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2,363 comments Add your comment
Shaun
July 30th, 2009
10:05 am
AndyC, I think Hohn should have just said, “sorry, I can’t do that.” But obviously he doesn’t think things through before he acts. (Sorry for that cheap shot but obviously there is an issue with this particular umpire.)
MEB
July 30th, 2009
10:07 am
Fist bumping an umpire after a game is never cool. Players (especially catchers) and veterans may share some cordial chatter with umpires but post game players go one way and umpires go another. Don’t know how this will play out tonight but it should be interesting.
GO BRAVES!!!
McFann Ô
July 30th, 2009
10:07 am
Daybed So, apparently there’s an article in ESPN the Magazine entitled, “Why Yadier is MLB’s best catcher.”
Lew
July 30th, 2009
10:07 am
Dadgum-Still all this love for Ole Brooks? Too bad that in five PH appearances since he’s gone down to AAA, that KJ and Norton are 3-5. Of course Brooks would have hit three doubles and two HR’s, right?
Barrington
July 30th, 2009
10:08 am
It’s sad that there are so many Bobby Cox apologists. The guy is an over-the-hill manager and if he worked in a city with REAL media coverage like Chicago, New York, LA, Boston or Philadelphia, he would have been canned. The reason the Braves lose is because he doesn’t CONSISTENTLY put guys in position to succeed. He is stupid to have Greg Norton pinch hitting with a .122 average. He is DUMB. How many times have we failed at bunting? How many times have the Braves lost because Cox left a struggling reliever in too long?
David O'Brien
July 30th, 2009
10:08 am
Lew’s right about umpiring, and about Ques-tec. That’s the whole reasoning behind it.
Umps are evaluated all the time. And still some continue to antagonize and bait players and managers, though not to the degree that we saw a few years back. Just a few of them seem to do it as much these days.
AndyC
July 30th, 2009
10:10 am
Shaun
Hohn may not have realized what he was doing and how bad it would look until after the fact. If someone sticks their hand or fist out it’s just a normal reaction to return the gesture. In retrospect, you are right, he should have politely declined.
Original Jon
July 30th, 2009
10:12 am
Do you think Baker will get a pitch in the arse for initiating that? Seems like he was rubbing it in the Braves faces with that.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
10:12 am
ernesto,
Whatever you think about Lowe’s contract, nobody else is going to take it and the Braves would be foolish to pay part of it. So he’s going to stay in Atlanta for another couple of years. I think he was an essential acquisition for 2009 and 2010. I may have a different opinion by 2011, but I hope not.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
10:13 am
And Kelly Johnson is (as previously mentioned), 5-6 with lots of Extra Base Hits. How have we missed Conrad so far?
Rock On....the denizen formerly known as Dadgum
July 30th, 2009
10:14 am
For what it is worth, both managers send reports to MLB after every game concerning umps. Missed calls, good calls, incidents etc. Umps also hand in reports on every game and are graded on every call every game. Every game is video analyzed. Every pitch every game. If MLB has any issue with the fist bump they will go to Hohn first. Can’t see this being any issue whatsoever. I agree with whoever above said it could be a catalyst to stringing some wins together. Winners if so motivated take it as a positive, losers start whining and complaining. I put the Braves in the winners category. We’ll see tonight.
ernesto
July 30th, 2009
10:16 am
Yeah, I know Lowe’s contract isnt’ tradeable…just saying, that’s one deal I would keep my eye out for…he’s known for playoff grit.
And I like Lowe, don’t get me wrong. I just think that contract has trouble written all over it.
Shaun
July 30th, 2009
10:17 am
DOB and Lew, I realize umps are evaluated often. And I realize I’m preaching to the choir.
Umps should have stats and those stats should be published, like the players. And the supervisor of umpires should act like a GM and be able to send umps up and down, to and from the minors based on their performance. Just my two cents. Not saying that 99 percent of them don’t do an amazing job. Just saying, why not improve things? (Note: This is not an attempt at an argument. I realize many of you would agree on this.)
BravesFanForLife
July 30th, 2009
10:18 am
DOB Do you think the braves could possibly have an interest in Heath Bell since he is (1) Very cheap in terms of salary (2) Could be the bullpen arm they need this year (3) Could replace Soriano at a reduced salary next year. I understand that there would be a pretty high cost in terms of prospects but seems like it would be a very smart move on many levels.
