Good Trade for the Braves??? Time will tell...

Yesterday, I was very surprised to learn the Braves had traded Javier Vazquez (who, if you need to be reminded, finished fourth in the N.L. Cy Young Voting this past season and won every game he pitched down the stretch) to the Yankees for basically, with all due respect, a Career .269 Hitting Outfielder in Melky Cabrera. 

However, the more I study the trade, the more I think GM Frank Wren might have made another terrific move in the Braves favor for three reasons. 

1) Vazquez's salary was $11.5 million a year...Cabrera's $1.4 million...Hocus Pocus...The Braves just created an extra $10 million dollars to re-sign Adam Laroche at first , and replaced the old man in left, Garrett Anderson (who by the way, made $2.5 million last season...Add this money to the mix and you have $12.5 million to re-sign Laroche with...if you maintain last year's salary numbers), with a switch-hitting pair of very good defensive, 25 year old legs in Cabrera. 

2) Arodys Vizcaino and Mike Dunn...These two power arms reportedly stay well in the mid-90's with their fastball and help the Braves maintain their organizational approach of running as many arms as you can to the bump so one or two can eventually become great (see the 1990's if you question this approach).  In other words, there is strength in numbers when looking for pitching.

3) John Smoltz...I'll never forget when the Braves traded away Doyle Alexander to the Detroit Tigers in '87 and he went 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA to help the Tigers win the A.L. East Title, and the Braves just continued to suck.  Little did I know, patience is a virtue at such a young age, and the GM for the Braves at the time (a guy by the name of Bobby Cox) knew exactly what he was doing in acquiring a AA Righty in that trade who would become the all-time winningest pitcher in post-season history named John Smoltz.

In other words, trades are very hard to read right away.  Like a fine wine, give them a little time, and then the truth will be known.  Frank Wren deserves that...as does Melky Cabrera, Arodys Vizcaino, and Mike Dunn.