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Monday, June 12, 2006
Time not on Braves’ side
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
John Schuerholz somewhat confirmed Monday that his baseball team has turned into rotting smelt, though he was nice enough not to use those words because he answers to corporate weasels (unlike myself).
He also gave me an exclusive peek into what goes on behind the scenes of a baseball team gone stinky, divulging: “There are a lot of desks belonging to a lot of general managers right now that have my number sitting on it for return calls.”
The way I figure it, he must not be close to a big trade. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have time to call me back, and I don’t have a leadoff hitter, pitcher or Valium to part with.
Methinks nobody wants to help your Atlanta Braves.
For the better part of 15 years, Schuerholz has done things from a position of strength. When a team wins and has a history of winning, it allows a general manager to pace himself. He plugs holes and spackles cracks at a leisurely pace. His pace. He waits, and waits, and waits, and waits, until just before the trade deadline when he swings the deal you’ve been screaming about for six weeks.
But now Schuerholz lacks his constant sidekick: time.
There are two things that generally don’t intersect in baseball: “June” and “Over.” But the Braves started Monday twice the distance from the first-place Mets (10 games) as the last-place-Marlins (five). Florida’s payroll ($15 million) is one-sixth of Atlanta’s ($80 million). That tends to jolt the system.
“We didn’t have to see the games behind in the newspaper to know the situation,” Schuerholz said. “We’re all befuddled by what’s happened. We came out of training feeling good about the team, though with the knowledge that we might have to do something to rearrange the bullpen. But if you look at the evidence now, it may suggest that more needs to be done than just that.”
Some options involve weapons.
A general manager never wants anybody to think he lacks leverage, even when it’s obvious he does.
Everybody knows the Braves need bullpen help.
Everybody knows they need a competent starter.
Everybody knows Marcus Giles is a disaster as a leadoff hitter, and neither his glove nor his salary suggest he should be kept. (I know. He gets his uniform dirty. Guess what? Trade for someone else and I’ll provide free dirt.)
When everybody knows you’re desperate, the price goes up. So Schuerholz reacts accordingly when asked if he has to make a trade.
“We never have to make a trade,” he said. “But we’d like to.”
That’s cute. But he does have to.
Yesterday.
The Braves are free of incurable diseases. That’s the good news.
I know. We in the media spend too much time harping on the negative. But it has been 13 years since the Braves had to make up 10 games in the standings. Yes, in that 1993 season, they won 104 games. It was the franchise’s first 100-win season since the 1898 Boston Beaneaters won 102. But 1993 is no more relevant than 1898.
David Justice is not walking through that door.
Chris Reitsma is walking into it.
In 1993, the Braves had a starting rotation of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery and Pete Smith. As an added bonus, it didn’t have Jorge Sosa.
Those Braves had two competent closers, Mike Stanton (27 saves) and Greg McMichael (19). The bullpen had an ERA of 3.15. This bullpen has a nice bonus in Ken Ray. But a bonus is not a foundation. This bullpen entered Monday with an ERA of 5.12 and has allowed 23 home runs. The ‘93 bullpen allowed 19 home runs all season.
That team had Otis Nixon to lead off. This team has Giles, who is hitting .235 with an on-base percentage of .328 (10th among position players).
In 1993, Schuerholz swung arguably the best trade of his tenure. San Diego’s Fred McGriff came here. Melvin Nieves and junk went there.
The day of McGriff’s debut, the press box caught on fire. Dangling participles leaped to their death. Then McGriff slammed a home run against St. Louis to ignite an eight-run rally and an 8-5 win. The Braves were saved. They went 51-17 to close the season.
Now, McGriff is gone. The stadium is gone. Hope is on a respirator. Thus far, Schuerholz has done nothing. Waiting this out is only creating a stronger stench.
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