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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,690 comments Add your comment
DAP
November 23rd, 2009
3:00 pm
im sorry, meant to say one game.
flange 1
November 23rd, 2009
3:04 pm
The closer situation is also very interesting. I think all points lead to FW offering both ex-Atlanta closers (Gonzo and MFIKY) arbitration. I think both will decline, Gonzo will sign a 3-4 year deal elsewhere and MFIKY will get a 2-3 year deal.
I would like to see the Braves offer MFKIY a 2 year 14-15 million dollar deal with a 3rd year option.
I prefer MFIKY to either Valverde or Wagner.
We would still need to sign or trade for another quality bullpen arm to take on the innings that Gonzo ate last year.
TnBrian
November 23rd, 2009
3:07 pm
DAP, only a fool would expect a guy who hasn’t played but 1 inning in his big league career at a position to win a gold glove. I read where this Freeman kid is pretty slick over there, so worry about that later. Now’s the time where you have a chance to get 30 HR’s from your 1st baseman & you’d still have an above avgerage defensive IF(if CJ improves some) & maybe the OF if Heyward starts the year with us along with McLouth.
Daslied
November 23rd, 2009
3:10 pm
Tell It Like It Is – as someone who grew up and played baseball in the 80s, I don’t find today’s game or players remotely boring. Maybe I don’t take the losses harder, or celebrate the wins more heartily, but I certainly understand and appreciate the game infinitely more as an adult.
Efrim
November 23rd, 2009
3:13 pm
Keizo Konishi of Kyodo News, based in Seattle, voted Miguel Cabrera first.
Tomas
November 23rd, 2009
3:16 pm
Free agent Jermaine Dye is open to playing first base, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Dye’s played one game at the position in ‘05, but teams are asking anyway. He played four games at first in Triple A back in ‘98.
That really makes a lot of sense for the Braves.
DAP
November 23rd, 2009
3:16 pm
TnBrianNow’s the time where you have a chance to get 30 HR’s from your 1st baseman & you’d still have an above average defensive IF
i am not convinced it is worth it. i dont think its terribly likely that dye will out hit laroche in 2010, or even nick johnson. he just might, but there is a decent chance he also wont. im talking OPS here, not just home runs. putting dye at 1st isnt like putting swisher or nady over there. im not totally against it, because i trust braves management, and if they get him to play first, they will be convinced he can do a good job, and thus, so will i. but its not like dye is definitely a guy that can drastically save this team offensively.
N8
November 23rd, 2009
3:17 pm
“Daybed: .365 with a 1.031 OPS (.444 OBP) for Mauer, with 30 doubles, 28 homers, 96 RBI and a Gold Glove. Led the AL in average, OBP, slugging and OPS. But other than that…” DOB
Let’s not forget that he didn’t play a single inning in April as well. So the HR and RBI would have been higher. Add to that, he hit .378 after Morneau went down for the year. THAT is what an MVP is made of, imo. Dude carried his team (offensively) in September.
If you take overall game into play, defense, offense, leadership, etc… Mauer has to mentioned in the top 3 as possibly the best player in all of baseball. Pujols and Jeter being the other two, imo. Maybe Arod.
But there are certain guys that have “it” and Mauer is one of those guys. After the 2008 season, one could have put Chipper into that conversation. But not after last season.
Gary O
November 23rd, 2009
3:17 pm
I do not want Jermaine Dye playing 1B (actually, I dont want Jermaine Dye at all).
However, some people have suggested moving Chipper or BMac to 1B, and I dont think either of those guys have any experience playing 1B. So whats the difference if Dye decides to give 1B a try?
Gone Viral
November 23rd, 2009
3:27 pm
I’ve got a strange Braves question I’m hoping someone here can remember. We had a pitcher a few years ago who had been pretty good for someone else. He had talent, but he kept getting injured. He wound up getting at least one and I think two plates in his arm. He tried a comeback with the Braves. About half a dozen appearances into his comeback, he threw a pitch that destroyed his arm. He let out the worst scream I’ve heard on a baseball field since BJ Surhoff tore an ACL in one knee and banged up the other knee/ankle on the same play. Does anyone remember who that pitcher was? I’ve looked at our entire roster in the 2000s on Baseball-Reference, but nothing is ringing a bell.
