I asked Cash and he oked it so I'm making this so I can post all Braves articles in here. Just for whoever wants to read them.
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11/15/2005 7:01 PM ET
Andruw second in NL MVP race
Braves slugger edged out by Cardinals' Pujols for award
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- It was simply a lighthearted prediction meant to get a rise out of Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton and at the same time provide some personal motivation.
Yet when Andruw Jones looks back on the greatest season in his baseball career, he will always remember that the turning point came when he looked at Pendleton with his patented, confident smirk and proclaimed that he was going to hit eight home runs in the span of the next nine games.
Jones fell one long ball short of the lofty prediction, but at the same time, he gained a confidence that he carried throughout a season in which he meant more to his team than any other Major Leaguer.
As Jones powered his way through his mighty season, the baseball world took notice and saw that the defensive wizard was finally realizing some of his enormous offensive potential. His fans and peers regarded him as the best player in the game this past season.
When it came time for the media to do the same on Tuesday afternoon, they instead narrowly chose the Cardinals' Albert Pujols over Jones in the National League MVP Award race. Jones received 13 first-place votes, 17 second-place votes and two third-place votes, for a total of 351 points. Pujols, meanwhile, received 18 first-place votes and 14 second-place votes, for a total of 378 points.
The 27-point margin that separated Jones from Pujols made this the closest NL MVP vote since 1991, when Pendleton -- then a Braves third baseman -- edged Barry Bonds by 15 points. Bonds had won four consecutive MVP Awards before missing most of this past season rehabbing his surgically repaired knee.
"I wasn't disappointed," Jones said. "I was anxious to see what was going to happen. I wasn't disappointed at all. I didn't think it'd take away from my season if I didn't win. I had a good season."
Jones, who led the Majors with 51 homers and the National League with 128 RBIs, knows that his .263 batting average certainly hurt him. Before recording just six hits in his final 51 at-bats of the season, there seemed to be a consensus that he would tally more votes than Pujols and the Cubs' Derrek Lee, who finished third.
Pujols, who had finished as the runner-up in the MVP balloting two of the previous three years, hit .330 with 41 homers and 117 RBIs. Like Jones, he was forced to carry much of the load, as his team dealt with injuries to such stars as Scott Rolen, Reggie Sanders and Larry Walker.
"[Pujols] had a better season than me," Jones said. "He deserved it after he had that many years being that consistent and that good. ... I respect him a lot. He's a tremendous hitter. He's got a really good idea what he's doing at the plate.
"I think it was the batting average. Me hitting .263 and him hitting .330, that was the difference. If I could have hit .290, it might have been a different story. He just had a better season than me."
Jones, Pujols and Lee were the only players to be named on every ballot. Lee led the NL with a .335 batting average, and also finished ahead of Pujols in slugging percentage, home runs and doubles. But because the Cubs finished the year with a losing record, he was widely considered to be the third-best candidate for the award.
"If Derrek Lee had his team going to the playoffs, he probably would have won," said Jones, whose previous best finish in MVP balloting came in 2000, when he finished eighth.
Though he didn't fare better than Pujols in the media vote, Jones' season didn't go unnoticed. He was named Major League Player of the Year by The Sporting News, and in the Players Choice Awards, he gained recognition as both the Major League Baseball Player of the Year and the National League's Outstanding Player.
All those awards were based on balloting among Major League players. Fans cast their ballots on MLB.com and elected him the National League's recipient of the Hank Aaron Award.
Many of the votes for all those awards were cast in mid-September, before Jones began struggling at the plate. When his batting average was at .275 after producing his ninth multi-homer performance of the year, on Sept. 11, the center fielder was regarded by many to be the favorite in the MVP race.
"[Jones and Lee] had great years," Pujols said. "Any of those guys could have won the award. You couldn't go wrong with any of those guys. Andruw had an outstanding year this year. I guess this was my year."
As for managers and coaches from around the Majors, they honored Jones with his first Silver Slugger Award and eighth consecutive Gold Glove. At the still-ripe age of 28, he's already collected enough hardware to rival the collection a young Bill Gates had while building the Microsoft enterprise.
Yet the awards don't matter as much to Jones as the satisfaction that he was able to improve upon the 2004 season, when he hit .261 and struck out 147 times. That motivated him to work harder last winter and concentrate on the wider batting stance that brought him so much success this season.
Other than during the 0-for-28 slump he endured in April and the season-ending plunge, he was much more consistent than his .263 batting average would attest.
Jones, who was named the NL's Player of the Month in June and August, was at his best during the season's middle months. He hit 38 of his homers and drove in 97 of his runs after June 10, the same day he made his prediction to Pendleton. His production kept an injury-riddled and rookie-filled Braves team afloat.
While Chipper Jones was on the disabled list for six weeks, Andruw batted .311 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs. Most doubt that the Braves would have captured their record 14th consecutive division title without that impressive stretch.
Along the way, Jones set a new franchise record for homers in a season -- previously shared by Aaron and Eddie Mathews -- and with his 50th homer of the year, became the fourth-youngest Major Leaguer to reach the 300-homer milestone.
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Blauser to manage Double-A Braves
Former Atlanta All-Star had been roving instructor in Minors
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- More than a decade ago, Jeff Blauser was known as a gritty shortstop who played a large part in the success the Braves had throughout the 1990s. His manager Bobby Cox always viewed him as hard-working, knowledgeable player who had the makings to one day be a successful manager in the professional ranks.
Blauser will get the opportunity to prove his former skipper right when he begins his tenure as the manager for the Double-A Mississippi Braves next season. The former Atlanta shortstop spent this past season as a roving instructor in the Braves' Minor League system.
"That's good news for the organization to have him back on board," Cox said. "He's ready to go and he's committed to everything that he does."
"We're excited about Jeff Blauser's decision to become a manager in our system," added Dayton Moore, Atlanta's assistant general manager of baseball operations. "His leadership and baseball experience will serve our organization well and be a great benefit to our players."
