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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
7,406 comments Add your comment
Skeezix
December 24th, 2009
2:43 pm
Wren has done a good job if one defines not getting to the playoffs in 2008 and 2009, and most likely again in 2010, as good.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
2:45 pm
My point, Nolie, was that we can’t predict how Javy is going to do next season. joe r
I agree that we can’t predict it other than that 9 out of the last ten years he has been average to way above average in whatever park he pitched in. but how he ends up doing in NY has nothing to do with what he might have done here. totally different situations. all I’m saying
joerochester
December 24th, 2009
2:46 pm
You are right. But someone had to go, right? At least we got some return.
joerochester
December 24th, 2009
2:48 pm
Doesn’t Javy have a lot more wear and tear on his arm than Lowe? Lowe was a reliever for several years.
Jeff R
December 24th, 2009
2:48 pm
Overall, Wren has done a very good job. He’s a gambler, though, betting in 2010 that some of the rehabs and oldies are going to have more gas in their tanks. Hope so.
Uggla? So, the Bravos would acquire Uggla and play him at second, displacing a good hitting, better fielding second baseman? When is Prado going to get some respect?
How about acquiring Uggla and playing him in the outfield? Or platooning him in the outfield and at first? Glaus can’t really be an obstacle at this point, can he?
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
2:55 pm
Jeff R – You’re right Prado is treated like the proverbial red headed step child
VaBraveFan
December 24th, 2009
2:58 pm
I think the Braves should sign one more guy. Or just go into the season with what we got. See how Prado does with the everyday job from the start. And OUr corner outfield spots before making a trade for a 2nd baseman. Prado has earned the starting job. Give the guy a chance before looking into Uggla.
O.J.
December 24th, 2009
3:00 pm
VaBraveFan, it has been stated here many many many many times that if we got Uggla, it would be for left field. Bobby has already stated that Martin would be in the lineup.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:00 pm
if Milky Cabrera has a OBP of .380 or higher I’d bat him leadoff T Hawkin
in a grand total of 250 at bats, not all that reliable a sample size, might keep it up…might not. no way to tell, I guess I’d give it a try though.though he doesn’t steal much at all.
and where all these posters have come up with the idea that he is an above average centerfielder baffles me.
Mario Mendoza
December 24th, 2009
3:01 pm
the only one out of the top 50 DOB listed I have and like is Mastodon. My top 10 CDs of the year were Mastodon, Wolfmother, Them Crooked Vultures, Hurt, Living Colour, Priestess, Quebec chanteusse Terez Montcalm, The Cinematics, The Answer and French band Makali
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:04 pm
Mario Mendoza – living colour put out a new album? I love living colour!!
Marko
December 24th, 2009
3:07 pm
If I was a Yankee fan, my reaction to the Javy trade:
Oh well, there goes another top prospect. We also lose a young OF’er that came in handy for defense and filling in for our aging OF’ers. Hopefully we’ll sign somebody so we don’t have Gardner starting in the OF. If those guys end up being stars, we’ll just buy them back down the road when they hit their prime anyway.
We get Vasquez back. We probably won’t need him much in the playoffs. Maybe we can work the rotation where he pitches on as many games as possible against NL teams during the season. We’ll just have to score a decent amount of runs for him when he pitches. Hopefully he’ll be better than he was years back on his first tour with the Yanks.
VaBraveFan
December 24th, 2009
3:07 pm
Nate McLouth career batting leadoff
over 1200 ab’s
254. avg 354 obp.
O.J
Yep , meaning Melky or diff OF would be dealt for Uggla. Uggla is a everyday player.
LF Uggla CF McLouth RF Diaz vs LHP/Heyward vs RHP that looks good.
atl cracker
December 24th, 2009
3:09 pm
CDs are so out of date
Luv 2 Hate Me
December 24th, 2009
3:09 pm
My questions is when do you stop stock piling pitchers and focus on power. I see that Wren is planning for the future but I think he needs to start thinking in terms of other position players besides pitching. Your pitching can only get you so far and without offense your pitching means nothing!
