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2,351 comments Add your comment
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
12:23 pm
Steve – I thought you were talking about Loaf Anderson too. I didn’t think that sounded like you to be comparing him and JF.
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
12:25 pm
So Wang has been struggling for the longest time. So how do struggling pitchers do against the Braves?
Depends on who they play for. Big time team? Big game? Well…just ask Dice K.
FOX is stupid
June 23rd, 2009
12:25 pm
yesterday’s headline Vazquez not great, but still gets Cubs a win
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/gameTrax?gameId=290622115&refreshRate=30
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:26 pm
David O’Brien………….Good posting at 11:40am. Even when he was struggling early in the season, I wasnt down on him. I posted early in the season that people needed to be patient with Garrett. Given the fact that he was injured in Spring Training and was getting acclimated to a new league, it was not surprising that he got off to a slow start. However, I’ve had a chance to see a lot of Garrett over the years. I live in San Francisco and he;s played a lot against the A’s. Dude is simply a professional hitter. He doesnt draw a lot of attention to himself. He just goes out and rakes the bat.
Yet I was shouted down and ridiculed by most of the posters on here for standing up for Garrett early in the season. I could care less about “if he looks like he is loafing in left field”. As long as he can hit the ball, I’ll take “less than stellar defense”.
Garrett has an approach when he comes to the plate. As he gets more and more comfortable at the plate, I see him putting up more power numbers. What I’m impressed with is his ability to “turn” on a pitch and drive the ball.
Comparing Garrett’s offense to Francoeur’s is an insult Garrett’s offensive abilities. The Braves need offense, particularly offensive power. Jeff Francoeur does not have POWER. He does not rake in doubles or homers anymore. So what if he went 2-4 last night? The Braves NEED power from the right field position in the order. 4 homers in 253 at-bats simply ISNT going to cut it.
The only way I could tolerate such lack of power from the right field position was if he hit .320, drew a lot of walks, and could steal bases. That would make up for lack of power. However, Francoeur is hitting .249, has drawn 12 walks all season, and stolen 4 bases all year. DAMN. Dude is a singles hitter who bats under .250.
However, just because he went 2-4 last night, it means that he is “coming around”, lol?
Yet I get called “dense”, by some of these MORONS on here, lol. I think that it is pretty DENSE to be loyal to a player who has hit 15 homers in his last 852 at-bats, while batting .242. I think that it is DENSE for fans to call for Frank Wren to be fired, despite his miracle retooling efforts in rebuilding this team. I think that it is pretty DENSE for fans to let “past achievements” blind their ability to properly evaluate whether a player is worth re-signing. I remember reading how many fans were so “upset” that the Braves didnt re-sign Smoltz and Hampton in the winter. These same DENSE fans complained about how the Braves gave up too much for a .500 pitcher (Javier Vazquez). These same Dense fans yelled about how Wren “overpaid” for Derek Lowe. More examples of DENSITITY from these fans is when they called for Wren to be fired over his handling of releasing Tom Glavine (in order to put Tommy Hanson in the rotation) and for “giving up too much” for Nate McLouth.
If these DENSE fans will go back and look, they will see that I DEFENDED these moves by Frank Wren. Yet, because I dont “toe the line” when it comes to the “mob mentality” of the truly DENSE FANS on this blog………I get called DENSE, lol.
Well, here’s a news flash for you DENSE fans: I’m not going anywhere. I’m continue to state my case for what needs to be done to improve the Braves. If it falls on deaf ears, then so be it.
As a TRUE BRAVES FAN, I want to see the Braves put out players who will help the Braves win. I could careless about whether someone is a “home town hero” or if they helped us win the World Series back in 1995. This is 2009. Past glory means nothing to me today.
getsomepower
June 23rd, 2009
12:26 pm
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
12:25 pm
So Wang has been struggling for the longest time. So how do struggling pitchers do against the Braves?
Depends on who they play for. Big time team? Big game? Well…just ask Dice K.
it did give me hope that we can keep struggling pitchers struggling after we knocked Dice K around.
