Braves’ spring warm-up: 5 concerns, starting with Heyward
Can Braves' Jason Heyward rebound in Year 3? (AP photo)
(Updated: 5 p.m.)
It wasn’t my intention to spend another day analyzing the Braves until I actually arrived on site in Florida at Camp Please Don’t Fold This Season. (Pitchers and catchers report Sunday. The balance of the squad and columnists with non-guaranteed contracts report a week from Friday).
But because there is absolutely nothing else worth discussing these days, especially given the depressing local college basketball landscape, here we go.
I’m on the record as believing the Braves did not need to make a significant move this past winter, despite last season’s collapse. Nor did I expect them to. Despite all rumors to the contrary, their two most likely tradeable assets, Jair Jurrjens and Martin Prado, both were coming off injuries. General manager Frank Wren no doubt tried to stir the trade market, but we can assume he never got a reasonable offer (or he would’ve made the deal). Not a shock.
As currently constructed, the Braves could/should be a postseason team. That said, there are concerns. Here are the top five:
1. Jason Heyward: This should not be taken as me expressing doubt in Heyward’s ability to come back. We’ve read stories about his offseason workouts, weight loss and his work with new hitting coach Greg Walker. But in sports, when a great rookie has a subpar second season, it’s never certain how he will bounce back in Year 3. Often, it’s the first time he has dealt with some semblance of failure. Because the Braves have so much invested in Heyward, their lineup would take a huge hit if he can’t regain the form of his rookie season.
2. Starting pitching: Sure, it looks great if everybody is upright. But No. 1 starter Tim Hudson (36 years old) had back surgery in November. No. 2 starter Jair Jurrjens struggled in the second half last season and had knee problems (though he appears to be fine now). No. 3 starter Tommy Hanson, a power pitcher, had shoulder problems and has altered his delivery in an attempt to minimize future damage. Bottom line: All may be great — but all enter the spring as question marks.
3. Tyler Pastornicky: When I wrote that the Braves didn’t need to do anything significant in the winter, I probably should’ve added, “But they need a veteran shortstop” as a one-year bridge to Pastornicky. That was the team’s plan, or so we were led to believe. For whatever reason, a trade or signing never happened. Now, you’re going to hear spin that the team planned on Pastornicky all along. But it’s difficult to imagine anybody in the front office (or dugout) is completely comfortable starting a 22-year-old shortstop who never has played a major league game. Can it work out? Sure. But it’s not a comforting.
4. Fredi Gonzalez: A few weeks ago, the Braves’ manager discussed how he was done analyzing the team’s 10-20 slide and was ready to move on. That’s understandable. But the issue is that the slide happened under his watch, and whether we can find glaring mistakes in any of his decisions, folks are going to wonder about him as manager until it DOESN’T happen again.
5. Bench: I see catcher David Ross and outfielder Eric Hinske. Good. But then what? Jose Constanza had a nice stretch filling in for Heyward last season, then fell off (.342 in August, .174 in September). Jack Wilson is a stopgap if Pastornicky fails, nothing more. Matt Diaz was great three years ago, but he has struggled since. There’s not a lot on the bench.
There’s a lot to like about the Braves. But the above concerns will determine if they’re playing in October.
By Jeff Schultz
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
163 comments Add your comment
blazerdawg
February 15th, 2012
4:13 pm
Pastornicky is my greatest concern – along with overall team defense and speed. Hope we pick-up a veteran IF glove during the spring. Not worried about any pitching or the bats this year.
Felix
February 15th, 2012
4:16 pm
So you think they are a playoff team, yet you state that offense, SS, starting pitching, the bench and Fredi are concerns.
Doesn’t sound like a playoff team to me; sounds like a NL East third place team, which is what they are right now.
Felix
February 15th, 2012
4:17 pm
Note to Frank: WE NEED MORE OFFENSE!!
Just The Facts
February 15th, 2012
4:27 pm
The bottom line is until the offensive inadequacies are addressed the Braves will continue, this year as last, to play too many tight games which will translate into a worn out bullpen again. The NL East is getting stronger NOT weaker which only adds to that problem of tight games. The Front Office will realize that by Memorial Day but it will likely be too late. Hate to be a pessimist but that is te way I see it playing out.
Bill
February 15th, 2012
4:29 pm
81-81
Braves Fan in NC
February 15th, 2012
4:29 pm
So good to see your posts again, Sonny Clusters. I can tell Braves baseball is just around the corner.
Steve
February 15th, 2012
4:35 pm
Love the negative people already. Just like last year, the year before, etc. Can’t wait to see the posts if the Braves lose their season opener:
“Seasons over!”