AdirondackDave
December 24th, 2009
3:10 pm
Nolie — Cabrera has a reputation up here among Yankee enthusiasts as a very good defender and clutch player. There are day-in, day-out followers (on TV) who tend to be pretty jaded because of all that talent the club has bought over the years. I think he’s a useful player for the Braves or a good trading chip.
tr
December 24th, 2009
3:10 pm
nolie
The Fish almost fired him after the season. Not so sure he’ll still be with them by the time the Braves hire a new manager if they don’t win the division. Stranger things have happened than the idea of him coming home” to the Braves.
TommyP
December 24th, 2009
3:12 pm
Zac Brown Band for my top list. That guy is talented.
ivan babbit
December 24th, 2009
3:13 pm
This trade is terrible. Not only did Wren lose any chance of competing for the NL championship and world series but The Braves become
a much weaker team. I shouldn’t be suprise. This makes the Braves identity clearer.
They are not the team that made a great charge at the end of the year. The Braves are the team that lost their last six games in a row.
The Braves are not the team with a great line up. They are the team that will field a rag tag group of players who are going to play on the cheap for one year and go elsewhere next year. That is why they can’t win a series during the season. That is why the Braves best player
is long past the point of giving a crap. That is why the Braves stink
and will continue to play without any passion for a long long time.
If I was playing for the Braves I would have a hard time playing knowing that from the general managers position down, your playing with a bunch that were put together on the cheap for the next year. If I was a Braves player I would want to play for a contender and this deal with the Yankees demonstrates that the Brave are no longer contenders.
God bless Jeff Francour, you no longer have to play with this bunch of losers.
Tennbravefan
December 24th, 2009
3:15 pm
Talking about 2009 CD’s, I am a huge Springsteen fan (minus his crazy political views) but Working on a Dream is terrible. No way that’s the same guy responsible for Born to Run, Darkness, The River, Nebraska or even The Rising…..it must have been an imposter.
tortured soul
December 24th, 2009
3:17 pm
can everyone just be a tad bit happier. it is the holidays after all….
also christmas cards have been confusing me because i keep reading holiday and thinking Holliday, then someone on tv messes it up and says Halladay…. really gotta pay attention right now
tr
December 24th, 2009
3:17 pm
DOB,
As a retired radio music director, I applaud your sharing of music preferences on the blog. After 30+ years of having everything that came out, I still find it hard to shake my aversion to actually paying for music. We seem to have similar tastes in the older stuff, so if/when I break down and buy something new, I’ll probably follow your lead.
Enjoy your time away from work. I know from experience that media work doesn’t allow for that very often!
AdirondackDave
December 24th, 2009
3:18 pm
Marko — Your take on the Javy trade sums up Yankee fans up here. They take as a given that Steinbrenner Bank and Trust will reel in anybody they want, more or less. Not easy being a Brave fan here, not as painful as being a Met fan though, I imagine. They get Yankee stuff thrown at them endlessly.
Tim
December 24th, 2009
3:19 pm
wren is terrible. had he had his way we would’ve gone with aj burnett, schafer, furcal, and griffey (which DOB reported so professionally on…) all season. luckily all his first choices fell through (thought Griffey was a done deal???) and he scrambled to get vazquez, lowe, and mclouth. he get’s no credit because what he truly wanted would’ve left the braves with no more than 70 wins. luckily we were in the race with wren’s second and third choices.
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
3:20 pm
Norton2010 (December 24th, 2009 1:52 pm EST): Is it just me or does the Nationals roster look better than the Mets now.
I have a bet with a New Yorker that the Nationals will win more games in 2010 than the Mets.
nolie (December 24th, 2009 2:09 pm EST): Such optimism especially as regards Dunn.who wasn’t in their top lists at all. very very wild with only a fastball as a plus pitch.good luck on that one
I’ve read multiple reports that his slider is plus at times and he profiles as a back-end bullpen arm. But, as you mentioned, he’s got 40 control/command at best and needs to refine his approach a bit.
He doesn’t have a lot of mileage on the arm, which leads me to believe there’s room for improvement.
Skeezix (December 24th, 2009 2:43 pm EST): Wren has done a good job if one defines not getting to the playoffs in 2008 and 2009, and most likely again in 2010, as good.
