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
Bleu_Bayou42
May 26th, 2009
8:32 am
Frenchy needs a fresh start somewhere else. Who is tired of watching that dude try to pull outside pitches? It’s almost as bad as watching the Haney Project. (Not that bad but pathetic in it’s own right) The only problem I see is that if you scrap Frenchy and GA you are basically scrapping any chance of winning this year. The guys behind him are either not ready (including Schafer) or not everyday players at the MLB level.
Frankota
May 26th, 2009
8:32 am
Great article but lets also examine Terry Pendleton’s performance also as a hitting coach. How is he keeping a job given the results?
chbeyer
May 26th, 2009
8:51 am
Just wait until Atlanta dumps Frenchy because the brass refuses to ‘get it’ that Pendleton can’s coach hitters to become better hitters. Jeff is a terrific athlete who will be a star somewhere. Just not in Atlanta.
BT
May 26th, 2009
8:53 am
Chbeyer – I am afraid you might be right.
bull-gator
May 26th, 2009
8:58 am
Francouer & Schafer both need a professional hitting coach. Pendleton is not the answer and never has been. Wren needs to fire him now. To trade Francouer now would be a bad deal for the Braves and a good deal for whatever team picks him up. Francouer needs a head doctor AND as swing coch. He’s got loads of talent…too much was expected too soon and the hype of being the “natural” was way over the top. Clint Hurdle is a fine example of what “great expectations” can do to a young player’s psyche.
jack
May 26th, 2009
9:03 am
they don’t need to trade jeff they need to get rid of tery pen. it shuld tell them something of what andrew has done when he got away from tp
Jim n Buckhead
May 26th, 2009
9:07 am
I’ve never been a big Frenchy guy but this was not going to be the year for the Braves so I say ride it out…..next year with this starting staff and you add a healthy Huddie that could be the year….so in this off season assess were the pitchers are and make a couple of deals for bats…or see who is available cheap in this years trade deadline and roll with it…..
lagnamor
May 26th, 2009
9:08 am
Frenchy, TP, and Bobby need to go. Would love to see Leo come back and Ned Yost.
Paul, I agree with your 1:14 but not 1:22 blog. TP is the hitting Coach therefore he is to blame if it fails. He has been a total joke when players have to get help from other people and places.
atlbravesfan44
May 26th, 2009
9:11 am
Mark,
You really expect someone to trade back a starting outfielder in return for Francoeur??? It’s going to take quite a package in addition to Francoeur to get anything better than serviceable at the major league level. I agree it’s time to cut bait, but I don’t want to start mortgaging the future by throwing in too many prospects.
Tired Bravesfan
May 26th, 2009
9:14 am
No its not time to trade away Francoeur, its time to fire Pendleton. How many young hitters do we have to say goodby to before they get it though their heads that Pendleton has done nothing in the way of being able to coach young hitters. We continue to give away talent and keep the bum on the bench, its a joke. They going to get rid of Schafer too?
Pendleton has no right to be there, he was a good hitter but thats it. IMO he has proven over and over again that he cant pick apart hitters and help them. Its a joke and the braves need to part witht he real problem. Its the coach and not the players. You bring in a real coach and maybe he can get them hitting. I suggest that they promote the hitting coach from AA. He knows how to teach hitting. Pendleton doesnt. Hes a player retired, let him retire. Its time to shake up the coaches not the players.
PMC
May 26th, 2009
9:14 am
Mike Peterson is a TREMENDOUS upgrade from what Keith Brooking was last year as far as athletic ability and he already knows the system.
Football Outsiders is a joke. Right up there with Walter Football.
Teams can only make so many moves in the offseason. The Falcons needed to blow up the defense and if they need to find another linebacker before the season plenty will be available in a pinch. 9-7 is a more realistic record for them but the offense will have to carry the team again.
Tired Bravesfan
May 26th, 2009
9:18 am
Lagnamor, I hate to bring this to your attention but Leo is out of baseball. He proved that without Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz he was nothing. He was fired, had the worst era in Majors.
All you will get with Leo is the ability to trade all our young pitchers to other teams because he hates working with them. If Pitchers dont come with Big three stats, he wants nothing to do with them.
Poor leo, the best pitching coach drops out of baseball and no team wants him after he loses the big three. That should tell you all you need to know.
Pendleton is the one who needs to be replaced and now rather then later.
Ramblinwreck1378
May 26th, 2009
9:25 am
Braves fans: Two words…
Jason Heyward.
Elmer
May 26th, 2009
9:26 am
Brian Jones should get the chance Schaffer is getting!
