AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > October > 30
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Lots of reasons to re-sign Glavine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
After 14 consecutive playoff appearances, the Braves were distant observers of the postseason the past two years. Will they make it three in a row, or can changes in the offseason put them back in place to right the ship? Looking for answers, we put four questions to each of our sports columnists: Here, Jeff Schultz answers: Should the Braves re-sign Tom Glavine?
There are reasons for the Braves not to re-sign Tom Glavine. It’s just that none of them makes a lot of sense.
Reason: He’s not the pitcher he used to be. Response: He doesn’t have to be. In his past three seasons with the New York Mets, Glavine averaged 14 wins and 203 innings. As a No. 3 or 4 starter with the Braves, what would anything close to 14 wins and 203 innings mean to a thin rotation and a worn-out bullpen?
Reason: All he cares about is money. Response: He’ll make far less with the Braves (just guessing: $6 million-$7 million) than the $13 million he would’ve made with the Mets. He would’ve taken less last year if John Schuerholz had been quicker to pull the trigger.
Reason: He stuck it to the fans with his comments during the players’ strike in 1994. Response: Geez, get over it. He was a player rep. Those were collective bargaining talks. One player doesn’t set the agenda.
The fact is there’s no good reason for the Braves not to re-sign Glavine. He gives them needed depth, leadership and a sounding board for young pitchers. And they don’t even have to pay moving expenses.
Permalink | Comments (89) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Jeff Schultz
Soriano has the right stuff to close
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
After 14 consecutive playoff appearances, the Braves were distant observers of the postseason the past two years. Will they make it three in a row, or can changes in the offseason put them back in place to right the ship? Looking for answers, we put four questions to each of our sports columnists. Here, Terence Moore answers: Should the Braves rely on Rafael Soriano to be their closer?
What is there not to like about Rafael Soriano, the closest thing to John Smoltz as a potent Braves closer since, well, John Smoltz?
I’m still thinking.
Oh, that’s right. You had that fluke during the middle of last summer, when Soriano kept watching hitters slam his pitches toward the other side of the ozone. He allowed 16 earned runs and nine home runs during that 24-inning stretch.
You just have all of those other wonderful things about Soriano, though. For one, he throws hard. Preferably, you want your closer to make his pitches a blur to tiring hitters late in games, and Soriano does that along with something even more impressive: He throws hard, and he throws strikes.
Despite that little slump, Soriano finished last season with 70 strikeouts and just 15 walks during his 72 innings.
And did I mention the right-handed Soriano is as potent against left-handed hitters (.164) as he is against righties (.197)?
So here’s good news for the choppers and the chanters: Soriano will be the anti-Bob Wickman, both in girth and in productivity.
Permalink | Comments (30) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Terence Moore
Save the $$: Francoeur to center
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
After 14 consecutive playoff appearances, the Braves were distant observers of the postseason the past two years. Will they make it three in a row, or can changes in the offseason put them back in place to right the ship? Looking for answers, we put four questions to each of our sports columnists: Here, Mark Bradley answers: What should the Braves do to shore the hole in center field?
I wouldn’t spend a dime to buy a new center fielder. I’d turn the incumbent right fielder into the new center fielder and spend those dimes on pitching. Jeff Francoeur can handle center. He played there at Parkview and in the low minors, and he’s more than good enough to get the Braves through their first post-Andruw season. And then, come 2009, Francoeur can reclaim right field and let Jordan Schafer, just named the No. 1 prospect in the Class A Carolina League by Baseball America, have center.
Torii Hunter is a free agent, but he’ll want at least what Jones was making ($14 million). Aaron Rowand is a free agent, but he’ll want something close to that. Mike Cameron is a free agent, but he finished 70th among the 75 men who qualified for the National League batting title - Andruw Jones finished 74th - and struck out 22 more times than Andruw.
