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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,426 comments Add your comment
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
11:22 am
Baba John Baker was the guest at my son’s baseball camp in Jupiter.
Was this before or after the fist-bump thing?
he was in disbelief that McCann was called out on that obvious “ball” on Tuesday night.
Well, obviously we all were…Haha! He should have said, “Hey, Meals, WTHeck? My pitcher didn’t throw a strike there. What are you talkin’ about?”
That’s cool you got to talk to him, though.
Piedmont Blues (ex-BFIR)
July 31st, 2009
11:22 am
Happy Deadline Day gang,
That was a huge and dramatic win last night. A sweep by the Fish might not have exactly sounded the death knell, but Quasimodo would have been grasping for the rope.
Time to kick some Mannywood butt.
DAP
July 31st, 2009
11:23 am
lew i remember thinking that if that was the deal the padres wanted, then they probably had about 29 teams interested.
Clock
July 31st, 2009
11:23 am
Thanks for the update Heath. Dumbarse.
shane
July 31st, 2009
11:24 am
Think Billy Hohn will get a Christmas Card from Bobby Cox?
Baba O'Riley
July 31st, 2009
11:24 am
McFann- This was the morning before the fistbump incident. He came to the camp on Wednesday. It is Tommy Hutton’s camp, former big leaguer and current Marlins broadcaster.
I was at the “fist-bump’ game, but left in the 8th inning.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:25 am
What is pathetic is the fact that Greg Norton is still on the Braves roster. I feel that if the Braves are going to give WELFARE at-bats to a BUM like Greg Norton……….why not give a dying kid from the Make a Wish Foundation his last wish and give him some WELFARE at-bats? Think about it, when it comes down to it, what would be the difference? They are both going to make an out. Why not get some good will from the general public?
Justafan
July 31st, 2009
11:25 am
You can’t get something for nothing.
Take that back. Unless the gov’t gives it to lazy ones that wont work and the tax payers suffer. Right Obama.
Jeff R
July 31st, 2009
11:26 am
PWHjort… Huntington didn’t sign Walker, who’s been quite a disappointment. Walker is pre-Huntington.
A cash-strapped Pirates are cleaning out payroll. Some of there pick ups are good; others are iffy.
I think the Pirates are in for a long, long slog.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
11:26 am
DAP-Maybe so, but it struck me just the opposite. That’s just not the type of deal the Marlins do.
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
11:26 am
John–
Did you see? BMac showed a bunt a couple times last night. One he pushed foul down the 3B line, the other he showed bunt but didn’t offer at the pitch.
And I wish I could see that second double again–he shot it right through the shift! My Dad was saying he must have scotched that thing because there were two guys right there, and neither of them could get it! And I loved how he stretched it into a double. He’s got hustle. Glad he didn’t hurt himself bad–that was an awkward slide. And he kinda stumbled as he rounded first.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:27 am
Again, some of you guys are too sensitive. This isnt church. If you didnt like my joke, fine. I can accept it. But I see nothing wrong with it. I’m all for what the “Make a Wish Foundation” does. However, I am totally against the Braves treating Greg Norton as if they are trying to “grant him his last wish” by keeping him on the team. Greg Norton is a BUM AT THE PLATE, not some sick kid.
Original Jon
July 31st, 2009
11:28 am
We have two guys that are coming back soon, one is Hudson and the other is Carlyle. Carlyle I have heard is throwing lights out in rehab, and Huddy should be ok in the 5th starters spot, moving Kawakami into long relief.. That is two relievers right there, no need to make a trade. A bat? For what? This offense is clicking right now, why mess with the chemistry?
Lew
July 31st, 2009
11:28 am
First it was Jeff Francoeur. Now it’s Greg Norton. Isn’t it truly wonderful that we’ve seen how Paul Lentz moves on. No one track thinking from THAT quarter.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:28 am
NORRIS……….funny posting at 11:07am. I’d love to “Make a Wish to the Braves Foundation” as well, lol.
Jeff R
July 31st, 2009
11:28 am
Paul Lentz… ever see Casino? The last scene or so where Joe Pesci and his brother are digging their own graves?
You’re shoveling like a madman, feller!
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
11:29 am
Baba–
Ah. ‘Cause I was gonna say you should’ve asked him about that. (And I found it int’resting that Baker didn’t play last night.)
