Braves New World
The Atlanta Braves continue to lower the likelihood of them winning their division for the 12th season in a row (not including the 1994 strike year), as they decided to trade 18-game winner Kevin Millwood for Philadelphia Phillies backup catcher Johnny Estrada, who hit a robust .118 last year. While Braves GM John Schuerholz claimed economics as a factor in the decision, I have to wonder if giving away your second-best remaining pitcher to a division rival is worth saving the $10,000,000 last year, especially considering that the Braves already lost Tom Glavine to the division rival Mets and the Phillies already signed Jim Thome this offseason. Meanwhile, Atlanta has signed pitcher-of-questionable-talent Mike Hampton and happy-to-leave-Kansas-City Paul Byrd, without improving their struggling offense. It’s gonna be a tight, taut race in the NL East next year.