Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
574 comments Add your comment
Rich W
November 10th, 2012
6:31 pm
I haven’t read every post here, but so many are ringing their hands like the world has come to an end.
Ross was a BACK UP catcher for Pete’s sake. A back up. It really doesn’t change very much. Club house leader? Well yes, but someone else will set up. It makes room for a Prado or McCann type.
Folks, this is not the end of world, really. Chill out. It is a long way to April or to September.
Chopper to Chipper
November 10th, 2012
6:36 pm
You folks are off the reservation (pun intended)
This is a BACKUP CATCHER!!!
He will not have a better season than McCann, even he admits he can’t play full or even most time. We’ll get another backup and move on. He’s a superior backup catcher but not worth what Boston is paying him. Since Boston has cash to burn and a habit of doing so, that’s fine for them. But it would have been an unwise move to match that contract for the Braves.
We can give a one or two year deal to any of the available catchers and we’ll be just fine. I want to see the CF and LF moves that are coming. That’s the key.
bbf
November 10th, 2012
7:01 pm
are you kidding me!!!!!! If it had not been for David this year filling in not just when we needed him but when he was hurt… how many times did he win a game for us…. go ahead Braves, build your young team… I have an option to buy or not buy tickets next year… what a shame for the Braves but that’s some kinda paycheck he’ll be getting…. good grief!
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
7:04 pm
If doughboy McCann is “worth” 12 million, you bet your sweet ass that David Ross is worth every penny of 3 million…
urban redneck
November 10th, 2012
7:10 pm
really, how much money will they save by replacing ross with another backup catcher? four million maybe. we have mentioned his arm and his clubhouse presence……….but he is also a pretty good bat off the bench (well, good for the braves bench). this just doesn’t make sense.
Drew
November 10th, 2012
7:12 pm
He’s a backup. Plus we have to wait to see how it plays out. How does Ross do in 2013-2014 and what does Wren do as an alternative.
Everybody would have gone crazy if Eric Hinske wasn’t brought back for 2012. Good thing we had him in 2012. He really helped out a lot.
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:12 pm
@BravesFanInNashville; Amen, boy, this is Gut check time; now also Jose Yepez could join the frey. The good backups back in the day, Charlie OBrien, course one of my fave’s even though he was a starter, but very good clutch hitter, hit the ball all over the place, McCann took his place was Johnny Estrada, oh very good defensively as well, boy could he hit, righties & lefties. Love to have a Johnny Estrada right about now.
David is good....
November 10th, 2012
7:18 pm
but not nearly as handsome as Javy Lopez!!!
Hammond
November 10th, 2012
7:20 pm
Ross and McCain were a great 1 – 2 punch
Ross will be missed just hope they know what they are doing we really need to resign MB
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:27 pm
Please, Please, do not re-incarnate Bruce Benedict, I’m sorry, he might’ve done ok to catch Knucksie w/ the huge mitt, but dang, hit .220 w/ no if very little pop. No threat whatsoever, I’m goin’ way back in the day LOL, nuts huh, wish Rossy the best. My pops(God rest his soul) use to like o’l Joe Nolan(one of his fave’s, back in the day, but the o’l Biff-ster(Pocoroba)was one of mine when I was a kid, would’ve been a good one if his shoulder didn’t go out on ‘em. I even thought Bill Nahorodny was a good pick-up. Had some pop, but didn’t stay very long.Alex Trevino came, little feller’, couldn’t hit his weight, but he hustled, called a good game.