Lamar1Banks2
June 23rd, 2009
12:27 pm
Can anyone explain the rational that the Braves should move Javier Vasquez instead of someone like Kenshin Kawakami. I understand that KK was just aquired and the braves risk alienating some of the ansian population, however isn’t KK the more easier piece to move. Vasquez limited no trade and managements reluctance to trade within the division makes it increasingly difficult to trade and the fact that he has pitched extremely well.
Also are the Braves even targeting Japanese players in the near future?
getsomepower
June 23rd, 2009
12:28 pm
After these next 9 games, we’ll know where the Braves stand. We’re 2-2 in the 13 game “killer” stretch. I said 7-6 will keep us in it (preferably 3 of those wins come against Philadelphia). We’ll see.
David O'Brien
June 23rd, 2009
12:28 pm
By the way, Norton went 2-for-4 with a homer in his first rehab game yesterday. Gorecki hit a homer in same game. Just letting you know.
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
12:29 pm
Hi Paul,
No one has been comparing Garret Anderson to Francoeur today.
Sincerely,
Steve
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
12:30 pm
And for all of you prospect huggers out there, the Danville Braves open their season tonight. Hooray!
TBrown
June 23rd, 2009
12:32 pm
Does anyone else get a headache scrolling (wheeling) through Paul’s posts? All that text flying by so quickly..
Prospect hugger
June 23rd, 2009
12:33 pm
steve from OH, you’re a dork
B-rockGT
June 23rd, 2009
12:33 pm
McFann and others
There I added a link to for easy access to get google account so that you can comment
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:34 pm
RHR-
Morning! Can I just say I was as suprised as you were regarding a certain…post?
I liked it though!
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
12:34 pm
Yeah, I am, aren’t I?
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:35 pm
Paul-
maybe you should try reading some of the posts before you comment (or call someone a moron…)
Prospect hugger
June 23rd, 2009
12:36 pm
ya, but we still love your passion
…dork
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:36 pm
David O’Brien……I mentioned this the other day…..do you have any interest in doing an article titled “should Frank Wren be considered as a candidate for the Executive of the Year Award in baseball”?
Given the payroll constraints (plus the fact that Hudson is making $15.5 mil, according to espn.com’s player profile page, while being on the disabled list all season), Frank Wren retooled the starting rotation. Jair Jurrgens is the only holdover from last year (by the way, how did the Braves acquire Jair………..oh by fleecing the Tigers………and who made that trade by the way?). Plus he signed David Ross, which has been a key, given the fact that McCann missed time early in the season due to his eye troubles.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
Handsome Hanson
June 23rd, 2009
12:37 pm
Good morning cabravesfan, about time you showed up, OMG
KennyP
June 23rd, 2009
12:37 pm
DOB, where would you be if you have free Eddie Vedder tickets in one hand (playing tonight and tomorrow) and free Braves – Yanks tickets in another?
Efrim
June 23rd, 2009
12:37 pm
“And for all of you prospect huggers out there, the Danville Braves open their season tonight. Hooray!”
What’s a “prospect hugger”……..
There are none of those here!
prospect hugger
June 23rd, 2009
12:40 pm
i’m here efrim, I hold on to KJ
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:40 pm
Handsome Hanson-
awww, I know it can be hard not talking to me for so long
CB
June 23rd, 2009
12:42 pm
DOB, my apologies first if this comes off as politics, I hope everybody on this blog appreciates our freedom of speech in this country. Our fellow humans in Iran and other countries who are dying for that freedom- may God bless them. We are so blessed.
Efrim
June 23rd, 2009
12:43 pm
“i’m here efrim, I hold on to KJ”
So do I. Except that he hasn’t been a prospect for a while. Martin Prado was a prospect too. Just wasn’t a very good one. At least not in the eyes of most prospect huggers.
Handsome Hanson
June 23rd, 2009
12:44 pm
You got that right cabravesfan. so ready to see Hanson today, ain;t he cute or what?
