Clippings Thursday, February 11, 2016 Braves.com

Inbox: Will Jenkins join Atlanta's rotation in 2016?

Beat reporter Mark Bowman answers questions from Braves fans

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | February 10th, 2016

Braves fans seem to be more optimistic than management about this upcoming season, especially with the new lineup. Can you offer your opinion, please? -- Lee J., Tallahassee, Fla.

While it's important to remain somewhat realistic, management seems rather optimistic about how this year's team might fare. Yes, depth could significantly strengthen the bullpen and the offense could benefit from a healthy and a consistent in the leadoff spot. But there's a reason teams place a heavy emphasis on starting pitching. And the inexperience that will exist within the Braves' rotation is reason enough to avoid becoming too optimistic about what this year's team might do.

My feeling is that the Braves are capable of notching somewhere in the neighborhood of 78 wins -- which would be a 11-win improvement from 2015. If all goes according to plan, it should be fun watching the likes of , Aaron Blair, Tyrell Jenkins join an already-young rotation at different points this season. But in the process of getting a sense of how future rotations might look, you must be willing to accept the immediate effects, also known as growing pains.

Do you think Tyrell Jenkins could join the rotation at some point this season? -- Marshell T., Atlanta

It does not seem like the Braves are planning to break camp with Jenkins in the rotation, but the right-hander could certainly reach the Majors at some point during the season's first few months. Before getting a look at Newcomb, Blair and maybe even Chris Ellis or Lucas Sims, the Braves will get a better sense of what they have in guys like Jenkins, , Manny Banuelos and Williams Perez.

There is a chance that the rotation will prove to be as stable. But somewhere in the midst of mixing all of these young arms into the fold, the Braves might at least be able to enter next offseason with a better sense of where they might stand in 2017.

Can you tell us a little about Kevin Maitan and what interest the Braves have in him? -- Jonathan B., Christchurch, New Zealand

It seems safe to say that virtually every team has interest in Maitan, a 16-year-old Venezuelan shortstop who is widely considered the top available prospect on this year's international market. The Braves may reached have already reached an unofficial agreement with Maitan. This doesn't mean the Braves will definitely sign Maitan when the July 2 signing day arrives. But as things currently stand, it would be a surprise to see him sign elsewhere.

A look at Maitan's clean, powerful swing provides clear indication why some scouts have compared him to Miguel Cabrera. But at the same time, a review of recent history has reminded us that there is a lot of unpredictability in this market, which requires evaluators to project still-maturing 16- year-old players.

Yes, there is reason for Braves fans to get excited about Maitan. But at the same time, they should remember that Wilson Betemit, Andy Marte and Edward Salcedo also drew lofty comps back when they were teenagers.

What are your thoughts about the National League adopting the designated hitter? -- Jake P., Norfolk, Va.

When discussing performance-enhancing drugs, many fans were angry that sacred records were being broken or challenged by players using drugs. I was actually much more concerned about the clean players and prospects who were losing playing time or roster spots to those players who chose to bend the rules. With the DH argument, I also take a little different perspective. It's easy to see the on-field competitive advantages and disadvantages that exist as National League and American League teams are forced to make adjustments based on where an Interleague or World Series game is being played.

But again, my thoughts with this issue actually go a little different direction. The AL clearly has an advantage with a certain category of free agents. We saw this when the existence of the DH provided the Angels comfort to give Albert Pujols a few more years than any NL team would have been comfortable providing. Then this disadvantage hit a little closer to home when the Yankees signed Brian McCann to a five-year deal a few months shy of his 30th birthday. How many NL clubs were going to be comfortable enough to gamble on the possibility that McCann could have stayed healthy enough while catching 100-plus games over five years?

Still, given that nothing has changed while this off-field disadvantage has long existed, I am forced to assume the NL and the AL will continue to exist with this one rule difference.

Braves add reliever Torres on Minors deal

Righty posted 3.59 ERA over past 3 seasons with Mets

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | February 10th, 2016

ATLANTA -- Add Carlos Torres to the list of veteran relievers who will come to as non-roster invitees aiming to earn a spot in the Braves bullpen.

Torres signed a Minor League contract and received an invitation to be a part of the Braves' big league camp. The 33-year-old right-hander could find a spot in Atlanta bullpen as a long reliever.

