AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January
January 2008
Dreams, bullpen stressing me out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last night I dreamed I was sent out to Turner Field in the middle of a Braves game, having seen not one minute of spring training and told to come up with something to write, ready to turn in at the end of the game.
Oy.
I used to have the old recurring stress-out dream in my beat-writing days. But now? Here I am the back-up beat writer in the middle of January. I’m dreaming this the night before I’m supposed to write one lousy fill-in blog for DOB?
Such high standards you see, for the Braves/Man in Black. Or so sayeth my subconscious.
Let me back up for a second. For those not reading carefully it’s CARROLL again - hey! Wassup? Long time! - and I’m feeling a little out of it after submersing myself in hockey (hockey?) and a little Hawks and Falcons for the last three months.
But with pitchers and catchers reporting in the we-can-almost-taste-it-now range, it’s time for me to reacquaint myself with the little stitched round ball. And thank heaven for names with vowels. (Though I must say, Kovalchuk rolls off the fingertips pretty well by now….)
Camp Roger opens on Friday. And we’ll enter the long-awaited no more talking, predicting, guessing portion of the program. But in the meantime, since you guys didn’t know I was hopping back on-line, I’ll take my first question from a closet blogger who’s got the inside track: my brother Chip.
He just told me on the phone he wants to know how come people aren’t panicking that the bullpen has been decimated. Well, he didn’t use the word “decimated” or the word “panic.” But it sounds nice and dramatic. And he’s my brother; I can misquote him if I want to.
But he’s like me, and has a hard time letting go of the known in favor of embracing the unknown. And when you stack the names side-by-side, there has been some talent lost from the well-stocked bullpen of last year.
There’s Chip’s personal favorite Oscar Villareal. There’s Ron Mahay (oh the Braves would have loved to keep him, had he come more affordable). Octavio Dotel (yes he was hurt, but remember the two outings against Milwaukee the second-to-last weekend of the season? Nice.)
Young-uns Jose Ascanio. Joey Devine and Macay McBride. McBride is fairly old news, but Chip brings him up, so he makes the blog. Chip also wonders about Chad Paronto, but I explain to him that ultimately, I think, the Braves figured his physical conditioning was a little too similar to another guy they bid adieu to last year - Bob Wickman.
So what’s left to ease Chip’s mind? No. 1 Rafael Soriano of course. What he lacks in closing experience, he makes up for in fastball. Mike Gonzalez is on his way back from Tommy John. The Braves haven’t seen the real Gonzalez yet and maybe they will by midseason.
Manny Acosta was probably the best of the young arms, which is why he’s still here and not Ascanio. And Devine? Gosh, the nicest guy, a Wolfpack (how do you make that singular, NC State grads?), with first-round pick stuff. Personally I think his is one of the most poignant stories to come around for the Braves in a long time. I remember a fellow writer describing him after the playoff game in 2005 in Houston where he gave up the game-winning home run to Chris Burke in the 18th inning. This was after the grand slam debacle earlier in the season. The writer described seeing Devine in the dugout after the game with a tear rolling down his cheek.
But I, for one, think the guy could use a fresh start. For his sake. How do you ever move past his rookie season while wearing a Braves uniform? Though he did a valiant job working his way back in the minors the last two years and never complained when the Braves flew him all over creation last year.
And do the Braves want a reminder that they rushed this kid into the majors too quick? I’m not one to take shots at the way the Braves develop players, but I take issue with this one. I know it’s too easy, but tell me I’m wrong.
The Braves got a badly-needed missing piece for Devine (Mark Kotsay.) And the Braves got two players for Ascanio (lefty reliever Will Ohman and utility infielder Omar Infante),
So would it be great to have a bullpen of Mahay, Dotel, Soriano, Acosta, Yates, Moylan and Villareal? With Gonzalez coming back in there in June or July? Heck yes. But we don’t need to be quite that greedy. We’ll just have to wait a little while and see how this one shakes out.
Five spots are looking pretty certain with Soriano, Moylan, Yates, Acosta, Ohman. One more is a matter of time (Gonzalez). And perhaps Blaine Boyer is ready to return as a regular in the seventh spot.
As for Chip’s favorite guy - Villareal - let’s hope long relief isn’t nearly as important next season as it was last. If the last three members of this rotation can’t make it longer than three innings per game this time around, there’s tons more to gripe about than the bullpen.
That’s my take. Good to be back. Ready for some baseball.
Three weeks until it begins anew
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It might not feel like it to most of you out there across North America, but winter as we baseball hacks know it is quickly fading. Seems hard to believe, but it’s just three weeks until we relocate to Dark Star for six weeks of painful wakeup calls, blissful breezes and copious quantities of coffee.
Edwin Pope, the venerable Miami Herald scribe with whom I had the pleasure of working in the same pressbox with on numerous occasions, once wrote: ”It is true that spring baseball makes millions more promises than it keeps. But baseball is unlike love. In baseball, making promises means vastly more than keeping them.”
With that in mind, three teams can enter spring training realistically counting themselves as contenders for the NL East title. (And some members of the Nationals and Marlins might also try to convince themselves their squads have a shot.)
The Braves, like the Mets and Phillies, can make a legitimate claim that if things go well — not if things go perfectly, but just if they go well — they can reclaim the NL East title that New York took from them in 2006 and which is presently held by Philly after the Mets’ Great September Collapse of ’07.
But anyway, we’ll have plenty of time to analyze every aspect of spring training and the upcoming race. For now, suffice to say the Braves, from the front office down to every player I’ve spoken with or corresponded with electronically, believe that GM Frank Wren has addressed every need the team had last season.
Now, they might not have addressed each of those needs quite as resoundingly as some fans would have preferred - for example, some folks don’t want to hear that Johan Santana’s contract extension wouldn’t fit a $90 million payroll, or paying Mark Kotsay $2 mill might make more sense than paying Mike Cameron $7 million and having Cameron sit out the first 25 games for a drug suspension.
But the Braves did address every need, and Braves players on and off the record tell me they like Wren’s three-month body of work and the team’s chances of getting back to the postseason after two years of watching October unfold on TV.
Of course, they are also realistic. It’s no secret what almost certainly needs to happen if the Braves are to have a successful season: They must, and I mean absolutely must, get better and more reliable starting pitching than they received from last year’s injury-riddled rotation.
They need some other things to go their way, too, including good work from the revamped top of the order likely to include Kelly Johnson and/or Yunel Escobar; a productive season from center fielder Mark Kotsay in the first year of the post-Andruw era; and a healthy season from closer Rafael Soriano and his setup men and good work from one or more of the lefty relievers.
