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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,112 comments Add your comment
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2009
11:33 am
Someone had an interesting quote from a scout regarding Hanson. It was posted yesterday, but I forgot the screen name, so can’t find it.
Anyway, meant to say at the time that I’m surprised we hadn’t heard such a comment until now. When I first saw Hanson pitch in the Arizona Fall League, that was the thing that I immediately noticed, that short-arm delivery. (Well, that plus the fact that no one out there could do anything against him.)
I have no idea if it makes him more susceptible to injury or less susceptible. No idea at all. But I’m just surprised that no scout or team official had been quoted as having any concerns about it until now. And believe me, I asked several of them. Usually team officials gave me a look like, hey, his arm action really isn’t unusual. When, to me, it is.
Again, I have no idea if it’ll affect him long-term, if it’ll be a problem. For all I know, it might have no effect or even a positive one. But it is different, and I can certainly see where a scout would believe it might possibly lead to injury after a few years, because of the fact he doesn’t have the smooth, long, reach-back motion of a lot of power pitchers, and because of the intense snapping action required to throw his curveball, etc.
I just thought it was an interesting observation. I hope for Hanson’s sake there was nothing to it, too. He’s a good guy who obviouisly has a really bright future, long as he stays healthy.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:33 am
DAP @ 11:28–
THanks for the numbers!
almost all of his RBIs (27 of 28) were gained by hitting a double.
Where’d you find that one?
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:34 am
ncscoots, You got me there. I agree. I think I said that before about ATL being a bunch of and 7 hitters.
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
11:35 am
beckett wont be as sharp tonight hopefully, we just got to keep doing what we were doing against the yanks as far as the offense goes
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:36 am
cphizzle we just got to keep doing what we were doing against the yanks as far as the offense goes
Well, some players may want to do things a little differently…
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:37 am
Kotchman, an updated version of Dave Magadan…
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:37 am
Enter your comments here
monty
June 26th, 2009
11:38 am
I think McCAnn tried to do too much last night with runners on and was over aggressive. THere are times when a single to the opposite field is all they are going to give you and you aren’t going to hit a Hr on breaking balls down and away. Brian knows that as well as anyone but I believe he just wanted to put the team on his shoulders.
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
11:39 am
mcfann are you referring to mr. mcann?
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:40 am
monty, In truth, Chipper should have hit a 3 Run HR before BMac had to come up. That was his spot there.
getsomewins
June 26th, 2009
11:42 am
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:37 am
Kotchman, an updated version of Dave Magadan…
Good comparison, but Magadan hit for a much higher average. Magadan incidentally, is the Red Sox hitting coach.
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:42 am
In that inning ATL should have came away tied at the very least. They came away still 2 down. Chip and Bmac coming up runners in scoring position, 1 out. That should have been an explosive inning.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2009
11:44 am
Luke, as we’ve written several times in recent weeks, Hudson is making steady progress and getting close. He’ll be ready to throw batting practice soon. Still aiming for a return to Braves in mid-August. Last time I asked Bobby Cox, the bullpen wasn’t really being considered. Maybe that’s changed, but at the time Hudson said it was just something he had thought about himself and mentioned to reporters, not something he’d discussed with the team. I expect he’ll follow normal rehab schedule of making minor league starts and returning to starting rotation. But no, I don’t know how that would work, who’d be pushed aside, etc, if that were the case. Usually, these things take care of themselves, either because someone is hurt or not pitching well or whatever.
If that’s not the case here, if everyone’s healthy and throwing well, then Hudson or one of the others could be a bullpen candidate, because you certainly would want him contributing once he’s healthy. But I do believe Braves would want him starting, not just because that’s what he’s always done and a regular schedule is best for rehab, but also because they’d like to see him pitch before deciding on that $12 mill option for next season.
getsomewins
June 26th, 2009
11:44 am
Braves caused Pettitte to make a lot of pitches and knocked him out in the 4th inning. Yes they need to keep that up.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:44 am
Monty–
I think I cann go along with there…I WOULD HAVE TAKEN A SINGLE!!
cphizzle mcfann are you referring to mr. mcCann?
