Terry Pendleton on hitting: “That individual has to step up”

We’ve been bringing up the rear in offense for awhile now. It’s not like this season is a hiccup. And part of it is guys going into epic slumps. What has TP done to help Andruw, Francoeur, Schafer, Kelly, etc?

TP was hurt when Francoeur went to Rudy and says “Why didn’t you come to me?” He’d been Jeff’s hitting coach for three years at that point! Something’s obviously not working.

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This is a results-oriented business, and the results stink. BC is too loyal for his own good. If he loves TP that much, maybe he should move him to a different job and get an effective batting coach.

Franchouer is the perfect benchmark. Either he is too hard-headed to listen to TP, or TP is ineffective. Whichever is true, one of them should go.

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Terry to me as a player was never much of a patient hitter, which I see a lot in the Braves approach to hitting this season and years past. It seems like we’re taking the aggressive approach night in and night out, with only a few exceptions that can be found. This wouldn’t be a problem if we had a team of Tony Gwynn’s, but we don’t.

This may not be on Terry, but we seem to have lost the art of playing small ball, moving guys over, and knowing the situation that you’re in, or maybe it’s because I see Franceour come up in these situations too often that my judgement isn’t accurate.

I want to say that Frenchy was doing good after working with Rudy, and is now underperforming because, as stated above, he’s working with Terry, but Jeff just doesn’t seem to have the right mentatlity to turn the corner on his performance. I don’t know if it’s his ego, or his determination to be a certain type of hitter, but whatever it is, it’s not the type of hitter that the Braves need. Does he need to have his eyes checked like McCann did, because some of the pitches combined with some of the swings he takes it just disgusting. His bases loaded performance last night was just stupid….and I say that a lot about Jeff’s approach, stupid.

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Terry Pendleton – nice guy. Decent 3B. Great team leader. A train wreck of a hitting coach. This is not up for debate.

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No way you put our hitting struggles entirely on Pendleton. If a coach could make players perform on command, coaches would get paid more than players.

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Mark I am afraid I have to agree with Paul. Where are the results. If he is an excellent hitting coach who are the players he really helped. I am sure he is a great guy who has the respect of everyone as a person. I have just never seen in print the names of players who have become even better hitters because of Terry. Chipper and McCann have been helped by their dads. Schafer didn’t seem to get better, Diaz has always been a hitter. Does Escobar say that Terry has really helped him?

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Pendleton might make a good manager. He needs to go as batting coach. He hasn’t been able to help the Braves’ struggling young hitters and those are the ones that actually need a batting coach. Chipper and McCann would hit fine even if the Braves didn’t have a batting coach at all.

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I don’t know that the team has much confidence in TP. He’s a good bench coach, but maybe being the hitting coach is not his strenth. It seems management wants to keep him and direct him to a higher job, but this path isn’t working out.

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All I get from this article is that Pendleton is indeed firmly implanted in the Braves organization, and is basically untouchable unless someone else purchases the Braves…Very disappointing…..I don’t put a whole lot of thought into what Frenchy did, going to Jaramillo for help, because Frenchy is desperate. But the team as a whole is not been productive for a good while. So what does Bobby Cox say, “Terry is good”…Folks meet your next Atlanta Brave manager, Terry Pendleton.

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Pendleton is a diaster. Name a player who has excelled under his “tutelage”? As JD, Paul and others have pointed out, no one. And the good hitters — Chipper, McCann, Diaz — were either already good hitters and/or turned to their fathers as coaches. The Braves have the past few years been consistently poor on offense, and as Joe Simpson has often pointed out, even lacked awareness to know when to take a pitch. And I don’t know that he’s even a good bench coach. Wren says he dropped Glavine and farmed out Schaefer based on performance, what about Pendleton?

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If JF went to another coach, came back, and is just as lousy as when he left, why crucify TP.
I think he is just another flash in the pan athlete who was great in high school but needs at least another 2 years in minor league ball beginning in AA.

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JJ, The TP problem is bigger than Francouer.

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JJ: That is a good point. Besides, JF can look at his ABs on film and see he sucks. As bad as he looks he should be able to figure it out on his own.

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Is Terry Pendleton being kept on as Hittiing Coach for the purpose of keeping him within the BRAVES organization as the heir apparent to Bobby Cox as Manager?

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Some people just won’t listen or adjust. Besides, the first time I saw Francoeur’s swing, I was immediately thought of Brad Kommisk – no way that swing is gonna equate to a long career.

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When I learned yesterday that Tom Glavine was released, I was stunned. You just don’t do someone that way.

I’m not against Frank Wren’s being the GM, but this organization has some serious strikes against it. When you look at the combination of John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux, Wren, in the span of a few months, has been highly disrespectful of all three, especially to Glavine. If you’re not going to re-sign the man, you need to be direct about it—before the season—as opposed to giving him this malarky–especially in June.