Another hugely important area goes without saying: The Braves need big production from their best two hitters, Chipper Jones and Mark Teixeira. They need Chipper to play at least 135-140 games, hopefully more, and they need more of last August-September’s display from Teixeira, who carries huge expectations as he enters his first, and the Braves hope not last, full season in Atlanta.
Yes, the Braves could sure use a season from Brian McCann that’s more like his 2006 than his ’07, and they’d certainly like to see continued progress from Jeff Francoeur and from Johnson and Escobar.
But it’s the rotation, the bullpen and the middle of the order that have the potential to carry this team not just to the postseason, but deep into the postseaason. It’s been a while since the Braves had the potential to get 45-50 wins and 600 or more innings from a starting trio, but that’s what they expect from John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine.
If they get that kind of work from them, they believe the bullpen can thrive and the rest of the rotation can fall in line and work without undue pressure, whoever is in those last two starting spots.
I saw that ESPN’s Buster Olney in his blog listed a key question or two about every NL team, and for the Braves he asked: Can John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton take the ball for 85-90 starts? Can Rafael Soriano stay healthy?
I agree with Buster on the importance of Soriano staying healthy. Because while the Braves believe Peter Moylan might be able to handle the closing duties in an emergency, or that Mike Gonzalez should be back sometime around the All-Star break, no way do they want to lean on an inexperienced closer or one coming back from Tommy John surgery (Gonzalez) during the heat of a pennant race. They need Soriano to stay healthy and effective.
However, I disagree on the Hampton part. Simply put, I don’t think the Braves are counting on Hampton. At all. Now, obviously they’ll be thrilled if he’s ready to pitch and they’ll have a rotation spot ready for him if he’s fit to go to the post when the season begins.
However, after missing two entire seasons and having two elbow surgeries since he last pitched in a major league game, Hampton’s no longer being counted upon by the Braves.
Smoltz, Hudson and Glavine are being counted upon. And two other starters from the group of returning lefty Chuck James (11-game winner each of his first two seasons); extremely promising rookie Jair Jurrjens, who Jim Leyland says would’ve certainly been a part of Detroit’s opening-day rotation if they hadn’t traded him to get Edgar Renteria; rookie lefty Jo-Jo Reyes; and Jeff Bennett, who could also fit into a role as long reliever and spot (sixth) starter.
Anyway, like I said, we’ll have plenty of time in the coming weeks to examine the Braves’ strengths and weaknesses and break down issues such as the bench, where it’s going to be interesting to see if the Braves go with versatile prospect Brent Lillibridge in a sort of super-utility role to begin the season, and if they do, whether he might stick around even after veteran Omar Infante returns from a likely brief season-opening stint on the DL for a broken hand.
OK, a few things worth considering….
— It’s only January, but two early frontrunners for my top 10 CDs of 2008 were releases this week from two Georgia-based bands: The Whigs’ Mission Control and the Drive-By Truckers’ Brighter Than Creation’s Dark. Also, Atlanta band The Selmanaires have just released another excellent CD,
— In sports we demand excellence, rings, etc. Many among us become peeved at anything short of a title or the No. 1 position. And yet in so much of our pop culture, so many Americans are happy to accept, again and again, vapid mediocrity (or worse) and pure hype. Two words: American Idol.
— And one more entry in my I-just-don’t-get-these-times file: In this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, in the Pop Culture Grid on page 27, one of four athletes surveyed is Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson. One of the fill-in-the-blank questions is, Hannah Montana is…. Gibson’s response is, “Awesome. I watch her show on the Disney Channel.” Please, someone who knows Daniel Gibson, tell me he’s just got a sarcastic sense of humor. That he was kidding. Please tell me this.
— For those of you who are concerned about the age and/or health of Braves front-end starters, or inexperience of a couple of back-end candidates, how’d you like to be a fan of the Cardinals about now? They have one of the storied franchises in baseball, with loyal and passionate fans, frequent sellouts, and a still-new ballpark, and this is reportedly the projected St. Louis starting rotation: Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Joel Pineiro, Anthony Reyes, Matt Clement.
— Severe winter weather slowed construction a bit in D.C., and now the Nationals are hustling to finish their new ballpark before facing the Braves there on Opening Night.
— This won’t qualify as a newly discovered pearl of wisdom, but I was reminded recently that most people, given time, usually disappoint and/or hurt us. But we sure don’t ever seem to stop expecting to meet someone who’s different, do we?
“WONDERFUL REMARK” by Van Morrison
How can you stand the silence
That pervades when we all cry?
How can you watch the violence
That erupts before your eyes?
How can you tell us something
Just to keep us hangin’ on?
Something that just don’t mean nothing
When we see it you are gone
Clinging to some other rainbow
While we’re standing, waiting in the cold
Telling us the same old story
Knowing time is growing old.
That was a Wonderful Remark
I had my eyes closed in the dark
I sighed a million sighs
I told a million lies — to myself, to myself
How can we listen to you
When we know your talk is cheap?
How can we ever question
Why we give more and you keep?
How can your empty laughter
Fill a room like ours with joy
When you’re only playing with us
Like a child does with a toy?
How can we ever feel the freedom
Or the flame lit by the spark
How can we ever come out even
When reality is stark?
That was a Wonderful Remark
I had my eyes closed in the dark - yeah
I sighed a million sighs
I told a million lies — to myself, to myself
Baby to myse - e - e - elf…
Aybar gone, Lillibridge could win job
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nothing like a leisurely offseason to get the old baseball beat writer’s batteries recharged….
Seriously, could the Braves go a couple days this winter without a trade, signing, injury, front-office realignment, or team relocation announcement?
Last night I had plans, and again they got abruptly altered with the trade that sent Willy “Value Highly Diminished by Drug Rehab” Aybar to Tampa Bay for reliever Jeff “You Don’t Know Me, But I Throw Hard for a Lefty” Ridgway, followed soon after by disclosure that Omar Infante broke a hand when hit by a pitch this week and, oh yeah, Mark Teixeira avoided arbitration and signed a $12.5 mill contract.
Whew.
Yes, just another week of baseball coverage in mid-January. FanFest, Mark Kotsay rumors, Kotsay trade, R-Braves moving to Gwinnett, Aybar trade, Infante hurt, Teixeira signs … hey, spring training is gonna feel like time off.
