Soon to be a classic, by David O'Brien:
Eric Hinske contract worth $1 mill guaranteed -- or what you might find rummaging through Usher's SUV.
The other sad(ish) news of the Hinske deal was this:
Braves OF Brandon Jones, who stock slipped the past two years, was designated for assignment to open roster spot for Eric Hinske today.
I think the Royals just found their new right fielder!!!
0 recs | 43 comments
Agree
Moore has already made the calls …..
Hanson-Ace - January 12, 2010
And Terrance Moore has already written the article...
so there’s a good sign to the current newspaper financial situation.
Mr. Sanchez - January 12, 2010
remember when
Terrance used to always refer to Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz as “Cy Maddux” “Cy Glavine” and “Cy Smoltz”.
He would put it in a column about every other week. Man, that annoyed the shit out of me.
MayorofPonce - January 12, 2010
No real big loss in Jones. He was a AAAA/ 5th OF on most teams. Sadly even on the Royals he probably wouldn’t start.
jack dein - January 12, 2010
Dear god, this.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
So...
Whose gonna be our 4th OF if Heyward starts in AAA?
bravesforever16 - January 12, 2010 via mobile
It will be Melky and Hinske. Seems very unlikely that Heyward starts the season at AAA. He will start in RF, McLouth in CF, and Diaz in LF. Melky can play all the OF positions and Hinske can play corner’s.
jack dein - January 12, 2010
Melky and Hinske?
Fuck that.
Scott Coleman - January 12, 2010 via mobile
We didn’t just sign Hinske to only pinch hit. Melky is versatile enough to start at all 3 OF positions so it’s doubtful he goes anywhere.
jack dein - January 12, 2010
we didn't SIGN Melky at all
we traded for him.
apoxonbothyourhouses - January 13, 2010
Never said we did. He also wasn’t the main piece the Vazquez trade. In reality we got about as much as we were going to get for Vazquez. He was coming off a career year and has 1 year left on his contract.
jack dein - January 13, 2010
Who said we did?
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
Blanco, or Mitch Jones maybe...
Infante or Hinske can slide into left with the remaining two shuffling around if one gets injured and both Schafer or Heyward are in AAA. Besides, you can always just call either JS or JH and tell them to take a different commute the next day.
Mr. Sanchez - January 12, 2010
Totally sucks. I wish BJones the best though…even if he ends up with KC.
Sparhawk - January 12, 2010
Jones
Was never given a fair shot in the Bigs. His numbers(although sample size)were not bad in the Bigs. Although he didn’t show much power. Hopefully no team picks him up and he accepts assignment.
There were several other guys I personally would’ve let go instead of Jones.
Marek, who has been terrible since being with the Braves.
Venters, who has a nice arm when healthy but he rarely is healthy.
Lyman, is a good power righty but honestly I didn’t think anyone would take him in the Rule 5 Draft due to his control issues and the fact that he’d have to be on the 25 man roster all season.
Blanco, he really has no spot on this team. The Braves have McLouth, Cabrera, Clevlen, Schafer and Young.
Jay212033 - January 12, 2010 via mobile
He clearly never had a place on the team
And it looks like the front office didn’t plan on him ever having one. I’m guessing they retained Marek just because bullpen arms are so volatile, and you never know who you might need to call up at any moment, but when it came to LF, we’re pretty solid.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Brandon Jones is a AAAA player. Good athlete, but his natural ability didn’t translate to baseball skills as well as we thought it might. I hope he can catch on somewhere as a serviceable 4th or 5th OF.
FineHamAbounds - January 12, 2010
Pretty much.
If not for Frenchy’s home-town status throughout his downward spiral, B Jones probly would have gotten some more playing time.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - January 12, 2010
How can you say...
He’s a AAAA player and he was never given a shot in the ML to prove that theory correct?!?! The short time he was in the ML he wasn’t bad.
Jay212033 - January 12, 2010 via mobile
I’d love for him to prove me wrong, believe me. But his minor league stats don’t seem to indicate he’ll be a 25 homer guy, or a .360 OBP guy, or even a 30 SB guy in the majors, and since LF is his only real position, he’s pretty much gotta do that.
FineHamAbounds - January 12, 2010
Addendum: not all of that, mind you, but 2/3 would be ideal.
FineHamAbounds - January 12, 2010
Because he's been nothing but mediocre in the minors, and he's getting worse, not better.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
Brandon Never
was a solution in the OF with his lack of power especially in LF….
Hanson-Ace - January 12, 2010
Nobody
Ever said he was the solution but how do you know if a guy can do the job or not if he’s not given the proper chance to prove himself?
Jay212033 - January 12, 2010 via mobile
Because if he's not doing it in AAA...
It’s unlikely he magically can in the majors.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
wasn't it bigjoe who wanted to have BJones babies?
must be a sad, sad say for him.
Scott Coleman - January 12, 2010 via mobile
that was my exact first reaction
bpk228480 - January 13, 2010
the saddest say ever….
bwellnjonesco - January 13, 2010
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WHY WOULD WE CUT SWAGGA!?!?!
nick9314 - January 12, 2010
Swagga and Kell Bell. Cut. I never would’a thunk it.
Chief Noc-A-Homa - January 12, 2010
Brandon just never impressed
me with his bat. I for one will not miss him, that said, I do hope he gets a chance on another team.
HEYJUDE - January 12, 2010
Jones never got a chance to show what he could do it at the ML level, which is especially crazy when you consider that we had FUGA and Failcoeur as our starting corner OFers for the bulk of last season.
Lennox - January 12, 2010
Brandon had a great chance to make the team last year but then we went out and signed Garrett Anderson right before the season started. It seems he had a hard time accepting what happened and struggled the first few months in AAA but actually played very well down the stretch (even flashing a little power).
I was hoping they would trade him in ST and get something useful like a young utility IF but it seems the front office is doing him a favor by letting him go now so he can fight for a job in spring training.
chopc - January 12, 2010
DFA doesn't mean we can't get anything.
We’ve got 10 days to see if he’d got any value out there.
MichaelProcton - January 15, 2010
Although it's not like Jones' #s in AAA this year made it a tough decision...
he really struggled.
Mr. Sanchez - January 13, 2010
Blanco posted a .350 OBP as a rookie leadoff hitter but will never get another chance as a Brave. As the year went on, he cut down his Ks, started hitting to the left side and beating out infield GBs, and played above average defense in LF. Some guys just never get the break at the right time. He will never be an all star but could be a regular in the right situation.
braves99 - January 13, 2010
Good luck in Kansas City BJones.
ChrisK562 - January 12, 2010
this smells
an awful lot like the Jermaine Dye situation.
apoxonbothyourhouses - January 13, 2010
but this isn't a trade
apoxonbothyourhouses - January 13, 2010
Even if they do need someone, why the hell would they call up Marek? He has been horrid with the Braves. Can’t believe he’s still on the 40 man roster. Wren needs to admit he made a mistake & DFA’d him.
FitzFan - January 13, 2010
Marek had a couple of nice years as a SP before being moved to the pen where he has be mediocre at best. Wouldn’t hurt to give him a shot at SP before giving up on him.
braves99 - January 13, 2010
No more swagga like B Jones
Sad day
rocket8188 - January 13, 2010
Hinske gets bonus points for being an Alaska Leaguer.
Sweatsack - January 14, 2010
Best of luck Swagga
Lizziebeth - January 15, 2010
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