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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,246 comments Add your comment
brent a.
July 31st, 2009
5:43 pm
It’s not Kink-Aid?
jeffrey d
July 31st, 2009
5:43 pm
oops…sorry for the same post 3 times. Thought the blog was eating it.But then it spit all 3 of them out.
MiltonDawg
July 31st, 2009
5:43 pm
Laroache for a year or so, then Freeman. Makes sense and worth a shot for WC this season.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:43 pm
All the Wren haters should shut up about his GM abilities. These are the same idiots that whined when we didn’t sign Smotzie, let Glavine go, and thought the Renteria deal was bad. Let it play out before you start judging. I think he’s earned the right based on the previous mentioned deals/no deals to make some moves without it being deemed “stupid.” I mean really you’re complaing about a Kotchman for Laroche trade like it’s some fleecing by the Red Sox. I mean there has been a lot of talk about DRoss and Barbaro should be starting over Casey on this blog.
GET OVER IT!
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
5:44 pm
Wow these guys are a little late considering Barbaro is already down the back stretch on getting here
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:45 pm
I would love to know the projected run differential of this trade? I bet it’s close to ZERO.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
5:45 pm
Thank you, unbelievable. Those are pretty darn good second half stats. Let’s see if that lightning strikes twice.
UNCBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:45 pm
Atticus, the $$$ is a WASH b /c the Red Sox sent the $$$ to the Braves to make up the difference…
AlabamaBrave, Yunel told DOB last night he would be out 2-3 days..
Send HERNANDEZ Down and let CONRAD play SS
SouthernBelleBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:45 pm
Not good to have all the good ones out of the game all at the same time. Tonight’s game is gonna suck! Hopefully it won’t last more than a day or two. *sigh*
Heath
July 31st, 2009
5:45 pm
unbelievable -
The Braves lineup can definitely use a typical post-All Star type of season from LaRoche…
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 31st, 2009
5:46 pm
Kotch was perfect at first but I’ll trade an error for some HR’s.
monty
July 31st, 2009
5:46 pm
Old Timers’s reunion. We got “Roachy” back, let’s bring back Andruw and Dale Murphy and the mad Hungarian!
John Johnkowski
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
Guys, Laroche will be here 1/2 season. Kotchman was an average player just like Laroche. We already have a lineup full of singles hitters, now we add a little more juice. Our chances of making the playoffs this year are slim to none anyway. Everyone relax…
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
jeffrey d Thought the blog was eating it.But then it spit all 3 of them out.
It didn’t like the way they tasted, so it spit them back out.
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
So yes I state again, tonights lineup is gonna be downright pathetic…
So here’s where I go with my snide comments on some things:
-Prado could outperform Kelly while wearing an air cast
-Escobar could swing one handed and have better AB’s than Hernandez
-Deion had a heli, why not get Adam something to get him here on time…use Ben Stiller and get them to put in double duty on arts and crafts to sew that jersey up…I don’t care if “their fingers hurt”
ABravesFan
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
I personally like Kotchman since he tossed me a game ball (first one that I got in my life) earlier this year. My main problem with the swap is that LaRoche can fail the same way that Francoeur did fail and Kotchman is more likely to make productive outs.
Now knowing that Kotchman may have been non-tendered in the off season (bad decision imho), does this trade make more a bit more sense. Still, I’m not sure this is necessarily an improvement.
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
I feel the same way I felt when Marion Campbell was rehired by the Falcons.
AlabamaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:47 pm
OMG! Three days of Diory at SS? Looking at losing 2 out of 3
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
5:48 pm
UNCBrave: as much as I like the idea, putting Conrad at SS would allow more hits than Conrad would get. If Hernandez goes 1 for 4 and fields SS w/o an error, consider it a win until Yuni gets back from his booboo.
The Bird and Indian
July 31st, 2009
5:48 pm
monty: I definitely wouldn’t mind having Andruw’s 17 home runs in 200 AB’s.
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
5:48 pm
Anyone got a lineup yet?
Break the LaRoche jerseys back out…but do remember folks, he will have a new #
Robert
July 31st, 2009
5:49 pm
“Kotch went on the bereavement list just after he arrived last year, didn’t he?”
