Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds – Box Score – July 31, 2010 – ESPN.
While this loss wasn’t really Melky‘s fault, it feels like Melky’s fault. And isn’t that what really matters? He sucks, anyway.
The Braves could have bust it open in the first. Infante, playing for Prado, who is out for probably a week with a cracked pinky, led off the game with a double, then scored on an infield single by Heyward and a throwing error. The Braves then loaded the bases with one out with a single by McCann and a fielder’s choice where the Reds tried to tag out Heyward at third but failed. Hinske drew a walk to make it 2-0, but Gonzalez, who really shouldn’t be playing yet but had to with the Prado injury, grounded into a double play to end it.
Jair Jurrjens was terrific for six innings. The Reds managed only one run, a solo homer by Scott Rolen in the fourth. But the Braves couldn’t get anything going, getting runners on in the third, the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh, but not doing anything with them. With one out in the seventh, Rolen doubled, then Jonny Gomes hit a little flare to make it first and third. A terrible little single past first tied the game. Jurrjens struck out the next man, but then gave up a two-strike double on which Melky cemented his Braves Journal Whipping Boy status. First, he took about seven minutes to get to the ball, which a real centerfielder would have cut off and possibly held to scoring one run (Andruw would have caught it). Then, after finally picking up the ball, he did his best impression of a poorly-coordinated six-year-old and threw it at, roughly, the area somewhere behind the second baseman. Having blown pretty much any chance at the game, Melky tempted the Lockhart Line by laughing at his utter ineptitude. Ankiel can’t get here fast enough. I hesitate to point out that if Blanco were here he would have been playing center.
Jurrjens finished with 6 2/3 IP, six strikeouts, no walks, and five “earned” runs even though nobody but Rolen hit the ball hard off him all day. The Braves might still have gotten him off the hook, but again they got a runner on in the eighth (McCann, who was 3-3 with a walk on the day) and stranded him, and then got the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Heyward struck out. The important thing to remember is that Melky sucks.
This is already the busiest day in Braves Journal history.
Melky’s awful, as pointed out in the last thread…Ankiel has the same OPS vs LHP as Melky does. Shouldnt you learn to be good from one side of the plate before becoming a SH? Also, he’s bad in CF and probably has some of the worst throwing fundamentals that Ive ever seen
he did his best impression of a poorly-coordinated six-year-old and threw it at, roughly, the area somewhere behind second base.
It was more like he threw it backwards into right field.
I meant “somewhere behind the second baseman”.
I want to cry.
No, you need to stay hydrated, you have a lot of treadmilling to do tomorrow.
If you’re going to talk about suckage, Glaus is certainly worth mentioning too. I thinks Hinske has to start getting some AB’s at 1B against RHP. He may be hurting, but he’s been really bad about 2/3 of the season and quite honestly looks washed up.
I might have to run the whole freaking game.
glaus…get hurt.
chipper…retire.
freeman…get here.
prado…get better.
melky…get out.
I guess AAG gets a pass because he’s critically ill or something, but I’m just not inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. I hate his hacking ways. And unsurprisingly, he’s not hitting for power outside of Toronto. Shocking.
Hinske going to first is the only conceivable reason for the Ankiel trade. It’s a still a stupid f’ing trade, but it puts Hinske on 1B part time anyway.
I want to point out that Melky increasingly resembles a pregnant woman, but I have a lot of respect for pregnant women and don’t want to insult them.
Free Freeman! Glaus to the DL!
The Yunel trade will go down as one of the dumbest moves in this club’s history. Not for trading him, but for doing it when they did, and for what they got back.
I have a feeling Bethany may weigh 34 pounds by the year’s end from running on the treadmill so much.
Ok, I just got home and saw the deal the Braves made for Farnsworth and Ankiel.
Interesting.
Getting Farnsworth is important. He slots right into where Medlen used to be or simply replacing Saito in the eighth inning role. As long as we don’t need him to close, I like the fact that we are getting him.
I have never seen Ankiel playing defense, but I doubt he would only be better than Melky in terms of speed but not fundamentals. Ankiel is NOT an answer to the offense, but at least he is better than Nate and Melky.
Sad to see Blanco and Collins go, not a bad thing that Wren didn’t give up any of our top prospects. Wish Blanco all the best in KC.
