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Eric Hinske To Return To Braves In 2012

Ski is coming back for 2012.

The Braves twitter feed just announced that the team has picked up the club option for 2012 in Eric Hinske's contract, but the team declined their option on Nate McLouth. That was what most everyone expected to happen. Hinske had an off year, but he is still a guy who could be very valuable off the bench for Atlanta.

Pinch hitting is such a temperamental art form, and players can seem to excel at it one year and stink at it the next. Hinske knows how to be a pinch hitter without letting these extremes affect him too much. He's also a great clubhouse presence, and almost worth retaining just for that.

Nate McLouth was the hitting equivalent of Mike Hampton during his time with the Braves. He likely won't be missed by anyone, especially with Bourn patrolling center next year for Atlanta.

Those are the only decisions on options the team had to worry about. The next big decision will be whether to offer arbitration to Peter Moylan, who is recovering from yet another surgery.

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Welcome Back SKE!

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 31, 2011 12:09 PM EDT reply actions  

What is the sabermetric definition of "great clubhouse presence"?

Also, how is it measured, weighed, quantified, and otherwise placed under the sabermetric microscope?
And if none of the above, how could it possibly be “worth” anything?

by fandave on Oct 31, 2011 12:43 PM EDT reply actions  

It isn't directly quantifiable...

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 31, 2011 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

Great Clubhouse Presence...

helps the Braves brand.

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 31, 2011 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

Half-off at Target this week.

I’m here to kick ass and drink sweet tea, and dammit, I’m all out of sweet tea.

by TheLetter2 on Oct 31, 2011 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions  

INDIANS ACQUIRE DEREK LOWE!!!!!

WOW! MLBTR

"Forget Roy Halladay or Clayton Kershaw or Cliff Lee, the NL Cy Young Award should go to O’Ventrel." - David Schoenfield, ESPN.com, 8/19/11

by carpengui on Oct 31, 2011 12:48 PM EDT reply actions  

(yeah, I know – off topic… capslock key stuck… WHO CARES??)

"Forget Roy Halladay or Clayton Kershaw or Cliff Lee, the NL Cy Young Award should go to O’Ventrel." - David Schoenfield, ESPN.com, 8/19/11

by carpengui on Oct 31, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions  

Linky?

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Oct 31, 2011 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

I kinda figured that links would be making themselves even as I was typing that!

"Forget Roy Halladay or Clayton Kershaw or Cliff Lee, the NL Cy Young Award should go to O’Ventrel." - David Schoenfield, ESPN.com, 8/19/11

by carpengui on Oct 31, 2011 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions  

HELL YEAH...

it deserves caps lock…. extra 5 million to spend!

by RWH2 on Oct 31, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!

It sucks that this will overshadow us keeping Ski, but I’m sure he’s happy to see Lowe and McSuck go too.

by CaliforniaBrave on Oct 31, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

"All these guys are my good friends, and I want to go out there and battle with them," Hinske said. "I don’t want to be with any other team. I want to be with the Atlanta Braves. I want to play with Brian McCann and Chipper Jones and David Ross and Dan Uggla. These guys are my boys."

Braves.
Falcons.
Gamecocks.

by walknbalk on Oct 31, 2011 1:14 PM EDT reply actions  

Glad Hinske is returning. I’d like to see Moylan back too, but I have my doubts about that.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Oct 31, 2011 1:37 PM EDT reply actions  

Let’s hope they non-tender him and then bring him back with a more representative contract. I like both Moylan and Big Damage!

by blwfish on Oct 31, 2011 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

Will the Braves consider bringing back Nate as the 4th OF?

Nate is a great clubhouse guy and should be willing to sign for a whole lot less coming off injury.

by LEastCoastBears on Oct 31, 2011 3:19 PM EDT reply actions  

I’m sure that everyone involved thinks that a change of scenery might do him some good.

Q: If not us, who? If not now, when? A: The Batman. And "when you least expect it."

by Lennox on Oct 31, 2011 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

Pinch hitting is such a temperamental art form, and players can seem to excel at it one year and stink at it the next.

And then there’s Greg Norton.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

by adc62 on Oct 31, 2011 6:26 PM EDT reply actions  

Ah yes, Greg Norton

who excelled one year and then stunk the next.

http://sportsandgrits.com/

by Mr. Sanchez on Oct 31, 2011 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions  

After checking his stats

I agree. I guess the year he stunk clouded my memory. Shame on me for posting w/out proper research.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby

by adc62 on Nov 1, 2011 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions  

So glad to hear Hinske is coming back.

Chicks dig the long ball.

by kimrob1 on Nov 1, 2011 5:47 PM EDT reply actions  

I like BOTH of these decisions :-)

~ "Curve: The loveliest distance between two points." ~ Mae West ~

by NCChopper on Nov 4, 2011 6:32 PM EDT reply actions  

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