ajc.com | Braves | Schuerholz suggests possible infield shake-up
John Scheurholz:
“We know Furcal is going to be a shortstop, put it that way.”
Everything else is up for grabs. Please, please, please get rid of Vinny. I don’t care how. Give him an anchor job on Headline News. Make him president of Cartoon Network. I don’t care. Just get rid of him. They’re trying to trade him, but who would want him? Chipper could move back to third; I don’t know who’d play left field under that scenario.
First base possibilities include Derrek Lee (yay!), Travis Lee (boo!) and Fred McGriff (I don’t know!). There’s also a Marcus Giles-for-Brett Tomko rumor, but I doubt it.
Second base isn’t mentioned, nor is the dreaded L-word. Maybe DeRosa would play there?
NO WAY Lockhart makes the club this coming year! When I was a little kid I assumed Belliard had seen Bobby Cox commit a murder and Cox started him so that he wouldn’t tell anyone about it. There is now reason to believe that Lockhart was at the scene of the crime as well. Bobby just loves little middle infielders that can’t play baseball!
Like many of you, probably, I’ve been preaching DeRosa at third and Giles at second for a long time now. Both of them are young and talented and deserve to be in a starting lineup somewhere. If for some ridiculous reason they aren’t starting next season, we should trade them. My guess is Giles will be traded because “he doesn’t respect clubhouse elders”. Remember that?
While I think that’s a bunch of nonsense, the Braves apparently don’t. The Braves get rid of troublemakers in a hurry. Spooneybarger questions Bobby leaving him out of the playoffs and BAM! he’s gone. Kenny Lofton didn’t get along with anyone and he was gone, too. Jordan complained about something or other, claiming he deserved more respect because he played injured, and he was gone. No need to mention anything about John Rocker. That’s the best I can do in the way of examples right now. These moves can’t be coincidental.
The Braves don’t like troublemakers. Marcus Giles is a little punk, and Keith Lockhart has Christian music playing before he enters the batter’s box. Who do you think the Braves like more?
Not into much of what you or mac wrote. Troublemakers? Lofton was despised by the PLAYERS on the team. Spooneybarger himself said he think the Braves didn’t like him partying all the time.Jordan was essential in a trade to get Sheffield. His attitude never figured in the equation at all. Belliard was a terrific pickup for the Braves when the pitching was young and we needed a vacuum cleaner playing short. Lockhart is a sub and always runs into trouble when he plays too much. That’s to larry’s comment.
Now for Mac: “Yay for Derek Lee?” you must be smoking something. The kid hasn’t improved in years because he has a swing that’s way too long, just like Tony Clark (remember him?)And forget Chipper back at third ’cause it will never happen.
Derrek Lee has improved greatly from when he first came up. He’s not a star, but he’s a good player, .270/.378/.494 last season. It’s a little better than Fred McGriff did and a whole lot better than Travis Lee.
Me, I’m strongly in favor of keeping Vinny at third. But then, I’m a Mets fan.
See, I feel exactly the same way about Rey Ordonez. And I’m very excited about David Bell.
BTW, I was meaning to drop you an email… I also run War Liberal, and when I saw you were doing politics as well I added a link there.