Should Braves consider bringing back Andruw Jones?
Andruw Jones hit 19 home runs last season with the White Sox.
Hey look: Andruw Jones is still available and the Braves could use a right-handed bat and an extra outfielder.
OK, all together now: Schultz, you’re an idiot.
Truth is, I’m not pushing for the Braves to sign Jones. But I’m not completely dismissing the idea, either.
Have to admit, I’m only bringing this up because I’ve received a few emails in the last couple of days from readers asking me about Jones, and our resident baseball man David O’Brien tells me he also has been fielding questions from fans.
First, let’s address the negative: Jones will be 34 in April, obviously isn’t the Gold Glove center fielder he used to be with the Braves and often stirs up gale force winds when he’s at the plate.
Now here’s the positive: Playing for the Chicago White Sox last season, his third team in three years, Jones hit 19 home runs in 328 plate appearances. That roughly translates to a 40-home run season as a regular (which he’s not). Jones even walked 45 times, which gave him an on-base percentage of .341 (his best since 2006) and hit .230 (still anemic but better than the previous three years: .222, .158, .214)
The Braves could use a right-handed bat off the bench. For that matter, their outfield still makes me nervous. Martin Prado will be the everyday left fielder, unless Chipper Jones has a setback and can’t start at third. Jason Heyward is in right. Then there’s the great black hole in center: Nate McLouth. Jordan Schafer also will be camp in spring training, hoping to belatedly jump start his career. Eric Hinske and Joe Mather can fill in.
Is that good enough?
There are reports the New York Yankees are interested in Jones. The major league minimum salary is $414,000 next season, though Jones presumably would sign for something in the $750,000 to $1 million range.
There’s nothing to indicate the Braves are interested. The question is whether it’s risky to bring back a player who once was a star in that city and now is in his final days. But if Jones is desperate enough to accept a reduced role, I don’t see that as an issue. It’s something to think about, anyway.
By Jeff Schultz
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272 comments Add your comment
Don
January 14th, 2011
9:02 am
Andruw has to be near the top of the all time list (if not #1 on the list) of most wasted talents in baseball history. With his ability, his hitting was only as shadow of what it should have been – if he there had been control, discipline and guidance from the outset in his major leage career. And you think that Bobby Cox did a good job with him??? His hands off, be a players manager and let them do what they want policy resulted in this unbelievable waste of talent.
all sports fan
January 14th, 2011
9:07 am
Anybody saying he is fat and out of shape didn’t see him last year. I think he could play some left and right and give McCloth a few days off in center when a left hander is throwing. I would only play him against left handers.
MB
January 14th, 2011
12:35 pm
Just when I thought the goats had finally stopped bleating, old Schultzie had to start ‘em up again. Now they won’t shut up about Andruw until the final roster is set at the end of spring training, and then they’ll start up again come May when McLouth is sent to the minors again.
Bigbrave
January 14th, 2011
1:07 pm
Sure sign him and tell him he better not be lazy! Bring back Ron Gant, Deion Sanders, David Justice and Otis Nixon while there at it. They may be retired but bet they are faster than anyone on the team! Also, what about Smoltzie? Thought he was going to try a comeback?
hangman
January 14th, 2011
1:22 pm
have you lost your mind like the other two writers??????????? If HE paid the braves to be able to play,,,maybe!
LarryG
January 14th, 2011
1:46 pm
Bringing back Andrew would be great. He can still hit for power, average not what I would like but he can still play outfiled better than many in the majors. Another right handed bat with power still available is another former Brave, Jermaine Dye. Not the defensive player Andrew was, but still a power right handed bat that might sign for a reasonable contract. We still need right handed power in the line up, and off the bench. Get one or both of these guys signed!
ChillyMutt
January 14th, 2011
1:47 pm
Well how good is his defense these days? McLouth has not impressed me out there and he hits like Betty White.
MitchC
January 14th, 2011
4:41 pm
I’m on the fence about it. I certainly don’t love our center field options.. but.. I don’t know how much Andruw would help.
Also, if the Yankees are interested in him, doesn’t that make this whole article a moot point? The Bankees have so much money, that they usually always get the players they want.
In my mind, we already filled our most important need this winter. The right handed power bat. As for Andruw, my attitude is: If we get him, fine, if not, that’s fine too.