The Braves became quite familiar with Torres over the past three seasons, as he produced a 3.59 ERA while making 165 appearances for the Mets. He posted a 1.53 ERA over the 35 1/3 innings he completed against Atlanta during this span.

After posting a 3.06 ERA while making a career-high 73 appearances (97 innings) in 2014, Torres spent most of last summer producing similar results. He had a 3.66 ERA through his first 52 appearances. But he allowed at least three earned runs over three of his next four outings and finished with a 4.68 ERA over 59 appearances (57 2/3 innings).

David Carpenter, Alexi Ogando, and left-hander Alex Torres are among the other veteran relievers who will come to camp with the Braves as non- roster invitees.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Braves, city clash over fate of Hank Aaron statue

By J. Scott Trubey

For about three hours Wednesday, it looked like the statue of hall of famer Hank Aaron would be staying in Atlanta.

The agency that owns Turner Field proudly announced it holds documents showing “the people of Atlanta and Fulton County” own the bronze, and that a deal had been struck with the Braves to keep the statue at Turner Field.

Then came a statement from the Braves saying, in effect: nuh huh. The statue, the team said, should go wherever the Hammer wants it.

And with those dueling press statements, the fate over one of Atlanta’s treasured sports landmarks remained in limbo, just as it has been since the day the Braves announced plans in late 2013 to move from downtown to Cobb County after the 2016 season.

It was also a reminder of the dysfunction — to put it mildly — between the Braves’ brass and the team’s hometown.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, executive director of the authority, said the agency found “Olympics-era documents” that clear up the statue’s ownership. A deal with the Braves, she said, would keep the statue depicting Aaron swatting the homer that broke Babe Ruth’s record on the Turner Field property.

Bottoms claimed a deal as a victory for the city. The release, however, did not include a statement from the Braves.

“We were able to work out an agreement with the Braves. We are very excited about it,” Bottoms said in an interview.

Hours after the authority’s announcement, a statement from the team said it was “surprised” by the city’s position and that “we do not have an agreement regarding the Hank Aaron statue.” “We are in discussions with Hank, and once he makes his intentions clear to us, we will make the appropriate arrangements,” the Braves statement reads.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was unable to reach Aaron on Wednesday. In an interview last year, Aaron said he was conflicted about where it should go.

“On one hand, I think the statue should be wherever the baseball park is, wherever the Braves are playing,” Aaron said then. “After all, I played with the Braves.”

The statue was paid for by fan donations, and not the team, he said, “So if you had to think about it, it all belongs to Atlanta, to the people of Atlanta.”

The Braves and the authority are conducting an inventory of what belongs to whom.

Bottoms late Wednesday released emails to the AJC that showed discussions with Braves executive Mike Plant. It included one exchange from Feb. 3 referencing a document that the authority says provides the proof it owns a number of statues plaques and memorials, including the Aaron statue.

“Accordingly, barring objection from the Aarons, (the authority) will retain the Hank Aaron statue and bust,” the email reads.

In a separate message, Bottoms wrote Plant on Feb. 3, “As fate would have it, I saw Mrs. (Billye) Aaron at a luncheon this afternoon and was able to speak with her about the statue. I told her that we had a very good meeting this morning, and if they are in agreement, the statue will remain. She is was very happy and said that they are in full support of that agreement.”

It is unclear if Plant replied.

Two days later, Bottoms told Plant she had received an inquiry about the statue from the media and that “I will share that we have come to an agreement. I think this is an opportunity for us to highlight the spirit of cooperation we have as we navigate this transition. If you’re interested in providing a quote for a press release, let me know.”

Plant replied Feb.7: “We won’t be making any additional comments on this subject. Thanks for letting me know.”

Bob Hope, longtime Atlanta marketing and public relations guru who organized the nonprofit that collected donations that paid for the statue, said he was surprised to learn a document outlining ownership exists. He said he believed the statue belonged to Aaron, and its fate also should be Aaron’s choice.

