Andruw signs with Dodgers

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 1:08 AM EST Comment 19 comments

Andruw Jones reached an agreement with the LA Dodgers just in the last few minutes. Terms seem to be 2 years and $36 million, making him the highest paid center fielder out there. Good move by the Dodgers to get him for two years - if he's back to normal they get two years of production for a team that looks like they can contend behind a strong group of prospects and if he actually is declining rapidly, they're only on the hook for $36 million through 2009. Props to Colletti for getting this deal done and basically making Boras look like a fool after he claimed all along they were looking for a long term deal exclusively.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071205&content_id=2319266&vkey=news _la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la

For what it's worth I expect a return to normal for Andruw, especially considering the injury rumors floating around. That normal may be a .260/.340/.500, but even that makes him one of the top handful of center fielders in the game and his defense is still well above average. The Braves weren't going to be able to afford him before the season and even with the train wreck he was this year, we just didn't have the payroll to even offer him arbitration. I'm not going to miss the hot dogging in center, the weak swings at breaking balls, or the rally killing ground outs however.

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he didn't hot dog in CF

it seemed like he was hot dogging because he got ridiculous jumps on fly balls.

nonetheless, he won't be missed

by RehabReject on Dec 6, 2007 1:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

No, he did

His basket no-look catches, his submarine style throws after fly outs with runners on; that's hot dogging it, no matter whether or not he's 99.9% sure to make the play correctly.

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 1:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

how dare you...

how can you say he wont be missed. hes meant so much to the braves organization and fans. excuse him for having a down year, but according to his previous years with the team, he was the team at certain points.

the top three moments that will always stand out in Andruw's career with the Atlanta Braves:

His whole entire performance in the 1996 postseason at such a young age. He played out of his mind considering the circumstances involved.
The fact he negotiated with the Braves minus the Braves most hated archrival, Scott Boras. I trust what my pops tells me any day over what some heartless suit says.
The anxiety he gave me over the MVP race of 2005. It ended up depressing, but thanks for having that type of season anyway...

I think I speak for a sizable fan base here when I say, Andruw you will be missed. Good luck in LA (hit me up sometime. lets hang out)

by MIZIKE74 on Dec 6, 2007 1:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

i will thats for sure

he didnt hotdog. he was having fun doing the best job in the world, playing baseball. and he was good at it.

im an andruw fan, but a realist as well. sad to see him go, but i knew it was bound to hapen.

by darthspiderman on Dec 6, 2007 8:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Here here!

Ain't that the truth.

by Smoltzs Beard on Dec 6, 2007 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

in addition to that....

you can make the argument that Jeter's acrobatic catches or whatever is hotdogging it, sammy's bat flip when he hits a homer is hotdogging it, etc.

What made Andruw fun to watch is that he was having fun out there on the field. Yes he strugled, and yes it was frustrating. But the fact people think he's hotdogging it is ridiculous. he never complained being dropped in the order cuz he was sucking, and always hustled - considering that one game 6-7 years ago when Bobby pulled him out in the middle of an inning taught him a valuable lesson about hustle. we wouldnt have as many Cy Youngs in Atlanta if it wasnt for Andruw's defense. Any of the Big 3 will tell you that. He may have lost a step on the basepaths, but he makes amazing reads and jumps and exhibits more speed than he uses in the infield.

So for all of you who think that he's a showoff, yo probably need to examine all the things he did for Atlanta (on & off the field) during his time here. And before you say anything about his checkered behavior with the Gold Club and all that, just remember that he was a kid and he turned a new leaf, starting a family and everything. Yaal just need to give him more credit than you actually are.

by darthspiderman on Dec 6, 2007 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And

If he had complained about being dropped in the order when he was the only one not hitting, the media and fan base would've slaughtered him. No surprise he kept his mouth shut.

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yup

or you can put a glove on and actually play baseball and you'll know that he wasn't hot dogging

by RehabReject on Dec 6, 2007 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Haha

Let's see your page on The Baseball Cube and I'll take that statement more seriously.

All I know is my little league coach told me to catch the pop flies with two hands above my head and throw the ball overhand from the outfield. You can still have fun and practice the fundamentals.

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow

seriously, you're going to use your Little League experience to defend your "Andruw hot dogging it" argument?? hahahaha

ok. refer to past diaries and posts. I've played tournaments in Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Dominican Republic. I played at the University of Miami, I currently play in a league in Miami where MLB players and prospects come to play in the offseason. Our "graduates" include Yunel Escobar, Edwar Ramirez (NYY), Ronnie Belliard (WAS), Placido Polanco(DET)

here's the link to the story when Ramirez got to the Majors: http://journals.aol.com/lesteraviles/LIGALATINA/entries/2007/07/24/xxxiii-campeonato/1302

here's the link to the current league: http://journals.aol.com/lesteraviles/LIGALATINA/

Andruw does not hot dog. He gets good jumps and makes easy catches on difficult balls. I'm the biggest Andruw hater but he's not that big an a!@#$% to "hot dog" with runners on base or any other situation where the team is in danger of losing the game.

and yes, just like you said, all you know is what you're little league coach told you.

by RehabReject on Dec 6, 2007 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ok

"seriously, you're going to use your Little League experience to defend your "Andruw hot dogging it" argument?? hahahaha"

I'd call it fundamentals of the game. Something like catching the ball with two hands really shouldn't be taught any later than little league.

You more than anyone should know that with remarkable tools like Andruw has fundamentals have to go hand in hand. I don't care if he can catch the ball below his waist without looking. All I care about is that he catches the ball. If he wants to "have fun" and showboat he can join a beer league.