P-Town Brave
November 23rd, 2009
3:27 pm
DAP-
Dye will certainly outhit Johnson and like I tell everyone else, you can give up on the pipe dream of having LaRoche back…we have as good of a chance at signing Bay or Holliday as we do with Adam coming back.
I agree w/ Gary…all those who want BMac to move to 1b, did you assume he’d be better there than JD? I think JD would be serviceable with the glove at 1b and if nothing else a power machine to hit behind CJ that could bridge the gap to Freddie Freeman. In other words, not as much as I like Atkins for the job, but I kinda like it.
Given we have interest in CC from Tampa, he has moved up to #1 on my board in front of both Bay and Atkins though as I feel he is a perfect fit to wear the tomahawk.
Just imagine a lineup where McLouth can bat 7th in…now thats crazy good!
Bravoman
November 23rd, 2009
3:31 pm
OJ,
I don’t mind your plan really if the price is right. Main thing to me is Wagner. Let’s just get him and be done with it. We need a proven closer….bad.
Gone Viral
November 23rd, 2009
3:38 pm
Never mind. We just figured out it was Jay Powell. Thanks, anyway.
dgd
November 23rd, 2009
3:39 pm
Viral–Was it Dave Dravecky? He had some terrible arm maladies…
TnBrian
November 23rd, 2009
3:42 pm
At 6′5″ I think Dye can handle those high lolly pop throws from CJ & gives Yunel a big target to throw 110mph heat at him. Range, handling hot shots at him is something I don’t know, but I’d still feel comfortable with him over there for a year. For God’s Sake, he can give you 30 HR’s & they don’t need to trade a boat load to get him. Will he take a 1 year contract is the main question.
Overdemanding Blogger
November 23rd, 2009
3:43 pm
Dave, call your boy Wren and tell him to make a trade already. We’re getting bored here.
18 Wheels of Love
November 23rd, 2009
3:46 pm
Anyone know how to access AJC news articles on the website??? Do you HAVE to pay for them or do they become available free online after a few days? I need to see a book review that was in the paper on the 22nd.
Bravoman
November 23rd, 2009
3:46 pm
Sign Dye to a 1 year deal for 1B
+Sign Wagner to a 1 year deal
+Trade Lowe for an average bat for the OF or prospects, if not then Vazquez
+If Lowe is dealt then resign Javy to a Huddy type contract
= 90 wins and a playoff spot
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
3:48 pm
A rare decent remake. The Bad Lieutenant is pretty interesting and Nic Cage’s idiosyncrasies actually enhance the character. Another call out for Fantastic Mr. Fox and for The Messenger.
RC
November 23rd, 2009
3:53 pm
+If Lowe is dealt then resign Javy to a Huddy type contract
What possible incentive would Javy have to sign a “Huddy type contract”? Maybe he’d sign a contract for $12 mil a year, but one year from FA there is no way he’d go for $9 mil a year. Huddy is a special case because he was returning from Tommy John surgery. Vazquez is coming off of a year in which he finished 4th in the Cy Young voting.
Efrim
November 23rd, 2009
3:53 pm
If you take overall game into play, defense, offense, leadership, etc… Mauer has to mentioned in the top 3 as possibly the best player in all of baseball. Pujols and Jeter being the other two, imo. Maybe Arod.
Jeter is certainly up there. But I think Pujols, Mauer and Utley are Top 3 in baseball.
Bravoman
November 23rd, 2009
3:56 pm
RC,
It’s called a hometown discount. I can’t image us giving him much more than 11 or 12 mil per year if we resign him. I mostly ment length-wise anyway idk what the dollar value would be.
Bobby's Belly
November 23rd, 2009
3:58 pm
Cheese Nips are bad. Cheeze-Its are good.
RC
November 23rd, 2009
3:59 pm
Bravoman, fair enough. I’ll agree that I could see Javy giving the Braves some hometown discount, but I misunderstood your post to mean that it would be in the $9 million/year range (as others have implied). If the Braves could sign him to anything less than $14 million/year over 3/4 years, I’d say they should jump all over it. Especially since they signed an older Derek Lowe to a 4-year/$15 million/year deal just one year ago.