Please. Like it’s Wren’s fault that Tim Hudson needed Tommy John surgery, or John Schuerholz made the trade for Mike Hampton and he turned into a glass figurine, or John Smoltz would only pitch 28.0 innings after pitching 667 and 1/3 the previous three years, or Tom Glavine would go on the DL for the first time in his 20+ year career, or that Jeff Francoeur turned into Jeff Francoeur, or that Rafael Soriano had a nerve injury that the most sophisticated MRI machines and the best doctor money can buy couldn’t find. And that’s just the misfortunes of 2008.
It’s certainly Wren’s fault that Chipper’s batting average (and, thus OBP and SLG%) would take a massive hit, or Kelly Johnson’s BABIP would drop 64 points, or Jordan Schafer hurt his wrist and didn’t tell anyone about it because, well, he’s a baseball player, and they’re never honest about their injuries (or maybe he’s just a rookie and feared losing his job…), or the team under-achieved their Pythagorean expectation by 5 wins, or Bobby Cox still doesn’t know how to manage a bullpen, or Brian McCann would miss the first month after realizing he needed glasses, or the latest franchise savior Nate McLouth slugged .419 before he realized he needs to take action to correct his vision, right? All Wren’s fault. And since these things kept the Braves from making the playoffs, and since his job is to get the team to make the playoffs, he’s a bad GM. Impeccable logic.
FEAR (December 24th, 2009 2:55 pm EST): Jeff R – You’re right Prado is treated like the proverbial red headed step child
Ridiculous assertion. Bobby Cox worships the ground that Martin Prado walks on. I bet you next year he’ll bat Prado second, even though he’ll most likely be the 2nd worst hitter in the line-up (though certainly not a bad hitting 2B).
TommyP (December 24th, 2009 3:12 pm EST): Zac Brown Band for my top list. That guy is talented.
(….my brain leaks out of my nose….)
ivan babbit (December 24th, 2009 3:13 pm EST): God bless Jeff Francour, you no longer have to play with this bunch of losers.
I’m sure he’s extremely happy to be playing for a team that lost 92 games last year.
Travis
December 24th, 2009
3:23 pm
I love DeRosa’s hustle and versatility but with Infante at 2.25mil and an option for 2011 why do the Braves need another utility guy? Unless a trade is in the works all the players in question for a pickup except maybe Uggla just look like platoon guys. The Braves really don’t have a guy in the minors for left field (maybe Shaefer)so getting a permanent left fielder might just be the only logical thing. Why would the Marlins take Melky in a trade for Uggla?
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:25 pm
P. W. Hjort – then why did it take bobby so long to put prado as the starting 2B?
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:26 pm
also that comment about prado was mostly directed to everyone clamoring for the braves to get uggla and put him at 2nd.
Oklahoma Brave
December 24th, 2009
3:28 pm
Pw well put, and put some tissue in your nose.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:29 pm
tr just saying that as it stands right now he is under contract to the Fish. obviously managers get fired.
Travis
December 24th, 2009
3:31 pm
DOB, Hope you wear a helmet when you ski. We want ya back!
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:32 pm
I’ve read multiple reports that his slider is plus at times and he profiles as a back-end bullpen arm. PWH
I agree that is a possibility, just reacting to the closer comment as I have read nothing that suggests such a possibility as realistic. Wild is not good as a reliever, surely we have had ample experience to learn that by now
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:33 pm
oh and what I’ve read about his slider is that it is very inconsistent. have never seen him pitch though, not even a video so far
TommyP
December 24th, 2009
3:35 pm
Yeah, and I thought my sinus problems were difficult to deal with. At this time of year, we definitely need to be thankful for the positive and not focus on the negative (like that brain drippage potential).
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
3:35 pm
FEAR (December 24th, 2009 3:25 pm EST): P. W. Hjort – then why did it take bobby so long to put prado as the starting 2B?
If I had to guess, I’d say because Prado had a whopping 365 career MLB PA’s before 2009 and in 2119 minor-league PA’s he’s a career .300/.353/.393 hitter. Being skeptical of a guy’s ability to sustain above-average production because he didn’t manage to slug .400 in the minors is hardly counter-intuitive.
Kelly Johnson, on the other hand, had over 1500 PA’s of above-average production at the MLB level and is a career .282/.365/.467 hitter in 2520 minor-league PA’s. It’s not that hard to see why Bobby thought Kelly Johnson was the better bet, both long-term and short-term, than Martin Prado for the first 3 months of the season. As if 155 PA’s of .834 OPS against Kelly Johnson’s 261 PA’s of .650 OPS is sufficient evidence to completely toss out their entire bodies of work, all of which suggests Kelly Johnson is the better player.
