Chipper’s signed through 2012

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936 comments Add your comment

cabravesfan

March 31st, 2009
3:38 pm

Wayne-

as much as I enjoy watching Freel run through walls, I prefer my guys in one piece…maybe it’s just me but they seem to play better with all limbs attached:)

ncscoots

March 31st, 2009
3:39 pm

As we all know, toes are not to be trifled with.

Chop, unfortunately, not everyone here knows that. Wish they did, but that continuing seminar has left the building. Oh, the humanity!

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
3:41 pm

I have a 1991 Topps Skydome Stadium Club set. The crappy plastic Skydome was sitting on the floor once and got a little water damage on the bottom label. The resulting mold made the label look like some kind of marble or something. Lots of errors in that set.

It’s got a Manny Ramirez draft pick card in it. Manny sort of has a jheri-curl flat top in the photo. The Jason Giambi Team USA card is also pretty good. Giambi looks like he weighs about 185.

TommyP

March 31st, 2009
3:42 pm

pills91: I can’t. Great players very rarely make good managers. They can’t relate to the common player.

The GM: Have to disagree. For the production he gives for 80% of a season, what he’s meant to the city and the fact that he appears to be IMPROVING as a hitter in these later years….it’s a good contract.

garlick

March 31st, 2009
3:43 pm

Chop Chop, if I remember correctly, Giambi weighed 190 and played 3rd base when he came up with the A’s.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
3:43 pm

scoots,

By “we,” I mean “all the people who matter.” We’ve got tenure.

#1MetFan

March 31st, 2009
3:43 pm

garlick:

I didn’t know I was in spelling class you jerk off!

ncscoots

March 31st, 2009
3:45 pm

Chop, laughed out loud, man. Only, remember what Groucho said: “I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would have members like me.”

TnBrian

March 31st, 2009
3:47 pm

I think my favorite cards, besides Chipper and Justice RC’s, would be the Evan Longoria and Clayton Kershaw autograph RC’s. I believe they’re ‘06 Bowman Chrome. That Longoria is a good one and should go up each year, or could go down. Can’t forget about the Roger Staubach RC.

Notorious Number 10

March 31st, 2009
3:47 pm

Wayne in Utah
The Ernie Banks is a good one, old cards retain their value well.
The Griffey Jr. Rc. would probably sell for $3-$6 today….might want to hang on to that one.

PWHjort

March 31st, 2009
3:48 pm

Spelling is its’ own class in New York? Wow, I thought we were behind in education.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
3:48 pm

garlick,

I guarantee you that 1995 Jason Giambi didn’t look the way he looks in this photo. He’s listed at 195 on the back. There’s no way he’s 195. He needs to put on some weight and muscle. You hearing me, Giambi? You’re too skinny and don’t hit for enough power. You better hit the weights, son.

How did that end up?

Anders

March 31st, 2009
3:49 pm

#1 Met Fan -I’ve been here a bit longer than you. Word of advice. Lose the name calling and lame NY lingo and you might actually get something from this blog. I have.

garlick

March 31st, 2009
3:51 pm

Chop Chop, he can only hit the weights after he apologizes for something. Nobody knows what, but it’s something. Something he did, but he isn’t all that specific about it, so who knows what that thing is that he did, but it was something, and he needs to apologize for it.

Still, to this day, one of the best non-admittances of guilt in history.

Furman Bisher

March 31st, 2009
3:52 pm

BBFCFM

The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I likes it.

JP

March 31st, 2009
3:54 pm

I had to go under my bed and pull out my old shoebox full of cards. It’s been so long since I’ve looked at them – I still have my Ryan Klesko, Javy, and Steve Avery cards in protective sleeves. Also found an autographed Francisco Cabrera card that brought back some good memories. Best cards are an old Topps Hank Aaron, various rookie cards (McGuire, Griffey, Bonds, Chipper, A Rod, etc) from the 80’s and 90’s, and an old Roberto Clemente.

dap01

March 31st, 2009
3:54 pm

People need to realize, Smoltz left. He left the Braves because HE WANTED TO play somewhere else. You can’t blame Wren. You can’t blame Smoltz. He is a Red Sox. He is not a Brave. I really don’t care if he is even discussed anymore on the Braves Blog.