You left in the 8th? Man! Did you get to see the “fun”, or were you out of there before Billy the Kid started causing trouble?
Baba O'Riley
July 31st, 2009
11:29 am
Lentz- Still not funny. Drop the Make-A_Wish reference.
About the Pirates- They are not getting great talent in return. Lastings Milledge? Does any other ML team want that guy???
GboroBravo
July 31st, 2009
11:30 am
From MLBTR:
The Tigers acquired pitcher Jarrod Washburn from the Mariners, according to Mike Salk of ESPN radio in Seattle.
Baba O'Riley
July 31st, 2009
11:31 am
I was gone. We were supposed to be on the field for BP, but the SoFla rain cured that.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:32 am
While I do support President Obama, someone used my name to make the first 11:28am posting. I have been refraining from going there with the MORON stuff.
MFin04
July 31st, 2009
11:33 am
Why the heck did Moylan hit last night? Did we really have no one left that could hit?
P.S. – Greg Norton is 6 for 51 with a .118 average, surely he should have been left on the bench to hit with the bases loaded? Surely he would be the last guy you’d call on to pinch hit in the game…? Sadly, Peter Moylan put more of a charge into the ball than Greg Norton did. Maybe Peter Moylan should be the first pinch hitter off the bench instead of Greg Norton?
NORRIS
July 31st, 2009
11:34 am
Obama is an idiott. enough said.
back to baseball.
o-me
July 31st, 2009
11:34 am
Paul, Obama must have give you a hand out,
John
July 31st, 2009
11:35 am
Paul
I tried to bail you out…BUT…your and idiot…and…your own you’re on…
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:35 am
What email address does one use to contact the AJC if I want to report someone making fake posts using my name? While I may disagree with some of you on here, I have never gone there and done the fake name thing. I read the other day that David O’Brien has banned someone for doing the fake name thing.
NORRIS
July 31st, 2009
11:37 am
i think it was capt caveman that someone was using his name. but dont know how to report it.
o-me
July 31st, 2009
11:37 am
Paul, I wouldn’t tell anyone.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:37 am
I have tried to refrain from talking politics on here. Yet those of you who bash President Obama continue to do so without any kind of reprimand.
Southern hypocrisy at it’s best?
Supes
July 31st, 2009
11:38 am
The Tigers acquired pitcher Jarrod Washburn from the Mariners, according to Mike Salk of ESPN radio in Seattle
****************
If that’s true…I sincerely hope the Braves consider trading KK to the Mariners in the off-season. It’ll be the only place that you can ship off KK and not look bad with other japanese players (down the road if they consider signing with ATL).
DAP – You are seriously over valuing Adrian Gonzalez.
Also, how do you know what kind of players Schafer and Freeman will turn out to be? Are you a scout? An expert? I’m so SICK and tired of reading people’s comments like “Oh, he’ll never be an all star…JUST HOW THE FRAK DO YOU KNOW?”
Did you think Brian McCann will be an All Star?
I bet you thought that Jeff FRANCINE would be the 2nd coming of Dale Murphy and an ALL STAR.
Get a grip people, Schafer and Freeman are 2 of our BUILDING blocks for the future. They have potential, if they work at it, with the right coaching you NEVER know what their talent level will max out to be. Schafer could become a very good lead off man. Freeman could become a contant hitting line drive 1B with Good to Average power numbers (20-25HR eventually).
Enough of this trading our future building blocks for ONE GUY. Unless that guy is Albert Pujols or Ryan Braun.
N8
July 31st, 2009
11:39 am
DOB, your 7:47 post is what I’ve been trying to tell people for months about Kotchman/Mac.
People want to harp on Kotchmans lack of power for a corner infielder. Yet fail to acknowledge that our best hitter/power hitter is our catcher. A position that most teams get little offense and a ton of defense out of.
As I’ve said seemingly endless amount of times. It’s a wash. We’ve got the best hitting catcher in the NL (if not all of baseball), and a decent hitter who plays GG defense at 1B. If we had Johnny Estrada (the catcher’s equivelant hitting wise of Kotchman) and a big bopper at 1B, would these same people be whining about the offense at the catcher’s position?
Unfortunately, this is where my argument of having McCann be the best hitter on the team and playing such a demanding position, that requires regular days off, comes into play.
