AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > July > 26
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Can Braves afford Tex and Andruw?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re 102 games into the season, 60 to go, and I honestly don’t have a much better feel for the Andruw Jones situation than I did when we left spring training. Or when last season ended, for that matter.
If anything, I’d say his performance this season — .214 average before Thursday, still the worst among NL regulars, with team-high 19 homers and 66 RBIs, and typically strong defense — has slightly increased the chances he’ll stay with the Braves, simply because I can’t see anyone ponying up the $20 mill or so that Scott Boras wants to get for Jones.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think he’ll end up signing for more than $16-18 mill a year, and I think it’s possible he could be retained for five years and $75 million, thought it might take some creativity and performances clauses or options and opt-out years, whatever.
The other thing is, I don’t know how much Liberty might raise the payroll, since they’ve given no indication yet. Privately, I’ve heard at least $10 mill and perhaps $20 mill will be added to the payroll. But I just don’t know yet if that’s true.
Another big possible factor that could come into play: Mark Teixeira. If the Braves pull off a trade for the Rangers’ switch-hitting slugger, they might decide they’d rather spend $18 mill or so in a long-term deal for him and that it’s not possible to tie up more than $35 mill a year in Teixeira and Jones.
If they can sign Teixeira to a long-term extension, they’d have a better all-around hitter than Andruw, much higher average and OBP, probably more RBIs, and possibly as many or more homers, too.
And the other factor: I don’t know how badly the Braves still want to re-sign Andruw, period. I think they would like to keep him, but at a far lower rate than Boras wants.
In that case, it would ultimately come down to Andruw again telling Scott that he wants to stay in Atlanta, so make it happen.
That said, here’s an interview I did with Andruw a couple days ago, and I’ll just run his answers in full.
ME: What has to happen for the Braves to make a run at NL east or wild card?
ANDRUW: “I think we just have to stay healthy and do what we need to do to win games. We’re really close to the Mets, and these last few months we’ve got left, we’re gonna face our division a lot. So it’s a good chance to gain games on them.
“The focus is just play solid baseball. We’ve been trying our best to play good, but we got swept by Cincinnati. There’s stuff we wish could go a different way, but you just have to play good baseball and things will fall in place.”
ME: You’re currently on track to drive in over 100 RBI, but also hitting a career-low .214. Andruw, you would become only the second player, after Tony Armas Sr., to drive in 100 runs and hit below .220. What is the most important stat to you?
ANDRUW: “I think it’s RBIs. If I went out and drive in over 100 runs this year, even if I struggled with the average, I think it would be a good season.”
ME: Do you have any idea why you’ve struggled a little this year? Have you changed anything to turn it around - as it seems as if you have in July?
ANDRUW: “I don’t know. I just had little injuries that hurt a little bit, but I don’t make excuses. I just got pitched differently. I made my adjustments the last two years, to what the pitchers were doing. It took me a little longer to adjust to the way they’re pitching me now. Hopefully next year I’ll look over my tapes to the way they’re pitching me and I can make my adjustments again.”
ME: Have you looked to anyone in particular for help or advice?
ANDRUW: “Not really. I just look to myself, look at my tapes, try to stay positive. A lot of people are trying to help you all the time, but you’re the one who has to go out and do it.”
ME: How has being in a contract year had an impact on you? Do you think about being an impending free agent?
ANDRUW: “It really doesn’t matter. A lot of guys want to have big years in the contract year, so they can get paid a lot of money. That’s not the way your reputation is built, you reputation is built on previous years, not what you just did. Everybody can have one great year, and that’s the only good year you have, and still make money.”
ME: How do you think your performance this year has impacted your next contract?
ANDRUW: “I’m really not thinking about it. Hopefully when the season’s over we can come to an agreement and I can stay with the Atlanta Braves forever.”
And there you have it, folks. The man clearly wants to stay with the Braves. He loves Atlanta, doesn’t want to move, and wants to play for Cox as long as he possibly can. He’s said before he wants to be one of those players who stays with one team his whole career.
Whether the Braves feel as strongly about keeping him remains to be seen. We might not know for some time, since Boras has said Andruw doesn’t want to negotiate until after the season (and the Braves don’t, either).
Tight races: A quick look reveals that the wild-card and NL East races are tight and showing no signs of loosening, and that the Cubs are hotter than anyone else in the wild-card race (though they might soon surpass Milwaukee and not be a concern for the other wild-card contenders).
Anyway, here’s what they’ve all done since June 25:
Braves 16-10 with .304 average, 3.59 ERA, 155 runs, 25 homers.
Mets 16-11 with .259 average, 4.24 ERA, 123 runs, 34 homers.
Phillies 13-12 with .305 average, 4.76 ERA, 160 runs, 41 homers (Utley injury is huge.)
Dodgers 14-13 with .309 average, 4.27 ERA, 151 runs, 27 homers.
Padres 12-14 with .233 average, 4.41 ERA, 87 runs, 22 homers (these guys are going to be non-factors soon, I believe).
Cubs 18-7 with .276 average, 3.81 ERA, 133 runs, 94 homers.
And here’s why they’re really frightening: Since June 1, Cubs are 31-17 with a .275 average, 3.51 ERA, 232 runs and 37 homers. Nothing extraordinaly except wins. They know how to win. Lou’s got them playing winning ball.
Now, a tune. Didn’t think Public Enemy’s “By the Time I Get To Arizona” would sit well with some folks, so I went with a slightly less inflammatory classic.
“BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX” by Jimmy Webb
By the time I get to Phoenix she’ll be rising
She’ll find the note I left hangin’ on her door
She’ll laugh when she reads the part that says I’m leavin’
‘Cause I’ve left that girl so many times before
By the time I make Albuquerque she’ll be working
She’ll prob’ly stop at lunch and give me a call
But she’ll just hear that phone keep on ringin’
Off the wall that’s all
By the time I make Oklahoma she’ll be sleepin’
She’ll turn softly and call my name out loud
And she’ll cry just to think I’d really leave her
Tho’ time and time I try to tell her so
She just didn’t know I would really go.
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