[Curtis]

Originally Posted by Purple Cowboy

The Braves are being led in their futility by 36-year old Venezuelan third baseman Dioner Navarro. Navarro’s .214 batting average is 10th worst in Major League Baseball among regular starters and he is on pace to destroy the all-time record for most errors in a season by a third baseman with 44 errors in 53 starts. Navarro, a lifetime catcher, is finding the hot corner a bit of a hard adjustment.

“When the ball gets close to me, I just close my eyes and try to smash it away with my glove or my throwing hand or a leg,” Navarro has been quoted as saying in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about his controversial fielding techniques. “The manager loves it. He tells me every day this is how he wished the whole team would play. Of course, I do have a home run this year so my bat probably plays a factor in why I’m out there, able to give it my all, every day. Hell, put me in center field I’ll play there too.”

They Said It…

“Yes, it’s true, I cannot look at the ball when I’m about to field it so I do close my eyes and just sort of hope things will turn out okay with my wild full-body flailings. It’s like I have a seizure every time the ball is hit to me is the best way I can describe it to you.”
-Atlanta’s new third baseman Dioner Navarro comments on the possible cause of his Major League-leading 44 errors.

“I know he’s old and his knees are shot and he’s a lifetime catcher and he has 44 errors in 53 games but he’s a gamer and I think he’s going to play sparkling defense the rest of the season.”
-Atlanta Braves Manager Eric Hignell defends himself against accusations of incompetence and gross negligence at allowing Dioner Navarro to continue as the starting third baseman.

Dioner Navarro Watch

Atlanta third baseman Dioner Navarro, a career catcher making the switch to third at age 36, is making a run at infamy this season as his awful play at third base has him on pace to shatter the all-time record for errors by a third baseman. In the Braves’ last series, a 3-game set against the San Francisco Giants, Navarro committed 3 errors putting him at 47 errors in 57 starts. Before now he’s been pretty ignorant about the record but he’s suddenly adopted a more defiant attitude as his recent comments reflect:

“I can do better, sure,” said Navarro after a 2-error performance in the Braves’ 10-8 loss on Saturday, “but do I really want to? No! Why should I? I still start every day and, more importantly, I get paid. And even if I get released I’ll get my money. I’m going for the record whether the club likes it or not. Skip (Atlanta Manager Eric Hignell) would be really stupid to bench me at this point. People want to see if I’ll kick the ball or where it will bounce off me or if I’ll just drill it in the ground. And I won’t disappoint, I can guarantee that.”

(backing away slowly)You sure are a mean drunk, Purple Cowboy.