John
July 31st, 2009
11:41 am
McFann
I think McCann is smart enuff to know that he DOESN’T want to hit into that “shift” for the next several yrs…so…he’ll do what is necessary…to make teams backoff from playing it…just a couple of bunts or weak grounders throught the left side should do the trick…and that’ll be the end of the “shift”….(Ted WIlliams might have hit .506 that year….IF he wasn’t so stubborn…)
Shirli
July 31st, 2009
11:41 am
I believe almost all umpires are biased. With the cameras and computers we should just get rid of them and use electronics. At least they are honest. AND cheaper. maybe the price of tickets could be lowered. I remember throwing coke bottles at a homeplate umpire in the southern league at an Atlanta Cracker game at Ponce de Leon park. Jim Woods was the Cracker anouncer. That’s when selling cokes in bottles stopped and paper or plastic cups began I was about 10 years old. I also remember being very angry when the Braves moved and the Crackers went away.
Baba O'Riley
July 31st, 2009
11:42 am
Supes- with that thinking, prospects would never be traded. I’m not a big believer in Freeman’s or Shafer’s future stardom. People are allowed to think that way if they want. Freeman could also be Casey Kotchman and Shafer could be David Dejesus. I would not hesitate to trade those 2 and Medlen for Gonzalez.
PWHjort
July 31st, 2009
11:42 am
Jeff R,
That’s what I’m saying. Huntington’s predecessor, McClatchy, had built a farm where Neil Walker was the 2nd best prospect. Huntington has added about 13-14 prospects that are better than him. I’m using Walker as a reference point, that’s all.
beekay
July 31st, 2009
11:43 am
Paul
First kids with cancer, now Obama?? Whats next are you going to tell us why we should vote for universal healthcare for 10 million illegals and bankrupt our fragile economy??
DP
July 31st, 2009
11:44 am
Lew, I disagree with you on the Kotchman play last night. If you watch the replay, the ball was hit one step to the left of Johnson at second base. It is inexplicable why Kotchman broke on the ball. It was another LaRoche-like brain cramp, just like the lobbed throw on the bunt last week. Kotchman couldn’t have gotten within 3 steps of the ball if he’d kept moving toward it. I don’t blame Soriano for not covering first on a ball that was hit almost directly to the second baseman.
Jeff R
July 31st, 2009
11:44 am
PWHjort…. Ah. I stand corrected.
PWHjort
July 31st, 2009
11:44 am
Obama is an idiott. enough said.
back to baseball.
OK, I’m not talking politics here, just talking about a political character. Obama is an extremely smart human being. I bet he can even spell “idiot” correctly or capitolize his sentences.
dogsbrekky
July 31st, 2009
11:44 am
No politics on this blog
It is a RULE for a bloody reason
Just drop it
Poorjeff
July 31st, 2009
11:45 am
Shirli, I was there, loved the old park and Bob Montag would hit’em on the railroad track.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:46 am
I dont understand that Washburn trade to the Tigers. They acquire Jack Wilson and Ian Snell from the Pirates. Yet they trade Washburn?
Perhaps this could be a precursor to Kawakami being traded to the Mariners? If so, I’m not sure what Frank Wren could get from them for Kawakami.
Despite Kawakami only averaging 5 2/3 innings per start……he is still a healthy, durable starting pitcher. Many teams would be interested in having a bad of the rotation guy like Kawakami. 2 years with less than $13 mil left on his contract isnt all that much. It isnt like the Braves have to pay Barry Zito $18 mil for 4 more years.
PWHjort
July 31st, 2009
11:47 am
Perhaps this could be a precursor to Kawakami being traded to the Mariners?
Bit of a reach there.
Glass Half Full
July 31st, 2009
11:48 am
IF, IF the Braves were after Adrian G. they’d likely have to deal Kotchman somewhere. While Kotch is not a power bat, he does hit for average.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:49 am
dogsbrekky…………the “no politics rule” seems to only apply to those who are more liberal in their political beliefs.
NORRIS
July 31st, 2009
11:50 am
PWHJORT???
I guess basically you just told me a lot about you as a person. You sir are drinking the koolaide.
dogsbrekky
July 31st, 2009
11:50 am
Paul Lentz – it is for everyone, and everyone knows it
Baseball, food, music are welcome
Religion and politics NO
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:52 am
PWHjort………..I said “perhaps”. I didnt say it was a done deal, lol. But the Japanese connection is there, plus the fact that Tim Hudson is coming back. It isnt like Kris Medlen couldnt pitch a few starts before Hudson returned.
