From ‘epic fail’ to the playoffs: Saluting Frank Wren’s wild year
Chipper Jones went down, but Frank Wren stood tall all season. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
One year ago today, Frank Wren consummated the trade that prompted this correspondent to write the geeky words “epic fail” and to describe it as “the worst thing I’ve seen all year.” (Not that you can actually see a trade happen, but I was so stunned I was thinking even less clearly than usual.)
It was, as I’m sure you remember, the Javier-Vazquez-to-the-Yankees swap, and two of the three acquired players (Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn) have already been rendered ex-Braves. And the third, young pitcher Arodys Vizcaino, hurt his arm midway through the minor-league season. But you know what I’m calling Frank Wren 365 days later?
My man of the year in Atlanta sports.
The Braves broke a four-year playoff drought for many reasons — Jason Heyward’s flying start, Tim Hudson’s recovery, Troy Glaus’ month of May — but mostly they broke it because their general manager kept plugging leaks, of which there were many. The lineup on Opening Day shared only two starters with the one that took the field for Game No. 162, which meant an awful lot had gone wrong. But the Zen of Wren in Twenty-Ten was his utter persistence in drawing up new plans.
The Braves’ relationship with Yunel Escobar finally soured, so Wren imported Alex Gonzalez to play shortstop. Glaus went bad after lifting the Braves to first place and Chipper Jones got hurt in August, prompting Wren to pry Derrek Lee from the Cubs. At the trade deadline Wren acquired Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth from the Royals, and lo and behold they were the key figures in the Braves’ first playoff victory since Oct. 6, 2005.
That no single Wren move had the dramatic oomph of John Schuerholz’s trade for Fred McGriff in July 1993 only underscores the point: This GM wasn’t shopping with Ted Turner’s bankroll. Wren had to buy cheap and keep buying. It’s a cliche to say that baseball teams assume the personality of their manager, but this season offered a twist: The 2010 Braves actually took after their general manager. They were dogged. They were resourceful. They kept figuring out ways to steal a ballgame here and there.
At the end they had almost nothing left: Chipper was gone after hurting himself making the Braves’ second-best defensive play of the year, and Martin Prado got hurt making the season’s best defensive play. Glaus stopped hitting. Nate McLouth never started. Kenshin Kawakami won only one game and was replaced in the rotation by Kris Medlen, who hurt his arm. The Braves’ first two starters in a key three-game series in Philadelphia were the rookies Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor, the former making his big-league debut.
Somehow this incredible shrinking club made the playoffs, whereupon Billy Wagner was lost. And still the Braves were one strike from taking a 2-1 series lead on the team that would win the World Series — Eric Hinske, an offseason Wren find, had hit a stunning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth — when the inevitable-in-hindsight collapse occurred.
Without Wagner, Bobby Cox turned to two rookies — first Craig Kimbrel, then Dunn — to try and close. Without Jones and Prado, the Braves were down to the third-stringer Brooks Conrad at second base. (Conrad had already made so many errors at third base in the regular season’s final week that he was moved across the diamond.) Dunn yielded the tying single to Aubrey Huff, and then Conrad made his third error of the most awful night any player has ever had.
“The worst loss I’ve ever had,” Wren would say later, but in its way that wrenching Game 3 only showed how much the Braves had to surmount to get that far. The Phillies had a bunch of guys hurt, but they got well, and when in doubt Philly can always go buy another pitcher. (This July it was Roy Oswalt.)
To view the Braves in preseason was to think, “If all goes well, they’ll have a chance to make the playoffs.” Almost nothing followed the script, and still they made it. They made it because Wren was willing to try anything and everything — and did.
Oh, and Javier Vazquez? He stunk as a Yankee.
By Mark Bradley
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
137 comments Add your comment
dap01
December 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
Great article MB. I am very impressed with Frank Wren who keeps plugging holes without jeapordizing our farm system and future.
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:11 pm
3 error game
Our bullpen letting Philly come back after a huge lead in the last regular season game
2 separate games and issues.