May not be. Probably isn’t. But surely you’re intelligent enough to realize Bobby’s thinking that starting Kelly Johnson was a better move for the team was far from unjustified.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:35 pm
Steve from OH is our video guy, he needs to find us a Dunn video.
tennessee tomahawk
December 24th, 2009
3:37 pm
Hey NCGary. Not as good as Cindy Crawford.
Mekons
December 24th, 2009
3:38 pm
A really terrific, varied list, Dave. I’m too broke to own most of them, but I’ve heard parts of the ones I don’t have. I’d love to have that Big Star box set and the Waits box. Out of my price range.
I think Wren has done well this off-season, and I expect another move or three. I don’t see Melky lasting long in Atlanta; if Heyward makes the team, we’ll probably ship him out. He’s a good fourth outfielder but we’d be better off with Heyward, McLouth, Diaz and Schafer, IMO. I know the Cubs have been looking at Melky, given the pure badness of their corner outfielders. Soriano is almost laughably bad in left; every play is an adventure. Ground balls go through his legs. Routine flies go over his head.
Anyway, I think getting two pitching prospects this good along with some OF protection in Melky was a pretty good payoff for a guy we would only have for one year. I’ll miss Vaz, though. He was a lot of fun to watch.
I’m assuming the Braves got to see Glaus work out. Shoulder injuries are notorious for sapping power. And he has back issues. But the move to first should reduce stress on both. The upside, particularly at the price, is too tempting not to take a chance.
I’d like to see Nady added to back up at 1B and play a bit in left and right. I wonder if he’s healthy, though. There was a lot of talk about him in November, then he seems to have fallen off the edge of the world.
Right now, we have a great starting staff and a lot of good arms in the bullpen. When Procter is ready, it might be the best bullpen in baseball. I’m really looking forward to 2010.
Nick in PA
December 24th, 2009
3:39 pm
DOB: Def agree with you about Lucero, great band!
BravesfaninWis
December 24th, 2009
3:39 pm
Just a few things here for me.
1. Javy Vazquez is a standup dude no doubt. Wish it was Lowe on the move and we could have signed Javy to a extension at 3-5 million less per year then what Lowe makes, but who knows, maybe we can get Javy back after next season seeing as though he loves it here.
2. For the person talking about payroll flexibility and saying that fans should put their butts in the seats and payroll will go up. I agree with that, but on the flipside of things, why should a fan have to or want to spend their hard earned money, especially in the middle of a recession to watch a team that doesn’t have a few high profile players that put on a show on a nightly basis? All a team like the Braves needs to do is spend some money on a player or two that would really make this team exciting, and the fans would want to go to the games. It goes both ways, so both sides are to blame for that.
3. I don’t get the fans that say platoon Heyward when he arrives. The kid is going to be a superstar when he gets here, you don’t platoon a player like that. That would be like platooning Barry Bonds, it just doesn’t happen. Now I am not comparing the two, but if Heyward is a platoon guy, the the manager is seriously wasting the kids talents.
4. I wouldn’t mind at all to see Cabrera get dealt to the Marlins for Uggla. It would give is another true power threat to stick in the lineup and if Glaus and Chipper rebound to have big seasons, then having that added power guy like Uggla could really be a good thing for this team.
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:40 pm
i don’t believe kelly johnson was the better player. he just had more mlb exp. which alot of times in my opinion is the “end all be all”. kelly is a total streak hitter and average possibly below average fielder. I maintain that bobby stuck whith him too long last season. he basically got hurt and forced cox to put prado in
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:41 pm
*meant ISN’T the “end all be all”
nick
December 24th, 2009
3:42 pm
IF the Braves are done with there MAJOR moves then I hope they round out their bench with Aubrey Huff and Jerry Hairston Jr. This gives the Braves ALOT of versatility.
