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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
156 comments Add your comment
Bob the Blogger
November 10th, 2010
3:07 pm
The worst that can happen is Torbert stinks it up in spring training or the early part of the season at AA and is released. And at best, …
New Era
November 10th, 2010
3:09 pm
DOB Keep reporting. It’s a good story and I hope he kid makes it.
Plate Appearance
November 10th, 2010
3:11 pm
I’m glad to see Wren’s attempting to make moves like this — in looking for that diamond in the rough.
ward
November 10th, 2010
3:32 pm
i like hearing about minor leagers chasing a dream good suff dob.GO!!!! Braves!!!!!
808 Brave
November 10th, 2010
4:39 pm
Why is everyone hating on this story for. People need to put themselves in other peoples shoes. What if this were you? You’d do anything for that opportunity to live your childhood dream. At least this guy is chasing it, even if he doesn’t make it at least he tried. How many of you can say you tried to chase your dreams. Hardly any. I’m happy for this kid. I like to see when hardwork pays off. Hopefully it will for this kid and the Braves organization.
lee
November 10th, 2010
4:40 pm
yes its a great story about someone that seems to have a HEART for the game, which a lot of big leaguers could learn from!! i hope one day he can make it up to Atlanta!! i think what all the “complaining” is really all about is that everyone wants to hear news about what is going on with the big club. the history of the Atlanta Braves is always “no comment” about everything, and it seems to be always difficult to get clues through other “hot stove” sources about what the braves might be thinking about or doing this time a year. At the same time, you always year what X team is doing or thinking or Y team is looking for or doing. As a Braves fan, i find it very frustrating that we cant always get a clue about what is going on with this team that other fans of other teams can get with their teams. you can call it a “Braves Nation” as much as you want to, but it just gets frustrating when we cant get any real info about this team. so maybe its not the story in itself that people are complaining about. it is just the fact that we here 24/7 things how the (J)ankee’s are camping out at cliff Lee’s house , and other news updated daily like that, and the best news we can get about the team is about a player that has no chance in the near future to contribute to the team. it is frustrating to me. Eventhough it is a GREAT feel good story, and i would love to hear about it, i want our sportsjournalist to push Wren and and other sources to get the same info that other fans of other teams seem to always have!!! So its great for this Guy, and it was a GREAT story!! can we please now start PUSHING to get some info on what is going on with this club now!!! PLEASE!!!!
TampaGator
November 10th, 2010
4:41 pm
Hey….remember Roy Cobb!!!
If Liberty isn’t going to put up the money for a top notch free agent outfielder, then I am glad they are putting up money for the Braves scouts to hang out in the independent leagues at least.
Yep…boy….Kansas City….the Braves are now in your league.
No wonder Bobby retired (and I am glad he did).
TampaGator
November 10th, 2010
4:44 pm
Nothing against the kid…..I hope he is another Roy Cobb character in the real for the Braves. But I would rather get excited about the Braves spending the money to sign Werth off the Phillies to play LF next year.
But like Georgia fans thinking their team can beat the Gators….I am just dreaming.
The Sham
November 10th, 2010
4:58 pm
@ TampaGator: I know you’re fishing for a response so I’ll indulge you here… Like usual while you dreaming – you are a bit premature… it’s too early for the FA signings to occur.
Smart Jay
November 10th, 2010
5:29 pm
Again, DOB should institute a baseball test for people to post on this blog. It really is annoying to have to filter out all the idiots.
Baseball America | Blog | Baseball America Prospects Blog | Minor League Transactions: Nov. 1-8
November 10th, 2010
5:34 pm
[...] win his second league MVP award as well as the BA Independent Leagues Player of the Year award. The Braves become the third organization to sign the 27-year-old Torbert, an Astros 17th-round pick from Faulkner (Ala.) University in [...]
Smart Jay
November 10th, 2010
5:47 pm
Great opportunity for a career minor leaguer to get back to being an AA minor leaguer again. I hope he can be an AA player yet again. Chipper killed a 10 point buck on his ranch. DOB will be all over that story soon…
Smart Jay
November 10th, 2010
5:53 pm
Its pretty simple. Independent League pitchers have 80mph fastballs and 70mph curveballs. MLB pitchers have 95 mph fastballs and 88 mph curves. There ya go…
Barry Bonds (Still on the Juice)
November 10th, 2010
5:59 pm
WOWs, I can only hit a Coconut 58 feet or so.
yogi2
November 10th, 2010
6:05 pm
I wish the braves had traded Jordan Schafer, Brooks Conrad and Nate McLouse for him. Sioux Falls would be a good place for those bums. The Braves would have gotten the better deal. Or they could just release the bums.
yogi2
November 10th, 2010
6:10 pm
Mitch Jones is great triple A player, great hitter and the Braves never gave him a chance this past season.They sold him to the Pirates.
