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Talking Chop

Braves Release Melky Cabrera ... And Exhale ...

The Braves have ended our suffering and released lowly outfielder Melky Cabrera. Thank you Jesus!

They also released Takashi Saito and J.C. Boscan. Talking Chop will have more on Melky's horrible season on Thursday.

Discuss...

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Comments

October 19th, 2010

WE SHALL NOT FORGET.

October 1st, 2010

J.C. Boscan, finishes his career with the Braves:

1 PA, 1 BB, 1 R, 1.000 OBP

With no SLG, does that make his OPS infinite? That has got to be some kinda record.

Nope, it makes his OPS 1.000

OPS is just OBP + SLG. Without an AB, his SLG is considered to be 0, although I guess you could say it is indeterminite (but not infinite as it is 0/0).

lol

Apparently, B-R doesn’t agree with this assessment. I mean, I know you’re right, but it’s funny that B-R just leaves SLG and OPS blank.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boscajc01.shtml

Reminds me of the stats of my friend who played for the Royals in the Minors in the late 60s; they’re incomplete because they didn’t keep track of walks, so they have no clue what his OBP was. Also didn’t keep track of RBI. And that’s in the 60s. Makes me wonder how accurate a lot of old stats really are.

But I think 0/0 is infinity, right? SLG is total bases (not including BBs) divided by ABs. Since he has no ABs, that number is infinite. And adding infinity to any OBP gives an inifnite OPS.

Or am I missing some math rule that 0/0 is “indeterminable,” while x/0 (where x is a natural number) is infinite? It’s been a while for me and math class.

That's my understanding.

10/0 is infinite; 0/0 is indeterminate because it could be any number.

That being said----

it has been a long time for me, too, so I am just guessing.

Cant divide by zero

Trust me…had a math teacher throw a book for arguing you could just the answer wouldn’t be a real number.

your teacher was wrong

x/o is indeterminable because it could be any number

This

the common example is 10/x-10 for x=10. 10/0 would be indeterminate, but if you graphed it, it would definitely not go to infinity…

OK, so his OPS is so insane we can't even figure out what it is

That seems even more bad ass to me.

10/0 is infinity

-10/0 is negative infinity

umad

Wouldn’t say he finished his career, I’d bet he’s right back with the team in ST.

You shut your dirty (prostitute) mouth

And let me revel in the fact that I was there when he had his one and only, and successful major league AB.

And let me revel in the fact that I was there when he had his one and only, and successful major league AB PA.

FTFY :D

-C

I’m so glad we were there for that piece of history.

I can say "I was there"
I sure won't.

Its my 30th birthday.

Interesting that we are clearing room on the 40-man roster so early...

…that is pretty strange. I wonder what the purpose is. Saito would be gone as a free agent shortly after the World Series anyway, and we would non-tender Melky. Boscan, I assume we will resign to a minor-league deal, and this move was just to get him off of the 40-man roster.

The conspiracy-theorist in me wonders what Wren is up to—-why do we need space on the 40-man roster now?

I’m not sure that there is much brewing at this point, just because I don’t think we can do anything at all until the playoffs end, and if we do have something pending, why would we send up a flag that says, “Hey, we might have something happening.”

Through my extensive following of roster moves, and still relatively limited knowledge, I don’t think there is any reason why we’d need to add guys to the 40 any time before we deal with the rest of the guys who clearly require action.

It seems odd to do something like this while still not clearing out guys like Ankiel or Farnsworth and their big ridiculous options. Maybe you have to wait until the season is over to officially decide on options. I don’t know, that would just raise the question of why they wouldn’t wait until then to clear out these guys.

But I do agree that the timing seems like there might be something more to it. Maybe it’s more just to let everyone know that we are serious and ready to add players on day 1.

When do you have to start protecting minor leaguers on the 40-man for rule 5 draft purposes?

I’m not sure, but I’d imagine it’s a lot closer to the actual draft, which isn’t until the last day of winter meetings in December, so about 2 months away.

