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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,102 comments Add your comment
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:39 pm
There ya go. McLouth gets to a 3-2 count. Wakefield throws a “fast” ball down the middle. McLouth singles.
Steve from OH
June 21st, 2009
1:40 pm
FloridaBrave–What is your take on CJ’s defense? I’ve only seen him play once (for a couple of innings) in the GCL, but I don’t recall any balls being hit to him. I’ve read that he’s limited to LF and is average there…
Agree on your points. Gotta let your players develop at their own individual pace.
Paul Lentz
June 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
David O’brien………..As a Braves fan who realizes that the Braves are on a budget……I ABSOLUTELY hope that the Braves factor Francoeur’s potential $6-7 mil salary arbitration award next year in making a decision on what to do with him…..ALONG with his lack of production the past year and a half.
Also, I STRONGLY feel that Francoeur has virtually ZERO trade value. Do you really think that any team out there is going to give up anything of value for half a season of Francoeur (after all, these other teams also know what Francoeur could potentially be awarded in salary arbitration as well, so they will end up non-tendering Francoeur just like the Braves will if the Braves are stuck with Francoeur at the end of the season)?
I am not against paying players. However I’m totally AGAINST overpaying for unproductive players. The past 3 seasons before this season, the Braves were handcuffed by bad contracts (Mike Hampton being one of them). Last season was BRUTAL. Hampton, Smoltz, Glavine, Hudson, Soriano, Gonzalez all missed significant time last year to injuries.
Frank Wren worked a miracle in rebuilding the Braves starting rotation this off season, while reducing what was spent on starting pitching. The only bad contract the Braves have right now is Tim Hudson’s (because he is injured) $15.5 mil, and that comes off the books after this season.
This off season will be the first off season in quite some time that the Braves wont have any bad contracts. They will have all kinds of flexibility to fix the offense. It is much easier to fix an offense than to fix starting pitching. If the Braves arent able to trade Vazquez for a bat to help the offense, then I’m more thank ok with keeping him (after all, dude can flat out pitch). It will just give the Braves more flexibility to work with this off season. If Tim Hudson comes back and pitches well the last 6 weeks of the season, then the Braves can either pick up Hudson’s $13 mil option (highly unlikely) or decline it and negotiate a 3 or 4 year deal with him at a reduced yearly base (I seriously doubt that Hudson can command a $13 mil a year contract in this economy on the open market, especially coming off elbow surgery).
However what I would do is decline Hudson’s option and keep Vazquez. I’d use the savings from Hudson’s expiring contract to sign a free agent to play right field. You have to remember that not only will the Braves save $14.5 mil (minus the $1 mil buyout from Hudson’s $15.5 mil contract for 2009) by declining Hudson’s option, but they would also save an additional $3.375 mil from this year’s payroll by non tendering Francoeur after this season. With the almost $18 mil in savings by getting rid of Hudson and Francoeur, how many of you think that the Braves would have a hard time finding a power hitting right handed hitting right fielder? Basically, you have to look at it as trading Hudson and Francoeur’s 2009 production for a power hitting right handed hitting right fielder. Now tell me how the Braves can do wrong with that?
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
After getting ahead of Escobar, 0-2, Yunel pulls the ball between 3rd and SS.
A little either way and it would have been a GIDP.
McFann :Ô:
June 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
Don’t even think about getting out, Chipper…
Jeff321
June 21st, 2009
1:43 pm
Chipper fails to get the job done.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:43 pm
Ung. Bad AB for Chipper. Takes a 3-1 “fast” ball down the middle and strikes out looking at a knuckler at the bottom of the strike zone.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:43 pm
Tough call on Chipper, could’ve gone either way. Broke right at the knees. Ump didn’t have to be quite so demonstrative about it, though….
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
Base hit #2!
Let’s go Braves. Come on Chipper!
Louisville brave
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
Nice BMAC!!!!
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
McCann doubles on the first pitch to score McLouth and Escobar.
McFann should be happy with the…um…double.
Paul Lentz
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
I like today’s line-up. Easily our best line-up, given the current make-up of the roster.
Chipper was hosed on that call. Home plate umpire has been calling it against the Braves the last 2 days.
Nice rip McCann. That matches Francoeur’s double total for the month of June. 2-0 Braves.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
I can see why he has 9 wins.
He gets away with murder. What a bunch of ****.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:44 pm
I was wondering if the mist might affect McCann with the glasses. So much for that. Dude is good at baseball.
cabravesfan
June 21st, 2009
1:45 pm
Mac just missed that one…but I’ll take the double
kirkinga
June 21st, 2009
1:45 pm
Good job McCann, picking up Chipper and getting those runs in.
McFann ;Ô;
June 21st, 2009
1:45 pm
2-RBI DOUBLE!!!!!!!
That’s his first hit with men on first and second, BTW! Ah! Glad to have that monkey off his back…
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:45 pm
Yeah baby!
I hate those ground rule doubles. Big break.
Love it.
McFann ;Ô;
June 21st, 2009
1:46 pm
abwright–
You bet!
cabravesfan–
Me, too.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:47 pm
Come on Garrett.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:47 pm
Bob Ryan’s sitting right in front of me. He’s pretty loud. I like having him here. Old school.
