Two players that were mentioned as possible Brave trade targets this offseason:
Felipe Lopez, .319/.365/.556, NL All-Star. Remember when the Braves were supposedly going to trade Furcal and a pitching prospect for Austin Kearns, with Lopez as a throw-in?
Kevin Mench, .291/.357/.551. A number of people were horrified at the thought of trading for him.
Horrified at the thought of trading Kevin Mench?! Probably best that I wasn’t around then, I think I would have said some not-so-nice things to some folks.
I should admit that I traded him away for Scott Podsednick about a month ago, but I desperately needs the runs and steals… and I’m at least aware enough to know it was probably a bad deal. I would have loved it if the Braves had somehow managed to get a hold of him.
I don’t think that Podsednik will be made available considering the White Sox playoff position.
Mensch on the other hand could be had if the Rangers and their looney bin ace Kenny Rogers fall apart.
By the way, as a D.C. area resident, the Braves-Cubs game I was MOST interested in seeing was tonight’s game with Greg Maddux’s first return trip to Atlanta, so OF COURSE it’s the only game I cannot see this week. I mean, this TV thing makes no sense and I WORK in Television.
Last night, you have the Braves-Cubs on THREE different national stations…TBS, ESPN, & WGN. Since I have HDTV, I had it on 4 stations if you count regular ESPn and ESPNHD. Tonight’s game, Greg’s first start back in Atlanta, a Tuesday game no less, not one station has the game picked up. It’s just BIZARRE. Maybe TBS and WGN should have shaken hands on splitting games…like, TBS take it Monday and WGN Tuesday so that we have a chance to see them all!!!!
At least the BIG Prior-Smoltzie match up Wednesday night is back on ESPN for those of us not in the south anymore and Thursday is TBS/WGN again.
One of my co-workers who’s office is near me is a die hard Cubs fan and she couldn’t believe it that they would air the game in 3 places last night and not air the game anywhere (outside of Georgia) tonight. MAKES NO SENSE.
Mench was one of my few wise choices in my auction this year. He looks a lot better at $7 than Greinke does at $15, to be sure.
who do you guys think will be on the ship out for next year? also, will furcal’s seasonal struggle at the plate make him a possibility to sign for next season? after this year is over, he might be well within our budget.i guess tthe queston is, would we want him?
it’s going to be interesting to see if, and how the braves are going to get the next three games in due to the crying of ms. cindy. i live in new orleans, and it seems as though it is projected on a path from new orleans to atlanta. looks as though thursday will be a guaranteed rainout. if i dont see u guys later, that means that i am drowning at the bottom of the cereal bowl, that is new orleans.
Furcal will still be gone after the season. The only other free agent shortstops of note are Nomar and Alex Gonzales. Somebody will figure this year is a fluke, and overpay for his speed and defense.
and on the other side of the ledger, those who feel the Philies out-hustled us to get “proven closer” Uggie Urbina, check out his tidy 9.94 ERA since joining the Phillies.
JS take note-proven closers, aren’t.
Cindy’s projected path. For some reason, all the hurricanes now go through west-central Alabama.
Furcal is gone for sure. And I think there’s a better than 50/50 chance on both Adam LaRoche and Johnny Estrada (much better than 50% with Adam). Haracio is another possibility depending on how Davies and Sosa come along (I’m guessing they have him pegged as a starter by now) and what they do with John Thomson and his club option. Somebody in the “gone” group will bring back an outfielder, I imagine. So that means that Langerhans is probably either also gone or has a diminished role. I wouldn’t count out Marcus Giles, either. Although that would be both very surprising and very disappointing to me.
That may be, Mac, but lately they’ve been passing through Pensacola first. We’re still recovering from Ivan; Tropical Storm Arlene was a drill for the new season. Who knows how many more will follow? Still, ryan c has it tough over in Nawlins, already living below sea level.
Mac, it looks like Dennis will be along ear;y next week for you.
we’ve been lucky. all the hurricanes threaten to come to the big easy, but then they see my great big muscles and flea. new orleans should send me a thank you card or some flowers.
Crenalds, I wish you would go into more details on the logic of your thinking regarding the people probably leaving. Rather depressed.
It is kinda depressing. I like LaRoche, and Estrada has been so much better than I ever would’ve thought. But my thinking is this:
LaRoche – He probably can’t play the outfield (although we don’t know for sure), and they don’t want Marte to play the outfield. Marte has to play, and Larry’s future probably is 1B anyway. Plus, I would think he has good trade value. This one seems reasonable to me.
Estrada – He’s going to make a lot of money in arbitration next year, and they appear sold on McCann. Furcal is the only significant contract going away next year, so I wonder how they’re going to cover all the other players’ increases.
Horacio – I still think they probably like him too much to trade him. But he would have a lot of value, and if they’re serious about making Sosa a starter then there’s a potential surplus.
Giles – I just always worry that they’re going to trade Giles. He should be due for a good raise next year, and just about anybody would want him.
And JS is commited to change. Guys come and go every year. I think it’s good, although I hate to see some go of course.
This may be a double.
It is kinda depressing. I like LaRoche, and Estrada has been so much better than I ever would’ve thought. But my thinking is this:
LaRoche – He probably can’t play the outfield (although we don’t know for sure), and they don’t want Marte to play the outfield. Marte has to play, and Larry’s future probably is 1B anyway. Plus, I would think he has good trade value. This one seems reasonable to me.
Estrada – He’s going to make a lot of money in arbitration next year, and they appear sold on McCann. Furcal is the only significant contract going away next year, so I wonder how they’re going to cover all the other players’ increases.
Horacio – I still think they probably like him too much to trade him. But he would have a lot of value, and if they’re serious about making Sosa a starter then there’s a potential surplus.
Giles – I just always worry that they’re going to trade Giles. He should be due for a good raise next year, and just about anybody would want him.
And JS is commited to change. Guys come and go every year. I think it’s good, although I hate to see some go of course.
Can I make my old post show with a new one? Let’s see…