Bravoman
November 23rd, 2009
4:02 pm
RC,
Yea well I thought about it a little more and im thinking the 14 million dollar range sounds right. What do you think of the Wagner and Dye ideas though? According to Ken “Never Wrong” Rosenthal that GMshave been talking to Dye’s agent asking about the possibility of him playing 1st. Could one be Mr Wren???
Bay Area Steve
November 23rd, 2009
4:11 pm
Bobby’s Belly,
Agreed. Your position on the alternate Cheez-It flavors?
Mike Mike Bo
November 23rd, 2009
4:11 pm
DOB — it almost seems as if I have to wear rain gear even when I drive my car. Ugh.
CB
November 23rd, 2009
4:14 pm
I would take cheetos over both of them.
ncscoots
November 23rd, 2009
4:15 pm
If the Braves could sign him to anything less than $14 million/year over 3/4 years, I’d say they should jump all over it. Especially since they signed an older Derek Lowe to a 4-year/$15 million/year deal just one year ago.
So, you’re saying that Vazquez is worth $50MM-plus? That he’s worth as much as Derek Lowe was when the Braves had zero pitching? That he’s worth half-again as much per year as Tim Hudson?
All that seems slightly overvalued to me, but, I’m not the Vazquez fan that some are.
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
4:17 pm
but his ability to steal bases adds alot of value not seen in his OBP DAP
McLouth has a noticeably higher stolen base success rate so what added ability? The only difference is that TB runs him more often, which Bobby likely would not. Nate has an absurdly high success rate, more so than most anybody else playing today.So far not one player named on this blog as a better base stealer has as high a rate as Nate.Crawford gas a great rate, Nate has a better one and a better OBP, so why would we waste money and prospects for what would be a minuscule improvement?Makes not a lick of sense to me
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:18 pm
I like Wagner, although I do feel like the possibility that he breaks down during the season is much higher than with Gonzalez or Soriano. My call would be to offer arb to Gonzo, Soriano, and LaRoche, and wait until the deadline for them to accept/not accept to make any moves. If they all decline, I’d be intrigued by Dye at 1b, but I just don’t know if he’s the answer the Braves are looking for. We’ve had stellar defense at 1b for years now, and I’m afraid that going from that to someone like Dye would be similar to the Ryan Klesko experiment of a few years back (I still remember Maddux losing a game because he let 2 throws get into the dugout one game). I also am not sure that a .250 hitter is a good idea for the Braves, unless they hit 40+ HR (Howard or Dunn types). Otherwise we need someone we can consistently put up a .275 avg with 25-30 HR power.
Bay Area Steve
November 23rd, 2009
4:19 pm
Puff cheetos, or crunchy cheetos?
And, why can’t they stop that orange stuff from stickin’ to my fingers like pine-tar?
P-Town Brave
November 23rd, 2009
4:20 pm
TnBrian-
I actually like the 1 yr w/ a mutual option deal. IF Freeman isn’t ready or IF JD decides he wants to stick around, we could very well use him as a bench bat in 2011. Obviously you don’t tell him that in negotiations but say 2010 goes well and he hits the cover off the ball and does well at 1b, they can then decide if Freeman is ready and if they want to keep JD around.
It just seems fairly ideal.
So my list as of now is as such:
-Crawford in trade
-Sign Dye 2y/8M (2nd year mutual for 5M)
-Sign Wagner 2y/12M (3rd yr vesting based on games finished, escalator for 2nd year bumping salary to 8M for games saved at 30+)
-Trade Kelly to Florida for Matt Lindstrom
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:20 pm
ncscoots,
I’m saying that on the open market Vazquez will get at least that, unless he has a terrible season in 2010. As to what he’s “worth” it’s all relative anyway….but I think that a contract of less that $14 million a year would represent a “discount” in the current baseball marketplace.
McFann O
November 23rd, 2009
4:22 pm
Congrats to Mauer. He deserved to be the MVP.
There, I said it. So what?