Lew
November 10th, 2010
7:46 pm
How can this signing and that of Mather possibly upset anyone?
They aren’t penciled into starting roles – in fact may never even start a game and they aren’t the outfielder Wren’ll try to get this winter.
These kind of signings happpen all the time with every team – nothing whatsoever out of the ordinary – but they aren’t guaranteed anything. Hell – even Jean Bioscan is guaranteed catching at Spring Training and he’s had what? One AB for the Braves?
And keep in mind, with a waiver signing or minot league contract, you never know when you’ll end up with an Eric O’Flaherty – another waiver signing that’s turned out pretty damned well for the Braves.
sheeesh
November 10th, 2010
8:27 pm
I have no problem with the signing of the guy. My point in my prior post is that it is highly unlikely that this is meaningful in any way to the success of the Braves. It has the same relevance as the signing of Mitch Jones (thank you to you bloggers who thought it worthwhile to “google” for the name of that major coup).
It is not a “no risk, high reward” signing. It is more likely a “low-risk, no reward” signing. The guy has already had a shot with a ML franchise and failed. He’s getting a second look. I wish him well.
It’s possible, but highly unlikely, that he will ever make it to the majors. If he does, and he makes it with the Braves, and he has a meaningful role, then I don’t want to be around to see the disaster that hit the Braves to lead to such a scenario. I suppose you could say that it is because of the disaster that IS the Braves outfield that this news item even warrants being published. Just like last year, when they signed that AAA guy. What was his name again?
In Fredi I Trust
November 10th, 2010
9:08 pm
DOB,
Anything at all brewing with the Braves?
NO MORE BOBBY
November 10th, 2010
10:16 pm
Looks like another top notch off season for the Braves. Let me guess…. Hubbard is coming back but to play second for us and we trade Prado for minor league stars that we groom and then trade away for a quick fix that does not work out and they become stars for some AL team.
It will happen. Bring back Bobby and fire Wren.
Hymie
November 10th, 2010
10:18 pm
Wren: Francouer=NO.
Tom in SD
November 10th, 2010
10:41 pm
Just talked to Beau tonight. My neighbor is his girlfriend and getting ready to move to Alabama. Great guy, very happy for the opportunity.
Bill O'Reilly
November 10th, 2010
10:44 pm
Its Free Agency and the Braves are kinda quiet right now. Where is the big splash Frank Wren
Bill O'Reilly
November 10th, 2010
10:46 pm
Tom in SD I highly doubt that that guy’s girlfriend is your neighbor, next time tell something better
Really
November 10th, 2010
10:53 pm
Trade our catcher for Buster Posey
BBUA
November 10th, 2010
11:12 pm
Necromancer – I’m surprised at your negative regarding this story. The Braves are simply giving him a chance to make the AA team. If he fails nothing lost.
The Braves have gotten lucky on a few cheap signing or minor trades. They signed a minor pitcher several years ago to a minor contract and he pitched a few years in Atlanta even served as the closer for a short period of time. I think his last was McMichael. Two years ago Brooks Conrad was signed to a minor league contract and few if any expected him to play in Atlanta. I realize his defense was bad but he was signed to be a bench player and pinch hitter. He did okay in that department. We received Diaz in a minor trade and I doubt anyone expected him to ever play in Atlanta.
This kid isn’t been signed to play a role in Atlanta this year but who knows. It doesn’t hurt to give him a chance.
BILL MAIER
November 10th, 2010
11:27 pm
You could put him in the bigs right now and he could not be any worse than melky, and for sure play better defense. Great story will be rooting for this kid to make it.
BILL MAIER
November 10th, 2010
11:39 pm
remember when we signed Julio Franco from the Mexican leagues– anything could happen.
Low Key
November 11th, 2010
1:02 am
I bet he’s at least as good as the Melk dud.
ward
November 11th, 2010
2:47 am
yeah: i think these are smart signings, and you never know. Go!!! Braves!!!!
bring back blauser
November 11th, 2010
6:18 am
francoeur could be cheap maybe he would listen to parrish
the truth...
November 11th, 2010
6:22 am
It would be interesting to see how McLousy would fare side by side on the same team and same league with this fellow wouldn’t it?
Since Nate can’t throw the ball from short center field to third on the fly, I’d take this “rookie” over him there….and the bat? Give us a break teenagers, Nate can’t hit his way out of your lunch bag so this guy is hands down and improvement over McLousy…
Nothing ventured nothing gained….
the truth...
November 11th, 2010
6:25 am
I would love to see the Bravos give Francouer a chance with a new hitting instructor..