DirtyDawg
May 26th, 2009
9:37 am
It’s one thing for a guy to ‘get it into his head’ what he needs to be doing at the plate…it’s quite another for him to be able to translate it into performance, particularly under pressure. Francoeur’s natural ability was good enough in high school and good enough in the Majors – that is until the scouts saw him, and ever since he’s been toast. His bat is way too slow to be the power hitter that he sees himself as…and he’ll never settle for just making contact. First, because nobody’s gonna pay big bucks for an ‘average to slow’, Punch-and-Judy, right fielder. Maybe he does need to see if he could ‘pitch a little’. Sorry Jeff, but baseball history if full of young talent that couldn’t hit the curve ball – the reason is that their bat was so slow they had to get it started early and didn’t stand a chance when something ‘off-speed’ came in. Andruw’s the same way – only he can still run and make great plays. Tell me folks, when’s the last time we saw Jeff make a great catch in right? I can’t even think of one. Sure if the ball’s right to him he can catch it and throw – and with that arm of his get it to the base with authority, but I ain’t seen him throw anybody out lately, have you?
Sorry kid, it would have been nice. Shoulda taken the deal the Braves offered a coupla years back, like McCann, at least you’d have had at least one big pay-day.
Kevin
May 26th, 2009
9:37 am
well if knowin not smart enough cox and his sidekick TP who is awful as a coach Frenchy could be a La dodger if Manny not return if not fail a drug text…I see Francouer a dodger soon,,,and will tear up the west him n manny will and get his 34 homeruns as a La dodger right fielder…of course dodgers will give up some promsin pitchers n outfielder in there farm system….I hate see frenchy leave but in La he be a all star right fielder
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
9:38 am
Wasn’t Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones?
Daniel
May 26th, 2009
9:43 am
Bradley, you havent answered everyones concern. WHY DONT THEY FIRE TP??
Blackberry Cobbler
May 26th, 2009
9:44 am
If the Braves are going to part ways with Francine, then it’s hard to argue why they wouldn’t also send Shaffer back to the minors. He’s just not yet ready for major league pitching.
Unless the Braves can improve their offense and the inconsistencies in pitching (Vasquez seems way overrated to me), this team is going no where.
lagnamor
May 26th, 2009
9:45 am
Tired Bravesfan, Don’t ever hate to tell me anything….Everything you said I know, but your reasons are wrong. He was not fired by Braves. With Balt.= You can’t make Chicken salad out of Chicken sh@#. If you say the big three made him great…then that would also go for Bobby Cox too, because what has he done since they been gone? What have the Braves won since Leo left? NOTHING! I could go on but you wouldn’t understand unless you was there. I agree with u on TP.
cmac1919
May 26th, 2009
9:52 am
“Braves fans: Two words…
Jason Heyward.”
And mess up another prospect by rushing him to the majors?
Two words: Hell no
renegade
May 26th, 2009
9:53 am
why don’t they fire T.P.? cause he has pictures of Frank and Bobby in drag!
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
10:00 am
I can’t speak for the Braves, but I’d assume they value Terry Pendleton as a hitting coach. That’s why they continue to pay him.
Phil
May 26th, 2009
10:03 am
Frenchy will probably flourish under a new manager and hitting instructor. Moron Cox sitting in the dugout picking his nose and yelling “Come on kid!” is the extent of the coaching he gets in Atlanta. TP as we all agree is a total failure, that’s why a lot of the guys go elsewhere for instruction. Get rid of Moron Cox and TP and quit trading all of these guys away, that would be the better solution.
RBrave
May 26th, 2009
10:07 am
Yeah, something needs to be done with Frenchy,now ! Package him up with a few of the “gas cans” we have and try and get a Holiday ! G Anderson is a big disappointment (I guess the guy that always crys about the black players will disagree). Even if we can’t trade Francour send him down to work on his swing. Fix it down there not at this level, too much pressure to work on a swing flaw. I think now he’s a mental mess and needs to go down or out .
BT
May 26th, 2009
10:15 am
Mark I certainly respect your opinion which is why I am even more concerned now that you feel that TP is valued by the Braves as a hitting coach. I can see the fact that he is a great person and positive influence but as a hitting coach. We are in trouble.
Jonnyboy
May 26th, 2009
10:19 am
Calvin Smythe-Withers and people of your ilk. You sound like a classless clown. What has Jeff done to you? Has he caused you ill will, robbed or raped your family? This is baseball a game people. The venom people show on these sites just illustrates the large contingency of morons that we live amongst. I give Jeff kudos for not spanking your little butt right there at the DQ. You sure could have used it. People when you make a major league team then you may and I repeat may have a right to critique another players ability until then remember not one of you can hold Jeff’s or any one of the Braves jock straps.
