Give Wren a hand for not overreacting to the Braves’ collapse
"And the award for most patient general manager goes to ... " (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
On Aug. 24, 2011, the Atlanta Braves awoke having won 78 games. Only one major-league team (Philadelphia) had won more. They led the wild-card race by 9 1/2 games with 32 remaining, and the in-house question wasn’t, “Are we going to blow this?” Instead, it was, “Can we win it all?”
Thirty-five days later, the Braves lost Game No. 162 in 13 innings and failed to qualify for the playoffs. They finished with 89 victories, having dropped 21 of those final 32. The collapse was so comprehensive that it took Frank Wren, the general manager, a few weeks just to be able to view baseball again, and his wasn’t a solitary response. Speaking with fellow Braves employees, uniformed staffers among them, he found they couldn’t watch, either.
But then it changed. By the end, Wren was watching — watching as the St. Louis Cardinals, the team that chased down the Braves, celebrated a World Series title.
“We did not play well in September,” Wren said this week, stating the obvious. “We had a really bad month.”
But now it’s a new year. Distance can’t erase what happened in September 2011, but distance has enabled Wren to see what was, to many eyes, obscured by the debris of a good season gone rotten. Yes, the Braves had a historically bad month, but that’s not the same as being a bad team.
The same Wren who has made trades hand over fist in other offseasons — and in the middle of seasons, too — has consummated only one significant deal this time, that being the sell-off of Derek Lowe to Cleveland. This absence of visible activity from a GM who tends to be hyperactive has left some Braves fans to wonder how a team-builder could fail to shore a team that failed so miserably. The answer is that Wren doesn’t believe the Braves of September were the real Braves.
Said Wren: “Once the disappointment fades, that’s the approach you have to take.”
And if the 2012 Braves do come north in April with this roster, how would Wren feel? “We’d feel like we had a chance to be an even better team than we were last year.”
We pause here for your scoffs: Team flops, team adds nobody of consequence, team expects to improve? Well, yes. The starting rotation, which lost two key men (Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson) to injury down the stretch, stands to be healthy again. The bullpen, which was the best part of the 2011 Braves, stands to be even deeper. And a man who arrived not long before last season came undone figures to have an outsize influence on 2012.
For years, Braves fans have demanded a True Leadoff Man. Wren found one, at not much cost, at the trading deadline. “Michael Bourn alone will change our offense,” Wren said. “He sets us up very well to take the current roster into the season.”
Last season the Braves’ offense stunk on ice. So long as the starting pitchers went deep into games and Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel held every lead, the wins kept coming, but when Jurrjens and Hanson went down and the overtaxed relievers began to wobble … well, that’s how you lose 21 of your final 32. A full season of Bourn — and a new hitting coach in Greg Walker — should help the offense, but Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward and Martin Prado have to hit better, too.
Wren: “People have to bounce back. [Some guys] have a lot to prove.”
For the moment, Wren sounds as content as Wren ever gets. “We don’t have to move players for financial reasons. We don’t have to make a move because we have big holes to fill.”
If Prado and Heyward return to All-Star form, the corner-outfield issue gets tabled. Shortstop is another matter, but the Braves have hopes for the rookie Tyler Pastornicky. Unless you were a huge fan of Lowe and/or the departed Alex Gonzalez, if you liked the Braves’ chances heading into last season you should like them again now.
“If everyone bounces back, we’ve got a good ballclub,” Wren said. “We don’t have a major need.”
There’s not apt to be a big trade coming this spring. (”As a practicality, that’s probably the case,” Wren said.) And here we have to salute this GM for resisting the mighty urge, in the backwash of an epic fade, to do something, anything, everything. What happened was bad, but the worst thing Wren could have done was to take one bad month as cause to wreck a team poised for a run of many good years. He didn’t. He got it right.
By Mark Bradley
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252 comments Add your comment
phoenix
January 19th, 2012
9:37 pm
Most commonly heard phrases on Braves broadcasts in 2011:
“Ground ball, right side…just out of the reach of Uggla”
“Here’s the throw from Heyward, it’s off-line”
“Looks like Chipper hurt himself going for that ball”
“Looks like Chipper hurt himself running down the line”
“Looks like Chipper hurt himself stepping out of the dugout”
Michael G.