By the way, to anyone who thinks Glavine is getting his just desserts for going to New York, remember three things: You don’t mistreat someone with this legacy and who has been this integral a part of your success; he has the right to play wherever he wants, and John Schuerholz easily could’ve re-signed him but kept putting him on the backburner while negotiating with Mike Hampton.

I still say Bobby and T.P. could do more with this team chemistry-wise. As mentioned, Bobby has used disproved approaches many times and has given adjustments two or three games at times. No question that he can build a team like no other, but his in-game strategy can be questionable at times. Yes, this statement is true for every other manager as well, but it does bother me that we haven’t seen the right attempts for optimal team chemistry. Why he refuses to at least try Jeff Francoeur at cleanup is a sign of extreme stubbornness, the same for his refusal to use Kelly Johnson properly–but at least Kelly is batting like a run-producer now and not a run-scorer.

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Looking at that table, I’m a little shocked. I remember watching those 2006 and 2007 seasons and continually being frustrated by the offense’s inability to score runs.

JJ – Francoeur stuck with Rudy’s advice for the first part of the season, and was hitting well over .300. He admittedly went back to his old ways in May and his average plumetted. He still looks like his old self and he’s still getting the same results. I want to know what TP is doing about that.

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Mark, I believe Jeff’s got till the July 31st deadline to get his act together or he’s gone, if Frank Wren’s epic Wednesday is any indication.

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Terry teaches chopping at the ball. Must be the truth. Thorman and Francoeur are the best examples. Francoeur lets this team down every at-bat with his undisciplined plate demeanor. He killed a rally last night and kills them with regularity. Not a smart player. Not being coached or not accepting coaching. Either way, it needs to get fixed. Bring back the Canadians. Send Frenchy to France. Delta is ready when you are. Chop Suey from Canton, here. Still waiting on the Chop Chick blog from April 9 to come down and my new blog to go up.

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Billy,

Stats can be misleading.

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OK, 3 blogs in one day? Are you trying to get me fired?!? How am I supposed to read them all and still be productive at work? Thanks for all of the great info.

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Jeff’s issue is he always swings at and usually misses the first pitch, and the entire baseball world knows this. So he starts off 0-1.
Stan Kasten and the Washington Nationals would take Jeff in a heartbeat.

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Millsaps-I’m not sure how the Braves did Glavine wrong. They offered himn the chance to retire as a Brave and he declined and asked for his release. Would you want him pitching for the team if he couldn’t do it? They were honest with him and gave him a chance to go out as a Brave. What exactly did you want the Braves to do?

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Mark,

You can’t fire all the players. And the Braves fans have not gotten their money’s worth over the past 3 seasons…So if these recent player moves don’t pan out, than the Braves need to think seriously about new leadership.

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People blamed TP for Andruw too. When Andruw left, he got worse. It was a shame too, because at one point, he had potential to have one of the best careers at center field of all time.

So, I think that a lot of these guys just lose the ability to hit. Usually its mental.

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Good point on McCann MB. Aren’t his numbers better now than they were in the minors? Did he have the same Dad?

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The title of the blog juxtaposed with the opening paragraph make it seem like that quote from Pendleton was aimed at Francoeur when it was actually about no one in particular, just his philosophy. That first paragraph seems a little opportunistic in it’s attempt to marry the two together to make it seem like Pendleton is talking specifically about Francoeur. But nonetheless a good read and a subject many of us have openly wondered about on the AJC blogs.

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Mark, what I don’t see in your post is a player who can explain how TP is a good hitting coach. If he is good, I expect it wouldn’t be hard to find a player that speaks strongly – and specifically – in his favor. Instead, you get Francoeur saying he’s a good coach, then going elsewhere for counsel. Did you look, and fail to find, a Braves player who could talk about how Pendleton had made him a better hitter? Thanks.

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I would like to see more stats than just BA for the NL. What about BA with runners in scoring position, OBP, OPS, etc. The bottom line with TP is that the Braves haven’t been able to consistently score runs for several seasons. In addition, they have guys seeking help elsewhere and more than one hitter with little or no plate discipline. Speaking of Jaramillo, he has apparently done some solid work with Andruw Jones this year and I think Frenchy’s problem is that Jaramillo is not around to reinforce what he taught Jeff over the winter. Jeff was great in spring training and started out well, but has gone back to his old habits since then. I said on the blog the other day that I like and respect TP as a former player that had done a lot for the organization, but it’s time for him to go.

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I wish they would make Pendleton a bench coach if they are trying to keep him for when Bobby Cox retires. I would bring in a professional hitting coach I don’t see Pendleton as that type of guy based on what he has done. I rated him pretty average.

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What the heck is there a hitting coach on the pay roll for in PRO baseball anyway??? The guys are pros!! What doees TP do?