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
4:22 pm
Random, for the benefit of ugaaccountant, can you please repost your bit about stolen bases when Bobby actually has people that can do it? Daslied
McLouth has a better rate than anybody else, if he wouldn’t run Nate what in the world makes you think he would run someone with a lower success rate more often? Where is any logic in that?
Bobby's Belly
November 23rd, 2009
4:22 pm
Reg. Cheeze-Its. No Pepper Jack or Duoz or whatever else. No oversized Cheeze-Its either. You don’t mess w/ perfection. And when you’re at the store you don’t buy Cheeze-Nips because they’re cheaper. There’s a reason they’re cheaper – they suck.
Bobby's Belly
November 23rd, 2009
4:24 pm
Is that what I see on bill of Bobby Jenks cap? Cheeto tar?
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:25 pm
noile,
McLouth has a higher success rate of stolen bases BECAUSE he steals fewer bases than Crawford. If McLouth was attempting 80 SB a year, his success rate wouldn’t be nearly as good. He’s a great example of a player that knows when he’s able to steal a base, and reads it well. Crawford is an example of a player that has a good chance of getting the base even in times when he doesn’t have an “edge” on the pitcher or catcher.
In other words, Nate can steal a base when he is able to get a good read on a pitcher or catcher. Crawford is able to steal a base even when he CAN’T get a good read.
Frank Robinson (Rockmart)
November 23rd, 2009
4:26 pm
nolie,
If we get Crawford he would be replacing Loaf, not Mclouth. So shouldn’t we compare those numbers? In doing so, it becomes much more than a miniscule improvement on the offensive and especially the defensive side.
Daslied
November 23rd, 2009
4:29 pm
Nolie, Nate stole 12 bases on 18 attempts with Atlanta, which is way worse than his rate with Pittsburgh. Surely he would’ve run more if he wasn’t hurt most of the year?
dpelfrey
November 23rd, 2009
4:30 pm
I’d rather see them wait a year before signing Javy long-term. He had a career year last year. If he repeats it again next year, I say move forward with an extension. He can’t possibly do any better next year, so in my opinion his value (and thus what he can justify being paid per year) is as high as it’s ever going to get. If he falls back to his career norms next year, then the Braves still have a decent shot at signing him to a few more years as a 3/4 starter at a reduced rate.
Daslied
November 23rd, 2009
4:30 pm
Let me also state that I don’t particular want Atlanta to get Crawford. If he could be had for nothing? Sure. But they’ve got bigger fish to fry…
Sgt. Pepper
November 23rd, 2009
4:31 pm
Do I remember correctly that Greg Maddux will be a pitching consultant for the Braves at Spring Training, or is that just something that has been discussed as a possibility?
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
4:31 pm
Puff cheetos, or crunchy cheetos? BAS
gotta be crunchy, puffs are blah
CB
November 23rd, 2009
4:32 pm
BAS, do you have to touch them? Let them slide out of the bag like us rednecks-crunchy is best.
ncscoots
November 23rd, 2009
4:34 pm
The Braves need power like a man in the desert needs water, and folks are concerned with Carl Crawford’s bleepin’ stolen bases?!? A fine player, looks good, and all that, but he ain’t the girl you take home to mama. Not this offseason.
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:34 pm
Do I remember correctly that Greg Maddux will be a pitching consultant for the Braves at Spring Training, or is that just something that has been discussed as a possibility?
It was just discussed as a possibility. He was a consultant for San Diego last year.
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
4:35 pm
McLouth has a higher success rate of stolen bases BECAUSE he steals fewer bases than Crawford. RC
BS, you have no way of knowing that. I scouted a lot of base stealers and I can tell you that it is not all speed and Nate has run often enough to make it highly likely that he would continue to have a very good rate. I do not buy that at all.
dpelfrey
November 23rd, 2009
4:38 pm
I like the idea of pursuing Crawford a lot. He doesn’t fit the dating profile Wren’s been publishing (right-handed, corner outfield, power hitter with long blonde hair and long legs).
I don’t care how they build the lineup, whether it’s balanced lefty/righty, speed/power, etc. If you put 8 productive guys out there on the field with the starting pitching the Braves have, that’s a pretty good recipe for success. Crawford is a very talented guy that produces big time.
If you bat him and McLouth 1-2, you just put more speed in front of the big hitters and make Prado one of best #8 hitters in the league.