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity," Blauser said. "I've been there and I really like the area and the fan support. They've got a good product on the field and in the surrounding area. My wife is from Delhi, La., and I have friends from the Jackson-Pearl area, so I'm familiar with it. I'm looking forward to the challenge and I believe it's going to be a good summer."
Blauser's promotion, which was announced Wednesday afternoon, was among the many changes the Braves have made with the Minor League coaching staffs. Brian Snitker, who managed Mississippi last year, will now serve as Triple-A Richmond's manager.
Rocket Wheeler and Randy Ingle will switch jobs with Wheeler leaving his managerial post with Class A Rome to become the manager for Myrtle Beach, the club's advanced Class A team.
Paul Runge will once again serve as the manager at Rookie Level Danville. His new pitching coach will be Doug Henry, who pitched in the big leagues for 11 seasons.
Blauser made his Major League debut with the Braves in 1987 and remained in the organization until joining the Cubs in 1998. During his final season in Atlanta, he posted career highs in batting average (.308) and home runs (17). He was an All-Star in both the 1993 and '97 seasons. Blauser finished with a career batting average of .262 with 217 doubles, 122 homers and 513 RBIs.
During his years with the Braves, Blauser gained close friendships with Greg Maddux and Mark Lemke. Together, they provided plenty of clubhouse pranks and at the same time proved to be loyal students of the game.
"He was a real hard worker and he came through this system, too," Cox said. "He understands what the organization wants."
"It is very exciting to have Jeff Blauser manage this club. It makes it extra special to get a guy who played for us when I was the GM in Greenville. Jeff has come full cycle ... we watched him 'grow up' in this organization, watched him have a terrific Major League career in Atlanta, and now we will be able to watch him manage and mold the next generation of Braves superstars," said Mississippi Braves general manager Steve DeSalvo.
Snitker, who has either played coached or managed in the Braves system since 1977, replaces Pat Kelly, who will join the club's scouting staff. Mike Alvarez, who spent last season as Richmond's pitching coach, will now be a roving pitching coach.
"It's always sad to lose a guy like Brian Snitker who was a great manager and became a very good friend, however, I'm very happy for him and his opportunity to manage in Triple-A," said DeSalvo.
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Pair named to Topps rookie team Braves one of three clubs with two representatives
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann, who helped the Braves win their record 14th consecutive division title, have been named to the 2005 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star team.
The Braves, Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays each had two representatives selected to the team following balloting by Major League managers.
Francoeur, who finished third in the Baseball Writers' Association of America National League Rookie of the Year voting, finished the 2005 season with a .300 batting average, 14 homers and 45 RBIs. Defensively, he was just as impressive. In just 70 games, he registered 13 assists, which ranked first among Major League right fielders and second among all National League outfielders.
McCann was also promoted midway through the season. In 59 games, he batted .278 with five home runs and 23 RBIs. He also established himself as a solid Major League catcher, and he caught the majority of John Smoltz's starts after he arrived in Atlanta.
The Topps Major League Rookie All-Star team began in 1959. The 2005 Rookie All-Stars will each have a trophy on their 2006 Topps trading card.
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Betemit among Braves in winter ball Versatile infielder excelling with Escogido in Dominican League
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
Wilson Betemit made the most of his opportunity to prove himself during his rookie season in the big leagues. Now while spending the offseason in his native Dominican Republic, he's not resting on his laurels. Instead, the powerful switch-hitting infielder is seeing his stock rise even higher.
Betemit and fellow utility infielder Pete Orr headline the list of Braves prospects who are playing winter ball this offseason. While they're producing some impressive numbers, top prospect Andy Marte is struggling and giving more reason to believe he might not be ready for the Majors.
There are various reasons players choose to play in the Dominican, Venezuela, Puerto Rico or Mexico during the offseason. Veterans like Rafael Furcal and Julio Franco enjoy keeping themselves sharp while playing in front of friends and family members in the Dominican.
Younger players like Betemit and Orr simply need to get the regular playing time that they didn't receive while spending most of this past season as backups in Atlanta. Minor Leaguers like Onil Joseph are getting the opportunity to hone their skills against high-caliber talent.
Furcal and Franco haven't yet played a game this winter. But here's a look at how some of the other members of the Braves organization are faring in winter ball this year.
Betemit: When Chipper Jones was on the disabled list for six weeks this past season, Betemit provided sound defense at third base and proved his offensive skills were strong enough for him to be an everyday player. His production quieted the critics who began doubting the top prospect when he struggled at Triple-A Richmond from 2002-2004.
Betemit is currently playing for Escogido in the Dominican League. Through 17 games, he was hitting .328 (21-for-64) with five homers, 12 RBIs, a .427 on-base percentage and a .625 slugging percentage.
This, combined with the .305 batting average he produced in Atlanta this past season, shows he certainly has the ability to be a regular in the big leagues. If the Braves aren't able to keep Furcal from exiting via free agency, Betemit could possibly replace him as the club's starting shortstop.
Orr: Very few Braves fans knew much about Orr two years ago. But since taking advantage of regular opportunities at Richmond in 2004, the hard-working Canadian has established himself as a big leaguer. While serving as a utility infielder in Atlanta this past season, he hit .300 (45-for-150), was successful in seven of eight stolen base attempts and proved sound defensively.
Through his first 20 games with Zulia in the Venezuelan League this winter, Orr was hitting .365 and had a .427 on-base percentage. He should once again prove to be a valuable backup in Atlanta during the 2006 season.
Marte: Through his first 19 games with Azucareros in the Dominican League, Marte was hitting just .232 (16-for-69) with two homers and six RBIs. This may be a sign that he could use another year of seasoning at Richmond, where he hit .275 with 20 homers in 2005.