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:45 pm
Lamar1Banks2……….to answer your question about who is “easier” to trade (Vazquez or Kawakami)…….several factors need to be looked at.
1. the Braves would get FAR MORE in return for Vazquez than Kawakami. While I feel that Kawakami is getting better now that he has had a chance to make adjustments to pitching to the American strike zone……Vazquez is simply a stud. He’s pitching really great ball. Kawakami’s body of work isnt what Vazquez’s is.
2. The Japanese market is something that should not be overlooked. Even if the Braves arent “targeting” anyone specifically right now in Japan……..the fact remains that as time passes, more and more Japanese players will make the move to America. There is talent there and doing anything to hurt your chances on on getting a leg up on attracting talent (you know, stuff like disrespecting a player, particularly when you make such a big deal out of acquiring a player)…..would not be a smart move to make.
Again, I know that Vazquez is the better pitcher. It isnt like I am in a “hurry” to get rid of Vazquez. If the Braves had power and could score runs, I’d love to keep the rotation intact.
However, the question is this? Do we keep the rotation intact (basically giving up on this season because there is NO WAY that we can stay in this race with the offense that we have right now)……or…….do we dangle Vazquez (who is our most marketable trade bait) in an effort to make a trade for that elusive slugger to play right field?
groundfog
June 23rd, 2009
12:46 pm
Face it we are only 4 games out and could not hit much worse. There is hope.
Epinephrine
June 23rd, 2009
12:47 pm
Couch Tater, appreciated. It’s amazing that people express so much frustration with GA, yet have ignored all signs pointing to his resumption of normal production.
But at least it looks like people are coming around.
DAP
June 23rd, 2009
12:47 pm
steve from oh, looks like a few other bloggers (DOB included) had the same thought as me when first reading your posts about “anderson”. hehe.
heathI think Chipper and McCann have actuall been “pitched around” less than a dozen times this year.
youre right about mccann, but chipper gets pitched around ALL THE TIME. guys pitch around him with the bases empty sometimes.
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:49 pm
Handsome Hanson-
I like watching him pitch (great young pitcher) and he’s a Cali kid, so I like him…let’s leave it at that
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:49 pm
Steve from OH………you made a statement earlier today saying “Oh, and if anyone noticed, Anderson’s OPS is lower than Jeff Francoeur’s right now”.
You might want to re-read your 10:21am posting. Anderson as a OPS of .711 while Francoeur’s is .624.
groundfog
June 23rd, 2009
12:50 pm
Francoer is starting to come around a little.It will be interesting to see if Prado starts getting more time-too good to be sitting now.
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:50 pm
TBrown………it must suck having Attention Deficit Disorder. You know, there is medication out there for that. Heaven forbid, I’d hate for you to get a headache trying to read anything longer than 2 sentences.
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
12:51 pm
Hey cabraves, yeah she surprised me! No surprise that she had no comment though lol.
Steve, you should have made that post longer.
Epinephrine
June 23rd, 2009
12:51 pm
Despite the fact that the Braves are 2-3 in their last 5 games, a quality start from Tommy Hanson and a win against the Yanks, I think, will give this team a lot of momentum. Pretty excited about tonight.
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
12:52 pm
I simply cannot comprehend how you can make that statement…
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:52 pm
cabravesfan………dude, I do read the postings. I have read enough “Fire Frank Wren”, “Re-Sign John Smoltz”. “Give Glavine a chance”, “Jeff Francoeur is coming around, “It’s Terry Pendleton’s fault that Francoeur and Kelly arent hitting”, etc. to feel that calling some of these posters MORONS is justified.
THWG
June 23rd, 2009
12:53 pm
Paul- I believe Steve was referring to Josh Anderson (.621 OPS), not Garret Anderson.
Lamar1Banks2
June 23rd, 2009
12:54 pm
Thanks Paul Lentz
Although I don’t want the Braves to offend anyone futher, much less an entire country, should the intrest of the present team contructed (and considering that Chipper will only be around for 3yrs) outweigh the possible alienation that might occur or is that view too short sighted.
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
12:55 pm
A good article from the NY Times about pitching mechanics and Driveline Mechanics, a site that I’m a big fan of. There’s a radio interview with the guy that runs the site. I hope to find it shortly…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/sports/baseball/21pitchers.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=baseball
sri
June 23rd, 2009
12:55 pm
And after his 12:49 comment, he still wonders why he is called ‘dense’.. sigh..
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:55 pm
RHR-
She did comment on the shoes though! (at least in the original post-:lol: )
CB
June 23rd, 2009
12:57 pm
“moron of the year” – proving it more every day:-)
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
12:57 pm
groundfog…………what do you base your “Francoeur is starting to come around a little” statement on?
Oh, I get it, “a little”. After seeing Francoeur bat .242 in his last 852 at-bats while hitting only 15 homers……..I guess that going 2-4 last night could be considered “a hot streak”?
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
12:57 pm
Paul-
I was refering to Steve’s comment that he was talking about Josh Anderson, not Garret- you proceeded to skip right over the 4 or 5 posts where he corrected himself and continued to talk like he had no idea what he was saying…
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
1:00 pm
Lamar1Banks2………..I agree that trying to win, PERIOD, should outweigh “possibly” offending an entire country by trading a player.
However, I’ll go back to “trade value”. Javier Vazquez has FAR MORE TRADE VALUE than Kawakami. Doesnt that make sense?
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:01 pm
Prado needs to play every day at 2nd. He’s earned it with the bat and is better with the glove. He’s just a good scrappy player
groundfog
June 23rd, 2009
1:01 pm
Lentz he is hitting the ball better imo results will come.. we have no choice but to keep him…we won’t get anything for him. Jose Guillen is overpaid and no better
Heath (Cleveland)
June 23rd, 2009
1:03 pm
cabravesfan… how many times have you been called “dude” or “man”?
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:03 pm
groundfog—actually guillen is a bit better, and is on pace for 90+ rbi’s while hitting 20 HRs or so on a terrible team.
Efrim
June 23rd, 2009
1:03 pm
.240/.313/.447 for Ryan Ludwick through 201 plate appearances.
.225/.297/.378 for Kelly Johnson through 222 plate appearances.
Interesting to look at those two guys and the rumor over the winter. Both are certainly struggling this year, although I’d bet many here would still want Ludwick on this team over Johnson. Tough to argue against that.
Handsome Hanson
June 23rd, 2009
1:04 pm
RHR, it’s getting hot wanna hit the pool after the 5mile? I think cabravesfan is down with it.
groundfog
June 23rd, 2009
1:05 pm
Joe.. you want to take on 12 million next year for marginally better results? no friggin way he is ever a Brave.
Willy Wally
June 23rd, 2009
1:05 pm
Prado is not a better defensive second baseman than KJ. Does he look more polished defensively? Yeah, he does. Prado doesn’t look unsure, doesn’t screw up the routine as much, but Prado doesn’t have the range of KJ, who himself doesn’t have much range, especially to his right. Prado is a third baseman defensively with the bat of a backup middle infielder.
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
1:06 pm
Heath (Cleveland)-
I’m used to it by now
I know there are a lot of guys out there that just cannot believe a woman knows as much (or more) about sprots as they do 
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:08 pm
groundfog, what i want doesn’t matter. i also agree that braves probably don’t agree to that type of trade. but guillen is better and for being a third of the way through the season, at least this season would be affordable. but i agree, i dont want him either.
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
1:08 pm
Yes she did, cabraves. I gotta say, shes a sweetheart, otherwise she would dislike me on principle because of how much I love Chipper.
CB
June 23rd, 2009
1:08 pm
cabravesfan, what is a sprots?
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
1:09 pm
cabravesfan………..I see now where he corrected himself. When someone has a last name that is “common” (like Anderson or Johnson), I try to use the first name when talking about the player (like Garrett or Kelly) if no other player on the team has that name.
