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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5,135 comments Add your comment
Mitchie-san
July 12th, 2009
9:55 am
Isnt it a little early for Donkisms?
jeffrey d
July 12th, 2009
9:57 am
NCBravesFan – I meant the people who thought Cox was too soft are fans, not so much the players. Maybe the players feel that way, but because Bobby will respect and defend his players to the death, they feel the same way about him, so it’s not like they’re going to raise that point.
jeffrey d
July 12th, 2009
9:58 am
Lew – that’s not Paul Lentz’s words. Try…..
a complete “moron” and will NEVER win “a” Wurlitzer.
bravesfanforever
July 12th, 2009
10:00 am
TO: “Did You Know? “…
Not trying to sugar coat this but there are several teams bunched at 8-12 in team reliever stats. The Braves could easily be at #8 ahead of the Phillies with a little luck.
I don’t know that they necessarily need to make any big moves since they at least got rid of most of the dead weight in the first half–including a very underperforming Buddy Carlyle and a horrible Jeff Bennett who actually had a decent ERA but clearly he lost a lot of games for the Braves (reliever stats don’t always tell the whole story, huh?). We don’t have Parr or Reyes either who were awful. And the biggest bomb of all: Blaine Boyer is gone, gone, gone! Yeah!
With that said, I think we have the makings for a decent pen from here on out. If Soriano keeps pitching the way he is; Acosta can keep the ball under control; Moylan continues to get his arm strength back; Logan, O’Flaherty and Medlen pitch up to expectations; and of course Gonzales gets his elbow back, we’ll be alright. Do any of you see any big holes?
There isn’t any true deadweight right now.
NCBravesFan
July 12th, 2009
10:01 am
jeffrey d: I hear you. I just find it interesting that so many people on the blog talk about how dumb Cox is, and yet you never hear a former player say a cross word about the man and his supposed lack of ability.
Lord knows he’s been around long enough, and with the 24/7 media culture we live in it seems like somebody somewhere would have raised the issue by now.
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
10:04 am
I can see Francoeur telling his new teammates all kinds of “big dumb Donk” stories — Robert
You can see that, huh? Never a better indication of how you see only what you want to see.
Because Francoeur is about the last person in baseball who’d tell such stories.
But nice try. You do try really hard all the time to make your single point, I must say. Obsession is a powerful thing.
Oldbravesbag
July 12th, 2009
10:12 am
Dave….Can you give us an update on Kelly’s rehab…it seems to be going pretty well. Or is he now a non-entity with the Braves and not worth that kind of thing? Thanks…..
bravesfanforever
July 12th, 2009
10:13 am
JasoninFL…
Just talkin’… Not agreeing or disagreeing. Well, okay, agreeing but in a muddled way.
I’ll say the Yankees sure killed their farm system. They better hope what they have now will take them all the way with everyone getting older and more expensive. If you think about it, their biggest problem is being able to trade. Who is going to take any of their big contracts without them paying off most of it–especially nowadays in this economy? I guess not that it matters to them, but they really should jettison some of their underperforming guys and get some prospects.
True, the Red Sox seem like the Braves of old but in the “Red Sox Way” of course. The Yankees just want to spend for the sake of spending whereas the Red Sox try to bring in impact players that they know will help them now and in the future. Although, I would not have brought in J.D. Drew… Great trade for Jason Bay who should be a BRAVE RIGHT NOW!
Although I will say, their line up doesn’t look THAT great but oddly they are 3rd in runs scored in the American League–apparently because they don’t have any big holes like the Braves (which I think says a lot about putting underperforming hitters on the bench!!), and their starters only look so-so but because of their great relief staff they are third in ERA. I’m sure they are happy to have kept Brad Penny with Dice-K on the ropes…
Okay, back to the Bravos…
PWHjort
July 12th, 2009
10:23 am
DOB,
Is Canizares in the futures game too?
Robert
July 12th, 2009
10:37 am
Sure DOB. Francoeur is gonna remain a Brave loyal to Donk even tho he now plays for the Mets
Dude, he’s gonna tell everyone in Atlanta how wonderful Donk is, so that the Braves keep him = advantage to his team the Mets
And in private, he will laugh at Cox’s idiocy along with the rest of his Mets teammates
But if you wanna believe that ole Frenchy will truly continue to worship at Donk’s cloven hooves, you go ahead and do so
Better stop responding to me – you need time to think up excuses for Cox’s mistakes and stupdi quotes today
Ok, I'm REALLY hung over!
