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640 comments Add your comment
N Nine (eta23)
March 13th, 2009
11:44 pm
“FL BMV has warrant out for Josh Anderson. Speeding. That boy is fast!”
The center field position gonna be tough one to decide! Anderson with no options, Schafer looking ready,and the incumbent and surging Blanco. Okay, Blanco won’t make it. It’s anyone’s guess,but we can’t throw away Anderson. Dude has speed but can he hit for an entire season??
I really want to see Schafer in action, he looks ready..
Ed
March 13th, 2009
11:45 pm
I agree with The GM…let’s put the best team on the field and not play politics. That being said Francouer doesn’t belong starting in RF. Yes he’s improving his batting techniques, but a 290 hitter with 20 homers or less doesn’t cut it as a RF in the majors. We have better players in Schafer or B Jones with bigger potential & they are showing they are ready. Just as the Rays showed last year you can win big with the young guys & moving forward for the Braves is essential after 3 disappointing seasons.
ShamusThacker
March 13th, 2009
11:47 pm
Now I gotta choose between Syracuse/WV and my favorite Bewitched “Agnes” episode.
Darn you DOB!
Bye all
nolie
March 13th, 2009
11:48 pm
Is there any real downside of him pitching in AAA?
only for all the Instant Gratification whiners
Bobby's Belly
March 13th, 2009
11:49 pm
Ed, but B. Jones and Schafer have options. Please come to your senses and think about Gwinnett. I predict 2009 will be Gwinnett’s greatest year ….. ever!
N Nine (eta23)
March 13th, 2009
11:49 pm
ED___
B Jones does NOT have bigger potential than Frenchy (at least not this year)
Bobby's Belly
March 13th, 2009
11:51 pm
Nolie – The downside is we suck worse than we have to.
Reality
March 13th, 2009
11:53 pm
Pretty much everyone has better potential than Francoeur. He’s been in the majors 3.5 years, played in over 550 major league games and has had over 2,100 major league at-bats. The results? A .312 career OBP and two of his three full seasons in the majors he has been up an OBP in the .290s.
At this point, that is who he is: a huge out maker and on-base liability.
KC
March 13th, 2009
11:57 pm
Tomahawk210 – 5:02 pm: “Anders don’t you have a Mets blog to post on? I will never understand why a person comes to a rivals team board to talk with their fans instead of their own. Could he be a closet Braves fan?
Tomahawk, Anders is like Rihanna.
The Braves have abused his team for so many years, but he just can’t seem to break free of his fascination with the Braves. He hangs around because he knows that the universe will right itself, and soon the Braves will once again be knocking his team around. And in a weird (and somewhat sad) way, he craves the abuse.
He feels his team deserves to be abused. So he’ll keep coming back for more. And when the Braves do inevitably revert to slapping the Mets around like a $20 hooker, Anders will make excuses. He’ll pretend the Mets just walked into a proverbial doorknob, or fell down a flight of stairs… but he won’t leave. He can’t. He’ll keep coming back for more abuse. Because, in a perverse way, it makes him feel alive.
Frankie Knuckles
March 14th, 2009
12:02 am
Forget about it… the guys a Braves fan.. He just hasn’t come to grips with it yet. By the way, this team is looking as good as any this off season. Go Braves.
Supes
March 14th, 2009
12:05 am
KC, good one at 11:57pm. I think you maybe onto something about Anders!
Coach, While I don’t think the Braves will be “the team to beat” in the NL…I think you are selling them short. They could be a .500 team, even a slight bit better (if things break right, esp. team health).
However, I do plan on going to see some AAA games, now that I’ll have a 25 min. drive to the new stadium, and end up paying less to see the likes of Tommy Hanson and other future Braves.
I also agree with you on the music discussion. I have to say I’m very biased, but to me Metallica is one of the all time greatest METAL bands, and have managed to survive 3 decades in the industry, while continuing to push the envelope. I thought that Death Magnetic was a very good album (not great)…but it’s hard to beat the masterpiece that is “Master of Puppets”!
N Nine (eta22)
March 14th, 2009
12:10 am
reality, you might be on to something! Numbers brings out the reality
TnBrian
March 14th, 2009
12:12 am
Can I watch the Braves on basic cable living in Tn.? Seriously, Peachtree and FSN South might require Direct tv or Comcast. Now I don’t wanna get blasted and made to look like an idiot for asking, I just want to be sure I can still pick them up. Damn, I better!
We just got back from redneck rivera(Panama City) with drunk punks and trashy chicks! I haven’t been their since I was little and forgot how trashy people act. Even through my girlfriend off one of those scooters you rent in the middle of traffic. Embarrasing!
Bobby's Belly
March 14th, 2009
12:12 am
I actually agree w/ .500. But I see it w/ whomever we put on the field. I just prefer to be mediocre w/ kids, not Tommy Glavine, GA, etc.
N Nine (eta22)
March 14th, 2009
12:14 am
KC____
I loved your post about Anders. I feel it for him! Back in the day, Mets never won at the TED…NEVER
KC
March 14th, 2009
12:18 am
Bobby’s Belly, you think this is going to be a mediocre team??
RLPmetro
March 14th, 2009
12:21 am
Auburn’s gotta be in the tourney now. 10 conference wins (11 including tonight) should get them in, no matter how bad the conference is. And, for every one saying the SEC West is so weak…don’t look now, but there are 3 SEC West teams in the final 4 SEC teams. Auburn went 4-1 against the 3 other remaining SEC tourney teams.
Bubdylan
March 14th, 2009
12:24 am
Anders Tries a Mets Blog…….
Anders: So… how about our Mets, boys? No need to worry about the Braves, that’s for sure.
