Washington, DC - Greetings from our nation’s capital where there are big green blobs on the radar map, and I’m having a bad hair day. (Here’s your clue No. 1 to double-check that byline at the top.)
We’ve got an 80 percent chance of rain forecast for tonight in Washington and this little nugget: “a few storms may be severe” from our friends at weather.com. It says storms may produce large hail and strong winds. Let’s hope the walk over to the ballpark happens before or after the hail.
Of course, the worst of it looks like it’ll be coming between 8 and 9 p.m., when the hourly breakdown says there’s a 60-70 percent chance of rain, and there are little lightning bolts pictured. That’s terrible timing, when it comes right down to it. I think I’d rather get hailed on.
As for the prospects of a doubleheader tomorrow, it looks like tomorrow afternoon is OK but there’s more rain coming tomorrow night. And I do wonder, if it comes down to a doubleheader, what the Braves might have to do about catching. You’d rather not ask your catcher to catch two games of a doubleheader, and with Brian McCann having his vision problems, it could be an issue.
McCann was scheduled to visit an eye doctor here in DC today, so I should have an update later this afternoon once I get over to the clubhouse.
If the Braves do play tonight, Yunel Escobar is supposed to be back in the lineup. That’ll help. And obviously it gave the Braves a big lift to get Chipper Jones back yesterday in Pittsburgh.
That made the Braves 6-1 this season when Chipper is in the lineup, 0-5 when he’s not. When he’s in, the Braves are averaging 5.6 runs per game. When he’s not, they’re averaging 3.4 runs per game. Now, is one guy that important?
If anyone would be, I’m thinking Chipper is the guy, but I’m just wondering what you guys think. Has it gotten to be a mental thing, where if he’s out of the lineup, hopes are down, or when he’s in, guys are waiting for him to carry the load?
I’m doubting any of that is conscious with other players, but statistics do really bear out how valuable Chipper is, right there at home, in his usual No. 3 spot in the order.
The Marlins’ pitching had plenty to do with two of those Chipper-less losses, no doubt, and Chipper played the first of that series sweep and the Braves were still shut down 5-1. But still. (Yes, that’s the phrase I’m using to make my big point. I blame an early wake-up call – and here I am now with only a free candy bar for my Marriott patronage to keep me energetic.)
Outside of the weather, the Braves have to be happy to be here in DC to play the ole Nats, who took one on the chin yesterday from the Marlins, who rallied from 4-3 down in a ninth inning to win 7-4. The Nats are now 1-10 on the season.
The Braves swept three from the Nationals at Turner Field the weekend of their home-opener. There was the 6-5 win in 10 innings on April 10, featuring the two-hour rain delay. There was Kawakami’s first win as a Brave in a 5-3 game on April 11 and Jurrjens out-pitching Scot Olsen for the 8-5 win on April 12.
Tonight we see Jordan Zimmermann – no relationship to Ryan, apparently – who will make his major league debut on the mound. The Nationals’ top-rated prospect was projected as the Nats’ No. 5 starter this year but was not needed until now. He was called up from AAA Syracuse. The 22-year-old right-hander is 15-5 with a 2.81 ERA in 39 starts in the minors. He was a combined 10-3 last year with a 2.89 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 134 innings in Class A Potomac and Class AA Harrisburg.
Zimmermann was drafted in the second round out of the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (that’s a new one to me), a pick that came as compensation when the Cubs signed free agent Alfonso Soriano.
As for the other Zimmerman – it’s a pretty big day for him too. Nats third baseman Ryan Zimmerman just inked a five-year $45 million contract extension. The press conference announcing it is scheduled for 4 p.m. today.
Meanwhile the Braves will run Derek Lowe out there who had his last start against the Nats (three innings) shortened by rain. He’d like a chance to get back on the mound and rebound from his career-high five walks in five innings of a 10-4 loss to Florida.
Let’s hope we get this one in.
1,327 comments Add your comment
Smyrna Jim
April 20th, 2009
2:47 pm
Thanks for the new blog, Carroll!
18 Wheels of Love
April 20th, 2009
2:50 pm
Peterbilt
Peterbilt
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
2:56 pm
Thanks for the new Blog, Ms. Rogers!
Important point about the DH…and I await your update on BMac with great anticipation! We’re going down to Daddy’s work in about half an hour or so, but there are plenty of computers there that I cann plant myself in front of.
They oughta have an emoticon for being anxious. I could go with
, but that doesn’t seem right…
toga party
April 20th, 2009
2:56 pm
Looks like Lowe has angered the storm gods. Shame too, we could use some innings from our #1 tonight.
N8
April 20th, 2009
2:58 pm
Thanks Carroll. Pretty close to being time to get the kids, so I’ll take a “natural” break and see what happens.
But I apreciate the effort (whether they can solve it or not – is another story). But again, thank you.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:02 pm
Thanks for the new blog, my Dad and I are big Brave’s fans and our new favorite phrase is ‘Bravos take on Nats’! We love playing them more than we liked see ole Armando Benitez come out of the opposing bullpen, remember how the Braves used to light that poor soul up, especially Larry.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
3:02 pm
McFann-
That guy looks more stoned then anxious:) I’m with you, though, waiting (im)patiently for an update on Mac.
By the way, I still call my dad “daddy” on occation and I am much older then you:)
NC Braves Fan
April 20th, 2009
3:02 pm
Carroll: thanks for the new blog. Pesonally, I think Chipper is important, but it’s the loss of Chipper, Yunel and McCann’s issues combined that caused a lot of the offensive dropoff IMO. Chipper got back yesterday and Ross was plugged in for McCann, and the runs returned (helped out by a bad start by Zach Duke).
Hopefully Yunel will be back tonight (or whenever the rain lets up) and we can get some rund in back of the great SP we’ve been getting all year.
Finally, I will say a prayer to the hail gods on your behalf!
blausy
April 20th, 2009
3:03 pm
Carroll — is the weather likely to affect outdoor BP today, regardless of whether the game ultimately gets called or not?
Nick in PA
April 20th, 2009
3:03 pm
DOB,
Any chance Bobby sits Lowe in order to avoid having another start get shortened by rain?
Josh H
April 20th, 2009
3:03 pm
McFann:
It seems that once a girl gets into that college/out on her own phrase, the world “Daddy” is usually uttered when they need money or something
. Just my own personal experience. I’m mid twenties myself.
Chino Cadahia
April 20th, 2009
3:03 pm
That’s Zimmermann.
NC Braves Fan
April 20th, 2009
3:04 pm
Cabraves fan: “That guy looks more stoned then anxious.”
Well, it is 4/20.
I was born in the desert
April 20th, 2009
3:04 pm
I always thought McFann was meaning he k’s a lot
Sandlot
April 20th, 2009
3:05 pm
I’m curious about the catcher situation, too. Do we have anyone on the active roster who could be used in an emergency? I’d think it more likely (assuming the game tonight is called, and a doubleheader is scheduled tomorrow or Wednesday) that they’d try to call up Sammons and get him there in time to catch one or the other. Unless this specialist Mac’s seeing today has some sort of miracle cure for him, of course.
Thrillhouse44
April 20th, 2009
3:05 pm
Who’s your daddy?
Josh H
April 20th, 2009
3:07 pm
Thrillhouse44:
That comment reminds of Remember the Titans. Really good movie.
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
3:08 pm
It seems that once a girl gets into that college/out on her own phrase, the world “Daddy” is usually uttered when they need money or something
That’s why, for some young ladies of a certain age, you don’t need a purse when shopping; just take along a pocketful of daddy, LOL.
And daddies wouldn’t have it any other way.
Scott K.
April 20th, 2009
3:08 pm
“I was born in the desert”:
Were you also raised in lion’s den?
Rock On.......
April 20th, 2009
3:09 pm
Carroll…you are not transparent. Something I remembered from a year ago or so.
Efrim…..to end our debate from the last blog. Many prior posts I said that simply Prado could do fine IF allowed to play full time. Stats bare that out. No regression seen based on minors numbers and now MLB stats to date. Obviously the “sampling” number would be less for the comparisons. You wanted some numbers to legitimize my claim. So you have them. Best I can/care to do. Nuff said, no winners.
Rodney Derrick
April 20th, 2009
3:09 pm
Carroll– Where do you run in DC. Whenever I went there for meetings, the Mall and the Towpath were pretty much as good as you could ever want. Also, considering today was the Boston Marathon, have you picked out that half marathon. Consider the Indianapolis 500 half marathon in Indy, which is a day or two before the 500. No race finish ever quite matched the last mile and a half on the Brickyard. Perhaps with the restructuring at the paper, you can arrange to cover the race. Or, who knows, while I have not checked, maybe the Gwinnett Braves will be playing nearby.
Train Wreck Bystander
April 20th, 2009
3:09 pm
Time to post for the first time since Opening Day.
About that Gallery poll that’s on the main AJC Braves page:
A.J. Burnett – Lose Him – Sure he has a 2.70 ERA, but he’s also pitched in 2 road games and only once in New Yankee Stadium. Just wait until he gets in a few starts in that homerdrome and watch that number rise…
Jake Peavy – Use Him – too bad it didn’t work out when we tried to land him
Rafael Furcal – Lose Him – One SB so far, and that’s the main reason I would have wanted him – to steal
Andruw Jones – Lose Him – Glad to see he’s doing better in Texas, but I don’t think he’d have done nearly as well had he returned to the Ted
Josh Anderson – Coin Flip – I want to see Schafer do well, but it’s tough watching the kid play human pinball with various outfield walls. I don’t remember Anderson having those sorts of issues.
Ken Griffey Jr. – Lose Him – I don’t think we missed out on much.
Will Ohman – Use Him – Coulda, shoulda, woulda signed him and somehow let him get away.
An entire week with no PTV games and the Nats & Reds to feast on – I sense the stars aligning for a great week.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:11 pm
I rekon that Matt Diaz would be the emergency back-up at least he was last year, but why not put Prado back there? I mean the guy plays anywhere Bobby tells him too, he even helps out the equipment guy when towels are low :0)
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
3:11 pm
Lou, I do agree with you on the Braves needing to let go of the past(Glavine). At least that’s what I thought you meant in that last sentence. If you didn’t, well they do and I think they are to an extent.
I will say that maybe if the Braves did more for their fans as some here have pointed out, maybe they’d have a packed house more often. That guy commenting on Diaz and his smug attitude, that doesn’t surprise me a bit. Me and my girlfriend went to a Braves game in ‘06 and with about 20 other people calling for Hudson to at least acknowledge we were there, he refused to even notice or care. He was loosening his arm when he didn’t pitch. What do ya know, Francoeur was the only player that waved and signed some baseballs for fans. If this is the way they operate, FU** em! I’ll root for them like I always have, but I don’t have to respect some of them as people. John Thompson pitched that night.
Rodney Derrick
April 20th, 2009
3:12 pm
Games with Nats are such a drag as they blacked out in Durham, whether you use MLB or Extra Innings. Maybe I will watch the archive on MLB.com.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:12 pm
Or Omar Infante for that matter.
Random
April 20th, 2009
3:13 pm
Bill James on managers (from This Time Let’s Not Eat the Bones):
“Every good manager effectively threatens his players with professional extermination if they don’t give him the best effort they are capable of giving; Casey Stengel, Billy Martin, White Herzog and Earl Weaver are masters at it, as was Durocher. These are not nice people. They are manipulative, cunning SOBs, hard and crass and they drink too much. Nice guys finish last because a nice guy is not going to coldly exploit the insecurities of his players. Nice guys finish last because a nice guy is not going to kick an old friend out of his comfortable sinecure the minute that old friend becomes a milli-second too slow on the fastball.”
So is Bobby Cox a “nice guy”, or is he one of those “manipulative, cunning SOBs, hard and crass [who] drink[s] too much”?
Rock On.......
April 20th, 2009
3:14 pm
all Washington games are carried by Comcast Sports Net here in Richmond and Mid-atlantic region. No blackouts. Games on! Find a sports bar.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
3:15 pm
“Over/under on when everybody stopped calling their parents Mommy and Daddy?” (Bay Area Steve)
Steve, I’m gonna climb out on a limb now, and guess that you’ve never been accused of being “overly sensitive”. lol
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
3:16 pm
NC Braves Fan-
That is true…didn’t even think about that- Bring on the stoned emoticon!
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:17 pm
Its always Mama Daddy Granny and Grandaddy here in the land of Grits and F150s
Rodney Derrick
April 20th, 2009
3:17 pm
Hey Rock on– We do not have Comcast in Durham; we have Time-Warner, and no matter how you cut it, you can not watch Bravos when they play Nats, or some years, the Os
Detective John Kimble
April 20th, 2009
3:18 pm
Were going to play a little game today children.
it’s called “who is your daddy and what does he do”
Thrillhouse44
April 20th, 2009
3:18 pm
Games against the Nats are some of the few games that I do get to see on TV.
Random
April 20th, 2009
3:20 pm
Epinephrine (1:52 pm): “P-Town, fine, but two points:
1) Kelly will probably only lead off ONCE during a game”
Nope — wrong.
Even aside from the first inning, the lead-off hitter is more likely than any other position in the line-up to lead off an inning.
On account of because the pitcher so often makes the last out in an inninjg.
On account of with two outs the other team often walks the number 8 hitter to get to the pitcher.
You could look it up.
Thrillhouse44
April 20th, 2009
3:21 pm
Tony2loco, I don’t have a Granny, I have Big Moma. No related to Big Papi though.
buzzmeat
April 20th, 2009
3:21 pm
Derek Lowe is getting nailed with weather problems, Rain, then the sun in his face, now rain again
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:21 pm
Det John Kimble lol “it’s not a tumor” poor Governator did turn out himself to be an economic gurly-man
Detective John Kimble
April 20th, 2009
3:25 pm
Im going to let that one slide Tony. I am a wonderful Governator and zere are no Politics on ze blog. Boys have a p…wait thats not my line
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:25 pm
Thrillhouse my Granny is from mexico but refuses to be called abuela but my great granny is called Amma, wonder what Esco calls his mom and dad, my Puerto Rican counsins call theres Ma and Pa
Jim
April 20th, 2009
3:25 pm
I’m in Charlottesville, VA – about 3 weather hours SW of Wash. DC. Stopped raining here about 10:30 this AM. Misty, but really no rain since then. I would think we’re going to play tonight since weather pattern is moving in NE direction.
N8
April 20th, 2009
3:26 pm
Random, thank god for you 3:20 post. THAT was the point I was trying to make (4 times) that kept getting eaten by the blog.
KJ has hit in the leadoff spot in 9 games this season. Yet he has led off an inning 17 times.
People just like to repeat the nonsense that Bobby spews sometimes, and assume it’s fact.
Crisp
April 20th, 2009
3:26 pm
Don’t worry Dominic, Im a fireman
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
3:33 pm
I’m in my 30’s and I always call my dad daddy…
I liked that gallery poll too, here’s how I voted..
A.J. Burnett – Lose Him
Jake Peavy – Lose Him
Rafael Furcal – Lose Him
Andruw Jones – Use Him – He was a bargain and we need an extra outfielder on the bench, hey, he’d have been as good or better than Diaz or Loaf, IMO. AJ was an outstanding defensive CF’er, watching Schafer and the also rans in between then and now have magnified his defensive skills even moreso.
Josh Anderson – Lose him
Ken Griffey Jr. – Eh..
Will Ohman – Use Him – OF COURSE!
I expect that 100% of the bloggers voted yes on that one.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
3:33 pm
Only in DC do you come into the press box and the TV is on CSpan….Tarp is on the field, so I’d say BP is questionable.
I run at the mall. LOVE it. but it’s flat, so I look at it as a little break. But love people-watching and sight-seeing.
Yes, chino, you’re right. I’ll fix that!
ZC Rider
April 20th, 2009
3:34 pm
If we are only gonna get a few innings in, maybe we should start Parr or JJ
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:34 pm
I wonder what happened to DOB today? Perhaps it has something to do with good tunes and Bar-B-Que. BTW how good has Lowe looked so far, Wren may start to surprise us all like ole JS did year after year…..or not.
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
3:36 pm
cabravesfan–
Yeah, good point. And I’m a little impatient, too. Patience is a virtue, but I don’t have much of it!
There’s no shame in calling your Daddy “Daddy”.
Josh H. the world “Daddy” is usually uttered when they need money or something
Well, not too long before that’s me!
I was born in the desert I always thought McFann was meaning he k’s a lot
What?
Gotta split. But I’ll get on again once we get to Daddy’s work…gotta check for Mac updates!
Tomahawk210
April 20th, 2009
3:37 pm
Anyone watching the NHL Playoffs? Best time of the year to watch hockey-fights, hitting, lots of action.
You heard it here first at 2:36 on 4/20:
Vancouver Canucks will be Stanley Cup Champions in 2009.
Luongo is on his game-none better when he’s on and the team is playing the best hockey since the start of this year-best record. So you guys talking about the Rangers, or whoever it won’t even matter.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:37 pm
ZC Rider I agree, but I would throw Campillo out there, it seems to me that he is a much better starter than a long reliever.
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
3:37 pm
People just like to repeat the nonsense that Bobby spews sometimes, and assume it’s fact.
As opposed to bloggers (not you) who spew nonsense and present it as fact, LOL.
nathan, I hate to say this re the blog eating your posts, but maybe it’s only “functioning as designed”, LOL. Eating in self-defense, perhaps!
Chino Cadahia
April 20th, 2009
3:37 pm
That’s going to be hell on writers who are dealing both Zimmerman and Zimmermann.
Shea Stadium
April 20th, 2009
3:38 pm
I always called Chipper “Daddy”.
Jim
April 20th, 2009
3:39 pm
Reliever Stat:
Binary measure: allow no runs and get at least one out = good perfomance; allow 1 or more runs = bad perfomance.
So far this year, here’s the “scorecard:”
Carlyle: 2/3
Gonzo: 2/6
O’Flaherty: 3/6
Soriano: 5/5
Moylan: 4/7
Boyer: 1/3
Campillo: 1/4
Parr: 0/2
Bennett: 4/6
Team: 20/42 – w/o Soriano and Bennett: 11/31. Who do you want in there?
blausy
April 20th, 2009
3:39 pm
Campillo’s on the DL, sport.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:40 pm
Chino not as bad as when we had Pitcher Lopez throwing to Javy Lopez at Catcher with a Lopez in the batter’s box, yall remember that one? funny funny
SoWeGa Fanatic
April 20th, 2009
3:41 pm
Daddy died many, many years ago. I’m a guy, I’m pushing 60, and he’ll always be Daddy. Why would I call him anything else?
KLB
April 20th, 2009
3:42 pm
Lineups here – http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2009/04/a_press_conference_tonights_li.html#comments
SoWeGa Fanatic
April 20th, 2009
3:43 pm
Enter your comments here
Anders
April 20th, 2009
3:43 pm
Tomahawkin210 – Whoah, easy on my Rangers. As for the Canucks winning the cup- maybe. I’ll have to take your word for it because the way Bettman has destroyed the hockey schedule east coast teams almost never see the west coast guys.
We do agree that there’s nothing like playoff hockey. It can be insane. I love baseball on the whole most but nothing will ever come close to the Rangers cup run in 1994. The most electric 2-1/2 months of my sports life. (Oh yeah, for the record the Rangers beat the Canucks that year in the finals).
Spanky
April 20th, 2009
3:44 pm
They have an off day Sept 24 prior to a 3 game series at Washington. Could do a make-up game then.
njbraves
April 20th, 2009
3:44 pm
Any truth to the rumor that it’s Bobby’s fault it’s raining in DC today??
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
3:45 pm
N8 and Random-
Thank you for proving my point…its always nice to have others do work so that I don’t have to, even though I knew the results (17 times) were pretty close to what I thought they were.
I hope the game gets in tonight…otherwise those of us w/ MLB EI may get the shaft on the DH tomorrow…
Oh, and thanks again for the spot on commentary N8…seems like you really get it.
Tony2loco
April 20th, 2009
3:45 pm
I stand corrected and bow to your greatness Blausy, I need to stop going to the lake every weekend and think before I speak (or blog). The Wife aka ‘commanding officer’ would agree with all of the above…………sigh. Yeah the notes say he is unable to generate velocity due to shoulder tendinitis.
Anders
April 20th, 2009
3:46 pm
Tomahawkin210 – I forgot one thing. Lundqvist is better than Luongo when he’s on his game. Henrik is pretty much regarded as the best goalie in the World right now. (Hockey is one of the few sports where you can make that claim and it is true).
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
3:46 pm
Schafer gets moved up to the seven-hole, eh?
Frankie Knuckles
April 20th, 2009
3:48 pm
njbrave – yes, b/c he’s a jerk
AustinBrave
April 20th, 2009
3:49 pm
What is the website for that free basball on the radio. I was using it but i lost my hard drive over the weekend. Trying to get prepared for tonights game. Thanks
Josh H
April 20th, 2009
3:50 pm
P-Town Brave:
Without even getting into the Kelly vs Prado discussion, I definitely agree that he should not be hitting lead off. Especially with the lineups we were running out Friday/Saturday with Infante, Prado, and Diaz all playing, with Infante hitting 2nd and Diaz 3rd.
Kelly hit a snag this last week, but he was still hitting the ball hard against the Marlins. Didn’t see much of the Pirates series.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
3:51 pm
For anyone who is blacked out or doesn’t have the appropriate cable stations, you can at least listen to every game at the link. Sometimes you have to try a few stations to find the game; a lot carry local sports because they’re small-town stations.
http://www.freebaseballradio.com/Atlanta.html
N8
April 20th, 2009
3:53 pm
ncscoots, I try and back up what I call “facts” with numbers or something that proves my points.
Everything else, like Bobby Cox and what I think of him (good, bad or indifferent), is just opinion.
“Oh, and thanks again for the spot on commentary N8…seems like you really get it.” P-Town Brave
I’m not sure what “it” is (LOL!), but I think what I think, and ususally type a bunch of words trying to explain it. Doesn’t make it right. Just my opinion.
But that whole thing with the lead-off hitter only batting “lead-off” once, has always bugged me. It’s just Bobby’s way of deflecting the question, when he doesn’t have a “true” leadoff type hitter.
But I do appreciate you appreciating my comment. Thanks.
OK, time to go get the kids.
AustinBrave
April 20th, 2009
3:53 pm
Thanks Mekons you made my day
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
3:54 pm
Jim-
We could do like the Nats did and fire the whole bullpen…
I actually did have visions of telling half the pen to clean out their lockers, unfortunately for the Braves, we have the majority who have guaranteed contracts and are on the 40-man and so on…otherwise I wouldn’t have any issue w/ calling up Medlen, Marek, and the other reinforcements…
Granted it is in fact Triple-A, but Mariano Gomez, Luis Valdez, and Kris Medlen have been stellar, and even better than that, Gomez is left handed!
DCBraves
April 20th, 2009
3:57 pm
Still debating whether it’s worth it to try to go to the game today. Given how poor the Nats’ attendence is, it’s easy to get a $5 ticket and then sit whereever you want (except for the suite and directly behind home plate). Was going to go early for BP, but don’t think the odds are that that’ll be on.
Weather Man
April 20th, 2009
3:58 pm
According to Weather.com its supposed to be cloudy all afternoon and much of the evening…showers moving in around 10 p.m.
Hopefully the game can be played without delay and Derek Lowe can go about throwing a No-No in the nations capitol.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
4:01 pm
Sabermetricians will see a player with a 300+ average, a 400+ OBP, and 500+ SLG % and frequently get sexually excited.
Hmm…this is a new phenomenon. Usually an attractive young lady does the trick. Interesting…
Also, how does one become a “sabermetrician?” Do you go to grad school, or will a few classes at community college suffice? Ahh, you know I’m just messin’ with ya, I think you’ve made some sound arguments today, PWH.
Efrim, I watched the Pens-Flyers game the other night and I thought it was a good one. Except for the obligatory Sidney Crosby interview. The arrogance (and sheer amount of hair gel/product) make me cringe. Great player though. My Wings have been cleaning house, albeit against the hapless Blue Jackets, so I’m happy. I think the Pens/Flyers and Rangers/Caps will both go seven. Also, did you catch any of the Blues/Canucks game? Lots of heavy hitting there…gotta love it.
DOB, glad to hear your assessment of Cody Johnson and minor league prospects in general. Do you speak with Frank Wren with any regularity about prospects? I would figure that you don’t but I’m just curious. Any info you can pass along is greatly appreciated.
Dan_in_NC
April 20th, 2009
4:03 pm
Personally, I would rather it be rained out instead of having Lowe’s outing shortened like we had two weekends ago.
Luke L1
April 20th, 2009
4:03 pm
Carroll,
Any news on Tommy G. We are about a week removed from his flare-up. I was just wandering if he had improved any or how he was feeling.
Go Bravos
April 20th, 2009
4:04 pm
It has been nasty up here all day, but it looks like the rain has stopped for the moment. Lets see if it holds off…Go Bravos
jbutler
April 20th, 2009
4:04 pm
McFann…your “worried” emoticon actually looks like a fly. Or a pinhead. Keep thinking good thoughts- I think your boy will be just mcfine.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:05 pm
Josh-
Kelly had some pretty bad AB’s against the Pirates. Another thing I have noticed is that if Kelly hits the ball the other way, he usually pops or flys out. That is another reason for me to not like him batting 1. I like my leadoff hitter to be able to hit consistently and to all fields (ie Prado, Infante, even Escobar). It tells you how much trouble we were in Fri/Sat when Diaz is your 3 hitter.
N8 mentioned about Bobby changing lineups and pitchers too late. Completely accurate as Bobby always waits way too long to make a decision. If Yunel is going to play against the Nats tonight, I suggest moving Kelly down in the lineup to say, the 5 slot. We know Mac won’t be playing so I would suggest this:
Escobar
Kotchman
Jones
Francoeur
Johnson
Diaz
Schafer
Ross
In that lineup we split up the lefties and keep teams from bringing situation relievers in for multiple batters. Also, I feel Casey would be a better 2 hitter as he doesn’t strike out and opens up the hole on the right side of the infield.
Once Mac is back this would be a good lineup v LHP:
Escobar
Kotchman
Jones
McCann
Francoeur
Johnson
Diaz
Schafer
v RHP:
Escobar
Schafer
Jones
McCann
Anderson
Francouer
Johnson
Kotchman
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
4:07 pm
Out of all the possible guys to hit 4th Bobby picks KOTCHMAN????
Renegator
April 20th, 2009
4:10 pm
I’m a little worried about tonight. The Braves typically don’t do well against a called-up minor leaguer they have never seen before.
Just saying…
SoWeGa Fanatic
April 20th, 2009
4:10 pm
I predict the game will not be played tonite.
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
4:10 pm
DCbraves…I’m in the same boat. Can’t decide whether to take the trek down to the park tonight.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:11 pm
Oh, I also think giving Kotchman and Johnson games off against lefties would help in the long run too…maybe even in the same game to stack the lineup w/ righties…play Prado at 1b and Infante at 2b…
Besides going w/ the stats and the odds, Bobby really should learn the phrase “going with the hot hand”…If we EVER did that this year, I would be impressed.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
4:11 pm
Thanks for the info, folks. And to McFann for never presuming negativity in any of my (our) posts.
Mr. Hawke, you’d be correct, sir.
J-X
April 20th, 2009
4:12 pm
It is absolutley scary how many double plays that line up would create. Kotchman at number two is asking for inning killers. Kotchman is a groundball machine with deceptively slow speed.
I agree that his patience would be nice and going righty lefty would be nice, but he just can’t pick’em up and put’em down fast enough to be a number two.
LKS
April 20th, 2009
4:15 pm
Yunel is best batting 2nd. He batted lead off for a while last year and he did not do as good. Plus, he doesn’t like to work the count. He has been doing great so far this year in the 2 spot. I think moving him leadoff might mess him up a little.
ncgary
April 20th, 2009
4:17 pm
4-20 on 4-20 puff puff
Josh H
April 20th, 2009
4:17 pm
J-X:
I don’t think there is anything deceptively slow about Kotchman’s speed. He’s just flat out slow.
AGTFan
April 20th, 2009
4:17 pm
So is Bobby Cox a “nice guy”, or is he one of those “manipulative, cunning SOBs, hard and crass [who] drink[s] too much”?
Yes.
Tomahawk210
April 20th, 2009
4:18 pm
Anders
Well it’s only 1 thing we agree on and that is playoff hockey is amazing-balls out for 60 minutes and no letting up. And the only reason you won it in ‘94 is Vancouver had no goalie. Now we have Luongo who while Lundqvist may be one of the top 3 goalies in the game, I think most people would pick Luongo to be the best when on his game-no doubt. Lundqvist probably secord or third best behind Brodeur. But they showed a stat in last nights game that Vancouver has only lost 7 games since January and it’s showing. They are playing great as a team,offense scoring when needed, defense is huge in front of Luongo, special teams, looking really well. Also St. Louis was the third hottest team since the new year and look what we are doing to them. I’ll give you credit, the Rangers are taking care of Washington right now.
dogsbrekky wants to be the "Tassie Devil"
April 20th, 2009
4:21 pm
If DC is like NYC today then there will NOT be a game
Went out with the border 4 times and we got soaked each time
Oh for timing
Hey Anders……………… did you guys buy another starting pitcher yet ??
Anyone else noticed how empty baseball stadiums seem nowadays
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:21 pm
J-X
I do agree w/ your assessment there…I think Adam LaRoche would beat Casey in a foot race…which frankly is really REALLY sad!
But Casey did hit well in LA in the 2-hole, that and Esco hits more groundballs than anyone in baseball so thats the reason I move him from the 2-hole as all those DP’s last year (26) were killers.
Maybe Jordan in the 2-hole would be better, although the K numbers alarm me just as they do w/ Kelly batting 2nd.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
4:21 pm
Kotchman is deceptively slow. Just when you think he can’t run any slower, he does. It’s amazing.
DirtyYuni
April 20th, 2009
4:22 pm
Where do you guys find the lineups before the games? I only know to look for Carroll/DOB to post them here. Are they up anywhere sooner?
Josh from Columbus
April 20th, 2009
4:23 pm
What are the random numbers next to everyone’s name on the lineups on the Nats blog posted above?
Steve McP
April 20th, 2009
4:24 pm
P=Town Brave, Johnson hits lefties better than righties, why leave him out of the line up in those games?
