Bradley’s Buzz: Is it time to bid adieu to Frenchy?
Francoeur on the way out?
Last week Mark Bowman, who covers the Braves for MLB.com, speculated openly about the need for the Braves to upgrade their outfield and that Jeff Francouer could soon be on an outbound plane. Included was Bowman’s sobering appraisal: “The Braves aren’t going to get much in return for Francoeur. But they need to at least explore the possibility of moving him before they reach a point during the offseason when they might non-tender him and get absolutely nothing in return for a former top prospect.”
Note the “ouch” phrases: “Aren’t going to get much” and “non-tender him” and, worst of all, “former top prospect.”
About Mr. Bowman: He’s a good guy and a good reporter. He’s not given to flights of fancy. (Unlike, say, me.) If he’s broaching the topic on MLB.com, it stands to reason there’s chatter ongoing within the Braves’ organization. And that might not be a bad thing. As much as I like Francoeur, I think we’re approaching the point where it makes sense — for both parties — to take divergent paths.
Loading ...Bowman suggested Texas might be a destination for Francouer, given that the Rangers have had immediate success with Andruw Jones. (Heck, Francoeur is already working more closely with Rudy Jaramillo, the Rangers’ batting coach, than with Terry Pendleton.) Me, I’d just as soon the Braves never again mess with Texas, trade-wise. But maybe that’s just me.
Are you ready for some football?
Esteemed former colleague Mark Schlabach presents his updated preseason Top 25 on ESPN.com, and he has Georgia Tech (No. 15) rated one spot ahead of Georgia (No. 16). That sounds about right for the latter but too low for the former.
In a companion piece, Schlabach analyzes how each of his ranked teams can improve its standing. He says Tech needs to throw the ball better and Georgia needs to run it more. Me, I suggest the Bulldogs might tighten up the ol’ D as well, but again … maybe that’s just me.
As for Georgia’s opening-game opponent: Schlabach has Oklahoma State ranked No. 10, and Matt Hayes of Sporting News Today lists the Cowboys among his four teams on the rise. OSU, Hayes avers, has “three legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates.” But you know the old saying: Give Willie Martinez eight months to prepare …
The Falcons need outfielders … er, linebackers!
Writing for ESPN.com’s Insider, Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders — an outsider on the inside; is that even allowed? — counts the Falcons’ outside-linebacking crew as No. 9 on his list of unfilled roster holes. (Link requires registration.) Writes Barnwell: “They wrapped Band-Aids on the problem with converted safety Coy Wire and former Jacksonville middle linebacker Mike Peterson, who will be 33 and hasn’t played outside since 2002. Those aren’t solutions. They’re prayers.”
It’s almost time for Don Waddell to do another draft
And, according to Gare Joyce on ESPN.com, the Thrashers will spend the fourth overall pick on Evander Kane (requires registration), a center from Vancouver of the WHL. This sounds OK to me, center being a key hockey position and all. But I still haven’t gotten over the Falcons’ failure to draft Evander “Ziggy” Hood, and I fear the presence of another Evander on the Atlanta sports scene would only deepen my depression.
My personal issues aside, here’s a capsule rundown of Kane from Hockey’s Future. And below, from NHL.com via YouTube, is a video feature.
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282 comments Add your comment
Smithoma
May 25th, 2009
11:20 pm
DawgTime, take a look at the Braves numbers when Chipper is in the line-up and when he is not. Trading him will not happen. Especially at the beginning of the season signed a 3 yr extention.
Paul, I agree, Jeff has to listen to those better than he. His attitude going to the minors, in arbitration and the fact everyone on this blog will never play in the Biggs but take more first pitches than Jeff means he has to want to change the way he does things.
Saw the Gammons bit, Pete is a genius!
