The Hot Button: Should the Braves trade Yunel Escobar?
Yunel Escobar is, shall we say, a different sort of Brave. He has blond highlights in his hair. He doesn’t always pay attention. He has a temper and is given to the sulks. He has yet to respond to the gentle urgings of Bobby Cox, which have become less gentle over time.
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Braves “are willing to trade Escobar for a good hitter right now.” (Link requires registration.) But I don’t think they will. Nor do I believe they should. Because Yunel Escobar is a different sort of Brave in another way:
He can really hit. And he can really play.
The Braves have become so skilled at siphoning off higher-maintenance types that they have lesser tolerance for one than do, say, the Yankees or the Dodgers. But sometimes a higher level of maintenance isn’t just needed but advisable. Some guys are worth the trouble. John Rocker was not. Yunel Escobar is.
He’s a great talent who comes with an inherent disconnect. He doesn’t speak much English. (He’s from Cuba.) When Cox seeks to instruct Escobar in the need to pay closer attention, he has to converse through coach Chino Cadahia. That isn’t the optimum method.
But you know what? If big-league rosters were comprised of 25 Ozzie Smiths, you wouldn’t need managers or coaches. Sometimes a little instruction is needed, sometimes even a lot of instruction
The Braves have this problem, the past two nights notwithstanding. (As bad as the Braves are at hitting, the Phillies are worse at pitching.) They can’t hit much, and they, as constituted, aren’t apt to hit much. At worst, Escobar is the third-best hitter on the club. If the Braves trade him, they’d have to get Matt Holliday or Brad Hawpe or Adam Dunn in return. And even if they’d land one of those thumpers, there’s another issue:
Loading ...Those guys are outfielders. Escobar is a shortstop. He mans the most important defensive position. And there’s no other shortstop prospect at the ready in the Braves’ chain. (There would be if the Braves hadn’t sent Elvis Andrus to Texas for Mark Teixeira in 2007, but that’s another Hot Button for another day.)
Put simply, Escobar is too important for the Braves to let him go or to let him fail. With his recent displays of anger and indifference and the mysterious nature of his hip injury, the temptation is great for them to throw up their corporate hands and say, “That’s it! Get him outta here!” But this is professional sports, not the Boys and Girls Club. The idea is to win, and the Braves need Escobar to have that chance.
The Braves have already gone the extra mile, but they should prepare themselves to run a 10K if that’s what it takes. He’s not as young as you might think — he’s 26 — and his excesses might be more deeply ingrained than in a 21-year-old. But that’s why managers get the big bucks. They’re paid to reach all their guys, not just the receptive ones.
There’s a big-time ballplayer beneath the garish hair and the excesses. The Braves just have to find him.
Update from the ballpark: Escobar is in tonight’s starting lineup. He’s batting fifth.
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295 comments Add your comment
NEW CARS
July 2nd, 2009
1:09 pm
why is it that when things get tough, we want to get rid of them…with a guy like frenchie, maybe he needs new technical direction and to get out of his hometown…But I’m not willing to give up on a smooth fielding, 300 hitting shortstop with some power and discipline at the plate and I wouldn’t trade him Andrus either…Now maybe for Ryan Braun
Antonio Gramsci
July 2nd, 2009
1:09 pm
Trade him for a hitter? No. Trade him for one prospect and one QUALITY middle reliever (not a retread, not a guy coming off surgery, not a washout, not a 37-year old)? Yes, yes, absolutely yes.
ALL Righty then
July 2nd, 2009
1:10 pm
Ya know so far this season I have really not seen Chipper go all out either. Maybe we should trade Chipper and Escobar together.
Now on a serious note, now that Cox has decided to play the best player in Prado (and he can flat out hit too) this has caused a spirit in the braves clubhouse and team. Now is the time for the run to the top. Leave Escobar alone.
Mine This Bird
July 2nd, 2009
1:12 pm
I love watching Escobar play and he’s got a fire out there I wish the hometown ham & egger Francouer had. It’s his second full year in the majors anyway. He’s got a passion for the game and that’s great. We needs some guys who are going to shake things up. KEEP HIM.
Kentavo
July 2nd, 2009
1:12 pm
I think the writing is on the wall – the Braves always ditch players that make ruffles – i.e. Spooneybarger, Justice, Rocker and on and on.
Question: who was the Braves starting SS during the ‘95 championship run?