MetsOhMets457: Uh, yeah, okay.
Anders: I saw on a Braves blog where Chipper’s oblique is ailing from the WBC. Can’t say I didn’t warn them.
ReyesIsWright: So, anyway, I liked Garcia over Redding, even before yesterday’s debacle. Redding’s a nice guy, but he’s done.
Anders: He’s very nice. You know who isn’t nice? Yunel Escobar. Also, Jair Jurrjens. Both not nice.
FireOmar666: Hey, Anders, you live down in Atlanta or something?
Anders: No.
FireOmar666: Oh.
ReyesIsWright: What’s the least you guys think we can get Pedro for, if we went that direction?
Anders: Not the Braves.
ReyesIsWright: Anders, what are you talking about?
Anders: Not the Braves. Not that money. No. Braves are… not that money. Pedro is… he’s not a Brave. My credentials are… the Braves are… I will stagger you with them. In Atlanta there are Braves. The Braves of Atlanta…. the Braves of Atlanta… Anders isn’t here anymore…. can someone… are you Hank Aaron? Hello?
TnBrian
March 14th, 2009
12:27 am
I’m still not sold on the Kawakami signing. That $7.5m could have been used on a bat while Hanson could have filled that spot in the rotation. Other than that, I have zero complaints.
Why will Atl. be mediocre? If injuries hit again, yeah, but the top of the rotation should stay off the DL…that’s what their history tells us anyways.
gotigers72
March 14th, 2009
12:29 am
I know BC and most, if not all, other managers do not much care about Ws and Ls in spring training. But I am glad to see the Braves off to a good start this spring. Here’s why. One spring, a certain Joe Torre [manager of the Braves at the time] decided that he wanted the Braves to put more emphasis on winning that particular spring because they had not played well for several years and he thought the emphasis on winning may help them develop a better attitude toward winning.
So they had an excellent spring, Then to start that season, they won 13 in a row and went on to win their division. The year? 1982. So winning in spring training CAN be important. Or also winning OR losing can NOT matter at all.
brian
March 14th, 2009
12:30 am
Since I am reading this Braves blog at this time at night, JC says it best..
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when each day is through
Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
You’ve got a way to keep me on your side
You give me cause for love that I can’t hide
For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
Run Heap Run
March 14th, 2009
12:34 am
Auburn is on fire right now…came outta nowhere. My auburn daughter has got the fever…
brian, that’s the ringtone on my phone right now. Love the mib.
winterville
March 14th, 2009
12:53 am
nice post bubdylan
Bobby's Belly
March 14th, 2009
12:55 am
KC – I do think the Braves will be mediocre. Not a knock on them, but rather a testament to Phils/Mets – tough division. Braves have no legit #1. I’m amazed at how so many are so high on a declining/head case Vasquez and a Japanese player no one has ever seen. I’ll tell my kids about how great Tom Glavine was, but those days are past. Jurrjens is legit. But I just feel there are a bunch more ??????’s than most fans want to admit. Chipper out 30-40 games is a given. McCann out 25 because no one can catch more than 130-140 in ATL heat. Francoeur I won’t even get into. Closer………………….
Hope I’m wrong.
TnBrian
March 14th, 2009
1:11 am
Bobby belly, you’re just not thinking clear at all. The Mets and Phils have ? too, maybe more. Like, who do they have after Santana/Hamels, injuries to key players can happen to any team, and what about the depth of Atl. compared to Mets/Phils? If you’ll look up and down all three rosters, you’ll easily see that, on paper, they are identical as far as talent. Atl. just needs to be healthy and so does EVERY other team in MLB to have a shot…well, most teams. That “ace” you’re talking about might turn out to be a problem for us, but so could Santana or Hamels having down years. You know you’re just arguing something you or I don’t have a clue what might or might not happen, right? Phi. having key guys staying healthy for last year was a major reason they won it all and who predicted that this time a year ago?
KC
March 14th, 2009
1:11 am
Supes: “They could be a .500 team, even a slight bit better (if things break right, esp. team health).”
Man, honestly… I think you’re also selling them short.
OF COURSE we never know how things are going to go. ANYthing can happen. Things could go extraordinarily well, or unspeakably awful. But right now, on paper (which is all we can talk about several weeks before opening day)… the Braves look like a legitimate competitor in the east.
Call me a homer, but my very candid opinion is that he FLOOR for this Braves team (barring another completely ridiculous rash of injuries again) is about 85 wins. The ceiling? Hard to say, but if things roll the Braves way, I could easily see this team winning well over 90 games.
First of all, the Braves appear to have the best rotation in the NL East, which will count for a lot. And that’s not just a homer talking. I’m beginning to hear this being pointed out by national media sources as well. Foxsports had a piece the other day stating that ATL’s rotation is in fact the best in the division.
The Braves don’t have anyone quite as good as Santana, but they do have 5 quality starters, and plenty of depth to absorb injuries (which are nowhere near as likely to be a big factor with this rotation, BTW). The Braves go into the season knowing that if anyone falters or gets hurt, the top pitching prospect in baseball is ready to step in.
I’m not going to try to predict the health of the bullpen, or any other part of this team. I’ll just say that if the bullpen is healthy (which it appears to be right now), it is as good as any in baseball.
As for the offense… this lineup is, IMO, likely to be much better than many people think.
There isn’t a single 30-40 HR guy in this lineup. But the ‘98/’99 Yankees didn’t have a big slugger either. They had a lineup FULL of professional hitters, from top to bottom. While there were no 30-40 homer guys, nearly everyone in their lineup had some pop, and could hit for average. It was a lineup full of “professional” hitters. And ya know… that’s not unlike what the Braves have here.
