The bye-bye Andruw Jones Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2007 11:39 pm
by HMFFL
Interest:
Los Angeles
Washington
San Francisco
Texas
Baltimore
End of an era: Braves cut ties with center fielder Andruw Jones
"I'm fine with it," Jones told The Associated Press when reached on his cell phone. "I'm appreciative of the chance they gave me to play for Atlanta all these years. I understand the decision they have to make. That's just the way it is. It's a business."
Indeed, the move was not unexpected as the 30-year-old Jones batted only .222 in the final season of his $75 million contract. He's eligible to file for free agency after the World Series.
"It just doesn't work for us," Schuerholz said. "It doesn't demean or diminish everything he's done."
Where is the money going to go?The Braves plan to use the money they'll save on Jones to bolster their starting rotation -- a glaring weakness beyond John Smoltz and Tim Hudson -- and to sign first baseman Mark Teixeira, who made $9 million this year and is eligible for arbitration.
Schuerholz said the team got an offer from Jones' agent, Scott Boras, last December but never seriously considered it.
Boras withdrew the offer, believed to be in the $20-million-a-year range, over the summer when the Braves never responded, Schuerholz said.
"What that did was to signal what we could fully expect," the GM said. Asked how much Boras was asking for, Schuerholz held his right hand over his head. "I can't reach that high," he quipped.
Link
Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2007 11:43 pm
by HMFFL
Andruw Jones won't return to Braves in '08
Link
Braves cut ties with Andruw Jones
Link
Andruw out of Atlanta picture for 2008
Link
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 3:57 am
by HMFFL
Superstar 'replacement' not a given
The clamor from many Giants fans will be to replace Bonds with another solar presence, such as (in descending order of wattage) Alex Rodriguez, Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter.
Link
Hot stove league starts early for DodgersMcCourt could go big. He could go get Alex Rodriguez for third base, and he could go get a center fielder -- Torii Hunter, Aaron Rowand, Mike Cameron, Andruw Jones.
Link
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 11:29 am
by dms269
Good riddance. It is time to return to what made the braves so good for so long...great sp.
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 3:56 pm
by magicfan217
I say we are making the right move. Somebody is going to overpay him badly. His defense has become overrated the last few years and his bat took a huge dropoff this year. He's fat and out of shape. Thanks for the memories dru but you won't be worth the next contract you get.
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 5:12 pm
by lpsevier
I really have not seen a decline in defensive ability like many claim, but I did not want to pay him 20 mil a year.
Frenchy to center?
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 7:01 pm
by Lord Commander
I can't believe he's as bad as he's looked this year. I could see him signing a one-year incentive-laden deal, losing some weight, rededicating himself and having a rebound year next year. Some people want him for the Mets in LF/RF but we already experimented with two gold-glove centerfielders in the outfield (Cameron/Beltran) and failed. Also, ex-Braves don't make good Mets - it's unnatural
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 7:06 pm
by DaSportsGuy
Andruw, you are my favorite player, I will miss you playing for my favorite team. Andruw has been great for us over the years and we need to relize that. Just because he has one bad year everyone is one him, he will probably make huge strides from this year to next season.
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 9:13 pm
by HMFFL
I'm really going to miss AJ, but 20 million is still too high, so were better off letting him walk. I really wanted to see AJ hit his 500 HR with Atlanta...oh well.
I also feel lied to by this organization from the articles I have already read. Earlier during the year there was an article about the Braves talking about how active they want to be and they said as active as Boston. I'm now reading about how this team only slightly wants to add salary.
Will see what happens.
Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2007 9:17 pm
by HMFFL
By your favorite Terence Moore
Actually, this is an atrocious move for the Braves, because manager Bobby Cox had it right for eternity when he said of Andruw Jones, who ranks 1a, 1b or 1c among baseball
Posted: Thu Oct 4, 2007 12:28 pm
by dms269
Hunter probably can actually hit the ball with more consistency than Jones. Andruw is a solid cf, however his offensive game is ugly. He can't hit the broad side of a barn, however when he does connect he hits it hard and long.
Posted: Fri Oct 5, 2007 8:14 pm
by HMFFL
Fantasy: Keeper owners should follow Braves' lead
Link
Posted: Fri Oct 5, 2007 10:24 pm
by HMFFL
Should Orioles center attention on Jones?
Link
Posted: Fri Oct 5, 2007 11:54 pm
by High 5
This is the right move for the Braves, but I'm going to miss him in CF. He's the best outfielder I have ever seen and even with his "decline" he's still better than anyone.
Posted: Sat Oct 6, 2007 10:19 pm
by bravesatl
yeah this is obvious, everyone will agree with everyone....
thanks for all the memories dru, we're all gonna miss your fantastic defense (which he is still the best), but you getting a 7 year/20 million annually deal is very overrated, and you gotta go....this is a business, he understands that....
for the CF next year, it depends on how much money we have to spend after resigning tex, dotel, and mahay.....if we have enough, rowand is by far the best option, torii is too expensive, and mike cameron = hell no....if not rowand then it will either be brandon jones or willie harris....that kinda sucks since b jones didnt look near ready to play with the big boys and willie looked like crap toward the end....
but i'm still predicting an awesome season outta the braves next year
Posted: Mon Oct 8, 2007 10:22 pm
by dbenton
It's really tough to see Andruw leave. He has given us so many memories and I don't think his defense was ever really appreciated by the national media in the ways it saved runs for the Braves. However, for the money he wanted, it was time for him and the Braves to part ways. That money can be spent on a mid-level centerfielder and another starter to give our rotation depth.
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:53 am
by HMFFL
Baseball's most hated negotiator is bane of teams and many fans, but clients reap rewards
The most reviled man in baseball is nursing a late-afternoon coffee, pondering how a farmer's son with a pharmacy degree copes with his image as the game's Dark Lord.
"You can't be concerned with fans and talk radio and management," Scott Boras said. "I understand this agent thing and what it is."
Boras does more than understand; he has advanced sports agency from the simple argument to statistical science. Not that everyone thinks this is a good thing.
Link
Posted: Fri Nov 2, 2007 2:50 pm
by HMFFL
Andruw enters uncertain market
Link
Posted: Tue Nov 6, 2007 2:48 pm
by HMFFL
Nationals' President Meets With A. Jones
Though Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten has spent much of his time with the club explaining why he believes signing expensive free agents should be the last step in a rebuilding process, Kasten himself met with former Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones recently at Jones's Atlanta home, a source with knowledge of the situation said yesterday.
Link
Posted: Thu Nov 8, 2007 4:05 am
by Da_GM
That would make no sense for him to go to a team that;s probably the worst in baseball jsut for the money.