Yes.
Jason Chip and Bmac coming up runners in scoring position, 1 out. That should have been an explosive inning.
Yeah…it should have…
getsomewins
June 26th, 2009
11:44 am
Usually, these things take care of themselves, either because someone is hurt or not pitching well or whatever
I know who’s not pitching well…Jeff Bennett.
Mike S
June 26th, 2009
11:45 am
DOB, that’s funny. The two guys i went to the game with on Tuesday — who hadn’t seen Hanson pitch before — the first thing both of them (both former high school/college pitchers) said was “man, that guy really short-arms it!”
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:45 am
If Kotchman could get healthy, I could see him as a .300 hitter. Maybe not .320-.330 like I remember Magadan. I like him hitting eighth. He doesn’t K to much. Good contact hitter with 2Bs power.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
11:45 am
Dave, I was suprised to read that too, as I haven’t read any quotes about him havig a bad arm action, and I’ve only read positive reviews of it. IMO his arm action up to and during his release is fine–I just think he gets a little lazy with his glove side and that causes a bit of a rough decelearation on the arm. I think he has much better mechanics than a Mark Prior or an Aaron Crow…
DAP
June 26th, 2009
11:45 am
mcfann
almost all of his RBIs (27 of 28) were gained by hitting a double.
thats actually not true. sorry mislead you! somewhere in my brain i made a leap, but that is a false stat. sorry about that.
Klaus
June 26th, 2009
11:47 am
DOB – I do think the scout observation is legitimate especially for the curve balls. Breaking stuff, curves etc inherently put a lot of strain on the pitcher’s arm. Add a vicious snap to the wrist due to Hanson’s dart throwing style could add to that stress.
I also wonder if his style will allow experience ML hitters to better predict his pitches.
I think for Hanson to have a long career with no major injuries he is going to have to smooth and extend his delivery.
I cannot see how a power dart thrower will be able to stay healthy in the bigs.
JEFF
June 26th, 2009
11:48 am
wow dont know what to say 2 great games and poof the team is back to normal. Derek Lowe is not an ace guys …. we need tim hudson back and better than ever. Javier vasquez is our ace this year, but this team doesnt score many runs for him at all. but i will say it again..bobby cox just needs to go . heres why. ok you bring medlen on to pitch he has first and third no one out .ok he gets a k and pop out.. the 8th place hitter and u have him 2-2 and we call for a stinkin fast straight down the middle and whammooo a deep drive to left center.. and you have andy pettite on deck.. who was laboring pitching and was dead tired.. walk ransom and pitch to petitte and boom ur out of the jam.. and then you bring in moylan who cant get anyone out.. this bullpen needs true arms guys who are known for coming in to get big outs not hosers. so welcome back to 4 games under and soon to be 5 under.. we in no way will win against josh beckett and dont see us winning this series as well.. this team hasnt won a series since sweeping the blue jays in may.. is there something wrong with that picture YESS.. hello cox is not untouchable. get some life into this team… i just watched the highlights and it was stupid.. lowe just needs to right his ship and fast he has allowed 17 runs the last 3 games thats awful for a guy who is getting 60 million.. wow just dont really care for this team at all.. least a good friend of mine is doing very well for the tampa bay rays.. go tampa for the remainder of the season. its time people to say goodbye to bobby cox..
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:49 am
McFann Ô, I out the fault of that inning on Chipper. He was beggin for a walk. He was not even looking for a pitch to drive. He is the team’s leader. Their best hitter. He should have hit a 3 run HR or at least a 2B in that situation. I am Saying that if he does that and BMac follows with a HR. Just my opinion though.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:50 am
DAP–
Ah! No sweat…but watch yourself in the future!
Renegator
June 26th, 2009
11:52 am
Are we looking at another shut-out tonight against Beckett?
ncscoots
June 26th, 2009
11:53 am
I just think he gets a little lazy with his glove side and that causes a bit of a rough decelearation on the arm.