July 12th, 2009
10:38 am
Yes, Canizares is in the Future’s game….the landscape maintenance future’s game.
don
July 12th, 2009
10:39 am
How are all of you going to explain the ineptness of the Braves now that you don’t have Francoeur as a scapegoat?
Francoeur escaped. Good for him.
Robert
July 12th, 2009
10:39 am
Hey DOB – has Donk been inviting you to smoke cigars with him in his office lately? Or is he mad at you because you alMOST questioned one of his stupid decisions here recently?
Hey – make sure noone is wearing sunglasses on their cap during BP today. That there is important stuff for winning ballgames
JPS
July 12th, 2009
10:45 am
How are all of you going to explain the ineptness of the Braves now that you don’t have Francoeur as a scapegoat?
We still have Kelly The Fraud to kick around. He’ll be back soon and the Donk will run him out there every day.
JPS
July 12th, 2009
10:48 am
Robert
Don’t let them get you down. Keep fighting the good fight. I used to dismiss your rantings but now I’ve come over to your side. Keep up the good work. The Donk must go.
Robert's Mom
July 12th, 2009
10:50 am
Hello Mr. O’Brien and other Braves fans,
I just want to apologize for all of the mean and nasty things my son Robert has been saying to you. I came on here to email the gals in my knitting group and he must’ve left this window open on the screen when he went to microwave some pizza rolls. I tell him to eat something more healthy, but all he says is that he gets them for free since he works at the BP down the street and that I should shut up and mind my own business. What’s a mother to do?
If any single ladies out there are looking for some romance, maybe you could give my Robert a try. He really can be a nice man, but for some reason he’s always yelling and throwing Sour Straws at the screen whenever they show an elderly, handsome (I think) man who stands at the end of the dugout whenever baseball is on. If you are a single lady in your mid-40s and are looking for someone your own age, you’d love Robert! We’d love to have you over at the house sometime and I can cook you both his favorite — Pigs In a Blanket!
Love,
Robert’s Mom
P.S. If you talk to Robert, forgive him for his mean things. The power went out the other night and his video game machine hasn’t been working lately. Oh, and go Braves!
Original Jon
July 12th, 2009
10:56 am
After watching Ryan Church’s swings last night, I am happy we got him. He might have gone 0-4 but he put the ball in play each and every time, and he hit the ball hard 3 out of those 4 times. Those hits will start to fall soon and he will be a good contributer to this team. I just have this feeling now that the Braves could go on a run after the All-Star break and maybe catch up to the Phillies. I think the break will be good for them to rest and clear their minds and then get back out there and think only about winning. I think Brooks Conrad should be starting at 2nd base while Martin Prado starts at 3rd when Chipper is out or at 1st base.
EveryDayIsChurchDay
July 12th, 2009
11:00 am
The bloggers here are very well in tune with the Braves. I enjoy reading many of the comments. The Ryan Church trade won’t give the Braves the big bat they desperately need and apparently they feel that they are going to win without one. There is really nowhere to put one. That is, unless it is second base or first base. They wouldn’t trade for Church to trade for another bat in his place. Garret Anderson has begun hitting and so has Matt Diaz so you won’t trade for one there. IF Church hits and is on base like his history suggests, I would like to see Martin Prado stay at first base and Brooks Conrad stay at second. Prado is a hitting beast and adds spark to the lineup. Conrad has hit well and his defense has been better than that of Kelly Johnson. He has some pop that KJ has displayed in two or more years. IF Atlanta makes another trade, mark it down that it will be a pretty noteworthy player. In my estimation, Javier Vazquez and some of their bullpen depth will be tradeable no matter where they are in the race. That is, IF Tim Hudson returns to form. I’m not saying that a trade will happen, but this is likely who will be dealt in my opinion. If they are in it, they may not deal anyone. I hope they beat Colorado today. It would be nice to end the season by winning 2 of 3 from Chicago and 3 of 4 from Colorado. What makes this frustrating is that they lost 2 of 3 to Washington. They could really be in good shape if not for that debacle.
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:01 am
@Robert’s Mom:
Epic. Just epic pwnage.
Goodoleboy
July 12th, 2009
11:02 am
I see Fridays promo is “Meet alumni Dale Murphy” can anyone tell me how to actually go about meeting him there is no other details on the website that I can find.