I don’t get the trade, but I guess this means Melky gets center every single day and Hinske was needed at first base.
@17, Ankiel is a -12.1 UZR/150 in CF, Cabrera is a -4.1 to date.
At least the Phillies aren’t taking advantage of our misfortune: 3-0 Nats, bottom of the 2nd.
Thank you, Nationals, and I will miss you, Adam Dunn. We could have had something special.
@14
But for me the real kicker was that the Braves claimed to have done it explicitly FOR their chances this season. The logic, of course, was that “chemistry” mattered more for the pennant race than, I guess, skill, so may I point out that since that trade the Braves are 7-8? I say this not because they’d necessarily be better with Yunel (though they might be), or because their mediocrity is all AAG’s fault (though he’s contributing), but because it underscores just how stupid the clubhouse/intangible arguments are in baseball. On a side note, it also underscores how park-creations need to stay in the park to continue producing.
As someone once said, in baseball you hit the ball, you throw the ball, you catch the ball. Whether or not your shortstop is a “douche” is irrelevant to problems like (1) having an awful CF, or (2) having corner infielders who play like 70-year olds, or (3) managing your bullpen like it’s 1988. Of course, some will argue we didn’t downgrade at SS. But I argued then, as I argue now, that we did. Sick or not, AAG sucks.
These feel like trades for the sake of making trades.
We didn’t give up much but we didn’t get much.
Let’s call up Schafer and get Ankiel back on the roids.
I realize getting Farnsworth and Ankiel wasn’t the blockbuster deal that many were looking for, but I like it. We shipped Chavez off, which is great, and got a reliever that is 10x better than he is. I also think Ankiel will be a net upgrade over Blanco or Melky (but not a huge upgrade). The only downside is we lost Collins. He was a good prospect but he’s not a great need of ours being a LH reliever. I’m just thankful we didn’t give up guys like Minor or Delgado for questionable returns. All in all, this is a good deal, but not huge as many were hoping for. If it nets us 2 to 3 wins it could help us get to the playoffs.
I guess, unlike the Yunel debacle, I kind of like this trade. I think it makes us better against right handed pitching, which is most of what we face. Now we have platoons in LF and 1B, and I don’t think there’s a huge difference between Blanco and Melky in center. Also, it’s a minor upgrade in the pen.
This doesn’t really solve the major problem, CF, but it helps address the aging corner infield by freeing up Hinske. My gut reaction is bad because I get Houston flashbacks whenever I see or hear Farnsworth’s name, but it probably makes the team a little better.
Sucks we didn’t get a center fielder, though.
Ankiel will be a net upgrade over Blanco or Melky (but not a huge upgrade)
How is this possible when you have guaranteed Melky will now play every day?
@22 I’m inclined to think the 7-8 marker is a function of not hitting. They’ve scored less than 3 runs in 7 of those 15 games. The result would look better without those 2 critical blown saves by Wagner. However, the offense just looks out of rhythm during this stretch. Having the gaping black holes of Glaus and McLouth in there has all but assured 3 outs per 9 in just about every game. That’s a lot to overcome. Also, it seems like only Prado and McCann are doing any slugging for this team of late.
@22 I’m inclined to think the 7-8 marker is a function of not hitting.
Wouldn’t that be the plausible result of bringing in a shortstop with a sub 300 OBP?
@27, I really don’t see a huge difference between playing Melky and Blanco. One walks a bit more but has zero power.
@27 – Ankiel is listed as a centerfielder. Is this not correct?
@29, Right, because Yunel was obviously the key cog in our offense.
@28: Yes, the Braves are not hitting- and they did nothing to address that. Indeed, since Melky will now play at least most of the time, and a guy with a .285 OBP last year will join him in the outfield, they’ve actually made things worse.
Yeah, I thought Ankiel was coming to primarily play CF.
Does this say “Royals” or what?
@31,@34 there are a lot of balls Ankiel doesn’t reach. My wife is a Cardinals fan, so I’ve seen more than a few gappers fall that shouldn’t. I’d rather play Ankiel over Diaz (against RHP) and keep Melky in center. (Unless Jesus Heyward is also a reasonable CF, too, though I have no idea if that’s true.)
