Your attention, please: Braves have a new second sacker
You know dumb ol’ Bobby Cox? The manager who never changes his mind? The one who wouldn’t give up on Kelly Johnson as his second baseman no matter how little he hit?
Bobby Cox announced Tuesday night he has a new second baseman.
After Martin Prado had four hits (two singles, a double and a homer) and four RBIs (three to tie the game on three separate occasions, the fourth to win it in the 10th), Cox said: “Every time he’s in there, he does something good.”
So an enterprising journalist (blush) asked the manager: Is Prado your starting second baseman?
Loading ...Said Cox: “Right now, yes. He’s too hot to take out, unless his groin flares up.”
Contrary to popular belief, Cox isn’t the world’s biggest idiot. (As we know, this enterprising journalist is the world’s biggest idiot.) He has seen his team not hit for what seems like forever, and he has seen the nudge Prado has provided. Sometimes a nudge is all an idling team needs, especially one that pitches like this.
Kelly Johnson is hitting .216. Martin Prado is hitting .299. There’s no comparison, at least not at the moment. Cox had to make this change, and he has. This doesn’t mean Johnson will never play again. But I wouldn’t expect him to be in the lineup again this week, or maybe even this month.
See, as much as Bobby Cox loves his players, he loves something else, too. He loves to win.
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299 comments Add your comment
Braves326
July 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
People—-
RELAX! 4 games back and the next five games are against NL East opponents. Our lineup isn’t going to crank out homeruns like the Yanks, Sox, or Phils. We knew that going into this season. Lay off Kotchman (he leads the team in doubles, .269 average isn’t terrible), Frenchy has been playing better and he’s got a cannon out there in RF. He’s played in all but two games, so he’s reliable in that he doesn’t get hurt often like most of the other guys. We can POTENTIALLY win the division with these pitchers, just got to have faith that Bobby can put together a lineup that will get those guys some runs (Prado at 2B is an outstanding start).
Mark Bradley
July 1st, 2009
2:12 pm
Lowe is a good pitcher, and he threw six big innings last night.
Mike
July 1st, 2009
2:15 pm
I can’t argue that Kelly deserves to continue to start or that Bobby didn’t give him enough time to snap out of his funk. But everyone seems to forget the guy was one of the best offensive second basemen in the league the last 2 years. And any advanced defensive metric shows he has been above average in that department the last 3 years as well. I know this doesn’t fit everyone’s emotional pre-concieved opinions but a team that picks up KJ will reap the benefits in the medium to long term.
Most of his offensive problems this year stems from nothing but bad luck. I remember several games earlier this year when KJ would hit 3 or 4 balls right on the screws and they always seemed to be right at someone. Checking the numbers (a novel concept in our reactive world)proves this out.
His batting average on balls put in play this year (BABIP) is .238 which is significantly below the league average which typically hovers right around .300. And every study has shown that BABIP is largely dependent upon luck and shows little correlation to a repeatable skill. A deeper look should focus on line drive percentage (if a guy is hitting a low percentage of liners, a low BABIP is expected and could eliminate or reduce the bad luck part of the equation). KJ’s line drive % this year is 15% which is below the league average of 19%, but not to the point that his BABIP would be .238. For example, KJ had a line drive % of 15% back in 2007 as well and had a .328 BABIP (for comparison, his line drive % was 20% last year).
Again, Bobby did what he had to do but KJ will right this ship if given the chance.
GT, where nerds get shot and robbed everyday
July 1st, 2009
2:15 pm
BRING ON PIERRE AND GET FRENCHY AND HIS TURKEY UNDERWEAR THE F OUTTA HERE
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:16 pm
Also, as much as I like Javy, he folded late last year when the Sox neede him. Not saying he’ll do the same fo us, but I trust Lowe late in the season. If you lay off the video games and watch the real game, you’ll know this.
Tony
July 1st, 2009
2:17 pm
Escobar is not the problem…he has what, the second best avg in the lineup? The infield should become even more solid with Prado in. The focus is this horrid outfield. No, we do not need a blockbuster trade. We just need a trade that will employ a solid player that can be signed for more than a year. If that calls for giving up one or two prospects, so be it…the question is: is Atlanta just hoping that one day things will just fall into place, or are they ready to be contenders year to year again?