Josh from Columbus
April 20th, 2009
4:24 pm
Chop Chop,
It could be worse. He could be Johnny Estrada slow.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:25 pm
DirtyYuni-
You can usually find lineups posted on MLB.com or sportsline.com or espn.com in the MLB area about an hour before gametime.
jmart1951
April 20th, 2009
4:25 pm
With tonight’s lineup Cox should have batted Diaz third and Jones 4th. Even though Chipper likes to hit 3rd the best he can adjust occassionally.
Kotchman hitting 3rd, in my opinion, sets up well for double plays and inning ending outs. He doesn’t provide the value you want for Chipper hitting 3rd. If it were me, I would put my three best on base percentage guys (OBP) in front of Chipper to provide him the opportunities necessary to drive in runs. He might just find out that he likes batting 4th if that were the case.
ease19
April 20th, 2009
4:26 pm
ncgary…puff, puff, give man!
dogsbrekky
April 20th, 2009
4:27 pm
Someone wrote some bullpen stats
I would be interested to know what the stat heads consider to be the most important stat we should analyse our BP staff by
E.G. Jeff bennett rates well as to ERA but apallingly on many stats
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:27 pm
Steve-
Not all the time, but occasionally…just to give a spell as you and I both know that he gets into slumps that can last awhile.
KLB
April 20th, 2009
4:29 pm
Josh – That’s their positions. 1-pitcher, 2-catcher, etc.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:30 pm
Dogsbrekky-
My opinion is that BP guys should be valued based on WHIP numbers most…these numbers will specify how many baserunners they allow per each inning. Also a good number to gauge for guys coming into jams is RI v RS or runners inherited and runners scored…a good number here shows you pitchers that generally have good stuff that can pitch for you in key situations.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:32 pm
And if that lineup is correct, I probably would have hit Francoeur 4 because of the way he is currently hitting the ball…
As I said before, always go w/ who is hot.
Random
April 20th, 2009
4:32 pm
“Paying too much attention to too little information fills [Braves] fans’ heads with imaginary disasters. “
beekay
April 20th, 2009
4:34 pm
I agree on Kotchman’s speed..I have never seen a slower Brave. Eddie Perez would beat him, so would Bruce “Eggs ” Bennedict ans Larvelle “Sugar Bear” Blanks and Roland Office would lap him from first to home
Anders
April 20th, 2009
4:35 pm
Tomahawk210 – Don’t get me wrong, I think the Rangers are playing as well as they can and just barely winning. Not sure they can keep it up. As for Lundqvist versus Luongo – who knows? I’ve seen like 5 west coast teams play this year so I have no idea what goes on out there. I haven’t seen Calgary in like two years – no lie. Brodeur may be the greatest of all time but he’s not the goalie he once was. I wouldn’t take him over Lunqvist today.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
4:35 pm
According to local radio, Braves traded Boyer to St. Louis for OF Brian Barton. Looks like a decent pickup for some outfield depth at AAA.
Random
April 20th, 2009
4:36 pm
Monday Meds by Will Carroll (Baseball Prospectus)
Brian McCann (NA)
One of the least understood advances being made in baseball involves fine-tuning a player’s eyesight by opting for laser eye surgery. In its various forms, the vision correction has been credited with great feats, but the data set is so incomplete as to make it difficult to even guess about the actual effects. If there’s one thing we could say about the surgeries, it was that it couldn’t hurt. There had never been a negative consequence that was made public, but now we might have the first. McCann had the surgery last year, and has had trouble with dry eyes from time to time since then. It’s become significantly worse over the past few weeks, and he’s going to head to a specialist to have his eyes checked. There’s a chance that he may need a redo or some smaller procedure. Since we don’t have any in-season examples, we really have only anecdotal evidence to go on. McCann may need to go on the DL if the problem can’t be corrected with eye drops, and this has the potential to go much further if more surgery is needed. This one will need to be watched very closely, though the team expects to make a DL decision on Monday. I don’t have enough information to put a DXL on this.
Joe Schmoe
April 20th, 2009
4:36 pm
yea, I heard they traded Boyer. LOL. Dont let the door hit you on the way out guy!
Anders
April 20th, 2009
4:36 pm
Steve from OH – I’m torn on the Rangers/Caps going 7. Before the series started I thought they would, now it wouldn’t be good for the Rangers. I’m gonna be in DC all of next week so I was really hoping for a game 7 there. Maybe…
big dawg
April 20th, 2009
4:38 pm
anybody thinking “flyball frenchy” should be hitting in the 4 or 5 hole is just plain dumb. the guy flies out, on the infield at that, more than anyone in the game. i’m telling you, his bat is slow, and i noticed something else about him over the weekend, he actually holds the bat wrong. which doesn’t help.
there’s not a “true” clean-up hitter on this team, which is okay, we can still win without one. the thing we can’t win without is a decent bullpen..
Truer words were never spoken
April 20th, 2009
4:38 pm
“Sometimes moving on to a different club is good for a guy,” manager Bobby Cox said. “Gets him some fresh air somewhere else.”
Yeah, Cox. Why don’t you practice what you preach and get some fresh air.
BlawgDawg
April 20th, 2009
4:39 pm
Looks like Blaine Boyer just got traded to the Cardinals for an OF named Brian Barton (sp?).
Anders
April 20th, 2009
4:39 pm
Hey Anders……………… did you guys buy another starting pitcher yet ?? (Dogsbrekky)
I’ve been politely avoiding any pitching discussion. Are you sure you really want to go there?
J-X
April 20th, 2009
4:40 pm
I know that Escobar hits into alot of DP’s as well but at least he does have some kind of speed to rush the throw and maybe beat out a few. With Casey at 2 there would be no need for a throw. The second base/shortstop could just walk the ball over to first after stepping on second.
I kind of like the idea of Shafer at two if he can cut down on the K’s, but it is my opinion that when Shafer solidfies himself enough to move to the top half of the lineup he will be batting leadoff. He just looks so much more like the current generation of leadoff hitters.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
4:41 pm
dogsbrekky wants to be the “Tassie Devil”
Since the Yankees game is already PPD I don’t believe DC’s weather is as bad. If it was our game would have been PPD hours ago. At least if the weather was that bad it would lead we to believe that. It may be delayed or whatever but we will just have to wait and see. I’ve heard that the bad rain isn’t suppose to hit until 10 pm.
The long Blaine Boyer nightmare is now over
April 20th, 2009
4:41 pm
“Looks like Blaine Boyer just got traded to the Cardinals for an OF named Brian Barton (sp?).”
Blaine “Goo” Boyer for Brian “Boo” Barton.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
4:42 pm
Cards must be desperate
Random
April 20th, 2009
4:42 pm
Steve from OH (4:01 pm): “‘Sabermetricians will see a player with a 300+ average, a 400+ OBP, and 500+ SLG % and frequently get sexually excited.’
“Hmm…this is a new phenomenon. Usually an attractive young lady does the trick. Interesting…”
A stiff breeze’ll usually do it for me.
The long Blaine Boyer nightmare is now over
April 20th, 2009
4:42 pm
Tony LaRussa recognizes the value of olive oil in preparing delicious meals.
He appreciates oily substances.
King521
April 20th, 2009
4:43 pm
Brian Barton!?!? Looks like somebody will be getting a haircut….
chipperchop
April 20th, 2009
4:43 pm
According to Bill Shanks, Boyer has been traded to the Cards, for Brian Barton straight up.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
4:44 pm
PWH,
I was just wondering something…
Why do you use Dewan’s plus/minus almost exclusively to support your fielding arguments? What about UZR? Is it because UZR really doesn’t like Kelly Johnson much? He’s been a -7.9 and a -10.6, the worst season in baseball among second baseman in 2008, the last two seasons.
For those wondering about Kelly’s fielding in left field, UZR has Kelly down for a +17.9 in 2005. That was in 648 innings.
(I’m just showing that I can use a fielding metric to refute a fielding metric. I’m proud of myself. Also, typing UZR makes me think about Uzis. I had an Uzi water gun as a kid. That thing was awesome.)
KLB
April 20th, 2009
4:45 pm
Barton was a Rule 5 Draft pick by the Cardinals last year and played in 82 games for them. Here’s an interview with him this year by BP – http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8670
The long Blaine Boyer nightmare is now over
April 20th, 2009
4:45 pm
How come in the AJC article they don’t mention the word “goo”? Not even once. Is that fair and balanced reporting?
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
4:46 pm
I think we could get high with Brian Barton, dudes.
VAN the MAN
April 20th, 2009
4:47 pm
Anybody hear about the trade of Boyer to the Cardinals for an outfielder?
Renegator
April 20th, 2009
4:47 pm
Are the Cardinals hurting for relief pitching so much that they actually want Boyer?
Wow, just wow.
The long Blaine Boyer nightmare is now over
April 20th, 2009
4:47 pm
Sad. Brian Barton may be a promising ballplayer and a wonderful human being but he will be forever tainted by goo.
AndyC
April 20th, 2009
4:48 pm
I googled Brian Barton’s name and he looks like a pretty solid prospect. Good job Wren on getting something for nothing! He will have to get a haircut though. LOL!
The Patron Saint of the Lost Art
April 20th, 2009
4:49 pm
April 20, 2009. Brian Barton receives the insult of a lifetime.
The long Blaine Boyer nightmare is now over
April 20th, 2009
4:50 pm
Brian Barton should wear number 60.
“60″ is close to “600″ which is close to “goo”.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
4:50 pm
WOW
Could you imagine Boyer pitching in Busch, Minute Maid, Great American Small Park, and Wrigley. Like 2/3 of the season!
Either this outfield ain’t that good or the Cards are A) desperate or B) stupid
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
4:50 pm
Krotchy’s “speed” just baffles me. Corky Miller watches him and says “dang, that boy is slow!”
He appears to be a long legged guy who is in shape, even thought the roster lists him at 20 lbs heavier than Chipper I don’t believe that for a minute. Maybe those are Chippers stats from his rookie year and they’ve never changed them. Anyway, in baseball, I thought only short fat guys ran that slow…guess not.
*bravesfan*
April 20th, 2009
4:51 pm
According to Bill Shanks, Blaine Boyer has been traded to St. Louis for outfielder Brian Barton.
Il Cattivo
April 20th, 2009
4:51 pm
Anyone willing to bet Boyer will do a lot better over there? I dont think he will go the Macay McBride route. He might actually do well for himself, like Tyler Yates. There is something about being in the braves bullpen – okay one year (sometimes even liked by the blog) and then run out of town the next. Villareal, Yates. I am going to go ahead and predict that Campillo will suffer the same fate as Villareal by opening day 2010.
As for Barton, he did come up last year and wasnt too bad in a platoon role. Might be a half decent trade.
Anders
April 20th, 2009
4:53 pm
bravos2249 -The Yankee game wasn’t ppd because of rain. Apparently they’re out of baseballs after that series with the Indians. They expect a shipment tomorrow.
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
4:54 pm
Chop, I’m still ambivalent on UZR, and only less so on plus/minus. I might have been coming around to UZR (Braveheart has had some good analyses on it here), but the stat showed Elvis Andrus to be just short of horrible in his league last year. That tends to fly in the face of everything I saw from the kid, even as raw and underaged as he was in his first couple of years.
I don’t rely totally on anecdotal observation for evaluation, but, a stat that can be so diametrically opposed to observation in its evaluation of a player tends to make me step back and ponder a while longer. That’s just the dinosaur in me.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
4:54 pm
I remember that guy Barton…he played a little againt us…he’s like having another Josh Anderson IMO…but with GA having all these injuries it’s not bad to have him.
Efrim
April 20th, 2009
4:54 pm
I think that is a pretty solid trade. Barton ain’t too bad. Has a good idea at the plate. Nice job Frank Wren.
Big Easy
April 20th, 2009
4:54 pm
Barton has some nice sock stylings. I remember seeing him last year in spring training with the Cards wearing the old-school striped socks (think they were faux-stirrups, so no extra points).
I remember him to be kinda speedy, but don’t know how he will fit for us in the big picture.
~E~
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
4:55 pm
Chop Chop, Holy Sh* you ain’t kiddin. That guy looks like Cheech’s black, long lost half brother. You know, he’s the one that wears the srtiped socks. That’ll go, plus the dreads if he actually plays in MLB under Cox this year.
trend trader
April 20th, 2009
4:55 pm
“Anyone willing to bet Boyer will do a lot better over there?”
Me. I’ll take that bet. The trend is your friend: the statistical evidence says Boyer will not succeed.
(Maybe the yen needs a change of pace. If it goes somewhere else for a while it will do better against the dollar.)
Loaf Garret on a blackberry from somewhere in DC
April 20th, 2009
4:55 pm
An outfielder? What do we need with an outfielder?
Efrim
April 20th, 2009
4:56 pm
Barton has shown an ability to get on base in the minors. I don’t really remember seeing that from Josh Anderson.
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
4:56 pm
Howdy, folks! This is McFann (and Rally McTurtle) Blogging to you live from Daddy’s work!
JButler–
Yeah, it does kinda look like a fly.
I’m trying to keep up the good thoughts. Yeah, he’ll prob’ly be mcfine…all this worrying for nothing…
But that would be OK with me!
Bay Area Steve–
You’re welcome! Since my first few months, I’ve been less sesitive, learning to take things the way they’re meant to be taken. You Bloggers helped with that!
Thanks for the 4:36, Random!
dj Brave
April 20th, 2009
4:56 pm
Brian Barton: original member of the Wu Tang clan.
Anders
April 20th, 2009
4:56 pm
Larussa and Duncan have a pretty good track record on pitching reclamation projects. Not saying they make stars out of them but they usually make them servicable and then use them in a fairly effective way. – just sayin.
monty
April 20th, 2009
4:56 pm
Here’s a prediction. Boyer will at some point pitch against the Braves and do well. Not that it’s what I want, just thinking about the Willie Harris and Wes Helms syndrome.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
4:57 pm
I know everybody thinks Boyer is garbage but Barton is hitting .107 right now in AAA
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
4:58 pm
“but the stat showed Elvis Andrus to be just short of horrible in his league last year. That tends to fly in the face of everything I saw from the kid,” – ncscoots
Well, Elvis did make 32 errors at Frisco last year. That’ll tend to drive down the stats, I would guess.
Nothing For Nothing
April 20th, 2009
4:58 pm
It doesn’t matter if Barton is the best or a bust, Boyer is gone and that’s what is important.
Maybe Boyer will find his head and legs in St. Louis. He wasn’t going to find them with the Braves. The Cox-McDowell combination didn’t provide any answers for Boyer. I’m of the opinion that there may not be any answers for Boyer from anyone!
On the other hand, Frenchy and Andruw seemed to find some answers from Rudy Jarimillio that Terry Pendleton couldn’t provide for either of them.
Whatever, just glad Boyer is gone. He was pitching like a head case and as long as he remained on the staff, Bobby was going to keep running him out there.
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
4:59 pm
Too bad Blaine couldn’t pack up the goo boy (and all his noms be blog) in his kit and take HIS azz packing, too.
Threadkiller
April 20th, 2009
4:59 pm
It will be interesting to see how Boyer does with Dave Duncan! Wouldn’t that be something if he becomes lights out??
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
5:00 pm
Anders
true, but the Cards did have the most blown saves last season
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
5:00 pm
hitting .107 right now in AAA > 40.45 ERA
String Theorist
April 20th, 2009
5:01 pm
“Here’s a prediction. Boyer will at some point pitch against the Braves and do well.”
Yes in this eleven dimensional space-time continuum there are an infinite number of parallel universes. In some of them, Blaine Boyer does quite well.
Those also happen to be universes in which Chipper Jones is a Senator from Michigan and Bobby Cox owns a toy store in downtown Savannah.
monty
April 20th, 2009
5:02 pm
WOW! BArton batting .107 looks like a fair deal based on recent results, but not on last years performance. EIther we took something rather than nothing, or scouts must see potential in the young man. Which is it?
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
5:02 pm
mbatl, probably so, re Andrus. He might have been playing in a rock garden, for all I know, LOL. Errors notwithstanding, that glove is golden, unless he’s had complete hand transplants in the last year.
ABravesFan
April 20th, 2009
5:03 pm
I recall reading an article about how Brian Barton wants to be an astronaut (and how unlikely since one of his knee had undergoes major surgery).
Anders
April 20th, 2009
5:03 pm
Oh yeah, the Mets are winging to St. Louis right now. Looking forward to facing Boyer. Thanks FW.
Duncan should have Boyer fixed by the time your fellas hit St Louis later in the month. Sweet.
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
5:03 pm
Ya’ll have to admit that Wren has made some good trades so far. Getting something, anything for Boyer isn’t bad at all. Barton is alright.
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:05 pm
Here’s a report on Barton from last year’s Baseball Prospectus book, “The Cardinals made Barton the best position player taken this winter’s Rule 5 draft. Based on his age and skill set, the resulting big-league promotion should simply accelerate what should be a pretty nice career as a bench outfielder. Barton is among the smartest people in the game; he completed a degree in aerospace engineering at Miami, but turned down a high-paying job with Boeing to give this baseball thing a shot. There were some whispered concerns about Barton’s makeup during the year, but they amounted to little more than an ugly reminder that, even more than half a century after Jackie Robinson, there remains a small segment of the baseball community that is unable to accept intelligent black players.”
Yeah, the guy is an aerospace engineer and the first two comments I see on the board are about him needing a haircut and how he probably smokes weed. Awesome job folks.
Il Cattivo
April 20th, 2009
5:05 pm
Hey trend trader, great analogy with the currency trends etc. Sure, that’s exactly how humans work, up – down buy sell. Works for fantasy baseball, but St.Louis has a history of trying out struggling pitchers and getting something good out of them (every once in a while but not rare enough for you to use a blind squirrel analogy). Heck they even tried out Royce Ring (of the Mcbride – Ledezma – Ring tragedy).
Anders
April 20th, 2009
5:06 pm
ESPN has Barton’s salary listed at $0. Now I understand what Wren saw in him.
Instinctively Wren asked the Cardinals to pick up half of the salary.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
5:06 pm
monty, you didn’t happen to notice Barton’s career .314/.413/.475 line in 1600 career minor league plate appearances, did you?
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
5:06 pm
Anders, you’re probably right on Duncan. He IS better than McDowell, but Boyer needed to go for himself and the team. He seems like a good Christian guy and I do wish him luck in St.Louis.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
5:07 pm
he went 4-5 with 2 rbis against us last year. He only had 13 rbis for the whole year
Blaine Boyer is below average
April 20th, 2009
5:07 pm
The Braves net about 100 total IQ points in the swap of Boyer for Barton.
supa
April 20th, 2009
5:08 pm
Barton had 11 pinch hits last year. Not too shabby. Mostly a left-fielder. Maybe this means someone goes on the DL (Anderson?). If I’m not mistaken, Rule 5 player means he can’t be sent down to minors with risk of losing him.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
5:08 pm
’scoots, yeah, I’m not arguing that he’s not a good defender (note double negative; what I meant to say was, “I agree he’s a good defender.” – at least from all I’ve heard). A lot of guys have lots of errors in the minors… too many beer bottles laying around the infield, or something.
He’s had pretty much the same number 3 years running, though, and he does have a couple already in 10 games this year (which, coincidentally, is a pace for … 32!)
Il Cattivo
April 20th, 2009
5:08 pm
RC – I understand where you are coming from and those remarks were completely based on prejudice but you do know Aerospace Engineers also need haircuts and smoke weed, right.
flange1
April 20th, 2009
5:09 pm
I for one think that Boyer will succeed in St Louis. The addition of a decent slider that he can control will be helpful.
Anders is right, LaRussa + Duncan = lots of pitching success…..
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
5:09 pm
here’s the quickie I filed on Blaine, more to come.
By CARROLL ROGERS
crogers@ajc.com
The Braves traded reliever Blaine Boyer to the St. Louis Cardinals Monday for outfielder Brian Barton.
Boyer, a Marietta native who had spent nine years with the Braves organization, had been designated for assignment Saturday after he struggled out of the gate this season. He will be assigned to the Cardinals’ major league roster.
Boyer had allowed six runs in 1 1/3 innings over three games for a 40.50 ERA and had struggled since the middle of last summer. He had a 14.43 ERA in 25 appearances since last July 26.
For him, the Braves acquired the 27-year-old Barton, a corner outfielder who will be assigned to AAA Gwinnett. He made his major league debut for the Cardinals last year after he was taken in the Rule 5 draft in December 2007 from the Indians.
Barton has hit .310 in 383 minor league games from 2005-2009. He hit .268 in 82 games for the Cardinals last year, with two homers and 13 RBIs.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
5:10 pm
supa he is going straight to AAA. Rule 5 meant had to stay with Cards last season now that he is in AAA we can send him there without fear of losing him
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
5:10 pm
I can say without a shred of prejudice that yes, Barton could probably use a haircut.
Nothing For Nothing
April 20th, 2009
5:10 pm
Mcbride-Ledezma
McBride wasn’t getting it done for the Braves and Will wasn’t for the Tigers. It was a case of throwing a flying……at a rolling donut.
Didn’t work out for either team but both teams wanted to shed their property even if it meant no return.
If Barton has a career ending injury tomorrow, the Braves aren’t really out anything. They were willing to let Boyer walk for nothing if need be. It was obvious their position on Boyer when Cox said Saturday, in a rare moment of candor, soon after Boyer was DFA’ed, that “sometimes a change of scenary is the best thing for a player.”
Closest I’ve ever heard Cox say “bye bye” to ANYONE before they even had a chance to clear waivers.
Two things about the Cardinal pickup of Boyer. It either proves that an organization can be so impressed with a guys arm that they will overlook that he has a 10 cent head OR they are truly desperate for bullpen arms.
Blaine Boyer was not the brightest bulb
April 20th, 2009
5:11 pm
Bobby beat Boyer at chess all the time. Now he’ll have a more challenging opponent on those long flights.
blausy
April 20th, 2009
5:11 pm
Are they going to go ahead and try to get the game in, Carroll?
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:11 pm
Really, the only downside I see in Barton is that he likely will never get a full-time shot with the Braves, since you’ve got Francouer, Schafer, Diaz, B. Jones, and Blanco in front of him, as well as Heyward, Gorkys, and others coming up quick behind him. Just the same, can’t hurt to add what appears to be a good character guy with some legit upside to your AAA team.
King521
April 20th, 2009
5:12 pm
I will miss all the Blaine Boyer spottings in Chop Talk….haha
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:13 pm
Il Cattivo,
Very fair point. I think I went to school with a few of those engineers
.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
5:13 pm
Barton will be assigned to Gwinnett. Rule 5 was in December 2007 so I don’t think that applies now.
Brian McCann has a scheduled visit to the eye doctor at 8 a.m. TOMORROW. so no updates there.
Bobby thinks they’ll be able to get the game in, based on what he’s being told, so we shall see.
Blaine Boyer was a three sport star in high school
April 20th, 2009
5:14 pm
baseball, pie eating, and watermelon seed spitting…
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
5:14 pm
So im assuming that means no McCann tonight in the lineup then?
Frankie Knuckles
April 20th, 2009
5:15 pm
Has anyone seen Barton play?
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
5:16 pm
If Barton doesn’t work out, we could always trade him for someone else.. (Because I’m pretty damn sure he’s worth more than Blaine Boyer at this point.)
The Blaine Boyer trade is BIG news
April 20th, 2009
5:16 pm
This will probably be the lead story on Sports Center tonight.
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:18 pm
Based on the comments on mlb.com’s blogs, Cardinals fans are not too happy about acquiring Boyer….can’t say I blame them. One poster even brought up Royce Ring. Yikes.
TommyP
April 20th, 2009
5:19 pm
In my limited amount of times seeing Barton last year, I liked him. He seems to have pretty good speed and a little pop.
If he ever does get to the majors as a bench player for us, it’ll be nice to have someone with the ability to both steal a base and hit a home run.
Not a bad get for Wren. Boyer was done here.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
5:20 pm
Barton is a marginal major leaguer. He was in St. Louis only because he was a Rule 5 pick. On the other hand, he’s actually a rocket scientist! From a story last year:
Baseball ain’t rocket science. But if it were, that wouldn’t stop rookie St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Brian Barton.
Cards GM John Mozeliak on Brian Barton: “We liked his offensive ability, his ability to get on base and his ability to run.”
Subject(s):
Brian Barton, rocket science, baseball, scholar athletes, University of Miami, St. Louis Cardinals, Rule 5 Draft
He’s pretty good at both.
The 26-year-old Los Angeles native attended the University of Miami on an academic scholarship paid for by Boeing and majored in aerospace engineering. Barton, who has one semester of coursework remaining before he completes his degree, walked on to the university’s elite baseball program and eventually led the Hurricanes squad to an eighth-place finish in the College World Series his junior year and batted a team-high .371 as a senior.
Now in his first season in the big leagues, Barton has seen his popularity with St. Louis fans skyrocket thanks to his broad grin, flowing dreadlocks and seemingly effortless speed on the base paths. After seeing scant playing time early in the season, he has begun to find his way into the starting lineup with increasing regularity.
Hurricane Corky
April 20th, 2009
5:20 pm
The stadium TV’s are probably on C-SPAN/C-SPAN2 because they double as MASN/MASN 2 when the Nats or O’s play.
What can you say bout Blaine Boyer (he gives Carroll Rogers writers block)
April 20th, 2009
5:20 pm
“…I’m pretty damn sure he’s worth more than Blaine Boyer at this point.”
One one point Wren considered trading him for Barton Fink. But then he decided to see if any other Bartons were available.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
5:21 pm
Nice to have a RH OF with some major league experience at AAA, in case Diaz or Francouer get hurt.
brian
April 20th, 2009
5:21 pm
welcome back carroll. It was more fun to think of DOB complaining of a bad hair day though
Garret Anderson's personal trainer
April 20th, 2009
5:24 pm
Garrett won’t be able to play if it’s raining a little tonight.
The linament is likely to wash off and his legs will get all achy again.
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
5:24 pm
MS. ROGERS:
GIL and I will be in section 206 for the night-cap. Come on by. I’ll bet you and MR. RICHMOND will find copious seating available. I’ll spring for food and drinks.
Holly Woods
April 20th, 2009
5:25 pm
If Torey Spelling married Tory Hunter, then divorced him and married Joe Torre, you’d have
Torah Torah Torah.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
5:26 pm
Coach, what do you think of our new replacement for Josh Anderson? Dude supposedly has plus speed and can cover CF well. Plus he gets on base and can slug better than 12-year old…
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:27 pm
Here’s an interview with Barton from about a month ago. Seems like an interesting guy…I hope he has a bright future with the Braves.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8670
Hurricane Corky
April 20th, 2009
5:27 pm
Brian Barton was on the same Miami teams as Ryan Braun. Fun trivia.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
5:27 pm
One of the reasons Barton was attractive, according to Frank Wren, was he’s a right-handed hitting outfielder and much of their minor league outfield talent (Brandon Jones, for one) hits left-handed.
Lineup: Escobar is back in, Garret Anderson is still out with the quadriceps strain
1. Johnson 2B
2. Escobar SS
3. Jones 3B
4. Kotchman 1B
5. Francoeur RF
6. Diaz LF
7. Schafer CF
8. David Ross C
9. Derek Lowe P
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
5:27 pm
Carroll, do you know if Barton has any options remaining?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
5:28 pm
Steve from OH
I’m just assuming since he made his debut last year that he does have some left
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
5:28 pm
It looks like he should have two left…which is great. I really think he’ll be a useful player for us.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
5:30 pm
and on Barton… I’m pretty sure that “rule 5″ just means that he has to be on the 40-man roster, not that he’s out of options (if he was out of options, he’d probably not be in the minors right now.)
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:30 pm
Steve,
Barton should have all of his options remaining, since he was a Rule 5 draft pick last year. Being a Rule 5 pick means he wasn’t placed on his former team’s 40-man roster, and thereby had never been “optioned” prior to this season (as a Rule 5 pick he spent all of last season in the majors). So including this year, he should have 3 options left.
RC
April 20th, 2009
5:31 pm
When I say 3 options left, I mean 3 option years. I’m pretty sure you can be sent back and forth in the same season and only use one option.
Blaine Boyer: working class hero
April 20th, 2009
5:33 pm
Blaine Boyer has several options left:
baggage boy, school crossing guard, sandwich technician
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
5:34 pm
Boyer being in demand ANYWHERE, says tons about the sorry, diluted, state, of ML pitching. It also says dyna-whoppin mega-volumes bout the guy we got in return. What a grave-yard-dead slug-of-a-stiff he must be. Yes, I’ve got hyphenitis, I’m sorry.
buzzmeat
April 20th, 2009
5:34 pm
Kotchman is cleanup????
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
5:34 pm
RC you are right about being able to go up and down as many times in a year and only use up one option.
By the way Mr. Medlin is on the hill tonight for Gwinnett
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
5:35 pm
STATS for KRIS MEDLIN:
RECORD: 1-0; 0.00 ERA; 8.2 IP 1 H; 0 R; 1 BB; 10 SO; 0.23 WHIP.
sticking up for Barton
April 20th, 2009
5:36 pm
re: Barton: “What a grave-yard-dead slug-of-a-stiff he must be.”
Not necessarily. St. Louis has more outfielders than Starbucks has lattes.
cvbraves
April 20th, 2009
5:37 pm
Barton was already in Triple A this year.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
5:37 pm
Medlen. There is no I in team, and there is none in Medlen.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
5:38 pm
Steve from Ohio, to misquote the Simpsons:
“It’s an online class, oh wait, they canceled that. There’s a fee, but you can get around that. Congratulations, you’re a Sabermetrician.”
Mr. Whipple
April 20th, 2009
5:38 pm
“Kotchman is cleanup????”
For a moment, I thought you said: “Catsup! Cleanup in aisle 4.”
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
5:39 pm
I just saw that “prejudiced” comment. Since I posted the Barton pic, I better let ‘er rip…
My posting of Barton’s picture had nothing to do with prejudice. I just happened to go over to check out his stats and, voila, there was a dude who looked high. I already knew who Brian Barton was. I had heard about his aerospace engineering exploits before. He is a very intelligent and open-minded dude. He likes to travel, likes to explore, digs music, etc. In fact, if he’s ever up with the big club for any length of time, I think he’d be a hell of a blog guest (if DOB could somehow manage it). The picture I posted is goofy as hell. You don’t have to be racially prejudiced to think that the man looks high. You just have to be prejudiced to think it funny that dudes who look high because they’re wearing a big, goofy smile actually are high. I’m guilty as charged there.
Anyway, here are some other ridiculous pictures…
Take a look at Gregg Zaun. He has Bitter Beer Face.
