AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAfter Glavine, still moves to be made by Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yes, the Braves still have concerns, including the glaring hole in center, the lack of a proven lefty reliever, and a starting rotation that has a potential pool of eight quality pitchers to choose from, but more than half of whom are either over 40 (John Smoltz, Tom Glavine), have 10 or fewer big-league starts (Jo-Jo Reyes, Jair Jurrjens), or missed the past two seasons (Mike Hampton).
That said, Braves players I’ve spoken with, as well as a few players and officials from other teams, are in agreement: The Braves and new GM Frank Wren have been aggressive, proactive, and sensible with their early moves.
The latest was the long-anticipated signing of Glavine to a one-year, $8 million contract. Not bad for a 303-game winner and future Hall of Famer who has won at least 13 games in 17 of the past 19 seasons, and pitched at least 198 innings in 12 of 13 seasons. Even if he will be 42 in March.
Glavine conceded at his Monday press conference that he’s not a No. 1 pitcher anymore, though he can still pitch that way some nights. He was brutally honest and said he’s not a $13 million pitcher (the option he declined with the Mets) and didn’t want the pressure of that price tag every time he went to the mound.
But that’s fine with the Braves, who got him to be a No. 3 starter who can pitch close to 200 innings, something that only two Braves starters (aces Smoltz and Tim Hudson) did last season. No other Brave was even close.
His $8 mill price tag is $2 mill below what old friend Greg Maddux got to re-sign with San Diego (Maddux is 41 and was 29-25 with a 4.17 ERA in 408 innings over the past two seaons; Glavine is 41 and was 28-15 with a 4.13 ERA in 398-1/3 innings over the past two seasons).
They both seem like bargains compared to, say, ex-Brave Jason Marquis, who got a three-year, $21 million contract with the Cubs before last season, after going 14-16 with a 6.02 ERA for St. Louis in 2006 and being left off the Cardinals’ playoff roster. Marquis went 12-9 with a 4.60 ERA in 191-2/3 innings in 2007.
Or how ‘bout Joel Pineiro, who just re-upped with St. Louis for three years and $13 mill. This for a starter who won 30 games (30-18) during 2002-03 for Seattle, but is 28-40 with a 5.39 ERA since then.
In the past two seasons, Pineiro is 15-18 with a 5.61 ERA, with a .301 opp avg and 37 homers allowed in 263-1/3 innings. Now three more years, $13 million.
Smoltz reaction: I got a call back from Smoltz a little too late Monday to get his quotes in my Glavine-signing story, so I’ll give them to you here. As you might expect, he was thrilled to get his old buddy back on the team — and not because it gives Smoltz another worthy golf partner.
“This is about as good as it gets for me, as far as what it means to the Atlanta Braves oreganization and what he’s meant to me, being able to work with him,” Smoltz said.
“It’s neat — that’s not the best word to use, but I don’t want to sound like I’m going overboard — it’s neat to have this happen. It’s great for the organization.”
Considering the tight budgets of recent years, the animosity over previous negotiations between Glavine, his agent and the Braves, and the failed pursuit of Glavine a year ago, was Smoltz surprised that this got done?
“I’ve got to be a little bit surprised, because you never know how things are going to work,” he said. “A lot of things contributed to it happening.”
Smoltz said that Glavine makes sense on a lot of levels for these Braves.
“Leaving me out of it,” Smoltz said, “he means a lot to these young left-handers that we have. He means a lot to the bullpen. You know you’re going to get starts out of this guy. You know he’s going to cover games.”
With the uncertainty surrounding Hampton’s health, and Smoltz’s own age, he has said he wants the Braves to have, in effect, a six-man rotation, including a long reliever capable of making spot starts when others need to skip a start.
“That’s what the mindset’s got to be, with a six-man rotation, with Hampton,” Smoltz said. “[Glavine] gives us experience, a little more comfort. It allows Chuck James to not deal with so much pressure, and also allows him to pick Tommy’s brain…. This does so many things for us.
“I know some people are just going to be focused on the wins and losses, and whether it was a PR move. I’m telling you, this is a big step toward us reaching our goals.
“Nothing’s a given; I’m not a given.”
Then Smoltz paused and said in a proud tone, “But one thing you know: the three of us are still pitching.”
He meant him, Glavine and Maddux.
The Braves have already made significant moves well before the Winter Meetings, including trading Edgar Renteria to Detroit for a young center-field prospect and starting prospect Jurrjens, trading reliever Oscar Villarreal for rookie center fielder Josh Anderson and signing Glavine.
“This is the best time to do it, best time to set your team,” Smoltz said. “Given some options, and given the fact that there are some very good pieces here already, we’ve now got to make it happen where we’re addressing some of those needs. It’s not easy - it’s not like picking apples off a tree — but it’s a lot easier to do it now than in July or August.”
Braves president Terry McGuirkhas said more than once this offseason that payroll will rise and the Braves now have the money to make moves.
“I’ve been very encouraged [by McGuirk’s comments],” Smoltz said. “Sometimes as a player or a fan — sometimes we’re both — you never know what you’re going to have to work with. I think every team’s looking for that one name that takes you go from a pretender to a contender. That doesn’t always happen, but if you get a couple of those pieces, you go hmmm…. That’s where we’re headed. We’re getting close to that.
“We lost two great players in Edgar Renteria and Andruw Jones. We’re probably never going to replace Andruw Jones….
“[But] there’s tremendous upside for Mike Hampton. And now with Tom Glavine — to have that depth gives you … tough decisions to make. If we have to make tough decisions, that’s a luxury, rather than the alternative.”
About that Glavine finish: Much has been made of Glavine’s final few starts for the Mets — which were no doubt dreadful, especially the last two.
He was 8-1 with a 3.20 ERA over his 18-start stretch directly before those last three games, in which he was 0-2 with a 14.81 ERA. He allowed 13 runs in 5-1/3 innings in his final two starts, and recorded only out in the last one.
Like I said, bad.
But a couple of other big-name pitchers struggled down the stretch, and no one one would suggest their arms are shot, their careers over. No one has said their end-of-season stumbles were indicative of anything other than, they ran out of gas at the end of the season.
Johan Santana, arguably the best pitcher in our sport, was 1-4 with a 5.11 ERA in his final six starts, with one quality start in that stretch.
Maddux was 2-2 with a 9.00 ERA and .413 opponents’ average in his last four starts, while allowing 31 hits and 17 runs in 17 innings, including starts of 3 innings and 3-1/3 innings.
Hey, Glavine was really bad in those last two starts. Beyond bad in the last one. But he said he wasn’t hurt, and Braves doctors who examined him last week said his arm and overall health were excellent.
It’s not as if he ever relied on 95-mph heat to be successful.
Glavine on Cox: Someone asked Glavine at the press conference about playing again for manager Bobby Cox. I’ll just run his answer verbatim.