MZ
December 24th, 2009
3:42 pm
after watching video on Mike Dunn … very similar mechanics to Andy Pettitte … very similar
The Real Brave
December 24th, 2009
3:42 pm
Been out doing procratination shopping but…this was the most homer blog I have ever seen. We are a worse off team vs. the one we were at the end of the season and that team did not make the playoffs . Not better, no matter how you try to spin it! We traded skill for age, Proven ability for “serviceable” and signed a hope and a prayer. Look at the teams ahead of us and compare. Geez! If anyone thinks we have a chance at the post season they are sorely deluded!
THE BEAR Illegitimi non carborundum
December 24th, 2009
3:43 pm
I see no reason whatsoever to sign Dye. He is at best a DH and we don’t have them in the NL. Dye has played exactly one game at first in his entire career.
Nady is a walking customer for the ER. Even with this in mind he could be a reasonable fill-in should Chipper go down or simply not perform. Glaus could move to third and Nady could play first. And of course he can play both OF corners. I am still not crazy about Nady but he does offer a lot of security if either Chipper or Glaus went down for any reason.
Uggla hits a ton of bombs but plays a pretty sorry second base and nas never played anywhere else. Where would the Braves put him if they traded for him? Move Prado to the bench? You don’t move .300+ hitters to the bench. The only place they could put Uggla would be LF and who would he displace? Diaz is who and are we sure we want that? Just asking.
Steve from OH
December 24th, 2009
3:45 pm
nolie–here’s a short clip:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=445197
dp
December 24th, 2009
3:46 pm
DOB do you think wren will wait till after the holidays to make any more moves maybe after christmas or new years what do you think and if you had to guess which move do you think they make
j
December 24th, 2009
3:47 pm
not a ‘cool’ photo at all. he looks old, and you look like a dork DOB. Eat it.
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:49 pm
j
December 24th, 2009
3:47 pm
not a ‘cool’ photo at all. he looks old, and you look like a dork DOB. Eat it.
got sand in your vagina there J?
CB
December 24th, 2009
3:49 pm
PWH,you go to GT don’t you? Can’t afford to lose any of your brain,so stuff your nose with Kleenex,ok? lol
Chop Chop
December 24th, 2009
3:50 pm
PWH,
I’d take the Mets over the Nats in that bet. Don’t underestimate what having a healthy Reyes and Beltran will do for that Met lineup. Also, David Wright will likely go back to his normal swing. They’ll likely get Bay (or some other solid bat) for left field. Hell, they may sign Delgado or LaRoche for all we know. They don’t have much pitching, but my guess is that they’ll get a lot more out of Maine and Perez than the damn-near absolute zero they got in ‘09. If they sign another starter, their rotation should be adequate.
All told, the Mets will be competitive in the division. And don’t forget, our team was destroyed by injury in 2008. We bounced back. The Mets were destroyed by it in 2009. They’ll bounce back. They have too much talent not to.
RR
December 24th, 2009
3:51 pm
Changes so far
wagner = soriano.
saito = gonzalez.
cabrera = anderson.
hudson = vasquez.
Glaus & …. = Laroche & Norton.
Chavez = Acosta.
Dunn = Logan.
in my opinion most of the moves are an upgrade or a wash.
ofcourse 1B is not done yet.If we get Nady or Derosa then that will be an upgrade too. i will take Glaus & nady/Derosa over Laroche & Norton.
MZ
December 24th, 2009
3:54 pm
actually more of a Pettitte-Mike Hampton hybrid style
MZ
December 24th, 2009
3:54 pm
with a little Wandy Rodriguez mixed in for good measure
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
3:56 pm
I maintain that bobby stuck whith him too long last season.
There was zero empirical evidence that Prado was capable of doing what he did last season. For some perspective, non-Braves fans (those who aren’t emotionally invested in the team or its’ players) question Prado’s ability to repeat his performance and it is very fair to ask whether that was an anomoly or Prado is really that good of a hitter.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
3:57 pm
thanx Steve. you’re right, it was short …and he didn’t exactly fool either hitter.
steelbells
December 24th, 2009
3:58 pm
RR… where is Acosta?
VaBraveFan
December 24th, 2009
3:58 pm
Huff is a guy i forgot all about. He seems to stay healthy and is more than a bench player. The guy can play 1B/3B and Corner outfield. his 162 game average stats are
282. Avg
25 homers
92 rbi
I’m surprised he hasnt gotten more attention from teams. I would think he would cost more than a Nady or Glaus but there’s little interest in him so idk…. I wouldnt mind him on the team at all. Lefty guy off bench and gets multiple starts at those positions. ONly reason i think his value is low is cause he struggled when he was traded to DET, but his track record is really good.