Chief Knock-A-Homa
November 10th, 2012
7:37 pm
Changing topics… ESPN reporting that Dodgers Andre Ethier is available to suitors… That would be a HUGE pickup for one of the spots in the OF… Ethier in RF, move Heyward to CF… Salary fits and still leaves plenty left for another good OF…
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
7:39 pm
Bruce had some good years when he hit pretty well, O’brien is my all-time favorite back-up catcher though with Ross second and Eddie Perez third. Ross is a little different though because he hits more than most of them have as a rule. Plus, he’s a far better defensive catcher than our vaulted starter…
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:40 pm
Yeah, Javy was a good threat at the plate durin’ the mid-late 90’s, & started droppin down when early 2000’s, of course exploded for his big contract, I believe majority here knows what happened after that, Poof! Oh man, Oh man, don’t have us another Corky, JC, etc… sheesh! Oh, another fave comes to mind, at the beginning of the run, o’l Greg Olsen, played w/ heart, was clutch against the Pirates, then we went out to get Damon Berryhill to bring pop on the left side. Gosh, don’t want to think of Jody Davis(who was good w/cubbies)in the late 80’s. Others, Jerry willard, sac-fly( now that was Infield fly-rule huh? oh yeah,ernie whitt in 90′ for a little taste, Mike Heath(thought was a good pick-up until got hurt in spring, never made it. Henri Blanco, never impressed with.
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:43 pm
@Braves fan – 80’s; You’re absolutely right, Eddie (Eduardo) Perez of course, & could be a future Bravo mgr.(wish’n, or even Rossy as some one noted earlier).
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
7:44 pm
technically Olson was the starter while he was here, til he broke his leg. I like the Olson/Berryhill tandem though, hate Olson’s career was cut so short…
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:48 pm
All you Yogi Berras out there, we need help here, let o’l Gattis learn OF, save his knees, the wear & tear,@Chief Knock-a-Homa; Andre Eithier would be Awesome, good threat!
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:51 pm
I’m w/ you BFS-80’s, still got the schedule cover when Olsen jumped in Smoltzies arms after da’ clincher of 91′.
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:53 pm
Yeah, like you said, hate it w/ the leg injury, was that w/ the collision at home plate w/ caminiti?
74bravesjersey
November 10th, 2012
7:56 pm
Gosh, I know this is old, but you remember Vic Correll?
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
7:56 pm
well that’s the thing, a lot of the die-hard McCann fans seem to think we NEED a ton of offense from our cather. Greg Olson is probably my all-time favorite Braves catcher and he was just a very average major league hitter. A good defensive catcher who hits enough to help out now and again is ALL we need…
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
7:57 pm
yeah Caminiti broke Olson’s leg. He also hurt somebody sliding into third. Don’t remember who that was?
bobbymahlon
November 10th, 2012
8:01 pm
The trouble with Eithier is he is another left hand hitter. We see enough left hand pitchers without him so if we get him every team will save all there lefties for us (we faced more left hand pitchers last year than did anybody else in the league).
bobbymahlon
November 10th, 2012
8:02 pm
I know I should have spelled it their instead of there. See I beat all you Grammar Profs.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
8:04 pm
agreed, new outfielders need to be switch hitters (Fowler) or righties…
bostonbravo
November 10th, 2012
8:09 pm
I think we will all miss Ross.
bostonbravo
November 10th, 2012
8:11 pm
They’re their Bobbymahlon, there not all grammer profs out there.
beachcomber
November 10th, 2012
8:17 pm
This has absolutely nothing to do with the above but I ran into a lady on Clearwater Beach today wearing a #4 Janish jersey. Couldn’t believe it. Turns out that was her maiden name and she started following the guy when he came to town (she lives just north of the city). Her jersey has to be one of very few in captivity – much like my #20 Lemke jersey.
Red Sox sign David Ross, opening door for trades
November 10th, 2012
8:18 pm
[...] to terms with veteran catcher David RossBoston HeraldFOXSports.com -The Chattanoogan -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 101 news articles » Read more » Sponsored [...]
UPGRAYEDD
November 10th, 2012
8:18 pm
That was one salary we should have been willing to carry for two years. Even if he slowed down in year two, the lost investment would have been minimal by baseball standards. Shoot, think of all the money down the drain for Kenshin Kawakami. You can’t put a dollar value on clubhouse presence and on the field hustle.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
8:25 pm
geez, now the rest of the sports world is reporting what a smart move it was to sign Ross away from the Braves…
Frank Wren
November 10th, 2012
8:26 pm
I don’t mind throwing millions away at unproven Japanese pitchers like KK and over the hill pitchers like Lowe, but I like to go cheap when it comes to a proven back up catcher who is rated best in MLB.