Steve-OH, I think that says it exactly, good call.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:53 am
Jason–
You have to keep in mind, like Chipper supposedly said in a radio interview, teams are gonna continue to pitch around him until McCann and Anderson start hitting. (I wish this Blog had a “puke” emoticon.)
Wait…which inning are we talking about–the eighth? Just want to be sure…
Driveline Mechanics - Tommy Hanson
June 26th, 2009
11:54 am
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/12/12/690731/pitching-mechanics-tommy-h
jason
June 26th, 2009
11:55 am
No, earlier, the 4th I think he walked against Pettite. I think that radio show was a rerun. I could believe that back when BMac was going through the vision problems. Loaf wasn’t hitting at that time. That’s what I want to think anyway.
Anders
June 26th, 2009
11:55 am
DOB- One of the Mets announcers (or maybe it was Bob Ojeda in the studio) mentioned that Hanson had a “violent arm rip” to his motion. It seemed a little disconnected to the rest of his motion. The announcer said while it may be nothing it certainly warrants keeping an eye on. I only bring this up because of your 11:33 post.
fleming
June 26th, 2009
11:56 am
jason – He was beggin for a walk. He should have hit a 3 run HR
And he could have swung at one of thosepitch around pitches and grounded weakly into a DP
Jackie Treehorn
June 26th, 2009
11:56 am
Hey David, what is McLouth like in the clubhouse? Does he seem to be getting along well with his new mates?
And what do you make of Chipper’s comments to the writer from Foxsports.com, where he essentially says he feels like baseball is not the top priority for a lot of the Braves?
I’ll hang up and listen.
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
11:58 am
mcfann…come on now mccann will be fine he did hit that blast in his last ab. every player is gonna go through funks, its apart of it and a long season
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
11:58 am
Jason No, earlier, the 4th I think he walked against Pettite.
Right! Duh…sorry.
I hope that radio show was a rerun! If not, then I lost a lotta respect for Chipper. Whew! I hadn’t thought about it being a rerun…that’s what I’m gonna think, now, unless someone proves to me that it wasn’t. Thank you!
semiballcoach
June 26th, 2009
11:59 am
if kelly johnson has a higher batting average against lefties, why not let him start in order to give him a chancce to find his stroke…
hanson= russ ortiz?
Anders
June 26th, 2009
12:00 pm
The Lowe vs. Perez deal is looking a lot more even then it did about a month ago. With the way Lowe has been hurling (I mean pitching by that)if the Mets can keep Perez on the DL the deals might be about even by the end of August. Taking the $ and contract length into account of course. {:
This is meant as a joke. Save your wrath.
Original Jon
June 26th, 2009
12:00 pm
You all should take a look at Tommy’s mechanics and see what you think.
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/12/12/690731/pitching-mechanics-tommy-h
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
12:01 pm
cphizzle–
Yeah…he’s got Robertson’s number. But…why…arg…
I know every player goes through funks, but my gosh–4 swinging K’s in two games? Something ain’t right–hope I’m wrong, but it just seems that way.
Adam
June 26th, 2009
12:03 pm
If the Braves keep losing series and if the Nats keep winning series do you think we can make a serious run at the cellar?
That season-ending series could be huge!
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:03 pm
fleming, I want to be clear. I was talking about his body language. And also not just a HR. A single or a 2B scores 2. He just didn’t look right in that situation. He always comes up looking to drive the ball in those types of situations.
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:04 pm
McFann Ô, I agree. Something just doesn’t look right with BMac.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
12:08 pm
Jason–
Ye-ah…
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
12:09 pm
could mccanns recent struggles be related to him shaving the beard and goin with the goat???
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:10 pm
cphizzle, Bring back the beard, bring back the beard!!!
CB
June 26th, 2009
12:10 pm
What doesn’t look right about McCann is what everybody who ever batted goes thru, he’s in a mini-slump,lol, don’t worry about Mac, we have enough other issues that are worse.
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:12 pm
CB, He must have never been a slump before. To me he looks worse than when he had the vision problem.
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:13 pm
Oh CB, and yes BMac is the Least of our worries as Braves fans.