Chop It Up All-Star
June 21st, 2009
1:47 pm
Casey could really use a few more push-ups in his work out routine.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:48 pm
Anderson flies out to right after a long AB. Kotchman hits a fly ball up into the wind and flies out long to right.
JJ, there’s your runs. Pitch a shut out and you can get win #6.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:48 pm
I’ll take two runs.
A ground rule double would have ruined my day there. At least we got two runs.
bravefaninok
June 21st, 2009
1:49 pm
jason
June 21st, 2009
1:39 pm
Speaking on Huddy. I love him. Favorite pitcher on the team. However, I would not worry to much about him. We have a solid rotation. I would like to be surprised by him this year. I am worried more about the offense. It is great watching him goof off in the dug out during games though.
Timmy is a good hitting pitcher!
McFann ;Ô;
June 21st, 2009
1:49 pm
DOB–
He sure is!
And hey, he had 6 doubles coming into June, and he’s hit 6 this month. So in June, he’s doubled his double total!
Mitchell–
Oh man, that would have stunk if it woulda bounced over the fence…
joe
June 21st, 2009
1:49 pm
Came out swinging today. I too think Jeff had some good AB’s last night. Hope JJ pitches a GEM on national TV
FloridaBrave
June 21st, 2009
1:50 pm
Steve,
I’ve heard nothing good about his defense- in fact, I’d say it’s below average. He DH’s in Myrtle Beach but if the Braves want him to develop, I don’t know why they don’t throw him out there in LF and have him work on it.
I hope the Braves get someone working with Johnson in the off-season like Hubbard did with Kelly, otherwise we really can’t put Johnson in our future plans.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:52 pm
Not good.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:52 pm
Jurrjens not used to pitching with run support. Thrown him off his game.
Steve from OH
June 21st, 2009
1:52 pm
Dave–I listened to your radio interview from yesterday and the comment that you made about the front office rather than Liberty setting the payroll really got my attention. Does Liberty set an absolute max payroll, or do they just trust McGuirk and Schuerholz to not break the bank? I found that to be really interesting.
I also got a kick out of your comments about the Braves’ walk-up music. Pretty funny stuff. I agree w/you though, a lot of it is terrible.
TnBrian
June 21st, 2009
1:52 pm
JJ don’t need to throw sliders… they usually slide right in the middle.
I heard Wakefield was having a girl…congrats Tim.
Soph
June 21st, 2009
1:52 pm
That was a strike Mr. Drew.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:53 pm
JJ gets a low strike three call on JD Drew. I guess that neutralizes the call against Chipper (although CJ would have loaded the bases and Kotch’s fly ball would have scored him).
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
JJ boots a nubber to the mound to put men on 1st and 3rd with one out.
Jeff321
June 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
Not very impressive on that one Jair!
Tomahawkin
June 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
Another Error!
cabravesfan
June 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
Fielding balls like that might be a little tricky today
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:56 pm
*** **** it.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:57 pm
JJ might have been a vitcim of wet field/ball on that one. Didn’t stick in his glove like he’d expected….
Steve from OH: You heard that interview, huh? I liked those hosts on that show. As to your question, McGuirk insists that he/Braves front office set the payroll and not Liberty, that Liberty trusts their judgment.
Steve from OH
June 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
Thanks, Dave. I hadn’t heard that before. Good stuff.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
Fly ball to Blanco for the second out. Pedroia tags at third and scores. Youk stays put at first. Should have been the third out of the inning.
The Lammer
June 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
Only thing the Braves do is give Jair a Lead…then he will proceed to give it right Back
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
That’s not good.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
That was hit directly into a stiff wind. Impressive.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Ortiz just homers to put the Sox on top, 3-2.
Tomahawkin
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Man That Error Hurts!!!
RHR
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Tough break for JJ on what should have been a GIDP from Youk.
Soph
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Ay-yi-yi. Run support down the drain. Come on JJ.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
1:59 pm
Put it on a tee, Jair. Right down the gut, knee-to-belt high to Ortiz, straight fastball, no movement.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
**** this ****.
kirkinga
June 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
Big Papi does what you’re supposed to do with a fastball down the middle.
Paul Lentz
June 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
Jair Jurrgens doesnt have it today. This is going to be a high scoring game today for both teams. Looks like it is going to be a battle of the bullpens.
Edward
June 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
Its a fricking hit parade..
McFann :Ô:
June 21st, 2009
2:00 pm
Oohh…bad word.
Funny thing…when the pitcher makes the error, shouldn’t the runs still be earned…?
Soph
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
Yeah Jair. Re-group dammit.
McFann :Ô:
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
Well, not that I want them to be earned…didn’t mean for it to sound that way.
cabravesfan
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
RHR-
Pedroia was on 2nd, chances are it only would have been one out- but it would have made Bay’s fly out the 3rd instead of the 2nd…
Jurrjens4NLCY
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Get Jurrjens the FCK OUTTA THERE!!
