Filed under: Offseason | Tags: Andruw Jones, Jeff Francoeur, Kelly Johnson, recovery, Texas Rangers, Tim Hudson
Andruw is trying it again, in another shade of blue – this time with a hint of Texas.
Hudson is mending well, according to the AJC.
Johnson is still stuck in potential-arbitration limboland, but he’s not alone – he has a sidekick in -
Francoeur, are we ever going to work this out?
Francoeur has, by the way, claimed to have lost 15 to 20 pounds in the off season – which I’m guessing is a good idea – seeing what thickening up did to him this past season.
I took my morning run in my bright red tee with his name emblazoned on the back today in hopes of some closure so that I can really nestle into the two-week countdown.
Afterall – the start of Spring Training is just three Wednesdays from now…
I’ll have to throw on the Johnson shirt tomorrow to even it all out…
The Atlanta Braves offered pitcher Tom Glavine a contract totaling just under $2 million Saturday.
Glavine has yet to accept the offer which is almost a fourth of what he was offered for his return to the team in 2008.
After a surgery at the conclusion of last season, Glavine is showing all signs of making a strong comeback progressing weekly.
Wren is offering Glavine the small figure surely due to the fact he was not what the team expected last season going 2-4 with a 5.54 ERA – in addition to the fact the team wants to save money for another add-on like Yankee Nick Swisher to bolster the outfield situation.
So my question is – is Wren distributing the Braves finances wisely? And is Glavine worth more?
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Braves have been through their share of first basemen in the past five years – back to the time of Robert Fick – to the Adam LaRoche transition – then Braves fans were shortly introduced to Mark Teixera and then given Casey Kotchman at the end of July 2008.
Well we can rest assured that a face will remain fairly consistent throughout the 1009 season, as the Braves have offered Kotchman a one-year $2.885 million contract according to the faithful AJC.
So that means if Kotchman can produce big numbers we could start regarding him a team staple, because I don’t know about the rest of you – but last season he was THAT player. The one I couldn’t remember his stats or background – let’s hope he gives me a bounty of reasons for that to not be the case this season.
One down, two to go.
Here’s to hoping Kelly Johnson and Jeff Francoeur find a deal soon.
Filed under: Uncategorized
When I reminsce on the days I sat next to my dad watching a Braves game three voices ring clearly in my head.
The first and most trademark was lower, raspier – evident of Skip Caray, the second one that is clearest in my memory was a slightly younger voice, serene and fluid – both voices broadcast Braves baseball for as long as I could remember. Until in 2006 – that second, younger voice left and then this past season the baseball world experienced the pain of losing Caray.
The second voice however, is coming back.
The second voice will be welcome to most Braves fans, who like the AJC is claiming, will want some levels of familiarity in a club that is ever-changing, especially after losing John Smoltz in the off-season.
The second voice is Don Sutton.
With another opening in the voice lineup left by Pete Van Wieren (one of the other voices I can recall so clearly), the Braves have enlisted Atlanta-native Jim Powell from the Brewers.
Filed under: Uncategorized
In my opinion – there was one precursor to the beginning of the end of the Braves success run, and that was the departure of the rocking Leo Mazzone.
Appears, the Orioles did nothing for him in the latest column by Terrence Moore of the AJC.
I wonder how things would be different if he had stayed….but I suppose we will never know.
Filed under: Uncategorized
With five inches of snow in Boone in the past two days, it is almost unthinkable to utter the word spring.
But in the world of baseball, the word is out of the bag.
The Braves announced today that they are inviting Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Tommy Hanson to Florida in the coming months.
Jordan Schafer and Kris Medlin also grace the list of non-roster invitees.
Granted, Heyward and Freeman will likely end the season warmup back in the Minors, their presence at the camp could infuse Braves fans once again with the feeling that the Farm League is where the gold is – and the Braves aren’t finished yet.
Following a particularly bitter winter break from play – Braves fans will be looking for an infusion of hope of what the team can be this season and even farther down the road in seasons to come.