Marte's struggles during his first few weeks of winter ball aren't the only indication the Braves might not be ready to promote the top prospect. He also hit just .140 (8-for-57) in limited opportunities with Atlanta this past season. His production hasn't been enough for them to make room for him by moving Chipper Jones to another position.
Tony Pena Jr.: Pena, who hit just .249 as Richmond's shortstop this year, was hitting .246 (14-for-57) through his first 16 games with Aguillas in the Dominican League.
Brayan Pena: Pena, who spent some time as one of Atlanta's backup catchers this past season, was hitting .246 (15-for-61) through his first 16 games with Gigantes in the Dominican League.
Joseph: The speedy outfielder, who hit .249 at Double-A Mississippi this past season, had one hit in just three at-bats through his first nine games with Gigantes.
The Braves Minor League outfielder who has had the most productive winter has been Gregor Blanco, who was hitting .333 (5-for-15) through his first eight games with La Guaira in the Venezuelan League.
Last edited by Chaos6; 11-20-2005 at 05:25 PM..
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He is aging its not that obvious due to his injuries are really catching up to him. Next year is when we will start seeing Marte get more playing time.
What are the Braves going to do to get beyond the first round of the playoffs? I don't think Bobby Cox is capable of getting the Braves to the World Series again.
-- Jay Minner, Tallahassee, Fla.
If the first three players in Cox's lineup hit a combined .175, as Rafael Furcal, Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones did in this year's National League Division Series, you're right.
If he goes into another Division Series like he did in 2004, when Jaret Wright was overthrowing and both Mike Hampton and John Thomson were injured, I'll also bet that Cox wouldn't need to make plans for the NL Championship Series that year, either.
While I understand there is frustration that the Braves have advanced past the first round just once since 2000, I can't see how you blame it on Cox. By all accounts, he completely outmanaged Phil Garner in the 2004 Division Series. But when your top three starting pitchers are either injured or determined to throw differently than they did in the regular season, a manager is put in a rather unmanageable position.
There are instances, such as in Game 6 of the 1998 NLCS, when Cox chose to start Tony Graffanino and Tony Bautista in favor of left-handed hitters Keith Lockhart and Michael Tucker, that are going to be questioned. But, at the same time, it should be pointed out that Chipper nor Andres Galarraga had much success against southpaw Sterling Hitchcock in that Series, either.
If there's one fault that can be aimed toward Cox, it's the fact that he's helped produce a product that has completely spoiled Braves fans. Every season begins with new faces and questions. Still, since 1991, every full season has ended with playoff baseball in Atlanta.
With the recent early postseason departures, it's almost forgotten that Cox was the manager who led the Braves to the World Series five times in the 1990s. He's a little older now, but he's far from being too old to lead another team back to the grand stage.
An over-the-hill skipper never would have had the patience to use 18 different rookies and still lead his team to a 14th consecutive division title, like Cox did this year.
There's always a need to place blame after a team fails to win a championship. It's the nature of sports. But instead of pointing the finger at Cox, it might be wise to remember that it was Bautista who lost the fly ball in the sun during the 1998 NLCS against the Padres.
Or that strong pitching duos like Randy Johnson/Curt Schilling and Mark Prior/Kerry Wood are sometimes unbeatable in the postseason. I mean, it wasn't Cox who hit .062, like Gary Sheffield did in the 2002 NLDS. Nor was he the dependable closer that blew a five-run, eighth-inning lead six weeks ago.
It's been said that the Braves' run will only be fully appreciated when it ends. Sadly, Cox will also likely have to retire before some understand how lucky Atlanta was to have him around all these years. It's not his fault that the Braves have lost in the Division Series five of the past six seasons. His only crime is that he's put himself in position to be blamed for multiple years of disappointment.
Other than the Yankees' Joe Torre, there isn't another manager in the past 50 years who has realized the annual success that it takes to commit such a crime.
If the Braves don't re-sign Julio Franco, who will platoon at first base with Adam LaRoche? I don't think LaRoche is ready to face lefties. He hit .188 against them last season.
-- Dimas Cisneros, Los Angeles
If the Braves were to bring Franco back and once again limit LaRoche's opportunities to face lefties, then I guess it would be my turn to second-guess Cox. I don't believe the platoon should be used again, and that isn't simply because I think Franco's age is finally showing.
It's time to let LaRoche prove he can hit left-handed pitchers. You point out that he hit just .188 against them last year. Let's remember he had just 48 at-bats against them, and 13 of those came in August, when Dimas Cisneros or even Mark Bowman could have struck him out.
There are times, like this past August when he was struggling mightily, when you're going to shake your head and wonder about LaRoche. But I'm still of the belief that he can hit 25-plus homers and produce a .300 batting average on an annual basis. Thus, I'd like to see him play every day against right-handers and left-handers.
If there is room to bring Franco back as a pinch-hitter, it's worth having him on the roster. But even before his offense dropped because of a late-season elbow injury, he was showing signs defensively that he was indeed a 47-year-old man who was just looking like a 25-year-old the past few years.
Will the Braves win 20 consecutive division titles with the abundance of talent coming up from their farm system?
-- T.J. Jones, Owensboro, Ky.
This forces us to look into the crystal ball and see what's in store for the 2011 season.
From what I can see, it shows an ancient form of Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann and Kyle Davies. Each of them begin the year at age 27 and with the excitement of playing with 44-year-old knuckleballer John Smoltz. Oh yeah, and their shortstop is this Elvis kid, also know as Elvis Andrus, who is in his fourth big-league season at the age of 22.
OK. Now back to reality. There are obviously far too many things that could happen between now and then to wisely predict whether 20 consecutive division titles is a possibility. Winning four in a row still seems like an almost unthinkable accomplishment, if your not wearing Yankee pinstripes or a Tomahawk on your chest.
