If Yesco goes to Petco, who bats first?

(via The Boston Globe)

Towers still believes the Braves are his best match for a deal. Towers has spent a lot of time speaking to Braves special assistant Jim Fregosi about what they would deal. For the time being Atlanta is still unwilling to part with some of their top young talent, though it appears it would give up shortstop Yunel Escobar, who is coveted by San Diego.

I heard one of the Padres beat writers on XM say he expects Peavy to end up in Atlanta. San Diego's motive is financial, he said, and they're determined to move their ace. 

Frank Wren seems to have a clear advantage, as the other teams Peavy said he'd be willing to play for don't have deep farm systems. I suspect we'll see some combination of Yesco, Schafer, Medlin and Morton for Peavy and Greene. 

If Yesco is San Diego-bound, who bats lead-off next year? KJ is better suited to hit lower in the order, and Josh Anderson, if he wins the CF job, doesn't get on base enough.  

Tracy Ringolsby says the Braves are interested in Willy Taveras. Pass. He's Omar Moreno, with a little more upside. 

A career .283 hitter, Taveras slumped to .251 last year, with a .308 OBP (career .331 OBP). He's missed 92 games over the last two seasons. A year ago, I might've been more willing; Taveras hit a career-best .320 in '07, with a gaudy .367 OBP. 

Taveras stole 68 bases in '08, double his previous high. He's arbitration-eligible and is expected to make somewhere around $4 mil next season.

--CB

UPDATE: DOB says the Braves aren't interested in Taveras. Meanwhile, reports say Peavy might be amenable to the Bronx, though I'm not convinced.  

Comments

[Tokyokie]

I hope they can work out something without including Schafer, because I figure we need him in center next season. Maybe they'd take Frenchy instead.

[Viva Rufino Linares!]

I think Anderson maybe the odds on favorite for the lead off spot, if Yesco is traded. Gorkys may be next in line, depending on his spring. If we keep Prado, I think he'd be a decent number 2, but we have yet to see if KJ will move to LF or not. Then it's Chipper, McCann, Kotchman, Frenchy, KJ, Greene then the pitcher. Looking at that line up, we could use more power. A lot more power.

[clete boyer fan]

Caz, I don't know if San Diego had Greene leading off but if they did, it wasn't a good idea. He doesn't walk much, he strikes out a LOT, and last season he hit .213. Most years, his OBP is under .300. His only asset on offense is that he has some pop in his bat and he can give you some extra bases. He's a 7th or 8th place hitter at best.

[Caz]

Is Khalil Greene a possible leadoff hitter? I can't remember where he batted in the San Diego lineup.