Frank Wren
November 10th, 2012
8:26 pm
I don’t mind throwing millions away at unproven Japanese pitchers like KK and over the hill pitchers like Lowe, but I like to go cheap when it comes to a proven back up catcher who is rated best in MLB.
dale in newnan
November 10th, 2012
8:32 pm
I really hate broke-ass Liberty Media. Death to all corporate ownership in sports!
dale in newnan
November 10th, 2012
8:32 pm
I really hate broke-ass Liberty Media. Death to all corporate ownership in sports!
jbill
November 10th, 2012
8:38 pm
ChiefKnockahoma….Andre Ethier contact is note affortable..does not fit. He has a 5 year 85 million contact with 2018 -17.5 million option and 2.5 million buy-out. He is another left handed hitter we don’t need.
2013–13.5 million
2014-15.5 milliom
2015- 18 milliom
2016- 16 million
2017-18 million
2018-17.5 option
He don’t hits lefty good..he not a good fielder. He k’s 124 time last year.They are trying to get rid of his contract. Not what I’d want as a Brave..
David O'Brien
November 10th, 2012
8:40 pm
Gattis had cooled some in Venezuelan League before tonight, when he hit his 6th homer (he’s played 25 games, has 18 RBI)
Interested Bystander
November 10th, 2012
8:43 pm
This hurts
Bro
November 10th, 2012
8:46 pm
Well, Frank you missed on another good opportunity to maintain a little consistency on the team. If you fail to make a splash in the market or by trade you will have hurt the stability of the team. You have got to be the best team oriented Gm in baseball–that’s a joke of course. Do you get paid to see how much you can tease and piss off the fans. You are doing a great job. Never let a good catcher go without a better replacement. Who else could you have spent the money on that would have been more justifiedl. What a stupid move.
Nova Scotia Steve
November 10th, 2012
8:47 pm
RE: Red Sox near play-offs comment on Page 2.
The Red Sox need a lot more than a David Ross and a new manager before they return to the playoffs.
They need a lot of work on that rotation, bullpen, offence and defence. You don’t fix it with a backup catcher and Farrell.
chuck simon's barber shop
November 10th, 2012
8:52 pm
@74braves jersey
Vic Correll – the mayor of Statesboro, LOL. Those were mighty lean years, Chopper Campbell, Craig Skok, Ed Olwine, Tanner’s parade down P’tree
On David Ross: Wren was completely blindsided. Bet Rossy didn’t even give him a chance to match it and took the deal before the Sox withdrew it
Missed most will be his work with the young pitchers and catchers. That alone IMO makes his value a no brainer. My fav Brave, hate to see him go, but probably a better situation for him in Boston
JHarber
November 10th, 2012
9:06 pm
Nova Scotia Steve—-Keep your eyes on Red Sox They have a plan, Starting with Farrell and Rossy. Building blocks. Something Braves no longer understand. Rossy’s intangibles worth what he signed for.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:08 pm
Ross had said he wanted to be a Brave..so I bet he told Wren and Braves would not match it.
AJ Pierzynski said he wanted to be a Brave…not many lately have said that..most have turn Braves down example Cody Ross, Ryan Dempster and Peavy.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
9:09 pm
agreed about Ross JHarber
Ken Stallings
November 10th, 2012
9:09 pm
Some people here don’t fully appreciate the vast diffference between a backup catcher and any other reserve position player on the bench. Your backup catcher starts about every four games if you want to keep your starting catcher anything close to fresh in August and September.
David Ross allowed the Braves to do this without any drop in defense nor offense. Don’t forget, it was David Ross’s homer that put the Braves in position to win their wildcard playoff game before Chipper threw a routine grounder into right field!
Also don’t forget that McCann might not be able to start until early May. David Ross would have allowed the Braves to go with him as the starter for the first month of the season until McCann was ready to go.