But with the youthful talents of Francoeur, McCann, Davies, Blaine Boyer, Chuck James, Andy Marte, Eric Campbell and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, there are plenty of reasons to think it's possible. Oh yeah, that center fielder for the 2011 team could be a 34-year-old Andruw Jones, who would be entering the season with 13 consecutive Gold Gloves.
What is meant by "picking up the option"? This was done recently for one of the Braves pitchers.
-- Leah P., Lakeland, Fla.
The Braves recently picked up the option that was in John Thomson's contract. When he signed with the Braves, he was guaranteed two years (2004-05) and the Braves had the option of bringing him back for a set salary ($4.75 million) in 2006.
Had the Braves chosen not to bring Thomson back, he would have received $500,000 from a buyout clause and become a free agent.
Most options are club options, which means the club makes the decision whether it wants to bring the player back. Some options vest when a player reaches a certain milestone, like number of games played, innings pitched, plate appearances, etc.
If Jeff Blauser has success for a couple of years at Double-A Mississippi, do you see him as Cox's replacement? Or is Ned Yost a possibility?
-- Adam D., Cullman, Ala.
Let's let Blauser manage his first game before we start wondering whether he should be anybody's successor. Obviously, you hope the best for Jeff and hope that if he wishes, he does get the chance to manage at the big-league level.
Nobody knows when Cox is going to retire. But that never stops a sports fan from making projections. So right now, I'd say Yost, Fredi Gonzalez and Terry Pendleton are the three most likely men to replace Cox.
Yost has a great thing going in Milwaukee, but his family wants to be in Georgia. Gonzalez and Pendleton both have the potential to be successful managers when given the opportunity.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
12/04/2005 1:10 AM ET
Sources: Furcal heading to Dodgers
Shortstop agrees to three-year, $39.5 million deal
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Late Saturday night, sources very familiar with the negotiations confirmed that Rafael Furcal has decided to sign with the Dodgers.
The Furcal signing is expected to be announced Sunday afternoon, just before the start of the Winter Meetings, where Braves general manager John Schuerholz is sure to be very busy.
With Furcal's exit, Schuerholz now must explore the free agent and trade markets to fill the voids Furcal leaves at leadoff hitter and shortstop. He had been with the Braves organization since signing his first professional contract at the age of 19 in 1996.
The sources confirmed that Furcal will receive a three-year deal worth approximately $39.5 million. The Braves aren't believed to have made more than a four-year offer for $36 million.
When this week began, it seemed like Furcal might be ready to sign what was believed to be a five-year, $50 million offer from the Cubs. But the Dodgers and new general manager Ned Colletti, who just accepted the position on Nov. 16, made a late charge that proved very fruitful.
Furcal's representatives first spoke with the Dodgers on Tuesday and soon after received the lucrative offer. They were then flown to Los Angeles on Friday and gained confidence that owner Frank McCourt is committed to rebuilding the Dodgers into a respectable, winning organization.
When Furcal became a free agent and began getting attention from a number of big market clubs, the Braves felt it would be tough to bring him back to Atlanta. They weren't willing to compete with the mega-offers and were reluctant to extend a long-term deal to their 28-year-old shortstop, who has a history of shoulder and knee injuries.
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The Braves could choose to use Wilson Betemit as their starting shortstop and look to trade for a leadoff hitter. The wheeling and dealing Marlins are willing trade Juan Pierre, who would supply offensive spark as a leadoff hitter and, at the same time, provide a speedy presence in left field.
There have been other rumors that the Braves are looking to trade for Tampa Bay's Julio Lugo, who, despite struggling in August and September, still produced a career-best offensive season. Lugo will be eligible for free agency at the end of next season.
Within their Minor League system, the Braves have 23-year-old Cuban defector Yunel Escobar, who would likely be ready to play in the Majors by the start of the 2006 season. They also have highly-talented 17-year-old Elvis Andrus waiting to become what many believe will be one of the game's best shortstops.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
13 million/year seems like a bit much for Furcal...but then again all free agents wind up being overpaid. But hey, any loss for the Braves is a gain for the Mets, so I'm happy...
I find it funny how Furcal's Agent has said that it has never been about the money..well, if that was the case then IMO the Dodgers should've been out of the race for him from the beginning. If it wasn't about the money, and the Braves would've gotten the "Hometown Discount" like Furcal reported saying they would, then why didn't he sign with us? Then, I later read that it was about who could offer the longest playing time or some BS, well my question for that would be why the Dodgers again? I read numerous times of the Cubs 4 year offer, as well as the Braves 4 year offer.. I just don't understand Furcal. Maybe Chipper should give him a call, and tell him it's not always about the money.. It's a real shame for Chipper, who restructured his contract specifically to resign Furcal.. Wow, what a shame..
13 million/year seems like a bit much for Furcal...but then again all free agents wind up being overpaid. But hey, any loss for the Braves is a gain for the Mets, so I'm happy...
Want to hear something EXTREMELY funny, and hard to believe? Furcal is now making more money then Miguel Tejeda..which is unbelievable..
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I guess we will just have to see here.. I have no problems with Kelly Johnson hitting leadoff and Betemit starting at SS.
I think your going to see a lot of moves in the Winter Meetings..a various amount have been floating around the rumor mill for Atlanta.
I've heard possibilities of trading Johnson and another prospect for Juan Pierre, which would fill a huge void and make the pain of lossing Furcal a lot less for myself..
Or theres the rumors of trading for Lugo from Tampa Bay, which wouldn't bother me either as a one year stopper for Yunel Escobar.. Lugo can bat leadoff as well, and it would still give Langerhans the chance to play with KJ in leftfield.
My biggest concern right now though is who is going to be our closer. I think Betemit could do fine at short if we lose out on Lugo to the Cubs, but who are we going to have as our closer? Joey Devine? The kid was pitching in college less then 6 months ago, let's face it..he's not ready.. I really think we need to get the Hoffman or Todd Jones signing done. Then go out and see if we can get Dannys Baez from Tampa included in the Lugo deal by some chance.. Oh my, so much to do for JS at the Winter MEetings this year, it'll be interesting to see how it gets played out.
