Braves had no choice but to cut losses with McLouth
This is what Nate McLouth looks like when he hits a home run. It's an old picture. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
When I spoke to Braves general manager Frank Wren earlier today and asked about the struggling Nate McLouth, this is what he said: “The last ball he hit the other night was the hardest he’s hit since he came back. So we’re hoping that’s a sign.”
Sign? Right. Turns out the only sign was off of Interstate 85 heading north, exit 115: Buford Drive. That’s where McLouth will be parked indefinitely.
The Braves optioned McLouth to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. Ironic. He sort of takes the roster spot vacated in Gwinnett by Jordan Schafer, who was recently demoted yet another level down to Double-A Mississippi.
There was a time when McLouth was viewed as the bridge to Schafer. Now both are bridges to nowhere.
Give Wren credit for this. He understands this season can be a special one for the Braves. He’s not taking any chances. He decided to deal talented but pouty shortstop Yunel Escobar, giving up age and potentially something greater down the line, for the more stable Alex Gonzalez. Now he is dropping McLouth, who is hitting only .168 this season and is 1-for-15 since returning from the disabled list with a concussion. The final straw might have been grounding into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded the other night in Florida.
The move doesn’t solve the Braves’ problem in center field, but it eliminates an eyesore from the roster. Wren presumably has been trying to move McLouth before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline, but the fact the player signed a three-year, $15.75 million contract extension last season makes that problematic.
But for now, he deserves some credit for knowing when to cut losses with McLouth.
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♦ Countdown’s health report: A-Roid, hot dog stands, mite fight!
♦ With Oswalt trade looming, should Braves worry about Philly?
♦ Ranking the SEC, from Bama to Vandy (and Georgia No. 4)
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177 comments Add your comment
DawgDad
July 27th, 2010
6:04 pm
Best wishes Nate. Fix your problems and get back up here.
bc1992
July 27th, 2010
6:07 pm
Why is Heyward not playing center field??????????????????? He is the fastest player the Braves have on the roster. It is a no brainer!! Heyward is a great out fielder. However, Cox is the manager.
tim
July 27th, 2010
6:07 pm
3 years at 15.75 million $$ for ANOTHER non performer…. The glaring problem with major league sports!! The exact reason I never spend a dime on a mis-managed business.
Reid Adair
July 27th, 2010
6:08 pm
Yeah, it was a sign alright, Frank Wren.
It was a sign that this demotion was long overdue and that, frankly, Nate McLouth probably never should have been brought to Atlanta in the first place.
JohnSmith
July 27th, 2010
6:08 pm
Actually, McLouth was the fastest player the Braves had on their roster. Too bad he never got to show it on the basepaths, eh?
Sonny Clusters
July 27th, 2010
6:11 pm
What is Al Gore doing? Maybe he can play some centerfield for the Braves until something good happens. We remember that he throws like a girl but that was from the mound. He might be able to turn it loose from centerfield. Can he hit? How does he do in warm weather?
Chop Chop
July 27th, 2010
6:12 pm
I didn’t really understand what all the panic about McLouth was. They wanted to give him some games to see if he’d get it going. It didn’t happen. The team is still in first place. I’ll rip Wren in a heartbeat, but I never thought for one second that McLouth would be allowed to play like that and stay in Atlanta. Wren deserves credit for that.
Legend of Len Barker
July 27th, 2010
6:16 pm
Andruw Jones is the all-time winner in this, but McLouth deserves a mention in the “got the least out of the most skills” category. He has so many tools, but like Andruw all he cared to do was uppercut at the ball and hope it went into the seats. Same strike zone recognition, too. Except that Andruw would always sheepishly grin; McLouth just looks confused.
Matt the Brave
July 27th, 2010
6:17 pm
The announcers pointed out something with McClouth’s swing the other night. The Braves have asked him to work on shortening it up, but so far, all he’s done is load up much more before swinging. In essence, this means that his swing is even longer than it was before the concussion. His swing is all sorts of messed up, and I don’t think that it’s anybody’s fault other than McClouth.
On a side note, I wonder how long it’ll take for the Braves to demote Kawakami?
Sonny Clusters
July 27th, 2010
6:18 pm
Well, you never know where you’ll find a center fielder. If we was looking we’d look for somebody a little taller than McLouth or somebody that could start his swing up higher and not end up over his head. We was always thinking McLouth was swinging uppercut and trying to hit home runs. Now, he hit that last ball pretty hard according to Bobby and to Frank but it only went to an infielder and it turned out to be a double play. When we hit a ball hard it bounces off somebody’s seat. We will just hope that McLouth gets better soon.
bman
July 27th, 2010
6:19 pm
Nate, best of luck in AAA.
