No Griffey? Be happy, Frank! Be happy!
The guess is that one or two folks will regard this latest incompletion as further evidence Frank Wren doesn’t know what he’s doing. The belief here is that Wren keeps getting lucky like a … well, if not quite like a fox, then certainly like the luckiest dog this side of NASCAR.
Twice now an object of Wren’s affection has done an about-face. The belief here is that the Braves are better off without Ken Griffey Jr., just as they’re better off without Rafael Furcal. (As you know, I had deep reservations about Griffey and even deeper ones about Furcal.) But Wren wanted both, and what does that say about him?
It says he’s trying too hard. That’s understandable. He succeeded the matchless John Schuerholz and proceeded to put together a roster that fell apart due to injuries. Now Wren is trying to recapture all lost ground in the span of one offseason. Pursuing Jake Peavy made sense because Jake Peavy is 28; pursuing Furcal and Griffey, both on the back nine of their careers, made infinitely less.
Wren needs to step back, take a deep breath and do nothing. He has made the one move he had to make by signing Derek Lowe. Everything else can wait. The Braves don’t open until April 6. Let’s see what happens in Florida after the exhibitions begin.
This week Matt Diaz was asked how he felt when he hears Wren say — and Wren has said it time and again — that the Braves need another bat in the outfield. “As a player, you want the chance to provide that bat,” Diaz said, and we all know the man can hit lefthanders and at worst be half of a left-field platoon.
More Diaz: “I think we have a pretty adequate outfield. Jeff Francoeur drove in 70 runs last year, and that was the worst year of his career. We have [Josh] Anderson and [Jordan] Schafer and [Gregor] Blanco in center field, and when I was down in the minors doing my rehab last year I saw Schafer take over a couple of games. And in left, hopefully you’ll have me as part of a platoon. That might not strike a ton of fear into opponents, but it’s a capable outfield.”
If the pitching is as good as the Braves hope and the infield/catching is as good as Wren claims — “As good there as any team in our league or in baseball,” he said last month — a capable outfield would more than suffice. This team went into the offseason lacking players, but in Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami and Javier Vazquez the Braves have found most of what they needed.
The belief here is that Wren could do far worse than to trust his farm system and give Schafer and Anderson and Tommy Hanson a shot. (Really, who would you rather see as the Braves’ fifth starter in the year 2009 — Tommy Hanson or Tommy Glavine?) There’s no cause to chase every aging player who might come on the cheap. There’s no reason to mess with what is shaping up as a solid club just for the sake of messing.
Frank Wren has been around baseball for a long time, and he knows the game and the business. All he lacks is a dollop of patience. He should take the Griffey fizzle the same way he should have taken the Furcal fiasco — as a sign that sometimes less is more.
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101 comments Add your comment
Kevin Taylor
February 19th, 2009
11:29 am
I am somewhat disappointed in the overall moves (not) made by Mr. Wren. While getting some good starters in this off season, allowing John Smoltz to leave Atlanta was a huge mistake. Just having John on the team at the same level he’s presently experiencing in Boston would have been worth the risk. With the depth in the starting rotation, and the hopeful emergence of Tommy Hanson, the Braves could have made a spot for Smoltz.
In light of the recent Griffey situation, I feel that the Braves will be fine without him. I believed that Griffey would have made a good impact in Atlanta but it’s his fault if he didn’t come to Atlanta, not Frank Wren’s. However, I do fault Wren for not getting Bobby Abreu. He, alone, would have given us what Griffey and Diaz combined would have given us (300 B.A. 20 homers and 100 R.B.I’s.
The solution in my opinion is to move Kelly Johnson to left and platoon with Diaz and sign another good free agent just waiting for someone to sign him, Orlando Hudson (if someone hasn’t already signed him). In Hudson, you have a very good fielder, a good solid bat (perfect leadoff)and an overall good teammate who can steal bases. Kelly and Diaz together can do as much as or even more than Griffey and Diaz.
We may not have a very powerful line up (though Chipper, McCann, and hopefully Francoeur can give 25 homers 100 r.b.i’s) but we’ll have speed, and potentially good production from every spot in the line up. With the solid starting pitching and a strong bullpen, the Braves will have what it takes to get back to the playoffs.
Regardless, Wren must make a good move to shore up left field if the Braves are to make the playoofs in 2009.
Capt Caveman
February 19th, 2009
11:31 am
I agree with you Mark. I’ve been saying all winter that the Bravos should let their young stars compete and fill out the roster.