Willy Wally
July 30th, 2009
10:20 am
The guy is an over-the-hill manager and if he worked in a city with REAL media coverage like Chicago, New York, LA, Boston or Philadelphia, he would have been canned. (BARRINGTON)
Yeah, because those tough NYC reporters have done such a good job running Brian Cashman’s sorry arse out of town. Seriously, has anyone ever won less with more? And these so-called tough NYC reporters, how much of a pass have they given Omar Minaya? Oh, yeah, sure, now they are trying to run him out of town —– but only because he went after one of their boys. But before that? They made every excuse for Omar just as they have for Cashman because Omar and Cashman talk to them and feed them what they want.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
10:20 am
Shaun-From your lips to Bud Light’s ear. Maybe you can get him to change the stupid Home Field advantage or an All Star win, too.
Daslied
July 30th, 2009
10:21 am
Ernesto – we got Luis Sumoza for Kotsay, I believe.
Shaun
July 30th, 2009
10:23 am
On to something beside umpiring…
Four back is still not a huge margin even with four teams ahead of them. There is still enough time that whichever team goes on a streak is going to take control of the Wild Card race.
John
July 30th, 2009
10:24 am
McFann
I have absolutely NO problem with McCann slappin’ the ball the opposite way vs the ’shift’..instead of bunting. Just want to see the “shift” neutralized’….so McCann doesn’t have to hit “into it” for the next several years. The ‘bunt’ just seems to leave a more lasting effect to me….and with just a bit of practice…it should be just about impossible… to make an “out” while bunting vs the ’shift”…a foul ball should be about the worst outcome…Once again…I say…”NIP IT !!”…”NIP IT IN THE BUD !! “
Rock On....the denizen formerly known as Dadgum
July 30th, 2009
10:25 am
Shaun…the umps are moved around and graded after each season. Some are not retained, some demoted, some retire. They have their system and it is a very very good one. Personally know two MLB umps and a minor league ump. Their profession is an extremely tough and grueling one and I have had several laughs over the years at the stories they have. Good dudes, most of them I am sure.
Lew….yeah, I will give you Norton and take Conrad. Actually I will take Conrad over KJ and Norton. Not that Conrad couldn’t get cold but to send him to AAA when the Braves had few hot hitters off the bench, well, just didn’t make sense even for the reported sake of being able to keep everyone, still doesn’t. Just sayin….
AndyC
July 30th, 2009
10:25 am
BravesFanForLife
This is Bell’s first year as a closer and I would be very weary of him being a one hit wonder. He did have two previous good seasons as a set-up man but I wouldn’t give up too much for him.
McFann Ô
July 30th, 2009
10:25 am
Shaun There is still enough time that whichever team goes on a streak is going to take control of the Wild Card race.
They just need more production out of certain spots in the order…
Rock On....the denizen formerly known as Dadgum
July 30th, 2009
10:31 am
Barrington…..agree Cox’s best days are behind him and indeed the Braves will need new leadership to turn into perpetual winners in the division. The only real scary thing is that Bobby Valentine is available. Wrong first name and wrong type individual to be managing. Sorta like Larry Bowa on steroids. OK bad analogy but I will let it stand. My point is we better be careful what we wish for but the day Cox hangs them up will definitely not be a sad day.
Shamus Thacker
July 30th, 2009
10:31 am
I wanted to put an emphasis on the word I, and a capital I , since it’s always that way, doesnt convey that emphasis – EYE however, does – Robert
AndyC: Huh?!? Ok. EYE think you are an idiot. How about that?
This one left me crying! LMAO
Shaun
July 30th, 2009
10:32 am
Maybe you can get him to change the stupid Home Field advantage or an All Star win, too.
Lew, not to open a can of worms but I actually don’t have a huge problem with this. I mean, it was basically a coin-flip before. So how was that any more fair than letting players actually have some control over it? I think the best solution is best record but I don’t think the All-Star game deciding it is a disaster.
McFann Ô
July 30th, 2009
10:33 am
John–
Oh, I know what you mean…I hate that shift. I wish the other teams weren’t using it on him. They’ve been doing it more this year it seems like…and well, this year I think he’s been more “pull-happy” than usual. He did get a bunt single down against Toronto back in May when they had that shift on.
“Nip it” for sure! (Barney Fife is hilarious, BTW.)
