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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
714 comments Add your comment
Soph
September 9th, 2009
4:10 pm
Would you turn down Prince Fielder? – Coldwork to Mixxo
Yes, Mixxo would. Guaranteed.
Daslied
September 9th, 2009
4:12 pm
Rock On -
No, not “needing” to trade them. I put Prado/KJ out there in response to the “trade Javy/Medlen for Fielder” question. If we’re going to trade Javy+ for Fielder then I’d rather the “+” be one of KJ/Prado than Medlen.
McFann :Ô:
September 9th, 2009
4:14 pm
bronkelliott Thanks for the correction
No problem. Any time!
I do thinks the Braves with a more balanced team would help the younger guys.
I think that could very well be true. In BMac’s case, though, it’s so hard to figure out what’s causing the struggles. You can’t really blame it on the people around him in the lineup although he does appear to be putting added pressure on himself to be “the guy” (and being in the cleanup spot, well, you kind of expected to be “the guy”).
It’s prob’ly a combination of things, but the main issue being the eyes. Those specs have to be a pain in the neck (or oblique, “heh heh”) to deal with…
But you have to admit the Braves have no speed to go with a shortage of power.
Yeeaaah…but speed and power cann be a tad overrated if you’re doing “the little things” (which the Braves don’t always do)…course, I guess it helps a little to have some speed if you’re gonna do the little things…
It dosen’t take away all the other problems but would have been helpful…
Yeah…there were some times when the slow-footed guys weren’t able to score from first on two-out doubles…
P. W. Hjort
September 9th, 2009
4:15 pm
Let me put it another way. Using something like that is the equivelent of judging a rotation by the ace alone. Saying something like, the Mariners have King Felix so they have the best rotation in the AL. You must look at the entire rotation to draw any conclusions. Similarly, you must look at the entire roster to make conclusions about efficiency. Saying 30% of the payroll is utilized by 36+ year olds is the same thing. Only by looking at the entire roster can you draw conclusions.
P. W. Hjort
September 9th, 2009
4:15 pm
equivalent*
Marv Kleeman
September 9th, 2009
4:18 pm
Some thoughts on how to fix the Braves.
Priority number one would be to re sign Adam LaRoche. If the Braves do not re sign LaRoche; first base will be a disaster for the 2010 season.
Do the Braves really want to revisit the days of the likes of Randall Simon, Rico Brogna, Ken Caminiti, Scott Thorman, Craig Wilson, Julio Franco(too old), Jarrod Saltalamacchia(too young) patrolling first base.
That’s precisely what will happen if we sign some stopgap measure like Rich Aurilia to play first base.
To generate funds the Braves could dump Kenshin Kawakami and the remainder of his 3 year 23 million dollar contract for two or three Class A prospects. If Kawakami continues to pitch well he may actually work his way up to the level of a salary dump.
It is not beyond the realm of possibility. The Chicago White Sox dumped Javier Vazquez (and the remaining two years 23 million dollars of his contract) on to us. And the White Sox received no commensurate salary in return. Just prospects and a marginal major league player(Brent Lillibridge).
Why trade Kawakami? It really is quite simple. He is not consistent enough or dominant enough to be a “Top Three” Rotation guy. And he is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE to be a back end of the rotation guy. The salary relief Kawakami would provide is far more important.
My next suggestion would be to make Derek Lowe our new closer. Though 3 years at 45 million dollars sounds like an “obscene” amount of money to pay a closer; don’t forget the Mets are paying K Rod (Francisco Rodriguez) 3 years at 39 million dollars to do precisely the same.
It will cost the Braves 7, 8 or 9 million dollars to sign an even moderately priced closer to a two or three year contract (Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, Billy Wagner). So why not install Derek Lowe as closer to help defray some of the cost.
It’s all about the proper allocation of funds. Kind of like a “jigsaw puzzle” where you try to put all the pieces in the right place.
Our starting rotation in 2010 would then consist of the following:
Tim Hudson
Jair Jurrjens
Javier Vazquez
Tommy Hanson
Kris Medlen / JoJo Reyes
A beautiful mix of veterans (Hudson, Vazquez) and youngsters (Jurrjens, Hanson, Medlen).
Plus, it would give our starting staff some breathing room in case some internal option were to emerge (Mike Minor, Jose Ortegano, etc.)
As for the Braves offense.
Hey, I’m not in the miracle business.
Rock On........
September 9th, 2009
4:19 pm
Ok Random he is a pretty good catcher. But if he is nor helping the pitching and not hitting and leading the NL in pass balls why then keep him. Let’s just get rid of him. Not really of course but all this talk about hm being a bad catcher is just nonsense. Bigger fish to fry. Replace Loaf with a big bat would do it.
David O'Brien
September 9th, 2009
4:20 pm
NEW BLOGGAGE
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
September 9th, 2009
4:22 pm
P. W. Hjort,
Exactly. The Rockies have nearly $47 million of their $75 million tied up in five players: Helton, Marquis, Cook, Atkins, and Hawpe — and Atkins isn’t playing every day. What the big deal? Their young stars are cheap and under team control or signed for below-market.
Wren faces similar circumstances.
RC
September 9th, 2009
4:22 pm
P. W. Hjort,
How dare you bring economic logic into this discussion! I agree with you though….if you’ve got McCann, Jurrjiens, Escobar, Hanson, Prado, and McLouth at much LOWER than market value, the economics of Lowe and Chipper making more doesn’t really hurt you as much as it would seem.
Glottal Stop
September 9th, 2009
4:26 pm
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September 9th, 2009
4:27 pm
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Random
September 9th, 2009
4:31 pm
bronkelliott (September 9th, 2009 3:30 pm): “The Braves should put a package deal together to get a power bat. I would consider trading Brian Mcann while he still has value. . . . To me, the Braves haven’t won anything so far with the Mcann, KJ, Chipper combo.”
“To you”, the Braves haven’t won? “To YOU“?!?
Key Riced!!! It’s not UP to you as to whether the Braves have won or not. Your perceptions are NOT reality.
2005: McCann replaces Estrada.
Estrada: 105 games (357 ABs), .261/.303/.367/.667
McCann: 59 games (180 ABs), .278/.345/.400/.745
2005: KJ replaces Brian Jordan.
Jordan: 76 games (231 ABs), .247/.295/.338/.633
KJ: 87 games (290 ABs), .241/.334/.397/.731
Chipper 2005: 109 games (358 ABs), .296/.412/.556/.968
2005: Braves NL East Division Champions.
And each of those three’s performances (McCann’s, KJ’s and Chipper’s) have been BETTER in every subsequent year (2006, 2007, 2008) than they were in 2005.
“To me, the Braves haven’t won anything so far with the Mcann, KJ, Chipper combo.”
Kriced — you kids sicken me.
(JK, okay?)
Mid Town Joe
September 21st, 2009
10:24 am
Read Mark Bradley, espeically #3