NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Though they haven't shut the door on possibly trading for a controllable, front-line starting pitcher, the Braves came to this week's Winter Meetings with the sense they have already completed the heavy-lifting portion of the offseason.
"We're just kind of in a situation where if something good comes our way, we can be opportunistic," Braves general manager John Coppolella said. "If it doesn't, we saw [team vice chairman] John Schuerholz get the Hall of Fame nod. It's been a great Winter Meetings even if we do nothing."
The Braves have attempted to trade for Chris Sale at different points over the past three years and they obviously have done their due diligence this offseason by keeping tabs on what it might cost to acquire the ace of the White Sox, who can be controlled for each of the next three seasons at an average cost of $13 million per year.