“It’s great; I have a ton of respect for Bobby,” Glavine said. “I always have. He’s been the single greatest influence on my career. I’ve learned a lot from Bobby — how to play the game, how to respect the game, how to respect your team and the uniform you wear, how to go out there every day and just compete, go out there with an idea of what you’re trying to do and try your best to do it. And if you don’t, then get ready to do it again the next day and start over.
“Bobby’s reputation and Bobby’s character speaks for itself. Ask anybody who’s played for him and they’ll tell you. You’re not going to have everybody love you, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody in the game who’s played for Bobby that didn’t love playing for him.
“If there was one question I got repeatedly the last five years in New York, it was, ‘What’s it like playing for Bobby?’ It’s not something you can answer in a minute. It takes a while.
“He has an uncanny ability to get the best out of players, whether they’re young guys or kind of reclamation projects, he has a great ability to put guys in position to succeed. We’ve all seen it, year after year, guys come in here who you’re not quite sure what you’re going to get out of them, and when all’s said and done you get good years out of those guys. Most of that is Bobby.”
One question, and that was the response.
Whither Andruw? I don’t know where Andruw’s gonna end up, since I believed the Angels were a good bet to make him a big offer. Texas makes some sense, and the Chicago White Sox wanted to trade for him a few years ago. So maybe they’ll be a suitor.
I can tell you, everything I’ve heard is that the Braves will not be, that he’s not coming back, regardless of speculation by many who wonder if Jones might go around the lightning-rod agent Scott Boras’ back again and come back for a reduced one-year contract.
No, I’m told. Not gonna happen. Period.
Can’t tell you if the Braves will acquire another center fielder - DeJesus, Crisp, etc. - or if they’ll go with what they have and make it a three-way battle for the job among kids Jordan Schafer, Josh Anderson and Gregor Blanco.
But I will guarantee you that the Braves are going to miss Andruw Jones’ offense. Yes, offense. He was bad last season, hitting a career-low .222. Terrible average. Just awful.
And this after hitting .261, .263 and .262 over the previous three seasons. Not good.
In 257 games since June 3, 2006, Andruw has hit a dreadful .232 with a .333 OBP. Repeating, he’s hit .232 in his past 257 games, or 937 at-bats.
That said, the Braves are going to miss his run production a lot more than some people seem to believe. I keep reading folks here say things like, ‘How much worse can Schafer be, or Blanco, or whoever, if they hit .230 they’ll still be better than Andruw.’
No.
Because despite hitting .232 in those past 257 games, Andruw also had 53 homers, 154 runs and 171 RBIs in that stretch.
Granted, he might have had 210 RBIs if he’d hit for a decent average with runners in scoring position in that period. But the point remains, he had 53 homers and 171 RBIs since June 3, 2006, during a stretch in which his average was flat-out awful.
For some comparison, here’s what a few other outfielders have hit since June 3, 2006:
Torii Hunter: .286 average (.336 OBP) with 146 runs, 50 homers, 171 RBIs in 253 games.
Vernon Wells: .264 average (.321 OBP) with 144 runs, 33 homers, 143 RBIs in 253 games.
Coco Crisp: .263 average (.321 OBP) with 132 runs, 13 homers, 93 RBIs in 240 games.
And J.D. Drew (hey, we’re just having some fun here): .277 average (.384 OBP) with 140 runs, 22 homers, 124 RBIs in 238 games.
Yes, he’s often a mess at the plate. But Andruw still, somehow, piled up some pretty solid run-production numbers.
Alright, take us out Mr. Zimmerman….
”TANGLED UP IN BLUE” by Bob Dylan
Early one mornin’ the sun was shinin’,
I was layin’ in bed
Wonderin’ if she’d changed at all
If her hair was still red.
Her folks they said our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like Mama’s homemade dress
Papa’s bankbook wasn’t big enough.
And I was standin’ on the side of the road
Rain fallin’ on my shoes
Heading out for the East Coast
Lord knows I’ve paid some dues gettin’ through,
Tangled up in blue.
She was married when we first met
Soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam, I guess,
But I used a little too much force.
We drove that car as far as we could
Abandoned it out West
Split up on a dark sad night
Both agreeing it was best.
She turned around to look at me
As I was walkin’ away
I heard her say over my shoulder,
“We’ll meet again someday on the avenue,”
Tangled up in blue.
I had a job in the great north woods
Working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the ax just fell.
So I drifted down to New Orleans
Where I happened to be employed
Workin’ for a while on a fishin’ boat
Right outside of Delacroix.
But all the while I was alone
The past was close behind,
I seen a lot of women
But she never escaped my mind, and I just grew
Tangled up in blue.
She was workin’ in a topless place
And I stopped in for a beer,
I just kept lookin’ at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear.
And later on as the crowd thinned out
I’s just about to do the same,
She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me, “Don’t I know your name?”
I muttered somethin’ underneath my breath,
She studied the lines on my face.
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe,
Tangled up in blue.
She lit a burner on the stove and offered me a pipe
“I thought you’d never say hello,” she said
“You look like the silent type.”
Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century.
And every one of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin’ coal
Pourin’ off of every page
Like it was written in my soul from me to you,
Tangled up in blue.
I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs,
There was music in the cafes at night
And revolution in the air.
Then he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of him died.
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside.
And when finally the bottom fell out
I became withdrawn,
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin’ on like a bird that flew,
Tangled up in blue.
So now I’m goin’ back again,
I got to get to her somehow.
All the people we used to know
They’re an illusion to me now.
Some are mathematicians
Some are carpenter’s wives.
Don’t know how it all got started,
I don’t know what they’re doin’ with their lives.
But me, I’m still on the road
Headin’ for another joint
We always did feel the same,
We just saw it from a different point of view,
Tangled up in blue.
Comments
By brian
November 22, 2007 8:56 PM | Link to this
first?
By brian
November 22, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this
I am still excited about the Tom Glavine signing.
Everyone wants to trade Chuck James. I think that would be a big mistake. This year was his sophomore slump and it still was not that bad. The trouble was that the Braves expected young Chuckie to be their #3 starter due to their lack of depth. James can easily be a long term, solid #3 for the Braves. It is way too early to give up on him, and don’t bloggers every year try to trade away some starting pitching because we “have too many starters” which never turns out to be the case.
I have no problem with the 3 rookies trying to hold down CF. They play solid defense and will bat 8th in the order. That is assuming the Braves fill their other holes - reliable lefty in the bullpen and bench help. It seems like Boston has Crisp’s price way too high for his performance in Boston - way too high for someone who lost his job to a rookie this year. I do not think Crisp is a good fit for the Braves with his game or with his clubhouse presence (by report).
