Thanksgiving has come and gone and that means a couple of things are the horizon. First of course, are the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings – starting December 3rd. Then there’s that whole Christmas thing, but I’m sure the Braves and a host of other teams are hoping to get a great deal of their shopping done in Nashville at the meetings.

By now everyone has seen that Tom Glavine is back in an Atlanta Braves Uniform for the first time since 2002. The addition of a veteran lefty gives Atlanta a strong top three starters to go into 2008 with. That leaves the Braves with a center field question to answer.

Mike Hampton is throwing again and has impressed thus far in the meagar steps he has made towards a comeback next season. Having not pitched in two and a half seasons, Hampton will get some work in down in Mexico. Hopes are that Hampton will be ready to go and able to contribute

While this blog has its moment where regular updates are popping up every day or two only to be followed by a couple weeks off, let me assure you that you’ll want to tune in for Winter Meetings coverage starting a week from Today.

I’m working on a few ideas to throw around how the club shapes up, where the prospects and young talent can and will fit in and what moves Atlanta has left to make before Opening Day of 2008. Look for those things this week.

Till next time,

G-Mc

While the GM meetings continue in what I can only imagine is sunny and temperate Orlando, I figured it was a good time for a few updates from the last entry.

Last December, then-GM John Schuerholz along with current GM Frank Wren were very vocal proponents of the GM meetings as a great place to lay the ground work for trades that could happen at the upcoming Winter Meetings in December (3-6 in Nashville). I’m making my travel arrangements, so if you’re into daily reports and rumor mills then this blog will be a good place for you to follow all the fun.

In other related news:

There is nothing concrete to report back on the Griffey trade speculation, because it is just that – speculation. Some theorists are excited about the possibility of having that dynamic bat in #5 spot in the batting order, while others are less than excited about the idea of an injury-prone outfielder who is no longer a viable option in center and carries a $16.5 million ’09 option season actually donning the Braves uni. Who can blame them? Debate away.

It appears my Coco Crisp theory found legs, though it was safe to assume the Sox would be shopping their deposed CF at the GM meetings. Multiple outlets have reported that dealing Coco will be among the top priorities this winter. Atlanta is believed to have some degree of interest, but will probably explore all options before narrowing it down to one candidate.

Looking back over some notes during the winter of 2005-06, the Indians were hot and heavy after Ryan Langerhans but no deal was struck.

How about some Andruw Jones news?

It appears Washington Nationals president Stan Kasten has done his due diligence in scouting out the main three free agent center fielders. Reports out of D.C. have placed the former Braves president on a recent house call to the Jones residence. Looks like Washington could be in the hunt for Andruw, but they are still very much in the process of building a winning franchise.  The article also mentions that Kasten has spoken with Torii Hunter of the Twins and Aaron Rowand of the Phillies.

On a side note, any talk of Atlanta being a serious possibility for right-hander Curt Schilling ended on Tuesday, when the 40-year old reached an agreement to return to Boston for a base salary of $8 million and incentives – according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

Steroids, HGH and more of the same…

The baseball world recieved another wonderful bit of news on Tuesday morning. Multiple reports sprung up across the board that Mariners outfielder Jose Guillen along with retired Giants and D-Backs third baseman Matt Williams and righty Ismael Valdez all purchased shipments of steroids HGH and/or other performance-enhancing-drugs. The report has linked some of the prescriptions for the three to the same dentist who was linked by a law enforcement source to Indians righty Paul Byrd. Here’s the whole story summed up via ESPN.

Till Next time,

G-Mc

Well it’s too soon to start previewing next season. Let’s face it, the World Series is anything but a distant memory and most free agents are still gathering their papers and creating an off-season strategy with their agents. But it is, most certainly, time to fire up the Hot Stove and see what develops as it’s developing.

Many of the astute baseball minds that started putting two and two together between Atlanta and free-agent center fielder Mike Cameron suffered a set-back in their theory. Cameron earned himself a 25-game suspension for violating baseball’s substance abuse policy regarding illegal stimulants for the second time. That should pretty much put to rest any thoughts of Cameron in Atlanta, despite the fact that the Padres still regard him highly.

One interesting Braves piece of speculation involves a high profile target. Call it whatever you like, but there is some clamoring to bring future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. into the fray this winter. Griffey has made no secret of his feelings about playing in Atlanta, a place he is familiar with from his father’s playing days. Could it be a fit? Time will tell, but the price will have to be right. Terrence Moore recently opined in the AJC that Griffey should be brought on board. If the time ever was right to make the move, it would appear that now would be it. Fellow AJC scribe David O’Brien shares a different view than Moore. Both have valid cases in my book.

I can beat you over the head with the numbers Griffey has put up in his career and scare you with the list of injuries he has suffered since 2001, but then you already know these things. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to see a milestone 600th homer moment at Turner Field this year? If the Reds are in fact on the hook for half of Griffey’s $12 million in the event he is traded, then I’d say it would at least be worth having a little talk with Reds GM Wayne Krivsky.