Tomas
November 23rd, 2009
4:38 pm
Dye would at least require 7 mill/per yr or more…..???right???
Redstick19
November 23rd, 2009
4:40 pm
Interesting point to ponder about Maddux… With Bobby leaving after next season, would the Braves get rid of McDowell and bring Maddux on to be pitching coach?
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:42 pm
BS, you have no way of knowing that. I scouted a lot of base stealers and I can tell you that it is not all speed and Nate has run often enough to make it highly likely that he would continue to have a very good rate. I do not buy that at all.
I never said it was all speed. My point is that Nate steals bases when he has an advantage over the pitcher/catcher combo, but rarely puts himself out there if he DOESN’T have an advantage. Crawford also steals in those situations, but in addition to that he attempts to steal where he may not have the best pitcher/catcher combo to steal on, but the game situation dictates that he can give his team a huge advantage with a steal. My point is that it’s not ALL about success rate. If Nate is so freakin’ good, why WOULDN’T he try to steal 60? (and I don’t buy the “Bobby won’t let him run” argument).
dusty
November 23rd, 2009
4:42 pm
david are the braves really interested in getting dye to play first
RC
November 23rd, 2009
4:43 pm
Interesting point to ponder about Maddux… With Bobby leaving after next season, would the Braves get rid of McDowell and bring Maddux on to be pitching coach?
No. And Maddux likely wouldn’t do it anyway….one of the things he cited during his retirement speech was wanting more time with his family, that lives in Las Vegas. He could be a “special advisor” for a week or two in spring training though.
dpelfrey
November 23rd, 2009
4:44 pm
What’s the record on pages for a DOB blog? We’re at 26 now, but I imagine in the past it’s gone higher. Just curious.
RHR
November 23rd, 2009
4:46 pm
Crunchy cheetos for the win. I avoid carbs mostly but I splurge and dig out a few of the cheetos from the bag of that snack mix stuff my son likes every now and then.
And you’re right about jeffrey, he is hilarious. He also hates tech, loves the dawgs and the braves, and appreciates my peopleofwalmart.com humor. Pretty much everything one needs in life to be a great person. His one black mark, and its a big one, is the KJ thing. But hopefully we won’t have to worry about that too much longer.
flange 1
November 23rd, 2009
4:48 pm
nolie,
Your 4:17 is exactly what I have been thinking about the Carl Crawford and Curtis Granderson discussions. Both players are too similar to Nate( or not a big enough upgrade over Nate) for the Braves to send players + pay more money per year to acquire.
I think they need to look more for power in LF than for speed but that is just my simple opinion. I wouldn’t mind the Braves using 5 guys (Church and either Dye or Gomes in LF, Nate in CF and either Heyward or DIaz in RF) by making the Norton spot (top PH) an OF.
Sign Nick Green as your other IF backup and then find someone to play 1B. (I like LaRoche for 3 years 27 million)
RHR
November 23rd, 2009
4:48 pm
Congrats to Mauer. He deserved to be the MVP.
There, I said it.
But did you spit after you said it?
ncscoots
November 23rd, 2009
4:49 pm
the KJ thing. But hopefully we won’t have to worry about that too much longer
Always the dig, LOL. Just can’t the kid slip quietly into that good night.
nolie
November 23rd, 2009
4:49 pm
If we get Crawford he would be replacing Loaf, not Mclouth.
yeah but people are pushing him on his ability to steal bases, which since Nate is already signed to a decent contract is not an important need.
the team does not need some guy who makes outs 66% of the time and only hits 14 homers, it needs a power source much more as a Loaf replacement.
All the stolen base fanatics fail to explain how we out scored the Mets a couple of years ago when they stole 200 freaking bases and we stole 66. It’s because stolen bases have a lower correlation with runs scored or wins than many other assets. It might be more exciting, but it makes no significant long term improvement in scoring. Home runs have a higher correlation as does OBP both of which Crawford is sadly lacking in.
