They’re Still Brave Enough to Make a Deal

One of the most impressive aspects of the Atlanta Braves’ eight consecutive division titles and their ongoing dominance in the National League East is that they have never been afraid to change the mix. The nucleus of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz has remained, but the supporting cast has been a work in progress.

The acquisition of Andy Ashby on Wednesday is typical of a series of second-half transactions that have energized the Braves down the stretch.

In the second half of the 1991 season, for instance, they acquired Alejandro Pena from the Dodgers. In 1993, it was Fred McGriff from San Diego. In 1995, Mike Devereaux came from the Chicago White Sox. It was Denny Neagle from Pittsburgh in 1996, and Terry Mulholland from the Chicago Cubs in 1999.

Ashby, amid suspicion that his mechanics deteriorated when he tried to pick up the early-season slack for the absent Curt Schilling and he later let the negative fans and media get to him, was a disappointment with the Philadelphia Phillies, who had given up three pitchers to acquire him.

However, he would not be the first to respond to the Braves’ pitching-oriented environment. After winning his last two starts and giving up three earned runs in his last 15 innings with the Phillies, he pitched a 4-1, complete game victory over Baltimore in his first start for Atlanta on Friday night.

“In this environment, on our club, with our pitching staff, we think Andy will be a big addition,” General Manager John Schuerholz said.

Of course, Ashby is eligible for free agency when the season ends and may prove to be only a second-half rent-a-player, but the Braves, as their history shows, aren’t afraid to lease.

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On the phone Saturday, noted commentator and columnist George Will, a member of the board of directors of the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles and a member of Commissioner Bud Selig’s blue-ribbon economic panel, said of the economics:

“The problem in baseball is not a scarcity of resources. This is not Bangladesh. The problem is the need for an economic model better allocating the resources.”

Will said that if the panel’s recommendations were implemented there would be no need to relocate or revoke troubled franchises because the troubles would be eased, but that the panel didn’t intend the report to be a “first, middle or last labor proposal. We were writing a document to the owners, not for the owners.”

Perhaps, but it would be a surprise if the recommendations didn’t form the basis of management’s approach to the players’ union.

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All-Star leftovers:

* On one hand, Sammy Sosa was saying, “Me and the [Chicago] fans are a beautiful team,” but “If they don’t take care of me [with a contract extension] after the year is over, we’ll have to look around at other things and go somewhere else. We’re here and waiting. We’re ready to talk. I want to stay in Chicago, but if they can’t work it out, what else can I do but go to another place?”

* Jim Edmonds, on making the All-Star team in his first National League season with the St. Louis Cardinals: “It’s nice to be recognized in a new league, especially by other people. It’s a big deal down deep that you’ve got a chance to go to an All-Star game or two. To have over 1.3 million votes--I don’t think I ever had more than 100,000 in Anaheim. That was flattering. I didn’t realize the difference between Anaheim and St. Louis was that big.”