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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
7,408 comments Add your comment
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
12:29 pm
Piedmont Blues
Liberty media can shell out 2 to 3 more mill and get Jermaine Dye down here for a 1 year deal between 9-11 mil then do it, but L. Media is that Cheap in that they will not seek the investment on improving our offense. Instead we will probably get cheap garbage like Marlon Byrd or players of his caliber…
If we can Dump Lowe then its on!
idfan
December 25th, 2009
12:29 pm
i dont want uggla at all and i sure the hell wouldnt trade prado to get him
MZ
December 25th, 2009
12:30 pm
About to hit the road to go visit with my parents, so I just wanted to say I hope everyone’s having a very merry Christmas!
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
12:32 pm
I just got word that Troy Glaus DOES have a right arm.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
12:34 pm
Tomahawkin,
Agreed. Don’t want anything to do with Marlon Byrd. Especially with Melky around the Braves have three legit CF on the roster (McLouth, Schafer, MC).
Dye? Maybe on a very cheap one-year deal. $9-11 mill? That’s nuts. don’t know if you could put him in the field more than two or three days a week. His wheels are really bad now. He has part-time OF or full-time DH written all over him.
TnBrian
December 25th, 2009
12:36 pm
Braves_Fan, I don’t know exactly where they’d play Uggla but I think they could find a place in the field to put 30 plus HR’s. Don’t know why anybody would take DeRosa over Uggla since DeRo doesn’t give you nearly as much power and his defense isn’t anything to brag about either, for sure. Oh yeah, he’s injured a lot while I don’t think Uggla has ever been on the DL, or at least not for an extended time.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
12:37 pm
Dye really fell apart in the second half of 2009. Hit .179/.293./297. 7 HR, 4 2B. The Sox had to play him in RF every day and he wore out.
jeffrey d
December 25th, 2009
12:37 pm
What’s going on with Vic Chesnutt? An hour ago the AJC had a headline saying he died. Now it says he’s in a coma. I hope he’ll be alright
AdirondackDave
December 25th, 2009
12:37 pm
idfan — I can’t imagine Wren trading Prado, just don’t see it happening. I’d like to see the Braves pick up Uggla because his serious punch. Bobby and FW would figure out how to get them on the field for 150 games.
TnBrian
December 25th, 2009
12:38 pm
Piedmont, I meant for the Uggla/DeRo argument to be for you. Sorry, Brave_Fan.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
12:44 pm
TnBrian,
Uggla would be a strong addition to the lineup, to be sure. He’s just an awful 2B and I’m not sure you could hide him in another position. Prado’s no Gold Glover himself, and if you move him to LF you have two potential weak spots defensively.
DeRosa doesn’t embarrass himself anywhere on the diamond. He can rest Chipper or Yunel without the offense tanking. (Can’t say that for Thurston or Infante.) And again, if he’s making less per year than Uggla (which is a reasonable guess), he’s a lot more valuable.
TexasBrave
December 25th, 2009
12:54 pm
Piedmont Blues agree with you on the defense side of Uggla/Prado, don’t want two holes. I truely believe that the way the line up is shaping up right now that we have enough to be a playoff team. Of course that is if everyone we have now stays healthy. That is why I think DeRo is a must have. Uggla’s pop would be nice but not necessary to get into the playoffs.
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
12:58 pm
Tomahawkin did you even watch Dye last year? If you did you would know he was awful the 2nd half of the season and all he can play now is DH. It has nothing to do with 2-3 million, it has to do with Atlanta being in the wrong league. Do your homework next time before you start complaining on Christmas.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:03 pm
Piedmont Blues
You still have high hopes for Schafer?
Since Schafer has gotten off of HGH he has been sub-par, his range is suspect and his bat is well you know…
No to Schafer next year. His is an overrated version of Langerhans minus the defense
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:05 pm
The subject of Pat Burrell has come up recently. I have very mixed emotions about Burrell. While his defense leave a lot to be desired it isn’t any worse than Garrett Anderson’s but it is his bat that is more of a concern for me. He strikes out way too much and would he wind up being another Frenchy? I think keeping Diaz would be better than Burrell.
One thing about acquiring another bat is I personally don’t want to get a guy who just hits homers and can’t hit for average like I tend to think Uggla is. Part of the Braves’ offensive problems in the past have been they could hit the ball out of the park but couldn’t manufacture a run to save their lives.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:06 pm
Tomahawkin, what are you talking about? Where do you get that idea about Schaefer? Because of his season last season? He was hurt. He had a hurt wrist which directly affected his swing. His defense was superb last year.
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
1:07 pm
I still don’t understand how we lost Smoltz in a “less than appropriate manner.”
The Braves and Red Sox were both bidding on Smoltz, and John chose to take the larger guarantee in Boston.
I think that any unbecoming behavior in that instance was on the part of Smoltz.
