LIVE: Braves get Michael Bourn, now hope that’s enough
The Braves finally made a catch before the trade deadline: Welcome, Michael Bourn. (AP photo)
(UPDATED: 1:45 p.m. Folks, here’s the updated blog on the trade. I’m read to chat live now about the deal and the game. Sorry couldn’t get to earlier questions and comments but I’ve been kinda busy.)
It was the eve of the trade deadline, and Jordan Schafer was having trouble sleeping.
“I just had a weird feeling,” he said Sunday. “It’s something I hadn’t felt all along. I even sent a text message to my agent. I told him I thought I might be traded. He said, ‘No, there’s no chance.’”
And then he opened his phone to show a reporter the text message: “10:57 p.m. ‘Wonder if I’m going to Houston.’”
Sometimes, it’s not so great to be a prophet.
The Braves dealt Schafer to Houston Sunday. They made the move less because of what they believe Schafer might be one day than what he isn’t now: Michael Bourn. After dealing Schafer and three prospects to Houston for Bourn, the All-Star center fielder and leadoff hitter, Braves general manager Frank Wren said, “Michael is what we hope Jordan will be in three or four years. For a team that’s poised to win, we need a finished product.”
Wren needed the right sound bite. Braves fans have felt antsy, angry, frustrated, discontent and maybe even borderline hopeless after seeing San Francisco (Carlos Beltran) and Philadelphia (Hunter Pence) each spin major deals in recent days. So Wren hit on the right themes. What comes of this deal, we can’t possibly know.
Chipper Jones lauded Bourn’s speed, but when asked if the Braves are better team as a result of the deal, he said: “I don’t know. Talk to me in two months.”
The fact Jones was a big fan of Schafer’s might have fed into his comments. (At one point, he left his locker to walk over to Schafer, who was packing, to give him a hug, and the two spoke privately for a couple of minutes.) But Jones also struck the proper tone. There were some things about this year’s Braves team we projected back in spring training camp that haven’t panned out. So it’s best not to assume anything now.
Still, credit to Wren. He waited until the day of the trading deadline before pushing the button. The trade market had become increasingly difficult and expensive (opponents love desperate buyers). Wren made the best trade he could have possibly made at this point.
Bourn is hitting .303. He leads the majors with 39 stolen bases. He has 28 infield hits. He has won two Gold Gloves. He immediately becomes this team’s best and most established leadoff hitter since Rafael Furcal. So this is no minor acquisition.
“The perfect fit,” Wren called him.
The Braves certainly have World Series potential now. Then again, we thought that they had that in the spring. Championships assume two things: good health and expected production, and the Braves have used their opening day lineup only 11 times.
But consider this potential batting order: Michael Bourne, Martin Prado, Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Dan Uggla, Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Alex Gonzalez. If everybody’s clicking, there’s no escape. After all the angst, this may work out yet.
Some of what Wren said Sunday carried a trace of draft day spin. He acknowledged the team “inquired” about Pence and had interest in Beltran. But he also suggested the Braves never really wanted either that much.
“We could’ve had Beltran. … Same with Pence,” he said. “We were involved in everything but we weren’t really into everything.” (I’m assuming the comments would’ve been different had they acquired either.)
Wren got his wish: He held onto the organization’s four projected golden arms in the minors. He closed the deal for Bourn just before 9 a.m., then he phoned Schafer.
“I was backing out my driveway,” Schafer said. “As soon as I looked down at the phone and saw who it was, I knew. It sucks. But it’s a business.”
In a perfect world, Schafer goes on to have a good career, the Braves win a championship and Bourn turns out to be a lot better than the last time the team traded for a Gold Glove, All-Star center fielder who could hit leadoff (Nate McLouth).
We’ve learned not to project. But it certainly looks good.
By Jeff Schultz
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794 comments Add your comment
Seriously
July 31st, 2011
10:46 pm
the batter bourn compares to at this age is brett butler… but with two gold gloves he’s a better fielder than butler was.
Atlanta87
July 31st, 2011
10:57 pm
Rawdog are you dumb or do you just not know anything about baseball. Let’s look at the numbers
Francoeur
Avg .271
HR 13
RBI 61
Runs 51
SB 18
Heyward
Avg .219
HR 11
RBI 29
Runs 37
SB 5
You tell me which are better or do I need to do that part for you too?