Efrim

March 31st, 2009
3:54 pm

Anders- It’s risky, to have two players over the age of 35 making close to a third of the payroll. I’ll agree with you there. But Chipper has been an offensive force on the field. Is he on the field 150+ games? No. But the rate at which he produces is so incredible that this price tag is warranted. Not to mention everything that he has meant to the Braves.

As far as the “our oldest pitcher is 27″, you have to be a bit concerned about Ollie P. and Maine, right? Perez is fat and Maine has a shoulder injury that doesn’t look quite healed.

Anyway, didn’t mean to jump down your throat. Hope all is well. I haven’t been a regular on the blog in like more than a month.

Razzle

March 31st, 2009
3:54 pm

Yeah, LET’S GO METS – all the way home to the Mets blog.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
3:55 pm

John Kruk actually looks like he’s in good shape on this ‘91 NL All-Star card. He also has a hellacious mullet. He’s wearing his cap, but there’s no hair showing below the ear in the front. Oh, wait. What’s this? There’s a whole lot of action going on in the back. Awesome.

flange1

March 31st, 2009
3:55 pm

I would love to hear about Shrimp Sandwiches myself…..

cricket

March 31st, 2009
3:56 pm

This is from Bill Simon’s mailbag – Braves connections with -ve VORP -

is there such a thing as negative V.O.R.P.?
I asked our baseballprospectus.com buddy Joe Sheehan and here’s what he said: “Yup, negative VORPs are fairly common. It’s what you get when a player is so bad he actually takes runs out of the league. A replacement-level player would actually be better than what the guy produces (and remember that VORP is adjusted for position, so the standards for shortstops are lower than for first basemen). Top-five last season: Tony Pena, -25.0; Corey Patterson, -19.3; Andruw Jones, -17.3; Jeff Francoeur, -16.9; Wily Mo Pena, -16.5.”

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
3:56 pm

I like how I can look up my old baseball cards on the Internet. It’s great.

Mr J

March 31st, 2009
3:57 pm

Anders,

I wouldn’t worry much about #1. I think he’s actually another blogger having a bit of sport. A Met fan caricature intended to stir the pot. Nope. Not real.

flange1

March 31st, 2009
4:00 pm

Efrim,

Glad to see you back! Hope all is well!

Missed your input.

Did you see the earlier post that said that both Rohbaugh and Teahan velocity were down and were blaming the shoulder problems of last year.

That is not good…

Anders

March 31st, 2009
4:00 pm

Efrim – No problem. Glad to hear from you.I waswondering where you’ve been.

Maine’s been throwing pain free which is all I care about in ST. He’s a bit of a head case for sure. But he always has been to intense. He needs to climb the hill and let it go.

Perez needed to get back to camp. I said that during the WBC while you were gone. He needs the structure he gets from Warthen and Santana. He looked pretty good last night. 6 2/3, 1 run, 4 hits. Ollie will blow up every 5 starts or so, that’s why he got $12 mil not $15.

Pelfrey is showing real good potential too.

Have you seen Bobby Parnell who is gonna make the team in the bullpen? Throws real hard (up to 97 last night).

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:02 pm

One of the cooler pics in the set:

“Desmond” Relaford

McFann :Ô:

March 31st, 2009
4:03 pm

cabravesfan

Oh yeah. That’s what really counts.

Wayne–

Ha…you don’t half to worry–no #16 haircut for me!

Hey, sounds like a great way to celebrate the B-Day! Did the Braves win? I wish they were still on TBS for all you out-of-town fanns!

They’re gonna be playing the Fillies on my B-Day this year…in Filly…with that awful memory from last year…Ugh. But hopefully they cann put all that behind them this season!

Spotts

I catch your drift–know just what ya mean. But I think you’re right–he prob’ly won’t ask for the moon when/if he’s a free agent.

