Renteria Comeback Earns Nomination
Shortstop has made Boston's loss Atlanta's gain
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
August 07, 2006
ATLANTA -- When Red Sox fans settled in to watch this year's All-Star Game, that guy they saw serving as the National League's starting shortstop was the same one they booed out of Boston and into the arms of a gracious Braves organization.
While the Braves have encountered some uncustomary struggles this year, they wouldn't have even had hopes for the postseason without the production of Edgar Renteria, who was acquired from the Red Sox in December. Proving steady with the glove and potent with his bat, he's once again shown he's one of the game's top shortstops.
Thus, Renteria has been named as one of the National League's nominees for this year's Comeback Player of the Year Award. Fans can cast their vote for the Braves shortstop online at MLB.com.
Last year's winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award, presented by Viagra and voted on by fans via MLB.com, were Jason Giambi of the Yankees and Ken Griffey Jr. of the Reds.
"I think [Red Sox fans] never let him develop into the player that he knows that he is," said Renteria's former Red Sox teammate David Ortiz at this year's All-Star Game. "Everybody knows that Edgar is a superstar. He's a great player and I have a lot of respect for him."
Red Sox fans began booing Renteria in April last year and continued to do so as he committed a career-worst 30 errors and hit just .276 with eight homers. Those jeers have been non-existent this year in Atlanta, where Braves fans have seen him play sound defense and provide consistent offense.
While recording a career-best 23-game hitting streak to begin the season, Renteria quickly silenced his critics and proved he could be the catalyst the Braves envisioned. His only struggles came in June, when he hit .260. Consequently, the club struggled through a miserable month in which they won just six of 27 games.
Renteria quickly turned things around, hitting .374 (17-for-3 in July. Without coincidence, the Braves moved into August still in the thick of the NL Wild Card race.
"He's been our savior," Braves catcher Brian McCann said. "He's come in and played unbelievable short. And he's one of the best hitters I've ever seen. He's a professional. He goes about his business in the right way. He's a good guy to look up to."
Renteria has regained the form that allowed him to claim three Silver Slugger Awards and two Gold Gloves with the Cardinals. Unfortunately, he never gained comfort in Boston and consequently endured the most trying season of his career.
But back in the National League, he's quickly rebounded and shown that he's likely got many more productive years ahead of him.
"We're not where we want to be," Andruw Jones said. "But without him, we probably wouldn't even be there now."
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