Second Base: From Lemke to Giles
In my second series of posts I'm rounding first and heading to second. Mark Lemke began his career as a Brave back in 1988. Lemke started out as a backup to Jeff Treadway. Lemke took over the starting job in 1991 and didn't let go until 1997. Atlanta looked at 2B for many years as a defensive over offensive skilled position. As you can tell in Lemke's numbers, he hit 32HRs with averages of .246/.317/.324 career wide. Lemke's fame came from his postseason play. He excelled in this venue.
1991 World Series:
M. Lemke .417/.462/.708 24AB
1992 NLCS:
M. Lemke .333/.462/.381
1996 NLCS
M. Lemke .444/.516/.630
After 1997, Lemke moved on to the Boston Red Sox for one season before retiring. During that '97 season Atlanta made a trade with KC that sent Jermaine Dye to the Royals for Keith Lockhart and Michael Tucker. Maybe a good move at the time; Tucker was still reliable & productive, but in the long run this deal doesn't look attractive. Does Dye 2005 World Series MVP have anything to say!?! about it. Anyway, Lockhart would become the next 2B for Atlanta beginning in 1998.
1998-Keith Lockhart/Tony Graffanino
Lockhart continued the Lemke like numbers during the regular season. His backup that year was Tony Graffanino, most don't even remember he came up with the Braves. Graffanino's numbers didn't look all that impressive either. Here's a look at both players:
K. Lockhart .257/.311/.388 9HR 37RBI 366AB's 97 games
T. Graffanino .211/.275/.318 5HR 22RBI 289AB's 93 games
What would the Braves have in store for 1999.
1999-Brett Boone
Winter of '98 Bret Boone was traded to Atlanta with Mike Remlinger as apart of the Denny Neagle/Michael Tucker deal. Boone brought pop in his bat to Atlanta, something that the Braves had not been used to in a second baseman. That pop has now become questionable. I don't think Boone ever fit in with the Braves. We may now know why.
B. Boone .252/.310/.416 20HR 63RBI 608AB's!! 151 games 112K's-led team
Spending only one year with the Braves, Boone was traded to San Diego where Atlanta would get another 2B in return.
2000-Quilvio Veras/Keith Lockhart
Quilvio Veras would turn out to be a very good addition for the Braves. Veras would spend this year and the next with the team. Keith Lockhart still hanging around would split time with Veras. I can't remember but, Veras may have got hurt resulting in half a season. On a side note, Rafael Furcal also played 31 games at second base.
Q. Veras .309/.413/.409 5HR 37RBI 82 games
K. Lockhart .265/.331/.353 2HR 32RBI 74 games
2001 & 2002-Veras, Lockhart, DeRosa, Garcia, and Giles
Veras would continue to split time with Keith Lockhart and now rookie Marcus Giles during the 2001 season. Veras's numbers slipped a bit and Giles was begining to show power numbers something the Braves hadn't seen a glimpse of since Boone. Another rookie was thrown in the mix, Mark DeRosa was battling for a positional spot. Meanwhile, long time minor leaguer Jesse Garcia was trying to make it in the bigs.
As 2002 began, Veras left for free agency and veteran Keith Lockhart split time with Marcus Giles and DeRosa at 2B. I have to say Bobby Cox saw more than everyone else saw in Keith Lockhart. I'm sure he's not a bad guy, but he was given more and more playing time over the other guys. At the end of the 2002 season Lockhart declared free agency and was picked up by the San Diego Padres.
2003 & 2004-Giles takes command
In 2003, Marcus Giles was given the nod at 2B. Giles took the job and ran with it. He had a monster 2003 that resulted in an All-Star appearence.
'03 numbers
M. Giles .316/.390/.526 21HR 69RBI 139 games
Giles had clearly taken the position and it was his to lose. At the start of the season I expected more of a DeRosa/Giles competition. Giles clearly ran away with the competition.
In 2004, Giles had everything going for him, and Braves fans were excited to see what would come out of '04. Giles started right where he left off the previous year. That would soon change, a collision with CF Andruw Jones put his season on hold. Giles would only be out for 2 months, but who would be take his place? Nick Green. Nick who? Green was brought up from the minors and did a real good job filling in for Giles.
'04 numbers
N. Green .273/.312/.386 3HR 26RBI 75 games
M. Giles .311/.378/.443 8HR 48RBI 97 games
Nick Green's Braves career didn't last long as he was traded in the offseason to Tampa for pitcher Jorge Sosa, another good Schuerholz move.
2005 and beyond
As with 2004, in 2005 Giles wanted to continue the success of the '03 season. This time he played almost a full season without platooning with a Lockhart or getting injured on a freak accident. Giles in the dugout acts like a goofball. He's the class clown of the clubhouse. Last year he would slap Francoeur, and others in the head, he's crazy. I'm waiting for the day he injures himself acting stupid.
'05 numbers
M. Giles: .291/.365/.461 15HR 63RBI 149 games 108K's -he was swinging for the fences way too much last year.
Pete Orr was the backup and saw limited time at 2B. Orr was used alot as a pitch runner.
In the future I think it's mandatory given the success of Giles to wrap him up for a long term deal. He's a free agent after the 2007 season. Negotiations on a contract renewal might start sometime this year. There's not much depth in the minors at 2B. The GM's son Jonathon Schueholz was in Triple A last year and was given a Spring Training invite this year. The luck as of late (Drew, Furcal, Farnsworth) at resigning players has not been on the Braves side. Only time will tell.