How about Youk? Take the hat off (or leave it on…why not?) and he looks like he’s just been arrested for DUI.
This is one I’ve posted before, but it still makes me sick: C.J. Wilson
How could someone not want to punch that dude in the face?
nolie
April 20th, 2009
5:39 pm
Kudos to the poster who mentioned the Cards as a possible spot for Boyer. I’m sorry I forget who it was, but you know who you are.
Jason
April 20th, 2009
5:40 pm
To answer your question of whether it was a mental thing or not with Chipper not in the lineup, I think you have to look at the performances of the players during those games. How many pitches did our guys take each at bat compared to the opposition. Our starters were pushing 60 pitches it seemed in 2 innings.
I don’t see how one guy can make up for what appeared to be a lack of coaching on our hitters part.
And let’s be honest, Terry had a few good seasons with the Braves, but I think it’s pretty evident that doesn’t qualify you to actually coach hitters who need coaching(ex. Francour, Andruw)
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
5:41 pm
Brian McCann has a scheduled visit to the eye doctor at 8 a.m. TOMORROW. so no updates there.
ARG!!! Another day then??
Thanks, Ms. Rogers.
Blaine Boyer: working class hero
April 20th, 2009
5:42 pm
And I’ll mention again that a supermarket job is another possible spot for Boyer.
I’ll accept my kudos in a year or two.
Ed Glennon
April 20th, 2009
5:43 pm
Why would anyone pitch to Chipper with Kotchman hitting behind him?
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
5:43 pm
Chop Chop, I don’t use UZR because a) I don’t know where to find it b) I don’t know how it works (I think you should probably understand something if you’re going to use it in a debate, even in senseless blog debates) and c) when I heard how John Dewan’s +/- system works I thought “that makes a whole heck of a lot of sense”. Plus Dewan’s one of the smartest people in baseball right now and I trust he knows what he’s doing as well as anyone. Not to say UZR is useless, or even inferior, I just prefer +/-. No real excuse. You’re the only person whose brought up the fact that I exclusively used +/-, and it was working very well for arguing on the blog. You’ve outed me. Keep it quite.
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
5:43 pm
Well, we got JEFF TREADWAY off RULE 5 and he was the best #2 hitter I’ve seen on the BRAVES. He disappeared though. Don’t know why.
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
5:44 pm
Even if St Louis HAS lotza outfielders, why trade for Boyer? If the guy can breathe unassisted, he’s worth more than Blaine Boyer…
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
5:44 pm
I wonder if Barton can play CF, if he does then if Schafer keeps struggling, specially against lefties then they could platoon. Barton had a good OBP last year, and has very good speed.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
5:44 pm
There’s no “I” in Medlen, but there is a “me.”
(Other words are there, too, including a good ol’ newspaper term: “lede”)
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
5:46 pm
Sorry coach I’ll try really I will.
Signed,
BLAINER BOYER
StingerSplash
April 20th, 2009
5:46 pm
Isn’t Wisconsin-Stevens Point where former NBA star Terry Porter went to college? Damn good guard.
And what of this travesty from the Pulitzer committee? DOB and CR shut out again. Damn them!
Reg Mackworthy
April 20th, 2009
5:46 pm
Barton should be a solid bench option whenever we need him. He’s nothing special, but it’s certainly better than getting nothing for Boyer.
Il Cattivo
April 20th, 2009
5:48 pm
brian
welcome back carroll. It was more fun to think of DOB complaining of a bad hair day though
brian – DOB doesnt have bad hair days. He’s like The Fonz – leather jacket and all.
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
5:51 pm
So I live in St. Louis and I have already given each and every one of my friends and family crap for this move. I went on and on for the last two years about how much I didn’t like Boyer and they constantly made fun of me. On the other hand most of the people here in St. Louis liked Barton. What a move for Frank Wren to get ANYTHING with nothing.
By the way, where are all of the people that want Wren to be fired??
Goldenglove002
April 20th, 2009
5:52 pm
were there actually enough teams interested in Boyer where we were able to get that good of a prospect? Barton doesn’t look like any pushover to me, just one of many more OF’s to add to the list of guys who could get a call up at any point this season. Now all Wren needs to do is trade some of these guys for a top guy and we’ll be set.
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
5:52 pm
Boyer had a great name for fans too. Best thing I could come up with for a Boyer rooting section was “Boyer’s Foyers,” where e’body dressed-up like small entrance-ways and yelled “slam the door, slam the door!!”
Course the door was blown off the hinges this year…
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
5:53 pm
McFann, you need to call Mac and see what the doc told him. I’m a little worried about our all-star catcher. Give him a ring and fill us in, ok?
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
5:54 pm
You know a team is hurting when Casey Kotchman is your cleanup hitter. Bobby really loves KJ in the leadoff spot…wont move him.
N Nine
April 20th, 2009
5:54 pm
Lineup: Escobar is back in, Garret Anderson is still out with the quadriceps strain
good. I don’t think a Diaz/hurt Loaf will get the job done all season. We need to fix this problem, but i’m afraid we won’t..
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
5:54 pm
Player W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR HB BB SO WHIP HLD GF
Tommy Hanson 0 2 2.45 3 3 0 0 0 14.2 12 5 4 0 1 5 23 1.16 0 0
Charl Morton 1 0 3.27 2 2 0 0 0 11.0 09 4 4 0 1 2 17 1.00 0 0
Interesting comparative stats.
cleve99
April 20th, 2009
5:59 pm
Good For Boyer,
Now he gets to go to a real baseball town. I hope he gets the last laugh. All you haters show your baseball ignorance every time you spit your hate.
Calvin
April 20th, 2009
5:59 pm
Steve from OH
I would imagine since he made his major league debut last year that he has all his options available.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
5:59 pm
Just wondering, PWH. I’m not going to pretend that I understand the formulas that go into determining all of these different ratings. I like baseball, but not enough to obsess over that amount of detail. I just figure that, as in most things in life, it’s a good idea to try to take the different views and see if there’s any way to reconcile them.
I’ve read that the main problem that defensive metrics have is in gathering the data on the amount of hang time on batted balls. That’s going to be a really tough nut to crack.
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
6:00 pm
Though it would take a stats savant to decipher them…
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
6:01 pm
I don’t hate, I joke. Big difference…
bigchiefrg
April 20th, 2009
6:03 pm
i just posted and it didnt look like it worked…did i hit a wrong button? (more testing than an actual question)
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:03 pm
Here’s some interesting bits about Barton. Before his 2006 knee injury he hit 300+ at every level he played except for hitting .274 in 223 ABs in the Carolina League (Class A Advanced). We have a team in the Carolina League (Myrtle Beach) and the league is known as a pitcher’s haven. Additionally, before the 2006 knee injury, he posted an OBP of 400+ every season (including the .274 BA season) and also acomplished the feat in 2007 at AA (.333 OBP in 25 games at AAA in 2007). He slugged 500+ every step of the way before his 2006 knee injury except for the dreaded stint in the aforementioned Carolian League in which he slugged .435 despite hitting only .274 (ISOP of .140, a healthy ratio). He hasn’t been the same since that injury, but if he ever regains his pre-injury form, we could have something very special coming forward.
mixxo
April 20th, 2009
6:04 pm
Lead story on ESPN…..the Red Sawx……’magine nat!
Not that I was expecting “Breaking Barton News” or anything.
Heath (Cleveland)
April 20th, 2009
6:05 pm
I may have missed it….sorry if I did. Who is taking Boyer’s place on the roster?
bigchiefrg
April 20th, 2009
6:06 pm
ok, 2nd try….You have to ck out this kid Alex Raz i think it is if you havent already. Amazing. Wish I could get my 10 yr old nephew to do something like this. Guitarist extraordinaire. I know there are a bunch of guitar aficionados out there. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=steveraz&view=videos
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:06 pm
Ya, Chop Chop. I agree. It’s not because I don’t want to learn more about it, it’s just that I’m comfortable with +/- (explaining it, context, usage, etc.) and that’s all I really need to know to get by. It’s a rapidly advancing field.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
6:07 pm
Yep, Shamus.
Math isn’t really my thing, but I understand the reasoning behind what guys are trying to do. It’s just nearly impossible to allow for every factor. A game that is affected by weather and different heights above sea level and different times of day and different park dimensions and enigmatic people will never be figured out by statistical analysis. It’s just possible to figure out enough of the game to help a team gain that winning edge. That’s interesting to me, so I can dig the statistical analysis. Besides, it gives us something to argue about.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
6:07 pm
Barton is 28 and not much of a hitter. But he could be a good bench part. In any case, we were going to lose Boyer for nothing, so he’s a plus.
I don’t know what happened to Boyer, but he was just awful. He has a great arm, good motion on his pitches. He just seems to have forgotten how to throw strikes and had to throw a bunch of cripples on the numerous 3-1 counts he got into.
N8
April 20th, 2009
6:08 pm
“I know everybody thinks Boyer is garbage but Barton is hitting .107 right now in AAA” vabravesfan
Hmmm. Seems like a pretty “even” trade to me. We very well might have STILL got the better end of that trade.
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
6:09 pm
Please don’t let another Derek Lowe start get rained out.
I think the Braves can win without Chipper. They seem to have pretty bad luck when he’s out though. Obviously the third game in Philly should have been a win. But I think they can win just as easily, well maybe as often I should say, with or without him, it just hasn’t been happening recently… nor has it been happening much in the last two years but that’s totally irrelevant.
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
6:10 pm
TnBrian–
Ha! I’d sure like to! I’m about ready to lose my mind!
But, Ms. Rogers informed us that his appointment is tomorrow at 8 am, so we’ve got another day to wait.
Welp, we’re just about done here, so we’re gonna head out to dinner. Talk to y’all soon(er than you cann say what’s wrong with BMac’s eye!)
N8
April 20th, 2009
6:12 pm
“Bobby thinks they’ll be able to get the game in, based on what he’s being told, so we shall see.”
Yeah, because just like the leadoff hitter, rain only comes up once in a game.
NBG2
April 20th, 2009
6:12 pm
Just In: The Braves are nearing a deal for Prince Fielder. Going in the trade are Kotchman, SP/Rohrbough, 1B/Freeman! Sources say Mil. will flip one of Kotchman or Freeman in a seperate deal. There’s our power hitter, folks!!
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
6:14 pm
Damn right, Mitchell. I feel ya.
ground_fog
April 20th, 2009
6:16 pm
I thought Boyer was waived. How did we trade him?
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
6:16 pm
sure NBG, sure…
brian
April 20th, 2009
6:16 pm
Cattivo – I thought you were going to say no bad hair days due to lack of hair. The Fonz sounds much better. Hey
N Nine
April 20th, 2009
6:17 pm
NBG2, You don’t need to post your fantasy baseball trades here!
MVH
April 20th, 2009
6:17 pm
NBG2: I’m certain you’re messing around, but if you’re not, where’d you get that from?
NBG2
April 20th, 2009
6:19 pm
Sorry folks! I have a bad habit of sleep typing. I’m on medicine for it though.
Latenight Bailbond Guy
April 20th, 2009
6:19 pm
Boyer Designated for assignment not waived.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
6:20 pm
Well, Frank Wren reads the blog, that’s for darn sure.
I blogged about picking up Brian Barton several weeks ago. Apparently the front office agrees that the young outfielder can help.
Barton won’t hurt. He adds depth, plays all three outfield spots, leads off, bats right handed and is still considered a legit five tool prospect. And more thing, he sports a .400 OBP during his minor league career.
NOW, where is my damn commission check ????? LOL
No, for real, it’s a nice trade. Good job.
AR Brave
April 20th, 2009
6:21 pm
There is no way the Brewers flip that deal to us. What’s the source?
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:22 pm
He was just kidding
N Nine
April 20th, 2009
6:23 pm
blogged about picking up Brian Barton several weeks ago. Apparently the front office agrees that the young outfielder can help.Coach
Nope, don’t believe that.
Lew
April 20th, 2009
6:23 pm
RichBrave-Are you certain Treadway was a Rule 5 acquisition? Dude played in over 100 games for the Reds the year before and Baseball Reference says he was purchased by the Braves.
AS for what happened to him-Mark Lemke.
AR Brave
April 20th, 2009
6:24 pm
Cmon now sleep writer. Over here in Arkansas we/I are starving for Braves info so that wasn’t cool. I would love to get any kind of bat for Krotchman. Id even take Nick Swisher over Krotchman.
stoked
April 20th, 2009
6:24 pm
Boyer for Barton. Good trade. Barton is young. Say he gets hot, could be the power we need.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:25 pm
I love the trade. Barton’s “Francoeur/Diaz insurance”. If he pans out, he can play every day next year or fetch some value in a trade while we wait on Heyward.
jbutler
April 20th, 2009
6:25 pm
cleve99 – I’m w/you on this one…at least in the sense that Boyer is going to a decent team; I hope the 2nd chance is what he needs. He’s got the talent- not sure if he has the mental accumin.
But…can we at least lay off the Boyer bashing?? There’s a wide variety of dead beat players to choose from (not necessarily on the Braves roster) that deserve to get whacked around. A decent person but a struggling pitcher like Boyer isn’t one of them. Think he like being booed at the Ted? Drop it.
18 Wheels of Love
April 20th, 2009
6:25 pm
So did Boyer pass thru waivers and we traded him or did we trade him before he had an attempt to get thru?
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
6:26 pm
The skinny on Brian Barton:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Brian_Barton/
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:26 pm
N8:
Hmmm. Seems like a pretty “even” trade to me. We very well might have STILL got the better end of that trade.
I’m not saying we didn’t get good value for nothing but just got to keep things in perspective and know that Barton will probably not be on 25 man roster unless there is any injury or two.
Lew
April 20th, 2009
6:26 pm
ground fog-A player is put up for waivers, but until they clear waivers (I believe a week later), a deal with another team can be worked out. That’s what happened in Boyer’s case.
ground_fog
April 20th, 2009
6:27 pm
Thanks Lew
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
6:28 pm
N nine, I don’t care if you believe the earth is flat. I did and yes, Frank Wren agrees with me. Ask the blog about Greg Norton. I called that one too.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:29 pm
Power? he has hit 39 career HRs in minors in 1300 ABs and had 13 XBH in 153 games last year with St. Louis. I am not hating on the guy but he isn’t a power threat
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
6:29 pm
“I love the trade. Barton’s “Francoeur/Diaz insurance”. If he pans out, he can play every day next year or fetch some value in a trade while we wait on Heyward.” – PWHjort
Yeah, I think it’s a nice acquisition. If nothing else, he might replace Diaz next year as a backup corner OF… Diaz will be in his 3rd arb year and probably (if he stays healthy this year) due for a pretty big raise. (and I’m not running Diaz out of town… just saying it might be an option).
N8
April 20th, 2009
6:30 pm
vabravesfan, just being sarcastic, and taking one last parting shot at the goo-boy (can’t believe I just typed that).
But I agree with you. Highly unlikely Barton has much impact on the Braves this year.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:32 pm
O its cool N8 I understand taking shots at Boyer, he deserves it
tvsportscaster
April 20th, 2009
6:32 pm
A couple of answers to questions, Heath asked who’s roster spot was filled after Boyer was DFA’d, the answer, JoJo Reyes. And for others, when a player is DFA’d, a team has 10 days to either trade him, waive him, or send him to the minors if clears waivers. In this case, the Braves got a warm body for him and traded him.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
6:33 pm
I guess Joe Mather was not available. He has more power than Barton, and has played some corner infield too.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
6:34 pm
For the Braves offense to continue from where they left off, they need to make Zimmerman work and not chase the first pitch every at bat…If they do this we will get into the Nats bullpen and be able to exploit them as much as the Marlins did
The Nats Blow-pen blew 2 of those games to the Marlins, and hopefully they will continue to struggle if we get them into the game in the 6th inning…
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
6:34 pm
N Nine
Hey, you were right about Boyer. I still would have given him at least one more shot, but that’s me. You were right, I was definitely wrong.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
6:35 pm
Saul Rivera was DFA by the NATS…no problem here…Chipper can’t hit the side of a barn off him
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
6:35 pm
And BTW, I wouldn’t be suprised if Manny Acta Gets the Ax before June 1st…
Jim
April 20th, 2009
6:36 pm
Chipper’s hurt again. Ho hum. Maybe he needs to hire a trainer.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:38 pm
The Nats pen is on edge right now. Don’t know if that’s a disadvantage or advantage.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
6:39 pm
Hm, they’re rolling the tarp back out there. Not a good sign…..
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:39 pm
Don’t think anybody posted this but here is the nats lineup:
1. Hernandez, A 2B
2. Johnson 1B
3. Zimmerman 3B
4. Dunn RF
5. Dukes CF
6. Willingham LF
7. Flores C
8. Gonzalez, A SS
9. Zimmerman P
Don’t know if yall got this but Lastings got sent down to minors so now Dukes is the everyday CF
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
6:40 pm
Coach, yeah I remember you calling Norton for sure. I seem to recall you doing the same for Barton but it’s not as clear in my memory as Norton. I hope Barton turns out to be useful for us as Norton has definitely given us value. In any case, props on those two, but some humility would be refreshing for a change.
MattyRoss
April 20th, 2009
6:40 pm
Braves had 10 days to trade or release him, ground_fog. Cardinals decided the demand for Boyer was going to be unprecedented, and swooped in.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
6:42 pm
Will you guys remember me when we go get Ryan Freel?
I miss blaine boyer he was the MAN
April 20th, 2009
6:43 pm
hello all,lol
mixxo
April 20th, 2009
6:43 pm
Line of weather from the SW on the way. Hopefully just a delay of start.
http://www.acc-tv.com/images/wjla/dlarge.gif
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
6:45 pm
I’m Still Kind of P’d Off That the Braves F.O. didn’t make a stronger Bid to Go After Raul Ibanez….Anyone else agree…?
Ibanez is Clowning in Philly and would’ve been a better #4 Hitter when Chipper isn’t in the lineup, which I’m counting on for about 40 games….
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
6:46 pm
Coach,
It’s strange that a Canadian sports page (sportsnet.ca) has such detailed pages on MLB players. Whenever I’ve wanted to look up players’ injury histories or transactions in the past, I’ve gone to that site. They have everything going back to 2001 on one page. Hell, they even have all the awards that Chipper Jones has won through his entire pro career.
Check it out, folks.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:46 pm
Might not start this thing til at least 9 looks like
propp
April 20th, 2009
6:48 pm
I wonder if Diaz brought his catching mit to D.C.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
6:48 pm
Wow, Bowman pulls no punches when writing about G. Anderson. From his blog:
I’m also pretty sure the Braves spent about $2.5 million too much on the left field manequin that Scott Boras sold them in February. When you talk to Garret Anderson, he’s as lifeless as he looks during those few occasions that he’s actually deemed himself healthy enough to be on the field.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
6:49 pm
Wayne your man got head in the hit today with a pick off attempt just fyi
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
6:49 pm
My only concern is that our bullpen has been pretty uneasy and we are shipping guys away rather than bringing them in. though I don’t believe it is a bad move in any way I just hope the guys can pull it together or we can shore that part up the team up quickly.
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
6:50 pm
Carroll Rogers – If the game gets rained out or delayed.. Can you please get an interview with Terry Pendleton?
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
6:51 pm
va
yeah, i saw that. bummer.
csg
April 20th, 2009
6:52 pm
yeah, ask him why all our hitters improve more under other hitting coaches. Like McCann’s dad, or by Chipper watching them, or why Frenchy went to Texas.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
6:53 pm
GA should be DL’d until he is ready. Let’s see what BJones can do this time around.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:54 pm
mbatl, I saw that. Makes me think the Braves want him to write that. He usually just writes whatever they tell him.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
6:57 pm
PWHjort, I always thought that about Bowman (and all the MLB team writers), that they were just an extension of MLB and/or the team. But I think Bowman is pretty candid on his blog. (and of course it runs a distant second to this one).
Seems to me that in that particular blog, he pretty directly contradicts Cox’s party line.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
6:58 pm
mbatl,
I didn’t know that atlantabraves.com had changed Mark Bowman’s job title to “columnist.” That’s a harsh burn right there. I like this part, too:
“Braves manager Bobby Cox pushed for Anderson’s signing and he has continued to show support for the 36-year-old outfielder. Cox has labeled him to be a “glider” who moves effortlessly toward balls in the outfield. In addition, he’s believes the 36-year-old outfielder will be a key piece to this year’s success.
Well Cox is entitled to his opinion and I’m entitled to believe the Braves will be putting Matt Diaz in left field much more frequently than Anderson.”
This makes me wonder if Bowman realizes that Bobby has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do. If Bowman is ever entitled to have an opinion, Bobby will give it to him.
propp
April 20th, 2009
6:58 pm
Gotta agree, DL Garrett until he deems himself fit, assuming Brandon or Matt don’t take the job
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
6:59 pm
Cox saving his reputation as a players’ coach while the organization stabs him in the back and goes with someone younger, better, and more versatile. I can feel a storm abrewin’.
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
7:00 pm
GA should be DL’d until he is ready. Let’s see what BJones can do this time around.
Wayne, we actually agree on something.. I see no sense in letting this joker hog up a roster spot until he’s ready to play regularly.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
7:01 pm
Just fyi for anybody that doesn’t know the tarp is still on field so game will not start on time
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
7:02 pm
Chop Chop, sportsnet.ca is an even better website for hockey. I love it.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
7:03 pm
ESPN might be showing the Braves game when it gets going. For now they’re going to show some of the Marlins/Pitt game. They were scheduled to show they Yanqi Pigdogs, but that was rained out.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:03 pm
Well, that’s a natural, Coach.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
7:05 pm
Jeff
Dogs and cats sleeping beside each other kinda weird, huh!!!
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
7:07 pm
Hockey, soccer??? People actually follow those sports??
JasonInFL (Formerly ME)
April 20th, 2009
7:07 pm
Not that it matters much, but I met a few ST season ticket holders who absolutely hated GA by the end of their time at Disneyopolis!
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
7:07 pm
Anyone hear Boog talking about Smoltz after SS went to break? I heard it for a little while on MLB Premium. I’m unsure exactly what he was talking about but do recall this, “John Smoltz in my own words”. And he repeated it a couple times and mentioned someone else’s name I can’t recall.
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
7:08 pm
According to the Nationals network, a cloud burst is expected soon after the scheduled start, maybe in 10-20 minutes. But they’re only expecting the heavy rain to last a relatively short period.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
7:08 pm
Wayne, we don’t say bad things about hockey on this blog.
[Drops gloves]
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
7:09 pm
MASN says 7:45 start time at the earliest.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
7:10 pm
Nats announcers are saying a 8 pm start…
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:10 pm
I have a tennis class at school. This little dude in the class who plays soccer was wearing a Portugal soccer jersey. I said, “Hey, man. Is that a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey?”
He looked at me and said, “You know something about soccer?”
I gave him a shooting glance and sneered, “Hell, no. Get out of my country, evildoer.”
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
7:12 pm
But, as Chop Chop so astutely points out, saying bad things about soccer is perfectly acceptable. Buncha wussies…
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
7:12 pm
Steve,
I went to a fight once, and it turned into a hockey game.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
7:14 pm
My 16 year old says soccer is for kids who can’t play sports.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:16 pm
I like hockey and soccer. I also like football, basketball, golf and tennis. I like NASCAR.
Ever watched rugby? That’s a cool sport.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
7:16 pm
Im kind of late………..very busy today………..
I kinow it might be written somewhere……….but could someone tell me something about…….
McCann
Yunel
The guy we got in the transaction for Boyer
???????
please
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
7:17 pm
Your kid is an idiot that has never played soccer. Baseball…is the only sport you can eat a 4 course meal…while playing, lol.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
7:17 pm
Earth to Wayne, Soccer is the number one sport on the planet.
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
7:17 pm
Doc H.–
McCann’s getting checked out tomorrow, so we gotta wait another day for that.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
7:17 pm
Chop Chop –
Bobby is like the friggin Pope in that town…he can say whatever he wants and tell other ppl what to say whenever, wherever…
He’s like when you’re sitting at Thanksgiving dinner and your grandpa starts acting crazy and no one says anything, but when he goes outta the room everyone is like, “what the he__ is wrong with grandpa”…thats Bobby for ya.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
7:18 pm
Coach-
Yes, but soccer is for Europeans…does this look like Europe to you?
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
7:19 pm
So the game is going to be an hour late?
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
7:19 pm
So, do we have a confirmed start time or are we just guesstimating?
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
7:20 pm
My top five favorite sports.
Baseball
Hockey
Soccer
Football
Rugby
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
7:20 pm
Is the game gonna get underway? at what time if someone knows…….please
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
7:21 pm
Soccer is like kickball w/o the scoring and all the fun.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
7:21 pm
McFann =Ô=
Any comments from him? is he better?
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
7:22 pm
I watch WTA Tennis. And I really like the mosaic (6 courts) view for majors on Directv.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
7:22 pm
But I digress. Baseball, football, hockey and rugby are considered sports.
Soccer is a frigging Religion and most Americans are completely ignorant to this fact.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:22 pm
Has anyone seen the kind of power display Cody Johnson is showing to start the season. 6HR in 11 games, but with 15SO. This guy could be the next Ryan Howard, and Adam Dunn.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
7:22 pm
Stan Kasten just said they were expecting a pretty hard rain to start in about five minutes and to go for about 20. Wow, that’s about as much a detail as I’ve ever reported on a rain storm. Let’s see how it goes.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
7:23 pm
The funny thing is, I do watch the world cup when it’s on. Those European soccer fans are absoutely nuts. But otherwise, it’s dullsville.
eltrompoBRAVESfan
April 20th, 2009
7:23 pm
Rugby=softer tackles
eltrompoBRAVESfan
April 20th, 2009
7:24 pm
I only say that cause my brother in law is a Welshman and fanatic about rugby, but back to the point. Go Braves and baseball!
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:24 pm
Coach,
Some consider baseball to be a religion. I know some people down here in the South consider college football to be a religion. (I try not to worship my 1980 UGA National Champs Coke bottle, but it’s real tough.) Hockey’s a religion north of the border.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
7:25 pm
Ok I know this is a random question. Even though we all pretty much know he’ll be wearing a Braves hat anyway. When Maddux gets elected to the HOF can he even wear a Cubs hat since his number is being retired with another player by the team? I don’t know if jersey numbers have anything to do with what team you go in with but, it would seem odd.
Again it’s just something that popped into my head after doing some work and being bored and I didn’t look it up so if it’s stupid..oh well.
Frank from KS
April 20th, 2009
7:28 pm
mbatl re: of your 6:48 pm post
As for what Bowman said…..OUCH.
Lol
I was one who was for the Anderson signing but I’m thinking…that was wrong. Very wrong….and who knows, by the way the Mariners are playing and in first place…..do ya think Griff Jr. would’ve been disgusted with himself if he would’ve choose the Braves over the Mariners?
I have a feeling…..very much so.
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
7:29 pm
I like nascar. I like to watch the cars go round and round. I like to smell the fumes. I like nascar. I hope somethin crashes.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
7:31 pm
So…is the start time going to be closer to say 8:15 ET then?
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
7:32 pm
my favarit sports
nascar
horse shoes
nascar
sling bladin’
bowling
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:33 pm
Maddux played more seasons and had his best years as a pro in Atlanta. That’s why he’ll go in as a Brave. It doesn’t have anything to do with a retired number. The Hall makes the decision based on where a guy played the most and played the best. I remember that Gary Carter wanted to go in as a Met when he was enshrined. Nevertheless, his plaque has him wearing an Expos cap. Since Carter only played with the Mets for five years, his twelve seasons and strong play in Montreal won out.
GTI in Chicago
April 20th, 2009
7:33 pm
bravos2249,
Not a stupid question, IMO. But it’s got nothing to do with it at all. And the player doesn’t get to pick the team hat he wears on the plaque. The HOF does that on its own. But I, too, can’t imagine he go in as anything other than a Brave, what with three of his four CYs coming in Atlanta and all the World Series and post season games he played in an Atlanta uni.
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
7:34 pm
I agree, Slingblade. I like to hang around at the gas station and smell gas all day. It’s a blog performance enhancer.
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
7:36 pm
me and bobby cox r gonna sit on his porch and shoot stuff maybe skwurrels
Frank from KS
April 20th, 2009
7:36 pm
Why don’t the Bobby do what Manny Acta did. Redo the WHOLE pen after the these recent mess ups.
Maybe with Boyer getting traded….he was made an example. Throw strikes/get people out…or “Bye, bye”.
Frank from KS
April 20th, 2009
7:37 pm
Opps. Correction:
Why don’t Bobby do what Manny Acta did.
Braveheart
April 20th, 2009
7:38 pm
Hockey is the only sport that gets the fighting thing right. Drop the gloves and handle it man to man. None of this let me at ‘em, let me at ‘em crap when you’re behind 10 guys. I wish they’d do that in baseball and basketball. I debate though whether the fights should occur between the hitter and pitcher or the hitter and catcher. I’d rather it be between the catcher and hitter. Creates an unfair advantage if the hitter can bum rush the pitcher from a 60 feet. Catchers should be held responsible for moron pitchers anyway. If the catcher has to fight for them, he’d make sure he held them accountable. Drop the bat, drop the helmet, catcher rips off the mask, and let’s get it on. No one can jump in, no clearing of the benches, no silly fat wusses running in from the bullpen five minutes after the fact. Catchers are the toughest guys on the team usually, so it would be fun to watch them beat some arse.
Moby Grape
April 20th, 2009
7:39 pm
Cody Johnson a poor man’s Adam Dunn? I’m not a big Dunn fan, but it would have to be an extremely poor man. Cody strikes out 4 or more times for every walk , Dunn about 1.5 times per walk. That isn’t even in the same ballpark. Johnson is a totally broke hugely in debt man’s Adam Dunn at this point. He needs to make a ton of improvements in his swing.If he does not he will never play regularly in the bigs. There are untold numbers of guys with nothing but power who either never make it at all or hang around a few years part time. I remember when he was drafted, the analysts hated his swing.
OHIO STEVE–you are aware of the sites that have videos on hitters. I know that one on Cody was online somewhere a few years ago. Have any idea where?