Paul Lentz
May 25th, 2009
11:28 pm
Frank, fans like you give me a good laugh. Your proposed “Kotchman, Morton, and another prospect for Adrian Gonzalez” trade would never fly. Gonzalez is highly popular (San Diego has a sizeable Hispanic fan base) and productive. The Padres are not about to take “our garbage” for their piece of gold. Besides, even if the Padres were foolish enough to make that trade, it does nothing to address the Braves’ lack of outfield production. If the Braves insist on keeping Franceour in right, then they are going to have to send down Schaffer to Triple A. Having 2 easy outs in the line-up is not going to cut it. If the Braves do keep playing Franceour, then they need to call up Blanco and have him bat lead-off. However, I would rather see the Braves keep Schaffer in centerfield and have him work out his hitting woes (he has a much stronger arm in center than does Blanco and a bigger upside)…and have Brandon Jones come up and play right field until Infante comes back. Franceour is an easy out. He gets his occasion single to right field. However, no power, no walks, no steals, and striking out with the bases loaded are not going to cut it.
If you guys are going to propose trades, then take the time to come up with trades that make sense from the other team’s perspective. Just because it looks good from a Braves standpoint, does not mean that there is a chance in hell that the other team will see it the same way. While Kotchman is only a serviceable first baseman, upgrading the first base position will not help the Braves much. Besides, Gonzalez is another left hand hitter. The Braves desperately need a right handed hitter that can deliver some pop. If Franceour had it in him to do it, then we would not be having this conversation, nor would the Braves need to make a trade. However he isnt getting the job done. ENOUGH SAID.
BossLady
May 25th, 2009
11:34 pm
Actually, it’s Your And Idiot
the truth...
May 25th, 2009
11:34 pm
Yeah let’s trade him to the Rangers…..for Saltalamacchia, Adrus, Neftali Feliz and the others they pilfered from us…..
Smithoma
May 25th, 2009
11:38 pm
Frank, Kotchman has been one of the best hitters in the line-up this year. All three would be too much to give up. Don’t think immediate fix. Asking to get Gonzalez from the Pads is like asking the Twins to get rid of Mauer this year.
Supes
May 25th, 2009
11:49 pm
The more I think about it, the best chance to trade Jeff away and get a good return is in a packaged deal. Most likely with one of our young pitchers, like Medlen, Reyes or Morton.
Gravy Train
May 25th, 2009
11:56 pm
When I was a kid, there was a man in RF for the Bravos who came in the league on fire. He was thought to be a complete hitting machine. However, I remember ole Dale as a fella who hit the long ball some but more often struck out. There was no Chopping back then, only a small boy and others sitting in a mostly empty stadium chanting Knockahoma-Knockahoma. And then watching number three, I realized the truest meaning of Mighty Casey. In more ways than one, Frenchy reminds me of this. Perhaps there is another Justice waiting on the farm?
Thank you to all the veterans who’ve sacrificed so that we may enjoy this great nation.
Weldon
May 25th, 2009
11:59 pm
Mark, we don’t need to get an MLB-ready outfielder for Frenchy. We just need to get something. There’s no reason Diaz and Brandon Jones couldn’t platoon in right during the interim. If Dye (or someone else comparable – a RH power bat) becomes available, you have to evaluate your options. But Frenchy isn’t the only person who can catch the ball in right field.
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
12:02 am
Yeah, but the way it’s going I’m not sure the Braves have anybody to play CF, either.
frank
May 26th, 2009
12:10 am
well.. i thought of adrian gonzalez, because to me there aren´t too much appealing outfielders in the market.. and lentz.. maybe i dont know anything about baseball but how can you say 285 35 115 is not an improvement over 285 12 80… we need bats.. and if we can´t get any good outfield bats i see no harm in looking at adrian gonzalez even if we have to give better players in the package .. maybe instead of morton, kotchman and another prospect we will have to give medlen instead off morton.. or maybe both.. we have a lot of starting pitchers… just giving ideas…
Chuck Uga
May 26th, 2009
12:12 am
Frank Wren needs to resign or be fired. John Schuerholz also needs to resign. While we’re at it, Terry Pendleton was a great player but is a horrible hitting coach. That’s all that needs to be said. That Texas trade for Teixeira (which is NEVER commented on by our weak, cowardly local sports media) is right up there with the Brett Butler trade as an all-timer. Again, Wren’s name is all over it. The Braves are in disarray with a farm that is depleted. Firings need to occur, regardless of how the team is doing. If they trade Jeff for another rent-a-player, expect a backlash after the season never before witnessed. Ticket sales and attendance will PLUMMET to the pre-1990 numbers.