Letting guys go who we have no intention of keeping also gives them more time to find a new home for next year. Not really an overriding concern but having a front office with a reputation for treating players well usually doesn’t hurt.

Also, Saito is still arbitration eligible (only 5 years of service time if my quick count is correct) so he wouldn’t become a free agent until well into the off season if we didn’t do anything.

He would be a free agent when everyone else is.

It is in his contract, like those of most Japanese veterans who come over late into their careers.

Just throwing something out there...no clue if it bears any truth

Could the Braves now add Wilkin Ramirez to their 40-man (acquired from Detroit late this season), effectively preventing him from becoming a minor-league free agent??

As it stands, his lack of presence on the 40-man would make him a free agent in November (MLBTR here: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/09/wilkin-ramirez-to-be-minor-league-free-agent.html).

I don’t know that adding him now will change anything, just guessing at it.

-C

I thought we released him already. Could be wrong though.

yea

that is what I’m thinking

Everything I read...

says he was just removed from the 40-man, which would end with him being a minor league free agent by default.

The official move was outrighted to Gwinnett, doesn’t say whether or not he could be re-added to the 40-man to avoid become a minor league free agent…

-C

Yes, he could still be added to the 40 man to prevent him from becoming a Minor League free agent. The same is true for anyone else who is eligible to become a Minor League free agent.

So we are allowed to add him to our 40-man roster right after removing him?

Well, it’s not really right after, almost 2 months later, but even so, yes.

agree...he is up to something
Sadly

he will probably become one of the Brave killers.

Free agent at last! Free agent at last!

Thank God almighty, Melky’s a free-agent at last.

(I apologize to everyone for that.)

Why apologize? That was hilarious!

Eh, just acknowledging that I’m taking something meaningful and inspirational and instead using it as a takedown of a guy who I think sucks at baseball.

I’d hate to mar such a happy day by offending someone.

Knowing he’s gone is meaningful and inspirational.

Only in sports can we relish in someone becoming unemployed.
I donno

I was pretty happy when this doosher got fired at my work…

This made me LOL extremely hard.
Guess we just couldn't afford his extreme salary demans

I mean let’s be serious, he’ll probably get a Crawford/Werth type of deal

It was his performance we couldn’t afford.

ahhh

that’s better.

Already liking fredi gonzales lol

This was all Wren
But Fredi prolly gave FW the ol'...

“tell this guy to gtfo” look.

Per DOB

#Braves release Saito and Cabrera, the former because contract stipulated it, the latter because he wasn’t good

then why Boscan?

I assume we will resign Boscan to a minor league deal, but the only point in releasing him now is to clear him from the 40-man.

Dear Melky,

I wanted to like you but you weren’t even average…you costed us almost 2 games this year according to WAR.

Good luck in your endeavours (other than against us).

-Disgruntled Braves Fan

Edit: -1.2 WAR. Still terrible.

P.S. Please sign with the Mets or Phillies.

Not them...

knowing our luck he would just find himself at Citizens Bank Park. Send him to a pitchers park like the Tigers or somewhere like that.

So?

A choppah is a choppah no matter what park you’re in.

And by the same token

A LOBster is a LOBster…

If only Minaya hadn't been fired
Favorite Melky Moment

I believe it was the last week or two of the season, fly ball to left-center. Melky (in LF) does a full 540 before ending up with his back turned to the ball as it goes over his head.

The best thing is, this wasn’t one of those deals where you get turned the wrong way to start, then have to turn again. He actually did one and one half complete turns in one move right as the ball went over his head.

If anyone can figure out when this was exactly, but it angered me to no end.

i remember that…it was against the marlins in the last series against them wasn’t it? u know what my favorite melky moment is? right now…when we released him…

if memory serves me right, and I like to think it does, they also showed a completely dumbfounded Tim Hudson standing on the mound right after this happened. I remember because he had the look on his face I had all year when it came to Melky.

I do seem to remember this play ruining a well pitched game

But, that could be one fielding memory running together with all the rest of them. He seemed to have a special knack for making the worst plays when it mattered most.

