The Braves have three free agents and three option decisions; MLB.com's Mark Bowman has the latest.
- Of free agents Derrek Lee, Troy Glaus, and Eric Hinske, only Hinske has a chance of returning. Bowman expects him to survey the market first.
- Billy Wagner still hasn't changed his plan to retire.
- Bowman expects the Braves to announce later today that they've exercised their $2.5MM options on Alex Gonzalez and Omar Infante. They'll be declining on Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth.
- Scott Proctor, who is arbitration eligible, is expected to agree to a deal with a $750K base salary and incentives allowing him to approach $1MM. The Braves also have Jair Jurrjens, Eric O'Flaherty, Martin Prado, Peter Moylan, and Matt Diaz eligible for arbitration.
The fact that we might be giving Scott Proctor a home kinda reminds me of when I had this “Bug Bottle” thing when I was a kid and I used to catch insects in it.
Alex Gonzalez has turned out to be a bargain.
not when you consider what the braves gave up for him
Well when you look at it as the Braves do, they dumped a unliked player before he could become cancerous. Not saying the Braves got some great return, but there were more than numbers involved with this trade.
the numbers don’t support the theory that the Braves “gave up too much.” Not only was Escobar unliked, he had a dreadful season. Maybe some upside, but not worth it…Francouer had “upside” too.
When you consider that Gonzalez and Escobar had pretty similar power numbers down the stretch. . and that Escobar had a much better obp, ba, and fielding% I dont know how you could believe that.
Also the remarks about him being cancerous are perposterous, so he played with a little flare. big whoop. He’s good enough to pull it off.
Completely unfounded and absurd.
So the Braves gave Gonzalez a standing ovation when he came to the clubhouse just because Esco played with a little flare?!?! Now that’s absurd.
Have you ever played a sport with a hot dog on the team? You’re willing to pay that guy AND give him your girlfriend to get him to leave leave.
Have you ever played a sport with a hot dog on the team? You’re willing to pay that guy AND give him your girlfriend to get him to leave leave.
So the Braves gave Gonzalez a standing ovation when he came to the clubhouse just because Esco played with a little flare?!?! Now that’s absurd.
but no one can say that Escobar didn’t benefit from a change of scenery. Had he stayed in Atlanta, he could have stayed on the path he was on, a .238 avg with no HR’s and 19 RBI through 75 games. He went to Toronto, where everyone hits HR’s and got 4. I loved Escobar, but cohesion in the dugout is a big deal. That “little flare” you’re referring to was thinking he was hot s#@%. When you have to be lectured by Bobby Cox multiple times its a problem. I trust Bobby’s instincts on players after all the time he spent in the game.
Different leagues…different pitchers…different numbers. And obviously he wasn’t good enough to pull it off, or he wouldn’t have been traded.
Try following the Braves. Escobar wasn’t well-liked and several players were quoted as saying how nice it would be having a professional like Gonzalez on the team.
Try following the Braves. Escobar wasn’t well-liked and several players were quoted as saying how nice it would be having a professional like Gonzalez on the team.
I was pretty sure Escobar was going to outhit Gozalez for the remander of the season, but if we kept Escobar his production wouldn’t have been as good as Gonzalez’s in Atlanta this year.
the numbers don’t support the theory that the Braves “gave up too much.” Not only was Escobar unliked, he had a dreadful season. Maybe some upside, but not worth it…Francouer had “upside” too.
Well, except that he costed us Yunel Escobar and solid middle infield defense.
Escobar is an overated, self centered , immature Prima Dona. He has a world of talent but thinks baseball was invented when he was born. I saw him perform the same stupid and selfish antics with the Blue Jays that got him traded from the Braves. I’ve seen him make plays time and time again that showcased his arm and showed up the opposition.Numerous times he has shown a disregard for team play for self satisfaction. Already some of the Blue Jays have chastisied him for his behavior. It will be interesting to see how Farrell handles him.
Jealous much? Also, I want to see your proof about the Blue Jays already chastising him. (Chastisied is not a word buddy!!!) We need some real Blue Jays fans here to speak up, he has been a good fit with Toronto. They actually have a strong latin community that embraces the players, plus Jose Bautista has helped him adapt from day one. I understand you are jealous that the Braves traded a Ferrari for a Volvo, but it’s not the end of the world. The Braves love giving up young talent for older veterans. You don’t see the Cardinals trading Colby Rasmus just because he and LaRussa don’t get along. If Rasmus is traded it will be a huge mistake. Why trade a young star just because an old senile manager, who will be gone soon, doesn’t like him. The Braves loss is Toronto’s gain, hopefully other teams like the Cardinals don’t do the same thing.
Colby Rasmus isn’t disliked by most of the players in the Cardinals’ clubhouse though.
Colby Rasmus isn’t disliked by most of the players in the Cardinals’ clubhouse though.
We LOVE YEscobar. So do his teammates. I just wish we could have kept Tim Collinsecum.