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
12:16 pm
somebody get in touch with his wife and send word to the clubhouse to hide the shaving cream and razors operation bring back the beard has begun
CB
June 26th, 2009
12:16 pm
Yeah,Mac is batting .324 with a .950 ops,give me a team of thode,lol.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
12:18 pm
Testing…1-2-3…testing…1-2-3…
jason
June 26th, 2009
12:22 pm
Just don’t get like Frenchy. In a weeks apn he went clean, beard goatee, and clen again. Unfortunately, neither one helped to much….
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
12:22 pm
CB–
Yeah, he is the least of our worries. But I’ve never seen him look quite like this at the plate–too many swings-and-misses. It’s really odd…
he’s in a mini-slump,lol
“LOL”?
And yeah, I’m all for him growing his beard back. That has nothing to do with the K’s, but I like the full beard better…
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
12:23 pm
Craig Kimbrel has been promoted back to Myrtle Beach, btw. Worked a scoreless inning last night, walking 1 and striking out 2.
GLB
June 26th, 2009
12:25 pm
has anybody picked up Willy Mo yet? The guy has proven he can hit, and for power.
getsomewins
June 26th, 2009
12:27 pm
Renegator
June 26th, 2009
11:52 am
Are we looking at another shut-out tonight against Beckett?
I’d like to think we would do better against him because this is the second time we’re seeing him.
RHR
June 26th, 2009
12:27 pm
. I still believe our offense is getting better
Agree. I’m interested to see if it’s just the usual “playing well vs a good team” aberration. Hope not.
Even with a lost last night, you just got to love last nights lineup. It was so pretty I predicted we would score at least 5 runs and we did. Having Prado batting 2nd and Yunel (great contact hitter) to protect Mc is just awesome.
Agree. loved that lineup, loved the not going down without a fight they’ve shown over the last 2 games, games which I might remind everyone that our starters only got thru 3 innings. The only bad thing about that is? Kelly is the starting 2b so don’t get used to that lineup.
Im starting to get worried about Lowe, I know he has not been horrible, but he has not been fooling anyone last 5 games, lots of jams last 5 starts or so.
Yep. I like Lowe a lot, I watched him several times last year with my dodger friends, I know he’s a workhorse, I know he has the stuff, just not real sure where it is right now… one bad start you know, even the best have off days, 2 bad starts, ok..maybe it’s just the lineup he’s facing, 3 and 4 bad starts? I can’t help but think ‘Hmmm how far away is surgery?’ Hope I’m wrong but even KK adjusted faster than Lowe has and KK had never pitched a game in this country.
njbraves
June 26th, 2009
12:32 pm
I love how no matter who Bobby brings in from the pen, most on here think it’s the wrong guy. There are only so many guys out there!! He can’t bring Sori or Gonzo in in the 5th inning. The bullpen is garbage folks. I don’t trust anyone out there except for the above two guys. You can only work with what you have.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
June 26th, 2009
12:37 pm
I don’t know what to say about this team. Something isn’t right. Something is off. I think part of it is waht Chipper said yesterday. This team goes on the field “hoping” to win instead of expecting to win. But, whatever it is they need a fire lit up under them and I don’t see anybody lighting that fire that is currently in authorative positions in that dugout.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
12:39 pm
Oh, goody! McCann is 3-14 with 4 strikeouts against Becket, 2 of those K’s coming last Saturday!
Ha! And not like the rest of the team did anything against Becket…ah boy…why do they have to face him again?
DAP
June 26th, 2009
12:46 pm
original jon, in some of those clips on your linked page, it looks like hanson’s delevery alters a bit. the secdon one down looks much more fluid than the top on, and even he top one looks more fluid to me than what he has been doing up here.
so far to me, in the four game he has pitched, it almost looks like he stops with the ball up by his ear, and then launches it. which, i agree, probably isnt good for a starter expected to thorw 100 innings at least per start.
but in the videos on your link, it doesnt look quite as short-armed.