So who would play right? Willie Harris doesn’t seem a long-term answer, but he might get the Braves through 2008. (And Matt Diaz deserves to play every day in left.) Or Kelly Johnson could move to right and let Martin Prado take a spin at second base.
The Braves have outfielders coming through the chain, and they can more than make do with the talent under contract. Pitching, alas, is another matter.
Permalink | Comments (109) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Mark Bradley
Hampton on right track to return
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
After 14 consecutive playoff appearances, the Braves were distant observers of the postseason the past two years. Will they make it three in a row, or can changes in the offseason put them back in place to right the ship? Looking for answers, we put four questions to each of our sports columnists: Here, Furman Bisher answers: Should the Braves rely on Mike Hampton to be part of the rotation next season?
Since mid-August 2005, Mike Hampton hasn’t thrown a competitive pitch. He and the Braves have now come to a crossroads. Just when it appeared he was about to return to the form for which the club indebted itself, he broke down again during spring training at about the time he was scheduled to move into action, the matter of a muscle tearing loose from a bone in his arm. There went a potential 20-game winner, and as it turned out, what could have been the Braves’ season.
A similar sort of thing had happened a few seasons back to John Smoltz, and it was back to the surgical team. Smoltz has made a strong recovery, and that gives the Braves something to build on.
Hampton has gone through rehabilitation once more, and the report I get is that he has done everything the right way this time. He has been pitching off the mound recently and pacing himself. There will be no winter ball. I’m assured that this time Hampton will come back as productive as ever. It’s all conjecture until he steps on the mound and is tested under fire again, but the outlook is good. He has an itch for competition, and the conclusion here is that, yes, the Braves can count on Mike Hampton next season. The least you can say is, it’s about time, and he’s got a lot to deliver for the 15 million bucks he reportedly will be taking down.
Permalink | Comments (49) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Furman Bisher
Why let the Dawgs out?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
THE TUESDAY COUNTDOWN…
10: In keeping with Georgia sentencing guidelines, the SEC will make Mark Richt run stairs for nearly causing a riot last week.
9: Anybody want to fathom a guess on the over/under for DeAngelo Hall’s mute button short-circuiting?
8: Trading Edgar Renteria was the right move for the Braves for all of the obvious reasons (salary relief, making room for Yunel Escobar, the potential to fill other holes). But there’s something wrong with letting a consummate professional and a Gold Glover with solid production get away. The Braves haven’t done that since … well, dumping Andruw Jones.
7: I will give you that Tony Romo can compete with Tom Brady in the arm candy department (Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson, Sophia Bush) and without getting anyone pregnant. But how can the Dallas Cowboys giving him a contract (six years, $67 million) worth more than Brady’s. (six years, $60 million). Romo has never won a playoff game. Brady is 12-2 in the playoffs and has won three Super Bowls.
6: Michael Vick. (It’s too quiet. I figure that’s worth 50 blog comments).
5: Back to Richt. I get it, really. He wanted to fire up his players and DawgNation, which had been stomped on for most of the last 17 years. But before you use the end (a win) to justify the means, ask yourself this: What do you think would’ve happened if just one disturbed Florida player had thrown a punch while he was surrounded by 70 Bulldogs? And then what would you have thought of this stunt?
4: How funny would it be if nobody signed Barry Bonds?
3: I don’t get why Yankees fans are upset about Scott Boros/Alex Rodriguez announcing during the World Series that A-Rod was going to opt-out of his contract? Could there possibly be a better distraction to the Red Sox winning another championship?
2: If you’re a former or an aspiring NHL coach, do you want the Thrashers’ job right now, knowing general manager Don Waddell may be in trouble and ownership is in flux? Or would it be better to wait for offers after the season? And if you’re an Atlanta Spirit owner, do you want to commit a three-year deal (standard for a first coaching contract) to anybody right now? Logic says: Waddell keeps the job or gives it to assistant Brad McCrimmon.
1: Joe Girardi: Welcome to Hell.
Permalink | Comments (87) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Quick Hit
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