Want to hear something EXTREMELY funny, and hard to believe? Furcal is now making more money then Miguel Tejeda..which is unbelievable..
LOL...actually I can't laugh, Delgado is making more money than Pujols...
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And Billy Wagner is now the highest paid closer in baseball...
__________________
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Originally Posted by cashpath
Your wealth of wisdom just declared bankruptcy
Last edited by Short; 12-04-2005 at 01:29 AM..
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I hope the Dodgers plument....and I hope the Braves really win the WS this year to show Furcal that maybe it was him why we couldn't win...We won in 95 before him and nothing afterwards...that'll be funny.
I hope he ends up like most other FA's that sign with a different team and his stats go down drastically...
I hope Furcal has a crappy year. We Open the Season playing the Dodgers. Thats when Furcal will realize that signing a deal with the Dodgers isn't going to get you into the playoffs only watching them on TV. Worst of Luck to you Furcal
Braves working on filling vacancies
GM Schuerholz says club isn't interested in Marlins' Pierre
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
DALLAS -- It appears the Braves aren't interested in obtaining speedy Marlins center fielder Juan Pierre and that they could fill their need for a leadoff hitter by using Marcus Giles or somebody else who is already in their organization.
As the second day of the Winter Meetings progressed, Braves general manager John Schuerholz said he and his staff were still talking with several teams in hopes of landing both a leadoff hitter and closer. But he admitted there aren't a vast amount of candidates available to fill those voids, which were created by the departure of free agents Rafael Furcal and Kyle Farnsworth.
"I can tell you honestly and forthrightly we have a had a number of very good conversations today, some of which have been second conversations with several clubs, and I feel something good will come out of these meetings," Schuerholz said.
While Pierre would provide Atlanta with a leadoff hitter, there are a number of reasons the Braves aren't interested in pursuing him. First, the Marlins would want highly coveted youngsters like Brian McCann, Kyle Davies and Jarrod Saltalamacchia in return for Pierre, who could make $5 million as an arbitration-eligible player.
Also, many of the Braves' top scouts aren't sure Pierre would provide a solution, even if he was only in Atlanta for one year. One scout pointed out that the 28-year-old outfielder produced just a .326 on-base percentage this year and his weak arm could prove to be a hindrance, even as a left fielder.
"If we can make a deal that brings us a legitimate leadoff hitter, then that answers it," Schuerholz said. "But if we don't, I'm sure [Braves manager] Bobby [Cox] will decide who it is he feels most comfortable with, putting in that position."
Cox has had the luxury of putting Furcal at the top of his lineup for each of the past six seasons. In doing so, he had a leadoff hitter who provided speed, power and the ability to be a capable sparkplug despite not drawing an enormous amount of walks.
If the Braves placed Giles in the leadoff role, they would want the veteran second baseman to maintain his aggressive plate approach and not feel like he has to adapt to the leadoff role. His .365 on-base percentage in 2005 was his lowest in the past three years, but still higher than any of the totals Furcal produced in that span.
"We've had [leadoff] guys that have gone to the plate like 600 times [in a season] and walked like 12 times," Cox said. "You can win either way."
With Furcal injured for the second half of Giles' 2001 rookie season, Giles hit .260 (60-for-231) and produced 27 walks and a .337 on-base percentage in the leadoff role.
Before planning to use Giles or Ryan Langerhans or Kelly Johnson as their leadoff hitter, the Braves will first exhaust all attempts to find a more conventional one. They are still exploring trade opportunities with the Devil Rays, who could compensate with both a closer in Danys Baez and a leadoff hitter in shortstop Julio Lugo.
"We know we need to have a shortstop and we know we need to have a closer," Schuerholz said. "We're going to get the best people that we can to fill those gaps."
Schuerholz has said making multi-player or multi-team deals are difficult. But while providing another jab aimed at Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, Schuerholz jokingly said, "but we've found out they're not as complex as talking to agents about trying to get their players to sign contracts."
With longtime Padres closer Trevor Hoffman apparently nearing a deal with the Indians, the Braves have inquired about All-Star closer Bob Wickman, who has said he'd retire if he wasn't re-signed by the Indians.
The Braves met with Indians officials on Tuesday to discuss the health of Wickman, who will be 37 by the time Spring Training begins.
Another injury-risk acquisition could be Octavio Dotel, who told a newspaper in the Dominican Republic last week that the Braves have expressed interest. Dotel, who had shoulder surgery in June, has said he'll be ready to compete for a closer's role by the start of Spring Training.
"We'd prefer [a closer] with a track record who is proven, who is reliable and who is healthy," Schuerholz said. "There's not a very broad field of candidates."
The Braves have also at least discussed the possibility of signing free agent Nomar Garciaparra, who because of injury has played a total of 143 games the past two seasons. Some of their scouts believe he can still hit, but others doubt whether he can play the shortstop position.
Schuerholz continues to stress he and his staff will display patience. That is the initial message he delivered when he addressed his scouts and player development personnel at the start of these meetings.
"The first words out of my mouth were that we have no obligation to do something here, except to do our darndest and do our best to advance this situation further to fill three critical needs of our team -- shortstop, closer, leadoff hitter," Schuerholz said. "We've done that."
Smoltz ready to represent USA: John Smoltz says he gladly accepted the invitation to be a candidate for the United States team that will compete in March's World Baseball Classic. His shoulder, which hampered him for the final month of the past season, has responded well to rest, and he'll make a decision about competing based on how he feels in January.
"I think it will be the best thing for me at this time and point of my career," Smoltz said. "I think it's going to be something great. I've always been in favor of something like this. The only thing is that it's happening during Spring Training this year. I'd like to see it held during the All-Star break."