Not only does the team lack power, especially if Adam leaves, but correlations prove that more power is always a better improvement than more stolen bases. To the Braves Crawford is not worth what he costs in both salary and talent. And those with the re-sign/extend him right away him crap, that is nothing but pure fantasy. Why in the world would an already costly player skip his first chance at really big bucks to extend with a club he just joined in the last season. Chances are about 5%.
Ok I’m done with Crawford for now. He is another soup of the day fetish like Cruz and many others B4 him, . Soon we can start debating the next obsession.
RHR
November 23rd, 2009
4:51 pm
Basically its the only reason I come around when theres no news, scoots. Just like to get my KJ dig in while I can and then go on about my day.
Frank Robinson (Rockmart)
November 23rd, 2009
4:51 pm
Still not sure why we’re comparing Mclouth to Crawford.
UZR WOBA
CC 17.5 0.367
GA -16.5 0.305
Two guys with blazing speed, above average on base skills at the top of the lineup who play average to great in the outfield sounds much better than Garret Anderson walking after balls, lobbing them in to Escobar, and hitting one more home run than Crawford. I know that was a long sentence. And all that being said, we’d still need a power hitter to play 1B.
RHR
November 23rd, 2009
4:52 pm
I’m to KJ as Rob in SC is to Chipper.
Except…
Chipper is a HOF’er and well…you know…
ncscoots
November 23rd, 2009
4:54 pm
Basically its the only reason I come around when theres no news, scoots.
What?!? Plenty of reasons to come around here. why, just today we had a rousing discussion of cheese snacks, and…
Oh wait.
RHR
November 23rd, 2009
4:58 pm
Dead horses bore me…you all are cute and everything but I can only take so much. LOL
Daslied
November 23rd, 2009
4:59 pm
RHR, you know that if and when KJ is gone, the fan club (myself included) is only getting to get more annoying. We shall pine for him. Oh yes, we shall pine.
Tomas
November 23rd, 2009
5:01 pm
- Trade D.Lowe for Mat Gamel and Chris Ellington.
- Sign Jermaine Dye 2yrs 14 million
- Sign Billy Wagner 1yr 8 million
Lineup:
CF Nate Mclouth
2B Martin Prado
3B Chipper Jones
1B Jermaine Dye
C Brian McCann
SS Yunel Escobar
RF Jayson Heyward
P pitcher
Bench:
C David Ross
3B Mat Gamel
UTIL Omar Infante
OF Brandon Jones
SS Diorky Hernandez
Pitchers:
SP Javier Vazquez
SP Jair Jurrjens
SP Tommy Hanson
SP Tim Hudson
SP Kenshin Kawakam
RHP Manny Acosta
RHP Kris Medlen
LHP Eric O’Flaherty
RHP Luis Valdez
LHP Mariano Gomez
RHP Peter Moylan
LHP(CL) Billy Wagner
And Idiot
November 23rd, 2009
5:02 pm
I may be And Idiot, but I’m not this stupid:
Dye after the all-star break in ‘09 = .179/.293/.297/.590 with 7 HR & 26 RBI
Compared to, say, LaRoche after the break = .311/.377/.538/.915 with 13 HR & 44 RBI
I’d rather take my chances with Barbaro Canizares than to pay Dye to play 1B
Jay212033
November 23rd, 2009
5:08 pm
Carl Crawford should be at the top of Wren’s list right now. I say Freeman, Medlen and Reyes gets it done. Then the Braves should extend him 5 yrs/70-80 mil. That would solve LF for years to come. Plus an OF of McLouth/Schafer(when he’s ready) – CF, Heyward – RF and Crawford – LF would be one of the best in the league defensively.
Dweezil
November 23rd, 2009
5:08 pm
Loaf was 6 foot 5, why don’t we teach him to play first? A few more of those “professional at-bats” would be awesome. Do you guys think he could get over to the bag in time to catch a throw from Escobar?
KC
November 23rd, 2009
5:16 pm
DOB, just curious… WHY won’t the AJC let you vote for MLB awards???
Redstick19
November 23rd, 2009
5:16 pm
I think trying Dye at 1B is an even worse idea than those wanting to move Chipper to 1B. While I’m not a supporter of Chips to 1B, at least he has some experience playing a corner infield spot in the majors. Dye got nothing (Ok, the afore mentioned ONE game in 05). No reunion with Dye, please. Draw up the papers for LaRoche tonight, if Dye is our best option.