Mac, remember when we had only one bench player in late August last year? And it was Greg “Hits like a pitcher, fields like a DH” Norton?
Actually, it will be a Ankiel/Melky platoon in CF and Hinske/Diaz platoon in LF. Honestly, let’s give Diaz one last chance at the full time job.
I was thinking more of the identity of the two bench players.
Does anyone else see the irony of the Braves and their fans wanting Rick Ankiel in center because if he throws the ball it will go in the right direction?
Honestly, I’d rather give Heyward a shot in center instead of playing Ankiel, whom I know doesn’t get to balls a CF should.
Hey, don’t forget about McOut. If he keeps tattooing AAA pitching, he’ll be back pretty soon. (Or should I say, he’ll be baaaaaaaaaacckk!)
Melky has hit better against leftys than rightys. Although I’d rather never see him play again, I still think a platoon with Melky and Ankiel in center is a net upgrade.
I’m disappointed by what they didn’t do, but I don’t hate what they did. Farnsworth is a late inning reliever, whether you like him or not, and he’s a GIGANTIC upgrade over Chavez.
Adding Ankiel to the outfield mix, I don’t see how that ensures more Melky. The guy who left was lefthanded, the guy who arrived is lefthanded. He’s not a good defensive CF. But he’s a better baseball player than Gregor Blanco.
If you hate the deal, you more likely hate the absence of a better deal. Because we got two players who are better than the players moved to clear their roster spots.
Plus/Minus has Ankiel as about average in CF (-1 defensive runs saved > avg.), while Melky is at -11. Melky’s had about twice as many innings so the disparity is exaggerated, but I think Ankiel looks to be the better defender. At the minimum I think he’s no worse than Melky.
@40 Worse than Melky?
I don’t think we, as in this site in general, have realize the importance of getting Farnsworth. With Farnsworth and O’Flaharty coming back soon, this is the best bullpen we have in the history of the Braves in terms of depth, talent, experience….everything. I have always felt our bullpen is an arm short since moving Medlen to the rotation, now our bullpen is even better than before.
@38, then you get
Against RHP
Heyward, RF
Hinske LF
Ankiel CF
Glaus 1B
Against LHP
Diaz LF
Glaus 1B
Melky CF
Heyward RF
So, we are still up the creek against lefties, and have marginally improved offensively against righties (Ankiel career .795 split). Our CF defense still sucks (Ankiel career -12.1 UZR/150 as a CF), and there is no defensive replacement. Ankiel has a career .255/.315.465 line since becoming a fulltime hitter. By moving him to center you can’t bat Hinske for Glaus against RHP pitching either.
This is just plain wishcasting on an at best pointless trade.
@44, his being “no worse than Melky in CF” while only being a marginally better hitter is exactly why this is a WTF? move.
I think both Wren and Bobby are still hoping to get a normal Nate back.
@46 I don’t think putting Ankiel in CF is right, but I think that’s what Bobby will do.
@47 As I said, I don’t think we are seeing the importance of getting Farnsworth. This move is huge in terms of helping Bobby from killing Wag, Venters and everybody in the pen.
I’m still hoping for normal Nate. Don’t necessarily expect to see it though.
Ankiel is a -12.1 UZR/150 in CF, Cabrera is a -4.1 to date.
It’s those statistics that really make me not trust defensive metrics. I’m on board, in theory, with almost any type of stat, but when defensive metrics say Ankiel is a worse outfielder than Melky Cabrera, then I have a big problem with that. I have seen Ankiel make some great plays on some really tough to get to balls. I have also seen (like last Sunday), Melky not be able to handle routine line drives right at him. Ankiel has an absolute cannon, and that throw a couple years ago from left center at Coors to hose a runner at third was nothing less than spectacular.
Ankiel has more potential to get back to his 2008 level, which were pretty darn good, than Melky has to get back to replacement level. The jury is still out on McLouth, but McLouth as a bench player is better than Blanco, in my opinion. Ankiel may be 31, but he’s basically 26 or 27 as a hitter. Some may not prefer to look at it that way, but I think it’s a good pickup.