However, I feel that the Braves are going to keep Kawakami and continue to develop him.
NORRIS
July 31st, 2009
11:52 am
hahahaha.
that was hilarious paul. “back to the people” this is the man that is pushing for socialism.
duh…
Mixxo
July 31st, 2009
11:52 am
“The future” was every year after 1995. I see how that worked out.
I want to win today!
DP
July 31st, 2009
11:52 am
N8, justifying Kotchman’s lack of power production from a power position by grouping him with McCann seems strange to me. What does one have to do with the other? Is it normal to think “we’ve got a great player at one position, so we should couple him with a less than average player at another position so we’ll be back to the league average for the combined positions”? Should St. Louis be happy with a catcher who bats .180 with no power because when you combine him with Pujols the combination of the two is better than the league average for the 2 positions? Should Atlanta have been happy with 4th and 5th starting pitcher who posted 6 ERAs back in the day because when you combined them with Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz you still had an above average rotation?
McFann ;Ô;
July 31st, 2009
11:52 am
John @ 11:41–
I agree. And at least not all the teams are using it…
Ted WIlliams might have hit .506 that year….IF he wasn’t so stubborn
Haha!
o-me
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
beekay- I bet Paul refused to go to Nam and protested with Jane Fonda.
bloody reason???????
You didn’t bitch when they talked about Bush. Yea, he was Texas Ranger man.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
Again, someone is making fake postings using my name at 11:50am.
John
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
DP
Kotchman is what I call a “roamer”…most VERY good 1B ARE….The lousy ones just stay in one spot…& maybe use the ol’ “lean-dive” every once in a while. (Same as at 3B BTW) Kotch was playing VERY deep on that play…and HAS to react to his right…assuming he trying to play good D…The Scowl should take note of “positioning’ before the pitch and KNOW he MAY have to cover 1B on ANY ball between KJ & Kotch.
I would also hope… that Kotch alerted The Scowl that he would be playing “deep” and make sure and get over to 1B on ANY grounder that way…I love “roamers”….they make plays…pitchers just have to be ready to “do their job” on every ground ball hit that way…
Heath
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
So, with the Washburn deal…hopefully that motivates the ChiSox to do something…They need pitching more than the Tigers do. Pitching we got…
learner
July 31st, 2009
11:53 am
I think Paul is being impersonated with the political posts.
Paul, to answer your question, I believe that you click the “Report this Comment” link on a fraudulent post and fill out the forms from that point.
dogsbrekky
July 31st, 2009
11:54 am
Paul Lentz – I have tried to be neutral towards you but like many of your junior poker playing drongoes you just seem to have zero sensitivity towards others feelings
You bash people that believe in god, make an obscene joke about dying children (yet you don’t get that it is
the lowest form of scumbaggery), you then are told the rules of the blog regarding no politics and then go on and on about bloody politics
What is so hard to understand. There is no politics on here. There are no dying children jokes, there are no religious discussions.
Okay
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
11:55 am
This posting is fake. Just a figment of your imagination. Ilm trying to figure out how to make real postings.
DAP
July 31st, 2009
11:56 am
supesYou are seriously over valuing Adrian Gonzalez.
how is that?
“Oh, he’ll never be an all star…JUST HOW THE FRAK DO YOU KNOW?”
i never said that, so i guess you arent talk to me anymore.
jeffrey d
July 31st, 2009
11:56 am
All you people saying Wren should DO SOMETHING!!! What do you propose he do?
NO! Don’t ask them that!
braves4ever
July 31st, 2009
11:57 am
All this watching the clock to see if there is a last minute trade looks like a bunch of refugees waiting on a slow boat to come in and rescue their butts from the 3rd world and take them to the promised land. What have we become? Wren isn’t going to make any big changes he’s said that for weeks. As my 13 year old says about his team ” We will play the best we can with what we have” Stop watching the clocks and hoping for a rescue miracle, its not going to happen. The Dodger Blue is in town and lets man-up and , Play Ball.
The Love Child of Dale Murphy and Johnny Cash
July 31st, 2009
11:58 am
Lentz:
For someone who spends so much time calling people IDIOT and MORON, you seem to display the qualities defined by those two terms more than most.
