Jan 20 2009
Braves avoid arbitration with closer-to-be Gonzalez
By Bud L. Ellis
braves.today.com
ATLANTA — Back at it following a day away from the ol’ blog, on a chilly morning in Georgia’s capital city and a historic day in our nation’s capital.
Inauguration coverage is everywhere, and rightly so. But while the world focuses on the swearing in of a new president in D.C., here in Atlanta, we’re rolling on with coverage of the Atlanta Braves.
Can you believe spring training opens in just three and a half weeks? Doesn’t feel that way here this morning, after snow flurries skirted the city last night and the wind chill has returned to the single digits.
Yep folks, it won’t be long until pitchers and catchers report, the most magic words any baseball fan can hear. We’ve warmed ourselves alongside the Hot Stove through this chilly winter, a winter that was frigid and frustrating for the Braves until the past 10 days, when the signings of Kenshin Kawakami and (more notably) Derek Lowe warmed the hearts and minds of Braves Nation.
Monday, Atlanta announced it has avoided arbitration with closer-to-be Mike Gonzalez, signing the fiery lefty to a one-year, $3.45-million deal. Along with inking Matt Diaz last week, that leaves just three Braves who are facing potential hearings with an arbitrator: Kelly Johnson, Casey Kotchman and Jeff Francoeur.
Usually, the Braves do everything they can to avoid arbitration, and typically, players and the club agree before the third-party is called in to assign a salary for the upcoming season. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Braves reach an agreement with Johnson, Kotchman and Francoeur before a hearing is necessary.
Gonzalez clearly is the frontrunner for the closer’s spot. He saved 14 games after returning from surgery in June, but his ERA ballooned down the stretch, finishing at 4.28.
The Braves would like to work out a longer deal with the 30-year-old, but I think his struggles in September (three losses, 5.84 ERA) along with the fact he was rehabbing from surgery this time last year gives the team pause. But if Gonzalez is healthy and pitches well, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Braves attempt to lock Gonzalez up to a two- or three-year deal.
Yes, signing a closer long-term always is a roll of the dice, and we’ve seen a revolving door in the ninth ever since John Smoltz decided to return to the starting rotation entering the 2005 season. But Gonzalez has the stuff, the competitive fire, and the makeup to own the ninth inning. If he can do just that, the rest of the bullpen figures to fall in line nicely, and could be one of the stronger relief corps in all of baseball.
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I really like Gonzo. I hope we lock him up long-term. I have no worries about his struggles late last season. A lot of his struggles came in non save situations. We all know the stories about closers not doing good in those situations. Also it was said sometimes he didn’t have his full arm strength at times.
Good for the Braves! Hey bud how bout Francoeur wanting nearly 4 Million. Awesome gotta love baseball. Only area of life where you can ask for a 800% raise after the worst year of performance in your career. Awesome.