Maddux to Atlanta....Could it Happen??

[Extra Innings]

More stuff from the Bowman mailbag:

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=atl


I think that the addition of Maddux would be helpful for the rotation. He does eat up the innings and doesn't get injured. What does everyone else think? Who would the Padres get in return?

[SamtheBravesFan]

That doesn't seem very plausible to me. After all, Maddux is one of the Padres' best pitchers right now and I'm sure they'll want a very good prospect in return. I just don't think it's worth it, especially with the increasing unlikeliness of the Braves winning anything (I mean the problem of not being able to string together runs becomes chronic, if it hasn't already). I'm thinking the Braves need to do hold on to what they have right now. THe future pitching has already been mortgaged enough.

[chip&smoltz95]

while, I agree with sam, I also think he could help the team. Maybe if the padres keep losing then would be looking to unload a little and it's not like he's gonna to pitch a lot longer. Maybe they would be able to give him up fairly cheap (and without giving up pitching). Give them chuck james to start

[SamtheBravesFan]

while, I agree with sam, I also think he could help the team. Maybe if the padres keep losing then would be looking to unload a little and it's not like he's gonna to pitch a lot longer. Maybe they would be able to give him up fairly cheap (and without giving up pitching). Give them chuck james to start

Well... the Braves need some kind of an average pitcher too. No matter how much we dislike Chuck, that's what he is. Give him a spot in the rotation eventually and he should do what he did in 2007.

[chip&smoltz95]

Well... the Braves need some kind of an average pitcher too. No matter how much we dislike Chuck, that's what he is. Give him a spot in the rotation eventually and he should do what he did in 2007.

and by that you mean you think he will win around 11 games? I hope you are right. I just don't see it happening. He's only really had one good start out of four (against a LAD team that was really struggling at the plate). Maybe he will prove me on thursday against hamels

[SamtheBravesFan]

and by that you mean you think he will win around 11 games? I hope you are right. I just don't see it happening. He's only really had one good start out of four (against a LAD team that was really struggling at the plate). Maybe he will prove me on thursday against hamels

Yeah, exactly. He pitched well enough to win in roughly half his games, and he pitched like crap the rest of the games. That's what he does.

[chip&smoltz95]

Yeah, exactly. He pitched well enough to win in roughly half his games, and he pitched like crap the rest of the games. That's what he does.

colorado: 3innings, 6runs (bad start)
LAD: 5innings, 1run (good start)
marlins: 5innings, 4 runs (i guess you could say that it's a toss, but I wouldn't say good, even though he got the W)
pirates: 6innings, 5runs(not to good either)

Look I know he's never gonna be great(james), and I don't think bennett is the LONG TERM answer, but I just feel like you get a little more consistency with bennett. Also, bennett has pitched better in my opinion, but I guess cox likes him better in the pen, so james is all we got. I hope the braves can find a way to make a low risk trade, to fill that spot or something.

[cbenson5]

colorado: 3innings, 6runs (bad start)
LAD: 5innings, 1run (good start)
marlins: 5innings, 4 runs (i guess you could say that it's a toss, but I wouldn't say good, even though he got the W)
pirates: 6innings, 5runs(not to good either)

Look I know he's never gonna be great(james), and I don't think bennett is the LONG TERM answer, but I just feel like you get a little more consistency with bennett. Also, bennett has pitched better in my opinion, but I guess cox likes him better in the pen, so james is all we got. I hope the braves can find a way to make a low risk trade, to fill that spot or something.

I agree with your analysis of James's performance this year. However, his era was a shade better than league average last year over 162 innings. That's not bad at all from a fifth starter even if he makes no improvement this year. Sure getting Maddux back would be fun. But, how much better is he going to perform than James or Reyes right now? What will we have to give up to get him? Perhaps a better question is: if we are going to run a below average player like Francouer out there every night, why not give a league average player like James a chance to show what he can do? I agree that James will never be a superstar, but he can be a competent 4 or 5 guy. In all honesty, if I was going to make a trade I would look for a corner outfielder who can hit. That is our biggest problem right now. We are getting solid pitching and offensive from our infielders (I beleive Tex will come around and perform along the lines of his career average) and center fielder. When some of our injured relievers get back we will have a good bullpen. It is simply hard to win when your corner outfielders don't hit. I like what I've seen from Blanco though. Maybe Diaz will get back to his performance of the last couple of years now that he is only facing left-handers.

[SamtheBravesFan]

colorado: 3innings, 6runs (bad start)
LAD: 5innings, 1run (good start)
marlins: 5innings, 4 runs (i guess you could say that it's a toss, but I wouldn't say good, even though he got the W)
pirates: 6innings, 5runs(not to good either)

Look I know he's never gonna be great(james), and I don't think bennett is the LONG TERM answer, but I just feel like you get a little more consistency with bennett. Also, bennett has pitched better in my opinion, but I guess cox likes him better in the pen, so james is all we got. I hope the braves can find a way to make a low risk trade, to fill that spot or something.