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
11:02 am
PWHjort: Canizares is, indeed, in the Futures Game. Which is sort of funny, really. I mean, he’s 29. Heyward is 19, and most players in the game are a lot closer to 20 than 30.
But Canizares was a fill-in for an injured player. And hey, he’s having a great year. Just that I never thought I’d see a 29-year-old in the “Futures” game.
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:04 am
I actually think Robert is Beau Bock, though.
Say hi to Jerry Glanville for me, Robert.
Robert
July 12th, 2009
11:06 am
FYI my mom was just killed by a drunk driver last weekend. That was a classy post there
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:08 am
Moving on, I hope Medlin gets it done today. I was really impressed with the way he bounced back from that bizarre debut.
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
11:11 am
Robert, your 10:37 a.m. was priceless. Covered all angles preemptively, making debate impossible. Well done. You win. Now I don’t have to bother.
But just for the record, I’ve said and will say again, I don’t think it’s been a banner year for Cox as a manager, nor was last year. But don’t let that stop you from claiming I’ve said otherwise.
Overwhelming obsession for such a matter as this … what is it like, living with that?
Nick in PA
July 12th, 2009
11:11 am
DOB,
Any word if Soriano will be picked to replace Broxton in the All Star Game?
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:13 am
And Robert, you are all about classy.
Nick in PA
July 12th, 2009
11:13 am
or will charlie just pick another phillie?
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
11:15 am
Soriano should replace Broxton in my opinion, I think Soriano is better than K rod so far this year.
Steve from OH
July 12th, 2009
11:16 am
I read Paul Dentz’s posts like a used to read required novels in high school
Meaning…you don’t read them, right?
Robert
July 12th, 2009
11:24 am
“Overwhelming obsession for such a matter as this … what is it like, living with that?”
Overwhelming obsession? So posting a couple of times every few days on your blog regarding what I think is the most important move the Braves need to make qualifies as an overwhelming obsession?
I have said it before DOB – We’ll match wits when you find yours
Go back to spewing the company line out both sides of your mouth. Go back to trying to make us believe that its a matter of which 4th outfielder, middle reliever, or minor league next-year’s-guy we have that will decide if we can compete for and in the playoffs
Ignore the big problem because he is your buddy and because your handlers dont want you sayin bad things about the home team
Say hi to your other farm animal friends like Ringolsby for me. (I’m sure he’s one of your idols)
Brave New World...No.. Really!
July 12th, 2009
11:26 am
I worry about ya DOB! You post at 3:24 am then again @ 10:04!
Dude are you sleeping?
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:27 am
My favorite thing about Soriano is the way he sort of looks around at the crowd after striking someone out on the road.
It’s as if he’s saying, “Don’t get too excited, folks. You have no shot here.”. But he’s subtle about it.
Lew
July 12th, 2009
11:27 am
Robert-We don’t expect anyone else to answer for your continued idiocy. Why should DOB answer for what you perceive to be someone else’s supposed shortcomings?
Tomahawkin
July 12th, 2009
11:31 am
Someone Mentioned in an earlier post that…!
“The Braves are 12th in the NL in Bullpen ERA. With how good Soriano and Gonzo have been, that’s sad. You can make the argument that the Braves need a relief pitcher just as much as a slugger.”
I said the Same Thing about 2 days ago and got my yellow carcas handed to me by some of the bloggers on here…
I actually think that we are not going to get a big bat because there are that many teams that are completely out of it…Keep in mind as well that there aren’t that many good offensive players available…
I think Our lineup is set as is…
However I do see KJ Getting traded for a reliever…But I’m not taking that to the bank…
Time To bump to some old Bone Thugs N Harmony…I will “See You At The Crossroads!”
SOS
July 12th, 2009
11:33 am
I’m with you Robert. For some reason DOB will never criticize Donk for his idiotic moves. I guess you are right about them being good buddies.
OklahomaBrave
July 12th, 2009
11:33 am
Robert, Give me one name of an ex-player of Bobby’s that has ripped him. The guy is one of the most respected people in baseball and should be treated as such. Even though he may have had a couple of down years managing where would Braves baseball be without him. You are entitled to your opinion even if it is a stupid one.
IlliniBrave
July 12th, 2009
11:34 am
OMG – Robert is back. I agree w/ DOB and the overwhelming majority of posters here – the guy is obsessed and terribly annoying. Robert – please crawl back into your hole and shut the hell up.
