Give Wren credit for not overreacting to the Braves' collapse

Tom

January 19th, 2012
3:04 pm

Beg to differ with the bullpen but In Wren We Trust.

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:06 pm

Heyward is the key in 2012. If he doesn’t bounce back the Braves have some real headaches. As long as the rookie SS fields his position well the Braves can live with whatever production he offers, but the Braves need Heyward to be the guy everyone thought he would be.

Mr. Phil

January 19th, 2012
3:08 pm

good grief Bradley.I guess next we gotta give credit to rick Sund for not panicking.

Najeh Davenpoop

January 19th, 2012
3:10 pm

Can’t give credit for not overreacting unless that decision is proven to be correct. Wait until midseason at least and see if the Braves are playing at a high level before applauding him for his decision.

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:11 pm

Without a doubt… but Uggla (despite his horrible start) did hit over 30 HR last season.

Tim

January 19th, 2012
3:12 pm

Right on Mark. I also give him credit for not having a knee jerk reaction when Philadelphia improved their bullpen and the Marlins their Bullpen, infield, and starting rotation.

Trojan

January 19th, 2012
3:14 pm

Great and timely article, Mark. Heyward must simply produce, Prado must be healthy and all of a sudden the Braves are back!

As it stand, (and I have been critical of FW) we have a good team going into spring training and we still have all of our prospects to either develop or to trade.

Good job FW.

Raleigh

January 19th, 2012
3:14 pm

The problem is teams like the fish have gotten better, and the phillies have the best rotationin baseball since glavine smoltz and maddux. Braves will be great again though, just stay healthy. Go braves!

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:15 pm

I have steadily supported Frank Wren’s handling of the team since he’s been the GM. I understand that due to their financial constraints its going to take longer to get to where they want to be as a team. I think it’s way too premature to give him credit for anything when this team has not played a single game yet and the only thing we have to go on is an abysmal hitting team and an epic September collapse.

Top Dawg

January 19th, 2012
3:17 pm

All this from a man who decided to send his sons to tech to play baseball. Hmmmmm….

megan

January 19th, 2012
3:18 pm

All I have to say is 14 years… only one world series championship…For God’s sake even Boston broke the curse of the Bambino to win 1 in since the days of the dinosaurs?

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:18 pm

Most of the team was set last year. He dumped Derrick Lowe who was becoming more of an anchor with his salary situation. That was a big move. He kept them out of arbitration with several players probably saving money. It “should” be a pretty decent team if everyone stays healthy, but it’s still going to take luck to get these guys to produce enough runs to win enough games to get into the playoffs.

fred

January 19th, 2012
3:19 pm

I could not disagree more! We will only get worse based on our current construction. No SS, an old broken down 3B and no power in the OF. Frank Wren is either an idiot or a puppet of Liberty Media.

Gumbo

January 19th, 2012
3:19 pm

Can we give Mr. Wren a hand for under-reacting Mr. Bradley? Wow – the worst case of “homer” journalism i’ve ever seen. Good Lord, they collapsed – no offense and a shaky bullpen – and have done nothing in the offseason to remedy that, and somehow you spin that as a virtue. UGH!

S

January 19th, 2012
3:20 pm

Overreacting? They’ve done nothing. Imagine if the falcons did nothing. Funny they needed to make moves but the braves haven’t and that’s fine. No wonder this city is known as loserville in sports.

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:21 pm

The Braves had the best on base percentage in the NL in 2010 and the worst in 2011. I would expect that in 2012 that the Braves are someone between those two extremes in 2012.

Supes

January 19th, 2012
3:22 pm

Mark, where is the piece on WREN sitting back and “waiting” while EVERY OTHER team in the NL EAST (aside from the MUTS) is getting better?

OK maybe next week…

For now “Wren” is the genius who “is sitting back and waiting”

G

January 19th, 2012
3:25 pm

What ATL really needs is a new owner who is not a corporation and who will take a real, personal interest in the team……

eastbound and down

January 19th, 2012
3:26 pm

based on your assessment, the braves have an “if” at LF,RF and SS. Hanson’s delivery looks like a sports surgeon’s dream… we will see…

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:28 pm

Supes… the jury is out on whether those teams are better. The Braves added Uggla and on paper should have been better last season. The team took a step backward.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:28 pm

I feel relatively certain Fredi will find a way to screw this team up again.

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:30 pm

Our team is the king of oddities.

The Catcher and 2nd baseman are probably the two best hitters on the team. The outfielders have been abysmal at the plate collectively since probably the Clinton administration.

Do we have a plan for matriculation at 3B?

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:31 pm

I should say the 2nd baseman and catcher are probably the 2 best “Power” hitters on the team. Uggla obviously doesn’t hit for average.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:31 pm

Our genius manager doesn’t care about OBP, ChopAttack. He’s more into scrappyness (or scrappiness?). His dream is to manage a team of David Ecksteins.

Burned

January 19th, 2012
3:32 pm

What about the letter from Scherholtz promising the fans they (Braves FO) would not take the collapse laying down? You telling me that a new hitting coach and dropping some fat (Lowe, Mclouth, and Kawakami) is the answer? I don’t think so.

jimmya

January 19th, 2012
3:32 pm

if the season starts off like last august and sept by june its time to do some firing

Abnerish

January 19th, 2012
3:32 pm

Wren is being very optimistic with his outlook. Only time will tell if he is right or wrong. He needs a lot of things to go right for these Braves to succeed:

- Jurrjens and Hanson need to recover fully from injuries. Personally, I don’t see Hanson making it to the All-Star break and Jurrjens arm seemed to be as much of an issue as his knee. Most people seem to forget that after the break, he was barely topping out at 88mph. Perhaps the two were related, but I’ve heard that they were.

- Heyward and Prado need to rebound from disappointing seasons. Prado has more of a track record so I think that is a good bet. Heyward really hasn’t impressed since the middle of his rookie season. He has to prove he can adjust.

- The bar set for Pastornicky is pretty low, but he still must be a serviceable hitter and an above average defender. Another major question mark.

- McCann and Uggla need to be more consistent. Can O’Ventbrel perform anywhere close to last year?

Bottom line, a lot of question marks for a team that probably needs to also deal with a damaged psyche, too. I think they needed a jolt of a major acquisition to boost their confidence, but that’s just me. Then again, Manny Ramirez is still available. Come to think of it, so is Barry Bonds.

Greg

January 19th, 2012
3:35 pm

I buy what Mark says. We have good reason to believe we will be as good as we were, or a little better, at the beginning of last year. But is that enough? Our competition has been making moves to actually significantly improve. Why didn’t we work on a sure upgrade at SS? LF? Why just “hope”? Why not improve team speed? Why not buy some high-quality insurance for RF? After all, Jason may not work out! We all want him to, but maybe he’s going to go bust. It wouldn’t be the first time in baseball, you know.

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:36 pm

I don’t think there’s a damaged psyche. When your two best pitchers are lost for 1/2 the season that’s what happens. The Braves had very little room for error since they were a terrible hitting team.

ChopAttack

January 19th, 2012
3:36 pm

btw… anyone who blames Fredi doesn’t know anything about baseball.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:40 pm

I think I know a little bit and Fredi was culpable for a lot of things, ChopAttack. I can point to his abuse of his bullpen, his inability to set a lineup, his obsession with bunting… Shall I continue?

Cecil34

January 19th, 2012
3:40 pm

OK, Mark, we will see which way the wind is blowing when we see a whole bunch of Braves’ fans camouflaged as empty seats next season.

If that occurs, then their opinion of Wren and the organization will differ from yours.

If this team is several games under .500 by the first of June, then you might want to re-visit this column.

We shall see!

STRETCH

January 19th, 2012
3:42 pm

So….basically the same team that depended so much on the pitching to carry them?

On offense that didnt know how to do the simple things like bunt and move runners over?

A team that was 26th in the league in batting avg and slugging? LOL!!!

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:42 pm

The new CF has already improved team speed. Pastornicky improved team speed. The OBP was much better collectively the year before last. A fresh approach from a somewhat proven hitting coach and not whatever they had last year should help. Not to mention CF is not a black hole and the leadoff hitter is somewhat proven.

Tha Real Brave

January 19th, 2012
3:43 pm

So when we miss the playoffs again this year then what?

Abnerish

January 19th, 2012
3:44 pm

We’ll see about the damaged psyche. It seemed in September that they found new and exciting ways to lose every time out. Almost like they were expecting to lose. 2010 was completely different. That team knew they were in every game, no matter the situation.

No excuse not to trade JJ

January 19th, 2012
3:45 pm

Braves were fine to not do much but there was no reason to not trade JJ.

Very clear Braves vastly overvalued JJ. Minor already projects better than JJ and Teheran would very likely equal his production, but the Braves overreached trying to get a Greinke deal when JJ is nowhere close to as good. ERA is one of the worst ways to judge a starting pitcher because it fails to take into account too many things like fortunate batting average on balls in play. Most clubs have moved into a new age of better analytics and weren’t taken with the con.

