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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,721 comments Add your comment
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
1:51 pm
Eric from Valdosta
I’m sorry you must have DOB and Carrol’s blog mixed up with Terrence Moore’s, I can post a link if you need it. I’m sick of hearing all this black and white stuff with baseball. I’m sorry is this 1947?? Yes, the Atlanta Braves management is racist and they steer clear of signing black ball players, where have you been dude?? Garrett Anderson was signed just so they can say they have a black ball player. They went after Griffey to disguise the fact that they are racist. Why do you think it didn’t go through?? Jayson Heyward is just being groomed to be traded for the next big white superstar. I’m sorry but black guys don’t get any spotlight with this squad. Look back over the last 2 decades, why do you think there are only like 60 black ball players to play on the team? Because the Braves are “sensative” to signing and playing black ball players. Always have and always will be.
The reason there are no black players to be signed is because there has been a MAJOR decline in black athletes participating and playing baseball anymore. They are all basketball and football. All of those black athletes you fantasize playing for the Braves play on the Hawks. How many white guys are on the Hawks?? It’s no secret that young black athletes choose baseball as a 3rd or even 4th sport. It’s just the culture and the way they have been brought up. ESPN and other sports networks like HBO Real Sports have had alot of documentaries on this. Look into these things before you start proposing stupid theories. Seriously, that is childish and foolish to think the Braves and Cox are “sensative” to signing, playing and maintaining black ball players on the roster. If you got the talent, you stay and play. If you don’t you’re gone. Simple. As. That.
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
Bless you, just know that for future reference I’m not serious or mean spirited in the name calling at all. If I really thought you were a crack head I would ignore you.
Joe Fan
April 21st, 2009
1:56 pm
Why do the Braves have a questionable line-up and pitching? Look no further than Fank Wren. The guy was a failure in Baltimore and not any better in Atlanta. He throws money at over the hill players, Chipper, G. Anderson, Smoltz (08) Glavine (08 and 09). Continues to go with the same Coaches and that includes Bobby. They are all very comfortable pulling in their salaries–no fire in the belly there. The team has no leadership and lots of parts that don’t match. Maybe when Liberty Media is able to divest itself of the Braves the new ownership will not fall under the spell of Shuerholtz, Cox, Wren and their ban of merrymen.
Il Cattivo
April 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
MFin04 – Sure he got a start to show he had improved from last year – a chance to hold down a spot given Glavine’s issues and you think he just gave up. He stopped throwing his good stuff and just grooved it. Great attitude to have right. Awesome analysis.
Random
April 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Wayne in Utah (1:22 pm): “I bet those numbers increased from 1992 on, during the roid era.”
I wouldn’t doubt it. But that’s likely just an indication of my simple clueless adherence to dogma.
PS: Speed on the pads! More speed on the pads!!!
Sam95
April 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
Does it really take 2 days to get McCann an appointment with an eye doctor? I just called 3 Atlanta eye doctors and told them I had the exact same symptoms as McCann and I got 2 appontments today and 1 tomorrow.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
You dont think run support doesnt help your starting pitching? Especially for a younger pitcher…I’m sure they get frustrated that they arent going to have any run support behind their pretty good day. And no he didnt just give up…he got hit because he is only a 5 inning pitcher…but run support might help!
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
The game plan for Braves players tonight (AND LAST NIGHT) should be this. TAKE PITCHES!!!!!!!! Take atleast 2 pitches before you CONSIDER swinging!! Lets see, the Nationals bullpen is herendous!! They blow games left, right and left. They just overhauled their ‘pen and you let them off the hook by swinging first pitch and 2nd pitch 85% of the time last night against a 22 year old?? The kid had like 80 pitches in the 6th, when he LEFT the game!! Their little league approach is killing them. Without McCann the whole lineup waits for Chipper to do something and without Diaz bailing out Kotchman and Francoeur last night with his homer, it could have been really exploited. They were one strike away from being blanked by the Nationals last night!! Chipper on 3rd no outs, infield pop up and grounder to 2nd. All you need to do there is hit an Omar Infante fader to CF or RF that goes 235 feet! This team infuriates me. Also, the team is sitting around waiting for Chipper to do something always, a guy who is injured and rolls over EVERY ball he hits when he is inured. Here is how you know when Chipper is injured. He doesn’t hit liners or towering balls, he is hitting weak grounders, like last night. Chipper is lining balls right now ONLY righty right now and is blatantly still heavily affected by his hand injury. Our superstar cleanup hitter catcher is blind too. The #5 hitter? His hamstring hurts ;( his calf hurts ;( his oblique hurts ;(
This is comforting.
herbK
April 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
face facts: the braves suck. Too many overpaid & much underworked. 72 wins max for the year. Get over the 14 titles & all the hype & crap. The 09 braves are the 70’s braves, only even MORE overpaid.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:02 pm
LOL, maybe the Nationals dont want to have McCann in the lineup? Did you really call some doctors??
