Renteria Trade Looking Good
Deal for shortstop ranks among Schuerholz' best
By Thomas Stinson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
August 02, 2006
Turn off the porch light. Fred McGriff isn't coming.
With a couple new patches on the bullpen and a new utility infielder, the Braves reeled into the final third of the season in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, the trading deadline having passed without revelation. No coup d'etat. No summer-changing occurrence like the one 13 years ago that brought McGriff to town. Or Denny Neagle in 1996. Or even a Mike Devereaux in 1995.
No one. Unless, as some believe, that deal was actually made months ago. He's the guy playing shortstop.
Lost in Atlanta's Summer of Swoon is that not so long ago, the Braves' foremost problem was a vacancy at shortstop. In his first 104 games with the club, Edgar Renteria has calmly performed like no shortstop in not just Atlanta history but franchise history.
Said third baseman Chipper Jones, "I think he's been our MVP."
Entering the Pirates series, Renteria led the team in hits (122), runs (70) and stolen bases (12) while ranking second in doubles (23), on-base percentage (.395) and total bases (180). His fielding percentage (.980) is the highest by a Braves shortstop since 1942 (Eddie Miller, .983).
"He's been a great influence on our team," manager Bobby Cox said. "He does little things that nobody knows about, but he's always worked hard."
But the most critical trade - mid-season or otherwise - since McGriff? Who has done more?
Marquis Grissom (April 6, 1995): Gold Glove center fielder, he hit just .258 in the world championship season but produced the huge 207-hit year in 1996, his last with the club.
Denny Neagle (Aug. 28, 1996): Went 22-8 through 1997 and could imitate the great train whistle. As a No. 4 starter, there was none better.
Gary Sheffield (Jan. 15, 2002): Missed nearly 30 games his first year with a bad wrist before the Silver Slugger year in 2003 (NL-high 132 RBIs). Still, he went 3-for-30 in the postseason for the Braves.
J.D. Drew (Dec. 13, 2003): Big, big year (.305, 31 HRs, 93 RBIs) in 2004. But also one-and-done.
Who else? Devereaux, the journeyman-cum-NLCS MVP in 1995? Otis Nixon? Alejandro Pena? Mike Hampton? Tim Hudson? Bob Wickman? Renteria, procured at the cost of top prospect Andy Marte, is contractually bound here through 2008, and Boston, in its rush to deal him, is paying his 2006 salary. Has there been a better trade since McGriff?
"I don't really think about that kind of stuff," Braves general manager John Schuerholz said. "Obviously, [the deal] was beyond important. It was essential."
"We've made moves every year, but we haven't kept a lot of the people we've made moves for," said starting pitcher John Smoltz. "So to rate this one - if I were going to rate it like a Gary Sheffield or a J.D. Drew, and that list goes on - this one certainly ranks up there. Because he's having a fantastic year, and God knows where we'd be without him."
A full comparison of his performance leads the analyst all the way back to the Boston Beaneaters. Should he maintain his .319 average, Renteria will surpass every Atlanta shortstop (Furcal topped out at .295 his rookie year). The franchise's player to beat: Alvin Dark, who hit .322 in his rookie-of-the-year campaign of 1948 for the Boston Braves.
"He has certainly, in this short period of time, eased the pain of our leadoff hitter going to L.A.," Smoltz said.
Similarly, Renteria is on pace for 17 home runs, which would rank second (along with Jeff Blauser) behind Denis Menke (20 in 1964) for most by any Braves shortstop in the modern era. Until the last homestand, Renteria also was projecting close to a 90-RBI season, which would be the highest by a franchise shortstop since the Beaneaters' Herman Long drove in 100 in 1899. And Long made 60 errors that year.
"It's never easy," Renteria said. "Baseball is never easy."
Returning to the fastball-oriented pitching in the National League has been beneficial, he said. Renteria followed up a 24-game hit streak in the season's first five weeks with a 15-game streak last month and just concluded a .374
average in July. The .319 average is 31 points above his 10-year career mark, and he is on pace to reach career highs in homers and runs scored (109).
"I've liked Edgar for a long time," Jones said. "I thought when Florida got rid of him [in 1998], we should have been hot on his trail then. But it didn't work out then. Better late than never. I'm glad to having him hitting in front of me."
A two-time Gold Glove winner, Renteria has also adapted smoothly to Turner Field's lightning-quick infield. Furcal's range has been missed; he finished with over 500 assists last season, where Renteria projects around 430. But with only eight errors over his first four months, he provides the team with its most consistent glove-work in 63 seasons.
All of which had been unknown to Renteria, until informed of some of his historical significance. The Braves' steep road to October, made steeper yet by their disastrous past homestand, could be worse; 29 of their next 31 games come against teams with losing records. Jones is hurt, the rotation has been pummeled, all July momentum lost, while the new shortstop quietly constructs one of the best seasons the franchise has ever seen.
Affording a quick grin, Renteria said, "Thank God, eh?"
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