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
June 26th, 2009
12:46 pm
McFann Ô,
It just means Mac is due against Beckett. The Braves have put up some good offensive numbers the last 2 nights, they haven’t won, but at least the offense seems “awake”.
PWHjort
June 26th, 2009
12:49 pm
DOB,
Here’s another good one on Hanson’s mechanics:
http://www.baseball-intellect.com/scouting-tommy-hanson/
cphizzle
June 26th, 2009
12:54 pm
DOB…i was a the ted here recently and took the tour. i went into the press box and seen the letter AJC i said honey take a picture its DOBs throne…you got a pretty sweet seat
Shaun
June 26th, 2009
12:56 pm
I don’t know what to say about this team. Something isn’t right. Something is off.
It’s offense particularly from the outfield that has been off so far this year. But Anderson and Francoeur have played well of late and you see that they are scoring some runs.
Still, with some of the worst outfield production, Kelly Johnson having an aweful year and Casey Kotchman having a sub par year being only four games back is a good thing. I see no reason to believe Johnson and Kotchman can’t start hitting up to their career norms over the rest of the season and Anderson can’t be solid. A lot of course depends on Francoeur and/or whether they can somehow find one more bat without giving up too much.
I like the position the team is in now but things could go either way. It depends on what the Phillies and Mets do, and whether the aforementioned players can improve.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2009
12:57 pm
its time people to say goodbye to bobby cox… – JEFF
What if he comes back next season? Should we just continue to say goodbye to him on a regular basis?
Coach ( 2010 or Bust)
June 26th, 2009
1:00 pm
Think about this for one just a minute.
We went out and got Nate McLouth. Our Braves are 10-12 since McLouth was added. He has had ZERO impact. How bad can one team be when they go out and add an All-Star gold glove outfielder, and his addition gets sucked into the black void that is the 2009 Braves with no visible improvement to the roster.
Shaun
June 26th, 2009
1:00 pm
DOB, don’t you know that Bobby Cox completely forget how to manage sometime between the end of the 2005 season and the beginning of 2006? (Sarcasm alert.)
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
1:04 pm
Buffalo NY Braves Fan–
I think the entire team is due against Becket.
they haven’t won, but at least the offense seems “awake”.
Most of it, anyway…
Coach ( 2010 or Bust)
June 26th, 2009
1:04 pm
OFFENSE?
We scored fifteen runs against the Stankee’s and still lost two out of three.
PWHjort
June 26th, 2009
1:04 pm
This team can not win anything of consequence with Fr4nc000r in the line-up. The sooner the Braves FO realizes this, the better.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
1:05 pm
Sorry about that last one.
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
June 26th, 2009
1:05 pm
Coach ( 2010 or Bust),
Ummmm that would be an average of 5 runs a game. I didn’t say anything about winning the games, just said that the team has been scoring runs.
MFin04
June 26th, 2009
1:06 pm
Problems with the Braves still looming-
Garret Anderson’s defense costs us more runs than he scores/produces.
Chipper Jones is the worst fielding third baseman in the Majors
Jeff Bennett should be released about 2 months ago, now is the perfect time/excuse
Overall this bullpen has TONS of flaws.
Bobby Cox has got to go after this year. He just doesn’t know how to win with this current team and he certainly doesn’t know how to manage/use a bullpen effectively.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
1:07 pm
Coach We scored fifteen runs against the Stankee’s and still lost two out of three.
That was our pitching/defense’s fault.
Shaun
June 26th, 2009
1:08 pm
Coach, why do you and other insist on simplifying a player’s impact by judging the team’s performance before and after that player arrived? There are a lot of variables that go in to why a team may not play as well over certain periods of time. We shouldn’t jump to the ridiculous conclusion that McLouth has made no impact. The Braves were at .500 when McLouth was traded. They are 10-12. Chances are they’d be worse than 10-12 in that stretch with Schafer. And 22 games doesn’t tell us much at all about their chances to contend for a playoff spot. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. But let’s not draw conclusions based on what they’ve done in only 22 games with McLouth.
getsomewins
June 26th, 2009
1:10 pm
I don’t know why everyone is complaining about being beaten by a team with a better offense than ours (that we shut out in game 1). Braves were not going to win a slugfest with the Yankees. Unfortunately for us, Kawakami got knocked out of the game, their bats woke up, and the rest is the rest.
