Wren on Braves: ‘I think we’re better’ after moves
Frank Wren understands the criticism but like his team. (AJC photo/Curtis Compton)
Frank Wren inherited a team once accustomed to postseasons. He has gone 0-for-2. It follows that while there are a lot of nice things that go with being the general manager of the Braves, one of them is not the benefit of the doubt.
The Braves are one month from the start of spring training. Wren’s winter roster makeover is pretty much complete after last week’s signing of Eric Hinske. We hear crickets.
Outgoing: Javier Vazquez, Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, Adam Laroche, Kelly Johnson, Ryan Church.
Incoming: Billy Wagner, Takashi Saito, Melky Cabrera, Michael Dunn, prospect Arodys Vizcaino, Troy Glaus, Eric Hinske.
Elsewhere in the National League East: Philadelphia acquires pitcher Roy Halladay. New York signs outfielder Jason Bay.
New Braves first baseman Troy Glaus played in only 14 games with St. Louis last season because of a shoulder injury. (AJC photo/Phil Skinner).
Put it this way: Even if Wren had 14 division titles, five pennants and a World Series on his resume like his predecessor, John Schuerholz, people would still be slapping their foreheads in unison and going, “Huh?”
Wren understands this. But he’ll also tell you, “We think we’re way ahead of where we were a year ago at this time.”
And ahead of where the Braves were at the end of the 2009 season?
“Yes,” he said. “I think we’re better.”
Clip and save.
If the Braves turn out to be better in 2010 than in 2009, when they jumped from 72 to 86 wins but missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season, it will be because reclamation projects like Glaus and Wagner ran like refurbished classics and every one of Wren’s low-budget pickups like Cabrera, Saito and Hinske turned into players of significance.
But are those the questions you want to be asking yourself right now?
“I can’t control that,” Wren said when asked about the skeptics. “We’ve got good baseball people in this organization and we feel good about this group of players. I can’t get caught up in the media perception of what we’ve done to this point. The proof’s going to be when we take the field.”
The Braves tried to deal Derek Lowe. There was little interest because of his contract. The market for Vazquez also wasn’t tremendous, despite his great season. Still Wren defends the package of players he got from the Yankees (Cabrera, Dunn, Vizcaino).
He was forced to trade Lowe or Vazquez, of course, because he made the decision to re-sign Tim Hudson to a three-year extension, a decision he doesn’t regret.
“He’s clearly been a better pitcher than the other guys.”
Fans want to be wowed. That’s just not happening any more with the Braves. They don’t have the budget. They’re at about a $90 million payroll, and Wren said, “We feel fortunate where we are. That’s still pretty good, especially with declining attendance. We’re not a three million attendance club, which would allow us to do more.”
Glaus, once a solid 30-to-40 home run hitter, is coming off a major shoulder injury. (”It’s a calculated gamble,” Wren said.)
Wagner is not long removed from elbow surgery.
Cabrera is a career .269 hitter.
It’s like renovating with change from under the couch cushions. Still, that’s Wren’s responsibility. If these changes get the Braves back to the postseason, he should be lauded. But he says he’s not bothered by the early criticism.
“Roll it back a year ago – there wasn’t a whole lot of fanfare when we traded for Vazquez,” he said. “Two years ago, there’s wasn’t a lot of fanfare for Jair Jurrjens. People said, ‘Jair who?’ I’m looking forward to spring training. I think fans will warm up to this team.”
Maybe Jason Heyward makes the club out of spring training and covers up for the team’s deficiencies. Maybe Jordan Schafer rebounds. Maybe a rotation with Hudson, Jurrjens, Lowe and Tommy Hanson will win enough games on their own.
But if people aren’t just assuming success, Wren understands why.
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312 comments Add your comment
Sonny Clusters
January 11th, 2010
11:52 am
Clusters could play baseball well at an early age. We was taught baseball fundamentals and we was always winning games. We was never labeled a major league prospect, though. It may have been because we was too smart. We was always able to interview well without saying, “uh”, or “you know” like most baseball players do today. Not naming any names.
Plain and Simple
January 11th, 2010
11:53 am
The Braves won the division 14 straight years, quite an accomplishment. Other way to look at that… the BRaves won 1 WS in 14 consecutive tries. You would think sheer luck would have let them win at least 1 more. Law of averages would lead you to believe that they should have one at least a couple more. I’m not saying they should have 10 titles int those 14 years but is it so unrealistic to expect them to have 3-4?? 14 consecutive times people!!!!! I’m sorry but 5 or 6 shouldn’t be unrealistic!!!!!
Joe
January 11th, 2010
11:53 am
“In Atlanta fielding a competitive team does not increase attendance. Atlanta has some of the sorriest fans.”
Eh, I don’t think so. Turner Field is in a dreadful area. Getting to Turner Field during the week is an exercise in futility due to traffic. There’s minimal places to go around the stadium, so it’s less of a destination. Who wants to take their family to an area that you’re worried to walk around? How many panhandlers do you need to walk over to get to the stadium? Once inside, Turner Field is a great place. Outside? Sketchy at best. Improve the whole area, and more people will come to the games.
Tons of people follow the Braves locally and nationally still, but many due it from the comfort of their own home.
Sonny Clusters
January 11th, 2010
11:54 am
We was noticing when Jeff interviews baseball players and quotes ‘em they all talk better to him than they do on television and on radie when they was always saying, “uh” and “you know” and using some cliches they heard somewhere. Jeff makes ‘em sound almost smart.
gayle
January 11th, 2010
11:54 am
There is a real disconnect for those here who say that higher attendance and the corresponding higher revenue will all be reinvested in the team. Who said that? And with this team being nothing more than a tax dodge for the current ownership, what possible reason do you have to think that they would be inclined to put one more penny into this team than they absolutely have to?
Get real people – this team is nothing more than a writeoff for current ownership. They could care less about fielding a winning, competitive team.
Ex-Braves Fan
January 11th, 2010
12:00 pm
Better than whom? The Nat’s? The Royals? The Mariners? The Pirates? The Braves ENTIRE hitting lineup depends on broken, injured, old, beaten down players coming back healthy. They have put their bull pen hopes on a 40 year old pitcher who is one year or so removed from major injury. Their set up guy is what, 39 years old? A firstbaseman that is not a firstbaseman. How will that translate in defense over Rochy? Great glove for an iron glove. Chipper still MUST PROVE he can play over 110-125 games and stay on the field. His past few years of injuries say that is not going too happen. One does not get healthy as one gets older. One gets more injuries not less. The OF is in the hands of punch and judy hitters. Rookies that are year(s) away, the future. What about now? No butts in the seats is the only way the fans of this team are going to get their attention. I followed this team from 1966 through 2005. I finally got sick of the same ole, same ole. Just as the Pirates do not care if they ever win again, the Braves run their mouths that they are contenders. Contenders for what? They think ONE stinking WS win in 34 YEARS is winning?? Division titles mean nothing. They didnot get too the big stage. They LOST. They will forever, as this city has on its soul, CITY OF LOSERS. From the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, to the idiots in public office running the city into the ground. A city of pure losers. Enjoy your summer. This team will do NO BETTER than .500 at very best.
Lucas
January 11th, 2010
12:02 pm
I second bvillebaron’s comments. When Wren took control of the Braves he was left with a devastated minor league system due to the Texeira trade. Schuerholtz did exactly what many “fans” on these boards are calling for in trading the house for a big bat. (Can you imagine Andrus, Feliz, even Salty still with the Braves) Where did that get us? It basically led us to where we are now. Wren has done a great job of restocking the minor league system and at least keeping the team competitive into September.
Look at some of the deals that he has done:
Edgar Renteria for Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez. A lot of fans complained after this deal saying that we shouldn’t give up our fan favorite Renteria but that deal worked out quite well
Jose Ascaino for Will Ohman and Omar Infante. Another steal. Ascaino is bouncing around the majors while we got good contributers to our team.
Jeff Locke, Gorkys Hernadez, Charlie Morton for Nate McLouth: Another very good deal. Not giving up highly touted prospects and getting a solid starter in return.
Even the deal that brought Vazquez to Atlanta was met with criticism on these boards. No one believed that Vazquez could pitch in big games and produce as a top of the rotation starter. Now, after dealing Vazquez after a CAREER year at age 33, so called fans are calling for Wrens head when he received very solid return for Vazquez. Vizqanio instantly becomes our number 3 prospect and Dunn will be in our top 10 prospects. You have to realize that Melky was not the centerpiece of this deal!
It seems to me that Wren has this team moving in the right direction. Our minor league system is again the envy of many other organisations. While Wren is allowing our prospects to develop (Freeman, Heyward, Minor, Spruill, Teheran etc), he is signing short term replacements (Glaus for example) to bridge the gaps. While these signing may be risky, they do allow us to field a competitive and entertaining team.
Moral of the story: Wren is not doing as bad of a job as you might think. He is not mortgaging our future by trading top tier prospects for instant gratification of fans and thus helping us build a team to be reckoned with in the future.
raleighbravefan
January 11th, 2010
12:06 pm
Joe, I agree with you on every point. I think it is likely that we will be better, and maybe a lot better than last year. I know some are mad because we didn’t go after Bay or Holliday, but that is not economic reality. I think Wren is doing a great job, considering what he has to work with. At the very least, you should see what happens before you totally bash the guy. BTW, what makes ANY of you armchair quarterbacks think that you know more (based on conjecture, hearsay, and opinion) than Wren and the entire Braves organization, when they have actual facts about budget, player developement, player availability and negotiations, etc. which you have NO access to?
Of course, if this year goes badly, just wait a year. Don has all but guaranteed a title in 2011, due to the departure of BC.
DangerousDan87
January 11th, 2010
12:10 pm
Here’s the biggest if: If the Braves improve 14 wins like they did the previous season then that will shut everyone up and raise the bar for the playoffs. I think 100 wins will get us in. Winning cures everything.
raleighbravefan
January 11th, 2010
12:20 pm
Out of 30 teams, how many would you be more satisfied as a fan over the last 18-20 years? Or even this past year? How many were in playoff contention until the final week of the season? Would you rather be a Mets fan? Giants? Dodgers?
Yes to Yankees and thier unlimited $$. Yes to Phillies the past 2 YEARS only. Sometimes Red Sox. Who else? (over almost 20 years)
WILL
January 11th, 2010
12:24 pm
the braves need the company GERITOL TO SPONCOR THEM AS they will need the product come june because this team is over the hill.
WILL
January 11th, 2010
12:28 pm
all you people are crazy this team will finish in 4th place, well 3rd the mets are awful to.
Braves73
January 11th, 2010
12:28 pm
I will be the first to say that I have supported the moves that Frank Wren has made to “rebuild” this ball club in the last two years, but I am confused with this offseason/moves. It was quite obvious that the Braves needed to move a starting pitcher in order to make from for Hudson, but the bull pen moves leave me speechless.
We had some stability and strength Gonzalez and Soriano and we let both go for Wagner & Saito???? I would have been fine signing Wagner and keeping Soriano (which would not have been “overbudget). I am not sold on rebuilding a position of strength by needless tinkering.
The Vazquez deal I get, but you again weakened a position of strength for minimal return value (Cabrera, Dunn, & Vizcaino). I don’t see how the Braves got better with these moves and Wren is trying to sell us Troy Glaus & Heinske as return value?????
I am VERY concerned that Wren is too much involved with making moves just to make them and “prove” to people that he is “genius” GM…sometimes the best moves are ones you don’t make. Let’s hope that this is not a continual trend.
WILL
January 11th, 2010
12:31 pm
i am in jennifers body and wisdom tells me this team is pathetic,ge rid of chipper and save yourself money.
BravesGone
January 11th, 2010
12:31 pm
Braves go cheap with second rate players, and will not make the playoffs again—mark it down.
Lucas
January 11th, 2010
12:40 pm
Braves73: I can agree that the Saito signing came a bit too swift. Soriano and Wagner would have been nice to have at the back end of the bullpen. Nevertheless, Gonzalez and Soriano were never “stable” as you say. Both have had their share of injury problems through the years and were commanding too much of a raise to justify keeping both. We’ve only gotten one full season out of three seasons from Gonzales so I don’t see why we would want to resign him for a high salary. Saito, while older, has been able to stay on the field and pitch effectively. So overall, our bullpen was not necessarily downgraded in production, we just got older at the back end.
Joe in SOCAL
January 11th, 2010
12:42 pm
People…please! How can anyone say this team is not already leaps and bounds ahead of last years ST roster? Having a scarecrow in LF would have been a defensive upgrade over what we left ST with and Melky in CF, even with a lifetime .269 avg is an offensive upgrade to what we started with. Couple that with a FULL year of Prado’s offensive prowess and we are ten games over where we were last year. Also, get over the fact that we don’t have HR hitters. This is going to be a small ball team with clutch hitters. We cannot hope to try and keep up with the Phils and Mets in the HR department and frankly, we don’t need to. We have the BEST rotation in the entire NL and thats whats going to get us back to the promise land, not mashing 3 run homers. This is shaping up to be a replica of the early 90’s teams that won 3-2 type games with great pitching. No one seemed to mind too much back then. One more thing…of course Wren is going to say we’re better, he has to it’s his job. Remember he makes the COOL AID, how else is he going to get people to drink it if he doesn’t drink it first.
gte268p
January 11th, 2010
12:44 pm
When Wren says he believes the Braves are better, I would like some clarification. Does he mean the Major League Team Atlanta Braves, or the franchise as a whole including the minors. I can’t see how Atlanta is better, but would possibly believe the franchise is – though I’m not happy with where we are either.
raleighbravefan
January 11th, 2010
12:47 pm
Braves73 – “stability and strength” ??????
How many games did Gonzo and Soriano miss during the past 2 years. Soriano kept having “phantom” arm problems. I think Braves got tired of dealing with them. Even games they saved were adventures, and not in a nice way. There was hardly a huge rush of teams wanting to sign Soriano to a multi-year $7M/year contract. I would bet now that the 2 new guys will spend less time on the DL than the 2 we let go.
WILL
January 11th, 2010
12:52 pm
i am a fortun e teller and it tells me i will make alot of money on this team.
Jim
January 11th, 2010
12:59 pm
Like everyone else Wren should be evaluated based on performance. And based on performance he should be fired. If he uses the excuse again that his hands are tied by $90M budget…… He is the one that tied up $15M to Lowe and $15M to Chipper. At this stage of their careers would any other team pay $15M a year for the next 3 years to either one?
T-Town Braves Fan
January 11th, 2010
1:00 pm
As I said before, the Braves have many fans lacking any heart. Now we didn’t win enough WS, tell that to the Cub fans who came to Atlanta to see their team and probably outnumbered the Braves fan in our own park. Then we have those who say the falling attendance is due to where the park is located. The Yankee Stadium is in the Bronx, just like the old one. If you’ve never been to the Bronx, believe me the Ted is in paradise and they fill it up most every night.
Take Boston’s Fenway Park, seediest part of Boston where you have to walk to because there is very little parking area close to the ballpark. Again, they fill the park every night.
Last you have Detroit, smack dab in the vacant home/building capital of the world. If you don’t park in the $50 lot, you have to pay someone to watch your car. A real s-hole to go to see a game, had higher unemployment, one more win than the Braves and 200,000 more fans attended their games than Atlanta. Many of us Brave fans will never be happy.
Tomahawkin
January 11th, 2010
1:05 pm
I still can’t get over how bad Wren got worked over on the Vazquez trade. Honestly I’d a felt better if Wren had got a bag of baseballs as opposed to the Slop he got
We should’ve let Hudson go because he isn’t a #1 ace no more and use that money to keep Vazquez and get a proven Outfielder than can hit and Protect Chipper
Tomahawkin
January 11th, 2010
1:12 pm
Honestly I don’t see this light hitting team as no better than it was in 2009. We are depending on too many injury-prone “If’s and a prospect that hasn’t even played a major league game yet, I love Heyward but what happens if he turns out to be the Next George Lombard? We have no plan B
bvillebaron
January 11th, 2010
1:16 pm
Tomahawkin:
That’s right, we should have let Tim Hudson walk and get NOTHING in return for him and kept Vazquez who was making more money, has NOT been as good a pitcher over his ENTIRE career as Hudson, and becomes a free agent at the end of this season. The Braves did not get “slop” for Vazquez; they got at the very least a decent outfielder who can play all 3 outfield positions and is still young and may improve, a hard throwing lefthander who my Yankees’ fan friend claims was going to be given every chance to take Phil Coke’s middle relief position for the Yankees this year and a young pitcher who is rated as the Yankees’ #3 prospect (who incidentally Cashman said could be the one player in the deal that could “come back to bite us”).
raleighbravefan
January 11th, 2010
1:38 pm
T-Town – I’ve never been to Detroit, but I know from personal experience that Yanks and Sox are both an EASY subway ride that lets you out right at the stadium. BTW, what are the populations of New York, Boston, and Atlanta? What is the per capita income for those cities? And what was the average attendance for the Tigers in 2009? Not excuses, but contributing factors.
Tomahawkin – I strongly disagree, but if we are bad again this year, I will jump on the “Braves suck” bandwagon. If they are good, will you admit you were wrong, and FW does know what he’s doing?
Tomahawkin
January 11th, 2010
1:39 pm
Thanks to BSPN the Yankees have had the most Overrated Farm System in the Majors
The Pitcher we got in the deal could be the next Jose Capellan, I still think WhineBrenner and Cashman hustled Wren in the Vazquez deal
Tomahawkin
January 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
Frank Wren knows what he is doing it just sucks that our Cheap Owners refuse to invest a few mill in the team and address the offense
TKO
January 11th, 2010
1:52 pm
Frank says we are not a 3 mill + attendance team any longer to justify higher payroll/ investment. With his logic and the current trend, we will not be a 2 Mill. + attendance team very much longer!!!
raleighbravefan
January 11th, 2010
2:11 pm
According to ESPN, Braves had 11th highest payroll out of 11. We all wish Ted Turner was back, but there are 19 teams with lower, some MUCH lower.
Marta Smarta?
January 11th, 2010
2:36 pm
Why doesn’t the Marta train go to the Braves stadium? Very dumb. Riding the bus is a joke.
JabboRockefeller
January 11th, 2010
3:01 pm
A Marta train doesn’t visit the Ted because Atlanta “city planners” couldn’t plan an orgy at a brothel…
PMC
January 11th, 2010
3:34 pm
Different yes, better… not really. Somewhat. Better than opening day sure but are they better than 3rd or 4th? Don’t count on it. Probably an 80-85 maybe 90 if everything goes right.
So better yes. Better long term… yes. Competiting for much more than a wild card birth. No. Not this season anyway.
Fire Frank Wren
January 11th, 2010
3:34 pm
Can we drug test the Front Office like they drug test the players?
Ken Stallings
January 11th, 2010
3:35 pm
Frank Wren made one accurate statement. He said the Braves are not a 3-million attendance club. They used to be! That’s the part he conveniently omitted.
Everything else he said is bunk and he knows it. The team isn’t better. The payroll isn’t adequate to compete.
The part I blame Wren for is deceiving the customers. It is patently dishonest. I would prefer he come out and tell the truth. The Braves do not have the payroll to compete in the NL East and will now rely nearly exclusively on the farm system. He won’t do that because he enjoys his fat income.
Jason Heyward is the reason the Braves aren’t even willing to spend $2 million for a Johnny Damon who’s desperate to sign with a team. Of course, this points to another reality. If a free agent cannot hook up with one of the few teams spending for talent, they might be frozen out of the game well before their talent would warrant it.
It’s going to be intensely interesting when Albert Puhols becomes a free agent. The Cardinals have sacked so much money for Matt Holliday that it is doubtful they can afford Puhols without sacking the rest of the lineup. With $17 million a year for Holliday and around $25 million for Puhols (which is considered the least he’ll take) that combines to $42 million for just two players.
If the Cards had the $90 million payroll limit of the Braves, they would be spending about half their payroll for two position players. Best of luck complimenting them with adequate surrounding talent in the field, much less on the mound!
As the sport morphs entirely to the Yankees and the Yankees’ farm system, one wonders if any actual leadership in the commissioner’s office will realize the error. The NFL is the model for competitive balance and it’s no mere accident the NFL is now by far the most successful sports profession in America.
Baseball has reached the mark where seasons are governed by two conclusions — the Yankees hoist the trophy or we talk about how shocking it is they did not! That’s hardly the receipe which promotes fan interest, much less garners new fans. Consequently, baseball is moving toward irrelevance. As a direct result, the fan base in metro Atlanta is shrinking and next year’s attendance might be challenged to cross 2 million. Eighty-two games needs an average of 25,000 fans a game to break two million. Good luck with a team guaranteed to frustrate post season dreams for a fifth consecutive season.
The increasing ambivalence with the Atlanta Braves aren’t merely a return to the doldrums of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Then, baseball enjoyed overall competitive balance. The Braves were shocking for their consistently poor performance. What we have now is a widespread consistency of second-tier baseball teams amid a few who own the sandbox.
The Harleem Globetrotters and Washington Generals work because its an entertainment barnstorming organization. No one considers the contests a serious sporting contest. Baseball must realize that to survive it cannot allow the Yankees to claim the Globetrotter marketing scheme and relegate the rest of baseball as a collection of league fodder masquerading as competition.
Season Ticket Holder
January 11th, 2010
4:26 pm
I think the team is better also. Look at right field and first base this time last year. Also realize that Hudson was out injured. Hanson was a minor leaguer.
Some of you were the same ones saying the Vasquez trade was horrible this time last year.
bvillebaron
January 11th, 2010
5:09 pm
Tomahawkin:
You are right, the Yankees minor league players do have a reputation for being overrated and Vizcaino may turn out to be of the same category. However, not every Yankee farmhand turned out to be lousy (e.g. Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, etc.). Besides, if he turns out to be overrated, then you can blame the Braves’ talent scouts since they made their own assessment of him. My only point is that it is simply not accurate to say now that this was a lousy trade.
Smuglas
January 11th, 2010
5:10 pm
Last year, The Sporting News picked Tommy Hanson as the newcomer most to make an impact (in all of baseball). This year, they picked a Brave again, Jason Hayward. They were pretty much right on in all of their picks last year. Here’s hoping they keep up their track record with Hayward. That makes Cabrera a fourth outfielder, which is not bad for your fourth outfielder.
Tom
January 11th, 2010
6:56 pm
I really wish they would stop relying on & signing players just getting over injuries. Odds are usually against us with those players.
Luv 2 Hate Me
January 11th, 2010
7:19 pm
The braves have turned into the “GREAT LILLY WHITE TEAM” Damn couldn’t Wren have added a little more color to the team. Besides Melky and Escobar I can’t think of too many other players that aren’t white. Let’s face it white boys just can’t hit like they use to. Maybe 10 years ago when most of them were on HGH with the exception of todays Jason Bay (he can hit). Then we have old azz players to top it off. They’ll will be on the DL after the first month of the season. Please give the team back to “Ted”
Chopper
January 11th, 2010
7:24 pm
Anyone notice Bobby Cox’s face in that picture? He knows he’s screwed in his last year as manager.
Tim
January 11th, 2010
7:46 pm
spring training hasn’t started and we are already 10 games out. this is becoming the Braves of the 70’s laughable and loveable. We can’t blame Mr Wren his hands are tied by an ownership that doesn’t care. Look around very few teams are willing to spend, NYY,Bos,LAA,Muts,and Philly then there are teams like KC,Pitt,Nats and the Braves. Its a sad state but we will eventually be back possibly not in my life time I’m 54. Go Braves
richbrave
January 11th, 2010
8:41 pm
I’m really surprised KK is back, but he has to be better this season. He had moments of glory last season, and forgettable ones too. This year, he’s settled in to familiar surroundings, he knows the ball and the strike-zone, and he understands the league’s hitters. He will be better. Three games at least IMO.
richbrave
January 11th, 2010
8:42 pm
Luv 2 Hate Me :
And you can post like you used to either pot stirrer.
Fourbee
January 11th, 2010
10:07 pm
Plain and Simple
I think you put your finger on the Braves’ attendance problems. After 14 straight division titles, numerous League championships and many World Series chances, the Braves only managed to win ONE World Series. The fans became disenchanted with the Braves because it seemed that the Braves “choked” in the playoffs. The Braves had many attendance figures of 3 million or better from 1992 through 2000. However, their lackluster performances in the playoffs have made many fans ask themselves why they wanted to go root for a team that was going to let them down again.
Frank Wren has to realize that, if he wants attendance figures of 3 million or more, he will have to prove to the fans that he has fielded a team that can AND WILL win the World Series. Only then, will the fans return. We have been jaded by expecting playoff appearances and disappointed by too many early exits from the playoffs. Show us a team that WILL win the World Series and we’ll show you attendance of 3 million +.
RKCola
January 11th, 2010
10:38 pm
I’m so tired of seeing that same picture of Frank Wren.
stupup74
January 11th, 2010
11:16 pm
If Frank Wren trully believes this, well, it confrims he is an idiot.
PMC
January 11th, 2010
11:33 pm
The problem is not so much the moves Wren is making as it is the words coming out of his mouth.
I know they are trying to sell tickets. But they can’t truly believe when comparing their lineups to the others even in their own division that they have a chance at winning anything other than the wild card. Even then it’s a really long shot for this year. If you’re playing for 2012. It’s no crime to admit that you have budget restraints and you could start calling it a “process” or something like that. Just don’t pee in the cheerios and say it’s milk.
Everyone knows it’s going to take massive luck and a big time hot streak to have this team producing runs like they will need to win in chunks. They’ll be around .500 most of the year like they have been the last several.
PMC
January 11th, 2010
11:35 pm
Attendance problems have more to do with the city than they do with anything the braves would ever do. Atlanta people just don’t care much about pro sports. Their passionate money goes to their college teams because that’s historically what were here and that’s what peoples grandfathers grandfathers tradition was. The rest of the people are from out of town and they don’t care or… it’s too expensive to be bothered with.
They should have built smaller stadiums if they wanted them full here.
F Troop
January 12th, 2010
12:01 am
My goodness, Frank. You come out of the gate with this whopper:. “We’re not a three million attendance club, which would allow us to do more.”
BS, BS, BS….Frank, if you build it – they will come. This has been proven agina and again in this town. Somehow YOU and Liberty Media don’t believe you can put fannies in seats by building a winner. So what – you expect to entice the same two million fans that came last year to come back to see who, Melky Cabrera? To see a career 3b on the downside of his career (Glaus) experiment into a bonafide 1B on what you say will be a “better” team?
There are enough serious-injury recovering players on this team to put a Grady Unit outside the Ted. We will win 60 games and we will lose 60 games. In the other 42 games we will go 14-28, tops.
“We’re better” Riiight. This is Jim Jones stuff, man. And what you’re sensing is that Braves’s fans are not in a Kool Aid drinking mood this year.