You Be The GM: Braves send Francoeur to Boston Red Sox for… who?
With a Gordon Edes report circulating online that the Boston Red Sox have been scouting Braves right fielder Jeff Francoeur — and Atlanta GM Frank Wren having no comment on the matter — we turn to you, our AJC readers, for… comment on the matter of the Frenchy-to-BoSox rumors.
You Be The GM: For the pure sake of argument, let’s say you’re Braves GM and you’re shipping Francoeur to Boston. Who do you ask for in return? Another outfielder to plug the RF hole that’s created? A pitcher to shore up our rotation? Or the big bat needed to cure the offensive woes?
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320 comments Add your comment
ElonBrave
May 29th, 2009
10:55 am
Jim Edmonds in a corner spot.
Russell
May 29th, 2009
10:58 am
Bring Back Deion Sanders! Atlanta needs a little PRIME TIME!
“If you look good…you play good….If you play good….you get payed good”
Deon Sanders
Marc
May 29th, 2009
11:04 am
THE BEAR, let’s look at Jeff’s RBI’s.
April – 13 RBI
10 RBI from Apr 5th to 19th,
3 RBI from Apr 20th to 29th
May – 8 RBI
6 RBI from May 1st to 11th
2 RBI from May 12th to 28th, both coming on May 20th with a 1 hit performance
He also has 19 strikeouts and 1 walk this month versus 7 strikeouts and 4 walks in May.
The point I’m getting at is either pitchers have figured him out or he’s going back to his old ways (or maybe both). No one wants to see this kid go on a tear more than me, but results do matter at this level. If him and Schafer can’t get it together in the next couple of weeks, they’ll be demoted or moved, and rightfully so.
I do think he can do it though if he gets on it like a boy-dog. There is one hopeful stat. He had 22 hits in April, and has 23 in May. Granted, he has 10 more plate appearances this month. Another upsetting number though – .422 SLG in April versus .283 in May.
Marc
May 29th, 2009
11:06 am
Correction on above post, he has 22 hits in May, and had 23 in April, and my plate appearances were wrong. He has 99 at-bats this month, versus 83 in April. Hence the AVG drop.
Marc
May 29th, 2009
11:07 am
Correction to my above post. He has 22 hits in 99 at-bats in May, had 23 hits in 83 at-bats in April.
Marc
May 29th, 2009
11:08 am
Damn blog lag, sorry.
DC Bravesfan
May 29th, 2009
11:36 am
He’s a headcase…he’s trying to be everything (hitting for average, RBI, HR’s, OB%, etc…) and he’s end up being nothing. If he’d just start focusing on hitting dingers, he could take over the cleanup spot. If he’d focus on his average, well, you get the picture.
Sid
May 29th, 2009
11:41 am
Why not trade jojo, diaz, morton and francouer to the Mets for Wright, reyes and santana? That wouldmake the Braves much better, and hurt our main competition at the same time. If I can think of it, why can’t frank Wren?
BrianT
May 29th, 2009
11:47 am
Hate to say it, but is isn’t all Frenchy. Don’t get me wrong he is a major part of it, but when you have four automatic outs (Diory, Jordan, Frenchy, and whoever is pitching(, thats four out of nine in the lineup that aren’t producing! Please send Frenchy down and call up Blanco. Blanco can play center, move Kelly to left and Diaz to right. Release Garret Anderson, call up Brandon Jones and send Schaffer to Gwinett where he can get his swing back without so much pressure, you can see it on his face how frustrated that he is.
sal
May 29th, 2009
12:09 pm
Trade Chipper. Jammed with pitch & out with sore thumb. Running to first, step on bag, out with sore toe. More errors than homers. He is out of lineup so much, we would not miss him anyway. Get a couple of prospects and a glove for Kelley Johnson then wait a couple of years. Maybe then Braves could compete for wildcard spot. Nothing will fix this .500 team in short term.
BringOnHanson
May 29th, 2009
12:19 pm
Frenchy and no one will bring back Jason Bay. I do feel that you may see a point that Garret Adnerson, Frenchy and a secondary starter or two may be available in trades. I do not see prospects being dealt. That would be disaster. See the Mark Texeira trade with Texas as an example! Boston will not offer what the Braves need in the way of outfield help in return for Frenchy and a prospect. That would weaken their lineup and they are not a pretender, they are a contender. The Braves would be better suited to deal with a team already out of it if they plan to acquire someone who will add punch to their lineup. I honestly feel that Atlanta will do very little to improve the team this season. They are a mediocre team and any of the moves that have been talked about so far leave them mediocre.
Horner's Corner
May 29th, 2009
12:23 pm
1) Frenchy has a lot of hits because he plays everyday and he NEVER draws walks. Having a lot of hits and sub .300 OBP is not impressive.
2) Frenchy has a handful of RBI’s because EVERY team will pitch around the Braves good hitters in order to face Jeff with runners on base. A 100 RBI’s in a season does always equal great hitting, sometimes it means you just get a lot more opportunites. For example Chipper had less than 80 RBI’s last year, so I guess one can deduct that he had an awful season, right?
True Braves Fan
May 29th, 2009
12:25 pm
You people are mean
Fred
May 29th, 2009
12:39 pm
A consistent second baseman and a hitting coach…..Lets be sure to send Kelly Johnson someplace else too
fire_cox
May 29th, 2009
12:57 pm
unrealistic but….send over Gonzo, KJ, KC, and Frenchie, Chipper for Pedroia, Papelbon, Mike Lowell, Bay, Baldelli…
there how is that trade
BOSTON bRAVES
May 29th, 2009
12:58 pm
Being and living in the Boston area, I would love to have Frenchy here. With Ortiz slumping, use JD part time as DH and part time in RF. Frenchy will also get time when JD gets his annual 2 month injury and hopefully Ortiz is out of his funk (or gone) and can DH Full time again. Rocco B staraight up in the deal, bring up Blanco for insurance.
BUT the person who has to go is Terry Pendleton. Nobody listens to him. The 2 best hitters talk to their dads over the phone and get better results. How many more hitters with below 2.20 averages is it going to take to get him out?
Beetruck
May 29th, 2009
12:58 pm
Frenchy, for anyone….for just the shear pleasure of seeing someone else strike out, try to pull outside pitches and topping them to short….and Bennett for anyone, just because I dont think any major leaguer could throw as many balls
Jarrett Storm
May 29th, 2009
1:08 pm
Frenchy is not going to Boston. We need a Right Handed power bat to hit between Chipper & McCann. I wish Jeff could straighten himself out becasue I would hate to see him go. We gotta do what we gotta do. We are in this race!!! Package Frenchy, JoJo Reyes, and Gorkys Hernandez for Matt Holiday. Do this trade right now!
PB&J
May 29th, 2009
1:11 pm
If Frenchy goes to Boston, and he changes his approach to hitting and goes deeper into the count and has a higher average, we had better take a good close look at Terry Pendelton and finally start asking questions!
Jarrett Storm
May 29th, 2009
1:12 pm
Franceour would look good in Oakland green & gold and this would give him the fresh start that he needs. We need a Right Handed power bat to hit cleanup…Holliday is perfect. We would also, of course, have to sign him long term. Trade anybody besides Hanson, Freddie Freeman, and Heyward. JoJo Reyes is from California and is a mjor leauge ready Left Handed starter. Gorkys Hernandez is a future stud CF, but we have Schaeffer. Throw in Frenchy with 2 minor leaugers and call it a day. Wren, get on the ophone with Oakland!
Jarrett Storm
May 29th, 2009
1:13 pm
Boston has nothing to give us….are ya’ll crazy? Franceour is not going to the BoSox…I guarantee it.
Tom
May 29th, 2009
1:24 pm
Trade that sorry Glavine kid. You can’t keep a pitcher with 21 losses in his first 43 games in the major leagues. He had a 5.54 ERA his first year and a 4.56 ERA his second. The guy can’t pitch against major league hitters. He has no fastball and not much of anything else. How is he going to survive in the major leagues with nothing but a changeup? Get rid of him now while there’s still a chance to get a couple of broken bats for him. He’ll never amount to anything in the major leagues. While you’re at it, throw in Smoltz along with him. Smoltz may be doing a little better this year, but his 2 -7 record with a 5.48 ERA last season is a better indication of what kind of player he is – sorry. Give up on both of them now, before it’s too late. If you package both of them together, you might be able to get a guy like Wes Gardener. He won 12 games last year with a 3.50 ERA. That’s 8 more wins than Glavine and Smoltz combined and a much lower ERA. With Gardner we might be able to win a few games next year. With Glavine and Smoltz in the rotation, we’ll be a last place team for the next 15 years.
Oh…wait a minute…It’s not 1989 anymore. It’s 2009. My bad.
Trade Frenchy, Schafer and all our other young guys for some older guys who no one will remember in 5 years. With some old guys who are at the peak of a mediocre career, we might win a few more games this year. With all of these young guys – who knows? Give up on them now, before it’s too late.
abnbrave
May 29th, 2009
1:26 pm
How about trading Blackjack for Leo and TP for Ned Yost.
PB&J
May 29th, 2009
1:27 pm
The point is if he does leave and starts hitting and becomes the player we anticiated, we had better finally look at TP and consider a change. Think about it, both Chipper and Brian have already said that they more often turn to their dads instead of Terry Pendleton for hitting advice.
ChillyMutt
May 29th, 2009
1:30 pm
LMAO @ “autographed pictures of Johnny Damon”
Marc
May 29th, 2009
1:30 pm
New approach – Ryan Spilborghs from Colorado Rockies.
He’s an expendable player on a team that’s 14.5 games out of first place already. He can play any OF position we need him at and is solid defensively. He’s not the big power hitter we’re wanting, but it he could help bring consistency to the right side of the plate without selling the farm. I bet would could get him for a 2nd tier starting pitching prospect and and one of our “big potential but no results yet” relievers since Rockies desperately need more pitching depth. Not sure how many years are left before he goes FA, but he’s making the league minimum right now.
Just to note, here’s his stats for last year and so far this year:
2008: 223 AB, 38 R, 6 HR, 36 RBI, 38 BB, 41 SO, 7 SB, .313 AVG, .407 OBP
2009: 150 AB, 23 R, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 15 BB, 34 SO, 6 SB, .273 AVG, .345 OBP
One the unique things about this acquisition would be we could hang on to Francour as I don’t see the Rockies wanting his salary.
TK
May 29th, 2009
1:31 pm
Franceour, KJ, Morton, and another from the farm to Baltimore for Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis. In Roberts you have a lead off man. Nick hits 4 or 5 who is signed for the next 6 years.
Greg Brooking
May 29th, 2009
1:40 pm
. . . someone with the ability to improve. Failing that, a bag peanuts.
Dan
May 29th, 2009
2:01 pm
How about their GM.
PB&J
May 29th, 2009
2:09 pm
I want Ted Turner back! At least I know where the buck stops!
Jfreak
May 29th, 2009
2:12 pm
I know Frenchy doesn’t read this garbage but if by some chance he decides to open the sport section let me give him some advice. Get out of here while you can! These fans are idiots. I would bet most haven’t been to one game all year and yet somehow think their opinion really matters. It’s like someone who doesn’t vote complaining about taxes! I’m sure Frenchy will get traded and we’ll get some has been or never will be in return. All the while Frenchy will go onto to be who he once was and maturing to all he will one day be. There is nobody on Boston’s team that I would prefer over Frenchy that Boston would be willing to trade.
fire_cox
May 29th, 2009
2:21 pm
It’ll be a package deal…Frenchie, Gonzo, JoJo, KJ, KC, Chipper, Shafer, Lowe, McCann for Pedroia, Lowell, Bay, Baldelli, Ellsbury, Ortiz, Green, Papelbon, Lester, Varitek
AceCometh
May 29th, 2009
2:23 pm
Why not trade Frenchy for Jacoby Ellsbury? I’m sure the Braves have a minor leaguer to throw in that isn’t named Tommy Hansen. That would solve the hole in the leadoff spot in the batting order.
fire_cox
May 29th, 2009
2:32 pm
good one Dan
Beardy
May 29th, 2009
2:43 pm
THE NATURAL
PB&J
May 29th, 2009
2:46 pm
Uh… can you picture seeing Theo Epstein’s face after listening to the trade offer of Frenchy and a minor leaguer for Jacoby Ellsbury? LOL Yah… and I’d like to deal TP for Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins or better yet, Raul Ibanez… buuuut something tells me they might not go for it.
James
May 29th, 2009
2:52 pm
Brad Hawpe or Aubrey Huff
Ben
May 29th, 2009
3:14 pm
Okay , this is what I want. What it will take to get it I don’t know, but I say forget Boston, work a deal to bring Juan Pierre to the ATL. He is batting .407 with 25 runs scored, 20 RBI’s and 10 steals. He’ll get on base and get in scoring position. He’ll help produce runs. Rather deal with the Dodgers than Boston. Work it to get Clayton Kershaw too and the team will be ready to roll.
Pierre’s salary is below.
2009: $10 million, 2010: $10 million, 2011: $8.5 million
BRAVES OUTFIELD SUCKS
May 29th, 2009
3:28 pm
SEND Schafer TO THE MINORSSSSSS. THE DUDE CANT HIT A BASKETBALL…. BRING BLANCO UP. AT LEAST HE CAN RUN……….. ADN YES TRADE FRANCOEUR
todd
May 29th, 2009
3:35 pm
I’m as disappointed in Francouer as anyone but dammit I want him to just get his S**t together and play for the Braves. Normally, I would say get rid of the guy but he’s a hometown kid, I’ve watched him from his first at bat, and I just want to stick with the guy. I’m emotionally invested here. Get your S**t together Francuoer!!
ANT
May 29th, 2009
4:04 pm
I noticed on boston.com blogs that Sox fans are livid about the rumors of a Francoeur trade. Most bloggers are saying Francoeur is a waste – and that Theo should have his head examined if he swings a trade.
I bring this up not because I think it’ll happen, but because it shows you what others also think about Francoeur. Sad really.
MontanaBravo
May 29th, 2009
4:07 pm
Red Sox want Frenchy????
Something amiss there….They put that rumor into circulation so that Tex would read it and pull his groin laughing.
If they do want Frenchy (be careful what you ask for) then the smart thing for everybody involved would be to send us Drew. One overhyped, overpayed, narcist golden boy for another. They are cut in the same cloth, both being guys who can deliver for a time (just enough for us to annoint him) and then suddenly stop listening to everyone. Will say this about Drew though, he knows enough about playing the game to lay off some of those pitches long enough to collect the big $$$. Problem with Frenchy is he just can’t. I don’t think it’s because he doesn’t want to, he just can’t. Same way I only take out $40 for my limit before I go in to the Doll House in Ft Lauderdale. Just too much temptation.
Here’s my thing about Terry Pendleton, he is the Mike Singletary of MLB. Content to let his ego override anything he can actually teach guys. Given that these guy WON’T take any of his advice, let’s just cut bait. I think that he has alienated some players to such an extent that it’s getting derisive and I don’t think anyone, not even Chipper will trash him in public.
If we are going, let’s go big and dangle what little we have – Reyes, Acosta, Morton, Campillo AND Medlen. Only untouchable would be Heyward and Hanson.
Let’s get a regular 2B and an OF. We then put KJ back into the OF.
Schafer has so much more upside than Anderson any day of the week.
Daniel
May 29th, 2009
4:32 pm
the only thing of value for Francouer would be to package deal him. We cannot get anything from the Red Sox that would be helpful. I mean Roco Bardelli is the most logical? choice. But, that doesn’t do anything for me. obviously getting Bay would make my summer, but then again so would magically being able fly would also. So I am not counting on it.
Grady
May 29th, 2009
5:03 pm
Frenchy is a good player who just has to learn pitch recognition. I wouldn’t trade him for anyone. Dale Murphy was also a sub 300 hitter with a strong arm. He’s been here for only a few years. If you had to trade him, go for Ellsbury. That’s it. No one else is worth it. YOu need another young guy. Frenchy has yet to hit his prime as a hitter and I think patience is the biggest key here.
PB&J
May 29th, 2009
5:16 pm
We need to wait at least until around the All-Star game to start to discuss Frenchy… That said, we’ll be far enough back at the break that we’ll be sellers rather than buyers…
Daniel A.
May 29th, 2009
5:19 pm
Package a deal to send Francouer, Charlie Morton and Jo Jo to Oakland for Matt Holliday. I don’t really care that it’s a rental… all that matters is that we’ve got a legit shot at the playoffs, but only if we get a hitter in the outfield.
Can I get a witness?
May 29th, 2009
5:51 pm
If you go back and look at Frenchy when he first came up you can readily see that he was bigger then as he is now. Steroids maybe?
Can I get a witness?
Paul Lentz
May 29th, 2009
6:08 pm
Todd, I am “heavily emotionally invest” in seeing the Braves win. Are you a Braves fan first and foremost, or a Jeff Franceour fan?
Grady, for you to compare Jeff Franceour to Dale Murphy, just because they share common abilities of having a strong throwing arm and hitting under .300, is a joke. It’s an insult to Dale Murphy. Franceour will never come close to being the player Dale Murphy was. Dale Murphy never had a year where he only had 3 homers at the end of May. Murphy never had stretches where he went without hitting the ball with power like Franceour has. Murphy was a much more complete player than Franceour could ever dream of being. The Murph could run and draw walks. In 1987, Murphy drew 115 walks in 566 at-bats. Franceour has drawn 120 walks in 2331 career at-bats. The Murph had 7 seasons where he stole 10+ bases (with a high of 30 in 1983). Franceour has 10 career stolen bases, in 596 games, the Murph had 161 in 2,180 games. In 1991, Murphy’s last full season (which when he was way past his prime), he hit .252 with 18 homers, 81 RBI’s, 48 walks, and 33 doubles in 544 at-bats. Franceour’s career best in all those categories are .293 with 29 homers, 105 RBI’s, 40 doubles, 42 walks, and 651 at-bats. Franceour’s career BEST numbers are not that much better than The Murph’s last past his prime season.
I wish that some of you guys would really think twice before posting some of the off the wall postings that you come up with, lol.
Paul Lentz
May 29th, 2009
6:24 pm
I could see giving Franceour some slack if he could help you win games other ways. However if he isnt hitting for power, what good is he offensively? A struggling offensive player can still help if he can draw a walk, steal a base, or move a runner over. Franceour hasnt demonstrated the ability to do any of those things.
Since the beginning of last season, Jeff Franceour has played in 202 games, accounting for 781 at-bats. He has batted .241 with 14 homers, 92 RBI’s, 44 walks, 137 strikeouts, and 1 stolen base. I could see if Franceour was playing hurt like Chipper has. However he’s been healthy. Those are HORRIFIC numbers. And he has shown no signs this year of breaking out of it. I cannot think of any Major League superstar who ever came close to such numbers at Franceour’s age. At 25, this is Franceour’s 4th full season. Dude should be rolling into his prime. As one gets more experience, one would assume that a player would get better. However, Franceour has gotten worse. 596 games is plenty of time to get a good read on a player’s ability. What is Franceour waiting for?
I feel that Franceour simply was a player that scouts needed a little time to figure out how to pitch to him. His best years are behind him. It has happened to other players before.
MOVE
May 29th, 2009
6:38 pm
get rid of kj and when omar comes back he is your eveyday 2nd baseman do something about tp he is hot garbage he couldnt teach a kid how to hit with a telephone pole. Bobby Cox has earned the right to stay as long as he wants to! Along with johnston send one of our pitcher prospects somewhere to get a quality outfielder (a veteran) and let frenchy and schaffer figure themselfs out in the minors