AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > May > 10
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Time to rest the RF, try a new leadoff hitter?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seems like plenty of activity on the ‘ol blog today (for a Saturday, that is), so your C.E. thought, why not crank out a new one for the denizens? Especially since we’ve got a day game tomorrow and it’ll be a pain getting one done before that first pitch.
So here goes, while I enjoy this pulled pork BBQ sandwich (with slaw and a slice of tomato; guess that’s how they do it here in the Steel City. Gotta say, it’s good).
Speaking of sandwiches, per our discussion this morning, I just found out there’s a Primanti Brothers right here in PNC Ballpark. Actually two of them, though the one on the rich folks’ level is supposedly much better because they make the sandwiches to order, just like in the outstanding restaurant itself.
That’ll be lunch tomorrow. But it will be difficult for it to unseat the all-time best ballpark sandwich though. Where’s that? Glad you asked. None other than Shea Stadium, where Mama’s of Corona has a stand. The best sandwich, bar none. Actually, the best concession food I eat at any ballpark.
But let’s get to the blog itself. The meat of the blog, rather than the sandwich.
Kelly Johnson … time to drop him in the order.
You all know I really like Kelly, think the world of his potential as a hitter, etc. Great guy. Fine interview. That said, this isn’t working, him at the leadoff spot.
Or I should say, when he’s in a groove, yes, it works. But he’s too streaky a hitter to hold down that spot atop the order, if you ask me (or even if you don’t ask, for that matter).
Folks, Kelly is 9-for-38 with five doubles in his past 10 games, and six of the hits and all the doubles came in those back-to-back games against Cincy May 3-4. In the other eight of his last 10 games, he’s 3-for-28 with no extra-base hits, one run, two RBI and eight strikeouts, including three strikeouts Friday.
Last season Bobby dropped him down in the order when Kelly was hitting far better in the leadoff spot than he is now. Time to do it again.
As I’ve said before, I think Escobar and Kotsay at the top of the order works best with this personnel. Or when Blanco is in the lineup, he could lead off.
Kelly’s not in the NL’s top 10 in leadoff on-base percentage at .325. Actually, he’s 25 points behind No. 10 Cristian Guzman (and 115 points behind Rafael Furcal, but that’s another story).
Last season Kelly had a .372 leadoff OBP, most of that foundation established in his strong first half.
He’s struggled more often than not since the end of August, with 4-5 game stretches of hot hitting mixed in. Since Aug. 28, Kelly has hit .231 (45-for-195) with nine doubles, five homers, 20 RBI, 23 walks, 43 strikeouts and a .311 OBP and .354 slugging percentage.
While we’re p’ing off people…. Remind me, why is Jeff Francoeur playing every single game, night after night after night. Why? Bobby Cox has always been exemplary at knowing when to rest guys, knowing how to give them a day off here, a day off before an off-day there (to give them two days off while missing only one game), that kind of thing.
And then there’s Francoeur, who plays every day and virtually every inning, regardless of whether he’s surging, skidding, aching or limping. Every day.
He has the longest active playing streak in the majors. So what? His streak is, what, one-eighth as long as Cal’s? He will almost certainly never play as many as one-fourth as many games as Ripken did, unless Francoeur avoids all serious injury and continues to play for Bobby for a long time.
He’s got a cannon arm and throws out guys and prevents others from running. But that’s not enough to counter that he looks sluggish at the plate and could simply use a day to refresh.
So why not just take the decision out of the kid’s hands now, take some pressure off him, and sit him a day? For the love of…. Anyway, why not just move Kotsay over to right field for a day, play Blanco in center, and be done with this streak, before it gets even longer and the pressure to keep playing him grows even more.
Francoeur had two homers and seven RBI at Washington on April 12. Since then? He’s hit .244 (22-for-90) with 10 doubles, no homers, 11 RBI, a .307 OBP and a .356 slugging percentage in 23 games.
On the road in that span, he’s hit .244 (9-for-40) with a .256 OBP in 10 games. That coincides, by the way, with the Braves’ 2-8 record in that 10-game road span.
It certainly isn’t all his fault. Not even close. But it’s played a part.
God bless him for wanting to play every day, for never complaining about aches and pains and such. But enough.
And another thing: Slow-starting Tex got going, but now he’s struggling again. In his past eight games, 6-for-28 (.214) with one double, two RBI. In his past 16 games, a .262 average with no homers in 61 at-bats.
He’s drawing plenty of walks, got a high OBP throughout that period. But hey, let’s not kid ourselves. Braves (and Chipper) could really use a little power surge from the cleanup hitter.
OK, gotta get down to the clubhouse now. Talk to you later.
“BOOTS OF SPANISH LEATHER” by Bob Dylan
Oh, I’m sailin’ away my own true love,
I’m sailin’ away in the morning.
Is there something I can send you from across the sea,
From the place that I’ll be landing?
No, there’s nothin’ you can send me, my own true love,
There’s nothin’ I wish to be ownin’.
Just carry yourself back to me unspoiled,
From across that lonesome ocean.
Oh, but I just thought you might want something fine
Made of silver or of golden,
Either from the mountains of Madrid
Or from the coast of Barcelona.
Oh, but if I had the stars from the darkest night
And the diamonds from the deepest ocean,
I’d forsake them all for your sweet kiss,
For that’s all I’m wishin’ to be ownin’.
That I might be gone a long time
And it’s only that I’m askin’,
Is there something I can send you to remember me by,
To make your time more easy passin’.
Oh, how can, how can you ask me again,
It only brings me sorrow.
The same thing I would want today,
I would want again tomorrow.
I got a letter on a lonesome day,
It was from her ship a-sailin’,
Saying I don’t know when I’ll be comin’ back again,
It depends on how I’m a-feelin’.
Well, if you, my love, must think that-a-way,
I’m sure your mind is roamin’.
I’m sure your thoughts are not with me,
But with the country to where you’re goin’.
So take heed, take heed of the western wind,
Take heed of the stormy weather.
And yes, there’s something you can send back to me,
Spanish boots of Spanish leather.
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