Smoltz seems concerned about the void Furcal's departure has created at the top of the Braves lineup. When discussing possible options for the leadoff spot, Smoltz said, "the guy we needed is now in Los Angeles." Cox spoke with Furcal this week and understands his former shortstop's decision to accept the three-year, $39 million deal the Dodgers offered.
"He had to go," Cox said. "I don't think anybody wants to leave their original team. But these [types of offers] are things that come around once in a lifetime. We'll miss him, but we'll go on."
Notes: The Braves will once again have Jim Fregosi as their top advance scout for the upcoming season. Fregosi had been a top candidate for the Dodgers' managerial job that was filled by former Red Sox skipper Grady Little on Tuesday night. ... Julio Franco is expected to be the only Braves free agent offered arbitration by Wednesday's deadline. Brian Jordan, Eddie Perez and Todd Hollandsworth are their only other remaining free agents. ... Baseball America recognized the Braves as their Organization of the Year during an awards ceremony on Tuesday
Looks like the possibilities of getting Juan Pierre is out now.. Oh what we will do.. Now I'd like to see them pull a deal together for Lugo and Baez now that we can't get Pierre.. If we were able to get Pierre then Betemit would've been fine at shortstop IMO. Only time will tell..
Braves in talks to acquire Renteria
Atlanta would trade top prospects in proposed deal with Sox
DALLAS -- Forget about Juan Pierre. The Braves aren't interested. Instead, they're hoping to complete a deal that would bring Boston's Edgar Renteria to Atlanta to serve as their shortstop.
The Braves met with the Red Sox on Tuesday afternoon and discussed the possibility of the trade, but a deal wasn't believed to be imminent as of late Tuesday night.
Over the past few weeks, the Braves have inquired about obtaining Devil Rays shortstop Julio Lugo, but were always asked for far too much in return. But they would be willing to part with a top prospect like Andy Marte if they were able to get a four-time All-Star like Renteria in return.
In order to complete this trade, the Braves would likely to have to part with Marte and either Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Brian McCann. Atlanta's most pressing concern is ensuring the Red Sox pay a sizable portion of the $26 million that Renteria is owed over the next three years.
Several media outlets are reporting that the trade would also include the Devil Rays, but two Braves officials said late Tuesday night that a three-team deal is highly unlikely.
Braves general manager John Schuerholz wouldn't talk specifics. But he confirmed his club is engaged in several discussions that would allow him to fill the void Rafael Furcal's exit created at the leadoff spot in the batting order and shortstop position.
"I can tell you honestly and forthrightly we have a had a number of very good conversations today, some of which have been second conversations with several clubs, and I feel something good will come out of these meetings," Schuerholz said.
Renteria was the prize acquisition for the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox last offseason. But after committing 30 errors and hitting just .276 with eight homers in 2005, he quickly fell out of favor. A Braves official confirmed a month ago that the club became interested when they heard Boston was willing to pay a portion of the shortstop's salary.
Pierre's weak arm and the .326 on-base percentage he produced last year were two things that made him undesirable to the Braves to fill their leadoff spot. So, too, was the fact the Marlins, like the Devil Rays, were asking for too much for a marginal return.
The Braves have had several trade discussions with the Devil Rays, but all talks with Tampa Bay are believed to be dead. When Atlanta inquired about what it would take to obtain both Lugo and closer Danys Baez, the Rays asked for McCann and two top-caliber pitching prospects on the level of Kyle Davies.
It doesn't take a Schuerholz to reject those types of offers. But when a player the caliber of Renteria is thrown into the mix, then Schuerholz and every other general manager would love to have the vast resources of the Braves' Minor League system.
Obtaining Renteria, who averaged .297, 10 homers and 80 RBIs with the Cardinals from 2002-04, would still leave the need to find a leadoff hitter.
But Renteria could bat second, where he has most of his career, and Marcus Giles could move up to the leadoff spot.
"If we can make a deal that brings us a legitimate leadoff hitter, then that answers it," Schuerholz said. "But if we don't, I'm sure [Braves manager] Bobby [Cox] will decide who it is he feels most comfortable with, putting in that position."
If the Braves placed Giles in the leadoff role, they would want the veteran second baseman to maintain his aggressive plate approach and not feel like he has to adapt to the leadoff role. His .365 on-base percentage this season was his lowest in the past three years, but still higher than any of the totals Furcal produced in that span.
"We've had [leadoff] guys that have gone to the plate like 600 times [in a season] and walked like 12 times," Cox said. "You can win either way."
With Furcal injured for the second half of Giles' 2001 rookie season, Giles hit .260 (60-for-231) and produced 27 walks and a .337 on-base-percentage in the leadoff role.
Before planning to use Giles or Ryan Langerhans or Kelly Johnson as their leadoff hitter, the Braves will first exhaust all attempts to find a more conventional one.
"We know we need to have a shortstop and we know we need to have a closer," Schuerholz said. "We're going to get the best people that we can to fill those gaps."
Schuerholz has said making multi-team deals are difficult. But while providing his latest jab aimed at Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, he jokingly said, "but we've found out they're not as complex as talking to agents about trying to get their players to sign contracts."
"I can tell you honestly and forthrightly we have a had a number of very good conversations today, some of which have been second conversations with several clubs, and I feel something good will come out of these meetings."
-- Braves GM John Schuerholz
The angst toward Kinzer stems from the fact that Schuerholz wasn't given a chance to make a counteroffer after the Dodgers overwhelmed Furcal with a three-year, $39 million offer that he agreed to on Saturday night.
But Schuerholz and Cox know there is no reason to continue worrying about what happened in the past.
"He had to go," Cox said. "I don't think anybody wants to leave their original team. But these [types of offers] are things that come around once in a lifetime. We'll miss him, but we'll go on."
Along with looking to fill their needs to find a shortstop and leadoff hitter, the Braves are also still looking for a closer.
