Braves Fans Can Redirect Their Ken Griffey Jr. Ire From the AJC to Harold Reynolds
Baseball, Media Gossip/Musings March 2nd. 2009, 10:00am
So why did Ken Griffey Jr. pick Seattle over Atlanta last month as his free agent destination? Braves fans were under the impression that it was because of over-eager reporting by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, but in reality, the key factor was pesky MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds.
One other piece of persuasion Reynolds offered Griffey regarded the potential performance of the two teams in question.
Said Reynolds: “My point to Ken was this: Atlanta is in a division — and I honestly believe this — where they’re not going to win for a few years. You’ll be long gone when the Braves get over the Mets and Phillies. They’re going to spend money to make sure they stay on top.
“Seattle is in a division where it can get fun real quick. They have some pitching with [Erik] Bedard coming back, King Felix [Hernandez] and [Brandon] Morrow. You have three guys that can turn it around real quick, in a division with really one team on top, the Angels.
Clearly, Reynolds hasn’t studied his CHONE and PECOTA projections. Based on those, Atlanta will be in the wild card hunt; the Mariners will not.
Harold Reynolds glad to help Griffey with Seattle decision (Seattle Times)
19 Responses to “Braves Fans Can Redirect Their Ken Griffey Jr. Ire From the AJC to Harold Reynolds”
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March 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am
This is really a non-issue.
Atlanta fans know that Garrett Anderson is a better addition and the team is better w/o Griffey.
Griffey would’ve put butts in seats for only the first week or two, so the tickets sales angle doesn’t hold water, either.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:11 am
Reynolds giving his opinion to support his former team? Big deal!
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
Winning puts butts in the seats. It’s not outlandish to think Seattle could challenge for the AL West title. That division is pretty awful and Seattle’s roster has a lot of upside.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Not in Atlanta.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Why is everyone making such a big deal about Griffey and Seattle vs Atlanta? He is a big baby and washed up. For 10 years he wanted to play near Orlando for his kids, now he goes 3,000 miles away to play for a money-grab.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
So, is this Japanese pitcher like a combination of Ichiro, Dice K and Mr. Baseball? How else do the Braves get into the wildcard picture? They are pretty damn lousy.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
next up: steve phillips advises david wright during his next free agency
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 am
Great 3B and C. Good SS and 2B. Average 1B.
Very good rotation. OF, with some reversion, won’t be as bad as last year.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
Yeah, but in a division where they are behind two other teams and even with the Marlins, even if they aren’t as bad as last year, is that going to reflect in the standings? I mean, for the great, you listed C and an always injured 3B. I won’t say anything bad about Yunel Escobar, but last I checked Kelly Johnson was still the 2B and he’s just average.
Their rotation might be “very good”, but it’s still the 3rd best in the division.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
I wouldn’t say that, especially w.r.t. the rotation.
The Mets and Phillies have Santana and Hamels, respectively, and both are awesome. At least better than Atlanta’s #1, Vazquez (though Vazquez’s projection is better than Hamels).
After that? Eh. I’ll take Lowe, Hudson, Jurrjens, and the Japanese dude over Blanton, Myers, and the rest of Phillies garbage, and certainly over Pelfrey, Maine, Niese, and Oliver fucking Perez.
Of those three teams, I think Atlanta has the clear best rotation in the division.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:41 am
Nick-they suck.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:42 am
Agreed with Nick on the rotation
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
I think having Hamels/Santana is a big deal for the other rotations, though. There is a big gap in #1 starters. I would agree Atlanta is better 2-5, but it isn’t by a huge margin.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
The Braves also have Hanson in their back pocket. Not sure we’ll see him this year, but he’s expected to be another + arm in the rotation.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:47 am
The gap is this.
Santana 48 runs over replacment.
Hamels 41 runs over replacement.
Vazquez 46 runs over replacement.
You need to understand that Vazquez was already a very good pitcher, and he’s also getting a bump from leaving the big kid’s league for the NL.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:48 am
I have a comment in mod with links. Essentially the difference b/w Santana, Hamels, and Vazquez is nowhere near as big as you think. Vazquez is a good pitcher going to a weaker league. He’ll get a bump.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Well, I think Vazquez will get a bump from his ERA last year, but I do think mainly that he’s just a strikeout pitcher that will likely have an ERA around 4 and about the same number of wins as losses. I really don’t think that compares too well to Santana/Hamels.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:54 am
/FoxNews2001-2008
Hanson = Lincecum light. He’ll be in the ROY running this year.
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I found it interesting that Griffey was “going home” to Seattle; when he left Seattle for Cincy, he was “going home” then as well. This really is a nonissue. He IS washed up and certainly not a difference maker, so who cares where he winds up? It’s sort of like an NFL player signing a one-day contract to retire with the team he started with, that’s all.