Melky didn't bother me as much as others did, but

glad to see us parting ways. Hope he finds a new home and does well.

Best play of the year for Melky

when he wanted to do this play:

7-9-6-2

OHHHH!!! That one is probably even better than mine. How did I forget that?

(Answer: Therapy)

Hmm...welp, how can I put this best. Oooo...ooooo...I got it!

Hey Melky – GTFO!!!!

my melky moment

we went to the may 18th game vs the mets…. mccann leads off with a single, clevlen comes in to run. its tied 2-2…. escobar cant get the bunt down, but they eventually walk him. then melky comes up with a chance to bunt a guy to third with one out…. and he CANT GET IT DOWN. then with 2 strikes he pounds one into the ground and david wright bails him out by airmailing it into the second row.

melky with the “walk-off” hit against the mets. i swear he drove me crazy this year.

Good News

Now lets get rid of a couple more (Ank/Farns) and try and get a much needed big bat!

Good riddance

I won't sleep easy until he's safely signed with another team.

Preferably the Phills. But if he ends up resigning with the Braves, I’m looking for the nearest bridge.

Too bad Omar and Jerry are gone. He would have made a great Met.

Our last memory of Melky as a Braves is Melky predictably hitting a chopper to record the last out of Bobby’s career.

It’s symbolic of how in my (greatly exaggerated) memory Melky will always be responsible for every bad thing that happened this season.

But, in a way, that’s kind of figuratively true. Didn’t you just know when we got Melky in the trade that we weren’t going to get a real OF who could actually hit the baseball.

I specifically remember when the trade happened feeling like I should be happy about this. Deep down, I know that we totally win this deal. Even though Melky is the only major leaguer we get back, I know he’s not the main part of the deal. But I also know that we wouldn’t just take him if we didn’t plan to use him, and that if we go into this season with him playing regularly, it will totally suck. And it did.

He certainly didn’t keep us from having a good year, but he definitely did make sure that no matter how good it got, frustration was waiting just around the corner.

The worst thing about him was that, there was NO reason to think he would be good in the first place, yet you knew when it happened that he was supposed to be at least part of the answer in the OF.

In that way, Melky was always destined to make me the angriest, even if he wasn’t actually the worst player, which will go down as one of history’s great debates.

Good riddance! This is a year too late, but I am happy to see this guy walking…

Diaz next pls.

I know it will happen

but it makes me so sad… Poor Matty

I think Matt has a chance to stay, he’d take a pay cut.

Yeah, but...

Remember, the Democrats raised the minimum wage.

No Politics!!!!
Sarcasm fail.
Go away...

never come back.

I will cry for 100 years if we don’t have Matty.

:-(

Pretty sure an Ellsbury/Rasmus/Heyward outfield combo would cheer you up.

Not going to happen, but...

…it is October, so we can dream, right?

not me...

Rasmus and Heyward would be amazing…would prefer a different third OF tho…Gutierrez…now i’m smiling

Today...I consider myself...

the luckiest fan, on the face of the earth!

I was repulsed by Melky’s inability to play hard or act like he even cared about his performance. His defense was horrible down the stretch (and all season). I nearly came unglued when he killed Beachy’s attempt at his 1st MLB win as he misplayed 3 balls in the OF that cost us 2 runs, Beachy a win, and the Padres and Giants 1 game closer in the Wild Card.

Melky was worthless. Like I have said about him time and time again, Melky only hustled when he was getting to the bank to cash his check!

You forgot the race to the postgame spread also..

Not the most talented player

but if you watched him, you wouldn’t question that he was trying.

Best Melky Moment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufICeiWz56A

omg

i tried to block that out of memory…

he prefered to use Heyward´s arm instead his arm
When I saw that

I was thinking it was some type of secret squirly play that would end up in a throw out at home……I was also looking for the dead bird it hit!!!!

I feel like Charlie at the beginning of Charlie and the Choclate Factory.