Now the Glavine situation was different. He was cut unceremoniously. Good decision. Bad P.R.
Psg81
December 25th, 2009
1:08 pm
I predict Javy will win 12-15 games with the Yanks next year with an ERA around 4.25—-4.50 and we will not regret trading him after its all over with and Lowe will bounce back with 15 wins again with an era around 3.75
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
1:09 pm
Tomahawkin you give up on a guy because he got hurt. Must be the only player to ever get hurt and not perform greatly.
Lew
December 25th, 2009
1:12 pm
Tomahawkin-There has been absolutely NO indication that Schafer did anything other than associate with people doing HGH-there is NO evidence he ever did it himself. The Braves still think he will be a good player and that’s all you need to concern yourself with.
Texas Brave-If it were me I’d leave Prado at second and put Uggla in left-can’t be much worse than Loaf and should-at the very least-get to more balls than Garrett did. However, I can see Prado moving to left and Uggla playing some pretty Uggly 2B. Not sure that’s the best place to put hi with an inexperienced 1B next to him in the infield. Power should be much better, though-probably more than enough to offset the Defensive downgrade, IMO
Lew
December 25th, 2009
1:14 pm
And YES, I would trade Melky and a new addition or two to the Marlins to get Uggla. The Fish save several mill and get a player they can play immediately, under control for a few years and some prospects we paid diddly for.
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
1:15 pm
Breaking News: Yunel Escobar has two eyes
Proof:
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6852739
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:17 pm
Eric From Mo
Tomahawkin is a Ticking Time Bomb Right now due to the fact that I’m having to do X-mas Chores with a bunch of women who can’t make up their minds!…!
“Don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge I’m trying not to lose my Head!”
You Have any other suggestions other than Dye because both of us know that the front office is gonna go Cheap because of L. Media!
Lew
December 25th, 2009
1:17 pm
Psg81-The only thing is that Vazquez cannot possibly put up the numbers he did n Tlanta in the new Yankee Stadium. Because of this, people will say we got rid of him when we should have because he was worse, but the entire story will not have been told. He would have done better in Atlanta, so all will be much less than equal when the final chapter on Javy is written.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:19 pm
Eric From Mo…
I was never high on Schafer when he was in th minors to begin with…
He hurt his wrist and downplayed the injury to Bobby and Mgmt…That really killed us when I start thinking about it…
Still I’d rather have an untested Heyward in our OF next year than Schafer…
TnBrian
December 25th, 2009
1:20 pm
I don’t mind the Glaus signing at all, but I have a few worries and it ain’t that he has played very few games at 1st, it’s his numbers after he came back this year. Yeah, he only had 29 at bats, but they were useless at bats. He was 5 for 29 with 0 HR’s and only 2 ribies. I know that’s unfair to judge him from such a small dose like that after he hit 27 HR’s in ‘08 and he probably wasn’t ready either. But, you have to wonder if he’s really healthy.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:20 pm
Okay, once and for all, Wren handled the Smoltz situation just fine. He wanted $5 mil. Do you think Smoltz was worth that. Wren did not want to committ that much money to a pitcher coming off his second major surgery in his career and at 40 years of age. The Red Sox were willing to do it and them released him less than six weeks after he made his debut. If Wren had signed Smoltz McClouth would not be here and LaRoche would have never been traded for.
People, please use perspective. Yes, Smoltz is a Braves legend and should be treated as such to a point. You people can’t have it both ways. You can’t want a winning team on the field and them to show undying loyalty. Glavine and Smoltz are two of the best pitchers in the history of the game. However, last season they would’ve been at best the 8th or 9th best pitchers on the team. All six of the Braves starters were infitely better than Glavine or Smoltz were last year. So, once again, Wren made the right move by letting Smoltz go and he handled the situation fine. Now, as for the way he handled Glavine, that could’ve went a little better.
Psg81
December 25th, 2009
1:20 pm
To my understanding Uggla has no interest in going to the outfield and if he did wouldn’t he be moving to a lesser paying position.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
1:21 pm
Tomahawkin
How much more money should Liberty spend to make you happy?
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:21 pm
How is LF a lesser paying positioin than 2B?
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:23 pm
One more thing about Schaefer. The kid just turned 23. This isn’t a Frenchy situation where he’s been given multiple opportunities to succeed and hasn’t. Schaefer tore the league up for his first two weeks last season and then he got hurt and started struggling. I mean if you look at McCann’s numbers he struggled last year too. He is just an “overrated” Todd Pratt. Again, perspective, people.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
1:23 pm
TnBrian,
Glaus is one case where you have to trust that the docs won’t see anything wrong when they review his medical records. I have no idea if the Braves worked him out. (Can they require that?) If he’s still hurt then he’s not a bargain, even at $2 million.
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
1:28 pm
Tomahawkin Nady, DeRosa, would be a couple to name. Least they can actually play a position considering we dont have a DH.