Since we gave away Davies for just a few games from Dotel, maybe Moore will feel bad for us and work a deal for DeJesus though I would be afraid of Moore prying away someone we should not give away.
Thanks for the blog DOB. All of us here are thankful for your tireless work on the blog. Happy Thanksgiving
By chrisklob
November 22, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
brian, considering that Kyle Davies got worse after leaving Atlanta, Dayton Moore might think that FW owes HIM a little something extra! Not the other way around.
By summerteeth
November 22, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this
Thanks DOB….nice finish to a full day.
And man, I have never seen 1 bad season kill interest in a player like it has for Andruw. No way Tori Hunter is a better player. I say Andruw ends up a Yankee.
By Gil in Mechanicsville
November 22, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this
I am re-posting this from the last blog as DOB pulled the trigger a little too quick for me.
Folks, last post for me tonight and then spend some quality time with the wife who did an outstanding job today with “The Feast”.
After thoughtful consideration. I would rather have Lillibridge in a utility role for a year than to waste him as a trade piece for some stop gap player who has little upside.
The only question mark about Brent to me is if he can hit major league pitching with consistency at this point in his career but I’ll bet $10 to a donut that he can hit at least as well as the dozens of names thrown out so far as possible back ups for Escobar.
Yunel has the advantage of age over Lillibridge so he has more experience but I cannot say he has a higher ceiling. Knowing now that Brent played hurt the last few weeks of the season and still played at a high level showed me something.
He is the type of player you hold onto for dear life because if you like some of the young talent you have seen come to Atlanta in the past few years then hold onto your hat because you are going to drool all over yourself for this guy. He is just that good and the Braves stole him from the Pirates plain and simple.
Have a good night all and I will catch up with you all in the morning.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
November 22, 2007 9:24 PM | Link to this
DOB, you are right about Furcal. He was a good leadoff hitter. He just tried to hit too many homeruns.
Rumor has it the Reds are aggressively shopping Ryan Freel. I’m not to sold on him. One becuase of his injuries and two, because I think he is a bit overrated. I would really like to see Figgins here but don’t know whom the Braves could really send of consequence other than Kelly Johnson. I suppose Jo Jo Reyes but I don’t know if I like that either.
By JerseyGil
November 22, 2007 9:25 PM | Link to this
DOB,,,I take Glavine 13 Win anytime, with him last year will won the Division…He was not him at the end, posible Family matters,My question to you is about Center Field…Why Brandon Jones is Playing Center in Mexixo..it this mean that the Braves give him a change in Spring training to compete in Center?
By brian
November 22, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this
What ever happened to the Braves/MIB blog T-shirts? Seems like it would be easy enough to create a good T-shirt and design, and sell them on ebay for anyone who wanted to buy them. For such a popular blog, I bet there would be some demand here. Maybe even Stinky would get one
By mike
November 22, 2007 9:40 PM | Link to this
DOB Im well aware of Lillibridge’s and B Jone’s Minor League numbers but where exactly are they supposed to play? Escobar is the future SS, its been said that KJohnson isn’t going anywhere, and Lillibridge hasn’t been spoken about as a serious candidate for CF. Whether you want to admit it or not theres not going to be an opening for Lillibridge in Atlanta for a few years. As far as Brandon Jones goes, he’s penciled in as playing behind Matt Diaz this year and isn’t seen as being as good an outfield prospect as Hernandez or Schaeffer so where does that leave him? As a backup. I think two backups for Hamilton is not exactly emptying the farm but I do see your point that their worths right now are too much for someone who has played half a season. Maybe C James and one of Brandon Jones or Lilibridge would be fair. The Reds have Dunn for one more year and Griffey for 2 so a corner outfield prospect would fit their needs pretty well to go along with a good young pitcher. The main point I’m trying to make is that the Braves need more out of CF this year than what they have right now if they plan on being a postseason team
By JJMB
November 22, 2007 9:44 PM | Link to this
WEE-HOO, soft-toss DOB says his contacts approve of the Braves moves.
Dang, that really set me on my ear! Radical stuff. What will he type next?
By Daybed Wagmoe
November 22, 2007 9:46 PM | Link to this
DOB — any idea of the type of influence that Leo Mazzone had on Glavine? I’m just wondering because he was bad the first couple years when he left Atlanta and Leo and went to New York…I’m curious how much of that could be attributed to not having his longtime pitching coach with him anymore, if it contributed at all.
By TexasBrave
November 22, 2007 9:46 PM | Link to this
JerseyGil - We will need a lot of options to replace AJ. And as you can tell from DOB’s blog that even though his BA was low, AJ still produced a lot of runs, HR and RBI’s. None of the options listed so far will replace his offense and no one we could trade for could do so either.
I still think it is absolutely foolish for the Braves to say that they will most definitely not talk to AJ no matter what the situation. The only way we get a good stop gap CF this winter is through a trade in which the other team is going to want some of our young pitchers. Given the state of our aging rotation that would not be a smart move.
By JerseyGil
November 22, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this
Update on Hampton first Inning,,,i hit, one K Swing i fly to second..Bottom of the first brando jones Single
By Braves Fan 79
November 22, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this
Happy Thanksgiving DOB. The Braves will be just fine this year if we can lay off the temptation to bring in a bunch of old crappy “vets” that no other team wants. (see…woodward, wilson). In fact if their last name starts with a W…LEAVE THEM ALONE!! Last years offseason moves were TERRIBLE! Go Braves!
By chrisklob
November 22, 2007 10:06 PM | Link to this
TexasBrave, AJ had high RBI numbers because he hit behind ER and CJ most of the year and those guys were on base all the time. He scored plenty of runs because most of the year Frenchy and Heap were hitting behind him. His HR numbers were down significantly from his past few years. In no way, shape, or form can you say that AJ had a successful year. His successes were not due to his ability but due to his circumstances. You or I could have put up fair numbers in that position. Alright, maybe YOU could have, I probably don’t have it any more.
Anyway, the point is this. Andruw Jones is an ex-Brave. You can pi$$ and moan and cry and say how it’s unfair and stupid they won’t at least give him a one year deal but at this point, the people in charge of making decisions, the ones that have forgotten more about this game and how to evaluate a players’ skills than any of us will ever know, say that Andruw Rudolph Jones will NOT be back.
Time to move on, dude. :-)
By JerseyGil
November 22, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this
oh..oh…Mike Hampton was release in the second inning…he only pitch one inning…i hope this was not a bad news.
By AJK
November 22, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
DOB:
I’ve read that the Reds may try to move Josh Hamilton - he seems like he’d be a great, cheap option for the Braves, one that could move into a platoon with Diaz in LF once Schafer is ready. Have you heard any scuttlebut about the Braves being interested?