Not to complain or anything, because I could be doing many, many things far more demanding today than sitting in my basement office at home listening to Johnny Cash and The Clash while writing stories and blogs about the Braves.
Nevertheless, enough. Let’s call a moratorium on news at least until pitching camp starts in a couple weeks. Whaddya say, Braves?
No? Well, OK. Just thought I’d try.
Speaking of Joe Strummer and the Clash, if you’ve not seen the movie or heard the soundtrack, you gotta hear the opening line of the Strummer biopic “The Future Is Unwritten.” Someone off-camera asks him what Strummer wants written in graphics, how he wants to be referred to when they first show him on screen.
“I’d like you to write Punk Rock Warlord,” he says in his great Cockney accent, “with Warlord being one word.”
Anyway, where were we?
Teixeira signs; what does it mean? While there was never any doubt Mark Teixeira would play for the Braves in 2008, there was still some sense of relief in Braves Nation when he signed a new contract Thursday without going through any of the potentially contentious steps of the arbitration process.
Because if agent Scott Boras and GM Frank Wren can agree to a fair-market price for Teixeira ($12.5 mill) for 2008, the final year of his arbitration-eligible period, then hey, maybe they have a decent chance of ironing out a contract extension before he tests the free-agent waters in 10 months, right?
Well, slow down, folks.
It might mean that, but Wren was careful in his conversation with me last night, careful not to portray this as anything more than it was: Teixeira signed and Boras didn’t take the Braves to arbitration because all along, the agent and the Braves’ new GM were in agreement on what Teixeira should get as a fifth-year arbitration guy.
Wren is the one who handled most negotiations and arbitration matters for the Braves in recent years while serving as John Schuerholz’s assistant, so Wren knew what Teixeira could expect to get if he took all the steps available to him in the arbitration process. No sense offering, say, $11.5 million, and having Boras ask for, say, $13.5 million. Because in that case, an arbitration panel might just as easily have chosen the $13.5 mill salary as the $11.5 mill.
And in the steps leading up to that, the Braves would’ve had to explain to the panel why Teixeira wasn’t worth $13.5 mill, etc. With him sitting in the room alongside Boras, who usually likes to have his clients sit in on the hearings and see what’s going on, what’s being said about him.
As you might imagine, that’s not the best way for a team to make a player feel motivated to compromise when free agent negotiations occur down the road.
So the Braves took a positive step in the process, and made a fair offer. Remember, from the time Teixeira was traded to the Braves, most of us have said he could expect $12-13 mill in his final year of arbitration. And he’s getting it, without having to jump through hoops or have his agent prove to a panel that he’s worth it.
But don’t be too presumptious about what this might mean in the future. It can’t hurt the Braves’ chances, and it might even help them, however slightly. But still, it’s Scott Boras, and the man is driven to get the biggest contract possible for his clients.
That said, Teixeira surely has told him how much he likes playing in Atlanta, just as he’s told anyone else who asks. And he probably told Boras to get this deal done without going to arbitration, long as the Braves made a fair offer.
The Braves can only hope Teixeira also makes it clear to Boras that he’s not necessarily out to get every possible dollar he can on the free-agent market, that if offers are close to equal, the former Georgia Tech star would like to stay in Atlanta with his Georgia-native wife for many seasons to come.
Because if he’s out to simply get the biggest possible contract, well, you gotta think the Yankees and at least a couple other teams will offer more than the Braves — perhaps a great deal more.
So stay tuned. Wren and Boras have been talking, and they got this deal done. They have a good relationship, and have probably already had more conversations this year than Boras had with Schuerholz in the past five years.
Those are all reasons to be optimistic. But don’t forget, at the end of the day, Teixeira is represented by the most successful and demanding agent in the business. Unless his client tells him otherwise, Boras tends to have an affinity for the highest bidder.
Lillibridge could make team: In my view, two developments Thursday made it far more likely that Brent Lillibridge will make the team out of spring training than I had previously thought.
First, the trade that sent troubled Aybar to Tampa Bay. Second, news that Infante broke a hand when hit by a pitch in a game this week in Venezuela.
Infante’s being examined by Braves doctors today in Atlanta, and might have to have surgery to put a pin in there and help the healing process. The Braves believe he’ll be out until the last week or two of spring training, which means he’d probably start the season on the DL.
The Braves presumably will carry two infielders/utility men, and versatile rookie Martin Prado will probably be one of them.
But Lillibridge now figures prominently in the plans. Wren and manager Bobby Cox, who loves Lillibridge’s skills and instincts, have said all winter that if they thought they could get Lillibridge enough at-bats with the Braves, they’d consider keeping him. Otherwise, they’d want him to start the season in the minors and continue his development, because he’s too good to sit on the bench in the majors and get rusty at this stage of his career.
Now, his chances of getting those at-bats have increased. And with Aybar out of the picture, I get the impression that Lillibridge could be kept on the roster even after Infante returns, that Lillibridge might get the nod over Prado.
There’s no question which player has the greater potential — Prado might always be fighting to keep a utility job in the majors, while Lillibridge could be a future standout at one of several positions, including shortstop, second or outfield.
Prado’s worked hard and had a great spring last year. But folks should keep in mind, he’s got as many errors (three) in his past 29 major league games as he has extra-base hits (three doubles) or RBI (three). He’s hit .274 with a .308 OBP in 62 at-bats in that stretch, going back to his final game with Atlanta in 2006.
Lillibridge hasn’t played the outfield since manning center during his freshman year in college at Washington, but he’ll play there plenty in spring training. Having him as a backup center fielder could give the Braves an option to play 50 or more games if Kotsay’s back acts up again.
Infante can also play center, but the Braves don’t plan on playing him on a regular basis out there; Infante’s value and role is as a veteran utililty man, primarily in the infield.
Keep these numbers in mind: .287, 10 homers, 41 RBI, and 28 steals in 33 attempts. That’s what Lillibridge did in 87 games with Richmond last season, in his first experience in Triple-A after a mid-season promotion.
In 2006 he was the only minor leaguer (any level) to post at least a .300 average, .400 OBP, double-digit homers (13), and at least 50 RBIs (71) and 50 steals (53).
The remarkably baby-faced Lillibridge, 23, will be the youngest-looking hitter in the majors, but the kid can really play. Two words usually enter the description when you ask players or coaches about him: They say he’s a “baseball player.” That’s a high compliment from players and coaches.
The fact that the Braves didn’t hesitiate to trade Aybar even after Infante got hurt made it clear they never intended to retain him after last year’s multitude of problems, when he was late to camp because of visa issues, then missed the whole season due to injuries, substance-abuse problems and a team suspension.
