ajc.com | Braves | Reynolds, Blanco first Braves to go
No more Shane Reynolds to give up two baserunners an inning? No more Hank White and his sub-pitcher hitting skills? Man, what are we going to complain about?
The Braves turned down Reynolds’ $3 million option — proving that whatever his faults, John Scheurholz isn’t completely insane — and removed Blanco from the roster.
They also won’t offer arbitration to Robert Fick. The story indicates, as has been rumored, that the Braves are likely to give at least a platoon job to Adam LaRoche. The comparisons to Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro in the article are nuts; he’s more of a Mark Grace type. Longer articles about first base to come.
A Mark Grace type? Ugh…
Not so bad, as long as you don’t pay him like Grace was paid in the latter half of his career.
Everything you need to know about what’s important to Gary Sheffield:
Sheffield has said he’ll play for any team that will pay him what he believes he’s worth, even a doormat like Tampa Bay.
Wouldn’t suprise me to see him end up a Yankee.
As for LaRoche, as a hitter he seems like a Robert Fick type to me. So if he can field a bunt without falling on his ass, I guess the LaRoche for Fick change will be an upgrade.
If LaRoche can hit .320 with 40 doubles and play Gold Glove-caliber first base all while smoking three packs a day and he never tries to break an opposing first baseman’s arm, he’d be all right with me.
Yeah, no kidding, Creg. I don’t know why anyone wouldnt want a Mark Grace type on their club for many years.
BTW, anyone notice that Javy Lopez’ agent is named Chuck Berry?! Rock and roll!
Chuck Berry? I was hoping for Chuck Barris.
I think Sheff is a Yankee. There’ll be some hemming and hawing, but I just can’t envision anywhere else except New York unless the Braves reverse course.
The article also indicates that Vinny is a goner, but I wouldn’t have a huge problem if they kept him on the cheap (say for $1M or so) for a year until Marte is ready. Then again, it’s been a while since Castilla put together back-to-back decent years.
I bet Vinny will be back, just a hunch.
And if Laroche is a Grace-type hitter, then he’s going to heve a great platoon partner from whom to learn how to get the best out of that in Julio Franco.
My guesss is the platoon at first is Javy and LaRoche, essentially platooning LaRoche and Estrada. Sheff was born to be a yankee — here’s hoping for a long term deal that, along with the Jeter and Giambi anchors, drags the evil empire down to D-Rays territory.