By Steve McP
November 22, 2007 10:11 PM | Link to this
Oh Oh - Is Hampton injured - my Spanish is very poor but he seems to have been pulled after one inning
By chrisklob
November 22, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this
JerseyGil,, did he come out to start the second inning and decide he couldn’t go, or did they send someone out to replace him at the top of the second?
I think DOB said he was supposed to go 2 or 3 innings. Did he throw a lot of pitches in that inning?
By JerseyGil
November 22, 2007 10:19 PM | Link to this
i don’t know i been look the online game box score and they not show the count…i don’t think he came out for the second.
By Coach (Lets Go Braves in 2008)
November 22, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this
While the Braves won’t replace Andruws production per say , having a full season of Teixeira and Escobar along with the expected platoon of Diaz/B.Jones in LF should be more than adequate when it comes to run production and RBI’s.
What is really critical is the need to make sure that the Braves have solid to above average defensive ability in CF.
I believe that the rotation and bullpen will be a source of strength. Back that up with great defense , solid offense and the results will be very good.
By BravesFanInRockies
November 22, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this
JJMB,
Your point … ?
By NLBF
November 22, 2007 10:30 PM | Link to this
DOB.I’M SO HAPPY FOR THE BRAVES TO FINALY HAVE TOM TRIFFIC BACK FOR NOT ONLY YOU BUT ALL OF THE OTHER LOST BRAVES FANS.I HOPE WHEN HE GETS SHELLED FOR 10 TO 12 RUNS BEFORE GETTING THE SECOND OUT IN THE 1st INNING,ALL OF HIS SUPPORTERS STAND UP AND BOO HIS BUTT RIGHT BACK TO N.Y. OR ANY PLACE ELSE BUT ATLANTA.OH BY THE WAY DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE THE DEAL THE ANGELS GAVE TORRI HUNTER 90 MILLION FOR FIVE YEARS? WITH TOM THE TRADIOR’S 8MIL, THIS YEAR AND YOU JUST KNOW HES GOOD FOR AT LEAST 2 MORE, THATS ABOUT HALF OF HUNTERS CONTRACT PLUS TWO MORE YEARS FROM A YOUNG PLAYER,WHO DO’ES NOT HAVE TO LIVE ON PAST GLORY.
By chris
November 22, 2007 10:33 PM | Link to this
Well, if Hampton’s arm did explode, at least it happened early.
By JerseyGil
November 22, 2007 10:36 PM | Link to this
Well guys since hampton is out this all for me tonight…good night everyone….Hope tomorrow we have a good news about Hampton.
By Coach (Lets Go Braves in 2008)
November 22, 2007 10:41 PM | Link to this
How important is defense ? Well , lets go back to 1990. Glavine , Smoltz , Avery and Liebrandt combined to go 36-45.
The pitching was in place but Schuerholz recognized the need to upgrade the defense. He brought in Pendleton at 3B , Bream at 1B , Belliard at SS and Nixon in CF.
Glavine , Smoltz , Avery and Liebrandt went 67-45 during the following 1991 worst to first run.
The offense scored 67 more runs in 1991 but it was the markedly improved defense that helped the pitching the most.
While the mantra of pitching and defense may sound like cookie cutter strategy. It’s just sound , fundamental , hard nosed baseball being played the right way.
By Robert (Justice Is The Best)
November 22, 2007 10:51 PM | Link to this
I’m going to reiterate what I have been saying about getting another starter. You can’t count on Hampton. The Braves need another solid starter even if its the likes of Sean Marshall or Matt Cain. I would prefer a Carlos Silva or Matt Garza.
By JJMB
November 22, 2007 11:06 PM | Link to this
BFIR, have you ever read anything that DOB wrote that didn’t tow the company line?
By Bravo Nam
November 22, 2007 11:08 PM | Link to this
I know the Braves have said they’re not after any more arms, but if this is the case, I think they’ve missed the boat on their assessment of things. For this year…fine…but they need to be looking at two to three years time when Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton will all be gone. Now is the time to trade for a young ace- let him benefit from the knowledge and experience of the “old guys”- so that in two to three years time we have a good arm to slot in behind Hudson.
By Logan23
November 22, 2007 11:18 PM | Link to this
JerseyGil
Looks like it was one and done for Hamptom. I doubt they would push him in his first outing. If there was talk of him going more than one inning it would be predicated on how he felt. If he experienced any real discomfort during the inning he would have come out immediately I’m guessing that “Cambio de picher por los Mayos sale: Mike Hamptom y entra: Mario Mendoza.” translates into Hampton out replaced by Mendoza. Then again I flunked Spanish.
By fastasballs
November 22, 2007 11:19 PM | Link to this
Well I guess Andruw isn’t going to the Angels. I’m sure Andruw will get a little action now since Hunter is off the market.
I’m with Coach on the importance of the defense. I’ll take a light hitting, speedy glove man for next season. The Braves potential rotation includes three contact guys, a ground ball pitcher. They play 81 home games in a spacious ballpark so good/great defense is needed.
Andruw’s production in 2007 was a product of the hitters in front of him as much as anything else. If he played for any other team with a average offense he would have 20-30 fewer RBI’s than he ended up with. In reality a 120-140 RBI season is what Andruw would have put up had he hit his usual .260 or so with RISP.
The team’s production shouldn’t decrease even with a light hitting center fielder. One reason is Tex will be here a full season. Chipper & whoever is following Tex in the order will get better pitches to hit. Also Frenchy & McCann will probably increase production as well. I worry more about Escobar having a rough 2nd season & not being able to match Edgar’s production more than I worry about Andruw’s production.
By flange1
November 22, 2007 11:35 PM | Link to this
Evening All,
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
JJMB
What is your problem? Who is the company? DOB works for the AJC not the Braves…
BLAH BLAH BLAH…
DOB, we will miss AJ on offense and defense. He was (is) a great player. But I agree it is time to move on. I would love to have Andruw for a 1 year contract at 8-10 million. BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
Both parties need to move on. Andruw needs a new fresh start and the Baves have to prepare for the future..
We need a RH CF that can platoon with Blanco and the new guy….
DOB,
I am thankful for this blog. It makes my day, every day better, and it is all because of your input. Thanks!
Happy T-day all!
By Montabello
November 22, 2007 11:38 PM | Link to this
According to the Mexican League web site. Hampton only pitched 1 inning(1 K and a hit).
can you confirm what happened DOB???
By AuburnBrave
November 22, 2007 11:41 PM | Link to this
I wonder with Torii Hunter with the Angels will that make Chone Figgins that much more expendable, and will the Braves pursue him more aggressively or stand pat with the prospects they have now, since Josh Anderson is a similar type player to Figgins.
By mr baseball
November 23, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this
Hopefully, DOB is correct that there are still moves to be made. Given the recent track record of the ex-GM at building a bench & a bullpen, there isn’t much way the new guy can do much worse in those areas. Is there?
