Is Hank divorcing the Braves?

When I first read Terence Moore's column about the apparent rift between Hank and Bobby, my instincts as a homer kicked in. I'd prefer to never read anything negative about the Braves.   

But eventually my reporting instincts took over, and it's impossible to deny the newsworthiness of a (one-sided) feud between two of the team's icons. None is greater than #44, of course, but I don't see what he's pissed about here:

Said Aaron, with a sigh, “I told Bobby. I told them all, and I told them, ‘Y’all better go and get Chipper Jones.’ “ 

That was opposed to pitcher Todd Van Poppel, Cox’s first choice, according to Aaron. “I talked to Van Poppel’s daddy, and he told me that he wasn’t going to sign with the Braves, but that’s who Bobby wanted with that first pick, because he always was into getting pitching.” 

Cox looked perplexed when informed of Aaron’s remarks, saying, “Well, we had a lot of people see [Van Poppel], and they liked him. Some other [Braves scouts] went to see Chipper, and they liked him a lot. I can’t remember if I had Hank talk to Van Poppel’s father or not, but [Van Poppel] was unsignable. And we needed to know that beforehand. So that’s why it really was an easy decision to take Chipper. He wanted to sign. He wasn’t playing games with the college thing. It was simple. I mean, Chipper was the guy.”

Is Aaron saying he wanted Chipper regardless of Van Poppel's signability? It's unclear, and if so he wasn't the only one, according to Bill Shanks (who provides some valuable context).

As the Braves continued to scout both players, they backed off from talking to them directly. They were pretty sure Jones would sign and that Van Poppel was still a question mark. 

So they concentrated on taking their time and making sure their evaluations were complete. The more people scouted Jones, the more they became enamored with his talent and his potential. 

“For me, I just thought it was General Lee up there sitting in a gray uniform on a horse leading the troops,” says Dean Jongewaard, a Braves crosschecker. “He was a leader. You really get happy when you see that. There’s not even one in every draft. You can go two or three drafts and never see that kind of ability. Like a Ken Griffey or Alex Rodriguez, you can go years without seeing that type of player come along.” 

A few days before the draft, the Braves decided to take a vote. Which player should they take with the first pick? Van Poppel or Jones? ”We had nine different reports from nine different people that had seen both of those guys," Snyder says. "The vote was 5-4 Chipper."

Van Poppel was considered by many to be the next Roger Clemens. All things being equal -- that is, if the Texas pitching phenom had been willing to sign with the Braves -- one assumes the hierarchy would've drafted Van Poppel. That would've been understandable. A huge mistake fans would've never forgiven them for, but understandable. Van Poppel was the consensus top pick. 

One wonders why Hank's even bringing this up 18 years later, but it's clear he's feels taken for granted. And did you know he serves on the board of one of the bidders trying to purchase the Cubs? 

I can't even stomach the thought of Hank in a Cubs hat. However, after talking to some people who would know, the Hammer is letting bitterness cloud his judgement, and his resentment appears woefully misdirected. 

He's wanting credit where it isn't due. I don't see why the Braves should be expected to give it to him, at least not in regard to the drafting of Chipper. Todd Van Poppel deserves more credit for that than Aaron does.

--CB

Comments

[PepeFreeUs]

Marlins and Brewers, both.

My dream of a Gotham-free October is close to fruition.

[atlpaddy]

My friends, today we are all Marlins fans.

[atlpaddy]

Van Poppell=Pitcher=Jeff George=Quarterback

[sansho1]

Your namesake is profiled again at Cardboard Gods:

http://tinyurl.com/3lhe2g

[Willie Montanez]

I am a Braves/baseball fan because of Hank Aaron. It was his chase of the HR record which led me to baseball and for that he will always be my favorite player.

The timing of it did seem very strange and petty to me as well, even though it does seem like Aaron is given little recognition for his role in building this franchise. If it is going to make him happy to be a part owner of the Cubs, then I wish him well.

[clete boyer fan]

I don't think that this would count as a feud; I certainly wouldn't put it in the Herock vs Glanville category. Just because you're not chummy with your colleagues doesn't mean that you have/had disagreements all the time. Perhaps Hank just feels overlooked and maybe he should. People forget that during his tenure as Farm Director, the Braves developed Justice, Glavine, Gant, Blauser, Mercker, Stanton, Lemke, et. al... It does seem curious that Hank would want to raise this now, but this'll blow over quickly.

[Viva Rufino Linares!]

I'm with you CB. Not sure why Hank is bringing this up now. I think Hank not only feels taken for granted by the Braves, but by baseball in general. I think it's warranted to a degree, but not in this case. The bottom line is Chipper is a Brave and the organization made the correct decision.

[PepeFreeUs]

He's long felt taken for granted and that he's been denied his due in his role in developing this team.

As for Van Poppell, I distinctly remember that his parents were very clear beforehand that they thought little of the Braves organization and they were afraid we'd pull a David Clyde on their son's precious arm.

I have always suspected (and I know that I'm not alone), that they colluded with the A's. I can't imagine Oakland taking a flier with a first round pick. I can remember Todd's old man snorting at our promoting Avery right after the draft and saying that it was the sort of situation he wanted to keep him away from and that we'd always be losers and his son was now primed to join the winning tradition of a first class organization, ad infinitum.

The fact that they short sightedly missed out on joining a rising franchise to glom onto a fading one, and that their son turned into the Next Tim Leary, rather than the Next Nolan Ryan, has always made me warm and contented inside.

It's possible that Leo could have made something of him, but I really doubt it. A classic case of a guy with a million dollar arm and a five cent head.