Reporters Katie Leslie and Dan Klepal contributed to this report

WHAT OTHERS HAD TO SAY

“In my opinion, they’re not the Atlanta Braves anymore. They’re the Cobb County Braves. They should leave the statue because what (Aaron) did was for the city of Atlanta.” —Tye Ross, Atlanta

“They should make a new statue for the new stadium, if that’s what they want. I’m kind of sad the stadium is moving. The statue means a lot to the city because everyone knows who Hank Aaron is.” —Lacinda Black, Atlanta

“It’s just an amazing story. The guy brought more light on Atlanta than probably any other sports figure in history. So it actually does belong in Atlanta,” — David Kugelman, CEO of Atlanta Capital Partners, who said the Braves should also erect a statue in Cobb.

“Baseball fans worship Hank Aaron, and baseball fans should be able to see the statue of Hank when they go see the Braves. It should go with the team. Hank Aaron is also a celebrated and respected Atlantan, and we’ll continue to honor him in the city with the street named for him. But there might be a way to further memorialize him at the outfield wall of the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. — Brian Robinson, former spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal.

Turner Field’s future

Georgia State University and its development partners Carter and Oakwood Development plan to acquire the ballpark and surrounding parking lots for a mixed-use development and southern extension of the university’s campus. Under the plan, The Ted would become a football stadium, and a Panthers baseball field would go where the former Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium stood. The Hank Aaron wall will be part of the field, the partners have said, and other sports landmarks that remain on site will be preserved.

ESPN’s Law: Braves have No. 1 farm system

By Mark Bradley

Keith Law of ESPN Insider has ranked the Atlanta Braves’ farm system as baseball’s best. This seconds the emotion — Smokey Robinson reference — expressed by David Rawnsley in the Sporting News 2016 Baseball Yearbook. For comparison purposes, we note that Law rated the Braves’ chain 22nd-best two years ago.

In 2014, Law’s top seven farm systems were Houston, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs, Boston, and Kansas City. The only one of those teams to finish with a losing big-league record in 2015 was Boston, and that wasn’t from a lack of young talent. (That was mostly from Hanley Ramirez and being big-ticket duds.) The Royals won the World Series. The Mets reached the World Series by beating the Cubs, who beat the Pirates in the wild-card game. The Astros, who broke above .500 for the first time since 2008, were six outs from eliminating champion-to-be KC in Game 4 of the ALDS.

Having the No. 1 farm system doesn’t guarantee anything. (Here, from January 2015, is Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus on the topic.) But if you’re the Braves and you’ve staked your future on prospects, having assembled the best collection of them in 16 1/2 months’ time would seem a flying start.

Oh, one thing more: Law’s list of top 100 prospects includes seven Braves: No. 13 , No. 20 Ozhaino Albies, No. 30 Sean Newcomb, No. 39 Aaron Blair, No. 43 Kolby Allard, No. 80 Touki Toussaint and No. 96 Max Fried. Imagine how the must feel, seeing as how their three most recent Round 1 draftees — Swanson, Toussaint and Blair — are highly regarded but no longer Snakes.

Full disclosure: I contributed to the Braves’ preview for the 2016 Baseball Prospectus Almanac, a book fat enough to stop a door. (My copy arrived Wednesday.) I also served as guest — discussing the Braves, duh — on BP’s Effectively Wild podcast hosted by the aforementioned Mr. Miller and Ben Lindbergh of FiveThirtyEight. I believe that episode will be available today. Fair warning, then.

ESPN

2016 ranking of all 30 farm systems

By Keith Law - ESPN Senior Writer

To kick off my look this week at the best prospects in the minor leagues, I've ranked all 30 MLB farm systems from top to bottom, considering only the players who are currently in the systems and have not yet exhausted their rookie year of eligibility. (I use the same criterion for the individual player rankings that will be posted over the next few days.)

There's a real concentration of talent among the top few farm systems, teams that have been bad in recent years and stockpiled prospects, plus a couple of clubs that have wielded their financial might to bolster their farms. The top few clubs can all boast a dozen or more prospects with decent chances to become average big leaguers or better, whereas at the bottom of the list, you might find only one or two such prospects per club. (My top 10 rankings by team will be released early next week.) The rankings favor teams with more of those "average big leaguer or better" prospects because of the scarcity of those players and the increasing cost of a fourth starter or just an average everyday player in free agency. Quality relievers and bench players are nice to have in your system -- it sure beats paying for them on the open market -- but they don't measure up to clubs that have lots of potential grade 50s (on the 20-80 grading scale) in their systems.

