Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop 10/13
By Jeff Schafer
2015 MLB Free Agents: Breaking Down the Top 5 Players at Every Position
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Is second base still a weakness for the Atlanta Braves? Many believe that we found at least one guy who can step up for 2015 with Phil Gosselin or Tommy La Stella. Maybe even Jose Peraza could play the position next year. Other second base free agents are Ramon Santiago, Kelly Johnson, Rickie Weeks and the two below.
Emilio Bonifacio’s two greatest assets are his speed and his versatility. While splitting the 2014 season with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, the switch-hitter stole 26 bases and appeared in games all over the infield and outfield.
1. Ben Zobrist
Ben Zobrist is no lock to hit the free-agent market. The Tampa Bay Rays have a club option for $7.5 million on the second baseman. Zobrist definitely wants to stay, as he explained via Roger Mooney ofThe Tampa Tribune.
After long hiatus, Duquette finds fit in Baltimore
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Dan Duquette, now with the Baltimore Orioles, found himself out of baseball for 10 years while looking for a GM position. He looks to have found his spot with the O’s but he was once given an offer by the Atlanta Braves.
John Schuerholz offered a position with the Atlanta Braves that Duquette respectfully turned down. The Red Sox, Duquette revealed, asked him back as an adviser a few months after he was fired as GM.
Team president Larry Lucchino made the offer, impressed by the foundation Duquette had built.
“I have long thought Dan deserved more recognition for his role in our early success in Boston,” he said.
But Duquette wasn’t ready.
Top pitchers struggle in postseason
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Why do the stars struggle during the postseason though dominate throughout the regular season? No one has the answer but it does bring up lots of questions. Clayton Kershaw has gone 0-4 in the past two playoffs…all four loses have came against the Cardinals.
But the trend isn’t confined to today’s game.
Going back a few years, Hall of Famer Greg Maddux was only 11-14 in the postseason and fellow Hall of Famer Tom Glavine, a longtime Atlanta teammate of Maddux’s, was 14-16. Yet the Braves won 14 straight division titles.
Matt Morris, the Cardinals’ ace for several years, was just 2-6 in postseason play.