Am I saying the Braves lineup will be as good as those 98/99 Yankees lineups? No I’m not. They had more speed that the Braves do, and a little more power (thought not MUCH more).
Here’s my point: Assuming Francoeur reverts to ‘07 form (or better) – and he certainly appears to be on the right track – the Braves will have three bit run producers… guys capable of hitting .290 or better with 20+ homers and 100 RBI (I know Chipper and McCann won’t get enough AB’s to reach the 100 mark, but that’s the type of hitters they are).
Beyond that, you have 4 other positions from which you can expect .280-305, 13-19 homers, 65-90 RBI. So you are pretty well assured of very solid production at 7 positions. Not bad at all. I mean… you’re likely to see a guy like Casey Kotchman hitting 8th. It’s a deep lineup indeed that has KJ and Kotchman at the bottom of the order.
There is no Teixeira or Gallaraga in this Braves lineup, but it’s solid from top to bottom. Professional hitters throughout. And with what is likely to be the best pitching in the east, that will be enough offense to keep the Braves right in the thick of this NL East race ’til the end.
ColoradoBravesFan
March 14th, 2009
1:17 am
“That being said Francouer doesn’t belong starting in RF. Yes he’s improving his batting techniques, but a 290 hitter with 20 homers or less doesn’t cut it as a RF in the majors.” Ed March 13th, 2009 11:45 pm
If I counted correctly…not sure though. There were only 13 total OFers in 2008 who hit more than 20 homers and batted .290 or above. I would take those numbers from Frenchy in 2009… any one else?
But I think the Braves are left-handed heavy and will only get worse in the next couple of years(Schafer/Freeman/Heyward). The Braves need to get a Right handed, 4-hole, clean-up hitter to play left field after the 2009 season ends. Unless Francoeur really improves Heyward will replace him…just my thoughts. GO BRAVOS
KC
March 14th, 2009
1:29 am
Bobby’s Belly: “Braves have no legit #1.
Derek Lowe has averaged 15 wins over the past 7 seasons. And over the past 4 years, since moving to the NL, he’s posted a 3.58 ERA. And of course, he takes the ball every 5th day and gives you 200+ innings every year. Oh… and like a number 1 starter, he steps up in big games. He has an excellent post-season track record, including being the winning pitcher in the clinching games of all 3 post-season series’ for the Red Sox in ‘04.
If he’s not a legit #1… he’s closest damned thing you can get to it.
“I’m amazed at how so many are so high on a declining/head case Vasquez”
I have heard multiple scouts comment (admittedly, indirectly) that they expect a big season from Vazquez. They cite the fact that he’ll be getting away from the DH in a hitter’s paradise of a ballpark, in favor of a pitcher-friendly NL park. Many in baseball believe that he’s more comfortable in the NL… and that he’ll respond better to someone like Bobby Cox than Ozzie Guillen, whose management style isn’t for everyone.
Will he have a great season? Who knows… all we can do is guess. But the stars do appear aligned for him here. And it was only the year before last that he won 15 games with a 3.70 ERA (in that AL hitter’s park), while providing 200 innings and 200 K’s, which he does every year.
“and a Japanese player no one has ever seen.”
Braves scouts have seen plenty of him (in person). They wouldn’t have signed him otherwise. And that Braves’ brass have seen plenty of unvarnished video. To say nothing of his numbers, which certainly provide some indication of his ability.
Leo Mazzone has seen him this spring, and commented on a local sports radio show that he expects Kawakami will win at least 12-14 games this year.
No one has a crystal ball. I’m just saying… it’s not as though the Braves decided to sign this guy on a coin flip.
“I’ll tell my kids about how great Tom Glavine was”
I don’t know if Glavine will fully recover from his surgery or not. But if he does… if he can pitch as he did in 2007 (when he won 13 games and posted 23 quality starts), he could surprise a lot of people. Hey… if Jamie Moyer can still do it, being several years older…
And if Glavine isn’t able to go, we have the top overall pitching prospect in baseball ready to step in. And I think think there are a couple of other guys that deserve more of a chance as well (Parr, Reyes, and others).
And as someone has already mentioned… you ask as though the Mets and Phillies DON’T have major questions, which is clearly not the case. They have all kinds of questions on their pitching staffs. More than the Braves do, IMO.
nolie
March 14th, 2009
2:04 am
Nolie – The downside is we suck worse than we have to Bobby’sBelly
nobody can know that Schafer or Hanson would do better than Anderson or a pitching counterpart up here in the early season. It’s just your opinion. So your answer is strictly conjecture, and I don’t mean to single out just you personally, make it the plural you encompassing all sides of the situation. They have development plans for the prospects that take more into consideration than short term gratification. When they feel he is where they want him they will bring him up whether that is right out of ST ot later in the year. There might be some small concern about starting his clock if they feel they do not need him, but I’d wager that they have other moreimportant considerations. Having spent years scouting such kids and watching them progress up the ladder and seeing how fragile such success can be I feel strongly that even major prospects should not be rushed unless really needed, and we have no idea if they will feel they need them right away or not. I know it’s exciting to anticipate a highly regarded prospect’s arrival, but there have been literally hundreds of prospects over the years who have been rushed to their detriment. I can assure you that it is not gonna be merely the perspective of only the won/loss record at the beginning of the season that they are gonna use a determinate.
uga-brave
March 14th, 2009
2:12 am
kc, predictions usually are fiction.
you make so many. with all due respect you had the braves starters hitting close to 200 dingers last year.
spring training matters when all goes well, spring training does not matter when things don’t go well, so which is it?
all i know is when andruw clubbed 10 dingers a few years ago, he went on to hit 50.
spring does matter. there is no magical switch that most teams flip on april 1st.