Ted M
December 22nd, 2010
2:12 pm
in the “last” week
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
“last game” (of the regular season)
Keith
December 22nd, 2010
2:13 pm
Ok, I need to get back to WORK
lawzoo
December 22nd, 2010
2:22 pm
So G W Bridge how are your Pirates going to do in 2011?
What??
December 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
G W Bridge – It’s pretty stupid to come on here and suggest that Braves fans are happy just making the playoffs without considering the circumstances. Yes, we are happy making the playoffs in 2010 when we are working to rebuild our team within the budget constraints presented by absentee corporate ownership (Liberty Media). Are we satisfied with the payroll the ownership is providing? Absolutely not, but that is something that Frank Wren can’t control and therefore can’t be blamed for. He has done well with what he has been given and has the Braves poised to be very good over the next 5-8 years once the are sold (hopefully after this season). Take your sports elitism and show it up your a$$.
Jdiddy
December 22nd, 2010
2:33 pm
It’s amazing how you flip-flop all the time and still have a job. Just a few days ago you were bashing Wren for the reported Uggla extension even though economically it is a great deal for the Braves. So I just have to assume 5 years from now you will be writing another pointless blog about how you were wrong again. Hopefully by then your blog will be on MySpace rather than AJC.
Skeezix
December 22nd, 2010
2:38 pm
Mark: I’m not ready to give FW that much credit. We are still living with and paying for some of his worse decisions (example-K.K. and McOut). But he has been making better decisions over the last 12 months. If the Braves win the NL East this year–he will certainly deserve a bunch of the credit.
stew
December 22nd, 2010
2:42 pm
Why is everyone so high on Lowe? We traded Javy only because we couldn’t dump Lowe. We should dump him now that someone (Yanks) might take him off our hands and pay all or almost all of his salary.
C from Marietta
December 22nd, 2010
2:59 pm
GW Bridge – Please go back to Yankee land. We are stick and tried of YOU Yankess screwing up your home. Then, moving here and saying how great it was up north. If it is so great, why come down south? I love how stupid Yankees think they know everything.
Mark Bradley`s Booster
December 22nd, 2010
3:01 pm
Mark: This the second straight blog that I am responding as your “Booster”. You are right on about Wren. He has worked very hard and did a great job to get enough players to get 91 wins in 2010. Given all the injuries,fielding problems and other issues that occured on the field, it was an amazing accomplishment for the Braves to get to the playoffs. I believe we will be competitive enough with what we have now to have a good 2011 season. If the present roster turns out not to be
what we need, Wren will get busy again and plug up the holes.
cantondawg
December 22nd, 2010
3:09 pm
I think it’s amazing the job that Frank Wren has done. With limited financial resources, he has built a very competitive team. I can’t wait until Liberty Media sells the Braves (hopefully to Arthur Blank). They need an owner that really cares about the team and the city. To me, Arthur Blank is the best owner any atlanta team has ever had.
Oh yeah, Herschel Talker, you’re an annoying a-hole. We’re all disappointed with the season but it’s no reason to whine and bitch like a little girl every single day. CMR tenure has been good except for the last two years. Perhaps you should go change your diaper you little baby.
VT Fan
December 22nd, 2010
3:15 pm
GW Bridge suffers from that illness that all yankees believe it is their birthright to be the champs no matter what. You yankee morons don’t realize that everyone wants to win and we aren’t going to rollover just because your owners spend like drunk sailors.
Delta is ready when you are – and it sounds like you are more than ready.
fieldofdreams
December 22nd, 2010
3:16 pm
I think Wren did an admirable job. John 10:10.
DawginLex
December 22nd, 2010
3:18 pm
Great article MB. It takes guts to reproduce your own writings from earlier and admit you were wrong about Wren.
HT, will you admit you are wrong when UGA rebounds and Richt proves he can coach and you will be saying “Thank God we didn’t hire Muschamp?”
jeffrey d
December 22nd, 2010
4:05 pm
I still don’t get how people could be against the trade. We had 7 starters (Vazquez, Lowe, Hudson, Hanson, Jurrjens, Kawakami, Medlen) and Mike Minor pretty close to being ready. Vazquez has had a so-so career, so why not trade him when his value is sky high and he’s only got 1 year left on his contract. For some reason, nobody seems to notice that the Yankees gave up their top pitching prospect in the deal.
