Center-Field options: A replacement for Andruw Jones is going to be fourth on the brave’s things to do list this off-season. First it will be starting pitching, second will be starting pitching, and third will be starting pitching. We can mark the best right-fielder in the NL off the list. John Schuerholz doesn’t see Jeff Francoeur making the move from right to center next season.
“We need to find someone to play center field, but it won’t be this fellow,” Schuerholz said. “I know that’s something a lot of people have been talking about, but I don’t think we’ll do that.”
If the Frank Wren can’t trade or sign a short term center-field replacement, Wren has no problem solving the problem form within the organization.
“I think we have some internal options,” Wren said. “I’m not going to be specific about them, but I think we have some real options that will allow us to go to Spring Training with confidence if we don’t acquire anyone. It may not be the preference, but we have some internal options.”
The Braves have Brent Lillibridge, Gregor Blanco, Jordan Schafer, and Willie Harris (I hope not) to play center-field next year. The more likely candidate to make the team out of that group is Brent Lillibridge. The player that has the most talent, tools, and potential is hands down Jordan Schafer. Right now he is hitting .326 with one homer and a .412 on-base percentage in 11 games with the Peoria Javelinas. You are probably saying that Schafer has no chance of making the team next season. Schafer has impressed scouts covering the AFL. The Braves are very high on the 21-year-old outfielder and doesn’t seem too concerned about the fact that he’s never played above the Class A level.
When Wren was asked about this possibility, he said, “Ask Rafael Furcal.” Furcal made the jump from A Ball to the Majors in 2000 and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
“If a player has a lot of ability and is less vulnerable than another one to having weaknesses that another team can figure out, that guy can handle it,” Wren said.
I won’t have a problem with Jordan Schafer in center-field next year. If he hits .240 that would actually be an upgrade over Andruw Joneses .221 batting average last season. Don’t forget that Schafer is the Braves best center-fielder, and he has the best outfield arm out of all of the Braves top prospects. And you know that Bobby Cox loves players that can play fanatastic defense.
Contract Extensions: Some of the best baseball scouts in baseball got there contracts extended this week. Included in this group are assistant general manager Bruce Manno, director of player development Kurt Kemp, director of scouting Roy Clark and director of Latin American operations Johnny Almaraz. Wren announced that they signed through the end of the 2009 season. There were previous false reports that Roy Clark was leaving the Braves organization. I am ecstatic that he would be Brave scout for the next couple of years.
Filed under: Chop Chatter
