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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,246 comments Add your comment
ernesto
July 31st, 2009
6:14 pm
Escobar should hit 5th. (When he’s back, of course)
Jurrjen4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:14 pm
Why can’t LaRoache get his ass on a plane over here? Show some effort like Holliday did.
Freddy G
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
I see that the Pirates sent a player to the Blue Jays for future consideration, after all the many players they traded over the past month, and year. What plans do they have for the Stadium? it seems they are giving up on MLB it that city after years of futility.
woogidy
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
I just found this all out. Late, I know. I love, love, love this deal. I am glad to have a legitimate HR threat, in the 3-7 holes, not to mention the leadoff spot. Roachy is probably hitting 7th. What I really don’t get is why Boston would do this deal. Not the players, but the $$$. That is what I don’t get.
Logan
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
RHR
Not sure if this will help or not.
http://www.freebaseballradio.com/AtlantaMay.html
Chop Chop
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
Wren’s reasoning:
We think he’ll get hot.
My reasoning:
Chipper’s gonna need someone to talk to when he hits the DL in the next week or two.
Carroll Rogers
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
nobody was optioned. Canizares is here for Kotchman’s spot. Adam LaRoche hasn’t been activated yet
Efrim
July 31st, 2009
6:15 pm
“Folks, start to embrace The Barbaro Cañizares Season of 2010.”
I can’t wait……
JayDubu
July 31st, 2009
6:16 pm
There’s a new strike out king on the Braves, and his name is LaRoche!
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:16 pm
Well we needed a 4 hitter, but that wasn’t possible
JayDubu
July 31st, 2009
6:16 pm
Can someone that was able to hear the Wren interview on the radio, please fill the rest of us in?
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:16 pm
Jurrjen4NLCY -
Getting from BOS to ATL when you first get notice at 4pm is why he won’t be here tonight. Heck, it takes more than 2 hours just for the flight…that doesn’t count all the other time before and after the flight.
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
6:16 pm
Wonder if Bobby will allow LaRetch to play first in a lounger?
Packerman
July 31st, 2009
6:17 pm
DOB/Carroll:
Can one of you please shed some light on the whole Kotchman not fitting in rumor? I’d never heard anything about this until now.
The Bird and Indian
July 31st, 2009
6:17 pm
Shamus: I sense you don’t like Adam. Your posts just haven’t been clear enough about it though.
McFann :Ô:
July 31st, 2009
6:17 pm
Jurrjens4NLCY Well we needed a 4 hitter…
Don’t I know that…
but that wasn’t possible
I guess not…
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
No one was dropped from the roster. Cañizares replaced Kotchman today. LaRoche will replace Cañizares tomorrow.
Man, folks. . .
unbelievable
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
its a good idea to bash Wren I think. He did take over a 70 win team and a starting rotation of Reyes, Carlyle, Campillo, Jurrjens, and Morton. One year later he turns it into the best starting staff in the NL, goes out and gets McLouth, gets rid of the dead weight in Frenchy, and people still have a hard time trusting the guy. Yeah that Jurrjens deal he made and the Vasquez deal he made are just awful, I mean horrible deals.
Baseball Common Sense
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
The 1B position needs to have power and produce runs in order to be a playoff caliber team. Kotchman doens’t cut it. He belongs on the KC Royals or the Pitsburgh Pirates. Kotchman clearly isn’t the answer and Wren knew that. If LaRoach can play good in the second half, that may be able to tide them over till next year where they surely will have a better answer.
Anders
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
Might as well give Laroche Frenchy’s old locker being that he seems to be getting all the wrath Frenchy left behind!
unbelievable
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
Laroche will replace Norton I think
The A Bomb
July 31st, 2009
6:18 pm
Yes, Barbaro in Spanish means awesome. . .
And in Polish, LaRoche means . . . the whiff. . .
Your Mom is Unknown
July 31st, 2009
6:19 pm
can Canizares’ be Yunel’s new Brayan Pena?
P-Town Brave
July 31st, 2009
6:19 pm
What in the HELL do we have to do to get Norton out of here?!
Hire Tanya Harding?!