Right back at you. We loved Escobar for awhile and his teammates liked him until he became a jerk. We wish we could have kept Tim Collins also lol. In case you weren’t aware, we traded him to the Royals in the Kyle Farnsworth/Rick Ankiel deal.
There’s no jealousy on this part my friend, just simple observation. As for proof, here’s one example. against the Yankees, he hits a deep fly to left center, he thinks it’s out and he stands at home looking at it go out and it hits the wall and he winds up at second just underneath the tag. Toronto doesn’t score and in between innings Jose Molina, his Compadre, can be seen scolding ,admonishing or getting in his face, if you will, in the corner of the dugout. Nothing too different from his Atlanta days.As I said, he has talent and hopefully someone in the latin community will tell him not to be such a traga dagga, and grow up to fulfill his potential. Right now your Ferrari needs to have its power steering adjusted because it goes everywhere but the right place. But you’re happy with him as the Braves are without him, so it’s a blessing for both.
Jealous much? Also, I want to see your proof about the Blue Jays already chastising him. (Chastisied is not a word buddy!!!) We need some real Blue Jays fans here to speak up, he has been a good fit with Toronto. They actually have a strong latin community that embraces the players, plus Jose Bautista has helped him adapt from day one. I understand you are jealous that the Braves traded a Ferrari for a Volvo, but it’s not the end of the world. The Braves love giving up young talent for older veterans. You don’t see the Cardinals trading Colby Rasmus just because he and LaRussa don’t get along. If Rasmus is traded it will be a huge mistake. Why trade a young star just because an old senile manager, who will be gone soon, doesn’t like him. The Braves loss is Toronto’s gain, hopefully other teams like the Cardinals don’t do the same thing.
Escobar is an overated, self centered , immature Prima Dona. He has a world of talent but thinks baseball was invented when he was born. I saw him perform the same stupid and selfish antics with the Blue Jays that got him traded from the Braves. I’ve seen him make plays time and time again that showcased his arm and showed up the opposition.Numerous times he has shown a disregard for team play for self satisfaction. Already some of the Blue Jays have chastisied him for his behavior. It will be interesting to see how Farrell handles him.
We also received two good prospects in that deal, though we later threw Tim Collins away for Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel. The other prospect, Tyler Pastornicky, adds to the depth of speed-type position players the Braves are attempting to develop.
This Proctor thing is stupid. Give that spot to Marek or Gearrin.
MLB quality relief depth in AAA is always a good thing. Its not like they are going anywhere or have absolutely no development left. Let them grow in AAA and then call them up when injuries happen.
What about when the quality relief is better than the guy with the ML contract? Proctor wasn’t that good when he was healthy, and he hasn’t been healthy for some time. One of the kids deserves that spot just as much as he does.
Pete Moylan, bye bye?
I guess the Braves must feel that Freeman is ready to be an eversday 1B for them next year? Otherwise, bringing Lee back would be a good move considering he had a nice little run with them (.287/.384/.465), even if it was a small sample size it’s still in keeping with his career line (282/.367/.498).
I guess the Braves must feel that Freeman is ready to be an eversday 1B for them next year? Otherwise, bringing Lee back would be a good move considering he had a nice little run with them (.287/.384/.465), even if it was a small sample size it’s still in keeping with his career line (282/.367/.498).
Yeah, Freeman is our starting 1B in 2011. That’s a lock.
Yeah, Freeman is our starting 1B in 2011. That’s a lock.
I just happened to have asked David O’Brien this on twitter a month or so ago.
http://twitter.com/#!/ajcbraves/status/27248877798
He’s done everything he can in the minors and has nothing left to prove there. He’s big leagues all the way and is finally going to give the Braves some stability at first base. We haven’t had the same guy start at first on opening day in YEARS.
I don’t like that Proctor is getting a major league deal. He wouldn’t have gotten one anywhere this offseason as he was just awful this year.
Does anyone here think that Wren could have gotten a better SS for Yunel? How about Stephen Drew? If Yunel wasn’t enough, him and a B level prospect? How about Jason Bartlett and a prospect?
The only rumor I heard was that there were discussions with the Rays for Reid Brignac, but Wren likely pulled out because his bat would have made the lineup extremely lefty-heavy. Gonzalez was a good clubhouse guy, cheap, right-handed, and came with two solid prospects.
Yeah I’m high on Collins, less so on Pastornicky.
I really don’t understand letting Farnsworth go, we’ve had him for two separate playoff runs and he’s been magnificent both times and would be a wonderful set-up man especially with Saito, Wagner and possibly Moylan leaving. Let Kimbrel close and have Farnsworth and Jonny Ks run set up roles.
Farnsworth’s option was for way too much. We can get a similar pitcher for less. Letting him go was a forgone conclusion—the Braves got cash in the deal with KC for the exact amount of the Ankiel and Farnsworth buyouts. We never had any intention of keeping Farnsworth.