UGA? Probably will be a lot better than people suspect. 9-3 is likely although 10-2 and an SEC East title would not surprise. Anything 8-4 or less will cause some tremors. I would be very worried about the program if 8-4 occurs, especially if Tech wins that matchup. Again, I think it is likely UGA will play UF for the East title. Both teams are loaded.
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
12:13 am
Mark Bradley, that is why I proposed keeping Schaffer in center, batting 8th and letting him work out his hitting woes….and replacing Franceour with Brandon Jones until Omar Infante comes back. While Brandon Jones isnt going to set the league on fire, I feel that he will do better than Franceour is right now. Or at the very least, have Brandon Jones platoon with Franceour. When Infante comes back, I’d get rid of Franceour (either by trade or by sending him to Triple A to work out his hitting woes. Either way, the Braves cant afford to have 2 easy outs right now in the line-up.
BJE
May 26th, 2009
12:29 am
Just so we are all straight on this “slump.” Frenchy is batting .348 over the last 7 games.
BravesFanLostinOhio
May 26th, 2009
12:31 am
The move doesn’t make sense to me. He isn’t an expensive player. He isn’t holding back anybody else who could be doing it better and no one is going to give up a better OF who has more potential for him in return. Frenchy’s BA is on the rise and he has been driving in runs.
We all WISH we were going to get more productivity from RF, but wishing doesn’t mean we can make it happen for a reasonable price. At this point, either the talent on the field performs up to its potential or its going to be a long year. No trading our way out of this one…
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
12:32 am
Frank, I never said that Adrian Gonzalez isnt an improvement over Kotchman. However, Kotchman isnt the problem. He is a serviceable first baseman. Franceour is the problem. He plays a position that requires offensive production. It is imperative that the Braves upgrade right field. That is why I said that your proposed trade will do little to address the offensive problems at the bottom of the order. Getting some production out of the right field position would allow Kotchman to drop down to the 7th spot in the order (which would make him a bigger upgrade over Franceour hitting 7th). Trading for Gonzalez only improves one spot in the order. Getting a right fielder who can hit would improve 2 spots in the order. If the Braves cant make a good trade for a right fielder, then Omar Infante should be given the job. Also, the Braves need a right handed power bat to add some much needed balance to the line-up.
Chuck_UGA, your assertion of backlash against the Braves for trading Franceour for a rent-a-player is laughable. I would love to get a “rent-a-player” for Franceour. Here are the upsides to that: 1. Massive upgrade in offensive production. 2.If we choose to not resign the “rent-a-player” we save on the salary($5-6 mil) that Franceour would surely have been given in salary arbitration. 3. Compensation in Draft picks when the “rent-a-player” signs with another team. To sum it up, it would only cost a couple of marginal prospects (remember Franceour would likely be included in any trade as well) in exchange for an upgrade in right field for the rest of 2009, and draft picks which can be used to replace the prospects we gave up. Now, I’ll take “backlash” against that any day of the week. Brett Butler had a far better career than Franceour will ever dream of having. It’s not even close to comparing.
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
12:44 am
BJE, Franceour’s “.368″ batting average in the last 7 games translates into 8 hits (7 singles, 1 double, 2 RBI’s). WOW!!!!!!!!!! That is what I call “ON FIRE”, LOL! When Chipper and McCann goes through a stretch like that, I guarantee that they will produce much better than 1 double and 2 RBI’s. Today is more indicative of what Franceour “produces” (0-4, 2 strikeouts, 7 left on base). He gets a lot of RBI opportunities because hitters in front of him are always being walked to face him. So it is natural to assume that he will get the occasional hit to drive in a run or two here and there. However, he should have far more RBI’s than 21, given the numerous opportunities he has had to drive in runs.