Let's get to the rankings.

1. Atlanta Braves 2015 rank: 6 Players in top 100 (2016): 7

This system was among the bottom five just two years ago after several bad drafts and questionable player development, but a series of trades -- including several fleecings of the Diamondbacks -- has stocked the system with pitching depth that is the envy of the industry. They tied for the most players in my top 100 and had a couple of other players who could make cases for inclusion, and their 11th- to 20th-ranked prospects still include a lot of prospective major league value. It has been a remarkable turnaround for general manager John Coppolella and his front office, and the future is even brighter with the team having the third overall pick in June's draft. The team's agreement to sign Venezuelan prospect Kevin Maitan on July 2 is the worst-kept secret in the industry.

2. 2015 rank: 10 Players in top 100 (2016): 7 You can say that they bought this farm-system ranking, and you'd be right, and I don't think they'd particularly care. However, that doesn't do justice to the successful draft picks in 2013 and 2014 that line their top 10 around the various high-dollar Cuban signings (and that one Mexican lefty named Julio Urias).

3. Minnesota Twins 2015 rank: 2 Players in top 100 (2016): 7

If you'd asked me to guess wildly at these rankings before I started the research process that goes into them, I might have pegged Minnesota 10 spots too low, but this system is stacked. The Twins have high ceilings, they have probability, they have starters, they have relievers, they have lots of position players -- I guess they don't really have catching, if you want to pick nits. But for a team that runs low payrolls, they're in damn good shape.

4. Chicago Cubs 2015 rank: 1 Players in top 100 (2016): 6

They graduated Kris Bryant, and Addison Russell but are still loaded with talent, albeit most of it unlikely to help before 2017. The system has long been light on arms, but there's some pitching coming if you squint hard enough into the distance.

5. Milwaukee Brewers 2015 rank: 28 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

They've gone from having the majors' worst farm system just two years ago to a top-five system resulting from a series of shrewd trades, starting with former GM Doug Melvin's work last summer to begin the rebuilding process, as well as one of the strongest draft classes in 2015.

6. Philadelphia Phillies 2015 rank: 25 Players in top 100 (2016): 5

The Cole Hamels trade might turn out to be the Phillies' Herschel Walker moment, trading their best asset for a huge package of prospects who look like they'll boost the major league club for years to come. The next step is maximizing their output from this year's draft, in which they hold the first overall pick.

7. Colorado Rockies 2015 rank: 8 Players in top 100 (2016): 5

This is a system full of athletes, with lots of high-upside position players and a significant contingent of hard-throwing starter prospects behind them. But there's some reliever risk on all of those starters. If any club were to value reliever prospects a bit higher, though, it probably should be the Rockies.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates 2015 rank: 7 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

For the Pirates to maintain this strong of a system with a low payroll and a highly competitive major league team is one of the more under-the- radar stories in the game over the past few years. They landed four players in the top 100 and could easily land six or seven next winter.

9. 2015 rank: 11 Players in top 100 (2016): 5 Formerly a system dominated by big international signings, the Rangers have since become a more focused team in the draft, going for ceiling and hitting on an impressive fraction of their high picks, including the Lewis Brinson/Joey Gallo parlay from the 2012 draft.

10. 2015 rank: 5 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

Decimated by promotions the past two years and the recent trade for Craig Kimbrel, which cost them two top-100 prospects and two others of some value, yet big international spending and some productive drafts still have the Red Sox a top-10 system overall. Drafting Andrew Benintendi, who showed in pro ball that his huge spring for the University of Arkansas wasn't just a four-month fluke, also helped.

11. Cleveland Indians 2015 rank: 16 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

This is a system full of projectable, young, high-ceiling arms and topped off with a couple of very promising bats but somewhat light on potential impact for 2016. I liked their 2015 draft, which focused on those projection high school over guys who throw hard now but might not have the same athleticism or repeatable deliveries.

12. Cincinnati Reds 2015 rank: 17 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

I haven't been a huge fan of the returns on the Reds' recent trades other than the Johnny Cueto deal (which yielded just one prospect for these rankings), but the aggregate result is a big influx of talent on top of a system with a couple of first-round and supplemental-round picks that are looking very promising.