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
3:58 pm
P. W. Hjort – do you think prado will slump this year?
nolie
December 24th, 2009
4:01 pm
For some perspective, non-Braves fans (those who aren’t emotionally invested in the team or its’ players) question Prado’s ability to repeat his performance and it is very fair to ask whether that was an anomoly or Prado is really that good of a hitter. PWH
I don’t think there should be much question about his average, perhaps some about his continuing power. but he is bigger and stronger than he was in the minors too. I won’t be surprised if his OPS is between 750-800 somewhere. not sure if he will keep it above 800, but a whole lot of second basemen don’t hit 800ish
Jim
December 24th, 2009
4:02 pm
Merry Christmas Dave.
Be careful out there. Stop to enjoy the views.
Great job this year on the best team blog in baseball.
Jim
monty
December 24th, 2009
4:03 pm
P.W.hjort
“I bet you next year he’ll bat Prado second, even though he’ll most likely be the 2nd worst hitter in the line-up (though certainly not a bad hitting 2B).”
Prado will be in the top 4 avg. wise on the team. Book it.
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
4:03 pm
Chop Chop,
I made the bet because it’s not one I’d mind losing. The loser has to but he winner a glass of Chimay.
I agree though. The Stem will be competitive in 2010. I also think the Nationals have a decent chance of winning 80 or so games. And with the genius they have constructing the roster up there in New York, I figure I’ve at least got a chance of winning, albeit not a great one.
Like I said, though, it’s not a bet I’d mind losing.
steelbells
December 24th, 2009
4:06 pm
Long John Baldry “It Ain’t Easy not exactly 2009, DOB.
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
4:06 pm
FEAR,
I have no idea if Prado will slump next year. Not much would surprise me, though, given the uncertainty of it all due to the small sample size.
steelbells
December 24th, 2009
4:07 pm
“It Ain’t Easy”
David O'Brien
December 24th, 2009
4:08 pm
Big J (at 3:47 p.m.): Shaver is 70. And I’m gonna guess, just from the tone of your comment, that ol’ Billy Joe has probably lived a little longer than you have — and a whole lot harder than you ever will.
The Grinch
December 24th, 2009
4:08 pm
David, on your list I agree with Cohen’s Live in London. Got the DVD and saw him at the Fox recently. Good stuff. But other than that and wanting to have a party in Neko Case’s pants, let’s just say I’d have picked 49 different ones.
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
4:10 pm
nolie,
Agreed with your 4:01. He was a .300 hitter in the minors, he just didn’t draw many walks or hit many homers.
monty,
That’s fair, but he’ll probably leave a thing or two to be desired WRT secondary offense.
nolie
December 24th, 2009
4:11 pm
287/354/435 hey everybody else does it
MZ
December 24th, 2009
4:16 pm
ZIIIIIIING!!!! DOB’S on a freakin’ roll!!
MZ
December 24th, 2009
4:17 pm
DOB ——–
Did you see where one of my guys (Southern Miss) just joined the KU staff?
MiamiBrave
December 24th, 2009
4:24 pm
Jermaine Dye has got to be the last piece of the puzzle. He adds much needed power, should come relatively cheaply, and he can play left field or first base. That gives us added insurance in the infield in case Glaus or Chipper get injured. I still question the Hudson over Vazquez choice though. Hudson is coming back from major arm surgery, his batting average against was .295 after coming back last season, and he is getting older. It seems like a pretty big risk to me. I hope it works out, but it doesn’t appear to be the right move based on recent player performance.
FEAR
December 24th, 2009
4:25 pm
i’m pretty sure Glaus was the last move for Los Bravos
P. W. Hjort
December 24th, 2009
4:30 pm
Thanks for the new blog, DOB, and it’s a real good one.
Merry Christmas, all.
Two words to keep in your mind throughout the Holiday season: Mark DeRosa.