Now if you want some speculation from my camp, then I would say that not only are Griffey’s days in center field behind him, but Atlanta might be better served shifting him to left field should they rope him. An interesting name to note in the trade market for a center fielder might be Boston’s Coco Crisp. Having been replaced in the lineup and in the hearts and minds of Red Sox Nation by rookie speedster Jacoby Ellsbury, Crisp could be a nice addition at the right price.

There is no doubt that memories of Andruw Jones will not be easily erased, but Crisp has the kind of glove that could ease the transition from a defensive standpoint. Atlanta was linked to trade talks, as I’ve mentioned, prior to Boston snagging Crisp from Cleveland after the 2005 season. His current  contract calls for sums of $4.75 million in 2008 and $5.75 million in 2009 (with an $8 million option for 2010). Not exactly bank-breaking numbers, which could make him an excellent stop-gap between Jones and several talented farmhands.

Crisp, 28, hit .300 with 16 homers and 69 RBI in his final season with the Indians. Over the past two seasons spent in Boston, the numbers have not been quite as impressive. Crisp has stolen 50 bases in 60 attempts in those two years, hitting .266 with 14 homers and 96 RBI in 239 games. The OBP is a little low (.317 in ’06 and .330 last season) but his speed would seem to dictate Crisp would project at lead-off or two-place hitter. A fresh start in a new place might be just what he needs to get back on track with his Tribe days.

Some rattling following the Renteria trade went as far as to say Atlanta might be a player in the sweepstakes to land Alex Rodriguez. I would surmise that it was based solely on the fact that the Braves finished second in the bidding when A-Rod got his first mega-deal. I highly doubt that Atlanta is trying to take the money gained by the departures of Andruw Jones and Edgar Renteria to bring in Rodriguez (presumably as a shortstop again). It just doesn’t make any sense financially or realistically in the Braves plans, which makes this entire line of discussion laughable. If the Braves are going to be scraping together money or taking public collections for a Scott Boras client, it is going to be Mark Teixeira.

Division rival Florida might be up to something. They’ve announced to the rest of baseball that Miguel Cabrera is available for trade this winter. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald has interesting take on recent Marlins rumblings .. but it would be a long shot.

This whole A-Rod saga is going to be one of two things – either the gift that keeps on giving, or the rash that just won’t go away, depending on where you sit. This off-season could show us a contract that no one ever thought possible. I found at least one New York writer who believes A-Rod wants in by opting out. Can you believe that?

Till Next Time,

G-Mc

The Wren Era is now officially underway. Forget the pomp andcircumstance of a press conference to announce that a legendary front
office figure will step aside, I want to see some trades! Who’s with me?

Well,
Tuesday October the 29th gave us just that opportunity. Wren and the
club announced that All-star Edgar Renteria had been dealt to the
Detroit Tigers for a duo of uber-talented youngsters, Gorkys Hernandez
and Jair Jurrjens. So maybe it’s not Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller,
but these two certainly have some promise.

Renteria has
performed admirably for Atlanta, battling a couple stints on the DL but
more often than not he could be found batting second and quietly going
about the business of being a professional hitter. But, the reality is
that Renteria was heading into his free-agent year and was unlikely to
return. His trade value was highest this winter.

Of course, we
were all looking for something that was perhaps a little more immediate
in terms of the names involved but let’s not get too greedy. Renteria’s
departure also opens up some spending room and according to Wren is
just a precursor of moves on the horizon.

Kudos to Wren for
pulling off his first deal at the helm as GM. Time will tell the full
story of this one. Atlanta will allow Hernandez to continue his
maturation in the minor leagues, while Jurrjens will compete with Jo-Jo
Reyes for a spot in the rotation this spring.

Around MLB:
Well
there was the small matter of the Boston Red Sox wrapping up the Fall
Classic, having blown through the over-rested Rockies in the first
three games. Sunday saw the Red Sox capture their second title in four
years, with a decidedly different team that the one that did the trick
in 2004. Boston is as real as it gets, top to bottom. This could be
happening again a couple more times before this bunch is broken up. The
balance of youth and experience is a beautiful combination.

So………… what could possibly be more important that the deciding game of the World Series?

A-Rod’s contract decision of course.

I
know that if you are anything like me, you were clinging to the edge of
your seat to see how this A-Rod contract melodrama would play out. How
can you not feel for a guy who has to decide where to get his $25
million per year? Do I go with the team that is preparing to make a
5-year extension in the neighborhood of $27-30 million a year, or do I
simply perpetuate the lukewarm decision making skills that have landed
me in this "terrible situation" to begin with? What’s a guy to do?

Scott
Boras and his client made the more-than-questionable decision to go
public during the fourth and final game of the World Series with their
intent to opt the slugging third baseman out of the final three years
of his record 10-year $252 million deal. Thank goodness they exercised
tact and timing in making the decision.

To bring those of you
who may be wondering up to speed on why this announcement in and of
itself was any bigger than what it states, the problem is the timing.
Major League Baseball likes the World Series to be the focus when, in
fact, it is being played. Therefore, all transaction and other assorted
personel moves are done internally by each club or the player in
question and announced at the conclusion of the series.