Brandon
April 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
hello all, just finished a research paper on Henrik Ibsen’s A Dolls House and thought I would drop in on the ole blog.
Anyone who might have an answer…any updates on BMac? I read he was supposed to visit a specialist sometime this week.
Bill in VA
April 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
Wayne in Utah…your 11:02 am, Yeh, I’m 70 now. I grew up in MA, but BB didn’t grab me until ‘49 when the Braves were defending the NL pennant. Went to Milwaukee for the series in ‘57. Was a big fan of the R-Braves up thru last year, in Richmond. Went to a bunch of games. I like to attend minor league games now and do, all over, when I travel. I enjoy your posts. Keep them coming!
ncscoots
April 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
ncscoots–So are you saying that the Braves hitters are approaching their at bats well right now?
That wasn’t even close to what I said. I said that Pavlovian responses of “Braves need plate discipline” disregard the reality of trying to hit against major league pitching.
Plate discipline means swinging at hitters’ strikes, rather than pitchers’ strikes, as often as you can, regardless of the count. Plate discipline means gauging the game situation, the pitcher, how the hitter is currently swinging, and any number of other variables that might come into play.
Andy
April 21st, 2009
2:04 pm
You guys arguing about the 1st and 2nd, nobody out situation dont get it. Of course the runs scored is going to be better in a conversion table with 2 on and 0 out than with 2 on and 1 out. What is of equal rally-killing importance is what are the odds of making 2 outs on 1 play with a runner on 1st and 2nd as opposed to 2nd and 3rd. Sometimes it is not always about trying to maximize your potential run put out in an inning, but it is about making sure you actually out runs on the board! the odds of putting up 0 runs is also greater by swinging away with 1st and 2nd nobody out than it is with 2nd and 3rd, 1 out. Also, to the people that are treating bunting like it is always sacrificing an out, bunting (especially in the early and middle innings) can be a good way of putting pressure on teams and potentially getting big mistakes. A surprise bunt in the 4th with a runner on first that the 3rd baseman charges and throws wildly past first is a HUGE play. If you pick your spots (and actually work on the craft), it can be a very valuable offensive tool. Mark my words, at some point in the future, you are going to get a manager that specializes in this small-ball formula that will force his team to work on it and become good at it, and they will cause teams lots of problems with a high pressure style of play. Basically, they will play the equivalent of the full court press.
MFinBrian321 (née TnJeff04)
April 21st, 2009
2:06 pm
Bless you (1:15 pm): “Man, if anyone says something on this blog that one are two (know it alls) don’t agree with, then you’re a fool,crackhead or something etc. Thank the Lord for smart people like TnJeff04,and Run heap run .”
You’re quite welcome. Thanks for noticing — it’s appreciated.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
2:06 pm
Brandon–
He went to the specialist at 8 o’clock this morning. That’s all I know…now I’m just waiting “patiently” on the edge of my seat for Ms. Rogers’ clubhouse report.
Brandon
April 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Thank you, McFann. BMac’s bat (althought he’s in a funk right now) is sorely missed.
Poorbrave
April 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Jayson Heyward is being groomed to play for the Braves. You can bet your life on that.
For the love of God, get over this Bk/Wh thing. Bobby Cox, Wren and everyone wants to win and color has nothing to do with it. Why can’t people see that.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
2:09 pm
Sam–
He went to a specialist in Washington DC…that oughta explain it.
But I’ve found that complaining about how long it’s taking doesn’t make the time go any faster. This is just the way it is…we gotta live with…we find out when we find out…
…
…I NEED TO FIND OUT!
Carolina Gent
April 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
Withy all the comments regarding bunting, not bunting, etc, one thing is clear… Braves pitchers (see Lowe, Derek) typically do a poor job at sacrificing when called upon, and a failed sacrifice is about the worst-case scenario of all. In general, the team’s inability to advance runners in potential scoring situations has been a glaring weakness over the last several years and continues to be so again this year. Looking for a possible reason for all of the 1-run losses? Here’s a place to start!
kirkinga
April 21st, 2009
2:11 pm
There’s a bigger difference with just one runner — runner on first with no outs = 0.820; runner on second with one out = 0.650. Runner on second with no outs = 1.054
Um, wait a minute now, don’t these numbers suggest that stealing second is possibly a good way to go? If having a runner at second with no outs gives you the highest chance to score, then having a guy steal, rather than bunt(and give up an out), or staying put, are the lesser strategies.