Garla
December 24th, 2009
4:30 pm
DOB, if we still add a LF, doesn’t someone slated to be on the big club have to go? If so, do you think it’s Cabrera, McClouth, or Diaz that’s most likely to be traded? This is assuming Schafer spends the year in AAA and Heyward gets a legit chance to make the team in the spring. If Schafer gets a legit chance, there’s really a log jam. If one of those three are involved in the deal or a separate deal, that would give the Braves at least another million (Cabrera) or more with Diaz or McClouth to play with as well.
braves4ever
December 24th, 2009
4:32 pm
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night………….
RR
December 24th, 2009
4:37 pm
steelbells
RR… where is Acosta?
Acosta will be in Gwinnett.
SeaAtl
December 24th, 2009
4:44 pm
Whistler-Blackcombe (sp?) – haven’t been there in a decade, but it’s still one of my favorite places. Spectacular slopes and really cool village, lodge, bars, restaurants, etc. Of course great skiing, but even in the spring & summer it’s amazing – mountain bike riding, etc. is big there. Have a great time, DOB.
18 Wheels of Love
December 24th, 2009
4:48 pm
DOB, did you ever get around to Isbell’s 400 Unit CD? I still think it is as good or close to as good as the first one. Wasn’t on your list so I was just wondering.
Tweak some airs but don’t tweak your back or a leg.
David O'Brien
December 24th, 2009
4:51 pm
18 Wheels of Love: I finally did get that Isbell CD, got it a couple months back. It’s pretty good, but not nearly as good as the first one, in my opinion.
Rusty Wildcat
December 24th, 2009
4:51 pm
Trade doesn’t make sense and signing Glaus makes even less sense. We need a real power hitter, left or right. I say, like others, package a deal for A. Gonzalez or P. Fielder oh but wait that can’t be done now that we have a oft injured 1b who played a total of 14 games last year. I understand teams not being interested in Lowe but why jump on the possibly the first possible deal? Play hardball and wait on something better than MC,MD, AV. I think alot of us are tired of waiting on the future and talking about these “great” prospects. Why not win now or is that a lost expectation? Why do we have to settle for less? I know that Liberty Media is calling the shots but please – Melky Cabrera and Troy Glaus as being improvements from last years team? Move over Frank, I will be glad to be GM for basically free and that will save Liberty even more money. Check my Yahoo Fantasy baseball record, it probably would qualify me for these kind of moves.
MZ
December 24th, 2009
4:52 pm
yeah, DOB ——
I noticed Isbell’s second disc was absent from your list
MaineBrave
December 24th, 2009
4:56 pm
Man im tired of having ass players in LF, bring in dye or dero or uggla
Dent
December 24th, 2009
5:00 pm
Okay,
I’ve been sitting back trying to figure out what to make of the Braves moves this offseason and this is what I came up with:
Wagner/Saito is a slight upgrade. Frankly Gonzales had his struggles and was not durable. Soriano was a very streaky. When he was on at times there was no problem. Lights out. But last year he gave up a few really important games. That Gload homerun was a turn in the wrong direction for the Braves. Wagner is a top notch closer. In very few cases do elbow problems return once a player has had TJ surgery. Wagner will be terrific.
Lowe is solid. His typical profile is he starts off strong, slips a bit in the middle of the season and then finishes strong. He did not do well in the last part of the season. I feel confident he will improve on his performance from last season.
Losing Vazquez will hurt. He was solid for us. But essentally we are replacing him with Tim Hudson. Not a bad exchange. I was not happy with the trade but the jury is still out. (We may have to sequester them)
Glaus is a terrific low risk deal with a potential for a high reward.
One more right handed bat may be just what we need to put us in the mix.
The Phillies are a strong team but I am not sure Halliday is that much of an upgrade over the performance Cliff Lee gave them. They are still the team to beat.
Right now we are a slightly better team. But one more bat will change the dynamics of the Braves. The next move is the one that will make the difference. No one knows how Heyward will start the season. I have a feeling Uggla may soon be a Brave.
Keep in mind that as a GM you dont just deal with the Free Agent pool for this year but you may choose to allow yourself to look towards free agent players coming up in the next year or two. Not sure I want to lock in too many free agent players from this years group.
Our offense is better already. Pitching is a wash. We are a better team.
Merry Christmas to all.
Bschro3000
December 24th, 2009
5:02 pm
I want to second ccriders remarks and say this – i think it’s bulllsh!t that when you drop down the ajc sports menu this blog is not mentioned. I also think it’s crap that you see their ugly faces on the braves home page under “Braves and MLB columns”.
