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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Last four posts (free and in HD)
♦ Braves’ Wren struggling with decision on whether to deal
♦ 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
Tom
July 27th, 2010
8:39 pm
How much does scouting and preparing to face a certain pitcher have on a team and then you face someone else?
GT Alum
July 27th, 2010
8:40 pm
Col Claude, don’t forget Jair and Hinske, both of whom were acquired by Wren. Not to mention that the Braves aren’t in first place if Glaus hadn’t hit well for the month and a half he did. Also, Wren’s not the one who originally brought Huddy here, but he is the one who signed him to an extension and made room for him in the rotation. I don’t think Schultz has said Wren’s made all the right moves. He’s actually one of the biggest KK critics there is, and he’s not crazy about Lowe. Unfortunately, you’re taking a very one-sided view of Wren’s work like you’re accusing Schultz of doing. It’s just the opposite side. Wren’s obviously made mistakes, but you’re really not seeing the whole story if you think he’s only made mistakes.
GT Alum
July 27th, 2010
8:45 pm
The one positive thing that should be said about McClouth – at least he said the right things about going to Gwinnett and didn’t pout and throw a temper tantrum like another OF who had been struggling mightily for about a year did when he was demoted about a year ago.
Trey
July 27th, 2010
8:47 pm
Time for another Troy out.
Trey
July 27th, 2010
8:48 pm
It’s amazing how a guy can be sold cold, then hot and then so cold again. Inconsistent. This isn’t their pitching. It’s a big slump and something better be done fast or they could be looking at being down 5 games.
bee killer
July 27th, 2010
8:54 pm
so let me get this straight- we are losing to the Nationals, who are pitching solely out their bull pen? This team looks like they’ve gone cold after the all star break. And why can’t Alex Gonzalez hit a homer in a Braves uniform? Hope they turn it around fast because the Phillies are coming!
Don
July 27th, 2010
9:11 pm
Idiot had to write this
8 reasons why these Braves will NOT squander this lead
4:48 pm July 22, 2010, by Mark Bradley
This young man is about to get going again. Just watch. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
They’d suffered a bad loss late Wednesday, and now the Braves had to play an afternoon game against the team with the National League’s best record on a sweltering day. (Heat index: 106.) They won so easily as to make you believe there’s no way the final 10 1/2 weeks of this regular season hold any danger for this dauntless band. The reasons why:
1. They can pitch. It never changes. As long as you can pitch, you can win. The Braves won breezing Thursday — actually, they did some sweating, too — because Tim Hudson never gave the Padres a chance. He worked seven innings and yielded six baserunners, one of whom was erased by a double play. This isn’t a team apt to lose five in a row because the rotation won’t let that happen. Jair Jurrjens looks hale and hearty, and even if Tommy Hanson and Derek Lowe haven’t been dominant they’re fine as Nos. 3 and 4 starters.
2. They’re buoyant. Not 15 hours after a sobering loss, the Braves had taken a lasting lead in the decisive game of a three-game set against an opponent they might well see in October. Said Billy Wagner, who blew a save Wednesday night: “Good teams are resilient. The heat out there today was awful; I guarantee you the Padres had never felt anything like that. We jumped on them early and kept them out there a long time.”
3. They’re daring. The key play of the first inning was the rookie Jason Heyward going first-to-third on Chipper Jones’ single to left field, which isn’t easy to do. (Heyward scored the only run the Braves would need on Troy Glaus’ sacrifice fly.) Said Bobby Cox of Heyward: “His instincts are off the chart, and he’s got some larceny in him. He’s not afraid to take a base.”
4. They’re clever. The 20-year-old right fielder is wise in the ways of older men, and there are a bunch of older guys to backstop him. Back to Heyward taking third: “You’d be surprised how many [left fielders] at this level can’t make that throw,” Jones said. “We’re a smart team. We steal bases at a very high percentage [69.5 percent, to be precise]. We’re very good at taking the extra base.” Then this: “We’ve got ballplayers. We’ve got guys with great instincts.”