DP
July 31st, 2009
11:58 am
John, whether or not Kotchman is a “roamer”, he should know where the second baseman is positioned. There wasn’t huge space between them as Johnson was positioned more toward first than normal with a lefthanded pull hitter batting. See the replay, Johnson literally took one step to the left to square up on the ball. Kotchman had no chance to get near the ball, which should have been apparent to him the minute the ball was hit. It was a relatively hard-hit ground ball, not a high chopper.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:00 pm
How does one email David O’Brien and report someone using my name to make fake postings?
o-me
July 31st, 2009
12:01 pm
Paul you forgot Pres. Carter. He was the Worse ever and Obama is doing the same crap Carter tried. One term Baby.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:02 pm
dogsbrekky………..dude, I did not make those political postings at 11:28am and 11:50am. Someone is being totally classless by using my name. At least be a man and use your own name to take cheap shots at someone.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:05 pm
No, it’s not inexplicable. Kotchman was only one step further off of the ball thasn Kelly and playing with a second baseman with no range and little in the way of defensive skills. It was on Soriano to cover that play. The pitcher ALWAYS goes to first whether or not Kotchman fields the ball – as backup if nothing else. Besides, it didn’t affect the game in any way shape or form. Kotchman is an excellent First baseman, so what’s your point, anyway? That everyone can make a mistake ( if it was even a mistake in other than your own opinion)?
DP
July 31st, 2009
12:06 pm
With regard to the reference to Ted Williams and .406, I came across an incredible stat recently. Both Ted Williams and Babe Ruth had CAREER OBP’s that were higher than Dimaggio’s OBP during his 56 game hitting streak.
Supes
July 31st, 2009
12:06 pm
DAP
Adrian Gonzalez has not been producing at a high level long enough for me to value him as high as some of you who are ready to trade the farm for him. He is only one guy, and unless that guys is Albert Pujols he can’t fix all the problems the Braves have and won’t lead us to the WC or divison in 2009.
Paul Lentz,
KK to the Mariners was suggested by me a few days ago, and with Washburn traded that definintely opens up a spot in their rotation. I think KK contract (dollars) could be the only issue, but Wren can work that out perhaps in a 3 way deal?
OK…with the “prospects are just prospects thinking”…I guess we should have traded Hanson (this off-season for Peavy, after all he’s ONLY a prospect) and now we should trade Heyward…I mean he’s JUST a damn prospect. God forbid we KEEP any of our prospects to see if they develop into ALL STARS here in ATL.
o-me
July 31st, 2009
12:07 pm
Paul if that was not you then I’m sorry but to the one responsible….you’re sick.
Heath
July 31st, 2009
12:07 pm
The O/U on tonight game is 9…whatta think?
jeffrey d
July 31st, 2009
12:07 pm
Geeze, I get onto the blog this morning and it’s a freaking barn. Paul Lentz, a fake Paul Lentz, a couple other fakers trying to get a political fight going….a freaking barn I tell ya
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:07 pm
David O’Brien……….please check the IP address of the person posting as “Paul Lentz” at 11:28am, 11:50am, 11:55am and 12:00pm and compare it to my IP address in my postings.
Also, why doesnt the AJC have a process in place where people can sign up for a “handle” to use? For people to be able to use “any” handle they want isnt fair.
The Love Child of Dale Murphy and Johnny Cash
July 31st, 2009
12:08 pm
DP:
Great stats. I’ve always thought that Dimaggio’s streak is held in too much reverence, especially since Williams’ had such a great season in ‘41.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:10 pm
Paul Lentz-Whether or not I agree with you, think you’re a decent poster or not, no one deserves having their identity stolen-even on a blog. I just reported it for both of us.
dogsbrekky
July 31st, 2009
12:10 pm
Paul – if you are suggesting in your 12.02 that I am the one posting under your name then you are wrong
but whoever is putting politics up here, please stop
My head will asplode otherwise
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:10 pm
Supers, a few days ago, I actually proposed that trading Kawakami to a team like Oakland would make sense from Oakland’s perspective. There is a HUGE Asian fan base in the Bay Area. Plus they could use a veteran presence (even though he is an American rookie) in their rotation.
dogsbrekky
July 31st, 2009
12:11 pm
Lew – I reported the political post under Paul Lentz as well, one in all in I say
DP
July 31st, 2009
12:11 pm
Lew, my point was that MLB should reconsider what constitutes an error to include obvious mental errors, like lobbing a ball and allowing a runner to reach when a normal throw would have retired the runner (what’s the difference between lobbing it and throwing it in the dirt?) or not covering a base that is your responsibility.