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:18 pm
Owl, you know you could count up on one hand the great starts Lowe has made in the past 4 yrs. And yet you insist we absolutely need him! He’s been by no means our best or even 2nd or 3rd best pitcher in the rotation. He’s been just average, there’s plenty of average out there. We need a good leader on offense that knows what the playoffs are about and to hit behind Chipper with power and average. Berkman changes the whole outlook of this team. He can play 1st and the outfield.
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:18 pm
I swear, there’s something wrong with this keyboard. I’m really not illiterate.
Mark Bradley
July 1st, 2009
2:19 pm
Try pouring a Coke Zero on your keyboard, Owl Hunter. I did that at the ballpark Saturday and have been amazed by the tricks my cursor keeps doing.
david
July 1st, 2009
2:20 pm
What took so long??
DOUG B
July 1st, 2009
2:21 pm
ABOUT TIME!!! KJ BETTER BE SWEATIN IT BECAUSE WHEN OMAR GETS BACK, KJ IS NOW 3RD STRING BEHIND 2 UTILITY PLAYERS! THE GUY SHOWS NMO EMOTION AND DOES NOT CUT IT. TRADE KJ, FRENCHY AND KOTCHMAN TO BUC-OS FOR IAN SNELL AND LAROCHE.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:21 pm
Owl, you know what? you might want to stop listening to the media and make up your own assessment. Your quoting everything I’ve heard ever since Atlanta signed Lowe and Vazquez.
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:22 pm
Berkman is fine, but you won’t figure out a trade that will work. Our organization is not as deep as before, and I promise you the Braves have no intention of getting rid of a trusted commodity like Lowe, even for Berkman. I like Lance, don’t get me wrong, but please come up with a trade that will work financially, not drain our system, and pry loose the closest thing he Astros have to a marquis player. I’m waiting…
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:24 pm
and another thing? you said don’t judge Lowe because of his slow start and bad performances so far this year, yet tell me that Vazquez folded in the last game for the Sox? how about looking at the games Lowe has given away by bad performances and look at the games given up during Vazquez’s performances due to bad offensive performances.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:25 pm
Who said anything about Lowe for Berkman?
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:26 pm
I’m saying it because it’s true. You see, I watch baseball, not just the Braves. Do your homework. Although I don’t intentionally quote “the media”, these are things in history that happened. “The media” sometimes accurately reports things that really happen in baseball. There is nothing to substantiate anything about Berkman to the Braves. Just a pipe dream, my fiend.
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:27 pm
Lowe had a slow start? We’re tied.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:27 pm
I said Lowe for prospects. Then lets look at Kotchman, Johnson, Redmond, and Marek (or Jo Jo here) for Berkman.
Gene
July 1st, 2009
2:28 pm
That was a great effort last night, and there may be some life left in them. Smoltz looked good as well.
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:28 pm
Why would the Astros do that? Berkman is their Chipper. This rules, by the way.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:29 pm
And another thing, that would give us even more flexibility with pay roll. Could possibly add another addition… bench, bullpin, etc…
Bob Horner
July 1st, 2009
2:30 pm
great move Bobby – Martin reminds me of a young Mark DeRosa – VIVA MARTIN!!! Way to go kid!
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:32 pm
why wouldn’t the astros do that? They aren’t going to compete, they are and have said they are looking to the future.
Tony
July 1st, 2009
2:32 pm
Right Owl…why would Houston do that? That would leave Erstad at first, and he is not having such a great year.
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:33 pm
How does adding payroll make us flexible? Maybe I’m missing something. Also, you’re going to need to throw in proven major league talent (Esco?) to make this insane deal work. Good thing this trade won’t happen in a zillion years.
Braves326
July 1st, 2009
2:33 pm
I’d be stunned if the Braves went after Berkman…
owl hunter
July 1st, 2009
2:35 pm
Stay down, man. Stay down. I gotta go. Nice scrapping with you all.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:36 pm
Kotchman and KJ isn’t major league talent? How does adding Berkman give us flexiblity? Lets see, Lowe 15mil, Berkman 14.5mil, Kotchman 2.5mil, KJ 2.5mil.. I’m not sure.. could you add that up for me?