Psg81
December 25th, 2009
1:28 pm
I just think that if Javy came back next year for the braves his numbers wouldn’t be that much different than the numbers that Lowe is going to bounce back with in 2010 minus the strikeouts.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:29 pm
Piedmont Blues…
Raise the Payroll by 5 Mill or whatever it takes to get Jason Bay
If L. Media makes a concerted effort to turn this team into a Pennant contender fans will appreciate that and therefore attend more games which raises revenue
When They go Cheap and settle for the “Garrett Anderson’s” of the league fans take offense to that and would rather spend their money somewhere else
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:30 pm
Here’s the thing about Glaus. Short of makiing a trade an impact bat at 1B just wasn’t avaialable. LaRoche is asking too much. Nady is as big a health risk as Glaus if not even more. A guy like Dye is good but how well can he do at 1B? I realize Glaus has little experience there but he is a 3B which usually is just a 1B with a good arm. The only other free agent first baseman are Ryan Garko and Kevin Millar and I’m going to guess nobody would be too exicted about them being signed.
Here is the thing that kills me. I am quite sure the Braves could get Carlos Pena or Travis Haffner or Derek Lee in about five minutes. BUT, Wren would have to give up multiple top propects and then you all would be complaining about how Wren is giving away all the Braves young talent and draining the farm system. There would be endless Adam Waingright/JD Drew and Texieria resets.
You can’t have it both ways.
TnBrian
December 25th, 2009
1:30 pm
Piedmont Blues, well, Bobby did say they feel Glaus is 100% healthy. But, on the other hand, if Bobby Cox had Hitler on his team he’d say that he’s a nice guy and can sometimes be misunderstood.
Psg81
December 25th, 2009
1:32 pm
Robert (Chipper Is The Best) I think it would be a lesser paying position because how many 2nd baseman do you see hitting 30 homers compared to and outfielder hitting 30 homers with an batting Average of around .240.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:32 pm
Eric From Mo
I don’t want DeRosa simply put that we already have 2 players of his caliber in Infante and Prado
Since L. Media is goning to go Cheap I think that we settle on Nady, but a Lineup with Hoss, B-Macc, and Nady, scares No One!
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
1:32 pm
Robert while I agree with your whole point, the Glavine thing wasnt entirely Wren’s fault. Glavine made every indication he planned on being ready April 18th or 19th (whatever date it was). That was not the case. He wasnt ready till June, and by then Hanson had pushed Wren’s hand. While it could of been handled a little bit better, dont let Glavine make that final minor league start when you know your not calling him up, it wasnt entirely Wrens fault.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:35 pm
Tomahawkin, I disagree that fans would come to see a contender. When the Braves were in the thick of it last year attendance really didn’t go up. During the Braves 14 year run with the exception of a the first couple of years the attendance wasn’t befitting a top tier team. How many playoff games did the Braves had that didn’t sell out?
Braves’ fan are largely seen as some of the most apathetic in sports. It is a fact. And, I have to wonder if that is part of the problem with the Braves acquiring a large number of free agents. Yes, I know the budget is one but while players would love to play for Bobby Cox it is also hard to play in front of small crowds every night and the ones who are there don’t really appreciate what is on the field.
Yes, the economy is tough but there was no reason for the Braves not to be selling out every home game last September. Hell, the Yankess do and yeah they’re the Yankees but the cost of living in New York isn’t exactly cheap. Look at the Twins. Despite being a small market team the Metrodome was rocking last September and October.
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
1:35 pm
Tomahawkin, DeRosa is a better fielder and puts up better numbers than Dye at this point in their careers. You dont want him because he can play multiple positions oppose to only being a DH…Dont you realize that is a plus? If not no reason to even talk to you.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:39 pm
Eric, I agree about Glavine. I think Wren realized after Glavine’s first start that he wasn’t anywhere near Hansen and that is when he should’ve pulled the plug. But, his overall decision to release Glavine was just fine with me because he did what was best for the team.
Eric from MO
December 25th, 2009
1:40 pm
Robert I was fine with it too.
smittybat
December 25th, 2009
1:46 pm
Looks like bad news for Vic Chesnutt. Apparent suicide attempt and they say if he lives he’ll have significant brain damage
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
1:47 pm
Again, the Braves are a regional team, not really an “Atlanta” team.
Braves fans are not apathetic. Not in the least. If we were, Tim Dierkes at mlbtraderumors wouldn’t devote so much time to us. He knows he gets a lot of hits from Braves fans. Even ESPN gives us a pretty fair amount of attention.
And this blog.
This blog rivals almost anything I’ve seen on the internet dedicated to discussing a sports team. I would put this thing in about the 80th percentile of sports blogs, etc., on the net.
The volume here is pretty amazing for what some consider to be “an apathetic fanbase”.
No, this isn’t Kentucky basketball or Alabama football; but, it’s still pretty great, especially for a pro team.
