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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > July > 28
Monday, July 28, 2008
Stick a fork in Braves, they’re done
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The day after a second straight meltdown in Philadelphia, the Braves put two more players on the disabled list. This time it was just their best starting pitcher and their best position player.
So much for the post-season tease.
Nobody’s even debating any more that it’s over. Not Chipper Jones, who said circumstances and “all the rumors floating around here” dictate that “we’re already pointing to next year.” Not Frank Wren, the general manager, who said “a half-dozen” roster players are the subject of trade conversations and that, yes, discussions have been stepped up in the last 24 hours.
Manager Bobby Cox would sooner bite down on a cyanide capsule before admitting in July that it’s over. But when asked if his players required any sort of pep talk before the start of a homestand, he said: “I’ve already talked to them.”
When?
“In Florida [last week]. What’s there left to say? Who are you gonna yell at?”
The Braves have 57 games left, concession speeches notwithstanding. But take a good look. A team so many expected could compete for a title — and might have, if not for the smell of napalm in the clubhouse — is further away than any of us could have imagined.
The reasons go beyond the possible career wraps of John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. They also go beyond the latest pitching casualty, Tim Hudson, who went on the disabled list with elbow problems and will be examined in Birmingham by Dr. James Andrews, who really should just move his practice here to save the team mileage.
(In a good year, maybe Hudson only has inflammation. Given this season, expect word to come down of an amputation.)
The real state of the Braves? Consider the ones who aren’t injured. Mark Teixeira: packed. Will Ohman: on several teams’ hot list. Jeff Francoeur, Mark Kotsay and Kelly Johnson: given circumstances and logic, all likely are part of trade discussions.
To recap, that’s first base, second base, center field, right field and a key member of the bullpen. It doesn’t mean all will be traded. But if all are available, doesn’t that speak volumes about the future?
Like the rest of Atlanta, the Braves are covered with “For Sale” signs. The difference: Wren absolutely will move some property. Trade talks have been going on for weeks, he said.
But: “We’re in a position now to take those conversations further.” That wasn’t so subtle.
“When you come out of spring training and you feel like you have a good team, the last thing you want to do is get to Aug. 1 and trade parts of that team away,” Wren said. “That’s not the reason we do this [job]. But when you’re faced with it, you want to get the best return.”
Monday was like a bad, pre-1991 flashback. St. Louis led 8-0 in the fourth earning before Cox walked to the mound carrying an urn to sweep up the remains of starter Charlie Morton.
Before the season, the only guy less on the radar than Morton was the catcher he was attempting to throwing to, Clint Sammons. Sammons was replacing the slightly concussed Brian McCann, who isn’t on the disabled list but is mumbling something about being late for a tea party.
The Braves blew leads of 9-3 and 5-0 in Philadelphia and lost, 10-9 and 12-10. At least they didn’t keep anybody in suspense Monday. The Cardinals led, 9-0, about the time Wren learned of Hudson’s ominous MRI.
“Throw a yellow flag for piling on,” he said.
Jones somehow managed to stay off the DL until Monday. But his right quad and left hamstring hurts, and he couldn’t even hit off a “T” the other day. It’s so over, and Jones knows what’s coming.
“There’s three teams in front of us in the division, and the likelihood of all three of them collapsing is not probable,” he said. “The brass has to make the decision: Do we make trades?”
Easy answer.
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