Braves has a great chance to replenish their farm and deal away a growing cost that doesn’t add much value to their team but failed because they don’t understand his true worth. Braves need to desperately modernize their player evaluation or they will never maximize their team.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:46 pm

I think a lot of Bourne’s value is on the defensive side, PMC. He certainly had a nice year hitting last year, and I hope he replicates it. But our defense was brutal out there with McLouth (when healthy).

Stinger

January 19th, 2012
3:47 pm

This article is a good job of kissing up to Wren….Give him credit for doing nothing…awesome.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:48 pm

Very rational post, No excuse. I agree completely. They have a position of depth – pitching – and a lack of hitting on the major league level. There was no reason not to make move, assuming they could have gotten a reasonable return.

Puma

January 19th, 2012
3:49 pm

If Prado and Heyward return to form, we will be fine, if not, we are f****. I am pretty sure Prado will be fine, Heyward…I don’t know, he seems a little messed up confidence wise.

I am a little worried about the rotation though. The reason the bullpen broke down was because most of our guys never got past the 5-6 innings, with the exception of Hudson. Those younger guys, Hanson and JJ in particular, need to start pitching into and past the 7th innings. But I am much happier to be handing the ball to Medlin and Vizcaino in the 6th than Proctor or Linebrink, that’s fo sure.

PMC

January 19th, 2012
3:51 pm

Not having McClouth in CF is one big reason for positivity. Here’s hoping Bourne can save some runs at least in part the way Andrew used to do.

Puma

January 19th, 2012
3:53 pm

Also – those saying we should have traded JJ have no idea what kind of return we may have gotten. If he can somewhat replicate what he did in the first half of last year, he will be worth much more around all star break than now. If not, I do not think we will get anything less than we could now.

dawg tired

January 19th, 2012
3:54 pm

Other teams have worked to get better. What have we done lately? Gotten older?

Ryan

January 19th, 2012
3:54 pm

Most importatnly, if the starting pitchers start landing on the DL, their young replacements gained valuable experience last year and should be ready to perform.

rpidge

January 19th, 2012
3:55 pm

What a joke. If this team doesn’t pick up two more bats with one being an outfielder then the Braves will finish behind the Phillies, the Nationals and the Marlins (not necessarily in this order) at the end of the 2012 season. You can take that to the bank. Also, you are not going to get more than 120 games from Chipper, if that. If Wren thinks a tweak is all we need, he needs to have someone remove the blinders.

John in Atlanta

January 19th, 2012
3:56 pm

“If Prado and Heyward return to All-Star form”…
“If everyone bounces back,…”
Don’t forget “If maybe’s and buts were candy and nuts, what a great world this would be!”
No answers to the problems, just cross your fingers and hope for improvement. What a great management style! How do you get that job, or better still, how do you get to keep it????

Kelly

January 19th, 2012
3:58 pm

Oh…so the Sept. Braves weren’t the “real” Braves. Who would that have been…the Braves that played before the All Star break?

This is a bad excuse and crappy ownership.

kent

January 19th, 2012
3:59 pm

There has to be some sort of accountability on the leadership level for the collapse last year. I have no faith in this manager or this team- like all Georgia teams, they have no heart.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
3:59 pm

Agreed, PMC.

bvillebaron

January 19th, 2012
3:59 pm

Gumbo:

Actually Mark has it right. Did you and the other critics realize that (1) the team missed the playoffs by 1 lousy game despite losing 20 out of its last 30 games; (2) that neither Hanson nor Jurrjens pitched during the stretch run and Prado and McCann were slowed by injuries during the same time period; (3) the team improved already because any of their other choices is an upgrade over Derek Lowe (if you want to blame Wren for anything, blame him for agreeing with the decision to continue to parage Lowe out to pitch batting practice for his last 6 starts, including, the pivotal game while Teheran played catch with the bullpen catcher despite posting off the charts numbers in AAA); (4) Bourn will be with the team from the start of the season; and (5) making panic trades because of impatient fans like you is what kills franchises. Despite all their offseason moves and fanfare, neither the Marlins nor the Nationals are better teams than the Braves.

P.S. Were you the guy who called the MLB radio network the other night to suggest that the Braves trade Prado, Jurrjens and two of their premium pithcing prospects for a 4th outfielder like Seth Smith? If you were, please ‘fess up.

Kelly

January 19th, 2012
4:01 pm

these guys couldn’t hit for over half a year…when you add together the miserable first half with the flaccid flop in Sept, there is actually nothing to be encouraged about offensively. If you’re one to believe that pitching alone wins championships, there’s one World Series banner hanging in the Ted to show for all that regular season success.

SawThat1nce

January 19th, 2012
4:02 pm

The “real Braves” of last season could not get hits with RISP, with the game on the line.

meh

January 19th, 2012
4:02 pm

it feels like every year we’re saying if so and so bounces back and if this other guy gets healthy than we’ll be awesome.

Just The Facts

January 19th, 2012
4:03 pm

The problem is the Braves are built to do well when everything goes RIGHT which rarely happens. Basically half of their offense is suspect IMO. LF, RF, SS & 3rd. I love Chipper but they are not getting their “bang for the buck” for the % of payroll he eats up. Keep your fingers crossed because I’m guessing we won’t make move until it’s too late. You have to be more aggressive addressing the offensive issues in a division that’s this stacked. You have to “take a chance to have a chance” not play it safe. It’s like “playing not to lose instead of playing to win.” Time will tell.

Bob the Blogger

January 19th, 2012
4:03 pm

All we really need is for McCann, Prado, and Uggla turn in career average performances, and for Heyward to repeat his rookie year. That is a significant offensive upgrade right there.

SawThat1nce

January 19th, 2012
4:04 pm

I hope that they can get some hits when they need them, to win most of the 1 run games.

Marteen is a Ballplayer

January 19th, 2012
4:04 pm

What move was Wren supposed to make? You aren’t going to replace Bourn, McCann, Uggla, or Freeman. So that leaves Chipper, Prado, Heyward, and shortstop. We need Prado to replace Chipper when he is down and to play left field the rest of the time. As much as you would like to get a full-time 3rd baseman or full-time leftfielder, it simply doesn’t make sense.. That leaves Heyward and our SS.

If you are ready to give up on Heyward, then you have an argument there I guess…if that is the way you think.. We have a SS of the future coming up. If you want to trade him, that is just plain silly unless you have the foresight to know he is going to be a bust.

So Wren’s options were a short-stop (no way to make a huge splash for a rent-a-player), LF (meaning Prado rides the bench unless Chipper is hurt), or RF (which means you completely give up on Heyward after two seasons).

We have a young team with even more youth coming up. Any big splash we make will be in a year or two to replace Chipper (retirement), Bourn (not resigned), or LF (if Prado takes over 3rd).

Lastly, I do feel players are ultimately responsible for their hitting, but I can’t see a new hitting coach not helping tremendously. Like Lowe, the departure of our last non-experienced hitting coach is addition by subtraction.

Bama Brave

January 19th, 2012
4:05 pm

Who is Frank Wren???????

Rayk

January 19th, 2012
4:06 pm

I hope you’re putting us on. It’s one thing not to overreact, it’s another to do almost nothing to improve the team.
If the almost all the teams you play most against (own division) improve, bringing back the same team won’t bring the same results.
If SD and Oakland can get 4 decent players/prospects for their starters, we couldn’t get 2 for Jurgens ? Wren apparently got cute with the Reds and they went to SD with their charity.
Aside from Uggla and Chipper (who hits better lefty), where is the right handed power ? We have to face many lefties (Lee and Hamels, Buehrle now, Lannan, Niese and Santana at some point, ) and our lineup is stacked with lefties ?
I thought the point was normally to deal from surplus (pitching) to fill other needs. Are we going with a 7 man rotation and a 15 man staff ?

Burned

January 19th, 2012
4:06 pm

I for one will not complain when seats are empty this year. If the FO doesnt want to send a message to the fans that they want to win, then the fans should send a message that they arent going to deal with another pathetic collapse.

Doug Walker

January 19th, 2012
4:07 pm

“If Prado and Heyward return to All-Star form, the corner outfield issue gets tabled.”

That’s a bit of a glib hand wave at what could be an insurmountable challenge for the Braves. Heyward gave no indication at any point last season that he could remedy his struggles. I love Prado, but he might just be a pretty good, .270-ish hitter. What makes anyone think either of these guys will be All Stars again?

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:08 pm

OK, OK, Mark Bradley, someone either threatened your job or threatened to limit your access to sports programs and franchises in the state of Georgia. This is like the 5th article in a row where you are clearly coddling all of these teams and refuse to call a spade a spade. But I won’t backtrack and bring up all the other articles where you, sir, are shining up mediocre product concerning UGA and GT football, the worthless Hawks and the pretty good but not championship worthy Larry Drew, and the average-talented Falcons. Let’s stick to the topic. Frank and the Braves organization is stagnant. STALE. MOLDING. This pitchers-first crap has got to be scrapped. I know what “good baseball-sense” is, but have the Braves won anything of consequence since 1995? These Braves are going nowhere until #1 They are sold #2 The entire management team is cleared out, to include Shuerholtz and his underlings. Nuff Said!!!

Mitchell

January 19th, 2012
4:08 pm

Why the hell should I or anybody give Frank Wren a hand? How ’bout no.