5. They have a dependable shortstop. Alex Gonzalez, nicknamed Sea Bass, had four hits Thursday and made another series of deft defensive swoops. Said Cox: “Watching him play shortstop these past few days has really been special.” Jones likened A-Gonz to Ozzie Smith and Omar Vizquel, saying: “It’s that he’s having a great offensive year, but what I want out of a shortstop is defense — to know that 99 percent of the time he gets his mitt on something he’s going to make the play.”
6. They have a healthier Heyward. He was hitting .251 at the All-Star break, but this is in no way a .251 hitter. He carried this team when nobody else could do a thing in April, and he’s capable of more heavy lifting. He hit .321 over the seven-game homestand. He will do even better very soon.
7. They have a working lead but they’re not impressed by it. Said Wagner: “We play as a team. Chipper has said it a million times, but it’s not one person keeping us going. It’s someone new, a new face in the bullpen, helping us win a game. And we worry about one game at a time, and that comes from the manager.”
8. They have it going in a way that makes you believe they’ll keep it going. They didn’t panic when they lost nine consecutive games in April. They didn’t wring their hands over the lost lead Wednesday night. They press on. They’ve won or halved 20 of their past 21 series. Said Gonzalez, on board only a week: “When you watch the way they play ball every day, you think, ‘This is a great team.’ ”
“Great” overstates. This is a good team that has come to maximize every resource. It isn’t without flaws, but after 95 games it holds the best record in its league. Gonzalez again: “We play hard. We do the little things you have to do. We want to put ourselves in position and see what happens at the end of the year.”
What will happen: The Braves will play beyond the 162nd game for the first time since 2005.
POAD
July 27th, 2010
9:12 pm
Who is in charge of the Sports vent? They are not doing their job. Sports is 7/365 and we get a vent 3.4 maybe 5 days a week Sports vent? Get to work Sports Vent Person.
Alan
July 27th, 2010
9:14 pm
ok let’s see if it works. usually when i turn off the game, they come back.
Ron
July 27th, 2010
9:21 pm
too late, the cancer has spread.
reason
July 27th, 2010
9:22 pm
The Braves should enjoy first place, by this time next week they will be in second, maybe third place. Bobby is going back to his old way and the Brave hitters just stand there and watch the third strikes, along with the lousy playing of Chipper.. As for McLouth, he should have been release a month ago, he a no lost. Frank Wren said he does not want to disrupt the chemistry of the Braves, there would be better chemistry, with real center fielder, and a decent first baseman who can hit. The only problematic thing is dropping out of first place.
poopdawg
July 27th, 2010
9:25 pm
Schultz , the AJC should cut their losses with you. Your such a GOOBER that loves to write about jocks having athletic misfortunes. McLouth is not a loser , you are. Anybody that has played some ball , knows there will come a day when things are not going your way. For some those days turn into a week.
Ron
July 27th, 2010
9:26 pm
Give it 3 days, Nate, and you’ll be back.
concussions
July 27th, 2010
9:27 pm
this guy was recovering from a concussion – these can be tricky to navigate and may take some time from which to recover
I hope Nate can get his skills and timing back for a triumphant return to the team for a playoff run!
tj
July 27th, 2010
9:28 pm
bad news braves again back to april all over again
terrible defense and no hitting the hot streak is over and here come the phillies second place just isn’t good enough
Kerryb
July 27th, 2010
9:42 pm
concussions, the playoff run will soon be over. We got shut out by an average team throwing an average starter out there on last minute notice for his first start. That is weak. No big hitter in the middle of the lineup. Glaus has lost it and Mac is not a cleanup hitter. No big bat by Saturday means fade to third place.
ben
July 27th, 2010
9:45 pm
“pouty shortstop Yunel Escobar”…sure could use his bat right now.
Alan
July 27th, 2010
9:47 pm
Didn’t work. Phillies up 2. Gonna be 3.5 back and we have to play at cincy who played us tough earlier this year. Could be in 2nd place by the end of the week. Unbelievable.
oh well
July 27th, 2010
9:49 pm
It did not help tonight, did it?!
