Bobby Cox on the 2010 Braves: ‘We can do some damage’
Frank Wren and Bobby Cox greet the young-looking Troy Glaus. (AJC photo by Phil Skinner)
The world’s most optimistic man wants it known that there have been a few times he headed south for spring training without a figurative spring in his step. “You’ve got to have some common sense,” Cox said Tuesday, meaning that not every team has a realistic shot at winning.
His final Braves team, their manager believes, has a realistic shot. “We’ve got a chance to do some damage and compete and maybe even win,” Cox said.
Maybe it does, although it must be said that more than a few Braves-watchers were underwhelmed by the team’s offseason maneuvering. Their closer is Billy Wagner, who’s 38 and who had arm surgery in 2008. Their first baseman is Troy Glaus, who has barely played first base and who missed most of last season due to injury. Their best pitcher from 2009 is a Yankee.
You won’t be shocked to learn that Cox sees the upside of all the transactions. “I think we’re good,” he said. “Our pitching looks good, and I think Troy Glaus at first base looks good. He’s very impressive. He’s a young-looking 33. And when he plays, he [produces]. If he in fact makes it back, that’s a pretty significant deal that went under the radar.”
Perhaps, a visitor suggests, the reason Glaus’ acquisition wasn’t more trumpeted was because it came the day after the Braves traded Javier Vazquez, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting in 2009, to New York for Melky Cabrera and two prospects. Not surprisingly, Cox defends that move, too.
“It would have been hard to use six starters,” he said. “Somebody would have had to go to the bullpen. And we got a left-handed pitcher in [Mike] Dunn who’s highly thought of, and [Arodys] Vizcaino was the No. 3 prospect in their organization at [age] 19.
“You never like to lose a pitcher, but we were dealing from a little bit of strength. We got a nice return. And Cabrera is a pretty good ballplayer.”
The Braves will open 2010 with a bullpen largely remade — Wagner, Dunn, Takashi Saito and Jesse Chavez are new. “The bullpen looks good,” Cox said. “We lost two excellent guys [Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez, both of whom left as free agents] but we got some good guys.”
Is the team done dealing? Said Cox: “I think so.”
A year ago the Braves left Lake Buena Vista with Casey Kotchman as their first baseman, Kelly Johnson as their second baseman, Jeff Francoeur as the right fielder and Jordan Schafer as the center fielder. The first three are no longer in the organization, and there’s no guarantee Schafer will make the big-league roster. But there’s a bigger prospect than Schafer — bigger even than Francoeur — at the ready.
Loading ...His name is Jason Heyward, and he’s the Braves’ biggest non-pitching prospect since Ryan Klesko. Said Cox: “We’re going to give him a chance to compete [in spring training]. Everything we hear about him from upstairs has been great. He’s got a great head on his shoulders. He might not be a guy who has to go through the usual channels. There’s no reason not to give him a chance to compete.”
If Heyward isn’t with the big club on Opening Day 2010, he’ll have other years. For Cox, this is it. He’s retiring at season’s end, and he’s hoping the end arrives in the World Series. And here Cox is asked one of those hoary questions that sports writers love and sports figures hate: Does he expect his men to dedicate this season to winning one for the skipper?
“It’s funny,” he said, and let the record reflect that he was actually smiling, “just how that does not work.”
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162 comments Add your comment
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
10:36 am
What if Vazquez was your favorite player?
I tend to like guys who produce for us and want to be here.
Not every likes Atl enough to stay, like the numerous rentals we have had..
Lowe did average for higher pay and gets to stay.
The guy who was a Cy candidate loses out because he is our only trade bait.
joel marable
January 27th, 2010
10:37 am
BRAVES FANS TAKE NOTE.WE HAVE NOOOOOO CHANCE.EVERYONE IN THE DIVISION INPROVED,AND THEY WERE ALREADY BETTER THAN US.WE WILL SUCK BIG TIME THIS YEAR AND THE FRONT OFFICE KNOW THIS DONT LET THEM TRICK U INTO THINKING WE HAVE A SHOT.LOOK AT THAT LINEUP ARE U KIDDING.WITH THAT OUTFIELD THEY MAY LOSE THOSE COLLEGE GAMES THEY PLAY B 4 THE SEASON.ITS GONNA B BAD THIS YEAR TRUST ME.