“Last place team!”
“This team is terrible!”
Ryan
February 15th, 2012
4:43 pm
Jeff,
Can either you ask John Schuerholz or can you ask DOB to ask Tim Tucker to ask John Schuerholz about the following statement, released to fans in an open letter shortly after the Sept. collapse, and if he feels that his orgainization has “repaired its weaknesses?” Thanks.
From John Schuerholz, Oct. 6:
“However, our performance in the month of September was unacceptable to all in the organization, and we will evaluate and analyze our missteps to do all we can to prevent this from happening again. Our General Manager, Frank Wren, and his staff have already begun to evaluate our team and will be focusing throughout the off-season on building upon the strengths of this team and repairing our weaknesses to achieve our goal.”
Steve
February 15th, 2012
4:46 pm
Ryan… McClouth and Lowe were some weaknesses. They are gone.
curt
February 15th, 2012
4:55 pm
I have never thought as much about Heyward as many others. I have always thought his swing was flawed. Changing/ fixing a swing is a long process that will not have immediate returns. It takes using the swing against live pitching and in tough situtations to make it pure muscle memory so the hitter does not revert to bad habits. So, assuming Heyward does have an improved swing, dont expect much out of him for a large portion of the year.
I think the Braves have a lot of insurance on the pitching staff so that were there to be some problems amongst the starting 5, someone could step in. In fact, I would hope the Braves pitch by committee working the younger pitchers in and giving the onces with potential issues some rest
Everything said, the Braves division is by far the toughest division in baseball and I think the Braves have too many if’s and not enough hitting to win division nor even make the wild card.
Braves20
February 15th, 2012
4:58 pm
Add our starting shortstop to weaknesses no longer on the club. And add another concern, our right handed heavy starting rotation in a division that has a bunch of big left handed sticks. And no, Mike Minor, he of the nearly 5 career ERA, is not the answer.
Who Me?
February 15th, 2012
4:59 pm
How can you not love Sonny Clusters?
That said, what’s there to like about this years’ Braves?? Nada. Bupkiss.
This team is poised for an epic collapse of 1980’s proportions. Not since 1990 have the Braves fans (like me) had so little to look forward to.
Trying to fill seats with the lame concession price reductions is ludicrous, the same as not spending a dime in the off-season to fill glaring gaps.
I’m off the reservation til at least mid-September. This team has too many suspects and not enough professionals. I hope Freddi enjoys keeping the seat warm, i predict he’s out of here by September unless Frank Wren just refuses to pull the trigger. Will be interesting to see Frank wiggle around and the lame excuses that are offered when the offense falls apart.
Sorry to be so glum, tired of looking at this team through rose colored glasses. I’m changing the motto of this state to “the Show-Me State”, with apologies to Missouri. Pro sports have sucked here since at least 1995, and I refuse to go back farther at the risk of fan abuse….
Hooter Girl
February 15th, 2012
5:05 pm
Sonny Clusters is amusing but his outlook on Chipper is not very funny. He lost a high hopper in the lights last year and Sonny won’t stop harping on it. I will take Chipper’s D against about 3/4 of any major leaguers out there. That being said, it is what it is and #10 aint what he used to be. By the way I like deer meat and you should see my camo shorts.
stevie zero
February 15th, 2012
5:24 pm
the only concern for me is the question marks throughout the lineup. we cannot predict what we will get from prado,heyward, uggla, pastornicky. jones is always a threat albiet when healthy and freeman may be subject to sophomore season adjustments. granted it is a considerable concern. the starting pitching is young and deep and the bullpen is top notch. bench could use minor tweaking but i like the team if you get reasonable production from everyday starters
Mister Frisky
February 15th, 2012
5:25 pm
Same uninspiring team that can’t hit or pitch deep into the game.4th Place.
Shug
February 15th, 2012
5:30 pm
Fans (and columnists) should recognize that Heyward wasn’t all that hot as a rookie. Jury is definitely out on him.
The billman
February 15th, 2012
5:34 pm
The question marks are very real and there are too many more than five of them for the Braves to seriously contend for a finish higher than third place in the East. Fourth is a possibility if the Nationals fire on all cylinders. Second is within reach if everything (and I mean everything) clicks. The lack of a big RBI bat in the outfield will be evident from the start and FG’s handling of the bullpen will be last = next. He’s a nice guy with the DNA of a loser. Wren is still a largely unknown quantity because he has a marginal budget and a company line he has to spiel to the media. I’m hoping otherwise, but this could turn out to be a very long season.