They never said so, but the Braves were looking for the best offer they could get for him, and they were going to take it. Before spring training. They wanted to turn the page on Aybar, not revisit that whole story again at camp.
So he’s gone, and the Braves have a lefty, Jeff Ridgway, who is 27 and has a 189.00 ERA in three major league appearances. Hey, but at least he spells his name like Stan Ridgway of 1980s band Wall of Voodoo (“Wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbecued iguana….”)
But seriously, Ridgway has a 93-94 fastball and a good curve and changeup, and by all accounts he’s a hard worker and good guy who’s kept a positive attitude through an ungodly array of injuries since his high school years.
Reconstructive elbow surgery 11 years ago, reconstructive shoulder surgery six years ago, more elbow surgery four years ago … this dude’s got a left arm that could be used for a new edition of the board game Operation.
But he’s healthy now, and the Braves’ scouts liked what they saw from him last year in Triple-A, where Ridgway had 67 strikeouts in 64-2/3 innings and held lefty hitters to a .163 average for Durham.
He also had 30 walks for Durham and was torched for seven runs, seven hits and one walk while recording just one out in three major league appearances during his first big league callup in September. So there’s work to be done.
But Ridgway has two minor-league options left, so the Braves could send him back and forth to the minors for two years if they need to. They aren’t counting on him to be in their opening day bullpen, or even expecting him to be.
Aybar was out of options - literally and perhaps figuratively as well, in the Braves’ view. They wanted to move on, and they did.
Personally, I really hope Aybar is able to deal with his problems and have a successful career. He’s a talented kid and seems like a good guy beneath that painful shyness. I just hope being traded again to a new environment doesn’t cause him any of the problems that being pulled out of his circle of friends with the Dodgers seemed to cause when he was traded to the Braves in July 2006.
Chipper wins Braves MVP: The Atlanta chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America voted Chipper Jones the Brave of the Year for 2007. Jones got 11 of 18 votes, with John Smoltz receiving the other seven.
Annual Braves banquet: Here’s some info on upcoming annual Braves 400 Club’s winter banquet, Feb. 2 at Marriott Century Center here in Atlanta, just off I-85 just north of Clairmont exit (I know because it’s close to my house).
The theme for this year’s shindig is “Celebrating 30 Years of TBS and the Atlanta Braves,” and my man Pete Van Wieren will emcee. Gotta love Pete, who’s a fan of M. Ward and other great songwriters, by the way.
The confirmed guest list includes Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, top Braves prospect Jordan Schafer, left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes, Rick Camp, broadcasters Chip and Skip Caray, among others.
The reception and silent auction/raffle of Braves memorabilia starts at 5:30 pm., with an awards dinner at 7 p.m.
The public is invited and tickets are $65 apiece, which includes dinner and a “well-stocked goody bag” (hey, that’s what they said on the release). Make reservations on the 400 Club website (www.braves400.org) or by mailing a check to the Braves 400 Club, P.O. Box 7689, Atlanta, Ga. 30309. Information is available on the website or by calling the club’s hotline at 770-416-4539.
Speaking of great songwriters….” A tune to carry us through the weekend.
”FURTHER ON UP THE ROAD” by Bruce Springsteen
Where the road is dark and the seed is sowed
Where the gun is cocked and the bullet’s cold
Where the miles are marked in the blood and gold
I’ll meet you further on up the road
Got on my dead man’s suit and my smilin’ skull ring
My lucky graveyard boots and song to sing
I got a song to sing, keep me out of the cold
And I’ll meet you further on up the road.
Further on up the road
Further on up the road
Where the way dark and the night is cold
One sunny mornin’ we’ll rise I know
And I’ll meet you further on up the road.
Now I been out in the desert, just doin’ my time
Searchin’ through the dust, lookin’ for a sign
If there’s a light up ahead well brother I don’t know
But I got this fever burnin’ in my soul
So let’s take the good times as they go
And I’ll meet you further on up the road
Further on up the road
Further on up the road
Further on up the road
Further on up the road
One sunny mornin’ we’ll rise I know
And I’ll meet you further on up the road
One sunny mornin’ we’ll rise I know
And I’ll meet you further on up the road.
Reshaped Braves aim toward spring training
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few thoughts while waiting for the expected announcement from the Braves that Mark Kotsay has passed his physical and the center field gap has been stopped.
Assuming the veteran outfielder’s surgically repaired back passed muster with Braves doctors today, the Kotsay-for-Joey Devine trade will be finalized and Kotsay will figuratively take the baton from Andruw Jones and, the Braves hope, carry it well for a year before handing it off to young Jordan Schafer.
We’ve pretty well exhausted this Kotsay topic since I first posted a blog last Wednesday speculating the Braves’ interest in the 32-year-old Oakland outfielder, especially after Kotsay told me Friday that A’s GM Billy Beane called him that morning and said a possible trade was in the works with Atlanta.
So we’ll not devote this blog to more debate over whether it was a good trade, though you are certainly free to continue that topic if you’d like.
My last word (for now) on the subject: I think it was a very good trade provided Kotsay is healthy, because the Braves only pay $2 mill (A’s paying other $5 mill of his $7 mill salary, plus the $350,000 bonus he gets for moving, which was part of his contract). And they give up a hard-throwing reliever who hasn’t panned out yet and probably wasn’t going to be more than a middle man if he made this year’s bullpen.
Trading Devine is not akin to trading Adam Wainwright, who had potential to be an ace starter (still does have that potential) and ended up being a closer on St. Louis’ World Series championship team.
(And personally, I don’t think that Drew-for-Wainwright deal was bad, either, because Drew was the Braves’ MVP that season and very nearly helped them win a pennant. You don’t get difference-makers without giving up talent, folks. Kotsay probably isn’t the difference-maker that Drew was, but a healthy Kotsay is an outstanding defensive outfielder and class act who can hit .290-.300 with 12-15 homers, provide more veteran leadership, and be a terrific influence on Schafer and other young players.)
By the way, Kotsay’s had success in Atlanta, both in the majors (.292 average with nine extra-base hits and 12 RBIs in 106 at-bats) and the Olympics. The two-time college player of the year hit .303 (10-for-33) with four doubles, three homers, six RBIs and 10 runs for the U.S. at the ’96 Atlanta Olympics.