Of course the problem is that you are using “all game situations” which is too broad.
Stealing has always been driven not by saberermetrics, but by calculations such as who is on the mound, who is behind the plate,who is the baserunner, what is the pitch count?
If you have a catcher that is struggling to throw runners out, with a average or slow to the plate pitcher, and you have an athletic player on base, then you should steal.If you are successful, then according to these numbers, you have a great chance of scoring. A better chance than if you bunted.
And since when is stealing a base”playing for one run?”
I think it’s very cleaver using “all of baseball” and “all game situations”, but what you really need to know is pitcher/catcher/baserunner/batter. Otherwise taking a macro view of a micro situation isn’t particularly helpful. IMHO.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
2:12 pm
You’re welcome, Brandon! Yeah, they’ve been missing his bat for about a week now…since he was in that funk because of his eye, it was almost like he wasn’t playing.
Meant to say “we gotta live with it“, dangit! Messed up my whole post…see, I’ve gotten to where I can’t type right…
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:12 pm
nsscoots–Agree 100% with your definition of plate discipline. My point earlier (we were having this discussion on the last blog just before this one got posted) was that the Braves players are showing virtually zero plate discipline so far this season. I fault Pendelton for that if he hasn’t pulled guys aside and discussed it with them. However, if he has discussed it with guys, they are ignoring him which would lead me to believe that they don’t respect him as a hitting coach. (I lean toward that anyway since half the guys seem to go to their dads or some other hitting coach in the offseason for advice). Either way, I think Pendelton must go if the Braves have any hope of improving as a lineup full of tough outs and quality at bats.
Brooklyn Braves Brawler
April 21st, 2009
2:13 pm
I’ll be quite honest with you all, Jo-Jo pitched well against the Pirates. He ran out of gas in the sixth or seventh but that is because Bobby did not want to go to the bullpen. Jo-Jo piched alot better the other day than he did last year.
Life Goes On BEST SHOW EVER!
April 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Jo-Jo was piched?
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:15 pm
Small ball doesnt work in the major leagues…look at Japan and Korea against the big MLB powers of the world in th WBC…how did small ball work out then?
Brooklyn Braves Brawler
April 21st, 2009
2:16 pm
BTW, garret Anderson sucks and is taking up space on the roster. Give me Frank Catalanatto and I’ll take my chances.
hoho
April 21st, 2009
2:17 pm
BOILER- go somewhere else with your ignorant statements. A child is innocent I agree and gay adoptive parents should be subjected to the same scrutiny as all potential adoptive parents. Your assumption that because they are gay they will “pervert an innocent child” is short sighted and wrong.
There are many “straight” parents who have perverted a child and I don’t think it’s actually because they’re straight, maybe just perverted. Homosexuality does not equate to perversion. Divisive and ignorant speech can though. Adopting and loving and caring for a child can only bring goodness to the world. I think anyone and any God would agree.
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
2:21 pm
I think we need a text alert for the McCann update. My boss would probably appreciate it.
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:21 pm
The only thing more wrong then posting about gay people and gay lifestyles and gay rights on here is RESPONDING back to the original gay commentor. This is not a gay blog. It is clearly and blatantly a Braves blog. So they gay talk goes else where! Seriously. You go to the AJC main page and there is like 6 (SIX!!) links today about “gay”. Click one of those and talk it up about that topic over there! Please?
Brooklyn Braves Brawler
April 21st, 2009
2:22 pm
This team is to lefty heavy and it shows when other teams stack their lefty starters in 3 and 4 game series against us. Chipper is our best righty power and he switch hits. besides, he is not in the lineup enough to be a factor anymore. I cringe watching Chipper running the bases b’cause he looks like he is going pull a hamstring going from 1st to third.
Need Righty pop of some kind. Catalanatto is an upgrade over Anderson even though he is a lefty hitter.
ease19
April 21st, 2009
2:23 pm
(cabravesfan)
McFann-
Maybe the blog is a cat person? (cat blog? cat…something?)
Sorry guys, my tabby must be bored at home. He has a tendency to be a bit…shall we say, mischevious, especially when the blog reaches the 90% negativity level.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
2:26 pm
ease19–
Ah-ha! So that’s it, eh? Well, maybe I’ll just get Petey Bird on here, and then we’ll see what happens!