Bullpen: Wickman & Paronto are already gone, Dotel & Mahay are soon to follow (2 more 15-minute acquisitions from our Hall of Fame ex-GM), and Gonzalez is unlikely to contribute much of anything in ‘08 (another Schuerholz success). What’s still left is pretty good, although it would be nice to add a more proven lefty than Ring. Not holding my breath.
Bench: The Braves need a backup middle infielder; a RH hitting CF who can at least split time there; and a Ward/Sweeney/Anderson type PH would be nice. None of those spots will either break the bank or require plenty of talent to acquire. We’ll see if Wren can actually upgrade the team somewhere other than the rotation.
Both the Phillies & Mets have more questions to answer during the off-season than the Braves. The Marlins are seemingly headed in the wrong direction. The division is there for the taking next year. It would be nice to think that the Braves are going to reclaim their status as the team to beat, but I see no reason yet to believe that.
Adding a 42-year-old soft tossing lefty to a rotation with another over-40 arm and one that hasn’t thrown a pitch in 2 years does not exactly inspire great confidence for those of us not heavily into nostalgia. It’s way too early to judge the new GM, but it looks like he’s not afraid to wheel and deal a little. Hope he has more success than his overrated predecessor had during his last decade on the job.
By Kentavo
November 23, 2007 12:04 AM | Link to this
I wouldn’t care if they had Pete Incaviglia in CF if they went out and got another proven starter. It wouldn’t matter = but counting on anything from Hampton is a big mistake. I’m not blaming him - it’s the brass I’m peeved at. I”m not against the Glavine signing, I just think that shouldn’t be the end of the story. What about Jeff Weaver?
By Matthew, Dad to Walter
November 23, 2007 12:18 AM | Link to this
Hello denizens, long time no blog for this preacher boy.
The full-time seminary gig is very time-consuming, and pastoring a church as well as being a full-time husband and dad has made blogging nearly impossible. So bear with me while I catch up.
JJS, Carolina Lady, Journalist Bob, and Lew, as well as all the other bloggers- I hope you all have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I ate way too much, watched too much football, and got far too little work done. A pretty good day all in all!
DOB Thanks for keeping us up to date. I haven’t been able to post, but I have read faithfully throughout the offseason. Keep up the good work.
Tom Glavine Welcome back! I hate that it has taken so long, but I hold no grudges and like the dad to the prodigal, I welcome you back to the Braves fold!
Edgar Renteria The Braves Nation salutes you and wishes you nothing but the best in the Motor City. Your two years were worthy of team MVP honors both years IMHO and you played the game in a classy and selfless way. Major kudos! Hopefully JJ and Gorky prove to be worth losing your production and leadership.
Andruw Jones Thanks for ten years of Hall of Fame defense. We will miss your smile and highlight reel catches. If only you had a different agent…
Now, a quick question. I know that payroll is going up and it is hard to keep up with all of the moves, but according to FOXSports.com the Braves’ payroll stands at $93.455 million, and Edgar Renteria is not listed on the roster. I have tried to tally up the numbers as they stand, not allowing for the arbitration raises due to some of our players. Can someone check these numbers?
Subtracting Andruw, Dotel, R. Cormier (don’t know why, but he’s listed), Mahay, Franco, Woodward, Sturtze, Paranto, and Orr, I see a reduction of our payroll to $67.135 million. Add in Glavine and the total rises to $75.135 million. I know that my list isn’t exhaustive, so can someone give me an idea of about where we stand?
The list I used is found at http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/teamSalary?categoryId=71601
Thanks and GO BRAVES!
By David O'Brien
November 23, 2007 12:42 AM | Link to this
Mike you have no idea where Brandon Jones is “penciled in.”
Braves don’t have him “penciled in” to play behind Diaz. They have him coming to spring training to compete for a job. If he’s ready, he’ll play. Whether that’s a platoon or a primary job, who knows? Lot of things can happen, which they do every single year. Things happen. Guys get hurt. Guys get traded. Guys stink in spring, etc.
If he’s ready, he’ll platoon or maybe even be the primary guy, for all you and I know. He’s NOT penciled in to play behind Diaz.
As for Lillibridge, you’re wrong there, too. A “few years” before he plays? Again, things happen. Kelly could stink in his second year at 2B. He could regress, as he did defensively late in the year. Or he could take off and have an exceptional year. The other CF options might not be ready and Lillibridge might play so well in spring that they want his bat on the team. Escobar might get hurt. You have no idea. I have no idea.
But it won’t be a “few years” before Lillibridge plays here. He’d be traded berore that, and he’d be traded for a lot more than being one of three players in a trade for a guy who’s had a half season in the majors and not played a full season of pro ball since he was drafted in 1999, I can say with a fair degree of certainty.
By David O'Brien
November 23, 2007 12:46 AM | Link to this
Don’t know about Hampton tonight. No answer from Braves folks I texted and e-mailed (not surprising; it’s Thanksgiving night, they’re off and with family).
Don’t know of any Braves interest so far in Johnson, because I’m told they’re not even aware he’s available, if he is at all (we’ve only heard he might be from one rumor in one report, remember)….
Who is JJMB? On second thought, nevermind.
Whatever, friend. Get your Braves news elsewhere, if you don’t like it here. I couldn’t care less how you feel about what I write. Seriously.
By Chop Chop
November 23, 2007 12:57 AM | Link to this
Hudson’s salary is going to be more than doubled next year (up from $6 million to $13 million). Teixeira is up for arbitration. He’ll probably get $12-$14 million (let’s call it $13 million) next season. That’s a significant jump for the Braves’ payroll, especially because they didn’t pay Tex all of that $9 million last year. I don’t know what the prorated number was for Tex, but my guess is that the Braves will be paying him around $10 million (maybe DOB could find out how much the Braves actually paid Tex after the trade) more this year than last. Add that to Huddy’s raise and you’ve got $17 million added to the payroll right there. In addition, Smoltz’s salary is going up from $8 million to $14 million this year. So, if you add that up, that’s $23 million added to the payroll for ‘08. Mike Gonzalez will have to get a deal done. I don’t see how he could get more money, but who knows? Soriano also needs a new contract. His pay will go up a bit.
It seems to me that the significant payroll hike for the Braves is almost exclusively going to come from the re-signing of players and normal salary escalations. They traded Renteria and won’t re-sign Andruw so they can do these other deals without breaking the bank. Since he’s probably going to be the main free agent acquisition, the Braves are really counting on Glavine to come through next year. We’ll see if the strategy works.
(If the numbers are all wrong, I apologize. Tryptophan is wreaking havoc. Happy Thanksgiving!)
Here’s another site with contracts:
Cot’s Baseball Contracts
It seems like it’s pretty up-to-date.
By Chop Chop
November 23, 2007 1:10 AM | Link to this
That was for you, Matthew, Dad to Walter. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I will now go pass out like I should have done a few hours ago.