Steve
February 15th, 2012
5:36 pm
Like I said at 4:35, you negative people crack me up.
lanier
February 15th, 2012
5:41 pm
spot on Jeff
bvilebaron
February 15th, 2012
5:42 pm
The Billman:
Funny how the Phillies commentators here in Central Pa view the Braves as their No. 1 threat. So do I. As I have posted here on several prior occasions, despite all the doom and gloom of so many posters and the moves made by the Marlins and Nationals, the Braves are still at least the second best team in the NL East even as presently constituted.
George Stein
February 15th, 2012
5:45 pm
Heyward wasn’t all that hot as a rookie? That’s a joke, right, Shug? He had a .393 OBP and 5.1 fWAR.
Nativebird
February 15th, 2012
5:46 pm
Heyward must prove out to not only bounce back…but go on to be a star…..league leading mega star…perennial all star. Or the gamble this team made on this guy will be more than a bust. Past aging stars combined with unproven rookies with no RBI producing average players make for another good pitchIng team that barely or doesn’t make tHe playoffs….and quick exits if they do.
Dirty Dawg
February 15th, 2012
5:48 pm
Commented about this in the ‘blog’ but will here as well…does anybody else wonder why the ‘obvious’ need for Tommy Hanson to change his delivery ended up being his, Hanson’s, idea? I mean if it’s been obvious to me why hadn’t the Braves’ pitching coach, or manager, or front office people, or training staff, or other players, or Don Sutton, or a club-house manager, said or done something way before now?
curt
February 15th, 2012
5:54 pm
Heyward was decent until pitchers found his “hole” which every hitter has. Heywards weakeness is (hopefully was) his overall mechanics and the fact that he either had no clue how to adjust, refused to adjust or didnt listen to others to help him adjust.
Compare Heyward to Freeman who has solid mechanics and can and will adjust as necessary. Freeman will never have prolonged slumps because he has a solid base (mechanics) to fall back on.
Heyward while a good athlete may or may never become a good or great baseball player.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
5:55 pm
Shawn — Not worried about Chipper not playing 162. If he plays 140, that’s fine.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
5:56 pm
Long Pole Man — Agree, but I like bullpen. They just got run into ground last year (ripple effect of starters’ injuries).
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
5:57 pm
Clusters — Can’t make it through a day without a good Stinky Wintes story.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
5:57 pm
PMC — “Could have banged out a linsanity piece like everyone else in the free world.”
And therein would lie my response.
George Stein
February 15th, 2012
6:00 pm
Forgive me for not putting much stock in what internet commenter curt says about mechanics.
Freeman was good (for a rookie) last year, but he wasn’t nearly as good as Heyward, even with all the injuries and the luck Freeman enjoyed.
Mark (another one)
February 15th, 2012
6:01 pm
For some reason I just believe Heyward is going to bounce back and be solid. Remember he was a ROY runner up, and so was Freeman. I have confidence in both players. I’d reorder the rest but agree.
The bench is always going to look thin as Prado is usually thought of as a swing man between 3rd and LF. So he is counted on as a starter and a replacement but figures not to be on the bench. Hienske, Diaz and Constanza in the outfield, Wilson and Hicks in the infield doesn’t inspire confidence. Let’s face it, if Pasternicky doesn’t pan out, who’s the everyday shortstop? Do we really believe Wilson can take the daily wear and tear?
Remember that Ross is rarely used in case McCann gets nicked and has to come out. Ross is great when he starts but insurance when he doesn’t. An insurance policy that gets cashed out in the late innings is no longer insurance.
If you plan on the bench only doing spot duty and late inning defense, okay. Only Hienske carries a bat with power. When Chipper rests, and Prado plays third, and Hienske plays left, where’s the bench power? Chipper?
Sonny Clusters
February 15th, 2012
6:01 pm
Hooter Girl says we are too tough on Chipper for missing that high hopper that bounced on the ground in front of him and then got lost in the lights . . . well, maybe so. That could happen to anyone – but it happened to uh, Chipper. It also cost the Braves the game in Florida. Well, we are willing to forgive and forget that one but what about all the ones he just waved at that were hit to his left or to his right? Even the deer skin glove didn’t do him any good. Everybody likes ol’ Chipper but we have our reservations about anybody that steps in a hole two seasons in a row and hurts his knee while he’s a huntin”. Huntin’ is fine if he’s huntin’ a NL pennant or a WS ring.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
6:06 pm
ABravesFan — Pastornicky would need to have a really awful spring for Wilson to start, in my opinion. I’d think Braves would give him at least a few weeks into the season.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
6:07 pm
Journalist Jimmy — Actually, Andruw almost never missed a day — though it’s a wonder with the Gold Club exploits.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
6:08 pm
Count von Count — Sad, but true. Also some off-the-field commitments I’ve had on Monday evenings.