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:27 pm
Kid pitched his 4th straight no-no. Sorry if someone already posted this….
http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/baseball/news/story?id=4085015
Fred
April 21st, 2009
2:28 pm
Boiler, I have to strongly disagree with your statement about gay adoption. I am friends with a lesbian couple who have a child (they used a sperm donor). Their daughter, now a teenager, is an extremely bright, articulate, and well-adjusted young woman. Conversely, at my job (working with emotional and behavioral disordered kids), I have encountered many straight parents who really should not be parents. As I am discovering as a new parent, it’s all about providing unconditional love, support, and guidance to your child.
Rick
April 21st, 2009
2:29 pm
Is there a stat for what % of attempted sac bunts are successful ? I know this is asking for a lot but if a batter tries to bunt on the first two pitches and fouls them off ( sounds familiar ? ), then the bunt is taken off and he grounds out , is that recorded only as a groundout or is there a stat that shows that he failed to get a bunt down ?
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:29 pm
Chipper is too injury prone to look on him and rely on him every game. Like I said earlier, at the end of the season he will have 120 games played, 10 pinch-hitting because of random small nagging injuries. What is even more a shame is our best hitter and clean-up hitter is a Catcher, who will miss 20+ games to “rest” and now anywhere from 5-20 (more???) games if he and we are all lucky at this point due to “blurry vision in left eye” and the #5 hitter is out every other inning with calf, oblique and hamstring tweaking and straining and pulling. that is your 3-4-5 hitters aka your main packed punch. Chipper = Injury Prone McCann = Injured and is a Catcher Anderson = Injured and Detereorating skills……
Sam95
April 21st, 2009
2:29 pm
Hell yeah I called three Lasik doctors and got appointments right away.
McFann…you don’t know that he’s been to the specialist yet. He was supposed to go yesterday and didn’t. Dry spots on my eye doesn’t sound good! I lived outside of DC and I know there are one or two good eye doctors there he could have seen yesterday.MFIN04…I doubt The Braves would allow the Nats to make the appointment for a Braves player.
kirkinga
April 21st, 2009
2:30 pm
This new blog format sure seems to encourage more and more of the type of comments that don’t belong here despite what side you fall on an issue.
It’s like every blog someone has to bring up race, or politics, or crap.
I think the Braves should be plenty enough to talk about.
cphizzle
April 21st, 2009
2:30 pm
thank you fred for providing the dr phil moment of the day now back to our regularly scheduled program…
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:31 pm
Go somewhere else to talk bout gay marriage. We all have an opinion…just keep them to yourself here. End of discussion. If you want to talk about one of the Braves being…gay…by all means…go for it.
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:34 pm
How can any Braves player or fan be gay with all the losing going on the last week or so? I certainly am not!!
TnBrian
April 21st, 2009
2:34 pm
BlawgDawg, still think the drunk midget Furcal could help, but…
The Braves fell into the “we’ll get em tomorrow” syndrome the last few years. Maybe that’ll change in ‘09. Just not ready to say they’re doing this year cause it’s so darn early, but shall see.
ease19
April 21st, 2009
2:36 pm
Guys, concerning McCann, his doctor in Atlanta, who preformed his surgery in 2007, is coordinating the specialist visit. And trust me that his doctor is one of the best eye surgeons in the country.
Bruce
April 21st, 2009
2:36 pm
blawg dawg….. FINALLY! Somebody has the nerve to to come out of the dark closet! I knew you were special!!!
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:36 pm
TnBrian–LOL, here I was thinking you liked Furcal, then you refer to him as a “drunk midget”!! :>)
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:37 pm
Crap, I always screw those emoticons up!! Still a disgrace to McFann…..I’m such a failure…
GJI
April 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
Boiler,
Take that closed-minded, homophobic, offensive crap somewhere else. We don’t tolerate that on the blog.
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
Why dont we fly McCann’s eye specialist to DC…let him get a box at the game tonight…and give him all you can eat hot dogs and nachos…that would get me to the game. Oh that and he could look at Brian’s eyes while he was up in DC.
The Most Interesting Man in the World
April 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
When it is raining, it is because he is sad.
Even his parrot’s advice is insightful.
If there were an interesting gland, his would be larger than most men’s entire lower intestines.
His shirts never wrinkle.
He is left-handed. And right-handed.
Even if he forgets to put postage on his mail, it gets there.
He once knew a call was a wrong number, even though the person on the other end wouldn’t admit it.
You can see his charisma from space.
The police often question him, just because they find him interesting.
He once punched a magician. That’s right. You heard me.