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:37 pm
Yeah, you might want to go get brained washed some more by the media.
Bobby Cox Hat Tipping Club
July 1st, 2009
2:38 pm
So Kelly played forever and ever the last couple of years through his ups and downs. (mostly downs) Prado-Infante-Whoever were never serious options at second because, lets face it, the job was KJ’s. Those guys just aren’t every day players. They are utility men! (I’m amazed at THAT KOOL AID that has been sold by AJC writers and other media types.)
Never mind that KJ has been a head case ever since he’s been in Atlanta. Never mind that KJ has been the poster boy for Coxs’ patience by his 0 for thirty something performance when he first came up. Never mind that the very same 0 for thirty something performance is what the writers of the AJC and commentators for the media have used as an example of what a great manager Cox is and that his wisdom lead to KJ getting hot after going 0 for said thirty something.
Wow! That turned out well didn’t it? Four years later and KJ is still a head case, barely hitting his weight and Bobby is a freakin’ genius because he finally put in a player at second who should have been in that position for some time now into the lineup!
Bobby is such a genius that he just didn’t have the same patience with Mark DeRosa as he has shown with KJ and Frenchy. DeRo won the second base job and got hurt. Marcus Giles got the job while DeRo was hurt. DeRo came back and Giles kept the job. Next year, Chipper stayed in left and Dero struggled the first third of the season at 3rd, so Bobby moved Chipper back to third and sat DeRo. Eventually DeRo gets hurt and non-tendered and goes on to become a very good big league ball player. Where’s Marcus Giles?
Bobby has so much collateral it’s amazing! In no other town could he keep his job based on past performance rather than current results. An off year? Sure he earned that. Four off years is a trend and should spell change at the top.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
There you have it… Add Berkman, Subtract Lowe, Kotchman and Johnson.
Paul Lentz
July 1st, 2009
2:47 pm
Mark Bradley……………if Elvis Andrus was still with the Braves and the Braves traded Yunel………where in the batting order would Andrus bat? 8th, maybe 7th. That’s where he would bat. He has no pop in his bat. He has the speed to bat at the top of the order, however he doesnt hit for a high average nor walks a lot either.
So unless Escobar was packaged to get a “BIG TIME SLUGGER”, I wouldnt see how having Andrus playing shortstop would help the Braves. I watch a lot of baseball (I subscribe to the MLB Extra Innings package on Direct TV). I’ve seen the Rangers play a lot this year (I live in San Francisco so I get to read about and see a lot of Giants and A’s baseball). Elvis Andrus has a decent glove and can make some good plays. However his bat has a “long” ways to go. He gets to see good pitches because the Rangers have a lot of offense in that line-up. However, put him on the Braves and you guys would all be complaining about him being no different than Kelly or Francoeur.
Given the climate of 2007, I would make that trade all over again. Schuerholtz did the right thing in rolling for the dice. He didnt give up anyone in that trade that I would lose sleep over. If Smoltz and Chipper had stayed healthy, then perhaps the result would have been different.
I think that this year’s team is much better than the Braves of the summer of 2007. We just need a slugger to play right field. If Wren can acquire that elusive slugger to play right, then that would allow Infante to start at second when he comes back after the All-Star Break. I’d much rather have Prado as our super-sub (in case Chipper or someone needs an off day, which would probably happen a number of times).
The Braves could insert Infante in right field after the All-Star Break, however that would love our bench pretty thin.
Tony
July 1st, 2009
2:48 pm
I believe that Giles is currently a free agent…
Matty
July 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
For those who think trading Lowe is a good idea- YOU WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER BE ABLE TO SIGN ANOTHER DESCENT STARTING PITCHER WITHOUT A TRADE CLAUSE! Oh and by the way the Braves do not give those.
woody
July 1st, 2009
2:50 pm
who cares. stupid braves crap waste of time. wake me up for football season…til then its snore time.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:52 pm
I was asked what to do with Lowe? I’d tell you what I would do. Why not trade him to LA Angels, for a package of Brandon Woods and William Smith? Smith is a GA native. Then we could move Kotchman, Johnson, Jo Jo and Marek for Berkman. If this didn’t do it, sweeten it with the addition of Deunte Heath.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:53 pm
Matty, hate to tell you this.. They sign for the money, not the team anymore.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:54 pm
have you not heard the “It’s a business” motto before?