Jeff Schultz
February 15th, 2012
6:09 pm
Andy — Yes, we bunk at Chez AJC (nice 2-bedroom condo).
bulldogbubba
February 15th, 2012
6:09 pm
Chipper needs a pair of “shades” like Cee-Lo wears.Might keep him from losing it in the lights.If those deer dogs take off at concessions it might give him enough money to retire.
Senator Blutarski
February 15th, 2012
6:13 pm
–the good news is that the opponents of the Braves also have question marks and unknowns–will aging vets on other teams keep from tailing off too much, will the injury bug be avoided, etc.
collegeballfan
February 15th, 2012
6:46 pm
Put Mantle in center and the team is a lock for the playoffs.
SawThat1nce
February 15th, 2012
6:54 pm
-I don’t remember Chipper missing any games due to flu-like symtoms.
I believe that one of the AJC reporters said recently, that Chipper was #4 in games played in last season.
I don’t remember Andruw missing very many games, for any reason, while in Atlanta.
I also don’t remember him having a whole lot of gold glove exploits, in his last years with the Braves. It seemed to me that he played a high number of balls off the wall, that I thought a lot of CFs could have gotten to, and made a pu t-outs on. I certainly thought that he was capable of making most of those plays. I think that he was just taking it easy, most of the time.
Sonny Clusters
February 15th, 2012
7:03 pm
Sickness sidelines surging Chipper
8:02 pm September 5, 2011, by David O’Brien
PHILADELPHIA — Chipper Jones was out of the Braves lineup with flu-like symptoms for Monday’s series opener against the Phillies.
The third baseman said he didn’t feel good during Sunday’s game against the Dodgers, and felt worse Monday.
“I’ll try to get back in there tomorrow,” he said. “You can afford yourself a day off. If it was a two- or three-game lead in the wild card, I’d have played.”
We was right.
Busch Leaguer
February 15th, 2012
7:19 pm
How about an outfielder who in 2011 hit .285 with 20 home runs 87rbi and 22 sb.Could have made a difference for the Braves down the stretch last year. He should still be a Brave if good ole Bobby Cox had not lost his mind and gave the kid to the Mets for nothing. I guess you all know I am talking about Jeff Francouer.
SawThat1nce
February 15th, 2012
7:50 pm
Wow, if Chipper had of played that day, the Braves would have made the playoffs, and then would have went on to win the WS, instead of the Cardinals doing.
SawThat1nce
February 15th, 2012
7:55 pm
If Jeff would have just kept his mouth shut, and gone on down to Miss. without making all of that fuss(like a good kid), he might still be a Brave today.
Then the Braves would have made the playoffs last year, and went on to win the WS, instead of the Cardinals doing it.
George Stein
February 15th, 2012
7:56 pm
Frenchy was better last year, Busch Leaguer, but he still won’t take a walk.
Also, most of the metrics you mentioned are largely irrelevant.
bravesfaninDC
February 15th, 2012
8:30 pm
The braves made NO moves, but other teams in the east did, and that means they are all alot better minus the mets….my belief is the braves will finish in 4th place behind the marlins and the nationals this year…i am not sold on heyward, and chipper is not an everyday player..they need an impact player like a pujols…..watch out for the nationals..they may win the east this year
phil
February 15th, 2012
8:31 pm
Shug
February 15th, 2012
5:30 pm
Fans (and columnists) should recognize that Heyward wasn’t all that hot as a rookie. Jury is definitely out on him.
******
i think the verdict is in. And it ain’t the one we wanted….
And fire FG!!
JoeFan
February 15th, 2012
8:39 pm
Lets face it in order for the Braves to contend almost everything has to go right for them. The margin for error is practically zero. In other words the Braves are full of question marks.
Long Pole Man
February 15th, 2012
8:42 pm
LMAO @ 7:03pm Sonny !
Kudos Sir Scultz !
Where do Braves spring train now ? Orlando ?
We all like getting rid of Lowe,A.Gonzalez,Conrad. But there’s basically no power in the OF unless Heywad rejuvenates his bat.
And yep, I meant that Heyward was a AA talent last year.
Long Pole Man
February 15th, 2012
8:43 pm
Hey Vanna White, can I buy an “R” and a “H” ?
SeaAtl
February 15th, 2012
8:44 pm
Phillies a lock to win the division, just as the Mets are a lock to finish last. Nats and Marlins will fight all season for second place and wild card birth. Making the Braves a virtual lock for a 4th place finish. What more can we expect with no corner outfielders, no SS, and mediocre starting pitching?