Kotchman is a very good defensive first baseman but he’s made two plays in the last week in which it appeared to me that his head wasn’t in the game.
KillerHohn
July 31st, 2009
12:11 pm
There is no way Atlanta can justify keeping Greg Norton on their roster. I also wanted to think that the Braves would put Tim Hudson in the bullpen when he returns and give his arm time to build strength. Having seen Kenshin Kawakami pitch lately, I think he may go to the bullpen with Atlanta trying with all their might to trade him in the offseason. He seems to be strong for a couple innings and then he loses his stamina in the fourth or fifth. Maybe he’s suited for relief. What is it with Japanese pithcers? They seem to lack stamina when pitching in MLB. Daisuke Matsuzaka does the same thing with Boston. As for those criticizing Frank Wren for “standing pat”, I offer the signings of Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami and Garret Anderson. The deals for Nate McLouth, Ryan Church and Javier Vazquez as evidence against that theory. Sicne January, Wren has replaced the whole outfield in Atlanta and 3/5 of his pitching staff. He has replaced 4/5 of the staff if you add in Tommy Hanson. What more do you want your GM to do? I venture to say that no other GM has made this many moves in six months time. How have they worked out? Well, the Kawakami move notwithstanding, the pitching staff is among the best in the NL. The outfield changes look much better now than they did two months ago. Garret Anderson has hit the ball exceptionally well, Nate McLouth is a definite upgrade in CF and Ryan Church is a much better option than Georgia’s finest was. Are each of these players the long termm answers? Likely not. But they are decent moves for this time in the Braves resurgence.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:12 pm
Lew………..thanks for reporting it. How does one exactly report when someone does the fake name posting thing?
Couch Tater
July 31st, 2009
12:12 pm
I think Bronson Arroyo is making the smart play by forewarning the public that his name is probably on the list of PED users.
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view/20090731bronson_arroyo_bad_andro_may_be_cause/
Heath
July 31st, 2009
12:13 pm
With GA’s play this year…who think it’s possible that next year we see him in the OF with McLouth and Heyward on another one-year deal?
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:13 pm
dogsbrekky………dude I didnt say it was you. I was directing it to the “person” using my name. I didnt mean to imply that it was you. If I felt it was you, then believe me, I would have NO PROBLEM with accusing you DIRECTLY.
N8
July 31st, 2009
12:13 pm
Hmmmm. The Mariners are 53-49, 8 games out of 1st place in the AL West, and 6.5 games back in the wild card. They have traded Jarod Washburn for 3 prospects.
Braves? 52-50, 7 games out of 1st place and 4 back in the wild card.
I’m glad that at least one of these teams is using a realistic approach to their future and trading off a guy that won’t be part of their longterm future, for 3 prospects that might be, in a season where while it appears they are within striking distance, their GM realizes the reality of the situation (and his team’s recent track record), and has moved on from the pipe dream.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:15 pm
DP-Whatever Dude, it might happen when they change to no DH, no All Star game determining who has home field or anything else in baseball. Besides-how does an official scorer determine mental lapses? Half of them have little clue as it is.
Paul-To contact any person at the paper it would be like DOBrien@AJC.com, CRogers@AJC.com, Bradley @AJC.com, etc.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:15 pm
Lew………please report the FIRST fake posting at 12:13pm. I did not say that.
Heath
July 31st, 2009
12:15 pm
N8 -
The Mariners and the Marlins have both over-achieved. Mariners looking at next year is not a surprise.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:18 pm
Excuse me MBradley-don’t want to dis Mark. He puts up with us every now and then.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:20 pm
Paul-They’ll delete them all-hopefully-eventually. I contacted DOB and I don’t even know if he’s doing the blog today, is at home yet, or still at the airport. That’s really all that can be done and they (and David) are usually pretty good about that. I have a feeling an old acquaintance who’s been banned before is back. Just another infantile, smart assed little dweeb locked in his basement and off his meds.
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:21 pm
Lew……….thanks, I just emailed David O’Brien and pleaded my case with him.