So,
while the Red Sox wrapped up their second title in four years,
Rodriguez added an unneeded distraction following his fourth
consecutive year in New York – and in none of those years has Rodriguez
been a part of the World Series. That will look good on his resume
right? He can put it next to "Plays well with others" and right before
he lists Derek Jeter as a reference.

Did anything ever make you miss the reserve clause so much?

Till Next time,
G-Mc

Here’s the article I posted earlier today. The news speaks for itself, while the change comes completely by surprise. I’ll be working on a podcast and discussing the transition to go up tomorrow with former Braves second baseman and Braves Radio Network analyst Mark Lemke.

Till then, enjoy the article and throw some comments in.

Grant-Mc

Here you go……………………………………………………..

When things are going right, everyone is happy. But when things start to go wrong, everyone has a theory as to what exactly the problem is for their team. This season was an improvement for the Atlanta Braves, at 84-78, but not what one has come to expect from the team that won a record 14-consecutive division crowns. So, as we delve into the season that was, let’s stat with the bad news.

What went wrong:

It began early, when Mike Hampton was shut down with more elbow problems. Having not thrown a pitch in a Major League game since 2005, Hampton first injured his oblique while taking BP at mid-March at Lakeland. From there, it would only get worse. The veteran lefty was diagnosed with a torn tendon in his already surgically repaired pitching elbow. Just like that, Hampton was put on the shelf for another season.

We can go no further than the man who was supposed to replace Hampton and provide the Braves with some much needed innings toward the end of the rotation. Mark Redman was nothing short of a disaster area in five starts with Atlanta. His 10.64 ERA was an obvious bi-product of the 38 hits and 11 walks issued in just 21.2 innings of work. By late May, Redman found himself looking for work and the Braves odyssey of finding fourth and fifth starters continued.

Injuries and inconsistency continued to plague the Braves throughout the summer, as they called on pitcher after pitcher to fill the final two rotation spots. Righty Kyle Davies continued to be enigmatic, following each strong start with two poor ones before finding himself shipped to Kansas City.

Lance Cormier showed signs that he could bolster the rotation during a strong Grape Fruit League campaign, but spent considerable time on the DL before under-whelming the Braves with his performances (2-6, 7.09 ERA in nine starts). Anthony Lerew was not the answer, nor was lefty prospect Jo-Jo Reyes – who, to his credit, seemed to turn the corner in his final two starts of the season.

When you boil down this season to one problem area and wonder what one thing could have made a big difference for the Atlanta Braves, there is no doubt that the combined struggles of Redman, Davies, Cormier, Lerew and Reyes will be the most obvious. Combined, these starters went 8-22 with a 6.84 ERA in 44 starts. Looking even closer, in 215.2 IP these hurlers allowed 164 earned runs on 255 hits while issuing 114 free passes. That simply will not get the job done.

Andruw Jones. No where, were the Braves struggles and ineptitudes felt as mightily as in their stalwart center-fielder of 12 seasons. Combining to hit 92 homers and drive home 257 runs over the prior two seasons, which lead everyone to expect the same kind of big numbers as Jones headed into his free-agent season. Who could have predicted this monstrous slump.

Over the course of seemingly every season, there was always a point when Jones would catch fire and the homers, RBI’s and big hits would come in bunches. That never materialized in 2007. Jones limped into the last series of the season (where he sat out all three games) with a .222 average, 26 homers and 94 RBI. Even the defense, which shined at times, seems to have lost a little luster and a couple steps here and there.

Make no mistake, Andruw (who will be the subject of his own blog entry one of these days) will probably find a team that will want to make him very rich this off-season. But having the worst contract season in memory probably doesn’t make it easy for even Scott Boras to drum up the astronomical figures.

Then there was first base, which eventually became home to slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira. Craig Wilson earned his release in May, following a horrid run (.172, 1 HR, 2 RBI in 24 games) as the righty part of a platoon with lefty-swinging Scott Thorman. Everyday play seemed to be more than Thorman could handle, leading the Braves turn to the familiar face of 49-year old Mets cast-off Julio Franco in July. Franco started for the week prior to Teixeira’s arrival and may have provided the most stability Atlanta had seen to that point.

While the bullpen certainly enjoyed a much-improved season in 2007, there still problems late in the game for Atlanta. Lefty set-up man Mike Gonzalez went down with Tommy John prior to the All-star break. Closer Bob Wickman turned into a pumpkin in his first full season with Atlanta. The often surly reliever alienated teammates and management, leading to his release in late August.

Inter-league play was also not particularly kind to the Braves this season. Rated by the Elias Sports Bureau as having the toughest Inter-league match-ups this season in all of Major League Baseball, the Braves took it on the chin in Boston, Cleveland and Minnesota and getting Detroit and second dose of the Red Sox at Turner Field. The 4-11 record against American League squads certainly did not help the cause.

We’ll take a look at what went right for the Braves in the next entry. Bring the comments and keep them coming.

Till Next time,

G-Mc