Daybed Wagmoe
July 30th, 2009
10:37 am
RHR — sure. barndoor43@yahoo.com . Thanks!
DAP
July 30th, 2009
10:40 am
ernesto
for kotsay we got a now 20 year old outfielder named luis sumoza, who is not have a good year in the minors. he has split time in rome and myrtle.
ernesto
July 30th, 2009
10:43 am
Thanks for the Sumoza info.
Jeff R
July 30th, 2009
10:43 am
How about a round of applause for Kawakami – the Japanese “Greg Maddux.” Fine game there last night, KK.
Definitely… let’s ship off Vazquez and keep the K-meister.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
10:46 am
Rock On,
Part of the problem I (and I’m guessing many other fans) have with the umps’ disciplinary system is that it’s secret but the one covering players, coaches, and managers isn’t.
Hohn may be taken to the woodshed for last night’s antics, but who (other than him, his agent, the league, and the umpires’ union) will know? He may be given a little involuntary vacation, or taken off the roster to work the postseason, or rotated off of crews scheduled to work future Braves games.
But the public ought to be told. Making the system more transparent would not affect the lion’s share of umps who do well while scaring straight the bad actors.
Philly Insider
July 30th, 2009
10:48 am
Your team is 10 back in the column that matters and there is still people acting like the Braves are a better team. We just got a cy young award winner for prospects we had no use for. Get ready for more losses next year Braves fans.
Jeff R
July 30th, 2009
10:49 am
Conrad over Norton any day. Kelly Johnson? Well, management has invested too much in him to allow him to languish at Gwinnett. Best hope is that management swaps Johnson now or post-season.
Threadkiller
July 30th, 2009
10:50 am
So folks, are we still discussing “who’s going to the pen” when Hudson returns? Hmmm KK or Hudson??
Jeff R
July 30th, 2009
10:51 am
Philly Insider… Lee was a solid pick up for the Phils, no doubt. But fans here aren’t really expecting the Braves to catch the Phillies for the division crown. But the Bravos are in the hunt for the wild-card. Yes, indeed, they are.
About next season, what the heck do you know?
Jeff R
July 30th, 2009
10:55 am
Threadkiller… I’m with you, but I think I’d give Hudson a few long relief appearances before inserting him in the rotation. Our Japanese Greg Maddux is going to be an expensive middle inngs reliever.
PWHjort
July 30th, 2009
10:56 am
KJ’s SLG% since coming off the DL: 2.000
Bad Scooter
July 30th, 2009
10:59 am
how does everyone know Chipper saw the fist bump?
mustrdgasnroses
July 30th, 2009
11:02 am
Bad Scooter,
I don’t think anyone knows for sure (don’t believe he was interviewed afterward). But he hung around on the field for several minutes after the game, as if he was irked by something.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
11:09 am
I wasn’t able to find the stats while relieving, but Kawakami apparently DID make about 30 relief appearances in Japan.
Supes
July 30th, 2009
11:11 am
Philly Insider TROLL,
Hey A-hole, enjoy your 2 year WINDOW of opportunity and NL East supremacy.
After that you’ll be back in the middle of the pack WHERE your TEAM belongs.
Braves will be LOADED to the teeth by 2011, and will have plenty of CASH to sign FA and or Take on Salary. Meanwhile, your Phillies will be on the decline!
MFin04
July 30th, 2009
11:12 am
KK’s problems as a starter will be magnified in a relief role. He has trouble getting guys out and can’t finish anyone off. That seems to be the opposite of what you want in a good reliever.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
11:17 am
Philly Insider,
If Lee pitches well at the Bank, you got him for a steal. You’d better hope that the prospects still in your system are ready to shine in 2011, when Howard, JRol, Hamels, Madson, etc., have left via free agency. And that Utley’s hip holds up.
There’s going to be a lot of turnover on that roster in the next two+ years.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
11:18 am
Or after 2011 in Philly, excuse me.
Jeff R
July 30th, 2009
11:22 am
Kawakami certainly isn’t a setup guy. He’s the reliever you bring in when your starter falters early. $8 million per season…
DiamondbackMac
July 30th, 2009
11:22 am
DOB
Check out what one of your colleagues is up to. Times are certainly hard.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1187933
Andrew in P-tang
July 30th, 2009
11:23 am
i dont know if anyone posted this yet but maybe we could be a team
Meanwhile, Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports say “other, unidentified teams are believed to be interested in Martinez as well.”
DiamondbackMac
July 30th, 2009
11:24 am
Correction: “allegedly up to”
Lew
July 30th, 2009
11:25 am
Lee was a good pick up for the Phillies. However, he DOES have the capacity to give up HR’s-granted few the past couple years, but still averaging over 20 per season. I would NOT expect that number to be reduced pitching in Philadelphia. He’ll get plenty of run support, though, especially if Jimmy Rollins actually runs out balls.
Philadelphia is packing in the fans right now, but make no mistake-they are NOT NY, Chicago or LA and are stretching their budget limits to the max. No way they can add Halladay like the Insider Troll seems to think and like BFIR ( current Piedmont Blues) says, they will have mass Free Agent migrations over the next couple of years.
Their window for winning big is closing fast. No way they trade young pitching-they’re definitely going to need it. After all-Jamie Moyer can’t pitch forever and can’t make 35 starts against the Marlins, can he?
Lew
July 30th, 2009
11:26 am
Jeff R-Not saying that KK is a good bet for the pen when Hudson returns, but conversely, is Hudson at $13 mil a better relief option? Not a matter of bucks this time around-it’s about where to put all those arms. Damn-what a problem to have.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
11:28 am
Andrew-Makes sense in New Hampshire-no sales tax, right?
BravesfaninWis
July 30th, 2009
11:31 am
This is the part that gets to me.. We have been playing great baseball lately and didn’t gain that much ground.. Yet when we lose, we lose ground in a hurry.. That is why I am not to optimistic about this season..
Knowitall
July 30th, 2009
11:31 am
strong/strong
Your “Loaf on blackberry” posts were the funnist. The imitators don’t even come close. Perhaps you could continue by using “The original Loaf on blackberry from……”
AndyC
July 30th, 2009
11:32 am
Shamus Thacker
Glad you enjoyed it. Robert makes it so easy.
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2009
11:32 am
Freakin Manny Corpas, he cost us 3 months of Infante sitting on the bench…………
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
11:32 am
Lew,
IMO, Gillick is a near-genius GM and Amaro is filling some big shoes. Amaro will have to remake this roster over the next few seasons and how well he does in not only bringing in big guns but also finding effective role players will determine how long the Phils’ run can last.
Gillick found Werth, Feliz, and (ducks) Victorino off the scrap heap and look what they’ve done. Any GM would be hard-pressed to find similar talent that other teams had given up on.
Fish Bisch
July 30th, 2009
11:33 am
Get out the brooms fish!
nah nah nah nah
nah nah nah nah
hey hey hey
good bye!
Fish Bisch
July 30th, 2009
11:35 am
Philly Insider 1048am: Well said.
Knowitall
July 30th, 2009
11:36 am
WTF? That last post was directed at RHR. I typed your name in there. I don’t know why it disappeared from my post.
wjones
July 30th, 2009
11:37 am
Do the Phillies and Marlins not have their own blogs? Could someone start them one?
DAP
July 30th, 2009
11:39 am
i really dont see v-mart happening for the braves, but how great would that be? adding him this season would put wren in a great position this offseason to make the braves the best team in the NL.
DAP
July 30th, 2009
11:45 am
piedmont feliz was a free agent signing, not a scrap heap guy, but you have a good point anyways. for a team with tons of power, they did a good job getting athletic guys who can runs the bases, too. its a very well put together offense.
Andrew in P-tang
July 30th, 2009
11:45 am
DAP- it would be great…have victor all next year,then hopefully freeman is ready..and maybe have Heyward in next years lineup also..it would be sweet
Found this interesting
July 30th, 2009
11:45 am
Lew,
If Huddy comes back healthy ( so far so good), I actually do think that trading KK in the off-season is a possiblity.
I think the Mariners would be a good location for KK, and maybe the Braves can make it a 3 way trade and take on a percentage of KK’s price tag (if the contract is too rich to take for SEA alone).
That would solve our rotation “surplus” issues for 2010.
If anyone “went down” with an injury, you’d have Kris Medlin to plug in (who I believe can be a serviceable starting pitcher if given the chance)
I think adding a healthy hudson and subtracting a guy who can’t seem to last past the 5th inning without throwing a 100 pitches will be a big plus for the team in general.