When he orders a salad, he gets the dressing right there on top of the salad, where it belongs…where there is no turning back.
If a monument was built in his honor, Mt. Rushmore would close, due to poor attendance.
Stay thirty my friends,
The Most Interesting Man in the World
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
What’s worse about Chipper at this stage is that even though at the end of the season he will have 120 games played, 10 pinch-hitting, is that those 10 pinch-hits will be right in the midst of one of those nagging injuries. So chances are that he rolls over and hits weak grounders on those at-bats. Just like what is going on right now with him. Sure he is playing with his bruised hand and played a little against Florida too. BUT was he injured and getting about 60-70% of effort? You bet. All of his recent LEFTY at-bats have been weak choppers and grounders. His Triple just happened to find alucky hole and then Adam Dunn. His at-bat in the 9th last night was laughable. He rolls over, looks down, and jogs at 30% to first in the 9th down 1 against Hanrahan and the Nationals bullpen who blew 3 9th inning games the previous 3 games??
It was ingenius to get the 2 most reliable MLB pitchers and the most reliable Japanese pitcher to go with young Jurrjens. It was stupid to go with Glavine and an injury-riddled line-up. Put aside the fluke McCann injury, the fluke Escobar inujury and even the fluke Anderson injuries, you are still day in and day out focusing and relying on Chipper to carry the lineup. The guy who plays in 120 “games” but in reality he gives you 100 solid games a year at this stage in his career. He pinch hit 10 games and in the other 10 games he rolls over balls and plays at about 70%, which is I guess for $15 million a year, admirable, but nonetheless he is hurt in those games and unproductive. You think healthy batting crown chipper hits all grounders when he is at his best? You think healthy Chipper rolls over and grounds to 2nd to start the 9th last night, ho-humming it?? No…
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
2:39 pm
McFann,
McCann’s wife ought to have you knee-capped.
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:39 pm
Bruce–I think I said that I am NOT……not that there is anything wrong with that or anything
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
2:41 pm
“I was kidding! I was only kidding!”
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:41 pm
Who’s hotter looking, McCann, Frenchy, KJ, or the new Matt Diaz?
BlawgDawg
April 21st, 2009
2:41 pm
I know, that was a weak Seinfeld reference…
Tom Hawk
April 21st, 2009
2:42 pm
hoho – Your spot on!
And why are we talking about race, sexuality, and dogs on a baseball blog 2 weeks into the baseball season!? I can understand these subjects if we’re sub 500 in late August, but we’re still chasing the marlins who are a young team that could buckle any given series!
Every team in this division has issues! marlins are young, mets play in a massive ballpark that doesnt fit the dynamics of their team, and phillies need starting pitching! and the nats are the nats.
lets start acting like baseball is a marathon and not a sprint.
P-Town Brave
April 21st, 2009
2:43 pm
Whats the deal w/ Mac anyways? Normally these appt’s are early in the day…
Explain why our crack shot reporters haven’t scooped anything yet?!
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
2:43 pm
The Most Interesting Man in the World,
Most people would rather stay twenty-nine than thirty.
Chuck Norris
April 21st, 2009
2:44 pm
If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars, Chuck Norris has more money than you.
There is no ‘ctrl’ button on Chuck Norris’s computer. Chuck Norris is always in control.
Apple pays Chuck Norris 99 cents every time he listens to a song.
Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open.
Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay’s potato chip.
Chuck Norris is suing Myspace for taking the name of what he calls everything around you.
Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
P-Town Brave
April 21st, 2009
2:44 pm
Tom-
Agreed! The only “dogs” we should be talking about in reference to a baseball blog are the ones in between buns w/ ketchup and mustard, or whatever you like to put on yours
stan
April 21st, 2009
2:44 pm
we are better with Blaine Boyer gone now.. he was as bad as Rietsma!!
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:45 pm
Cool MLB poll:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=3817
Fred
April 21st, 2009
2:46 pm
The Most Interesting Man in the World, That was a classic blog entry. Very funny. Stay thirsty, my friends.
Jim Osteen
April 21st, 2009
2:46 pm
Why doesn’t Carroll get her own logo when she actually writes the blog? Not so transparent to see a mini-byline under a huge column sig.
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
2:49 pm
Stay thirty my friends,
Oh I’m trying, believe me! I don’t know how many more years it will work but I’m doing my best.
Who’s hotter looking, McCann, Frenchy, KJ, or the new Matt Diaz?
Eh.
