The Atlanta-Journal Constitution proposes the question should the Braves trade pitcher Jair Jurrjens? Jurrjens is quickly establishing himself as one of the top young pitchers in the game, building on strong 2008 rookie season to a post a 2.60 ERA in 2009 with 14 wins.
Jurrjens has great intuitive instincts on the mound. He combines those instincts with a good work ethic, which is obviously paying dividends for him.
People in favor of trading Jurrjens, which are few and far between, say that trading him avoids future negotiations with his agent, Scott Boras.
First off, very few, if any teams have traded their top talent (before they reach arbitration, mind you) because of the agent they have. While Jurrjens has put up back to back double-digit win seasons, he is far from earning what would be considered out of the Braves' price range.
That may not be the case for Javier Vazquez though. Vazquez put up 15 wins with a sub-3.00 ERA and is coming into a contract year. While the Braves may need to eat a portion of his 2010 contract, Vazquez could net the Braves they bat they are looking for.
I expect the Angels to contact the Braves about Vazquez. The Angels will shop Gary Matthews this offseason, and his contract matches up nicely with Vazquez for 2010. However, I doubt the Braves would ever make a one-for-one swap like that.
Other available players include Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, and Jeremy Hermida, among others.