Russ Minshew
January 27th, 2010
10:37 am
I have a thing for young boys.
rico43
January 27th, 2010
10:39 am
For the record, the only reason Eddie Haas wasn’t the worst manager the Atlanta Braves ever had was because Ted supplanted Chuck Tanner for a game. Eddie Mathews, God bless him, wasn’t a whole lot better.
rico43
January 27th, 2010
10:40 am
Joel, do you not realize that SHOUTING all but guarantees that no one will read your post?
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
10:42 am
Speaking of Eddie Mathews, they should have kept him just to have #500 in Atlanta. He remarked no one in Houston cared when he hit it.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
January 27th, 2010
10:47 am
I think Ted took back over during the playoffs
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
January 27th, 2010
10:50 am
they should have kept Dale Murphy for #400 too……..oh, never mind
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
10:51 am
agreed bank walker. did we get anyone good either time?
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
10:52 am
No we could have gotten the Hawk when the Cubs did and he signed for only 500,000.
Then Murphy would have had some lineup protection and his hitting would not have fallen off.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
10:53 am
Our best hope is that Glaus is another Hawk.
What the Hawk’s name?
damn it.
After injury dropped his value, he went on to have some very good years.
Mafia_Madness
January 27th, 2010
10:54 am
Lord, I hope they aren’t done making any deals. The MelkMan ain’t gonna cut it, imo. Go into the season with Diaz-McLouth-Cabrera as your starting OF’s and we could easily be looking at one of the worst offensive OF in the NL.
————————————————————————
David, I’d sure as hell would rather have that trio as our opening day outfield than the one we had last year with Anderson-Schafer-Francoeur. Atleast there aren’t 2 automatic outs in that setup like there was in 2009.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:02 am
And remind me why we traded the guy who jumped right into Detroit’s starting lineup and did hit.
Probably moeny as always with these Braves.
The Time Warner AOL deal killed the Braves.
Ted should have demanded the Braves back for some of hisstock.
Too late now.
Curt
January 27th, 2010
11:03 am
I really like that some here have played the 2010 season already and know just what is going to happen. That means I don’t have to actually go to games or watch them on TV.
Really, there are so many things that go into making a succesful team and a winning season and in turn there are things that can affect a team negatively such as chemistry and injuries or someone have a just plane bad year. After all, who would have thought that Chipper would have had such a bad year in 2009?
People on this board are not going to change what happens on the field this year and I doubt we can change or affect what Wren has or is going to do. Right now the roster is what it is and while I would love to have the Yankees line up or just their budget, the Braves just do not.
It seems to me that being optimistic is the best way to go…..at least until the 2010 Braves have prooved themselves one way or the other on the field.
BSIATL
January 27th, 2010
11:03 am
Also remember that right before LaRoche signed a 1yr/4.5 mil offer he turned down 2 yrs at 17 mil from the Giants. It is conceivable that he simply didn’t want to come here but it also shows that even if Wren had been more “patient” as some have suggested he still would have been priced out by the market at the time he signed. And while waiting to be patient Glaus signs with someone else and we’re left with who? So it is a high risk/high reward concept. Do you sit and wait for your guy to come down in price and risk losing your Plan B? I don’t know but I think Wren made a decent move while saving money for other signings/arb eligible deals and not blocking Freeman. It’s simply not accurate to look at two deals in a vacuum and assume that we lost out on getting LaRoche at 4.5 mil. Aside from the timing issue there still is the performance issue. LaRoche’s UZR rating puts him just about at the league average for first base and his WAR rating is about 2/2.5. Those are good but not great numbers and Glaus (if healthly) will produce roughly the same 2.5 WAR at a significantly lower cost.
todd grantham
January 27th, 2010
11:10 am
dadgum Mark. That’s a worse picture of Bobby than you took of me the other day.
are all the AJC photogs down to using their blackberrys to take pictures?
Marko
January 27th, 2010
11:11 am
The Braves had a great second half of 2009 despite issues in the lineup.
I’m hoping that continues.
Not counting injuries, the only strengths of the offense is 3B, SS, & C.
1B & 2B are question marks. Will Prado’s half a season translate into a full season? The entire OF sucks. Diaz is the best guy and he for whatever reason can’t be given a full time spot.