David
February 19th, 2009
11:32 am
I still think sitting and doing nothing is the wrong answer. The braves need to get somebody other that Freny that can be a true leader and still can produce for that out field.
brewdawg
February 19th, 2009
11:34 am
Mark has contradicted himself consistently since the Smoltz fiasco. As good a journalist as he is, he is just as stubborn. Lowe was the “one free agent the Braves needed to get”? Really? After you said it was good for the Braves to “start moving forward” by letting Smoltz go? A 36 year old free agent pitcher is really looking towards the future. I’ll let it go when you stop contradicting yourself Mark, I really will. Let me ask again… when do we stop blaming Smoltz for being arrogant, Furcal’s agent for lying, and the AJC (really, we are blaming a newspaper?) for Griffey, and start laying the blame on Frank Wren?
hawesg
February 19th, 2009
11:36 am
What a collosal pattern of failure on Wren’s part. Why are we constantly reading about whom he’s targeting? I’m sure Schuerholz got stiffed on deals over the years, too. But we never heard about it in the paper. We never hear when playes turn down deals from the Red Sox either. Wren has improved this team on the field, sure. But he has damaged the franchise’s reputation by appearing amateurish and unable to close a deal with players.
Did Griffey bolt from Atlanta’s offer because of a report in the AJC, or because it looked like yet another jump-the-gun clusterfrack at 755 Henry Aaron Way.
Jeff
February 19th, 2009
11:39 am
Frank Wren has got to be the worst GM in Baseball, heck in any sport, please Braves bring John Scheurholz as Gm and President, we have lost too many players this offseason, I am slowly losing my interest in th eBraves because of Wrenn.
Jones
February 19th, 2009
11:40 am
Mark, should we really trust that Wren is the man to rebuild this franchise?
brewdawg
February 19th, 2009
11:40 am
This is a repost I made from one of the older blogs that I put up towards the end of it’s life. I feel strongly about it, so it bears repeating:
Well my friends, today is a happy day for Mr. Bradley. Not only did the Braves “start looking forward” this off-season by letting Smoltz go – ah let’s forget the fact they signed a 36 year old starting pitcher whose career doesn’t hold a candle to JS’s to a 3 year deal and then have it hailed as a great sign – they now have missed out on the active career homerun leader who, while past his prime, just didn’t pass the “Bradley Seal of Approval”. In all seriousness though, make no mistake about it, between giving up one of our best prospects for the immortally mediocre Javier Vasquez, and the Furcal, Smoltz, and now Griffey fiascos, that you have to start considering the fact that Frank Wren has absolutely no idea how to run a ball club. Before you bash me, ask yourself, what professional club has had themselves so publicly embarassed with 3 separate free agents over the course of five years as the Braves have been this ONE year? And I’m not even counting the entire Peavy thing. It’s an absolute joke. But hey, we signed a 33 year old overseas pitcher that nobody had ever heard a thing about right?
My Red Stapler
February 19th, 2009
11:42 am
Millions of intelligent, educated, skilled, professional, COMPETENT Americans are currently out of work, but FRANK WREN is still gainfully employed.
Anyone else here see anything wrong with that?
Steve
February 19th, 2009
11:43 am
Does anyone else agree with me that the Atlanta Journal Constitution ble it BIGTIME with the Griffey signing? Had it not been for this newspaper stating that we “signed” Griffey, Frank Wren would be holding a news conference today putting a Braves Jersey on a 600 Homerun Club member. Now we have to settle again with another mediocre outfield! Way to go AJC! Thanks for ruining out team!!
Coondawg69
February 19th, 2009
11:43 am
The bigger picture is that Frank Wren not getting the job done. Is it his fault?? That is up for debate. It seems to me that they are losing guys to other teams for “not much” money. Pay a little more for John Smoltz and Griffey and both probably would have come here. Griffey definitely would be an up grade, even if in a platoon situation. He could also help mentor some of the younger talent as well. Three maybe four 30+ yr olds starting do not need Smoltz’s mentoring, but he’s still the class of the organization.
It seems to me that the Braves are quickly becoming the late 80’s Braves in that only $$ will bring folks here. Dollar for dollar will no longer get it done. That, I think is attributable to Frank Wren.