Tom Hawk
April 21st, 2009
2:49 pm
Hey Chuck, did you know…
Chuck Norris could slam a revolving door
did you know Chuck Norris’s tears can cure cancer? too bad chuck norris doesnt cry…
Ronald Millsaps
April 21st, 2009
2:49 pm
I’d like to see Jordan Schafer atop this lineup. Kelly Johnson is again there and out of place there, but at least this time he’s hacking, whereas last year he looked torn between trying to be aggressive/work the count. He’s good at both, but he serves this team best by hacking away, and therefore, we need him lower in the order (eighth).
I’d like to see him in left field, perhaps, and Martin Prado at second. Matt Diaz still will get plenty of at-bats, as will Garret Anderson.
Jeff Francoeur I’d like to see at cleanup. He said before the year that his goal is to score 100 runs. I admire the goal in many ways, but we need him to try to drive in 100 runs more than to try to score 100 runs.
Jordan Schafer needs to be the guy trying to score 100 runs, and he’s not going to do so batting eighth. I say we flip-flop Johnson and Schafer in the lineup for this very reason, and Schafer, who has very good speed and a very good eye for the strike zone, can be a threat to opposing teams this way. He, not Johnson, needs to be the guy drawing walks.
I do wish Bobby would not give Johnson so many off-days. This lineup needs stability, and right now it seems to be slapped together. Johnson has proven that he can be lethal when batting four times per night consistently.
Tomy Fournier
April 21st, 2009
2:51 pm
Bobby…what????…It’s a big DREADFUL “MORON”…the worse managewr in the “big league”
cityofdecatur
April 21st, 2009
2:51 pm
BOILER- wrong blog go away.
Run Heap Run
April 21st, 2009
2:51 pm
Can we declare a few things common knowledge so they don’t have to be mentioned 174 times per day? I’ll start the list:
1. Chipper is going to miss some games.
2. Chipper is getting old.
Next?
MFin04
April 21st, 2009
2:52 pm
Good point, heap, agreed!
cabravesfan
April 21st, 2009
2:52 pm
McFann-
Don;t get your bird involved…I will just have my dog take out ease19’s cat…no more problems
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:53 pm
“Take this slide and shove it” and “1-6 skid isn’t something team plans on getting used to” ??? These are the 2 headlines on the AJC-Braves page. Thats really comical. Nobody plans on being bad, like the Nationals didn’t plan on being terrible. They just are. And since when does Matt “4th outfielder, I’m swinging at this next pitch even if it’s in the other batters box” Diaz speak for the teams overall determinations and mood? I need to take a break from the chaos that is the Atlanta Braves right now..
Pepperidge Blogs Remembers
April 21st, 2009
2:54 pm
N8 (1:00 pm): “What exactly was the point of posting Coach’s old rants?”
flange1 (April 10th, 2009 4:59 pm): “Hey, do remember the Braveheart post to Coach (the first Cooch I believe) where he told him he would love to pitch to him? That was my favorite post on this blog for 4 years and I can’t find it! Can you help?”
cityofdecatur
April 21st, 2009
2:54 pm
GJI line one was the response BOILER- was looking for
line two was ALL that was needed HERE
ease19
April 21st, 2009
2:56 pm
cabraves – Your puny dog hasn’t a chance!
Heap – 3. It’s all Bobby fault.
Tomy Fournier
April 21st, 2009
2:58 pm
I don’t hate Mr. Moron Cox…but I don’t like the way he is manegering the Team…it’s awful…..FEOOOOOOOO…..FEISIMO….”MORON”!!!!!
Sandlot
April 21st, 2009
2:58 pm
Good point, Run Heap Run.
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
2:59 pm
Sam–
No, I guess I don’t know for sure, but everybody said specifically that he had an appointment at 8 this morning, so one cann pretty much assume he went.
You are right that dry spots don’t sound good. That’s why I’m so friggin’ anxious…and a tad bit agitated (not at anybody, people are doing all they cann)…maybe the doctor was booked yesterday, I don’t know…
BlawgDawg–
No worries! Just keep at it, you’ll get the hang of it!
Chop Chop–
ease19 his doctor in Atlanta, who preformed his surgery in 2007, is coordinating the specialist visit.
He is? How’d you find out?
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
2:59 pm
Run Heap Run
As long as the management and every guy in the everyday lineup plan to count on Chipper every game, then it will be mentioned. They heavily and wrongfully rely on him everyday. There is no Tex to bail him out this year. Chipper’s injuries are being exploited because: A) Management exploited it with the people they put around him and B) The people around him
So we continue….