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
Frank Wren just needed to make a trade to show the NL that we are still in it. It was more symbolism, and getting LaRoche shows the NL that were going back to our old winning ways. =) Btw Braves have 3 *capital letter* *lower case* *capital letter* (i.e. McCann, McLouth, LaRoche) Is there more?
JayDubu
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
When’s KK going on the DL? Are they going to wait until the next day he’s scheduled to pitch before making the move?
mustrdgasnroses
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
Jurrjens4NLCY,
As I was saying earlier on the blog, LaRoche might would be most productive if placed in the clean up role. He’ll get the protection of batting between Chipper and McCann, and given his second half surges, he likely is the biggest slugging threat on the team at the moment.
The A Bomb
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
Now wait a second, Norton is THE MAN in the clubhouse — must be if he’s SIX FOR FIFTY-ONE!
Taylor S
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
Maybe we will see a platoon with Barbaro and Laroche. Thats fine with me as long as we dont see Norton any more.
MiaBchBravesFan
July 31st, 2009
6:20 pm
Packerman: same as the Braves, same as the AJC -
“If you have nothing nice to say about the traded, don’t say anything at all.”
NORRIS
July 31st, 2009
6:21 pm
they said that there was no difference in the money. This was listed in the article on the ajc about the trade.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:21 pm
Heyward in AA: .416 3 18 with an OPS of 1.200 in 22 games. If your doing that in AA I think you’re close.
mustrdgasnroses
July 31st, 2009
6:22 pm
Jurrjens4NLCY,
Also, most of his AB’s for the season were in the 4 spot, about 280 of his 400 or so.
Marc from FL
July 31st, 2009
6:22 pm
Gotta get ready to go out for the night, I can’t even bare to watch the game. We traded a bottom of the order lefty for a bottom of the order lefty. We have a guy that the Red Sox litertally paid us to take off their hands. We went from 0 errors at first to 8. And best of all, we have no legitimate solution for first base next year.
This, in some way, was a pinny-pincher move by Wren. Probably by not having to pay Kotchman next year. It’s disguised as a move to make us better this year, but be honest with yourselves folks, what the hell is Adam Laroche going to do to spark this offense?
David O'Brien
July 31st, 2009
6:22 pm
Marc from Florida: Theo Epstein (Sox GM) said they thought Kotchman might be a better backup or part-time player than LaRoche, and that’s the role he’s going to have on that team now. Makes some sense, since Kotchman’s approach at the plate — more contact, less power and strikeouts than LaRoche — probably lends itself to part-time work a little more than LaRoche’s. Also, both are outstanding defensively, but Kotchman might be a little better, so the late-innings D thing comes into play perhaps.
As for the question someone had about Kotchman not fitting in, it’s not that he’s a bad guy. It’s just that he doesn’t talk to anyone much. But several Braves I talked to today had nothing but good things to say about Kotchman and his contributions, and McCann said both are great guys, etc.
LaRoche is a bit more — how to put it — personable. He’s got an outgoing personality, whereas Kotchman is a bit introverted.
Bobby's Cox
July 31st, 2009
6:22 pm
Adam should hit 7, I think
No, he should be delegated to pinch hit duty. Let Barbarbo play. Heck, let Prado play 1st and Kelly 2nd.
This sucks…
woogidy
July 31st, 2009
6:22 pm
Laroche’s got 85 hits, 41 XBH. Kotchman has 84 hits, 26 XBH. Total bases Laroche 153, Kotch 122. How is this not helping the offense? OBP is overrated when your talking about a guy you’ve got to hit a triple or homer to drive in from first.
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:23 pm
mustrdgasnroses, I really like that idea, kudoos, but I don’t see it happening.
Ebenezer Snerdberg
July 31st, 2009
6:23 pm
Wait till next year is getting old!
Bobby's Cox
July 31st, 2009
6:23 pm
He’s got an outgoing personality
You would never know it based on how he plays.
Probably a dream come true for a beatwriter…not for a fan.
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:24 pm
mustrdgasnroses, Yeah but thats because he played for the pirates.
Bobby's Cox
July 31st, 2009
6:25 pm
Sorry…just pouting. Just hate this trade. At least it’s August soon right? Maybe “roachy” will perform like his gross 2nd half numbers indicate, then leave after this season.