BravesFanLostinOhio, Franceour is an expensive player right now. Dude is making $3.4 mil to kill rallies with his unproductive hitting. As I said before, if he doesnt improve, then the Braves will be smart to non-tender him next year. If they did that, then they would get nothing for him. At least by trading him now (or at least attempting to), they can get something in return. I would be sorely disappointed if they tendered him after the season and he ended up getting $5-6 mil or even $7 mill in salary arbitration.
Christian
May 26th, 2009
12:47 am
Seems to me that all the batters except Chipper struggle batting. Maybe it is the batting coach instead of just Frenchy! These young hitters tear it up in the minors and then can’t bust a grape with a boat paddle in the majors……then we trade them and they flourish. What gives? Our young hitters get worse as they stay in the majors not better….and that includes them all not just Frenchy….
DC
May 26th, 2009
1:07 am
Good article Mark. I wonder if the problem is Frenchy. The whole lineup from top to bottom doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of pitchers. I have been slow to get on the get rid of TP bandwagon but I am forced more and more to consider it. Look at Schafer. he is fighting hard to keep his average above 200.
He should have made some adjustments by now but hasn’t. Andruw was horrible under TP. He has been reborn under the Texas hitting instructor. I now wonder if TP is capable of coaching. I wonder how many players will come and go before someone in Braves management thinks to look in his direction as opposed to getting rid of players. Just a thought.
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
1:14 am
Christian, I cant think of any player who “couldnt bust a grape with a boat paddle in the majors” while playing for Atlanta…and then being traded somewhere else and they end up “flourishing”. We have traded prospects who have done well elsewhere. However I cant remember of any who have “stunk up the place” like Franceour has and gone on to “flourish”. Franceour is not a special player. What makes him “special” in the minds of a number of you is the fact that he is from Atlanta, was a high school star in Atlanta, made a splash when he first came up, and the fact that he is white (and no, I’m not some guilt ridden white guy. In fact, part of me wanted him to succeed and do well because I’m white as well. I feel that it is natural to “identify” with those you can relate to. Just like many blacks identify with Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters in tennis). However, as a sports fan who wants to see his team win, when it comes down to it, I could care less what the color of the skin of the player is. I would rather have a black “a-hole” on the team who delivers in the clutch, than a good character white guy who kills rallies like Franceour does. Franceour resonates with many of you, for a number of reasons. Many of you desperately want Franceour to succeed. I desperately want to win the Mega Millions Lottery and the Main Event of the World Series of Poker that begins on July 3rd. However, just because I want it, does not mean that it will happen. Franceour simply, for whatever reason, cannot make the adjustments to counter the adjustments that Major League pitching has made since he first got into the Majors. The Braves cannot stay in the pennant race without getting production from a position that has to produce some power numbers.
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
1:22 am
Blaming Pendleton is just a cop out. These guys are supposed to be Major League hitters. McCann and Chipper dont seem to be negatively “affected” by Pendleton. I think that some of you fans just want to make yourselves feel justified in your unyielding support of Franceour by scapegoating Pendleton.
Schaffer was rushed. He could have used another season in Triple A. However, with Josh Anderson being traded, the Braves have no choice but to give Schafer every chance to work his way out of his hitting woes. Again, the move would be to replace Franceour with a platoon of Diaz and Brandon Jones in right, until Infante gets back. However if the Braves insist on keeping Franceour in right, then the move would be to send Schafer down and bring up Blanco and have him hit lead-off. The Braves cannot afford to have 2 easy outs in the line-up. A move needs to be made either way.
Paul Lentz
May 26th, 2009
1:37 am
Also, for those of you who need a reminder, Franceour makes $3.4 mil, McCann makes $3.7 mil. Who is the bigger bargain? Who produces far more? In 591 FEWER at-bats, McCann has 4 more doubles, 1 more homer, 33 less RBI’s, an equal number of stolen bases, 43 more walks, 256 fewer strikeouts, and a 30 point higher batting average. Add 3 more All-Star berths to those totals. McCann plays a much tougher position as well. Yet Franceour feels that he “deserves” a big time contract? A number of you fans need to wake-up from your unrealistic infatuation with Jeff Franceour. He has regressed. Major League pitching has him figured out. McCann is willing to lay down bunts base hits when the infield has a shift on him. Franceour strikes out swinging for the fences. He feels that the only way he can drive the ball is by pulling everything (when in fact all he ends up doing is grounding the ball to short or striking out). 3 homers isnt going to cut it.