Peter
July 27th, 2010
9:50 pm
The Braves are imploding currently……where si the leadership in the dugout ?
Where is the hitting ? Where id the solid D ?
We have bandaged a team together so far, but this is not a championship caliber team unless each guy looks in the mirror and steps it up a notch, and even then who Knows !
bob
July 27th, 2010
9:53 pm
McLouth move paying dividends already. Hinske reached second base tonight. Great scam by the Nats, announce Strausberg then scratch him the last minute to sell out again tomorrow.
ben
July 27th, 2010
9:56 pm
Escobar went 3 for 5 tonight; Gonzalez was 0 for 3. Not really Gonzalez’s fault. Chipper Jone’s defense is costing Braves games…he was the one so happy that Escobar was gone…so if chemistry is so much better, why is Chipper playing so poorly?
Dr. K
July 27th, 2010
9:57 pm
The rest of this trip is probably going to be ugly. Brian Jordan is actually praising Miguel Batista and saying the Braves just weren’t prepared to face him. Give me a break ??? He is so far over the hill you can’t even see him. He is a rag armed mop up man. Chipper is done, Glaus sold his soul for a great six weeks and has absolutely stunk ever since. (obviously it was only worth six weeks) Melky Cabrera cannot hit…period. It was fun whiloe it lasted but I sense arepeat of the Apri swoon coming on.
bob is an idiot
July 27th, 2010
10:00 pm
Yes, clever marketing ploy by the Nats … after an x-ray and MRI, I’m sure he will be on the mound tomorrow … turn in your fan card
MitchC
July 27th, 2010
10:06 pm
Jeff, the Mclouth move was good, but the Braves have other serious troubles. If things hold as they are tonight, the Braves will have lost half their division lead in only four days, and it will be down to 3 1-2 games.
Several days ago, your esteemed colleague Mark Bradley, who I like very much, and have a lot of respect for, was writing articles boasting why the Braves won’t blow the divisional lead. A few more days like the Braves have had this week, and the lead will be all gone.
The Braves are in serious danger. They need to start winning games, and fast, and hope that Philly loses a few. If not, the Phillies are going to go right past them.
BillyBoy
July 27th, 2010
10:43 pm
I thought he blamed the Pirates for his issues. Something about their doctors did not know he needed new contacts. What a joke. He took his 5 mil/yr and played like $hit. Laughing his way to the bank.
craigslist stud
July 27th, 2010
11:10 pm
So I guess Nate had a concussion during spring training too, huh? And why the hell would Bradley write an article about how we won’t blow the lead with 2 MONTHS left to play? Clown.
juice sourcer
July 27th, 2010
11:15 pm
Hate to say it but the Braves are fading. Mark my words…they will be out of 1st place within 3 weeks..maybe 4…I will come back to report this. No playoffs this year.
JOD
July 27th, 2010
11:26 pm
Mark my words… trading Escobar seemed like a good deal, but look what has happened to the braves since the trade… can we say getting close to the edge folks?
bee killer
July 27th, 2010
11:34 pm
I dont dislike Gonzalez but his lollipop throws to first make every play a close one. scary!
otisnixonsmokescrack
July 27th, 2010
11:39 pm
cough, cough….
tjhook
July 27th, 2010
11:55 pm
I’m not prepared to give up on McLouth yet. He does need a reset, though. Hopefully, he won’t put too much pressure on himself to excel at AAA, but just concentrate on what the Braves told him to work on.
JRW7
July 28th, 2010
12:07 am
Great day, MCOUT is gone!!!!!!! But oh me, THE PHILLIES ARE COMING, THE PHILLIES ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!! Well, I have enjoyed this ride for long as it lasted. I hope we can get our swagger back, ???????????????????
hmmmm.......
July 28th, 2010
2:04 am
Lets bring laroche again and sign barry bonds to pinch hit. crazy right but what has wren done right? wagner. they’d come cheap….. i know too many lefties….but come on bonds trial is set back till 2011 and rochy is awesome in the second half. Oh yeah and fire TP please…..