Goodoleboy58
July 31st, 2009
6:25 pm
Yall realize that Casey Kotchman will forever be entrenched in the Braves record books now… with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage… His name can never go away
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:25 pm
woogidy, good stats 153 to 122 is a big difference.
Ebenezer Snerdberg
July 31st, 2009
6:25 pm
Hey DOB,
Yeah, Adam just goes to play golf…and forgets his clubs!
Packerman
July 31st, 2009
6:26 pm
Thank you.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:28 pm
The dumbest move of the day has to be the Peavy trade. He’s on the dl and is making close to 12 mil and up for a couple of years. Kenny Williams will regret this trade about as much as Towers will regret not taking Wrens offer. Now that was a potential trade that Wren should’ve gotten smashed for.
Chop Chop
July 31st, 2009
6:29 pm
The ol’ Fielding Bible has Roachy as the 25th-best fielding first baseman over the last three years.
Awesome.
(Kotchman was the second best guy on the list.)
Mav
July 31st, 2009
6:29 pm
**Paul Lentz** All day you keep saying i’m not going to comment, i’m not going to comment……but isn’t that all you do on this blog anyway? And usually in a negative manner, which is how you probably live your life!
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:29 pm
Hope LaRoche brings a good amount of chemistry, you know the kind that was ripped away when Conrad was demoted. Also, he best be working hard because that Astros series still haunts me! =0
Daybed Wagmoe
July 31st, 2009
6:30 pm
One thing I don’t like about the Kotchman-for-Laroche trade is the difference in strikeouts. Kotchman rarely strikes out, putting up only 28 Ks in 336 plate appearances. Laroche, on the other hand, put up 83 in 387 plate appearances this year, and has struck out 120+ times in each of the last 3 years.
On the surface, it looks like his career stats would look favorable in this category, too: 372 Ks in 1785 1st half PAs, 257 Ks in 1203 2nd half PAs. But the K rate is only slightly better — one K in every 4.798 PAs for first half, 4.68 in the 2nd.
Good thing about Kotchman was that he typically put the ball in play and often put up a good at-bat. But, I’ll buy into the hope that Laroche will continue his second half success and hope that we ride him and his free-agent-to-be status (and hopefully impressive stats to cash in as one this winter) to the playoffs!
TnBrian
July 31st, 2009
6:30 pm
I’m introverted. Nothing wrong with that. Actually, I’d rather be around an introverted person a lot of the time than some guy spilling his guts to you over every thought that crosses his mind.
Logan
July 31st, 2009
6:30 pm
Chipper knows that with Adam LaRoche and Dick Cheney in his hunting group it will always be Duck season.
MFin04
July 31st, 2009
6:30 pm
To be honest, the Braves could have traded Kotchman for the majority of the starting first baseman in the Majors and upgraded offensively.
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:30 pm
MLB.TV users, is todays game blacked out?
mustrdgasnroses
July 31st, 2009
6:31 pm
Jurrjens4NLCY,
Yeah, I probably should have put that disclaimer (batting cleaup for the Pirates), but he was batting between McClouth and Freddy Sanchez for a period of time there, so its not a complete wash.
JBoog1285
July 31st, 2009
6:31 pm
DOB, Just say it brother, Kotch is a weird duck.
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:31 pm
MLBN Guys laughed about LaRoche coming back to ATL.
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:32 pm
TnBrian -
Us extroverts like to be around other extroverts thought too. So, if the rest of the club is failrly out-going, then another extrovert instead of the introvert could be a could thing.
MFin04
July 31st, 2009
6:32 pm
Casey may not strike out a lot, but there isn’t much of difference between a strikeout and a weak grounder to first or 2nd both are outs and both aren’t productive the majority of the time. You could argue that Casey putting the ball in play is more dangerous than him striking out because he is soo darn slow he is almost an automatic double play.
monty
July 31st, 2009
6:32 pm
MArc from Fl.
“Whats in it for Boston?”
The answer to your question is in the July stats for each player. Two players who are headed in opposite directions. Boston will not tolerate ineptitude. We seem to revel in it. I don’t guess Boston wanted a tobacco spittin huntin’ type who hit .169 in avg. and .190 in OBP and .312 slugging and .507 OPS. You think?