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Coaching is a small factor when to performing. The best coaching in the world won’t make you or me a .300 hitter. It will only help or prepare YOU to utilize YOUR skills. YOU are the one at the plate. Maybe TP isn’t getting through to some of these guys but his coaching doesn’t make them a .200 hitter. They make themselves that.

Time to cut bait on Brad Komminsk, ohh sorry, Jeff Francouer. Maybe a fresh start will help him.

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Loved TP as a player. Love him now. Do not think he is a good batting coach. He has runied JF. If the Phill’s would have made Howard a hit for average guy he would not have had 40+ HR’s and 125+ RBI’s the last couple of seasons. Let Jeff swing and put someone in back of him that will allow for quality pitches. That being said, I agree that JF needs to take a few walks.

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Good blog Mark. Managers and coaches are always in no-win situation. They’re kind of like weathermen. Everyone remembers their failures or mistakes. No one remembers or notes when they get it right. I’ve never like TP as a hitting coach. I loved him as a player. I think he’ll be a good manager someday. Maybe I’m unfair in not liking him as a hitting coach. When you talk about TPs “success” last season in spite of the things you mentioned, you should maybe include that the numbers were bumped up by having the best hitter in all of baseball.

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The stats don’t lie, so objectively you have to say the Braves have been pretty good over Pendleton’s tenure.

Regardless of that, it’s always the players. Maybe it’s that Frenchy was just never that good, and he just had a hot first 30 games. He wasn’t even a .300 hitter in the minors. He hit .275 over 84 games in AA before getting called up. Is it a stretch that he would perform worse than that in the majors?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=franco001jef

Send him to AAA with Shafer. It was painful to see Shafer stike out time and time again to an inside fastball, and it’s been a painful two years watching Frenchy strike out on the inside breaking ball in the dirt and outside fastball. Just end it already…

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Why didn’t we bunt last night after the leadoff man got on in the bottom of the 9th?

Bobby Cox is KILLING THIS TEAM!!!!!

He is DONE!

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I’m just wondering if last spring training, when Jeff got hit pretty hard in the face by a pitch, near his eye, if that has had a lingering effect on his hitting. Look at McCann and his eyesight issues.

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Have any of you people ever played any sport? The coaches, any coach can see what people are doing wrong in any sport but if they do not take their advice and try there is nothing else to be done. You can talk untill you are blue in the face and they will not listen. Jeff last night with the bases loaded swung at 4 balls. the pitcher did not throw a strike. Do you think TP told him to swing at anything? So quit blaming the coach. He wanted to be the hero again and hit a home run. Untill he gets his head straight he will not hit above 250. He is a nice guy and I hate to see this happining to him. He has always been the hero and the best on the team and this is affecting him mentally.

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You can fire Pendleton tomorrow and the hitters will still have to do the hitting. Who is everybody going to blame then?

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Lost brave, Chipper won the NL batting title last year. No wonder you are lost. You do not know what you are talking about.

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If a player refuses to listen to a coach, if he k’s on 4 pitches outside the strike zone with the bases loaded he has to ride the wood.

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The most bothersome thing to me about the Braves of recent vintage is their horrid situational hitting. Runner on second with nobody out? By all means, pull that first pitch to shortstop and fail to advance the runner. Facing a pitcher having control problems? Well, by all means, let’s be sure to swing at the first pitch, even if its out of the strike zone. The list goes on and on.

There’s a total lack of professional hitting fundamentals among certain members of this club that just disgust me to no end. Garrett Anderson, Chipper, McCann, Norton and, for the most part, Kotchman…all four of those guys can be relied upon as fundamentally sound, professional hitters. As for the rest of this team, I’ve seen better fundamental baseball from a team of 8th graders.

As a coach, you can’t go up there and hit for them…but the next time Francouer swings at bad pitches when he knows full well the pitcher is having control issues, then it’s time for Bobby to stop worrying about Jeff’s feelings and sit his rear end on the bench. Immediately. Same for Escobar, the next time he grounds out to short with a runner on second and nobody out. That’s fundamental stuff, people. And it has been killing the Braves for at least three years. You wonder why we lose so many one-run games. That’s why.

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Look at Franck- ‘K-er’ the last 2 games:

In the first game, JF worked the count and got a pitch to hit out to tie the game. Great (but unusual) job!
In the second game, he swings away like he’s blindfolded and holding a pinata bat.
Why can’t someone point out the difference in strategies, and results? These are professional players and coaches. If some lame fan can see it, why can’t they?

And re: the stats, what would the Braves B.A. be without Chipper? Can TP take credit for Chipper? I don’t know.

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Call me crazy, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Braves will get at least 3 hits within the the 1st 4 innings tonight…I know I know, I could be setting myself up for a huge disappointment. But now that I’ve read where Pendleton’s job involves basically him doing nothing, I feel a little better about the direction of the team.

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Floyd —- That’s what I’ve been saying for 5 years. If you look at Torres’ Yankees from 96-2004, the entire team worked the count and showed patience. Other than Chipper, McCann, GA, and Kotchman, the Braves have a bunch of impatient hackers. Shafer seemed to swing harder when he had 2 strikes instead of cutting down on his swing. I could retire if I had a dollar for every first pitch BALL that Frenchy has swung at in his career.

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Pendleton needs to be fired. Francoeur goes to Jaramillo in Texas and hits well in the spring and during April. When it wears off, Pendleton can’t bring him back around. Couldn’t fix Andruw, Jaramillo did. Won’t fix Kelly or anyone else either. Hopefully Schafer isn’t ruined. Chipper and McCann can hit despite the hitting coach. What I fear more is Pendleton being the next manager.

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Pendleton is a good hitting coach.

Everyone wanted Clarence’s head on a platter when he was here, too.

You want to blame someone, blame Franceour for not taking anyone’s advice.

Blame Andruw for the same thing.

Blame Schafer for, well, not his fault. Just too young still.

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Hey Mark,

Referring to their relationship, Frenchy said, ” It is what is.”

Read anything into his facial expressions?

Did he flash that smile? Shrug his shoulders? Do you sense some tension?

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I’m not even going to waste my time reading all the comments because mine is the truth!!!
I’ve been watching the Braves for years…from the sucky days to the run that started in 91.
They should have won more World Series than the one they won in that strike shortened year.
They weren’t hitting then…and they aren’t hitting now. After all these years….can’t you see that the lack of hitting has more to do than with the hitting coach? Look at all the hitting coaches they’ve had since 91…and they still can’t hit!!!
It’s a confidence/mental thing and the players know the real deal.
As longer as Bobby Cox is in charge….the players know they will always lose the biggest game they play in in the playoffs or World Series. This is Bobby Cox’s legacy.

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The hitting coach can only do so much, that’s just the way it works. You just don’t blame the hitting coach for everything, you just don’t do it. And if you insist on blaming him, just look at the stats over the past nine years. Frenchy’s a joke, as we’ve been trying to tell braves management for so long. And Schafer? He was a rookie. He flopped. You can’t pin that on the hitting coach.

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Pendleton isn’t to blame for hitters coming through the Braves system without learning the strike zone, without developing discipline. It’s lucky McCann had his dad and Yunel learned the Cuban way – otherwise they might be as erratic as Frenchy, KJ and Schafer. The Braves farm system did not do these guys any offensive favors.

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Just as info here are Andruw Jones’ Batting Averages by year and hitting coach as a Brave starting with his first full season:

1997 .231 Clarence Jones
1998 .271 Clarence Jones
1999 .275 Don Baylor
2000 .303 Merv Rettenmund
2001 .251 Merv Rettenmund
2002 .264 Terry Pendleton
2003 .277 Terry Pendleton
2004 .261 Terry Pendleton
2005 .263 Terry Pendleton
2006 .262 Terry Pendleton
2007 .222 Terry Pendleton

Not sure what it says about hitting coaches, but it was interesting to look at. At Texas he’s batting .278 in 26 games.

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What you are failing to incorporate in to your opinion here Mark is that one night the Braves will go off for 10 runs and 18 hits, only to be blanked the next night. We still wait around on the 3 run homer and cannot manufacture runs. As for individual performances, let’s take KJ. KJ was a very patient hitter when he first came up and was praised for his keen sense of the strike zone. Now KJ is a .250, .260 hitter that also swings at the first pitch way too much. From a fundamentals and mental standpoint, TP has failed at his job. He is a terrible hitting coach and the root of our offensive woes. It is a shame that the talents of Francouer, KJ, Schafer, Thorman, etc. have been wasted on a joke of a hitting coach. He may have been an MVP 3B, but he is not a Major League coach.

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I noticed last night that Francoeur had gone back to his old batting stance. Earlier in the season his stance was more open on the front side leg, but last night it was closed. I know about his .345 career average swinging at the first pitch, but he was better Tuesday when he was more patient at the plate, and took some pitches.

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91 was TPs steroid year.

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Two words – Situational hitting. Two more – Timely hitting.

TP gets neither from his players. The year end stats look fine but like a bikini they don’t show you everything.

TP has been through plenty of lineups over the years and the results are getting worse not better. When the same coach gets the same or declining results from both new and old faces it is time for a change.

After a 90 loss season where the offense in addition to the pitching wet the bed coaches get fired at least on teams who value winning above status quo.

TP is a great guy and would make a good bench coach but he wasn’t an amazing hitter in his day and he is not what this team needs as a hitting coach.

He was a sentimental hire and he is a sentimental keeper. As we have seen from Wren sentimentality has no place in the Braves org.

If this team misses the playoffs and the offense is the reason TP is fired Oct 1 bet your house on it.

Wren is done with memory lane.