By Diamondback.Mac
November 23, 2007 1:15 AM | Link to this
Beleieve it or not!! Tonight, in a bar in Brewton, AL I met a diehard braves fan from Savannah who doesn’t like Chipper Jones. Needless to say, I didn’t ask her to dance.
By BossLady
November 23, 2007 1:27 AM | Link to this
I would love to have Andruw back with the Braves. See, Boras has got him confused about his value. He owes the Braves and until—he— realizes that he won’t be able to think straight.
Glavine is worth his weight so we can carry him for the season. If Andruw backed up Glavine we could win.
Andruw is verrrrry important to pitchers. They can get a win if he is in CF.
I don’t want Andruw to leave since he has such a beautiful family. He does not need to live on the road no more than Tommy had to live on the road.
Although he is just 30 and still able to cover center I wish Boras well just as he did in New York (A rod)
I love to love you baby,love to love you baby love to love.
By BossLady
November 23, 2007 1:35 AM | Link to this
DOB, do you think the Braves are trying to wait to see if any offers come in for Andruw that they can match?
If everyobw comes to their senses then they will realize that behind Tommy and Chuck— Andruw is the best. They woud not give up runs or have big innings against them.
This show stinks to high for me. I tried to keep my temper about the no signing of Andrus but if we are going to pitch the likes of them then we need Andrus more, more, moe, more, more and more,
By BossLady
November 23, 2007 1:44 AM | Link to this
Sorry about the typos, my hands are tired of COOKING.
By BossLady
November 23, 2007 1:44 AM | Link to this
Sorry about the typos, my hands are tired of COOKING.
By tony
November 23, 2007 1:47 AM | Link to this
How many african americans will start for this team next season and y didn’t we sign Torii Hunter to replace AJ. We won our first world series with african american athletes on this team so why can’t we do the same today.(David Justice)(Ron Gant)(Marquis Grissom)and(Fred McGriff).
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 1:47 AM | Link to this
chislob,
maybe i should of had some knob creek last night, i was just howling at the moon.
i think i can trump everyones turkey day. had one of FATT MATS fried turkeys today, the best. i am very lucky to call him a friend. WES JAMES is fat matts brother-in-law, and he runs that great rib shack, he always cooks a great meal for all the penn st. fans and other friends. hope all is well for everyone on this great holiday, cant beat turkey great wine and friends. sorry if i howled at the moon too long last night.
By tony
November 23, 2007 1:54 AM | Link to this
Forgot, Gant didn’t play in 95.
By Chris
November 23, 2007 1:54 AM | Link to this
aww man a part of me was hoping that andruw would somehow return….
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 1:56 AM | Link to this
boss lady,
i to love andruw but i think he is long gone. there is a big difference between wealth and riches. i think the brave are the latter of the two.
By BossLady
November 23, 2007 1:58 AM | Link to this
Sorry about the typos in the earlier blogs. My hands are stiff.
Being a Woman and blogging is tough!
I cooked, Turkey, Ham, Buffalo Wings.
I cooked with potatoe salad, collard greens and with turnips, green beans and field peas,& rice. Fried green tomatoes, mac & cheese. Stuffing and dressing were a choice with cranberries and cucumber salad.
You men just do not know!!!!!!
I am outta here, see you next week.
I wish Tommy & Andruw the best.
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 2:09 AM | Link to this
tony,
the pool contiues to dry up like lake lanier. just not that many african americans that play baseball anymore. one of my all time favorite braves was rowland office, claudell washington, gant, and of course justice (the guy always had the flare for dramatics)
that being said, the braves have zero racisim in their organization. its like i said the pool is shrinking. like it or not, this organization will always try to get the best player regardless of color. TONY i hope you feel the same.
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 2:14 AM | Link to this
boss lady,
i wish i could of had a couple of those fried green tomatos. love those things.
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 2:24 AM | Link to this
DOB,
while in K.C stop by friends bar called PEANUTS. just ask for grant jordan he just might actually give you one on the house. he is the biggest KU fan this side of jacque vaughn.
called me on wed. and already said K.C is crazy. who would of thought that mizzou and ku would play HUGE game in NOV. not basketball
By Ross
November 23, 2007 2:33 AM | Link to this
Miss Andruw’s OFFENSE? That is crazy! What I will NOT miss is watching Andruw whiff at those low-outside pitches he tries to pull, usually with someone on second or third, and that goofy grin he gets when he’s just been made to look like a complete fool at the plate. He had no competitive fire at all. He was too lazy to run out a grounder.
His run production came off no-name pitchers usually, in non-critical situations. When faced with a real arm, in game-critical situations, he was guaranteed to let you down.
I am just glad I don’t have to see that stupid grin any more.
-drl
By UGA75
November 23, 2007 2:34 AM | Link to this
Thanks for some baseball today, it is always on our mind in Atlanta since it is the only team we have a professional franchise in (*Hockey isn’t really a sport, is it). The Braves will pick up a CF project and he will succeed, but no one will play CF like Andruw
By uga-brave
November 23, 2007 2:42 AM | Link to this
ross,
you are wrong about andruw. he always played hard. sometimes without great results, but he always left it on the field. if francoeur has half of the career that #25 HAD consider us lucky.
By NOLIE
November 23, 2007 3:07 AM | Link to this
JJMB have you ever read anything that DOB wrote that didn’t tow the company line?
THE BRAVES ARE THE SOURCE OF HIS INFO FOR THE GREATEST PART WHAT ELSE WOULD HAPPEN? NO DISRESPECT INTENDED BUT DAVE OR BOWMAN ETC ARE NOT TRAINED SCOUTS OR TALENT EVALUATORS. THEY PRETTY MUCH RELY ON EVALUATIONS FROM THEIR SOURCES WHICH ARE THE BRAVES CONTACTS FOR THE MOST PART. IT SEEMS THAT DAVE AT LEAST MAKES SOME EFFORT TO TALK TO OTHER CLUBS, BUT HIS INFO IS BOUND TO HAVE A BRAVES’ SKEW. EVEN SO I APPRECIATE THAT HE TAKES THE TIME TO WORK THIS BLOG WHICH MANY OTHER WRITERS DO NOT DO.AND IF HE WAS TOO CONTRARY TOO OFTEN HE WOULD LIKELY LOSE SOME OF HIS SOURCES AND BE OF LESS VALUE TO AJC AND ESPECIALLY THIS BLOG. I NEVER RELY MUCH ON THE BRAVES’ STATED EVALUATIONS OF THEIR PROSPECTS ANYWAY. BESIDES THE NATURAL TENDENCY TO PREACH THE FAITH SO TO SPEAK, THEY HAVE THE REP OF HYPING THEIR PROSPECTS A LITTLE MORE THAN MANY OTHER TEAMS. THIS MAKES SENSE SINCE THEY ARE NOT REALLY A FREE AGENT ORIENTED CLUB, BUT TRADE PROSPECTS FOR TEAM IMPROVEMENTS. ENJOY WHAT IS HERE FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH AND LOOK ELSEWHERE A BIT FOR A BROADER VIEW OF PROSPECTS. AT LEAST THAT IS MY TAKE ON IT.