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
7:40 pm
Thanks RichBrave….I’ll pass that along to Mr. Richmond.
investigative report
April 20th, 2009
7:41 pm
Through intensive research we have discovered that the reason the Washington Nationals are doing so poorly is that they are NOT, in fact, managed by Manny Acta, as many people believe, but are actually managed by the organization ACT UP, whose focus is not really on baseball.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:44 pm
Moby Grape, he is in advanced A ball, so maybe in the next 2 or 3 years he develops some patience. But he is an all or nothing guy. He has 10 hits in 25 at bats, 6 HR and 3 2B, just on single. He has 3 walks and 15 strikeouts.
ex-denizen of the tobacco and confederate statue city
April 20th, 2009
7:44 pm
“Mister Richmond”: is arguably Douglas Wilder.
Although, I would really have to go with Roy West.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:46 pm
Carroll, still raining pretty hard, or was Kasten accurate?
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
7:47 pm
Id say that guy we got for Boyer is a very good acquisition.
Efrim
April 20th, 2009
7:47 pm
Yikes. Jeff Locke’s first two innings: 2 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 3 BB’s, 0 K’s……….
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
7:48 pm
i liked scalloped taters. with arugula.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:50 pm
Wow Medlen already has 7 walks. Also has 7 SO.
Slim012
April 20th, 2009
7:51 pm
The Hate that you ignorant fanATICS spit at a guy who has done nothing but give 110% is absurd. Boyer has clearly shown at times that he has what it takes. The fact that you idiots don’t have even one ounce of sympathy for the guy who is giving it his all every time on the mound is sickening. Really hope that Boyer can get his head straight and do well. I would even love to see him come back against Atlanta and pitch lights out just to spite you ignorant morons that give Braves Fans a bad name. What little men you are. Y’all need to grow up.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
7:53 pm
tomas what are you talking about? hes in the 2 inning with 0 BB and 1K
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:55 pm
I just heard Chip Caray said it in the radio. Sometimes they go so fast I may have heard wrong.
Nothing For Nothing
April 20th, 2009
7:56 pm
Gosh Slim012, I feel really bad now after what you wrote. I feel small. I feel dirty. I feel like paying some thug to knock my teeth out for being so insensitive. I know I deserve it.
So who is the guy we got for that loser Boyer?
Braveheart
April 20th, 2009
7:56 pm
Was just reading the Shanks book from about 5 years ago on the Braves scouts. Considering what happened to Boyer this year and last and Bobby’s comments about him, it was interesting to read the section about the discovery of Boyer by the Braves.
When Boyer went to work out for the Braves at the Ted before he was drafted, Boyer said, “I remember getting on the mound and I was hyperventilating. I was so nervous. I had all these big dogs around me. There were like six scouts back there with radar guns. I did not know what to do….. You can picture an eighteen year old kid on the diamond at Turner Field, throwing for the team of his dreams. It was amazing. It was surreal ….. I started hyperventilating and Paul Snyder brought me out some water ’cause he thought I was going to throw up on the mound.”
Then as Boyer discussed his progress as a minor leaguer, he said, “The mental aspect of pitching, staying mentally strong is the toughest thing to deal with. As a pitcher, if you get beat up, you’ve got to come right back. You can’t get down on yourself, and I’ve struggled with that. You can’t let your emotions get the best of you.”
When asked by Roy Clark before the draft if he wanted to play for the Braves, he said “just draft me. That’s all you’ve got to do, just draft me. I don’t care where. Just draft me.”
It was time for him to go, but it’s sad when you think of how badly he wanted to be a Brave, and maybe how much that and just the pressure of wanting to be a good pitcher, took a toll mentally despite having the stuff to a good reliever. Wishing him the best. Hopefully, all he needs is a change of scenery to be as good as his stuff suggests he should be.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
7:57 pm
Not to say Kelly Johnson is a good fielder, he’s slightly above average at best, but Prado is MISERABLE in the field. (PWH)
I beg to differ dude, I followed Martin through most of his minor league career and he is not a terrible defender, no way, no shape, no how. He ain’t a great second baseman but he ain’t all that bad, not much difference at all between the tow. Martin is somehat more consistant, Kelly has more power as a hitter. I’d keep KJ starting, but your analysis of Prado’s supposed defensive incompetence is way outta line. and that’s a foolish thing to say about his arm since it’s strong enough to play third regularly which makes it more that adequate as a secondbaseman. In 400+ games in the minors he had a .983 FP. Kelly’s MLB average is .979. Neither one of them have particularly great range so it’s pretty much a wash. Come up with some other funky theory for awhile.
ncscoots
April 20th, 2009
7:57 pm
In any case, props on those two, but some humility would be refreshing for a change.
Sorry, that just wouldn’t do, LOL. That would make me start looking around for the other aliens taking over human minds.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
7:57 pm
It still hasn’t started raining.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
7:59 pm
If KJ is leading the team among regular on SLG………why in hell is he hitting leadoff………Ican understand (can I really?) that Cox is not willing to hit Jordan 1st yet, but you slugging leader? NO SENSE AT ALL. Hit Yunel and then KJ, that was he can at least hit a 2 run shot or hit a double with someone on base. Not only in the 1st inning, but many times pitchers are the last out so KJ hits more than 3 times leading off in a 3 game span. Id say 4-5 times every 3 games.
On the other hand I like the approach of hitting jordan 7th, cause if he gets on base hitting 8th, pitchers always go out to bunt, taking away our only stealing weapon (well, besides McCann). Tonight, if Jordan gets on base, Ross can wait for him to steal 2b and get in scoring position without having t give away an out.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:01 pm
And Martin Prado is a better average hitter, but Kelly Johnson gets on base more (most important offensive metric) and hits for more power (what the Braves lack on paper).(PW)
now all that I can accept pretty much. Martin is the next Placido afterall. Everybody knows that.
bravesfan54
April 20th, 2009
8:03 pm
On Kotchman being slow (make that “Slow!”)I have a question (but no answer) for the serious Brave fan. Why was Sid Bream (he was grandfathered in as “Mr. Slow”)not pinch-ran (no such word, I know) in the ‘91 Pittsburg finale. I have always thought the decision to leave him on 2B was one of the worst ever calls – yes, it worked, but I still think it was a horrible judgment call – but, hey, maybe we had no one to either run for him or play 1B, assuming Brian Hunter was on the team that year and had not been used.
I did say this was one for the serious fan – but, again, maybe it was a no-brainer that even the neophyte fan should be able to answer.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
8:04 pm
KJ is leading off because of his OBP, and the ability to work the count. Jordan leads the majors in strikeouts.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 20th, 2009
8:04 pm
Braveheart, Boyer will be under the tutelage of Dave Duncan and Tony La Russa. He will be given every opportunity to succeed. I too wish Boyer well.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:07 pm
nolie,
It is true, Prado is no OZZIE SMITH, but you would have to agree he is no downgrade with the glove if compared with KJ. And he has a higher SLG this season. Of course less ABs, but last season he had a higher SLG than KJ……..less ABs……..but it makes you wonder………what if he played more games. That guy is the best guy on the team at finding the gap he really is.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:09 pm
’m in the Prado’s bat should replace Diaz & Garret, with KJ taking over at THEIR defensive position. (N8)
I’ve been talking Prado up since I got here, but I’m not in that boat either. Let’s keep Marteen just where he is. If Anderson gets healthy(if not bring Jones up) he will most likely hit as will Matty over the long run, all with more power than Marteen will have and this team needs that right now.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
8:09 pm
Anyone If the Start date has been pushed up to 8:30 or 9pm…? Looking at Weather.com It seems that the line has slowed up some…I’m calling for a 8:45 to 9pm start probably, Just looking to see if anyone has heard otherwise….?
Epinephrine
April 20th, 2009
8:09 pm
Where are you guys getting these minor league stats?
Medlen through 3.1: 4H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 4Ks
Locke through 3, 5H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 Ks
Anthony
April 20th, 2009
8:09 pm
bravesfan,
i’m guessing here but maybe we were out of bench players.
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
8:10 pm
So I just got home and saw that the Cardinals traded for Boyer.
One second.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
8:11 pm
Any start time decided yet?
Maddux
April 20th, 2009
8:11 pm
Yeah this rain has slowed down. Lets get this game going. im bored.
GT08
April 20th, 2009
8:11 pm
whats the status on the game? There was a post about 45 min ago about an 8:05 start….but Fox Sports South keeps showing hammerin hank and some other dude….anyone got any updates?
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
8:11 pm
Doc H.–
(Sorry for the late response…was watching Hogan’s Heroes.)
No comments from him. He isn’t better yet…Like I said, he’s scheduled to see the doctor tomorrow morning. Ms. Rogers has a little story up here (Thanks for that, BTW, Ms. Rogers.)
Hopefully we’ll know soon tomorrow. This hunk of Nights Are Forever Without You by England Dan and John Ford Coley fits the situation well…for me:
Lying in bed with the radio on
Moonlight falls like rain
Soft summer nights thinking of you
When will I see you again
Soft and low the music means
I can’t stop thinking ’bout you, thinkin’ ’bout you
I didn’t know it would be so strong
Waiting and wondering about you
I didn’t know it would last so long
Nights are forever without you
Nights are forever without you
(So I don’t lay awake at night with the radio on, but still…)
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:11 pm
A 4.6 is not an earthquake:) It’s a gentle massage;) (cabravesfan)
righto. the vibrator in my bed puts out more energy that that
FlaBravo
April 20th, 2009
8:12 pm
Does anyone have the stream for the broadcast?
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:14 pm
I have to say something that will create some debate, but it is the truth………… Why not make Infante our everyday 2b. He has the best glove (and bearhand) on the team…….you could say chipper is second to none also. But Infante is a vacuum cleaner………and he hits for average, not KJs power but average. This team is built around pitching, groundball pitchers……..wouldnt be more adequate to play your best defensive 2b? If you want to play KJ. play because of his pop, play him at LF and give Diaz more playing time backing up LF, RF and 1B.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
8:14 pm
Yes unfortunately some of us aren’t in or near Atlanta so we don’t get a local feed so all I am getting is a MLB EI schedule board…
So I really wouldn’t know til the game just pops on…
Therefore anyone w/ better info regarding a possible start time or when they take the tarp off will be helpful.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:14 pm
Old man vibrator? Now that’s offensive.
Douche bag ain’t got nothin’ on that.
18 Wheels of Love
April 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
Wow, just caught the Bowman blog on Garret….did Garret take Bowman’s parking place or something? I don’t disagree but just not used to Bowman going on a bit of a rant.
From the blog…
While I’m confident that Schafer will prove effective while battling through inevitable strikeouts, I’m also pretty sure the Braves spent about $2.5 million too much on the left field manequin that Scott Boras sold them in February.
When you talk to Garret Anderson, he’s as lifeless as he looks during those few occasions that he’s actually deemed himself healthy enough to be on the field. He’s a nice guy who has had a nice career.
But there were a number of better, more economically-sound options for the Braves, who would have been wise to just stick to their initial intention to give some of their own players a chance to prove they could play left field.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
It’s finally raining.
Supes
April 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
Slim012…Don’t worry…Blayne Boyer is STILL A TUB OF GOO, well at least he’s not totally worthless, we did get a player in RETURN:)
Get a fraking life. It’s a blog, people vent. Wanna find the meaning of life…I suggest you search elsewhere.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
nolie-
way more information then I needed to know about you:D
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:15 pm
Yet, seemingly, every frickin’ word that WILLISTER (or whateverTF it’s name is) show up every 3 seconds (N8)
just goes to show that the blog really does have great taste.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:16 pm
I miss bubdylan.
Although, I gotta say, Chop Chop, you are five-tool. Godd stuff, sir. Just don’t Wally Pipp my boy.
Oregon_Braves
April 20th, 2009
8:16 pm
Bay Area Steve – nice…
Wayne's kid in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:17 pm
MFin04
My dad says that you think I’m an idiot. Actually, he tells me that if you had a half a brain, it would get lonely.
He also says you don’t have a clue when folks are having some fun on the blog, and that you don’t know jack $hit about baseball.
Take that!
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
8:17 pm
Slim012, there are an incredible amount of “fans”, that are voicing their opinion lately, that isn’t necessarily the voice of many of us “true fans”. They strike me as adolescents, just trying to get a rise out of some of the true, Braves’ fans. In any event, they sure as hell don’t speak for me.
Blaine Boyer is possessed with much talent. Interpreting that to a major league mound, however, doesn’t always equate. Last year, for the first half, he was pitching quite well. The second half was a different story. He was called on to pitch in 76 ballgames. That’s 33 more than he ever appeared in before. He never complained. When Bobby asked him to pitch, even with his arm tired and falling off, he pitched. I still don’t think he has recovered from all those appearances.
Now he has a new chance. IMO, Dave Duncan is the finest pitching coach in the majors. I think you will see Blaine come back. The “true Braves” fans will be happy for him, but sorry he’s not still with the Braves. The idiots? They won’t care, they won’t even pay attention. After all, they’re idiots!
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
8:17 pm
I wonder who drinks the most on the team
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:19 pm
nolie,
If KJ has more power than prado, how come he had a higher SLG% last year and he has a higher SLG% this year than KJ?
Coincidence? if you add up all the ABs prado has put together last season and this……..it makes a good enough sample not to be ignored.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:19 pm
Thanks for the info Mc………very kind, as always.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:20 pm
scoots, Nolie, anybody,
GA or B. Jones, right now (and forget the money)? I tried to disregard the blog’s sentiment toward GA, but with Bowman’s comments today, and my hope in Jones….
what say you?
Not to mention, my latest Braves’ success theory requires no less than two Jones in the v. right-handers line-up.
Braveheart
April 20th, 2009
8:21 pm
Yeah, hearing about Nollie’s vibrator and mirrored walls and ceilings was a bit much for me
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:21 pm
BTW, that guy we picked up from St Louis hit 9 doubles in some 155 ABs……..good enough for 30 doubles in a full season,,,,, that sounds good to me.
Jim
April 20th, 2009
8:21 pm
Just looked at radar on Wunderground.com. How about a 9:15 start with perhaps a bit of rain during game. Late rain predicted tomorrow evening, too, so methinks they will try to get this one played.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:22 pm
Where did Bubdylan go??
Supes: The man has been traded, time to move onto another “whipping boy”.
PJWhort:
Your starting to sound a bit foolish by bad-mouthing Prado’s defense. Prado has sure hands, limited range, and an average arm. He is at least as good as KJ at second, and some might say he is better defensively. I am not sure who you are watching when you say he is bad defensively. Puzzling…..
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:23 pm
Anybody else think Carroll was taking a shot at DOB’s hairline?
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
8:24 pm
Braveheart-
Mirrored ceiling and walls? Dude, you read way too much into that one:)
AR Brave
April 20th, 2009
8:25 pm
What are anyone’s thoughts on trying to resume the talks with the cards about ludwick for kelly, put infante at 2nd, use diaz as backup (outfield), and search for an infield backup or just bring someone up from the minors. One more bat in the lineup would be just swell. Cards dont seem to be having any problems winning games so far and ludwick has looked good. It’s fun to think what if.
bravodawg
April 20th, 2009
8:25 pm
D Lowe makes it rain
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Radar says rain will stop in some 15 minutes, 20 max, so expect a 9pm ET game time.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Bay Area Steve
Today, Brandon Jones is a better player, because he can play. If Anderson can’t make the bell, then he should be DL’d (I said this earlier) so that BJones can show what he can do with another audition.
2.5 million in the grand scheme of things, is not a lot of dough. If Brandon Jones came up and did well (260-270 w/ good defense), I think the Braves would release GA.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
8:26 pm
Why would the Cardinals trade anyone to the Braves…that they thought was even decent…to get Boyer? Seriously? I just don’t see why we should put any stock in the kid…if he was traded for Blaine Boyer? I can’t hit a baseball that well…and probably could have been traded for Boyer.
darren in nashville
April 20th, 2009
8:27 pm
p-town are you in Pittsburgh? do you have the mlb.com package?
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
8:27 pm
Did Carroll die or is this game just not that important to give us an indication of when the game will start?
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
8:28 pm
AR Brave,
I just love the idea, but then we will have to trade GA for some IF help……….middle IF.
bravesfan54
April 20th, 2009
8:28 pm
I find it odd that so many bloggers show the hate for the unfortunate Blaine Boyer. This club is in negative territory on reclamation projects. The occasional tie (MacBride/Ledezma) is an aberration. Look at Willie Harris, he?? even Langerhans found “life after Coxville”. Tyler Yates lived longer and prospered. Remember the guy we picked up off the trash heap for $750k – you know the guy pitching in his basement waiting for the call. From this ole dude’s perspective we haven’t done so well off the “waiver wire” (ok, I date myself) that we can afford to ridicule someone else’s acquistion from our “failure” files.
By the way, does it say something about human nature that so many on this blog could show no love for a guy who gave the org 9 years, was a decent fellow, and had the bad fortune to see the headlights in the dark?
I wanted Blaine gone, but with dignity, let him find favor in his post-Atlanta life. (Now Furcal, I shoot his sorry azz – so don’t think I’m some sappy sentimentalist! Ya hear!
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
8:28 pm
MFin-
The Cards felt bad for raping us when they got Wainwright for 1-yr of JD Drew
Tom A. Hawk
April 20th, 2009
8:28 pm
weather update anyone? are we gonna get this one in tonight?
are we ever going to get this game in?
April 20th, 2009
8:29 pm
so, let me get this strait…..since the delay started it hasnt been raining until just now??? why werent we playing ball. we are getting this one in tonight fellas….
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:29 pm
AR Brave
Now that Ludwick has shown that last year was (probably) not a fluke, it might be harder to get him from the Cards. I haven’t checked though, so I am not sure how their other OF’ers are doing (Ankiel, Rasmus, Duncan, etc)??
I would make that trade, then see what we could get in the way of a backup infielder who we could spin Diaz for. BUT, I really don’t see that happening.
Epinephrine
April 20th, 2009
8:29 pm
That’s just an absurd argument Doc H. It really takes some amazing juggling of statistics to conclude Prado has more power than KJ.
In his entire minor league career, Martin Prado slugged over .420 only one time (.422).
In his entire minor league career, Kelly Johnson slugged UNDER .420 only one season (.394, in 2002).
Kelly Johnson slugged .446 last year in a down year for his usual production in terms of power, and hit only 12 home runs, in 150 games. The year before he slugged .457 with 16 home runs-his first full year in the majors.
Martin Prado slugged .461 in 78 games (less than half a season) last year. Statistics over 11 games are not even worth mentioning-but right now, Prado is slugging .676, and KJ .561. KJ’s number is actually in line with some of his minor league seasons. Prados number is about double anything we should expect from him.
Prado has never hit more than 5 home runs in a season. He has hit 25 doubles only one before in the minors. KJ’s minor league double high was 35, and least season he hit 39, again, in a down year.
And yet you conclude Prado has more power? Amazing.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
8:30 pm
Wayne, I don’t think “good defense” is in B. Jones’ vocabulary. But I’ve said all along that I prefered a B Jones/Diaz platoon to GA in left. But hey, that’s why they’re not paying me the big bucks. And we’re probably gonna get a season’s worth of GA at-bats to find out, too.
I miss blaine boyer he was the MAN
April 20th, 2009
8:30 pm
Omg will the game be played ?
Blaine Boyer is possessed with...
April 20th, 2009
8:31 pm
talent?
Nope. I’m going with goo. GOO. The boy is loaded.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:32 pm
Wayne,
I agree with your earlier statement about DLing GA. These lingering injuries suck, and when we have a capable back-up (unlike with Chipper), why not DL?
I should’ve said disregard the money, and the injury. But, I suppose that’s not fair to GA, as we probably haven’t seen him at 100%.
By the way, your kid had a great post earlier.
Original Jon
April 20th, 2009
8:32 pm
This Barton Kid looks like he is about 40
I miss blaine boyer he was the MAN
April 20th, 2009
8:33 pm
I like how there are alot of coaches in here… everyone knows what to do.. damn bobby and wren should hire yall,lol
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:34 pm
bravesfan54
I suspect that Boyer will have a longer career than Brian Barton in baseball.
I can see it now as somebody asks a question of one of the scounts in the Braves org: : “Do you think Barton will have a good baseball career?” And then he answers: “I think he has an outstanding career ahead of him….in the aerospace industry.”
(the Citadel coach said something similar about one of his all-stars back about 18-20 years ago.)
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
8:34 pm
i wanna be a brave. real bad. i wanna be a brave.
i once gave 9 years of my life to an institution. and what do i have to show fer it? they sent me out on the street. and didn’t give me any more taters.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
8:34 pm
Carroll–an update for the denizens, please? I’m dyin’ here…
leif garret anderson
April 20th, 2009
8:35 pm
Corey;
I would bet its anybody in braves management because we all know this team drives me to drink. Tv has a nice crack in it from that game in philly where I started throwin beer cans for the 1st time this season.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
8:36 pm
Let me clear somethings up. If Anderson is hurt…or will be for 5-7 days he should go on the 15 day dl. Id bet my life that BJ plays better than Anderson and Diaz (maybe combined). And thirdly….Kelly Johnson is a darn good baseball… and Prado is darn good baseball player. So is Infante. I see either Prado or Infante getting traded at some point for a power bat. I love both of them…but they are just too good to be backups. They remind me of Wilson Betemit….maybe even better.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:36 pm
scounts=scouts
Blaine Boyer does paper and plastic
April 20th, 2009
8:37 pm
“Do you think Barton will have a good baseball career?” And then he answers: “I think he has an outstanding career ahead of him….in the aerospace industry.”
But seriously. Do you think Blaine Boyer will have an outstanding baseball career? I think he has an outstanding career ahead of him…bagging groceries.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
8:37 pm
P-towne, no I didn’t die. But clearly I was suckered in my last prediction – and Stan will be selling me some swamp land too – so I’ll refrain from making another prediction until somebody around here announces first pitch. Until then, this just in: it’s raining!!
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
8:38 pm
Firmly on the side of KJ over Marteen, here.
But, for those who constantly point to MP’s minor-league slugging, it sure seems to me, from watching his ABs with the big club, that he might’ve improved. I’d say he can hit a ton of doubles, and perhaps 10 HR per 500 ABs. Whether he could do this exposed everyday is another question, but I believe the man has better-than-average 2B pop.
Bear
April 20th, 2009
8:38 pm
Slim012(7:51) I agree, totally, with that post. I also think, along those lines, that Tom O’Hawke(8:17) and bravesfan54(8:54), have put it well, into words, the way a lot of us, real fans, feel.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
8:38 pm
I think Bowman, is making a precipitated opinion. Give Garret Anderson a full month, he’s hit balls pretty hard lately.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
8:38 pm
Steve in OH
Been listening to our guys on MLB Audio, and so far no indicaton as to when it will start (or if).
CALIparty
April 20th, 2009
8:39 pm
Anyone have guesses as to when this bad boy is going to start?
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
8:40 pm
There are groundscrew people milling around on the edge of the tarp. It’s still raining mind you, but that’s at least a sign of life down there.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
8:40 pm
Epinephrine: I think KJ is the better player, but Prado’s minor league stats are a bit deceptive. He was about the size of a 12 year old. He’s bulked up and obviously his power has improved. He really drives the ball now, not just slaps it into LF.
He seems to be about equal to KJ defensively; less range, better hands.
BravesFAN885
April 20th, 2009
8:41 pm
Alright i’ve said it before, but has anyone else ever noticed DOB seems to be wearing a leather jacket in his photo at the top of the blog? hilarious.
CALIparty
April 20th, 2009
8:41 pm
I will go ahead and say that first picth will happen at 9:47. Anyone else want to throw some figures out?
BravesFAN885
April 20th, 2009
8:42 pm
He must think he’s the FONZ
CALIparty
April 20th, 2009
8:42 pm
Yeah I noticed the leather jacket…he’s cheesin. (jk, love ya DOB)
Or is it pleather? haha
I miss blaine boyer he was the MAN
April 20th, 2009
8:42 pm
he cant wear a leather jacket?!?
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
Tarp is coming off
BravesFAN885
April 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
Blaine Boyer likes leather jackets.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
Ahh, you’re killin’ me, Carroll! (thanks for the updates)
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
8:43 pm
Andrew Miller has the worst move to first I have ever seen. Counting Little League.
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
8:44 pm
The Braves are a good opponent to have on a night like this. Since they swing at everything you only need about a 2 hour window to get the game in and save the gate money.
Slingblade
April 20th, 2009
8:44 pm
obrien has a very wide forehead. you kin drive a nascar on there.
Down with Gnats
April 20th, 2009
8:45 pm
Prado’s numbers in 2008 are mostly a result of a fluke August in which he slugged .649 in 74 at-bats. He was coming back down to his career norms in September 2008, slugging .317 with a .654 OPS in 82 at-bats.
Prado absolutely does not hit for more power than Kelly Johnson. Not a higher slugging nor certainly more homeruns. Their minor league numbers and how they project are different.
Epinephrine
April 20th, 2009
8:45 pm
Mekons, fine, but my point is, it takes AMAZING juggling of statistics to conclude that Prado has more power than KJ. Sure, Prado might have developed more pop. But the point is that it’s absurd to take a sample size of 90 some odd games to conclude one thing, against a far larger sample of hundreds that all say the exact opposite thing. Arguing about Prado’s SLG% over a mere 90 games is a gross misuse of stats.
FicoPR
April 20th, 2009
8:45 pm
saludos desde PR, so CARROLL…u think we might get the game in tonight? whats ur feelling right about now? Gracias…
dews
April 20th, 2009
8:46 pm
DOB’s jacket is made from an old tarp from Shea stadium.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:46 pm
There had never been a negative consequence that was made public, but now we might have the first. McCann had the surgery last year, and has had trouble with dry eyes from time to time since then (Random)
we really never could say that it couldn’t hurt. about 5-8% or so of those surgeries cause problems. Dry eye is one of the most common. The good news is that most of them can be fixed > Hope he is seeing a well-respected specialist instead of the guy who did the surgery. If it is dry eye he definitely does not want another lasix “tune-up”. McFann the odds are in his favor though it could end up taking awhile. Let’s hope not.
CALIparty
April 20th, 2009
8:47 pm
^ haha. That or he bought it off a dude from one of the infamous chop shops.
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
8:47 pm
The Pirates look good tonight against the Fish. 4-0.
Mark in PA
April 20th, 2009
8:48 pm
CR: I read it as Ground Screw people first time through. Very weird, esp. with it being a “sign of life down there.”
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
8:49 pm
Bowtie are cool!
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
8:49 pm
Carroll, Do you find men who wear bowties…..hot?!
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:49 pm
I had an Uzi water gun as a kid. That thing was awesome.) (ChopChop)
the real thing is even more fun
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
8:49 pm
man, do I hate the Celtics. What a bs tech on Noah
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
8:50 pm
Whatever happened to Chuck James?
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
8:50 pm
First pitch 9:15
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
8:50 pm
first pitch 9:15
Casey Kotchman puts me to sleep...
April 20th, 2009
8:51 pm
Casey Kotchman makes Adam LaRoche seem like Don Mattingly.
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
8:51 pm
Jonatuga…I hate the celtcis with a passion…
BravesFanChris24
April 20th, 2009
8:52 pm
Carroll, Is Lowe still going to start the game?
Last pitch...
April 20th, 2009
8:52 pm
12:22 am
Baba O'Riley
April 20th, 2009
8:53 pm
Carroll- Met you when you came to one of J.J Cooper’s softball games in Macon. I know J.J works with Baseball America. Do you hear from him much?
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
8:53 pm
Jon…are you ready for Twilight…it will be a great weekend…hope it doesn’t rain
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
8:53 pm
You’re welcome, Doc H.! Always happy to be of service.
Nolie the odds are in his favor though it could end up taking awhile. Let’s hope not.
Yeah, let’s hope it doesn’t take awhile–the odds being in his favor is a good thing…isn’t it?
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
8:54 pm
9:15? Oh good.
abwright
April 20th, 2009
8:54 pm
Well, Pittsburgh hung another couple runs on the Fish.
You can’t tell this early whether a team is really good or not. But, maybe Pittsburgh isn’t as stinky as they have been in the past decade.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
8:54 pm
Is Kotchman ever going to come around? I keep hoping…but what are realistic expectations for him this year?
VENEZUELA
April 20th, 2009
8:54 pm
CR can you look it up and ask about James…I know he had TJ but was also released, will he sign with the braves? or are the braves already done trying him out?
I remember when teams were begging us to trade him… bad moves by JS the last couple of years…he was kinda desperate of winning a WS before he left, and made moves thinking only about the inmediate future…
nolie
April 20th, 2009
8:55 pm
Chipper I don’t believe that for a minute. Maybe those are Chippers stats from his rookie year and they’ve never changed them. RunHeap
Chipper usually starts the season around 225 now days. In the late 90s he played a couple of years around 235-240. You are right, Casey is not that big. He’s shorter and lighter, but Chipper is still much faster. When he was a kid Chips was a streak.
Mixxo
April 20th, 2009
8:55 pm
jonatuga – I hate the celts AND noah! Somebody is gonna jack that kid up!
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
8:56 pm
You mean I have to pick between Jack Bauer and the Braves?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
8:56 pm
CorkylikesBeer
I can’t wait for twilight! One of my favorite days of the year. NFL draft, good friend’s Birthday, and twilight all collide for a projected 3 kegger this year.
Andy K.
April 20th, 2009
8:56 pm
Anyone know if ESPN will show the game?
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
8:57 pm
8:29 pm
so, let me get this strait…..since the delay started it hasnt been raining until just now??? why werent we playing ball. we are getting this one in tonight fellas….(are we ever going to get this game in?)
They put the tarp on the field, even though it wasn’t raining, because rain was on its way and very close. That was good for us. Otherwise, Lowe would have started, but if the delay was long enough, not go much further. It would be just like the last game (that Lowe started). They should be taking the tarp off any minute, and play should resume in about 25 minutes, give or take. However, there is still some precipitation coming on the radar. It doesn’t look real heavy, but it could cause another delay.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
8:58 pm
Mixxo
I’m with you. I hate Noah too. I’ll never forget his foolishness at the press conference after his second NC.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
8:59 pm
Epinephrine, I agree with you. KJ has significantly better power. He’s one of the best hitters at his position in the league. Just, Prado ain’t chopped liver either. But if he hits 10 HR this year, I will be pleasantly shocked. KJ has the power to hit 20 or more.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:00 pm
I live right downtown..Gameday Condos…fav time of the year..non-football…
Moby Grape
April 20th, 2009
9:00 pm
He might actually do well for himself, like Tyler Yates —Il Cattivo
you think Tyler has done well since he left the Braves? Really? an ERA over 4.7 and a WHIP of 1.6 which is like adding gas to a fire? hmmm
Dr. Leo
April 20th, 2009
9:01 pm
Analysis of the Braves’ rotation
1. Lowe – good, not great. With run support, will win 18 games.
2. Vazquez – ok, but not as good as Lowe. Will win about 15 games, slightly more than he loses.
3. Jurrgens – good, on a par with Lowe but will be a little unlucky. Will win about as many games as he loses.
4. Kawakami – will have trouble adjusting. Will have a few very good outings but will lose more games than he wins and will not be consistently getting into the 6th inning or later.
