Camp Chipper
by Mike de La Hoz on Jan 25, 2009 10:30 PM EST
55 comments
For years Leo Mazzone conducted "Camp Leo" workouts for Braves pitchers prior to their report to spring training. It sounds like Chipper Jones has taken that concept over to the hitting side.
Recently, in the midst of Andruw Jones' latest chapter in his Long Strange Trip we saw him working out with Chipper and McCann in an effort to clean up the scar tissue from an '08 season that has seen Andruw fall to the depths of mediocrity and have his team basically pay him to leave town.
Now comes this from Rotowire concerning another player who may or may not be in the process of a career threatening flame-out:
Francoeur is learning a new batting stance this winter - a more balanced position at the plate, with his hands farther back and a shorter stride. "His mindset is from gap to gap. You can’t be out on your front foot the way he was all year last year, and head moving up and down, and his stride was too long, and thinking about pulling the ball around the left field foul pole. His weight distribution is allowing him to think right center to left center and he is killing balls, just absolutely crushing it," teammate Chipper Jones, who has been working out with Francoeur.
Let's hope he recovers.
As we move closer to camps opening the news seems to be getting warmer, as well.
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Francoeur is trying everything it seems, except for “not swinging at every goddamned pitch he sees”.
SWAGGA LIKE BJONES, SWAGGA LIKE BJONES
JOE-BO FOR THE BENCH IN 09
by bigjoe on Jan 25, 2009 10:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Chipper has always been a very patient hitter maybe they will teach Francoeur alittle something about that.
"The only time the Mets win is in the offseason"
by Falconzfan284 on Jan 25, 2009 11:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
put about as well as anyone could have
/agree with Bigjoe
by awilliams16 on Jan 26, 2009 9:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
sounds awsome go Francoeur. i hate the way everyone sames FYF its lame.
by Brandonba on Jan 25, 2009 10:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
when he can get his OBP above .300 I’ll stop calling him FYF. That’s a completely unacceptable number.
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 26, 2009 9:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
FYF?
that was attached to his OBP? I cant seem to remember where it came from but hell yeah it stuck…
by traphicg on Jan 26, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It really just arose because of his inability to do anything productive at the plate, but I’m also just mad at myself that I jumped on his bandwagon without taking the time to actually look at the numbers the guy was putting up.
Either way, he was god damn awful last season.
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 26, 2009 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
so...
does that stand for “Eff You Frenchy”???? B/c thats what i was thinking every time he boffed it at the plate, therefore it WOULD be an apropo name.
Awful, awful, awful.
by traphicg on Jan 26, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It was probably the 5th or 6th time last season that he GIDP with RISP, and Bigjoe simply typed “Frenchy, you fuck”.
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 26, 2009 11:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Theres a lot of things the last F can stand for, depending on the current situation…but yeah, we’ll save that for the season.
SWAGGA LIKE BJONES, SWAGGA LIKE BJONES
JOE-BO FOR THE BENCH IN 09
by bigjoe on Jan 26, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
How amazing would it be if Francy can turn it around and hit 30HR and .300? I know there is like a 2.635% chance of that happening, but that would be a our right handed middle of the order bat.
by bbxxj on Jan 25, 2009 10:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Francy…I like that. Someone give him a beret and skeevy mustache, stat.
SWAGGA LIKE BJONES, SWAGGA LIKE BJONES
JOE-BO FOR THE BENCH IN 09
by bigjoe on Jan 25, 2009 11:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I've never cared much for the French..
…thats why Francy and his horrid BA fits him. Once he starts hitting better I’ll call him Franco or Franz because I like the Spaniards and Germans in particular much better. Franz would be reserved for a 40HR .340 performance because then you know he would have to have a bit of Kraut in him.
by bbxxj on Jan 25, 2009 11:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
While I like Frenchy (or Francy) that’s too extreme, thats like saying if Escobar can go steal 25-30 bases and raise his OBP he would solve our lead-off batter problem.
"The only time the Mets win is in the offseason"
by Falconzfan284 on Jan 26, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i gotta agree… i would be happy if Francouer could have an OBP with 330 or something.. and then he hit 25 HR… to me thats right where he should be… basically an average Corner OF… esp if his defense isnt as atrocious as it was last year
"We win today, that's two in a row... if we win tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before..."
by Swo12bv on Jan 26, 2009 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was just using hyperbole to make a point. I know he wont ever hit .340 or even maybe .300, but .270/25HR seems reasonable.
by bbxxj on Jan 26, 2009 1:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
FYF will probably never see the .300 mark
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by cgilmo78 on Jan 26, 2009 1:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Except maybe when he looks at the scale.
SWAGGA LIKE BJONES, SWAGGA LIKE BJONES
JOE-BO FOR THE BENCH IN 09
by bigjoe on Jan 26, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Bazing!
"Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill -
by justincredubil02 on Jan 26, 2009 8:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know if anyone else has thought this.
But from everything I’ve read about Chipper, it seems like he’d be a dynamite hitting coach some day.
by Perrinbar on Jan 25, 2009 11:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I believe he is already lobbying for something like this. I see Chipper in the Braves organization for many years to come.
by Charmin519 on Jan 25, 2009 11:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’d love to see this be a Brave’s philosophy for years to come. TP as HC; Maddux, Glavine, and/or Smoltz as the Ptiching/bullpen coaches…. oh the possibilities….
by awilliams16 on Jan 26, 2009 9:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
totally
To me, that was the underlying message when Smoltz signed with the BoSux: Chip got all worried about whether or not he and Smoltz would still be coaches with the organization.