January 19th, 2012
9:37 pm
The next time Jair completes a season healthy will be his first. I agree with many others sentiments being there are way to many IFS to get excited about this team. This team reminds me of the Cleveland Indians from the movie Major League…..a bunch of has beens and some never will bes. Unfortunately, this isnt a movie where they can magically win the division.
Honest Ingine
January 19th, 2012
9:39 pm
Just hope Heyward is not a Francour
Rtruth
January 19th, 2012
9:42 pm
Braves suck.
bravo-n-knoxville
January 19th, 2012
9:43 pm
DB:
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on the Uggla has to hit comment. Mac can’t tank it the last 6 weeks and Prado can’t go MIA for the entire season is closer to what has to happen in order for 2012 to have a better chance of being successful as compared to 2011. They are and were our best overall hitters for last 2 seasons prior to 2011. Uggla hit 34 bombs and also led the Braves in RBI’s (82) as well. What did Prado and Mac lead us in statistically speaking on offense???
Don’t want to hear the injury excuse either. You can’t tell me they have never been injured before in sports…not that you would. Prado tried ti pull everything and so did Mac. If they want to be pig-headed and not hit the ball where it is pitched with RISP, then we are in deep doo-doo come April.
Steve
January 19th, 2012
9:50 pm
With rose-colored glasses Frank did look;
On the current Braves he was hooked;
No moves were made;
The Braves did not upgrade;
And how Frank will be cooked.
san diego steve
January 19th, 2012
10:02 pm
The Braves will be just fine if J.J. and Hanson and both healthy and return to form. I hope J.J. has worked on his overall fitness. Of course Uggla and Heyward both have to hit.
1995 was 17 years ago
January 19th, 2012
10:04 pm
If I were Wren, I’d be feeling good, too. If the Braves’ collapse had happened in New York or Boston, he would have been out in the cold looking for a new job this winter. But he, along with Fredi Gonzalez, get to keep their jobs because pro sports organizations in Atlanta have built up a tolerance for failure.
There is some truth in what Frank is saying. The team the Braves are going to break camp with should win 90-95 games. But I still didn’t like the strategy of standing pat. As a fan, it would have been nice to have had something to get excited about this offseason. The playoff loss to the Giants in 2010 really hurt, but getting Uggla quickly got me pumped up for the new season. It’s hard to be pumped going into 2012 with the same team that failed so epically coming back.
Now, I’m not saying we should have made a move just for the sake of making a move, but you’re not going to sell anyone on this team, despite its potential.
archie
January 19th, 2012
10:05 pm
Folks: Uggla had one good month. Period. That leaves five bad ones.
all for one.....
January 19th, 2012
10:12 pm
All the Braves need to hit, we need to play ABC baseball, we need to bunt, we need to steal bases, we need to get on base, take walks, and we really stunk at getting runners in from third with less than two outs. Please hit a fly ball and get and RBI for goodness sake, that is like a free throw in Basketball. We have great and deep Starting Pitching, great deep Bullpen with great Closer. We have average to better defense. Just make the easy plays and take easy outs. Avoid injuries, l would like to see some more toughness, l want guys we can’t keep off the field. Seems we get a scratch and sit 2 days. Come on Man. That displays Weekness. Show me some manhood. We are going up against probably the toughest division in baseball. We need Studs not Duds. We are getting outspent. Let the Braves take our Development Program and Developed Players and stand toe to toe with the Money Players and beat them down. Let’s send Chipper out with a deep playoff run. Work hard, play hard, hit hard, throw hard, run hard, get after their rears Braves. Show me Tude guys.
all for one.....
January 19th, 2012
10:22 pm
MLB is a privilege not a right. If it was a right l would be playing. This should be told to all Braves, “Get the job done or hit the pavement son.” Do your job, or we shall find someone who can.
Ozzie
January 19th, 2012
10:26 pm
Credit for being broke and handcuffed? He doesn’t like this anymore than any real fan. He is towing the company line.
You think he wouldn’t prefer Reyes at SS, Holiday in LF and Fielder at 1B? I know he loves the young guys but to say he deserves credit for being backed into a corner is just silly.
You can do better than that.
DawgDad
January 19th, 2012
10:27 pm
“Uggla hit 34 bombs and also led the Braves in RBI’s (82) as well. ” Dave Kingman-esque.
Overall, Uggla produced about what you’d hope for out of a second baseman. He just did it in a very non-compelling manner, and he didn’t create lineup synergy. For five months he was counted on to be a right-handed run-producing force in the middle of the order, particularly against lefties, and he wasn’t.
afan
January 19th, 2012
10:30 pm
all for one..thats the unions fault..only play half year like JJ and get 2 million raise and Prado. Like all the arbration players getting raises no matter what. Its BS and we the fans pay the price for it.
Ozzie
January 19th, 2012
10:30 pm
Wren is not a bad guy or a moron as some would suggest. He made some bad FA signings and misread the willingness of Liberty to invest in this club.
So now he is stuck and has to hope everyone who sucked in 2011 doesn’t suck in 2012 and the injury big passes over the team.
Two guys go down and this team is toast b/c the bench blows as of today. Hinske is exposed if you play him every day. Diaz is done. Constanza is a quad A guy whose this years Gregor Blanco.
backwoods
January 19th, 2012
10:35 pm
Heyward = over rated … oh and sign Roy Oswalt to a one year deal , you can never have enough pitching and besides Huddy , we have no veteran experience
229Bravesfan
January 19th, 2012
10:54 pm
2 hitting coaches are better than one.
Brandon
January 19th, 2012
11:07 pm
I agree with your analysis Mark. So many people forget that in the final month Atlanta was without Jurrjens and Hanson, McCann batted under .200 and prado batted .236 … Some are saying that Wren is being too optimistic, but realistically, does anyone really expect McCann and Prado to have such lackluster performances again? Considering that McCann is a 6 time all star and in the 3 seasons prior Prado has proven that he can be a 300 hitter. As for JJ and Hanson, they were the two best starters in the 1st half, losing them greatly affected the team. Also down the stretch, and pretty much the entire season, derek lowe was horrible. Getting rid of him opens up the opportunity for the braves to use their much better pitching prospects. Kris Medlen is returning(likely to the bullpen), Vizcaino will be in the bullpen. Those two guys are much better than proctor, and linebrink. also moylan could be returning to the bullpen as well. The bullpen is much deeper. Hopefully Heyward rebounds, which i think will happen. However, Wren has been smart to wait. We have a ton of questions, so of course it is best to wait probably until Spring Training to see how some things play out. For example, if we trade JJ for a bat, and then huddy and hanson have setbacks, the braves would be stuck with beachy, teheran, minor, medlen, delgado (something like that). Why not play it safe and wait to see. Also, what if we trade heyward and he hits 30+ homers, then everybody would say that FW is an idiot. I think Wren’s approach has been right on. The team has clearly improved: addition by subtraction…The other teams might be making noise, but even after the Braves horrible finish, they are still trying to catch us. It is not the other way around
Brandon
January 19th, 2012
11:13 pm
@archie uggla had 2 good months, one mediocre, and 3 bad
afan
January 19th, 2012
11:30 pm
Dream on Brandon..everything is going to be great this year in Braves Utopia..Wren must have been reading Sir Thomas More’s book.
bucky oneil
January 19th, 2012
11:47 pm
We missed advancing by one win, winning the wild card by two. This was despite Heyward underperforming, Uggla’s extremely slow offensive start, and the loss of Hanson and Jurrjens down the stretch. I agree with you Mark. I think Wren has made the right moves to bring a competitive team to the field this year.
What if Jair Jurrjens isn't traded? - Tomahawk Take - An Atlanta Braves Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
January 20th, 2012
5:33 am
[...] on twitter. If you want some more on the foresight of Frank Wren check out Mark Bradley’s latest post at the AJC. It’s a great read. Tags: atlanta braves, Frank Wren, jair jurrjens Adrian Gonzalez [...]
Brad
January 20th, 2012
6:57 am
Wren is still the worst GM in baseball hands down. Remember the disgrace of Baltimore going from somewhat yearly contenders to yearly last place finishers was under Wren’s watch. He was lucky to get a strong farm system left to him, but he’ll destroy it and leave Atlanta in shambles if we don’t dump him soon.
