myAJCNew Braves GM Anthopoulos talks big trades
New Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos is known to wheel and deal. But the aggressive trader reputation isn’t necessarily a badge Anthopoulos wants to wear in Atlanta.
Anthopoulos was the Blue Jays GM from 2009-15. His first major move was trading fan favorite Roy Halladay to signal a retooling phase.
The Braves’ rebuild is at the point of identifying foundation players versus assets. That doesn’t guarantee Anthopoulos will make a splash, but he won’t hesitate if opportunity knocks. Anthopoulos is representing the team at baseball’s GM Meetings in Orlando, just a day after being introduced in his new role.
“Any way we can get better. I know it kind of played out that way and looked that way (in Toronto), but I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s going to be a predictor of what’s going to happening going forward,” Anthopoulos said. “The circumstances there were totally different than here. But if the right deal presents itself, we certainly won’t be afraid as an organization to do it.”
Experience comes through mistakes. When one trades as often as Anthopoulos, there are bound to be regrets.
“Way more than one,” Anthopoulos said. “I do that a lot. Could be signings, trades. I think that’s how you get better. I get pretty obsessive about learning from each missed opportunity, every failure. It’s not that I’m glass half empty, I just want to take something from it.”
With an analytical background and having worked with the Dodgers, one would assume Anthopoulos heavily values numbers. But in sports’ ever-changing battle between analytics and human elements, he’s striving to find a happy medium. At a time evaluation will make or break the Braves’ four-year investment, Anthopoulos will use every tool.
Thoughts?
Concerns?
Predictions?