Herschel Talker
July 1st, 2009
2:56 pm
Bobby Cox likes men
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
2:57 pm
Mark Bradley, Do you not think those trades would better our team as a whole?
was asked what to do with Lowe? I’d tell you what I would do. Why not trade him to LA Angels, for a package of Brandon Woods and William Smith? Smith is a GA native. Then we could move Kotchman, Johnson, Jo Jo and Marek for Berkman. If this didn’t do it, sweeten it with the addition of Deunte Heath.
Tony
July 1st, 2009
2:58 pm
Right Matty. The pitching staff should be off limits anyhow…if it aint broke dont fix it. 4th Best ERA in baseball…they will get better if the bats heat up
Paul Lentz
July 1st, 2009
2:58 pm
owl hunter…………….I see nothing wrong with making trades like the Tex trade. How many times do I have to say that “WE DIDNT GIVE UP ANYTHING IN THAT TRADE THAT IS WORTH LOSING SLEEP OVER”? I have looked at the stats of 3 of the players who are in the Majors (Harrison, Andrus, and Salty), plus the 2 guys still in the Minors……….I just dont see what the fuss is over. Perhaps MORONS like you believe everything the MEDIA says about “giving up the farm”. Say it enough and it becomes “fact”.
You might want to take a better look at the trade. The Braves starting pitching is too good right now to waste on a lack of offense. I’m sure that Frank Wren is doing what he can to make the right trade.
I “suspect” that there is a chance that a “big trade” could be made by the time the next home stand rolls around (you know, to drum up attendance in addition to improving the team, lol).
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
3:05 pm
Hey Paul, what do you think about a lowe for woods and smith with the angels and then move kotchman, johnson, jojo for Berkman?
Frenchy's Underwear
July 1st, 2009
3:05 pm
Bobby’s still an idiot, took him this long to see the obvious, like it always does, he is stubborn as a mule and dumber than one.
LSU
July 1st, 2009
3:05 pm
Is this another one of those “The Braves are great and Bobby Cox is awesome” blogs that happen every time the Braves get on a 2 game winning streak? Braves should’ve scored more runs last night, because what they lack in power, they more than make up for with their lack of speed.
Bobby Cox naming Prado as the starting 2nd baseman after he gets 4 hits is nothing but pure genius on the part of Bobby in my opinion.
Wasn’t the Braves last 3 game winning streak almost a month ago?
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
3:08 pm
That would leave Jurrjens, Vazquez, Hanson, Kawakami in the front 4 while opening a 5th spot for Medlen. But the top 4 would still be strong. Just need 3 big ones for the playoffs. I’d take Jurrjens, Vazquez, Hanson any day in that spot.
coach k
July 1st, 2009
3:08 pm
watch baseball tonight and you will see all our guys we trading contributing somewhere. Why is it they can’t do it here and need a new start. Answer Management!!! Get me freaking someone to manage this team with passion and attitude. Quit babying these guys and hold them accountable, the guys that are producing play and the ones that are now sit, plain and simple. Now go get Dye and Derosa, blow out Frenchy, Kelly and player to be named.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
3:10 pm
The trade for Brandon Woods would also give us insurance in case a Chipper injury leaves us with an opening at 3rd. With Omar coming back soon, we’d have one of the best benchs in the game.
Tony
July 1st, 2009
3:13 pm
Coach, I’ve been saying the same thing. Some like to hold on to what could have been, and mourn over Braves that are gone. Yes, we may need new managment, young, intelligent, enthusiastic mgmt. I like Dye, Rios, and Pierre. It is time that Wren and the guys play a little extra golf this week and suit one of these guys up.
Bravo
July 1st, 2009
3:14 pm
As much as Cox makes me absolutely angry when he decides to give our best players their days off on the most important games of the season, he’s still not the total problem. These guys get paid plenty of money to produce. They need more accountability!!!