Steve
February 19th, 2009
11:47 am
And please do not say that it is Frank Wren’s fault for John Smoltz leaving. At the end of the day, with all of the millions Smoltz made from Turner and the Braves, and all this city has given him….John Smoltz is a sell out. Plain and simple a SELL OUT!!! With incentives, he would have made just as much if not more with the Braves, but he took the easy road out with more guarenteed money. We will be better off with out “The Shadow of Maddux and Glavine” since his shoulder will blow out again in September. What a disgrace.
rhynster
February 19th, 2009
11:48 am
Wait a second…
Missing out on Furcal and Griffey was good, because they were “on their back nine”?
But signing Derek Lowe was the one move he had to make?
Um, OK.
schuerholzfan
February 19th, 2009
11:50 am
Remember how JS used to keep his mouth shut about negotiations? When the head guy does that, the rest of the org tends to follow. That looks to be the better way to negotiate. Too much press gives the other side negotiating room. John, your student might not be ready for graduate work. How about stepping in and giving him a few more pointers!
Braves + Frank Wren = No Playoffs
February 19th, 2009
11:53 am
Frank Wren = Sharp DOWNGRADE at General Manager Position from John Schuerholz
Barry Bonds
February 19th, 2009
11:53 am
I still want to play and don’t have a job. Keep me in mind.
Chris
February 19th, 2009
11:53 am
Hey Yall got to remember that the Braves are Owned by a Bunch of Out of Town Idiots. They Think that They are Going to Break the Liberty Media Bank. I Think that They Could of resigned Smoltz but Stupid Wren couldn’t get him signed because He was Scared that Smoltz would be asking to much to resign. Remember Ken Griffey Jr Did this to us Before He wanted to come to Atlanta but wound up signing with The Reds.
PMC
February 19th, 2009
11:58 am
Ultrasuede… yikes. Perhaps go to a game other than Braves vs Brewers if you can help it?
Or, I maybe try exorcising your favorite jersey or something… bad ju ju I guess.
Hopefully this year won’t bring a bad injury to anyone.
Tony in Johns Creek
February 19th, 2009
11:58 am
Come on Mark, you’re thinking this outfield is adequate?
It’s the worst offensive productive outfield in baseball arguably!
Hoping Frenchy comes back to his old self could be pie in the sky thinking. Major League pitchers have found his weakness. His numbers showed that last year. See Andruw Jones. Griffey was a short bridge contract and we could have used his veteran presence in the clubhouse. The offense once again will be weak for the Braves this year and will be our Achilles heel.
This lineup is not very good as is Mark.
Back in 3rd place for the foreseeable near future until we see what the youth coming along will be able to do and that’s no guarantee of success. How exciting…. I may just settle with the Gwinnett Braves for the time being.
Frank Wren needs to find this ridiculous leak that keeps on happening with his dealings and the AJC needs temper it’s assumptions because we’re getting tired of being played.
The GM
February 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
Replacing Wren with Cox as GM is an excellent idea and while we are at it lets see if Freddy Gonzales wants to leave the Marlins and come home.
As far as retaining Chipper, he is, to say the least, injury prone and is much better suited to being a DH at this stage of his career. There is no sound financial reason to keep paying a player who may spend most of the season on the DL….see Mike Hampton. When his playing days are over the Braves can bring him back as hitting coach. I don’t believe Braves fans will boycott the Braves if Chipper isn’t here especially if they put a winning product on the field. Remember that baseball is an entertaiment product and with this economy the product needs to be a good one. Otherwise Chipper or no Chipper, fans will stay away.
Poorjeff
February 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
I agree with Kevin Taylor @ 11:29am.
Frenchy will be better this year. “Mark B”. Is that a Fact are just your opinion? don’t bet on it.
Mark Bradley
February 19th, 2009
12:07 pm
I know for a fact that Jeff Francoeur will hit .289 with 104 RBIs this season. I know this because my name is Karnak the Magnificent.
Mark Bradley
February 19th, 2009
12:10 pm
Derek Lowe is 36 but has never been on the disabled list. Has Rafael Furcal been on the disabled list? (Why, yes, for much of last season.) Has John Smoltz? (Yes again.) Has Ken Griffey Jr.? (Yes once more.)
On The Mark
February 19th, 2009
12:11 pm
Who is getting burned here, Wren or the AJC? The AJC is making a fool of itself printing rumors only for them to be revealed for what they are — uh, rumors.
matt r
February 19th, 2009
12:16 pm
I understand the ‘let the kids play’ argument, but you still need to get guys in who are legit major league players. You need to send a signal to the fans that you are trying to win, especially in Atlanta, or people won’t show up. I don’t want us to become one of the many teams that is indefinitely waiting for the young talent to gel. Last year’s Rays were the exception to the rule.
