Feels like December...
Remember when Braves fans all over the internet were fuming over perceived "futility" from the Braves' front office?
It's starting again.
Calls for Wren to "get off of his lazy (intercoursing) (posterior)" and start making moves are starting to pop up on bulletin boards, comments sections, and blogs everywhere.
I, however, am here to say this: IT'S ONLY MAY 27!!!!
People seem to forget that the non-waiver trading deadline is still about sixty-five days away (give or take a few hours).
People also seem to forget that the biggest player movement-news this year has been Joey Gathright for Ryan Freel.
Holliday is still in Oakland, Hawpe is still in Colorado, and Peavy is still in San Diego.
Now, I do not possess the baseball mind that Frank Wren has, but here are my thoughts as to what the franchise should do to prepare for a second-half run (some of the far-fetched anti-points I'm going to use are coming from a MLBTR comment's section).
1. Keep Schafer in Center
Look, the strikeouts aren't exactly great, but the arm and range in center are exceptional. He's putting better and better swings on the ball and rarely chases a "bad ball" while working the count (averaging about five pitches per plate appearance by my count).
Besides, Gorkys is more than a year away, Blanco is slugging lower with a lower OBP in AAA, and the free agent market is weak to say the least (Edmonds is NOT an upgrade, if he had anything left in the tank, he'd already be donning a big league uni).
2. Take a long look at the Red Sox and Royals for Francoeur
Maybe he's not as bad as Mark Bowman and others make him out to be, but Frenchy is still hovering around his 2008 self.
He could very well turn things around, but if a team (specifically the Red Sox, who are scouting him, and Royals, whose GM has a man-crush on Jeff) is willing to cough up a mid-level prospect or UTIL player to watch him try to turn things around on their terms, you have to look at it.
As I have said in a comment or two, Jeff is reaching th stage of his development where you have to stop drooling over potential and start looking at what he's producing, which (especially with runners on) isn't much.
Although a move is possible, I'm not sure it get's done this season.
3. Call Up Hanson
Please?
There isn't much to say here that I haven't said before.
He's ready and the fifth spot could use (although Medlen seemed to figure it out late in San Francisco and Glavine is set to come back) an upgrade.
Two of the three headpieces of "prospects to die for" (Price and Weiters) have already started their paths towards greatness in the show, I think it's about time the best (no matter what Baseball America says) to pop his head up.
Here is the best example of my feelings on this topic.
4. Go and Get Luke Scott
He's expendable because of the O's outfield.
To avoid having to type all of this again, here are his stats.
Possible pieces (the Birds need pitching): Morton and Parr for Scott.
Ideally, the Braves head into September with this on the field:
1 R SS Yunel Escobar
2 L 1B Case Kotchman
3 S 3B Chipper Jones
4 L C Brian McCann
5 L LF Luke Scott
6 R RF Jeff Francoeur (with his stroke found)
7 L 2B Kelly Johnson
8 L CF Jordan Schafer
1 R Derek Lowe
2 R Jair Jurrjens
3 R Javier Vazquez
4 R Tim Hudson (full recovered and performing, if not, KK)
5 R Tommy Hanson
I'll have to update this in about a month and a half when moves actually go down, but, until then, here are my moves in Wren's shoes
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