I think its funny when people yell and scream about 3yrs and 15.75 mil, it was team friendly deal for a guy who put up some respectable numbers for three years straight. Yes, he’s having a terrible year, but don’t cut the nose to spite the face. He’ll settle down, and come back with a vengeance, because, unlike francouer and escobar, this guy he liked by his teammates and is not fighting a demotion (at least publicly). It shows he’s in it for the braves to win it, not for himself. Maybe this will allow him to step back and “reset” in a less stressful environment, instead of a place where their fighting to win the division and a WS. I bet he’ll be back up by the end of august, play like he has before, and be vital to the stretch run.
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boog
July 27th, 2010
6:33 pm
five million for two more years to McClouth… seven million another year to Kawakami and fifteen million per year for two more years to Lowe. Three players … twenty seven million per year. And only minimal production from one of the three…Lowe. It is amazing that the Braves are winning. When they shed these contracts and Chipper and they could really do something special.
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
6:38 pm
bman…I hope you’re right……I really do…McClouth isn’t a jerk or a headcase….
gcs
July 27th, 2010
6:41 pm
Thank you Mr. Wren.
I have no doubt that Bobby Cox probably threw out some objections but you were able to convince him otherwise.
This is a huge step in your maturation as GM.
.
SD Dawg
July 27th, 2010
6:44 pm
Great call Boog. Kawakami and Lowe’s contracts make me want to puke!
Gumby
July 27th, 2010
6:44 pm
This was the right move with Nate. Getting him here was a good move. His numbers with the Pirates were good but it just hasn’t worked here, even before the concussion. I have nothing but good wishes for him. His teammates seem to like him so maybe he can put ego aside and figure out what the problem is. If he can that would be a huge plus for the team to get Nate back playing the way he was with the Pirates.
GADAWG88
July 27th, 2010
6:49 pm
I agree with falcon josh
UGAFan
July 27th, 2010
6:53 pm
I feel so bad for Nate because he seems like such a nice guy but he is hurting this team. Don’t forget though he came up with one of the biggest at-bats this season. Walkoff homer off Contreras . Bravos went on to sweep the Phillies.
JASon
July 27th, 2010
6:55 pm
I don’t have any remorse for McLouth. Dude sucks. He got a comfortable contract and then flopped. I mean, did he work on his swing at all? Its one thing to have an off season, but .168, dude? Most organizations would have sent you down long ago.
gcs
July 27th, 2010
6:56 pm
Whoa Schultz,
You left out a pretty big detail. They replaced McLouth with Brent Clevlen (?!?!). Is this all about options? Give me a break. He IS not going to help the team and the Braves are in a race here. Why not bring back Gregor Blanco?
Back to the doghouse with you, Wren.
.
.
wxwax
July 27th, 2010
6:57 pm
Not sure Wren deserves plaudits for getting fleeced by the Pirates and tying his roster into knots.
Andruw Jones
July 27th, 2010
6:59 pm
I would love come back to where it all started for me, get me out of Chicago please!
Paddy
July 27th, 2010
6:59 pm
Bob Horner….I always loved your mental approach to the game ever since calling that next shot off of Bert Blylevvin in your ML debut. People had no idea how baseball smart you were. And to hit his curve ball for a HR, well, priceless!
nique
July 27th, 2010
7:01 pm
completely agree that wren shouldn’t get credit for demoting a guy that he traded for and obligated the club to pay. good points by boog as well. still though, can’t argue with being in first right now.
Mitun
July 27th, 2010
7:07 pm
cut McLouth and Kawakami and then try to get a reliever and CF
Cletus Dooley Earnhardt SR.
July 27th, 2010
7:22 pm
wheen dos FOOTBALL seison start? Im so freekin sick of beisbol!
- GO UGA! AND SONY PURDU!!!!
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
7:26 pm
Thanks Paddy I could handle the inner half of the plate….I guessed correctly on the curve you’re alluding to…my 4hr game was cool too…but honestly we weren’t in a pennant chase I got pitches I could hit…
Art
July 27th, 2010
7:49 pm
You might think this is crazy but read on. Brian had lasix surgery and had issues last year and wound up having to wear glasses and then had corrective surgery again in the off season. Nate McLouth had lasix surgery in the offseason and I was just wondering if Nate has eye problems.