And yeah, no sense in fretting about it now, huh. It’s like that magnet on our refrigerator says, “Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” We got four years before he’s a FA! And who knows–the Braves could extend him before he hits the market.

Efrim

March 31st, 2009
4:03 pm

Flange1 – Great to hear from you too man. So, they still have shoulder problems? Or are they just trying to build their velo back up? See, ya just gotta keep churning out those Tommy Hanson’s. The attrition rate is scary.

McFann :Ô:

March 31st, 2009
4:04 pm

Cricket is there such a thing as negative V.O.R.P.?

Oh yeah. People spew negative VORP on here all the time…

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:05 pm

This one had the ladies swooning.

“Ladies, ladies, I know you’re all wondering the same thing, but please, let me assure you that this ’stache ain’t just for show.”

Anders

March 31st, 2009
4:05 pm

MrJ – Thanks, didn’t realize that.

Efrim

March 31st, 2009
4:05 pm

Anders- Pelfrey looks great, for sure. That power sinker is something else. Parnell is also looking good. 7th inning role might be his, right?

mbatl

March 31st, 2009
4:05 pm

“Did you see the earlier post that said that both Rohbaugh and Teahan velocity were down and were blaming the shoulder problems of last year.”

flange1, I wouldn’t draw too much from that. Both of these guys are coming off injuries and no doubt needing to build some arm strength, and it’s not like minor leaguers have to be at top velocity on opening day. I’m not saying it’s nothing – obviously I don’t know – but wouldn’t take too much from it unless it continues a month or 2 into the season.

BA

March 31st, 2009
4:06 pm

No need to worry about Maine- he’s ‘Oswalt Lite’.

Really lite.

ncgary

March 31st, 2009
4:06 pm

Anders

March 31st, 2009
2:01 pm
Hey DOB – What happened to that 3 year at about $9 or $10 mil per you were telling us about sometime ago? I thought your number was low.

So now the Braves have two guys on the other side of 35 making a total of about $30 mil per. Good luck with that.

anders havent you heard obamas a cubs fan and hates the mets when he found out mets were getting 400 million for taxpayers ballpark, he decreed all other clubs get a 400 million bailout too

Jersey Gil

March 31st, 2009
4:07 pm

Guys i know this is not a Braves news, but i’m your scout here in Phillis Nation. The Phillis just release Geof Jenkins and start talk with Gary Sheffield and Chan Ho park will be the number 5 starer. Opening Day Pitcher will be Blanton.

snowball's chance

March 31st, 2009
4:07 pm

I like the new format. It is easier to surf through the posts to get to those I want to read, which are mostly DOB’s since I don’t want to be a GM nor do I take part in fantasy leagues. My favorite this spring was the post about DOB’s answering machine message by Skip (RIP). DOB, do you think you could post your phone # so a few thousand of your friends could hear this message? No, then maybe with this new format maybe you can link to it or have one of your multitude of interns post it on youtube. And thanks for telling us about Greg Brown. I gotta check him out.

Anders

March 31st, 2009
4:09 pm

Efrim – Not sure if Parnell will get the 7th. I think they’ll spot him for awhile until they see how he handles it. Certainly no later than the 7th to start the year.

These pitchers are really talking up Warthen over Peterson. I was a big Peterson fan but it appears he was to restrictive on his pitchers and they were stifled by it. Even Heath Bell came out last week and ripped Peterson. Have to say, I had no idea.

Anders

March 31st, 2009
4:10 pm

ncGary – That’s just might be what it takes!

Bubdylan

March 31st, 2009
4:11 pm

“And that’s why I’ve never understood the vitriol by many on here towards Anders.” -TommyP

I remember when those were my sentiments. Just keep watching, TommyP.

Frankie Knucles

March 31st, 2009
4:12 pm

KC – I bet you can’t wait to here that story. That’ll be awesome! awesome! awesome!

Mets fan – Do you think Boras picked up JJ as client b/c he lacks talent? Take a look at Boras’ client list sometime. Hey the good news is pretty soon we can quit discussing baseball hypothetically and the post season sting can keep you bitter yet another year

mbatl

March 31st, 2009
4:12 pm

“Pelfrey looks great, for sure”

You mean that 12 hits, 1 strikeout, and 7 earned runs in his last 4.2 innings?