Another sage blogger here has mentioned the other vast difference: a backup catcher who can field and hit is a very valuable asset because you cannot risk pinch hitting for your starting catcher because you’ll have to burn your catcher on the bench. It isn’t like subbing a platoon infielder at any of the sacks. Catcher is a highly specialized position for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is giving the pitchers a predictable target and a steady flow of the signs which are also tailored for the opposing team’s offensive liabilities.
A lot of people here won’t know what has been lost until he’s gone. Many of us already know!
you're joking, right ?
November 10th, 2012
9:10 pm
What a shame. What a damn shame. What a cheap-ass move. Again.
David Ross was a very good and yet affordable catcher and a class act, as well.
I just don’t get it. We used to have a problem at the catcher position with BMac’s injury (a recurrent theme, by the way). Now we have an even bigger problem. And just to save a few pennies.
Then again, what can we expect from the man who hired Fredi G ?
justsaying
November 10th, 2012
9:15 pm
Is Wren, Obama?
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
9:18 pm
Pierzynski is widely considered to be one of the most hated players in MLB, he does not fit with the organization…
The Gooch
November 10th, 2012
9:27 pm
I’m happy for him. As much as I hate seeing him go, he deserves more playing time. He’s seems like a great guy and has given the Braves a lot. Boston got a great player at a great price and I wish them both the best.
Babbe
November 10th, 2012
9:28 pm
Good job Frank you tool!!!
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:32 pm
80’s the man!
Guess Smok’em Schafer does? Pierzynski was liked by his own players and not so much my other team players…He also was on team where Greg Walker was hitting coach for years and Greg thinks alot of him. But “fan since 80 “you must know.
What must you do to fit with this organization? Be a good old boy and smoke pot.
Steve
November 10th, 2012
9:33 pm
Losing Ross will hurt but with Gaddis and CB in the minors we are stronger there than some other positions.
The real problem is this .. we just don’t know how McCann will come back. Ross was also injured this year and we could not be sure about him either. If we are going to drop $3 millions on a backup catcher he needs to be someone we can rely on should the worst happen and McCann doesn’t come back healthy or comes back in a limited production role. I would like to think that if the Braves were fully confident in Rossy being a full time starter they would have thrown some money at him.
I would love to have Ruiz. He single-handedly beats the Braves a couple of times per year and we all know how important one game can be.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:38 pm
Ross was the one person on team you could depend on…..u sure can’t depend on McCann.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
9:38 pm
at waht point did I ever say bringing back Schafer was a good move, he’s a bust. IF we have to get into this Napoli tops my list for FA catchers, he can play both 1B and 3B as well as catches a good game, hits for good power though not as good a BA as McCann in his prime. Problem is it looks like he’ll want more money than Atlanta will put into that position, even with the possibility he’ll have to catch most of the year…
Ed
November 10th, 2012
9:39 pm
Upon the beaches of hesitation bleach the bones of many who stopped to rest, and resting died.
Steve
November 10th, 2012
9:42 pm
Ken Stallings. Please don’t act like you know so much more than most of the posters on here. Quite frankly we DO know the value of a backup catcher, especially with our starter having off-season surgery.
Do we know the circumstances? Maybe Atlanta offered almost the same amount. Maybe Ross jumped on the offer without even coming back to the Braves and saying ‘will you match’. Maybe he got tired of being in the shadows here and thought he could get more AB’s in Boston (filling in as DH every now and then). Heck, maybe Ross feared that he would have TOO much responsibility here in Atlanta with McCann’s health in question and he was already feeling beat down from the extra starts last year (towards the end of the season Ross could barely run).
None of us on here know the circumstances. What many on here are simply saying is that this is NOT the end of the world and they are right. Quite frankly there are some starters coming free out there that are as good as Ross and looking for deals in the same ballpark.
Instead of stepping on others just calm down.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:42 pm
Fan 80 you didn’t ans. the question…What must you do to fit with this organization?
I didn’t say get AJ either. Yes I like Napoli…too
David O'Brien
November 10th, 2012
9:44 pm
at waht point did I ever say bringing back Schafer was a good move, he’s a bust. IF we have to get into this Napoli tops my list for FA catchers, he can play both 1B and 3B as well as catches a good game, hits for good power though not as good a BA as McCann in his prime. Problem is it looks like he’ll want more money than Atlanta will put into that position, even with the possibility he’ll have to catch most of the year… — BravesFanSince80s
I keep reading a few folks here speculate on Napoli. Guys, he’s not signing a one-year deal to be a backup catcher, and the Braves aren’t signing a high-priced free agent catcher when they just picked up McCann’s $12 million option and have already said they hope to have him back as soon as two weeks into the season. If not two weeks, then the estimated full six months’ recovery for his surgery would likely have him back about four weeks into the season.
Why, when they wouldn’t pay Ross $3 million per for two years, do some of you believe there’s any chance whatsoever than they’d sign Napoli, who made $9.4 million last year, has averaged 25 homers over the past three seasons, and is going to get a lucrative multi-year contract?
The Braves will be looking for a veteran backup catcher to sign to a one-year deal. Get prepared for that, because if you think there’s any chance they’d sign someone like Napoli you are going to be sorely disappointed. That’s not what they’re looking for. If they hadn’t picked up McCann’s option, maybe they would be. But even then, they almost certainly wouldn’t have signed a high-priced catcher to a multi-year contract that would block Bethancourt.
But with McCann and his $12 million option picked up, that point is moot.
jack
November 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
Bad, real bad!
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
Thanks DOB…do you have any one in mind they might try to get.
rainman34
November 10th, 2012
9:49 pm
DOB what is your true feel on Gattis before i get to pumped up about him. We all talk about needing that big right handed thumper in between heyward and freeman. He seems to be almost to perfect other than the all important d. I watched the video of his go ahead homer in the vwl and he was pumped you could tell his team mates love him and he loves the game. All ive heard is how coachable he is. If we go out and get a left fielder other than back up catcher he would have no place to play. I say he catches until mac is back with a vet backing him up with francisco at third and prado in left with Gattis moving to left when mac is back. All the available cash goes to center and a big time ace.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
9:49 pm
isn’t that pretty much what I said DOB? Maybe I meant instead of picking up McCann’s ridiculous option, Napoli should have been pursued to be the starter for a couple years and a super utility for a couple more? Yeah, that woulda been nice…
Lee
November 10th, 2012
9:52 pm
boston is not going to use him just as a back up he is going to split time with a certain other former braves catcher!!! i read that today in a couple of sights today!! Boston is actually going to use him and take advantage of the talents he still has!! so he will actually earn the 6.1 mil he is getting!! he will not go underutilized like he did with the Braves!! Braves have morons that run the team and even bigger one that manages it!! iv’e said this many times but we fans needs to write, email, and call WREN, and the SO CALLED President( scum bag) of this team and let them know we are not happy!!!! we , as fans need to stand together!!! these idiots do not care about us!! we need to make them care!!
jbill
November 10th, 2012
9:53 pm
FanSince80’s..answer the question…please don’t think I’m being smart. I really enjoy you blogs 98% of time. just want to know.?
urban redneck
November 10th, 2012
9:54 pm
i completely disagree with the post at 9:44. logic has absolutely no place in these comments. he should know that.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
9:55 pm
JBill, that isn’t really an opinion, the Braves are well known as having a requirement of their players that they be the utmost of professionalism in all things. Hell they traded Yunel ’cause he played too “flamboyantly” Pierzynski likes to trash talk too much even while he’s behind the plate, it ain’t the Braves style…
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:00 pm
Pierzynski also took part in one of the dirtiest WS wins I’ve ever seen. I want the Braves to win, but not like that…
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:01 pm
I’ve heard that crap ever since Bobby Cox but it only applies to certain players..ex Schafer, is things changing now? I like players with so fire in the belly. Rememeber Pete Rose…
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:05 pm
they got onto Francisco this year for watching a home run too long, it’s still going on…
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:08 pm
I agree on that..but what about Character..good examples for kids..that don’t matter anymore.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:13 pm
yeah ask Ugly Dan’s pornstar ex-girlfriend about that one:)
MIBravesFan
November 10th, 2012
10:14 pm
I’m sorry to see Ross go, but I don’t blame him or Wren. Ross did the best thing financially for his family, and Wren did the right thing by not overpaying to keep him.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:16 pm
Lol you got what I mean..I’d rather have a play watch a homer to long than Schafer busted twice for drugs and Uggla’s porn star at 2b…so really Braves are not so PURE! Right!
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
MIBraves..u right..Family comes first.
David O'Brien
November 10th, 2012
10:20 pm
JBill, that isn’t really an opinion, the Braves are well known as having a requirement of their players that they be the utmost of professionalism in all things. Hell they traded Yunel ’cause he played too “flamboyantly” — BravesFanSince80s
And there was the matter of him not being very good anymore. He was batting .238 with no homers and a .618 OPS in 301 plate appearances (75 games) when the Braves traded him.
Oldbrave
November 10th, 2012
10:22 pm
The Braves…………..LMAO!
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:24 pm
by that logic , when’s the impending Ugly Dan trade gonna happen? oh yeah, we weren’t paying Yunel an obscene amount of money, my bad…
David O'Brien
November 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
Oldbrave apparently is easily amused (10:22). Good for him. He’ll never be bored.
GB's Hamburgers
November 10th, 2012
10:26 pm
Ross was always productive when he got into games … but he never really got a chance to play. I would have resigned him instead of McCann.
David O'Brien
November 10th, 2012
10:29 pm
by that logic , when’s the impending Ugly Dan trade gonna happen? oh yeah, we weren’t paying Yunel an obscene amount of money, my bad… — BraveFanSince80s
Yes, your bad. As the utter detachment from reality when judging personnel moves, or judging them as though each were made in a vacuum, generally is not beneficial.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:30 pm
DOB when do u think Cunningham will be ready for ML..maybe this year are next.
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:31 pm
DOB, why? We were having an enjoyable discussion. Geez…
BravesFanSince80s
November 10th, 2012
10:34 pm
but let me just point out one thing that IS based in reality. For the rest of us poor schmucks, it’s pretty tough to here a guy doing your job tell us you think that someone who hasn’t done their job, in a very obvious way, for an extended period of time, for WHATEVER reason, is now worth our favorite teams paying him the most he’s ever been paid by said team, to the tune of 12 million dollars. I have a reality problem? Nope, sorry, somebody else does sir…
Nail in the Road
November 10th, 2012
10:42 pm
Can’t blame Ross more money. McCann will either step it up this year or his out of shape butt – ball headed self will be in the A.L. as a DH also.
northbeach Scott
November 10th, 2012
10:43 pm
It would have been nice to have retained Rossy to have him own April 2013 and mentor young Gattis and Bettancourt in antication of McCann’s departure after 2013. Piss poor planning by Wren and the scouting department. Shame on them for letting him go, unless they score Hamilton and they are saving pennies. Otherwise, f-off Braves.
jbill
November 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Wren will get it done…have a little faith. Goodnight Braves fans.
b
November 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
What a pathetic move, Wren.
What cheap tools the braves are.
Rufio
November 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Ross was the best backup position player I have seen. The Braves lost nothing when he was in the lineup. Plus, he was a great leader on the bench and in the dugout. He will be a great manager some day.
Perhaps, Ross did not want to play for Wren or Freddi! He is a smart player and can see a club going down hill. Boston can only go up after Bobby Valentine screwed up that team.
Frank
November 10th, 2012
11:04 pm
Of those FA options, I’d go with Gerald Laird. Solid defense and decent enough with the bat as a backup.
Frank
November 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Ross has been a great backup catcher for the Braves, but I don’t blame ATL with its budget as it is for not wanting to pay him that kind of money. I also don’t blame Ross for taking Boston’s offer.
Biscuit
November 10th, 2012
11:13 pm
Where’s Bob Uecker and Biff Pocoroba when you need them????
Heap 16
November 10th, 2012
11:24 pm
DOB – Thanks for the update on Zeke. Glad to hear he’s OK, and that his changeup is looking good. Continued progress there will go nicely with his two-seamer and slider. Yes he has pitched pretty well out there for the most part. Hopefully you get to see Ahmed, Salcedo, and some of the relievers if you’re still out there Mon. Would be nice to see Salcedo get going some this last week. Buchter has been throwing pretty well out there (walks still a little high though), and he definitely has some promise.
Ken Stallings
November 10th, 2012
11:39 pm
Steve,
I very seriously doubt that David Ross did not extend every opportunity for the Braves to make a matching offer. I also feel very confident that the Braves communicated with Ross’ agent, who gave them the Red Sox’s figures, and the Braves said they would not match that offer.
My reason for such confidence? Simple, Ross stayed at Atlanta for many years and produced at a high level for many years. He had many chances before now to leave and chose not to and nothing seems to have happened to change that other than the likely issue of contract value and the Red Sox offering substantially more.
Of all the free agents who will be signed this year, there isn’t a single player whom I think has earned his contract more than David Ross. Given how frequently you see fan bloggers criticize the money, it’s noteworthy how there is almost universal agreement being expressed here that Ross earned every penny of this contract, with the bulk of comments critical of the Braves for not matching those terms.
Finally, it’s hard to merely relax when you realize that a critical piece of the Braves’ success over the last several years just left for Boston for a contract that appears to be an excellent value for the production the man brings.
MIBravesFan
November 10th, 2012
11:52 pm
The man is a 36 year old backup catcher. A very good 36 year old backup catcher. But he is a 36 year old backup catcher.
Dav
November 10th, 2012
11:55 pm
TIM, winning 94 games isn’t rebuilding mode? The Braves with $25M plus to spend isn’t hard to pay Ross $3M per for 2 year. Ross was just a $5M option that they choose to go with one of the young guys in the minors is my guess. They can find a another catcher if they want. This means a righthand bat in LF and speed in center is more important than a returing 35 year old catcher… Who do we think Wren will sign or trade for this off season ?
Ed Stone
November 10th, 2012
11:57 pm
Losing Ross is a loss but why overpay for a backup catcher when you’re overpaying for a starting catcher. I’m not qualified to be a GM but I can’t fault Wren for letting him walk.
Frank
November 11th, 2012
12:28 am
Ed Stone
Exactly. Having roughly $15.1M tied up at the catcher position is not a good idea when your overall budget is roughly $90M.
Darryl Blackberry
November 11th, 2012
12:29 am
And if Frank had actually signed Rossy to a multi-year, 6 million-dollar deal to compete with the Sox offer, there’d be just as much head-scratching going on right here in the comments section. Or worse, sarcastic posts like “World Series, here we come!” or words to that effect, as if anything less than signing both Josh Hamilton and Zach Greinke isn’t really newsworthy.
The truth is, the Braves are about to have a logjam at the catching position. Whoever the backup/starting catcher is, it’s going to be interesting to see what/who develops. Whatever the organization’s faults with regards to the purse strings, give them credit: they don’t get top picks in the draft, and yet they come away with gems like Gattis and Betancourt to make up for losing guys like David Ross to free agency.
X-Fan
November 11th, 2012
12:52 am
Wren as done to our team what Obama has done to our country. Neither one will ever recover from the gross stupidity of both these idiots.
Karl Rove
November 11th, 2012
12:56 am
The Braves should’ve thrown an ungodly amount of money at Ross. $300M for one year!!!
Darryl Blackberry
November 11th, 2012
1:08 am
X-Fan:
it’s not too late to renounce your citizenship and move to Canada. Likewise, you should probably stop posting messages here and mosey on over to a Blue Jays forum or something. Seriously.