5. Problem. Glavine probably won’t come back and if he does it will be a disaster. Cox will stick with Jo Jo for a while and then give up (ERA well over 5). A few others will be tried out before someone clicks late in the season.
Bullpen – yuck! And don’t count on Gonzalez or Soriano. Neither will be pitching at the end of the season.
Braves finish about 10 games below .500.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
9:02 pm
“you think Tyler has done well since he left the Braves?”
And making, uh, $1.3 million dollars for doing it. There’s a place in the world for guys like him. And it’s a good place, I’m guessing.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:03 pm
Hooters swimsuit pageant is on..not bad for a rain delay
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:04 pm
You like the gameday condos? They look amazing from the outside. What a great spot for twilight.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:05 pm
ESPN will probably show the first couple up to BBTN…if not they will at least show a few so if you have no other way of watching I’d tune into ESPN
abwright
April 20th, 2009
9:05 pm
MFin04, April 20th, 2009, 8:54 pm: Is Kotchman ever going to come around? I keep hoping…but what are realistic expectations for him this year?
I just looked up Kotchman’s stats. In his first full year (137 games) in 2007, he hit…3…triples. Did they cut his feet off after that?
He’s a career .269 hitter (although he hit close to .300 in 2007). Looks like you might expect .280 and 10 HR.
I have no idea how many triples we should expect from him this year, though.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:05 pm
by couple i meant innings if anyone didn’t know what i meant
Loaf Garret on a blackberry from the massage table in the clubhouse
April 20th, 2009
9:07 pm
I’m also pretty sure the Braves spent about $2.5 million too much on the left field manequin that Scott Boras sold them in February. When you talk to Garret Anderson, he’s as lifeless as he looks during those few occasions that he’s actually deemed himself healthy enough to be on the field.
Man that Bowman dude is just jealous because I took DOB to the scrip club and because I blog on DOB’s site instead of his.
I wish the Blaine Boyer apologists coming out of the woodwork in droves would have a little sympathy for me. I guess it’s okay to bash players….as long as they’re not from Atlanta.
I hope before the season is over I can look up into the stands at the ted and see at least one Garret’s Carrots or Loaf’s Breads.
abwright
April 20th, 2009
9:07 pm
Boy, Pittsburgh is really hitting Florida with a stick now. 5-0 in the 6th and a fast runner on third with 1 out. Sanchez (the hitting machine) at the plate.
Casey Kotchman
April 20th, 2009
9:07 pm
If your wondering how I might do this year, look at my past stats.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
9:08 pm
Dr. Leo: I guess misery really does love company. You know, back when I followed those miserable 1970s Braves and the late 80s edition, I just took pleasure in the wins and didn’t rag on the players not named Andres Thomas. We have a good team in a tough division. There is no way, apart from massive injuries like last year, that we finish below .500. Enjoy the fact that we’re nothing like we were last year.
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
There’s so much blind chance in baseball that accurately predicting anything is damn hard. lol Not much difference in a ball being foul by a foot or fair by same. A lousy home-plate umpire can have as much, or more, to do with the outcome, as the players on the field. Eric Gregg was the worst home-plate umpire in the history of baseball-era civilization.
Casey Kotchman
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
I will give you 280-290 with 15 HR’s and 2-3 triples.
HOMEoftheBRAVES
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
Not that is matters that much, but does anyone remember on a SportSouth broadcasted game when Lowe pitched they were talking about how he is superstitious and how he has the same routine before each game. Wonder how the delay has him feeling based on this
abwright
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
McClouth hits a 3 run bomb. 8-0 Pittsburgh.
NO MORE
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
Human Implant RFID Chips
Fluoride in Drinking Water
North American Union
National ID Cards
Kenyan Usurpers in the White House
Lies about 9/11
Loaf Garret on a blackberry from the massage table in the clubhouse
April 20th, 2009
9:09 pm
Uh oh, they’re really gonna play this game. I bet Bobby never thunk it when he put you in the clean up spot, Krotch.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:10 pm
I know it’s kinda late for most of you but it is really nice to finally get to watch a game at a decent hour for once instead of watching hte first 3 innings on fast forward
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:11 pm
If the Marlins win tonight…they will go 150-12….guaranteed.
Down with Gnats
April 20th, 2009
9:12 pm
I’m with ESPN: the Blue Jays, Padres and Royals have been surprising and impressive. The Marlins? Not so much. Six wins against the historically awful Nationals.
If the Marlins could play the Nationals 100 times, they’d be a contender. As it stands, they’re a pretender. The 22-4 2008 Diamondbacks failed to make the playoffs, so will the soon-to-be 11-2 Marlins.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
9:12 pm
There is no I in team, (mbatl)
no, but there is a me
Blair
April 20th, 2009
9:12 pm
I love reading this blog because you can read so many varying opinions. I generally find, most interesting, the Bobby Cox hate. Call me silly, but I love Bobby Cox. Dude knows how to manage players. His players love him and they play hard for him. The Braves owe a great deal to Bobby Cox. I have been on record, in the past, as saying Mark Bowman is a hack. His take on Garrett Anderson is total crap. People are already overreacting to the events thus far. Give it more than a two weeks before we jump ship on a career .290 hitter with 15-20 bombs.
I do think it is time to start thinking of ways to remedy the ailing bullpen. For whatever reason, MIke Gonzalez’s velocity has still not returned. He is not the same pitcher without his 96mph heater. He needs to work on a changeup to be more effective against right-handers. At this stage, he is struggling to locate his slider against right-handers and they are sitting on fastball. I am not sure he can even develop a change right now. But I think he needs one if he isn’t going to ever regain his velocity. Perhaps by mid-summer his will be hitting 96 again. But I am worried, and the Braves should be as well.
The issue of middle relief is also very real. We need some better arms that can keep the game close when we’re trailing late in games. We cannot continue to be knocked out in the late innings. Can’t comeback if the bullpen can’t keep us close. I think we can and should deal Jo Jo Reyes for a middle relief guy that can also setup. Or a setup man that can be slotted in the middle relief.
Offensively, I think we’re finding out that the lefty lineup cannot work without the Chipper and Escobar (must have one or the other really). They give us some righty strength in the middle, which we desperately need. 18 innings without a run…Chipper comes back and boom….10 runs. It makes a difference. A healthy McCann will also help.
All in all, it’s not time for doom and gloom – It is time to think about solutions to that bullpen. I just don’t see it resolving itself.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:12 pm
I know it’s been said, but I really dread watchin’ the Braves face a new pitcher in zimmerman. The Braves are the only team I follow, but I have to wonder if other teams have similar problems against pitchers they haven’t seen.
NO MORE, REALLY
April 20th, 2009
9:14 pm
Dinosaur Managers
Loafing left fielders
Erratic relievers
Clueless pitching coaches
Fragile third basemen
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:14 pm
cabravesfan, did you crack one open yet, or are you waiting for the first pitch?
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
9:15 pm
If the Marlins go 150-12, Armageddon is right around the corner…
BravesFanChris24
April 20th, 2009
9:15 pm
Game has started
NO MORE, MAN LOVE
April 20th, 2009
9:15 pm
“Call me silly, but I love Bobby Cox.”
Why don’t you move to Iowa so you can marry him?
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:15 pm
Are we about to play yet?
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
9:16 pm
man… i always hated watching laroche hit… still do. that swing is the laziest most god-awful thing to watch ever.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
9:16 pm
that’s 96 on the gun for ZimmermanN
Blair
April 20th, 2009
9:16 pm
Dude, Laroche has a gorgeous swing…..*face palm
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
First time in mlb 2 zimmermans have been in the same IF.
ncgary
April 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
zimmerman looks good 123
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
Really quick inning there. But, what’s new?
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
9:17 pm
cabravesfan, do you want previews/updates on 24?
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:18 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
can’t crack any open until I go to the store…think the dog got into the fridge again:)
kirkinga
April 20th, 2009
9:18 pm
Well that was a quick top of the 1st.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:18 pm
jonatuga
one is Zimmerman one is Zimmermann…I don’t think that counts
Down with Gnats
April 20th, 2009
9:18 pm
Fred Hickman is with SportSouth? The guy canned from ESPN for calling in sick 200 times over the course of three years?
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:19 pm
mbatl-
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:20 pm
bravos2249
lol
Mixxo
April 20th, 2009
9:20 pm
So much for making the rookie work huh?
7 pitch inning!
Kurdt Kobain
April 20th, 2009
9:21 pm
If the Braves aren’t going to field a PERFECT team, why field one at all? Right?
Braves have problems just like everyone else… stop complaining and root for your guys instead of picking out players you don’t like and bashing them nonstop. Bravos got a solid squad this year.
Down with Gnats
April 20th, 2009
9:22 pm
Why are those ugly blue ALTERNATE road uniforms now the norm in road games? The grey ones were so much nicer? Is them some uber-PC thing like with Chief Nochahoma? Grey was the color of the Confederate military or something? Why else would they keep wearing those eye-sores?
Bobby Dylan
April 20th, 2009
9:22 pm
I’m rooting for the Washington Zimmermans.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
cabravesfan, that’s too bad. I had a beer drinking cat once. Had to chain and padlock the fridge.
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
Wow, Jack Bauer just killed Tony, 24 is getting good.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
7 pitches in the top half of the first…7 strikes….3 outs….someone tell me that isnt what they were taught to do?
Shamus Thacker
April 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
It ain’t as much the arms in the pen; it’s the brains, that can’t seem to relay strikes to the arms.
Kurdt Kobain
April 20th, 2009
9:23 pm
Hey oh, underway
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
9:24 pm
I smell a pitchers’ duel.
Kurdt Kobain
April 20th, 2009
9:25 pm
The rookie Zimmerman has the benefit of not having to make his debut in front of a hostile crowd… or any crowd for that matter.
fox watcher
April 20th, 2009
9:25 pm
Is this the episode where Jack Bauer waterboards a guy 183 times in a month and then finds out he is retarded and doesn’t really know anything?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:25 pm
Braves on ESPN
Charles H
April 20th, 2009
9:25 pm
McCann’s issues really underscore the dangers of Lasik for professional baseball players in particular. Frankly, I’m shocked any hitter would ever elect this procedure.
Night blindness, blurred vision, and dry eye are VERY common side effects for Lasik patients. While the tradeoff in daytime vision is certainly worth it for most, this is way too risky a procedure for a hitter who relies on perfect night vision to compete. It doesn’t take much loss in night vision to make a .300 hitter a .200 hitter, and Lasik is just not worth it.
I really hope McCann’s career isn’t in jeopardy, but it certainly may be. Hope for the best, but hope no other Braves make this same mistake.
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
A guy called in sick 200 times in three years? You gotta be kidding. I think I’ve called in sick about 20 times in 20 years. I can’t believe they put up with it for three years.
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
Kotchy displaying the blazing speed:)
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
Holy Shyt! Dunn is a Slug out there, It looks like he’s given up on the team already!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
if i didn’t think she would break a tooth trying to eat the chain I would consider that
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
jonatuga
lol. I was just being honest.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:26 pm
suprise kotch made it to 2nd
Kurdt Kobain
April 20th, 2009
9:27 pm
Stupid…
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:27 pm
THAT WAS DUMB
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
9:27 pm
Wow, Krotchman, you suck.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
wtf slowest man in baseball
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
Another Bad Break on this Roadtrip, WTF…!
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
ROB DIBBLE!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
Yes you can blame Casey cause Frenchy did NOT signal for him that it was okay to take 3rd.
sick bay
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
Hasn’t Chipper called in sick about 200 times in the past 3 years?
Down with Gnats
April 20th, 2009
9:28 pm
More outs on the bases. Down with stolen bases!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
I’m Calling For Zimmerman to K 10 tonight, We are being Way Too Aggressive out there…
nolie
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
I am not hating on the guy but he isn’t a power threat (vabrave)
plus he’s 27 and in AAA not all that bright a prospect, but better than nothing. Definitely not a power hitter as you say.
Jeff321
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
Nice hustle by Diaz.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
let’s go matty!
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
nice hustle play by MattE
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
Diaz has some speed with the weight loss
ncgary
April 20th, 2009
9:29 pm
diaz wtg with the hustle
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
9:30 pm
I can’t believe thefirst pitch to Diaz wasn’t called a strike. It was right down the middle, waist high!
Diaz stretching a single to a double!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:30 pm
MattE with the great hustle!
Sam
April 20th, 2009
9:30 pm
99% of all baserunners would have taken off on that ball. Kotchman went on the bounce of the ball just a bad break off Frenchy’s chest.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
I’m having a hard time believing Jordan Zimmerman is 6′2. He doesn’t look taller than Mike Hampton.
Slugger
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
Zimmerman was one of the best pitchers in the Northwoods League the summer I was there. He was on the Eau Claire Express while I played for the Mankato Moondogs.
Sam
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
If every runner waited for the batter to signal him to run they’re would be way more outs on the basepaths
Foreign exchange student in Marietta
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
double cheeses to the pitsies!
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
I think Matt Diaz is one of the smartest players I’ve ever seen. The way he carries himself and makes you pay when you don’t put 100% of your effort forward is unrivaled.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
9:31 pm
Some interesting point……
5 out of the top 7 hitting teams (AVG) are in the NL east. This being said, you just got to figure NL pitchers will get hammered this season, so you got to figure pitching will be very very important in the NL east since all teams seem to be hitting well. Braves have the deepest SP and the BP is not so bad (it will get better).
BTW……….with the 2 doubles tonight, braves are leading the NL…..AS i PREDICTED.
Uff da
April 20th, 2009
9:32 pm
How long till Manny Acta is fired? Man, what a lazy bunch of players.
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
9:33 pm
Just a note…Celtics losing to the Bulls by 5.
Smart and great hustle from Matt Diaz. Too bad Jordan Schafer couldnt drive him home.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
http://photos.nikkansports.com/baseball/professional/buffaloes/ballmonkey/entry/63338.html
Apparently this monkey is famous in Nippon Pro Baseball (Japan’s MLB). His name is Goh, the ball monkey.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
Coach, yeah I remember you calling Norton for sure. I seem to recall you doing the same for Barton but it’s not as clear in my memory as Norton (Steve from OH)
I remember Norton too, I don’t remember Barton and I read just about every post on here…yes even Coach’s (hangs head in shame)
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
That play at third was not Casey’s fault. The ball would have gone to the backstop if it hadn’t clipped Frenchy. Good hustle by Matt. The thing about the surplus of outfielders in DC is that they’re fairly stupid people. Milledge got sent down for dogging it, Kearns must be the worst RF in baseball, Dukes is a headcase, Dunn is a statue. You get the feeling that, like noted bonehead Dick Stuart, they are out there thinking about their next at-bat. Sloppy, slow and stupid.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
Well My point is Frenchy and the catcher looked up at Kotchman like he was crazy…for 1 he is slow…and 2 he was already on 2nd. Anyway when your on 2nd you have to be more careful, that’s my only point, especially when your slow.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
KJ is 2nd on the teams in Ks and not even in the top ten on the team in OBP……so drop it.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
Damn, They Must Love Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” First Pittsburgh, Now D.C. blasting the hell out of it…
Jon Miller
April 20th, 2009
9:34 pm
Not a bad start for this Logan Zimmermann guy!
McFann =Ô=
April 20th, 2009
9:35 pm
PWHjort @ 9:31–
I agree completely.
Charles H I really hope McCann’s career isn’t in jeopardy, but it certainly may be.
Um…let’s not go there, OK?
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:35 pm
cabravesfan, for what it’s worth, I feel for you. Once they become that addicted, it’s tough to deal with. You truly have a dilemma on your hands. I wish you luck.
Jerome Jurenovich
April 20th, 2009
9:35 pm
Do I look a little worried in those SportSouth commercials standing next to three black men?
GroundHogs Day
April 20th, 2009
9:38 pm
Ah, another season, more Doc H. complaining about Kelly Johnson. For 2-3 years now, this blog has been subject to Doc H.’s KJ hatred and Robert’s “donk” anti-Cox routine.
Neither will stop until an inferior manager/2B replaces Cox/Johnson.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:38 pm
jerome
wow
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
9:38 pm
Wow, wide plate tonight.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
9:39 pm
good one, jon miller. can i call you jonny?
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
9:40 pm
wow ump….
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:41 pm
McFann, before you go to bed, how about one post with the dual turtles? Not that I’m superstitious or anything.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:42 pm
Is the braves game in HD on ESPNHD?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:42 pm
The umps probably want to move this one along because after I heard that was Randy Wolf behind the plate I was surprised we got those calls…lol.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:43 pm
it’s in hd on both
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:43 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
I feel kinda bad for her at the moment- she’s playing the sympathy card by hobbling around on 3 legs…
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 20th, 2009
9:43 pm
Tom O’Hawke–
Oh yeah! Almost forgot to call the other turtle! Not sure when I’ll go to bed…computer might hafta shut down before I do. But, it doesn’t have to be turned off just yet.
David! Whoo-hoo!
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:46 pm
ben gordon me one time
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:46 pm
Gawd Lowe, Should’ve been at third on that play Where The F…c Is the Hustle…?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:47 pm
Zac Brown Band..I know the song…Chicken Fried
RC
April 20th, 2009
9:47 pm
Game is in HD on both SportsSouth and ESPN. ESPN is carrying the Nats broadcast though.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
Enter your comments here
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
Another DP from escobar.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
Enter your comments here
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
zac brown band from athens, right?
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
McFann :Ô: :Ô:, thank you my dear. We’re all set now!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
Tomahawkin-
You really want Lowe to risk getting hurt running the bases?
boyer be gone
April 20th, 2009
9:48 pm
yep, yunel’s back….
Yunel Escobar on dugout Laptop
April 20th, 2009
9:49 pm
I’m going for the double play record!
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:49 pm
Tomahawkin
chill out the field is muddy…you’d be sitting here pulling your brains out if he pulled something running from first to third
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 20th, 2009
9:49 pm
You’re welcome. Too bad Escobar killed that rally…course, it mighta helped if Lowe’s bunt woulda worked…
Then again, maybe not.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:50 pm
yes…zac brown played Friday night at ole miss..with soulja boy
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:52 pm
cabravesfan, smart dog. She’s telling you that she can’t go to the store for beer, it’s up to you.
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
9:52 pm
I don’t know where Yunel would be best at, to be honest. You can’t blame Bobby for batting him second though, with his avg. with RISP. But, the dp’s are killers, so I’d maybe move him to the 7th spot when McCann gets back and put Schafer 2nd in front of Chipper.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:52 pm
They need to bunt Esco with men on base every time…he is a double play waiting to happen.
99709
April 20th, 2009
9:54 pm
Has anyone stated how much they hate ESPN yet on this blog..finally get some coverage here in Alaska, 1 inning and they come back to HOU/CIN game..UGHHHH, now I am down catching up with MLBTV which is 1 inning behind..
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
9:55 pm
corky
nice- I saw them open for corey smith at his first show at ga theatre. As fun as I’ve had at a show.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:56 pm
CABravesFan…. And Bravos2249….
Understood about the risk of injury, but on that play the Nats were giving us the extra base, especially with the Slug Dunn fumbling the ball…Gotta take advantage of the AAA Nats giving us extra bases…
But Its moot now because of the DP
But I did overreact in a sense, lack of hustle and little awareness on the basepaths Irks me, and sometimes makes a difference in close Games…I’m pretty sure all who watched those close 1-run losses last year know what I mean….
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
9:56 pm
MFin04, you want them to bunt a guy has hit .700 with RISP – best in the NL???
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:57 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
well she’s just going to have to wait until tomorrow- I’m watching the game! I spiked her cheese ball with some drugs…she should be fine until then:)
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
9:57 pm
99709…?
I hate BSPN with a passion…Hence Why I call ESPN… BSPN
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:57 pm
Jon…I saw Modern Skirts this past weekend…that was a fun show…
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
9:57 pm
Okay, so are they showing the game on ESPN or not? Why did ESPN go to the Reds at Astros??
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:58 pm
OK we waited about an hour before it started raining to play for 1 hour and then it starts raining again….man it wouldn’t have been like this in ATL
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:58 pm
Looks like it is pouring now.
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
9:58 pm
I’m 27 yrs old, and in my young life I have never seen it rain so much like it has this last month or so. All over the country, especially our area, the east coast.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
9:58 pm
tomahawkin-
and if it had been anyone other then Derek Lowe I would have been right there with you…there is no excuse for lack of hustle (unless it is the pitcher:D)
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
OBAMA
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
I hope Chipper doesn’t hurt himself in this rain
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
I just checked the radar. It’s tough to tell whether they can play through this next patch of precipitation or not, but there’s not much behind it.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
Barack Obama is the answer.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
Yes…bunt him…2nd and third for Chipper Jones…who hit .364 last year…and is a pretty good ball player from what I hear.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
9:59 pm
sorry for that random Obama…that’s the answer to the trivia question
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
10:00 pm
run old man!
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:00 pm
Larry……first triple.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:00 pm
wow he is soooo slow in the OF…Chipper thanks you for the triple Dunn
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:00 pm
there’s some good huslte for you <strong.tomahawkin!
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
10:00 pm
Chipper with the triple! Anybody still wish the Braves had signed Adam Dunn this past winter? Man, does he give up some runs with his horrid defense!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:01 pm
Nice “Hoss”!!!! Thats What I was talking about the Awareness…Now Everyone Knows What I was talking about in my 9:56 Post!
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
10:01 pm
Hey Carroll– I used to work over on Capitol Hill. Would you want me to try and arrange a tour through my old office (as opposed to the boring guided tours) for one of the next two days for you??????
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:01 pm
cabravesfan, OK, that should work for her, but what about you?
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
Attaboy Krotch, get that run in.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
That’s the way to get good wood on it, Kotchman.
Mixxo
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
That’s not gonna get it done Kotch!
Mark in PA
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
Dang, listen to all the Braves fan in the rain in DC! Chipper with the triple!
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
Loove our cleanup hitter!! Kiddin, but Jeff needs to get Chipper in and NOT try and pull it!
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
Chipper out 2 weeks with a triple.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:02 pm
CaBravesFan…? Thanks…Nuff Respect…I’ve been noticing that awareness flaw for years now in this team…
Gotta Get That Run Home Boyz!…Frenchie Swinging like last year…
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Come on Frenchy
bgvt
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Two problems with bunting in that situation MFin04:
Open base for Chipper means pitcher shouldn’t throw him anything to hit.
Even a .400 OBP means an out 60% of the time.
fat people sink faster
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
kotch with a garbage ab
need a little pickmeup from the team
fat people sink faster
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
are you serious clark?
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Man This Offense Sucks!
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Attaway, Frenchy.
Jeff Francoeur
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Swing happy.
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Why didn’t Chipper run? You gotta take the chance on a ground ball!
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:03 pm
Nice Jeff, those neck high fast balls are great pitches to hit!
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
wow…frenchy…very frustrating..can’t deliver….this why the Braves won’t make the playoffs…can’t play small ball
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
think there’s some vodka in the freezer…
Tomahawkin-
what’s the ? for…
fat people sink faster
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
hmmm…that’s sbomb
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
way to pick them up matty
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Pick up the slack, matty.
Mixxo
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Yeah baby!!!!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
MattE!!!
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Way to pick upt the team Matty!!!!!!
MattE 2012
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Diaz for President.
Steve from OH
April 20th, 2009
10:04 pm
Thank God for Matt Diaz and 0-2 fastballs right down the middle…
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Matty Diaz…HOME RUN
Blaine Boyer, the Lead Destroyer
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Maybe not small ball Corky, but LONG BALL!
99709
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Murph Rocks
One can only assume that ESPN is staffed with lots of ADD folks that can’t concentrate on anything unless it is a Yankee or Bosox game.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Matt Diaz. Gawn hit that ball real hard.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Atta Boy MattiE-D!!! Make Me eat My Words…Man That Ball Carried…!
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Did I ever tell you guys how much I like Matty Diaz?
abwright
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
Boy, I thought they were going to waste that triple by Chippah. He really busted it to give the Braves a great chance at a run.
Kotch and Frenchy couldn’t get ‘er done. Thanks to Matty Hustle for parking one in the LF bullpen.
ncgary
April 20th, 2009
10:05 pm
2 beauties to diaz then a fat one down the middle at kalas would say outta here
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:06 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
Join the club:) I’m a huge fan of his
Blaine Boyer, the Lead Destroyer
April 20th, 2009
10:06 pm
And the kid K’s again.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:06 pm
Matt Diaz had some Fried Chicken tonight and he attributes his success to Church’s Chicken….
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:07 pm
That was a mistake. Diaz always crushes mistakes. The catcher was set up about 8 inches higher than that ball was.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:07 pm
CaBravesFan, Its My Que of answering/throwing out a response…
I love the Minor League Crowd, to where you can hear the sounds on the field, and the music at the park
Rain Delays Rule!!! If Your a Fan at the Park…
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
April 20th, 2009
10:07 pm
ALL RIGHT, MATTY!! THat was a beaut! Dang, I really like that guy!
(Saw BMac in the dugout, BTW.)
Kurdt Kobain
April 20th, 2009
10:08 pm
And the fan goes wild!
Smyrna Jim
April 20th, 2009
10:08 pm
Way to go, Abe Lincoln!
northbeach Scott
April 20th, 2009
10:08 pm
Classic Matty, he set the pitcher up with the “Tar Baby” Technique. Naw sir Mr. Zimmermann, I can’t touch that old fastball down the middle up high. I just cannot get ’round on that big ol’ heater of yours.
Bam, Mr. Zimmerman, meet Mr. Diaz (Br’r Rabbit). Mr. Diaz, while unorthodox, can handle most any pitch, especially if you think you are outsmarting him–you aren’t.
Sweet.
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:09 pm
I think Boog likes the Presidents’ race better than the baseball games here at Nationals’ Stadium.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:09 pm
Does Schafer have something in his contract about getting a certain number of K’s? He has got to be close to getting that bonus.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:09 pm
The Yankees and the Red Sox both stink right now…No matter what their records are both teams pitching is struggling as of late, later on it won’t but now, they both are BLAH.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:09 pm
MattE-D might Be put in a role Similiar to Pat Burrell of last year, especially if GA stays Injured….
Use MattE-D from innings 1-7 and use B. Jones as a defensive replacement in the later innings…
I don’t see GA beiing on the Team after June…I’m Not Hating on Him but He strickly looks like a DH at this point in his career…
Mr. Grouch
April 20th, 2009
10:10 pm
NO WALKS LOWE!
Jon Miller
April 20th, 2009
10:11 pm
Carroll, you can call me Jonny if I can call you Red.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:12 pm
Murph Rocks, thanks much. Really appreciate it. Think I’ll be running around outside the capitol instead, but that’s nice of you to offer.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:14 pm
whew he just missed that one
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:14 pm
Dammit!!! Why wasn’t the ball thrown to second, to keep the force ineffect…WTF defense…
nolie
April 20th, 2009
10:14 pm
way more information then I needed to know about you:D (cabravesfan)
you got a dirty mind gal.
I have one of those medical beds where the feet and head raise up. The vibrator wave is to help circulation to the legs. Yeah I know I just opened myself up again.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:15 pm
2-1. Derek is racking up the pitches already 65 and not through the 4th yet
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
10:15 pm
can we just leave matt in the starter spot please
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:15 pm
cabravesfan, yeah, he’s not only a good hitter, he seems as though he’s a hell of a nice person. I wish he would play more. Bobby gave him a chance last year, but he didn’t do well in the beginning, and then he got hurt. It wouldn’t bother me, too much, if Garret had to rest for a while.
kirkinga
April 20th, 2009
10:16 pm
Dukes appears to be turning into the latest Braves-killer.
Loaf Garret dreaming on a blackberry in the clubhouse
April 20th, 2009
10:16 pm
Yikes
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:17 pm
nolie-
I think they make a pill for that…
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:17 pm
KJ is a dumba$$ at second…he had the guy hosed at 2nd.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:17 pm
Man We are being Fundamentally outplayed, First by the Marlins and Now the Nats…
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:18 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
It still pisses me off thinking about how MattE got hurt last year…seriously, how hard is it to pad the f*ing wall all the way to the bottom??
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:18 pm
wow about 2 feet from a grand slam…whew
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
10:18 pm
“Derek is racking up the pitches already 65 and not through the 4th yet”
Yeah, and he’s laboring.
T’hawkin, there was no play from the warning track to 2b. You wanted Derek Lowe chugging from 1st to 3rd, and now a throw to 2nd on a fly ball to the wall… are you watching the same game as the rest of us, or just have a different view of things?
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:18 pm
Never been happier to be tied….WOW!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:19 pm
Gawd…I for Sure Thought That was Outta Here….!
During the Daytime That’s A Granny…
Way To Go Lowe for coughing up the Lead…Gotta settle down…
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:19 pm
Matt has improved his defense but I wonder about KJ…..Carroll, are you black and blue from getting hit on….
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:20 pm
2-2 game inning over. Derek is having trouble locating that sinker. Throwing a lot in dirt then trying to overcorrect and getting them high enough where they got tagged that inning
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:20 pm
Nevermind Jonny! Oops, I mean Jon.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:20 pm
last year…we’d be losing right now
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
10:20 pm
Glad to see Kelly up to his old tricks in costing the team runs…
The look on Ross’ face says it all…I hope when they get back to the dugout he beats the sh– outta him!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:21 pm
MBATL…Watching the same game Bro…I think I’m just still P’d from that Pirates series, and I’m gonna lose it if we drop 2 of 3 to the Nats…
We can not go out like that….
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
10:22 pm
Chipper out 2 weeks with a triple.
MFin04: Here is your chat site
http://www.braveshater.com.html
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
10:22 pm
Ok, KJ lovers-
Explain to me once again why Kelly is so great and the positive spin you can put on that play he made that ended up costing us a run?
