Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Chipper Extended Through 2012

THE WREN'S NEST- The sudden departure of John Smoltz this past offseason left many Braves fans feeling slighted by the front office and jilted by a long time legend. In the wake of Smoltz' departure some fans began wondering about the future of the last remaining fixture of the Team of the 90's, Chipper Jones.

Over the weekend Chipper and the Braves hammered out a three year extension worth at least $42 million that will keep him in the only uniform he's ever known through at least 2012. In spite of his obvious injury concerns, he remains one of the most feared hitters in the game and apparently has only gotten better with age. Even with a typical age regression, Chipper's numbers and defense still justify his $13 million annual salary. Though the free agent market this offseason slowed the flow of large, multi-year contracts, $13 million for a franchise player who is still quite capable of posting MVP numbers is a bargain considering the extensions given to guys like Mark Ellis and the $25 million given to the mercurial Manny Ramirez. With this extension, Mets fans can look forward to Chipper giving the new Citi Field a proper introduction to the hell he put Shea through over the years.


Anderson to Tigers: Immediate Reaction

ATLANTA-Over the years John Schuerholz established certain GM's with which he had special relations with. And by special relations I mean in the sense that he continually went back to these individuals when he felt he needed to rape and pillage a team of it's assets for $.25 on the dollar. Schuerholz guy was Jim Bowden, the now disgraced former GM of the Nationals. Deion Sanders for Roberto Kelly, Mike Kelly for Chad Fox, and Neagle, Rob Bell, and Michael Tucker for Mike Remlinger--a key bullpen arm for years--and Bret Boone come to mind. Low and behold Frank Wren has found his beotch--the esteemed General Manager of the Detroit Tigers Dave Dombrowski.

In a little over a year Frank Wren has lied, stolen, and swindled his way into Double D's heart from his perch in the Wren's Nest, coming away clean with last year's unquestionable staff ace in kid sensation Jair Jurrjens and now flipping a spare part in Josh Anderson for a potentially dominating bullpen arm in RHP Rudy Darrow.

Josh Anderson came into the spring competing for the starting center field job with top prospect Jordan Schafer and Gregor Blanco. In limited major league duty Anderson had proved quite capable, compiling a .315 average and showing outstanding speed and range. Had he performed even adequately this spring instead of throwing up a decidedly unimpressive .283 OBP he was expected to win the job outright while Schafer would go to AAA Gwinnett for further development (and the all-important stalling of his arbitration clock) where he would also be joined by Blanco. As it stood, Anderson was out of options, looked to be nothing more than a spare part, and was likely to be designated for assignment or outright released at the end of the spring. His ability to hit for average was his lone asset, as his speed was often negated by his inability to take a walk (13 walks in 203 PA), a real deficiency considering he was likely to be the team's leadoff hitter. At best, he was Juan Pierre without the fat contract and with less speed, albeit he carried a little more pop in his bat. The Braves should not have gotten anything of value for him unless he was being over-valued based on his inflated average (Absolutely unsustainable. His career BABIP is .379. Color me skeptical.). Luckily, Wren had Dombrowski on speed dial.


Schafer wins CF battle


One of these men will be breaking camp with Atlanta. Josh Anderson is not that man.


For a guy who would be very lucky to have made the roster out of spring training Wren managed to nab an incredibly high upside arm. Rudy Darrow is a 5'10", 180 lb RHP out of Nicholls St. Coming from an odd sidearm slot at 94-95, he reminds me a hell of a lot of one Joey Devine. At 25, it's time for him to step up a level and prove himself after two rock-solid full minor league seasons. Though stymied by surgery early on, Darrow has put up a career 2.52 ERA in the minors to date, with 101 K's in 103 innings, 37 walks, and one (1!) homerun. Darrow figures to start the season in AA Mississippi where he, as well as Stephen Marek, could be one of the first bullpen arms called up in the event of injury.

Video of Darrow's delivery:
Rudy Darrow/Justin Smoak - Arizona Fall League - 2008-10-31

In my book, this is one of the more impressive trades Wren has pulled as he took a spare piece who was unlikely to make the roster and garnered a potentially great bullpen arm.