13. 2015 rank: 20 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

The Aroldis Chapman deal didn't make much of a dent in the system; the Yankees bought the troubled reliever with quantity rather than quality, and a strong draft in 2015 helped make up for some recent promotions.

14. 2015 rank: 23 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

A quietly deep system, light on potential stars but full of potential regulars and back-end starters. These are the types of players the Rays will never be able to afford in free agency in their current market.

15. 2015 rank: 9 Players in top 100 (2016): 3

A top-heavy system with a couple of potential stars, some depth in position players up the middle but a somewhat quick falloff after the first eight to 10 names. It doesn't set them up well for many trades, but you have to be a potential star to crack the lineup or rotation in D.C., and they do have a few of those prospects.

16. New York Mets 2015 rank: 4 Players in top 100 (2016): 4 Still well-stocked with position players, but most of the pitching is gone in trades for Tyler Clippard and Yoenis Cespedes, leaving them very dependent on the health of the five young stars in the big league rotation. With a little luck, the next wave of hitters will hit Citi Field just as there are openings in the right spots in the lineup, helping them continue to compete behind their phenomenal young rotation.

17. 2015 rank: 3 Players in top 100 (2016): 4

With all the trades and promotions, the system has finally dropped out of the top 10, but it's far from barren thanks to a huge draft haul last year and big steps forward by several prospects in the system. There just isn't another Carlos Correa coming -- yet.

18. Oakland Athletics 2015 rank: 26 Players in top 100 (2016): 2

A couple of big trades brought back four of their top-10 prospects in a system that is back on the upswing after a few fallow years. They have a bunch of guys in the 101-150 range of prospects, players who could still have real major league value but have a little less probability because of issues like contact rates.

19. St. Louis Cardinals 2015 rank: 13 Players in top 100 (2016): 3

This is surprisingly low for a team that has been so productive over the past decade, but they've promoted much of their top talent and are now buttressed by their international department rather than their domestic drafts.

20. San Diego Padres 2015 rank: 18 Players in top 100 (2016): 2

The Padres strip-mined their system last year in a series of trades to boost the big league club but then added their new top two prospects in the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to Boston. This year's draft will be huge for them, as they have three picks in the first 27 and six in the first 85.

21. 2015 rank: 29 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

Just one top-100 prospect but a passel of intriguing arms -- both starters and relievers -- which should offer relief to the ailing major league rotation soon and help keep the bullpen rolling (a strength of all three World Series-winning Giants teams). They keep finding value in later rounds of the draft, too, and made a big splash internationally for the first time in several years.

22. 2015 rank: 12 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

Gradually improving thanks to some productive drafts, though they lost a little bit by trading three of their top 10 prospects for Todd Frazier (a good trade all the same). There's definitely a new emphasis on improving their player development, even if it's just to trade pieces for big league stars as was done in the Frazier deal.

23. 2015 rank: 15 Players in top 100 (2016): 2 No complaints here, as the Royals used the fruits of the system to win a World Series and another American League pennant, but they are very light on position players now, and many of their remaining pitching prospects are several years away.

24. Arizona Diamondbacks 2015 rank: 14 Players in top 100 (2016): 2

Two good pitching prospects, one or two decent hitting prospects, then a big drop-off, which is what happens when you keep sending away your top draft picks in trades. They took some middling college arms last year who could surprise this year and establish themselves as top-five prospects in the system -- or look like busted picks by next winter.

25. Toronto Blue Jays 2015 rank: 19 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

Badly thinned out by trades over the past 18 months but saved by the sudden emergence this year of their top two prospects, one a football player who finally chose to focus on baseball full-time, the other a projection high school arm who saw his velocity shoot up last summer.

26. Detroit Tigers 2015 rank: 30 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

They traded for prospects last summer, helping land their new No. 1 prospect and add a little depth to a system that had been depleted by trades in the other direction for years. It's still not a good system, but it's the first time in maybe a decade that it's trending upward, and I think the new emphasis on building from within will continue under GM Al Avila.