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Apparrently the Texas hiiting coach was unable to help the “Chosen One”, “the NATURAL”. That should say he was overated and that he just SUCKS!!!

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Bobbymahlon, It is called pitch recognition. In Frenchy’s case he has none. It is bad when you can’t distinguish a curve from a fastball. What does it say when you can’t distinguish a strike down the middle from a pitch out?

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If them sorry boys can’t hit, then they just can’t hit. Lets be honest here man, a hitting coach can only do so much. The Brves just don’t have the type of hitters that they used to. Look at some of the players that left Atlanta and all of a sudden forgot how to hit. Get better talent and the hitting coach will look alot better.

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Did anyone happen to read this article? It plainly states that the Braves have hit ABOVE the major league average every year TP has been here. And I dare say that with Andrew “The Human Strike Out” Jones for many of those years, that’s no small task.

One guy admitted that he had never played organized baseball. I suspect that the vast majority would fall into that category if Little League doesn’t count. What people can’t seem to get through their skulls is that players don’t always do what the coach tells them to do, especially professional players. They don’t HAVE to listen, they make much, much more than the coaches. They do what THEY think is best much of the time. Then even if a player is coachable, he then has to execute what the coach teaches on the field. I have yet to see TP swing at the first low outside pitch yet as a coach. Players are the ones who play. They make the big money. They should be held accountable for their actions. It’s like blaming Coach Martinez for the UGA SI cover boy Ellerbe trying to use the belly bump method in tackling. It wasn’t the coach who told him to do that. Or the All SEC,(what a joke) Safety never showing up in the right place, but rather where he decided to be.

Players play, coaches coach. There are a few people involved in professional or D1 coaching that probably don’t do a good job. But it never ceases to amaze me how many people who have never even played a sport and who know how to do it sooooo much better, yet have chosen another profession or maybe no profession at all other than opining on what a poor job someone else is doing.

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PENDLETON IS USELESS TO HITTERS WITH PROBLEMS. CHIPPER & MCCANN ARE THE GO TO GUYS ON THE TEAM FOR HITTING ADVICE OR EVEN SOMEBODY OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION. THE GUYS NEEDING HELP WOULD BE BETTER OFF GOING TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COACH. DUMP HIM.

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Thanks Mark. Good article on TP who I have always thought was a class act, good hitter, good coach, and am glad to have with the Braves.

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Personally, I think it is youthful Bravado, ego, and that “Baby-Brave” Love-fest in 2005 that caused all of these problems..

It could be nervous-ness..(too much caffeine probably)

The Braves Legacy is heavy in this state…

The Baby Braves have their own Legacy of growing-up with a near Dynasty at home that they have to re-create. It’s got hurt to struggle so after making such a splash in 2005.

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A MLB hitting coach is like a good Shrink. He will talk to free your mind and relax you. Let you talk. But in the end you still have to solve your own problems.

It is true, a MLB hitter should already know how to hit. Know pitch recognition. The only physical concept of a hitting coach is if he sees a break down in your mechanics. If you do something out of the norm in your swing. He can point that out.

Does Francouer even sit and watch video of his swings? Go back to his rookie year when he was tearing the cover off the ball. Compare it to the past 2+ years and see if he can find the failure in his mechanics. TP or even Chip could help him with this.

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Frenchy just can’t hit that well. Bottom line PERIOD. When he first came up he was getting fed nothing but fastballs. Now he gets fed everything under the sun and out of the zone and won’t lay off of it. FOLKS—- EVEN A BLIND DOG WILL SNIFF IT’S WAY TO A PILE OF POOP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. And thats what Frenchy does when he hits a home run. Anyone happen to catch the pitch he hit in the 9th to tie the game….YEEEEEEP Fastball. Dude looks lost at the plate 60-75% of the time he is up there.

Sad thing is if we traded him (Befroe the Mclouth) deal we would have been gettting rid of our most productive OF…..who in the grand scheme of things couldn’t hit sand if he fell off a camel.

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I believe TP does a very good job as hitting coach. Amdruw and Jeff just got into the bad habit of trying to swing hard rather than quick…and trying to pull everything to hit home runs. That’s what really happened to those two.

I believe TP tried to help both of them best he could…but he can only suggest and teach, Andruw and Jeff are responsible for what they do once they are in the game. They are homer happy, although it appears Andruw may be seeing the light.

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i’ll say he is a good hitting coach as soon as he gets schafer to be a otis nixon type hitter with his speed. and get frenchy to do alot of things differently. like, stop swinging at everything(especially the high pitch), shorten his swing( he has the longest and slowest swing in baseball, evidence of this is just how many times he pops out,to the infield),then get him to hold the bat in his fingers, not giving it the death grip in the palm of his hands. he would be a damn good softball hitter though..

back to schafer, his first move was a lil hitch backwards before he starts his swing.hence,always late on the fast ball.

fix just these two guys, then you’ll be a good hitting coach.

