Atlanta Brave Talk

I don't know why I'm bothering with the Braves since they have about ten real fans. Figuring that they live in Georgia, I would say two of the ten know how to read. Anyway, here's three interesting items from Jason Stark's recent article, each followed by my comments.

• How eager are the Yankees to trade Kevin Brown? An official of one club reports he was speaking with a Yankees executive about Brown. And when he speculated about a team he thought could be interested, the Yankees exec replied: "Tell them to call us -- collect."

Stark went on to say that Brown, who has a no-trade clause, might only be willing to go to the Braves and the Yankees would end up paying most of the contract. So the Braves might get a starter basically for free? Sounds like a good deal to me, even if Brown turns out to be a fifth starter. Knowing Atlanta, he'd end up having a surprisingly good season.

• Clubs that have spoken with the Braves say they're trying to move Andruw Jones to create desperately needed payroll wiggle room. And Jones has three years, and $39 million left on the six-year, $75 million contract he signed before the 2002 season. But all you need to know about how much the Braves have soured on Jones is that he batted .526 in the playoffs -- and still hit in the No. 7 hole until his team was one loss away from elimination.

If I'm another team, I'd jump on that in a second. Jones is a classic example of someone who needs a change of scenery, and he might be the best fielding center fielder I've ever seen.

• One guy the Braves tell teams they're not moving is John Smoltz -- yet. But Smoltz is now a year away from free agency and is just about adamant about heading back into the rotation after this season. So if this is the year the Braves don't contend, Smoltz will be No. 1 on the Rumor Central charts come July.

I can't wait to see how Smoltz pitches as a starter. I immediately think of Derek Lowe because he followed the starter, reliever, starter pattern. He was successful, and Lowe doesn't even compare to Smoltz.