His mother was very ill
Duder
July 31st, 2009
5:49 pm
Somebody asked for Rochie’s splits from ‘08- .304-14-43…pretty solid
ZoeZackZane
July 31st, 2009
5:50 pm
2010 stopgap 1B could be Kelly Johnson. He cant play 2B or the OF so maybe 1B s his spot for a year????
GTSteve
July 31st, 2009
5:51 pm
The line-up might suck tonight, but look who the Dodgers have pitching
Fred "The Dorf" Dorfman
July 31st, 2009
5:51 pm
How about a Barbaro/KJ platoon at 1B in 2010? They could keep the spot warm until Freeman is ready to save the universe.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
5:52 pm
Thank you, Duder.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:52 pm
This is like trading a backstreet boys album for an Nsync album. Who gives a s&*T
The Bird and Indian
July 31st, 2009
5:52 pm
The lineup isn’t too bad considering Jason is pitching. We still got Chip, Mac, Loaf, and Nate to get some runs.
monty
July 31st, 2009
5:53 pm
LAroche hitting .223 against LH pitching. Can anyone say automatic out? Casey somewhere around .278. But I can’t wait for the big HR explosion!! Yippee!! When does it start? Seriously folks, think Adam Dunn with 1/3 the power and without all the walks. But with the strikeouts.
semiballcoach
July 31st, 2009
5:53 pm
nick johnson is kotchman without the glove
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 31st, 2009
5:53 pm
“Kotch made me look good many times and Esky would probably say the same thing to if he spoke the language of the USA.”, Chipper said.
Not really, I made it up.
Unknown
July 31st, 2009
5:54 pm
Were gonna be without Escobar for the entire Dodgers series = Dodgers sweep, season OVER.
RemoW
July 31st, 2009
5:54 pm
You are all missing it. This is a way for Bobby to get KJ in the everyday lineup. Prado to first, KJ starting 2nd base and LaRoche to the bench.
This trade makes no sense.
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
5:54 pm
A player shows he doesn’t give a damn, just once, he’s found his place on my forever shyt-list.
Adam LaWretch is at the TOP of that list!
jay
July 31st, 2009
5:55 pm
Coach Smith: not that it matters now (and not that the Braves maybe ever pursued Nick Johnson), but: career OPS+ for each player : Nick Johnson 124; LaRoche, 113; and Kotchman 98. This season, OPS+ : 116, 106, 103, respectively. We could argue defense, we could argue durability, but when talking offense, Nick Johnson is pretty easily the best of the three. For the rest of this season, and taking into account the Braves searching more for power than anything else, LaRoche is maybe the best fit. But speaking of Johnson… The
Braves can choose to either sign LaRoche or not. If they offer him arbitration they should get a sandwhich pick next year. If not, just let him go and sign a different first baseman. No big deal. Or move chipper to first and pursue a 3B. Or, or, or… all that is next year. The Braves have a shot for this year, and Wren thinks LaRoche makes them marginally better. Seems worth a shot.
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
5:56 pm
Would’ve been nice to have Infante back by now…
Sad to drop our up the middle combo all at once…
Just hoping and praying that Chipper gets his arse in gear and all the others pick up the slack!
Troll
July 31st, 2009
5:56 pm
FIRE FRANK WREN!!! We needed more power and may have gotten some added power in this trade. WTF is Wren thinking?
Heath
July 31st, 2009
5:56 pm
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:52 pm
This is like trading a backstreet boys album for an Nsync album. Who gives a s&*T
Funny….but don’t quit your day job.
brent a.
July 31st, 2009
5:56 pm
I actually got the impression that LaRoche was not real high on Bobby’s list.
Guess I whiffed on that one..
kirkinga
July 31st, 2009
5:56 pm
So I guess it’s true. Abscence does make the heart grow fonder.
The blog was applauding getting rid of Adam before the trade. He was second to Andruw in scorn and disgust because of some shaky play offensively and defensively.
Now, after nearly two seasons away, people are pretending not to know why we ever wanted to see him go in the first place. This trade did not have to be made, unless there was something about Kotchman we are not yet aware of.
Just as when the Braves acquired Tex, they got an offensive upgrade, but didn’t make the playoffs largely because the pen didn’t hold up. I hope we don’t see that played out again this season.