Dnice
July 27th, 2010
7:52 pm
Legend of Len Barker You are wrong for downing Andruw. Its amazing that we were not satisfied with the numbers Andruw put up. Dont ever put Nate and Andruw in the same sentence because Nate was not a GG player and he never was a homerun hitter. Even when Andruw sucked so bad his last year here he at least hit the ball out the park and brought in runs (about 85 last year).
On another note are we sure Gwinnett will accept Nate??????
Joslyn James
July 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
Hey McClouth….Pay me a million bucks…I’ll fix your swing….like I did Tiger
Eli
July 27th, 2010
8:04 pm
damn, didn’t we know this was coming? Come on fellas. bring on the next Andruw Jones…
Eli
July 27th, 2010
8:06 pm
I bet Cletus Dooley Earnhardt SR. has at least five bumper stickers on his car. Anybody wanna take that bet?
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:07 pm
This sux…I’m soft hearted..I bet a buddy $10.. straight up…when Strasbug got scratched I gave him 2 to 1 odds…..now I’m poutin..!!!
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:08 pm
Eli I’ll take the under….(I warn you…I’m due)
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:08 pm
looks like Big Red has settled down…down 0-3
Eli
July 27th, 2010
8:10 pm
sorry bob, he probably has a truck
Jesse James
July 27th, 2010
8:12 pm
How many starters have you seen throw from the stretch? I know he isn’t a starter, but in all my years of watching pro ball I have never seen a starter of anykind throw from the stretch all the time. I guess when you are a reliever you don’t change.
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:15 pm
Jesse..I’d be laughing if I didn’t bet the game…..ur right…dude is not winding up…
Eli
July 27th, 2010
8:18 pm
come on Bravos!!!
mr baseball
July 27th, 2010
8:20 pm
When are Infante and Diaz going to join McLouth in Gwinnett? After all, our future Hall of Fame manager decided Sunday to use McLouth instead of Infante & Diaz in his stupefying decision to pinch run for Hinske in the 7th inning and then leave McLouth in the game so he could ground into a double play with the bases loaded in extra innings.
Evidently, Cox thought McLouth was better than Infante and Diaz in that situation, and before the Braves played another game, he’s in the minors. What does that say about Cox’s opinion of Infante & Diaz? Not to mention his managerial acumen.
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:22 pm
mr baseball….Cox gave McClouth his last chance…he failed…get over it….I have
Najeh Davenpoop
July 27th, 2010
8:23 pm
Bring back Andruw!
Colonel Claude
July 27th, 2010
8:23 pm
Schultz, you are tripping on your high heels. Give Frank Wren credit? He’s paying this guy $5 mil a year. Hey, what about KK, Lowe, etc? You’re a writer, grow a pair already, take the GM to task. What’s Glaus hitting .250 now? Your comeback will be, Look the Braves are in 1st place. It ain’t because any of the guys above, Jethro. It’s Prado, McCann, Hudson, Say Hey–guys Wren had nothing to do with acquiring.
Ronald Millsaps
July 27th, 2010
8:25 pm
Let’s get Gregor Blanco and Josh Anderson back on the team.
If we’re going to trade Kris Medlen, let’s go for a Corey Hart. I’m not sure Cody Ross is fair compensation.
Bob Horner
July 27th, 2010
8:27 pm
Colonel Claude …are you an Alpha Male..???
Braves20
July 27th, 2010
8:34 pm
While Cy Batista mows us down, hopefully our GM is looking with for a bat.
Jake
July 27th, 2010
8:36 pm
This team is in a slump. When is someone gonna say something. Prado batting 250 the past 15 games. Chipper not hitting at all. Hayward just average. Glaus back to his old ways. Things can turn quickly in baseball. Lose this one and it’s likely 2 series losses in a row with Strasburg likely to go tomorrow or thurs. Phils won 5 in a row. Could be 3.5 back tonight. Of course this all started when idiot fool Mark B talked bs about how these braves were different and would win their div.
Harry
July 27th, 2010
8:37 pm
Isn’t it great to see the Troy of April is back! Well, maybe he will get hot again in September.
Mookie Mills
July 27th, 2010
8:38 pm
Thank you for removing the weakest link that has cost us at least 4 games due to all the 0 for 4s and shoddy defense. Bring back Blanco to play centerfield and get our chemistry back.