Jeff Blauser and his .211 BA, backed up by Rafael Belliard and his .222 BA.
the braves way sux
July 2nd, 2009
1:13 pm
Why don’t we trade Cox and keep Yunel…
The last 2 games notwithstanding, Cox once again proves why he is over the hill……..
Why did it take so long to bench Kelly….
Why hasn’t he benched Franceour (of course, Jeff has improved the last couple of weeks, could it be he’s over the hump……………..0
The only reason we got rid of Bennett is because HE HIMSELF broke his hand. If he didn’t, Cox would still be trotting him out there every day….
Why does he continue to overuse Moylan, less than a year after TJ surgery…..
Why did he use Soriano in the 9th the other night with the game tied……Who would have pitched the 11th if we didn’t score…….
So many WHY’s, WHY’s WHY’s………..
Stating the Obvious
July 2nd, 2009
1:14 pm
Anybody that says Escobar is a “cancer” is looking at things differently from 99% of all baseball people.
The Braves have built their teams in the past putting a premium on not having “problem childs” and get rid of them when they do. If they didn’t, then how can they keep calling Cox the ultimate “players manager”.
The best line I’ve seen so far is if you had 25 Ozzie Smiths, you wouldn’t need a manager. Well, for quite some time (i.e. – the 90’s) we pretty much had 25 Smith’s. Now we don’t and we don’t have the talent overall to get rid of one of the top players we do have.
Time to manage Bobby – the days of saying “they hit a good pitch” whenever one of your aces grooved a pitch or “their pitcher had some nasty stuff out there” whenever you were facing a rookie for the first time and got held to 4 hits is OVER.
Players managers are great when there isn’t much game time managing to do – unfortunately, those days ended about 4-5 years ago!!!!
francoeuristheman
July 2nd, 2009
1:15 pm
the only other shortstop we should trade him for is hanley ramirez or jeter adn we all know thats not gonna happen so looks like we should keep yunel becasue hes the third best shortstop in the league
pfunkatl2
July 2nd, 2009
1:15 pm
Leave my boy alone…he is EXTREMELY talented, fiery, inspired, and BESIDES, I LOVE his HAIR!
Really?
July 2nd, 2009
1:16 pm
Hawesg, your a moron to. Who else on the team is hitting over 300 with 2outs and runners in scoring position. it certainly isn’t the overated Mclouth. Get a clue and stop hating.
That would be too. Why are you telling other people to stop hating? Look at what you wrote about McLouth. Whose really the moron?
Jeff Blauser doesn’t manage anymore becasue of Escobar. Blauser decided his career as a manager wasn’t worth the headache. Get a clue people. Yunel Escobar isn’t good enough to cause these types of headaches. How have the Braves done without him in the line up?
Rafael Ramirez
July 2nd, 2009
1:18 pm
Frenchy and Kotchman are way bigger problems right now. Seven total homers from your starters at first and right? Combined average in the .250s? Oof. We have got to upgrade offensively at one of those positions if we want to make a run. Play Prado at first when Infante gets back.
Escobar needs a sports psychologist or a friend or something. (Didn’t they get a shrink for Smoltz early in his career?) But, the guy is way too valuable to get rid of.
mike
July 2nd, 2009
1:18 pm
i have never commented here and I dont watch or follow the braves as much as i used to.. but let me give an “outsiders” prospective on the state of braves baseball
1)Hitting is atrocious and has been so for the past few years.. how come this has not been addressed by the GM in the offseason?.. was he just hoping that Francoeur would all of the sudden become great and our other average hitters would as well?
2) I understand Bobby Cox is a legend and a heckuva manager.. but come on now.. we need a change.. a culture change.. very similar to the culture change that smith and dimitroff brought to falcons.. GET Bobby and TP outta there! Players are complacent, clubhouse is stale, etc..
I know I am not as knowledgeable about the Braves as the rest of you.. but its so damn frustrating to see this franchise be so mediocre year after year… I dont see any leaders on this team, anybody to rile up the other guys, any “fire”… what you think MB?
C. Tampa Ironworse
July 2nd, 2009
1:19 pm
I will donate the door for him to float back to Cuba on.
Jfreak
July 2nd, 2009
1:19 pm
Maybe Escobar just dosn’t like Cox! Theres a new idea? The kid has some fire in his belly and I like that. So he has an attitude but he hits! He makes a few errors usually mental not physical but he’s good and you can’t say that about some of the guys on this team right now.
