BRAVES LOOKING AT OUTFIELD POSSIBILITIES.
Written by Max McGonigle, Saturday January 17 2009
BRAVES CONSIDER BRINGING ANDRUW BACK WHILE EXPLORING TRADES.
With the Braves pitching rotation set, the Atlanta Braves are looking at available options to acquire the power hitting outfielder they have been seeking, preferably a left fielder. They are also looking to sure up the center field position which was weak last season after Mark Kotsay was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Though, when it comes to priority, the power hitter comes before the centerfielder. The center field position is considered to be Jordan Schafer’s, the upcoming minor league center fielder who was suspended for 50 games for HGH use this past season. The Braves want the center field position to be more of a defensive position.
With the Yankees dangling Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady out in the open market, the Braves have taken an interest in both. Swisher hit .219 with 24 homers, and 69 RBIs, and Nady hit .305 with 25 homers, and 97 RBIs. Though, the Yankees have said they will most likely wait till spring training to trade one of them, the Braves are willing to wait. The Braves are more interested in Nick Swisher, who is under contract until 2011, whereas Nady is a free agent at the end of the 2009 season and his agent is Scott Boras, so you can expect Nady will be looking for a big pay day. The Braves have also had trade discussions with the St. Louis Cardinals about a possible deal that would involve Braves 2nd baseman Kelly Johnson and Cardinals left fielder Rick Ankiel, although talks have since stalled, they could heat back up.
Ankiel hit .264 with 25 homers and 71 RBIs. Braves fans would rather see Adam Dunn or Bobbu Abreu patrolling left at Turner Field but signing those players are a last resort for the Braves because they want to fill the left field void via trade.
With center field open the Braves have checked into the idea of signing former Brave Andruw Jones. Jones was released after a disastrous first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. Jones hit .158 with 3 homers, 14 RBIs and 76 strikeouts in 209 at-bats. He also had knee surgery in May. When asked about the possibility of bringing Jones back, Braves GM Frank Wren said "I want to discuss it a little more internally to determine which direction we want to go” and “We have to look at it and discuss it, It’s not every day a situation like [Jones] comes up. It’s more complicated than just ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ “ It seemed as if this signing was a sure thing when on Wednesday Jones was at the Duke - Georgia Tech college basketball game in Atlanta wearing an Atlanta Braves hat. The Braves have doubts about whether to sign Jones for obvious reasons, but also by signing Jones the Braves would have to release a player to create room for Jones, the Braves do not believe that Jones is worth risking a player on. If Jones were to sign with the Braves it would most likely be a minor league contract worth the league minimum $400,000.
The Braves outfield currently consists of Jeff Francoeur in right who is also coming off a disastrous season, Matt Diaz in left, who just signed a one-year contract worth $1,237,500, Josh Anderson in center, with Gregor Blanco backing him up.
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4 comments
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Anderson has not been giving a chance to be a full time player and in the games he did , he start in he showed promise. Anderson has the ability to steal bases at the top of the lineup, which the Braves have not had since the Drunken Fool Furcal played for the Braves. He also has a good amount of power which he showed in his last couple games. I would take him over Andruw and Blanco anyday.
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entire season of Anderson on the bench could bode well for the Braves. ^-^
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Yeah I would like to see that to he had 50 steals in AAA ball. That is why i if your gonna sign Andruw make him sign a minor league deal, invite him to spring training and see how he does in a competition with Josh Anderson. If he does better keep him for center, if he does worse release him.
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i want to see an entire season of josh anderson