Today’s the deadline to tender contracts. It’s not getting much press attention, but it’s a big day, especially for a team like the Braves hoping to find some relatively cheap help. Two years ago, the Tigers nontendered Robert F*ck, who gave the Braves a good half of season. There’s talk that the Twins might non-tender Jacque Jones, often rumored as a Braves target, and as I’ve mentioned before that the Cubs might drop Kyle Farnsworth.
The Braves players eligible for arbitration are, from what I can tell, Furcal, Giles, Kolb, R**ts*, Gryboski, and DeRosa. The first three will certainly be offered arbitration, and it appears that the fourth will as well. I haven’t heard anything about the Braves letting the other two go, but they’re exactly the sorts of players whom you get rid of once they start to get expensive. Gryboski in particular would likely get overpaid due to his superficially impressive ERA.
Seems like JS mentioned in an interview that he was waiting for the non-tender deadline before doing anything on the outfield front. So we’ll see who’s available.
Non-tender season is a heartless and cruel time. Sorry, Grybo and DeRo…gotta non-tender ya! Maybe we can resign them back, though. As long as we have one out in an inning and we REALLY REALLY REALLY need a GIDP, Grybo has his use. And I just plain like DeRo…good kid. Great utility IF.
What a boon it would be if we could snag a couple guys like Jacques Jones and Farnsworth on NT day. I hope the Twinkies and the Cubs cooperate.
It would almost be worth it to move Chipper back to left so we could have Jacques in right. Jones Boys indeed!
The Braves might sign either of them today. I’m not sure what the rules are on these players if you don’t tender them an offer, but I assume it’s the same as for free agents and you can’t sign them before May 1.
Why does anyone think that adding Jacques Jones and his .316 OBP is a positive thing? Sure, maybe at bargain basement prices, but he’s the poster boy for empty power.
Hmm. Jones isn’t my type of player either, but with the roster the Braves have assembled — which is atypically SLG-low — they could probably use even some empty power. The Braves’ remaining non-Jones hitters have a career high of 21 HR, and the most any of them had last year was Furcal’s 14. LaRoche was the only one to slug better than .450, and the only one likely to show much power growth. If Marte isn’t going to be in the lineup — it seems doubtful, at least until he gets a few hundred innings of OF under his belt — the Braves really don’t have anyone likely to give them big power ready for the majors. I like Langerhans, but I think he’s unlikely to be more than a medium-power guy either.
Of course, J. Jones didn’t slug .450 either last year, hitting .254/.315/.427. But that was his worst season. Still, terrifying list of comparables through Age 29:
# Ivan Calderon (970)
# Ellis Valentine (961)
# Troy O’Leary (961)
# Felipe Alou (957)
# Mel Hall (954)
# Bernard Gilkey (949)
# Dave Henderson (947)
# Dan Ford (944)
# Richie Zisk (944)
# Bobby Higginson (942)
It’s like an All-Washed-Up-At-32 Team.
Hey, Rhett, it was good to hear someone say something nice about DeRo on here. I realize his injury isn’t quite the news story of say, Terrell Owens yesterday, but has anyone heard any news/updates on his [DeRo’s] rehab?
Not a peep. Which can be good or bad, depending upon your POV. I can’t imagine that the Braves would give anything more than a minor league contract to him, especially with Green already up, Betemit (finally) out of options (I think), and Orr probably as ready as he’ll ever be.
DeRosa and Hessman get the axe, per mlb.com.
Hi all… diehard Bravo fan. Would be interested to start serious discussions on what JS might do to plug the right/left field holes from the list of optional fielders available on the market…. another trade, free agency, what?