If a poster happens to mention another player on another team, then it would be wise to post that person’s whole name, particularly if they share a common name with a Braves player (after all, this is a Braves blog), lol. That would eliminate a lot of confusion.
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:09 pm
also, groundfog…guillen is not just marginally better than francouer, he is a lot better than francouer’s track for this year and last year. a lot better. look at what guillen’s done for terrible nats and KC teams the last two years.
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
1:10 pm
RHR, it’s getting hot wanna hit the pool after the 5mile?
Almost as creepy as when Andy was disappointed by DOB not having a deeper voice.
Lamar1Banks2
June 23rd, 2009
1:10 pm
Paul Lentz
Well I agree thet Javier Vasquez has far better trade value. That’s not in dispute on my part. My point is that although we have an excess of starting pitching, which is a great problem to have, I wanted to add that given the “difficulty” of trading Javier Vasquez, that KK might be easier.
I base that on the fact that Erik Bedard and Jake Peavy are off the trade market. And according to Buster Olney Jared Washburn and Doug Davis might be the best frontline pitchers avaiable. Surely KK would be a valuable trade piece to many teams with fewer obtacles that that of Javier Vasquez.
AndyC
June 23rd, 2009
1:11 pm
It will be very interesting to see what kind of crowds turn out for the next 6 games versus the Yanks and Sox. I know the Braves must be counting on these games to make up for the down attendance so far this season. I know the Braves don’t really care who comes to the games but it was kind of depressing to see so many Cub fans at the game last night. It was almost as if they were playing at home.
Someone posted yesterday about how the Braves were making people buy packages to get games to the Yanks and Sox games and how now there are plenty of good seats left for both series. Don’t know if the part about buying packages is true but if it is then they will have no one to blame but themselves if there are empty seats or lots of Yanks and Sox fans at the game.
groundfog
June 23rd, 2009
1:11 pm
Joe he’s not worth 12 million. The Royals are trying so hard to get rid of him, it’s funny watching them try to keep this rumor alive.
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
1:12 pm
CB-
It’s me not proofreading my posts
Happens all the time…
Heath (Cleveland)
June 23rd, 2009
1:12 pm
if you’re hot they won’t call you “man” or “dude” anymore, even if you know your “sprots”
RHR
June 23rd, 2009
1:12 pm
(No offense, Andy. I like you and know you didn’t mean it like that)
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
June 23rd, 2009
1:13 pm
I’m still holding out hope this team can get it turned around. I think they’ll be in the thick of things at the end if for no other reason than I think great pitching gets you wins over the course of the season. However, for this team to actually get in the playoffs they have to start hitting.
Honestly, I’m a little mystified why this offense is struggling so much. There are some good hitters in it. So, what is the problem? Is Terry Pendleton? I don’t think so. I think its Cox. I’m sorry but it is. Cox’s refusal to hit and run and make guys be accountable for poor habits is killing this team. He wants to be all tough with Frenchy how but he should’ve been that way two years ago when kept saying, “he’s going to get going any game now”. I think this approach of not playing small ball is hurting them. They have a team that “small ball” would be best suited for.
I know this. This team isn’t as bad as its record or how its playing. Something is wrong and I don’t think its the players necessarily. Way too many guys on this team who have track records of playing well in other places (Kotchman, Vasquez, Lowe, Anderson) yet this team is sucking. Why in the hell is Kelly Johnson still in the lineup when Prado and Hernandez are playing better? Why is Diaz not in RF everyday when Frenchy is clearly not getting the job done? Why was Jordan Schaefer either not moved to a place in the lineup where he was more comfortable (leadoff) or sent down earlier so he could get backup up to Atlanta quicker? Why? Why? Why?…
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:14 pm
Andyc…my question is, how do 10K cubs fans (if there were even that many) make more noise than 25K braves fan?!?!?! How???