BSIATL
January 27th, 2010
11:14 am
Observation1002 – Your earlier comments regarding the “non-signing” of LaRoche are simply not accurate. I’m sure the Braves made an offer to LaRoche’s agent and it wasn’t what he thought his player’s value was. So they turned us down and we moved on. Wren had NO way of knowing that the market for LaRoche would come down to 4.5 mil and quite frankly the market didn’t come down to 4.5 mil. It came down to 2 yrs at 17 mil which is what the Giants offerend him that he turned that down to sign with Arizona the next day. His thinking is that one year in a hitters park such as Arizona’s will pump his numbers up enough that he’ll get the 3 yr 30 mil he is looking for in 2011. Apples and oranges there. He played here and had relative success but obviously not enough succes to get him enough suitors willing to meet his price of 3/30. He feels that Arizona will do that. Not Wren’s fault nor does it have anything to do with patience or lack thereof.
todd grantham
January 27th, 2010
11:17 am
Wren’s moves may pan out, but as you’ve said that guy is absolutely tone deaf when it comes to PR.
it was time for Smoltz and Glavine to go, but it was terribly mishandled. Now you can see Wren is pushing Bobby out the door.
I guess he is determined to remake the Braves in his image.
Fire Frank Wren
January 27th, 2010
11:22 am
Any chance we could convince Frank Wren to retire at season’s end and convince Bobby Cox to stay?
BSIATL
January 27th, 2010
11:25 am
One more thought on the Glaus over LaRoche deal. It is also conceivable and likely that we would rather have Glaus for reasons other than what we assume. What if we are more or less out of the hunt in July and Glaus has had a realtively decent first half and remained healthy. We then offer him up to some contender in the AL (Mariners come to mind) that needa DH for the stretch run and we get two good prospects back from a team willing to overpay for a half year rental. We get through the 2nd half with Hinske at 1B and then Freeman comes up in 2011. Win/win for the Braves!
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:26 am
No way of knowing?
No not if u r in such a big hurry.
Waiting gets the Mets Mathews Jr for one million a year with the Angels paying the rest.
They had no way of knowing that deal might pop up but if u play all your cards before then you can’t offer a middle reliever and make the deal instead.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:27 am
Maybe Glaus will hit for us.
I hope so.
But roids players come with lots of risk.
Giambi for example.
BSIATL
January 27th, 2010
11:30 am
We should all be dancing a big happy dance right now that the Mets were “patient” and got Mathews Jr. He is downright HORRIBLE in EVERY sense of the word. There’s a reason players like him come so cheap. The Mets downgraded their team offensively and defensively by adding Mathews Jr. to their team. If that’s what “pateince” gets you then count me as imaptient and very, very happy! Mathews had one decent year and that was PED aided. When not on the juice he is ranked as one of the worst players in MLB. He is one of the players in the MLB that actually manges to have a negative WAR rating and that is really hard to do!
Bill
January 27th, 2010
11:32 am
We have the makings of a good team that could have a chance at the Division or at least the wild card. We also have a lot of ifs and almost all of them will be needed to have a good season. Damon is not an answer for the outfield. He would not be a total waste but I do think he is overated, especially after this past season. Almost any one would have been successful hitting in that Yankee lineup. If all the pieces do fall in place it will probably take Bobby half the season to figure it out (remember last season) and field the best lineup every day. Bobby will cost the team at least 10 wins. He has been a good mgr but should have retired about 4 years ago. The Braves would be beter off if he decides to take a hike during Spring training.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:33 am
Sounds like Glaus.
My real point is the same as others today.
Without Ted or some individual who cares, we are not going to win it all.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:38 am
well BSI.
I hope u r right.
I want Bobby’s last year to be a good one and not a frustrating one.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:39 am
Lowe’s contract, not to mention, Karakami’s, hamstring Wren.
Observation1002
January 27th, 2010
11:39 am
General managers in sporting news survey rank Wainwright’s curveball as the best in baseball.
He’s a product of our farm system given away to the Cardinals.
Without him to close in WS, they don’t win it all.
Now he’s a great SP for them.
It was the reverse of us stealing Smoltz form Detroit.