Edo River
May 26th, 2009
2:14 am
Mark, I think “we”(you, me, and the front office) are responsible for French’s hype. we are the parents, why didn’t he turn out like his “brother” McCann? Because we didn’t try to mess with McCann we left him alone and focused on Frenchy. We built him up for the sake of filling seats, didn’t we? As long as he does that, he is a service to the cause; and when he stops doing that, its time to throw him away. Too bad, but Frenchy didn’t want to know it could all fall down, and of course we didn’t want him or anyone to doubt the wisdom of jumping him to the bigs for the sake of attendance dollars, did we? We have only ourselves to blame. Pretty typical, isn’t it?
Hitting
May 26th, 2009
2:22 am
Why does T.P. not get any of this blame. Terry Pendleton is the Braves “hitting coach”, yet when our two best hitters needs hotting advice they call home and speak with their dad’s. Mark DeRosa became a better hitter after leaving the Braves and TP. Francoeur had a nice spring and start to the season after working with Rudy in Texas over the winter. And last but not least Andruw Jones, the man who forgot how to hit water if falling out of a boat, is hitting about his career average in Texas. Tell me one, and I’m only asking for one, young Braves hitter that TP helped make into a better hitter. Don’t say McCann, Brian’s dad did that. T.P. needs to go and we need to bring in a new hitting coach before we start trading off young first round talent. Terry’s job is make hitters better and he hasn’t done that, so TP you are FIRED!
KJ
May 26th, 2009
2:45 am
“Georgia Tech (No. 15) rated one spot ahead of Georgia (No. 16). That sounds about right for the latter but too low for the former.”
Mark, how high WOULD you rank a team that got demolished by 5 TDs in their bowl game by a 5-loss team?
Poopy Pants
May 26th, 2009
2:47 am
Yet another doom and gloom blog post by Mark Bradley. Maybe you should write under a pseudonym. How about “Negative Nancy”?
But the point here that people overlook is that Josh Anderson was a better option for CF and not Jordan Schafer. I was guilty of rooting for Schafer to win the gig during spring training, but it’s more obvious every day that spring training stats shouldn’t weight heavily in trading away someone who was a solid player like J. Anderson for an unproven rookie like Schafer.
Of course I’m not saying keeping J. Anderson would be the answer to our outfielder woes, but I doubt he’d be leading the majors in strikeouts. To be fair, I think Schafer’s wrist is more hurt than what he’s admitting to, especially given the fact he can’t whip the bat around fast enough for fastballs.
Adding to the poster above me, it’s pretty pathetic that we pay a guy to be our hitting coach and yet players GO TO OTHER TEAMS (i.e. Frenchy going to see the Rangers hitting coach) to get coached on hitting. Pendleton WAS a great Brave as a player, but he is worthless as a hitting coach.
Coach (2010 or Bust)
May 26th, 2009
3:48 am
Supes is among other things, an absolute fraud. He ain’t no Braves fan, that’s for damn sure.
Anybody with half a brain knows that Matt Holliday is an elite player and athlete. Read it and weep non-Braves fans:
http://armchairgm.wikia.com/Matt_Holliday
Not to mention that Matt Holliday is one of the best defensive left fielders in baseball:
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=2640940
Ross
May 26th, 2009
6:16 am
What we need to do it to get rid of former top prospect Terry Pendelton. Did you see him with that towel around his neck on Sunday? Really worked up a sweat doing absolutely zilch for our hitters. I swear I could do a better job. Larry King could do a better job. BB King. BB Rebozo. Anyone.
Fire Pendelton!
-drl
Buzz
May 26th, 2009
6:25 am
Frank Wren is retarded. And so is Terry Pendleton, whose own players don’t trust him. An odd fact is TP and Frenchie have very similar career batting averages. So how TP can be considered a good teacher is beyond comprehension … he used to change his batting stance as often as his underwear.