Larry
July 31st, 2011
11:12 pm
This guy is not McLouth. This is a fantastic acquisition and I’m more excited about his speed and defense than his bat. The braves are a different team with Bourn. Now leave the team alone unless Florida wants to trade Omar for Nate…….I can dream.
Larry
July 31st, 2011
11:16 pm
All the knuckleheads still knocking Francouer will never admit the trade was a mistake. He was a run producer here and a gold glove caliber fielder and wren got nothing for him. Where is Ryan church playing this year?
bravesfanforever
July 31st, 2011
11:32 pm
Well Schafer made a mistake and few years ago and paid his dues.Everybody on here who brings up that and calls him a druggie I guess never made a mistake.I think he is a good kid but didn’t use his abilities right.I do however like the Bourn deal.Now if we can get a right handed bat on Waviers and platoon him with heyward.Heyward needs to be sent a message to get with it or get sent down.
Mike
July 31st, 2011
11:47 pm
Bourn will be great! However, with the current lineup, he will single, steal second and third and then three outs later, he will still be standing at third base…what we needed was a right-handed run producer…
Joseph
August 1st, 2011
12:15 am
Why has braves.com/10000losses not been set up yet?
NO MORE PARRISH
August 1st, 2011
12:38 am
Good move but get rid of Parrish so the other guys start hitting too.
NO MORE PARRISH
August 1st, 2011
12:41 am
Joseph – I know right? I had no idea we were close to being a .500 franchise. Curse the 70’s and thank #6 for the 90’s.
Joe Stanislau
August 1st, 2011
12:52 am
I think Frank Wren’s thrifty deals since trading for Jair Jurrjens has really paid off, Dan Uggla was another thrifty move, and now the Michael Bourn trade. John Schuerholz watch out your predecessor maybe in the HOF with you and Pat Gillick. GO BRAVES WS in Site.
Braves Goin Skeeing
August 1st, 2011
1:36 am
Enter your comments here
COOPER
August 1st, 2011
1:37 am
Is Bourne enough? I say no but we have enough talent at Gwinnett that we don’t have to go outside the organization. I would bring Teheran up right now. He could allow any of the starters a breather or he could pitch the seventh inning or long relief. Proctor isn’t getting the job done. His control is not guaranteed right now and you don’t need someone that you don’t know if you can count on to pitch the seventh inning or not. When we play the good teams especially in the playoffs proctor walking people or not being able to shut down a rally will be the difference in how far we go .
Braves Goin Skeeing
August 1st, 2011
1:37 am
Good move, now let’s catch the Phillies. Go Braves!!!
BraveChoppa26
August 1st, 2011
2:54 am
This was such an awesome trade getting rid of Jordan “Slim” Schafer. All I heard from inbread Braves fans “He’s a fast guy!”. Well what good is that when he’s not hitting the ball consistently. Schafer had his head up his own butt. I love the Breaves more now for getting rid of this fool! GREAT TRADE!!!
Joshua
August 1st, 2011
4:19 am
Nate McLouth is….depth. =D
Joshua
August 1st, 2011
4:20 am
When we play good teams in the playoffs, Proctor won’t be in the game.
BOURN GIVES BRAVES SPEED THEY NEED | Philadelphia Daily News | 2011-08-01 – Philadelphia Daily News | Bistro Press
August 1st, 2011
4:43 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
TheAntiMe
August 1st, 2011
6:30 am
Rafael Furcal, my backside. Michael Bourn is more in the vein of Otis Nixon and Deion Sanders, at the least, and probably even better than those two. I am definitely old enough to remember how cool it used to be to have those two guys wreaking havoc on the basepaths.
Plus, there will be no off-field issues with Michael Bourn. Just an all-around win for the Bravos in acquiring Michael Bourn.
TheAntiMe
August 1st, 2011
6:39 am
For those who would call Jordan Schafer a druggie because of his suspension, you really appear to not know the facts. The fact is that Jordan Schafer never actually tested positive for any type of PEDs. He was reported to the MLB Minor League drug hotline by some anonymous tipster.
Was he really guilty of using HGH? Perhaps he was but if you were accused of doing coke, for example, wouldn’t you want to be proven guilty instead of you being ruled guilty for no other reason than someone anonymously reported you on a drug tip line?
tdc
August 1st, 2011
7:35 am
Great trade Frank Wren. Not only did you fill a need by getting a true leadoff hitter but you got rid of one of the guys that haven’t really proved that he belong in the majors.