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many thanks for all of the past years of performance but all Braves fans should be happy…. we are no longer being held hostage by yesteryear! Words cant express the appreciation that we all have for Smoltz and Glavine but how many contenders have a top notch rotation with the top two over 40 years of age? Time to move on folks…it happens

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Say what you want about the role of hitting coaches and the quality of TP as one, but the bottom line is that, as TP says, “That individual has to step up.”

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The new center fielder should help this line up. I always hear announcers say you can’t give a MLB team an extra out when someone makes an error. Well the reverse is also true. You can’t score runs with three easy outs in the line up like Schafer/Francour/Pitcher. Now we just have two…and only one when JJ pitches!

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Mike (5:32 post)- “Couldn’t fix Andruw, Jaramillo did. Won’t fix Kelly or anyone else either.”

These guys aren’t used cars and Terry P. isn’t a mechanic. You cannot just turn a screw and “fix” them. TP can point things out and make suggestions, but the player has to perform. Fans such as yourself buy into all the hype created by the Braves marketing machine and when a guy doesn’t pan out (usually do to lack of ability, not poor coaching)you always want to blame someone. Bottom line, Jeff should have signed with Clemson and not the Braves.

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[...] By Mike Montgomery Mark Bradley reports that Terry Pendleton was a little upset that Frenchy went to Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo [...]

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Who has Pendelton helped? McCann? Nope. When asked who he credits with hitting so much better at the Major League level than he hit in the minors, McCann credited chipper with helping him along.

Andruw Jones would be a first ballot hall of famer if someone had gotten through to him and helped him live up to his potential and talent. Now another super talent (Frenchy) is being wasted by TP. Kelly Johnson is not living up to his potential. Escobar is doing fine, but I think many of us thought he would be better. Same thing can be said for Diaz. Schafer went backward under Pendelton, not forward, and was sent to the minors to work with someone else.

TP is the problem, and this story sums it up. The story should NEVER be about the hitting coach. TP is not an all star player or batting champ any more. I think he would rather be the MAN than help some of these young guys eclipse what he did.

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I’m seeing a lot of people say that it’s Francoeur’s fault or Schafer’s fault or whoever’s fault for not listening or for being free swingers. What I want to know is what are Bobby and TP doing about that?

Coaches aren’t always supposed to be your best friend. Coaches are supposed to step on your toes. They’re supposed to fire you up. They’re supposed to tell you when you do something stupid and work to prevent it. I just don’t see that from our coaching staff. All I see is TP popping more sunflower seeds.

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I think Terry is a heck of Braves legacy guy and a great person. He has about a zero % chance of becoming the next Braves manager.

Let me rephrase that if he clings to Bobby’s approach/philosophy and positions himself as more of the same (just let them play) then he has zero percent chance. If he says – this team needs to go another way and can articulate how they can get there then fine give him a shot.

Wren is all windshield (what is in front) and not a rear view mirror guy. He wants to win, period.

I am not a huge Wren fan per se but the guy is not hamstrung by violins/red eyes and memory lane thinking.

If TP is viewed a BC clone he has no shot.

Anyway I digress. TP is an avg hitting coach on a team with above avg problems. They need a new pair of eyes and approach to their offense.

The only results that matter in the end are Wins and Losses. They pay the bills, put fannies in the seats and attract sponsors/fans.

No one can say the coaches, mgt or ownership should be given high marks in the W column over the past 4+ years.

If McLouth and say a Derosa (as a second trade) fail to write this tug boat coaches and or mgrs will have to be replaced.

A $96mm payroll and 4th place is not how team coaches/managers keep their gigs.

Lastly as crazy as it may seem ownership likes coaches who can get blood from a stone over guys who can sit back and watch a team full of all stars do their thing.

Solving tough cases and getting more than anyone expected from avg players is what makes a great coach or manager.

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[...] we learn that Frenchy has a complicated relationship with TP. There’s some debate as to whether Pendleton is a good hitting coach — none of [...]

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Frenchy is a hitting version of Jason Marquis. Hard headed. He needs to get away from the home cooking and realize that he either adapts to game or the geme leaves him behind. Chipper has said upteen times you have go to the plate with a plan. The first two at bats last nite, Frenchy’s swinging at balls way out of the zone. He comes up for the third at bat and takes the first pitch right down the middle. What plan is that? Only he can turn himself around. I can’t put this on TP. But like someone said earlier, TP is a lock for manager after Bobby. Why else would he still be here.

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TP is a lock for manager after Bobby. Where the hell do you get that info? Did management tell you that Dawg? Are you God or something else?

Its for sure you don’t know Wren’s mind! He will pick his own man, bet on it.

I missed four home games in 8 years. But I have not been to a game in three years and I will not go again till BC and his clones are gone.