“RUN HOME CHARLIE! RUN HOME AND TELL THEM!”

I’m so happy.

So I guess in a way….Melky’s release was your Golden Ticket???

All's I'm sayin is...

I never thought that I would climb
Over the moon in ecstasy
But nevertheless it’s there that I’m
Shortly about to be.

My guess about the timing...

…is that minor-league free agents are due to hit free agency soon. If the Braves want to protect some of their minor-league free agents from leaving, they’ll have to add them to the 40-man roster.

A quick back-of-the-napkin list of pending free agents:
Clint Sammons
Wilkin Ramirez
Matt Young
Todd Redmond
James Parr
Erik Cordier
Juan Abreu
Luis Sumoza

I’d imagine the Braves will retain a couple of those guys by adding them to the 40-man. Hence the timing of these releases.

Cordier is already on the 40 man. As far as the other guys, you have to have 7 seasons to become a Minor League free agent. Sammons, Ramirez, and Parr all have 7 seasons, meaning they are eligible for free agency, but Young, Redmond, and Sumoza only have 6 seasons so the Braves still have their rights. Abreu’s status depends on if he signed a 1 year contract with the team last year, but I’m guessing he probably did and would be eligible for free agency.

As far as protecting any of them, well, Parr is coming off Tommy John surgery, so if they want him back there won’t me much competition for him, Sammons fell out of favor enough that he was taken off the 40 man and was passed over in favor of JC Boscan, who was just cut himself, and Ramirez was picked up and then taken off the roster just a few months ago, so it doesn’t seem likely they’d want to protect him either. Abreu is the only one they might be inclined to protect, given that the team was already enamored with his arm and he made a drastic turnaround with Mississippi.

Ummm...

…Cordier’s definitely not on the 40-man roster, unless I missed a move that was made today. Maybe you’re thinking of Kyle Cofield? Either way, Cordier’s not.

As far as the other guys, you don’t have to play seven seasons to be a minor-league free agent. You get six renewals on your initial contract. If they signed during the 2004 season at any time, their six renewals are ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, and ’10. Making them free agents for 2011. You can read the actual rule here: http://wiki.soxprospects.com/Rule+55.

Signing dates for the guys who you say do not have the requisite service time:

Young: 8/23/2004
Redmond: 6/5/2005
Sumoza: 7/24/2004

I was wrong about Redmond because he was a draft-and-follow, and thus didn’t sign until the 2005 season. So he’s safe. But Young and Sumoza both signed during 2004, and partial seasons count against your seven years.

I get not protecting Parr or Sammons, but why trade for Ramirez just to let him walk two months later? I understand removing him from the roster in-season, but I think it’s worth taking another look at him next year. The same is true of Abreu. And I’d love to see what Matt Young can do as a fifth outfielder.

I guess at some point they took Cordier off the 40 man, because he was on there during ST. I’m not sure what the deal with him is because he’s only played in 5 seasons but has been a pro for 7. I’m guessing he’d be eligible.

As far as Young and Sumoza, they signed on those dates, but did they sign contracts for 2005? It does occasionally happen that a guy will sign one year but his contract will actually be for the next season. That actually seems pretty likely for Young since his contract was signed right at the end of the regular season, right when school was about to go back into session, and remember back then you’d lose a guy’s rights the day he set foot on a campus. I’m pretty sure you’re right about Sumoza, but I’m not convinced Young is a FA.

As far as trading for Ramirez, it’s not like they gave up anything for him, basically just the waiver fee, so they didn’t really lose anything by giving him a look. If they liked him and he played great, great, if not, oh well. Before filling up the roster with older guys they haven’t been willing to give a chance to, it’d be worth looking at who needs to be protected from the Rule 5 draft this year.

Cordier was an NRI to spring training this year. I don’t remember him ever being on the 40-man. Pretty sure even the years he missed having his two Tommy John surgeries count against his seven years.

