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2,505 comments Add your comment
Mikeyc588
November 19th, 2012
6:04 pm
Span would be a good leadoff hitter and I’d be very happy to get Fowler too (who has out OPS’d Upton over the past three years, I believe) but we have two OF holes to fill, or one OF hole and 3B. Who are you guys looking at for the other spot?
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:04 pm
I hope they took Upton to the Golden Corral !
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:05 pm
afan . Why don’t you Wikipedia Frank Wren…….. and see he had an unlimited payroll in Baltimore, and created one of the largest payroll in baseball for the time……. they finished under .500 for the year.
Please tell us about what you think ?
MFin04
November 19th, 2012
6:05 pm
“what kind of overall value is he likely to provide? That’s ultimately what matters. And if you look, there’s plenty to like. Not a superstar but plenty to like.”
Not much. Defensively he is negative in runs created. He does have speed on the base paths. But Bourn is better on the base paths, better in the outfield, and has a better batting average and better on base, and he can hit leadoff.
BJ Upton doesn’t have the value Bourn does, but his contract is going to be up there like he is Bourn. He isn’t.
Bourn’s Value the last 4 years:
$22
$19
$19
$29
($89)
Upton’s:
$11
$16
$18
$15
($60)
Ok so if Upton’s contract is around 67% of Bourn’s, maybe you go for it. If not you either try to overpay for Bourn or you pass on both and look at cheaper options.
cdpridg
November 19th, 2012
6:05 pm
Uh…No NO and more No……braves are a bunch of cheap 2nd rate idiots!!!
BravePack(FreeFan)
November 19th, 2012
6:06 pm
Sound it out Half…the syllables Ass-tral.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:07 pm
Ok….. someone here mention a free agent WANTING to come to Atlanta ??????
Slowhiteguy
November 19th, 2012
6:07 pm
Shaun, I guess I am in the minority around here…but I agree with you, I think. I feel Bourn is the better player (slightly) but that BJ Upton is the better fit for the Braves. I feel he is narrowing the gap between his tools and baseball skills.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:07 pm
Fowler strikes me as a Coors baby. In general there is a very large difference between his numbers home and away
Carroll Rogers
November 19th, 2012
6:09 pm
afan, think you can figure Prado will be playing third base….and who Braves get in center will dictate where they go with left field because if you don’t get a leadoff hitter or a right-handed bat or both for center, you’re going to need to get that in left field….Justin Upton? but not at the cost of Andrelton Simmons. Josh Willingham?
ncgary
November 19th, 2012
6:10 pm
stanton in left batting cleanup prado at 3b batting 2n or 3rd
and who cares in cf as long as they play good defense
Bobby's Beer Belly
November 19th, 2012
6:12 pm
Anybody else interested in trading for Alex Gordon?
Zing
November 19th, 2012
6:12 pm
.298 OBP… .298 OBP… .298 OBP…
TheOnlyBravesFan
November 19th, 2012
6:12 pm
Fowler strikes me as a Coors baby. In general there is a very large difference between his numbers home and away
Aside from 2010, he’s OPSd at least .700 on the road. Average .703 road OPS if we consider his 2010 season. That’s Bourn’s career OPS. He’s a .720 road OPSer if we take out 2010. He may not be as good as he is at Coor’s, but he’s still gonna be a solid bat, in my opinion. Good defender as well.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:12 pm
Carroll Rogers . what is the bet that Shafer will start in center field ?
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:12 pm
I feel he is narrowing the gap between his tools and baseball skills. slowhiteguy
please tell us what leads you to believe that since his last four years have been pretty much the same, in fact his decline in the ability not to make outs indicates to me that the gap is actually widening
Rick C
November 19th, 2012
6:13 pm
ncgary, Stanton is not going anywhere. Doesn’t make sense for the Marlins to trade him right now.
TheOnlyBravesFan
November 19th, 2012
6:13 pm
Anybody else interested in trading for Alex Gordon?
My 2nd target, after Justin Upton.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:14 pm
Good defender as well. TOBF
not really he isn’t, and I don’t really want a 700 hitter as either of our pickups
Brownie
November 19th, 2012
6:14 pm
It’s taken until the last half hour for bloggers to finally latch onto Span as the best choice (Fowler wouldn’t be a bad choice either, although his D is spotty).
DOB, I didn’t say the whole Upton courtship WAS a smoke screen, I said I HOPE that it was. Because BJ isn’t the best value.
I would like to hear your opinion on Span, and any potential of working a trade with the Marlins for Stanton…would they trade with us, and what would it take?
Delbert D.
November 19th, 2012
6:16 pm
Let’s just stick with that other guy, George Costanza. Save about $72 million of that $75.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:16 pm
not true, there have been quite a few here advocating Span all along
ncbravesfan90
November 19th, 2012
6:16 pm
Id say there’s less than a 0% chance Schafer is the opening day CF.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:16 pm
Nick Swisher last 3 years:
Home:
.281/.369/.479/.848, 198K, 106BB, 38HR, 43 2B, 804AB
Road:
.267/.363/.478/.841, 207K, 124BB, 38HR, 56 2B, 825AB
Vs Left:
.296/.411/.443/.854, 95K, 98BB, 15HR, 32 2B, 524AB
Vs Right:
.263/.343/.495/.838, 310K, 132BB, 61HR, 67 2B, 1105AB
Friends… THAT is also what we need in our OF… very consisten and all the splits indicate he’ll perform well outside of Yankee stadium and regardless from side of the plate he will bat.
Based on Swisher’s numbers and Span’s numbers….
Forget Bourn
Forget Upton
Forget the draft pick
Trade pitching for Spanm sign Upton (cheaper than Upton and only a couple years older than BJ…and less years required).
CF Span
3B Prado
RF Heyward
LF Swisher
1B Freeman
2B Uggla
C McCann/Baird
SS Simmons
I think that is a very good team and would not cost as much as the other options recently suggested.
The numbers are what they are… and the numbers for those two guys are very good to me.
Quint in ATL
November 19th, 2012
6:17 pm
I hope the fact that almost nothing was said in this article about Pagan means that he is the one being targeted.
MFin04
November 19th, 2012
6:18 pm
Why would you want Justin Upton? Look at his home and road splits and tell me why? Also while you are at it, look at Kelly Johnson’s while he was in Arizona. And while we are looking at splits look at Dexter Fowlers.
I wouldn’t trade away the farm for a guy that is a product of his home field which isn’t anywhere close to Turner Field.
Upton is going to cost too much. A guy like Span, Victorino, Pagan makes more sense. Of if the Braves really want to break the bank bring back Bourn.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:19 pm
**Oops… trade for Span and Sign Swisher
:/
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:20 pm
too bad Bj ain’t looking for 4/45 or so
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
6:22 pm
“Peter Bourgious of the Angels………won’t beat out Mike Trout for centerfield……a young,experienced,fast centerfielder,who needs a chance…….Lorenzo Cain of the Royals…..same thing……..Hello !!!!!!”
You have to be kidding — second rate talent. Lorenzo Cain is garbage Bourjos cannot hit.
Why settle for AAAA talent when you can bid for real major league players.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:23 pm
BTW:
Sorry for the long posts to show the Span and Swisher splits… just thought they told a really good story about why to target them to fill our 2 OF spots.
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
6:24 pm
.298 OBP… .298 OBP… .298 OBP…
So what — how about a 30/30 man with 60 extra base hits?
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:25 pm
the so what is because there is nothing that correlates higher with wins than team OBP
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:27 pm
got to think that there is a good chance that his OBP will drift higher again toward his mean I would think
Clark Howard
November 19th, 2012
6:27 pm
If BJ Upton signed here for 15 million a season, that, along with Uggla & McCann’s 2013 contract, would be approximately 45% of the team payroll tied up in just 3 players who hit a collective .235 !
Frank Wren must be MAD !
I hope they took Upton to the Golden Corral !
Bama Braves
November 19th, 2012
6:27 pm
You Guys Really Wont Nick Swisher?……Come On Man!
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:29 pm
Id say there’s less than a 0% chance Schafer is the opening day CF.
I do not agree… he has a decent spring training, and the Braves fail to sign another guy, and there you have it.
You don’t bring a guy in if you think he can contribute…. Of course we can watch Frank Wren over pay for anyone, as that has been the case in the past.
Ralph
November 19th, 2012
6:29 pm
The Phillies want Upton real bad so forget about him , Hamiliton and Bourn are out of braves price range, soon all the others out there will be gone, our only hope is that Wren will find something in the Dumpster, oh wait, he already did, Schafer will be our center fielder..
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:30 pm
Bama Braves -
Do the numbers I posted for Swisher’s last 3 years look bad? Is there something besides his actual performance on the field you do not like? I wasn’t high on Swisher until I looked at the numbers…changed my mind.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:30 pm
I’d take Swisher over Upton in a heartbeat especially at what Upton wants to ge paid
Swisher is a better hitter in almost every dimension, and is probably as good in the field considering the positions played
Heisenberg
November 19th, 2012
6:31 pm
I tossed it out a few weeks back and will do so again. An OF of Justin Upton in LF, BJ Upton in CF, and Heyward in RF will be the best defensive OF in all of baseball and would put some excitement in the offense as well. I say go for it. Sign BJ, trade Hanson & and either Delgado or Teheran to D-Backs for Justin and the big pieces are done. You could bat Heyward in the leadoff spot. Why not? Nats did it with Werth.
Amber Girl
November 19th, 2012
6:33 pm
Guys got to go. I still say Span in CF and COdy Ross in Lf. Bye see you tomorrow.
Nick
November 19th, 2012
6:34 pm
Braves just signed BJ Upton. 5 years/$85M. WOW..huge overpay.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:35 pm
Think about this for a moment… we had Chipper Jones a first ballot Hall of Fame guy here…
So what big star voiced their opinion nationally …….and wanted to come and play with him ?
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:35 pm
An OF of Justin Upton in LF, BJ Upton in CF, and Heyward in RF will be the best defensive OF in all of baseball Heisenberg
not with Upton in CF it would not be, wouldn’t be even close to last years OF which was by far the best in baseball
Heisenberg
November 19th, 2012
6:36 pm
Do the numbers I posted for Swisher’s last 3 years look bad?
It is not so much that they are bad numbers. It is they include half the games in Yankee Stadium with all those other bats around him in the lineup. I do not have a lot of confidence he can replicate that production away from that environment.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:37 pm
Any time the Braves start thinking about spending $10M+/year for a player… they really have to pay for a known commodity. Maybe Swisher is not as flashy as Upton… but at 31… 3-5 yr deal for this guy is much better than 5-7 years for Upton or Bourn. Swisher CAN HIT… and at ager 31, his powe numbers are not likely to dimish as quickly as the speed game of Bourn and Upton through the life of the contracts they want. Atleast we’ll know what we’re getting from Swisher…him and Span would fit nicely. The numbers prove it out.
ncbravesfan90
November 19th, 2012
6:38 pm
“I do not agree… he has a decent spring training, and the Braves fail to sign another guy, and there you have it.”
The Braves have $30 million to spend this offseason. They will not start the season with a payroll less than $95 million. So therefore they will spend money on two outfield spots, shore the bench up, and maybe one bullpen arm. Schafer will not start in CF opening day, has a shot to make the team as a 4th OF but that’s it.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:38 pm
With Upton, at the very least they are getting a younger version of Michael Bourn (though they arrive at their overall values in different ways).
Or he’s Uggla with speed and doesn’t walk half as much. Too much of a gamble, IMO. Better to shoot for Span or Fowler in CF. Willingham in left. If a Span/Willingham deal would cost too much – and likely would – then shoot for Willingham and pursue Fowler with the Rockies.
Don’t if any of that is doable, but Upton could be a big money pit.
BravePack(FreeFan)
November 19th, 2012
6:38 pm
Please no Pagan. That guy will be way overpaid for a good playoff run in 2012. If anyone is a clubhouse cancer it’s that guy…at least that is what I read.
Disgusted
I agree 100% with your 6:30 post…well said.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:39 pm
It is not so much that they are bad numbers. It is they include half the games in Yankee Stadium with all those other bats around him in the lineup. I do not have a lot of confidence he can replicate that production away from that environment.
I posted his Away numbers… they were good. And you don’t think putting Swisher between Heyward and Freeman would be good for him? I actually think he’ll thrive.
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
6:41 pm
that is because you know nothing about baseball with your dogmatic hatred of all stats, and you are like a little boy with his BOO bird. what 14 or 16 years old? if older you should seek help
You are the one who knows nothing about the game — I have forgotten more in a day than you could ever hope to know. Than I do not get in arguments with pieces of condencending garbage like you.
Have a rotten holiday week.
BravePack(FreeFan)
November 19th, 2012
6:41 pm
Nick
Don’t write that shyt without a link…tool.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:43 pm
ncbravesfan90. what if the Braves don’t spend the money because they can’t get the deal done ?
jmart1951
November 19th, 2012
6:44 pm
One year from now the Braves have an opportunity to set themselves up for a fantastic future. To handcuff that future with a $15 mill per year player as well as Uggla’s last two years is poor fiscal management
Cunningham will be better than Upton and should be ready for 2014 season
Francisco is a better piece for an American League team and should be added in a deal for Olt this off season. A certain dollar amount payroll does not guarantee anything. The Braves are one year away from having young, controllable talent for years to come. Forget Upton and trade for Span and Olt. Extend Prado and Hayward and keep the remaining money for extensions next year for Freeman, Kimbrell and O’Flarety and Beachy.
ncbravesfan90
November 19th, 2012
6:45 pm
“what if the Braves don’t spend the money because they can’t get the deal done ?”
They will get deals done. There’s just no way that you will see a mid market team start a season with a payroll of $30 million less than what they have to spend.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:45 pm
Olt’s not available, per reports.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:45 pm
Woe is us, we losr Pie to the Pirates
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:46 pm
jmart1951… so I kind of agree……. especially with the big failed contracts the braves have dealt out.
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
6:46 pm
Thanks Brave Pack — No one should go that far at personal attacks.
As for Pagan I can sort ot take it ot leave it but I doubt Wren is looking at him
If we wind up with Span or Fowler either way either player should help. As for the home splits — some guys just might hit better at home.
Their game is speed and defense and getting on base so the ball park should not have that much as effect.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:46 pm
ncbravesfan90. so are you wanting another Uggla type deal to make the fans happy ?
Felix
November 19th, 2012
6:47 pm
Fillies: quit messing around and take upton quick! I think BJ and Charlie will be a great match for each other. Do us a good deed and save Wren from himself.
Charlie: Still losing sleep over your decision to pitch to Chipper?
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:49 pm
I think Pagan stays with the Giants. The Phils have the money to trump an offer by the Braves to Upton – if they desire.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:49 pm
Trading for Span and signing Swisher has another advantage… good fits for the OF and the lineup… and leaving $ to extend Prado and/or Heyward.
P Rose
November 19th, 2012
6:50 pm
The money would be better spent locking up Medlen, Kimbrell and Heyward long-term while they still can.
BravePack(FreeFan)
November 19th, 2012
6:51 pm
Disgusted and I don’t always agree on things but he can have an intelligent argument with me and knows what he is talking about. You, on the other hand, just talk out of your ass and have no clue.
T-Dawg
November 19th, 2012
6:51 pm
This is the dumbest deal idea Fran Wren has ever conceived. I say this because at least Kawakami, Uggla, Lowe,McClouth ALL LOOKED like they would perform better than they have. B J Upton has shown you who he is and he is NOT what this team needs. We need more consistent hitters.
This pursuit should show fans management is going backwards. I will be extremely disappointed if this is our “big deal”. I’m already disappointed knowing we are actively pursuing him.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:52 pm
Swisher costs the Braves a draft pick, as I understand it.
Chief Knock-A-Homa
November 19th, 2012
6:52 pm
Every report I’ve seen from DOB and everywhere else keeps saying that Bourn is likely to command $15 million over 5 years… The same that Upton is looking at…
Why would we not just keep Bourn, a guy who has been great for us…
Ralph
November 19th, 2012
6:53 pm
Simons could bat leadoff if necessary, better than him hitting 8th!
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:53 pm
Why would we not just keep Bourn, a guy who has been great for us…
he faded at the end of the season, and Scott Boras is going to get him OVER PAID.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
6:54 pm
Jeff R
Draft pick be-darned. I’ll still take Swisher/Span over Upton/?? or Bourn/?? Better offense/defense and cheaper. Draft picks don’t always pan out and Swisher will produce.
Ralph
November 19th, 2012
6:55 pm
If Simmons bat’s leadoff, we have two good candidates for the 8 hole, Uggla and McCann.
Astral
November 19th, 2012
6:55 pm
DOB said in one of his latest blogs that Bourn is looking for more than 5/75.
old man
November 19th, 2012
6:55 pm
Wow, lots of crazy input here.
Here’s one,”Resign Michael Bourn and sign Josh Hamilton!” I think that will cost about 45 million a year for 5 years, maybe 6. Getting toward 270 million dollars there, pal. Personally, I would like to drive a Ferrari. Let me think, I seem to recall a problem with that. What’s the problem . . . ? Hmmm. Oh, yeah, IT WOULD BE STUPID FOR ME TO BUY A FERRARI. I CAN’T AFFORD IT.
Lots of “just resign Bourn.” Well, Bourn is getting older, losing speed, and tailed off BADLY in 2012, and he will be at least 33% more expensive than BJ Upton. Upton has upside, Bourn does not.
“I prefer Span and Willingham.” I agree. But one team is not going to trade two thirds of their outfield, and these are both trade targets, and that deal would decimate our inventory of upper level prospects for several years to come.
I’m just on page one, so if I see any more unsophisticated ravings, I will update with those too.
I’m nervous about BJ Upton too, but a lot of front office and sports journalism people have him rated very, very high. Some of these comments though, sheesh!
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:56 pm
Bourn will command more than Upton, financially. He’s thirty and a speedster. His legs will be a question as he ages.
Span or Fowler would cost less and the Braves won’t have to tie up budget for either for five years.
Half Empty
November 19th, 2012
6:57 pm
yes 90mil+ would not surprise me too much on Bourn
Peter
November 19th, 2012
6:58 pm
Simons could bat lead off if necessary, better than him hitting 8th!
That may be the future of the Braves line up with Prado batting 2nd……
My thoughts are with McCann out of action for so long……. we may be out of the picture 2 months into the season…… heck we stunk with chipper out.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
6:58 pm
Draft pick be-darned. I’ll still take Swisher/Span over Upton/?? or Bourn/?? Better offense/defense and cheaper. Draft picks don’t always pan out and Swisher will produce.
I don’t want Upton, either, and I’m not fussed if the Braves had to surrender a draft choice for the right OFer.
Wouldn’t mind Swisher but for how long a contract? I’ve read Swisher’s asking price is high.
BravePack(FreeFan)
November 19th, 2012
6:59 pm
I can get on board with Span or Fowler as both are fairly young and
good players.
Trader Jack
November 19th, 2012
7:00 pm
Nick Swisher would be a disaster playing half his games at Turner Field and surrounded by mediocre hitters.
He thrived in Yankee Stadium surrounded by a stellar lineup, not the Kmart patchwork Braves.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
7:01 pm
T-Dawg, per DOB’s blog post, Wren is looking at multiple options. Wouldn’t assume that Upton is a lock for Atlanta.
kevin chop
November 19th, 2012
7:02 pm
Saying sheesh def does make you an old man. When you get a player like josh hamilton there is nothing wrong bringing a cheap option in like constanza to go with hamilton and heyward.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
7:04 pm
Hamilton is a lot of baggage and the Braves can’t afford him, anyway. He’s not going to be a Brave unless his ask comes down dramatically.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:04 pm
More like …….constanza to go with Shafer and Heyward.
Heath
November 19th, 2012
7:05 pm
He thrived in Yankee Stadium surrounded by a stellar lineup, not the Kmart patchwork Braves
If Swisher signed, he’d bat between Heyward and Freeman… Those are Kmart patchwork Braves? No, sir.
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
7:05 pm
I can get on board with Span or Fowler as both are fairly young and
good players.
Brave Pack — Fowler does have a higher OBP — both would be cheaper and there is more room to get a masher for LF.
BJ for the cost is one that I am on the fence with anyway — have posted the pros as I see it and also understand the cons.
I am trusting Wren on this judgement.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:06 pm
Hamilton is a lot of baggage. perfectly said… heck they traded Justice for that reason……..even after he won the world series for the Braves !
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:06 pm
I am trusting Wren on this judgement.
God luck with that !!!!!!!!
JNick
November 19th, 2012
7:09 pm
Seriously, stop listing Dexter Fowler as an option for CF….worst defensive CF in baseball, and his home/road splits are awful….talk about a product of Coors Field. Just STOP THE MADNESS….
Ralph
November 19th, 2012
7:09 pm
If they want a .262 hitter with no power then Dexter Fowler is the man, thats what he hits away from Coors Field where a well hit pop up becomes a HR.
Disgusted
November 19th, 2012
7:09 pm
I actually like FW Peter — his judgement is better than mine and anyone else on this blog.
BTW — the trading of Justice was a mistake fair and square. That is well before Mr. Wren.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:10 pm
Outfielder Juan Pierre has agreed to terms on a deal with the Miami Marlins pending a physical, a source confirmed to ESPN.
The Sun Sentinel reports the deal is for one year and worth $1.6 million.
Pierre, 35, was a member of the Marlins from 2003-05. He spent last season with the Phillies, hitting .307 and stealing 37 bases.
This guy could have played for us……. and cheaply !!!!!
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:11 pm
Disgusted……. why do you have any hopes for Wren ?
He ruined Baltimore for a long time…and has done zero here ?
Ken Stallings
November 19th, 2012
7:11 pm
Mikey,
You brought some good numbers to the discussion. But, the Braves have some good power hitters on their roster. Chipper, Jason, Uggla, and Freeman are good power hitters. Also, in 2011, McCann hit well.
Unless you have atmoshpherics at work, dimensions are the best way to compare home run numbers. One factor putting Tropicana Field near the bottom is frankly the almost total lack of power hitters on their roster.
If we took hitters like Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Freddie Freeman, Dan Uggla, and Jason Heyward and had them hit at Tropicana, I think you’d see how those dimensions factor into the equation.
Likewise, BJ Upton led the Rays in homers and RBI’s. As a team, the Rays ranked near dead last in slugging and batting average and only 18th in runs scored. Tampa Bay was a pitching team with a slew of outstanding arms, ranking first in nearly every category: batting average against, walks plus hits per innings pitched, and ERA.
Frankly, I’d rather have Ben Zobrist than BJ Upton and I think the Rays would also! Zobrist hit only eight fewer homers than Upton (to finish second on the roster last year) but his on base average was a vastly better .377 to Upton’s woeful .298. Zobrist walked 97 tmes to Upton’s 47, and Zobrist struck out only 103 to Upton’s 169.
Like I wrote, the Braves need to be more concerned about getting guys on base and advancing runners already on base. We saw it all too frequently with Dan Uggla, critical situations and the pitchers opposing us got tough and got the strikeout to kill the inning. BJ Upton is another place where a quality pitcher can go to get an unproductive out.
Unless your field is tailored for power (and Turner Field is certainly not) you sacrifice power for OBA and high walks/K ratio. BJ Upton is a very poor fit for those critical equations.
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:14 pm
Ken Stallings. Great points…… I still think Wren ruined all with the trades of Blanco and Infante..both guys produced here, and were in the price range that made sense.
Plus the steroid era has ended……speed is what is going to win now, with some power.
Jeff R
November 19th, 2012
7:15 pm
Like I wrote, the Braves need to be more concerned about getting guys on base and advancing runners already on base. We saw it all too frequently with Dan Uggla, critical situations and the pitchers opposing us got tough and got the strikeout to kill the inning. BJ Upton is another place where a quality pitcher can go to get an unproductive out.
This seems on-target to me.
BravesFan79
November 19th, 2012
7:15 pm
Just say NO to BJ overrated Upton!
J Spencer
November 19th, 2012
7:16 pm
Denard Span in center and Josh Willingham, save a ton of money and have a ton of flexibility…hello is anybody listening? What do you think?
Rick C
November 19th, 2012
7:17 pm
Peter, what exactly did Wren do that “ruined Baltimore for a long time”? I’m aware that they had the biggest payroll in baseball at the time and performed poorly, but what specific things did Wren do that were bad decisions?
Peter
November 19th, 2012
7:18 pm
We need to learn to play small ball…. the Giants won it all with great pitching, defense and small ball…….contact hitting, and speed to press the fielder’s into making small mistakes that created extra bases.