You’d have D-Lowe, Jair, Javy, Huddy and Hanson…all guys capable of “eating innings” and taking you to the 7th inning in games.
Fish Bisch
July 30th, 2009
11:49 am
I’m on here because I like the braves when they are winning championships, but not when they are floundering like they are now; thus my reason to be on the blog.
twodown71
July 30th, 2009
11:57 am
At the trade deadline thought I’d revisit one of the Braves most hyped prospects recently. Anyone remember Andy Marte, the can’t miss kid? Curious to hear why he never made it in the bigs. Was he a 4A player, ala Brad Komminsk, or did he have injuries?
Also, if you look back at the trades from him he’s responsible for us having Jurrjens and partially responsible for us having Nate. To refresh, Marte to Red Sox for Renteria. Renteria to Tigers for Jair/Gorky. Gorky (along with Morton/Locke) to Pirate for Mclouth.
Since everyone is raking us over the coals over the Tex trade two years ago thought I’d point that out.
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2009
11:58 am
So now we have to salvage tonight game and then go 5-1 in the next 6 games to stay in the race……..meaning that taking in account todays day, we need to go 6-1 in the next 7 to stay in shape.
it sounds like too much but the only thing we would be doing by going 6-1 would be:
1. going 1-2 on current series.
2. win 2 out of 3 against LA (ie)
3. Sweeping SD to make up for the lost series against FLA (current one).
If we dont do this and just go 4-2 against SD and LA, and win tonight………..that would be a 5-4 record in the last 9 (.555 baseball) and that puts us in a very bad situation.
So yes………..we have to win tonight, win the LA series and sweep SD in order to be back in control of our future.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
11:59 am
BFIR-I’m not worried about Ruben Jr.-he’s doing just fine on his own-signing Lidge before his perfect season, signing Ibanez before his career year and now picking up on Lee. Their problem will be keeping the nucleus of this team together when all are commanding $15-20 milion per year salaries. They just don’t have the resources like the teams in NY, LA and Chicago. They have had a population decrease in Philadelphia over the past two censuses and it’s a Blue Collar city-lots of people out of work. Another WS Title would help them immensely, but I don’t think they have a good enough pitching staff to go that far against top flight teams. THought the same last year, so…….
Interest Finder – Pretty much agree with you on Kawakami (though I think he’s an asset as a bottom rotation guy). I’d rather see him gone than Vazquez, that’s for certain. I also agree Seattle would be a good destination. However, I’m not certain the Braves would jum p into the Japanese market and then immediately trade the Dude they worked so hard to get. I guess we’ll just have to see.
Robert
July 30th, 2009
12:00 pm
“Seriously, has anyone ever won less with more? ”
Than Cox? Nope. Nobody
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:01 pm
Interest Finder-Healthy Hudson being the operative term. Let’s not hold our breath and turn Deep Purple quite yet. There could still be torn scar tissue or any number of completely normal setbacks. As for KK only going five-How many you thinking Hudson will throw the rest of this year? Five maybe?
Paul Lentz
July 30th, 2009
12:02 pm
As much as I’ve RIPPED him, I have to say that I picked Jeff Francoeur to be my right fielder on my fantasy baseball team. 2 reasons: 1. the Mets are playing a double header. 2. Francoeur is batting up in the batting order and is hitting better.
So for today, I hope that he has a MONSTER DAY.
Also, I’m going by my gut instinct today………I picked 7 Braves (i only left out right field) for my fantasy team today. I feel that the Braves are going to put a BIG NUMBER of runs on the board today. I would have picked Braves pitching, however with Santana going today, plus it being a doubleheader, I had no choice but to pick Mets pitching.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:02 pm
Has anyone ever posted more with less to say than Robert?
Robert
July 30th, 2009
12:03 pm
“If Huddy comes back healthy ( so far so good), I actually do think that trading KK in the off-season is a possiblity”
Hard to imagine it could be done without the Braves having to eat a big part of his contract
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2009
12:03 pm
Another problem in the horizon, tonights pitcher is Rick VandenHurk, he is 2-0 against the Braves in his career.
faninva
July 30th, 2009
12:04 pm
lew -
funny.