Charlie
January 20th, 2012
7:17 am
The actual truth is that the CHOKER BRAVES are the same group, with the same management (Fredi). If they play to form, they will be 4th in the NL East in 2012. The only reason deals were not made is because the Braves put little of value on the trade block.
Art
January 20th, 2012
8:19 am
WRen did a good job for doing nothing. The only problem is the Nats and Marlins have moved ahead of the Braves in the East. Braves are doomed for 4th place unless some consistant hitting is done and Chipper can play. If the real hitters are like Sept and the pitching is like Sept then the Braves will be closer to the Mets. If Chipper cant play then maybe below the Mets.
More from Wren the GM: On Fredi, the bullpen and the Phillies | Mark Bradley
January 20th, 2012
8:39 am
[...] For your listening enjoyment, here’s a bit more from this week’s conversation with Braves general manager Frank Wren. (Other snippets of the Wren Zen can be found here.) [...]
Dwayne
January 20th, 2012
8:44 am
FG will be the down fall of the Braves again, overwork o, v and k during the year, the bullpen will collapse, he is a terrible in game manager. If one of the young starters made it to the 5th inning in a close game, he went to the bullpen, therefore over working them.
B-Fan
January 20th, 2012
8:44 am
Newt Gingrich’s favorite baseball players: Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson.
PureEvil
January 20th, 2012
8:54 am
After reading through some of the comments it’s amazing more people aren’t working in baseball!!! So many people with so many answers!!!
Donovan
January 20th, 2012
9:09 am
If, if, if…let’s be realistic. The Braves do not have the talent nor do they have the mentality to be winners. How many years have we seen that recurring infection of laying down by all members when one of the hitters or pitchers have a slump?
Wren is only kidding himself when he says that this team only had a bad month when it is obvious that this team does not have the talent to be winners. You don’t improve a team by keeping the same losers on board and hope that the team will do better if and when some injured players return to hit or pitch again. Those injured starting pitchers were not that good to begin with. What a responsible GM does is get rid of the dead wood ala Derek Lowe.
Just because Wren thinks that Bourne will turn the tide in winning games by getting on base the other component of hitting him in is still unresolved. We still have nobody worth a damn to bring him home.
Washington and Florida did what was needed to improve their teams and we will see the results this season. They will quickly put the Braves in their rear view mirrors while Wren tries to persuade us that the Braves are still trying to make adjustments with the so-so talent that was an embarassment last fall.
STRETCH
January 20th, 2012
9:11 am
Mitchell,
Your comments @ 4:08 were right on point!
And i hope people stop smoking what Wren and Freddi is smoking. And speaking of Freddi, he choked down the stretch along with the whole team.
So, this is what we have to look forward to in 2012:
Bourne – Maybe a full year of him will be a key.
Prado – Sorry, im just not sold on this guy in LF.
Chipper – When…do you retire?!
Uggla – Please hit for the WHOLE season.
Freeman – Watch out for the Sophmore Slump.
McCann – Hope he stays healthy.
Heyward – Hope he is NOT another Frenchie
Pastornicky – ???????
Stating Rotation :
Hanson – Overrated
Jurrjens – Trade for bat
Hudson – Still the man!
Beachy – Goint to be the man!
Minor/ Medlen – Minor(trade bait) Medlen(spot starter)
Available: Moylan, Delgado,Teheran, O’Flarty, Venters, Kimbrel,
Once again, great pitching, terrible situational hitting. A-Gon was the scapegoat along with Parish, but what is the organization going to say when the offense doesnt perform this time???
Don
January 20th, 2012
9:22 am
You are right, the Braves don’t need to make any changes.
AFTER ALL:
(1) They have a Third Baseman who used to be a great, great hitter – to hit in the third spot in the order, when he no longer produces like a 3rd place hitter — and who can play Part Time even though he does not have adequate defensive range at third base.
(2) They have a rookie shortstop – who there is no reason to think will be a productive hitter – even if he does do the job defensively (which is not guarantee)
(3) They have a Second Baseman who, even though he has some power – hit only in the 230’s last season and had and On Base Average barely above .300.
