Dec 29 2008
Deal for Infante paid dividends for Braves
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — A lot has been made of Frank Wren’s inability to make deals at the Winter Meetings last week.
But there is no denying the move Wren pulled off at last year’s Winter Meetings was a steal for the Braves.
Wren, then just a few weeks into his tenure as GM, shipped right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio to the Cubs for left-handed specialist Will Ohman and versatile utility man Omar Infante. And boy, as rough as the 2008 season was for the Braves, where would they have been without Infante’s efforts all over the diamond.
Serving as Chipper Jones’ primary backup, and also getting time at shortstop, second base, and in the outfield, Infante rebounded from an injured finger suffered in winter ball to give the Braves a boost beginning in early May. For the season, he hit .293 with three homers and 40 RBIs, finishing with 24 doubles and a career-best .338 on-base percentage.
Beyond the stats, Infante gave the Braves a reliable solution at third base on the days Chipper couldn’t go or when Hoss was hurt. And granted, you don’t replace the NL batting champion and future Hall of Famer, but Infante played well in his time at the hot corner. Defensively, he played a solid third base, and he committed one error in 34 games in left field.
Given a chance to play regularly, Infante showed he can perform at the major-league level. The Braves know they can expect Chipper to play probably 120-130 games next season (let’s face it; anything extra from Hoss is a bonus). With Infante, the Braves know they’ve got a steady replacement, one who also will see time at a variety of positions in 2009.
—30—