With that said, if you can get a BIG bag in the lineup and you can find a reasonable replacement then you make that move if you care to win this year. We all keep saying th Braves need to make a trade but the other team will want more than Bennett or Frenchy guys! To get something you generally have to give something. Except when it comes to the Pirates, thanks guys!
Braves have shown some signs of playing better overall but they will have to add a bat if they hope to make a playoff run…
Turtsnap
July 2nd, 2009
1:20 pm
While some were upset with losing Renteria, I was stoked about the upside of Escobar. Last year Esco struggled some, but showed flashes of brilliance. This year, same story. The Braves cannot give up on this talent. Like Mark said, Rocker was not worth the trouble, Esco is.
NO MORE BOBBY
July 2nd, 2009
1:22 pm
woodie – Bobby will retire soon anyway.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE BEEN WISHING THIS? AINT GONNA HAPPEN!!!
Joe Schmoe
July 2nd, 2009
1:22 pm
You guys are nutz!!!! Trade Escobar??? WTF? That is one of your best consistent hitters, besides McCann.
r martin die hard braves fan
July 2nd, 2009
1:22 pm
this guy may be the problem in the clubhouse i have been talking about. chipper needs to step up and calm him down or kick his a_ _! we dont need the trouble from this guy………
Randy J.
July 2nd, 2009
1:23 pm
DO NOT TRADE ESCO!!
Sidslid
July 2nd, 2009
1:23 pm
These blog articles are addictive (including a photo of the babes in the Anderson picture was a real smackdown to Schulz and his Hossa honey while Jeff is vacationing). I really appreciate the “There is no Plan B” angle on the Escobar dilemma. Since they didn’t really try a shortstop during spring training, it seemed like it was Yunel for this year no matter what, and that is a reasonably sound decision. Now you can bat him sixth for good with Prado in the two slot, and I always thought Escobar’s clutch hitting would do better lower in the lineup.
bigstack19
July 2nd, 2009
1:23 pm
Another great piece from Mark Bradley. Of course the Braves should not trade Escobar unless someone offers a trade package similar to the one the Braves gave Texas for Big Tex. Shortstops who can hit are a rare breed and we need to keep the one we have.
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 2nd, 2009
1:23 pm
Keep Escobar, trade Bobby Cox for a manager who can manage a nine inning baseball game
rj
July 2nd, 2009
1:24 pm
Don’t trade Escobar. He is an agressive slick fielding and hard hitting middle infielder with a rocket arm who loves to win. We need to focus on getting Prado in the line up every day and unfortunately that means good bye Kelly johnson. Come on BC, it is time to give up on Kelly and play Prado everyday. The team has problems but it is in the outfield
Derek
July 2nd, 2009
1:24 pm
Infante is batting .349, is as good or better in the leadoff spot, and has only 2 errors in 30 games this year (0 at SS). Only K’ed 7 times in 86 ABs, and has a .389 OBP. (Yunel is batting .293 with a .349 OBP with 29 K’s in 319 AB’s and 11 E’s in 62 games.)
Infante is an adequate stand in for Escobar, and in the field, he may not have the same arm, but he has the better glove. If you are able to deal Escobar RIGHT NOW to a team for a player that will add some offensive pop to Atlanta’s small ball lineup, it would be in our best interest to do so. You may even be able to package one of our starting pitchers (since we have 7 that are rotation worthy when Hudson gets back in August) with Yunel and get a true stud to carry our lineup.
Im not going to even go into his attitude problems. None of that is relevant. What we do need to address is the fact that we have had zero power numbers since dealing Teixiera.
So deal him while the value is HIGH!
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 2nd, 2009
1:26 pm
Escobar is the reason we were able to include Elvis Andrus in the Teixeira trade. To blame the player is to blame management.
kirkinga
July 2nd, 2009
1:27 pm
Only in Atlanta is a player said to be a “problem” because he has an attitude and is headstrong. In 2009 is it really worth mentioning that the guy has frosted-tips? Maybe I’m missing something, but I fail to see the shock value in that.
