(Plus the last thread’s getting long.)
Last year the Braves started the season with two old bench players (Eddie Perez and Julio Franco) and three rookies (Ryan Langerhans, Pete Orr, and Wilson Betemit). It’s an unusual combination, to say the least. Langerhans was a regular by the end of the season, and wound up leading Braves’ corner outfielders in plate appearances and games played, and yet he might be the fourth outfielder again next year. If it’s not him, it will probably be Kelly Johnson. Johnson doesn’t really have the skills of a fourth outfielder because he can’t play center, but the Braves have three genuine centerfielders in the starting lineup and should have at least two out there next year no matter what happens. I still feel that Johnson will outhit Langerhans going forward but if he doesn’t you go with the glove man.
The Furcal situation leaves Betemit in a bit of a limbo. If Furcal leaves — and right now, the odds are he will — Betemit might be the starter. Or he might be traded for a starter, if the Braves are that worried about his defense. It’s not really that bad. He’s functional. But he doesn’t have the range or the technique of your classic shortstop. If Betemit gets the job, the Braves pretty much have to import a Neifi-type to back him up.
Orr, presumably, will be back even though his utility is pretty limited. Infielders with no power who can’t play shortstop don’t normally have long careers, Lockhart notwithstanding.
The Braves aren’t going to sign Todd Pratt to back up McCann should Estrada be traded. If the Braves are going to get a decent hitter as their backup catcher, it’s going to be someone they already have, McCann or Pena or Estrada. If they sign a backup — just judging from fifteen years of watching this management team — they’ll sign someone with a good catch-and-throw reputation. My prediction that the Braves’ backup catcher in a few years will be a hamster stands, unless Pena can do something about his throwing and win the job.
I hate to make an off-topic remark to start a thread, but I just read the latest “Mailbag” edition from http://www.atlantabraves.com. From the beat writer’s perspective, it doesn’t appear that people inside the Braves’ clubhouse have quite the admiration for Leo Mazzone that people on the outside share. If you are interested, here’s the link:
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051022&content_id=1257220&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
Interesting article. The question I’m left with is, who is this veteran pitcher?:
Again at the end of this past season, one of the club’s veteran pitchers said he thought it might be best for Mazzone to go elsewhere.
“Ryan Langerhans, who, with continued offensive development, could become a reliable everyday star at the Major League level.”
HAHAHA
hey, I love Langerhans but STAR!?!? wow riiiight
That article was all anecdotal evidence and added to the anecdotal evidence that baseball players aren’t always the best judge of how the game works (Tim Mccarver), I’ll take the statistical evidence from Leo’s run. He will be missed, whether he tanks with Baltimore or not.
hey, I love Langerhans but STAR!?!? wow riiiight
Yeah, if he were Franceour’s age maybe but he just finished his Age 25 season, so it’s probably only going get a tick better than this if anything. Still, he’s going to be a good bargin for a few seasons here – exactly the kind of player everybody wants. Lots of teams in the league would love to bring him in and plug him into centerfield.
On a team with Marcus “Crash-test Dummy” Giles and Chipper “Disintegrating Limbs” Jones, there is no such thing as a useless utility infielder.
Unless Betemit hits a lot, I’m concerned about the idea of having a “functional” defensive shortstop. It’s not like the Braves have a lot of strike out pitchers. I think it’s a mistake to simply plug in an average shortstop–unless, of course, he can make up for it with well above average hitting,which I’m not convinced Betemit can.
Plus Estrada is done in the head. He is going to be so timid behind the plat next year that Francour is going to have to thorw strikes to the plate and beat the runner by 30 feet so Estrada can get the runner in a run down. Estrada’s version of blocking the plate may intell him waiting for the runner to side into the plate then Estrada diving twords the plate after the runner is halfway to the dugout.
I think if Estrada has any trade value, now’s the time to use it. McCann certainly appeared his equal at the plate. And as Smitty pointed out, Johnny can officially be called “El Toreador”, now that he has the footwork to match that ridiculous facial hair. If he gets sequined stripes up his paints the braves have to cut him out right. Not to mention, we have Saltamachadiatasa coming up with a phenom like bat.
I renew the call of a desperate man” Bill E. Hall, cheap, versatile, fast, and with unsurpased surname/forename symetry.
Wow, was Leo an unpopular coach? They make a good point in that article. I remember when Glavind and Maddux left they both had great things to say about Bobby, but not much for Leo. If Leo get credit for all the guys he turned around, shouldn’t he get some blame too for guys like Kolb?
Just a thought
What the Braves have is a primarily fly-ball oriented staff. Which does make keeping Langerhans out there a little more valuable, but lessens the need for top shortstop play. If the Braves go with the same rotation as last year, they would have three more or less fly ball pitchers (Thomson, Smoltz, and especially Sosa) and two ground ball pitchers (Hudson, Ramirez — yes, Ramirez gets a lot of ground balls) in the rotation. The question is if Betemit can hit enough to carry Blauser defense. More about this later.
Free Agent catchers:
John Flaherty, NYY
Bengie Molina, C LAAOCSC
Dan Wilson, C SEA
Charles Johnson, C TBAY
Sandy Alomar Jr, C TEX
Jason LaRue, C CIN
Brad Ausmus, C HOU
Paul Bako, C LAD
Mike Piazza, C NYM
Benito Santiago, C NYM
Todd Pratt, C PHIL
Einar Diaz, C STL
Ramon Hernandez, C SAD
And a list of SS
Deivi Cruz, SS SF
Jose Vizcaino, SS HOU
Nomar Garciaparra, SS CHIC
Neifi Perez, SS CHIC
Rafael Furcal, SS ATL
Royce Clayton, SS ARI
Alex Gonzalez, SS TOR
If we don’t resign Furcal I think Neifi, Gonzo, Clayton all might be on a short list. I think Houston and San Diego may both be looking for catchers. Houston has some good arms in their pen and I think they may want to up grade their defense at first base. LaRoche would put up good numbers at Minny Made Park. We scould send him and Estrada to Houston for a guy like Quals and another arm or two. Maybe a minor leaguer could come over.