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:22 pm
Man I don’t think there are 7500 people out there at that park, Cheese-Whiz…
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:22 pm
Haha, the park being so empty, you can hear everything the retards end up screaming.
nolie
April 20th, 2009
10:23 pm
..it makes a good enough sample not to be ignored. (Doc)
not really. Chipper had 500+ AB at .249 one year, that’s more ABs that Marteen’s MLB totals and obviously meant nothing. Plus there is the different ways that their S& are affected. Prado’s S% is somewhat dependent on his BA while Kelly’s is affected more by actual extra base production. Why don’t you look up their isolated power figures?
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:23 pm
I wonder what Kelly Johnson score on the Wonderlic Test
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
McFann, if you’re still up, you need to alter your rally turtles. That is, if you want them to be the same as they were in that 11-1 rout of the Pirates. They had their legs retracted on Sunday. Not that I’m superstitious.
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
LOL
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
I like David Ross…brings some fire to the team!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
how on earth is that not interference?
Kyle
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
why did david ross not get up quicker? like what?
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
WTF…Ball is dead, Where is Instant replay…!
More Braves Inept Execution on Fundamentals!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:24 pm
What the hell was that? Why was he just standing there waiting for the tag?
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
Carroll– no prob. If you get an itch for some sweet tea back home, head across the river to Arlington to Red, Hot and Blue. It’s not great BBQ, but it’s the best in the DC-area, and certainly the only place you’ll find sweet tea.
And if you’re staying out and about, head over to Ford’s Theater. Few folks rarely get over there and fewer still go across the street to where Pres. Lincoln actually passed. Amazing stuff is all around that city. I do miss it sometimes.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
How the F is that not obstruction….Dumb….umps
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
i like the knowledgeable fans – er um, fan – here. Somebody just yelled War Eagle to David Ross….
oh wait, he wanted interference on that i guess. he can’t get thrown out. not with McCann and the blurry-ness….
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
Bobby Cox should be fired…after not arguing that…I didnt know you could body check guys in baseball to keep them off the base?
abwright
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
I hope they review that play on Ross at second. I thought it was against the rules to knock down a base runner. Ross should be on third.
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
10:25 pm
I wish Ross was safe, but that was halaraious!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:26 pm
Over the Last 3 years This team has to be worst in the League in executing fundamentals…Tough to keep watching Crap like this be the deciding points in close games….
northbeach Scott
April 20th, 2009
10:26 pm
Nice crazy eye effect there from the 2nd base umpire that just blew that obstruction call out on Ross. Makes him look a bit possessed
Nothing For Nothing
April 20th, 2009
10:26 pm
Bobby will argue over a hang nail yet he didn’t raise hell on that one?
Good gosh Bobby, were ya taking a nap over there????
MariettaDerek
April 20th, 2009
10:26 pm
Why didn’t Bobby come out to argue that? Seemed pretty obvious to me too. Definitely NOT double pits to chesty.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:26 pm
thanks murph rocks. really we need this game to end at a decent hour if i’ve got a chance to take advantage of what this great city has to offer!
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
10:27 pm
seemed like the SS was just standing at the bag waiting for a throw. I’m a Braves’ fan and all, but I don’t think it was interference. Unless he was knocked cold for a few seconds, why didn’t Ross just get back to the bag?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:27 pm
he got hit in the head with the throw and the 2nd baseman knock him down and he did a back flip over the bag…1st off…OWW…2nd that’s interference.
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
10:27 pm
Hey Murph Rocks…grew up in Springfield, VA and had the opportunity to eat at Red, Hot, and Blue several times…some of the best food i’ve have ever had…i highly recommend it.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
10:27 pm
Could anyone look more clueless on that non-obstruction call than Bobby…Looks like someone just woke him up from his nap in the dugout..
And ho-hum Kelly makes another easy out…Bring on Prado!
CVan
April 20th, 2009
10:27 pm
Kelly Johnson, good hitter….terrible baseball player
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:28 pm
cabravesfan, I think, to this day, that wall is still unpadded. I agree, how stupid is that? BTW, funny 10:17 post to nolie.
CorkylikesBeer
April 20th, 2009
10:28 pm
I think Bobby’s new hip is acting up with all of the rain…didn’t want to leave the dugout and argue…
Blaine Boyer, the Lead Destroyer
April 20th, 2009
10:28 pm
MariettaDerek, for the love of God, please stop with the dptc. It’s excruciating.
That was definitely obstruction, by the way.
CVan
April 20th, 2009
10:28 pm
Bobby is about as bad of a manager as KJ is a defender
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:29 pm
he wasn’t at the bag he was in the baseline before the bag…either way obstruction is obstruction whether you mean to or not.
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
10:29 pm
Yeesh. Braves trying hard to out-suck the Nationals. I don’t understand this team. Really don’t.
McFann Ô Ô
April 20th, 2009
10:29 pm
OK, I’m sorry he was out, but that was funny.
But yeah, Mommy and I are speaking up at the TV, saying, “You can’t get thrown out…literally, you can’t.”
He should have been called safe, though.
There ya go, Tom O’Hawke!
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:29 pm
WHY IS BOBBY NOT ARGUING THAT CALL? IS IT TOO COLD OR WET? HE HAS BEEN TOSSED FOR MUCH LESS. THAT WAS A BIG RUN AT 2ND.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:29 pm
Oh Gawd! They are playing that Soulja Boy Garbage “Crank That”…I thought That garbage song was now an afterthought…
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
10:30 pm
Gwinnett Braves beat Durham Bulls 5-2 to win their first game ever at Gwinnett Stadium…..
Kris Medlen gives up two earned runs in 5 IP. 6 Ks. He’s 2-0 witih a 1.32 ERA in his first three starts for Gwinnett
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:30 pm
Anyway D. Lowe needs to get bunting lessons from Vazqeuz.
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
10:30 pm
I guess Bobby didn’t want to get wet. Very odd.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:31 pm
ARGUE BOBBY!!!!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:33 pm
Wow D Lowe cannot find the plate right now…course it doesn’t help that the zone seems to be moving as much as his pitches…
richbrave
April 20th, 2009
10:34 pm
LEW:
Got him for $50,000. Maybe it was waiver wire money, but I thought I remember ERNIE and SKIP and PETE talking about RULE 5. Whatever, he was a great pickup until “DIRT” came on the scene.
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
10:34 pm
I guess Bobby didn’t want to get wet. Very odd. -Interested Observer
He looked like he was standing there thinking “wait, am I for the team with the baserunner guy… or with the fielder? I think the baserunner is mine… better not chance it.”
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:34 pm
lol I think Nick Jonhson though Escobar was making the throw to first cause he ducked on the ground like an actual duck…lol
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:34 pm
Man Now they are playing that Lil Wayne Garbage…The Nats PA is on a roll…
Looks like Lowe will be out before 7 if not before that, Not Good!
Let’s get a run and hope it rains it’s a..s off, because I do not want to see the Blow-pen…
General Understanding
April 20th, 2009
10:35 pm
The basepath belongs to the runner in a rundown, whereas a runner doesn’t own the basepath if he nails a fielder trying to field a batted ball.
Fielder can place himself in the path of the runner when trying to receive a throw, but once the throw is past him (ie to a fielder behind him or in this case off Ross’ head) he must vacate the basepath and not park there looking stunned like the Nationals SS did. The fielder is NOT allowed to impede the progress of the baserunner once the above examples exist.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:35 pm
Just as I was about to say we need an Ace…he gets the DP to end the inning…nice job. Is it more difficult to pitch in the rain…or easier? It seems like it’d be hard to hit…but also hard to grip the ball to pitch?
McFann Ô Ô
April 20th, 2009
10:35 pm
OK, The Bird just had his medication and is ready for bed. That means the computer is, too.
Night, all! I would say this is my last “sleepless night” for a while, but I have trouble sleeping even if BMac doesn’t have a mysterious eye problem.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
10:36 pm
was ross not out when the pitch hit him in the head? i’ve heard catchers talking about hitting guys in the back on a throw to first to get them out if they r inside the baseline. Maybe ross was as well.
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:36 pm
Carroll is it still raining there? I can’t tell on tv and they haven’t mentioned it in a while.
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
10:36 pm
I hope this isn’t how Lowe pitches throughout the season… getting out of constant jams with the sinker. My nerves can’t take it! It’s the walks the last two innings that’ve started it.
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:37 pm
If you’re name isn’t Chipper Jones that was a strike.
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
If you’re name is Chipper Jones you don’t swing at that garbage.
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
“BOBBY COX WHY ARE YOU BATTING THIS GUY CLEAN UP, HE HAS NO RUNS AND BARELY ANY RBI’S”
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
PWHjort
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
Ha, did yall just hear “Bobby Cox, why are you batting this guy clean-up”? and “Where’s Andruw Jones?”
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
LOL
Some Guy just shouted out…”Bobby Cox why are you hitting this guy cleanup”
Stephen
April 20th, 2009
10:38 pm
Home runs that is.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
Did you all catch the guy screaming to Bobby why he was batting Kotchman clean up? cracked me up
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
Kotchman drives me crazy….what are we to do with first base.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
If your name is chipper you left your wife for a hooter’s girl
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
I know ya’ll heard the fan yell at Cox at why he’s batting Kotchman cleanup… I kinda agree.
General Understanding
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
jonatuga
No.
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
Is that what he said Stephen? I heard the Bobby Cox part but nothing else hahaha. We must have a blogger in attendance.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
guess that answers that question:)
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:39 pm
Can anyone else tell, that’s listening to the Nationals’ TV broadcast, that Rob Dibble is an ex pitcher?
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:40 pm
Is there anything more annoying than Verizon commercials? Oh wait..yes, there is. AXE man perfume commercials. But other than that…no.
MariettaDerek
April 20th, 2009
10:40 pm
Who else would you bat clean up right now? It’s not like we have one guy getting really double pits to chesty with the bat.
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
10:41 pm
Brandon — oh, it is definitely some good ‘que for up there. It was started by three God-fearin’ Tennessee boys, so it definitely was a home away from home for me while I worked on the Hill. Our office would go there twice a week sometimes!
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
10:41 pm
jonatuga, that rule only applies when a runner is going to first. They have to be inside the 2 lines. Anywhere else, when the ball hits the runner (unless the runner does it intentionally) it is not an out. Otherwise in rundowns you could just throw the ball at the runner for an easy out.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:42 pm
Carroll not to be picky but Medlen didn’t start his first appearance. He came on in relief of Hanson. So hes only started 2 games
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
10:42 pm
“Is there anything more annoying than Verizon commercials?”
Yeah, Verizon’s actual service. Evening Free time starts at 9:00 pm.
NINE O’CLOCK PEE EMM!!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:42 pm
Lowe looks done.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
Kawakami could bat cleanup…
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
Thanks, again, McFann. I just happened to remember that you had that “Geico” thing going. Not that I’m superstitious.
jonatuga
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
zmerk
thanks for the explanation.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
Tom what makes you say that? O you mean that curveball that was a foot inside to Chippper that he said was a strike.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
Lowe is not on his A game tonight. Lucky 4 us he’s going up against the Nats…
Mekons
April 20th, 2009
10:43 pm
BTW, the HBO series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is one amazing show. The first few were just good but the last two have been amazing.
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
10:44 pm
Murph Rocks…my dad worked @ the Pentagon for a couple years. In all honesty RH&B ‘que is nothing to compared that of Fincher’s BBQ here in Middle GA.
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:44 pm
that throw looked in time…did Casey hold onto the base?
Phantastic Phillies Phan
April 20th, 2009
10:44 pm
I never watched The L-Word, but I have enjoyed the first two seasons of LIFE and I do hereby swear my eternal love,devotion and adulation to Sarah Shahi. I is smitten
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:44 pm
Bub! You’ve been missed. Busy with school?
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:45 pm
Man, I see the Blow-pen Looming, Not good…! Lowe is losing it quickly…
Salt life
April 20th, 2009
10:46 pm
A mediocre Lowe is still better than most anything we’ve run out there in a while. Diaz looks good out there. He’s making GA obsolete. Dammit Chipper……you gotta charge those.
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
10:46 pm
YES the stupid geico commercials with their 67 different mascots and what not
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:47 pm
I like the quote of the day…I wish Our coaches would use the same philosopy on our blow-pen…
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:47 pm
I’m a very optimistic person, really I am, but I would be shocked if we got out of this without a run scoring…..SEE? as I was typing lol
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:48 pm
Groundballs as a result of the sinkers are ineffective if there are runners in motion and the defense isn’t positioned accordingly…
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:48 pm
Win or lose, the heckler has been the most entertaining part of this game by far.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:48 pm
he beat it into the ground but found a whole. 3-2 nats
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:48 pm
Why is Chipper playing on the line on that? it just opens up a huge hole at third? Is that what they are supposed to do?
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:49 pm
hole
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:49 pm
What does DLowe have to do to get out of this game? Raise his hand? FFS Bobby, take him out.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
10:51 pm
Our pitchers…have got to get their pitch counts down…they have got to start going 7/8 innings some nights.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:51 pm
Bring on the Blow-pen…And Watch us make the Nats Bullpen look dominant, and I hope they prove me wrong
But the offense is still struggling, barring one game…
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:52 pm
How many more pitches before his arm falls off? 1? 2?
bravos2249
April 20th, 2009
10:53 pm
At least we don’t have Blaine Boyer anymore…esp. against Philly
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
10:53 pm
I feel like I’m watching Old Yeller being put out of his misery.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:53 pm
Nice Damage Control by Lowe…
Offense…COME ON!!! We are not gonna get our a..ses handed to us this series, Come On!
ncgary
April 20th, 2009
10:53 pm
time for the nats give it boys to come on the scene
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
10:54 pm
Run Heap Run, yeah, finals coming up. (Studying now… sort of….) Thanks, tho!
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:54 pm
Run Heap Run-
There’s a nice happy image for you
:\
Brandon
April 20th, 2009
10:54 pm
Finals suck…
Shot Thru the Lockhart
April 20th, 2009
10:55 pm
Alex Cintron is still in the Bigs? Do the Nats have Karim Garcia hiding on their bench too?
Salt life
April 20th, 2009
10:55 pm
Fanin………I will never have geico insurance nor eat at sonic. Congress should outlaw both of them from ever airing commercials. Hideously stupid.
Phantastic Phillies Phan
April 20th, 2009
10:55 pm
But, for those who constantly point to MP’s minor-league slugging, it sure seems to me, from watching his ABs with the big club, that he might’ve improved. I’d say he can hit a ton of doubles, and perhaps 10 HR per 500 ABs. Whether he could do this exposed everyday is another question, but I believe the man has better-than-average 2B pop. (BA STEVE)
good post. I pretty much agree. Let’s be happy we have all 4 of those guys..KJ,MP,YE,OI
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
10:56 pm
Excluding Yesterdays game, I believe the braves have scored 2 runs in 26 innings, but don’t quote me on that….
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
10:57 pm
Salt life — c’mon, you have to admit, the Geico one where the CEO wants to do the “trust fall” with the gecko is kind of amusing. C’mon, maybe a little?
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
10:58 pm
Derek was really laboring. Wasn’t as sharp today, had to work hard. Now the bulpen needs to hold the Nationals right were they are.
BaseKnock
April 20th, 2009
10:59 pm
Hopefully Schafer can walk so Norton can come up and pop it up.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
10:59 pm
lets see a hit and run or just straight steal here
ABravesFan
April 20th, 2009
10:59 pm
can Schafer steal a base please
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:00 pm
Cy Zimmerman, dealing against our offense…Its been at least a 15 year trend of struggling against pitchers making their MLB debut, WTF!
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:00 pm
or another first pitch out right after just threw 4 straight balls
Braves Dead in Water when Trailing Late
April 20th, 2009
11:00 pm
Braves down only one run in the seventh and this game feels beyond OVER.
ABravesFan
April 20th, 2009
11:00 pm
hahaha nevermind lets just swing at the first pitch again
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:01 pm
Hard for the bullpen to screw up when you swing at everything and make easy outs after easy at bats….just bad baseball. Let them walk you. Notice…as soon as he got pressured…the pitcher…walked Schafer.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:02 pm
just remember even if don’t get anything in the 8th that the nats “closers” gave up 3 games in the 8th/9th inning versus marlins
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
11:02 pm
Braves see 8 pitches from castaway Kip Wells… and that INCLUDES
Salt life
April 20th, 2009
11:02 pm
Murph……They lost me with the caveman. I have honestly never even smiled. They lower my IQ 50 points and I can’t afford that.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:02 pm
Tomas…As regards to your 10:58 Quote
“Now the bulpen needs to hold the Nationals right were they are.”
I hope You know that is asking a lot out of our Blow-pen…I can’t believe that Simpson had the nerve to call their bullpen horrible…
Raining in D.C., Not Good!
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
11:03 pm
i have no idea why Schafer wasn’t attempting a steal there… Seemed like an ideal spot as Ross is a pretty good hitter, but no we swing at the first pitch and the nats d still almost screws it up…
ABravesFan
April 20th, 2009
11:03 pm
Lowe really coming out for another inning after 115 pitches?
MariettaDerek
April 20th, 2009
11:03 pm
EOF better make this a quick inning, or we may not get another at bat with the rain the way it is. A called game would definitely NOT be double pits to chesty.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:03 pm
It amazes me…atleast the Nationals take pitches….the Braves just wont do it…I dont get it…a walk is as good as a single.
mbatl
April 20th, 2009
11:04 pm
Braves see 8 pitches from castaway Kip Wells… and that INCLUDES… (oops, was trying to turn the caps off)
And that includes a 4-pitch walk to Schafer.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:04 pm
even if he did try to steal it wouldn’t have mattered bc ross swung at first pitch zmerk
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:04 pm
Looks like it’s raining hard…game could be called any minute. Dang it.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:05 pm
Funny after the 5-1 Start this blog had 2000 posts daily, now that number has been cut in half after the last week…These offenseive performances displayed by our anemic offense makes these games boring as hell to watch…
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:05 pm
A called game…would at least mean the game was only a one run game.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:05 pm
nice pitch eric
Yawza
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
So Bobby is the players manager and one of the BIG things that makes him effective (or so the players have reported) is that he will get out there a fight for you!
So I wonder if there was some mumbling in the dugout and by Ross when Cox didn’t feel the need to at least go out there and question the ump or request he get some help on the call?
1995
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
The Cubs blame a black cat 40 years ago, a goat and a fan going for a foul ball as their curse. The Braves curse is our manager.
Gambino
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
The effing Nats. Seriously? I thought we were better than this.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
Tomahawkin, find out who the real fans are when teams going bad
Atlanta Braves 2009
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
Working the count? Screw that noise! Walks are for candy-as*es! Swing all the time! Francoeur and his one walk rock!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:06 pm
Good luck, Bubdylan. I’m somewhat of a career student myself so I know all about those finals. This is the first semester in I don’t know how long I haven’t had at least one class. I have degrees in business, accounting, and working on one in nursing.
Some day I’ll figure out what I really want to be when I grow up.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:07 pm
MBATL…
Yea, We used to Kill Kip Wells when he was with the pirates…Only our struggling offense we have right now would make him look good…
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:07 pm
This ump is blind…he calls strikes on the left side of the plate…and not the right (looking straight at the plate).
Salt life
April 20th, 2009
11:08 pm
I would be watching this game from the comfort of my home………. Oh wait…… I am.
ABravesFan
April 20th, 2009
11:09 pm
Oh is this what an at bat looks like? (Zimmerman vs Oflatery)
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:09 pm
wow chip no hurry on that throw
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:09 pm
Wow that looked really close, but I’ll take it.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:10 pm
Wow…he looked safe at first.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:10 pm
VABravesFan, That’s exactly the point I was making…Sometimes you have a way with words!
As much as I’m Bashing the Anemic offense and the Blow-pen…I’m still being loyal to my roots
Same goes for the Hawks…Most Atlantan’s here now from other areas of the country didn’t know that the Hawks existed til last year when they made the playoffs…Go Figure…?
Offense, COME ON!!!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:10 pm
Chipper shouldn’t be getting wet, he might rust.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
11:10 pm
Rafael Soriano should pitch today. Eric O’flaherty, Buddy Carlyle, and James Parr are just not trustworthy. Moylan is getting much better, he is excused because he still recovering from Tommy John surgery.Gonzalez is great in save situations, and if Soriano is healthy, he is the best out off the bulpen for the Braves.
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
11:11 pm
vabravesfan, I realize that. I am saying have Ross take and Schafer steal. He should have been taking til he got a strike after the 4 pitch walk.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
11:11 pm
MLB has this new technology, this year, to replace their Ques Tec. It’s called ZE (Zone Evaluation System). I know it has only been a few weeks, and I’m not talking about just the Braves’ games, but it seems to me that there is a smaller strike zone than I’ve ever seen before. This could be just my imagination. What do you think? We could use a stat-man, to check out the walks, this year, as opposed to the same time last year. RANDOM, where are you when we need you?
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
11:11 pm
yep it’s raining. hard to tell how hard from my vantage point up here, but it looks like a big cloud out there.
yep, VaBrave you’re right. two starts and a relief appearance. I blame the release. but i should have caught that
Yawza
April 20th, 2009
11:12 pm
lol Heap!
Ron Paul 2012
April 20th, 2009
11:12 pm
Who pulls a pitcher before the inning starts like that? Pretty sneaky Acta, praying for that rain.
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
11:13 pm
I’m amazed that dumbass ump at first base called the runner out on that play since for some reason Elijiah Douche was somehow safe. Same play only he was called safe and shouldn’t have come around to score.
WE CANNOT FREAKING LOSE THIS CRAP
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
11:14 pm
Good outing by O’flaherty, he actually threw strikes.
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
11:14 pm
Here comes the rain and a loss.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:14 pm
Don’t worry guys….we will lead through two outs in the 9th and then give you the win. I sat in Nats Park for two straight days and watched the Marlins do it. Very frustrating being a Nats fan right now. BTW…how’s Sutton doing? I loved him at TBS during the Braves glory years, and really enjoyed him here in DC. Much better than Dibble.
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
I think that was the first inning pitched by a relief pitcher for the Braves that was 3 up 3 down. Things are looking up folks!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
Too bad this will almost certainly get called, I think we have a shot against their pen but I don’t want anyone getting hurt for a win that means nothing so whatever.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
I’m no expert, but I think the rain and fog favor the pitcher.
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
That is, not named Soriano:)
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
The offense is depressing. The starters pitch count is just as depressing.
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:15 pm
Wait is Prado in for Chipper? Or ?
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
What a bunch of crap.
uga-brave
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
through seven innings the braves have seen 80 pitches, the nats 134.
not acceptable.
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
Personally, leading off an inning I’d pinch hit Prado or Infante ahead of Norton. But once Norton is introduced why burn him? Can he not hit right-handed anymore?
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
Oh duh. Nevermind.
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
Rain delay……game over!
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
Leave it to our Anemic offense to make the Nats Bullpen look good…This offense Sucks!
No Use paying Lowe 60 Mill if he can’t get no run support…That’s 2 starts now, and I called it when we didn’t sign Ibanez/Dunn/or Abreu…
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
this is bs.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
the umpire crew has been stellar tonight…
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:16 pm
no prado pinch hit for pitcher…I like that play by KJ…rain delay with 2 outs in 8th…ughhhh
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
TARP! What garbage that is…do it before the inning starts…its just stupid to stop it with two outs into the inning which were influenced by the rain.
Ron Paul 2012
April 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
Rain delay.
Just call it. The Braves can’t come back down one whole run. This aggressive offense stinks.
Yawza
April 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
well…..guess that’s official enough for me. Won’t last for a restart even if there is one.
Gambino
April 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
We f@!$% suck in the clutch. I’m sick of this team already.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:17 pm
observer, he is much better left handed
FaninFaytown
April 20th, 2009
11:18 pm
or on the commercials.. how about “thats using your dipstick jimmy”
Admiral Ackbar
April 20th, 2009
11:18 pm
It’s a tarp!
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:18 pm
Oh good, we won’t have to worry about you bitching and moaning for the remaining 150 games.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
I hope these guys go down to the indoor cages during the break…This roadtrip has been painful to watch so far..
Lowe didn’t have it all but kept his team in the Game, That’s what good pitchers do…
This anemic offense is responsible for what’s looking like three losses on the Putrid Roadtrip…!
kirkinga
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
Looking at the radar for dc, I’d say this game will be called.
Mitchell
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
well, we’ll probably lose again tomorrow and win the last one.
it’s all about losing series right?
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
Wow. Somewhere DOB and Bowman are chuckling?? This is riduclous.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
Hey! The Nats may actually win if it never makes it to the 9th! We are a GREAT 8 inning team! I’m telling ya though….if it goes to the 9th, you guys will win.
Yawza
April 20th, 2009
11:19 pm
Those who decide to hang in until/if there is a restart will probably be treated to “In My Own Words-Pat Rocket”
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
11:20 pm
Anybody else concerned that the 107-year-old man’s (Nolie’s) vibrator is gonna be like Stockman’s kangaroo nads? Anybody?
LT-A blogger
April 20th, 2009
11:20 pm
Doesn’t matter if it gets called- wouldn’t have affected the outcome. This lineup is really pathetic right now- it is really hard to watch. I don’t see much hope for the season- MFin04 summed it up.
dude
April 20th, 2009
11:21 pm
are u freakin kidding me? a rain delay? ha ha Cox should just go ahead and concede. The absolutely bottom of the barrel in the national league……the washington natinals….opps i mean atlanta braves.
Face it……….we will never win a world series ever again. Ever.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
11:22 pm
The Nats praid for rain and it worked. Not that Jordan Zimmerman is bad, but for their bulpen.
P-Town Brave
April 20th, 2009
11:23 pm
This is such BS! We never should’ve even started that inning. Prado about falls down and hurts himself in the batters box and the only thing Kelly can do is try to beat out a bunt. Now we have 2 outs and THEN they decide its raining too hard…
These umpires are pretty ridiculous!
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
11:23 pm
How hard is the rain Carroll? What a long game. 4hours and 18 minutes since 7:05
dude
April 20th, 2009
11:24 pm
Hey Yawza..the next one is in my own words mike vick. ha ha or in my own words biff pocaroba
Run Heap Run
April 20th, 2009
11:24 pm
Even worse, it’s “In My Own Words – Bobby Cox” …. for the 2nd time tonight.
Goodnight Braves fans.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
11:24 pm
well, the last train leaves the Navy Yard station at 11:45. Guess it’ll be just me and a couple press cohorts up here.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:24 pm
Baseball season seems to be over for both of us…..time to start cheering for the Falcons?! BTW…who do we draft next weekend?
Interested Observer
April 20th, 2009
11:25 pm
Carroll. the game is as good as over. You might as well polish off your game story, throw in some “Everything’s going great” quotes from Bobby and get out of there.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:26 pm
Carrroll Rogers…..Metro usually stays open till the game is over. I work for Metro, so I doubt they close while the game is still ongoing.
Bay Area Steve
April 20th, 2009
11:27 pm
Who should be kicked off a baseball blog first:
thinking a guy getting hit with a thrown ball is out, or a guy knocking “his” team with “opps” instead of oops?
Where’s whiskey? God help me, Anders is starting to seem bearable.
boyer be gone
April 20th, 2009
11:27 pm
this game is done and so are the braves….
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:28 pm
sullyzz, she has to stay after to write up the game story and talk to players so even if they keep it up and running til the game ends she would probably still miss it
Tom
April 20th, 2009
11:29 pm
Escobar slightly bobbles a ball to lead off the inning by the CF who turns out to score the leading run because he was hustling sown the line to get aboard.
Top of the 7th, Francoeur hits a ball to SS and he bobbles the ball worse, but Francoeur is thrown out because he is not hustling and assumes he will be out and it’s not cool to hustle and try to show up the other side.
Difference? They scored the leading run now in a game likely to be called and we had 1 out and no one on base! No sense in the play of some of these players. They should be benched until… Chipper got a leg triple earlier by hustling and by God the rest of them are not too good to hustle.
Boo Boo
April 20th, 2009
11:29 pm
It warms my heart to think that Blain Boyer can be the next great steroid-infested pitcher-turned-right-fielder for Tony “Shoot-em-in-the-hind-end” LaRussa’s led Cardinals. He sure couldn’t pitch in Atlanta.
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:29 pm
It’s early, but If we keep Playing Like this (Crappy Blow-pen, Crappy Defense, Inept Fundamentals, and A Feast or Famine Offense) We are Gonna get our As.ess Handed to us by the Big Boyz (both New York teams, Boston, Chicago, etc) in the league…
I can’t even describe this team and how they’ve played over the last week….
Chop Chop
April 20th, 2009
11:29 pm
I like the idea of using “That’s using your dipstick, Jimmy!”
That has got to be the most hilarious commercial I’ve seen in the last twenty years. It reminds me of the time I got the eye herpes. That s*** was funny as s***, man.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:31 pm
vabravesfan…..you are probably right. BTW, where do you live in VA? Northern VA? And you aren’t a Nats fan? We’ll have to convert you.
Tomas
April 20th, 2009
11:31 pm
Man I’m sorry to say this but umpires need to call this game.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:31 pm
Tom-
what on earth makes you think Francoeur wasn’t hustling? The Nats guy was just faster and Yunel didn’t have a clean grip…looked like Jeff was running as hard as he could down the line
dude
April 20th, 2009
11:32 pm
steve go back to your boyfriend and oh yeah braves fans …we thought we got rid of a bad player in Boyer but at least he will get to be in the playoffs with the CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha Ha HA opps
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:32 pm
I bet you they wish they had argued the Ross call at second. Bobby really pissed me off there. Get your butt out there and argue. It was clearly interference. It was about as obvious as the ball bouncing off the netting…they called an out….by the way they reversed that one.
Pete
April 20th, 2009
11:33 pm
mbatl: “seemed like the SS was just standing at the bag waiting for a throw. I’m a Braves’ fan and all, but I don’t think it was interference.”
You are correct, and obviously thats why Bobby didnt argue. Ross could have easily made it back to the bag, yet didnt for some reason.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
11:34 pm
“Looking at the radar for dc, I’d say this game will be called.” (kirkinga)
You may be right, it is weather we’re talking about. However, I disagree. I think the rest of this will be through in about 20 minutes. Then figure another 25 minutes (plus or minus) to get the tarp off and the field in shape.
Anthony
April 20th, 2009
11:34 pm
would they play the rest of the game tomorrow if need be? Or could the game be called and nats would win?
Alexandria
April 20th, 2009
11:35 pm
I don’t think those Metro people are going to wait for anyone DUMB and/or brave enough to sit through a 90 minute rain delay. A team of Navy Seals should be dispatched to get the press box occupants and stadium workers out of there. The Players can take care of themselves. Nobody in the District is stupid enough to mess with Dukes.
