Byrnes to Be Traded?

You wonder why he hurt his hamstrings. Honestly, I like the guy, but I wouldn't give up much for him and wouldn't pay the entire salary.

Tim Dierkes mentioned Eric Byrnes and the possibility that he could be traded. It makes sense for the Diamondbacks to keep Tracy at first, Reynolds at third, and Jackson in left. Therefore, Byrnes would be a fourth outfielder as there is no platoon situation with the other outfielders being right-handed.

So ... my question as always is could the Braves trade for him? This season, he only played 56 games due to two bad hamstrings. The two seasons before, he did really well and seemed to deserve his extension. He hit 26 and 21 HR, and he adds stolen bases as well. This season's stats can be thrown out due to his hamstring injury. As for his contract, he is still owed $22M over the next two seasons ($11M each). In other words, the Braves have the money, and Byrnes wouldn't block a Jason Heyward. Also, Byrnes' trade value is pretty low, so it may not take too much to get a trade done. I'm sure the Diamondbacks would prefer the money to keep Dunn, move him to first, and trade Tracy for some pitching (bullpen or decent starter).

However, there are some negatives. It wasn't just one hamstring. It was both of his hamstrings. That's not good, especially given his playing style. At age 32 (33 and 34 the next two seasons), he has essentially passed his prime, and the age doesn't help his chances of staying healthy. $11M is also a lot of money considering that's what the Braves could pay for Ibañez and get the same production (assuming both are healthy), but the more moeny the Diamondback eat, the better the prospect they want. In the end, I just can't see the Braves trying for him knowing there are better (at least as productive) options with better health histories.