If that goes down we could sign Ausmus if we could get him cheap. I also like LaRue and Wilson as back up, but they might want too much money.
If we don’t resign Furcal I think Neifi, Gonzo, Clayton all might be on a short list.
If that was meant to scare the hell out of me, mission accomplished.
If that’s the short list, we need a longer list.
This is the scenerio we sould see them in..
“Top of the 9th here in Atlanta and we have a few changes for you. In at short hitting in Hudson’s spot, (Neifi, Gonzo, Clayton pick your poison) and in to pitch big (closer flavor of the month)he is hitting in Betemit’s spot.:
…or maybe we will make a trade with the Brewers for Craig Counsell. Bobby Cox loves him and I think he can hit better than Lockhart
Did anyone see this quote?
“Word is, George Steinbrenner is blaming Billy Connors for allowing Leo Mazzone to use the Yankees to get a sweeter deal with the Orioles and has eliminated Connors, a friend of Mazzone’s, from meetings.”
— New York Post
Aw, gee, someone used the Yankees to drive up the price! Nobody’s EVER done THAT before!
Maybe, George, it’s because you’re STUPID and you do that ALL THE FREAKING TIME!
I read this on Atlanta’s website:
During the 2003 season, an anonymous survey conducted by a highly respected sports publication asked players to name the best pitching coach in the Majors. Let’s just say a heavy majority of the veteran Braves pitchers chose not to list Mazzone. Again at the end of this past season, one of the club’s veteran pitchers said he thought it might be best for Mazzone to go elsewhere.
Does anyone think the veteran pitcher they are talking about could be Smoltz or maybe Hampton. Or do you think the word veteran means absolutely nothing to sports writers. It was probably Kolb!
I’m guessing Reitsma or Thomson.
Let’s see. It’s not Smoltz, he and Leo are buds. Thomson was hurt most of the year on a freak accident, and seemed to pitch well with little complaint when he was healthy. I’d hardly call Huddy a club veteran. Sosa too, and what would he have to complain about? Hampton, maybe, but he’s pitched much better in Atlanta. Dipping into the bullpen Reitsma is the only real Braves vet, and the team really didn’t lose confidence in him. I’d say it was Horacio. When in doubt, blame Horacio.
I’d also like add, the Braves are really coming off badly with Leo leaving. What’s with all of this bitterness leaking out all of the sudden?
“Oh yeah, that guy who left, we never liked him. We just employed a foul-mouthed chatter-box and plopped him on the bench for 15 years in the midst of consistent pitching excellence.”
Right. And I dumped my supermodel girlfriend because she chewed her gum too loud.
I think it’s Hudson. It says “club’s veteran pitchers.” I saw an interview with Hudson on MSG (the Mets station) during the middle of the season. They asked him about working with Mazzone and Rick Peterson (former Oakland/current NYM pitching coach).
Hudson less-than-skillfully said how much he enjoyed working with Peterson and how he’s about the mental part of the game, yadda-yadda, & said that he wasn’t as abrasive as Leo.
At the time, I thought it was a little odd, but maybe not as much now.
JC, “When in doubt, blame Horacio.”
That’s really funny.
Its final Horacio is to blame!
This team is really screwed if their shortlist for SS replacements is the one previously mentioned, and as for Ausmus as a free agent catcher, I don’t want his .200 regular season bat anywhere near the Braves lineup. If they aren’t going to hand it over to McCann, they should go after LaRue or Hernandez. As far as Leo goes, I think it should be left at, he served this team really well for fifteen years, and he has found a situation that he wanted so we wish the best for him. No need to bash him, or question his decision. I think he deserves that respect after fifteen years of excellent service to the team.
Smoltz is likely the veteran pitcher, most likely speaking on background. As for Betemit, we know the organization has a history of building from within. Betemit has the potential to be the new style shortstop like A-rod was or Garciaparra back in the day. He has the large athletic frame. He has hit for power and average, plays with what could be descibed as consistent defense, and keeps errors down. Furcal will be a loss, but it seemed to me he was trying to hit 3 run homers with no one on base. He just swung too hard. And I think when he bunted it was usually the bench’s call. As for his arm, it will be a loss, but we are talking about 10ths of a second in difference. Spend money on great pitchers, not great coaches or overpriced free agents or old men for that matter. I mean does anyone want to hear “God is in control” blasted over the speakers at Turner Field for threee more years? Who needs Mazzone anyway when its really the organization’s pitching philosphy that he was overseeing. Smoltz is your pitching coach anyway. He’s the go to guy, knows the mechanics of every pitch, subscribes to the philosphy. Leadership is setting the right example. Trying to find ways to get batters out and win ballgames. Especially big ones.
Come to think of it, it probably was Tim Hudson. You are right JC.
Betemit’s fielding percentage at SS is one point lower than Furcal’s. I mean obviuosly a lot fewer chances but still equivalent. He had 6 errors in 195 chances in ’05.
Financially we have the wherewithal to compete for Furcal. The situation with insurance for Hampton’s injury, not going to arb for Kolb and maybe one or two others, and not picking up Thomson’s option or doing so and trading him–all this gives us a lot of flexibilty.
Didn’t the comment refer to “2003?” Neither Hudson or Thomson were on the team then.