Don
January 27th, 2010
11:51 am
The one good thing about Bobby Cox being back is that Braves fans do not have to “WORRY”. We do not have to worry about the linup, or the batting order, or the starting pitching, or the bullpen, or the overall hitting, pitching, and defense because with Cox back, the 2010 season is already over. For Cox to win has always required Pitching so far far superior to the other teams that it overcame his incompetencey over the long 162 game regular season schedule and enabled the Braves to win in spite of him. For 2010, our Pitching is probably going to be good but not great enough for that.
tree rollins
January 27th, 2010
11:58 am
All the Braves really did was churn the roster as they have been doing for the past few seasons. This time it’s Vazquez for Cabrera (good value for average value). Over the hill new closer Wagner. Unknown quantity in Glaus. Chipper Jones now getting too old. And what is it we like about this roster again??
kreedham
January 27th, 2010
12:05 pm
I agree that if we get ownership that is an individual or small group of individuals rather than a corporation then ATL will benefit. If I understand correctly, Liberty Mutual has to keep the time for a certain amount of time before they could sell. If someone knows how long please enlighten us. I believe they would probably be glad to get rid of the team as soon as they can!
Mark Bradley
January 27th, 2010
12:07 pm
That’s correct, Observation1002. But Wren signed both, let’s note.
tree rollins
January 27th, 2010
12:10 pm
The Atlanta team that has the best roster now is actually (gasp!) the Hawks – a statement I thought I would never make! The rosters of the Braves and Falcons are both very sketchy. The Braves pitching reminds me of the Falcons offense going into the ‘09 season. But then the Braves hitting reminds me of the Falcons defense going into this past season. And I predict the results will be the same – relatively boring hum-drum teams that will win more than they lose but make no impact on the playoff scene.
Ted M
January 27th, 2010
12:13 pm
I was so glad to read O’Brien’s piece on Schafer. He deserves the shot and another one for that matter. Lets see Jason, Jordan, Nate and Matt in the outfield.
Tom in ATL
January 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
BSI – agree to disagree – I have no problem with signing Glaus – super cheap – big upside – plug him in at 3rd if/when Chipper breaks down and work him in at first and let him be your primary PH and DH when facing AL teams. Before Laroche signs that deal with AZ – I can’t beleive he wouldn’t have signed a similar deal with Braves. And sure – he’s no Tex – but in the 2nd half of 2009 – his numbers were actually very Tex like. 57 games – .325 – 12 HR and 40 RBI. Just at 20 percent of the cost. I hope Glaus is every bit as good or better – but for 6 mil you have both of them.
BSIATL
January 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
It wasn’t Glaus over LaRoche. It was Glaus (plus the money we saved by not paying LaRoche which got us Hinske) over LaRoche. Hinske plays both corner infield spots and can fill in to keep both Glaus and Chipper healthy. Both Glaus and Hinske together stills is cheaper than what the D’backs paid for LaRoche. And whoever said it was Vasquez for Melky is just wrong. It was Vazquez, 2 strong minor leaguers, Glaus and Hinske for Vasquez. Pretty good trade if you ask me.
HamBone
January 27th, 2010
2:05 pm
I too think that the braves should have added a little more offense, and perhaps the Vazquez trade was questionable, but apparently they didn’t have many other options. I like the Glaus signing… it could turn out to be a heck of a deal if he stays healthy. I also like the fact that the braves aren’t giving up the farm system. I know they say ” The Future is Now” but does anyone else remember the Texiera trade??? Anyways, these braves look just as good as last years and could possibly be better if Glaus does anything. The pitching staff is still one of the best in baseball (and Jair and Tommy should only get better) and I don’t think that McCann will start off as bad as he did last year, because of the surgery he had, and I also think Chipper will bounce back… he might not hit .364 like two years ago, but ill take an average of last year and that year which would put him at about .305… plus the phillies and mets staffs dont come close to the braves. This team should win at least as many games as last year’s
alan
January 27th, 2010
3:32 pm
Freeman, Freeman Freeman, Heywood, Heywood, Heywood that’s all I ever hear from the blithering idiot sports writers, Frank Wrenn and anyone else who knows about them. They have not even played one game in the major leagues and the braves and their ass lickers calling them the two best players to come down the pike in years. Let them play in the majors. Why hide them in the minors, if they’re so good. The excuse is to give them another year to be seasoned.. I also have the same question as someone else did, why doesn’t BC like Matt Diaz. I’m sure if he likes hime he would have played him as often as Kelly Johnson. He was forced to take KJ out, otherwise he would have been as awful throughout the entire system. Until Liberty Media. sells the team and FW gets canned this team will suck. Boycott the Braves, until the attendence is so low that Liberty Media will sell the team to local owners.