With longtime Padres closer Trevor Hoffman apparently nearing a three-year, $21 million deal with the Indians, the Braves have inquired about All-Star closer Bob Wickman, who has said he'd retire if he wasn't re-signed by Cleveland.
The Braves met with Indians officials on Tuesday to discuss the health of Wickman, who will be 37 by the time Spring Training begins.
Another injury-risk acquisition could be Octavio Dotel, who told a newspaper in the Dominican Republic last week that the Braves have expressed interest. Dotel, who had shoulder surgery in June, has said he'll be ready to compete for a closer's role by the start of Spring Training.
"We'd prefer [a closer] with a track record who is proven, who is reliable and who is healthy," Schuerholz said. "There's not a very broad field of candidates."
The Braves have also at least discussed the possibility of signing free agent Nomar Garciaparra, who because of injury has played a total of 143 games the past two seasons. Some of their scouts believe he can still hit, but others doubt whether he can play the shortstop position.
Whatever decision or decisions are made, Schuerholz continues to stress he and his staff will display patience. That is the initial message he delivered when he addressed his scouts and player development personnel at the start of these meetings.
"The first words out of my mouth were that we have no obligation to do something here, except to do our darndest and do our best to advance this situation further to fill three critical needs of our team -- shortstop, closer, leadoff hitter," Schuerholz said. "We've done that."
Smoltz ready to represent USA: John Smoltz says he gladly accepted the invitation to be a candidate for the United States team that will compete in March's World Baseball Classic. His shoulder, which hampered him for the final month of the past season, has responded well to rest, and he'll make a decision about competing based on how he feels in January.
"I think it will be the best thing for me at this time and point of my career," Smoltz said. "I think it's going to be something great. I've always been in favor of something like this. The only thing is that it's happening during Spring Training this year. I'd like to see it held during the All-Star break."
Smoltz seems concerned about the void Furcal's departure has created at the top of the Braves lineup. When discussing possible options for the leadoff spot, Smoltz said, "the guy we needed is now in Los Angeles." Cox spoke with Furcal this week and understands his former shortstop's decision to accept the three-year, $39 million deal the Dodgers offered.
Notes: The Braves will once again have Jim Fregosi as their top advance scout for the upcoming season. Fregosi had been a top candidate for the Dodgers' managerial job that was filled by former Red Sox skipper Grady Little on Tuesday night. ... Julio Franco is expected to be the only Braves free agent offered arbitration by Wednesday's deadline. Brian Jordan, Eddie Perez and Todd Hollandsworth are their only other remaining free agents. ... Baseball America recognized the Braves as their Organization of the Year during an awards ceremony on Tuesday.
I would love this. I really hope JS can pull this off!
I'm not a big fan of Juan Pierre. He has a weak arm in left and I would personally rather see Kelly Johnson get the playing time or Langerhans.
As far as Renteria goes. You got to worry a bit about a guy that a team is willing to not only trade but pay most of his salary for you to take him.
Personally, I wouldn't want to see this trade done. I don't like the idea of giving up young talent for a player that hit just .270 and committed 30 errors last season.
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I got the argument from someone earlier today that Renteria just had his first bad season last year. If you actually look at it, Renteria was really just playing to his normal level in most areas.
2005 Stats
.276 average
.335 on base %
.385 slugging %
.720 OPS
Career stats
.288 average
.345 on base %
.399 slugging %
.744 OPS
He has a career low in stolen bases with 9. He struck out 100 times for the first time since his second year in the league after only striking out 78 times the year before. (and 57, 54 the two years before that)
All these to me show signs of a man whose abilities are on the way down. Again, it scares me to see this and then the team is willing to pay a good portion of his salary for a team to take him.
Last edited by Disturbed; 12-07-2005 at 09:37 AM..
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Yep they did. Thats good news for me . And you know what else is good news for the Mets...
Quote:
Marlins deal Pierre to Cubs for three pitchers
Associated Press
DALLAS -- The Florida Marlins likely finished their salary purge on Wednesday, sending center fielder Juan Pierre to the Chicago Cubs for right-hander Sergio Mitre and Double-A pitchers Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto.
The only high-priced players remaining on the Marlins roster are 22-game winner Dontrelle Willis and slugger Miguel Cabrera, who are eligible for salary arbitration for the first time but not expected to be traded. Pierre is eligible for salary arbitration and expected to make $5 million to $6 million in 2006.
"I can guarantee you that Miguel Cabrera will be in the lineup," new Marlins manager Joe Girardi said. "Other than that, there aren't a whole lot of guarantees."
The 28-year-old Pierre batted .276 with 181 hits, 96 runs and 57 stolen bases last season. He gives the Cubs the leadoff hitter they lacked in 2005, when they finished fourth, 21 games behind the Cardinals, with a 79-83 record that was their first losing season in three years.
"He puts pressure on the opposition," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "He brings a different dimension to our lineup so we can play small ball and set up the guys behind him to play long ball as well."
With his speed and left-handed bat, the Cubs had hoped Corey Patterson would develop into a leadoff hitter. But the third overall pick in the 1998 amateur draft was a bust at the top of the order, and was even sent back to Triple-A Iowa for more seasoning.
He hit just .215 last year with 118 strikeouts, and his on-base percentage was only .254. He didn't have much luck bunting, either.
And the Cubs didn't have anyone in the system to replace him.
"It was a priority," general manager Jim Hendry said. "There's a lot of clubs just lacking that bona fide leadoff hitter. We knew the competition was very tough.
"It's no secret we chased Rafael Furcal hard. And even if we got him we would have chased Juan Pierre hard."
In all, the Marlins have cut about $45 million in 2006 payroll after starting last year at $60 million. Leaving through trade or free agency are: Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett, Paul Lo Duca, Luis Castillo, Mike Lowell, Guillermo Mota and Carlos Delgado.
Other Marlins free agents not expected to be re-signed include outfielder Jeff Conine, second baseman Damion Easley and shortstop Alex Gonzalez.
