Could the Atlanta Braves and Gregor Blanco have a homecoming?
By Josh Brown
On Monday night it was reported that the Arizona Diamondbacks had released Gregor Blanco. It is certainly no secret that the Atlanta Braves are in need of a stronger bench, and former Brave Gregor Blanco could be the answer to such ailments.
The Atlanta Braves still need a bench bat and one Greg White is now available.
Gregor Blanco was released after hitting just .225 in 40 at-bats this spring in the Cactus League. He didn’t exactly have the best year in 2016 either. Last season he slashed .224/.309/.311 in 106 games (which was still better than Emilio Bonifacio, but let’s move on).
However, based on Blanco’s track record, it could be argued that 2016 was simply a down year for him. He’s just one year removed from hitting .291.
Blanco is also currently dealing with an oblique injury, and prior to being released Monday night, was already questionable for Opening Day. However, oblique injuries, like the one Blanco has suffered, are no reason to lose sleep over. If the Bravos did decide to go after him, he might not be ready immediately, but it could be worth the wait.
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The fact that the Arizona Diamondbacks released Blanco might not be an indictment on Blanco’s inability as a player as much as it is the Diamondback’s calloused thinking, considering their other bench option is Jeremy Hazelbaker.
The Braves need outfield depth. …especially after they decided to part ways with Mallex Smith and saw the unfortunate injury of Micah Johnson occur.
Chase d’Arnaud and Bonifacio are not the answers to an effective/speedy bench. Blanco, still 32-years-old, is a proven player who could give the Braves exactly what they need as a backup in the outfield and as a late-inning threat on the base paths .
In 2010 the Braves decided to trade Gregor Blanco to the Royals, who was hitting .310 at the time, along with Jesse Chavez and Tim Collins for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth. It could be argued that since that trade – up until Ender Inciarte – the Atlanta Braves never really had a legitimate starting center fielder. That’s all history now, of course.
After that deal with the Royals and while the Braves were trying to figure out who their center fielder was, Blanco ended up as the starting center fielder for the San Francisco Giants where he won two World Series rings.
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Gregor Blanco is certainly nowhere close to where he was in 2010. Everyone knows this. Gregor Blanco knows this. Gregor Blanco’s agent knows this.
But is he a better option than Emilio Bonifacio and Chase d’Arnaud? Yes.
UPDATE: According to an MLBTR report citing team beat writers, Blanco has re-signed with the Diamondbacks on a new minor league deal.