I’ve yet to see any of the team flourish under Pendleton’s guidance…
dap01
November 11th, 2010
6:59 am
Why would we want Francouer? Is he coachable? Does he have good (or even average) splits? Can he hit LHP? Can he run? Is his slugging % even close to average? The answers are no, no, no, no, and no.
He can into the league touted as a 5 tool player and it turns out he has only an arm in the outfield.
He just refused a minor league assignment for the 2nd time in 3 teams. He is vastly overrated, he was overpaid, but I predict that his next contract will be no more than a chance to make a team.
B
November 11th, 2010
8:21 am
Lots and lots of good things start with B. Beer, bacon, boobs, bourbon, blondes, brunettes, and Beau. Go get ‘em kid.
No Way!
November 11th, 2010
8:24 am
Francouer is not Major League talent. If the Braves give him another chance I will burn my season tickets and every piece of Braves gear I own. I wish him the best, since he is a local kid, but just not with the Braves.
keef
November 11th, 2010
9:20 am
Our headline reads: Independent League slugger going to Braves.
man, and the Yankees headline today is: GM meeting with Cliff Lee for an informal meet and greet…
wow…
Peter
November 11th, 2010
9:27 am
Makes sense after Melky, Ankiel, and Nate……. another cheap play as a band aid !
Please fire WREN !
Michael G.
November 11th, 2010
9:46 am
can we book our trip to the world series now with this signing?
David O'Brien
November 11th, 2010
9:49 am
Michael G.: sure, go ahead and book. buy non-refundable tix, too. Not sure which AL city you’re booking for, but pick a few and go for it.
Tom in SD
November 11th, 2010
10:12 am
Beleive what you want, she worked for the baseball team this summer and met him there. Why on earth would i lie about it, seriously.
Hoosby
November 11th, 2010
10:56 am
Better to be a ‘has-been’ than a ‘never-was’. Good luck Beau!
Joey
November 11th, 2010
10:57 am
Boy, it’s easy to root for guys like that.
Good luck, Beau.
bravevol
November 11th, 2010
12:24 pm
maybe we ave another Greg Olsen…
Supes
November 11th, 2010
1:36 pm
Francine is at BEST a 4th OF (defensive type replacement late in game)….anyone who thinks or even considers the possibility of returning that quitter back to the team is not a TRUE Braves fan.
To my knowledge the Braves have a plethora of 4th OF on the roster already!
old timer
November 11th, 2010
2:09 pm
If Beau can run at all he is our best defensive centerfielder. So we are set. He’s in center, Infante is in left, Heyward in right. Inflield of Chipper playing 160 games, Gonzales at short (not the manager, the other guy), Martin at second, Freeman at first, McCann behind the plate. Keep all the pitchers. 95 wins.
Matt the Brave
November 11th, 2010
2:26 pm
Hey DOB, I saw that the Brewers might be looking to unload Ryan Braun. What do you think it would take for the Braves to spring him from there for LF? I mean, that would be unbelievable. I would guess probably Jurrjens, Minor, at least two guys from AAA and maybe another from AA.
TDub
November 11th, 2010
2:55 pm
Great, story, thanks DOB. Good luck to him.
Chuck
November 11th, 2010
3:48 pm
It would be fun to see a list of players that came to the Braves through “unnatural” channels through the years and were able to contribute. Like Julio from the Mexican leagues, and there was a pitcher from there also. Kerry Ligtenburg, Peter Moylan – who else?
Roja
November 11th, 2010
4:09 pm
4th or 5th outfielder??? Sounds like a better prospect than the current 2nd and 3rd outfielders on our roster.
Logan
November 11th, 2010
7:25 pm
Chuck
How about Bill Lee who played for the Red Sox. He was from a different planet.
GaryinBham
November 13th, 2010
6:24 am
The scorching comments about these kinds of signings are evidence of what is wrong not merely with baseball but we fans. If it is about winning no matter what or how, then be a Yankees fan. Baseball, like many things in our culture, has lost some of its soul when the story of a kid trying to live his dream isn’t a good story anymore. So let’s say Liberty spends every penny, buys last year’s all star team, and we win. Satisfied? I wonder. I grew up reading John R. Tunis’ great books about baseball–comebacks, drama, unexpected heroes and courage under fire. Ever notice that the top spending teams don’t always win? Go, Beau. Live the dream.
David O'Brien
November 13th, 2010
11:51 am
Kawakami story: http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/11/13/kawakami-clears-waivers-dropped-from-braves-roster/
matt
November 15th, 2010
10:51 am
If I ever want to get depressed, I just come read some of these negative post. There is no way some of you can call yourselves Braves fans. What a great story. Good Luck
tolbertjr
November 16th, 2010
4:22 pm
Remember Lightenberg for the 2005 season as Braves closer….was obtained for six dozen balls and two dozen bats…..should have been the MVP of the team that year……
KileNery
February 15th, 2012
7:24 am
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