I was talking about 2007, really.

[BravesFanForever]

It doesn't really matter what James did in 06 or 07 really, what matters it that he simply isn't doing that well this year. I personally think it is time to go in another direction. For me, right now Chuck reminds me of the situation with Kyle Davies. What did they do with Davies, they eventually traded him.

On a side note, has anyone seen how well Joey Devine is pitching for Oakland?

[cbenson5]

IOn a side note, has anyone seen how well Joey Devine is pitching for Oakland?

Yea. he's been pitching great so far this year. That's good to see. I hope he can keep it up.

[chip&smoltz95]

Perhaps a better question is: if we are going to run a below average player like Francouer out there every night, why not give a league average player like James a chance to show what he can do? I agree that James will never be a superstar, but he can be a competent 4 or 5 guy. In all honesty, if I was going to make a trade I would look for a corner outfielder who can hit. That is our biggest problem right now. We are getting solid pitching and offensive from our infielders (I beleive Tex will come around and perform along the lines of his career average) and center fielder. When some of our injured relievers get back we will have a good bullpen. It is simply hard to win when your corner outfielders don't hit. I like what I've seen from Blanco though. Maybe Diaz will get back to his performance of the last couple of years now that he is only facing left-handers.

i think frenchy will come around. I think last year he struggled early then got really hot in the second half. I mean if you not gonna fault tex for his awful production I don't see how you can do it to frenchy.

[chip&smoltz95]

It doesn't really matter what James did in 06 or 07 really, what matters it that he simply isn't doing that well this year. I personally think it is time to go in another direction. For me, right now Chuck reminds me of the situation with Kyle Davies. What did they do with Davies, they eventually traded him.

On a side note, has anyone seen how well Joey Devine is pitching for Oakland?

Yea I agree. He doesn't seem to want to change his approach much like davies, and even a. jones. The braves don't do well with that attitude. I would expect him to not last much longer. Problem is we got a lot of games coming up with no off days and a DH. I mean do the braves really wanna call up morton and have three rookies in the rotation. I think I trade is inevitable. Somebody will take a chance of james, they did with davies AND mark redman!!

[cbenson5]

I mean if you not gonna fault tex for his awful production I don't see how you can do it to frenchy.

That's simple. Teixeira has hit at a high level every season after his rookie season. The logical assumption is that he will move closer to his career averages as the season goes on. I agree that he is not doing what we need him to do right now. However, I am not too concerned about him at this point. The thing about Francouer is that he has never hit at league average for a corner outfielder. I know he is still young. However, at some point you have to start wondering what he is capable of. If it is only a 100 OPS+, then you start thinking about other options. I think Francouer is in the same boat as Chuck James right now. Or, at least he should be. I know Francouer is the likeable sort, but I simply believe the Braves should be considering other options in right. Just as you believe they should be considering other options in the starting rotation. There's nothing wrong with that. We both just want the team to win. It seems to me that Francouer presents an unfortunate dilemma. He is the hometown kid who everybody embraced. They had that Sports Illustrated cover calling him the natural. Everybody just assumed he would handle himself well in right. That has not been the case at least up to this point. I'm just afraid that his popularity might be leading us to play him unconditionally at the expense of the success of the team. Sorry for the digression. This thread is not about Francouer. I brought him up earlier to attempt to make a point about sticking with James for a while. I honestly did not mean to detract from the purpose of this thread. I do think Maddux would help the team win this year. I'm just concerned about giving up young players to "rent" him for a couple of months. It would be fun to see him retire in a Braves uniform. I just hope he is going to stick around long enought to catapult himself to number 3 on the wins list.

[BravesFanForever]

I'm sorry Cbenson 5, but Frenchy is not a below average player.

2007:
162 games played, 84 runs, 19 HR, 105 RBI, .293 Ave,

2006:
162 games played, 83 runs, 29 HR, 103 RBI, .260

In 2006 to 2007, his average rose 33 points, in which he began to be more of a patient hitter. He is quietly one of the best defensive right fielders in the game, with a 5 error, .986% in 2007; not to mention 19 assists. He had 316 and 327 put outs respectively in 06 and 07 as well. He will continue to get better in terms of offense, lets not forget how clutch he was with 2 outs for a little while last year. There are a lot of teams who would like to have him in right field. If you want to talk below average, lets talk about all the right fielders who have a lower batting average than his-.274

Vladimir Guerrero (Angels)-.269
Geoff Jenkins/Shane Victorino (Phil)-.255/.227
Brad Hawpe (Col)-.252
Alex Rios (Tor)-.255 (who a lot of people are high on)
Jonny Gomes (Rays)-.225 (who are in first place)
Ken Griffey Jr. (Cin)-.250
Emil Brown (Oak)-.269 (who everyone has been impressed with)
Brian Giles (San D)-.272

Just to name a few... I know he currently does not have the best stats so far, but he will warm up. Until then, it is amazing to have one of the best, if not the best defensive right fielders.