Kentavo
May 26th, 2009
10:22 am
HAS a team ever replaced its entire outfield in mid-season?
I know we replaced our creaky corners in ‘05, but what about the entire outfield (minus Diaz, who is a good 4th outfielder)?
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
10:22 am
Now, if you’re asking: “Does it reflect favorably on the Braves’ hitting coach that Francoeur felt the need to spend time working with the hitting coach from another big-league club?” … well, that might well be a different answer.
possibilities
May 26th, 2009
10:29 am
Put Kelly Johnson in center, Matt Diaz in Left and Martin Prado on Second.
ChillyMutt
May 26th, 2009
10:32 am
RWill – yes i have noticed that Frenchy is awkward both in the field and at the plate. He’s not nearly the defensive threat he was several years ago. The sad thing is, as bad as he is at the plate – he is still slightly better than Schafer. Our outfield is a mess.
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
10:35 am
I can’t believe nobody has brought this up, but here it is: Corky Miller is tearing it up with the ChiSox. He’s hitting .200 with five RBIs. The Braves need him back!
News & Notes: Jinxed Jeff Francoeur nearing end in Atlanta?
May 26th, 2009
10:37 am
[...] .259/.282/.365 line from the Braves' outfield, the prediction looks downright nostradamic. [Atlanta Journal Constitution via [...]
Smithoma
May 26th, 2009
10:38 am
Mark, sounds like you are dancing around the Pendleton question. There are a lot of players on the Braves they continue to pay. But that is why we are having this conversation. Who is not pulling their weight and why?
How much talent have the Braves traded away because they couldn’t turn things around? We are asking, at what point is the buck passed to TP? Is Bobby protecting him?
Keeping It Real
May 26th, 2009
10:40 am
The best thing for any good player is to leave the city too busy to hate. Ask Druw, Gant, Dye, Salty, Furcal, Justice, Andrus, Marquis,Wainwright, and countless others. The Braves have proven to be a good farm team for other teams. Good luck Frenchy and make sure you come back and beat the hell out of the selfish Braves management to show how stupid they really are for listening to know-it-all sports writers and their bloggers.
Astro Joe
May 26th, 2009
10:57 am
Maybe the young, inconsistent, Atlanta-born wannabe star can spend his off-season in Texas working out with Hakeem and Calvin Murphy. Huh? What’s that? What does the Rangers hitting coach have to do with converting a 16 footer? Oh, Frenchy. Trade Frenchy and Josh Smith to Houston for Yao. That way, they will both be closer to the preferred tutors. And give Gimpy Claxton Mike Hampton’s former uniform and send him into right field. Oh yeah and Edge Hartwell can play left field… he, too, owes Atlanta fans about 3 years worth of performance.
Mark Bradley
May 26th, 2009
11:13 am
Point taken, Astro Joe.
On the other hand, Calvin Murphy can teach a guy a lot about how to twirl a baton.
smith
May 26th, 2009
11:16 am
Statistically, Francoeur is one of the worst “regulars” in baseball, has been for some time. With every team, at least in some capacity, relying on stats at least in part to make decisions on players, I don’t see what team would trade anything of value for him. Bottom line, the sample size is quite large and Francoeur has proven himself as a bad hitter in all respects. Even at 25, you can’t trade on his prospects with so many MLB at-bats.
That said, the Braves can’t keep him for the entire season– he’s that bad. So, they need to take what they can get, take the PR hit from the uniformed fan and move on with plans to rebuild the outfield.
geauxbraves2000
May 26th, 2009
11:17 am
As soon as you trade JF he is going to get spiteful, start listening to some good advice and turn things around to show the Braves what they traded away. And then fans will be screaming for FW’s head. This JF fiasco, no matter what happens, will not turn out good for the Braves, IMO.
Geaux Braves!!
Shaggy
May 26th, 2009
11:37 am
Anyone think it might just be time to find another hitting coach and for Terry P. to go?
Murph
May 26th, 2009
11:40 am
Frenchy thinks too much. He came out and raked his first few months in the bigs because he was full of confidence, didn’t analyze and think and correct mechanics… he just came to play and did his thing.