Shaun
June 26th, 2009
1:10 pm
22 games is hardly enough time to judge McLouth’s impact. Plus we need to look at what everyone else has done to judge a team before and after a certain point.
MFin04
June 26th, 2009
1:11 pm
I hate when people equate a team’s record with the acquisition of a new player. The Braves were blank-and blank without Tex and blank and blank with Tex. Braves were better without Tex. Tex had no impact. Umm, faulty logic, Tex was a great addition to the Braves.
The Braves are blank and blank with McLouth, and blank and blank without him.
McLouth has had a HUGE impact on this team. One player doesn’t account for the wins and losses of the team. Bobby Cox, starting pitching, and the relief pitchers are at fault for most of the losses lately. The offense seems to have been jump started by McLouth.
Shaun
June 26th, 2009
1:12 pm
I agree, MFin04. Very simplistic logic, especially when dealing with only 22 games.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
1:12 pm
Coach–maybe that’s because McLouth isn’t really that good of a defensive centerfielder and defense has been one of our biggest problems this season? Having a below-average CF and LF and a very average RF doesn’t lend itself to saving a lot of runs in the outfield.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2009
1:12 pm
jason, I would say why would Kotchman struggle being shuffled around so much in the lineup because if a guy can hit he can hit any where in the lineup. While I think that’s half way true, guys do get pitched different depending where they’re at in the lineup.
DOB, any comment on the Jackson death. Think it was drugs? I think the whacko Jacko was being fed drugs like Anna Nicole Smith was.
Coach ( 2010 or Bust)
June 26th, 2009
1:13 pm
McFann Ô , EXACTLY!
Which is why blaming the offense is flawed logic. There is much more wrong with this team than just the offense. It’s the offense, defense, inconsistent bullpen, no running game, not enough fundamental baseball etc.etc. etc.
monty
June 26th, 2009
1:13 pm
We are now behind Phillies, Mets,and Marlins albeit not by much. But the Marlins are cranking it up and I look for them to take 1st place by the end of next week. They are a self motivated bunch who surely don’t depend on the home crowd,(there is none). Hanley is hitting walk off Hr’s and grandslams and Ross is making superb catches in the OF. Doesn’t the same thing hold true about the East race as it does in the Wild CArd? The more teams you have to climb over, the harder it is.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
1:14 pm
But I do agre with Shaun, 22 games isn’t enough time to determine a player’s impact and there are a lot of other factors to consider as well. Simplistic logic indeed.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
1:15 pm
Coach–
Ye-ah. I don’t know what is up with our D this year…
Coach ( 2010 or Bust)
June 26th, 2009
1:16 pm
MFin04, if we are to follow your line of thinking then adding another big right handed power bat will have ZERO impact too. Makes sense doesn’t it????????????
MFin04
June 26th, 2009
1:16 pm
McLouth has been nothing but amazing in CF. Better than Jordan Schafer was for the Braves. McLouth gets great reads on fly balls and he seems to run down almost everything hit his way.
I remember last night or the night before a ball was hit to LF at GA and the announcers said…”that ball was to far for McLouth to get”. Sad when announcers think that McLouth should have to run down balls hit to left field.
McLouth is the best or 2nd best defender on this team. Not too worried about this defense or Kotchman’s.
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
June 26th, 2009
1:17 pm
Steve from OH,
I think we can all see McLouths impact as it currently stands. He has made the offense a bit more consistant. He has helped in the running game, given the team a true leadoff hitter, and played solid D.