Double Zero Eight
August 1st, 2011
7:38 am
Bourn is a good addition. Let’s hope that Uggla continues
to hit, and Heyward breaks his season long slump. It
will be extremely difficult for the Braves to catch the
Phillies with their addition of Pence. It is possible but
not probable.
the truth...
August 1st, 2011
8:06 am
Claudell Washington
Jason is a kid, hardly a punk. Those who know him well and have played with him might disagree with you and assume that you are the one with the character flaw. Those guys in the dugout and the manager and those above have known him for years and both respect him….grow up.
the truth...
August 1st, 2011
8:15 am
@Antime
Rafael Furcal, my backside…if you’re referring to my post mentioning both Furcal and Bourn in relation to the trade, you have badly misinterpreted my intentions.
What I meant to say (not spoken well I take it), is that if only Bourn played SS instead of CF then we would have solved two issues with one trade….
Namely, a leadoff hitter that is very productive AND a shortstop that can both hit and field. Don’t get me wrong…Gonzo is lights out with the glove, but his bat is inconsistent, he loafs running to 1st base EVERY TIME he hits a ground ball and continually fails to hit with RISP.
The trade is great, it just didn’t and can’t address every need we have.
Sorry for the confusing post.
Gatorman
August 1st, 2011
8:28 am
The Braves have no consistent hitters on this team, NONE! Adding a .300 hitter with base stealing ability to the one slot will change how team have to play the Braves. Now the rest of the team had better learn to sacrifice bunt, hit the other way, and hit a long fly ball when a runner is on third with less than 2 outs. Right now this team isn’t capable of doing any of that. Home runs should be treated as icing on the cake, not the cake itself.
henry from TN
August 1st, 2011
8:30 am
i love deal but i still think we should have got someone like willingham to platoon with hayward and be a right hand bat off the bench….
GT
August 1st, 2011
8:58 am
Jeff you have a talent of overstating your position and understating the Braves or whomever. Third best record in all baseball, I never heard anything like that out of you, in your predictions in the spring. I assumed you had them in a rag tag finish like last year where they almost won the wild card spot by default. This team has vastly improved. They have made the right moves. They deserve and have deserved our respect like no other team in Atlanta’s pro sport history. I know a lot of today’s sports writing is not about the writer’s accountability as much as it is to stoke up interest in what he is writing about, but there are people out there who still think you are a journalist. I can promise you never saw this good a team in the spring, but if being slightly negative sells your papers and blogs have at it. Just stop typecasting Wren when you are toying with us too. In fact I may go as far as saying Wren is pretty straight up as is about all the Braves organization, the games are being played by the press. This spin you think you see sounds like Wren tells less than the truth. I have more trust in him than I do you on these matters.
BigTimeTechFan
August 1st, 2011
9:02 am
Bet the Giants and Phillies feel stupid now.
the truth...
August 1st, 2011
9:17 am
Carter’s Little Liver Pills
I’d like to be a “Peace maker” and share this old ad…perhaps many of us have a common malady for which we need some relief….
http://www.oldtimeradiofans.com/old_radio_commercials/Carters_Little_Liver_Pills.mp3
the truth...
August 1st, 2011
9:22 am
Carter’s Little Liver Pills
Pointing our that I said “US” and I said “WE”…. might benefit from such treatment…
Scores/Schedule/Standings/Stats & Stories 8/1/2011 - Goodsportsart Blog = Baseball news and commentary
August 1st, 2011
9:45 am
[...] Braves get Michael Bourn, now hope that’s enough [...]
the truth...
August 1st, 2011
10:02 am
@Philliefan
Amazingly I have finally found something you have expressed to agree with…. you said this:
“you needed both of them”……
referring to us needing Bourn AND Pence.
I couldn’t agree more….the why of it is simple…As we again saw yesterday, when we do get runners on base (ducks on the pond to us old timers), we fail to get them “in” more ofter than not…
So though getting Bourn is great for getting more “ducks” on base, and moving them around, but seldom does one steal home.
For driving runs in I think Pence might have been a huge improvement in that area….
Wren did great in getting Bourn especially for the price, but the real coup would have been in bringing them both over….perhaps even with the potential cost….
Pastor Nicky
August 1st, 2011
10:42 am
So the Braves are going to keep all those pitchers while they have a weak offense ? How smart is that ? 2 years down the road the Braves will have 9 ace pitchers and no 3B,no SS,no LF. Baseball is a game of offense and defense not just defense. Somebody memo that to Mr. Wren !
