I don't give Wren a pass on Uggla/Upton/Lowe/Kawakami. But I don't think we can judge a general manager only by his whiffs.
It might be. It could be. We'll see if it is. (Apologies to Harry Carary.)
Not by the deadline. But maybe after it.
I think Fredi goes case by case, which is what good managers should do. Johnson's tantrum wasn't his first, as I recall.
A good utility man can never be underrated. Remember Jerry Royster?
I'm not aware of any overture made by either party.
Fredi Gonzalez. And here let me say I'm not a huge believer in the concept of clubhouse leadership. The game still comes down to one man throwing the ball and the other trying to hit it.
All players do not hesitate and sulk. I think the Braves, as a rule, play hard.
Winning is kind of a key indicator, don't you think? And if somebody -- meaning somebody on any team -- could figure out exactly what works in the postseason, wouldn't they have done it by now?
Again, Heyward is an intriguing case. If he does leave as a free agent, there's every chance he'll be making All-Star teams for somebody else. (Though he has made the All-Star team once here.)
Heyward is a funny case. Do you pay him for what he has done, which has been mostly good, or what his potential remains, which is vast?
I don't think they missed at all. He's a great outfielder, a great baserunner and a pretty-good hitter. Now, did I think he'd be a better hitter than this? I did. I think everybody did.
I have no idea. But you're right: He used to be quite good against left-handers. But it's always a shock to me when I see Heyward's average hovering around .250. He just seems a much better hitter than that. Numbers don't lie, though.
I'd be lying if I said I was a Chris Johnson fan. There was a time when Salcedo was mentioned as a third baseman of the future, but I'm not sure the Braves would have signed Johnson to a new contract if they still felt that way.
I'm not aware of any. And I'm not sure either would be willing to give up his free-agent opportunity so soon.
Probably because the same GM has presided over a team that has the National League's best record over the past five years.