We gave up Chavez, who absolutely, positively sucks, and Blanco, who is absolutely, positively mediocre, and Tim Collins, who’s a prospect at best, for two solid players with good history. Say what you want about his outing against Houston, but Farnsworth had a 1.98 ERA and 32/7 K/BB ratio in his first Atlanta stint. Ankiel had a .264/.337/.506/ line two years ago, and all of us would die to get that from our center field spot.
It’s not Adam Dunn and Kerry Wood, but they wouldn’t have cost Chavez, Blanco, and Collins.
Could someone link me the defensive +/- methodology? I’ve tried looking for an article on it a few times, but I’ve come up empty.
“There’s nothing worse,” said Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche, whose third-inning grand slam provided a 4-0 lead that grew to 6-1 before closer Kyle Farnsworth gave it all back in the eighth and ninth innings.
RE: 51
Use Plus/Minus. UZR gets mentioned more because it’s been free, but Plus/Minus is better. And now that PM is freely available I’m not sure why anyone even bothers with UZR.
How much marginal difference can Farnsy possibly make? We are crippled defensively in center every day now, and have done nothing of substance to improve our offense. It’s just a missed opportunity at this point, and we have 3 putative CFs (one in AAA) to show for it. Not to mention, I’d love to see what the leverage of Farnsie’s innings were this year before completely buying into his renaissance.
Spike, what move(s) would have made you happy?
I’ll let it go after this, but for me it all boils down to:
It’s not Adam Dunn and Kerry Wood, but they wouldn’t have cost Chavez, Blanco, and Collins.
Then why freaking bother? Standing pat is honorable. Going for it is honorable. Wishing on a star moves like this make me sick.
/@56 moves to alter the course of the race by significantly strengthening a weakness, or a statement saying “we believe we can win it now, and will not mortgage our future for short term gain” would have been my preference.
JoeyT,
Here you go.
And now off to play poker. I guarantee it will either be a banner night or a disaster.
Of course, what Farnsworth had going for him in his first Atlanta trip is that he wasn’t Dan Kolb. He still isn’t, but it’s less pressing now.
Well, I’m not unhappy with what we did, but it is, shall we say, befuzzling that so many teams seemed to get difference makers for relatively little, but it just didn’t work out that way for us.
@58, thanks.
It’s an OK trade. Farnsworth may be a jerk but he was pretty effective his last time here,the playoff homering notwithstanding. Ankiel might provide some marginal benefit. But when your main rival gets Roy Oswalt and your big upgrade is Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel, you have to wonder how serious the Braves are about winning. This lineup is not very good and Glaus is just a waste now. This is a team for which everything had to go right and it has for much of the season but very few teams don’t need help and while this does help the bullpen. it’s a marginal trade at best. The other thing is this team is really built for this year. If they don’t win I’m not sure what next year looks like with having to replace Chipper. I realize people are excited about Freeman but he is not Jason Heyward so he is far from a sure thing.
@60 It’s less pressing doesn’t mean it’s not an issue. The bullpen isn’t really as good as it is if Saito isn’t effective. That’s why I say not many people are seeing the importance of adding Farnsworth.
Spike, I liked Blanco for the 2 things he did well, get on base and play the field. But this trade is all about Farnsworth. Saito looked 40 in last nights nerve racking marathon inning that he pitched and Wags, well lets say he hasn’t been dominant. Another power arm to go with Venters helps.
For those that wanted the ‘big trade’ who do you give up? IMHO every discussion with Washington started with Medlen or Teheran ore even Jurrjens. As I wrote in the last thread, the cupboards were bare for what we wanted. While I agree that standing pat would have been ok, this trade improves the team without costing us anything we cannot give up.
The Matrix Reloaded is on, just in case you need salt to rub into today’s loss.
We’re all just a bunch of front-office executives, aren’t we?
@67 We are a bunch of normal baseball fans.
How long willl AAG be ill? This Yunel trade gets dumber and dumber everyday. I think Infante will do everything possible not to go back to the bench when Prado gets back. I just one of our middle infielders had speed.
I think you Yunel lovers are missing one big point. THE DUDE HAD QUIT IN ATLANTA. If he is Babe Ruth somewhere else, it doesn’t change the fact that he had become Ramiro Mendoza in Atlanta.