(4) They have a Right Fielder – who there is no reason to think will hit well enough to even be a 4th or 5th outfielder.
(5) And most significantly, they have Four of their Five Starting Pitchers coming off injuries – and everyone knows that pitchers always return to being great after serious injuries.
(6) And even though they have a wealth of additional young pitching talent — what good will this do if they allow the situation to continue where – of all the Starting Pitchers that they have had in the 6 or 7 years since Leo left as Pitching Coach, almost every one of them has ended up being injured.
SO WHO SHOULD ANYONE BE CONCEERNED?????
fordcobra
January 20th, 2012
9:37 am
All fine and good, if the Braves turn a miracle this year. If they sink to the 4th or 5th position the same ones hailing him will be calling for a ousting. Everyone improved except the Braves.
fordcobra
January 20th, 2012
9:39 am
Don@
I agree.
Thanks
Fourbee
January 20th, 2012
9:48 am
I don’t know whether the Braves have a lot of whiners for fans or if MB attracts them.
This team is significantly better than the team that started the 2011 season. There will be no Shafer/McClouth tandem in centerfield. There will be no Derek Lowe to pitch batting practice. There will be no Scott Proctor or Scott Linebrink to blow leads. Instead, the Braves will have a premier centerfielder in Michael Bourn, a decent to good pitcher in Mike Minor and bullpen help in Kris Medlin and Arodys Viscaino to hold the lead. Sure, we will have a rookie SS with no MLB experience, but everyone starts from scratch, don’t they? Do you think he could hit worse than Alex Gonzales with RISP? In any event, we have a quality backup SS in Jack Wilson, who will mentor Pastornicky (or P Nicky, as his teammates call him).
No, we didn’t sign an overpaid free agent or trade for a superstar. However the Braves didn’t need either. An under-performing team, with many marginal players, was in the divisional title hunt until the All Star break last year. How much better will they be simply by removing the worst players on the team?
I agree with FW and MB. Sometimes, the best moves are the ones that remove dead weight, allowing better players an opportunity. But then, for whiners or MB haters, nothing will satisfy them. Maybe their mothers should have breast fed them a little longer!
P Rose
January 20th, 2012
9:48 am
This is all assuming, of course, that everyone stays healthy and performs up to expectations; that Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrell don’t have sophomore slumps; that Prado bounces back from his staph infection; that Jurrjens’ knee doesn’t give out again as it always does in September; and that a 40 year-old Chipper has anything left.
“The starting rotation, which lost two key men… to injury down the stretch, stands to be healthy again.” Yes, of course they’re healthy now, after resting for an offseason; but that means nothing come August. Every team starts fresh in the spring; this is hardly an advantage to the Braves. They will have key injuries, as every team does; and one or more players will have disappointing seasons, as do one or more players on every club. There is no reason to believe that this team will have any more success down the stretch than the exact same team (less Lowe and Gonzo) did last season.
Tell It Like It Is
January 20th, 2012
9:57 am
I believe that the Marlins and the Nationals are now better than the Braves. They are younger and faster. They actually were almost as good last year in head to head match ups. Injuries are the big equalizer. Who can replace the starters if injuries happen? I just do not see the depth, speed and youth required to beat the Phillies,Nats and the Fish.
John A.
January 20th, 2012
10:20 am
Chop attack are you on drugs? Fredi G. lost more than half dozen games for us with his idiot thinking. Unless Fredi changes his mindset we are in for additional headaches this season. Fredi has more than proven why the Fish got rid of him!!
kwajbraves
January 20th, 2012
10:33 am
We scored 3 runs or less in 67 games last season. We were the indisputed kings of the 3-2 and 2-1 games. Although, I agreed that we were a better team that our Sept record indicated but the painful reality is that this team stunk offensively during the whole season . We are expecting at least 3 players to bounce back next season and hope that our pitching staff keep winning 3-2 run games. I will continue to root for this team but I hope that we hit a little better because watching the Braves at bats last season were as exciting as watching grass grow.
Mister Frisky
January 20th, 2012
10:38 am
Good Morning.4th place.