1991 World Series:
M. Lemke .417/.462/.708 24AB
1992 NLCS:
M. Lemke .333/.462/.381
1996 NLCS
M. Lemke .444/.516/.630
After 1997, Lemke moved on to the Boston Red Sox for one season before retiring. During that '97 season Atlanta made a trade with KC that sent Jermaine Dye to the Royals for Keith Lockhart and Michael Tucker. Maybe a good move at the time; Tucker was still reliable & productive, but in the long run this deal doesn't look attractive. Does Dye 2005 World Series MVP have anything to say!?! about it. Anyway, Lockhart would become the next 2B for Atlanta beginning in 1998.
1998-Keith Lockhart/Tony Graffanino
Lockhart continued the Lemke like numbers during the regular season. His backup that year was Tony Graffanino, most don't even remember he came up with the Braves. Graffanino's numbers didn't look all that impressive either. Here's a look at both players:
K. Lockhart .257/.311/.388 9HR 37RBI 366AB's 97 games
T. Graffanino .211/.275/.318 5HR 22RBI 289AB's 93 games
What would the Braves have in store for 1999.
1999-Brett Boone
Winter of '98 Bret Boone was traded to Atlanta with Mike Remlinger as apart of the Denny Neagle/Michael Tucker deal. Boone brought pop in his bat to Atlanta, something that the Braves had not been used to in a second baseman. That pop has now become questionable. I don't think Boone ever fit in with the Braves. We may now know why.
B. Boone .252/.310/.416 20HR 63RBI 608AB's!! 151 games 112K's-led team
Spending only one year with the Braves, Boone was traded to San Diego where Atlanta would get another 2B in return.
2000-Quilvio Veras/Keith Lockhart
Quilvio Veras would turn out to be a very good addition for the Braves. Veras would spend this year and the next with the team. Keith Lockhart still hanging around would split time with Veras. I can't remember but, Veras may have got hurt resulting in half a season. On a side note, Rafael Furcal also played 31 games at second base.
Q. Veras .309/.413/.409 5HR 37RBI 82 games
K. Lockhart .265/.331/.353 2HR 32RBI 74 games
2001 & 2002-Veras, Lockhart, DeRosa, Garcia, and Giles
Veras would continue to split time with Keith Lockhart and now rookie Marcus Giles during the 2001 season. Veras's numbers slipped a bit and Giles was begining to show power numbers something the Braves hadn't seen a glimpse of since Boone. Another rookie was thrown in the mix, Mark DeRosa was battling for a positional spot. Meanwhile, long time minor leaguer Jesse Garcia was trying to make it in the bigs.
As 2002 began, Veras left for free agency and veteran Keith Lockhart split time with Marcus Giles and DeRosa at 2B. I have to say Bobby Cox saw more than everyone else saw in Keith Lockhart. I'm sure he's not a bad guy, but he was given more and more playing time over the other guys. At the end of the 2002 season Lockhart declared free agency and was picked up by the San Diego Padres.
2003 & 2004-Giles takes command
In 2003, Marcus Giles was given the nod at 2B. Giles took the job and ran with it. He had a monster 2003 that resulted in an All-Star appearence.
'03 numbers
M. Giles .316/.390/.526 21HR 69RBI 139 games
Giles had clearly taken the position and it was his to lose. At the start of the season I expected more of a DeRosa/Giles competition. Giles clearly ran away with the competition.
In 2004, Giles had everything going for him, and Braves fans were excited to see what would come out of '04. Giles started right where he left off the previous year. That would soon change, a collision with CF Andruw Jones put his season on hold. Giles would only be out for 2 months, but who would be take his place? Nick Green. Nick who? Green was brought up from the minors and did a real good job filling in for Giles.
'04 numbers
N. Green .273/.312/.386 3HR 26RBI 75 games
M. Giles .311/.378/.443 8HR 48RBI 97 games
Nick Green's Braves career didn't last long as he was traded in the offseason to Tampa for pitcher Jorge Sosa, another good Schuerholz move.
2005 and beyond
As with 2004, in 2005 Giles wanted to continue the success of the '03 season. This time he played almost a full season without platooning with a Lockhart or getting injured on a freak accident. Giles in the dugout acts like a goofball. He's the class clown of the clubhouse. Last year he would slap Francoeur, and others in the head, he's crazy. I'm waiting for the day he injures himself acting stupid.
'05 numbers
M. Giles: .291/.365/.461 15HR 63RBI 149 games 108K's -he was swinging for the fences way too much last year.
Pete Orr was the backup and saw limited time at 2B. Orr was used alot as a pitch runner.
In the future I think it's mandatory given the success of Giles to wrap him up for a long term deal. He's a free agent after the 2007 season. Negotiations on a contract renewal might start sometime this year. There's not much depth in the minors at 2B. The GM's son Jonathon Schueholz was in Triple A last year and was given a Spring Training invite this year. The luck as of late (Drew, Furcal, Farnsworth) at resigning players has not been on the Braves side. Only time will tell.
posted by Adam at
1:38 PM
1 Comments:
I always hated Mark Lemke which really only means one thing coming from a Phils fan - he annoyed the hell out of me, but I'd take him on my team anyday.
It's strange to see Mark DeRosa's name written that way; the Phillies broadcasters only ever referred to him as "Former Penn Quakers quarterback Mark DeRosa."
By
XXX, at 1:23 AM
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