Batting order: So what will the Braves’ batting order look like, assuming Kotsay is in it? I’m going to take a stab, though this could obviously change and I don’t feel too certain about much more than the 3-4 slots:
- SS Yunel Escobar, 2. Kotsay, 3. 3B Chipper Jones, 4. 1B Mark Teixeira, 5. RF Jeff Francoeur/C Brian McCann, 6. Francoeur/McCann, 7. 2B Kelly Johnson, 8. LF Matt Diaz/Brandon Jones.
I believe Kelly could also bat leadoff (he and Yunel both thrived in the role last year), and I’m guessing with the Francoeur/McCann thing because that’s what Bobby did last season, depending upon the pitcher.
My concern with hitting Yunel second would be having him worry too much about being a prototpye No. 2 hitter, feeling the need hit behind the runner, move guys over, etc. With that swing, you want the kid to just lash line drives all over the place, like he did last year.
As one or our astute regulars, Mr. Baseball, points out in a comment Monday night (after this original post), batting Kotsay second would invite teams to bring in lefty relievers to face Kotsay and the switch-hitters behind him. I can see where Cox might view it similarly, so here’s my other option:
Escobar, 2. Johnson 3. Chipper, 4. Teixeira, 5. Francoeur/McCann, 6. Francoeur/McCann, 7. Kotsay, 8. Diaz/B. Jones.
Yes, my OTHER lineup also has a lefty batting second. Just the way I see it, one of these lineups seems right to me, at least the top four in one of these (bottom half, order can be tweaked a bit here or there).
Because despite the lefty thing, it’s worth noting that Kotsay’s career average/OBP/slugging are almost identical vs. lefties and righties, and Teixeira has hit lefties a little better than righties throughout his career. He has a .311 average, .387 OBP and .555 slugging pecentage against lefties, and .276/.364/.532 vs. righties. (This just in: Teixeira is really good.)
How would you folks make out your lineup?
Bennett’s crash diet: Even if you happened to see pitcher Jeff Bennett at FanFest, you might not have known it. Dude looks entirely different after shedding a whole lot of weight and letting his hair grow.
When I say a lot of weight, I mean a lot of weight.
Bennett claims he’s lost 60 pounds since last season, though not sure if he meant since middle of last season or the end. Anyway, the intense righty is tipping ‘em at about 200 pounds now, after pitching great in August-September (4-1, 1.74 ERA as starter for Richmond, 2-1 with 3.46 ERA in three games for Atlanta including two starts) despite being heavier than he’d ever been.
Bennett said he ate mostly chicken-and-rice during winter ball in Venezuela, where he continued his impressive performance. He told Braves officials this weekend that he’s very serious about being in the best shape he could be in for spring training, because he knows he has an opportunity to compete for a job.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he made the team as a long reliever/spot starter.
“He’s done an absolutely terrific job with his body,” Braves player development Kurt Kemp told me. “He looks great. Obviously he’s very committed to coming in and being the pitcher he can be.”
No home improvement: Rather than rehabbing homes, lefty Chuck James spent the winter rehabbing his pitching shoulder. In previous offseasons he’s worked on a Lowe’s crew that installed windows and doors.
James, who spent time on the DL last season with what was then termed a “dead arm” said he was diagnosed with a slight tear in his rotator cuff after the season. Nothing that required surgery (you might be surprised how many pitchers have similar tears in their shoulders; it’s common among older pitchers).
He said he worked a couple hours a day, three days a week, at a sports-rehab facility this winter and that the shoulder felt great when he played catch for the first time on Friday.
For those wondering if James was going to work on his third pitch, his slider, this winter, there’s your answer: He didn’t throw until Friday, and wasn’t supposed to. He did throw some mean curveballs with the wiffle ball at FanFest Saturday, when the youngsters seemingly had no chance of hitting him.
When I asked him about competition for his rotation spot, and whether he felt he needed to make some adjustments, he gave what’s become a typical Chuck response:
“I definitely feel like I don’t have a spot [assured],” he said, but didn’t seem too stressed about spring training. “I’m gonna have fun with it. I’m gonna pitch the best I can, keep all the pressure off myself, not worry about what other pitchers are doing.”
And could all that competition among starters help the Braves?
“Without a doubt,” he said, “any time you have that depth it’s gonna help us out a lot.”
If Mike Hampton is healthy to start the season, the Braves would have John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine and Hampton assured of spots, with James competing with rookies Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes, and also Bennett and Buddy Carlyle. Unless there are injuries or trades between now and opening day.
Javy slimmed down, upbeat: There was another, more familiar face atop a slimmer physique at FanFest, as Javy Lopez began a second tour with the Braves that he hopes will include a backup catcher spot on the major league roster.
The Braves signed the veteran catcher to a minor league deal in December, and Lopez said he’s got a different mindset than he had before being cut by the Rockies during last spring training (he ended up not playing at all in 2007).
He said wasn’t ready mentally to be a backup then, but is now.
Lopez doesn’t have the absolutely shredded, miniscule-body-fat, muscular physique he had in 2003, when he hit .328 with career-highs of 43 homers and 109 RBIs for the Braves and parlayed it into a rich free-agent contract with Baltimore. And he doesn’t have as much bulk as he carried before and after that season.
Instead, he looks to be in good shape, muscular but not Popeye-like.
He hit .316 with 23 homers and 86 RBIs in 150 games in 2004 for the Orioles, then slipped to .278 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs in 103 games in ‘05, and only .251 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 94 games for Baltimore and Boston in ‘06.
The Braves decided to take a flyer on him this winter after Lopez showed he was serious about his comeback during private workouts since October with Braves bench coach Chino Cadahia.
The Braves think the three-time former All-Star might have enough left to give them a power bat off the bench and to catch once a week or so.
After making more than $60 million in 10 seasons from 1997 to 2006, Lopez will draw a $750,000 salary if he makes the Braves’ roster out of spring training. He’s a non-roster invitee with a non-guaranteed deal.
He’ll compete for the backup job with Corky Miller, Brayan Pena and rookie Clint Sammons. But if he’s fit, I’ve gotta believe Lopez will win the job. Pena could be on the trading block.
Hoss’ take on situation: Chipper Jones looked to be in good shape, and said he feels that way with spring training just around the corner.
Talked to Hoss for a while at FanFest, and he said he feels great and added some muscle, still at about 227-228 pounds but fitter, after an offseason of lifting weights in workouts at his Atlanta home and Texas farm. He began hitting and throwing last week.
When I asked him about the vibe at FanFest, Jones said: “Lot of people are excited about Tommy coming back, and a lot are bummed because Andruw’s not coming back. But overall, everybody can’t wait to get to spring training — that’s what I hear.”
