Braves fit first piece of puzzle

Frankly, what's not to like? Vazquez will benefit from both the move to the NL, where DH's don't exist and from a better atmosphere with Bobby Cox over Ozzie Guillen. The bullpen will benefit from a guy who reportedly always wanted to be with the Braves and can consistently eat up 180+ innings, providing the bullpen with shorter outings in August and September, when bullpens usuaully start fading if overworked.

Although Flowers is a top prospect, there's a reason they're called prospects. 288 in the minors, despite the power displayed, is not going to beat out the 300+ average McCann gives the Braves and reports are his defense as a catcher has a few years before being Major League ready. Lillibridge is the other side of the coin, showing some good defensive skills and speed, but struggling at the plate against Major and Minor league pitching. I had high hopes for JoJo, but unfortunately, he didn't, or couldn't, make the pitches he needed when he needed them after the All-Star break.

Too bad we can't get 5 Burnett's for this rotation, but this trade is good for the Braves and Wren.

It's time a White Sox fan chymed in. This is good trade for both sides. --------- First ... the Braves get a quality pitcher. Sure, his numbers weren't very good last year, having lost his last four outings while his ERA rose. Remember, Guillen had everyone pitching on short rest the entire time for the push for the playoffs. Ok, Javvy doesn't do well every 3 or 4 days. But Vazquez is a durable starter, close to 200 innings, 200+ K's each year. That's tough for ANY team to lose, regardless of record. Jon Garland for a few years was a .500 pitcher but gave 200+ innings each year. You have to give, to get...... Also, you're getting Boone Logan, who has a great arm. He's young, he's a lefty and he throws HARD. Bonus. Left handed relievers are a prime this year. Luckily the White Sox are set in that position. ---------- Now for the White Sox ....... YEEHAW! We dumped a whole lot of salary and Boone Logan was in the dog house virtually his entire White Sox career. He's got a TON of upside and again, he's YOUNG! Vazquez has the tools to be a 20 game winner, no doubt. When he's on, he's got the nastiest stuff in the league. Just watch, because you'll get both. He has trouble putting guys away. He'll go 0-2, 1-2, then dance around then load the count .... thats why his ERA is so high. The Nat'l League is better suited for a guy like Vazquez, who at times will only have to go 6 or 7 innings because of Pinch hitters, runners, etc. Bobby Cox will manage Javvy the right way. Sure, I hate to see the White Sox lose Jon Garland and Javvy in consecutive years, because both are young, good arms. Hey, the Braves needed picthing and the Sox needed to dump salary for .... " who knows ". We also needed a young, right handed, offensive minded catcher to spell AJ Pierzynski, and Flowers seems like that kid. To White Sox fans ... any time you trade 2 and get double back, thats a good trade. Kenny Williams knows what he's doing......... but again, its good for the Braves because you have an innings eater on your hands. Good for both sides.

Too much for too little, giving up a top prospect like Flowers for a mid-range starter is dumb. Wren takes strike one.

I am so happy to be rid of Javier Vasquez. This guy has been touted as a guy with all this talent, yet he has been nothing but a .500 pitcher his entire career. The guy never pitched big in any important games and could not come through in game 1 of the playoffs this year either. Boone Logan is another one, million dollar arm, 50 cent brain, maybe he can turn it around, since he is only 23. But Braves fans, you just acquired a #4 pitcher in Vasquez and he gets paid $11.5 million annually, good luck. I'm excited about what the Sox get back and what I have read, Santos Rodriquez, the 20 year old left-handed pitcher, could be a hidden gem.

Mr Bowman Javier won a career high 16 games while with the Montreal Expos during 2001 season he had 5 CG and 3 Shutouts.

We' didn't give up too much, the Braves that is, for Vasquez. Lillibridge isn't going to pan out as a viable starter and we didn't need Flowers because of McCann behind the plate who will more than likely, and hopefully, stay many many years. I'm excited about Vasquez and Logan. Logan especially b/c this put the Royce Ring and Will Ohman situation into a new twist, will Ohman now accept the contract the Braves have offered him, or is he feeling squeezed a bit? Hopefully GM Frank is right, in 2010, Burnett, Huddy, JJ, Vasquy, and a young stud named Tommy Hanson.

The Braves made out on this trade. Logan is much stronger this year both mentally and physically.

I expect the Braves to be a lot better this season.