GaryinBham
January 20th, 2012
10:43 am
Could not disagree with all the whiners on here more. I think we line up good, and there are plenty of chips to make a trade if we need it. You can always make a trade when you need it if you have something to barter with, but you can never take a stupid trade back…
bobbymahlon
January 20th, 2012
10:50 am
The one thing I will say if Heyward would of hit and played defense as well as Franoeur last year we would have made the playoffs.
I hope Heyward turns out to be better than Jeff at least hitting wise but he will never as good defensivly.
kwajbraves
January 20th, 2012
10:54 am
any event, we have a quality backup SS in Jack Wilson
Do we have a back up SS? Yes, Do we have a quality back up? No
tbyrd
January 20th, 2012
11:22 am
All the pieces are in place for the Braves to have an excellent season…..just remains to see how certain players bounce back (J-Hey, Prado,)…how well Pastornicky adjusts to the bigs….and of course avoiding major injuries to key players. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all plays out….it should be fun!
Mike
January 20th, 2012
12:45 pm
I’m just gonna say this and leave it be…the Braves are notorious for not re-signing minority players…they haven’t even approached Bourns’ agent for a new deal…the only players consider trading is Jurrjens and Prado…but they hold on to an over the hill Chipper Jones…even though it hurts the team for 2 consecutive seasons…so now they will be in the same position of lacking a true leadoff hitter and a centerfielder next season…and for what? to get 2,000 more fans in the stadium to see Chipper limp around??? I will give Wren credit for keeping the business as usual approach
Mark's for the Braves
January 20th, 2012
1:40 pm
I have faith in this team if:
1 They stay healthy
2 Uggla gets off to a good start and has a consistent year
3 Heyward at least hits 20 homers and 70 RBIs and .260
4 Prado hits .280 and has 15 homers and 60 RBIs
5 Freeman has a duplicate or better year
6 Mac has a better finish than last year
7 The bullpen improves (and it should with Moylan all year and the kids getting experience)
8 Bourne having a full year with .300 BA and 40-50 steals
10. Chipper playing 115 games and 15-20 homers and 60 RBIs, .275 BA
11. Jurrjens, Hanson pitch 180-200 innings
Dan Schlossberg
January 20th, 2012
8:57 pm
Murphy’s Law — not Dale Murphy’s — got loose inside the Atlanta clubhouse after Labor Day. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Even when Alex Gonzalez got hot at the plate for the first time all year, he was sidelined for a week by injury. EVERYONE underachieved in September but Prado, Heyward, and McCann were nothing short of abysmal, while Bourn failed to prove leadoff support by striking out too much and bunting for hits too little. There were plenty of opportunities to add some inexpensive punch, starting with one-time hero Andruw Jones, but Frank fiddled while Rome burned. Unless the new hitting coach can work miracles, there’s not much to suggest that the offensive malaise won’t continue.
Stumpknocker
January 21st, 2012
8:55 pm
The only thing wrong with the Braves is a lack of an owner or(ownership) that gives a crap !!!!!!
Moeman
January 23rd, 2012
2:20 pm
I know many will not agree but I for one beleive some things are contrived to cover up reality. Fact is we would have a super lineup now had the braves not made unnecessary moves. Wouldn’t have an outfield problem if Francour, was in right, Heyward in left. Wouldn’t have a problem at short if Escobar had not been moved. Yes, Francour went through a slum but he was and still is one of the best defensive right fielders in the game and is serviceable offensively. Don’t beleive for a minute Escobar was the “cancer” he was made out to be. And we didn’t need a second baseman when Wren traded for Uggla. We had an all star there that now plays out of position. All moves mentioned were for budget purposes. Bad moves like Kamakawi, Lowe, McLouth has Wren budget strapped. Sure he finally spent money on a back end loaded contract for Uggla but got Bourne on the cheap. It may get better soon with Lowe off the books next year and Chipper retiring this year or next but there will not be any big time players in Atlanta anytime soon.So please no applause for Wren holding pat. He has no choice he has no money.
Honey Bee
January 24th, 2012
2:28 pm
Wren doing nothing and Nationals getting Fielder. Braves finish 4th.