that being said most vets only need 40 or so at bats to get ready.
i am not going to make any predictions other then if the braves stay somewhat healthy they should be somwhere around .500.
i still think they are a power bat away. they dont have a true leadoff hitter and a 4 hittter.
they are too lefthanded offensively for my liking. they will have matchup problems late in the game.
the positives, lowe looks like he is ready to be a number one starter. the rotation will have depth if someone goes down and francoeur has made noticable adjustments. at some point though he has to provide power.
if i am not mistaken the braves stranded more runners on base last year then any team in the N.L.
the outfield has to hit somewhere around 50 plus dingers for this to work.
uga-brave
March 14th, 2009
2:36 am
please dont continue to compare our everyday lineup to the mets or the phills.
mets and the phillies both have speed and power at the leadoff spot. we dont.
the mets and the phills both have a trio of hitters that will hit 30 plus dingers. beltran, wright, delgado. howard, utley, and either werth or ibanez.
the braves dont really have one player that you can pencil in for 30 dingers.
the mets and the phils each have two to three players that will probably steal more then 25 bases. reyes, beltran, maybe castillo and wright. rollins, victorino, werth.
i know it is fun to make predictions, but that should be tempered with past results.
KC
March 14th, 2009
2:52 am
uga-brave, I didn’t make a prediction. I never claimed to be Ms. Cleo. I just expressed my opinion about this team and stated what my personal expectations were. Nothing more, nothing less. Isn’t that what we’re here to do?
Toward the end of spring training, I’ll go ahead and throw out some “predictions”, which of course are nothing more than guesses, just for fun. And I agree that predictions are fiction. Does it matter? I don’t know why some people get so bent out of shape when folks make “predictions”. It’s just something to do for kicks so you can look back later and see how close or far off you were. I guess some people take such guesses as proclamations of foreknowledge. I don’t get it.
Anyway, as to your favorite thing to reference… my supposed 200 homer prediction…
I did not predict the Braves starters would hit 200 homers last year, however, I DID think the Braves (team as a whole) had a good chance to hit that mark.
I realize how ridiculous that sounds now, but ANY positive expectations about last year’s team (and many around baseball had positive expectations for that team) now seem ridiculous. I would just point you to one fact:
If you include Teixiera’s entire ’07 homerun total, the Braves had about 190 team homeruns in 2007. With both Francoeur and McCann failing to reach 20 homers in ’07 (a mark they both topped the previous year), I figured they’d both pick increase their power in ‘08 to go along with a full season of having Mark Teixeira in the lineup. Instead, Francoeur, Chipper, and Johnson all saw their power numbers drop, while Teixeira started slow and was traded in June. Hey… again, I never claimed to be Ms. Cleo. And I wasn’t the only one surprised by the way things went in ’08.
I don’t know how ’09 will turn out. My optimism is more guarded these days than in years past after the punishment my inner-optimist took the last couple years (last year in particular)… but on paper – which is all we have to look at right now – I think the Braves are contenders. Feel free to disagree. Again, not a proclamation of foreknowledge… just my opinion.
KC
March 14th, 2009
2:56 am
UGA-BRAVE: In regard to Braves stranding runners…
I think most of us agree that we didn’t see Kotchman’s best in the 2 months he was here last year. But overall, he was a very good hitter with runners in scoring position last year. So having him for a full season will be an asset in that regard.
Garrett Anderson is an outstanding hitter with RISP. And if we essentially trade the ‘08 Frenchy for the ‘07 Frenchy, that will drastically improve the team production with RISP.
So the team appears to better in better shape there.
KC
March 14th, 2009
3:01 am
UGA-BRAVE: “the mets and the phills both have a trio of hitters that will hit 30 plus dingers. beltran, wright, delgado. howard, utley, and either werth or ibanez. the braves dont really have one player that you can pencil in for 30 dingers.”
Again, there have been VERY successful offenses that didn’t have a single 30 homerun guy. Don’t dismiss a lineup that will likely have KJ and Kotchman as 7/8 hitters. There’s a lot of balance and depth in this lineup.
Having said that, for the record… I don’t think the Braves offense is as good as NY’s or Phili’s. I don’t. I just think it’s better than many people think it is.
I believe the Braves offense will be good enough, when coupled with the pitching edge the Braves appear to have, to keep the Braves in the race. I think they have the pieces to stay in the race all year… or CERTAINLY long enough to make a mid-season deal for a big bat, if necessary.
uga-brave
March 14th, 2009
4:32 am
KC, don’t change. I LOVE your passion. i really mean that. i always read your posts. you define the word “FAN.”
you are a good fan, and the braves are lucky to have you. i really mean that.
i somewhat swung on your way of thinking on smoltz. the smoltz is a competitor in more ways then anyone knows. he hates to lose, period.
i think he felt that the organization was gonna slow play him. so i dont really blame him.
i just always felt that he was different. he left money on the table before to come back, i just thought the braves should of handled it a little different.
tough love right? with his health in question the decision looks acceptable now.
that being said the donger better be good. i am not sold on kawakami .
he is our’s for three years, right?
i just hope that there are not a lot of fourth inning meetings on the mound with bobby, macc, and the KK.
can here it now, skip says to macc, ” what does he have left, i dont know bobby, i cant understand a word he says other then, the donger need food.”
so bobby walks back to the dugout wondering who in the h is the donger.
DOB, remember the line his interpreter said, “no gas in the car?”
“oldsmobile crash boom bam.”
seriously he is the swing pitcher on this staff. he has to be better then good for us to be in this thing.
gonna be a lot of fun watching it play out.
uga-brave
March 14th, 2009
4:45 am
on another note, if they put the zero plus tick rule back into effect watch out. well that is for another time. wont bore you with all the the rhetoric on that one.
CharlieAlphaBravo
March 14th, 2009
6:00 am
Bubdylan: That 12:24 post was comic gold. We need to see about having it archived… You know, for posterity’s sake.
KC, don’t change. I LOVE your passion. i really mean that. i always read your posts. you define the word “FAN.” …you are a good fan, and the braves are lucky to have you. i really mean that.uga-brave
The man-love’s getting a little too hot and heavy for my taste. It’s nice that you’ve found someone, though…
CharlieAlphaBravo
March 14th, 2009
6:29 am
what happened to my post?
CharlieAlphaBravo
March 14th, 2009
6:29 am
there it is… alright…
Couch Tater
March 14th, 2009
6:50 am
uga, Just when I’m starting to feel positive about the Braves vix, then you hit me with that d@mn 4:45. Grab one of those gas station attendant jobs quick, before the Gamecocks get em all.
Mark Windsor
March 14th, 2009
6:56 am
Maybe just maybe we dont need a 30-40 homer guy..maybe 4-5 with mid 20s will be just fine, its just Cox has as long as
I can remember played for the 3 run homer….The Braves do have a lot of fine looking young hitters I think its time to have Josh Anderson all season with that speed and see if that helps the lack of power.Im excited about the upcoming season, plus you can go see the AAA team right up the road in a brand new venue…we as fans really have a unique deal this season..Wow pitching looks awesome…There is not a single Braves that is really weak at all…I mean the back up catcher Ross is a very good hitter and has done great with Sammons this Spring with the pitchers…It really is a interesting team. Im very sick so when the Braves do goood it makes me happy, I just got to make it through the whole season…no reason we cant at least get the wild card,,,it seems I remember the 91 Team didnt have much Power…the key is Frenchy’s comeback and keeping Chipper off the DL…GO BRAVES in 09!! THANK everyone for a way cool BLOG
bravesin6
March 14th, 2009
7:33 am
Did anyone catch James Parr on The Factor last night? Looked like he got some luvin from Bill.
David O'Brien
March 14th, 2009
7:36 am
BubDylan, that 12:24 a.m. post was, indeed, a classic. Just about spit up my coffee.
ShamusThacker
March 14th, 2009
8:14 am
Does Bobby still chew tobacco and eat 20 lbs of sunflower seeds per game?
Cyrus
March 14th, 2009
8:25 am
Dave who do the Braves play today and who pitches since I am here at work and need some good thoughts.
JesupGaBrave
March 14th, 2009
8:30 am
I am trying to get excited about upcoming season, but after last year it is hard to believe in this team. I seem to remember a lot of great expectations last year on the blog and we seemingly had a lot more power on the roster at the time. This team needs to play more speed ball and I believe that goes against Bobby’s nature. He is a 3 run homer manager in the Earl Weaver mode and we don’t have the team for that. I do believe we have potential, and all i can really hope for is us to be in the running so that I look forward to watching the Braves play at night instead of turning off the tv in disgust every time Francouer comes up to bat with RISP and strikes out again like last year. The future looks bright, but as there is no great team in baseball at present I want the braves to grab their sacks and get er’ done this year!!
JesupGaBrave
March 14th, 2009
8:32 am
Another point, I am very excited about the trend the Braves have with the Georgia players on the roster. It is nice to see them going after our native sons so much. I think that bodes well for the future with our limited payroll, it may help with the hometown discount issue over the lenght of their careers.
dogsbrekky
March 14th, 2009
8:33 am
Big East was fun last night, thought the roof was going to blow off MSG..
DOB – now the final tournament really looks wide open after some big failures. KU whilst wounded is not totally dead……… Pitt look wobbly as all hell
Glad to read about Froggy’s performance y’day and that Schafer continues to rock… hope the kid makes the 25 as he seems to try his guts out all the time
TommyP
March 14th, 2009
8:34 am
If I read one more time about someone raving about Hanson’s change to a slide-step…
C’mon… a middle school pitcher can make that change so please stop the over-the-top superlatives over something so elementary.
David O'Brien
March 14th, 2009
8:43 am
Dogsbrekky, Syrcacuse has had a helluva couple nights, huh? Wow. To win both of those games, that’s some hair-raising stuff.
And yes, Schafer does have a motor that runs on “rev” at all times. Plays with abandon. Just hope all the head-first sliding and leaping for catches doesn’t leave him with banged up shoulders or worse before he’s in his mid-20s. But you gotta love the effort … not to mention the talent.
David O'Brien
March 14th, 2009
8:46 am
Cyrus, they play the Cardinals and Kawakami’s pitching
Jeff321
March 14th, 2009
9:00 am
FYI – The Braves 400K link for video on MLB today at 1:05pm is now missing… I do still see radio but was looking forward to seeing an actual game!
Cyrus
March 14th, 2009
9:00 am
Dave did you stay the night in Jupiter or come back to Death Star south ?
Steve from OH
March 14th, 2009
9:05 am
BTW, the USA-Puerto Rico game is on ESPN tonight at 8 PM and by all accounts Vazquez is pitching…
dogsbrekky
March 14th, 2009
9:07 am
DOB – I cannot stand the Syracuse orange fans… annoying as all hell but their guys do not stop… have zero idea now who the picks are for the overall tournament
UCONN looks shaky as does Pitt, UNC, Dook, Kansas, Memphis etc
Do you think we start with Josh Anderson and leave Schafer in AAA for 1/2 year.. Greg White has been very good as well in the WBC, he just looks more polished, stronger and very confident
flange1
March 14th, 2009
9:13 am
DOB,
Thanks for the Nico youtube! I don’t listen to the Velvets enough any more.
Was in an old REM mode last night, listened to all by boots and b sides.
BubDylan, the 12:24 was great! Keep it up!
uga-brave, I hear you on the Braves lack of lead off hitter and power hitter, but I think this is better than a .500 team. The pitching itself should get the Braves at least 5 games over .500, and I think the young Braves hitters are going to improve over last year, especially KJ, Kotch and Escobar. Even you see improvement in Frenchy. A decent year from Chipper and a 2008 type of year from Bmac and that is 6 Braves that are dangerous hitters.
Not enough home runs (maybe) but more hits. Even if GA falls on his face (I don’t think he will) with Diaz hitting like a machine again and B Jones looking good, nolie’s platoon in LF could be a 7th decent hitter for the Braves.
That just leaves CF and to me either J Anderson or J Schafer will the give the BRaves some speed at the top of the lineup. No doubt either option WILL NOT get on base at the rate of JReyes or J Rollins, but we WILL have some added speed. I think either option will give us at least average production from the leadoff position.
I am very excited about the 2009 team’s chances and can hardly contain myself about Freeman, Heyward and Hanson… I know I am being a fan, but I still think 1 (and maybe both) of the Freeman/Heyward duo will be on the ML team in 2010.
DCBrave
March 14th, 2009
9:36 am
Hi DOB-
Maybe you already said and I missed it but I was just wondering whether you heard anything about Rafael Soriano – how he feels in the days after his last pitch and when he will be scheduled to pitch again. Thanks.
Random
March 14th, 2009
9:40 am
DOB: “‘He’s a smart kid,’ Braves manager Bobby Cox said of the 22-year-old top prospect, who rebounded from a rough first inning to earn his first decision in a 9-2 win against Florida.
“In his third Grapefruit League start, Hanson (1-0) was charged with five hits and two runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.”
How’d he get the win without going five full innings? Is that rule different for ST?
Thanks.
Anders
March 14th, 2009
9:42 am
Good morning Los Bravos fans. Well I see you guys want me to leave this blog so much that you can’t stop writing about me even when I’m NOT here. I’m starting to think the obsession has switched sides.
Bubdylan – You are the master -good stuff.
KC- You’re an insufferable homer. Your posts have lost relevance as they are completely written in rose colored Braves ink. Many of your brethren have been gently telling you this. The disguised words are”Fan”, “Passion” “Devotion” and such.
DOB- Glad posts about me can bring early sunshine to your day.What more could a Met fan ask?
UgaBrave-If you keep making the sense you did at 2:36 you may be the next they ask to leave and then write about through the night.
BTW- Has anyone else noticed that Citigroup has begun to turn a profit since the sign went up on the Mets new ballpark? It appears that this marketing thingy does work. Perhaps the Mets should negotiate with the governement to get an increase on that $20 mil per year? Wouldn’t that be a cruel twist of fate in Lew’s oatmeal this AM?
McFann :Ô:
March 14th, 2009
10:01 am
Steve from OH–
Vazquez is s’posed to pitch? Hmm…may have to break down turn on the thing tonight. Also might be our first chance to watch our old friend, John Grove! I mighta known he’d be in this thing. Heck, I mean, he had a good year…but is it really a good idea to have a rookie catcher miss so much of Spring Training?
Ah, well. Hope BMac shows them what he’s made of the same way he showed Canada. Though I’d like to see one of the trademark BMac doubles.
Can’t wait for the season to start…
McFann :Ô:
March 14th, 2009
10:02 am
Uh…that last post is assuming BMac plays, I mean…if he’s not playing I won’t bother to turn it on…
Braves Paisan
March 14th, 2009
10:11 am
A belated thanks to cvbraves for the update on James Parr. By the way, his comment in SI about Barck Obama seems to be getting quite a bit of ink from conservative pundits.
I looked up his minor league record and it seems quite good, especially a roughly 3-1 K-to-BB ratio. Hell, if he can spot the breaking ball, he can vote for Jobu (the voodoo god from the movie Major League) for all I care.
David O'Brien
March 14th, 2009
10:12 am
Random: Yes, not the same rules in spring training regarding starters getting pitching decisions.
Random
March 14th, 2009
10:13 am
Why why, why is Jeff Schultz’ column Nice guys don’t get a pass — not even Bowden linked on the AJC Braves page?????
That’d be a geat headline for a column about former National’s GM Jim Bowden, and his woes.
But the headline is actually referring to BOBBY Bowden and HIS woes.
Should we steel ourselves expect to start seeing links to AJC stories about Bill Francoeur , Tatum McCann and Precision Husky’s KWIK-CHIP (“the most famous Chipper and screen unit in the world”) on the AJC Braves homepage?
David O'Brien
March 14th, 2009
10:15 am
Cyrus, stayed overnight down here in South Florida. It’d be a bit much driving 2-1/2 hours each way for two days in a row.
Anders
March 14th, 2009
10:15 am
Not sure if you guys heard but both Cano and Marte of the Yanks came back from the WBC with injuries. Cano reported his shoulder hurt before he went but didn’t tell anyone because he wanted to play. And play he did, every inning of every game. Now he’s on the shelf for a few days at Yankee camp to let the shoulder rest. Even the Yanks GM Brian Cashman said in normal ST games you can back off a player when they’re sore or stiff but in the WBC wanting to play for your country takes over. If Cano is out for awhile the Yanks arereally screwed with A-Rod already out. I know many don’t care because it’s the Yanks, but understand that could be any one of our teams.
Again folks, this WBC is just another marketing money grab purported by the same commissioner and band of thieves that turned a blind eye to the steroids mess when it was delivering all those $’s to their pockets. These guys just can’t help themselves. They did it with the all star game too. Making that game decide home field in the WS is ludicrous. Never do they put the best interest of their core fans first. It’s all about the fans they don’t have yet.
Bud Selig is a puppet and a fraud.
Random
March 14th, 2009
10:25 am
Anders (now that you’re here)–
Did you see this from AJC’s Jeff Schultz?
6. Cry me an East River
The Yankees spent $423.5 million on three free agents this winter (Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett). They have built a $1.5 billion stadium that includes a steak house, a martini bar and luxury, outdoor and party suites. So what’s the worst possible thing that could go wrong (I mean, other than all that A-Rod stuff)? They’re having trouble selling the most absurdly priced tickets. All together now: Awww. The New York Times, under the headline, “Yankee Stadium Seats With Everything, Except Fans,” says the team is struggling to sell the premium field level seats at $325 per game and “Legend Suite” seats in the first few rows ($2,500 per game). The Yankees have taken out huge ads in the Times in hopes of moving inventory. But they’re apparently resigned to the fact that they won’t be able to sell out full-season packages and now are willing to sell smaller multi-game packs. On a related note, karma’s a … wow, look at the time!
Just FYI — perhaps ammo against your upscale neighbors. (Though you yourself have already advanced such opinions.) (To your knowledge, though, is it fairly accurate?)
Mornin’, dude.
AdirondackDave
March 14th, 2009
10:30 am
Anders — I agree with you on the WBC, Selig, owners, etc. Unfortunately, it’s been a rare commissioner who took “in the best interest of baseball” seriously. The owners and Selig seem to view fans exactly the same way Walmart sees customers, units to extract the maximum amount of money from. Bart Giamatti and Fay Vincent were of a different mold. Can’t think of another, offhand.
flange1
March 14th, 2009
10:31 am
Anders,
Totally agree with comments about the WBC. I do enjoy the multi-national competition, just wish the timing was different.
It is going to take a superstar like Johan Santana going and getting hurt and being lost for the year for someone to speak up.
I read the article that you posted about J Reys saying all they did was stretch and then play. Someone is going to get hurt BAD and that is just plain wrong…
Bobby's Belly
March 14th, 2009
10:35 am
Anderson just stole first. Gotta love the speed, determination.
D-rock
March 14th, 2009
10:37 am
anders,
Isn’t shitey-bank and their sponsorship of the Mets new field a “marketing money grab” as well? I can understand your frustration with injuries, but they happen in baseball, and always will. You play the games, and see what happens. I think this is an attempt to export the game and capitalize on interest abroad, but I”m not sure I see anything wrong with that.
Random
March 14th, 2009
10:37 am
Anders–
More from Jeff Schultz:
Well. That didn’t take long. Chipper Jones suffered a strained oblique in the World Baseball Crock, but he’s playing the role of good soldier and patriotic American by saying he could have crumbled just as easily in spring training with the Braves. Well, that may be true. But here’s the problem: If a player gets hurt in spring training in Florida, it’s bad luck. If a player gets hurt playing a meaningless exhibition game 1,300 miles away in Toronto because Major League Baseball wants to sell hats and T-shirts in Venezuela, it’s bad luck AND could’ve been avoided. But fear not. Bud Selig will design commemorative arm slings before this is over.
eltrompoBRAVESfan
March 14th, 2009
10:43 am
Buenos dias!
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
10:43 am
LOL McFann, how are you going to know if he plays or not if you don’t turn it on? You know, those pregame rosters do get changed.
Anders
March 14th, 2009
10:43 am
Random – Both the Mets and Yanks told many of their partial season ticket plan holders (weekend games, 6 packs etc) that those promotions would not be available this year because of expected demand in the new stadiums. They offered these fans who have been buying those types of packages for many years an oppurtunity for full season tickets which is much too costly for many.
Well now they are going back with hat in hand offering these partial type deals again. Personally I’m happy about it. I think the average fan has been getting screwed more and more by major sports venues.
Maybe this new economy will show the owners who their real fans are and who can be counted on to spend some $’s on our game.
McFann :Ô:
March 14th, 2009
10:49 am
PTBNL–
Yeah…but I’ll look at the Gameday on mlb.com., and if he’s slotted in to play, I’ll turn it on. If not…
Steve McP
March 14th, 2009
10:55 am
Before you get too worked up about the money grabbing Yankees, turn your attention to the Ted. I live too far away to get to games day in day out, but try to make 2 or 3 trips down every year, taking in a couple of games.
I would like to see the Red Sox, unfortunately the only way I can do that is to shell out $400 on a 9 game package, unless I am fortunate in the single game lottery. I cannot commit to 9 games at this time and in this economy and so it looks like I have to watch it on TV – but wait I can’t do that because Peachtree has the games and they don’t get shown here! Good way to alienate your own fans.
Steve McP
March 14th, 2009
10:57 am
Oh nit on MLB.com either as I am in the black out zone (even though 150 miles away from Ted). Strangely I am also in the black out zone for the Reds and I am 6 hours drive from them!
Anders
March 14th, 2009
10:58 am
Random – Like I said the morning after Chipper got hurt – this is no time for him to play John Wayne. Obliques are funny things. They can seem like nothing and just linger. Personally I think the Braves should have insisted on him coming back. I know that’s easier said than done but he is the absolute key to their offense. More so than any other single player in the NL east. It’s an unwritten belief that he only has a certain amount of games in him each year now anyway – why waste a single one in this tournament?
The Mets got off the hook with Santana because the insurance costs to Venezuala for him made it prohibitive for him to go.
I’m truly sweating the rest of this tournament. K-Rod, Putz, Wright, Delgado and Beltran all still there. The odds are something will happen to one or more of them. This is not fair to the MLB fan.
How does globalizing the game help me? I find it annoying enough having to deal with the west coast games!
Lew
March 14th, 2009
10:58 am
Anders-No oatmeal today, Dude, I was a bad boy and had an egg McMuffin.
Yeah, you should petition the Govt. for a raise in your naming rights fee. YOu might then be able to afford someone better than Elmer Dessens to shore up your rotation after Johan and Pelfrey go down.
Lew
March 14th, 2009
11:00 am
Anders-If I were you I wouldn’t worry so much about Chipper’s oblique injuries. Dude’s had so many oblique strains he now has his own rating system.
Travis
March 14th, 2009
11:01 am
The Braves are attempting to do what made them successful in the past. Make a solid pitching rotation that will be around for 3 years plus and then bring in solid veteran postion players with no long term commitment. Unlike the Yanks of the past 5 years that tried to buy all the front line players with ridiculous 6-8 year contracts with no farm system. The injuries last year for the Braves was unprecidented. How do you plan for your top four pitchers and top three bull pen guys to go down all in the same stretch. I believe the biggest problems for the braves this year are going to be Chipper and Mac missing 30+ games without a true power hitter in the lineup to replace the production. Kotchman will be be a big key in the lineup this year.
Lew
March 14th, 2009
11:02 am
SteveMcP-Be glad you don’t want to see the Braves play the Red Sox in Boston. We’ll spend that $400 on three tickets for one game when we go to see them this June at Fenway..
Joel
March 14th, 2009
11:06 am
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Go to yahoo.com… and join.
I have a league that drafts live at 2pm today and have had some people delete their teams last minute. I have 4 open slots for you!!! Please join before 2 and draft with us today so I wont have to cancel the draft…
League ID: Bottom of the Ninth V (ID#124567)
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:07 am
Anders, there is a lot of truth to your last paragraph at 10:15. But the same is true about inter-league play and the wild card as well. Yet most fans really like those things. The inter-league games are not equitable in terms of team records, and how can a team that can not win their division be crowned the best team in baseball? And, though most fans realize that the best team often does not win the WS, there is still a clamor for that title. Of course, what I say is the minority opinion, but to me, the regular season is the real test of which teams are best. With some tweaking it could become even a better indicator of who is the best. But that will probably never be…. because it does not evoke excitement for the fans who can not get excited about a well played baseball game (without it having some added significance — i.e. playoffs). Thus, the money aspect is always in the picture regarding the business of baseball.
Anders
March 14th, 2009
11:09 am
D-Rock – You missedthe point. This time of year many if not all players go through soreness and strains etc. They then adjust their conditioning and training schedule to allow these types of things to pass. However, since they are playing in the WBC with the national demands that puts on them they appear to not only be trying to play through them at 100% speed but in Cano’s case (and who know how many others?) not even reporting the issue to the training staff. That is a very, very dangerous scenario.
Both Cano and Marte intimated that they would not have played in a normal st game under the same condition they found themselves in. That’s all I need to hear to say this is a foolish risk.
Of course no one associated with the game will say anything about it (drinking the MLB koolaid) but I’m sure there are many mgrs, and GM’s who lie awake at night just hoping they get their players back unharmed.
In the words of Joe Girardi regarding Cano and Marte “This is not the way we expected to get them back.”
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:10 am
Sorry, not last paragraph…. second paragraph.
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:12 am
My oops got changed to a emoticon. Hmmm I wonder if it will do it in this one.
eltrompoBRAVESfan
March 14th, 2009
11:14 am
Oops=emoticon…interesting
ease19
March 14th, 2009
11:17 am
Anders – Stop making sense and go enjoy your weekend.
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:18 am
LOL, ease19
Anders
March 14th, 2009
11:22 am
PTBNL – I’m with you on the inter-league thing. First fo all the Mets have to play the Yanks 6 times a year even in years when the rest of the division is playing the Royals or the “old” Rays for example. I’ve always felt this was a disadvantage to the Mets. That aside, the whole thing has lost it’s luster. I really am not interested in my team playing the A’s or the Rangers etc. I’d rather play the Cubs or Dodgers more.
Lastly, it actually took away from the specialness of the 2000 subway series in NY. We had been playing each other for years already. While being a WS raised the stakes there was a familiararity that would not have been there and imo would have enhanced the whole experience.
I still believe they will increase the number of playoff teams in the not to distant future. They may even use this down economy as the reason to “maximize revenues” in this way.
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:23 am
McFann, I knew what you meant. Just joshing with you. But it will be hard to leave McCann on the bench for long.
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:25 am
Yes, the Mets and Yankees were at disadvantage as have been the Braves and Boston.
BT
March 14th, 2009
11:27 am
A short article with many of BubDylan’s posts would be exceptionally humorous.
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:27 am
And though it has changed now, the Marlins got to play the Rays every year. How could they be awarded the wild card with that arrangement?
J.D.
March 14th, 2009
11:29 am
Went to the Cuse game last night. Tough dudes on that Orange team. Jimmy B has them playing well at the right time, looks like they could be poised for a good run in the NCAA’s. I’ll be there tonight when they take down the Cardinals, let’s see how much Flynn and Co. have left after 3 games in 3 days and 7 OT’s.
Anders
March 14th, 2009
11:36 am
PTBNL – The Braves don’t play the RedSox 6 times every year – do they?
David Walker
March 14th, 2009
11:38 am
I know I read that Ohman wasnt coming back. But I havent seen or heard anything on him lately.
Is he still with the Braves, has he been made any offers?
PTBNL
March 14th, 2009
11:41 am
I don’t know how many times they have played each year. I know the Braves have drawn tough inter-league schedules each year. Last year was possibly their easiest schedule, but they had to play the Angels even still.