I think Frenchy and Tim Hudson plus a couple minor league prospect (Brian Barton and Medlen or Morton) should be traded for Washington’s Adam Dunn. That pretty much fixes the Braves, though we’ll have an offensive hole in center field until Shaefer learns to hit inside heat.
Mr. Wren
May 26th, 2009
6:41 am
Memo: In referring to negotiations for Mr. Francouer, please do not use expressions such as “unload”, “dump”, etc. It will not help to move things along. Thank you.
ynot
May 26th, 2009
6:50 am
Jeff has a habit of helping the pitcher get him out without working hard. A lot of first pitch swinging outs on pitches that would be borderline strikes at best. I hope he gets more selective at the plate. If he relizes that hitting behind in the count isn’t the worst thing then maybe he can become a decent hitter with power. I think teams know if they throw a pitch just below the strike zone on the first pitch Jeff will ground himself out.
bob
May 26th, 2009
6:53 am
move Kelly Johnson back to the outfield, He’s an adequate 2b, but will never be an all star defensively. Play Prado, or Infante(when he gets back and you’ve got a better defensive infield, higher average hitting, and Kelly back in the outfield where he is more comfortable. He should replace Schafer. Kelly should bat 6th or 7th, not leadoff
bob
May 26th, 2009
6:53 am
Enter your comments here
intellibird
May 26th, 2009
7:08 am
This article should be about Terry Pendleton, not Francouer.
Other topics: Falcons will go 10-6, Tech will take a step backward, and Georgia will be better than expected. Finally, Florida’s reign of dominance will be over when Tebow leaves next year.
Dave
May 26th, 2009
7:22 am
I think some of you are thinking backwards on all of this. I looked it up Andrew Jones is currently batting .290 and in 69 plate appearances he has 4 HR and 12 RBIs. Francouer in 170 at bats is at .259 with 3 HR and 21 RBIs, Kelly Johnson .250 5 HR in 136 AB and 15 RBIs, Schaefer .205 in 136 AB 2 HR and 8 RBIs. Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire the Texas hitting coach rather than maybe trade all our players away to say Texas and let him fix them. Maybe we could do better than Terry Pendleton as our hitting coach why is that not an option?
buzz saw
May 26th, 2009
7:24 am
If your car doesn’t run, you take it to the shop. If it runs bad for three years after going to the shop you go get one that at least runs better. There in lies the problem. Wren was counting on Jeff F. to return to rookie form, while praying Schafer was reading and not signing a left fielder until late March. I hope you prepare better before driving you car on vacation this year or you too will be spinning your wheels.
Tim Taylor
May 26th, 2009
7:26 am
What strikes me is people are not addressing the problem here. It is Bobby’s inability to hurt his coach’s feelings and tell them things are working out. Ever since TP come along we have stunk it up at the plate. He was a great hitter but how does that equate to being a great coach. Frenchy showed a lot of improvement while working with a different coach and Andruw has turned it around after leaving TP’s tutelage.
I say get rid of TP and keep our hitters that need some quality instruction.
GT
May 26th, 2009
7:26 am
Jeff Francouer started going backwards when he got married and stopped rooming with McCann. And Brian has done nothing but get better, in fact McCann is the player now everybody thought Francouer would be. Francouer has gotten too cocky for some reason and has that dumb jock look about him, McCann who got a step brother reception has become the best catcher in baseball. Shafer has the same cocky look Francouer has, both think they have made it before they earn it. They are killing us, this team could be really good with some real character roles in those two spots. I think we will trade some of our pitchers before the all star break to get some pop, bring Hanson up, which we are praying is not another Francouer moment of too much too soon.
Tim Taylor
May 26th, 2009
7:29 am
Bradley…Why dont they get rid of TP?
gp295
May 26th, 2009
7:31 am
Put him back on the juice, homerun of down for all major leaguer since tested begin check chipper numbers.