27. Baltimore Orioles 2015 rank: 22 Players in top 100 (2016): 2

Hunter Harvey has been out for a year and a half; Dylan Bundy can't stay healthy and could be done as a starter; and their best prospect is a catcher who might be a singles hitter. Their upside was almost entirely in short-season last summer, but they wouldn't be in this situation if the last wave of arms had panned out.

28. 2015 rank: 21 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

Their best prospect took a big step back in 2015; their top pitching prospect has huge upside but hasn't performed and has major makeup questions; and their draft was my least favorite of all 30 in 2015. New GM Jerry Dipoto has the unenviable task of keeping the big league club competitive while trying to restock the fallen system.

29. 2015 rank: 24 Players in top 100 (2016): 1

They barely placed one guy on the top 100, and their No. 2 prospect is probably a reliever when it's all said and done. They have some high-upside bats in the lowest levels, but they're low-probability prospects, and their pitching is light everywhere.

30. 2015 rank: 27 Players in top 100 (2016): 0 I've been doing these rankings for eight years now, and this is by far the worst system I've ever seen. They traded their top two prospects in the deal and had no one remotely close to top-100 status. They need a big draft this year to start to restock the system or we're going to start talking about whether it's time to trade Mike Trout.

Yahoo! Sports

Status of Hank Aaron statue in question as Braves prepare to move

By Mark Townsend

We know for sure that the Atlanta Braves will be moving to SunTrust Park in Cobb County for the 2017 season. What we don't know for sure is whether or not the bronze statue of Hank Aaron that currently stands in front of Turner Field will be joining them.

According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report from early Wednesday, the head of the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority claimed to have uncovered documents proving the statue is owned by the authority, meaning it would remain in the city of Atlanta after the Braves' departure.

“We were able to work out an agreement with the Braves. We are very excited about it,” Keisha Lance Bottoms, the executive director of the authority was quoted as saying in that story.

Those newly uncovered documents, if proven valid, would bring closure to a dispute that had been slowly building since the Braves announced their new ballpark back in 2013. However, the Braves have since released a statement disputing Bottoms' claims and making it sound as though this is anything but case closed.

“We were surprised by the release from Keisha Lance Bottoms as we do not have an agreement regarding the Hank Aaron statue. We believe the statue should be located wherever Hank Aaron would like it to go and we have stated this position to Ms. Bottoms. The Braves organization is committed to respecting his wishes and we are hopeful that Ms. Bottoms has this same position. We are in discussions with Hank, and once he makes his intentions clear to us, we will make the appropriate arrangements. Regardless, we will honor Hank and his legacy with the Braves in a significant way at SunTrust Park. Hank is and will always be a treasure to us and our community.”

Bob Hope, a longtime Atlanta marketing and public relations figure who played a key role in making the statue a reality, echoed the Braves surprise. Hope told the Journal-Constitution he was surprised to learn that such a document existed, and maintained the belief that Aaron owned the statue's rights, not the Braves or the authority.

Unless the Braves review and are satisfied by the documents, it appears this dispute will pick up even more steam in the weeks and months ahead.

It's kind of a shame that it might come down to that, but there are likely hard feelings on both sides that go beyond the statue. The Braves and the authority were unable to reach an agreement on the team's 20-year lease at Turner Field, which expires after the 2016 season, and the Braves rather abruptly made the decision to move on and rebuild.

There's no doubt that's at the heart of this matter, and there's no doubt Fulton County officials would like to salvage something from that relationship given their history. Hank Aaron may be the greatest symbol of that relationship and that history.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what documents show and what it will mean. Beyond that though, it would be interesting to see which way Hank Aaron would lean if given a say on the matter.

Stay tuned to this story. It could be interesting.

Associated Press

Fate of Hank Aaron statue unclear with Braves moving

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves say they still do not know if the Hank Aaron statue will be moved from its current home at Turner Field to the team's new SunTrust Park, which will open in 2017.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the executive director of the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wednesday an agreement was reached with the Braves that the bronze statue would not move.

The Braves say there is no agreement. The authority believes it owns the statue. The Braves said in a statement Wednesday they believe Aaron should decide the fate of his statue. Aaron declined comment to The Associated Press on Friday when asked about the statue.

The Braves say they will honor Aaron ''in a significant way'' at the new stadium in Cobb County.