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:33 pm
6 Degrees of separation ~_~
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:33 pm
mustrdgasnroses, Fact of the matter is, Wren traded a 7-8 hitter for a 5-6 hitter. Good day.
MDBraveFan
July 31st, 2009
6:33 pm
What in the HELL do we have to do to get Norton out of here?!
Hire Tanya Harding?!
P-Town Brave, LMAO. You are so right. Wren has been doing a heckuva job, he just needs that one more move and we’re all set (that and get Conrad back, like a week ago).
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:33 pm
A funny thing though is LaRoche is now a team mate of a guy who he was traded for ~_~
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:34 pm
For the rest of the weekend…GO CUBS!
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:34 pm
I’m trying to come up with a nickname for Freeman and Heyward. How about THE MOST FAMOUS HORROR MOVIE GUYS EVER? Maybe that’s to long.
Reality
July 31st, 2009
6:35 pm
OK, Casey Kochman finally starts hitting, now he’s gone for Adam LaRoche and his .240 average and beaucoup strikeouts. Hardly an upgrade. We REALLY missed the deal today: Greg Norton and Kelly Johnson in the Cash for Clunkers program.
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:35 pm
Heath, go cubs, phils, d’backs, stros.
The Bird and Indian
July 31st, 2009
6:36 pm
monty: Where are those stats from?
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:37 pm
Amen Heath, “They’re singing, Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go, Hey Chicago! What do ya say? The Cubs are gunna win today.”
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:37 pm
Reality
You can say that for now. At this moment.
However, if Adam has the second half tear that he’s usually known for, then that argument is moot.
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:37 pm
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:35 pm
Heath, go cubs, phils, d’backs, stros.
Yep.
And most importantly….. GO BRAVES!
Reality
July 31st, 2009
6:38 pm
Heck, Kotchman for Barbaro is a darn good trade for the Braves.
The A Bomb
July 31st, 2009
6:39 pm
“Go Braves Go, Go Braves Go, Hey Atlanta! What do you say? We made a crappy trade today!”
Willcoop
July 31st, 2009
6:40 pm
I forgot the exact voting procedures for Gold Glove but i’m wondering if this denies Kotchman his chance. Since he’s in the AL now will he not show up on the NL ballot despite playing the majority of the season there? Or is it mainly a write-in thing so the managers/players will base it off their memory of playing against him this year.
Jurrjens4NLCY
July 31st, 2009
6:40 pm
Must importantly, Go Braves
richbrave
July 31st, 2009
6:41 pm
You’re already read the definitive analysis on NORTON and reson d’etre – COX likes him.
tale of woe
July 31st, 2009
6:41 pm
GA has no personality and is introverted…Why didn’t we trade him????
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:42 pm
…gonna be rootin’ for the Reds tonight too.
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:43 pm
tale of woe
LOAF is producing more than Kotchman was ~_~
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:43 pm
Hey DOB i’ve seen you like fish tacos in San Diego i think? The best are made by Fish City Grill. I believe it’s a pretty small chain that you should check out. I know there’s one in north dallas. Oh, and the oyster nachos are great as well.
Nova Scotia Steve
July 31st, 2009
6:43 pm
Goooo Braves…
Although we’re gunna be hard up for some offense tonight…gunna needs Chip and McCann to step up once again!
willy
July 31st, 2009
6:43 pm
Good trade, no need to offer salary arbitration to what will surely be an overpaid 1st baseman next year. Laroche will hit 15 HR’s and drive in 40 runs over the these next 59 games. In this lineup it is certainly possible. He had more run production on a bad team than Crotchman did on a good team. Defense? mostly a toss-up. Again, with Boston paying Adam’s salary it reminds me of the Renteria trade and look how beneficial that was for our Braves. Great job Mr. Wren! Another under the radar trade that makes my favorite team better.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 31st, 2009
6:43 pm
Enter your comments here
OklahomaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:44 pm
I knew I forgot somebody “the Reds.”