We already know he excells at inaction.

Maybe, Mark Bradley, if you weren’t such a hack you would have addressed some of the issues relating to the wildly underperforming offense during the season instead of conjuring fantasies of a playoff run.

Then maybe Frank Wren, had he any respect for you opinion, which I strongly doubt he does, might have actually taken action to change what any clear eyed Braves fan could plainly see, which was a team not performing on all levels and ultimately winning games by grinding the bullpen into the ground.

If the media in this town wasn’t such a joke there would still be someone questioning why the hell Fredi Gonzalez didn’t walk Hunter Pence one last time with the entire season on the line and whether he’s even capable of getting his team to the playoffs after such a dumb decision in a crucial game.

There might also be someone pondering how a team that won five pennants in the ’90s could go eleven years without winning a playoff series and why any fan or observer should believe they’ll contend for anything beyond the Nationl League wild card in 2012.

There most certainly would not be someone urging fans to congratulate the team’s General Manager for, yes, “doing nothing” in the off-season after overseeing one of the worst September collapses in the history of baseball.

Next time you ask people to give Frank Wren a hand, Mark, save it for when he actually does something.

Burned

January 19th, 2012
4:09 pm

Marlins…Reyes, Bell.
Nats….many upgrades and likely Prince
Braves….resign Wilson……get excited Atlanta. Our GM deserves all the credit in the world!!!!!

Tumbledown

January 19th, 2012
4:10 pm

I am tired of the status quo. Since the Braves won the World Series, they have compiled too deep a list of embarrassing finishes to their seasons: (1) collapsing against the Yankees in 1996; (2) sending out a “minor” league batting order in the 1998 NLCS Game Six; (3) a 4-0 loss to the Yankees in the 1999 World Series; (5) only ONE playoff series win since 1999 while making the playoffs seven times; (6) losing many of those series in a deciding game five on home turf; and (7) the historic collapse of 2011.

I am not sure that doing virtually nothing can reverse this incredible run of collapses, chokes, and underperformance when the going gets tough. Hopefully, Wren’s patience will payoff and these players will suddenly learn how to make the key pitch in crunch time, get the key out when needed, and deliver a timely hit when momentum is starting to go the other way. i know my patience as a long-time fan has eroded over the years.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
4:10 pm

Heyward was the best hitter on the team in September, Doug.

invictus mon

January 19th, 2012
4:11 pm

So we got rid of Lowe which freed up $5M in salary and got a prospect for him. I always said whatever we did with that $5M could be counted in the trade. Seems like we spent right around that in securing our arb-eligibles. We’re going into the season with no real questions about who will play where. If he was going to make a move, I thought he would have done it to sure up SS. Seems like we’re putting a lot of pressure on Pastornicky not having a credible backup for him.

Heisenberg

January 19th, 2012
4:12 pm

I still say JJ has to be moved. There is enough pitching depth to compensate for him. And if there are not any glaring weaknesses in the big league roster, then stockpiling high quality prospects for the farm would be prudent rather than having him walk as a FA when the time comes.

I'm with ATL teams (Always)

January 19th, 2012
4:12 pm

As falcons are gone…..Now it is Go Hawks and Go Braves:) Waiting for Baseball season.

Kelly

January 19th, 2012
4:14 pm

It is kind of peculiar when you have Bradley telling us that inaction is solid and Ledbetter saying “real” Falcons fans should thank Mularkey.

Our purchases are our thank you’s.

childrojc

January 19th, 2012
4:14 pm

The Braves are much better off than they were last year going into the season. The Starting pitching should be youthful and deep as well as the bullpen. Real speed in the lineup including: Bourne, Pastornicky, Costanza.
Prado’s return to productivity along with giving chipper 2 or 3 days off a week. Freeman and Heyward start putting up veteran like power numbers comparable to Uggla and McCann. The availible Bench of : Jack Wilson, Erik Hinske, David Ross Matt Diaz, and Costanza.

The lineup should be:

Bourne
Prado
Chipper
Uggla
Freeman
McCann
Heyward
Pastornicky

Stating Rotation :

Hanson
Jurrjens
Hudson
Beachy
Minor/ Medlen

Available: Delgado,Teheran, O’Flarty, Venters, Kimbrel,

I’ll take that into 2012 !

So tired of the "If's"

January 19th, 2012
4:16 pm

If this, if that – I am so freaking tired of the “If’s” – that is all we heard last season….Heyward will continue to be a ZERO……Gimper Jones will continue to be a disabled has-been ball player, Jurjjens and Hanson should be traded as soon as possible – and Wren is just too stupid and conceited to realize how stupid he is……..wish he would be run out of town.

Old Dog

January 19th, 2012
4:16 pm

“He got it right?” What the hell, Mark, is Wren your brother-in-law? “He didn’t get right.” He’s screwing the pooch. This team wasn’t that great last year. They wore out the bullpen which probably wouldn’t have happened if they’d had some offense. It would have been nice if they had won a game by 7 to 3 or 8 to 2 now and then instead of by one run and then bringing in the big three to close it down.

Good pitching is nice but it doesn’t score runs. If you have to trade a good prospect to get a good position player, do it. We need offense but offering Milo Swartz for a Babe Ruth type hitter won’t hack it.

Oh yeah, most hitting coaches aren’t “good hitting coaches.” There are only two or three in the game who are worth a damn.

I'm with ATL teams (Always)

January 19th, 2012
4:17 pm

How much raise did the Braves gave to existing players? I think we saved $5M from Lowe, $6.5M for KK, $5M for Mclouth and $2-3M for Sherill & Linebrink. Even after raises given Braves may have in excess of $10M.

Burned

January 19th, 2012
4:17 pm

childrojc – they may be a better team on paper but the pressure and carry over from the collapse could be huge. Its the same guys in 2012 that were their in September, no new guys to take some of the pressure off. Could be a long season.

Bobby Hill

January 19th, 2012
4:19 pm

I was pushing hard for a Prado trade for a LF bat and backup 3B acquisition earlier in the off season. We’ll never know for sure, but it looks like Wren never got a solid offer. I’m happy Wren didn’t make a move, just to make a move, but somebody still has to play LF when Chipper is out, or Prado has the day off. There’s got be close to 500 AB’s available for a 4th outfielder considering the time Chipper and the outfielders are likely to miss over the course of the season. Giving those AB to Diaz or Constanza is a mistake.

I'm with ATL teams (Always)

January 19th, 2012
4:20 pm

Hello child! You forgot Vizcaino

Hillbilly D

January 19th, 2012
4:22 pm

The worst reason for doing something is because some other team just did something. The Len Barker trade was a response to the Dodgers getting Honeycutt, you might recall.

I know people who still have night terrors about that deal.

Mitchell

January 19th, 2012
4:22 pm

Besides, he has no reason to do anything.

We have an All Star at every position. That includes Jack Wilson.

We have two of the best rookies in baseball, the best bullpen in baseball, the best offensive catcher in baseball, the best base stealer in baseball, the best offensive second baseman in baseball, a Hall of Fame third baseman and starting rotation with several heralded top prospects.

That leaves us with the question of why this team can’t win, can’t keep players healthy and can’t overcome injuries or find anybody to be a true leader on the field in the clutch.

Any thoughts, Mark?

Hillbilly D

January 19th, 2012
4:23 pm

MB

Your blog is eating my posts again.

Mark (another one)

January 19th, 2012
4:24 pm

I appreciate you sticking your neck out for Wren, and I agree.

A full season of Bourn in CF and leading off is an improvement. I believe Heyward will come back this season and provide power and defense in RF. Prado will not get another staph infection. Chipper in a bad year will be in the top 3 for offensive third basemen and he can still field. Uggla will not have a half season slump again. Freeman was 2nd for ROY. McCann and Ross have the plate.

The questions going into the off season were SS, bench depth, bullpen depth and could they get a young power hitter for the future in LF (when Prado moves into third). With the list above, Pasternicky will play SS and have Wilson behind him. That’s ten of the 14 position players. I see Hinskie and Diaz as strong bets and probably Hicks. That only leaves one bench position open.

The eleven pitchers will be more interesting. There are 22 listed on the 40 man roster, and I don’t know who has options left, so I won’t speculate. I will bet that Wren will move someone from this part of the roster during spring training to make room and stock up for the future. This may also be the source of some power off the bench. However, both the other teams and the Braves will want to see how these players perform before making moves.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:24 pm

Let’s see, Pasternickey vs Reyes or H. Ramirez? Yeah, Right. By the time Pasternicky is done goofing one-hoppers, Chipper will be retired or virtually ineffective, McCann’s knees will start to wear, Prado’s average talent will shine more, Heyward… we don’t know, Freeman…. at least a 2nd or 3rd year slump and then who knows? Yeah sure, they will have young arms that will get better in a year or two. But then what? We’re gonna pitch people to death again? Stop this insanity.