Casey Kotchman
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
Can’t wait to see who is starting at first base the opening game of spring next year. Kotchman traded. LaRoche free agent. Guy at AAA a statue and unproven in the bigs. Just another piece to fill when we already have issues i.e. a closer. Surely we don’t think our first baseman of the future will be ready. To rush him would be folly.
Surely we’re not assuming LaRoche will put us over the top. If anything, he might mess up the chemistry we’ve gained with our recent additions. Last I looked, Casey was responsible for all three of of first runs last night. What else did we expect him to do? And wasn’t he the bridge to our future first baseman?
Extremely senseless move.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
The big move Wren could make is to give Heyward a shot this year. The kid is raking in every level much like Hanson did. If he struggles then let him start in AAA next year and have another late call up. I don’t think with his natural ability that it would affect him at all.
stamper
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
lineup?
kirkinga
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
absence
Ebenezer Snerdberg
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
Now Porter has two players to check for pulse. LaRoche and Anderson!
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
5:57 pm
Thank Gawd it’s training camp time, baseball season just ended. Wait and see…..
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
5:58 pm
The Bird and Indian The lineup isn’t too bad considering Jason is pitching. We still got Chip, Mac, Loaf, and Nate to get some runs.
Don’t know about the other dudes, but BMac is 1-6 with a double, 2 walks, and 2 K’s against Schmidt.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
5:58 pm
Zoe & Fred: The Braves seem to be committed to KJ because he was their #1 pick from the early 2000’s. The infield experiment failed. If he regains his stroke, the only logical spot is LF, where he was not that fatal back in the mid-2000’s.
Either that, or KJ is gone.
monty
July 31st, 2009
5:59 pm
Chipper said, “he promised to make sure Roachy gets his meds!
Unknown
July 31st, 2009
5:59 pm
Lineup next year:
CF Schafer
2B Prado
3B Chipper
1B Branyan
LF Bay
RF Heyward
C McCann
SS Escobar
space monkey
July 31st, 2009
5:59 pm
All we needed was another left-handed hitter.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
5:59 pm
Heath, I’m beginning to think that my day job is less stressfull than this blog.
GTSteve
July 31st, 2009
6:00 pm
MiaBchBravesFan ……good theory, except he usually goes 0 for 4 , not 1 for 4
Your Mom is Unknown
July 31st, 2009
6:00 pm
UNKNOWN… we’re not gonna get Branyan or bay. and Escobar won’t bat 8th. but nice try.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:00 pm
Shamus, Don’t give up yet. We need you buddy.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:01 pm
Your Mom is Unknown, that’s great
civilized white trash
July 31st, 2009
6:01 pm
unknown
whats going to happen to mcclouth next year where will he play
David O'Brien
July 31st, 2009
6:02 pm
Just back from talking to players and front-office guys about the deal.
As it turns out, Braves and Pirates were talking about a LaRoche trade before he got dealt to Red Sox. They were pretty close to getting it done, and LaRoche knew about it at the time and thought he might be coming back to Atlanta.
But this deal with Red Sox didn’t come up until yesterday, when Sox realized they might get the Martinez trade done. They asked Braves if they might still be interested in trading for LaRoche.
It’s a “cash-neutral” trade, by the way, meaning Braves aren’t paying any more than they would’ve if they had kept Kotchman. Difference in salaries paid by Red Sox for remainder of season.
Braves did it counting on LaRoche to have one of his typical second-half performances, which they believe to be a reasonable assumption given that he’s done it year after year. And they really like the team chemistry on this squad, and said they wouldn’t have brought in a guy unless they were certain he’d not disrupt that. With LaRoche, they’re certain.
Braves Fan by the (San Diego) Bay
July 31st, 2009
6:02 pm
How come most everyone here is grading this trade (and Wren) as a stand-alone move? Combine it with the acquisition of Nate and removing the albatross of watching Frenchy drown in everyone’s expectations, and collectively these moves make the Braves the big winner as far as trades go this season IMHO.
Anyone who has played organized sports understands that you CANNOT underestimate the benefit of a happy locker room. It seems to me that Wren’s moves have created just that…while adding talent at the same time. And somehow that is a bad thing???