TnBrian
July 31st, 2009
12:23 pm
Any relievers out there that anybody think we have a shot at getting? Just from what we’ve read, it looks like that Weurtz from Oak. would be a great pickup but so would League from Tor. Those two might be too pricey in players/prospects for Wren though, so we’ll see. Surely to God he picks up somebody before too long.
flange1
July 31st, 2009
12:24 pm
Lew,
Agree, all the earmarks of the fowl one….
flange1
July 31st, 2009
12:25 pm
or foul one….
Paul Lentz
July 31st, 2009
12:26 pm
I picked 6 Braves for my fantasy team tonight. With Jason Schmidt pitching, the Braves should rock him tonight. He is NO WHERE near the pitcher before his injury. Plus the Dodgers bullpen has played 2 straight extra inning games.
Plus I have Braves pitching tonight for my fantasy team. I need Tommy Hanson to deliver for me.
Tdalmore
July 31st, 2009
12:26 pm
Btw, Mike Gonzalez is WAY overrated. I have absolutely no confidence in him when he enters a game. He may have some effective outings, but mostly is an accident waiting to happen. The idea of using him and Greg Norton in key spots as the season goes forward is acary.
Lew
July 31st, 2009
12:28 pm
Flange-Yeah, the malodorous one has likely made yet another return. Maybe if a coma were induced instead of simple medications?
Shaun
July 31st, 2009
12:29 pm
I’m glad that at least one of these teams is using a realistic approach to their future and trading off a guy that won’t be part of their longterm future, for 3 prospects that might be, in a season where while it appears they are within striking distance, their GM realizes the reality of the situation (and his team’s recent track record), and has moved on from the pipe dream.
Here’s the problem: The Braves are very much in the Wild Card hunt at 4 back. The M’s are 6.5 back in the Wild Card. The Braves are at least as talented as the teams ahead of them in the Wild Card hunt; they have a +30 run differential and the other teams are no better than +48. The Mariners clearly are not as talented as most of the teams in the AL Wild Card hunt; the M’s have a -49 run differential and they must compete with the likes of Boston (+83) and Tampa Bay (+66).
Yes, I realize run differential isn’t everything–it’s actual record that counts–but run differential goes a long way towards telling us what kind of talent a team has and what they are likely to do in the future. And it’s not late enough into the season where there are so few games that we should throw out run differential.
N8
July 31st, 2009
12:30 pm
DP, normally a team wouldn’t have to do so. But a team that has 45 percent of it’s payroll tied up into it’s rotation, and has only so much money to go around.
So your reference to the pitching staffs of the 90’s is a worthless comparison, because money wasn’t an issue back then. In case you’ve forgotten, along with those great pitching staffs, we usually had 4 or 5 high-priced all star caliber everyday players to go with the expensive pitching staff (the bullpen is where JS skimped on payroll back then).
In this day and age, even though McCann is signed to a “friendly” contract, with the dollars tied up in the pitching, we cannot afford to acquire a 1B with power. One needs to be developed (say, perhaps like Freeman?)
We could have Adam Dunn at 1B, but that would have meant passing on one of the pitchers. So if you’ve read any of my posts in the last 6 months, you’ll know that while Dunn’s defense was a turn off for me (I would have put him in the OF and kept Kotchman), I was all for another bat and one less pitcher in the off-season.
But here is an example. Take the Brewers. They have a monster at 1B in Prince Fielder (23 HR and 89 RBI), which are obviously better numbers than McCann has put up. But their main catcher? Jason Kendall. 0 HR, 26 RBI. Rivera, their backup catcher has 0 HR and 2 RBI.
So, combined they have 24 HR and 117 RBI out of 1B and catcher.
McCann has 12 HR and 52 RBI. Ross, McCann’s backup, has 6 HR and 15 RBI. Kotchman has 6 HR and 41 RBI. Prado has had 1 HR and 3 RBI while filling in for Kotch at 1B.
So, combined, they have 25 HR and 111 RBI. Not really that far off of the production that those guys have. And we’re talking about Fielder, one of the best power hitters in the game.
My point is that different teams get production from different positions. Cal Ripken provided more offense for the Orioles, than Ozzie Smith did for the Cardinals. Meaning the Cards had to get their offense elsewhere.
We have one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. Appreciate it. Respect it, and get over the fact that we don’t have a big bat at 1B.
We’re years removed from having big production at every positions like we did in the 90’s and early 00’s.