Trade Winds Follow Braves Back to Atlanta

Certainly nothing is more exciting than trade talk leading up to Opening Day. Right? Well, not exactly, but at least there's a sense of urgency for many teams considering they now know what they've got on their roster as they head into the regular season. The Braves are one of those teams, and according to Dan O'Brien's Atlanta Journal Constitution blog, both Tyler Yates and Scott Thorman could be dangled to land another position guy. So says Atlanta GM Frank Wren anyway.

When I asked GM Frank Wren 20 minutes ago whether he anticipated a trade, he gave me a refreshing, honest answer: "I do. I think we'll make a deal or two," he said. "I'm not sure of the magnitude yet."

The Braves are looking to add a bench player with a more-proven bat than they have now, but I can't give you any names yet. You know how these things go - it's likely going to be an extra player from another team that has a surplus at a position, like the Braves have a surplus of relievers.

So what you're telling me is that it probably won't be anything exciting? Seems about right, although it is interesting to note that Thorman did have a sub 4.00 ERA last year and Thorman has always been regarded as someone with at least a little upside. In other words, while another GM will not be likely to cough up a big player, Wren could probably pull off something. Hopefully it's for a freaking starter. John Smoltz is down, Tom Glavine could start Opening Day and a Mike Hampton injury just can't be far off.