Matt
December 22nd, 2010
4:13 pm
“Eric Hinske, an offseason Wren find,”
This makes it seem like Wren alone thought Hinske would work when no one else wanted him. The guy has contributed throughout his career. I know this is a feel good fluff piece about your boy, but come on.
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:25 pm
You didn’t have to be me to know that Javy would flame out. Just look at his history…one great season followed by two poor ones. What a waste of potential. Good job by Wren doing his homework.
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:27 pm
Dawginlex, where did you get that peyote’ you’re smoking? Richt quit coaching three years ago…he’s just stealing the money now.
DawginLex
December 22nd, 2010
4:36 pm
Shoot me. I still believe the guy has one more SEC title run in him.
I don’t fear Muschamp being at Florida.
Beat Spurrier, which Richt has done a lot, and the East is ours.
If he blows it, I’ll support the next guy.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
4:38 pm
“Did you like actually watch any of the Braves’ games last year?”
Yes…
Sure, some players like McLouth had terrible years, but as Mark chronicles in his article, the team overcame serious injuries to key players and managed to win 91 games and make the playoffs.”
Who? Chipper? Prado? Heyward? Diaz? Jurrigens? With exception of Prado and Heyward, the Braves got more than clutch performance from their fill-ins. Any fan still counting on Chipper for more 100 games a season is daff! Who are you talking about, Matt Diaz? He should always be a 4th outfielderAnd how exactly long was Utley out last year? Werth and Rollins were in terrible slumps for players with the track records. They caught the Braves with a man almost old enough to hold a AARP card pitching significant innings.
“Two years ago it had the 7th worst record in MLB. If anything last year’s team OVERACHIEVED.”
Yeah, with Tim Hudson on the DL, the ever injured Chipper Jones, and mentally soft Jeff Francouer and a team that used 28 different pitched, the 08 Braves ended up just where they should have 72 wins.
The ‘10 Braves were winning before Jones finally caught up at the plate… Then he did what he always does, imploded!. And during the month of September, the Braves did the same thing too! If the Padres and Giants had not faced off the weekend, they both will have passed them too…
Mike McDonald
December 22nd, 2010
4:39 pm
At this time, aside from pitching, the Braves’ have three bona fide starting position players: a first rate catcher, Brian McCann; an infielder – Martin Prado playing the outfield; and an unsigned second baseman, Uggla. Hayward has not shown more than early foot. Freeman is a big question mark. We have no good-to-go center fielder nor third baseman.And Gonzo is a poor substitute for Yunel.
And Mark Bradley thinks that Wren is the man of the year.
JSS
December 22nd, 2010
4:40 pm
“28 different pitchers”
Einsteindawg
December 22nd, 2010
4:42 pm
DawginLex…I applaud your loyalty and this is just my opinion; however, I haven’t seen anything out of Richt that gives me hope. Compare his lack of passion from film of his first six years vs now, and this translates all the way through his team. BTW, are you in Lex, NC, home of the third best BBQ in the South?
Herschel Talker
December 22nd, 2010
5:11 pm
DawginLex:
Seriously dude? Anyone who still thinks that Richt has a “run” in him clearly doesn’t get the big picture. Let’s not be silly now.
HT
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:14 pm
One year ago today, Frank Wren consummated the trade that prompted this correspondent to write the geeky words “epic fail” and to describe it as “the worst thing I’ve seen all year.” (Not that you can actually see a trade happen, but I was so stunned I was thinking even less clearly than usual.)
It was, as I’m sure you remember, the Javier-Vazquez-to-the-Yankees swap, and two of the three acquired players (Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn) have already been rendered ex-Braves.
I remember I was in Hawaii, filming an SMU Mustangs practice session at Aloha Stadium, the sweltering Hawaiian sun beating down. I got a text from a friend and I told this photographer guy from the Dallas Morning News who was a Braves fan and we were like, “Are you freaking kidding me?”
I was pissed. But I guess it all worked out.
That’s right. I worked Pony Excess before it was even called Pony Excess and before we even knew it would be on ESPN. I was there at the beginning when my friend, the director, was a nobody. Then ESPN took over and ultimately I got almost no credit for my work. So that sucked.