We aren’t the Yankees, or the Lakers, but, we still have a large, very invested following.
The Atlanta situation has been debated and bifurcated down the nth degree. There isn’t really anything new under the sun, there.
The Braves will draw pretty well on opening day, Friday nights, and throughout most of the summer. You can’t expect too many people from Birmingham to drive over on a Wednesday night in September just because the Braves are “in the race”.
Apathetic? Not at all.
Spread out and/or intimidated by traffic and “the big city”? More likely.
The_Superhoo
December 25th, 2009
1:50 pm
richbrave @ 7:21 am
“SuperHoo:
Let the offseason play out. My sentiments exactly. BTW, nice snow in HooVille. Was up there Monday nosing around Mr. JEFFERSON’s U and the building he designed. Nice.”
I spent the best four years of my life in The Hook. I wish I could relive it all over again…or just live there now. haha BUUUUUUT Uncle Sam had other aspirations for me, and due to the “needs of the Air Force” I’m stationed in Montana for another year and a half.
Can’t wait to come back to the Commonwealth!
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:51 pm
Ok Everyone!!!
Its Time For D.O.B.’s Blogger of the Year AWARDS!
I’m doing the titles here and I’d like everyone to Chime In…
Best Poster:
Worst Poster:
Best baseball Mind:
Worst baseball Mind:
Funniest Poster:
Least Funny (most annoying poster):
Funniest Gimmick:
Least Funny Gimick:
Best OT Poster:
Worst OT Poster:
Biggest Hater:
Most Passionate Fan:
Least Passionate Fan:
Best Rival Poster
Most Hated Rival poster
Front Office Puppet:
The_Superhoo
December 25th, 2009
1:52 pm
brent a. @ 1:47 pm,
ENTIRELY correct. Moving the R-Braves out of Virginia may have converted some Virginians to Gnats fans, but there’s still a large following of Bravos up there. My entire family included. As a kid we never made the trip to Atlanta. Too far and cost too much. We saw the games in Richmond.
But as adults on a good year we’ll make 3 games a year at most so far. Games in DC we’ll hit when the Braves come to town.
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
1:54 pm
And in regards to Glavine, there was also that roster bonus that can’t be discussed (wink-wink).
Marc in FL
December 25th, 2009
1:54 pm
1. Wren isn’t going to cap the budget on free agents cause that leaves no money leftover to lock up the young guys like JJJ, Hanson, Hewyard, etc. (if you don’t lock these guys up fairly soon this franchise has no future).
2. Uggla is a good guy, don’t like him as a player at all. Poor defense, poor offense except he’ll muscle 30 HRs a year, like an Adam Dunn without 40HR power or plate discipline.
3. Pat Burrell is a more expensive/higher liability Matt Diaz.
4. The chance of Lowe and Glaus having healthier and better years compared to 2009 is very good.
5. Who had horrible starts to last year? McCann, Johnson, Franceour, Schafer, Anderson, Kotchman, Norton. Kotchman and Anderson both started getting more singles (and a rare HR), and McCann got it turned around, but we were sunk early on when we had 4-5 automatic outs in the line-up at any given time. Our weakness last year wasn’t not having a 40HR guy; we simply had too many inconstant players, including Chipper for much of the year. Wren didn’t resign Laroche cause he’s trying to take out the streaky tendencies of our offense.
6. We’re actually not looking to shabby right now, as long as Hewyard produces at least 80% of what he’s expected to produce, McLouth and Glaus start off healthy, Lowe pitches like his normal self, Chipper and the other guys play like their normal selves, we should be better than a lot of you are currently predicting. If Prado and Escobar fall flat on their faces, or Hanson suddenly can’t find the strike zone, then we might have problems, but those are very unlikely scenarios considering the level of players we’re talking bout.
7. Merry Christmas!
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:55 pm
Here’s another thing to keep in mind about Wren’s moves. While this is Bobby’s last season (allegedly) I think he is looking to 2011 and 2012 being the years the Braves are truly going to be great. Now, before any of you say trading Vasquez doesn’t lend to that think first. If Vasquez pitches in 2010 anywhere near what he did in 2009 the Braves would have NO SHOT of signing him. The guy would be easily demanding $15 mil a year. He stockpilded three players-one in Cabrera who will be under team control for 3 more years. The other two are still in the minors and if Vizcaino is as good as everybody says he is he could be pitching in Atlanta in a couple of years.
Wren is looking to a team in 2011 that will feature Schaefer who should be more than ready to go; Jason Heyward who will have some valuable big leauge experience under his belt; Freeman ready to take over at 1B. Guys like Prado, Escobar and McCann only getting better. The Braves will have a rotation anchored by Jurjens, Hansen and Hudson. The Braves may not even need Lowe or KK if Rohrbough and Medlen are ready to take over.
This Braves team has a very bright future in my opinion.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
1:57 pm
Okay, roster bonuses aside, lets get real. Who would you rather have had in the rotation last year? Glavine or Hanesn? Because that is exactly who it came down to.