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If Bobby said it, don’t believe it. BC always gives positive spins on players and people he works will.Its all BS>

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I don’t believe the numbers tell us whether TP is a good hitting coach or not or whether the Braves were a good offensive team for any of those years. While the team had a good batting average, and perhaps even a respectable position in the table on runs averaged, the truth is that the numbers are skewed by games in which the team scored multiple runs followed by the gains in the remainder of the series where they scored none–just as has occured this season.

My concern is that most on the team are not “professional hitters” save Chipper, McCain and Kotchman. The inability to understand when a pitcher is in trouble, the failure to make the opposing pitcher throw more than two pitches to a hitter early in the game hoping to wear the pitcher down later, the seemingly countless number of times when Escobar, a fast runner, grounds into a double play and last but most frustratingly, the total inability of both pitchers and position players to simply lay down a bunt screams for something changing. I don’t know whether its TP or the lack of discipline imposed.

On Andruw Jones, I don’t think you can judge TP based upon the failure of Andruw Jones given that Andruw refused to take instruction and reportedly responded that he was just a pull hitter and refused to change. I think the change with the Rangers is more likely a reflection of the understanding by he and his agent that this was Andruw’s likely last chance to stay in professional baseball.

When the Braves are behind and have a man on base, I just hope that the next batter is Kotchman and not Franceour. Let’s face it, JF may just have had a great season but that may be all there is–some hitters, once teams discover their weekness, are unable to make the necessary adjustment and he may well turn out to be one of them.

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Is it just me or this starting to sound like a soap opera?

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This is for the people who urinate and moan about Frenchy being too aggressive at the plate:

During a Braves’ broadcast last week, Joe Simpson pointed out that JF is hitting .421 when he swings at the first pitch.

When he gets behind in the count 0-1, JF is hitting a shade over .200.

Just something to think about the next time somebody says, “Frenchy should stop swinging at the first pitch”.

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How many times has a hitting coach been replaced mid season, and the team makes a complete turnaround?

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Wow, some of you blow my mind! So it’s TP’s fault that Frenchy swings at anything and everything?!!? Frenchy started his career hot as most pitchers didn’t know how to pitch to him. Now they do and he stinks! The guy is a good athlete and that’s it. Way over hyped being a hometown kid but not much of a major league hitter! TPs a hitting coach, not a miracle worker!

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I have a theory. Jeff Francouer is just not that good at baseball and they rushed Jordan Schafer.

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Ok, so you show a bunch of batting averages for the last 7 years. Always high averages. That’s good. Now why haven’t we scored off these? Yes, we had a high average but we also had Chipper, Tex, Renteria, Sheffield all during parts of those years. Now add in McCann. Those players hide what is lurking underneath…bad hitting.
I would like to see the averages of those years with those players taken out of the equation. Yes, last year we were 3rd overall. But what did the outfielders hit? How many homerruns they manage? Now take out McCann and Chippers averages from last year. How many points does it drop? Did we make the playoffs?
A high avreage sure does look nice at the end of the year but does it translate to runs scored and wins? Not lately. We need to go back to where we were always good at…SMALL BALL. Go back to the fundamentals instead of swinging for the fences.
Put the FUN back in and DA MENTAL will take care of itself! (Frenchy excluded)

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This is garbage. Pendleton is an awesome hitting coach. Frenchie sucks as a hitter. He is the worst possible student: natural talent, praised early. He is a coaching nightmare. He should be traded ASAP. Send him to the Sox, let him get outfield assists at Fenway and hit .215.

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What player has come out and publicly said I got TP”s back?
Why doesn’t John Smoltz shut up?
Who really thinks Glavine has still got it?

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I’m not a TP hater, but there’s only two everyday players that have batting averages over .300 (Chipper & McCann) and they both go to their dad for hitting instruction instead of TP.

I also agree that it comes down to the players being coachable and putting in the effort to get better, but coaches become great because they find ways to maximize the potential of their players.

All that being said, it’s never just one issue. It appears that the Braves have a hard time learning that. They are continually giving away good, young, cheap talent for overpaid stars that only stick around a year (not the case with McLouth) . We’ve got Chipper, Mcann and Escobar as solid veterans so please quit trading away all the young talent as we have done so often in years past (Jermaine Dye, Adam Wainwright, Mark DeRosa, Paul Byrd, Jason Marquis, etc.)

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What Jeff said, explains everything, “Has his work with Jaramillo damaged his relationship with Pendleton? Francoeur: “We’ve talked about it. We’re working together now. I really can’t say much. It is what it is.”

So there you have it. You had him working with the other coach in the offseason and it proved a success, now working with TP……well

Get rid of TP

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As I have said many times before, Jeff’s problem starts and ends between his ears. I believe it is as simple as that. If so, then he is going to have a short career. Life is a series of adjustments, and if you won’t adjust you are going to have a miserable life. Just my opinion.

