As we were getting ready to watch the first game of the 2015 MLB season… News broke that Craig Kimbrel and BJ Upton had been traded to the Padres! Now I know most Braves fans would have traded BJ for the Padres ground crew…. But Kimbrel?!?
I mean after all this guy is the best closer in the game! He has saved more games then most churches have saved people! He is a stud! And now he’s gone.
The reaction from the Braves fan base was as you’d expect! My brother and his wife, huge Braves fans, just wondered if they were throwing this season away!!!
The answer: Maybe!
But that’s not a bad thing necessarily.
Here are 3 reasons why the Braves Management are showing great leadership.
1. They are willing to make cuts now for the progress of the future!
Most organizations will not do this. Most organizations are afraid to let go because of the fallout that may occur from it. Did the management know that the Braves fan base would be angry… You know they did. Yet they still knew it was best to sacrifice now in order to build for the future.
The Washington Redskins are a prime example. They sign people year after year to big contracts. Losing their salary cap. And most of these guys do not pan out. They sign older players. If they would make room for the younger guys to step up. They may be a different team.
The Braves have simply positioned themselves to make greater moves in the future.
2. They care about their players.
The Braves knew by making several moves in the off season that they could potentially be taking themselves out of playoff contention for at least a few years. So why try and hang on to someone like Kimbrel. Let him go to a team that may have a chance. Even if that means you will now have to play against him.
This was a completely unselfish move. Could the Braves have hung on to Kimbrel… Sure. Could they have potentially ruined him. You bet. But I think they truly want the best for these guys. And that sets up well for them in the future. People will want to play for that organization.
3. They care about their Fan Base!
They know the fan base in disappointed. Even angry. But they’re doing their best to try and make things right. They have sent Chipper Jones out to re-energize the fans. You can count on the ticket prices going down this year. They will do everything in their power to make sure that this is a great year for the fans. Even if the record may not show it.
Again… When you have leadership that will make the tough decisions to prepare for the future, care about future of the players, and care enough about the fans to pull them into the process. What out!
The Braves will be back in 2017! Mark my words!
This all from a Nationals fan!
1. I agree some what. This is making up for the bad decisions the past years. So you are making up for the previous leadership or lack their of. The issue is you destory any hope of playoffs for the next two years.
2. If they cared about their players they would give Simmons and Freeman and reason to be there (other than money). The ones gone aren’t their players anymore.
3. HA! Really sending out Chipper Jones makes it better? If they drop ticket prices and concession prices then it will be better. But you can’t do that because they won’t have money for 2017.
It’s a rebuilding year or two. Most decision from a baseball stand point I get. No matter the how it is spun the next two years will be rough to watch. I just hope when 2017 rolls around good baseball decisions are made and hope fans can afford to go watch the big contract names and sit in a new stadium.
Go Braves! The Nationals still don’t want none!
Hahahahahahahaha!!!
hello; yes they made some tough decisions especially given that they are moving to a new stadium soon and most would want to start out that experience with a winning team that would justify the new ticket prices and the fact that long time fans will have to travel to see their home town team. but i wonder if they would have made the same decisions given the expected income available to them in their new digs. the braves have always been a invest in the future kind of team so probably. the yankees and redsoxx are even starting to operate more like a small market team with only teams like the padres and dodgers on the west coast spending the crazy money. good luck to your braves. thanks for sharing, max