Braves (Predictably) Sign Wes Helms

by gondeee on Aug 17, 2011 7:49 PM EDT in Braves Related Free Agents

Infielder Wes Helms was signed by the Atlanta Braves today, after being released by the Florida Marlins last week. Helms will report to triple-A Gwinnett and likely join the Atlanta club when rosters expand in September. He should benefit from some regular at-bats, as he was hitting rather poorly when Florida released him.

This could be the right-handed bench bat that the Braves have been looking for -- the right-handed version of Eric Hinske. Helms is no stranger to being a pinch-hitter, coming to the plate 389 times as a pinch hitter in his career, and compiling a .259/..336/.411 slash line with seven home runs. In 2009, Helms was one of the best pinch hitters in baseball, compiling a .347 average in that role.

Helms started his career with the Braves, making his Major League debut with the team back in 1998, after being drafted by Atlanta in the 10th round of the 1994 draft. He is primarily a first baseman and third baseman, but he has played some left field in his career, though he is not mobile enough to play it on a regular basis. At 35 years old, Helms could be a useful bat of the bench if he can sort out his swing. His 2011 stats with the Marlins are below:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2011 - Wes Helms	69	110	10	21	5	0	0	6	11	35	0	0	.191	.276	.236

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Veteran Presence!

DFA Heyward. I'm dead serious
by wpf3211 on Aug 6, 2011 9:11 PM EDT

by leedawg on Aug 17, 2011 7:52 PM EDT reply actions

Good low risk move

I still hope we look into acquiring a guy like Willingham who could platoon with Heyward/Constanza in the playoffs but if we don’t Helms at least provides RH pop as a PH since Fredi refuses to use Ross in that role.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 7:58 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

What?

Helms sux

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by lingsched on Aug 17, 2011 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

And so if he does

What’s the risk? As long as FW doesn’t stop looking to improve there is none. With one less pitcher on playoff roster there is room for another bat this just gives us another option.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 8:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Guys,

He’s slugging .236, but clearly he has pop. Those 5 doubles in 110 ABs prove it.

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by lingsched on Aug 17, 2011 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

better than lugo, i guess

i’m still not sure what that guy does

by gaucho_marx on Aug 18, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

(besides the obvious—ground out, strike out, etc.)

by gaucho_marx on Aug 18, 2011 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

that means we could have LoMo soon.?

by joshant on Aug 17, 2011 8:11 PM EDT reply actions

Great..

Another Julio Lugo-level of suck that is available for use because he is a “veteran.” What a dumb move.

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by lingsched on Aug 17, 2011 8:29 PM EDT reply actions

October history

Is littered with guys who sucked in the regular season and got hot in the playoffs.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 8:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

LOL

OK, better sign all these crappy guys so they can excel in the playoffs!

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by lingsched on Aug 17, 2011 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I get not being excited

But I don’t get how passionate you are on the other side. We gave up nothing. It’s like hating American cheese. If it works great if not oh well.

Who would you rather see as the last bench player in October?

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 9:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

What’s to cry about?? It’s a move for September only. He won’t be on the playoff roster, he won’t be taking any serious amount of playing time from anyone.

-C

It’s rough to sit through these games and not have someone that can’t hit a Ball?

by cthabeerman on Aug 17, 2011 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

110 AB

and 0 HR? For a guy that big…thats alarming, as if the average wasn’t.

by Eminem on Aug 17, 2011 9:18 PM EDT reply actions

Gondeee, you do realize that Ross, Conrad, Heyward, and Hinske will all be available to pinch hit when rosters expand, right? Unless a game goes into the 28th inning, Helms shouldnt be taking any at-bats from anyone…

Just Beachy here. How 'bout you?

by ryan c on Aug 17, 2011 9:40 PM EDT reply actions

Half of the guys

you mention are lefties, Conrad is worse from the right side and Ross has little experience pinch hitting.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 17, 2011 10:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Do not doubt the greatness of David Ross, just because Fredi refuses to use him in that role. There have now been two different stretches this season where we have 3 catchers on the roster and David is still the last guy off the bench. I for one do not understand.

by Choppa2Chippa on Aug 17, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

I don’t get why McCann can pinch hit and take over for Ross on his days off leaving no backup but we would use Lugo in lieu of Ross when McCann starts.

To be fair one of the stretches with 3 catchers was 1 or 2 games, but still it seems to be something Fredi just won’t do, which further illustrates why this low risk move is worth it.

by atlynkhtr on Aug 18, 2011 1:36 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I love this move. Wes is the definition of professional, and even if he adds nothing to the Major League team, just having him with the AAA guys for a few weeks will be a huge plus. He learned the right way to do things when he was coming up and he’s been showing the Marlins guys the right way to do things the last few years, even if some of them were beyond help. I hope he can find his stroke again and contribute to a few September wins.

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by cbwilk on Aug 18, 2011 1:56 AM EDT reply actions