Nats would have a great BRAWL Team–Dukes, Dunn, Kearns, Zimmerman, Willingham, Tavarez with some Karate moves.
Brave Fan Wannabees
April 20th, 2009
11:36 pm
Hey, lets get on the blog during the game. Yeah, let’s get on there and rip that old dude manager. And the third baseman, Stripper or something like that; he is old man, and gets hurt a lot. He’s worthless. And let’s talk about how slow everybody is, and if somebody makes an error, it’s because they SUCK.
Yeah, let’s go on the blog and pretend like we know something. And hey, it’s a blog, so we can be obnoxious, and nobody can do anything about us.
Those old farts who come on the blog, well, they can go to… well, you know. See ya later Lew, Steve, Nolie, flange and N8. You guys are no longer needed on the blog. Don’t come back, cause we don’t need you.
Bobby Cox sucks, and why did they bring up Schafer anyway, he sucks too. And Kelly is the worst second baseman ever. Let’s play Prado and Blanco.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:36 pm
Anthony, let’s hope the game is just called and the Nats win! I am telling you, if it goes to the 9th, we will give up the lead and lose. That seems to be our M.O. this year.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
ANOTHER 1 RUN LOSS ON THE ROAD!!!!!!
I prefer 10-0 on the road
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
Alexandria, wtf with the “brawl” remarks? Didn’t get it.
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
Anthony — yes, you only need to play 5 and 1/2 innings to qualify for a game. Thus, of this is called, the result would stand as is. Sadly.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
Let’s take a poll. Those in favor of them calling it? Yeah or Nah
Pete
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
MFin04: “I bet you they wish they had argued the Ross call at second. Bobby really pissed me off there. Get your butt out there and argue. It was clearly interference.”
You need to check the rulebook. The fielder ALWAYS has the right to field or catch a ball, and its up to the runner to avoid him IF the fielder is making, or attempting to make, a play. Clearly that was the case, and thats why Bobby didnt argue it.
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
11:38 pm
Anthony have you never watched baseball before? After 5 its an official game and the nats would win in this situation.
zmerk13
April 20th, 2009
11:39 pm
yah
Disgruntled In Decatur
April 20th, 2009
11:39 pm
For those of you who criticize those about not having a life, how many of you bozos will tolerate this even if it lasts until 3:00. The Braves’ bus better have an escort and i don’t mean one an NBA player would employ.
Pete, don't bother me with the facts
April 20th, 2009
11:39 pm
Don’t you know that us new age Braves fans don’t give a darn about whether a call was correct or not, we just want a reason to rip on Bobby Cox, cause we are stupid.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:40 pm
sullyzz, def not a nats fan. Brought up in suburbs outside of richmond, now go to Virginia Tech
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:41 pm
The fielder wasnt making a play on the ball…he was the one that had thrown it…and didnt get out of the way after throwing it. i watched the play…10 times…the announcers even called it interference. it was a clear case. he should be on second. You cant hip check a runner when you dont have the ball or are fielding it.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:41 pm
MFin04, I am for calling it….it guarantees us a victory….finally. The 9th inning is beginning to scare me; and apparently Hanrahan as well.
Who gives a darn what MFin04 thinks about anything?
April 20th, 2009
11:42 pm
OK dillweed, now that you have shown that you don’t know beans about baseball, why don’t you turn off your computer and go to bed.
Carroll Rogers
April 20th, 2009
11:42 pm
sullyzz they just said on TV here last train 11:45. i’m serious. and one of the writers left because that was his only way home.
another writer just counted 40 people still here in the stands.
Alexandria
April 20th, 2009
11:42 pm
Sullyzz I mean the Nats have some big A$$ guys that I wouldn’t want hurting the Braves’ collection of tough guys. Go Google Elijah Dukes and just hope he has nothing against Chipper.
Mike
April 20th, 2009
11:43 pm
I come on here to see updates on the game and all I see is extremely negative comments about the braves. It is so early in the season and you all are crying saying that the braves are done already. If you are saying that then you are not a true braves fan! Be patient and stop leaving negative comments on here! The Braves will bounce back!
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:44 pm
vabravesfan….cool! I am hoping to be attending a VATech PhD program this fall in Alexandria. Too bad Richmond lost the Braves. Being a lifelong Braves fan originally from Alabama, I enjoyed going to Richmond to watch games. I only became a Nats fan when I vowed to support a local team if one moved here. I am now a devout Nats fan and a 20 game season ticket holder. I am praying for the same Kasten magic that he had in Atlanta. Bowden almost screwed all that up. Glad Bowden is finally gone.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:44 pm
Apparently Ross and the announcers for both teams…dont know anything about baseball either. i’ll take their company any time.
The Braves 9th inning guys…will give up runs too. Probably end up being a high scoring game if they continue you this. i wouldnt mind just moving on to tomorrow without anyone getting hurt.
Elijah Dookes
April 20th, 2009
11:44 pm
Hey, wanna go slap around some women?
Pete
April 20th, 2009
11:45 pm
Murph Rocks: “Anthony — yes, you only need to play 5 and 1/2 innings to qualify for a game. Thus, of this is called, the result would stand as is. Sadly.”
Murph, its only 4 1/2 to qualify for a game. For example if the Braves were losing 3-2 and did not score in top of 5th, the Nats win if the game is called on account of rain. Each team has to have at least 5 chances at the plate, unless the home team is leading after 4 1/2 innings. Home team would not need to bat in bottom of 5th since they already have the lead, and the visiting team had 5 innings at the plate.
Alexandria
April 20th, 2009
11:45 pm
In fact if I’m Dukes, I say to the umpires “Call it now and I’ll see everyone gets home safely”. I guarantee that there is a lawsuit pending if someone gets hurt or killed because they jerked around a rain delay long enough to endanger safety of people leaving.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
April 20th, 2009
11:47 pm
This Brian Barton had Manny-like dreadlocks when I saw him play last year, I bet the Braves make him cut them because that’s the kind of sh*t they worry about, that and you can’t wear your sunglasses on the bill of your cap. Too bad we don’t have management that worries more about working the count at the plate and stressing fundamentals. Cox is getting too fat and lazy to even argue anymore.
Alexandria
April 20th, 2009
11:47 pm
Pete, you may be the only one with a brain on this message board.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
Tarp off
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
game on, everybody wake up
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
MFin04…..that interference call was thought to be a correct call by the announcers on MASN. Funny how two different networks will call it differently. Regardless, Ross should have gotten back to base to avoid the entire argument. Looked like something a Nats player would do. We have looked terrible so far this season.
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
Ugh, Smoltz doing his “I stayed here cuz of Bobby” bit. Made a good sound bite at the time, I guess…
*turns tv off*
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
11:48 pm
Mike
I thought I’d jump on for a few minutes after they started the rain delay, and while you are right, please don’t upset the whinners by telling them they shouldn’t rip into everybody on the team.
It’s called the world of instant gratification. You can’t reason with them, cause they have been told all their lives that its alright to be rude and obnoxious.
The product of our politically correct leanings of the past 30-40 years. Now don’t tell little Johnny no, it’ll hurt his psyche!
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
11:49 pm
Lowe sure hasn’t looked like a $15M man these last two starts, but in his defense, he’s apparantly a creature of habit and has been thrown off, big time.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:49 pm
ahah yunel after a delay still first pitch swinging
Alexandria
April 20th, 2009
11:50 pm
How many of you people have been in this area around 1:00 with no means of transportation. Hell, how many of you have been in this neighborhood at 1:00 with the 5th infantry. The only people still there have a limo waiting for them and they may be wrong in about 15 minutes.
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
11:50 pm
Pete– apologies, you are correct, sir. It’s one of those things were I meant the fifth but the brain isn’t working and blah, blah. Thanks for clearing that up.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:50 pm
sullyzz you have to be honest. Dibble is the biggest homer and pretty bad announcer. I have to watch it bc of being in va area and it kills me
Daybed Wagmoe
April 20th, 2009
11:51 pm
Game on. Yunel grounds out to end the Braves’ 8th
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:51 pm
I think the wet conditions didnt help Lowe…he looked good early on and then his control went? I dunno if that is cuz it started raining harder or not. Esco…first pitch….one out. No need for baserunners…we are down by 1 run.
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
11:51 pm
cabravesfan, did you sneak out during the rain delay, to get a sixer, or did you just thaw the vodka?
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
11:51 pm
Bub
Where ya been, my friend? (of course, you might have been here, as I have been away quite a bit lately)
Manny Acta on lap top during break going to 9th
April 20th, 2009
11:51 pm
I’M SICK!! WHY OH WHY COULDN’T THIS GAME BE POSTPONED????
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:52 pm
Alexandria, that is funny; however, I feel for Dukes. He has really cleaned up his act and folks here still seem to give him a hard time about the need for him to be productive off the field. In fact, yesterday he was 5 minutes late to work, because he went to a little league opening ceremony to sign autographs for the little guys. The Nats fined him, took him out of the starting lineup, and threatened to send him to Syracuse (Triple A) because the little league team was not a Nats sanctioned league. I thought that was crap.
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:52 pm
How many do the Braves give up in the 8th? 0, 1, 2 or more?
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:52 pm
come on sori
dude
April 20th, 2009
11:53 pm
Carroll be careful. Take a cab and make the AJC pay for it. Hope u get out of there soon.
Murph Rocks
April 20th, 2009
11:53 pm
Alexandria — I’ve been in SE around 1am. Actually, later. Late night runs to the McDonald’s over just off of South Cap. Sometimes you just have to get some sweet tea. Even if it’s Mickey D’s sweet tea!
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:53 pm
Oh look they are going to score runs off of our great bullpen….this pen sucks.
Bubdylan
April 20th, 2009
11:54 pm
Wayne in Utah, I’ve been getting ready for finals. 15 more days and I’m freeeeeee. You doing okay?
Tom O'Hawke
April 20th, 2009
11:54 pm
In the reverse words of Skip, “a little insurance will hurt!”.
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:54 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
I actually went outside (it is still at least 80 degrees outside) and had a cigarette, which is a problem because I don’t smoke…maybe I should have dug out the vodka, huh?
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
11:54 pm
A little rain for baseball is OK, but when it just continues, it does eventually affect the game, and often times the winning team is the one who gets the most “breaks” from the rain soaked field/balls/etc.
It is just very unfortunate. Both pitchers were pitching well, but the Nats maybe got a break or two that the Braves didn’t.
Oh well.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:54 pm
ahha hearing all 10 of these fans in the field mic is great haha
cabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:55 pm
Tom O’Hawke-
you aren’t a vodka drinker are you? Vodka doesn’t freeze:)
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:56 pm
I am soooo glad I didn’t have a ticket for tonights game. If I did, I doubt very seriously I would still be there.
Wayne in Utah
April 20th, 2009
11:57 pm
Bub
I’ve been good, just busy. Good luck on those finals. Is this your last semester?
Are they going to try to start the game back up?? I turned off MLB Audio.
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:57 pm
haha no more ball kid down 3rd baseline. Guess past his bed time
TnBrian
April 20th, 2009
11:57 pm
I have never seen such an empty stadium during an actual big league game… ever!
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:57 pm
o yea call him out from 2nd ump…love it
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:58 pm
TN Brian in Response to your 11:49 Post…”Lowe sure hasn’t looked like a $15M man these last two starts”
I wasn’t a big fan of signing him either but look at it The Anemic Braves offense has cost him his last 2 outings! And also has cost the team from being 4-0 on this roadtrip and wasted quality starts by the braves starters…The Blow-pen is a whole another story however…
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:58 pm
ooooo wow he looked out at 3rd
Ugaman
April 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
That the way Sori. Make’m pay for runnin on you:)
vabravesfan
April 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
that hurts..sori hit a guy hitting .050 now 1st and 3rd with 1 out
MFin04
April 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
Runner at third doesnt matter…its the runner at first that matters. lol this is awful.
sullyzz
April 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
vabravesfan….the replay was very clear; Maxwell was definitely safe
Tomahawkin
April 20th, 2009
11:59 pm
I actually Thought the Game was gonna be Called so therefore I started watching Old Rassin (WWF Raw from 1999) on Youtube…Hella lot better that resemblance of a major league team that is about to hand the Nats their second win…
That’s Embarassing…
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:00 am
Sori does seem to be getting his velocity back, so that’s a positive tonight!
Tom O'Hawke
April 21st, 2009
12:00 am
cabravesfan, my dear, how do you have a cigarette, if you don’t smoke? Did you steal one from your dog?
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:00 am
bases loaded now
Tom
April 21st, 2009
12:00 am
cabravesfan…He was not hustling! I have it on tape. It took mucj=h longer for their SS to make the throw and it wasn’t close. Dukes beat Escobar’s throw which was quicker. Francoeur is a former defensive cornerback drafted high by Clemson and touted for all his talents.
Pete…sorry you have to explain what constitutes an official game with rain, but you missed the Ross call. The infielder does own the basepath if making a play. However, that ball was gone and in left field when contact was made; a clear case of obstruction!
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:01 am
Runners are 1st and third dont matter…its the runner at 2nd that we have to worry about.
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:01 am
Soriano is such a dumbass.
What the f***? bases loaded. You know we’re only down a run you dumbass.
not like it matters. here comes the grand slam
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:01 am
THROW A STRIKE
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:01 am
Tom O’Hawke-
what can I say? Dog’s a bad influence…
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:01 am
They arent going to get a pitch that they can hit for a Slam.
Pete
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
MFin04: “The fielder wasnt making a play on the ball…he was the one that had thrown it…and didnt get out of the way after throwing it. i watched the play…10 times…the announcers even called it interference. it was a clear case. he should be on second.”
The 1st Baseman threw the ball to the SS, who was attempting to catch the ball, which hit Ross in the helmet. The SS was making a valid attempt to catch the ball when Ross contacted him. Doesnt matter that the SS did not initially “field” the pop up; he was attempting to catch a throw from the 1st Baseman. If he was not attempting to catch a throw and just stood in the base path, then it would be obstruction.
Pls check the rule. If there is an arguement to be made, Bobby will always be involved. So if youre right, why didnt Bobby argue? The announcers were wrong, and should know better.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
One more Rafy…one more…come on!
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
Belliard could be dangerous
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
whew sori bringing the heat with three straight 94mph fastballs for the strikeout
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
Huge Strike out by Sori. Let’s see if he can finish this inning off with no damage.
stynes
April 21st, 2009
12:02 am
How many people want to see the Braves do the same thing with their pen that the Nats just did if the Braves pen can’t hold this to a 1 run lead?
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:03 am
Belliard will get a hit, I’m sure of it.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:03 am
I’ll buy that argument Pete.
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:03 am
Or he’ll get walked.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:03 am
Pete, that is how Dibble called it also
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
great comeback by Sori…
corkylikesbeer
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
What is the paid attendance tonight?
jbutler
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
I thought they could call the game complete after a certain amount of innings were played. Apparently…I was wrong!! This is insane. Guessing DOB is belly up somewhere having a good chuckle. Ms. Rogers- I hope there is at least one other press dude to chat w/. Or at least walk to get a cab with when the game is over at 2am.
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
whew that a boy sori…once he found that fastball he was painting it on the black with some of that old heat he used to throw
Blaine Boyer, the Lead Destroyer
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
Nice rebound by Soriano. Hit 95 mph on the radar gun.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:04 am
HOLY SHOOTTT!! I’m pleasantly surprised. Good job Rafy…its easier to get K’s with the bases loaded anyways, lol.
TBrown
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
Soriano is the man
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
stynes, I love what the Nats did with the bullpen. The only player I was sad to see leaving was Shell. He wasn’t given a true opportunity, and he was stellar at the end of last season.
Blaine Boyer, the Lead Destroyer
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
They announced over 12,000 corky. Not even close.
stynes
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
Was it Jeff Brantley they used to call “full pack”? That’s the new name for the Braves pen. Even when they get it done they don’t make it easy!
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
Way to go, Sori. That helps.
Wayne, nah. Just free for the summer. Two more years.
get2dchopper
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
Well, if we lose, it’s on the offense tonight…
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
Now if we don’t win it or tie it it’s just as easily be the fault of the umpires as the offense.
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:05 am
paid attendance was like 12 thousand something if I remember correct. Current attendance can’t be more than 30 people but if looking for a good laugh turn it on to hear the fans yell into mics
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:06 am
Paid attendance was…15….not 1500…or 15000….15….they let the other 8 to 10 people in for free.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:06 am
I can’t believe how stupid that lady was on the Geico commercial. She should be DFA’d!!
Daybed Wagmoe
April 21st, 2009
12:06 am
Nice comeback Soriano! Now for the bats to set it up for Mikey G…
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:06 am
Ok….you guys will win. No way we hold the lead in the 9th. If you guys haven’t heard, we are only an 8 inning team….especially when Hanrahan pitches.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:06 am
Please take some pitches…try to get a walk or something.
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
Chipper needs a homerun.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
Chipper will homer
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
That’s not a homerun.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
wow…what a surprise.
Tom O'Hawke
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
cabravesfan, I didn’t think so. I’ve froze stuff with less alcohol content (beer, wine, champagne), but never vodka. Of course, I’ve never kept vodka in my freezer. Fortunately, my cat only liked beer.
We must rally in the ninth, otherwise, McFann is gonna be mad at me.
corkylikesbeer
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
Do we have any trade bait to start rebuilding?
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:07 am
Chipper has a date at hooters apparently…no need to try to get a walk or anything.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
heck, we had florida beaten two days in a row but gave up leads in the 9th….one of them with two outs in the 9th
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
TAKE PITCHES!!!!!!
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
Way tocome back Sori.
Some of you people need to chill out. If your life is dependent upon the Braves having success to make you a confindent, positibe person, you really should hang up watching and rooting for any professional team. Get a life. Baseball is meant to be an enjoyment for the fan, even if your team doesn’t play great all the time.It’s early, so how about having a little faith in your team over the long haul.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
You had them beat 3 days in a row actually.
jonatuga
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
these fans r hilarious
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
theres a walk by kotch..can we get a pinch runner please
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:08 am
stynes
The O’s had a relief pitcher, Don (or Dan) Stanhouse (or something like that) who Earl Weaver referred to as “full-pack”. They might have also called Brantley that, I just don’t know.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
omg….dejavu
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
I thought that was ball 3, but I guess I’m wrong.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
Maybe I could manage…Kotchman walks.
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
Bobby wake up and pinch run for casey
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
Come on Jeff.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
Our pinch runner plays left field for the Tigers.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:09 am
jonatuga, I would be hilarious too if I had been there that long
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
Please don’t yell at Chipper Jones!
corkylikesbeer
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
ugaman..did you watch the Braves last year….
TBrown
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
Can we pinch run for the slowest human on the planet?
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
Tom O’Hawke-
don’t keep it in the freezer to get it away from the dog 9she is strictly a beer girl) I like it nice and cold:) I had a friend in high school who stole half a bottle of her parents vodka…filled the missing part up with water…put it back in the freezer…bad idea:)
Daybed Wagmoe
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
I’m happy to see Francoeur hitting better this year…but the dude just threw 5 consecutive balls. Wait the guy out — PLEASE!
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
one more out….one more out….one more out…..
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:10 am
come on matty win the game by yourself
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
Can we have a Curly “W” in the win column….finally!
TBrown
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
Jurrjens is pretty fast..
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
Matt, you dumbass.
Pete
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
MFin04: “Apparently Ross and the announcers for both teams…dont know anything about baseball either. i’ll take their company any time.”
What about Cox’s company? Why didnt he argue it, or doesnt he know anything about baseball either?
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
T Brown
You haven’t seen me run, huh??
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:11 am
can we get a “Curly W” in the win column….finally!
Tom
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
Dibble is their homer…duh.
SS threw a shoulder in him. Bobby obviously goes by the players’ reaction and Ross did not argue enough.
Wslks the tying run and we cannot do anything with it. Still chapped about them hustling to get the winning run on base and us in a similar situation NOT doing it.
Admiral Ackbar
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
Oh well. BOO!
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
wow ughhh come back and get them tomm boys
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
Anyone else see that one coming with Diaz chasing that one?
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
What a jackass.
What the f***!!?!?!!!!?!?!?!!!!!!!?????????!
Absolute BullS***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111
TBrown
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
Matt “I can’t stop swinging” Diaz
zmerk13
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
noone but Kotchman made him throw a strike…. so unbelievable its not even funny
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:12 am
Yes! Bang, Zoom go the fireworks! Another Curly W in the win column!
uga-brave
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
diaz did not swing a one ball in the zone, shocker.
Tom
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
Outfield sucks. Anyone have one for sale?
Carroll Rogers
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
that’s a wrap folks. Kudos to those who stayed up???
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
What time is the loss tomorrow? I mean game…?
Epic Fail
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
Gosh, Diaz swings at everything.
Marlins finally lose and the Braves cannot even make up ground against the Washington frickin’ Nationals.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
You guys have been fun…Thanks for letting me play. I may not be a Braves fan any longer; however………Go Falcons!
Daybed Wagmoe
April 21st, 2009
12:13 am
Dagnabit.
Pete
April 21st, 2009
12:14 am
MFin04: “I’ll buy that argument Pete.”
Its expensive lol
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:14 am
Carroll-
do those of us on the west coast count?
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:14 am
Oh well. What can you do? It’s the Nationals.
*slams head into screen*
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:14 am
Another rookie pitcher beats the Braves. What a bunch of s***.
Loaf Garret on a blackberry from the scrip club
April 21st, 2009
12:14 am
Kudos to the 12 fans who waited that one out. I left 2 hours ago.
The Wren and Stimpy Show
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
I have never been more ashamed to be a braves fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
corkylikesbeer
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Escobar is the only Brave would be willing to get in a fight and maybe ross…they rest play so passively…..no heart…
TBrown
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Wayne-
No, I haven’t haha but you cruise through the mountains so that’s enough for me
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Thanks Carroll…..please take a cab; SE/SW DC is not so safe this late at night.
Original Jon
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Beat by the lowly Nats, how pathetic. The Nats were 1-10 and they beat our ‘Ace’, good GOD this offense blows. another quality start wasted. Tell me, why did Lowe sign here? Pretty sad when you get beat by the FRIGGIN NATIONALS!!!!!!!!
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
But its early……..at least in the season……..LOL………..
Not gonna waste energy tonight posting about this clowns.
Cardinals are gonna rape this team ………….
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Im speechless…the offense sucks…the starter today wasnt good enough…and needs to be better and go more innings…and the bullpen…altho a trainwreck doesnt give up anything. Ironic…
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
I don’t give a damn. We’re 13 games in. Losses like this are more troublesome 130 games in. We’re just not far enough in for me to see red.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
Dang that Matt Diaz. All he did today was go 2 for 4 with a homer that accounted for all our runs. What an azz hole, huh!
OK folks, please continue with your critical analysis of the game. You are all such baseball experts. I suspect that you’ll get a call tomorrow from Frank Wren asking you to come on board as his special assistant.
G’Nite to the sane bunch!
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
12:15 am
1-4 to start road trip… ie yei yei!! That no good. Lets hope Lowe isn’t a bust because I’ve not been at all impressed with him outside of his start in Phily. Joe and “Boog” can take that “quality start” and shove it!
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
12:16 am
1-3 to start road trip…excuse me.
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:16 am
If anybody hasn’t figured it out yet, we are not going anywhere near the playoffs.
Not gonna win the division, not gonna win the wild card. Third place might be a major achievement.
brewdawg
April 21st, 2009
12:17 am
Oh gosh we are 6-7!!! Season over!!! No way we rebound from this start!!! Yes, I’m being sarcastic. This blog is ridiculous.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 21st, 2009
12:17 am
Cant beat a AAA pitcher……….HAHAHA……….this bud is for you bobby cox………..enjoy it!!!!!!!
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:17 am
corky…
Yes, I’ve been a life long Braves fan, even when they really sucked in the 80’s. My point wasn’t about hoping that the Braves play well and being disappointed when they don’t, but more about the venom that is spewed on this blog. I really enjoy reading the blog, but when people start spewing, it just ruins it and causes me to scroll through all the posts to get to DOB or Carroll’s post to see if the referenced anything someone said that was actually interesting or productive. That’s all I’m saying. People need to chill out and be glad that the Braves actually spent money trying to improve the team with starting pitching and support them now while the bullpen and the offense tries to find their way. If you can’t do that and feel this need to vomit on the blog, then please go find something else to do with your life. You’re probably taking years off your life by watching the Braves anyway.
Mike
April 21st, 2009
12:17 am
I have serious doubts about our offense. We are way too inconsistent, too aggressive and over eager. The only solid hitters on this team are Escobar (mostly) and Chipper and Mac. Other than that we got nothin’. Lowe didnt pitch that great again, but he kept us in the game. I guess we are trying to start another 1 run loss steak again. Thats 2 1 run games, and 2 1 run losses. Go Braves.
Murph Rocks
April 21st, 2009
12:17 am
Ugh….well, as Skip used to say, “Stay tuned for Squirm.”
Tomahawkin
April 21st, 2009
12:18 am
Well It’s early, but If we keep Playing Half A..s Baseabll Like this (Crappy Blow-pen, Crappy Defense, Inept Fundamentals, and A Feast or Famine Offense) We are Gonna get our As.ess Handed to us each and every night by the Big Boyz (both New York teams, Boston, Chicago, etc) in the league…
I can’t even describe this team and how they’ve played over the last week….
Man This Team Sucks! Rite Now, Flat Out Embarassing!
N8
April 21st, 2009
12:19 am
How do you say “This team sucks azz” in French?
Slingblad
April 21st, 2009
12:19 am
i’m still waitin’ for my french fried taters
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:19 am
Chop Chop
There is no reasoning with the peanut gallery. They know all…….
If we won 5-3, then Lowe pitched a good game. If we lose 3-2, Lowe wasn’t good enough.
The blog is a helluva lot less fun with all the village idiots onboard.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:20 am
Wayne in Utah….I hear it all the time from the Nats fans as well. I feel your pain
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:20 am
Wayne in Utah, president of the moral majority.
I would hate to upset his delicate sensibilites. Hey Wayne, you’re annoying. Go away.
zmerk13
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
Completely agree Wayne.
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
Wayne in Utah
My thoughts exactly
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
Well, it’s been fun all…gotta go before the cpomputer melts. Night!
Tomahawkin
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
As Of Right Now I think Everyone Got blind and Sucked into the Optomism that we saw the Braves Come Out Clowning In S. Training and The First 6 Games…After that this Team is Just getting Clowned…
Frankie Knuckles
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
Does anyone else find it annoying when Boog says “he gobbles that up”.
Not a good game for the Braves
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:21 am
You know, until my life is more successful, I swear, I’m just going to root for whoever’s in first place. I have MLB audio. Whoever’s in first place to start the day, that’s my team for that day. If they lose, who cares? MY team is still in first the next day!
I’m a free agent fan, yeah, that’s it. I can’t take the losing anymore. I NEED a winning baseball team. It freaking feels great to win, if I can remember back that far.
I’ll come back and root for the Bravos when I have a degree and a wife and rooting for a losing team is only a teeny tiny part of my happiness. See you guys then….
(I’m kidding, of course. Maybe.)
your french translator
April 21st, 2009
12:22 am
Cette équipe de baisers fesses.
sullyzz
April 21st, 2009
12:23 am
Good night fellas! I have to get up in 5 hours to get to work…..the funny thing, is that I catch the train at Navy Yard….wonder if any fans will still be there!
kirkinga
April 21st, 2009
12:24 am
People really shouldn’t be mad at Diaz. He is what he has always been. Gave us a homer to tease us and will now follow it up with pathetic at bat after pathetic at bat.
We’ve seen this before so give him a break. As Wayne pointed out he was the offense tonight. He certainly wasn’t the reason we lost.
I love this team and think they will be ok, but I don’t think they are mentally tough at all.
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:24 am
Mitchell = President of the Village Idiots = Please go take a vacation!
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
12:24 am
I know, Wayne. I’m fully capable of throwing peanuts, but I want to throw them when it matters the most. That’s all I’m saying. Ain’t nothing wrong with getting royally pi$$ed the **** off when you blow games late in the season. It’s just too damn early right now to self-flagellate and self-immolate. Every game counts the same, but the timing does matter.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:24 am
Bub
I survived the 80’s probably because there was no blog telling me how stupid I was for being a homer, or looking on the bright side.
Mitchell: I will when I am damned well ready, jerkweed!
N8
April 21st, 2009
12:26 am
your french translator, oui, now I remember. Thank you.
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:26 am
No wait, I’ll go away. Be back tomorrow though more optimistic than I have any right to be and if we play like that again I’m going to bitch and complain just like tonight. I at least have a right to do that after all this incompetence.
Frank from KS
April 21st, 2009
12:27 am
I swear, some of you guys are friggin’ harlious.
LMAO
Mitchell
April 21st, 2009
12:27 am
Sorry Wayne.
This is stupid. I’m just being a bitch.
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:27 am
“It’s just too damn early right now to self-flagellate and self-immolate”-Chop Chop
I’m going to Google now. I hope one or both of those is as fun as they sound.
Chevy Chase
April 21st, 2009
12:27 am
Can you imagine Chipper demanding an armed guard to walk him out to the bus. Probably a real good idea. If he went on the DL for getting mugged it would really look bad. better than being hurt by a bed though.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:28 am
Not sure what there is to be positive about tonight?
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
12:28 am
kirk
You are right about Diaz. He is a swinger. He’s probably going to hit closer to his 2006-2007 pace than he was last year before getting injured, but he will not walk much, or take too many pitches.
Chop Chop
I hear you! Amen!
Ugaman
Here here! (is that the right word, Random???)
Slingblade
April 21st, 2009
12:28 am
i’m optimistic. i believe that wayne is gonna fall into the latrine behind his snake pit.
Mike
April 21st, 2009
12:28 am
I do wonder some times about TP as our hitting instructor, only because I think that alot of the offense issues we have seems to be mental. Our guys can hit, as we have seen them do, and quite well at times. But when chipper is out of the line up they seem to crumble. I mean yesterday we blew out the Pirates and had 11 runs off of 15 hits. Chipper accounted for 1 hit! Its not like he is tearing the cover off the ball. It seems that when we are in a close game situation especially if its low scoring, our offense presses too hard. They don’t take enough pitches. Yes these guys are professionals, and I am normally the last to blame a manager for a players production, but when it concerns what I feel to be more of a mental issue, some blame must go on the managers, in particular…TP. I have never heard of our guys praising TP for helping them etc…Maybe a different hitting instructor is in order. Don’t forget, we haven’t had this issue just this year, its been for a few years. Yes guys go through slumps, but our entire offense seems to go into slumps at the same time. It always seems to be all or nothing. Just my take on it. What do you all think?