Anders

March 31st, 2009
4:13 pm

Bubdylan – ouch that hurt. I mean that.Hopefully I’ll win you back someday.

flange1

March 31st, 2009
4:16 pm

The article was not that specific, it was just throwing up the red flag that their velocity was down, I was hoping for a HUGE year out of Cole R.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:17 pm

OHBravesGirl

March 31st, 2009
4:17 pm

McFann @ 4:04 – Hilarious. Love it. :)

Big Easy

March 31st, 2009
4:18 pm

Bubdylan – ouch that hurt. I mean that.Hopefully I’ll win you back someday.Anders

That’s getting a bit Brokeback, isn’t it? :)

~E~

mbatl

March 31st, 2009
4:18 pm

“I was hoping for a HUGE year out of Cole R.”

yeah, me too. (I am concerned, just trying to find logical reasons not be, LOL)

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:19 pm

IE Jenkins and Sheffield

Not often do successful teams drop a player when there is not a good reason. I hope the Braves stay far away from these rejects.

Seymour1948

March 31st, 2009
4:19 pm

Anders,

So who is it shaping up to be in the Mets bullpen, then?

Bubdylan

March 31st, 2009
4:20 pm

Anders, if you’re in complete earnest, then I’m really sorry. You’ll understand if I’ve felt suckered a couple times by your Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Troll act. But hey, maybe I’ve really got it wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:20 pm

Big Easy

Now that, was funny!

Tomas

March 31st, 2009
4:21 pm

Congrats to Chipper but too much guaranteed money. I love Chipper, his been my favorite player since I started watching baseball 12 years ago, and he is indespensable on this team. But he was making 11 million this year. Why give him a raise when he is getting older, and seems to not be able to stay healthy for at least 140 games. 3 years 42 million GUARANTEED. I would have given him 3 years 30 million guaranteed with incentives to make it 44-45 million and the vesting option of 9 million.

Maybe this is a way from the Braves to show Chipper how much they respect him, and how they are commited to winning. Let’s also remember he altered his older contract(that gave him a few extra years but also gave him 11 million instead of 16).

cabravesfan

March 31st, 2009
4:21 pm

Should we be concerned when Anders becomes the voice of reason?

McFann-

Your 4:04 cracked me up:)

Seymour1948

March 31st, 2009
4:23 pm

Tomas,

I think the Smoltz fiasco is the biggest reason the Braves went directly to the higher figure in their offer to Chipper. They wanted no part of anything that looked like a repeat of not genuinely trying to keep the hometown hero.

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:24 pm

One trick is to tell ‘em stories that don’t go anywhere – like the time I caught the ferry over to Shelbyville. I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on ‘em. ‘Give me five bees for a quarter,’ you’d say.

Bamakirk

March 31st, 2009
4:24 pm

Now that Chipper will be here a while, who takes Bobby’s place when he hangs it up? I wouldn’t mind seeing Fredi Gonzalez come back.

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:25 pm

Give me five bees for a quarter,’ you’d say.<<<best part

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:26 pm

Hard not to like a player named Rohrbough! It is going to be exciting watching all our lower level arms develop this year. There were a lot to be excited about last year: Rohrbough, Teheran, Kimbrell, Hodges, Evarts, Locke, Cordier, Diamond, Francis, and Delgado. Not to mention some of the higher level guys like Redmond, Marek, Medlen and our future star, Hanson.

Who did I miss?

Jersey Gil

March 31st, 2009
4:27 pm

Wayne in Utah …You miis Gorky

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:27 pm

Let’s try this one:

“In this rough economy, how can ANYONE accept such an enormous sum of money to play a game that I, Chop Chop, would play for free? What a bunch of damned spoiled brats! $14 million a year to play a game with a stick and a ball? Hell, I can play a game with a stick and two balls by myself and it don’t cost NOTHIN! DAMMIT!”