You’re right that guys do sometimes sign for the following season, and while Young skipped his senior season at UNM, I suppose he could have actually attended school first semester, giving him the motivation to sign for 2005 instead of 2004. If he didn’t ever start his senior year, though, I can’t imagine why his agent would want him to sign for the following year. The discussion is somewhat moot because I’d say he needs to be added to the 40-man anyway given that he’s definitely eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not outright free agency.

As for who else might need protection from the Rule 5, here’s my equally back-of-the-napkin list:

Barbaro Canizares
Cory Gearrin
Tim Gustafson
Cody Johnson
Willie Cabrera
Scott Diamond
Jaye Chapman
Michael Broadway
Brent Butts
Benino Pruneda
Jesus Sucre
Matt Kennelly
Gerardo Rodriguez
Cole Miles
L.V. Ware
Randall Delgado
Cole Rohrbough
Angelo Paulino
Chad Rodgers
Luis Avilan
Cory Rasmus
Steve Kent
Alberto Odreman
Daniel Falcon
Michael Noboa

Delgado for sure, plus maybe Canizares, Gearrin, and Diamond? Are any of the other guys really threats to be picked and kept on a ML roster all year long? We kept five players last year, and this year I think I’d keep six: Young, Abreu, Ramirez, Delgado, Canizares and Gearrin. I just think Ramirez still has potential if we can give him some time to work with our coaching staff. He was ranked highly in the Tigers system last year.

Remember that unlike the Rule 5 draft (where passing a player through waivers is riskier than exposing him to the Rule 5) there’s little cost to protecting a guy from free agency…if you get into a crunch later, you cut him and he becomes a free agent just like he would have anyway.

Interested to hear your thoughts.

Diamond only has 3 seasons (I know he was signed in 07 but it was for a 08 contract), so he’s not eligible. Pruneda was 18 when he signed and only has 4 seasons so he’s not eligible.

I think Delgado and Gearrin are sure things. Rasmus and Kent seem like they’ve got a good chance because you’d hate to lose that upside. Same might be true for Sucre. The Braves seem to like Broadway so I think he’s got a good chance to get protected.

There’s not much chance of them protecting Canizares. They don’t seem to value him for anything other than a AAA player. I feel like the same is true for Cabrera; they don’t seem to value him for the future. Rohrbough won’t be protected because he seems to have fallen off the map and Cody Johnson won’t be protected because the chances of anyone taking him are almost non existent. I don’t think any of the rest of the guys are in any real danger of being taken.

So my guesses would be Delgado, Gearrin, Sucre, Rasmus, Kent, and Broadway. But the Braves do always seem to surprise us with this list. I was as big a Jonny Venters fan as anyone, but I was surprised when they protected him (and even more so when he actually was one of the best relievers in baseball).

I’ll take your word for it on Diamond, since again he signed late in August just as the season was ending. But Pruneda was most definitely 19 when he signed. He was born 8/8/1988, which means he turned 18 on 8/8/2006. He was drafted in the 31st round in 2007, or AFTER he turned 18. You’re right about Pruneda as well. I had his birthdate wrong in my spreadsheet.

I can’t imagine Rasmus or Kent getting picked in the Rule 5. Two guys that haven’t even gotten out of A-ball, and a team’s going to hold them on the 25-man roster all year?! I know, I know, Johan Santana got picked out of A-ball, but really how often does that happen? I can’t see protecting guys that young. And Sucre’s not only young but didn’t have a very good year. And as for Broadway…Butts and Chapman both had better numbers. Butts especially. Can’t argue that the Braves “seem to like him,” but I can’t say why.

Perhaps the Braves don’t like Canizares, but I think he ought to stay in the organization. His Davenport Translation was .307/.361/.439. That’s every bit as valuable as what Hinske did this year, and it’s not like Eric’s a stud with the leather either.

Sticking with my original six for the moment: Abreu, Canizares, Delgado, Gearrin, Ramirez, Young.

Canizares will stay in the organization because no team will pick him because they can sign any number of Minor League free agents who do exactly what he does, and probably do it better.