Lesson learned though. Never get involved with something like that at the very beginning. Somewhere in the middle or towards the end. Otherwise you will be forgotten.
That’s why them call them the “little people.” I am a little person. But it’s all good. No bitterness.
Well, still somewhat bitter about the past 20 year and only one World Series.
But whatever.
Go Braves.
Your Breath Smells like Fish Fry Tacos
December 22nd, 2010
5:22 pm
Mitchell: Hire a good contract attorney. Let the hippies and hipsters work for free and save the planet.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:24 pm
Also bitter about the Giants winning the World Series because we should have beaten them and the Rangers just plain got their @$$es kicked.
And that nobody picked the Braves to win the division and that they ultimately did not win the division and that the media thought they had no right to be in the playoffs and called them the worst of the eight teams in the post-season and that they were correct in predicting that they would not beat the Giants even though they were the only team to give them a series.
And at Bobby Cox for leaving Brooks Conrad at second base in the 9th inning of Game 3 and for taking Kimbrel out for Mike Dunn.
I guess that’s about it. But I mean, come on. We’re Braves fans.
Somebody’s gotta carry this angst through the winter.
Braves need to take it to next level in 2011.
That is all.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:31 pm
I didn’t say I didn’t get paid. And I do have some shots in the film but not as many as I had hoped.
My contention is that I didn’t get a credit for my camera work. My friend is the director, or the director is a friend. I’ve bitched to him enough about it. I just geniunely like complaining.
Anyway, we were in Hawaii. That didn’t suck. The best part is you don’t have to deal with family or buy presents. It was awesome.
I almost would have done it for free.
Brad
December 22nd, 2010
5:42 pm
I agree. At the time I thought the JV trade was crazy and wished we had the money to keep him but oh well. The Braves were by far the best team in NL at the All Star Break. Then, we lost Chipper, Medlen, and towards the end Prado. There was no way we could hold off the Phillies without those players. And I was shocked that we even made the playoffs. We were the best team at the All Star Break but only 2 games over .500 after the break. You can’t expect to make it far in the playoffs when you are playing .500 ball and are using a 3rd string 2nd baseman.
Mitchell
December 22nd, 2010
5:50 pm
Well now that I’ve finally read the article, I concur.
Frank Wren in 2010 was better at his job than Bobby Cox was at his.
The Braves made the playoffs in spite of their manager. They did it for him but he undermined their efforts by blowing it once again in the playoffs.
That said, the division series against the team I will not name was pretty amazing. The Braves showed more spirit and guttiness than any previous Braves team in maybe a decade. They really played with a lot of heart and considering the lesser degree of talent relative to the handful of 100 win teams in the ‘90 and early 2000s, you just have to wonder why we never saw anything nearly as clutch and dramatic as Eric Hinske’s homerun with two outs in the 8th inning of Game 3.
Still hard to believe we lost that game but it was a real throwback to all the punches to the gut of playoffs past.
But Game 2 was still incredible. We at least have one good memory from the whole deal.
todd grantham
December 22nd, 2010
5:51 pm
Sounds like I wasn’t even in the running..
GOP Cannon
December 22nd, 2010
5:53 pm
Nice article MB! It is amazing how much the playoff team changed from the opening day team.
Bob Pettit
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
Typical Atlanta media – Braves get blown out again in the playoffs & everything’s OK – how about a challenge once in a while???? I guess we’re supposed to feel grateful for them doing what they’re supposed to do – the injuries bought another year of acceptance………….
Mark Bradley
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
You were close, Coach Todd.
And thanks, GOP Cannon.
Darryl Blackberry
December 22nd, 2010
5:56 pm
Does Ted Turner have a rich heir who’s a Braves fan, by any chance?
Lord, I miss our payroll.
Joey
December 22nd, 2010
6:00 pm
If Wren had the Yankees’ checkbook, one could only wonder . . .
I just wish Yunell could have had Fredi this year, mentoring him . . .
German Shepherd Dawg
December 22nd, 2010
6:02 pm
Conrad had a three error game.
Big deal.
Joe had a four error sentence.