Oddibe McDowell

January 19th, 2012
4:25 pm

I disagree Mark. I think it’s easier to do nothing than to make the tough decisions necessary to improve the team and show the fans that the organization is truly focused on winning championships. How can the fans get behind a team who is lead by a guy that was at the helm during the one of the most historic collapses in baseball history? The Red Sox fired a manager that won TWO championships in 6 years. Why? Because they knew that they had to wipe the slate clean. I’m telling you, this team will go absolutely nowhere with Fredi now, he has been forever tainted because he will ALWAYS be remembered for the collapse, even if he wins a championship (which of course we know he won’t because Atlanta teams don’t win those).

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:30 pm

If the Braves are serious about winning, then this should have been done: Bench Chipper Jones or release him if he sulks about it (they all get over it), secure the trade of Adam Jones (apparently, Wren can never close a deal except to overpay… pitchers!!!), sign either Reyes or Prince. At least ONE of these moves would have sent the team and it’s fan base a message. And as far as Reyes is concerned, its one thing to not want the guy and it’s another to let your rival get him. He got $12 mil, same as Dan Uggla, but at least he’s a game-changer.

Rowsdower

January 19th, 2012
4:30 pm

I always get a chuckle out of reading comments from so called fans that can’t even spell the player’s names. It brightens my day.

Mark (another one)

January 19th, 2012
4:32 pm

If you want a team that doesn’t have questionmarks going into the season, watch … Every team has questionmarks. Let’s see if Reyes has an Uggla like slump for the first half of next year. Will it happen? Who knows? That’s baseball. That’s sports. That’s the fun of following and rooting for a team.

Here’s the other game. MB stuck his neck out stating he agreed with Wren’s lack of moves this off season. That’s got to start a debate. Who knows if their both right? I don’t. I agree with them but we won’t know until the games are played.

As for the lack of attendance, that isn’t much of an indicator in Atlanta. Even when we were consistently winning the division, there were empty seats. Call it the economy or whatever, Atlanta doesn’t fill the stadium like some other cities. But, that’s a different story.

DawgDad

January 19th, 2012
4:32 pm

You make a lot of good points, Mark, but then you jump to conclusions that just don’t fit the facts. Prime example: “Yes, the Braves had a historically bad month, but that’s not the same as being a bad team.” Really. From my 50 years experience watching MLB I had NO PROBLEM whatsoever understanding the Braves were an epically BAD team in September, when it counted.

Fact is, we don’t know where the Braves stand right now. What happened in September SHOULD shake the psyche of the team, otherwise it’s heartless. The competition cleaned up on the Braves at last check, and they figure to be as good (Phillies) or significantly improved (Mets excluded). The Braves: Hudson is down early, Hanson and JJ are coming back from serious injury, the other starters have only proven they struggle to get out of the fifth inning and couldn’t bring home the bacon when called on in September. The outfield is the same group that didn’t get it done last year, the big money guys on the infield are still draining payroll far in excess of production, McCann left with questionable health and eyesight, AND there is no proven everyday major league shortstop (Wilson no longer filling that bill). The lineup doesn’t fit together well, there’s nobody to “carry the team” in the middle, and they are duck soup for ANY lefthander. The best hitter is the catcher – that in itself is a major problem waiting to happen.

I’ll give Wren a hand – a hand full of unused playoff tickets. The Braves have a LOT to prove, to themselves and the fans.

As for Prado returning to all-star form: He was an all-star INFIELDER. His production as an all-star infielder likely wouldn’t hit the radar for outfielders.

Mitchell

January 19th, 2012
4:34 pm

meh

January 19th, 2012
4:02 pm

it feels like every year we’re saying if so and so bounces back and if this other guy gets healthy than we’ll be awesome.

It doesn’t just feel like that. It is like that.

Rowsdower

January 19th, 2012
4:34 pm

@slydog – And who do you propose plays 3rd? Prado? Then who plays LF?

Wren hasn’t overpaid for any player we got in trade. You name me one trade where he overpaid. Baltimore wanted a King’s Ransom for Jones. Was not a good deal.

Reyes is a clubhouse killer and is injury prone. Nice investment.

Prince is a 1B and soon to be DH. Freddie Freeman is our 1B for the next decade. No reason to blow $200M on Prince.

The message Wren is sending is that this team is very good and had a bad month. If a few guys get back to their normal level of production this team is going a long way. Oh, and he jettisoned bLowe which is the right message for me.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:35 pm

If I can’t spell the name, then what does that mean? They must suck. I can spell Jordan, Nowitzki, and Pujols just fine thank you….lol.

fred

January 19th, 2012
4:36 pm

Not only did he not make any moves that will make this a better team, he did not do anything to improve the fans interest or confidence in this team. Last year was a bust in attendance, even prior to the collapse. It will go down again this year unless something dramatic happens.

Ralph

January 19th, 2012
4:36 pm

I won’t go over my top 10 list of IF’s because you all know what they are already but, what IF most of those IF’s don’t happen?

Heisenberg

January 19th, 2012
4:37 pm

@slydog, Reyes is off the market in case you had not heard. Unless you are referring to Jo Jo not Jose.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:37 pm

Jones in LF and Prado at 3rd. If you get Prince, move Freeman to 3rd or LF. Does that make sense? I know it does.

Brave Hokie

January 19th, 2012
4:38 pm

The Braves are just fine as constituted in Sept 2011…

Underachieving, pampered, little women who run and hide at the 1st sign of a challenge or adversity.

& it will never change ~ just the names on the jerseys.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:39 pm

BTW , you are right, he never overpays in a trade and it isn’t wise in most cases. But he definitely overpays for average to below average pitching. Proof is in the pudding. Until further notice, he deserves no round of applause.

Mitchell

January 19th, 2012
4:39 pm

As for the lack of attendance, that isn’t much of an indicator in Atlanta. Even when we were consistently winning the division, there were empty seats. Call it the economy or whatever, Atlanta doesn’t fill the stadium like some other cities. But, that’s a different story.

Have you failed to notice a slight attendance jump for games in late September and October of the past two years?

It helps if they’re actually playing for something worth showing up for.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
4:40 pm

I’d say it’s unlikely that the Braves will make a run at a first baseman with that, ahem, body type when they have a younger, cheaper alternative already here.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:41 pm

@Heisenberg

FYI, I was referring to what he COULD have done in reference to the article praising him for doing nothing. Thanks for not paying attention.

ANDY

January 19th, 2012
4:43 pm

MB,

I agree with your assessment. Frank Wren does NOT need to make decisions that set the Braves back; ie Derek Lowe and Kawakami.
I know the Braves fans are restless (understatement) that Wren did not make any moves this offseason. But just think of all the salaries that would be coming off the books for 2013. Personally, I believe 2013 would be a more exciting year in terms of Free Agency. Bourn, Victorino, and Hamilton will all be Free Agents.
Let’s wait and see what happens in 2012 before we sound the alarms.

Go Braves!

Ted

January 19th, 2012
4:43 pm

I am sick and tired of all the comments from Wren et al. about the Braves’ record after 130 games. The season is 162 games – not 130. Yes, they may have “collapsed” in the last month. They may have also “played over their head” when they went 46-24 from June 7 thru Aug. 23. In reality, the Braves were neither as bad nor as good as those stretches indicated.

In the end, you are what your record says you are – and the Braves were an 89 win, non-playoff team. Period. End of discussion.

Also, there are a whole lot of “ifs” involved about players who were hurt in 2011 staying healthy in 2012. Fact is, these players are no less likely to be hurt in 2012. It simply doesn’t work that way. Could it happen? Sure – but the odds say it won’t since injured players don’t typically get healthy as they age.

In the end, Wren could have made sensible moves to improve this team’s chances by improving the overall quality of this team moreso than simply dumping Lowe. He didn’t. If he made the right call and this team wins 90+, great – and he should be rewarded.

But if he made the wrong call and this team is worse in 2012, then he should be fired.

Alas, this would also take an owner who cares about trying to field a winner (even on a budget). Liberty has yet to show they are such an owner which means we’re stuck with Wren whatever happens in 2012. Maybe that’s a good thing – but I doubt it.

Heisenberg

January 19th, 2012
4:47 pm

Actually slydog, I was just looking to make a Jo Jo Reyes joke just to see if anyone would loose their lunch.

Rowsdower

January 19th, 2012
4:48 pm

Freddie and Chipper can barely move. They are not viable OF options. Freddie is a Gold Glove caliber 1B, so moving him anywhere would be foolish.

Chipper is still a decent player at 40. Yes, we need to have a plan for next year (probably Prado) because this will probably be his swan song, but have some respect for the face of this franchise the last 20 years.

I’m more concerned with Pastornicky’s fielding. As much as Gonzo sucked out loud at the plate, he was amazing with the glove and saved a ton of runs.

BTW, I wasn’t calling you out for spelling. There were several on page 1 that couldn’t spell Bourn and Heyward…

LA BRAVE

January 19th, 2012
4:49 pm

Most of you are forgetting a few things…
1. We played A TON of extra innings games last year. That was a flukey thing and wont repeat itself. Why is this important? Because we played like 9 extra games last year just based on the extra innings. This adds up and wears a team down. Sept collapse anyone?
2. Every baseball team has a few players that exceed their normal numbers and few that have tough years. Last we had some “tough years” from multiple players on offense. Expect this to turn around. Look for Uggla to have similar numbers with a slightly better OBP and AVG. Heyward will become a VERY good hitter this year, making adjustments. And Prado and McCann were not the same after their injuries. I think they will have close to All-Star numbers this year.
3. Bourn as a table setter is about as good as it gets. With Prado hitting and back in the #2 hole our offense will have guys on base all season long.
4. Chipper will be Chipper. Not the all-star but the future hall of famer. Adding experience and tough at bats every single game. He may not play 162….but he will be a key cog.
5. Youth…..dont forget about our young pitchers helping an already stellar pitching staff and bullpen. We have some of the best pitchers in the game top to bottom. Oh and by the way there is some guy named FREDDIE FREEMAN at first base!!! Look for him and Heyward to have true breakout years!

Lots to look forward to. Can we please stop complaining and look at the positive possibilities? Do you know how hard it is to win it all? We are going to be VERY good next year….with our payroll that is all you can hope for.

PMC

January 19th, 2012
4:49 pm

Cities that aren’t winning don’t fill stadiums period. Even the Yankees failed to sell out playoff games.

Going to sporting events is just doesn’t hold that much water anymore especially when they make it as difficult to do as they do in this city.

We have TV now. Why pay 45 bucks to go see a game?

Tom

January 19th, 2012
4:53 pm

Braves would be 2-3 wins better if they simply replaced Fredi with a average manager. That’s how bad Fredi was. I like Wren but hiring Fredi was one of his worst moves that will continue to haunt this team.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:53 pm

Nice try. Prince, Jones, and Reyes are all superior players than anything we have. They will all have more postseason success than Freddie Freemen in 10 years. Watch. I just love you next ten year people. The only thing that we have is NOW, not 2022. Winners take risks. Losers play not to lose. The entire Atlanta sports scene is play not to lose and “process.” It does not work and there is nothing you can do to defend. There is not ONE trophy in any trophy case, save the Braves of 1995, and they won it barely with on one bad pitch.

Heisenberg

January 19th, 2012
4:56 pm

I think Prado struggled in the 2-hole behind Bourn. Although he has previously batted 2nd, it was never with a base stealer like Bourn on front of him. He seemed a bit unsure as to how agressive to be. I would like to see some experimenting in spring training games with Prado leading off and Bourn behind him. While it may take away a few SB chances, it would all but eliminate the GIDP if Prado gets on. And Chipper would not have any issue hitting with Bourn in front og him. Just something to play with in March to see how it works.

AlanFalcon

January 19th, 2012
4:57 pm

All we as fans can do is sit back and see, I really can’t believe that we couldn’t make at least one move to strengthen the team could not be made.

We’ll see if Frank is right in his assessment or if his failed thoughts earlier were correct !!!!!!!!!!!!!

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:57 pm

Real Simple: The Cardinals won the World Series with a sub-par team in comparison to the Braves. Gee, I wonder why? And the lost their ace before the season started. Tony LaRussa goofed up two games and they still won. Gee, I wonder why?

DawgDad

January 19th, 2012
4:57 pm

I’d say the chances of Fielder signing with the Braves are ZERO. There’s no protection for him in this lineup, he’d wind up facing about 50% lefthanders, and he doesn’t fit in the budget.

extremus

January 19th, 2012
4:57 pm

Hey, you gotta hand it to the Cardinals, too; the Braves sure did on a nice fat silver platter. That September collapse was certainly real enough for anyone who follows this team.

With that said, I’m not sold on Frank Wren’s “patience” at all; We have far more starting pitchers Major League-ready than we have roster spots for, and while yes, I realize that the wear and tear of a season will inevitably cause some attrition, basically the same pieces that made up the most anemic Braves offense in recent memory are still around. Seriously, it’s a LONNG stretch to expect a “return to form” by so many guys. Uggla, Heyward, Prado, and even Chipper and McCann had extensive cold streaks last year that overlapped enough to keep the entire offense shut down, and it killed tons of great outings by our starters and did worse to the arms of our back-end bullpen. Any optimism that a new batting coach will be able to turn that much inconsistency around is guarded to say the least. At least one or two of our high-profile pitchers could have had a Major League role in another organization this year instead of wasting time down in Gwinnett, and it likely would have given us a useful and consistent bat in the lineup in return.

I’m fairly sure that a big reason for the lack of offseason moves is Liberty Media is keeping its purse strings pulled tight; they could care less whether the Braves go 100-62 or 62-100 as long as they somehow stay in the black for their profit margins. As soon as that’s no longer the case, they’ll drop this team like the afterthought they’ve been since they bought them (and Braves fans will likely cheer like they haven’t since the end of the ‘95 World Series).

slydog

January 19th, 2012
4:58 pm

If you give Prince 200m, you might make that back in one year. Say it aint so?

Dave in Buford

January 19th, 2012
4:59 pm

If you want Wren to trade Jurrjens, he’d be an idiot not to wait until the trade deadline … that’s when teams are going to be desperate enough to give him what he wants for a front line pitcher, not during the winter meetings.

Jay Dubu

January 19th, 2012
4:59 pm

“After collapse, GM makes few moves because he doesn’t believe Braves of September were the real Braves. ”

Well…why were they on the field wearing Braves’ uniforms?

Bob

January 19th, 2012
5:00 pm

Nor do I believe Wren is a real GM…and Freddy is a good minor league manager, too.

slydog

January 19th, 2012
5:01 pm

I’m just messing with y’all. See you at the Stadium just to boo Wren and Gonzalez…Out!!!

Rowsdower

January 19th, 2012
5:02 pm

I agree they are all superior players, but they are also FAR more expensive in money or prospects. This is not a perfect team, but it also doesn’t have the bottomless resources of the Yankees and Phillies.

6 years – $102M for a 28 year old, injury prone clubhouse cancer doesn’t work for me.

10 years – $200+M for an out of shape soon to be DH doesn’t work for me either.

Adam Jones would be a great addition but not if it means giving away the farm. We did that once, rememeber? Didn’t workout so well…

DawgDad

January 19th, 2012
5:04 pm

“The Cardinals won the World Series with a sub-par team in comparison to the Braves. ”

I, and the facts, beg to differ. The Cardinals retooled and plugged roster holes very effectively, some key players got healthy, and the middle of thier lineup was something we can only dream about in Atlanta. They wiped out the Braves head-to-head in that 3-game series. They were the best team in baseball in September and October (technically, Texas and Detroit were a hair better in September).

RaleighDawg

January 19th, 2012
5:07 pm

Wasn’t this the same pitch the Braves were giving LAST year ? We’re comforable with who we have, we don’t feel (fill in the name here) will have two bad seasons in a row, we really thing the new guys,blah, blah, blah. Face it, the Braves are built for entertainment and television programming – not for winning championships. As long as they are relatively competitive so that all the sales folks in ATL will bring their clients to a game and the folks in Ludowicee don’t have have anything else to do during the summer this is the formula we will continue to see.

stew

January 19th, 2012
5:07 pm

First and third one out the pitcher bunts. We lost our chance to score because Fredi’s got no balls.
We should have made some trades. Everybody swung deals. We could have had deals for Arenado, Myers, Jones, and others and we couldn’t pull the trigger.

ernisTbass

January 19th, 2012
5:08 pm

they are undefeated since the end of October, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

GTT

January 19th, 2012
5:08 pm

They’ll probably be OK.

Speaking of Greg Walker, I was a high school freshman the night his unbeaten Coffee County High Trojans lost 21-20 at home to the 8-2 Ware County Gators. Calvin Howard, a Ware defender who had missed all season to that point with a broken leg pressured Walker at will. Guy was so strong and fast, they didn’t have an answer for him.

North Avenue Ned

January 19th, 2012
5:11 pm

“Collapse” is a polite way of saying “implosion.” What happened to the Atlanta Braves last August and September bordered on the surreal, but what bothered me most about it (then and now) was that Braves management didn’t seem at all bothered. “Well, that’s baseball,” they said. Yeah, lousy baseball.

abby normal

January 19th, 2012
5:12 pm

Bradley, old boy, I certainly hope you (and Wren) are right. I agree that having Bourn for the full season will help. But we still have to get him over and get him in. Hopefully everyone (are you listening, Jason?)will realize how important situational hitting is. And Fredi really needs to drill the pitchers on the art of the sacrifice bunt.

Jay Dubu

January 19th, 2012
5:12 pm

As is, the Braves have a poor bench, two starters that missed the last month+ (JJ & Hanson) of the season, and another starter (Hudson) that had surgery in the off season.

Wren did use the word “IF”, but you don’t want to go into the season with too many “IF” is you expect to compete the the Championship.

Take two pills and call me

January 19th, 2012
5:13 pm

Wren not Overrreated was cause he was busy havin Bobby cox in booth JInxin us for sept blow a lead in wildcard race and east divison..accoourdin to chipper jones we better team then Phillies Oh no you don’t anymore chipperless Jones Frank Wren why hell he go dallas for to winter meetins to have u blow him there …sheesh Miami so better inproved with Ozzie he be tryin to add more runs when he plays us here and there….U best Panic Bradley when we are in last place 30 games under too cause He be fired along with cow tippin cap man freddi G……I told yall Phillies Marlins Nats n braves n mets in that order…..we be 77-85 for year mets at 61-101…we be home watchin Marlins in world series again!

Looking at this team

January 19th, 2012
5:14 pm

in a fashion other than most of the mouthbreathers on this blog………….

The good:

As always you have an outstanding farm system.
You have young arms coming out of your ears. You have an allstar to pitch the 9th, the 8th, and the 7th and they’re all under 27 years old.
You have the Best set of young pitchers in the minors
You have Two Very good young pithchers in your starting rotation in Beachy & Minor.
You have two above average starting pitchers in Hanson & Hudson.
You have a guy in JJ with great talent even if he is injury prone.
You have the best hitting catcher in Baseball.
You have one of the best hitting 2B in Baseball.
You have the best young 1st Baseman in Baseball.
You have a guy in Right Field with Tremendous Ability.
You have one of the league leaders in steals in CF.
Prado is a player

The Bad.

Chipper is a liability who will be hard to get rid of and creates a platoon situation that always sucks.
If Heyward doesn’t hit, you have a gaping power hole in the outfield.
Uggla doesn’t hit for average.
Shortstop is unknown
The 1st or second most talented team in the Majors is in your division
Freddi Gonzales is an average manager
The Ownership situation is poor
Instability with the hitting coach.
You only have 1.5 professional, count working hitters. Prado and Brittle axe Chipper Jones.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
5:14 pm

Hopefully the fans will realize that situational hitting is a figment of their collective imaginations.

rockyracoon

January 19th, 2012
5:14 pm

Why do so many think having another Ted Turner-type owner is going to make things all magical again? Ask yourself, who were we really going to replace? Yes, left-field could use an upgrade but who did you want that was available? None were good. Yes, SS but Braves want to try the rookie. Chipper’s got one more year….pitching seems set for while… Wren’s approach is dead on… wait til next year and go for a Josh Hamilton or someone else who has real power.

Bob in SF

January 19th, 2012
5:14 pm

Uggla has to not only hit but hit very well to make up for his shortcomings at 2nd; he is a below replacement fielder whose glove costs the Braves wins, he will need to have a great year with the bat to balance that out and become a plus player.

George Stein

January 19th, 2012
5:16 pm

Agreed, Bob in SF. I cannot understand why they didn’t put Uggla in LF and keep Prado at 2B.

Reality

January 19th, 2012
5:17 pm

@ Rockyracoon– because Ted wasn’t afraid to spend money when he had to in order to try to win.

Wait until next year and go for a Josh Hamilton… LOL… Pipe dreams man…

G

January 19th, 2012
5:17 pm

A lot of “if’s” as usual with this team… If Hanson stays healthy. If Chipper can play enough games. If Prado and Heyward can bounce back. If Uggla can have a full productive season…. If, if, if…. When can we enter a season with something more. As long as Wren is the GM this is what we will get

Go Go Pilots

January 19th, 2012
5:18 pm

This just in Frank Wren has brain storm However it was just a drizzle and all clear now….back to the freddi G. Bobby cox Look-a-like show starrin his cast of rejects!

Tampa Fan

January 19th, 2012
5:19 pm

Mark, I usually agree with you. Not on this one. Heyward clearly has problems that he is not likely to overcome. Prado has never been able to stay healthy for a full season. Neither have JJ or Hanson. I hope I am wrong, but I really believe we over-value our players and are about to go into a decline. This team will finish around .500 and 3rd in the NL East.

Caseyatthebat

January 19th, 2012
5:24 pm

Oh, look! There’s Frank Wren with his ass in the air and his head in the sand! THIS TEAM NEEDS ANOTHER BIG HITTER!!!!!!!’!!!!!!!!!

DawgDad

January 19th, 2012
5:29 pm

Here’s a scary fact: Based on Win Shares Dan Uggla had an AVERAGE year for him last season. He has 126 win shares in six seasons; he posted 21 last year. His peak was 24. Unless Dan rebounds with a career year we’ve seen what we’re going to get, with the only upside being more consistent production vs. a one-month wonder and five months of nothing.

J-Man

January 19th, 2012
5:38 pm

What if the Braves finish with a 75-87 record? Bradley will you finally quit kissing Wrens “nonexisting” ring. I think Wren is a better than average GM but he has 2 main components dragging him down.
1. is Fredi Gonzalez
2. is Liberty Media
That being said the Braves needed a change this off-season and they did absolutely nothing. But hopefully we can trade JJ when were out of it in July.

BTW I wanna know why you seem to not like my posts. Was it because I called you out for that
“8 reasons the Braves will not lose this lead” post you put out in 2010. I do like you (not as mush as DOB) but you gotta show some fire and hold Teams Management to accountability. I think the only management team you actually got on to was the Spirit corporation.

Ron Roberts

January 19th, 2012
5:39 pm

Mark, some misplaced words (you’re missing a “better” in paragraph eight) and missing letters (a “b” in bullpen) in the ninth graph. **Feel free to remove once you’ve seen and corrected those items. I hate to be “that” guy.**

Now to baseball talk: Adding Bourn and ditching Derek Lowe DOES give us all reason to think this squad IS better than the one that broke camp in 2011, so I “get” where Wren and the hierarchy are going, psychologically.

My beef is that, while there may be no real “need” to make a big change, this franchise needs to sell tickets and excite it’s fan base. My guess is the season ticket and partial packages aren’t exactly flying off the shelves, so to speak, and, well, you only have to visit these blogs every now and then to see that Tomahawk Nation is underwhelmed.

I think, worst-case, the Braves need to make some serious off-season P.R. pushes. Top to bottom, this lineup has the potential to be the best we’ve had since our ’90s heyday, and if JJ and Hanson stay healthy, with Huddy and the “new” “young guns,” both in the rotation and bullpen, there’s plenty TO get excited about if you’re a knowledgeable baseball fan.

We know not all Braves’ fans are knowledgeable, though. So back to selling tickets and putting some sizzle in the fans’ interest in this squad. They have to do something. Maybe not a roster move per se, but a marketing blitz like none they’ve ever done before, maybe.

Caravans are nice and all, but that, alone, won’t cut it. Flashy FSN/SportSouth promos won’t even air until Spring Training, so that won’t do much good, either.

lin

January 19th, 2012
5:42 pm

why can not john smoltz,tommy galvine,and one more person buy the braves?

ed simmons

January 19th, 2012
5:50 pm

If we have a losing season and that would get us a new owner you have my vote.

Guy

January 19th, 2012
5:52 pm

A mature, thoughtful approach by Bradley to a mature, thoughtful approach vis a vis the offseason patience.

KBB

January 19th, 2012
6:03 pm

no wonder this town is Losersville. Our idiot GM doesnt make one move and now its “credit him for not overreacting?” Thats just a sad commentary on why sports in this town have ONE stinking championship in a combined 200 years or so in all of the sports. This town doesn’t deserve a winner. Too passive. Too many apologist. Too satisfied with the Dull, say all of the right things Golden Boys like Chipper Jones and Matt Ryan. Tired of this moribund town.

KBB

January 19th, 2012
6:06 pm

Futhermore Wren hasn’t EARNED the benefit of the doubt. What has he accomplished? Lets see he was the architect of the team that had one of the worst collapses in MLB history and fielded a couple of more teams that didn’t make the playoffs. Ohh and he was the steward of those POWERHOUSE Baltimore Orioles teams. He gets a lifetime pass from me!

Stinger2

January 19th, 2012
6:20 pm

The Braves need an enema to purge the owners. Next the GM needs to make the new owners aware of the money he needs to be competitive with the teams that are willing to spend
the $$$ when needed. If the Braves management continues to be constrained with a 90 mil. payroll they will not win a championship.

Mister Frisky

January 19th, 2012
6:35 pm

Wrong as usual Bradley.Does the AJC put in your contracts you can’t crticize the Braves .I live in LA even the lightweights at the LA Times have the sac to rip the local teams especially the 16 time champion Lakers.

Fastball

January 19th, 2012
6:35 pm

Don’t count on Bourne. He won’t hit .250 or get 30 stolen bases. Alex Gongales saved more games than Kimbel. The new kid will be in the minors before June 1st. And Wren stood pat, …guess you need a pass into the interview room, uh.

The Bravenator

January 19th, 2012
6:36 pm

IF…IF…IF…IF……if what? Not doing a single thing to improve a team that totally collapsed when the chips were on the line is a good job of not overreacting. IF’s abound for this team and the Braves recent history of ifs working out isn’t good. Going into the Spring, half the positions in the line-up are significant ifs. Here’s a big one: IF Freddie doesn’t burn-up the bullpen again. Way too many ifs to consider the Braves any higher than a third place finish. That’s IF Washington doesn’t doesn’t come on as strongly as they’re projected. Keep dreaming Wren.

Mister Frisky

January 19th, 2012
6:36 pm

P.S. I almost forgot 4th Place.

Skeezix

January 19th, 2012
6:36 pm

Mark: He couldn’t make any serious moves because he had us so far in the hole from screwing up with KK, Lowe and McOut. We didn’t need overreacting, but we do need more stick and he hasn’t done squat to fix that problem.

I’m not giving him credit for anything.

Murph#3

January 19th, 2012
6:37 pm

Give the man ten or fifteen million more dollars to play with and the Braves could be a favorite to win it all. I haven’t looked at the numbers but as it stands I think that would put the Braves at about half of what the Phillies or Yankees payroll is. Their payrolls are approximately double what the Braves is but they also are at the top in attendance and surely it’s gonna cost you more to see them play. They have to be kicking the Braves butt when it comes to merchandising as well. The Braves could perhaps be one bat away from sparking their offense and making a run at a title other than Wild Card or almost Wild Card. I disagree with Wren when he says the team doesn’t really have a need. You may blame the past two seasons on whatever you want but there is no denying the offense has been lacking and below average. The offense struggled in one way or another throughout the entire 2011 season, not just in September. The Braves pitching and improved defense was the glue. This is why I can’t understand why Liberty Media won’t loosen their purse strings even just a little. They don’t have to sign a Pujols, Fielder, or Reyes but they could have done SOMETHING! The only way the team has improved is by dumping dead weight. Replace it with something!! I have a strong feeling we are gonna roll through this season fighting for the Wild Card and make a giant splash next offseason when the free agent market is gonna be SUPERB! Keeping my fingers crossed that I am right!!!!!!!

Skeezix

January 19th, 2012
6:37 pm

Braves fans: Remember the “Letter”!!!!

Gene

January 19th, 2012
6:38 pm

Wren has made far too many bad decisions and only a few good ones. So maybe not making trades is a good thing, since he tends to trade good players for bad ones.

@___ISH___

January 19th, 2012
6:39 pm

Wren gets credit for doing nothing.. I need a job like that.

Athenzdawg

January 19th, 2012
6:46 pm

yay another season where the wildcard is the best!

jed

January 19th, 2012
6:48 pm

i’m with wren on the lack of activity in general. hated the idea of losing JJ and prado. i’m not sure at all about giving SS to pastornicky. sounds to me like he could use another year in the minors. but jack wilson is perfect insurance there. great defense, and he wont kill rallies like AGON, who couldnt advance a runner to save his life. have we re-signed matt diaz? i’m all for sticking with heyward, but it wouldnt hurt to have diaz as a platoon option if we need it. heyward hit .194 vs lefties last year.

curtisjones

January 19th, 2012
6:54 pm

I’m usually the biggest Mark Bradley fan on the board. But this reeks of smiley-face journalism. Maybe my memory is longer than some, but September 2011 was no fluke. The bullpen was exhausted, Uggla’s one month of big-league hitting was long-gone, McCann was into his annual out-of-shape late-season swoon, Chipper was crippled (again), the outfield had zero pop, and oddly enough the only player who had much of a pulse was Alex Gonzales, who sucked from April-August.

IF the Braves are betting on a much of IF’s, (Chipper finds the Fountain of Youth, McCann becomes a six-month player, Uggla hits an occasional HR in a meaningful game with a runner on base, Heyward learns to hit and throw with accuracy, Pastornicky can make fewer than 30 errors…)it’s going to be a long season.

Right now I’m projecting them 4th, only because the Mets are in seriously bad shape. But the Phils, Marlins and Nats are all as good or better than last year. The Braves are parked in neutral.

chris

January 19th, 2012
6:58 pm

good column mark, I do wish we’d at least gotten Seth Smith from Colorado we really do need a bomber in this lineup…and hearing that Wren is “hoping” players bounce back always makes me nervous..but we’ll see..it is good we didnt gut our farm system or trade away a possible key to 2012 in a knee jerk reaction but on paper this team still does not put any fear into other pitching staffs….we need another Crime Dog who just standing in the batters box made pitchers winch…Hopefully Uggs will return to form and do that himself..we’ll see…

jeffrey d

January 19th, 2012
7:01 pm

Thanks, Mark, and I completely agree. I know keeping it together and not overreacting has never been a strong point for fans on blogs, but the Braves have a good team. Prado and Uggla have historically been good hitters. Not much reason to think last season was more than an aberration (especially when you consider how Prado’s staph infection slowed him down). And pitching depth…I don’t think we have much to worry about there

Heyward’s the key, in my opinion. He’s got to make the adjustments and prove that he can be a perpetual all star and not just a 1 year wonder

Longtimefan

January 19th, 2012
7:01 pm

There is not a team in MLB that does not have unknowns and questions heading into a new season. The mostly negative fans that comment on this blog obviously fixate on the Braves and ignore this fact. They tend to be hyper critical of any free agent signing or trade that doesn’t work out perfectly, ignoring that no GM bats a thousand and virtually all teams have had their share of poor decisions. Jason Bay at 100M anyone? I recall more than a few of the blogging geniuses several years ago calling for Wren to make that deal. Wren is in a much better position to evaluate the Braves talent and what is available than the average blogger. Some of the comments I’ve read are ludicrous such as the one stating we have a shaky bullpen. Before you guys keep ragging on our future HOF third baseman, please do a little research, visit a site than has stats on players and compare his to others. You will be surprised. Exactly who would you get to take the place of his production? Some people just like to bit*h. Nothing is good enough. Major sports record of 14 straight division championships but only one WS title! I’ll bet a couple dozen sports towns would love to have that problem. I agree with Wren. I like fielding this team in Spring training and I like our chances. I’ve been following the Braves since 1966 and I’ve seen some awful teams. This definitely is not one of them. Not even close.

jed

January 19th, 2012
7:10 pm

mark, any thoughts on pastornicky?

ramblingbuzz

January 19th, 2012
7:11 pm

This is the same columnist who annually awards the Dawgs the national championship before the season ever begins. Now he applauds the Braves for sitting on a lineup that can’t hit and whose pitching depends on guys having great years after recovering from injuries. He is after blog hits not accurate journalism.

bulldogbubba

January 19th, 2012
7:12 pm

Where is Mr Clusters?What are his thoughts?We want to know!

jeffrey d

January 19th, 2012
7:22 pm

He is after blog hits not accurate journalism.

And yet you continue to read and complain. You know what I do if I don’t like something? I stay away.

JoeFan

January 19th, 2012
7:33 pm

If, If, If….Wren is wishing and hoping that everyone bounces back and the Braves have few injuries. This team is full of holes and question marks. Wren can spin it all he wants but in the end he his responsible for the product on the field.

falconsrus

January 19th, 2012
7:37 pm

trade shurholtze for a bunting coach and were all set

go-BRAVOS

January 19th, 2012
7:43 pm

If’s and hope’s win you nothing. This team was only bad for 1 month? Was that a joke? The offense was terrible nearly the whole season, not just 1 month. The pitching will break down again this year, JJ and Hanson have been hurt the past 2 years. Chipper’s numbers will be down as well.
We just have to hope and pray that everyone stays healthy all year and as Fredi would say, they put of the numbers on the back of their baseball card, which we all know is all you can hope for.

kral

January 19th, 2012
7:48 pm

any trade made is an iffy situation..please keep Prado ..he is my favorite…and chances are he will hit 300 with12 hr …I think that is a better iffy

jed

January 19th, 2012
7:56 pm

well, my concern with pastornicky is this: if he’s an average SS, or worse (as i’ve read), we’re not exactly gonna have a sterling defensive infield. uggla, at his best, is an average defender, and chipper’s 40. i dont know enough about pastornicky to say, but this is the one thing about wren’s offseason that’s troubling.

BravesfaninWis

January 19th, 2012
7:59 pm

Screw Frank Wren…..

After that collapse, all he has done is traded away Derek Lowe and Resign Jack f’n Wilson…

So here is what the Braves have to look forward to going into next season.

1. Can Heyward bounce back and have a good season?
2. Can Uggla come out of the gate strong and get the Braves a few more wins?
3. How many games is Chipper and his 15 mil price tag good for?
4. Will Jurrgens knee hold up?
5. Will Hanson’s shoulder hold up?
6. Will Hudson’s back hold up?
7. Will Breachy ever be able to consistently pitch past the 5th inning?
8. Will Pastornicky amount to anything?
9. Will the bullpen get overused again?
10. Will Prado still be here, and if so will he bounce back?

I don’t know about the rest of you, but IMO, Frank Wren dropped the ball big time by not addressing some needs for the Braves. If anything, this team is weaker than the team that collapsed last Sept. When you replace a defensive guy like Gonzalez with a unproven rookie, and also add some younger guys to the bullpen and rotation, you have to look at it as a step back.

Will the Braves be better with having Bourn the entire season? That remains to be seen, but I certainly hope so. Truth is, the Braves have so many question marks surrounding their team right now, that its very hard to be optimistic about their chances next season when all the teams in their own division have gotten stronger. How can you fight for a WC spot when you are not even the 3rd best team in your own division. Pretty pathetic to say the least, Frank Wren should be happy if he sells out 1 game all season long. The common folks don’t want to spend their hard earned money watching a 3rd or 4th place team in the division. At least I won’t.

BehindEnemyLines

January 19th, 2012
8:03 pm

“if you liked the Braves’ chances heading into last season you should like them again now.”

And since I didn’t like them then, presumably it’s okay that I think even less of them now.

The biggest question is which comes first: the first 3-4 week injury absence of Brittle Jones at third or news that Jair has managed to get hurt again.