Royceb
January 14th, 2011
6:27 pm
Andruw hit more home runs than Heyward in half the at bats. He is still a pretty decent outfielder. Not the CF he was but certainly better leftfielder than Henske or Mather who will be playing there when Prado has to cover third for Chipper.
kyle
January 15th, 2011
5:29 pm
sign me up
Gary
January 16th, 2011
3:15 am
When Aaron left thed Braves, I was 14 and asked my step-father if he thought they would retire his number. His reply was, “They ought to burn it because Hank Aaron plays for Hank Aaron and not for the Braves.”
I get the feeling Andruw Jones is the same way!!
He’s not interested in anything, other than staying in America (his white, American wife is all he needs to get in, permanently, isn’t she?) and make bucks for loafing.
We could get a loafer for nothing down and still have others to do what Jones can no longer do!!
harry
January 16th, 2011
11:38 am
there has to be better outfielders available than what the braves have.
K.K.
January 16th, 2011
3:55 pm
Fredi: How come I no get invite to Spring camp, but receive one ticket ticket to Tokyo?.
Doofus
January 16th, 2011
3:58 pm
is it important to have a centerfielder who can throw and hit?
double
January 16th, 2011
10:05 pm
If Andruw has found his bat is not 6 feet long,and he weighs less than 200 lbs bring him back.
Southpaw
January 16th, 2011
10:10 pm
We could use Jermaine Dye OR Andruw (not both).
alan
January 17th, 2011
12:00 am
I would rather have Andruw Jones than either mcloutor that never to be schafer. His cost will be less than others and it’s agood idea to have a backup of. Even if he plays part time he would be on a par with the current cf’s. give him a chance can’t be worse than sticking with mclout or schafer.
Naf Sevarb
January 17th, 2011
12:25 am
He would sign here tomorrow if offered
Steve
January 17th, 2011
6:38 pm
iopbrave – AJ wherever he lands will hit more dingers this year than any brave outfielder except for a healthy heyward; as a 4th or 5th outfielder he would be an asset- another right handed power bat – we only have one Uggla
REPLY – Who cares about homers when he hits .210 .. if that .. and runs like a sloth in CF with an arm that is now a shadow of what it once was. Besides, Andruw was the king of the ‘non-clutch’ homer who only had one year where he EVER came thru regularly in clutch situations. He led the league in one run homers 3 straight years before his one good year. In other words, when pitchers needed to get him out, it was cake.
——————
SavannahSeer – K, let’s look at this objectively, shall we? How many Braves outfielders hit 15+ HR’s last year? (Sounds of crickets at night). How many Braves outfielders do you feel REALLY comfortable about either chasing down flies in the gaps OR throwing out runners at the plate?? (More crickets???)
REPLY – That was last year. Only a fool uses one season stats to predict the future. Look at the stats averaged over 3 seasons and you will see McLouth averaged .254 with 17 homers versus Andruws .203 with 13 homers. Granted, the HR/AB ratio favors Andruw, but the reality is that is the ONLY stat he is better at than McLouth. And you have no knowledge of baseball if you think Andruw is better defensively. Stop reminiscing about the Andruw from 6-8 years ago, that player is no longer on the face of the Earth. He is slow, doesn’t break on ball well, and his arm is closer to Ron Gant’s now than the Andruw of old.
Let it go folks. Andruw is done. He only has value as a DH, and even the AL teams are not expressing any interest. Only Braves fans who can’t let the past go are wanting Andruw on their team. I would rather see Deion don a jersey and give a comeback a try with Atlanta than see Andruw.
Plate Appearance
January 17th, 2011
7:50 pm
MATT YOUNG!
I think Matt Young deserves a chance as a back-up outfielder.
But if the Braves are inclined to go outside the current organization for a reserve outfielder, I’d rather see Andruw than anyone.
He’s always been one of my favorite players, irrespective of his recent batting average woes. And he’s still very capable of supplying home run power.
55 yr FAN
January 17th, 2011
9:55 pm
AJ was blessed with talent but NEVER was he a situational hitter, He NEVER hit behind a runner, NEVER played team baseball. God blessed him with loads of talent but no brain for helping the TEAM. No way he should be brought back even for the minimum.
ramblingman
January 18th, 2011
1:11 pm
@Gary (3:15 am)
There is so much wrong with your post. Your stepfather sounds like a sad man, which partially explains the fact that you sound sad yourself.
There may be many reasons to bring Andruw back. There may be many reasons not to bring him back. Nothing you posted belongs in either side of the debate.
Go away and take your ugliness with you.