AustinBrave

March 31st, 2009
4:28 pm

I just found my newspaper from when Sid Bream slid into home plate to beat Pittsburg. I took it down to spring training the following year and had everybody on the paper sign it. PRICELESS I live in Austin Texas now but boy do I miss my Braves….

ncscoots

March 31st, 2009
4:28 pm

Bub, you just got rick-rolled. Trust your intuition, good buddy.

David O'Brien

March 31st, 2009
4:28 pm

By the way, Chipper’s salary this year is $10 mill, not $11 mill as we’ve all reported in the past. He barely missed the last incentive that would’ve bumped it to $11 mill.

gbaucum

March 31st, 2009
4:30 pm

Whatever happened to Journalist Jimmy Smith and his pie?

garlick

March 31st, 2009
4:31 pm

Jersey Gil, he said arms, not position players.

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:34 pm

Tomas

Chipper has sacrificed real earnings for the good of the team in past contracts. Actually, before this year, Smoltz did too.

As for Chipper getting older. It would shock me if he hung on for an extra year or two, if his performance declines to unacceptable levels. I just don’t think he is that sort of guy. (correct me Dave, if I am wrong)

Teams have an incredibly hard decision when their aging stars get to a point in there careers where you are not sure whether to resign them or to let them walk. Classy players like Chipper make those choices easier for their teams.

I really truly thought Smoltz would do the same, but I also believe he wants one more shot at the big stage before hanging them up. Also, I suspects he thinks he is bullet proof in some respects. He might be one of those guys who doesn’t know when to hang em up. Maybe we see him back in a year or two for one last parade around the league.

The 49′ers went through a similar dilemma with Joe Montana a few years back. It’s tough on the player, the team, and the fans.

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:36 pm

DAP

March 31st, 2009
4:36 pm

tomas chipper has been getting ripped off the past few years. making $11mil for the year he had last year? does that sound like market value? in baseball more than anything else, it seems, you get paid for what you DID not what you do. $14mil is very fair, and you could argue that its still a deal that favors the braves.

Nick

March 31st, 2009
4:38 pm

Chop Chop, I wish I’d had those in my collection!

2Parc

March 31st, 2009
4:38 pm

BBFCFM – I like your name. Going to Asheville and Knoxville.

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:38 pm

garlick

Thanks for having my back there.

Actually, I have always been intrigued by Jon Mark Owings. First, what an awesome baseball name. Second, he has a cannon for an arm, as we learned several years back. Third, his older brother Micah Owings is a heckuva hitting pitcher.

My guess is there is something basically wrong with his game, cause you never hear anything about him anymore.

cityofdecatur

March 31st, 2009
4:39 pm

GBRAVE

March 31st, 2009
4:39 pm

how many teams do you think would trade their rotation straight up for
Gwinnett’s rotation

Nick

March 31st, 2009
4:39 pm

cityofdecatur

March 31st, 2009
4:40 pm

this is a test to see if i can spell

Wayne in Utah

March 31st, 2009
4:40 pm

BBFCFM

That’s one skinny Greg Maddux!

cabravesfan

March 31st, 2009
4:40 pm

The 49ers went through a similar dilemma with Joe Montana a few years back. It’s tough on the player, the team, and the fans.

I have been a die hard 49ers fan my entire life and the memory of Joe Montana in a Chiefs unifrom still makes me sick…

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:41 pm

2parc
Thanks. yep me too. and roo and gorge as well

jed

March 31st, 2009
4:41 pm

has there been any explanation on the will ohman fiasco? didnt he sign with LA for much less than he was offered by us? why didnt we go back in mid-march and try to work something out? odd situation.

ballzy move going with jordan in CF, i’ll say that much. shows a lot of confidence in blanco, if you think about it.

i like the loyalty to chipper, but doubt he’ll even be able to play 60 games by 2012.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:44 pm

Someone analyze this pitching motion and guess how long this guy lasted in pro ball.

2Parc

March 31st, 2009
4:44 pm

BBFCFM – wish i had more spare time like I did back in the 90’s… the heyday… nice to see them back.