Braves fans are just so relaxed at Turner Field. I bet most of the men there would allow a cubs, yankees, or red sox fan to come up and grab their wife’s arse, and just be like…”cool, dude. whatever.”.
CB
June 23rd, 2009
1:16 pm
cabravesfan, they wouldn’t be so funny if we proofread,lol.
Lars Taint
June 23rd, 2009
1:16 pm
Paul Lentz,
It is really hard to get anything through your thick head. No one is calling you dense for the reasons you just stated. The people who are calling you dense actually agree with you that we could use a power upgrade in right field and that Wren is doing a good job. We are calling you dense because you keep making the same tired and obvious arguments over and over again. You are not bringing anything new to the table. The people here who know baseball already know these things and don’t waste time calling the innocent people around here who don’t know baseball “morons”. There are many other reasons we call you dense.
1) You come on here and make stupid trade proposals and then insult other people for making stupid trade proposals.
2) You claim to watch games on MLB Extra Innings all the time but you thought Nelson Cruz was on the Blue Jays.
3) You say things like “The Rangers owner has shown he is willing to trade away his young stars to take on more salary”, and then when asked for a fact to back it up the best you can come up with is an irrelevant trade that occurred under a different owner 17 years ago.
4) You call people morons for suggesting that we trade Frenchy, when you were saying the same things just two weeks ago.
5) You never pick up on sarcasm.
6) You don’t understand the difference between Josh and Garrett Anderson.
I’m sure the other people on the blog could name several other’s but I am tired of typing.
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:19 pm
Lars Taint @ Paul Lentz,
Bravo! Paul Lentz, you’ve written the same crap 100K times. nobody’s listening anymore because you keep writing that nobodys listening to you 100K times over, and you say the same things ad nauseaum. you also call people names. not cool.
Willy Wally
June 23rd, 2009
1:19 pm
my question is, how do 10K cubs fans (if there were even that many) make more noise than 25K braves fan?!?!?! How??? (JOESHOWANG)
Were you at the darn game? Evidently, you weren’t. The Cubs fans made some noise, but were usually drowned out pretty quickly by Braves fans. Sorry, dude, attend a game once in a while before you mouth off.
Paul Lentz stinks
June 23rd, 2009
1:20 pm
Enough with this Paul Lentz. 500 word posts, constantly repeating himself, INNACURATE salary figures…and this guy thinks OTHER people are morons?
Get your salary numbers right and condense your stupid posts Lentz, you moron. I’ve seen 40 600-word “Francoeur stinks” posts from you in the last three days.
Just type “Francoeur stinks” and then go look at yourself in the mirror for an hour, so we can all be spared.
BUZZMEAT
June 23rd, 2009
1:22 pm
I wish we would cut norton and use barbaro as our new pinch hitter
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
1:22 pm
CB-
that is so true
cabravesfan
June 23rd, 2009
1:23 pm
BUZZMEAT-
Norton is not on the 25 man roster right now
Heath (Cleveland)
June 23rd, 2009
1:24 pm
All:
Can’t we all just get along?
AndyC
June 23rd, 2009
1:25 pm
RHR
You are still busting my you know whats about that!
BUZZMEAT
June 23rd, 2009
1:27 pm
cabravesfan:
I know…… Norton is on the DL and rehabbing. But Barbaro is hiting good in his few days and Norton is under .100 Batting Average all season.
At least snd down Blanco for Barbaro, we dont need 5 OF
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
1:27 pm
groundfog………..I pay attention to a lot of details when I watch a game. For instance, when Nick Green hit that home run on Sunday, many people complained about the fact that it was hit to the shortest part of the ball park……..that it wouldnt have been a home run in any other park in baseball.
However, this ignores other facts. For one, the pitch from Bennett was a hanger. I watched several replays (I have DVR with my Direct TV, and I have the rewind option, even if I’m not recording the game). Bennett hung that pitch.
Second, the ball was hit down the right field line. In another park, it would have at least been a double down the line, possibly a triple (green can run). So it wasnt like Bennett would have escaped trouble.
