Andruw Jones vs Mark Kotsay

No this isn't some MLB goes UFC kinda thing, just a little season comparison for any Braves fan wondering 'What if'.

Well here we are in May, over a month into the season and a little comparison in stats is worthy of note.

Good year or bad, the Braves basically decided they weren't going to get into a bidding war to keep Andruw in Center. Well coming off his worst statistical season ever, it looked like the Braves could throw something out there that would seem reasonable, well they decided not to even do that. Opting instead to say thanks for everything Andruw, we're moving in a different direction. Thus Andruw took his career low .222 AVG and 136Ks to the Dodgers who gave him a 2 year contract for $36.2, which is about $34.2 million too much.

Why is $34.2 million too much you ask? Well that is the difference for what the Braves are paying Mark Kotsay versus what the Dodgers are paying Andruw. When the Braves let Jones go they needed to replace him with a veteran centerfielder that would be salary friendly. Well they got that in a trade with Oakland in exchange for former first round pick Joey Devine. They also talked the A's into eating $6 million of Kotsay's $8 million contract. Thus the $2 million difference from what the Dodgers paid vs what Andruw is really worth.

So here is a breakdown on Andruw Jones vs Mark Kotsay's 2008 season to date.

_______Kotsay---Jones

AVG___-(.309)....(.170)
OBP___-(.367)....(.279)
ABs____(110)......(106)
Hits____(34).......(18)
RBIs___(15)........(4)
Runs___(15)......(15)
HR____(3).........(1) That one vs the Braves..we felt bad for him.
3B_____(2).......(1)
2B____(5)..........(5)
BB____(10).......(16)
K's____(12).......(36)
SB____(1)..........(0)

So you tell me, who's getting the most bang for their buck??!! I'm a die hard Braves fan and love watching Andruw roam centerfield but he's lost something and that something seems to be the ability to consistently see and hit the ball. He's not the same player that hit 51 Homeruns just 3 seasons ago.

Frank Wren in just his short time at the GM helm did a great job in landing Kotsay and getting him for the bargain price of just $2 million, its much better than the suckers in LA for paying $18 million for less production, we saw that coming, apparently the Dodgers didn't.