I think it would be obvious that both Smoltz and Chip would add invaluable experience and knowledge to the coaching staff. If The Braves cant land these two, it will be a REAL blemish, as opposed to all this other team crap.
by traphicg on Jan 26, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
where did u get the idea that Smoltz wanted to coach…. as far as I know he wants to pitch, not coach…just curious to know ur evidence or reason for this opinion
"We win today, that's two in a row... if we win tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before..."
by Swo12bv on Jan 26, 2009 11:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think
He is going to be an announcer when he finally retires.
best defensive shortstop in baseball hahahahahahahahahah (omar visquel)
by mvandonsel on Jan 26, 2009 1:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s my thinking too. Every time I’ve heard him in the booth or just being interviewed on TBS or the radio he intimates something about it.
by mattdiaz4life on Jan 26, 2009 3:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
sign chipper up as the hitting coach of the future
by AlRoBraves95 on Jan 26, 2009 11:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hey
As long as he stays away from the bad hitting habits,he can overcome the slump.
by fatazfoot on Jan 25, 2009 11:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
we need to get Shaffer to go to camp chipper
"We win today, that's two in a row... if we win tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before..."
by Swo12bv on Jan 25, 2009 11:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer Schafer!!!
"The only time the Mets win is in the offseason"
by Falconzfan284 on Jan 26, 2009 12:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Who the hell is Schafer?
The Braves have a kick-ass CF prospect named Gorman Shaffer. Maybe you’ve heard of him?
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
by buzzdeadwax on Jan 26, 2009 12:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i was being an ass.. the post i replied to refuses to acknowledge the proper spellings of the players on the Braves…. its called being ironical
"We win today, that's two in a row... if we win tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before..."
by Swo12bv on Jan 26, 2009 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Paging Terry Pendelton. Maybe its because Chipper is the more sought afte quote, but how come we never heard this from Terry?
by 10-4 on Jan 26, 2009 8:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Because TP is busy looking around his house for his slippers.
Its been going on for about 8 months now.
SWAGGA LIKE BJONES, SWAGGA LIKE BJONES
JOE-BO FOR THE BENCH IN 09
by bigjoe on Jan 26, 2009 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I heart Bubble Butt
"He's getting better, but he's not there yet ..."
- Bobby Cox (talking about Boyer)
by FrankyWren on Jan 26, 2009 8:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If we don't
resign Chipper we are putting future seasons in major jeporady. It seems that he has the right leadership mindset and other players look up to him.
Only if he would hit clean up.
by Heap on Jan 26, 2009 8:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
He's not a #4 hitter.
You put your best hitter in the number 3 spot to extend the majority of 1st innings (past 3 outs) and drive in any of the top 2 guys that got on base… That’s baseball 101. There’s no other guy on the Braves roster that I’d rather have in the number 3 hole in our lineup. Notice what Chipper does when he has a solid number 4 behind him. (Paging Mark Texeira) .400 BA until June looks nice enough to me. Why waste that production in the 4 hole?! If Chipper were less of a complete hitter and more of a home-run hitter, than maybe…
by awilliams16 on Jan 26, 2009 9:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This is giving Frenchy way too much credit
He was thinking about pulling the ball? Frenchy? Thinking?
by RosieSparkle on Jan 26, 2009 10:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Frenchie's First Game
In his first game after being called up he hit a bomb to right-center field. I can honestly say I have no recollection of him hitting any bombs in that direction in the last few years. I really do have faith with this gap to gap approach he can improve his BA and subsequently his OBP as well.
http://www.whensidslid.com
by garriscp on Jan 26, 2009 1:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
My goodness...
three good months can apparently buy endless optimism from fans. There is absolutely nothing in his minor or major league record to suggest that Francoeur can consistently give you league average offense. His defense is good, but not nearly good enough to make up for his seemingly endless quest to set the league record for outs in a season.
I would much rather have Willie Harris patrolling right field for us in 2009 than Francoeur. Hell, is Ryan Langerhans available? Maybe Ron Gant is kicking around a parks and rec league somewhere.
by BraveBronco0121 on Jan 26, 2009 2:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Gant is at the park every night......
in a suit and tie..:o)
by coachg3 on Jan 26, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m hopeful but not optimistic. However to those who say this won’t improve plate discipline, more balance and staying back longer give you more time to wait to start your swing. Naturally, it will make you more selective in that your better able to recognize the pitch by having more time to see the pitch. By starting early, you are already committed and will chase bad pitches, hence many of the awkward swings Francoeur has made in the past. To what degree this will help is unknown, but it should theoretically help.
"Fools rush in where fools have been before"
by jeg on Jan 26, 2009 3:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
well...
If he’s working out and taking hitting advice from Chipper, I’m willing to give Frenchy the benefit of the doubt.
Of course, I’m pretty easy to please. I’d like to see a .270/.340/.460
by beeswax on Jan 26, 2009 7:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Benefit of the doubt
.250/.300/.400 would do it for me …
"He's getting better, but he's not there yet ..."
- Bobby Cox (talking about Boyer)
by FrankyWren on Jan 26, 2009 8:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Frenchy
His problem last season was that he was trying to take advice from too many people. Seems pretty obvious that the only person he should listen to is the guy who had the highest average in the Majors last year.
Also, David Price is from the area where I currently reside and he recently had a quote to the local radio station that “The game knows who works the hardest.” That’s not word for word but that’s the jist of it. And I believe that. Frenchy has a good work ethic and I believe if he can just figure things out (big IF) then he could contribute again.
I really believe Chipper sees this as possibly the same situation that Andruw went through when he was here and he doesn’t want that to happen to Frenchy.
P.S. I love Franz. I really hope he has an amazing season just so we can start calling him that.
by MTSU11 on Jan 26, 2009 8:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Couldn’t agree more.
"The only time the Mets win is in the offseason"
by Falconzfan284 on Jan 28, 2009 4:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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