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
David Ortiz weighs more than the wind, not really impressive.
keylargo
June 21st, 2009
2:01 pm
31 pitches.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:02 pm
Hope JJ settles down after that inning. Second inning will be the second time through the order. 31 pitches and he won’t be around to see the fifth if he doesn’t get his act together.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
2:02 pm
All three runs unearned — but obviously Jurrjens has no one to blame but himself for those three unearned.
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
Yeah cab, tough break anyway. Maybe we’ll take our time here with JF and KJ out of the lineup and give JJ some time to regroup.
joe
June 21st, 2009
2:03 pm
This game is winnable, we hit the ball hard off the flamethrower Wakefield and his pansy pitches.
richbrave
June 21st, 2009
2:04 pm
Come on JAIR, all three runs on you. Hanging slider inside half and belt high, error when there was no need to rush, and grooving a fast-ball to BIG PAPI. No way our offense can compete with that. Settle down.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
Prado leads off the second with a double. He waited and waited on that very slow, outside pitch.
Ross gets a chancet to get the Braves back even.
SF Lad
June 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
Starting 2B 2010!! PLEASE!
Soph
June 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
Good job Marteeeeeeeeen.
TnBrian
June 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
Alright nerdy Boog, enough of the nerdyness! For God’s Sake! JJ looks awful, but he’s not looked JJ-like in a few weeks now. Maybe he settles in a little.
cabravesfan
June 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
RHR-
fortunately Wakefield isn’t exactly sharp either…
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:06 pm
How old is Wakefield? And Lowell? Man those guys look well over 40.
David O'Brien
June 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
Chipper’s hit .158 with no RBI in his past 10 games before this one, by the way.
Tomahawkin
June 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
Blanco Blows! He needs to be in AAA, For Real!!!
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
Ross grounds out without advancing the runner.
Blanco lines out to Kotsay. No advance on Prado. Throw an anchor out there, young man.
Soph
June 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
Man Kotsay’s got a pretty good glove at first.
Jurrjens4NLCY
June 21st, 2009
2:07 pm
Ok, Jurrjens is no longer my favorite Braves pitcher, Wakefield is. I smell an 12 run blast from the Braves, remember when it rains it pours, in terms of hitting.
joe
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
nothing wrong with blanco’s and clouts at bats. again 3 out of 4 hitters hit the ball hard
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
McLouth hits it hard, but Drew runs it down.
This is your 2009 Atlanta Braves.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
At least my boy Gregor makes contact. Unlike Schafer.
Edward
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Waste of a leadoff double….what a surprise.
Chop It Up All-Star
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
If Jair can get in a groove, the Braves should be able to win this one going away; they are swinging the bats pretty well.
Soph
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Not sure about Lowell but Wakefield is 42 according to what Joe Simpson said at the beginning of the game.
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
2:08 pm
Blasphemy!
kirkinga
June 21st, 2009
2:09 pm
No A-B-C ball today I guess.
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:09 pm
Boston has more butts in seats in the rain than the Braves have on a cloudless 75 degree day.
Way too quick an inning. Hope JJ is settled.
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:09 pm
Thanks Soph, I can look it up, I just thought some might know without looking.
joe
June 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
wakefield (as a pitcher) is such a schmuck.
Unknown
June 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
First off, Kotchman has absolutely NO POWER!! Secondly, JJ has majorly sucked his last 5 or so starts, time to trade him for a power hitting OF.
RHR
June 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
Lowell is 35? GTFO no he’s not. There is no way I’m 3 years older than him are you kidding me? He looks as old as my dad.
cabravesfan
June 21st, 2009
2:10 pm
The team has hit some very hard balls this series- Sox have just played some great defense…
Soph
June 21st, 2009
2:12 pm
Haaaaa @ what RHR said about Lowell. You’re hilarious.
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:13 pm
Jeez! Green and Pedroia hit the ball on the nose for outs. McLouth catches and easy fly ball and drops the ball, fortunately on the transfer, so the out is recorded.
Did the Sox put butter on this thing?
Random
June 21st, 2009
2:13 pm
nolie (June 21st, 2009 10:57 am): “c’mon dude, posturing and pandering is where it’s at.and girly giggling is just plain fun. gotta stay in touch with your feminine side dontcha know”
Yeah, yeah — I’m prob’ly just poutin’ ’cause I been left out.
varodrunner (June 21st, 2009 11:10 am): “[he] does seem to be a bit obnoxious”
Thanks for the benefit of the doubt. Seriously.
PS: are you “on the rod again”?
FloridaBrave
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
I hate to see leadoff doubles wasted. It’s one thing not to be able to move a guy over to 3rd again a strikeout pitcher like Tim Lincecum but Tim Wakefield?
Atlanta’s situational hitting really is a joke.
TnBrian
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
God, what’s wrong with JJ lately? Everbody is hitting him hard, except Youkilis on that dribbler. Could it be fatigue?
Mitchell
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
What is with the f’n guy!
Take your time ump.
JasonInFL
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
a couple of JJ’s pitches have been right down the middle…and not the ones that have been hit…but called for balls…
joe
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
Did anyone else read on the mlb.com website that the Royals are scouting Francouer?
abwright
June 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
Easy ground out to Prado to end the inning. Much better for JJ, although two of the balls were tagged.