And what did he think of the teams’ moves this winter?
“The good thing about this organization during the offseason is, you feel like they’re always going to give you the opportunity to be competitive,” he said. “We’re going to be competitive. You never know how things are going to work out. But if the starting pitching stays healthy and gets it to the bullpen late in games, and if I stay healthy, we should contend.”
OK, enough for now: More updates to come. And for now, a tune from a master.
”FRAULEIN O.” by James McMurtry
Last time I saw you
it could’ve been Christmas eve
it could’ve been someone’s birthday
it could’ve been make believe for all I know
it could’ve been make believe
Last time I saw you
you had the room upstairs
I never knew for certain
what went on up there
no I never did know
what went on up there
‘course you had that boyfriend
with the Chevrolet
he never met Will Rogers
I’d be willing to say
yeah it’s safe to say
he never met Will Rogers
I guess it must have been a thousand years
since I changed my number
doesn’t it mean a thing
when the phone don’t ring
and I don’t call back
can’t help but wonder sometimes
I never got to know you
like I wanted to
you never seemed to notice
how I looked at you for all I know
you never even noticed
now that crowd’s all scattered
to here and yon
everybody graduated
or they just moved on
for all I know
they just moved on
I guess it must have been a thousand years
since I lost your number
gonna rest my soul
by this fishing hole
gonna watch that pole
‘till that float goes under
last time I saw you
it could’ve been Christmas eve
it could’ve been someone’s birthday
it could’ve been make believe
for all I know
could’ve been make believe
Braves considering Kotsay or Patterson for CF?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A couple of things to ponder while wondering who among you would’ve believed a few years ago that Marcus Giles would be reduced to signing a minor-league contract this winter at age 29.
Giles, who in 2003 had 49 doubles, 21 homers and a whopping .916 OPS and was arguably the best-hitting second baseman in all of baseball.
If you missed it, he signed a minor-league deal this week with Colorado.
Anyway, moving on …
It’s been a month or more since the Braves made any significant personnel moves (other than to sign potential backup catcher Javy Lopez to a minor league contract), and it might be another month or more before they make another.
As we said all along, the Braves considered their major offseason work completed after the signing of Tom Glavine and two trades that sent Edgar Renteria to Detroit for prospects (CF Gorkys Hernandez and RHP Jair Jurrjens, sent Oscar Villarreal to Houston for rookie CF Josh Anderson, and shipped Jose Ascanio to the Cubs for lefty reliever Will Ohman and utility man Omar Inante.
But as I’ve said, I still think the Braves might make a move or two before opening day, including the addition of another stopgap center fielder. And there is reason to believe that Oakland’s Mark Kotsay could be the guy.
I’m not saying a deal is imminent or even that the Braves have strong interest in the veteran Kotsay, but I’ve talked to people connected with both teams and have yet to have anyone tell me it’s not gonna happen. Maybe that’ll change soon, but so far nobody is shooting down the possibility, and that tells me something could be up.
Another possibility is Georgia native Corey Patterson, but only if the Baltimore free agent’s price tag keeps plummeting and the Braves can get him for perhaps half of the $6 mill salary he was once looking for, and probably only if they can get him in a straight one-year deal. The Braves don’t have huge interest, but I think they still have some.
Why Kotsay or Patterson instead of, say, Boston’s more productive and expendable CF Coco Crisp? Simple answer: Because of the commitment required.
With Crisp, the Braves would have to give up some talent (not sure how much) in a trade, and then would owe him at least $11 mill over two years ($10.5 mill in salary over the 2008-09 seasons, plus a $500,000 buyout of a 2010 option).
Kotsay will make $8 mill in 2008 before becoming a free agent. I’m guessing the Braves would require Oakland to pay close to half of that figure before Atlanta would give up anything of value in a trade for Kotsay. He’s coming off an injury-shortened, career-worst season (.214-1-20 in 56 games), but did hit .275 or higher in more than 500 at-bats each of the previous three seasons, with 37 total homers and 204 RBIs in that stretch.
He’s an excellent defensive CF and a strong leader and clubhouse presence, described everwhere he’s been as a great teammate who, whenever he’s in the lineup, plays all-out, without regard for his battered body and chronic back.
From that perspective, there probably isn’t a better guy that Jordan Schafer could learn about CF from than Kotsay, a left-handed hitter with a .282 career average. Kotsay hit .314 with a .370 OBP in 2004, and in 2005 he had 15 homers and 82 RBIs. So it’s not been such a long time since the 32-year-old produced.
He’s not the player he once was because of injuries, but he can still “go get it” as they say of quality outfielders, and he might just have enough left for a comeback season of sorts under Bobby Cox, a manager Kotsay has always admired since beginning his career in the Florida Marlins organization.
Oakland’s in another rebuilding mode and already traded ace Dan Haren and fan-favorite outfielder Nick Swisher. They’re talking to teams about trading highly sought-after starter Joe Blanton (only 27 years old), and yes, plenty of Braves fans would love for Atlanta to get involved in that discussion (sure can’t blame you).
The Braves haven’t ruled out adding another starter, but I’d be shocked if they were willing to give up the young talent required to trade for Blanton.
However, the Billy Beane Bazaar could hold an answer to the Braves’ desire to find a veteran CF to get them through the transition period between Andruw Jones and projected future CF standout Schafer, who should be ready by 2009 opening day, and perhaps by midseason 2008.
Schafer might even be ready by ’08 opening day, if the Braves deem it necessary and suitable to thrust him into the starting CF role without any experience above Class A ball. But I really think that’s something they want to avoid.
Then again, if they have to go with speedy rook Anderson, I think they’re prepared to do that. Unless him and Schafer both look completely overmatched this spring, which seems unlikely in Anderson’s case, given how well Anderson played in his September callup with the ‘Stros.
Kotsay’s injury history makes it doubtful he would be expected to play every day, and I don’t know that the Braves would want to play Omar Infante very frequently in CF, even though he played 12 games there for Detroit last season. Infante is their super-utility guy, and the Braves want the veteran to be at the ready to fill in at several infield positions.
So maybe the Braves could go with a roster that includes both Kotsay and Anderson or Schafer. Then again, if they already have Matt Diaz and Brandon Jones to platoon in LF (Frank Wren has mentioned that as a possibility), I don’t see the Braves keeping five OFs on a 25-man roster.