Go Braves! Beat LA!!!
RHR
July 31st, 2009
6:02 pm
We’re about to head home and once we get out of auburn we’ll lose the columbus am station. Does anyone know of a braves radio station between say alex city and southside? The list i found online is not accurate. Tried to get the one they have listed for alex city yesterday and it is now espn radio – no braves. Scanned both am and fm stations about a hundred times with no luck.
mr . aardvark
July 31st, 2009
6:03 pm
Hey Fred:
How’s the syphillis?
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
6:03 pm
On the plus side, the Braves will save $$$’s on ADD meds for LaRoche and Lowe. Doesn’t Walgreens have a two-fer?
Ed Glennon
July 31st, 2009
6:03 pm
Fans should write STEROIDLAND under the coke bottle in honor of Manny.
hoho
July 31st, 2009
6:03 pm
thanks DORF for clearing up the spelling on Kincade. I mean wow, that clears up all the discussion on the blog for the last 3 hrs. THANK YOU DORFMAN. That is possibly the most relevant post ever.
(now you can go back and correct all the misspelled LaRoche’s- get on it!)
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:04 pm
Maybe getting LaRoche will help McLouth too….guy has been pretty pedestrian over all here in ATL so far.
monty
July 31st, 2009
6:04 pm
McClouth
Prado
Chipper
McCAnn
ANderson
Escobar
Laroche
RF(Diaz-CHurch)
Epinephrine
July 31st, 2009
6:05 pm
huge game tonight. With Billingsley going Sunday, absolutely must win the next two. And it doesn’t help we will be missing two right handed bats, Esco and Prado, tomorrow against Wolf. Doesn’t help at all.
Land Shark Stadium
July 31st, 2009
6:05 pm
Rochygram.
The A Bomb
July 31st, 2009
6:05 pm
Can’t wait to see Canizares try to snag one of Hernandez’s moon shots tonight.
David O'Brien
July 31st, 2009
6:05 pm
Prado’s moving around well, took BP and infield. I’d expect him back in there tomorrow, Sunday at latest. Escobar might miss the series, but not certain.
I thought Carroll had posted the lineup. If not, here it is:
1. McLouth
2. KJ
3. Chipper
4. McCann
5. Anderson
6. Canizares
7. Diaz, RF
8. Diory H., SS
9. Hanson
Ed Glennon
July 31st, 2009
6:05 pm
Wren has done a good job this year. I will take Adam over Kotchman any day.
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
That’s a good thought process by the front office and other players.
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
Lineup posted:
McLouth-cf
Johnson-2b
Jones-3b
McCann-C
Anderson-lf
Canizares-1B
Diaz-RF
Hernandez-ss
Hanson-P
Jim
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
The funny part of this is that Boston is paying the difference of salaries between the two for the remainder of the year which will be like an extra 1-2 million. Neither player is even worth that much. Must be nice to be able to throw away money.
Reid in EAV
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
Buckmen. http://www.buckcommander.com/buckmen/
Fluffy McNutter
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
“Don’t know about the other dudes, but BMac is 1-6 with a double, 2 walks, and 2 K’s against Schmidt.”
That was against the old Jason Schmidt…back when Schmidt actually had good stuff. The Schmidt they’ll be facing tonight is NOTHING like the guy they faced previously.
unbelievable
July 31st, 2009
6:06 pm
“The big move Wren could make is to give Heyward a shot this year. The kid is raking in every level much like Hanson did. ”
and there is absolutely no point in rushing him or starting his arb clock early. He’ll get a call up, but it will be June 2010 to avoid super 2 status
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
6:07 pm
Thanks for the lineup, Chief.
sri
July 31st, 2009
6:07 pm
DOB, was it Kotchman for LaRoche with the Pirates too? or did it involve prospects. Thanks for all the quotes.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
6:08 pm
Thanks, DOB
monty
July 31st, 2009
6:08 pm
I guess Casey wouldn’t go out and drink all night with the boys. THat’s important,you know, the team that drinks together, plays together!
Bobby's Cox
July 31st, 2009
6:08 pm
Cannot stand the trade today.
Cannot stand Adam LaRoche. Thanks Wren.
This is when I start campaigning for Barbaro to get more time at 1st.
Your Mom is Unknown
July 31st, 2009
6:08 pm
If the Braves really want to create an offensive spark, they’d do something about the mediocrity in Right Field. I like Matt Diaz, and even Church to an extent… but neither of those guys are every day players. We could make the best Deadline move by calling up Heyward. Now. End o story.
Call up Heyward and DFA Norton. Allow Diaz to be the main pinch hitter option. As for Church, let him assume the role as 4th outfielder. Let him play in left when we need to rest Anderson.
It really is that easy.
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
6:08 pm
Folks are gonna be whining for Kotch in a couple weeks. He wasn’t glamorous or pretty, he just got the damn job done, and VERY efficiently. Now we’ve got another Stenchy, at first!
This is the closest thing to a desperation move, for the sake of making a move, that I’ve seen from Wren. Guy’s done a FINE job, but he’s dropped the ball on this one…
Geo123
July 31st, 2009
6:09 pm
Coming from an impartial non Braves fan. To me it’s a little better for the Braves. You get a very good not great defender with alot more power potential. The BIG improvement is in chemistry. You get a player who WANTS to be in Atlanta and who is a very good teammate. Chipper likes him also which is big.
I don’t think there’s any way you offer him arbitration because he probably would accept it and make 8 to 10 million next year. That’s toomuch for him even for a year. However he may still sign with you for a year or two at 5 or 6 million per year. That would lock you up for a little while and not rush the development of Freeman..
Bobby's Cox
July 31st, 2009
6:09 pm
At least he’s a free agent this next year.
We better not sign him….
Time to rush Freeman.
Marc from FL
July 31st, 2009
6:10 pm
I’ve heard enough about why Wren wanted Laroche, DOB, tell me why the Red Sox wanted Kotchman, anybody, if he was so bad, why did the Red Sox just pay the Braves almost $2mil to get him, or for that matter, pay $2 to get rid of Laroche.
Nova Scotia Steve
July 31st, 2009
6:10 pm
hahahaha….NICE LINE-UP…
Looks like the Atlanta Black Crackers from the middle game of the Milwaukee series are back
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
6:11 pm
Fluffy–
Well, that’s good…I hope.
monty the team that drinks together, plays together!
No no no– “The team that drinks together, stinks together.”
Jurrjen4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:12 pm
I don’t love the trade, but I do like it. I think Adam should hit 5th aswell…
Chris from the Rock
July 31st, 2009
6:12 pm
So who was optioned to AAA to make room for Barbaro?
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:12 pm
What’s done is done. Time to put rooting the team back to priority #1. Go Braves!
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 31st, 2009
6:12 pm
With the prospect of Heyward playing in a non- arb eligible outfield line up as soon as next year, I think the super 2 status card is being over played as potentially the starting eight payroll should be significately lower over the next 3 years barring any trades.
ernesto
July 31st, 2009
6:13 pm
I say this just so he’ll have an amazing night and make me look like an ass, but D. Hernandez just ain’t a big leaguer. I can’t believe he’s the best option in the system.
Carroll Rogers
July 31st, 2009
6:13 pm
Martin Prado took bp and groundballs and is at least available in emergency duty tonight. Yunel is a no-go for anything. Bobby Cox said maybe he’ll take some batting practice tomorrow but he’s not yet ready to play.
Epinephrine
July 31st, 2009
6:13 pm
Adam should hit 7, I think. No reason to move Esco from the spot where he has been raking. And that minimizes the danger of costly double plays too.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
6:13 pm
LaRoche will not re-sign cheaply and the Braves will not tolerate a first half of K’s and DP’s from him. The 1B free agents are either expensive (good power) or not a significant upgrade (another Kotchman-type).
Folks, start to embrace The Barbaro Cañizares Season of 2010. He’ll be cheap, and if he can hit 20-plus dingers, hit .260-.270, and drive in 70, it’ll be a money-saving boon to the Braves until Freeman arrives.
By the by, in Spanish, Barbaro means awesome.
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:14 pm
Chris from the Rock -
I think Barbaro took Bennett’s spot.
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
6:14 pm
Jurrjens4NLCY …Adam should hit 5th…
Geesh! Yeah, ’cause we needed another #5 hitter…