Rob from SC
July 31st, 2009
6:44 pm
No more BITC**** about this trade. Let’s get ready to beat the Dodgers. Go get them Mr. Hanson
Heath
July 31st, 2009
6:44 pm
Willcoop -
Doesn’t matter…Pujols will probably win anyway because of offensive numbers. Sounds stupid, because it is, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
BravesFanChris24
July 31st, 2009
6:45 pm
Cliff Lee pitching tonight for Phils against Giants.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 31st, 2009
6:45 pm
Something tells me any deal that didn’t bring either Adrian Gonzalez or VMart to Atlanta was going to tick off you whiners. Good grief.
jb
July 31st, 2009
6:46 pm
I can’t believe it. Lazy, strike out machine Adam LaRoche is back. What was Frank Wren thinking? If a player is going to hit less than .250 he better be pitching, hit over 40 home runs in a season, or be a god defensively. Adam is none of these. Kotchman is hitting over .280, is almost a god defensively, and their OPS are close .772 for LaRoche to .765 for Kotchman. LaRoche has over 2x’s as many K’s to BB while Kotchman has only 28K to 32BB. The Braves were doing so well since the Rally Killers Franceour and K. Johnson were out of the line up. Johnson comes back and the Braves lose 2 of 3 to the Marlins, and they now add LaRoche which means they likely will continue to stop rallies, lose games, and fall out of the playoff hunt.
David..(Athens, AL)
July 31st, 2009
6:46 pm
DOB/Carol,
What was GA’s response to the trade?
mustrdgasnroses
July 31st, 2009
6:46 pm
Willcoop,
I believe that switching leagues makes you ineligible for the Gold Glove.
Ebenezer Snerdberg
July 31st, 2009
6:47 pm
I think Wren missed his meds today!
Mixxo
July 31st, 2009
6:47 pm
Nova Scotia Steve -
Yeah, rough-lookin’ lineup w/o a doubt.
One-third of it w/o our regulars due to injuries and a trade…. The others guys gotta step it up.
Lee Grant
July 31st, 2009
6:49 pm
Interesting the trade for LaRoche. Think it makes sense as they will not resign LaRoche and bring up Freeman from the minors next year to start at first.
FloridaBrave
July 31st, 2009
6:50 pm
Everyone’s worried about our 1B in 2010. Ever think the Braves re-sign LaRoche? He’s not going to be that expensive and he loves Atlanta- he could definitely take less to stay here.
I actually think there’s a pretty good chance the Braves sign him back for 2010+. You can’t count on Freeman until at least 2011.
Shamus Thacker
July 31st, 2009
6:51 pm
For those who think we lose little on Defense, if I remember correctly LaRetch averages around 7-or-8 errors a year. When’s the last time Kotch made an error?? Hmmm Let me see…
And besides those 7-or-8 LaRetch errors, how many balls were slightly misplayed and called hits?
How many additional errors will our other infielders incur with LaRetch over there? Plenty! Errant throws by Esco, Prado/KJ, Mac, and Chipper, will no longer have a Hoover Mojo-TornadoMatic sucking them all up. It’s gonna be clear-sailing to the dugout half the time!
I’m red in the face, I’m going for barbecue…
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
6:51 pm
Got me a good workout in, had some time to reflect on the trade. When I got back home I read that Boston sent the Braves enough cash to cover the difference in salary (which I figured would happen).
My thoughts on it is that Frank Wren made a “gamble” that Adam LaRoche would find his stroke and hit with some power the last 2 months of the season. My thinking is that Frank Wren felt that Kotchman wouldnt provide enough power in the line-up. If LaRoche struggles, then the Braves will non-tender LaRoche in the winter. If he can catch fire, then it will help the Braves make a second half run.
Regardless, I do not feel that come Spring Training, neither LaRoche nor Kotchman would be with the Braves anyway. With this trade, there is a glimmer of upside with LaRoche for the last 2 months of the season.
While, I’m not “jumping for joy” with this trade……I’m not “in the dumps” about it either. It’s more like “let’s see what happens”.
Anders
July 31st, 2009
6:51 pm
Well Braves fans. I’m off to the Pa. mountains for the weekend. Good luck against the Dodgers. Hope my Mets hang in there with the D.backs. Could be a fun August for the WC with some luck.
Later.