Butts had arm surgery, I think it was rotator cuff surgery, so he’s not in any danger of getting picked, and Chapman had nice numbers but he has very little projection. He’s 5’9" with average stuff, while Broadway is 6’5" with explosive stuff.

I could see your point on Sucre, though I’d argue that a guy who got much better after he moved up to AA didn’t have a bad year, but plenty of teams could see him as a viable backup option. Wouldn’t surprise me if he wasn’t protected, wouldn’t surprise me if he was.

As far as Rasmus and Kent, lots of A ball pitchers get protected. You protect the guys you value, regardless of where they’re playing. I’d be willing to bet on Kent more than just about anyone.

As far as your six, I’d be willing to be Canizares, Ramirez, and Young aren’t protected.

I feel quite sure the Mets will pick him up.

Maybe he can pitch in a Manny Acosta platoon.

this

I just read they plan to offer him a 7 year, $185 million deal to platoon in CF with Pagan and Beltran

my money is on the royals

I’ll pick the Nats so all the bases are covered.

All your bases are belong to me.

I’ll pick the Kunichi Dragons. Him and KK can go throw an effin’ party.

Agreed with both

Royals or Pirates. S#!@ player for S team(s).

I'll put it to a vote

Is this moment better than Ankiel’s homer in game 2?

I vote yes. Nothing against Rick’s bomb, but I hate Melky almost as much as I hate jim bleeping leyritz

Thank you God

Finally the Braves are making the right moves and releasing a terrible trade piece that they acquire in the Yanks deal for Vasquez a year ago. Melky was terrible and had a horrific time with the Bravos. Some guys just cannot play in the AL or NL depending on the game style. Melky clearly needs to go back to New York although they more than likely wouldn’t even offer him a minor league contract at this point. Good bye and good luck Melky, you were terrible, horrible batting style and lack of effective OF play should make you a key free agent for any club . KC ROYALS ~ Melky are always a good choice.

Boscan and Saito.

Saito is too old to perform at the level the Braves would require him to, still he was a great addition this offseason even if he did fade away with injuries right after the all-star break. Boscan never had the tools to be an backup at the MLB level, and no way he was a starting catcher, making him a career minor leaguer that was beginning to block other talent so he was released. All the moves we have made so far where completely necessary, Saito, Boscan, and of course Melky all needed to happen. When are we gonna release M. Diaz sorry behind already.

Boscan absolutely has the tools to be a backup in the Majors, he’s just never been given a chance to.

When you have a David Ross on the roster, there is no need to give Boscan a chance. But I agree wholeheartedly with you about Boscan.

I disagree with that.

Boscan can’t hit enough to play in the majors. He is absolutely great to groom the minor league pitchers. And he isn’t blocking anybody. He will be resigned to a minor league contract and stay there until he becomes one of our coaches. I can see him managing the Braves one day.

How many backup catchers are really good enough to hit in the Majors? That’s the reason they’re backups. Ross is a rare luxury, most backup catchers are just mitts with legs.

I mean not good enough to hit like a backup catcher.

His minor league batting average (career) is .227 and his OPS is .629. I assume a backup catcher to be a .210-.240 hitter with a tiny bit of pop and no speed generally. That’s what Boscan does in the minors. I doubt he could keep that up in the majors. Of course, even if he did serve as a backup catcher for a while in the majors the sample size would be too small to prove anything because backup catchers don’t play that much.

You broke the streak of not replying to any HPF posts.

Fudge. Sometimes random ignorance is just too hard to ignore.

What does Heyward have to do with Melky's release?

How dare you wish Melky good luck.

WTF!?

WHY DID WE RELEASE MVP!?

Because he was really LVP?
Definitely wasn't

the LVP.

A lot of the people in the LVP thread would disagree.
Came here for the justinbomb

Leaving disappointed.

I liked Melky

…something about his goofiness. But he wasn’t good, and ya gotta throw the dead weight overboard.

I need to fan confidence poll to open back up

My vote would have been 2 points higher after news that Melky would no longer be ruining a perfectly good Braves uniform by draping it over his monsterous yet worthless ass.