Tom in ATL
January 27th, 2010
5:00 pm
BSI – that’s connecting some imaginary dots to say we got Melky, Glaus, Hinske and 2 prospects for Vasquez. Using that logic – then we also threw Ryan Church in the deal, and I guess Jeff Francour too. When the Vasquez deal was made – Braves shed nearly 10 mil of payroll for 2010. They added about 3 mil with Glaus and Hinske. That leaves 6 or 7 – Laroche signed for 4.5. My point being I’d rather have Laroche and Glaus rather than Hinske and Glaus – and I think it was doable. I’d also rather have Soriano at 7 mil rather than Wagner for same price. But that’s another story -
Skeezix
January 27th, 2010
6:57 pm
Mark: Have you made your prediction yet? Last year you were high on the Braves chances, I wasn’t (predicted third place). This year I think our chances are a little better, so I’m predicting a second place finsh. Phillies are still the team to beat.
Bobby’s expression in that photo tells all we need to know about his opinion of the Glaus signing.
Coach (2011 or Bust)
January 27th, 2010
8:28 pm
I agree with Bobby…..if Glaus stays healthy, ditto for Chipper, if McLouth can reclaim his stature as a lead off hitter, if Derek Lowe can rebound, if Kawakami has the stamina to hold up in a five man rotation, if Martin Prado is for real, if Schafer stays healthy, if the rebuilt bullpen holds up……if-if-if-if-if-if-if-if pigs can fly. Yea, it all has to go right and IF even one or two of the above mentioned don’t, it could be a long slow walk off a short plank for Bobby Cox.
Tweets that mention Bobby Cox on the 2010 Braves: 'We can do some damage' | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
January 27th, 2010
9:50 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, Jason Fulton. Jason Fulton said: I sure hope so…Bobby Cox on the 2010 Braves: ‘We can do some damage’ – http://shar.es/aVY1Z [...]
Tweets that mention Bobby Cox on the 2010 Braves: 'We can do some damage' | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
January 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ajc dot com, Mark Bradley and NikkiKayUGA, Whitney. Whitney said: Hopefully not referring to damaging my enthusiasm RT @MarkBradleyAJC: Bobby Cox on Braves: ‘We can do some damage.’ http://bit.ly/cyuvEE [...]
Dave S.
January 28th, 2010
12:42 am
I will be an Atlanta Braves fan this year. Troy will lead the team in doubles and maybe H.R.´s.
The man won a World Series MVP for a reason.
deriter
January 28th, 2010
10:08 pm
F. Wren & B. Cox have sold the Braves down the river. The trades & signings have vitually eliminated any chance the Braves might have had. All of this was done to give B. Cox one more year as manager.
The results for the upcoming season are very, very, bleak.
Robert
January 29th, 2010
1:44 pm
“We’ve got a chance to do some damage”
I have no doubt that Bobby Cox will, in fact, do LOTS of damage to the 2010 Braves.
Robert
January 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
Don – your post is right on.
And someone said – “We have the makings of a good team that could have a chance at the Division or at least the wild card.”
COULD is the key word. If Cox werent managing, then what could, would.
Robert
January 29th, 2010
1:54 pm
“It seems that the Braves would be trying to groom a replacement for Bobby”
Here’s how they are grooming Cox’s replacement
1. Remove the candidate’s brain surgically
2. Weld the candidate’s left forefinger to his nasal septum
3. Superglue Chipper Jones’ lips to the candidate’s gluteus maximus
4. Swaddle the candidate in a soiled diaper
Chief pitchanono
January 31st, 2010
11:39 am
I think this being Bobby’s last year the players need to concentrate on keeping close to philly and bringing the NL East title back home to Bobby & Atlanta where it belongs. They can say all they want about Bobby, but the numbers speak for themselves, 14 straight titles plus some in Toronto proves that over a 162 game season, no one is better at leading a team than him. We all know the playoffs are a crap shoot and the best team doesnt always win. Over a 162 game season the team on top at the end is always the best team, and nobody has been better guiding a team over the longhaul than Bobby. So send him off right 2010 Braves, riding off into the sunset on top of the NL east where he belongs. Whatever happens in the playoffs after that is just gravy on the biscuits, but the man deserves to go out on top of a division that he has owned for the better part of twenty years. (yes, i know the braves havent done much in the last few years, but you gotta look a the big picture when someones about to retire, and 14 division titles out of the last 19 sounds pretty good. 15 would be perfect. Go Braves!