So regardless, Bennett made a terrible pitch there. The fact that Nick Green made him pay for it is what matters.
Jeff Francoeur does not DRIVE mistakes. Only RARELY. I’ve seen him foul off SO MANY hangers. It’s his inability to PUNISH the hangers by the opposing pitcher that FRUSTRATES me as a fan. Bobby just continuing to throw Francoeur out there is killing the line-up.
Francoeur going 2 for 4 yesterday was meaningless to me. What mattered to me more is when Francoeur pulled a hanger from Johh Beckett foul in the top of the 8th inning on Saturday with runners on 1st and 2nd and 1 out. It was a 2-0 pitch that had “send my a$$ over the Green Monster” tattooed all over it. On the next pitch, he grounded into a double play.
In last night’s game, when Francoeur hit that double (it should have been a single because the centerfielder bobbled the ball to allow Francoeur to go to second), after seeing the replay I shook my head. I heard Joe Simpson and Boog say that “Jeff is really swinging the bat better”. UNREAL. That pitch was middle in. Francoeur should have turned on that pitch and put it out of the park. Instead he hits it up the middle.
I realize that even the best players miss hangers or get singles off pitches that they should hit out of the park. However, it evens out with them because the best players eventually get on a roll and absolutely go on stretches where they CRUSH hangers.
However, Francoeur doesnt go on stretches like that. He may hit one hanger every few weeks for a double……….or one homer a month. However, most of the time he either fouls it off, or whiffs right through it. He simply kills too many rallies.
So while many of you were pleased that he got a “double” in the 4th inning last night, I was disappointed because it should have been a 2 run homer.
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:27 pm
willy wally,
i’d appreciate if you spoke with a little decency and not mouthed off to me. i’m not “mouthing off”. i’ve been to plenty of games at turner in my life, and i have to say it has not always been that way. but lately it is. for instance, i went to the game in which soriano hit 3 hrs, and i almost caught the 3rd one with my hat. atlanta fans had to try very hard to drown out the cubs fans. ive been a braves fan for 17 years, so i do know what i’m talking about.
also, while i didn’t go to last night’s game because i dont live in atl anymore, i watched the broadcast, and im saying what i heard. congratulations, for ACTUALLY going to the game, willy wally. you must feel so special, like you are the only one in the world that does go to games. i bow to you, braves sensei master.
AndyC
June 23rd, 2009
1:31 pm
Willy Wally
I was not at the game so if you were then I defer to you on this, but from watching on tv it seemed like the Cubs fans were making most of the noise. Especially when they got the “Let’s go Cubs” chant going or some variation of that. You could very clearly hear them on tv. Also, in the 9th it seemed like most of the noise was being made by the Cub fans. Like I said, I wasn’t there so I can’t say for certain, but it seemed like the Cub fans were a lot louder than the Braves fans.
Heath (Cleveland)
June 23rd, 2009
1:32 pm
Word of the day for our bloggers:
succint
Isn’t that part of the blogger rules?
Pennski
June 23rd, 2009
1:33 pm
Paul, everyone has the rewind function as a part of the DVR. Don’t make it out to be like you are some kind of a bad ass. doesn’t matter if you are recording it. Moron
TnBrian
June 23rd, 2009
1:34 pm
Paul Lentz, you’re breaking records, man…WOW!
Steve from OH
June 23rd, 2009
1:34 pm
Second, the ball was hit down the right field line. In another park, it would have at least been a double down the line, possibly a triple (green can run). So it wasnt like Bennett would have escaped trouble.
It likely would’ve been foul at Turner Field.
Paul Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
1:34 pm
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)…………I’m totally with you on benching Francoeur and starting Matt Diaz in right. However, once Bobby has it in his mind that a player can “do the job” (even if his play shows he cant do the job), then he is loyal to a fault. Bobby believes in Francoeur. No one is going to change his mind.