Smiba
February 19th, 2009
12:16 pm
FIRE FRANK WREN NOW!!! he is terrible!! Time to start the website http://www.firefrankwren.com!!
Dr. Henry < Augusta
February 19th, 2009
12:17 pm
Good column Mark!!You’re right on with your comments. personally the most missed member of the organization this yr. will be Pete Van Wiren. Don S. is still coming isn’t he?? Smoltz is a close second for me…and I’m with you concerning all the overpaid overhyped overthirty ballplayers who spurned us. What happened to the best minor league system in baseball?? As far as Griffey goes I’d just as well see Brian Jordan or Ron Gant try a comeback….should be an interesting season.
one fan
February 19th, 2009
12:18 pm
Couldn’t be more happy about the tired old “kid” signing with Seattle. Let the real kids play in ATL. I am excited about the new blood. Reminds me a bit of the early nineties when the Braves pitched and played defense with a group of young, talented kids. Go Braves!
Jim
February 19th, 2009
12:20 pm
Play the young players!!! I agree. With Griffey, Glavine, and Smoltz we still finish no better than 3rd in the division and we block the progress of Hanson, Morton, Shaefer, and perhaps one or two others like Brandon Jones and Medlen. Give these guys a year of experience before you expect them to be ready to compete for a title. Isn’t this what happened with Glavine, Avery, Smoltz, Gant, and Justice etc in the late 80’s? Morton, in particular seemed to emerge in AAA last year and came up and pitched OK until an injury sapped the velocity on his fastball. It is a bit early to start writing him off because he did not have immediate success. (For the person who wants to platoon KJ against right handed hitters, didn’t he have the highest BA for lefties against lefties in the league last year? KJ will be a strength on this team even with adequate defense at 2B.)
James Bond is my hero
February 19th, 2009
12:23 pm
What about Brandon Jones? He seems like the forgotten outfielder.
Poorjeff
February 19th, 2009
12:33 pm
Hope your right 11:15 On Frenchy being better Mark… AKA… The Great Karnak the Magnificent.
richbrave
February 19th, 2009
12:35 pm
MARK BRADLEY:
Your 12;10 p.m. LOWE’s due – ssshhh!!!! You’ll jinx the guy. KARNAK? A JOHNNY CARSON disciple huh?
CJ
February 19th, 2009
12:36 pm
I’m a Matt Diaz fan but do not believe he can do it everyday, last year at the start of the season he was healthy and struggled mightily. Blanco is a nice slap hitter but strikes out a ton and no pop. I hope Schafer wins the cf job but I would’nt mind seeing Garrett Anderson platoon in left. If the Braves were going to commit to rebuild they should’ve started it three years ago, it’s too late now to waste another three years, if they do I’ll probably lose interest and I’ve been a die hard Braves fan since 1980.
Geezer
February 19th, 2009
12:37 pm
Another Golden Moment in the Frank “Can’t Close the Deal” Wren’s legacy. Anybody can close this deal Sticker Price $12,000 “I’ll Pay You $25,000″ said Frank Wren
matt
February 19th, 2009
12:41 pm
Right now you are returning the worst offensive OF in MLB a 1b who doesn’t hit for power a pitching staff who is more known for eating innings than winning and an aging veteran 3b who can’t play more than about 110 games a year. Possible scenarios are A) The exact opposite of last year happens (everybody is healthy and produces) B) The prospects ball out and become every dayers and then still ball out or C) They lose miserably and lock up a top 5 or 10 draft pick and continue to stock pile their farm system. Which scenario seems the most likely????
Now what? « Rowland’s Office
February 19th, 2009
12:46 pm
[...] pat, as Mark Bradley suggests, should not be an option. Brandon Jones hit .260 with a middling .748 OPS at Richmond last year. [...]
Dan
February 19th, 2009
12:47 pm
Mark – Tom Glavine had never been on the DL before last year….what is your point. Obviously there is a risk in signing any player to a long term contract. I think you are right about Griffey. The one thing I did like about him was that he would have put more fans in the seats. But with an owner that isn’t going to turn around and put that money back into the team, what does it matter anyway?
