"With memories of the Braves' September collapse still lingering, and the Marlins scooping up expensive free agents, and other NL East teams making moves as well, Frank Wren knows some Atlanta fans want to see him wheeling and dealing.

But the Braves general manager leaned back in a chair in his suite at the Hilton Anatole on Monday, the first day of baseball's annual Winter Meetings, and said he would only make a deal if and when the Braves think it's to their benefit.

"You can get caught in that trap and get intoxicated by the deal," he said. "There's an adrenaline rush to making a deal, but the bottom line is, does it make us better? We're not going to make a deal just to make a splash at home. We're not going to make a deal just to make a deal. We're looking to get better.

"We've identified some areas where we think we can get better. That's our whole goal here.""