PMC
August 1st, 2011
10:45 am
I’m not sure how anyone not named Schafer could be disapointed with this trade. The Bourn trade is freaking awesome. He’s exactly what they need provided he can just be what he’s been thus far. They still have those pitchers they can use for capital in the future.
I think Uggla has hit something like 11 or 12 solo home runs this year, a product of guys not being on base. If the leadoff man gets on and gets over, suddenly all those singles start becoming runs.
Pastor Nicky
August 1st, 2011
10:49 am
I agree, Bring Teheran,Vizcaino,and Delgado up now. Use those aces to win the pennant instead of letting them waste away in Gwinnett…
Isn’t it amazing that the Braves have great defense (pitching & fielding) and no hitting and the Falcons have great offense (Ryan,Turner,Roddy,Gonzo,J.Jones) and no defense… Weird.
Pastor Nicky
August 1st, 2011
10:52 am
I still think that Jeff Francoeur was given up on too early by Braves. Same with Jordan Schafer. The sorry OF was Nate McLouth not Schafer. But I know that McOut made too mucho $$$ to be traded. Damn Nate sucks !
Pastor Nicky
August 1st, 2011
10:56 am
Atlanta87, Francoeur’s current numbers are better that every current Braves except Uggla and McCann…
Can Braves catch Phillies in East? Schedule says yes | Jeff Schultz
August 1st, 2011
11:01 am
[...] Braves acquired Michael Bourn from Houston with the hope that they not only can make the payoffs but possibly compete for a World Series. Winning the [...]
alex
August 1st, 2011
11:05 am
Quite a wet blanket response Jeff. Everybody everywhere has lauded this as a huge win for the Braves. Sure, there are some more minor moves to be made (bench bat esp) but enjoy this one while it’s still hot. WREN! WREN! WREN!
clutch player
August 1st, 2011
11:13 am
Let’s see if he can play for a team going ot the post season. No pressure playing for the Astros – Big pressure playing for a winner who need you to produce. – Ask Dan Uggla.. Let’s see if Bourne has IT.
tdc
August 1st, 2011
12:14 pm
This is why I think this was the best move for the Braves.
From ESPN
Enter Michael Bourn. Take a guy who has a .354 on-base percentage, add him to an offense whose leadoff hitters ranked 26th in baseball in OBP ’til he showed up and see what happens.
Now consider the lineup-changing effect of Bourn’s 32-SB wheels (injected into a roster that had swiped 42 all year). And, finally, add in his top-of-the-charts defense. And this was a monster of a deal, especially considering the Braves were able to make it without giving up any of the elite pitching prospects they had balked at trading for Beltran or Pence.
NOW WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALEX GONZALEZ AND HIS HOMERUN SWING STRKING OUT WITH RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION.
aj
August 1st, 2011
12:49 pm
Braves are a good team, and possibly a
great one if the offense would cooperate.
They match up well with Philly in pitching,
and better than them for late inning situations.
Philly has more offensive weapons.
Braves should be the wildcard, but there is
still a long way in the season to go. Some
very interesting series still remains for the
Braves. Need to get everyone healthy.
Setting up Bourn’s Braves debut in DC vs. Nats | Atlanta Braves
August 1st, 2011
3:13 pm
[...] oh by the way, you read in Jeff Schultz’s great column yesterday where Schafer said he had a feeling this was coming? I’m not saying I called that trade [...]
Josh Smith for 3
August 1st, 2011
4:23 pm
Will some of you just put a sock in it about Francoeur? He’s having a pretty solid year in KC but I’m not losing sleep over him. He makes me think of the movie Signs and Joaquin Phoenix’s line: “Felt wrong not to swing.” Couldn’t work the count to save his life. Kinda like Schafer: not a bad player or person by any means, but should not be on the list of Braves’ regrets right now.
And speaking of KC and former Braves, I don’t hear any of you longing for Melky Cabrera right now. He has one less HR and one less RBI than Frenchy while sporting a higher batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Anybody wish Atlanta still had the Melkman holding down an outfield spot?
rpidge
August 1st, 2011
6:43 pm
As i predicted, Wren said this was the player we wanted all along. Also, he failed to go far enough and get the power right handed bat. If Atlanta makes the playoffs, it will be by the skin of their teeth. But they will not get pass round one, if they make it that far.