Dack Jerrick
February 19th, 2009
12:47 pm
JS also traded Jermaine Dye to Kansas City for Michael Tucker and Keith Lockhart. Nobody bats a thousand.
walt
February 19th, 2009
12:47 pm
You are right! What about Jason Heyward in left with Matt Diaz?
Mitchell
February 19th, 2009
12:49 pm
Hey Mark, have you thought about changing your name to Mark O’Bradley?
I’m not one of the DOB haters, I support mr. O’B. We just need to have a nickname for you. I’m liking MOB.
What’ya think? Help us out here. See, you’re more like the boring teacher and DOB’s the substitute that everybody actually likes who doesn’t give out homework and lets everybody go home early on Friday afternoon.
I don’t know where I’m going with this.
T.C
February 19th, 2009
12:50 pm
Im done with baseball.All i have to say is one down 103 players to go related to who used performance drugs.They dragged A-rod name all over the news for two weeks like he’s the only one who used them.Go after one,go after them all.Baseball has lost credits and trying to hide names to save the game.When you watch the game of baseball, are you watching the players perform or drugs perform?And speaking of the sorry braves,until you shop and bring in talent you will be a below average team.People are trying to bash griffy because he didn’t sign with the braves but your comments were different yesterday.Nobody wants to play for the braves nomore.
William
February 19th, 2009
12:51 pm
Thank you for a very well-written article, Mr. Bradley. I hope that the Braves will continue to develop their own talent. I know that a lot of fans are sentimental, but it does seem that we will be overpaying for Glavine by a substantial margin when we have more than enough candidates to fill the fifth spot in the rotation. Otherwise, fans do need to remember that Wren did magnificently in his trades with the Cubs and Tigers after taking over as GM.
brewdawg
February 19th, 2009
12:57 pm
Mark, your seeming lack of respect for Smoltz is astounding. Yeah, he’s been on the DL in his career. He also pitched most of the last 3 years with a bum shoulder… and was a workhorse, and the Braves best pitcher, leader, and instructor while doing so. Now he gets a clean shoulder, comes at a next to nothing price tag, and it’s “so long take care, but welcome mr lowe! I’m sure at 36 your best years are ahead of you!” And, knock on wood, if Lowe does go on the DL, who do you trust to come back from it more effectively… him or Smoltz? Smoltz has done it countless times, and, amazingly, has usually come back BETTER. But yeah, the Braves are better off without him. Sure.
Art
February 19th, 2009
1:08 pm
Why not trade for Swisher and get him for one year. Hopefully he hits big time and is an A player and the Braves get 2 draft picks for him when he hits free agency next year. By then one of the young Braves outfielders hopefully develops this year and is ready in 10
Mark Bradley
February 19th, 2009
1:11 pm
Thanks, William. Thanks, Dr. Henry.
matt
February 19th, 2009
1:12 pm
Brewdawg- the incentives in the contract from the Red Sox were much more attainable and therefore is going to pay him more than double what he would’ve been paid here. So, actually he wasn’t coming at a nothing price. You think it would’ve been smart to re-sign Smoltz for $10 million when he won’t be Ready till the All-Star break????? He’s been on the DL 11 times!!!! 5 arm surgeries!!!! 42 years old!!!
brewdawg
February 19th, 2009
1:15 pm
Matt, if you think it would have ever wound up costing the Braves 10 million to keep Smoltz, then I don’t know what to tell you.
Mark Bradley
February 19th, 2009
1:15 pm
And Mitchell, I must report that I’ve never had much of a nickname. Bobby Cox, the world’s worst nickname, calls me … pause for shock value … Brad.
On the other hand, my middle name is Andrew. So I could be MAB, as opposed to MOB. Or you could just call me Mark. (As long as you don’t call me late for dinner. And as long as Ted Striker doesn’t call me Shirley.)
Royu
February 19th, 2009
1:16 pm
Wren may be the nicest and most intelligent person in the world. HOWEVER, too many things have gone against the Braves in player dealings these past few months and two and two to me add up to a problem with the man representing the Braves. We might be lucky with present players on the field but when we have to shore up this team, will we have another Furcal, Peavy, Griffey? There is a pattern that needs to be corrected ASAP!!!
Mark Bradley
February 19th, 2009
1:17 pm
And Mitchell, if you think I’m boring … well, you’re right. I’m unbelievably boring. I bore myself. I sleep 18 hours a day. The other six hours I sit around being bored.