Comments on: Jones doesn’t want it to end this way

By: Iachbafq

Iachbafq — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:40:12 +0000

YX8Z6G comment2 ,

By: BS3

BS3 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:40:50 +0000

I’ve been a AJ fan since he was a rookie. Nonetheless, I would have benched him when his production fell off 2 years ago.
I agree with whoever said that he never had a mentor, and that because he was so successful by just relying on raw ability, and never needed a lot of coaching, that hurt him later on.
I also remember one year when he did hit a lot to right and right-center (I believe he also hit .300 that year). But the next year, he started hitting for more power, and less for average and consistency. I heard (unfounded) rumors that Boras might have suggested that AJ could make more money if he hit for more power. IF that really happened, AJ can only blame his agent for the poor advice that led to his bad habits at the plate, and eventually contributed to his downfall.
I also believe that the Braves’ slide all started when they got TP as batting coach. He was a pretty fair hitter himself, but that doesn’t mean that he can teach others or spot (or correct) what another player is doing wrong (ref: Frenchy).
Cox is also partly to blame for AJ’s slide. Where are the days when a manager could fine a player for not doing as he was told? In BC’s position, I would have given AJ a $25K bonus for every hit to right or right-center, but a $10K fine for every whiff or weak groundout that resulted from swinging at an outside pitch. That might have taught him some discipline (actually, not a bad idea for JF). It wasn’t necessary for him to pull to hit – he had enough power to punch the ball over the wall to the off field, or to line doubles & triples to the R-C gap! Bobby is known as a “player’s manager”, but in AJ’s case, that hurt a lot more than it helped! I think he needed a manager who was a strong father figure more than he needed a buddy.
Bottom line, however, AJ’s slide is ultimately AJ’s own fault! But he never really got the kind of help he needed to overcome bad advice and a lack of discipline.
I’d still like to see him recover and do well, but that’s unlikely. Baseball is now just a business, and the players are merely replaceable pawns in that big chessgame known as MLB.

By: JSS is a tool...

JSS is a tool... — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:15:07 +0000

…and has a man crush on JS.

“…stay out of issues that are not addressed to you…” Dude, you’re posting on a blog that’s read by, well, dozens. Or did I miss the privacy tag?

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:32:12 +0000

Andruw is stubborn and won’t listen. That’s his biggest issue. His problems could have been solved years ago if he took the advice of hitting instructors. Andruw had 2 pitiful years and prior to that, he had become a mental midget in clutch situations. In my mind, Andruw was done 5 years ago.

By: The UNDISPUTED Truth

The UNDISPUTED Truth — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:52:54 +0000

Spud sounds like one of those Michael Vick lovers … if you know what I mean.

By: 74Dawg

74Dawg — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:08:28 +0000

The braves aren’t paying Andruw millions and batting him fourth every day,anymore,so you people lighten up. The guy was a great player for our home team for years. Give it a rest. I wish him well,hope he can come back some where,as long as it isn’t against the Braves. Good luck Andruw,amd thanks for some great years.

By: T.O.

T.O. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:26:05 +0000

Why are the Brave’s so quick to turn the page on non-white players?

By: Ross

Ross — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:43:12 +0000

Give it a rest Webb! No one is hating on Andruw. He’s a lousy fundamental batter who got fat on high inside pitches in his wheelhouse, then on food. Once it was discovered that he was too tubby to turn on outside pitches and so frustrated that he’d swing and grounders, he was done.

-drl

By: Spud Webb

Spud Webb — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:33:28 +0000

I love it. I’m sure all of these bloggers hated Andrew when hit 3 dongs vs the Yanks at 19 years old in the World Series? I’m sure all of these bloggers thought Andrew was garbage when he dinged 50 in 2005, second in the MVP voting? Right? Everyone was saying how bad he was then, right?? ahhaha. Year after year the guy saves HOW MANY RUNS with great, GREAT plays in center field, everyone hated him then huh? It’s funny to me how everyone just piles on Andrew. The guy had a great career here, did a LOT of things. Funny, I never see blogs bashing the always injured Chipper? But Chipper hits for average in the 110 games he plays. hahahahah, but chipper loves hooters girls, but chipper gets a HANG nail and is out for 2 weeks. lol. Clueless folks. Not sure why there is this much hate for Andrew, but it is interesting to say the least. I’d swear he murdered someone or something if I didn’t know any better. Good luck Andrew. I hope things pan out one way or the other, thanks for 10 great years in Atlanta.

By: All I'm Saying...

All I'm Saying... — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:21:31 +0000

One can hit successfully in majors via a number of ways: with a ‘cerebral’ approach like Ted Williams, George Brett, and Tony Gwynn or with a ’see it, hit it’ like Mickey Mantle, Junior Griffey (”sit on the fastball and adjust to everything else”), and A-Rod. At the end of the day, though, you have to adjust to what the pitchers are serving you (just like the pitchers adjust when you are in a hot streak as a hitter). Andruw’s primary problem is an unwillingness(?), inability(?), stubborness(?) —whatever you want to call it—to hitting the ball to the opposite field. Middle of the plate and outside, whether it is a fastball or a slider, he’s pulling it…and that, my friends, is what caused Francoeur all of his issues at the plate last year.