I’ll say it this again. Escobar has had no off-field incidents, hasn’t been involved in drug or alcohol incidents, hasn’t driven drunk, hasn’t driven drunk and killed another person, hasn’t abused animals, hasn’t mouthed off to the media (there is Spanish speaking media around) and embarrassed the team and city, hasn’t cheated on his wife with a Hooters waitress and knocked her up, he hasn’t had any incidents with fans, and he hasn’t beat his wife.
So I ask again, what is it that makes him a problem? I would say nothing unless one cannot handle cultural and ethnic differences. He will never be a hunting and fishing country music loving kind of guy and that should be ok.
There is already a perception(like it or not, true or not) that the Braves have problems with African-Americans players, I’d hate for that perception to extend to Latino players as well because that would be a very big problem.
If the Braves want to win, they must be able to handle a Yunel Escobar.
Stating the Obvious
July 2nd, 2009
1:27 pm
Over an hour and 75 posts since we heard from Mark – must have spilled more liquid on his laptop.
Lew
July 2nd, 2009
1:27 pm
Mark-One of your best. I’d like to see Yunel stay right here in Atlanta, but someone needs to put a foot up hus behind -or something to snap him out of his attitudinal maelstrom. The histrionics are getting a bit old.
18 Wheels of Love
July 2nd, 2009
1:28 pm
Kentavo,
Who was the first baseman and OF’ers in ‘95? That’s why we could afford to have Blauser/Belliard at SS.
Daniel
July 2nd, 2009
1:29 pm
Derek- thanks for making sense. People don’t seem to get the idea that Escobar is tradable, BECAUSE HE IS VALUABLE!!!! If we could trade Francouer and Johnson for a big bat it would have already been done. But, why would another team want the players that we don’t want? Esco has value, and we need another type of player and hitter.
Patricia Templeton
July 2nd, 2009
1:29 pm
Absolutely keep Escobar. I’d rather have his temper and passion than the indifference of Kelly Johnson and others too numerous to list. He is an exciting, gifted player. However, he should at least learn enough English to converse about baseball. Come on, he’s been here at least three years. I lived in a foreign country for three years and I learned the language. He should, too.
KennyP
July 2nd, 2009
1:30 pm
Good write, Mark, and great timing. I dont believe Escobar will last and i dont think he should. He is a great player, just not a Brave. We need an outfielder, but I dont want Manny or Bonds. Escobar is a “me first” player, and that is not what being a Brave is all about, it never has been. If we had any kind of SS, or if Infante wasn’t hurt, he wouldnt be on our team now.
Frankie Knuckles
July 2nd, 2009
1:31 pm
I really enjoy watching Escobar play. But he can be a douche.
Tim-mah!
July 2nd, 2009
1:33 pm
Whatever. Trading him would be stupid.
McFann ;Ô;
July 2nd, 2009
1:33 pm
VOTE McCANN 2009 ALL-STAR!!!!
Nate McLouth
July 2nd, 2009
1:34 pm
Isn’t this blown way out of proportion.
Yes I have seen some silly plays but Chipper Jones has more Errors that Escobar. Is it b/c he pointed to the scoreboard after he received a questionable error? It that is true where was tho outrage when Francoeur “pouted” about going to the minors last yr and never made to proper adjustments to his game. There is such a double standard on the team that needs to be addressed. Where is the outcry from management about Garrett “LOAF” Anderson and his lackadaisical play in the outfield. Why isn’t he benched or called out.
I like Bobby Cox (not as a late game strategist) as a manager and his ability to keep the clubhouse together but this is hypocrisy. Don’t call out one and not the other.
Also if Escobar is hurt than this is even more unfair. Escobar may think to himself “Why risk further injury for a manager that is unfair.”
Trading Escobar would be a knee jerk reaction and a bad one at that.
letsgetrich
July 2nd, 2009
1:34 pm
Has Esco ever been thrown out of a game? ( a la Chipper, Bobby, etc)
Has he had run ins with the law? (a la Furcal who the Braves tried to get back, others)
Has he talked smack to other teammates or physical altercations with managers? ( a la Smoltz and Chipper and every pitcher from the Houston Astros)
Joe Schmoe
July 2nd, 2009
1:36 pm
All a trade for Escobar would do is bring in another bat… which does nothing for the team. I do agree with kirkinga that there seems some cultural biased in this discussion, but that is just my opinion. He brings more fire to the team than I can remember of any recent player in memory. I guess for lazy ole Atlanta fans thats wrong.