CB
November 23rd, 2009
5:18 pm
Dweezil,probably best to let Loaf stand on first like a statue. He did a pretty job in lf imitating one.
I hate stats. I use my eyes
November 23rd, 2009
5:24 pm
I would of voted for Cabrera. He had more RBI’s and more Home Runs, therefore he had a better year than Mauer.
Moby Grape
November 23rd, 2009
5:25 pm
Still not sure why we’re comparing Mclouth to Crawford.
UZR WOBA
CC 17.5 0.367
GA -16.5 0.30 Frank
the question isn’t comparing anybody to Anderson, as nolie says the question is comparing them to others who might replace Anderson. Loaf is gone so has no real part of the conversation. Almost anybody will be an upgrade, the question is who will be the better upgrade for the total cost.
Even if Crawford would steal 20 more bases, that is not worth the salary and prospects expended. I’d take Cruz or Swisher before him and I’m not a huge fan of either of those players, but they are more in line with what this team needs.
It’s probably moot anyway, Tampa will more than likely not make him available now
Dweezil
November 23rd, 2009
5:26 pm
Loaf effortlessly scooped up the low throw from Chipper. See, that kind of has a ring to it?
Redstick19
November 23rd, 2009
5:26 pm
Dweezil — Loaf was 6 foot 5.
Did you read somewhere that he shrunk last month? I would assume he still is 6-5. As far as 1b? No, because I could seriously see him pulling a muscle stretching for a throw within the first week of season. Let Loaf go, man. Let Loaf go.
brent a.
November 23rd, 2009
5:36 pm
I was at the game when Jay Powell threw out his arm. Sitting in the $1 seats in RF.
It was odd. I have two different visions of it (only one can be accurate
) but it seems like he threw the ball over the catcher and then kind of hunched forward.
It was so weird, it took me a moment to realize he was hurt.
When Dravecky hurt his arm (back around 1990), they said it sounded like a gunshot when it snapped!
Jay212033
November 23rd, 2009
5:42 pm
Let’s try this again!
Freedie Freeman, Kris Medlen and Jo-Jo Reyes for Carl Crawford. Extend Crawford – 5 yrs/70-80 mil.
Trade Derek Lowe to the Angels for Jose Arredondo and Freddy Sandoval.
Trade Kelly Johnson and Manny Acosta to the Diamondbacks for Coner Jackson.
Re-sign Adam LaRoche – 4 yrs/36 mil.
Extend Javier Vazquez – 4 yrs/44 mil.
Sign Billy Wagner – 2 yrs/15 mil.
That should be about a 90-95 win team.
McFann O
November 23rd, 2009
5:45 pm
*win…not “be”…
Let's Put Our Heads Together, and Start a New Rumor up
November 23rd, 2009
5:48 pm
We’re blogging about Cheetos, Dye playing first base and Carl Crawford. How about Rocco Baldelli to pay first base? Wait a minute, he has some kind of disorder where he gets tired, so he can’t play everyday. Sounds like someone who could take over the LOAF nickname… Isn’t he right handed too?? Now we’re getting somewhere. That’s a rumor that needs checking into, where’s Dave?
Let's Put Our Heads Together, and Start a New Rumor up
November 23rd, 2009
5:50 pm
Jay’s idea is waaaay too complicated. BTW, of course I meant we could get Rocco to play first base, not pay first base. Heck, I could pay first base, couldn’t cost much, right?
McFann O
November 23rd, 2009
5:51 pm
Cheetos? Puffy Cheetos rule…
P-Town Brave
November 23rd, 2009
5:52 pm
I want CC as much as anyone, but not if it costs Medlen…no way no how.
Also, I agree with what was said earlier…Can’t compare Crawford to McLouth…gotta compare him to Loaf and what we’ve had there….
Besides, how do you compare CC to Nate when CC has hit consistently around .300. He has also OPS’d at .800 for 4 of the last 5 years and is just NOW entering his prime while stealing at a consistent clip. The guy was #3 in the ENTIRE AL in Power/Speed numbers…NUMBER 3 PEOPLE!
