Trade Braun? Choice may be key at Meetings

MILWAUKEE — Trade Ryan Braun as the next step in a rebuild? Or keep Braun and his 30-homer potential in place?

It’s the biggest decision general manager David Stearns and the Brewers face as the Winter Meetings convene next week outside Washington, D.C. Braun himself is hanging on the answer.

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“Not knowing 100 percent where [I will] be playing is hard,” Braun said at the Brewers’ annual food drive on the day before Thanksgiving. “It definitely complicates things. Obviously, things come up. It’s a part of the business. It’s a part of the profession. If something were to happen, we’d figure it out when we get there.”

MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. CT.

Braun and Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen are among the highest-profile players who could be traded this offseason, and both present an interesting conundrum for their clubs.

In the pro-trade column for Braun, he is 33 years old, plays for a team deep into a rebuilding project and is unlikely to see his trade value rise any higher during the remainder of a contract that …

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