Rafael Ramirez
July 2nd, 2009
1:39 pm
“So I ask again, what is it that makes him a problem? I would say nothing unless one cannot handle cultural and ethnic differences. He will never be a hunting and fishing country music loving kind of guy and that should be ok.”
Have you watched the Braves in the last couple of months? The problem is that Yunel has made unnecessary, absent-minded errors that have cost runs in critical games, hasn’t run out ground balls, and generally appears to have his head up his butt. Last year, he was the one taking advantage of the other team’s miscues. This year, he’s the one making the miscues. Any attempt to make this racial or cultural is lame, lame, lame.
Escobar undoubtedly has mental focus issues to address this year. Here’s to hoping he does.
Angel
July 2nd, 2009
1:40 pm
Since the Bravos like to trade with the Rangers quite often, wonder what is taking so long for a trade for Nelson Cruz or Chris Davis. One of them will go to the bench when Hamilton returns after the break. They are young, cheap (salary wise), home run/RBI machines and will not be a liability defensively. By the way, the Rangers need a couple of middle relievers (maybe a closer the way Francisco is pitching after the injury) to keep up with the Angels. By the way, would love to see Oquendo in a Braves uniform. He will definitely bring the energy and change the Braves need…
fieldofdreams
July 2nd, 2009
1:40 pm
Without question, Ancient Greece was the greatest civilization in human history. The Greeks made incredible, quantum leaps forward in math, medicine, politics and lots of other cool stuff. Their “mystery” religions, along with the philosophies of Plate, Aristotle, and Socrates, laid the foundation for Christianity. And the Olympic games are the greatest display of international harmony in the modern world. What made the Greeks so freekin’ great? Two things: A common religion, and a COMMON LANGUAGE. If Mr. Escobar doesn’t see fit to learn English, there’s no way he can partake of our quantum leap, from fourth place, to first. There are plenty of reliable English speaking shortstops who would love to wear the Tomahawk. Let’s swap Escobar for one of them.
JF McNamara
July 2nd, 2009
1:41 pm
No, you need a character like this on the team. It’s a long, long season. A guy whose a little aloof and grates nerves sometimes helps break the grind and keeps the emotion up.
Once all those type of guys were run out of town (Sheffield, Lofton, Justice), we started losing. You need a little internal conflict to not get complacent.
Space Monkey
July 2nd, 2009
1:41 pm
Word is this defecting lefty Chapman is just as much a crybaby.
From ESPN:
There also might be a question of Chapman’s maturity level. Several times at the WBC, Chapman was demonstrative in his displeasure at the umpire’s strike zone. At times, several of his teammates had to go to the mound to calm him.
And when he was finally removed in the third inning of a 6-0 loss against Japan in pool play, Chapman did not look at manager Higinio Velez, running straight into the clubhouse without slapping hands with any of his teammates.
Why are these latest Cuban players such A-Holes?
Blackberry Cobbler
July 2nd, 2009
1:44 pm
I don’t like players whose attitude doesn’t match their skills. Escobar has the attitude much bigger than his skill set. If Esco can be packaged with other players to bring us another good defensive short-stop plus a bat in the outfield or first base, I’d say go for it.
KennyP
July 2nd, 2009
1:45 pm
Rafael Ramirez 1:39 post says it all. His problem is not in the scorebooks (not that he is doing well on real errors either) but it is what they call in Little League as “mental errors”. To even talk about the race thing is just stupid.
Joe Schmoe
July 2nd, 2009
1:45 pm
See what I mean, about the people saying about speaking english. Look, I dont care if he can only speak Martian, he fields and bats well, which we know a great many of our other players dont!
Billy Bob
July 2nd, 2009
1:46 pm
When I think of Yunel Escobar, I’m reminded of another physically talented but mentally immature athlete – (Me)Angelo Hall.
Trade him. Tip of the iceberg stuff here.
Craig
July 2nd, 2009
1:46 pm
Hey Mark, I don’t like the way your hair looks either, but I’m an adult and I tend to judge people on their ability and performance, not their looks. I don’t care for you cause I don’t like your writing.
Base
July 2nd, 2009
1:47 pm
Corporate baseball says he is the best for the money.He won’t be traded.
rhynster
July 2nd, 2009
1:47 pm
Excobar isn’t the problem.
The problem is at 1B.
1B is a hitter’s position.
Hell, Kotchmann’s numbers aren’t even good for a middle infielder!!!