Thats all I can really say if you don’t understand in how many different ways that he can help this team….
Overdemanding Blogger
November 23rd, 2009
5:52 pm
The postmortem treatment of the equine species around here is despicable.
Jay212033
November 23rd, 2009
6:05 pm
Too complicated?!?! How?
And why are people so hung up on not trading Medlen? If Medlen can get a good player in return why not? I can see if the Braves just gave Medlen away but he’d be getting us a bat we desperately need!
MattyRoss
November 23rd, 2009
6:06 pm
Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks here. Have you guys heard of the Electric Cigarette? Apparently it’s somethin’.
CB
November 23rd, 2009
6:15 pm
Yeah,the Cheetos conversation is getting kind of old- what is your favorite ice cream? I like peanut butter fudge.
Frank Robinson (Rockmart)
November 23rd, 2009
6:21 pm
nolie/Moby Grape,
How do we know what Crawford will cost in prospects?
ncgary
November 23rd, 2009
6:21 pm
Soon we can start debating the next obsession. zobritz from the devil rays
monty
November 23rd, 2009
6:24 pm
Please people, give it a rest about Dye. In 2009 he had his lowest HR totals, slugging, OPS etc… in 4-5 years. I see it as a downward trend for a guy headed into his twilight years. I don’t think at his age he is going to switch leagues and learn new pitchers, hit in a bigger park and hit anything like he did in 2009 which was his worst year in some time. Someone will say I’m sure, “well if his worst year he hit 25 HR’s maybe next year he will resurge and do even better”. THat kind of thinking is foolishness. Why? See above reasons.
ncgary
November 23rd, 2009
6:33 pm
ooops zobrist
dusty
November 23rd, 2009
6:40 pm
dob how hard do you think the braves will go after matt holliday jon heyman said he sees the mets beating the braves out for holliday
dogsbrekky
November 23rd, 2009
6:41 pm
Cheese – well alrighty then, how about some nice aged Gouda Beemster instead of those fake cheese snacks… stuff is better than boom booms
ugaaccountant
November 23rd, 2009
6:48 pm
Dye is to 1b in 2010 as
A) Garrett Anderson is to LF in 2009
B) Same as A)
c) All of the above
I just don’t see his bat or his glove working at a level worth more than Garett Anderson money. If he’s our 1b it better be because we invested big money in some other cleanup hitter.
His 2nd half numbers cannot be ignored at his age. If we’re giving him a pass on his bad 2nd half, why isn’t Chipper getting a free pass for his? Chipper’s been a far better player recently and for his career, but many people here assume he’s “washed up”. Well I think it’s far more likely that Dye is washed up looking at those numbers. Plus Chipper is a great professional hitter who can contribute in OBP. If Dye isn’t slugging he’s not doing much of anything for you.
N8
November 23rd, 2009
6:51 pm
“Huddy is a special case because he was returning from Tommy John surgery. Vazquez is coming off of a year in which he finished 4th in the Cy Young voting.” RC
Huddy tied for 6th. So fair enough. Offer him 9.5 million per year.
N8
November 23rd, 2009
6:54 pm
“Jeter is certainly up there. But I think Pujols, Mauer and Utley are Top 3 in baseball.” efrim
Certainly can’t argue there. In fact you’re right. Utley probably is a better example, since he’s younger. Jeter while one of the all-time greats, probably is not top 3 or 5 in MLB anymore.
N8
November 23rd, 2009
7:07 pm
“Dye after the all-star break in ‘09 = .179/.293/.297/.590 with 7 HR & 26 RBI” And Idiot
Hmmm. Chipper after the all-star break in ‘09 = .236/.361/.389/.750 with 3 HR and 33 RBI
You gonna go with one half of a baseball season to determine whether a guy’s still got it or not? Or go with the track record?
I’m not calling you out. But this seems to be the consensus about Dye (who turns 36 before next season), among bloggers. While Chipper (who turns 38 in April) is fully expected by the majority of MIB/Braves bloggers to recover to his former self.
Why is that?
David O'Brien
November 23rd, 2009
7:10 pm
Dusty, Heyman said that, huh? Please link the story where he predicts the Mets beating out the Braves for the most expensive free agent on the market.