Bill Walsh once said, “It is better to get rid of a player a year early………than a year too late”. Francoeur should have been traded this winter. However, that is water under the bridge. Hopefully once the Francoeur saga is over with (hopefully sooner rather than later), then Frank Wren can remember this lesson for future use.
Tomahawkin
June 23rd, 2009
1:35 pm
Paul Lentz…
“Jeff Francoeur does not DRIVE mistakes. Only RARELY. I’ve seen him foul off SO MANY hangers. It’s his inability to PUNISH the hangers by the opposing pitcher that FRUSTRATES me as a fan. Bobby just continuing to throw Francoeur out there is killing the line-up.”
I actually was the First One To noticed that last night, even though the Commentators insisted on praising Francine…
Seriously If He Stays The Team will live and die on his bat…Hence we are at the bottom of the Majors in our Corner-Outfielders Production…
Man I missed the Days (5 Years Ago) where Our Outfielders Production was among tops in the majors…
TnBrian
June 23rd, 2009
1:35 pm
Paul Lentz, I love your passion for the Braves, but I think if you make your posts shorter and to the point quicker, people might take more in of what you’re saying. Just my opinion though.
AndyC
June 23rd, 2009
1:36 pm
joe(shoyo wang)
You do have a point about Braves fans being very laid back. I guess it’s just one of those things about the South where people are just more laid back. Some people equate that with being poor fans but I don’t think that is true.
Paul Marietta Lentz
June 23rd, 2009
1:36 pm
Paul is NOT DP to C for this blog
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:38 pm
AndyC, it has always been that way when the cubs are in town. ive been to cubs games, i went to one of the playoff games, ive been to regular season games. i don’t believe i’m disorting the truth. sure, braves fans make noise, but pound for pound the cubs fans are way more boisterous. that’s fine, i’ve come to realize that this is how it will always be in atlanta. i hope it changes, but i don’t think it will. i don’t see how voicing my opinion, with a little humor and sarcasm, is “mouthing off”.
and by the way…you don’t have to be at the game to hear what’s going on with the crowd. i know the atmosphere at turner like the back of my hand. so do most of the others on this blog, you all know what im talking about. i’m sorry if this particular little truth hurts, but we braves fans as a whole could be more intense. i know i am.
Tomahawkin
June 23rd, 2009
1:40 pm
Andy C…
For the Last 5 years or So Cubs Fans Have turned Tooner Field into Wrigley Field South…You Didn’t Know…? Braves fans always get outnumbered at the Ted
And Add to the Fact That Braves Fans are never in to the game at Tooner Field…That place resembles a(n) amusement park more than a stadium with all the kiddie attractions and All…
Most Braves Fans that ever went to a game at the old Chop Shop know that the Atmosphere is a 180 experience when you compare Tooner Field to 1991-1996 Fulton Co Stadium…
Jackie Treehorn
June 23rd, 2009
1:40 pm
DOB, why do you think Blanco is on the 25-man roster and not Brandon Jones? it’s certainly not for the speed element because Blanco is not an effective base stealer. One would think Jones would be a better pinch hitter/has more pop than Blanco, no?
Heath (Cleveland)
June 23rd, 2009
1:40 pm
Could see some trading action soon?
http://www.cleveland.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/sports/124574599367390.xml&coll=2
joe(shoyo wang)
June 23rd, 2009
1:42 pm
andyc, i never said braves fans are bad either, as i would have to include myself in that kind of statement. we are as a group just laid back. that’s why i wrote my sarcastic comment about the wife’s arse. at least, i thought it was funny and had a point. true braves fans, ie the ones that are showing up to turner field the last few years despite the braves losing…are great fans.
Brian Jordan
June 23rd, 2009
1:42 pm
Do’t you love it when a guy hits a HR on a highlight and I say, “SEEE YOU LATAAAA!”, or “SPEEEEECTACULAR HD” or “He throws that slida down and in.”?
Wow
June 23rd, 2009
1:44 pm
Paul Lentz just got OWNED six different ways at 1:16 p.m. You don’t come back from that kind of thing.