So it would be 12 now?
The only thing I'll miss about Melky Cabrera in a Braves uniform...

is hearing my two-year-old daughter saying “C’mon Melky!” after I was yelling at the television. It cracked me up every time.

Looks like some of you owe this man an apology
melky and saito were just given unconditional releases… Smelky is not a good player. Noone can convince me otherwise.

by ryan c on Oct 18, 2010 11:40 AM PDT reply actions
You know what is really depressing?

Melky was our second or third best outfielder.

MVP MVP MVP

I will miss Melky for his many memorable moments and the entertainment he brought me throughout the year. (Until he just shit the bed offensively and defensively late in the year, when the rest of the team struggled so much his failures were magnified and not hidden, only then did I finally turn on him.)

+1 for the pre-parenthetical

In his own way, Melky is as much fun to watch as anyone in baseball.

The only good thing

About that entire trade is that somehow – unexplicably – the trade was just as bad for the Yankees. I loved Vazquez and thought that Yankees got him on a steal…but he was absolutely terrible in 2010 for whatever reason. So while Melky was complete shit, at least I have some small amount of comfort that the Yankees didn’t get the better deal in this.

Don't forget we got Arodys Viscaino

So after further review…..Braves win :)

As well as Mike Dunn…..more win for the Braves

But apparently b/c of a deal with the devil...

…Boone Logan was good for them. Go figure.

But Logan ...

also cost more than the minimum, and will hit arb for the 2nd time this winter. He has two controlled seasons left; while Dunn has at least two more years at the minimum before 3 more arb years. 2 < 5.

Oh, no doubt.

I am just saying that the most effective piece they got was Logan. Which is funny, because he had never done anything but suck before this year.

I guess no one read the article on the Braves website

Wren said that bringing him in last year they only planned to have him around for one year anyway

Bullshit

Even if Wren did say that (I couldn’t find the quote after 5 min of searching), its a flat out lie. If Melky plays at the same level he did in New York (preferably even a higher level since he would no longer be in AL East), he’d be the starting LF/CF in 2011.

I have to agree with sag969 on this. I don’t remember that either. Of course it makes perfect sense because as we all know if there are two things the Braves have in abundance they are tons of quality OF prospects in the minors and money to spend on signing top flight free agents – not.

I finally figured this out. Our bad for jumping to conclusions, although I suppose the post by drumzalicious could have been clearer.

The point is that Wren is now claiming that his plan all along was to only keep Melky for 1 year, not that he said 1 year ago that this was his plan. So that’s why there’s no record of it in the past and it’s impossible to prove or disprove that Wren always planned this.

Again, it’s not like the organization has more Heywards ready for the majors or there is money available to get some quality free agents to plug this hole, so even if this is the truth I have to wonder what exactly his plan was to fill those holes now.

this is an outrage
Why now? Why in Oct?

Wren has said he wants an experienced BP arm. Why not try and trade Melky for one. Wren had until Dec 2 to trade Melky. I find it hard to believe his value was so low he couldn’t bring a BP arm in return.

What kind of bullpen arm could you get for him? He had absolutely no value and was going to get a raise in arbitration. What team would give up anything worthwhile for him?

Seems like any bullpen arm is better than nothing.

Of course, but that’s not the question. The question is why would any other team give up something for him?

I hope Melky finds a team that he can contribute to.

I never hated the guy, at least he was actually willing to throw the ball in from the OF unlike Nate.

Unfortunately because of our lack of offense in other areas, we depended in his bat way more than he has the ability to deliver.

or throw the ball to a different place in the outfield…

+53

Great minds, etc. etc.

This is so amazing I might cry.

Melky’s a 4th outfielder. Some people seemed to forget that. Yet, he got a lot more playing time than he deserved and every flaw in his game (and there are quite a few) got exposed. Let’s try to keep this in mind.
 
Good luck in your future endeavors, Melk. For this team, you turned out to be a bad choice.

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