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:45 pm

2Parc

..speaking of which- got an extra Asheville, by any chance?

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
4:45 pm

Uh…

Okay. Analyze this pitching motion and take a guess.

Should work better this time.

MikeR

March 31st, 2009
4:46 pm

I used to collect BB cards. I stopped in 1995 when because too many are printed now and I liked the older players much more than the steriod boys. I have complete topps sets from 1970 through 1995 and many other cards from prior years. My oldest are 1954 Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider. I’m most proud of the complete 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers team.

I’m still a huge BB and Braves fan but feel the game was much better prior to 1969. All the changes made since then have hurt the game, (ie. lowering the mound, shrinking the strike zone, division play, DH, wild card, night world series games, steriods, increased greed by both players and owners).

BBFCFM

March 31st, 2009
4:49 pm

2Parc
well, took a lot of planning. If this were the late 90’s early millenium, I’d probably do every one…and after seeing Hampton, truly they seem back. Can’t wait to see them a few months into it. I bet they’ll be crushin it. Rumor has it, ATL in the fall

PWHjort

March 31st, 2009
4:49 pm

I’ll analyze that pitching motion in 3 words “drop and drive”. Pitching coaches used to teach pitchers to drop their arm-side knee almost to, or on to, the ground. Tim Hudson’s one of the closest pitchers’ in today’s game to the old drop and drive mechanics.

Schafer's Chaffers

March 31st, 2009
4:50 pm

Never mistake a New York fan as a thinker.

PWHjort

March 31st, 2009
4:56 pm

Any word on where we can get a press conference video or transcript?

Tomas

March 31st, 2009
4:56 pm

Would you imagine what kind of heat will Wren had gotten if he where unable to reatin Chipper, and the Mets signed him to play 1B…………. I’m thankfull Chipper till th end of his carrer, but was it a fair deal or not, will just have to see how many games Chipper’s able to play.

Woogidy

March 31st, 2009
4:58 pm

DOB, While we’re on the subject of Old guys under contract, Is there a “gentlemen’s agreement” between the Braves and Tom Glavine that if his comeback is less that mediocre that he hang it up?

Renegator

March 31st, 2009
4:59 pm

18 Wheels:

Where are you on the SC coast? I’m headed there next month with my wife who has never been there before. We are headed to Beaufort to see the Blue Angels and then headed to Charleston.

Would love to pick your brain on where I should take her (food, history, attractions, night life, etc) Probably will have to take it offline so as not to take up too much blog space. I’m headed home from work now but I’ll chat you up next time I’m on.

Lew

March 31st, 2009
5:00 pm

Scoots-It has been a while since we heard about Musk Oxen in Cordele and Ugandan toe poultices, hasn’t it? Oh, The Humanity, indeed.

Brandon

March 31st, 2009
5:00 pm

who is pitching tonight?

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
5:01 pm

He lasted four years in the pros. Out of the game at 25.

Woogidy

March 31st, 2009
5:02 pm

anyone know that website where they have projected standings day by bay, not the PECOTA predictions

Tom O'Hawke

March 31st, 2009
5:04 pm

McFann, I usually grill up a few more chicken breasts, than I’m going to immediately eat, to later make salad. I make my salad with onions. I love my onions (except before dates). I never tried it the way you suggested. I had a package of 3-cheese Italian (Rom., Parm. & Mo.), so I mixed some into the salad. I had sandwich rolls, w/o sesame seeds, but I roughed it and heated it up, anyway. Man, that was awesome! My question is, what, in the wide, wide world of sports (Slim Pickens), made you call that a ’spring dish’. I’m thinking that I could eat that during all the seasons. As a matter of fact, this fall, when I sit down to watch the Braves in the World Series, that sandwich will be on my menu.

Chop Chop

March 31st, 2009
5:06 pm

Woogidy,

If you check out this page during the season, you should find updated stats for just about anything you can think of.

Tom O'Hawke

March 31st, 2009
5:06 pm

“then” I’m going to eat. Am I the only one that proof reads, after I hit ’submit’?

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