed for 15M a year. I agree with #6 putting "the O/U on years at 6.5 and dollars at $21.5M/year..."

I would consider picking up Delgado's option. He looks great since April. If he ends up with an 850+ OPS this year, I think the Mets should go ahead and do it.

He's had a great July so far, but Delgado hit only .243/.313/.465 in May + June. I agree with Russlan; the Mets seriously need to dodge Delgado next year and spend their money on Teixeira. Prediction: the Mets/Yanks bidding war for Tex should put him around $20m/per.

Edit: And Tex makes four everyday playing switch-hitters, which pleases me.

I would consider picking up Delgado's option. He looks great since April. If he ends up with an 850+ OPS this year, I think the Mets should go ahead and do it.

Even if Delgado rakes the rest of the season, he's not the long-term answer at the position. The Mets should make an effort to fill the position long-term.

Delgado's OPS+ as of right now is 107 and he's been pretty hot since June 1st with an OPS around .875. If he continues to hit, the Mets could always pick up his option and trade him if they can sign Tex.

"Good first base options available this offseason are Teixeira and... anyone else?"

Nady has played first base in the past, and he's available if he's not dealt at the deadline.

Hijack complete! Mission accomplished. Well done, gents.