What a pissing contest between “columnists” and “beat writers” – Carrol and Dave get no respect.
Shultz and Bradley are accomplished – but they don’t put nearly the heart and soul into their product like O’brien. Bradley’s reporting and blogging about the recent trades is amateur at best. Really knee jerk, half baked, reporting – very “reactionary” as opposed to commentary.
AJC is mismanaging a product by not featuring this blog with more prominence on the website – but what else is new . . ..
Jeff Walker
December 24th, 2009
5:03 pm
I think the fans that are actually baseball smart and patient to let things play out, are in favor of Wren. I think he has done an awesome job so far. He has taken some risks this offseason, but I will give it a chance. Heyward and Freeman are keys to the Braves ever having an offense comparable to the hated candy stripers
Jeff Walker
December 24th, 2009
5:05 pm
I also agree that Bradley sounds like a little kid that had his favorite toy stolen when he writes, and I think he is taking it out on Wren. I’d love to see Bradley get fired for Christmas
boog sciambi
December 24th, 2009
5:06 pm
Dent – I think your analysis is pretty solid. A full year of a healthy McLouth and Hudson, as well as not having automatic outs in our lineup (Frenchy, KJ, Schaefer) should make us a better team. Glaus is a tough out due to walking quite a bit even if he’s not hitting lots of dongs, Melky doesn’t strike out like Frenchy does and plays better defense, and Chipper will bounce back
Gillian Welch
December 24th, 2009
5:06 pm
David Rawlings Machine – Friend of a Friend!!!!!!!!!!!
Dent
December 24th, 2009
5:10 pm
Boog,
If you compare the offense at the start of last season and what it should be at the start of next season we are much improved. Results will tell.
Chop Chop
December 24th, 2009
5:13 pm
I have a hard time believing that Wagner/Saito is an upgrade over two relievers who struck out more batters than innings pitched while enduring a heavy workload (157 G, an even 150 IP, 192 Ks). We were lucky that Soriano and Gonzo held up so well. We know that Wagner and Saito won’t. I hope Santa brings you a clue for Christmas, Dent.
Oh, I’m just kidding. Merry Christmas!
boog sciambi
December 24th, 2009
5:15 pm
Mark Bradley’s analysis is always terrible, knee jerk reactions. The type of analysis that would tell you getting Gorkys and Jair Jurrjens WASN’T a good deal. Right, Mark
boog sciambi
December 24th, 2009
5:15 pm
Mark Bradley’s analysis is always terrible, knee jerk reactions. The type of analysis that would tell you getting Gorkys and Jair Jurrjens WASN’T a good deal for Edgar Renteria. Right, Mark
boog sciambi
December 24th, 2009
5:17 pm
Chop Chop – show me when Soriano has put two solid years together. He hasn’t. He’s a better pitcher with better stuff, but we’ve seen over the past few years that he’s just not mentally tough like a guy like Billy Wags. Watch him mow some people down this year.
Merry Xmas, sir
boog sciambi
December 24th, 2009
5:19 pm
I should clarify. 2006-2007 were both good but both contract or arb years
Chop Chop
December 24th, 2009
5:22 pm
Wagner/Saito over Soriano/Gonzo.
That was the premise I was responding to, e.e. cummings boog sciambi.
Merry Christmas to you, too.
Jay212033
December 24th, 2009
5:23 pm
Jay’s Top 5 Albums of 09
1. Ryan Leslie – Transitions
2. Maxwell – BlackSummer’sNight
3. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
4. Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon
5. Melonie Fiona – The Bridge
THE BEAR Illegitimi non carborundum
December 24th, 2009
5:24 pm
MiamiBrave
December 24th, 2009
4:24 pm
Jermaine Dye has got to be the last piece of the puzzle. He adds much needed power, should come relatively cheaply, and he can play left field or first base.
Dye has played exactly ONE GAME AT FIRST. Why do so many people think he can just walk in from the outfield where he has played all his life and presto, become an accomplished first baseman? And at the age of 35 too.
Signing Dye would be a disaster. He would only crowd the outfield and offer no solution to a first base problem or one at third should Chipper go down. DeRosa is by far the best alternative if we want versatility which is not a bad idea at all.