So there are obvious reasons why Kotsay might not work, and why Patterson might be more suitable. Because while Patterson has not lived up to expectations with the Cubs and Orioles, he does play outstanding defense and has played at least 126 games each of the past four seasons, including last season when he hit .269 with just a .304 OBP, eight homers and 45 RBIs, but had 37 steals (46 attempts).
Patterson bats lefty but, at least last season, he hit lefties quite well (Anderson and Schafer are also lefty batters). So it’s possible (hey, just thinking creatively here) that the Braves could consider a platoon with one of the kids and Patterson, who hit .310 with a .344 OBP vs. lefty pitchers (compared to .251 with a .286 OBP vs. righties).
Then again, until last season Kotsay had hit lefties about as well as he did righties (.282 and .331 OBP vs. lefties in his career, .281 and .339 vs. righties). Those career marks include his .130 average in 46 at-bats vs. lefties last season. And Patterson, before last season, pretty much stunk vs. lefties.
Again, it’s probably a moot point because if the Braves have a platoon in LF, I don’t expect them to also employ a CF platoon. Too many outfielders on a 25-man roster.
Patterson had a good second half last season, batting .313 with six homers and a .333 OBP in 201 at-bats. This after hitting .235 with two homers and a .282 OBP in 260 at-bats before the All-Star break.
But as some here have pointed out, having him on the roster might tempt Bobby Cox to bat him leadoff instead of Yunel Escobar or Kelly Johnson, who each had .400 OBPs or higher as leadoff men in 2007. Oh, the teeth gnashing.
Speaking of Braves fans…. FanFest is this weekend in downtown Atlanta. It’s been moved for the first time from Turner Field (couldn’t count on the January weather at the ballpark) to the World Congress Center, where the Braves will have a sprawling indoor setup that includes a couple of ballfields set up for players to give demonstrations to the kids (or adults) on techniques.
(Who knows, if you ask nicely Diaz just might reenact the full-on face-plant into the outfield wall that earned him much razzing from teammates a couple years back in a game at Florida — we kid Diaz because he’s a good dude.)
The team is going all-out on FanFest this time around, determined to make it as a big a deal as it is for a lot of other major league teams. Believe me, the Braves were as disappointed as some of you after procedural snafus and cold weather turned their FanFest into a less-than-stellar event in recent years.
Most of the prominent current Braves (and some former ones) will be on hand to sign autographs and interact with fans Saturday or Sunday, though the Braves aren’t going to announce who’s coming on which days (so please don’t e-mail and ask me, because I can’t help with that request).
All I can tell you is that Smoltz, Glavine, Chipper, Teixeira, Francoeur, McCann, Javy Lopez (hey, several fans have asked me if he’ll be there), Diaz, Mike Gonzalez, Chuck James, and a bunch of others are supposed to be there.
Mike Hampton, Rafael Soriano, Escobar and Cox weren’t on the list the team sent out of those scheduled to attend, but almost every other Brave was.
Now, a tune: In recognition of the return of TV’s best show, HBO’s The Wire, which last week began its final season, let’s go with a classic by Steve Earle. He’s had a small, recurring role in the show and also sings the theme song, a cover of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.”
”DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND” by Steve Earle
About the time that Daddy left to fight the big war
I saw my first pistol in the general store
In the general store, when I was thirteen
I thought it was the finest thing I ever had seen
So l asked if I could have one someday when I grew up
Mama dropped a dozen eggs, she really blew up
She really blew up, and she didn’t understand
Mama said the pistol is the devil’s right hand
The devil’s right hand, the devil’s right hand
Mama says the pistol is the devil’s right hand….
Me very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoots as fast as lightnin’ but it loads a mite slow
It loads a mite slow, and soon I found out
It’ll get you into trouble but it can’t get you out
So then I went and bought myself a Colt 45
Called a peacemaker but I never knew why
I never knew why, I didn’t understand
Mama says the pistol is the devil’s right hand
The devil’s right hand, the devil’s right hand
Mama says the pistol is the devil’s right hand….
Got into a card game in a company town
I caught a miner cheating, I shot the dog down
I shot the dog down, I watched the man fall
He never touched his holster, never had a chance to draw
The trial was in the morning and they drug me out of bed
Asked me how I pleaded, not guilty I said
Not guilty I said, you’ve got the wrong man
Nothing touched the trigger but the devil’s right hand
The devil’s right hand, the devil’s right hand
Mama says the pistol is the devil’s right hand….
The devil’s right hand, the devil’s right hand
Mama says the pistol is the devil’s right hand….
Thinking of spring training, Francoeur’s future
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All this bitter cold has me thinking about … Central Florida.
Gently swaying palm trees, the smell of hot dogs on grills and pine tar on bats, the sounds of bats hitting balls and balls popping mitts, the I-4 traffic and effervescent Disney employees — OK, those last two, we aren’t looking forward to.
Anyway, with one week until Braves FanFest, and only 41 days until pitchers and catchers report, it’s about time to start the countdown, don’t ya think?
(Apparently A’s general manager Billy Beane didn’t get the memo about taking some time off during the last few weeks, traditionally the slowest time in the baseball industry. Oakland’s GM did a little late wheeling and dealing while most others were traveling, kicking back, looking over recently tweaked rosters and determining what needs to be done between the holidays and opening day.)
I wouldn’t say I’m entirely ready to pack up and head to Dark Star (Disney) for six weeks of spring training, but I’m at least starting to think about it. Still got plenty of movies and college hoops to watch between now and Feb. 14, reporting day for pitchers & catchers — and ink-stained members of the Fourth Estate.
By the way, for those wondering about who’s gonna be at FanFest next weekend (Jan. 12-13) at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta: Almost every current Braves player is scheduled to sign autographs at some point during the two-day event, including John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Tim Hudson, Mark Teixeira, Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson and, yes, non-roster invitee Javy Lopez.
Even rehabbing reliever Mike Gonzalez is on the list the Braves sent me.
Closer Rafael Soriano (he lives in the Dominican Republic), Tyler Yates (Hawaii), Yunel Escobar and Mike Hampton are among the few current players not on the list. The Braves also plan to have coaches and some former Braves in attendance, but haven’t announced those names yet.
The next question those planning to attend might have, is one for which I don’t have an answer: When will this or that particular player be signing?
The Braves don’t plan to release a specific schedule of times for individual players. I’m gonna take a wild guess and speculate it’s because the Braves want max fan attendance throughout the two-day event, rather than big crowds showing up only for autographs by a handful of players. But that’s me speculating.
Speaking of Frenchy…. Came across something I found interesting last night as I was going through stacks of reference books and industry publications in my basement office, throwing out stuff (if you live on my block and were walking your dog late last night, you could have stopped by the boxes I had at the curb and picked up any number of old Stats Inc. Scouting Notebooks, Baseball Abstracts, or 2006 and 2007 media guides for every team).
It’s a January 2005 Baseball America with top 10 prospects for each NL East team. It’s easy to forget how young Fracoeur and McCann are until you read this and realize it was exactly three years ago, and that at the time Francoeur had only 76 at-bats above A-ball and McCann had zero. Think about that.
At that time, in January 2005, David Wright had 263 at-bats (and 14 homers) in the majors for the Mets. I use him for context simply because he’s someone that obviously everyone on this blog is (quite) familiar with, and because some on the ol’ blog sometimes hold Francoeur up against Wright in attempts to point out the former’s deficiencies, since Wright is only 13 months older.
(As if falling short in most offensive categories when compared to one of the very best young players in the game is somehow terrible for Francoeur. Wright finished fourth in the MVP balloting; how many players, period, are on a level with Wright? The vast majority fall short, whether veteran players or kids.)
Anyway, getting back to the BA rankings from Jan. 2005. Francoeur was rated the No. 1 prospect in the Braves organization in that issue, followed by No. 2 Andy Marte, No. 3 McCann, No. 4 Kyle Davies, No. 5 Anthony Lerew, No. 6 Jake Stevens (then a 20-year-old lefty who’d struck out 140 in 135 innings at Rome), No. 7 Luis Hernandez (remember that “can’t miss” shortstop?), No. 8 Kelly Johnson, No. 9 Jarrod Saltalamacchia and No. 10 Blaine Boyer.
(If anything, this list is a reminder of why the Braves don’t mind one bit having a supposed oversupply at one position or another, since inevitably some top prospects aren’t going to pan out.)
The synopsis on Francoeur included this: “One of the purest five-tool players in the minor leagues. Scouts rave about the way he consistently gets the barrel of the bat on the ball. He uses his hands well in his swing and generates tremendous bat speed, which combined with his natural power should enable him to hit 30-plus home runs annually in the majors. Francoeur uses the entire field and used his season at pitcher-friendly Myrtle Beach to his advantage, becoming adept at driving outside pitches the opposite way…. As impressive as his tools may be, Francoeur’s makeup may stand out even more. Of the most competitive players in the organization, he’s a fiery team leader, which could be just what the big league team needs.”
Among his weaknesses, the report said, “Francoeur’s greatest need is to show more patience at the plate, and at this point it appears to be the only flaw in his game…. The Braves don’t want him to change his aggressive approach, but he understands that better strike-zone discipline will make him an even more dangerous hitter.”
And there was this on his future: “Longtime Atlanta officials continue to compare Francoeur to Dale Murphy, and his swagger is more reminiscent of Chipper Jones. He’s an exciting player who gives the game every ounce of his energy every time he takes the field. His natural ability and approach could make him a 30-30 man and an all-start for the Braves. Even if he’s moved at a conservative pace, he should get his first taste of the big leagues by the end of 2006.”
A couple of things jump out at us: Francoeur got his first taste of the big leagues long before the end of 2006. Hell, he’d already been on the cover of Sports Illustrated by late-summer 2005.
A 30-30 man? Where did that come from? He never stole more than 16 bases in a season in the minors, so to think he’d steal twice as many in the majors was unrealistic. His career high so far was last year’s five, and stolen bases are never going to be a significant part of his game, nor do the Braves expect them to be.
Now the other part of 30-30, I can certainly see. Francoeur hit 29 homers in his first full season in 2006, then dipped to 19 last year while he increased his average from .260 to .293, his OBP from .293 to .338 and his doubles from 24 to 40, and had his second 100-RBI season (he had 103 in 2006, 105 in ’07.
Now comes the balancing part. The Braves were thrilled with Francoeur’s development last season, with the strides he made to become a better and more patient overall hitter. He was happy, too, with everything except the power decline.
That’s why Francoeur went into the offseason determined to add some muscle through weight training and a better diet, to give him more power and muscle stamina that he could sustain over the course of a 162-game season (and with him it’s truly a 162-game season; he’s played every game for the past two years).
It’ll be interesting to see if he’s pleased with the results, since he’s had to fit his workout regimen around getting married and all that goes with that.
Francoeur knows he still needs to keep improving on his plate discipline and using the entire field, since he’s always more productive and a tougher out during those stretches when he’s staying in his approach, hitting line drives and using the whole field, not trying to pull balls over the left-field fence.
Again, it’s a balancing act. He wants to be a 30-homer guy, because he knows he can help the team by providing another legit power-hitting threat pitchers have to be concerned with (not to mention, he probably knows you get paid a lot for hitting homers). But he also wants to maintain an average between .280-.300.
With so much attention understandably directed toward the return of Glavine, the situation with Teixeira, the huge question mark in center field, and other matters with the Braves, it’s possible that much of their success could also ride on the continued development of their right fielder, who’s now the veteran of the Braves outfield, a Gold Glove winner, the team’s union player rep, and a team spokesman on many matters. That leadership is emerging, more and more. He’s made for that role.
Now, it’ll be interesting to see how the future continues to unfold for former Atlanta-area prep phenom, the can’t-miss prospect, the newlywed, the energetic, upbeat kid who so far been able to thrive despite nearly impossible expectations some have for him.
Oh, and it’ll obviously be interesting to see if and when he and the Braves come to a multi-year contract agreement that could both cement his status as a face of the franchise and possibly lift at least a little of the pressure off his sizeable shoulders.
And now, a tune…. Been listening to a lot of Replacements and Westerberg lately. Which makes me wonder how I ever go long stretches without doing so. The man’s remarkable.
”ALL THAT I HAD” by Paul Westerberg
King and queen
Full and twin
Leave the key
It’s time to move again
Brand new lease
New set of locks
This end up
Ten city blocks
I gave it up for a room in a box
And I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I’m doing fine
I’m doing fine
Life is simple or it’s impossible
You always half empty
You ain’t never half full even now
Me and yesterday hopped on a track
I swear to God neither of us ever coming back
And I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I’m doing fine
I’m doing fine
And I gave all that I can
Every time
Didn’t follow my dreams
I lost the map
I live my fantasy instead
Till I found it was a trap
Gave a life, got a living
Hey that’s all right
All is forgiven
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
I gave all that I had
It’s taken some bad times to show me
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