By Braveheart
November 23, 2007 3:12 AM | Link to this
tony I think everyone including the Braves wish they had more African American players. To be honest, from a financial and popularity standpoint, it is pretty darn neglectful in a city with such a HUGE potential African American fan base not to have any black starters.
But it would also be neglectful to get black players for the sake of it. The Braves try to do things that make sense financially and from a baseball performance standpoint. Before accusing the Braves of racism, review the list of quality African American ballplayers first and consider why they are not Braves.
prince fielder, not available
ryan howard, not available
derrek lee, not available
curtis granderson, not available
b.j. upton, not available
jimmy rollins, not available
dmitri young, available at a risky cost because of baggage
junior griffey, available but risky because of contract and injury
barry bonds, available but……
chone figgins, perhaps available but perhaps too pricey in terms of how much talent the Braves would have to trade to get chone
frank thomas, perhaps available but where would the braves play him?
robinson cano, not available
derek jeter, not available
gary sheffield, not available at the right price
torii hunter - available but that was an extremely foolish contract the angels signed for a 32 year old who does not consistently put up the kind of stats which justify that contract
carl crawford - perhaps available but the rays have been notoriously unreasonable in their trade demands - most braves fans would die to have him playing in the outfield for the braves
orlando hudson - perhaps available but where do you play him and why would you pay him what he makes when you can get similar production at a cheaper cost with kelly johnson? has better defense but basically makes 10x as much as KJ. he’s not 10x better than kelly
brandon phillips - was a big time bust when the braves could have brought him on and is not all that available now that he has had surprisingly good production at a low cost for the reds
rickie weeks - has not been all that available since he was one of the young homegrown pieces the brewers were building around. his stats have not been better than what giles and KJ were producing.
jermaine dye - except for one career year, his stats have been about as good as frenchy but he makes about 20x as much as frenchy and would not be the box office draw frenchy is
randy winn - perhaps available and might be a good option for the braves in center. but do you want to pay him what he makes and give up the talent you would have to give up to get him?
kenny lofton - probably should be the centerfielder next season but, ya know, been there, done that, and kenny and bobby hate each other.
chris young - not available
mike cameron - available, lives here, braves probably wanted him but he is suspended for the first 25 games next season
gary mathews - great fielding defensive scrub that the braves once cut like about half the league did until he had a steroid enhanced surge in offensive production. now he is grossly overpaid.
bill hall - has not previously been available - might be now available - but on the verge of making too much money for someone who is not the greatest hitter, has had inconsistent power, has declining stolen bases and defensively is a jack of all positions but a master of none
delmon young - great talent that may be available at a very hefty price that comes with his considerable baggage
elijiah dukes - see delmon young
coco crisp - maybe, maybe, maybe
vernon wells - not available and certainly not at that price
juan pierre - gimme a break
corey patterson - useless talent until he learns to get himself on base
ray durham - done. kaput.
c.c. sabathia - not available
dontrelle willis - sorta available but at a hefty price in terms of talent and money for a fella with declining performance
ian snell - perhaps available at a very expensive cost in what you will have to trade away
shannon stewart - in serious decline
By Tony C.
November 23, 2007 4:32 AM | Link to this
‘druw was a rally-killer….admit it
By Gil in Mechanicsville
November 23, 2007 5:20 AM | Link to this
Good morning all, Matthew, Dad to Walter Good to see you back. You are the second prodigal son to return tonight.
I guess we will hear something definitive about Mike Hampton by the weekend. At least looking at the line ups I get a sense the talent level is equal to at least Triple A. It also appears that the Braves are still interested in keeping Doug Clark around.
It spring training is still a good bit away so I shall not worry too much about the search for a center fielder until then. The problem many on the blog have is name recognition. There are dozens of players who are waiting to be discovered but because they are not featured on ESPN every night, you don’t think they can play.
tony Get a life man…… That crap you are espousing is as bad as some of the jerks who think there are too many black players in the NFL. If race is your determining factor as to who you can support then you are not a true sports fan and you are a bigot. Take that racist tripe somewhere else.
By reddawg
November 23, 2007 5:40 AM | Link to this
Andruw was fun, Andruw was cute. But he never understood it was a team game. We need players like Andruw like Custer needed more Indians. As Mr Cook once said about George Allen; “I would rather lose without him than win with him”.
Watching that sickening smirk as he walked back to the dugout after striking out will be something I will gladly do without.
By TommyP
November 23, 2007 7:10 AM | Link to this
Piniero went 6-4 with a 3.96 ERA as a starter for the Cardinals. He’s not as bad a signing as the other guys you mentioned, especially if his contract is a 3 year deal. (I thought it was two years)
But to think some on here could make any argument that Kyle Lohse would be a good signing….that guy is brutal. At any cost. Brutal.
By ncscoots
November 23, 2007 8:11 AM | Link to this
Up early, since I couldn’t wait to gnaw on a leftover turkey leg (one of the great joys of modern life). MIght even fight some of the shopping crowd, if I can scare up the gumption…
No, I don’t think the Braves should have offered AJ the mondo contract he wanted, but those who dismiss his offense aren’t right, either. The mistake made by most of the folks of that persuasion is that the Braves aren’t trying to replace the offense he produced last year; they are trying to replace what he would have done THIS year. Big diff.
If AJ is truly in decline, then your no-lumber glove in CF represents no loss. But, if he returns to his career norms in 2008, the Braves are missing a lot. As for as Tex replacing that offense, then who has replaced LaRoche’s offense from 2006?
In any event, the loss of Edgar and Andruw represents a subtraction, despite the fact that the Braves get plus offense from C and 2B. There’s still a run-production black hole in LF (previously masked by AJ’s production), and CF now looks to be more of the same.
The offense, as now projected, won’t be woeful, but it won’t be as strong as 2006 and 2007 unless the planets align in absolute perfection (Brandon Jones has a great rookie year, Heap gets back to .300, Escobar doesn’t regress, KJ continues his good work, Frenchy puts back some power, Chipper and Tex don’t get hurt).
So, even if you think AJ shouldn’t be on the the squad this year (and I’d agree), dismissing the loss of his bat as inconsequential would be a mistake.
By David O'Brien
November 23, 2007 8:35 AM | Link to this
Hampton one inning, one hit, one K.
Frank Wren just told me (by text message) when I asked if any problem because only went 1 inning, he said that was the plan for Hampton, to go one inning, then two next start, then three….
