Braves signings: What the hiring of Alex Anthopoulos means
By Adam Herbert
The Braves got their man, but what does it all mean?
Atlanta Braves fans, stand and rejoice. Breathe deep and thank your respective deities of choice.
If Greek Gods are your thing, you just hit the jackpot.
Braves Country’s first positive offseason news was made official on Monday. Alex Anthopoulos, Sporting News’ 2015 Executive of the Year, is getting an office at SunTrust Park. He will serve as the Braves’ Executive Vice President and General Manager.
John Coppolella has been replaced by an executive who might possibly be a better fit to finish off the rebuild he started. After exactly six weeks of uncertainty and anxiety, the Braves front office just extended an olive branch to their fans.
On paper, Anthopoulos and Coppolella are eerily similar.
Like Coppy, he drafts well. Among players drafted under AA’s watch: Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard, Anthony Desclafani, Joe Musgrove, Kevin Pillar (32nd round), Marcus Stroman, and Jeff Hoffman. Players whom Toronto drafted but did not sign include Kris Bryant, Aaron Nola, Tyler Beede, and current Brave Drew Lubauger. Brady Singer, a top prospect for the 2018 draft, also falls into this category.
Like Coppy, he trades creatively. In the winter of 2012, he pulled off multiple trades that might as well have been executed with the “Force Trade” option activated, for their volume alone. In the summer of 2015, he initiated a strong push for the World Series that resulted in the acquisition of Troy Tulowitzki and David Price.
Also like Coppy, his trades are generally well-received although he bricked on a few early in his tenure. The Roy Halladay (RIP Doc) trade wound up being for peanuts. The big-time deadline moves he made in 2015 resulted in a deep ALCS run, but it didn’t turn into a World Series win.
He has taken some flak for trading Noah Syndergaard, who was the MLB Pipeline’s 83rd ranked prospect at the time, but it was a “win-now” move that looks considerably worse as revisionist history. For context, the Braves current farm system has seven players ranked higher than 83rd (according to MLB Pipeline).