Paul Lentz
July 30th, 2009
12:06 pm
David O’Brien…………I agree with your 8:12am posting about DVR. I have DVR on my Direct TV, and I think it is great. I’ll never buy another recording device again, lol. Pushing one button to record (or pushing it twice to record it every time it comes on) is very convenient. We’ve come a long way from the “setting the timer VCR days”, lol.
flange1
July 30th, 2009
12:06 pm
Lew, maybe our friend Paul L.?
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2009
12:07 pm
More devastating is that we lost games with Hanson and JJ on the hill…………that is not good.
Lets hope Vazquez could be the stopper tonight.
i cant take it anymore
July 30th, 2009
12:09 pm
good one, Lew
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2009
12:10 pm
I think pitching matchups are in our favor against LAD in the 1st 2 games and then on sunday you have Billingsley vs JJ…………that should be a good game………..sundays night game.
Shaun
July 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
“Seriously, has anyone ever won less with more? ”
Than Cox? Nope. Nobody
I would love to see Robert do an in-depth analysis on how many games Cox should have won as a manager. My guess is he doesn’t have the knowledge to do that kind of research. (Sorry. Sounded like a cheap shot but it’s actually just the truth.)
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
AndyC (re: Heath Bell),
I dunno. He’s had three very solid seasons in a row. He’s also shown he can handle the closer’s role (and I have no idea why some people can do it and others with very similar makeups can’t). I don’t see him as a one-year wonder at all.
Whether the Braves could get him for an acceptable price is a completely different story, of course.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:11 pm
flange-No. Paul Lentz is verbose, pushy and on the blog. However, he DOES usually have something to say and can occasionally, post about more than just Francoeur’s Induction to the Suckhood Hall of Fame.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:12 pm
That should have read continually on the blog bashing us with his hyperbole.
Andrew in P-tang
July 30th, 2009
12:14 pm
cool now the fish may get better
Via Twitter, SI’s Jon Heyman tells us the Marlins are “in serious talks with the Padres for Heath Bell.” Heyman says it looks like it could be Andrew Miller or Sean West.
BravoMan
July 30th, 2009
12:19 pm
Does anyone have any idea what the Ump was showing Bobby on his line-up card lastnight????? Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen….
N8
July 30th, 2009
12:22 pm
Lew, your 9:39 is right on, and know you were responding to the other guy’s claim of dynasty.
From my angle, this move was about Philly giving their best effort to “repeat”. I think, barring complete meltdown, the Phils will win the East. With Bret Myers going to the pen, they needed (and got) another “Ace” to pair up with Hamels to have that magical 1-2 punch in the post season.
Will the results be like last year? Who knows, but the odds just went up a whole bunch with that trade. Not to mention, they hung on to their two best prospects, which will allow them to let Lee walk if they choose at the end of next year, and replace him with Drabek who should be ready by then.
I hate the Phillies, but I love the move.
N8
July 30th, 2009
12:24 pm
“And Kelly Johnson is (as previously mentioned), 5-6 with lots of Extra Base Hits. How have we missed Conrad so far?” Lew
Come on Lew. I didn’t see anybody arguing that KJ shouldn’t be on the bench over Conrad. The argument was surrounded around NORTON taking up that 25th spot over Conrad.
JayDubu
July 30th, 2009
12:25 pm
Interesting tidbit:
Schafer’s been gone almost 2 months, and still leads the Braves in stikeouts by 17.
In order for the Braves to make a push down the stretch, Mr. Jones is going to need to come closer to the form of 2008 than he is now.
Heath
July 30th, 2009
12:27 pm
Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive in 2003. What? No? I don’t believe it.
Paul Lentz
July 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
Do any of you remember what Marcellous Wallace (Ving Rhimes’ character in ‘Pulp Fiction’) said to Butch (Bruce Willis’ boxer character) during the scene where he was bribing him to take a dive in his upcoming fight? “Fcuk Pride……..Pride only hurts, it never helps. You fight through that sh1t.”
Reason I brought that up, is that pride has to be the only explanation why Greg “Mr. 6 for 50″ Norton is still on the 25 man roster. Norton is only making $800,000K this season. The season is almost 4 months over. It isnt like that cutting him is going to cost them the Braves that much financially. Bobby’s pride of being loyal to “his guys” is only “hurting” the Braves.