"I'm glad I'm not down there any more. Fire sales are always tough," Burnett said Tuesday after agreeing to a five-year, $55 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. "They'd better teach Dontrelle how to play all nine positions."
Girardi said he would make sure Willis didn't try to do too much.
"My expectation for him is to be a leader. From everything I know, and from talking to him, he already is a leader," Girardi said. "So I just want him to be himself. Don't try to do too much, because I'm not going to let him."
Mitre was 2-5 with a 5.37 ERA in 60 1-3 innings. Pinto, a lefty, was 10-3 with a 2.71 ERA in Double-A and Nolasco, a righty, was 14-3 with a 2.89 ERA, also with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
"We have an abundance of young starters," Girardi said. "Other teams would probably like to have eight veterans, but we have eight young starters. They have the ability to push each other."
Pierre isn't happening, but I hope the Renteria deal goes through. I think he just had a bad year last year, and I know Disturbed brought up the stats, but I know Edgar is capable of doing better then that. The guy is a gamer, that knows how to win. He's been with Florida when they won the WS, St. Louis when they were the best team in the NL, Boston last year.. I'd love to have the guy, especially for the postseason.
Now, the Estrada deal.. I do believe it was an okay trade. Villareil or whatever could prove to be a steal, if Johnny continues to be injury prone and Villareil (sp.?) has another year like he did in '03. And Lance Carter..well, he could be decent..who knows? I don't know much about him, we'll find out..
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Quote:
12/07/2005 8:40 PM ET
Braves trade Kolb for Obermueller
Atlanta scouts see potential in pitcher acquired from Brewers
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
DALLAS -- After battling through a difficult 2005 campaign in Atlanta, the Braves dealt reliever Dan Kolb back to the Brewers on Wednesday.
Atlanta acquired right-hander Wes Obermueller in exchange for Kolb, who followed his 2004 All-Star season with Milwaukee by posting a 5.93 ERA and converting just 11 of his 18 save opportunities with the Braves.
During the 2004 Winter Meetings, the Braves traded top pitching prospect Jose Capellan in exchange for Kolb, who most believed would prove to be a reliable closer. He lost that role by mid-May and continued to struggle throughout the rest of the season.
"The thing with Dan Kolb didn't work for us," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said. "The Brewers were willing to make this deal. They had interest in Kolb and our people have seen Wes throw well. We get a guy who in the past has had some success, and we like his arm. So we'll give it a shot."
The Brewers are expected to non-tender Kolb later this month with the agreement that they'll re-sign him to a new contract. The right-hander, who converted 39 of 44 save opportunities in 2004, made $3.4 million this past season.
By not tendering him a contract, Milwaukee is able to offer him a salary with more than a 20 percent pay cut. The Brewers are hoping Kolb will want to do this to have the opportunity to be reunited with pitching coach Mike Maddux and to pitch in an environment where he was successful just two years ago.
"I think Danny might drive this a little bit," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. "Everybody knows the circumstances -- [Kolb] pitched well for us and he didn't pitch well for Atlanta."
Kolb came to Atlanta known as a ground ball specialist. His sinker had helped him produce a 2.20 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio in 2004. The number dropped to 1.88 in 2005. In addition, while throwing just one-third of an inning more last year, his walk total increased from 15 to 29.
"I mean, he could very well turn it around next year and get the ground balls at somebody," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "I felt bad because he had spurts where he pitched pretty darned good, and was kind of like he was the year before. ... I felt bad because we couldn't get him going and we should have."
With Obermueller, the Braves obtain a 28-year-old right-handed reliever who was 1-4 with a 5.26 ERA in 23 appearances at the Major League level last year. He has struggled with his control, but the Braves' scouts believe he has a good arm that provides potential.
With another Thursday trade that sent Johnny Estrada to the Diamondbacks, Schuerholz obtained Oscar Villarreal and Lance Cormier, two relievers who provide depth to the bullpen. If he has a strong spring and is able to turn himself around, Obermueller might also find himself as one of Atlanta's relievers on Opening Day.
"We have a really good pitching program," Schuerholz said. "We have a really good pitching environment. We make pitchers better in our organization."
While proving unable to fill John Smoltz's shoes as the Atlanta closer, Kolb was obviously one of the exceptions to that rule. But reunited with Maddux, he may be able to regain the successful form he had during the first half of the 2004 season.
"I think Danny felt like he was filling some big shoes and he might have put a little more pressure on himself than he needed to," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "I think he's back in an environment where he's comfortable with the pitching coach and the city."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Glad to see we got rid of Kolb. Atleast we got something in return for him, and added 3 million more dollars to be able to go get a closer (of what's left). But, the bottom line is...Jose Capellan for Wes Obermueller, Probably one of JS's mistakes as a GM.
Last edited by SicK NasTy; 12-07-2005 at 09:42 PM..
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
The two pitchers that Atlanta got in the Estrada deal both had 5+ ERAs...now I do believe they're young and can turn it around, but I don't really understand why they got rid of Estrada. Getting rid of Kolb was good, he just wasn't performing for them. But 3 million dollars for a closer really isn't anything at all...Wagner is making 10+ million and even BJ Ryan is making close to that now...
The two pitchers that Atlanta got in the Estrada deal both had 5+ ERAs...now I do believe they're young and can turn it around, but I don't really understand why they got rid of Estrada. Getting rid of Kolb was good, he just wasn't performing for them. But 3 million dollars for a closer really isn't anything at all...Wagner is making 10+ million and even BJ Ryan is making close to that now...
No, I was saying we have an extra 3 million in our payroll now to add to the money to get the closer that we need.. atleast that's what I meant to say.
No, I was saying we have an extra 3 million in our payroll now to add to the money to get the closer that we need.. atleast that's what I meant to say.
. And you know what else is good news for the Mets...
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