Coach ( 2010 or Bust)
June 26th, 2009
1:18 pm
Shaun, all I hear is excuses. More and more excuses and it’s flawed thinking, period.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2009
1:18 pm
PWHjort, now that comemnt was just plain stupid. Frenchy isn’t the entire problem. What, was it his fault our $15M man couldn’t get out of the 3rd inning last night or that our middle relief are AA or AAA pitchers at best? Is it his fault that our defense is the worst I’ve seen since I started watching them in ‘92? You’re right in that he’s a problem, no doubt, but to say the sooner we get rid of him we’ll start winning games of concequence is dumb, imo.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
1:19 pm
No, because it is difficult to objectively judge the effect of one player on a team in sample sizes this small? Give McLouth and a hypothetical big bat 3 or more months, and yes, I daresay you would see some improvement…
DAP
June 26th, 2009
1:19 pm
monty yes, but climbing over 3 teams is not that daunting, especially when you play alot of games head to head with them.
McFann Ô
June 26th, 2009
1:20 pm
Ha! Check out some of these comments regarding the starting catcher for the NL AST!
MFin04
June 26th, 2009
1:20 pm
Coach – I’m not really sure that a big RH bat would do anything for this team. It doesn’t matter if you score 8-9 runs a game, and no one in your bullpen can hold a lead or keep a game close but your closer and maybe at max 2 others.
A big bat would make this team better, but not necessarily win more games.
The majority of the bullpen is just horrible. The defense really is sub-average. Our ace Lowe has turned into a Ten or a Jack. Lots of other flaws that cause this team to lose even when scoring runs.
Scoring more runs always helps…just don’t know if it automatically leads to enough wins to win the division/wild card. Probably not.
fleming
June 26th, 2009
1:21 pm
Just noticed something interesting. The Braves has a better BA than the Phillies (.258 -.257) yet have scored 66 more runs. So much for using BA an important stat
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
June 26th, 2009
1:22 pm
Steve from OH,
I understand that you should judge wins and losses farther down the road. I think it is easy to see what McLouth has done to this team already. But then again, I might be in the minority.
Is anyone else a bit worried about Lowe? 2 less than stellar games and 1 hard luck loss in his last 3. I hope he can figure it out soon.
fleming
June 26th, 2009
1:22 pm
That’s Phillies with more runs
monty
June 26th, 2009
1:22 pm
Too many teams we play are not hitting until they face us and amazingly their offense get’s rejuvenated. Baltimore, Rockies earlier,Astros, Giants. Or at least they wakeup while playing us, whether they continue to hit after us I don’t know. Too many pitchers pitching poorly until they pitch against us and again amazingly they have a much improved performance. Maybe it’s just the law of averages being brought back into perfect alignment again.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2009
1:24 pm
BNYBF–I too think he has made a positive impact on the team. It is nice to add a leadoff hitter who can steal net bases and hit for some power. I think we need to get Schafer healthy and productive ASAP though, and shift McLouth to right this season. This will both improve our OF defense and our production from RF, which has been awful. We’re losing a lot of runs in the OF right now, and that is a big problem for our club. Not Derek Lowe, not Chipper Jones, not EOF, not Peter Moylan. Our corner OFers, offensively and defensively are killing this club. Our CF brings a nice bat but not enough glove for CF, though it will play great in a corner OF slot.
Did I read that Schafer took BP yesterday? Can’t get healthy soon enough.
Burdell
June 26th, 2009
1:24 pm
DOB,
Since you mentioned Hudson: I know he mentioned months ago that he’d go to the pen in order to come back from his injury a little sooner, but any idea if that’s something he might consider on more of a longer term basis? If Hudson can act as a closer in 2010 (a la Smoltz), and the Braves just need to sign a setup guy rather than a full-time closer, that creates a good situation where 1) the Braves can free up cash for a bat without moving Vazquez, 2) the Braves can resign Hudson and keep him away from Philly/NY, 3) the Braves have the flexibility to bring him back to the rotation mid season if there’s a pressing need. At the risk of quoting Michael Scott, it seems like a win-win-win to me.
The question is whether or not Hudson would consider that, or if he has a strong desire to be a starter and is only will to accept pen duty on a limited basis this year. I’m not trying to arm-chair GM and say that’s what should be done, but I’d be interested to know if it’s a valid option available to Wren.