The Return of Javy Lopez?

As reported by both CNNSI.com and the AJC.com, former All-Star catcher and fan favorite (particularly among the females!) Javy Lopez has agreed to a minor league contract to vie for a backup role on the Atlanta Braves. The one year contract with a base of $750,000 if he makes the team is quite a bit off from the $60 million plus he's made as a starting catcher.

Javy Lopez has had an exceptional career, but last year he did not make the Colorado Rockies' team out of spring training and sat out the season. This, after having poor seasons in Baltimore and Boston. For the Braves, Javy was pretty consistent offensively. After having an off-season in 2002 when he hit a microscopic .233 with 11 homeruns and 52 RBIs in 109 games, he rebounded in 2003 with a .328 average and 43 homeruns and 109 RBIs. But Lopez left after that season and we know who came around to catch for the Braves soon after!

Lopez is not being brought in to tutor Brian McCann who has been a great all around catcher for the Braves. Lopez is not being brought in either to help sell tickets. In fact, Lopez is not guaranteed a spot on the team. He has to compete against some young studs who might overtake Javy.

On the other hand, Javy is very comfortable with Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, even though rumors abounded that Javy did not work well with Greg Maddux when the "Big Three" were pitching together there. Javy is supposed to have had private workouts with Braves bench coach Chino Cadahia since October and impressed him enough to vouch to Frank Wren.

As of now, Javy will probably have to compete against Corky Miller, J. C. Boscan, Brayan Pena, and Clint Sammons. The road won't be easy for Javy. Still, Chino told David O'Brien as reported in DOB's blog that Javy's defensive skills look even better now than they did when he left the Braves after 2003.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it might be nice to see Javy regain some pride. After all, Javy was once considered one of the best offensive catchers in the game and he could play fairly well behind the plate. But we'll have to see. I always wondered what Greg Maddux had against Javy's playcalling. Bobby Cox downplayed it whenever it was asked. I seem to recall that Bobby Cox once noted that he rested Javy on the days that Maddux pitched to keep Javy fresh.