Random
December 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
DOB (December 25th, 2009 12:33 am): “the 2009 payroll, which was somewhere between $92-95 mill depending on when it was calculated and how and by whom.”
Hmmmmm — interesting.
So is what you’re saying is that two different people, on the same day (”when”), using the same figures and methodology (”how”), could have come up with two completely different totals for the Braves payroll?
Hmmm — was one of them Paul Lentz, by any chance?
Just askin’.
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
“This Braves team has a very bright future in my opinion.”
And IMO, as well.
I think the issue is that Braves fans are getting anxious to see the future become the present.
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
1:58 pm
Hanson.
And everyone agrees. It’s just that there were a lot of factors at play.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
1:59 pm
Robert (Chipper is The best)
“When the Braves were in the thick of it last year attendance really didn’t go up.”
Last Year most reasonable Braves fans knew that the Braves were done when they got swept at home by Cincinnati when they scored like 6 runs that whole series
That whole Front the braves put on during the last 2 weeks of the season was a Hoax, therefore wise braves fans didn’t waste their money going to the games
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
2:06 pm
A personal confession:
After the Braves blew the 2nd game of that series in Houston (the game that Hanson got pulled after 8 SO innings) I was so disgusted that I chose to not attend game 3 (the Thursday night game of that series, the only one I was in town for) because I, as Tomahawkin has phrased it so eloquently, didn’t want to was my money going to the game.
As it turns out, that was the night the Braves began their mini-tear (15/17) that ran right up until the last week of the season.
I felt pretty lame and unfanlike right up until the moment that Matt Diaz got picked off third base to unofficially end the Braves season.
brent a.
December 25th, 2009
2:06 pm
*waste* my money
Random
December 25th, 2009
2:11 pm
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Oops — not yet used to the new L*entz-less protocols.
DOB (December 25th, 2009 12:33 am): “the 2009 payroll, which was somewhere between $92-95 mill depending on when it was calculated and how and by whom.”
Hmmmmm — interesting.
So is what you’re saying is that two different people, on the same day (”when”), using the same figures and methodology (”how”), could have come up with two completely different totals for the Braves payroll?
Hmmm — was one of them Paula Blintz, by any chance?
Just askin’.
TnBrian
December 25th, 2009
2:15 pm
Tomahwkin,
Best poster– KC; Steve from OH and Lew are a distant 2nd and 3rd
Worst poster– Bay Area Steve
Best baseball mind– nolie
Worst baseball mind– Rob from SC(sorry, I do like you as a blogger)
Funniest poster– RHR
Least funniest poster– McFann; she’s made a couple funnies, but more not so funnies
Biggest hater– Lenzty boy
Most passionate fan– McFann
Least passionate fan– uga-brave
Best rival poster– Anders
Most hated rival poster– EatPhillie
Front Office Puppet– Omar Minaya; I mean, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a FO Brave, right?
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
2:16 pm
Brent A.
I threw about 4 empty beer cans at the TV that night Hanson pitched a 1 hitter through 8 innings, I remember my roommates laughing at me getting Violent at the TV that game. But that Game was the nail in the coffin. I called “Season over after that pathetic performance against the AAA reds in that 3 game series at home where we got swept…
GovClintonTyree
December 25th, 2009
2:16 pm
Robert, while I agree that it’s true that we don’t know what we have in Schafer yet, I was underwhelmed watching his defense the two months he played last year. Fangraphs says UZR of -2.8 and UZR/150 of -8.0.
He might be a nice player, but he didn’t show it at the plate or in the field last year.
Piedmont Blues
December 25th, 2009
2:17 pm
Tomahawkin,
Career OPS:
Infante: .701
DeRosa: .767
Prado: .810
With Prado, you’re still dealing with a player who, in 6 minor league seasons, never put up offensive numbers as strong as he did in 2008 or 2009. Nowhere near. And has never been a regular for a full season in the major leagues. We can all hope he’s a late bloomer …
Infante is a decent utility man who hit 16 HR in 2004 and has hit a total of 21 HR in his seven other seasons in the majors. If he gets more than 250-300 ABs, the Braves are probably scrambling to get out of the NL East cellar.
Prado may continue to surprise, but if you could add a player the caliber of DeRosa for not a lot of money, you do it.
Random
December 25th, 2009
2:17 pm
Tomahawkin –
You are still a preening, prancing fool.
Aren’t you?
Josh
December 25th, 2009
2:18 pm
DOB, have you heard whether the opening day game against the Cubs will be a day or night game?
CB
December 25th, 2009
2:21 pm
Random, Merry Christmas,little buddy.
Random
December 25th, 2009
2:35 pm
CB –
MX/
HNY
to you, too!!!
.P.a.u.l .L.e.n.t.z
December 25th, 2009
2:35 pm
The_Superhoo……..Thanks for the correction with your 3:46am posting. Oversight on my part.
Duke
December 25th, 2009
2:39 pm
I heard Dan Uggla played second base. I thought he only hit. And don’t we have a second baseman? Get off Uggla people
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
2:41 pm
Random
Am I still a preening, prancing fool?
Oh You Damn Right!
Love me some D.O.B.
December 25th, 2009
2:46 pm
READ THIS IF YOU HATE THE JAVY TRADE!
READ THIS IF YOU HATE THE JAVY TRADE!
READ THIS IF YOU HATE THE JAVY TRADE!
READ THIS IF YOU HATE THE JAVY TRADE!
Davey Obrien you hit the nail on the head in your Braves articles. I am thankful that not all of our sportswriters in ATL are as cynical as Mark Bradley. We all know that losing Javy hurts but it was a neccessary move and the deal isn’t through yet until we spend all the freed up money that was owed to him. Lets say we get derosa or nady via signing just for arguements sake (we still could get Uggla too). Then we would have traded Javy for Troy Glaus, Melky Cabrera, and Derosa/Nady plus two prospects. You cannot say that that trade isn’t a good one considering that Javy doesn’t have the best history or one comparable to Huddy’s. Therefore Wren hasn’t made a bone headed move here in my opinion however that is contrary to many’s view.
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
2:58 pm
One more thing about Schaefer. Robert
his name is Schafer if you are gonna be an expert on him, spell his name correctly. gives at least a tad more cred to your posts
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
3:00 pm
LOOK HERE – Chipper Jones does not like crust on his PB&J Sandwiches
.P.a.u.l .L.e.n.t.z
December 25th, 2009
3:01 pm
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)……A big part of the reason why the Braves did not sell out in September last year (or any of the past few years) is because the Braves (to the casual fan) overall are not an entertaining bunch to watch. While an all “business like approach” may appeal to the diehard fan………it doesnt inspire the casual fan to want to come out in droves and spend money at Turner Field. Winning games 3-1 isnt enough to put A$$ES in the seats.
Like it or not, the casual fan is needed to consistently sell out home games (unless the Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox, or even Phillies come into town……which means that some of our home games tend to turn into an away game).
Ironically the only person on our team last year who had the persona to draw the casual fan was Jeff Francoeur. However, all the persona in the world couldnt make up for the fact that Francoeur SUCKED A$$ for us the last year and a half he was with us.
Matt Diaz plays with fire and passion, however he isnt a superstar who is capable of carrying a team on his shoulders for an extended period of time. Yunel Escobar is a very exciting player to watch. However he is very unfriendly to the media and the casual fan cant really relate to a player who they never see talk or who is perceived to be “moody”.
Brian McCann is an All-Star catcher. However, he’s always been more comfortable with the attention going his buddy Francoeur. He’s a nice, respectful guy who doesnt have the kind of persona to take a team on his shoulders and be the face of a franchise.
Then there’s Chipper Jones. He’s the face of the franchise, however he is about as business as you can get when it comes to his demeanor on the field.
That is why I’ve been pushing all along for Braves ownership to step up, increase the payroll and sign Matt Holliday. Holliday has the persona to be the presence both on and off the field that can attract the casual fans…..the other players in the line-up will feed off his presence in the line-up. I think part of Chipper’s struggles in 2009 can be attributed to not having much protection behind him in the line-up. Chipper would go games without seeing any quality pitches to drive. I think that even Chipper Jones would exhibit some personality on the field after having some success with Holliday hitting behind him.
Braves fans need to demand that ownership spend the cash to put out a quality AND entertaining product on the field. It is not our job to convince ownership by showing up in droves to see a mediocre product….before they will increase payroll. That isnt who it works in the real business world.
mr baseball
December 25th, 2009
3:05 pm
As strong a supporter as I’ve been of Wren, his last 2 moves are head scratchers, unless there’s something else in the works.
Unless he uses the money saved from dealing Vazquez to improve the offense, that trade goes down as a salary dump, plain and simple. Teams that are serious contenders for the playoffs don’t make deals like that. That’s something for teams like the Royals, Pirates, Indians, etc.
The Glaus signing might pay off, but the minimal amount of money he’s getting indicates that his physical condition is considered highly suspect. Any time the 4-letter injury word (back) is included in the discussion of a 30-something player, you have to be prepared for the 2 letters that frequently accompany that situation — DL.
Unless someone else is added, the Braves have no viable Plan B for 1B. The only option is moving Prado to 1B with Infante taking over at 2B. Infante is a nice player, but he is not a #4 or 5 hitter like Glaus.
Still not understanding the acquisition of Cabrera, unless he’s going to be part of a package that brings a better bat to the ATL. Right now, he would probably be the #8 hitter in the order, not exactly what you’d expect to get for a top of the rotation starter.
And for all those excited because of the acquisition of Vizcaino, projecting the future performance of hard throwing teenagers is a very inexact science. Maybe he’ll pan out, maybe he won’t. We have no idea.
But we do know that the Braves have lost a pitcher who enjoyed an outstanding season last year, and are left with a weakened rotation and a corner OF who is no better offensively than the guy he’s replacing (Loaf). And Cabrera might not even be a starter if Heyward advances at a more advanced rate than expected.
The Braves are also left with a rotation with little protection if 1 guy goes down. Neither Reyes nor Medlen inspires a huge amount of confidence at this stage.
As for the bullpen, it’s older and less durable, with the catch again being “If he (Wagner and/or Saito) is healthy…
Unless the talk about keeping the payroll at or near last year’s level is BS (wouldn’t be the first time a corporate entity has been less than truthful), there is still enough $ to spend to bring in another quality bat (not Bay or Holliday for the reality-challenged among us).
Someone who can play both 1B and OF would be a good fit, with DeRosa likely the best alternative. If the reports on his asking price are accurate (2 yrs @ $6 mil per), the Braves need to snap him up, unless there is some sort of trade in the works that will upgrade the current corner OF situation.
This is supposed to be a time of cheer, but for those of us on here who tend to view the goings on with the Bravos without the aid of rose colored glasses, the outlook is not as bright as it was a few days ago.
Hopefully, it will get better soon, but as the tired old cliche goes, “That remains to be seen.”
Joebrave
December 25th, 2009
3:09 pm
You heard it here first,
McLouth
Vizcaino
Bethancourt
and Hicks to
Tampa for Carl Crawford!
lets see
Lf Crawford
Cf Cabrera
RF Heyward
1B Glaus
2B Prado
SS Escobar
3B Jones
C McCann
RHP Hudson
RHP Jurrjens
RHP Lowe
RHP Hanson
RHP Kawakami
pen
Medlen
Dunn
Oflaherty
Moylan
Saito
Wagner
bench
Infante
Diaz
Ross
M.Jones
Thurston
etal:
One begs to ask the question however, Is Cabrera the second coming of Lenny Dykstra, or Oddibe McDowell????
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
3:09 pm
This is supposed to be a time of cheer, but for those of us on here who tend to view the goings on with the Bravos without the aid of rose colored glasses, the outlook is not as bright as it was a few days ago. mr baseball
I can’t agree with that, I think the ceiling got higher though the risks got a bit higher too.
China Grove
December 25th, 2009
3:10 pm
And Jesus escaped the womb and said “Let there be basketball!” and there was an all-day hoops marathon. Pure gold marketing on behalf of the NBA. Holiday tradition in my house, especially with the Celtics, Lakers, Cavs, and Knicks represented amongst my immediate family.
Merry Christmas from Canada. Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.
China Grove
December 25th, 2009
3:12 pm
N8’s gotta be up there on the poster-rankings. Provides very good insight, even when I don’t agree with him.
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
3:13 pm
No To DeRosa
No To Marlon Byrd
No To Pat Burrell
No To Dan Uggla…
Come on! Lets think of some other viable options…
None of those name listed above are gonna get this offense over the hump. Liberty Media needs to step it up!
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
3:14 pm
Good point, Love Me Some D.O.B. Even if the Braves have to sign Ryan Garko instead of Nady or DeRosa it wouldn’t be that bad. Garko is a solid hitter who can hit around .270+ and has an OBP of 245 or so. He can play 1B, LF, RF and even serve as an emergency catcher. He came up as a catcher.
If by trading Vasquez the Braves get Melkey Carera, Vizcaino, Dunn, Glaus and one of (if not two) DeRosa, Garko or Nady then it wasn’t a bad trade at all.
How about this idea? If the Braves were able to obtain Glaus for $2 mil why not sign Delgado to a similar amount and have he and Glaus platoon at 1B. Glaus serves as a backup 3B and even SS since he does have some experience there. That would give the Braves bench (given Heyward starts the season at AAA) Ross, Delgado/Glaus, Infante and then resign Ryan Church on the cheap and perhaps a guy like Ronnie Belliard who could likely be signed to a minor league deal.
China Grove
December 25th, 2009
3:17 pm
Robert,
I don’t think Glaus can play SS at this point of his career. And I’m not sure Delgado is the right fit, I’d rather have a more versatile player like a DeRosa. Good thoughts though, I just don’t agree.
Please, let’s not mention Ryan Church.
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
3:18 pm
How about this idea? If the Braves were able to obtain Glaus for $2 mil why not sign Delgado to a similar amount Robert
maybe because DeRo is looking for more than twice that and more than one year. or doesn’t that matter?