N8
April 21st, 2009
12:29 am
“…but I don’t think they are mentally tough at all.”
I hate to say it, because I’m beginning to sound like a cheap imitation of Coach and Robert. But mental toughness starts at the top and trickles down.
If this team is mentally weak, than it’s due to their leader not toughening them up.
I’m not sure I’d insult their mental state of mind. That’s rude. I prefer to just think of them as a collective group of not very good baseball players.
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:29 am
Good deal, Mitch. The sun will rise tomorrow and baseball will still be one of the gems of American society that everyone of any age can love and appreciate. And hopefully the Bravos will play better and we can all go to bed happy, but if not, at least we got to watch baseball:)
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
12:30 am
Ross/Diaz/Lowe all got punked out by Brian Jordan. Maybe they should listen up, but they shouldn’t have to be, you know, being pro’s and all.
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
12:30 am
One more little rant…
The funny thing is that I’m not at all conservative in most things. This blog makes me want to be conservative and temper my anger/enthusiasm because the irrational nature of fanhood is starkly laid bare in type for all to see. I’ll admit that it almost kinda sucks to hold back, but I don’t want to be another idiot mouthing off after every damn pitch that doesn’t go the way the hometown team wants/needs it to. I can’t stand that kind of mindless sycophancy in most other walks of life, so why should I be a hypocrite and accept it here?
End of rant.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:32 am
Im not really sure hitting coaches actually do anything? If so…he should be fired. Someone posted the pitch counts for each team…the Nationals saw…60 more pitches? Hmm…seems like seeing more pitches…might help induce walks…get deeper into a weak pen…any of those sound good?
Hate Slackers
April 21st, 2009
12:32 am
Chevy, that was a good one. Have the Braves ever been in a brawl. I could just see Chipper sneaking off to a Hooter’s during the fight. I bet most of his teammates would be looking to sucker punch him. Can you imagine having to be on the lookout for both teams sa a player?
Alexandria
April 21st, 2009
12:34 am
TNBrian, Think Brian Jordan will ever be ALLOWED to call out the Chosen One??
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
12:34 am
N8, all you have to do is look at the fire and attitude Cox had back in the 90’s. He’s mellowed out quite a bit and that could make your point. And by the way, the Braves don’t suck. Their hitting is very inconsistant and the pen looks, or should start to shape up.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:34 am
158 pitches in 8 innings to 102 pitches in 9 innings…WOW!
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:35 am
Chop Chop, holding back is definitely better. I never regret doing it. I often regret doing the other.
Tokyo Bravo
April 21st, 2009
12:35 am
You know, in a year or two, with Zimmerman and Strasbourg topping their rotation, the Nats might be a good team, even a dangerous one.
They’re not now.
We should beat up on these guys, and yet we continue to do the same stupid things, like failing to take pitches late in the games when we’re down. And don’t get me started about the utter inability of this team to bunt. Bobby’s never emphasized that, so the only guys we’ve ever had that could do it were Glavine and Smoltz.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. One wonders how long our guys will continue to do the same thing without noticing this.
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
12:36 am
I used the term “self-flagellate” to describe the actual flagellation of myself with a whip. I don’t mean it as self-criticism. It would be weird if we had fans blogging here who were severely criticizing themselves and setting themselves on fire because of this team.
I mean, we probably already do, but it’s just weird to picture it.
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
12:37 am
Alexandria, to be honest, I don’t think Brian J. really gives a sh**! He and Gant have been calling out players for two years or more, and they still have jobs, so…
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:37 am
You know its bad when Tokyo Brave is being negative, lol.
GRoIsYourHero
April 21st, 2009
12:38 am
Joe Beimel is with the Nats now? Awesome. He’s from my town, I’d love to get more chances to see him pitch. He’s not terrible…maybe an option for the Braves some time down the line? He did have that incident when the Dodgers were in the playoffs a few years ago, though…so he might not fit in with Bobby and the Braves, who have had a pretty good reputation for staying out of trouble.
Carroll Rogers
April 21st, 2009
12:38 am
Bobby said he didn’t think that was interference on the Ross play. “Not to me, i didn’t think so. i think he got to the bag, he just got past it. And one of those plays, a judgement play. I think the umpire probably got it right.”
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:39 am
Enter your comments here
Ugaman
April 21st, 2009
12:41 am
Sorry, dont’ know why my computer posted a comment. Good night all. Talk to you tomorrow night.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
April 21st, 2009
12:43 am
We continue to take sucking to a whole new level
Alexandria
April 21st, 2009
12:43 am
TnBrian, You have been here longer than me. Do you mean Jordan could criticize Chipper for being a docile feline and he wouldn’t get canned?? Do you really believe that?/ I don’t know. Alexandria is for where i live and not a name.
Bubdylan
April 21st, 2009
12:44 am
lol, only Bobby could translate “he just flipped on his head and rolled over and then forgot who he was and got tagged out” into “he just got past it.”
Alexandria
April 21st, 2009
12:46 am
By the way there is no way they would let those ball girls remain out there that late. i just hope everyone makes it back okay. If not, I know a whole bunch of DC Lawyers who might want to take on a League for Reckless Endangerment when they knew primary means of transportation would be closed after engaging in a nearly puntitively long delay.
AR Brave
April 21st, 2009
12:47 am
Ross ran into the player= interference.
That Soriano is a BAMF.
Please Braves take some pitches. You dont have to swing at first pitch so ef n much. You dont see Larry Wayne doing that and if he does he usually gets a hit out of it.
Wren, PLEASE GET US A BAT. We need one( righty) to put in the four hole so bad. Then with that bat sandwiched between Larry and Bmac can do work.
Soriano is a BAMF, finally. Someone that acts like he is a pitcher with a tough persona and who doesn’t WALK IN RUNS.
AR Brave
April 21st, 2009
12:48 am
Let me clarify. Ross ran into the player that was not holding the ball.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
12:48 am
We got beat, plain and simple. Rookie or no, the Braves had never seen Zimmerman pitch before.
After Manny Acta sacked his bullpen the Nationals were bound to play hard, and they did. Kudo’s to their manager for motivating the hell out of his players.
More importantly, when your top two hitters go 1 for 8 and the team has no speed at the top of the order with little ability to manufacture runs, 3-2 losses will happen.
Chevy Chase
April 21st, 2009
12:51 am
That’s a good point. Did you notice that most of the people mentally challenged enough to still be there were wearing Braves gear. Most of them probably Blog here. This is a fun Blog. I just discovered it. You guys really take this team seriously. A friend of mine who moved up here last year told me that all the pro teams in Atlanta sports history have only won one World Championship? Is that true? What are you Cubs fans? Get a grip. No, don’t get a grip. Keep on messaging.
Alexandria
April 21st, 2009
12:53 am
Texas Death match. Dukes–Soriano. We’ll show you the BAMF with room to spare.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:53 am
We miss McCann greatly…and need a power bat for the 4 spot. Chipper is a 3 hitter…McCann is a 5 hitter. We don’t have a 4-hole hitter. Anderson. Kotchman…dont cut it…and Bobby obviously wont put KJ there.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
12:56 am
Here are the pitching match-ups for the week…interesting stuff….
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers.jsp?c_id=atl
Chevy Chase
April 21st, 2009
12:57 am
I just Googled that stuff. Falcons-NO Super Bowl Championships. Hawks-No NBA Championships. Thrashers and Flames No Stanley Cup Championships. Atlanta Braves-One World Championship. Where is Uncle Jed to give us a “pitiful”?
Alexandria.
April 21st, 2009
12:59 am
I want Chipper charging the mound. Hopefully right after talking some crap to the Nats bench. We’ll show you a DL.
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
1:01 am
This is, or has become, a very bad trend with the Braves and it really stems from not having a true leadoff hitter. They cannot manufacture squat against a decent pitcher, unless, like tonight, the guy makes a huge mistake and we get a flukey HR. Manufacturing runs is how this lineup is designed, but Bobby or whoever just refuses to get passed the fact that a 5-run homer is the way to go. I’m sick of it, and I know ya’ll are too, but something will surely get fixed this year…right??
AR Brave
April 21st, 2009
1:01 am
elijah dukes is a scary man. Point well-taken. I dont think anyone wants a piece of dukes, not even chuck norris or tim tebow.
Goodnite all. Happy blogging.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:02 am
If the other team’s pitcher is throwing a lot of strikes, it can be harder to “take” a lot of pitches. By doing so, you put yourself in a hole very quickly.
Now, I haven’t ran the numbers (and I won’t), but I do believe we swing first and ask questions later more often than not. That can hurt you sometimes. BUT, when we are kicking the other guys butt, I don’t hear cries for “take a few pitches”.
Just a few thoughts.
Slingblade:
I came out fairly clean, didn’t take long to dry off either. hhhnnnnmmmmhnnmmm
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:07 am
TnBrian
What I think you fail to realize is that it really doesn’t matter how “sick” we get of “it”. FW and BC have built this team well to be somewhat competitive this year, and progressively so in the next couple of years to come (Hanson, Freeman Heyward, etc).
While they will say they are playing to win this year, if they truly were playing to win this year, Manny Ramirez would be our LF’er. They are playing to have a possible shot, if a lot of things work out.
Sometimes you just gotta let your strengths develop. I suspect that a true leadoff hitter is on the list of things to get/develop for 2010 and 2011. Just my guess.
mark my words
April 21st, 2009
1:07 am
another season of mediocrity ensues…
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
1:10 am
Wayne, you seem pretty intelligent, so I’ll ask you… how about KJ/Schafer at the top of the lineup? Bobby will keeping putting Yunel there unless he reads my comment(kidding), but if Schafer has the speed and can bunt, why not.
FDA warning
April 21st, 2009
1:10 am
Braves may cause ulcerative colitis.
vabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
1:12 am
well since I don’t feel like doing work I will give a minors update:
Carroll said it but Gwinnett won 5-2 Medlen had 5IP 5H 2ER 6K 0BB
Mississippi won 4-1; Gorky 3-4 with a triple(hitting .358), Campbell went 3-4 with a double(hitting .370)
Myrtle Beach wow umm they lost 16-3; Heyward 1-4 with rbi and outfield assist, Freddie 1-3 with double, Locke had 3.1IP 9H 6ER 4BB 2K
Rome won 3-2
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
1:12 am
I think the problem is Schafer…isnt hitting like a leadoff guy yet. He is swinging for the fences too much. Maybe with some guidance…and a shift to the 1 or 2 spot…he might become more of a speedy hitter than a power guy.
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
1:13 am
Other than Chipper and McCann, our team is filled with streaky hitters. They hit a lot of line drives and groundballs. They hit for good averages, but they can start slumping at any time. They can draw walks, but they’re not necessarily patient hitters. They can be pesky, but they like to swing early in counts. They don’t have much speed (mainly stolen base ability) on the basepaths.
It’s hard to put together a consistent lineup with this group of guys. Some guys don’t fit well in their roles. We have a lot of #2 and #6 hitters. (Chipper’s a #3 and McCann, in my opinion, is a #5. I don’t have Schafer pegged anywhere yet because he hasn’t been around long enough for me to form a firm opinion.)
1995
April 21st, 2009
1:13 am
You live and die by the long ball Bobby Cox and when this lineup we will die more often than live. I think its insane how everyone thought Wren saved the day with his last second (save his job) signings. Did he address our suck bullpen? NO! Did he address no power in the order again? NO!
The only thing good from us stinking again this season will hopefully be the end of Bobby Ball in Atlanta. Take Wren with you!!!!
Alexandria.
April 21st, 2009
1:14 am
Tn Brian, If Wayne was Intelligent would he be crazy like you and me discussing two bad baseball teams at 1:13 EST and 1:13 Rocky Mountain Time?
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
1:15 am
It’s sad when we the people care about the Gwinnett Braves more than their Atlanta brethren
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:15 am
Brian
If Schafer has a decent average, cuts down on the strikeouts, and has a decent OBP, I suspect that mid season, you might see him in the leadoff spot. Maybe sooner, depending on his development. I do think that they are probably wise to bring him along slowly to start.
I suspect KJ will be either traded, or become more of a utility guy in another year or two. Too streaky for leadoff. I think as much as we like him, he might could become a Mark DeRosa type; just my guess.
Right now, JS K’s too much. I think they are thinking of him or Gorkys H as potential leadoff hitters, or maybe getting one via trade.
JS might eventually be a good 3 or 5 hitter???
Gotta run. Early day tomorrow. I will look for your response.
I just get a little tired of the negativity, as I lived through the 60’s through now. Been there, done that, got the T Shirt.
Alexandria.
April 21st, 2009
1:15 am
Sorry. I meant 11:13 Rocky Mountain Time.
Moby Grape
April 21st, 2009
1:15 am
Wayne in Utah, president of the moral majority.
I would hate to upset his delicate sensibilites. Hey Wayne, you’re annoying. Go away. —MITCHELL
you’re more annoying. go away yourself. Isn’t it way past your bedtime anyway? Mommy and daddy know you are sneaking out to the ‘puter this late?
Alexandria.
April 21st, 2009
1:18 am
Wayne, 60’s were a piece of cake compared to following one team that has a .5% chance of making the playoffs and another that has about a 15% chance. And even if they do you know it’s just more heartbreak. Nat fans never get their hearts broken.
Tokyo Bravo
April 21st, 2009
1:20 am
Wayne, you know better than talking sense on this blog!
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
1:21 am
Anybody notice the what the Pirates have done lately?
Three shut outs in their last four games. Of course , they got spanked 11-1 on Sunday…but still I got to wonder, could this be the year?
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:24 am
Moby
How did he figure out that I really AM the president of the moral majority????
Alexandria
I feel your pain.
Moby Grape
April 21st, 2009
1:25 am
that again I’m going to bitch and complain just like tonight. I at least have a right to do that after all this incompetence —MITCHELL
yer sir it’s all about your rights and nobody else’s. puke
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
1:27 am
Ok here is the $100,000 questions. How is this team going to score runs?
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
1:28 am
Alexandria, I’m not going to say the Braves are a “bad” ball team…yet.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:29 am
Coach
I think the Pirates are maybe close to where the Fish were a year ago. A lot of good, young talented players. I like a lot of the guys they got in the Bay trade last year.
Their pitching could go either way. I suspect they might linger for a while, then falter down the stretch.
As badly as our Braves have looked in the past week, I still think we could have a decent season. We do have an incredible amount of question marks though. And the “blowpen” will eventually round into a decent “bullpen” as the next month or so passes.
Or maybe it’s just me being to “KC”.
(said in fondness!)
Moby Grape
April 21st, 2009
1:31 am
ut I don’t want to be another idiot mouthing off after every damn pitch that doesn’t go the way the hometown team wants/needs it to. —Chop
think of it as being a caring denizen. we certainly appreciate your restraint . We all hate it when they play badly
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
1:31 am
MFin04, they’re going to score runs when they face Martis tomorrow because he kinda stinks. I’m telling you, all through the 90’s we had a leadoff hitter with a not so different lineup we have now. I’m not venting on you, I’m just frustrated.
Wayne, I agree.
TIRED… going to sleep. Nighty Night bloggers!!
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
1:41 am
Wayne, right now I have no idea which direction our Braves will go.
The starting pitching is much improved but the defense has been hit and miss. The bench is solid but not as versatile and that bullpen/blowpen is the elephant in the room.
The offense is back down to 4.46 runs per game, no better than last season and I really believe this may be the slowest Braves team I have ever seen.
With Chipper and Garrett Anderson both being so injury prone along with the McCann’s eye issues, the injury bug has thrown a monkey wrench into this teams fortunes.
We will just have to wait and see how it all works out.
By the way, is it me or am I imagining things? There have been 422 HR’s hit already. Baseball’s are flying out at a break neck pace. Is the ball loaded this year?
spotts
April 21st, 2009
1:43 am
Once again the Braves’ bats make average to borderline awful pitchers look like the reigning Cy Young.
Four relievers with career ERAs above 4, most of whom have a BAA over .270, and we managed exactly 0 hits. Oh, and not to mention a good start from a rookie.
What exactly does TP do?
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:44 am
Runs were so much the problem last year, and we scored more after Tex left, it’s just we had no pitching. I think our run production will be at least as good, if not better, unless Chipper misses more than 30-40 games.
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:54 am
Coach
I think the bench is OK. If Norton gets untracked, it will be much better. Problem is when you have 3 regulars that are out, it puts a crimp on the bench.
I think GA might not be too long for this team.
Would you move KJ to STL for Ludwick if they offered? I think I would at this point.
Getting late…….
Wayne in Utah
April 21st, 2009
1:56 am
Moby
Some of these whiners sound like 10 year olds getting their azzez whipped at a Wal-Mart!
Marv Kleeman
April 21st, 2009
2:12 am
Hey fellow Braves fans:
Some random thoughts thirteen games into the season.
I may be a minority of one; but I was so excited about seeing Josh Anderson as our starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. Not since Rafael Furcal was a rookie back in 2000 did we have someone with game changing speed at the top of the lineup.
But then Jordan Shafer had to come along and upset the apple cart. Braves management was completely bamboozled by Jordan Shafer’s spring training performance and allowed their emotions and sentiment to cloud their judgment. Maybe they were just playing to the fan base.
Bottom line is that 26 year old Josh Anderson had paid his dues. He was standing first in line but Braves management allowed some young upstart to cut in front of him.
So where are we now? The Braves have no leadoff hitter and are using Kelly Johnson in that spot. We’ve been down the Kelly Johnson as leadoff hitter road once before. The result? We still have no leadoff hitter and Kelly’s value as a hitter is not being maximized.
I had a bad feeling about the Josh Anderson trade because immediately thereafter Jordan Shafer went into a 1 for 11 slump and I’m thinking to myself “Uh Oh”.
Yes, Jordan Shafer performed very well against the junior varsity but now the grown ups had arrived.
Please ban goo guy
April 21st, 2009
2:40 am
This is, and has been, one of (if not THE best) baseball blog on the information super highway. And it’s obviously propping up the AJC- so many comments!
But this year approximately 1/3 of all comments are utterly useless. The last post featured something like 200 posts from that boob Lou Vales, and the subject matter never changed- I hate Chipper and I remain delusional.
And of course, there’s our new superstar- TnBrian, with all the wit and wisdom of a doorknob, checking in with about 87 useless posts per day.
But no one, I repeat NO ONE, has done more to demoralize our collective I.Q. than the goo guy, or as Lew calls him, jealous Johnson. How many zany one-liners from this dolt per day- 150? 180? You can recognize him by the series of names (Loaf Garrett- will the hilarity EVER cease) and the obsession with Will Ohman (just can’t let it go) and of course Boyer.
I admire the free speech principles ajc, I really do. But it would only be banning one loser, and this has gone on for about a year too long already.
Dude it’s never been funny. Not once. No one is laughing.
Your poor, poor mother.
PWHjort
April 21st, 2009
2:58 am
I think one reason we scored more runs after Tex left is is because we played a lot of games behind by a lot of runs so we didn’t encounter the relievers we would’ve in high-leverage situations. We allowed 7+ runs in a loss 13 times after Tex.
Mitchie-san
April 21st, 2009
3:04 am
Well, at least they aint the “pits” kid.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
3:51 am
Wayne, I don’t think the Cardinals have any interest whatsoever in trading Ryan Ludwick.
Yo Marv, Josh Anderson is a great fourth outfielder but he will almost certainly never be an everyday player.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
4:00 am
And one more thing. I backtracked all the way to 1966. The lowest team stolen base total was during the abbreviated strike season of 1994 at 48. This 2009 squad is on pace for a whopping 25 steals. This cannot be good for the offensive output.
jj
April 21st, 2009
4:32 am
I have said this to many people and I am saying it again.”The Braves will never win with Bobby Cox as manager.”There is a saying “that doing the samething over and over and getting the same bad results is insanity.”Thats where the Braves are with Bobby.He plays favorites instead of best player and I don’t think he can get anything out of his players because his message and his ways are to stale and pridictable.It’s time for a change and he needs to follow GM and TG into retirement.Oh yeah,Kelly is not a legit second baseman.Prado is better and for some reason he and Afante are delegated to subs when they are better than some starters.Also Escabor needs a raise just like Mac and Frenchie recieved early in their careers even though Frenchie refused his.I wonder about the Braves sometime and their treatment of certain players.Maybe Sheffield knew what he was talking about.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
5:59 am
JJ, that is not accurate.
Bobby Cox is fourth in wins among all managers (1978-1569) and fast approaching 2000 wins. His fifteen division winners, five pennants and one WS speaks for itself.
His 66-66 post season record and 1-4 record in five WS says something else entirely.
The man is a winner and a first ballot slam dunk Hall of Fame inductee into Cooperstown.
But to say that he isn’t the same fiery manager we saw back in the nineties would be more accurate. The longer Bobby Cox manages, the more tarnished his accomplishments become because he like so many before, doesn’t know when to retire.
Joe Paterno, Bobby Knight, Bobby Cox…. all Hall of Fame coaches and all have stuck around far to long.
Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)
April 21st, 2009
6:02 am
Check that, Cox’s 1978-1569 record is with Atlanta. His complete win-loss totals including Toronto is 2333-1861.
bob
April 21st, 2009
6:19 am
Pitch count again is crazy. Braves pitchers threw 158 pitches in 8 innings. Nats threw 102 pitches in 9 innings. This is nuts. More pitches means more chances to hit the ball. And, more pitches means longer waits in the field. And, most importantly more pitches means greater chance of injuries to our pitchers. McDowell must go.
Jeff321
April 21st, 2009
6:58 am
Looks to me like Cox left Lowe in too long last night. He was obviously laboring, walking around behind the mound, and basically looking for relief! So, he got “relief” alright.. once we were losing the game.
SOS
April 21st, 2009
7:19 am
Cox needs to go. He is over the hill and the Braves will continue to suck with him still here.
Baba O'Riley
April 21st, 2009
7:34 am
Yeah, Bobby messed up McCann’s eye and Chipper’s thumb. Shame on you Bobby. If Bobby summons the bullpen, half of the people here would ask why he didn’t leave Lowe in. The man knows more baseball than you and me. Let him do his job. I love baseball and the Braves, but my life and well-being don’t depend on them winning. Sit back and enjoy the game.
Some of you will get your wish soon when Bobby CHOOSES to leave. Then you can go back to the 80’s Braves when we were HOPING that our best pitcher, Zane Smith would reach the 15 win mark and we got all excited about a trade for Daryl Motley. These blogs will be as dead as Campillo’s arm when that happens.
Rob
April 21st, 2009
7:35 am
does anyone know why Cole Rohrbough is on the DL
N Nine
April 21st, 2009
8:01 am
This 2009 squad is on pace for a whopping 25 steals. This cannot be good for the offensive output
One part of the game Bobby like to fully eliminate. The team was assembled around his style…players with very little/no speed. ……and now we lack power too. I miss having a speedy team also.
Don’t care about today’s game as much as what’s up with our McCann.(crossing finger)
N Nine
April 21st, 2009
8:16 am
RobLHP Cole Rohrbough, ranked the No. 7 prospect in the Braves organization by Baseball America, was slowed by biceps tendonitis in his pitching arm coming out of spring training. Braves director of player development Kurt Kemp said an MRI showed no structural damage in his shoulder and Rohrbrough just needed several more weeks to build back up his arm strength. Look for Rohrbough to ultimately land in Myrtle Beach.
Life Goes On BEST SHOW EVER!
April 21st, 2009
8:16 am
Well
Seems like back to back fourth place finishes seems likely
.
Knuckle Sandwich
April 21st, 2009
8:35 am
The Braves played some sloppy, uninspired baseball last night. I’m kind of concerned with the clubhouse chemistry. Was it just me, or did they all look pi$$ed off last night? There have been a couple of times this year where I have seen people shoot Kelly Johnson dirty looks when he botches a defensive play. Am I the only one seeing that?
FlaBravesFan1
April 21st, 2009
8:37 am
Ugaman Great 12:17 am post Agree 100%
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
8:42 am
N Nine Don’t care about today’s game as much as what’s up with our McCann.
Glad someone else said it before I did. Now I cann say it, knowing you feel the same way…
Tom O’Hawke–
Ah, I’m not mad atchya! But the other rally turtle did go into hiding again. Might be able to get him out by game time…but I think that sorta depends on what’s up with BMac. If it’s bad news, don’t think I’ll even be able to get Rally McTurtle out of his shell.
Bill
April 21st, 2009
8:48 am
This has got to be the worst fundemental team in the NL. The bad thing is that there has been no improvement at all over the past few seasons and that is the main reason we are not winning the one run games. No leadoff man, the wrong person is batting 2nd, 2 stolen bases in 13 games, cannot get the runners over (and in). The bunting is just SAD and I just do not understand why it cannot be improved. These issues will cost us 8-15 games a year and the only cure is to have 3-4 guys that will have 25-30 homers. Bobby has had a great career but we really need a change at the top and if you cannot see that then you are not a baseball person.
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
8:51 am
Anxiously awaiting word Heap!
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
8:54 am
uh that’s word ON Heap. Not enough caffeine yet.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
8:59 am
Run Heap Run–
Haha…no problem!
Tick tock tick tock…he should call Ms. Rogers when he finds out so she cann tell us sooner–that way, we don’t hafta wait until she gets to the ballpark to find out.
Ben
April 21st, 2009
8:59 am
Best way to beat the Braves – bring up a rookie pitcher and put him on the mound against the Braves for his first start in the major leagues.
Baba O'Riley
April 21st, 2009
9:00 am
Yeah, Bill. All the Baseball Tonight guys are not “baseball people” but you are.
Efrim
April 21st, 2009
9:01 am
Rohrbough did start the season and pitched a good game. He was just placed on the DL, so I would be interested to see if there is still something wrong there. Hopefully just needs to build back the arm strength.
Kris Medlen’s Triple-A line to date: 3 games, 13.2 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 K’s
WILLSTER
April 21st, 2009
9:02 am
itold all you so called idiots the braves would lose yesterday,3-2 igave you all 5 winners the day before the games played,no more freebies, but i will tell you this team will finish in 4th place maybe last place sincewashington put a fire under the nationals,thank you braves organization you make my bank acct fill out nicely in the spring and summer each year, rogers good article.talk to you later losers.
WILLSTER
April 21st, 2009
9:05 am
bobby cox needs to stay he makes me alot of money
Daybed Wagmoe
April 21st, 2009
9:08 am
Bobby said he didn’t think that was interference on the Ross play. “Not to me, i didn’t think so. i think he got to the bag, he just got past it. And one of those plays, a judgement play. I think the umpire probably got it right.” — Carroll Rogers
Ladies and gentlemen, you are now entering….the Twilight Zone.
sportsmandh
April 21st, 2009
9:10 am
I have been very disappointed too at the lack of fundamentals to manufacture runs. It’s no secret this team needs to be able to manufacture runs, so that should be all their mindsets when they come up with RISP.
Two examples that have really angered me:
1) Friday night at Pittsburgh, bases loaded, no outs. We get zero runs. Someone struck out I think (Schaeffer I think), then someone grounded into a double play.
2) Last night, Kotchman doubles, gets thrown out at third with no outs. I realize that was a fluke bounce, but why risk advancing too third when you’re a slow runner and there’s no outs. Diaz hit a double after Frenchy got out, would’ve been up 1-0.
Also, last night 1-5 with RISP. Not going to cut it. (And they were once strike away from wasting a lead off triple by Chipper, thankfully Diaz came through)
And Frency looked suspiciously like last year’s Frency last night.
I know you’re never going to win them all, but they better step it up PDQ.
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
9:13 am
Terry Pendelton has got to go. No one on this team has any approach when they get to the plate except to swing early and swing often. How hard is it to tell guys to see a strike and work the count. And if he is telling guys that and they are ignoring it then they obviously have no respect for his coaching, and he can’t be kept then if no one listens to him.
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
9:14 am
I like the name Boog and Joe threw out there during the telecast last night…Chris Chambliss might be one that would be worth a shot. But just about anyone would do a better job than Pendelton has done.
sportsmandh
April 21st, 2009
9:15 am
I got that wrong in my point above, I think it was Kotchman that struck out and Schaeffer grounded into a DP. Either way it was bases loaded, no outs, and got 0 runs.
Jeff321
April 21st, 2009
9:15 am
Bobby Cox can’t be bothered with such things as telling players not to swing on the first pitch or bunting. The fundamentals are being ignored and all you Cox lovers can do is wave the HOF flag! The time for excuses is over.
Btw, finishing 3rd, 3rd, and 4th in the league would be considered a trend, no? Where do we go from here? Unseat Washington as the perennial loser? Never mind all that, Bobby “deserves” to manage until he wants to leave. (Because really, its not about winning or even whats best for the team.. just what Bobby wants, eh?)
sportsmandh
April 21st, 2009
9:16 am
The blog ate my first post so never mind.
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
9:17 am
And if Bobby can’t see what a terrible job his coach (coaches really because McDowell hasn’t exactly impressed, though I think he’s better than Pendelton, not saying much there though am I)is doing, then maybe it really is time for him to retire. I love Bobby, have all the respect in the world for him, but he’s just not getting the job done the last several years.
Jeff321
April 21st, 2009
9:18 am
league = division
brent a.
April 21st, 2009
9:18 am
In response to anyone admonishing fans to “sit back and enjoy the game”.
What exactly is it that we are supposed to be enjoying at this point?
This last week and a half has been anything but enjoyable.
It is boring baseball.
But its early.......LOL(Doc H.)
April 21st, 2009
9:23 am
Is McCann really sick or just doesnt want to watch the braves play………come on Mc please …… are we that bad?
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
9:24 am
BlawgDawg, my gut tells me TP won’t be the h.c. in 2010. It leaves me hopeless to see the Braves, yet again, having no idea on how to manufacture runs with a decent to great pitcher on the hill. Not having that legit leadoff guy is a huge reason why but it is what it is.
eltrompoBRAVESfan
April 21st, 2009
9:24 am
Have we really come to the point where people wish Bobby was not our manager? After two weeks of baseball? The same people asking for him to retire would bitch up a storm the moment the incoming new manager would encounter difficulty.
Amazingly sad.
brent a.
April 21st, 2009
9:27 am
Have we really come to the point where people wish Bobby was not our manager?
Some people have been at that point for years. It goes much deeper than just two weeks of baseball.