Inject Me
July 28th, 2010
3:11 am
Glad the Braves traded Escobar. He only makes highlight plays every night and has a hit in every game with the Jays. Now, we have Alex Gonzalez soft tossing throws to Glaus and making every play bang-bang. Oh, well maybe some Bad Karma for the Braves since they have only been a .500 team since they removed the “clubhouse cancer”… At least Gimper Jones has really played great and showed why he is a great leader on the team! Oh wait, he hasn’t! Glad these guys are all playing loose and winning since Escobar is no longer there to bring them down and cost them wins!
The Pink Penetrator
July 28th, 2010
3:30 am
People talk like McLouth has done something personally to them. Do you guys seriously think he wants to be playing like he currently is? Maybe, just maybe he needs a change of scenery. It’s not like he asked to be traded to Atlanta, he even signed a team friendly contract with the Pirates. So leave the guy alone, hopefully he makes it back to Atlanta. If not, then best of luck with another team!
Arkie
July 28th, 2010
7:13 am
Braves seem to be going DOWN. WHY? They have two quality starting pitcher, one that came up before he learned how to pitch, hold runners on, etc. The others are winners if enough runs are scored. We need a big bat, Chipper is not a # 3 hitter, Glaus is not hitting, McCann is trying too hard. He is a very average catcher – needs to play first. Other than one relief pitcher that I agree with IDOT needs to be selling beer some where, has been very good. However, as usual we will wear out their arms with over pitching. Why does a little man such as McLouth think that he is a home run hitter? If he corrected his swing, hit line drives to use his speed, but will he ever see this?? Go Braves you will neeed some (a lot) of luck.
Clay
July 28th, 2010
7:43 am
Does Nate have room in his car for Chavez?
Clay
July 28th, 2010
7:49 am
Arkie: ” Why does a little man such as McLouth think that he is a home run hitter?”
***************************************
Nate had pretty good power at Pittsburg – 42 homers total in ‘07 & ‘08, with 164 RBIs and 42 stolen bases. It’s no wonder that Wren wanted him, and he hit 11 dingers when he got on the Braves, but he has just lost it. Unbelievable.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
7:57 am
Now release or bench Troy Glaus, put Hinske at 1st, trade for a power hitting OF and roll on ! Otherwise, watch the Phillies overtake you .
BATTER UP
July 28th, 2010
8:01 am
CAN WE ALSO SEND JIM POWELL TO BE THE VOICE OF THE GWINNETT BRAVES. DUDE IS AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BATTER UP
July 28th, 2010
8:02 am
CAN’T WAIT FOR OUR MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE JUST TRADED FOR WES HELMS
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:02 am
Chemistry means zilch when you go 0 for 50. Give me a head case that can hit .320 over a nice guy that hits .200 any day. Players get paid to produce not to be best buddies…
Barnacle Bill Bavasi
July 28th, 2010
8:02 am
Don’t look now, but it’s starting to smell like April around here again.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:04 am
Chipper,Glaus,Gonzalez,McCann,and Prado need to step up and produce. These guys are killing us lately with weak bats. Prado hit well all year up until now.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:06 am
Cox platoons Hinske who goes 3 for 5 when he plays. Glaus goes 0-4 with a walk. Who do you think DESERVES to start at 1B ?
Same with McLouth and Blanco. Blanco hits .300 for 2 weeks, McLouth returns with his .175 BA and Cox demotes Blanco and plays McLouth. Dumass.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:07 am
Glaus = Weakest Link (now that Mclouth is triple Aing it).
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:09 am
Schultz, you are much better than DOB writing blogs. At least you don’t hire out Carroll Rogers and Brian whatever his name was. Pretty lame to get others to write blogs for you.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:12 am
I don’t understand Wren debating over trading for help though. Its a no-brainer. Just look at the Phillies offense and the Braves. The Braves have no Ryan Howard & Jason Werth type power bats.
robdawg08
July 28th, 2010
8:13 am
Although I’m sure Wren THOUGHT those basts belonged to Chipper & Glaus.