BRAD
May 26th, 2009
7:32 am
Perfect example of Francouer’s impatience, lack of dicipline, or mental block: Sunday, runners on 2nd and 3rd!!, 1 out!!, what does everyone who knows anything about baseball think he should do?–hit to the right side and get run in and runner to 3rd, right?!? What does he do? First pitch, low and inside, and he tries to pull it?!?! Of course a week grouder to 3rd and no runners can move, and the Braves dont score!! Perfect example of Frechy’s career.
buzz saw
May 26th, 2009
7:34 am
I doesn’t matter if Hudson is back, if Tommy G or Tommy H pitches. With an outfield like the Braves have, we’ll be making rookie pitchers on opposing teams look like “The Natural” when we lose 2-0, 1-0, 3-1,………
buzz saw
May 26th, 2009
7:38 am
Ted Turner has more baseball savy than Wren, Cox, McDowell and Pendleton all put together. The problem goes all the way to the ownership and for that you may as well leave the park empty and let this team watch themselves ground out on the first pitch with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out!
kevin MacCarthy
May 26th, 2009
7:48 am
While they’re at it Jordan Shaefer needs to start over in the minor leagues. He’s helpless at the plate and needs to be sent down before permanent damage is done.
BT
May 26th, 2009
8:04 am
Mark Bradley and DOB do a great job but to the best of my knowledge neither has written directly about the obvious legitiamate concerns (at least among fans)about TP as a hitting coach. TP seems much better suited as a dugout coach than what he is doing. If anyone can name some real success stories from TP’s batting advice I would be verry interested.
time tosaygood bye - FanHome
May 26th, 2009
8:07 am
[...] tosaygood bye frenchy __________________ You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think. Milton [...]
Tommy
May 26th, 2009
8:07 am
Whenever I start to wonder how the country got into the mess it is currently in, I read comments like:
‘Ted Turner has more baseball savvy than Bobby Cox’
and then I remember.
Good Lord, there are some idiots on this thread. Every ‘trade proposal’ is ‘The Braves’ spare parts for Team X’s best player.’ Yep, that will work.
Frank Wren made one big error this winter, and that was signing Kawikami instead of a mid-level hitter. Hanson is ready, and with Hudson likely back in August, the Braves are suddenly going to be overloaded with pitchers. Lowe, Vazquez, and Kawikami all have multi-year deals, and Hanson is too good to move, which means the logical guy to trade would be Jurrjens. He’s good, but not great, will be cheap for at least another year, and right now would probably bring the best return from another team, in the form of a decent 20-hr outfielder.
BJohnDawg
May 26th, 2009
8:27 am
Some of these Braves play half a season in the outfield and the fans want to dump them. If they(the fans) were the GM….Glavine would not been a Brave, Smoltz not a Brave,Murphy not a Brave,Justice not a Brave, et al. Their were plenty of Braves over the last 20 years had crappy beginnings early in their careers that would not make their team. Yet when given time many of those namedturned out to be good Brave players.And some became future HOFers.
As for Frenchy, I say give him the rest of the year. At this point, you will get nothing for him, just like you will get nothing for him at the end of the year. And this team has more problems than just Frenchy.
L.B. 4 Bama
May 26th, 2009
8:28 am
Let’s keep Francouer and trade Pendleton for Jaramillo. Problem solved.
Outside Robber
May 26th, 2009
8:31 am
So many ways to go in fixing the team. The front office did an excellent job of addressing the starting pitching in the off-season and we’re seeing results of that effort. However, there’s only so many bullets to fire so to speak, short of having a Yankees type unlimited budget.
Francoeur in the trade market will be seen as damaged goods, not unlike a guy dropping in the NFL draft because of an injury he suffered in the previous season. Only in Francoeur’s case, it’s more his mental health than any physical problem so that alone might entice a team to deal for him, thinking they can cure his head and then his hitting.
It’s like a guy going after a beautiful woman in spite of knowing that she’s a head case. Well, sort of like that. Clearly though, the starting pitching can take the team only to the brink with only a slap and tickle hitting outfield. This is the time for the Braves’ front office to hunker down and again, earn their keep.
DHD
May 26th, 2009
8:31 am
“I think Frenchy and Tim Hudson plus a couple minor league prospect (Brian Barton and Medlen or Morton) should be traded for Washington’s Adam Dunn.”
Just proves that anybody can post here. I’m speechless.