Oh, and BTW, one of the first things that Church said when interviewed about the trade is how excited he is to be playing for… dare I say it… BOBBY COX!
Heat
July 12th, 2009
11:34 am
Blogizens, I have a question. What is your opinion of Bill Shanks, especially his “insider” subscription on Scout.com? I know he also writes for the Macon paper, and has a radio show (available online), also from Macon, I think. I guess that what I’m getting at is that DOB seems MUCH more knowledgeable about inside Braves news as it happens, and I’m wondering why anyone would pay for Shanks’ online subscription. Keep up the good work, DOB.
bigcooterb
July 12th, 2009
11:37 am
Despite last night, Jason Marquis is having a fine season. Now tell me again what the Braves got out of the deal when they traded him.
Epinephrine
July 12th, 2009
11:38 am
Robert’s “barbs” honestly read like a well crafted argument from an 8th grader. The arguments are always couched in conclusory fallacies. He never offers premises-just, “how can you not think X? Thus X. It reads like a beginner level forms of reasoning exam-spot the fallacies, extra credit for the reverse syllogism. It’s kind of a nice brain teaser when you approach it that way.
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:40 am
Robert, farm animals reference equals class.
Disrespecting HOF manager by calling him Donk equals class.
Making up story about Mom to escape flames equals class.
Regardless of your opinion, your venom at DOB is misplaced. What you really hate is that your neighbors are stealing your thoughts. Time to put the aluminum foil hat back on.
AndyC
July 12th, 2009
11:40 am
I saw Frenchy’s 2 RBI single from last night and I will take Church’s three hard hit balls over that little seeing eye pop fly any day of the week. I’m glad to see that most of the bloggers can appreciate that even though Church was 0-4, he was striking the ball well. Maybe Church will have a big day today.
SOS
July 12th, 2009
11:41 am
Robert just calls them as he sees them. Such as Cox needs to go, but many here do not see it themselves.
Marc
July 12th, 2009
11:42 am
Oh damn, you guys got DOB going; machine guns and chain gang warfare to ensue!
Heat
July 12th, 2009
11:45 am
I just realized that the title of this blog reminds me of a ZZ Top song. “They didn’t have to trade him…but they did, but they did, and I thank you.” At least, I think that was ZZ Top.
Horner's Corner
July 12th, 2009
11:47 am
IlliniBrave-
What a great post name!! As a U of I alum, I wish I would have thought of that.
ILL -INI!
ILL- INI!
IlliniBrave
July 12th, 2009
11:47 am
SOS (and other Cox-haters): guess you missed the SI poll of almost 400 MLB players asking “which manager would you most like to play for”. Bobby Cox was most popular w/ 25% of the vote. How and why do you all continue to ignore such data?
jeffrey d
July 12th, 2009
11:48 am
Robert just calls them as he sees them. Such as Cox needs to go, but many here do not see it themselves
I think a lot of people on here will tell you that it’d be best if Cox walked away. But I’m tired of the extremists looking for every possible reason to blame Bobby (with hindsight being their bff).
“Why would Bobby use Soriano in the 9th?? Those 2 homers cost us the game!!”
“Blue uniforms on a Tuesday?!?! We’ve NEVER won a game with blue uniforms on a Tuesday!! FIRE BOBBY!”
74years
July 12th, 2009
11:49 am
O’Brien Would offering (Escobar-Freeman-Bennett to KC plus either Johnson or Kotchman for Teahen & Butler would give us that RH bat that we have been looking for – Teahen at one corner and Church/Diaz at the other corner – Anderson on the bench to PH) be a smart move & could it work ?
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
11:49 am
@Epinephrine:
Add SOS’s use of “the people who disagree with me just don’t SEE.”
Bonus points for the word syllogism, by the way.
Horner's Corner
July 12th, 2009
11:50 am
AndyC (11:40 post) – Couldn’t agree more. Church looked like a ML hitter last night, being selective and driving the ball. I think he’ll work out fine.
DAM
July 12th, 2009
11:51 am
Giving up Escobar and Freeman in any deal where we would get back Teahen and Butler is the height of insanity.