So take heart Braves fans – Frank Wren hasn’t traded all of the talent yet : ) – let’s just hope he offers our starters (a.k.a. Kelly Johnson, Kotchmann and Francoeur) the money they deserve to return!
Filed under: Offseason | Tags: 2009, AJC, David O'Brien, Freeman, Heyward, Morton, Peavy, Schaefer
courtesy of boston.com
After doing more research on my rant from earlier this morning I found David O’Brien of the AJC updating on the potential trade for Jake Peavy.
Brien states in his blog that:
“The Braves will NOT trade both Escobar and Kelly Johnson this offseason, though that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t trade one.”
-and-
“Braves might have gotten a casual inquiry or two about Jeff Francoeur, but they have not, repeat not, so far talked trade with any team about the right fielder. So don’t believe those rumors. Sure, that could change, but so far there’s been nothing doing on that front, and it sounds like Braves fully expect to have Francoeur in RF when the 2009 season begins.”
I can breathe.
Only downer? The Peavy trade may only happen at the cost of Charlie Morton, or Jason Heyward, or Freddie Freeman or Jordan Schaefer. I think I can let go of one, or a few though in order for the Braves to have a shot at a 2009 Playoff run – which won’t happen if we cannot secure a solid No. 1 pitcher.
The Braves are determined to shatter my poor heart this season.
Don’t make it to the playoffs.
No one gets a silver slugger, no one gets a golden glove.
No Coach of the Year for certain, no MVPs.
And then they pull this.
It’s a good thing it’s not official, because the day the Braves trade BOTH of my favorite players in one transaction is the day I might start shopping for other loyalties.
(Even though we know that will never happen – the loyalty part at least – in my anger I’m allowed to vent.)
I know Francoeur didn’t earn his keep this season – but you know me. Doesn’t matter how badly a team or player can disappoint, it doesn’t change the support. I mean for christ sake – I am after all still blogging about the Braves, right? I might have taken a hiatus, but I’m hoping to get back into swing soon.
Filed under: Random Aspects | Tags: Bobby Cox, Braves 2009, Brian McCann, Matt Diaz, New York Mets, Old, One Tree Hill, SportSouth, Tampa Bay Rays, Which Braves player would you let your daughter date
The Braves are not on an especially good streak, losing the last four games and having a 1-9 record in their last ten. Not promising, considering that they are 14 games back with one week left in August.
Honestly, I don’t foresee them overcoming the greatest comeback kids on the planet right now – The Tampa Bay Rays. (Does anyone else instinctively still insert ‘Devil’ in there or is it just me?)
Anyway. At this point I’m starting to contemplate what the Braves can do to save this team. There are so many young players that are making mistakes, and veteran players playing coach from the bench…while resting on the DL, that I believe a big shakeup is going to have to take place to improve them.
I love Bobby Cox, but in this day, one must speculate whether or not losing to this club has become something that the players have gotten used to, are accepting, and are not as fired up about rolling tides as they were in previous years. I love Bobby Cox, but how many teams go post-season for a decade with only one championship title as a result?
Just food for thought.
On other aspects, I hope everyone caught the Braves feature that aired on SportSouth this past Sunday before the game. I was interested to discover that Brian McCann was a popular choice for players in “Which Braves player would you let your daughter date?” portion of the show. There were a lot of other questions, i.e favorite TV shows, of which apparently Matt Diaz is a fan of One Tree Hill .
I’ll watch for a re-air if you missed it, and try to put out the date! Let’s all hope that Hampton makes a good show tonight against his old team, and one of our oldest rivals, the New York Mets!
If any of you have been keeping up with the current Braves series against the Diamondbacks, you might also be wondering who these guys are? And when I see these guys, I’m referring to the Braves of course. The team that has taken the field the last three nights is much closer to the team we all expected to watch play all season coming out of spring training, than the team we have been left to watch.
So I’m happy.
Today, we have the opportunity of sweeping the D-backs and maybe moving within around 8 games out of first place in the NL East. With 45 games on the season, I’ll seize a window of optimism and say the pennant is still possible, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