@70…to say Yunel quit in Atlanta is beyond ridiculous. If that is the case Chipper quit a few years ago. But enough about Yunel, he was just one of my favorites.
Regardless, the new guy will ultimately hurt the team–“winning attitude” or not. It’s hard to fathom that the Braves would have gotten so little for a guy like Escobar had they waited until the offeason. It’s also hard to believe that they now think Gonzalez is the guy for 2011. Perhaps more than anything that alarms me.
Make no mistake, after the Braves pick up the option for 2011–and they will, because they have to–this board will have its new goat. Melky and McLouth are just seat warmers at this point.
Chief is — essentially — right, for all that he always likes other teams’ players better than ours. I don’t think Yunel quit, but I do think he needed out of Atlanta for his own good. I do think that the Braves could have gotten a better return, like an outfielder. If the Cards were willing to give up Ludwick, and they needed a shortstop…
@63 Exactly, if you still don’t see it, we are replacing Saito with Farnsworth and replacing Chavez with Saito. How can that not be huge?
Braves HR in July:
Martin Prado (hurt) 6
Brian McCann 5
Matt Diaz (platooned) 5
Eric Hinske (platooned) 3
Chipper Jones (BRAINS!) 2
Nobody else has more than one. That’s your problem. The Braves’ power game right now is McCann and whoever’s in left, maybe.
Mac, I don’t see much difference between Ludwirk and Ankiel if I look at the stats.
Ludwick hits for a higher average, walks a little more, has been healthier, and hits righthanded.
As I said in the earlier thread, this trade was all about Farnsworth and Ankiel is a throw in. Farnsworth’s value is that he’s an experienced power arm that will provide some depth to an overused bullpen with some age and nagging injuries. I suspect he’ll pitch in the 6th/7th.
Had the Braves wanted to make a bigger splash and obtain an outfield slugger, they would have had to pay through the nose with prospects. Recently that strategy hasn’t paid off, and quite honestly it’s probably better to evaluate major deals in the offseason, which I suspect they’ll do. Hopefully Gluas regains his May/June form, and they get just enough from their outfield by committee. If not, they’ll probably fail to make the playoffs.
So if Yunel didn’t quit, how do you explain him finding his power stroke almost immediately after donning a new uniform? Random chance, probably, but I think it leaves one to wonder.
@77 Mac, Ludwick hits righthanded pitcher much better than against lefthanded pitcher throughout his career. You are right about the walk rate though.
3 run walkoff Ryan Zimmerman. Nats win. A little amazing that the Phillies didn’t even make a minor bullpen move. I know they said they didn’t have any money left.
Thank you Ryan Zimmerman
Brad Lidge SUCKS.
Not sure if that came out, but that should have said
“Lovin’ some Brad Lidge.”
I’m glad Brad Lidge sucks.
Just a thought: It could entirely be possible that Arroyo hit Jurrjens on purpose today. JJ was cruising.
As an unashamed non-Frank Wren fan, I like the trade today. Farnsworth is great for an already-great, but taxed pen. Wren took one heck of a chance with Ankiel, assumedly because none of the other “sure things” worked out…meaning the asking price was too high.
There were only a handful of players that I was ready to mortgage the farm for.
Last thought of the evening (and let’s go win the series tomorrow): I still hate the shit out of Liberty Media and Bud Selig ought to be kicked in the nuts for eternity for allowing a non-connected corporation (from out of town, for that matter) buy our Braves. Ted Turner (and probably an Arthur Blank) would’ve seemingly thrown the kitchen sink at Cox’s last season.
I know we lost but I really laughed out loud watching this.
I don’t follow the Cardinals that closely, but it was my impression that Ludwick was not available until when the Cardinals became certain, recently, that Jon Jay is for real.
Rany Jazayerli is stealing my material!
“Blanco’s 26, so he is what he is.”
I don’t think Yunel quit, but I do think he needed out of Atlanta for his own good.
So in three months he went from one of the most valuable properties in baseball to a guy that needs to get out of town for his own good? I think you want to believe that but I don’t think you really believe that. And it’s not close to being true. Players slump and players come out of it. When you sell low on a talented player you run the risk of looking like a fool. Which is what Frank Wren looks like.