Lew
July 12th, 2009
11:51 am
Steve from OH-Maybe there’s a Cliff Notes for The Complete Works of Paul Dentz? I’m pretty sure Robert has a Cliff’s Notes, too. Only thing is, it is less than a page-one sentence really, printed over and over again for the entire page “The Donk is the worst manager in the history of baseball. Hee Haw.”
jeffrey d
July 12th, 2009
11:51 am
SOS (and other Cox-haters): guess you missed the SI poll of almost 400 MLB players asking “which manager would you most like to play for”. Bobby Cox was most popular w/ 25% of the vote. How and why do you all continue to ignore such data?
I will argue that, though. A lot of people (me included) see Bobby a too soft…too likable for this team. Some of these guys need a butt kicking every once in awhile, and Bobby seems too laid back with his players to do that.
The players like him so much because he respects and supports them to the death, which is great. But I’d like to see him step on some toes more.
Lew
July 12th, 2009
11:56 am
74 Years-Wow. Seriously? What, exactly is your rationale on THAT trade?
Video: Jeff Francoeur meets the Mets, media | Flushing9.com
July 12th, 2009
11:57 am
[...] Atlanta, Dave O’Brien of the Journal-Constitution asks, Why wouldn’t they trade him [Francoeur], given the circumstances? If they could swap him [...]
Horner's Corner
July 12th, 2009
11:57 am
bigcooterb-(11:37 post)
Please don’t try to make something out of nothing. Yeah Marquis is having a fine seaon, but so is Kevin Millwood. I still wouldn’t take either of them over any guy in our rotation. Marquis has had a well traveled career of mediocrity that now includes a good first half with the Rockies. (He has always been a first half pitcher by the way) Be happy for the guy and know that he still wasn’t good enough to beat the Braves last night which means he ain’t that good.
Eric from MO
July 12th, 2009
11:59 am
Jeffrey D, I agree with you 11:48. He gets blamed for everything he does. If we have a 5 run lead and he brings in a mop up reliever and the reliever gives up a couple of runs they get mad. If we have a couple run lead and he brings in Gonzo or Soriano, then he is overworking the bullpen. And it is the same guys who complain either way. Then complain about everything.
All that being said, I have loved Cox over his career. However I hope he does walk away after this year. I dont know if the game has passed him up, or maybe he got used of vets doing the things the right way. After 15 years of dominance anyone would get used to it. He has been great but I do believe it is time for him go after this year. Hopefully he does it on his own and have to make Wren look like the bad guy, again.
Eric from MO
July 12th, 2009
12:02 pm
Jeffrey D after agreeing with you now I have to completely disagree with you at 11:51. Just because he doesnt pubically rip them doesnt mean he doesnt take care of business, example Yunel. He takes care of business the right way which is why he is respected.
Necromancer
July 12th, 2009
12:10 pm
Robert
Me and the wife refer to each other as Donk because we are so stubborn.
Question: Has Rafael Soriano ever been in an All-Star Game???
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:12 pm
I dont believe so, If he has its a shock to me, I dont think he will this year either, Olney says they will ask Hoffman, Which actually makes sense.
Tomahawkin
July 12th, 2009
12:14 pm
Soriano Got Snubbed! They Choose Trevor Hoffman to replace Broxton, What BS
The All-Star game is nothing but a popularity contest, Nuff Said!
Tomahawkin
July 12th, 2009
12:16 pm
I hated the Blue Road Unis at first, but now they look Clean…I must of got used to seeing them…
However I wished the numbers were red…
I like the Braves Blue Unis that they had in the 90’s better…
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:16 pm
Tomahawkin,
You have a link to that? Last I heard its not official. And thats not getting snubbed, Hoffman is rather impressive this year!
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:17 pm
Nevermind espn.com must be faster than mlb.com
semiballcoach
July 12th, 2009
12:18 pm
illinibrave
we ignore such data because cox ignores the data that if you run a reliever out there every day he’s gonna blow up physically and/or statistically..
he ignores the data that this team has no power, yet he doesn’t emphasize/utilize the bunt or the hit and run…..or the steal, which not really much of an option other than mclouth, who seems to have a stop sign when he gets on
Eric from MO
July 12th, 2009
12:18 pm
Toma he didnt get snubbed, Hoffman has been just as good. Stop being a homer. Besides it is a good thing he isnt going. He needs the days off.
semiballcoach
July 12th, 2009
12:19 pm
the road unis need blue numbers trimmed in red with the blue caps
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:20 pm
Well, whos cains replacement? Id imagine a starter not a reliever
Eric from MO
July 12th, 2009
12:22 pm
Semi when you dont have power, you sometimes dont want to give up outs, such as a bunt. Also the hit and run is one of the worse ideas in baseball. How many times does it end up in a dp? Plus it forces a hitter to swing even if it isnt a pitch that he can get a hit for. When it works it looks great, but it rarely works. As for the steal, you said it yourself, we dont have a lot of options. Even McLouth doesnt steal alot. He just picks his spots really well.
Aunt Esther
July 12th, 2009
12:23 pm
If the Braves move Infante into the starting lineup when he comes back they will have a chance to make a run, sucka.
SOS
July 12th, 2009
12:23 pm
Eric from Mo. I agree with Jeffrey d. I think it is more stubborness rather than taking care of business the right way. Ex.- Continually playing KJ, Jeff Bennett, Norton, and Francouer when others with much better stats ride the pines.
Shamus Thacker
July 12th, 2009
12:25 pm
My only obsession is Q.
My family contacted the Vatican for a qualified hickory/swine exorcist. He showed up at the door with a Bible, arm and leg restraints, an iron mask, two Boston Butts, and a Big Green Egg,.
Ever tried pushing pulled pork through those tiny holes in an iron mask? Messy? YES! Worth it? ABSOTIVELY! Once I got him in those arm and leg restraints and convinced him to read quitely to himself, the meal gotta whole lot better!
For those with a barbecue fetish, the moral of the story is: Never fall asleep around a pork exorcist with iron mask in tow.
Prime Time
July 12th, 2009
12:27 pm
Hoffman got Broxton’s spot
Tomahawkin
July 12th, 2009
12:27 pm
Buzzmeat…
I saw It on BSPN.com
Eric From MO…
“Besides it is a good thing he isnt going. He needs the days off.”
Good Point! He has been overused…And We are gonna need him pitching like he has over the last 3 weeks or so during the stretch run…especially if Gonzo is hurt more than most are led to believe…
semiballcoach
July 12th, 2009
12:27 pm
when you have no power you have to manufacture scoring opportunities, that’s thru situational hitting, which they don’t do……bunting does give up an out, but it forces the corner infielders to respect a possible bunt so they can’t play as deep, which will allow some hits to sneak thru….the hit and run gets defenders out of position or causes them to rush their throws…you have to do something to make the defense uncomfortable rather than playing station to station baseball with a bunch of plodding runners
woogidy
July 12th, 2009
12:29 pm
Hoff has been good, but Geez, Soriano has struck out 40 of the 85 RH hitters he’s faced. WOW.
Nite Owl
July 12th, 2009
12:29 pm
Shamus, how did the 1:55am Q come out last night?
And by the way, you are a crazy person. I mean that in a nice way.
Lew
July 12th, 2009
12:29 pm
Has anyone noticed that weak offense notwithstanding, that we’ve won 9 of our past 14 games?
Eric from MO
July 12th, 2009
12:30 pm
SOS I dont think we had much better options than Bennett. As for Norton, he was brought here to PH and he was really good at it last year. He didnt get that many at-bats at it. Granted his BA wasnt good, but it was a small sample size and that is why he was getting used. As for KJ Bobby had started replacing him with Infante til he got hurt and a few weeks after that he had replaced him with Prado. As for Francouer, yeah he stuck with him way too long. In his defense he had started putting Diaz in right, but yeah he stuck with him too long.
Now I agree that he mishandles the pen, but other than that he isnt as bad as everyone thinks. He has had a bad team the past few years and they have played like it. But all the guys you mentioned are no longer a problem.
Lew
July 12th, 2009
12:30 pm
Excuse me-I meant 9 of 13 games.
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:30 pm
ZACK DUKE! now theres a replacement that shows its not a popularity contest
PWHjort
July 12th, 2009
12:30 pm
I knew Canizares wasn’t on the original roster for the Futures game but I heard that he was going. I thought, there’s no way. And I’m not convinced he’s only 29 years old. If he’s really 29 that means he was playing baseball in Cuba’s MLB at the age of 18. I guess it’s possible. I have my doubts.
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
12:31 pm
Ross is in for McCann. Chipper’s in, Escobar’s not.
Hoffman replaced Broxton on roster, and Duke replaced Cain (also hurt). So doesn’t look good for Soriano, obviously. Unless yet another pitcher pulls out.
buzzmeat
July 12th, 2009
12:31 pm
Hoff only has 20 SO all year. But he has more saves and thats the stat they look at
Efrim
July 12th, 2009
12:34 pm
Zach Duke has replaced Matt Cain.
SOS
July 12th, 2009
12:34 pm
Eric from MO. Good points. And I guess that is why he is the manager and I am not. I still think that Cox has past his time and we need someone with some fire. The manager does make a big difference, i.e. Joe Torre. Gosh I wish we had him back here.
RHR
July 12th, 2009
12:35 pm
My lord Robert he JOKED to the reporter, as in he made up the entire converation. He and Jeff had no such conversation. It was a JOKE. Kinda like how I said Frank Wren traded Jeff as a birthday gift for me? Yeah…I don’t really know Frank Wren. I (and Manuel) thought that was obvious.
semiballcoach
July 12th, 2009
12:36 pm
eric
and then put in perspective during the playoff run….you need power pitching and an all around offense…..you are not going to consistently hit 3-run homers against playoff teams, small ball is required, that’s why there is only 1 world championship
Not a Yunel fan
July 12th, 2009
12:36 pm
He never plays. Trade him to Boston.
semiballcoach
July 12th, 2009
12:36 pm
i’d rather have soriano resting anyway, with gonzo possibly out for a while
Josh M
July 12th, 2009
12:37 pm
Hoffman should NEVER be invited to an All-Star Game ever again, for single-handedly blowing the NL win a couple years back.
RHR
July 12th, 2009
12:38 pm
Lew – I’m 99.9% sure Chop Chop was joking.
PWHjort
July 12th, 2009
12:38 pm
I hope all of the Braves’ pitchers take it more than personally that Soriano, Vazquez, Gonzalez, and Jurrjens got snubbed by Manuel and beam a few Phillies in the head.
McFann :Ô:
July 12th, 2009
12:38 pm
DOB Ross is in for McCann.
Boo-yah!
Tom O I almost wish he wasn’t playing in the AS game (don’t kill me!).
I won’t, I won’t…I know what you mean…but not playing today, getting tomorrow and then Wednesday off will prob’ly be a good thing.
Shamus Me either McFann, and I’m old enough to be your paw-paw.
LOL! Yeah, that one was different…
DOB McCann was pumped to hear Soriano has a shot at joining him on the All-Star team: “He’s so deserving.”
That would be sweet! Sorry the guy has to be hurt, but…
Pal Joey
July 12th, 2009
12:38 pm
Jeff would likely never have done any better in Atlanta. He had the desire, but he just couldn’t seem to translate the desire into practice. Maybe it was the hitting coach, maybe it was his inability to adjust, who knows. I hope he goes to NY and gets his act together and does well, But it is not Atlanta’s place to coddle him and treat him any differently that it would any other player. It is not like he was a great player who was moved unceremoniously without reason. The Braves will survive. His bat will not be missed because he simply could not produce in this environment for whatever reason. Hopefully, that will change with a new team. I don’t know what baseball hemisphere “Plate Appearance” lives in to suggest he got shafted by Atlanta. He was given every opportunity here and simply couldn’t produce.
GeorgetownKid
July 12th, 2009
12:40 pm
Mr. O’Brien,
You mentioned in an earlier story/blog that several players in the locker room were quietly questioning Cox’s decision to play Francoeur over a hot-hitting Diaz (you phrased it in terms of several players having the same thoughts as many on this blog).
My question for you is, what was the dynamic like in the locker room regarding Francoeur over the past several weeks when he was playing so poorly and taking playing time from more deserving players. There were also constant rumors of him being traded or non-tendered after the season.
I know that he was a very popular guy on the team, but were things tense between him and some teammates?
Did his two year slump make him more sullen and withdrawn?
Thanks! And by the way, be careful what you say about 29 year olds! We aren’t too old to be in “future’s games”!
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
12:40 pm
Brave New World: That’s a seven-hour gap, bro. Plenty of time for sleep between those comments….
Shamus, that (12:35 p.m.) was hilarious….
Epinephrine: So true at 11:38 a.m. So very true.
David O'Brien
July 12th, 2009
12:40 pm
LINEUP
McLouth cf
Prado 1b
Jones 3b
Anderson lf
Church rf
Conrad 2b
Ross c
Hernandez ss
Medlen p