When considering the 2009 season of Garret Anderson, I think it's more useful to look at the alternatives to Anderson that the Braves were considering, or at least rumored to be considering.
Just about the only improvement over Anderson on this list is Ryan Ludwick, who we were rumored to be trying to get in exchange for Kelly Johnson, but the Cardinals wanted Rafael Soriano. I would have preferred Ludwick, but that's been said numerous times. While he would have represented a significant increase in homerun hitting power, he would likely not have been the perfect long-term answer in left field.
Still, Ludwick would have been an improvement over Anderson. Let's harp on Garret for a while. His on-base percentage, a Francoeur-ian .303 number, was 6th-worst among qualified National League batters, and even worse than the .309 number that Jeff Francoeur himself put up. The numbers that Anderson put up across the board -- .268/.303/.401 -- were all the worst of his career -- which he is pretty clearly at the end of. Is it even worth bringing up how bad he was in the field?
Would we have been any better with Ankiel or Griffey? Probably not. I don't know if that underscores how rare premier hitters are to find and acquire, or how quickly major league clubs will settle for mediocre veterans. Here is one more name to consider:
Better power, better patience, but not a better average. Still, Andruw Jones would have been better in left field than Garret Anderson -- that's pretty sad on multiple levels.
Pretty much all of Braves nation is looking forward to a major upgrade in left field next season. Settling for Anderson was one of the big failures of last off-season, and hopefully one that the Braves don't repeat again. I honestly can't remember the last player who spent an entire season on our roster in a starting role who was so maligned by fans and writers alike -- maybe Robert Fick.
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First Comment.
Success. Speak of Robert Fick, I blazed with him once.
nick9314 - October 23, 2009
That surprises me not at all.
The Keith Lockhart Era - October 23, 2009
haha, elaborate…pleasee
Hcgadawgs - October 23, 2009
He came out of the hotel, drunk off his ass. My friend and I talked to him for a few minutes. He kept making fun of Dimitri Young saying “Did u guys see that wide ass motherfucker. He’s to widest guy I’ve ever played with.” Later, he pulled out a couple of blunts and asked my friend and I if we wanted to hit it. He talked about the most random shit. He was really fucked up. The Nats had a day game the next day. True story, every word.
nick9314 - October 23, 2009
that is a +1
was it serious high quality weed?
fandave - October 23, 2009
It was pretty good shit.
nick9314 - October 24, 2009
Wait, I just read on the other thread that you were born in ’93… How old were you then?
Bravely going forward - October 23, 2009
awkward...
acie4mvp - October 23, 2009
Yeah, awkward...
Oh, did I say 93? I meant EIGHTY3. Total mixup…
nick9314 - October 24, 2009
haha, whatever you say man
Bravely going forward - October 24, 2009
Garrett Anderson provided negative value over a randomly selected average nobody. He was terrible in the field and his bat was awful. Thank heavens he kept hitting 5th and manning left field. Good riddance. Signing Junior would have resulted in nearly the same problem. We could really use a good fielder as well as a solid bat.
Perrinbar - October 23, 2009
So you're saying Gregor Blanco would have been better?
perhaps.
Mr. Sanchez - October 23, 2009
doubtful
His hitting was bad enough in AAA. It would take some spectacular defense for him to have been more valuable than GA this year.
VivaLosBravos - October 23, 2009
I think BJones would have been better
Hcgadawgs - October 23, 2009
Actually
What I’m saying is, it was stupid to pay Garret Anderson money to be a blackhole in both left field and the middle of our order. At least we could have put the money to something else. That’s what’s stupid. Gregor Blanco might have slightly underperformed compared to GA, but he was a damn sight cheaper.
Perrinbar - October 23, 2009
there was never really much expected of GA, he was ok for his price and did the job he was brought here for…it just pissed me off how he acted like he didnt give a shit, seems like he was here just for one final paycheck before callin’ it quits
Hcgadawgs - October 23, 2009
FAIL
OK for his price? No one making a penny over the league minimum was OK for the price with his line and defense. Period.
J-Freak - October 23, 2009
Give the man a break
What was yall expecting? 30+HR 100+RBI. A Gold Glove. The man is 37. He was brought here for cheap. He performed better than anyone expected. He had a bad last three months of the season but everybody acting like he was Greg Norton bad. Yall can’t expect a 37 year old signed to a 2.5mil dollar contract to come in and hit .300. Come on. I’m not saying that it was the best decision we could have made but who in their right mind was expecting more than he put up? Not me
ArmyITSpec - October 23, 2009
He didn’t perform better than anyone expected … He substantially underperformed the already mediocre standards that he had established for himself over the last few years, and yet still managed to continue hitting in the middle of the lineup the entire season.
Lennox - October 23, 2009
I agree. I certainly didn’t expect him to hit 30 points below his career average and OPS 85 points below his career average, even 50 points below what he did the year before. Terrible season.
cbwilk - October 23, 2009
What I want to know is where are all those GA cheerleaders who were furiously promoting him as a good signing back during his mid-season hot streak?
scstrato - October 23, 2009
Jim Edmonds
Why didn’t the Braves take a chance on him? It seems like he would have been a better option for left field. He couldn’t have done much worse than GA…
blindsided789 - October 23, 2009
he hit .235 in 08’, he’s pretty much as done as GA is
Hcgadawgs - October 23, 2009
At least he flashed power last year, low average or not
I actually screamed into my computer screen all last offseason that we should’ve looked at Edmonds rather than GA or Griffey. All three are close to the end, but Edmonds would’ve been a better defensive left fielder and if we’re gonna get a shit average and below-average OBP out of a vet LF, at least Edmonds might have bopped a few over the fence.
At the end of the day none of the three should have been considered, B Jones probably would have been a better choice. Or just more playing time for Caveman. But since the front office was dead-effing-set on a washed up vet, I still think Edmonds would have been the best bet of the three.
J-Freak - October 23, 2009
The problem with signing Anderson is he was basically useless and instead of paying 2.5 million dollars for useless, we could have payed the league minimum for useless and had Brandon Jones or anybody else in AAA play. This would also have the added benefit of not having to bat such a suckhole in the 5th spot because no AAA player is going to throw a bitchfest for batting 8th. Not to mention Brandon Jones would have played much much better defense than Garrett “can’t get to balls 20 feet away from him” Anderson.
lunatic96 - October 23, 2009
GA
Pretty disappointing year from GA, although injuries had a lot to do with it. Coming in to the season, he looked like a 1-2 win player who could be had on the cheap. Hard to fault Wren for the signing.
Yakker - October 23, 2009
how would griffey not have been better? Better OBP, SLG, and HR’s plus his defense couldn’t have been worse than GA
McCann's the Man - October 23, 2009
actually...
Agreed on offense, but in the few games he played in the field, his UZR/150 was -17, and -15.4 when he played 122 games with the Sox and Reds. GAs was -11.2
acie4mvp - October 23, 2009
and if i remember griffey hasnt posted a positive UZr in 4-5 years
Swo12bv - October 23, 2009
Griffey was mostly a DH
with only 11 starts in the OF. His defense was probably similar—both gimpy old men who can’t move. Would he have even been able to play 100 games as an everyday fielder?
Mr. Sanchez - October 24, 2009
Brandon Jones
Would’ve hit better, fielded better, and run the bases better for $2 million less. Plus Bobby wouldn’t have had the inexplicable desire to bat him 5th (or 4th(!) when McCann was out).
PWHjort - October 23, 2009
not to harp, but...
I think this highlights the need to get rid of Johnson. We do not want to end up in a cash strapped situation that leads us to a depleted veteran – whether its at first or I left.
hollerin' brave - October 23, 2009 via mobile
I think i suggested Abreu last off season and nobody wanted him. .293 .390 .435 .825 He had no more power then anderson, but man does he get on base.
heapofoatmeal - October 23, 2009
you know he is a FA again this offseason. What about another 1 year deal perhaps? Gettin rid of KJ, Church and GA salaries we definately have enough to sign him, maybe we can get him on a 1 year deal that would help us alot, not sure how much or if his D is regressin though.
rockybull - October 23, 2009
No!
The Braves’ # 1 urgent need is a RH Big Bat in the middle of the lineup and playing LF or IB.
If that can’t be done, plugging in another LH non-Big Bat in LF is not helpful at all. The better option would be Caveman in LF fulltime, with Heyward in RF, and re-signing Rochey to handle 1B, which at least leaves open the option of a RH big bat being picked up at the mid-season trade deadline.
fandave - October 23, 2009
dont say no, thats what people said last year about Abreu and if we would have gotten him we prolly are in the playoffs instead of lookin in. Listen i like OBP a good bit i really like Abreu OBP im not sayin he has to be the FIRST choice but i think gettin him would be better than alot of options. You mention Heyward but come on man you gotta know he isn’t gonna be better THIS comin up year than Abreu or at least i would be downright stunned if he is unless Abreu gets hurt.
rockybull - October 23, 2009
Overall, I do think Heyward would be better – taking into account and including defense, speed, slugging upside, etc.
Abreu is at the point of his career where his offensive performance will start to decline, already fairly lousy defense will appreciably worsen, injuries will mount, etc.
The Braves will not make a big investment in Abreu, imo.
fandave - October 24, 2009
i agree about the D part Heyward as long as he is healthy would be a much better option for a corner. I just dont know how good he will be offensively, he hasn’t had alot of time above A ball, maybe he does great i just dont know, but a 1 year deal to Abreu is not a “big investment” though. And thats all im talkin about doin. But i gotta say this is prolly similar to arguments against Abreu last year as well and i mean if we would have gotten him instead then we prolly made the playoffs just sayin…
rockybull - October 24, 2009
I think that there has been talk that the Angels want to extend him and he wants to stay with Anaheim, but that might’ve just been a rumor.
acie4mvp - October 23, 2009
he has lvoed anahiem and said he hasnt had more fun (although we’ve all heard that before)… he also said he wants to play his style of ball, pressing teams, small ball, stealing bases… taking pitches… that isnt Bobby’s M.O.
Swo12bv - October 23, 2009
He was OK
My biggest gripe was us getting LaRoche and Anderson still batting ahead of him. That made absolutely NO SENSE
drumzalicious - October 25, 2009
Yeah, what was up with that? LaRoche batted 7th or 8th after he got here; he was a 5 or 6 hitter when he was here before.
John Holton - October 30, 2009
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