And yeah, I wasn't blessed with tools that allowed me to play beyond high school, but I've never heard any coach teach anything but catching the ball with two hands if it's possible.

As for this:
"He gets good jumps and makes easy catches on difficult balls." - No one's arguing any differently, so don't act like it.

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

If Jeter is specifically waiting an extra half step just so he can make an acrobatic catch, it's hot dogging. What a hitter does after he hits a home run doesn't matter; the ball is travelling out of the park and anything they do doesn't jeprodize the outcome of the game. When Andruw would do what I mentioned above, especially the basket no-look catches, that jeprodized the game for us. He may have been "having fun", but when you're posting a .724 OPS AND being a hot dog in the field, you deserve to be called out for it.

Andruw was a quality player on the field for over a decade. He was basically the best center fielder, offensively and defensively, in the game the past few years. This year though, he really burned bridges with his attitude on and off the field (the flossing incident among others) and his pitiful offensive preformance noted earlier.

And I never said the Braves as a ball club won't miss him. If he returns to normal (.260/.340/.500), he's again one of the best center fielders in the game and has left a big hole in the lineup. However, the eleven years of weak swings at sliders in the dirt, hot dog plays in center, and rally killing ground outs will not be missed.

by 17843 on Dec 6, 2007 12:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hate to join in, but....

....Bobby wouldn't put up with hot dogging it....Andruw, I'm sure you remember, was benched early on for not hustling. I realize that's not hot dogging it, but it's not fundamental play, and I bet the ol' Bobster wouldn't have it.

I think what we're kicking around here is just Andruw's game. I think his numerous gold gloves attest to the fact that how he catches the ball works for him.

Oddly enough, 17843, I actually agree that Andruw won't be missed, but I can only speak for myself. I loved the guy when he was here, but I got really tired of the bad swings and the 'I'm not worried about it' comments from him. Having Andruw coming to the plate last year during a rally was sickening....you just knew it was over. When Frenchy came up, though, you felt like something good would happen, which I think means 'clutch', but I know that's been argued before.

I know better - I really do - bu I can't help it!

by secondbass on Dec 6, 2007 4:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hustling

as i mentioned earlier, Bobby pulled him in the middle of an ininng before for not hustling.

by darthspiderman on Dec 6, 2007 11:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Andruw

A while back I was trying to figure out how I felt about Andruw coming back. Finally I decided that if were to come back for a year or two I would be okay with it, so long as we didn't commit to a long term deal only to see him never return to the form of his near MVP season. My main concern was that a great amount of money would be tied up in what had become an offensive black hole.

Now that Andruw is gone, I wish him well, I really do. He was a great part of our team for a long time. It would be much easier to root for him if he was in the AL, but oh well. I just hope that in a year or two (or even this year), our CF prospects don't leave us longing for the AJones glory days.

by VegasAces on Dec 6, 2007 7:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

17843

Im just going to say this, you are obviously too hard headed (and dislike Andruw that much) that to be quite honest arguing with you over it really isnt worth it. you have your opinion I have mine.

I personally dont think the way he catches the ball is indicative of whether he is hotdogging or not, as long as he catches it. i think that showing up a pitcher by occupying the plate longer than he has to or flicking the bat after a HR is hotdogging it. Its showing off speriority to the pitcher. FOr you to say that it doesnt matter what happens when the ball is travelling out of the park is you downplaying my arugument that it is hotdogging. With that logic I can counter you by saying since the flyball is a routine out for Andruw (or any other center fielder) it really doesnt matter as long as it lands in his glove and doesnt pop out - which rarely it does (see all those gold gloves).

I would be willing to bet there are more that agree with me here that Andruw was a class player that played hard and didnt make a spectacle of himself (if you dont accept what I said about being dropped, accept the fact that the year before and before that when his bat was on fire he never once said "me" or "I"). I think youre just trying to find something to argue about for the sake of arguing.

by darthspiderman on Dec 7, 2007 12:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

wow

[end of argument]

by RehabReject on Dec 7, 2007 12:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Last round

"I personally dont think the way he catches the ball is indicative of whether he is hotdogging or not, as long as he catches it. i think that showing up a pitcher by occupying the plate longer than he has to or flicking the bat after a HR is hotdogging it. Its showing off speriority to the pitcher. FOr you to say that it doesnt matter what happens when the ball is travelling out of the park is you downplaying my arugument that it is hotdogging. With that logic I can counter you by saying since the flyball is a routine out for Andruw (or any other center fielder) it really doesnt matter as long as it lands in his glove and doesnt pop out - which rarely it does (see all those gold gloves). "

I think we just have a different opinion of hot dogging. Someone showing up a pitcher after a home run doesn't effect whether the team wins or loses, it just makes the guy look like an ass. On the other hand, if Andruw misses a fly ball because he was trying to throw in a little pizzaz, not only does he look like an ass on ESPN, but he costs us a run, a baserunner, and maybe the game. I'm not trying to downplay anything, I just didn't get that Andruw took things as seriously as a fan who's dropping $40/game to pay his salary thinks he should. I understand that you guys liked the extra pizzaz and attitude he brought to the ballpark.

"I would be willing to bet there are more that agree with me here that Andruw was a class player that played hard and didnt make a spectacle of himself."

I'll just say that fact/fiction isn't determined by a public poll, especially on something that is about 99.9% opinion like this debate is.

"I think youre just trying to find something to argue about for the sake of arguing."

I'll just remind you that this argument started when someone (might've been you) pulled one sentence out of a diary I posted and ignored anything else posted. That doesn't really look like I'm the one trying to start arguments, does it?

by 17843 on Dec 7, 2007 12:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs