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1,297 comments Add your comment
Mekons
March 15th, 2009
5:35 pm
There’s that tricky little defecting problem. The Cubans cracked down after two of their star players were caught trying to defect and were quickly dropped from the team. The rest of that team is being watched like a hawk.
Epinephrine
March 15th, 2009
5:36 pm
Random, if you don’t see the difference between the numbers you just reeled off about Lowe, and those of Vazquez, I don’t know what to tell you. One has been below 4 since 2005, every year he has been a starter in the NL. The other has seen his ERA climb and descend significant peaks and valleys. Also, I’m not sure where you get the “3.85″ number from, other than setting an arbitrary line to further your argument. I don’t know anyone else that refers to a 3.85 ceiling and floor.
And no, I don’t care to compare their WHIPs. Considering Lowe is a ground ball pitcher, that would be a somewhat silly comparison.
As for the “once again”, last season I thought you were foolish in arguing 1) we should bench KJ for Prado, and 2) that trading Brayan Pena would be devastating for Yunel Escobar’s career.
KC
March 15th, 2009
5:36 pm
Yeah, Schafer is still a long shot to make the team out of the gate. BUT…
If Schafer keeps playing like this AND Schafer struggles over the next few weeks, they just might part ways with Anderson and throw Schafer right into the mix.
But if Anderson plays well between now and opening day, Schafer will almost certainly start at Gwinnett.
cabravesfan
March 15th, 2009
5:38 pm
Josh B-
Yunel defected from Cuba…he (and anyone else that did the same) would not be able to play for the cuban national team, even if they wanted to…and anyone on the cuban national team would never be allowed to play pro ball in the United States
TexasBrave
March 15th, 2009
5:38 pm
“Makes no sense to do so, especially since this is back to being a pitcher oriented team and Josh’s defense is excellent.” – Lew
Excellent point! I was, of course, thinking offense. I am always in the frame of mind of putting your best nine on the field. To me Jordan is better than Josh and makes the Braves better. But I guess you have to take all considerations into play also. Not that I have to like it.
Blair
March 15th, 2009
5:39 pm
Jordan is unreal good in center, better than Anderson IMO.
Epinephrine
March 15th, 2009
5:39 pm
Lew, time will tell. I’d be willing to make that wager. Frankly, I don’t think Anderson is that highly valued on other teams. Prospectus thinks he is mediocre, and I doubt we’d get much more than what we got him for-an Oscar Villareal type player. Thus, I don’t think the Braves incur much damage by releasing him.
Further, if defense is your rationale, hands down Jordan is regarded as the better player. My money is on Jordan making the team. We’ll see.
spotts
March 15th, 2009
5:41 pm
Just saying….because of the embargoes and feuding nations and such, you hear of a lot more players coming from the DR, Venezuela, etc than from Cuba.
spotts
March 15th, 2009
5:42 pm
Cuba doesn’t look too kindly on peolpe who try to leave.
spotts
March 15th, 2009
5:44 pm
How many Cuban exiles are there in MLB? Escobar, Brayan Pena, I think Livan Hernandez….anybody know of any others?
Wayne in Utah
March 15th, 2009
5:46 pm
I would start Schafer over JAnderson in a heartbeat, but the Braves since Chipper, Andruw and Furcal have shown a reluctance to putting kids into the lineup until they have tasted AAA pitching. I don’t necessarily agree, but that’s the way it’s been. (can somebody give me examples otherwise?)
If the Braves FO grew a set and put Schafer into the starting lineup in April, I think there are about a dozen Josh Anderson’s out there that would be available if Schafer falls on his face, not to mention Gregor Blanco waiting in the wings (who I believe does have options)
Some of you folks have a love affair going with Josh Anderson because he can field and run like a deer. Too many other holes though……
Bill
March 15th, 2009
5:47 pm
Obama opened up communication with Cuba last week…..what else is new?
Wayne in Utah
March 15th, 2009
5:47 pm
Alexi Ramirez is another one…
winterville
March 15th, 2009
5:48 pm
The White Sox have a few Cuban players like Alexi Ramirez and the two young guys who defected recently.
Jackie Treehorn
March 15th, 2009
5:52 pm
Mekon,
I agree with everything you said up until the point about starting Blanco in center field. What has Blanco showed you that Josh Anderson hasn’t? In his first full season in the majors, Blanco proved to have almost zero pop and didn’t steal bases very effeciently. There only way you can survive in this league with such little power is if you are swiping a ton of bases a la Juan Pierre in his prime. Anderson has more power and better speed than Blanco, and you would have to think he could hit at or better than Blanco’s .250 clip last year.
Ward
March 15th, 2009
5:54 pm
Anderson will start the season in CF because of his lead-off abilities, plain and simple.
The Real Don Steele
March 15th, 2009
5:54 pm
Embargoes, politics, etc. have nothing to do with the lack of cuban players in MLB. Cuba is a communist dictatorship ya’ll and people have to flee under cover of darkness if they can. Many try and are shot or otherwise disappear. It is Cuba’s fault that players can’t play here and nobody else’s!
Steve McP
March 15th, 2009
5:55 pm
Here is a list from Baseball Almanac of all Cuban players in the majors, I count 21 that are active.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/birthplace.php?loc=Cuba
Epinephrine
March 15th, 2009
5:55 pm
I think Blanco has more pop, and he definitely has a better OBP. I think those two, though, may essentially be a push. I like Blanco because he gets on base, but he isn’t as fast as Anderson.
Braves Paisan
March 15th, 2009
5:55 pm
I think it was Bill James, a long time ago, who showed that the best predictor of a great career in the majors is breaking in at a young age.
Jay212033
March 15th, 2009
5:56 pm
Vincedo, Marte and Gomez are the most recent to defect.
AdirondackDave
March 15th, 2009
5:57 pm
LEW — I don’t disagree on any of your points regarding Schafer/Anderson, all well-taken as usual. In the end, though, I think the Braves are going to find a way to start Schafer in center, most likely because they will deal Anderson, a pitcher, and maybe another (Diaz/G.Anderson/Kotchman for a serious power outfielder or possibly a first baseman. Somethings got to give with this excess of talent IF the Braves can handle the budget implications. We’ll know in a few weeks. What great problems to have, eh?
Mitchell
March 15th, 2009
5:57 pm
Wait Jim, are you serious? I was kidding.
I was just indulging in the adoration of Bobby’s Cox.
Wow, that doesn’t sound right.
Actually, I’m just getting really tired of the tournament itself if you must know. Nobody even cares about college basketball until this point anyway. As a sporting event it is genuinely exciting but the majority of people who watch only care about getting the bragging rights for winning a pool and pocketing some money. Then by the end of the first Sunday, everybody’s backet is busted and beaten into a pulp except for one time when I actually came out with all my Sweet 16 teams only to lose on the last night cause my friend who had lost everything else picked Syracuse because he heard something about this Carmello Anthony guy. And I had Kansas. And do I remember the guy’s name who hit the game tying 3 pointer for the very same team last year? No I don’t. Not that I picked them nor would it have mattered if did. Hell, maybe I did. I have no idea, all I know is I didn’t find myself any richer when all was said and done.
Damn, that was some folksy talkin’ just now wasn’t it? Yes sir. You bet.
All I know is the worse the Braves seem to get the more I care about spring trainer and the new season. I used to never pay attention cause I knew we’d win regardless of who they got or the spring training record. I’m just ready for opening day (or night, as the case may be) and at this point I can’t care much less about the WBC either.
Jake Peavy can suck it by the way.
Poorbrave
March 15th, 2009
5:58 pm
Wayne in Utah, Frenchy never played in AAA! Sounds to me like alot of you fans have a love affair with Schafer and he’s only played 80 games in AA?
I’m just a fan, but I trust Wren and Bobby to do whats right to win this year. If that puts Joe from Utah in CF great. Just make it happen! GO BRAVES.
PAUL
March 15th, 2009
6:04 pm
HAHA PEAVY GETS ROCKED FOR 6 RUNS I BET FRANK WREN IS GLAD HE DIDNT MAKE THAT TRADE NOW!!!!
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
6:10 pm
The arguments are interesting. But, as usual, very much oriented toward what has happened in recent times. It is the nature of man to do so. I remember when Griffey had been in the ML for about 5 years and his rookie cards were said to be worth much more than a Hank Aaron rookie card. Like I said, the nature of man.
Some are arguing that Sept, doesn’t matter, yet are placing much on ST (with many of the better players not even in ST). Besides that, if you look at ST, you would have to cut Tex every year almost, before he ever got to a season. Also, would you cut Chipper Jones? He has done terribly. Does it mean he doesn’t have skills? I know… but we have much more to go on with those players. Yes, and that is the point. To argue strongly on the side of any candidate for CF at this point is to argue base on “unknown”.
Schafer surely has outperformed Anderson this ST. Not just to say that ST is early, etc, but even in the middle of a season you could probably get a stretch of a few weeks were certain other Braves actually out produced Chipper offensively. Anderson seems to typically not do so well in ST. On the other hand Schafer seems to do very well in ST (as he did last year), but to be honest, I was very surprised that he did not do much better than he did last year in the early part of the season (before the HGH fiasco). Toward the end of the season he started doing much better, but in Winter ball, I was looking for him to do much better than he did.
These things give me reason to question whether Schafer is really ready.
It may be that Schafer can (as some people say it) turn it on when he wants to. But if that is the case, what does it say about the times that he does not want to. And… can he sustain it even when he wants to?
We might be disappointed if he were to prove to be a AAAA player if we brought him up at the cost of losing Anderson.
On the other hand, I certainly hear the voices of those who say, play the best player. I like the idea. But I am not so sure we know who the best player is. Many here talk about the fact that there is such a small sampling of data to go by, but seem to throw that out when their bias wants/needs to do so. Some want to go by minor league stats, but that is not the ML. Most players will not do as well in the ML as in the minors, but others seem to come alive when in the majors. Could Anderson be such? There is a small sampling for sure, but what has happened so far could point in that direction.
Beyond all of this is a matter of the Braves design of development for Schafer. They don’t have more time to develop Anderson and he is not a Braves product as Schafer is. Does the Braves organization think they can bring Schafer up to be even better than he would be if they brought him up now? Could they see something that they could develop him into a 5 star player through the use of the minor league system which places its sights more on development than on winning games?
In all honesty, I don’t know the answers to these questions. I am willing to admit that they are there, no matter what I see. (I do see Schafer looking good in ST!) As such, I am in anticipation of seeing what the Braves decide and what explanation we are given when they do. Either way, I don’t see doom. It is nice to have options!
Jackie Treehorn
March 15th, 2009
6:11 pm
It’s spring training, Paul. I doubt Frank Wren raised an eyebrow.
MattyO
March 15th, 2009
6:22 pm
DOB, great story about Skip and Chip. Good stuff there.
Mekons
March 15th, 2009
6:23 pm
Jackie: Blanco is tearing it up in WBC; he seems to have turned a corner and become a far better player. We’ll see when he gets back to the Braves, but he’s been the forgotten man just because he is out of sight.
I guess it’s a nice problem to have. I’m just glad I’m not Bobby Cox and Frank Wren right now.
Poorbrave
March 15th, 2009
6:24 pm
PTBNL–Amen!
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
6:25 pm
Poorbrave, you put in a short paragraph pretty much what it took me a book to say. lol
Except that I would amend what you said by adding not only that the Braves FO do what it takes to win this year, but also in the future.
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
6:26 pm
lol looks like we were responding to each other’s post at the same time, Poorbrave.
Rob from SC
March 15th, 2009
6:37 pm
DOB – Do you think Blaine Boyer is a lock for the team, or is he trade bait. I think he will have a great year.
dogsbrekky
March 15th, 2009
6:42 pm
Blanco has improved and looks good but he does not terrify any opposition in any way, speed, power, avg, defense etc
Schafer may make some look hard when he is on the base paths
Leah
March 15th, 2009
6:46 pm
Chipper injures oblique again, scratched from lineup tonight.
Tim-Braves Lifer
March 15th, 2009
6:46 pm
Chipper is out for usa with another oblique strain!! Bring him home!
muffin
March 15th, 2009
6:53 pm
wow, it just seems to me that that schafer kid is taking want we see in anderson and taking it to another level (bunting, stealing bags, speed) i really believe we have a future star budding right in front of our eyes with all of his tools he has shown us in the past week.
Fred
March 15th, 2009
6:58 pm
Chipper’s out of tonight’s line-up after re-injuring his oblique muscle. Boy, who saw that coming. This WBC thing is absolutely absurd! But some of the blame is with Braves management for not insisting Chipper head to Disney after the initial injury.
MLH
March 15th, 2009
7:11 pm
McCann never played abobe AA as well
Run Heap Run
March 15th, 2009
7:12 pm
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I want Hoss on ice until April 5th. Pass the word along, DOB.
Lew
March 15th, 2009
7:12 pm
Epinephrine-I’m not saying this is what I think should happen, but what WILL happen if no trade is made. There are several rational reasons for the Braves to send him to Gwinnett to start the season and to let Anderson start in center.
Anderson has hit almost .300 in over 200 ML at bats. No, he doesn’t have the power potential that Schafer does, but he has speed, can steal bases (11 out of 13 attempts) and plays excellent defense. Schafer will be across town. I fail to see any downside here. Jordan will get his shot and hopefully will become a star player. However, he has few more at bats at AA than Anderson has at the big league level. Given the salary concerns longer term, which could mean several million $ to what has proven to be a team with perennial salary issues, how much hurt could we possibly incur with Schafer a half hour away?
Run Heap Run
March 15th, 2009
7:14 pm
Also, the link to print out the bracket isn’t working…if you could pass that along as well lol.
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
7:15 pm
Thanks, to whoever gave the URL for the Pistol Pete videos on Youtube. I watch a few of them while I was there. Not as much video on his passes as I have seen in the past. I love to watch him make passes. It is amazing.
phishing with the braves
March 15th, 2009
7:16 pm
doc holliday, you are right to a degree. i probably should have said “barring injuries…”. but i just think that not spending that money on a 40+ yr old and letting a youngster come up and take that fifth spot would have been smarter. same thing with left field. its not like we went out and got manny. we got an aging garret anderson and an over the hill glavine for several million. just seems we could have saved that money and let hanson/campillo/reyes/morton come up and take the fifth spot and go after a more solid arm in the pen. Or get a bigger bat in LF. the anderson signing makes a lot more sense to me than the glavine signing. you have to admit though that potentially one of the youngsters could do just as good a job as glavine for a lot cheaper. like someone said before, after last years team, its good to have options.
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
7:17 pm
watch = watched sorry
ease19
March 15th, 2009
7:22 pm
Classic KC…wouldn’t have expected anything less
If Schafer keeps playing like this AND Schafer struggles over the next few weeks
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
7:31 pm
LOL When I read that in KC’s post I thought, “ease19 is going to love that one”!
nolie
March 15th, 2009
7:31 pm
e arguments are interesting. But, as usual, very much oriented toward what has happened in recent times. PTBNL
very good post PT. lotsa questions, and lots of different things will be taken into consideration making the decision. I kinda trust the Braves brain trust a tad more than most of the posters on here….except for myself of course
KC
March 15th, 2009
7:31 pm
ease19, I of course mean to say “if Schafer continuesbto play well and Anderson struggles… =)
TexasBrave
March 15th, 2009
7:32 pm
Lew good points all. My only thing is that although his average has been right around .300 his OBP hasn’t been much higher and he strikes out a lot. He is going to actually have to get on base to steal second. Can we afford to have a lead off hitter with a realitivly low OBP?
I agree that pitching and defense should be a focus, but you still have to score enough runs to win. How many times last year did we lose those low scoring one run games. Can Anderson get on base enough to give reason for Schafer to start down a AAA? I don’t think so. I think he will weaking our chances of scoring runs.
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
7:34 pm
nolie: “….except for myself of course ”
I had to laugh. Good one!
PTBNL
March 15th, 2009
7:36 pm
KC, we knew what you meant, but you surely didn’t think ease19 would pass that up, did you?
DirtyDawg
March 15th, 2009
7:41 pm
Hey DOB, were you the one that supplied James Parr’s responses to the Pop Culture Grid in this week’s SI? I realize that it may be poor form for posters here to introduce political prejudice, or indeed any kind of prejudice, but I ‘really’ have a problem when professional athletes do it. Particularly rookies, or whatever this kid is. I mean when MLB’s biggest prima-dona. Curt Shilling, comes out so strongly for one side or another, you expect it because Shilling has long ago established the reputation for saying and doing what he thinks – even if it doesn’t turn out so good, but this kid is just startin’ out. Did you suggest to him that he might want to lay off the politics? He may have a lot of support from over-paid, under-educated professional athletes with his points of view, but frankly I can do without knowing it.
OK, let me hear it…
Bubdylan
March 15th, 2009
7:42 pm
KC likes to halve his cake and eat it two.
ease19
March 15th, 2009
7:43 pm
Couldn’t resist
At least KC knows that at least one person is paying (close) attention to his posts!
Run Heap Run
March 15th, 2009
7:43 pm
Hey DOB, you mentioned earlier about our profiles on facebook. How are you seeing those? I think most everyone has theirs set to private? Are you related to all the O’Brien’s in the group or is that just coincidence?
brian
March 15th, 2009
7:43 pm
typical elite liberalism comment from dirty dawg. Just because you disagree with Parr does not make his comments undereducated. Then again if it takes one to know one…….
William
March 15th, 2009
7:45 pm
I’m so looking forward to the start of the season. I’m so NOT looking forward to the daily….is Chipper playing today????? If he is going to be “the” guy he needs to be “THE” guy! Hard to have stability when your star is day to day EVERYDAY! I’m thinking Cal Ripken played through some oblique injuries during his time…………… I know it’s spring training and he shouldn’t be taking ANY unnecessary chances, but I see the same thing happening during the season. In my opinion if the Braves sign him to a multi year contract, they are stupid. I think they made the right call on Smoltz and they need to do the same with Chipper.
Interested Observer
March 15th, 2009
7:46 pm
According to the story on ESPN, Chipper is leaving the US team and going back to Orlando. The bad news is he’s says the oblique is a lot worse than when he first injured it in Toronto.
22oz
March 15th, 2009
7:46 pm
What a crowd for the USA Netherland game! Why the hell would the powers that be have this thing in Miami? Do they not want to make money? Might as well have it in Atlanta! Just kidding, mostly….
Anders
March 15th, 2009
7:48 pm
What up Braves fans? Just saw the news on Chipper. And now he’s heading back to camp. Should have left a week ago. He looked funky last night. I posted it.
Derek Jeter batting third? Really? Sounds like Davey Johnson is scared of offending him. Listen, the guy might go 4 for 4 tonight but there is noway he’s a number 3 hitter on ateam that has Wright and Dunn 5th and 6th.
AdirondackDave
March 15th, 2009
7:49 pm
Dirty Dawg — I’m with you on this one. You put it very well.
Anders
March 15th, 2009
7:51 pm
Apparently Jeter was sulking during BP before he new he was playing. Nice job Captain America.
Doc Holiday
March 15th, 2009
7:54 pm
Pete,
I just dont think JF will hit 25HR. Sencond, Braves dont need him to hit that many HR. Im sure he can get to 95RBI with 20HR. In any case, 25 HR is not a lot of power, it is clearly above average, but not exactly thunder.
cabravesfan
March 15th, 2009
7:54 pm
Sounds like Davey Johnson is scared of offending him.
Anders- did you hear Sutcliffe and Other DOB say jeter was basically pouting during batting practice because he wasn’t in the original lineup? It’s always nice to hear the team’s fearless “leader” acting like a child…
BravesFanChris24
March 15th, 2009
7:56 pm
DOB
I read on MLB Trade Rumors that several teams are apparently inquiring on Buddy Carlyle. Do you think there’s a chance he’ll be traded? If so, to where and for who? Also any idea on any other potential trades as the roster is getting trimmed?
Anders
March 15th, 2009
7:57 pm
Hey Doc- depending on Chippers oblique they may need Frenchy to hit 50. Stay tuned.
Shane
March 15th, 2009
7:58 pm
why wouldnt we talk to Cuba. The embargo sure hasnt worked.
McFann :Ô:
March 15th, 2009
7:58 pm
Doc H. Im sure he can get to 95RBI with 20HR.
Sure. McCann got 92 RBI with 18 homers…and yes, yes, Francoeur got 105 RBI with 19 HR.
William
March 15th, 2009
7:59 pm
Doc,
What makes you think JF will not it 25 HR’s? It’s not like he hasn’t done it before. I agree, that doesn’t need to be his focus, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he hits 25-30 this year. If he bats .300 and hits 15 HR, I’m okay with that also.
Steve McP
March 15th, 2009
8:00 pm
Dirty Dawg, just looked up my SI issue and saw that you were upset that James Parr said he was fed up hearing about Obama (when I read the magazine it did it register with me as being out of order and so I did not know immediately what you were referring to).
I found his views open and they were surely his honest opinion, whether you agree with him or not, just because he is a professional athlete does not mean he should have no views on anything outside of sport.
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:00 pm
cabravesfan – The fact that Johnson was going to sit him tells me at least he will do whats right. After being forced to add him to the lineup batting him third tonight is downright puzzling.
I’ll know that the WBC is getting some traction when they don’t have to show the Pedroia video game commercial between EVERY inning.
Bobby's Belly
March 15th, 2009
8:01 pm
I believe Bobby said the competition is “wide open.” Please tell me how you tell Schafer he’s going to Gwinnett? Granted, if Schafer goes 0 for his next 20 there will be a competition re: avg. But Schafer still dominates in ALL other aspects of the game. Don’t bring up speed. Anderson can’t get on base often enough to utilize his and Schafer can absolutely run everything down in CF. His higher obp more than compensates in the SB dept. I would encourage the Josh supporters to objectively compare their #’s. It’s not close. Not to say JA can’t play, but his future is as a 4th OF’er. How this is debatable (and how I allowed myself to get reeled into this argument) is obscene. It’s the only open job in camp (so they say) so I would hope DOB can get his mlb contacts to give us an opinion on the matter. 6 yr minor leaguers are 6 yr minor leaguers for a reason.
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:03 pm
Damn Rollins is good. Jeter couldn’t make that play – well, ever.
David O'Brien
March 15th, 2009
8:04 pm
The WBC has not been kind to Chipper, for sure. Dude goes back to try to take care of unfinished business, one of the only guys to return from the 2006 team, then goes hitless and gets hurt. Braves can only hope this isn’t something that’ll affect him when the season begins in three weeks.
Should know more tomorrow about severity, after he returns to camp tonight. I’ll let you guys know if I get a quote either directly from him or through the Team USA media relations man later tonight.
winterville
March 15th, 2009
8:05 pm
DirtyDawg
I agree with you that I don’t want to hear what people that have nothing to do with politics have to say about it but I fear that the only reason you have a problem with this particular instance is because it doesn’t line up with your views. And there is no reason to call him undereducated when you know nothing about him. Gimme a break. That is the last thing I plan to say on this as I know we aren’t supposed to talk politics on the blog.
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:06 pm
Funny thing happened right after the announcement of Chippers oblique injury. Lew disappeared. Hmmm….
Perhaps he’s looking for his Chipper oblique painometer to see exactly where this latest one falls?
David O'Brien
March 15th, 2009
8:08 pm
Run Heap Run, I saw quite a few that weren’t set to private. The majority were (set to private), but quite a few aren’t.
18 Wheels of Love
March 15th, 2009
8:09 pm
DOB, would the Braves consider a LF’er in a trade if one presented itself or are they dead set on Garrett? Just wondering if Francoeur after a bad year, a rookie CF possibly, and Garrett injured early on might have then re-thinking their OF options?
Jeff
March 15th, 2009
8:09 pm
Dirty Dawg
Do you think it’s parrs fault that SI asked him a question and he responded with his opnion? if you’re offended by someone’s opinion then you should probably reconsider living
Bobby's Belly
March 15th, 2009
8:10 pm
Lay off Lew – He’s drawing a picture of Chipper’s oblique so we can better understand the problem.
ease19
March 15th, 2009
8:12 pm
Rick Sutcliffe = Tim McCarver
Jake W.
March 15th, 2009
8:12 pm
The news on Chipper sucka. I thought he should have maybe gave it a rest after he first aggrivated it. Hopefully its not that bad with three weeks left in spring training maybe it can be better by the time the season starts.
On the Parr issue I see no problem with what he said as they are his beliefs and he is allowed to think whatever he wants. You don’t have to agree with everyone. On political and social issues I personally take what athletes and entertainers have to say with a grain of salt.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
March 15th, 2009
8:13 pm
O’Brien, the Chip/Skip phone thing was really heartfelt. Good stuff my friend.
Don’t know if anybody else has noticed but Jordan Schafer and Josh Anderson have been alternating starting and playing in CF the last week or two. Schafer is clearly winning the battle. His bunt hit today got my attention. This is something that Anderson isn’t capable of doing. Schafer also has three SB’s to Anderson’s one theft.
Chipper’s oblique is unfortunately going to be a season long problem. Garret Anderson is almost as injury prone. Gregor Blanco isn’t even in the Atlanta outfield picture. He’s back up destined for the Gwinnett Braves.
Good bye Phil Stockman, we hardly knew thee. Atlanta opened up a roster spot. Could they be hedging their bets?
All of the pitching looks great. Both starting and bullpen guys.
Matt Diaz is raking at .414, he is leading in every offensive category except the kitchen sink (HR).
Dear Frank Wren, G. Anderson/ J. Anderson may have been the original plan. Except that Diaz and Schafer look much better on the field of play at the moment.
I’m beginning to wonder if Tommy Glavine will be ready to pitch for real in three weeks? No worries here folk’s, Tommy Hanson and Jo-Jo Reyes are good to go.
Francoeur is batting .333 with one single K and four walks. The problem is, he doesn’t have one single extra base hit as of yet.
Greg Norton and Clint Sammons lead the team with two dinger’s apiece.
Parts of the projected starting line up only have four HR’s and two stolen bases. But they also have 31 RBI and eighteen extra base hits. Gotta take the bad with the good or is it the other way around?
William
March 15th, 2009
8:13 pm
I thought of another question…………Who’s left on the team with the sack to call Chipper out about his injuries now that Smoltz is gone?
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:13 pm
DOB – Like I said when Chipper first tweaked it – This is no time to be John Wayne. Braves should have reeled him in. If he’s lost for an extended period that’s crippling to the Braves. IMO no single player means more to his team offensively in the NL East than Chipper.
Obliques are funny things. Sometimes they heal quickly and sometimes it just lingers and lingers.
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:14 pm
Mr Jeter – feel free to mail your glove back to Tampa. You won’t be needing it for the rest of the WBC.
cabravesfan
March 15th, 2009
8:15 pm
Anders-
That Pedroia commercial actually cracks me up…and you are right, Captian Derek Jeter would not have come colse to that ball.
I would also agree about Johnson wanting to do the right thing if I hadn’t read a quote from him syaing they kept Peavy in last night because they wanted him to get his “work” in…completely ignoring the fact that he had less then nothing.
Meanwhile The Best Shortstop on the Roster hits a 2 run bomb
cabravesfan
March 15th, 2009
8:15 pm
and i can’t spell…obviously I meant close, not colse
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:17 pm
Bobby’s Belly -That 8:10 was hilarious.
Shane
March 15th, 2009
8:17 pm
Isnt Dirty Dawg allowed to give his without having to reconsider living?
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:20 pm
Sutcliffe is lost. Jeter wasn’t happy because he wasn’t playing. Let’s not make it out to be he was upset because of the way they played. BTW – we got that data from SUTCLIFFE in the first inning.
The teflon beat goes on for Captain America.
ccrider
March 15th, 2009
8:22 pm
I know with the previous dealings in mind that this seems farfetched, but one trade that would make infinite sense for both teams would be the Braves and Padres working out a trade for Adrian Gonzalez. The Padres need pitching, outfield and value players. Some combination of Josh Anderson(A speedy outfielder to cover that spacious park), Gorky Hernandez(same player with higher potential), Kotchman( a temporary replacement until Kyle Blanks is deemed ready and then another valuable trade chip), Jo Jo Reyes, James Parr, Charlie Morton, Blaine Boyer, Jeff Bennett, Todd Redmond and Diory Hernandez. I admit the Peavy fiasco would probably make this a longshot, but it is one of the few trades that make sense for both parties!
Anders
March 15th, 2009
8:25 pm
Oswalt is a filthy gunslinger.
ShamusThacker
March 15th, 2009
8:26 pm
I’m sure somebody (if not somebody else) has already mentioned that Chipper shoulda sat this WBC thing out. Coulda happened here too I guess.
Not in the “best interest” of MLB to have its players attend. Hear that Bud!?
Stewart
March 15th, 2009
8:28 pm
DirtyDawg
I agree that it’s unfortunate that sports appears to grant a bully pulpit to people so they can voice opinions about things they don’t know much about. What you have to trust is that listeners have some judgment regarding where they get their ideas – whatever those ideas happen to be.
And for those calling DirtyDawg an elitist… from the standpoint of formal education, most sports stars are undereducated, simply because they don’t pursue schooling beyond high school. Perhaps James Parr went beyond high school, I don’t know, but these days a high school degree just isn’t very much education. Now, his implication that only undereducated people are tired of Obama… that one I won’t pursue on a smartly “politics-free” blog. That’s it from me on things other than baseball.
Go Braves! This team needs power more than it needs speed. Schafer provides some of both, so I’d like to see him in CF sooner rather than later. Give J. Anderson a shot at the starting slot but don’t give him too much slack. Also, am I alone in eager anticipation of the day that Heyward starts for us? That kid’s likely to become a beast.
GamecockBrave
March 15th, 2009
8:29 pm
Run Heap Run, whats the name of that facebook group again?
Interested Observer
March 15th, 2009
8:30 pm
Unfortunately, even if Chipper is healthy enough to start the season, I don’t think he’ll be “ready” to start the season. He has yet to find his swing this spring. I don’t see how he’ll have enough time to get health AND get his swing on track.
William
March 15th, 2009
8:31 pm
Can Heyward play third?
David O'Brien
March 15th, 2009
8:34 pm
18 Wheels: They didn’t sign Garrett Anderson to a great deal in order to move to another option because he strained a calf muscle in camp. I haven’t heard anything to indicate they’re even considering another LF option.