Loading ...Time To Land A Center Fielder
Written by Colin on July 25, 2010 – 6:56 pmIf you watched the Atlanta Braves play the Florida Marlins this weekend, you saw Nate McLouth have several big at-bats when put in context of his future with the Braves. The latest – with the bases loaded in the top of the 11th – ended with a double play.
Yes, it was a hard-hit ball. Is he coming around? Maybe.
To me, it’s time to land another center fielder. While McLouth might come around and we may have moderate production out of the position the rest of the season, and I’m not OK with that.
The way this team is playing, I want to see us go out and get a player who can put some pop in the lineup. I want someone who is going to put us from playing pretty well in the NL East to the class of the NL East. I want to put the Phillies on notice that even if they trade for Oswalt they are going to have to play .800 ball to catch us. I want to be damn good. We’re already good. I want to be even better.
Here’s the thing – I’m against trading prospects for a star to “put us over the top” when we’re only hoping to make the playoffs. However, I am completely behind trading prospects for a star to make us the class of the National League.
Mark Bowman is reporting that the Braves may not be that interested in the Marlins’ Cody Ross. Others are reporting that the Fish are unlikely to move Ross. If you ask me, it sounds like Ross won’t be the next member of the Braves. I would like to see us make a *smart* move and land a center fielder who can give us the production we need from center field to have a potent lineup throughout the batting order.
Let’s go get Marlon Byrd ($5.5M in ’11 and $6.5M in ’12). Or hell, how about we sign Jermaine Dye? His power numbers would be nice and he’d definitely hit for more average than McLouth will. I’ll think on that more and maybe expound on it in another blog post soon.
Tags: Atlanta Braves, Jermaine Dye, Marlon Byrd, Nate McLouth, Trade Rumors
Posted in Speculation | 4 Comments »
By Thomas on Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
Byrd would be great, but the Cubs probably want to hang on to their one outfielder who is worth more than he gets paid….
Jermaine Dye, of course, was one of if not the worst defensive outfielders in baseball last season, and that was in right. If he were to play center field the Braves would give up at least 5 runs a game…
By Brandon on Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
OK I watch every single game and have been a die hard braves fan for 18 years. They started the streak when i was born and ended it when i turned 14 and for the last 5 years I kept my head up and watched them compete to maybe being a 500 club and now it seems their is only one thing missing from a Great return to the top of baseball and it seems that Frank wren has spent some money and created a pretty good group of guys with the exception of kawakami who isn't worth a grocery bag full of peanuts and Nate Mclouth who should be competing for the bat boy spot not the center field job. Pack him a lunch give him a few bucks and drop him off at the bus station. Now back on topic the braves are good right now but with the end of the bullpen flaring to be a little shakey we've gotta go out and make one more move to put us over the top .Now i'm not saying we give up mike minor or another stud for some c+ cody ross or another guy like that but I think I speak for all braves fans when I say a Play off berth isn't all were shooting for we Know when the braves are going they can beat anyone but one solid guy in center to hit behind gonzal will put us over the top and give us a shot at a serious run here just dump nate and get someone who will at least hit 265 is that to much to ask for.
Brandon Wolfe
By John L. on Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
I agree The braves need to move on a center fielder now..Get rid of Mclouth. To many blown opportunities when it come to crunch time !! If Wren wants to give Bobby Cox good going away gift get him a good center fielder who can hit and play the position.
John L.
By HsvBravesFan on Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
The Braves won plenty of games with the Melky/Gregor platoon in CF. There is no need to deplete the farm system for someone like a Cody Ross. As the 8th hitter in the lineup, the Braves CF merely has to be able to hit major league pitching and not hurt the team defensively. Both Melky and Gregor have shown they can do that. The Brave also have super sub Omar Infante who can play CF .The Solution to the Braves CF woes is to play the deserving talent that they already have, not to trade some of our best pitching prospects for a only slightly above avg player like Ross.