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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > December > 17
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Braves need to bring Furcal back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a no-brainer. The Braves need to bring back Rafael Furcal. If they don’t, they’ll need to bring in the paramedics - for themselves.
I mean, how much rejection during one offseason can what was a universally loved organization take? The answer: The Braves are at their limit, and you can’t blame their decision makers for any of it.
They’ve been victims of bad luck, awful timing and just crazy stuff.
There was that deal for Jake Peavy that was close, then not so much, then in the vicinity of happening, then gone. They had another standout pitcher, A.J. Burnett, pretty much with a tomahawk across his chest. That was before the New York Yankees used their pinstripes and dollar bills to yank him away.
The Braves did acquire Javier Vazquez, a master at throwing 200 innings or more each season, but they need more. They need another significant pitcher, and they need Furcal, their spark plug near the back end of their run to 14 consecutive trips to the playoffs through 2005.
Furcal spent his first six seasons in the major leagues with the Braves before bolting to Los Angeles as a free agent, and the Dodgers want him back. Thus the latest offseason stumbling block for the rebuilding Braves. After all, they’ve proven they can’t live without him.
Since Furcal left for the Dodgers, the Braves have lacked a leadoff hitter and a trip to the postseason.
Coincidence? Nope. It also hasn’t helped the Braves’ cause that their starting pitching has gone from Cy Maddux, Cy Smoltz and Cy Glavine to several aching question marks (Tim Hudson, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, etc.). And, no, Furcal isn’t a true exclamation point after missing most of last season after back surgery in July.
Still, Furcal is worth the gamble. He hit .357 during the 36 games that he played, and here’s the big thing: He had an on-base percentage of .439.
The Braves’ 2008 leadoff hitters had an on-base percentage of .356.
Here’s another big thing: Gregor Blanco led the Braves in stolen bases last season with 13 in 430 at bats. Furcal had eight stolen bases in 143 at bats.
Case closed.
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