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The batting coach for a professional organization is just someone to point out minor adjustments on swings or stance. It is no more than one of us could do the watch the Braves every night on TV. We all know the Chipper and McCann goes to their dad. What if Francouer would have went to his Parkview coach would TP still feel the same? I agree however that TP needs to go. We could always hire one of these travel baseball dad’s that know everything even when their kids 12.

I look at the hitting coach like the bullpen catcher….what a great job! Is it the catcher not getting the pitchers ready out of the pen or can they just not pitch at times?

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A hitting coach can only do so much…Hell these guys are pros, there the ones that have to get tough and hit the ball

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After hitting the homerun and everybody hoping he had come out of it he comes to bat the next night with men on base and swings at everything include pick off pitches to first base. He was so patient with the homerun, waited for his pitch, worked the count and anticipated what pitch was next. Pendleton may do better with calmer personalities that rookies and nervous guys like Jeff. Look how relax Clipper and McCann look at the plate, they have a looser approach, one handing the bat sometimes just to make contract, taking what the pitcher gives them. I don’t know how you teach that but I imagine it came from their fathers more than Pendleton. JF’s popularity I am sure makes it hard to tell him anything and he wants to please the home crowd and be the man. Keep him around though time will cure this, he is not a bad kid.

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TP was a GREAT hitter and 3rd baseman. But often the best players don’t make the best coaches. Their book of experience was built with much more talent than the normal ball player. Most can’t replicate skill enabled by the natural talent of their instructor.

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Francour is using TP as his excuse of being a bust for Braves ,the homegrown boy who was suppose to be a great player is nothing but a dud.It’s not TP fault for his failure to follow instruction on how to hit .Some would think after watching francour in the major all these years that he would have learn somthing by now ,but i guess not in the way he have conducted himself blaming other for his mideocicy
in baseball.But as usaul let blame the black man ALANTA

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In addition to my post before, I think folks need to level set their expectations. The NL average for batting average is .272.

Every player on our team is not going to hit .300, but they provide other thing that balance like speed, power, and defense. Our offensive output in so anemic because we lack power and speed and that is not something a hitting coach can fix.

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Dennis – way to bring race in the conversation….and to think TP is only messing up the white players….give me a break. Quit using that as an excuse for a lack of knowledge or ability.

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1) This is so easy…Every time Francoeur hits a ball to the left side of the field…FINE HIM. Fine him every time, for one road trip or one home stand, even if it is a hit. It doesn’t matter if it is a home run because it is all to make Jeff stay on the ball longer. A few thousand dollars later he would be smacking gappers into right center in his sleep. This technique would have worked on Andruw, too.

2)Make TP a manager somewhere and hire Julio Franco as hitting coach.

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Francoeur hit well his first couple of years swinging at everything. He always seemed to make contact then because he was keeping his eye on the ball and watching the bat find the ball. Now, he is more selective, like someone coached him to “take a walk if they are giving it”. Who wants a power hitter walking? The other team. Someone ruined Francoeur’s free-swinging style, so now he’s in the class with Brad Komminsk, and even the late stages of Dale Murphy’s and Andruw Jones – can’t hit anything other than a fastball down the middle. Guess what? The other teams know that and that’s all they throw Francoeur these days (other than the occasion fastball down the middle when he’s expecting a curve away, in the dirt). He takes those.

The kid Schafer looked like he needed someone to trick him into taking steroids again. He made me long for fat Andruw out in centerfield again. At least Andruw dove and caught balls, and always had a way of keeping balls from going over his head. Forget being able to hit, Schafer was terrible as a centerfielder.

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[...] thrilled when Francoeur went to Texas to work with Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Said Terry Pendleton, the Braves’ hitting coach: “I asked Jeff, ‘Why didn’t you come to me?’ Obviously [...]

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[...] space sought to address the Pendleton issue 10 days ago, but the matter, if you judge by comments on the ol’ blog, hasn’t been put [...]

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[...] to Dallas to work with Rudy Jaramillo, the hitting coach of the Texas Rangers, raised eyebrows and raised Terry Pendleton’s hackles. But how about this? Chipper Jones helps a former Brave with his toe-tap and the former Brave winds [...]

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If anyone on this forum thinks TP didn’t know and try to fix the various holes in Andruw’s, Frenchy’s, KJ’s, and whoever else you think he failed to fix you’re nuts. Talent will only take you so far, then it’s about adjusting. Anyone who bothers to post on this forum thinks they know how to fix those guys swings. The difference between these guys and other more successful hitters is coacability. The ability to listen to, and act on advice of the coaches. How many people bemoaned the fact that Andruw would always swing at a 2 strike curve 6 inches off the plate for his entire Atlanta tenure. Or that Frenchy swings at the 1st pitch and misses 69% of the time (this is an actual stat). You think TP didn’t know these things? Please….

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