The Bourn re-signing looks like Wren’s stopped-clock moment for the off-season.

Yeah, Rah, Mediocre!

January 19th, 2012
8:10 pm

“Wren: “People have to bounce back. [Some guys] have a lot to prove.”

Yeah Wren, talk is cheap. Two days after the season you said JHey would have to earn his spot this year. Only trouble is…… you’ve done absolutely nothing about getting an OFer in camp to compete for JHey’s or ANY outfield job!

“If everyone bounces back, we’ve got a good ballclub,” Wren said. “We don’t have a major need.”

The Braves have major needs. The team had a historic meltdown. A failure like that indicates there are deep-rooted issues in the organization, either management or on field talent. To make no moves is the same as whistling past the graveyard and swearing you “ain’t skeerd!” Insanity is to send the same group out there and expect a different result. Top that all off with the fact every team in the NL East, with the exception of the Braves and Mets, have bettered themselves over the Winter.

Sorry Bradley….unlike you, I’m not ready to throw a ticker-tape parade for Wren because he is sitting on his hands in the off season.

BillW

January 19th, 2012
8:11 pm

Mark you can salute all you wish but not me. We still don’t have a good offense to go with pitching. Thats not just my take but writers from MLB, ESPN & Fox sports. Braves need another solid power hitter in LF. Braves bench sucks. It don’t surprise me you taking up for Braves, don’t all AJC writers. The plus is Greg Walker hired as hitting coach.
Oh well nothing new~~Go Braves and wait till next year.

BillW

January 19th, 2012
8:14 pm

I’m beginning to lose respect for what you see Mark…

jeffrey d

January 19th, 2012
8:14 pm

And since I didn’t like them then, presumably it’s okay that I think even less of them now.

Why? Last season the Braves started off with Lowe, McLouth, and Proctor on the team. This season they have none of those, but they do have Bourn and a plethora of Major League ready pitching.

Yeah, Rah, Mediocre!

January 19th, 2012
8:19 pm

“if you liked the Braves’ chances heading into last season you should like them again now.”

What an idiotic statement that is. The Nats didn’t stand still after the season. The Marlins didn’t stand still after the season. The Phils didn’t stand still after the season. The Braves of 2012 are going to be battling in a division that is much improved over 2011 while doing nothing to improve their lot.

Yeah, Rah, Mediocre!

January 19th, 2012
8:25 pm

“Why? Last season the Braves started off with Lowe, McLouth, and Proctor on the team.”

Addition by subtraction seldom pays dividends in MLB. Seems I remember Bourn being on the team when they tanked down the stretch in September so it’s not exactly like he wasn’t a Brave when they sucked.

Larry

January 19th, 2012
8:29 pm

Mark,

And not a single word about the manager? Hello!

A true, bona fide, Major League Manager holds that team together last September.

braves sit still

January 19th, 2012
8:30 pm

Other teams in our division improve. Braves don’t. I see us as a 3rd or 4th place finisher in our division. I hope it doesn’t get so bad that I go to watch the other teams play. I guess the good news is we have young pitching, so maybe next year,or the next, when they are a little more experienced and maybe we can add another bat, we might be able to compete. We’ll have some more money when Chipper finally hangs them up. I guess I can’t blame the guy, where else can you make $13M and work 120 games. I’m just complaining, so don’t bother responding. I feel better now. ha.

tulsabravo

January 19th, 2012
8:38 pm

Wren’s a bum. The Braves will be much better off when he’s gone.

Mister Frisky

January 19th, 2012
8:40 pm

Money to spend at the dead line?This team will be selling off by Memorial Day.Might as well bring up Terd now.The name fits for what this team is.

jeffrey d

January 19th, 2012
8:41 pm

All right, I can see we’re busy wallowing here. Carry on, everybody

Erk Russell's Dog

January 19th, 2012
8:42 pm

@MB
I can’t believe you have to go back to the Len Barker trade to try and make your point about over-reacting .How about the trade with T

Dennis Reynolds

January 19th, 2012
8:46 pm

I’ll go to the Caravan just to tell Wren he’s doing a great job.

Can't wait to plan........

January 19th, 2012
8:47 pm

I absolutely cannot wait for the day to plan for the fact that I don’t have to look at that stupid redneck grin on Gimper Jones face at third base…….the fact that he is a future HOF’er does not mean a thing to me because he is so 10 years ago – a has been – a washed up disabled trying to be player…..wish he had the best interest of the team at heart and would go ahead and leave and give up the money due him so we could get somebody worth a crap at third base…….

marseilles mutt

January 19th, 2012
8:48 pm

“…gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em….know when to walk away, know when to run…”

You ‘experts’ don’t like the Brave’s IF’s, huh? But all the improvements the Fills, Fish and Politicos made are ‘guaranteed’- or as one of you schmucks said, “Take it to the bank” winners, right? Bunch of freaking idiots! The deck cuts both ways!

You seem to forget that this ’sorry’ line up (hand) was even in a position to have a collapse. How the hell didTHAT happen? …without a couple of front line pitchers, Uggla being either out, or just plain Ugh, Heyward non-existent, and they were STILL locks, barring a complete collapse of cinching the WC…but collapse they did, or fold if you will.

Pitching wins and the Braves still have a lot of blue chips in that stack, and regardless of other teams improvements, still have probably the most depth of starters – not all experienced mind you, but starters and potential starters- in the entire major league. The bull pen is better than it was at the outset of last season, and we have freed up a few bucks….and the game hasn’t even begun yet and the majority of you dorks are throwing in the towel.

We did very well last year with but a few chips and next to nothing. We’ve increased our ‘bank’, while everyone else spent, and may have to draw light during the season, when it really counts. It’s a long game and the dealing for this round hasn’t even begun.

“….there’s time enough for counting when the dealin’s done!”

Give ‘em a chance before for you cash in…and give FW credit for holding them now and for the cards he drew last year.

Mister Frisky

January 19th, 2012
8:52 pm

Hey Mutt,Just like hold em at the end of the day you got to have the nuts.Too bad for us Fat Frankie is a unick.

Erk Russell's Dog

January 19th, 2012
8:53 pm

@MB
I can’t believe you went all the way back to the Len Barker trade to make your point about the Braves over-reacting and making a terrible trade. How about more recent history, Escobar for A. Gonzalez,Francouer for some Met no one remembers and the topper the Texas trade,Undo any of the three and the Braves would have one less hole to fill,or maybe no holes to fill if they did not over reach in the Texeira trade. But I don’t know which trade hurt the Braves more the Barker trade(1981 to1991 no playoffs)or the Texas trade one playoff appearance in the last 7 years.

afan

January 19th, 2012
8:54 pm

funny mutt

Laughing out Loud

January 19th, 2012
8:55 pm

Braves are damned for being owned by a corporation with no personal, visable owner to show interest. The Falcons are damned because Art Blank shows personbal interest, comes down on the sideline to encourage the coaches and players. Some of you haters are the same bums calling out the Braves and the Falcons…Go figure…That’s why I laugh out loud at you would be fans! Amusing!

afan

January 19th, 2012
9:01 pm

Falcons are not damned by Blank..Blank needs to buy the damn Braves and clean house.

Skeezix

January 19th, 2012
9:21 pm

There is no logic to “giving Wren credit for not overreacting”.
It is false praise – in fact it is counter productive; silly.
Am I going to get credit for not kicking the dog today?
Or, how about giving me credit for not driving drunk today?

marseilles mutt

January 19th, 2012
9:31 pm

Yo, Skeezix- Reporting you to the ASPCA for beating your dog yesterday, and was it yesterday or the day b/4 you drove drunk?

Want to try that analogy again?

I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist….it’s 4o above up here and not a lot to do…

BosnianBaller

January 19th, 2012
9:32 pm

Can you ask Fredi why he tried to be like Bobby Cox by sticking to Lowe and other crappy players when they struggled the whole season. I much rather see him be himself than try to be like Bobby.

Steve

January 19th, 2012
9:33 pm

Frank Wren’s teams have been to the playoffs one time. ONCE. After this season, JS will send a second letter. Maybe he will announce the hiring of a new GM.

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.

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.

if... if... if

January 25th, 2012
6:29 am

Enthusiasm is an all-time low. Maybe you and Wren forgot the venom from the locals after that collapse, but that hasn’t gone anywhere. Expect another drop in attendance. You’re better off without Lowe? Well the manager you hired gave him the baseball each time down the stretch and he blew it… and he wasn’t held accountable. Fans see that and say pfft forget these losers, I’ll find another team.

Honey Bee

January 25th, 2012
1:06 pm

If Heyward hits_ Wont happen.If Prado Makes a comeback_ wont happen. If Jurrgens and Hanson stay healthy_wont happen. IF Chipper plays 125 games_wont happen. Too many ifs. He promised to get an outfielder. If he would come off of some of his precious pitching,he could have got his outfielder.

Give Wren a hand for not overreacting to the Braves’ collapse

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Give Wren a hand for not overreacting to the Braves’ collapse

252 comments Add your comment

About Mark Bradley

We’ve Moved!

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Search this blog

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More from the AJC

Categories

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More Bradley Bloviation

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