You don’t think St. Louis fans would blow up if Pujols had the same health issues as Chipper Jones?
hoho
April 21st, 2009
3:00 pm
sorry for the socio-politico-sexuality comments everyone. i know the rules (mostly), but now and then
someone speaks so ignorantly that a response is needed. had Boiler posted somewhere else to begin with I could have stayed out of it. Thanks for the responses form others though.
BRAVES: get out the hittin’ sticks and win some games. C’mon, yeah c’mon!
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
3:01 pm
cabravesfan–
Haha…looks like we got a little food-chain on our hands!
Only there’s nothing for Petey…Nobody has a pet millet plant by any chance, do they?
Supes
April 21st, 2009
3:02 pm
Braves were pathetic last night but man, was it hard to get into that game last night. ZERO major league atmosphere at Nationals stadium. Still, no excuse. They should have won that game!
DOB…How come no 680TheFan Braves reports this year? It was one of my favorite segments on the Buck/Kincade show last year. Learned a lot about the team, etc. They should bring you back!
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
3:02 pm
I don’t co-sign the it’s Bobby Cox’s fault comments. Never have, never will, that is foolish. However, I will co-sign it is foolish to base your whole teams potential success around keeping an injury prone guy on the field. I’ll end it here, but i can’t fathom going through this when he is 38, 39, 40 getting $15 million, eeeeeek!
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
3:04 pm
There is ZERO major league atmosphere at Turner Field 75% of the season. You must play the games as hard as you can anyway, always.
Pepperidge Blogs Remembers
April 21st, 2009
3:05 pm
flange1 (April 10th, 2009 4:59 pm): “Hey, do you remember the Braveheart post to Coach (the first Cooch I believe) where he told him he would love to pitch to him? That was my favorite post on this blog for 4 years and I can’t find it! Can you help?”
Perhaps THIS will refresh your memory:
By Braveheart
September 14, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this
Braveheart , the idea that Chuck James and his mechanics prevent him from throwing a slider or curve is beyond ignorant. You guys obviously don’t teach , play or have much real knowledge of the game. but , I’ll give you credit for trying.
Headless Cooch, once again you are ignorant beyond belief. You have never stood on a mound like myself as an NCAA Division I pitcher and pitched against the top college players in the country. You are the one with zero clue about what you are talking about ONCE AGAIN COOCH. For example COOCH, we could go out to a ballfield right now and I could knock your freaking block off with a rising 88 mph four seamer, then sniper your freaking legs off with an 86 mph two seamer that would wiggle around so much you would pee in your pants trying to catch it and then scare the daylights out of you with a cutter, slider, curve, slurve, and circle change. But that is just when I’m having a catch and toying with chumps like you. and those breaking pitches would be rinky dink compared to what chuck has to throw but good enough to make you crap yourself.
But when I get in the game and start pitching, due to my delivery mechanics, the only pitches available to me were the cutter and the four seamer. I would keep the ball down, down, down. Never gave up a homer off a fastball or a cutter – not even against people who were drafted. But the curve, slurves, and sliders that my coach would make me throw would go out for dingers because they were not as effective when incorporated into my windup style as they were when I was just throwing over the top and having a catch.
Why were they not as effective? Because I threw over the top when having a catch and pitched three quarters and sidearmed when I was pitching and my arm would drag behind me when throwing breaking pitches, causing the breaking pitches to lack bite and just hang there.
So, Cooch, why would I not adjust my mechanics? First of all, because the cutter and the two seamer were my most effective pitches – all grounders down and in or low and away which led to groundballs, fisted pop flys and line drives when I missed my spots.
If I threw more over the top, the two seamer became not available to me. THe cutter became useless because it had to be thrown differently than I was used to throwing it. All I would have then is my four seamer and the curve. My four seamer would be straight as an arrow and never had the same wiggle as the two seamer. The two seamer had much more wiggle, bite, and heaviness to it – like a cannonball hitting the bat. The four seamer went higher in the zone which leads to homers and the four seamer felt as light as a feather hitting the bat from what my teammates would tell me. The curve ball could be left up and hanging for homers from time to time as well COOCH.
Plus, the four seamer looked slower than the two seamer although the two seamer was actually a mile or two or three slower than the four seamer. Why is this COOCH? Because when I was pitching normally, I came three quarters. There was much more deception in my delivery such that the ball was hidden from the batter longer – so that 85, 86, 87 mph two seamer looked like low 90s. It became sneaky fast.
But when throwing over the top and throwing the four seamer which was the only fastball available to me when throwing over the top, there was not as much deception and no wiggle to the ball so the 88 mph fastball looked 83, 84 mph and straight as an arrow.