“Wren is a idot for sighing a loosing manager to repalce Bobby Cox.”
And he only used thirteen words. Amazing that he would call someone else an idiot….oops, excuse me. Idot.
Joey
December 22nd, 2010
6:10 pm
“Beat Spurrier, which Richt has done a lot, and the East is ours.”
****************************
DawginLex,
You never have silly posts, but what you are saying is that, next season, we will have to win all of our other SEC East games, because you know, and we know . . . . Richt can’t beat UF, no matter who their head coach is. Remember Zook?
Dang, I want to beat UF, but I know, deep down, Richt will be the first coach in UGA history to lose to 4 (FOUR) different UF coaches.
Hell, he may be the only coach of ANY team to lose to lose to 4 (FOUR) UF coaches.
Chief Hittabatta
December 22nd, 2010
6:31 pm
That playoff appearance WAS an epic fail, thanks to Brooks “Bucker” Conrad.
Dean
December 22nd, 2010
6:39 pm
I’ve said all along that Wren has done a masterfull job. Glad to see him finally get some credit for it. Of course, the naysayers will continue to say how much he’s hurt the team. He is one of the best GM’s in the game!
J-Man
December 22nd, 2010
6:42 pm
Just please dont write any “8 Reason” articles anymore…….. Especially about the Falcons. Other than that I still love ya
stachemoney22
December 22nd, 2010
6:48 pm
Bradley: you and the rest of the media are the reason that we have to accept mediocrity in Atlanta Sports. You never question the management’s face when a poor move is made. You call Frank Wren man of the year and gm of year when he traded Yunel Escobar away for a guy that barely has a .300 opb and makes four times as much as Escobar. You applaud someone that trades for Farnsworthless and Rick .300 obp Ankiel. We didn’t go from a .571 first half team to a .500 team for no reason. Omar Infante filled with an opb of approx .370 when chipper went down. Conrad went 7-20 when prado went down.
We went from likely world series bound to making the playoffs by one game as a wild card. Instead of adding a high obp OF wren acquired RicK AnKiel and Alex Gonzalez which caused us to have at least 4 automatic outs in our lineup almost every single night. Subtract Blanco, Escobar, and other high obp players for outmakers and that’s how you go from .570 to barely .500. Terrible GM work. Get a clue, please.
sidslid
December 22nd, 2010
6:54 pm
Love year end awards. Local athlete of the year: Roddy White
Coach: Craig Ramsey
Exec: Wren
Play of the year: Roddy’s strip
Trade of the Year: The Blackhawk Blockbuster
Chief Hittabatta
December 22nd, 2010
6:57 pm
Agree with sidslid 100%, except Craig Ramsey and Mike Smith are in a photo finish.
stachemoney22
December 22nd, 2010
7:00 pm
Bradley, you and the rest of atl media are the reason why we have to accept mediocre mgmt in atlanta sports. you never question the mgmt face to face when poor moves are made. We went from a .571 first half team to a barely .500 team for a reason. When Chipper went down infante filled in admirably with an obp of approx .370. When prado suffered his season ending injury conrad went 7-20 with game winning homers. So how did we go from a ws bound to a mediocre team that made the playoffs by one game as wild card? Easy answer. POOR GM WORK. It’s sad that you applaud a gm who traded away a career .370 second half obp guy for a player that has a career obp of .300 and is a worse fielder in comparison to escobar and makes 4 times as much. Wren traded for RicK .300 obp AnKiel. So, when you add these losers and take away high obp guys you struggle to produce runs. With Gonzo, Ankiel, Melky, Nate on the roster we regularly played with 4 outmakers in the lineup at the same time.
Because of dumb articles like these you allow braves mgmt to make it acceptable to “just making the playoffs” good enough. sad.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 22nd, 2010
7:30 pm
Mark, I know you didn’t mean to, but your column paints Conrad as a goat.
Without him, Wren doesn’t get your props.
bob
December 22nd, 2010
7:35 pm
Ready for Spring Training. Where is Mark’s List of the Top 50 Rap albums of the year?
Trey
December 22nd, 2010
7:48 pm
Thank you for the article Mark! Nice photo, too.