I agree with a bunch of posters that one of the big problems is in the coaching. Bobby is a hall-of-fame manager but he doesn’t have what it takes to motivate players anymore. The Braves have always been called “professional”, but they also have lacked fire. Where is Bobby’s bat-throwing, lolly-gagger speech? How bad does it have to get with some of these players before he starts making changes? TP is the other big problem. He was a very good hitter in his playing days, but he hasn’t done much to help the Braves hit the ball. Isn’t that what a hitting coach is supposed to do? Coach players on how to hit the ball? His results speak for themselves.
Trade Frenchy, bring up Heyward, shut down Glavine, bring up Hanson, make Chipper the hitting coach, fire TP, move Bobby to the front office, hire a new manager, lower ticket prices, look forward to Hudson’s return in August, and go from there.
Early Christmas
May 26th, 2009
11:42 am
The question is almost rhetorical in nature but yes, of course he must go and please, please, please take Jordan Schaefer with you, hell, I’ll even pay for his ticket!!! To say the kid is overmatched is the supreme understatement, yet there he is, day after day, achieving hall of fame status in the silver sombrero club- or is it platinum??
Astro Joe
May 26th, 2009
11:52 am
I’m not much of a baseball fan/expert, but it seems to me that the Schaefer debacle (that is such a good word… debacle) likely means that Heywood and Freeman just got an extra season in the minors before they are playing alongside McCann and Jurrjens. Schaefer is looking more and more like the position-player equivalent to Joey Divine. Braves need to learn to leave those guys on the vine until they are fully ripe.
Mike
May 26th, 2009
11:56 am
Once apon a time a pitcher named Smoltz had his shrink with him on the bench. I think most people would agree that that situation worked out well. Why not do the same for Francoeur? The guy has ability.
PMC
May 26th, 2009
12:02 pm
Francouer has only had one bad year. He’s streaky yes, but what do we really expect of him? He has been better this year after he worked with Jaramillo in the off season. The return is going to be minimal. He’s been a good fielder, if anything we simply wish he was better than he is. He’s just not a superstar. That’s no crime. The Braves have attempted and come up well short in attempting to put stop gaps in Kotsay and Anderson in the other outfield positions… they have been injury prone and or ineffective leading to some guys being called up that aren’t major league caliber yet. We got spoiled having Andrew out there. The Braves have basically ignored needs in the outfield probably due to lack of funds to go out and get players like Jason Bay or Nady that were needs or they simply believe they have guys up and coming like Heyward and Schaffer that they believe will fill those needs.
Schaffer is struggling to hit as a rookie. Most of them do. Anderson is a professional hitter and he has shown it several times when up with RISP.
We all hope the best for Francouer, but honestly, trading him now would be as stupid as not sending him down to the minors for the majority of last year. You aren’t getting value, and much like Kelly Johnson, Francouer is easily capable of going on a tear. He’s simply streaky and has a tendency to get into bad habits. In the week after Rudy called and jumped on him he’s swung the bat better again.
It’s not time to trade anyone. It’s time to be patient, relax, realize this is necessary and wait on Heyward and Freddie Freeman to be ready to come up. HOPEFULLY they will be more consistant at the plate.
Shamus Thacker
May 26th, 2009
12:04 pm
The question now becomes, why do they value Terry as hitting coach?
What does he have on whom?
Sure ain’t cause the hitters can hit. Paying Terry to teach hitting is like paying a fireman to set fires… Whatever the Hell that means. If y’all figure it out, let me know.
Chief
May 26th, 2009
12:10 pm
Going into yesterday Frenchy was tied for the team lead in Runs, hits and RBI. Why would the Braves want to trade a guy like that? Now I realize a lot of people expect him to put up super huge numbers based on his first couple years in the majors but are the numbers he’s putting up now really that bad? He’s raised his average 30 points over last year and is strking out way less. I definitely agree he needs to show more plate discipline. If he could lean how to draw a walk and get his OBP up to a reasonable level he is definitely an adequte outfielder (especially considering he’s got the best arm in the game). If the Braves had added Dunn in the offseason and let him be the big bopper in the lineup it would take some pressure of Francoeur and nobody would be complaining.
PMC
May 26th, 2009
12:17 pm
Could have had Andrew Jones for next to nothing, unfortunately whatever it is that helped both him and Francouer that Jaramillo sells…. must be foreign to TP.
Shamus Thacker
May 26th, 2009
12:20 pm
Y’all are right about Stenchy being a streaky hitter.
A nice streak of 10-games followed by a horrid streak of 100 kinda waters-down that argument for keeping him…
NCBravesFan
May 26th, 2009
12:21 pm
Frenchy is, and apparently always will be, a football player in a baseball uniform.