So, why not change mechanics to suit the pitch you need to throw, COOCH? Because COOCH, if you throw certain pitches while throwing three quarters and certain pitches while throwing over the top, you might as well just call yourself a double agent spy because you are tipping off your pitches.
Oh, COOCH, you have obviously never coached or played or watched this game at any level that is respectable or competitive. You truly are an ignoramus. What a shame to be too ignorant to know just how ignorant you are.
Go look at Peter Moylan Cooch and tell me how many pitches are available for him to throw with his mechanics. Go look at Mariano Rivera and ask yourself why he only has two pitches. Then go look at Chuck James pitch and ask yourself how a sinker or breaking pitch would not just hang all day because of his mechanics. Where would Chuck’s chest high fastballs sink to? Waist high pitches that would get creamed. Go watch Jeff Nelson. What about Glavine?
Some people like El Duque, Smoltz, David Cone, Pedro Martinez are master pitchers who can adapt and change mechanics from pitch to pitch to throw sidearmed, over the top, three quarters to suit their needs or pitch or arm troubles on a particular day.
But ask yourself this COOCH, when Smoltz changes his arm delivery and mechanics when his arm is hurting, how come he starts throwing different pitches than when he is pitching in another arm slot when he is healthy? Because it hurts too much? Sort of. More likely because there are only certain pitch selections available to him depending upon the arm slot he is choosing to pitch with that day.
You gotta observe and analyze people’s windups and deliveries COOCH to understand what pitch selections are available. It is not as easy as saying everyone should be able to throw every pitch. I’m betting that Chuck James can probably throw 5 or 6 pitches when just having a catch. Different story when you start pitching the ball off the mound. Maybe if you actually played the damn game or coached the damn game at any respectable level, you would understand what the hell Scoots and I are talking about.
Damn, once again, COOCH, you are a complete freaking fool.
Choppinmama
April 21st, 2009
3:07 pm
McCann had to be thoroughly vetted before he could see a Dr in the Washington area. Sometimes the FBI is a little slow and it takes more than a day.
Chuck James was Solid until the 6th!!!
April 21st, 2009
3:07 pm
I was solid until the 6th inning.
N8
April 21st, 2009
3:14 pm
In fairness to Furcal (at the time of the alleged signing, I thought it was a GREAT idea – but in hindsight, offensively anyhow, it doesn’t seem like it would have made much difference so far), if you’ve watched the dodgers play, their middle infield defense has been SPECTACULAR to say the least.
Ours? Not so much.
So, worst case scenario, our defense would be improved, and KJ (who hasn’t actually been tearing the cover off the ball lately), wouldn’t be batting leadoff. So it’s not unreasonable to think that having Furcal at 2B and KJ in left wouldn’t have had some sort of impact on the team.
That being said, not sure Wren goes and gets Lowe, if Furcal had been signed, so do the math. Perhaps that would mean that Hanson would have made the club out of spring training?
But the fortunes (one way or another) of this team would definitely be different.
Bay Area Steve
April 21st, 2009
3:14 pm
Random,
looks like you found the first “cooch” reference. But how about Willy Wally saying he would like to pitch to Coach? Are you still working on that? I’d like to get the same laughs as Flange.
Bay Area Steve
April 21st, 2009
3:15 pm
Disregard my 3:14.
Thanks, Random
Nick
April 21st, 2009
3:15 pm
Are we still waiting for a McCann update?
Chop Chop
April 21st, 2009
3:17 pm
The first thing that enters my mind when reading that old Braveheart post is that Coach’s response should have been something along the lines of this:
Well, I guess you should have been on the juice, looser.
BOOM!
Jackson (The Sniper)
April 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Chuck Norris can blow bubbles with beef jerky
Chuck Norris can make a woman orgasm by just looking at her and saying “booyah!”
SoWeGa Fanatic
April 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Let’s see, professional multi-million dollar sports team, multi-million dollar star player, every game counts, yet said star of said team is still waiting on an 8 am appt????
The longer this drags out, the more worried I become for Mac’s future.
Jim H.
April 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
There are a lot of baseball versions of Al Bundy on this blog (you know what I mean?……Al was once a great high school football player, blah, blah, blah).
McFann =Ô=
April 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Choppinmama–
Ha! Yeah…
Nick Are we still waiting for a McCann update?
Yuh-huh.
*bravesfan*
April 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Yes, Nick, still waiting…
Kendawg
April 21st, 2009
3:20 pm
Looks like the Braves will have to fight it out for fourth place this year. They have the best Class A lineup I’ve ever seen. Too bad they’re supposed to have a major league lineup.