Tomahawkin
December 25th, 2009
3:21 pm
I’d Be down for Ryan Garko as well assuming that Liberty Media is going Cheap! Low risk high reward option
Prez of Matt Diaz Fan Club
December 25th, 2009
3:21 pm
First, Merry Christmas. Second, District 9 is overrated. Third, I strongly disagree with Lentz’s comment: “Matt Diaz plays with fire and passion, however he isnt a superstar who is capable of carrying a team on his shoulders for an extended period of time.” Diaz is Superstar Baby!
China Grove
December 25th, 2009
3:26 pm
China Grove’s Braves Christmas Wishlist
Rick Ankiel
Chad Bradford
Clay Condrey
Mark DeRosa
Jermaine Dye
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Scott Podsednik
Matt Stairs
Randy Winn
These are in alphabetical order (I hope). There’s definitely some new ideas we haven’t heard much about. I’m prepared to look further into some of the names I threw out there, especially some of the guys there doesn’t seem to be much of a market for.
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
3:28 pm
The 2009 Braves won the World Series. I’m not kidding. We all just forgot.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
3:28 pm
Tomahawkin, I somewhat agree but that type of player is going to cost soem serious prospects. For instance, if the Braves got Carl Crawford I think you could pencil them into the World Series but what are the Rays going to demand. The Rockies say they aren’t interested in trading Brad Hawpe. I don’t believe that. There are packages they’d accept but would it sacrifice the future? My guess is Wren feels that way too many prospects were traded for one or two year fix (Wainright, Harrison, Andrus, Feiz, Dye, Schmidt, and so on). Most of these guys have gone on to have anywhere from solid to very successful years and in the case of Wainright, Harrison, Andrus and Feliz their futures are brighter than bright. It appears Wren is intent on keeping the young talent in the belief that the Braves will be a more potent version of the Twins and Marlins with superior young talent. It is almost like he is taking the approach of the Angels. Now, I’m not saying I’m in favor of this approach necessarily. I should say I am as long as Wren doesn’t do exactly what the Angles do and hold on to guys making every prospect out to be the next Babe Ruth.
But, when you think about it would the Angels be as good as they are without holding on to their homegrown talent such as Lackey, Kendrick, Aybar, Morales, Napoli, KRod and so on. They just add a big free agent piece here or there and stay competitiive. Perhaps, Wren feels this is the way to go?
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
3:30 pm
Uh, Moby, the fact that DeRosa is asking for a lot of money is exactly the point.
Random
December 25th, 2009
3:30 pm
Tomahawkin (December 25th, 2009 2:41 pm): “Am I still a preening, prancing fool?
“Oh You Damn Right!”
Then keep on struttin, BF boy. Keep on blatherin.
The_Superhoo
December 25th, 2009
3:30 pm
.P.a.u.l .L.e.n.t.z @2:35 pm
“The_Superhoo……..Thanks for the correction with your 3:46am posting. Oversight on my part”
No worries, mate. There’s so many parks/stadiums named after banks that it can be hard to keep track! That’s an indictment of corporate naming as a whole, too. Only time it’s ok is a field like Ford Field or Heinz Field (when the name of the company happens to be the owner’s name, or somehow representative of the location/fanbase)
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
3:32 pm
Remember when Martin Prado hit a ball last year?
The_Superhoo
December 25th, 2009
3:33 pm
Re-remember the time Bobby Boucher showed up at halftime and the Mud Dogs won the Bourbon Bowl do ya?
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
3:34 pm
I’m not a huge DeRosa fan, but I think he would fit pretty well on the current team giving them some backup insurance at several positions. I’m just not so sure the Braves would want to pay his price in coin and/or years. I think that whoever will/might be added needs to play more than one position unless it’s a trade that moves one of the current guys.We might have to wait a while to find out.
Bravesguy101
December 25th, 2009
3:35 pm
Remember when Bobby Cox wore his uniform last year. He wears the #6. I swear.
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
3:36 pm
he fact that DeRosa is asking for a lot of money is exactly the point. Robert
I guess I’m missing something. How is that the point when you suggest offering him less than half what he wants? Are you being sarcastic, or do you really believe there is any chance at all that he would take a 2/3 mil one year deal?
Travis
December 25th, 2009
3:39 pm
If the attendance numbers in Atlanta have nothing to do with the quality of the team, what is the reason? The Braves have been in Atlanta long enough to develop a fan base. Was the tv coverage so good that people could get the experience without being at the park? Prices? Not enough killer instinct with the fans to go to the park just to get drunk and yell at the other teams players? In Philly a game is an oportunity to paint your topless body with the teams colors and run on the field with the cops chasing you. Maybe we just have so many outside activities in the South with the good weather and all to have a life beyond professional sports watching.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
December 25th, 2009
3:40 pm
Moby, I was talking about offering a contract to Carlos Delgado? Not Mark DeRosa.
Moby Grape
December 25th, 2009
3:43 pm
Robert, gotcha. too much egg nog I guess. I think Carlos is too limited in what he can do to be useful on the current team. No matter the cost I don’t see them tying up two roster spots to platoon at one position. Mo way to know for sure though