(I know they’d said a few weeks back that he wanted to be ready to go two or three innings in first start, but only thing I can tell you is, they must’ve thought better of that. After all, it is his first time in any competitive situation whatsoever in over a year (since very brief appearance in instructional league 2006).
OK, gotta finish packing and get to airport.
Oh, and Bosslady, one more time: Andruw not coming back in 2008.
By Billy
November 23, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this
I haven’t heard of anyone wanting to trade Chuck James. That would be a mistake anyway.
By Michael in Brooklyn
November 23, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this
Hi, all:
Hampton’s line from last night…
1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, O BB, 1 K
You can look up winter league statistics pretty easily on milb.com. I typed Hampton’s name into the name field and got the above info.
By T-bone
November 23, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
Repeat after me. “We don’t need a centerfielder.” We need another starting pitcher. DOB is right. Smoltz and Glavine are over 40, Hampton is iffy, and the youngsters are unproven. Even Hudson isn’t the pitcher he was in Oakland. If the starts line up correctly, this rotation could get us to the World Series. But they may not. It is time for Wren to make one more move for a starting pitcher.
By RIP
November 23, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
Why don’t they go find Steve Avery and trade for Maddux. They can also bring back Justice. TP is already on the bench and Gant is right there doing TV. These moves will probably put the Braves behind the Marlins this year. These roster changes still don’t allow the team to compete with the Mets or Phillies. That great pitching era is over. This is a hitters game. The Braves are going to be even worse with bot getting Chipper or Tex any help.
By Michael in Brooklyn
November 23, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
One more thing… While we all get exercised about what a solid prospect Brandon Jones is (and I believe he is), his line this year in the Mexican league is .311/.403/.422. Gregor Blanco (who is not a long-term answer, but will be cheap and plays good defense) is hitting .317/.425/.463 in 123 Venezuelan Winter League at bats. Look up Blanco’s career minor league statistics, then look up Co-Co Crisp’s numbers over the last two years, in ‘hitter-friendly’ Fenway. If the idea is to have a good CF stopgap who won’t kill you offensively, why pay Crisp’s salary when you’ve got Blanco, or potentially Anderson or Lillibridge (if he comes to spring and hits the cover off the ball)? By next Spring, it will be Jordan Schafer’s world. And if Schafer falters, Coco Crisp certainly won’t be the answer.
By Salty
November 23, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this
DOB Enjoy…good luck! I’ll be a JayHawk for a day…and flipping between the game and my Tigers chasin’ chickins! Hoping for a double-header sweep!
Mornin’, Scoots…scaring up gumption? Black Friday ain’t for me! Good luck if you go…don’t forget a first-aid kit!!!!
By JC FROM UT
November 23, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this
Frank Wren has done a great job being very aggressive and proactive in getting done what needs to be done before the actual winter meetings. I would like to see him trade Lance Cormier to the Cubs for Will Ohman. Cormier has no future with the Braves. The Cubs, I think would make this move. Lou Pinella had a run in with Ohman late last season and would probably be willing to move him.
By Nelson
November 23, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this
David O’B: With all respect, we are not going to miss Andruw’s offensive at all, remember now we have Texeira since game one!, so check what he has done since June 2006 and compare to Andruw’ number! Yes Andruw had good RBI’s numbers but he was hitting clean-up during that period of time, I don’t have the number but I’m almost sure he had runners in scoring position about 75-80% of the time!. If you go fishing in a river crowded of fishes, for sure you’re going to get some , even if you are a bad fisherman! I belive the reason the Braves gave-up on him was because his reluctance to hit the opposite way, lack of dicipline at home plate and listen to Terry Pendelton advises. Aplayer whit that kind of attitude do not the Team at all, is a rotten apple in a bag. My believe what this team needs is a solid no.3 starter, but it is toohard to find, nobody will give you one, because tht’s exactly what everybody needs, lets prey for Hamptons recovery or either JO-Jo Reyes or chuckie better season with Glavine influence!. What we need is a good back-up catcher for Mc Cann, not the dumbs Bobby use to bring, the guy who played the last two o three games showed fine defensive an offense. Another thing we need is a plan B just in case Chipper is not healthy, but if we have a kind of season he had last year (for me one of his best performances of all time!) this team will rock no matter who plays center field!, the money they are planning to use in that use it to sign Texeira, like Glavine he is happy to play for the Braves. This team has plenty local talent and players who love to play here!
By Colorado Bulldog
November 23, 2007 9:11 AM | Link to this
Braveheart I think you left off Royce Clayton. Though old could be a good pickup as back up SS and bat off the bench. I believe he is a FA though maybe Redsox will bring him back.
I’d trade Chuck James in a heartbeat… but I doubt any tem would want him unless their stafium is so huge. Who gives up more long balls than him?
By Coach (Lets Go Braves in 2008)
November 23, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this
T-bone , your 8:42 post is just about the most retarded comment I’ve read in quit some time.
Frank Wren and Bobby Cox have made it known , THEY ARE NOT SHOPPING FOR ANOTHER STARTER.
You say Hudson isn’t the pitcher he was in Oakland ??? What , did you just wake up from a two year coma , Hudson had a fantastic season in 2007 (16-10 / 3.33 ERA with 25 quality starts) and it compares favorably with any season he had in Oakland.
The CF question is still a question and YES the Braves are still shopping for a veteran CF.
Repeat after me , T-bone , lay off the eggnog !
By Efrim
November 23, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this
Hunter for 5 years and 80 million is just plain stupid. He just isn’t that good.
Even worse, Scott Linebrink just got a a 4 year 19 million dollar deal.
Awful.
By Coach (Lets Go Braves in 2008)
November 23, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this
Boss Lady , OMG ! I’m in love. Collard Greens , buffalo wing and fried green tomatoes as part of your thanksgiving extravaganza.
My wife doesn’t cook southern and I miss it. Your making me home sick , LOL !
I’m a Georgia boy living in North Dakota and every time we visit back home , when we cross the state line into Georgia I want to get out and kiss the ground.
By Gil in Mechanicsville
November 23, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
Coach I know how you feel, my first wife was from Detroit and for our first dinner she fixed a spinach casserole. Had it not been for her other ample attributes I would have quit the marriage then and there.
I am turnip greens kind of guy myself.
Now……. I believe this blog suffers from some type of bi polar disorder. First people say we need to trade for a front line starting pitcher and then suggest we trade a front line starting pitcher to get one. DUH…….
By flange1
November 23, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
Hey Coach,
Just got back from a friend’s wedding in Columbus, GA. The wedding was outside at teh River Walk, lost of fun.
Got to eat some good Columbus bar-b-que as well. Everyone wanted to go to Country’s and it was godd, but I had to slip over to Macon Road BBQ