Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Who Did We Get With Sean Rodriguez? Dansby Swanson = Untouchable
Cobb County takes Braves to task about traffic
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Atlanta and traffic…doesn’t those two just go hand-and-hand? There’s no way to solve the traffic situation that happens in and around the extremely busy city of Atlanta, but there are ways to support it. Many folks in the Cobb County area were unset when the plan was to take the traffic through their communities. I can see where they had a little issue with this plan. No one wants to see traffic head in their direction, especially through your neighborhood. The county, the Braves, the commissioner and whoever else that is involved has roughly four months to figure this out. No matter what, the Braves will take the field, one month from today, on April 14 against the San Diego Padres at their new home at SunTrust Park.
Monday was hardly a day at the ballpark for Atlanta Braves President of Development Mike Plant.
And tempers boiled over this summer when it was revealed the Braves wanted to route stadium trafficthrough the neighboring municipality of Sandy Springs. The ensuing pandemonium garnered a lot of colorful commentary about the lack of transparency as it relates to traffic planning in preparation for SunTrust Park.
Through it all, many across the country have enjoyed a chuckle at the expense of Cobb County, and (almost former-)County Commissioner Tim Lee lost his position due to the fallout.
In a comment that seems almost too absurd to be true — though really just a restatement from earlier admissions — Cobb Transportation Director Jim Wilgus noted there is a “good plan” in place for traffic, adding that a drive to the stadium will just “feel like an extension of the rush hour.”
Why Dansby is considered all but untouchable by Braves
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: You’ve got to love the way this kid plays the game. The 22-year-old will be something to watch out for in 2017 and beyond. If you’re not excited yet or don’t have a reason to watch next year, this kid should be one of the reasons you do. He’s got “too much sauce” haha, watch the video below. Just watching this four minute video got me ready for baseball in 2017…is it the spring yet? Get this cold weather out of here and get the balls out!
Teams that inquired about the availability of Swanson in particularly big trade proposals – i.e., Chris Sale – at or before the Winter Meetings quickly learned the shortstop was unavailable. He’s as close to untouchable as any Brave right now. So I asked Hart if people around baseball understand why Swanson is off-limits in trades, since his statistics are strong but nothing jumps off the page.
“Yeah, they do,” Hart said of other teams’ officials grasping why the Braves are so committed to keeping Swanson. “And we talked about this — if you want to put the grades out there he’s not going to be the guy that you’re looking to hit 30 homers. He’s not that ‘loud tool’ guy, where he’s going to steal 60 bases, hit 30 homers. He’s not that guy. But the people that know – he’s a shortstop, makes the plays, handles the bat, does every little thing to help you win a game. Does something to help you win a game all the time. And I think – I know – baseball people realize what a special kind of a team guy he’s going to be. Those guys are hard to find.
To answer your question, everybody I talk to says, ‘Boy, I love your shortstop (Swanson). I love the way this guy plays.’ The guys got some qualities that remind me of some really good players. Great leaders.”
How will Braves use Rodriguez?
Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Oh, the (now) famous signing that Braves GM John Coppollela pulled off on Thanksgiving Day. Will Sean Rodriguez turn into a superstar in Atlanta? Possibly (see Jose Bautista). JoeyBats was a journeyman with the Pittsburgh Pirates (and the Royals, Rays, Orioles) until he got his break with the Blue Jays. He exploded onto the scene in his 29-year-old year after developing a leg kick that founded his power. Rodriguez now has a new leg kick to help with his power and in 2016 he blasted 18 homers. It’s tough to compare those two right now on the field or at the plate, but I’m just saying it’s possible….hey, they both have beards…
We don’t know if that recently developed leg kick will allow the 31-year-old infielder to duplicate the 18-homer, .859 OPS season he had with the Pirates last year. But we know Rodriguez stands as a super-utility option whose versatility could prove beneficial throughout both the infield and outfield. He doesn’t need to be used in a strict platoon and, thus, I’m anticipating he’ll end up logging more innings at second base than any other Braves player, at least until Ozzie Albies has a chance to prove whether he can recover from his elbow fracture and become Major League ready next season.
Rodriguez’s presence also enhances the versatility Jace Peterson can provide while also playing each of the infield and outfield positions. If there’s a day when manager Brian Snitker doesn’t want to use Adonis Garcia against a tough right-hander, he’ll have the option to put both Rodriguez and the left-handed-hitting Peterson in the same lineup.
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