MLB.com's Mark Bowman has written that numerous reports coming out of the General Manager Meetings indicate the Braves are talking to teams about the possibility of trading Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur, who are both entering their first arbitration-eligible season.
With Martin Prado capable of playing second base, there's a good chance Johnson will be traded at some point this offseason.
He's drawing interest from a number of clubs. Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution wrote that he heard whispers about a Johnson-for-Ryan Ludwick deal. If there is some validity to this, it seems like the Cardinals would ask the Braves to include at least one more player.
Braves GM Frank Wren is reluctant to trade Francoeur, whose trade value dipped significantly this past season.
Because of Royals GM Dayton Moore's ties to the Braves, Kansas City has been linked as a possible destination for Francoeur. But right now, the Royals aren't offering enough to persuade Wren to pull the trigger and risk the possibility that a hometown star could go elsewhere and prove this past season was just a fluke.
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Adapted from MLB.com
Second baseman Kelly Johnson
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt