First base is Braves’ most fixable problem: Adrian Gonzalez
Here's Adrian Gonzalez after he scored during Padres' 10-run fourth-inning against Braves. Oops.
A rumor popped up a few days ago that the Braves might have some interest in San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, which is interesting because I proposed the same thing in November.
As I wrote then, the Padres need to trim payroll and there is absolutely no downside to the Braves pursuing a trade for Gonzalez: 1) He gives them a dependable power hitter and run producer; 2) He fills the great black hole that always seems to exist at first base in Turner Field; 3) He has a favorable contract ($4.75 million and $5.5 million this season and in 2011, respectively); 4) His name isn’t Troy Glaus.
Would Braves general manager Frank Wren have to deal some prospects for Gonzalez? Yes. Do the Braves still feel somewhat burned by the Mark Teixeira trade? Probably. But there comes a time when a franchise has to push the button on a deal, and the Braves can’t afford to drop too far out of the race and potentially miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
Now, back to Glaus. There is no shortage of problems in the lineup. We can start at leadoff, where the Braves are batting a sickly .091 — last in the majors by a longshot. Texas is next lowest at .138. The major league average is .252.
Detroit, which is led by would-be Brave Johnny Damon’s .323, is hitting .313 at leadoff. Sorry, just had to throw that in.
Chances are the Braves will have to deal with the leadoff issue all season. Their hope is that Nate McLouth or another player eventually gets hot (or even tepid) in that role. Or that Jordan Schafer can be brought back up and he takes it over. There just aren’t a lot of great leadoff hitters around.
The Glaus situation is different. The worst news is not that he stinks (.186 batting average, 17 strikeouts in 59 at-bats; slugging percentage of .305, even worse than Omar Infante’s .346). The worst news is that he might not get better. Consider that Glaus’ career stats show that his best months are April and May. In other words, this might be as good as it gets.
The career splits:
March: .250.
April: .276.
May: .270.
June: .233
July: .242
August: .252
September: .258
October: .151.
For what it’s worth, here are Gonzalez’ current statistics: .317, 6 homers, 14 RBI, .667 slugging, .429 on-base percentage, 1.095 OPS.
So the question is: How long can Wren afford to wait before pursuing a deal? And since some of you will bring up Freddie Freeman, here’s my view: Freeman can stay in the minors one more season. He’s not ready yet. Next year is next year, and that issue can be dealt with then. It’s about making something of this season.
♦
Earlier posts today
♦ Grading Falcons’ drafts, from Roddy (A) to Jimmy (ugh)
♦ Draft report card: Graders get an F, Falcons get 3 to 5 years
♦
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389 comments Add your comment
Bring Back LaRoche
April 26th, 2010
4:47 pm
Maybe we can bring Casey Kotchman back– or better yet, since it seems like Kotchman is in high demand (he’s played for so many teams over the years that must mean that he’s very much desired, right?), we could sign Greg Norton! I hear he’s available and plays a very serviceable first base!
Truth is, the Braves had a good hitting first baseman at the end of last season. His name was Adam LaRoche. The Braves let him walk, though…
Mama Cox
April 26th, 2010
4:48 pm
You may not realize it, but .150 hitters need more Mama-ing than .350 hitters. And I am just the Mama for the job. Come here Yunel, xoxoxoxoxoxo
W/E
April 26th, 2010
4:50 pm
move Chipper to first, Prado to third and infante to 2nd. rearrange the batting order to prado leading off with escobar 2nd(where he succeeded last year), chip 3rd, Mac 4th, Jey-Hey 5th, Diaz 6th, Infante 7th, and McClouth/Melky 8th. If Chipper would just switch corners he’d have a better shot at staying healthy. I’m ready to end the Glaus experiment. It’s not just the sucky hitting, but he’s a liability as a fielder.
Stephen Hawking
April 26th, 2010
4:51 pm
Aliens could be dangerous.
a
April 26th, 2010
4:51 pm
W/E, do you really think chippers obliques and hammys would do well stretching for throws in the dirt? he’s no less injury prone at first.
W/E
April 26th, 2010
4:52 pm
Package Freeman to get Gonzalez and shell out the $’s to get Adrian Gonzalez to an extension. Gonzalez is still fairly young, lock him u long term. He and J’Hey along with McCann would give us a 3-4-5 to reckon with for years. But Wren doesn’t have the nuts or the competence to pull this off.
a
April 26th, 2010
4:53 pm
locking up gonzo for the long term has NOTHING to do with Wren. we don’t have ownership that will pay for it!
god im getting no work done today.
Jeff
April 26th, 2010
4:54 pm
As much as I would love to have Gonzalez its not going to happen. The owners are terrible and so I our GM.
W/E
April 26th, 2010
4:55 pm
What about those unspent 11 million dollars from Vasquez’s salary?
Yoda
April 26th, 2010
4:56 pm
W/E………..Slipper at 1st, please no…just stick a fork in him he’s done…did you see his great throw yesterday….yikes, he needs to retire Now.
is30303
April 26th, 2010
4:58 pm
i saw pass on gonzo. . . he’d be great but this isn’t rotisserie baseball. at what cost? What will the Padres want? I say too much. This has all the makings of a Texeria or a JD Drew trade.
we haven’t even tried out our in-house solutions yet. remember prado didn’t get to audition til when?
hey, doesn’t norton play first?
SeATLite
April 26th, 2010
4:59 pm
Jeff, you’re a great guy, but you should prepare yourself to get torched by Peter Hjort on the Capitol Avenue Club blog again, and with good reason.
Your writing is sincere and well-intentioned, but mercifully unmolested by reality. You say you’ve always thought that LH/RH stuff was overblown? Okay, but actual statistics don’t bear you out; while a few elite hitters do hit well against both sides, most hit quite a bit better against one or the others.
As of today, for example, Adrian Gonzalez is hitting .365 with 6 home runs against right-handers — and .091 with 0 homers against lefties. His splits for 2007-2009 are .304/.236, 75 HRs vs 31. These numbers don’t mean Gonzalez is a bad hitter, or even that the Braves shouldn’t want him — but they strongly indicate that what you’ve “always thought” is simply, demonstrably wrong in this case.
You say you’re “not sure if the Padres can continue this winning.” Well, no, you can’t be, and whether they do or not will flatly determine whether there is any point whatsoever to fantasizing about a trade for Gonzalez. If the Padres do keep winning, they won’t consider trading him — and a lot of people closer to that team than you are have suggested that, given what he means to their fan base, they may not consider trading him even if they don’t keep winning. This matters. I can say the Braves will be an immeasurably better team if they trade for Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez, and I’d be right — but that’s never, ever going to happen, so there’s no point in talking about it. And I think you’ll agree that, if you wrote a column suggesting such a thing, you’d be guilty of sportswriter malpractice.
And that’s not even dealing with the reality-based issue of whether what the Braves would have to give up to get Adrian Gonzalez would be worth a year and a half of him. You make passing reference to the Teixeira trade, but I don’t think there’s a Braves fan around at this point who doesn’t look at Andrus et al burning it up in Arlington and wish John Schuerholz had never made that deal.
My point isn’t to rag you cruelly; as I say, you seem like a great guy and I enjoy your writing much of the time. But old-school, dead-tree-media writers like you and Mark Bradley need to understand that you can no longer just phone this stuff in without checking your facts and supporting the points you want to make with some actual legwork beforehand. You’re being lazy and sloppy, and in the process you’re not helping save your job, your newspaper or your industry — to say nothing of saving the Atlanta Braves.
Get better at what you do. For your own good, as well as ours. Or you’re gonna go extinct, sooner rather than later. That’s not disrespect, it’s just a sober, steely-eyed appraisal of the reality of the situation. You might consider emulating the approach.
W/E
April 26th, 2010
5:01 pm
We coulda solved this in-house had they taken a flyer on Adam Laroche instead of a washed-up fatty with a bum shoulder. And we coulda resigned Andruw on the cheap, but we traded Javier Vasquez (who at mimimum woulda been major trade-bait at the deadline in July) for a centerfielder with a beer-gut and the worst power numbers on the team.
Eddie Perez would be a good manager
April 26th, 2010
5:03 pm
I would not mind at all if they moved Freeman and another midlevel prospect, or even D Lowe and Freeman for Gonzo. You get two seasons (almost) and then you have Chipper’s 15 mil to use toward resigning him. Prado is better at third anyway, and you have a couple of second base prospects on the farm that should be ready by then. I’d hate to lose Freeman, but Gonzo’s a proven player, Freeman is only potential.
Herschel Talker
April 26th, 2010
5:03 pm
Schultzie –
Number 4 is the key. Glaus is a complete disaster. While we’re at it firing Glaus, can we fire Bobby and Wren?
HT
carllange
April 26th, 2010
5:03 pm
Why is the Braves pathetic defense being largely ignored in team-fixing talk? If you got a good staff and bad hitters you better at least be able to catch and throw it to keep yourself in the game. Yet Wren/Cox allow an aging error machine at one corner and an aging fumbling experiment on the other. So below average D on the corners. How does that support the pitching staff you bulit this team around? does anyone remember the 1991 Schuerholz model of defense defense defense to go with the young guns?
I will say again to deaf ears McCann should be learning first base not Glaus. That way Ross could play more and Mac and his average at best D behind the plate can be phased out and focus on his offense. Or try Chipper over there or encourage him to finish his career in the AL as a DH. Melky is too chubby to be a good OF and McLouth has a weak arm. So many holes defensively with the added bonus of poor fundamentals. Hitting may come and go but good D doesn’t slump. Either does good fundamentals and this tyeam lacks both in spades.
Marty
April 26th, 2010
5:05 pm
After reading this I really want to say, start selling off and start over. But we really do have the pitching to contend and you have to capitalize on that while you have it. We’re up there among the best pitching in either league even if you take Lowe out of the equation. Who else has as many quality starters – Hanson, Huddy & Jair as us – not Philly, not the Mets, not most teams. And we’ve seen what good things can happen if we hit…hit even just a little bit. If we can make a move that will give a spark, provide some energy, shake things up, without mortgaging the farm, then DO it, NOW. Make a small trade – move Nate or Melky or Yunel, go ahead and cut Glaus, or even fire TP…something. But don’t move the whole farm system for Gonzo. This group of hitters aren’t going to ever jell. We need a spark but not a Gonzo sized spark. My two cents.
Eddie Perez would be a good manager
April 26th, 2010
5:05 pm
By the way, if not Perez to replace Bobby, I’d agree with the whole ‘clean house’ crowd. Until Liberty sells the club to a serious owner, it won’t matter anyway.
RT
April 26th, 2010
5:08 pm
When will Frank Wren finally feel some heat?
Jeff D.
April 26th, 2010
5:10 pm
Jeff, this Glaus signing made me ill. He’s been injured, busted for PED’s and just hasn’t done much since he was with the Angels. It was a hail mary for the Braves. Maybe, just maybe he’d “recapture” his stroke. Nah, I didn’t belive it. What made it worse was his conversion to the 1B position. He’s been ok at 1st but his swing may be long gone. Hell, I’d rather see Hinskie at 1B. I’m not ready to crap on Wren but this one isn’t working out at all. As for Gonzo, it seemed like SD was hot to deal him last year. I guess the Braves didn’t offer enough. Now the Pads are looking solid and they may not want to tinker with that.
kelly
April 26th, 2010
5:12 pm
End the Stop-Gaps. DON’T give up any more youth. We have and excellent farm system with incredible young talent that we continue to give away….and regret!
Who cares if we miss the playoffs yet again. It will be a bummer but we will be back in a couple with a strong young team.
PS- I hate to say it, but I think TP has to go. Shake it up a bit.
GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
coachx
April 26th, 2010
5:12 pm
This is Mark Texiera all over again.
If you can’t afford to resign him for a $20 mill per year salary then you have no business trading for him.
bwash21
April 26th, 2010
5:13 pm
A deal for Adrian Gonzalez is going to start with:
Freddie Freeman and Kris Medlen and go from there. That wouldn’t be enough to make it happen.
Depending on what the rest is, I am ready to make it happen.
Eddie Perez would be a good manager
April 26th, 2010
5:14 pm
Carlange…excellent post.
Dawg-Hatin' Jacket
April 26th, 2010
5:15 pm
The Texiera trade is exactly why we are in the position we are in now. We continue to give away the best prospects and are left with the team on the field now. Let’s face it, one player is not going to make any difference. The Braves are just plain bad, thanks to the giving away of the farm time after time. Let’s stop that cycle of stupidity now.
bwash21
April 26th, 2010
5:15 pm
Anyone mentioning Derek Lowe in a deal for Gonzalez is an idiot.
Do you even have any idea why Gonzalez is available?
If you did, then you would understand that Lowe is not going to Padres, much less the NY Yankees in any deal.
GTSteve
April 26th, 2010
5:15 pm
When Chipper retires they will be able to afford him
How About a UNICORN?
April 26th, 2010
5:16 pm
We have about as much chance of getting GONZALEZ as a UNICORN flying out of the stands at Turner Field….THE NEW ATLANTA BRAVES WOULD NEVER SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY THESE GUYS ARE THE MOST RIDICULOUS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM I HAVE EVER SEEN…..I am cautious about calling them Major Leaguers because I could bring up the entire Triple A squad from Gwinnett and have a better showing than what these bums are doing…2011 will be the year we can get rid of this so called HALL OF FAME Manager however if any other manager had been in charge of this team then we would have at least 2 World Series Championships if not 4…Bobby Cox SUX…Frank Wren Sux and Terry Pendleton double SUX….
roman bravo
April 26th, 2010
5:16 pm
remember when the braves would jump on deals well I guess those days are gone, could’ve had damon, didn’t wanna pay the money, retreads usually don’t work out, a.gonzalez would be great but I doubt they’ll do it, hate to see a mediocre team, if they do nothing, we’re looking at a battle for 3rd or 4th place.
Jeff D.
April 26th, 2010
5:16 pm
I love the new nicknames:
Glaus “Washed up Fatty” and Melky “Beer Gut” Cabrera! Sounds like a blockbuster summer flick.
Chip
April 26th, 2010
5:22 pm
The Braves have played 18 games. They’ve only hit 12 home runs, and a third of those are from a rookie. There’s only 1 homer from another outfielder.
This is the most embarrassing display of offense that I’ve ever witnessed from a Braves team…Changes need to be made immediately before this gets any more ridiculous.
bvillebaron
April 26th, 2010
5:23 pm
Jeff:
If this piece doesn’t represent the eptiome of panic based on 18 lousy games, I don’t know what does! Tell me who the rebuilding Braves are going to have to give up for the next Mark Texiera (not really) panacea and get back to me Jeff.
How About a UNICORN?
April 26th, 2010
5:25 pm
Maybe you will post this one JEFF SCHULTZ SUXS….
Allen
April 26th, 2010
5:28 pm
Kelly Johnson has 7 home runs.Do the Braves have that as a team
How About a UNICORN?
April 26th, 2010
5:31 pm
The Braves have a better chance of having a UNICORN FLY out of the stands than getting GONZALEZ why would JEFF SCHULTZ even point this out….HE KNOW DA_N well the Braves are not going to do this….FRANK WREN this guy is the biggest joke in Atlanta since JON Contract left town….I cannot believe these guys even put on Major League Uniforms they are the biggest joke of a major league baseball team I have ever seen…Cant Hit, Cant Field, Cant think (Escobar)…oh yeah thanks Frank Wren if we can hold all teams under one run we got a great shot of winning something…maybe if we throw 90 shutouts this year we can make the playoffs….How much more disappointing can it be when 3 weeks into the season you realize your team is a JOKE…..now I know how the Pirates and National Fans have felt all these years….
PN
April 26th, 2010
5:32 pm
Uhm…Jeff…with all due respect, don’t give yourself too much credit. Every team in baseball aside from a few would LOVE to have Adrian Gonzalaez on their team…it’s a no brainer to make that suggestion. You have TOTALLY neglected the downside — the cost of bringing him here. Does the Mark Teixera trade not ring any bells? Yes, everyone would love to have AGon and his .280 40 100, but it will cost the Braves probably 2-3 top tier prospects and then a couple of more middle-tier guys. This means the Padres would be stupid to not ask for at least Freddie Freeman, Kris Medlen, and some other dude whose name I can’t remember. I would love to have him here, but NOT for 4 months. If the Braves get Adrian and fork out the talent to get him, he needs to be a fixture, not a rental. Your article totally ignored this. This is the reason the Braves didn’t have him on the roster in November, bubba.
Cartersville Dawg
April 26th, 2010
5:34 pm
We need to fix the bigger problem first and get rid of Terry Pendleton?
How About a UNICORN?
April 26th, 2010
5:36 pm
Let me just ask you one question JEFF do you think the Braves are going to get Gonzalez? If so what are the chances 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, I think we all know the answer to this what are you writing this BS so we can all live in FANTASY LAND….PLEASE IN THE FUTURE PUT SOME MORE HEAT ON THE HITTERS AND THE MANAGER AND THE GENERAL MANAGER INSTEAD OF SENDING US A HYPOTHETICAL LONG SHOT…..WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO START CALLING OUT THE BUMS ON THE TEAM RIGHT NOW INSTEAD OF WRITING THIS CRAP
Donny Corleone
April 26th, 2010
5:37 pm
This team is more than one or two players away from contending.
GTSteve
April 26th, 2010
5:42 pm
How About a UNICORN…..
Although I disagree with your methods, I have to agree with what you are saying
orlandodawg
April 26th, 2010
5:46 pm
I can’t wait until chipper and dlowe come off the books! Pay Gonzo, Heyward and Hanson
atlvol55
April 26th, 2010
5:48 pm
Wren must have lost it…he was actually defending Glaus on the radio today. Literally everytime I turn on the Braves, Glaus either strikes our or hits into a double play…
Jeff….did you notice how Glaus was barely jogging on that double play last night…I know he is slow, but on a soft grounder to third…he was out by at least 10 feet..Its one thing to be swinging back…its another to not even hustle.
Glaus= 2009 Greg Norton…every game in crucial situations and Bobby keeps putting him in there when EVERYONE knew a K or double play was coming!!
atlvol55
April 26th, 2010
5:49 pm
sorry meant to say “swing bad”
Donny Corleone
April 26th, 2010
5:51 pm
Chipper-”I’m old and hurt.”
Yunel- “Nobody love Yunel.”
Nate- “I forgot how to play.”
Troy- “I’m lost.”
Melky- never mind
Jason- “How in the he!! did I get stuck with this bunch?”
This is just a sad bunch of players who have no fire, desire, and apparantly no shame.
DMBJAMS
April 26th, 2010
5:51 pm
Jeff, you are my hero. Glaus is a has-been poser. No poppy without the juicy.
GTSteve
April 26th, 2010
5:54 pm
Has the lineup been posted yet
Roja
April 26th, 2010
5:57 pm
That “power hitter” we need was non-tendered by the Braves in the off season. .322 batting average, .429 OBP, .814 SLG, 1.242 OPS, leading the entire National League in both Home Runs (7) and OPS. Who is that masked man??? Kelly Johnson. Imagine the tandem of Prado at third and KJ at second.
Maybe we don’t need a power hitter. Maybe we have one ( or two, or three) on this team all ready and we just need a Hitting Coach.
How About a UNICORN?
April 26th, 2010
5:57 pm
Sorry Jeff for the inappropriate comments above I really do believe we will Adrian Gonzalez however the PROBLEM it will be 2022 when he is 39 years coming elbow and shoulder reconstruction after missing all of last year…..hoping for a rejuvenated season back to his old form of 2010…..
GTSteve
April 26th, 2010
5:58 pm
Lol, unicorn, sad but true
Greg Norton
April 26th, 2010
6:05 pm
I can play first base, and I can bat lead-off, too. And, I’m cheap.