The Braves need EVERYONE to be contributing. In a few weeks, when Infante comes back, Diory Hernandez will more than likely be sent down. Now if Brooks Conrad could replace Greg Norton………..then the Braves would have a bench of David Ross, Kelly Johnson, Brooks Conrad, and both Matt Diaz and Omar Infante (when a right hander is starting). Omar Infante can play every infield position while Brooks can play both 2nd and 3rd. Plus, Diaz and play right and left, while Infante can play all 3 outfield positions.
Those 2 moves would make a pretty strong bench with lots of flexibility. Right now, out bench is pretty limited. Hernandez can pretty much only play short, and Norton is, well, Greg Freaking Norton on defense as well, lol.
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:30 pm
Nathan-My point was that in five pinch hit opportunities since Conrad went down, that KJ and Norton combined were 3-5 and that Brooks would not have improved on that and he wasn’t ip for his D anyway.
My point all along has been that many here have been clamoring for a marginal (at best) career minor leaguer who had a 32 AB hot streak and his demotion shouldn’t be that big a deal to anyone except him. Just way too much emphasis on a BFD move.
Then again, we have seen four day dissections of a pitch that Yunel hit for a HR before and at least twelve hours on a fist bump today.
wjones
July 30th, 2009
12:30 pm
“In order for the Braves to make a push down the stretch, Mr. Jones is going to need to come closer to the form of 2008 than he is now.”
I know his average needs to continue to climb (not expecting .350 though), but hasn’t he been on a HR tear lately? I mean over the past several days?
Nova Scotia Steve
July 30th, 2009
12:30 pm
So its Tuesday July 30…We’ve just lost two game to Florida to fall 4 games out of the Wildcard…We’re 9 games out (loss column) of first in the Division race…
We have a home and home coming up with the Dodgers…Who are not playing good baseball right now but are still a tough team.
We need a win today…we killed some momentum with these two loses…and that shot heard ‘Around the Braves World’ Tuesday night of “The Scowl” a.k.a “I’ll Kill You” Rafel Soriano.
We’re still in this…we just CANNOT and I repeat CANNOT go on any sort of extended losing streak.
Florida has gotten a lot of breaks this series…like really A 3-run HR by Josh Johnson???…TO DEAD CENTERFIELD…
Go Braves
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
July 30th, 2009
12:31 pm
I don’t know what you guys are complaining about, I have Billy Hahn in my Umpire Ejection Fantasy League…. he’s going to get me the title this season I can feel it.
Nova Scotia Steve
July 30th, 2009
12:31 pm
Thursday, July 30…sorry dudes
N8
July 30th, 2009
12:31 pm
Steve Phillips on Colin Cowherd right now with breaking news that Manny AND Ortiz were both tested positive for PED’s in 2003 (same list Arod tested positive on).
Kind of puts a “damper” on that 2003 WS drought breaking title the Red Sox got, huh? Add to that Ortiz has denied, denied, denied.
Sad. But not surprizing.
Jose Canseco should be apologized to, and praised for opening this can of woopass.
N8
July 30th, 2009
12:34 pm
I get it Lew. For me, it’s just that Norton has been so bad this year (injury or not), why not stick with the hot hand. Plus Conrad is more versitle defensively (better option in the OF). Especially with KJ back on the roster, that would leave Prado to play 1B in a pinch.
But in the end, it surely isn’t what’s going to cause us to miss the playoffs if we do. I just like the way that Conrad approached the game. Reminds me of Lemke.
Robert
July 30th, 2009
12:34 pm
“Does anyone have any idea what the Ump was showing Bobby on his line-up card lastnight????? Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen”
Does it really matter? Bottom line – Cox was braying about balls and strikes. Ump went toward the Braves dugout to tell him to zip it. Instead of following orders, Cox comes onto the field and continues braying. Therefore, he got tossed
The fist pump was initiated by the Marlins catcher, who was sucking up to the ump a little bit – the pump back by the ump was probably more a refkle than anything – you see a fist pump offered, you give it, beofre he’d realized what he had done
If the Braves dont argue uselessly about balls and strikes, none of it happens
Move on. Bringing it up further here is useless. For the Braves to bring it up outside the clubhouse again tonight would be extremely counterproductive. If they wanna use it as motivation in the clubhouse, fine. But going out there to provoke the ump, or ask him yet again to just admit he was wrong, would be totally dumb
Lew
July 30th, 2009
12:35 pm
Nathan-I’m not ready to give Canseco props for anything (other than being continually boneheaded throughout his professional life), but I’d like to see that list published in it’s entirety.