Five years into Frank Wren's tenure as the Braves' general manager, the team continues contending on an annual basis. Wren will have at least two more seasons to bring a championship to Atlanta, as he has agreed to a contract extension through 2014. His previous contract covered the 2012-13 seasons.
In related moves the Braves promoted Bruce Manno to the role of vice president and assistant GM/player development and John Coppolella to the role of assistant GM.
“These changes are a reflection of the good work and success of our Major League baseball team and the work of Frank and his senior staff,” team president John Schuerholz said.
Atlanta won 94 games this year, losing to the Cardinals in a controversy-filled Wild Card play-in game. It marked Atlanta's second postseason appearance under Wren; the Braves lost in the Division Series two years ago.
Since being named to his current post on October 11, 2007, Wren has weathered the departure of franchise icons Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones while acquiring key contributors. Wren traded for players such as Jair Jurrjens and Michael Bourn, claimed Eric O'Flaherty off of waivers, and signed Brandon Beachy as a non-drafted free agent. The 54-year-old GM signed Derek Lowe for four years and $60MM, but in general the team has not spent aggressively on outside free agents, as MLBTR’s Transaction Tracker shows.
Wren, Schuerholz's former assistant, joined the Braves in 2000. The former minor league outfielder had previously worked for the Expos, Marlins and Orioles, including a stint as Baltimore's GM.
I think Frank Wren is one of the best GMs in MLB.
I hope he stays in Atlanta for a long time.
he is doing a great job with the limited resources that Liberty is giving him.
He started out in a hole (Teixeira trade that Schuerholz made), then dug himself another few holes (trading for McLouth, signing Lowe/Kawakami), so it should be interesting to see what he can really do with hindsight. I am definitely rooting for him.
I wouldn’t say the McLouth trade “dug him into a hole” he didn’t trade anything away of value: Jeff Locke and his 5.82 career ERA, Carlie Morton and his 5.06 career ERA and Gorky’s career OPS+ of 55…
The McLouth trade didn’t fare well for ATL ever since McLouth put on a Braves uniform. It had nothing to do with what Wren gave up – which wasn’t much – but the fact that McLouth never really did anything. Despite all 3 prospects’ number, it says something all were on the Pirates’ major league roster this year, a team that wasn’t incredible, but was leading the division the 1st half of the season.
Let’s see, ever since McLouth put on a Braves uniform…well up until the Mclouth trade, Jordan Schafer was patrolling CF in ATL…he had a .204 AVG .313 OBP and a .287 SLG with a -0.8 WAR over 50 games, on pace for a -2.6 WAR over a full season.
McLouth’s 2009 season in ATL he produced a .257 AVG .354 OBP .419 SLG with a 1.7 WAR in 84 games for the Braves, that’s a pace for a 3.3 WAR over a full season (he produced a 3.4 WAR over the 2009 season between Pits and Atl).
That is a 5.9 WAR difference between what we would have had if we didn’t make a move and the type of production we got from McLouth over the course of an entire season.
*Note that would have been a bigger value difference than Troy Tulowitzki verses a replacement level player in 2009.
So, to say that McLouth’s trade to Atlanta was a poor move, when the players traded away are nothing more than replacement level MLB players and McLouth gave a much needed boost to the CF production in 2009 is incorrect.
Yay!!! Frank Wren is a MASTER trader and I’m glad to see. I know he won’t disappoint us this winter. He might not spend big on the best players but Liberty Media doesn’t give him much to work with.
I like Wren and all, but MASTER trader? Dan Uggla trade? Nate Mclouth trade? That potential Ryan Dempster-Delgado trade would have been a disaster.
What was wrong with the Dan Uggla trade?
I went to the numbers expecting them to prove that Uggla had been a more valuable player than Infante since the trade. However I must say that Uggla’s value has been only slightly higher than Infante’s for the last two seasons. Considering their contracts I must say that Infante would seem to have more overall value because he is so much cheaper. Here’s what I got. I was in a hurry so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. (Dan Uggla .227/.329/.421 55HR 160RBI 156BB 324SO 27Errors and a total WAR of 4.3) (Omar Infante .275/.308/.400 19HR 102RBI 55BB 132SO 25Errors and a total WAR of 4.8) I hate the error collumn but I feel its worth mentioning because most people would be predisposed to think Infante is better than Uggla defensively. However for the past 2 years there really hasnt been much separation.
Uggla is 10th among 2B in WAR the past two seasons. Not great by any means, but far from a bad trade.
I could understand calling the Dan Uggla contract extension bad, but I thought the trade was pretty good. McLouth obviously was a bust, but he was coming off a great season and I don’t think anyone saw that drop off coming. And also the three guys the Braves traded away have not been very good at the ML level.
He gave up Charlie Morton for Nate. lmao Granted Nate didn’t work out but it can’t be considered a bad trade as Morton was no better. Uggla trade was fine. Bourn trade was good. Malholm/Johnson trade was good. Landing JJ for one year of Renteria was good. Trading Vasquez to the yanks (used that piece to land Malholm/Johnson) was good. So yes, most trades he wins.
You hit it outa the pahk.
You forgot Omar Infante.
Yes, McLouth was a severe disappointment. However, all 3 players traded from ATL to PIT in the McLouth deal: Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke, and Gorkys Hernandez appeared on the Pirates’ roster in 2012, while Locke beat ATL the 2nd to last game of the 2012 season. McLouth has gone on to ignite the Orioles’ playoff run.
My point is that though many saw Wren winning the deal, in my opinion. I think PIT ultimately won that trade, even without considering they had McLouth on their roster in 2012 – before cutting him.
@ Mike Query…Where did you get your crystal ball sir? I’ve been looking for an affordable one.
To be fair, it seemed like Mike Query’s real issue was with Frank Wren being called a “master trader.” He may have a point with that, as Wren doesn’t seem any more or less successful than any other GM at trading.
Yes and I believe Mike Q raised a good point about the Uggla trade. At first glance I thought he had missed the boat but he didnt. My crystal ball comment was in reference to the following sentence: “That potential Ryan Dempster-Delgado trade would have been a disaster”
Not only that but when he took over the farm had just taken a pretty lick in the tex trade and to build it back the way he and his staff has done is pretty impressive
In wren we trust!! He does great with a middle of the pack payroll. I think this offseason will be his most important. He has money to spend and has to start the post chipper era.
People can say whatever they want, but the guy is doing a good job with limited resources, specially last few years