Norton Retiring?
by drumzalicious on Oct 4, 2009 7:19 PM EDT
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Looks like Norton is thinking about retiring. What do you guys think we should do about our bench next year?
I personally had high hopes for Conrad but every since his second time up he has done nothing. KJ is too good of a player to just pinch hit. Of course we will have Ross and Infante. I wouldnt count on Church simply because there was an article on the Braves site hinting that the team wasn't looking to bring him back because of his back injuries.
thoughts?
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My answer would be the same if Norton wasn’t retiring, just don’t bring him back and use Conrad and B. Jones.
Why
do a lot of Brave’s fans continue to want B. Jones on the Braves active roster every freaking season? face it guys, the guy is the Pete Orr of outfielders which is NOT a good thing
He's never
been given a fair change at the ML level and I believe he can do what Ryan Church did for us, be a capalbe left handed bat off the bench and a good defensive outfielder. And you can’t say you’d rather have Greg Norton in there over B. Jones.
by BravesRaleigh on Oct 5, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
No
I’d rather have Church. From past roster moves, it seems the front office has more faith in Gregor Blanco providing what you described than Brandon Jones, and I don’t want Gregor Blanco on the opening day roster either.
Both Blanco and the Swagga can play. Give ’em a chance.
(self-appointed President of Yunel's Cartel~~~)
"The future is no place to place your better days." - Dave Matthews ~ RIP Roi
Chief! Do your anti-rain dance!!! Now, damn it! Now!!!
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Oct 5, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions
What about either of their performances this year suggests that they should even be in the discussion for Major League jobs next year?
"At least he didn’t nail the bitchy fat girl from Hell's Kitchen."
www.dropoutproductions.com
by cbwilk on Oct 5, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'd rather have both Church and Prado.
Particularly as pure PHs. That’s a veteran’s job.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Because they're a tremendous pair of players...
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions
RETIRE!
I’ll personally throw him a retirement party.
And I know he led the NL in PH walks, but I actually like my pinch-hitters to get a hit every once in a while (and a meaningless game against the Natinals doesn’t count.) We needed him SO many times this season, and he failed 99% of the time.
Frank Wren for GM of the Year.
"Wait, bait and bash." - Jason Heyward's personal philosophy.
Actually only 67.7% of the time. Unless you’re talking about hits and that’s only 85.5. So that’s pretty good from a pinch hitter.
I dont care what stats and/or any advanced scouting formulas say
Greg Norton f’ing sucks. He was absolutely horrible in 2009. He was a waste of a roster spot all season long.
Frank Wren for GM of the Year.
"Wait, bait and bash." - Jason Heyward's personal philosophy.
by Scott Coleman on Oct 4, 2009 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
oh okay lol
Frank Wren for GM of the Year.
"Wait, bait and bash." - Jason Heyward's personal philosophy.
by Scott Coleman on Oct 4, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions
If he retires or not, could care less
He shouldn’t be on the bench at all next season.. I like KJ.. he’s flexible and his bat is solid. His salary though, isn’t.
- I miss Spooneybarger :(
Why is Johnson "flexible?"
He’s played exactly one position after a major arm injury. Norton can play both CI spots and the OF.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions
because he can play both infield and outfield if needed, and he’s hit at the top and bottom of the order and been productive…
Can he?
He could. If he can, why hasn’t he.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 9, 2009 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
he played some OF in 05’ i believe it was because there was a need…and 07’ and 08’ he played a damn good 2B…we haven’t had a need for him in the OF, since he was need in the IF..that is he hasn’t..i don’t get what point your trying to make here…
if used right...
the bench could have been very solid this year. however, instead of using kelly johnson, ryan church, david ross, or omar infante for key spots, greg norton was used
so, once again…it wasnt necessarily the bench but the person directing the bench.
ONE MORE YEAR, ONE MORE YEAR, ONE MORE YEAR!!!! :P
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
Woah...
His father murdered his mother? Damn
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
Norton needs to retire....
G. Norton was a average bench player is the second half of his first part time season duties with the Braves in 08’. However this year he just looked simply warn out. He was no Lenny Harris that is for sure, but is anyone LOL ???? No way the Braves bring him back b/c he is just not as good as anything way have in AAA. Barbaro Canizares is my vote for the backup 1b and bench/role player next year. Infante will return as well w/ Conrad.
Next years bench will be – (unless free agents are brought in, LOL) -
Infante – super utility guy/part time starter
Barbaro- back up 1B man/pinch hitter (has earned a spot on the team and he is cheap)
Ross- the BEST backup catcher is baseball
Conrad-Kelly Johnson is a gonner in the offseason and Conrad I think is a great opition as our backup to Prado at 2B.
M.Diaz- starter against lefties and will be or weapon of the bench b/c ATL is going to go out and get some type of power right-handed hitter in the offseason. Granted Matty outplayed all of our OF’s except Mclouth but I just don’t think he can hold up physically for a season ~ of course I could be way off base here (off base w/ Matt Diaz LOL)
We also signed Chris Burke this season but he never got the call so i would not think that he is a valid opition for playing off the bench next year for us and the same goes for Brian Barton & Ryan Church.
by Holty_Panthers_Fan on Oct 4, 2009 8:55 PM EDT reply actions
Is that the same Brooks Conrad who was godawful for the last month of the season?
A “great option,” really?
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Whether Norton retires (likely) or not he won’t be back with the Braves. I think there are several bench candidates down in AAA this season (Canizares, BJones, Conrad, Diory Hernandez, even Matt Young). Canizares seems like a better hitter than Norton at this stage in their careers. I’d still like to find a proven right handed power bat, a guy who can play corner OF and some backup 1B (if we can keep Laroche).
I really like Norton...
Especially last year when he was the best pinch hitter in baseball. but this year, he’s really sucked it up. I wish he was juuuust a bit better because I like having a switch hitter on the bench, but if he’s just gonna be the automatic out he’s been, we’ve gotta let him go.
I’d like him to move on and play a few more years since I know what kind of ability he’s showbn, but maybe Atlanta’s just not the place for him to do it.
He was hardly an automatic out.
His OBP was right at league average.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Norton seems like a really nice man. He has certainly had to deal with some issues some of us can only try and imagine what it was like. But on the baseball field, his retirement started around April 2009. Time to complete the process.
I wish he and his family nothing but the best and it sounds like his kids will grow up with one great Dad which is an accomplishment above all else.
wow, i just found out in 06’ Norton hit 17hr’s in 98 games..never woulda seen that coming…but in all honesty he wasn’t as bad as we made it out..all those walks sure didnt hurt..but unfortunatly we cant say the same for the K’s..there anyway the braves could bring him in for spring training and see if he’s turned it around and then make a decision…cause if he could somehow get back to the PH he was a year ago he’d be an assett..
The PH he was a year ago saw at bats on a much more regular basis...
he spent much of that year getting the occassional start, and I think that helped him in pinch hit appearances having had those extra swings. Whether it’s Greg Norton or not, I don’t want ANYONE on the bench in exclusively a pinch hitting role.
Oh gee...
I wish I hadn’t read that article. I’m already sort of down because the season is over, plus other things that are going on in my life right now. Just thinking about little Jace not being Yunel Escobar anymore, and not seeing the cow, and, and,……sniff.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Classy
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Oct 8, 2009 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Personally
I think he was misused and wouldnt mind him coming back.
The thing is Bobby would have to know when to use him. He is the kind of guy you go to when he is leading off an inning or something like that where a walk would be a great thing.
other than that someone else should be our main PH. i dont know who but we need someone. We could try Conrad but he kinda fell off towards the end of the season. KJ will be gone.
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