And please, oh please, when Prado comes back move Infante to SS. Just admit the mistake and give the team a chance. Otherwise we are not going to score enough to hold off Philly.
Edit: When New Guy finishes up the second half at .260/.285/.360 – basically becomes himself – will it because he quit in Atlanta and trying really hard in Toronto? No it will because he returned to his talent level. A level much lower than Mr. Escobar.
Phillies are not going to the world series with Lidge closing.
I’m unhappy the Braves didn’t do more but Wren is in a difficult position. They can’t afford to give up many of their arms because as a relatively limited payroll team developing your own pitching is a must to remain competitive. But since TINSTAAPP you have to have a lot of arms and hope that a couple make. As the Braves found out with Lowe pitching is at a premium on the open market while you can pick up at least serviceable hitters at a lower price. Given what happened with Tex it’s understandable why Wren doesn’t want to give away the farm for a couple of months. As a fan though it’s frustrating because the holes are obvious. Right now McCann is the only power in the lineup and he can’t play everyday. But this inability to get runners in is becoming a serious problem for a team with so little power. Glaus just has to get that runner in.
Against righties, I wouldn’t hate Ankiel/Cabrera/Louth in CF, Diaz or Ankiel in left and Hinske at 1B.
I look at this trade a little differently I guess. I’m not sure what more can be expected out of a return for a power arm and a possible power upgrade in CF without giving up any of the starting pitching prospects and without taking on money.
I’m not really a fan of giving up Tim Collins, but I’d certainly rather give up him than Minor, Delgado, Teheran, etc.
Phillies are not going to the world series with Lidge closing.
Please enlighten us as to how this is different from last season.
we did get Ankiel for CF right? If so, why are we comparing him to Ludwick?
Robert, Yunel’s surge since getting out of Atlanta is exactly what you’d expect if he needed a change of scenery. The other players didn’t like him, and the feeling was mutual. He wasn’t happy. You have to remember that they are, after all, human beings, and you have to take that into account. Players aren’t automata, and sometimes they won’t snap out of it with time. It was no ordinary slump, and there were no signs he was going to.
It’s not just a lack of power. This is team is hemorrhaging base runners and they can’t even get singles with men in scoring position.
@96
Shades of 2009.
the worst part about this team is their inability of getting runners in from third with less than two out
I would’ve rather given up Dunn than Collins, but Dayton isn’t a complete idiot.
Did an Ankiel writeup as tomorrow’s game thread, will be up at 8 CT. But gosh, everybody knows his story, right?
Yesterday’s count was 9,674. That’s about 2200 page views over the old record.
About 500 could have been me, Mac. mlbtraderumors mobile site doesn’t refresh on my phone, so I just kept refreshing this page knowing someone would break whatever news there was.
The official site has the Nationals demanding Tommy Hanson back in exchange for Adam Dunn. Geez, I had more respect for Rizzo than that.
“When New Guy finishes up the second half at .260/.285/.360 – basically becomes himself – will it because he quit in Atlanta and trying really hard in Toronto? No it will because he returned to his talent level. A level much lower than Mr. Escobar.”
Really, though, he had already regressed a bit. If you take his April away he had basically been what he has always been–an average shortstop.
And therein lies the issue. Yunel may not have ever been successful here again–of that I’m deeply skeptical–but this was still, even with that in mind, a bad trade. The Braves did not get the sure thing back that beat writers would have you believe they did; they sold low, and it is just bad business to do that. I’d rather have taken my chances with Escobar and if it didn’t pan out then sell in the offseason, with an open market.
But I guess DOB is happy, and Bobby has his clubhouse the way he likes it, so all’s well that end’s well.
Robert, Yunel’s surge since getting out of Atlanta is exactly what you’d expect if he needed a change of scenery. The other players didn’t like him, and the feeling was mutual. He wasn’t happy. You have to remember that they are, after all, human beings, and you have to take that into account. Players aren’t automata, and sometimes they won’t snap out of it with time. It was no ordinary slump, and there were no signs he was going to.
This is all wishy-washy nonsense. Completely unprovable speculation. Players get hot, players cool off. Folks assign meaning to these hot and cold streaks when it fits the narrative they are pushing. Does New Guy not hitting like he did when he was in Toronto mean he’s unhappy about being traded or not fitting in with his new teammates? Of course not, it doesn’t fit the narrative.
Esco has always hit and now he’s hitting. New Guy has never hit and now he’s not. These things are completely predictable. The warm fuzzy chemistry arguments are simply justification for what folks happen to believe anyway.
Considering how I didn’t like the trade and thought that the Braves would have been better off using Yunel to shore up the outfield, I don’t see why you’d think that.
To say that Yunel was just in a slump is, basically, to deny him his humanity. He’s a person, not an APBA card whose owner is rolling a bunch of ones. He wasn’t in a slump, he was profoundly screwed up. He wasn’t just unlucky, he was not driving the ball, at all, and in many of his plate appearances looked hapless. That Alex Gonzalez isn’t a very good player doesn’t change that.
Yunel hit .290 and had OBP over .400 in June. I’ll take that kind of hapless any day. To say he showed no signs of improvement is being dishonest.
Edit: And frankly what’s with all the talk about how unhappy he was? No one here knows him. He doesn’t speak English and doesn’t talk to the media. Why is everyone so sure what’s going on inside the kid’s head?
He was walking the whole time. What’s more notable is the .333 slugging percentage/.044 ISO that month. Again, he wasn’t driving the ball, and wasn’t hitting line drives enough to maintain a .289 average. In his defense, he was really unlucky the first two months.
And while I won’t claim any special ability to read people, I think anyone could have watched him out there and tell he wasn’t happy.
I really liked Yunel and I hated the trade but I’m coming around to the position that he needed to leave, for his good if nothing else. For as much as the team and Bobby hated him, I think he hated them back times 2. And that’s without placing blame btw. It may very well have been more on the players and Bobby then Yunel, hell it may have been 90% on the dugout and not really Yunel’s fault at all but regardless, for his own good if nothing else, he needed to go.
Now the quick trigger and not waiting to the deadline for more appealing pieces to become available, that is what really bugs me.
Meanwhile, phun with Photoshop…
Just saw that Melky “play.” What a piece of shit.
Melky’s throw has given me at least 5 fits of laughter today. I can’t be too mad at him.
Honestly, Robert, I would jump to your conclusion on Yunel if not for me watching the games everyday.
I can’t freaking believe we just traded Dick Ruthven for Gene Garber. You’re all willfully ignorant if you think this isn’t a franchise killer.
Odds on Tommy Hanson hitting their pitcher today in a “sorry, I hit batters often, look at the stats” way?
I think 2-1.
This was a good trade (Ankiel is better than Blanco who has been playing over his head anyway and due for regression; Farnsworth is way better than Chavez whose subtraction alone is a huge boost), but I would have liked to see something even bigger. If there ever was a year to make a Teixeira trade, this is it with Bobby and Chipper likely in their last years and the Braves likely to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. The Braves and most other teams hugely overvalue their minor leaguers especially pitchers. I wonder how much finances played into it. Wren may not have had the financial flexibility to trade for Dunn or Fielder. I’m also a little disappointed he didn’t take a cue from the Astros and pay some other team to take Lowe and Kawakami off our hands.
At this point it looks like Wren has generated lackluster to crappy in season trades and pretty good to great off-season trades.
Is it desperation?
Since all we do on here is talk about ex-Braves, I’m surprised there wasn’t more talked about Texas trading Salty to the Red Sox, on the most visited day in Braves Journal history.
Who’s Salty? – sarcasm
The reason the Braves didn’t wait or didn’t get an outfielder or a better player for Escobar was the simple self imposed restriction that they wanted a shortstop to replace their shortstop.
Considering these factors:
Lack of a good fit on the market, ie No CFs available.
Restricted payroll.
No desire to part with Teheran, or Medlen.
Wren did a hell of a good job. He recognized that the bullpen would benefit from another younger power arm and that if lighting struck Ankiel could provide more than Blanco.
@116, The LaRoche trade last year was lackluster?
I can’t believe we’re rehashing the Yunel conversation. One thing I will say, if you’re following what the Blue Jays did by setting up Jose Bautista to acclimate Yunel, it sure is disappointing that we couldn’t have found a way to do the same. It makes it seem like Mac was on to something in that follow-up post on Yunelgate.