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1,727 comments Add your comment
submariner
August 21st, 2009
9:29 am
Braves claim Billy Wagner off waivers?
Thrillhouse44
August 21st, 2009
9:31 am
Best wishes, RHR.
I just read the Double Dime body story. Am I the only one who wonders why Chipper still has an answering machine?
Thrillhouse44
August 21st, 2009
9:33 am
I hope not, submariner. Isn’t he still owed like $1.75 million? I don’t know that he’d be better than what we have. Plus, I agree with KC – Hudson should go to the ‘pen.
Rock On......the denizen formerly known as Dadgum
August 21st, 2009
9:37 am
DOB….still shaking my head and feeling damn glad I don’t post after midnight. Mitchell seems to have gone “all Eric Clapton” on us (After Midnight). Get it? ….good. Wow! What kind of music gurus are you guys anyway and whatever you are drinking I don’t want any.
Going to see Drive-By Truckers tomorrow night here in beautiful downtown Richmond at the National. Great great venue which is one reason the Truckers play here three times a year. I am kidding about the beautiful downtown part sort of. I feel it safe to say that Mitchell won’t be in attendance at the Truckers concert. Thankfully.
Had the opportunity to peak into The Roxy in Buckhead last month while in the area. Gonna be a sweet venue when finished out. A lot of changes coming to the Buckhead/Roswell Rd. area. The National in Richmond is similar in feel to the Roxy.
Oh, and Mitchell, give me many many groups to listen to if stranded on a deserted island before the Beatles. They wouldn’t be in my top 20. Know it is a personal thing, music that is, so just sayin…..
Lew
August 21st, 2009
9:37 am
Thrillhouse-Not only is he owed that money, but there’s a 2010 option with another one mil buyout. Wagner’s not coming to Atlanta to play for the Braves.
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
August 21st, 2009
9:39 am
METSFAN4LIFE,
What happened to Sheff? The GREAT Johan is 1-5 lifetime against the Braves? How can that be?
Soph
August 21st, 2009
9:44 am
Best wishes from me too RHR. Glad the Braves were able to win one for him last night.
METSFAN4LIFE
August 21st, 2009
9:45 am
Sheff did great last night, and Johan gave us a chance to win. I was hoping we would come through on that sloppy bullpen work. I can’t believe bobby keeps trotting out the same relievers every day though.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
9:45 am
Buffalo – Johan has a 2.28 ERA against the Braves. I guess it’s the same bad luck Vasquez has been having all season – no?
RHR
August 21st, 2009
9:45 am
I wondered about that, Thrillhouse. I assume they meant voice mail? I mean, why wouldn’t he call Chipper’s cell phone knowing that he was on the road?
And thanks.
submariner
August 21st, 2009
9:46 am
If NY agrees to eat a large portion of the salary, which is what will have to happen if they trade him to any team, I wouldn’t be suprised if the Braves at least kicked the tires. They have a history of getting guys off of the scrap heap.
KC
August 21st, 2009
9:47 am
sidslidkid, it is a very good movie. It’s really not a movie of over the top special FX. In fact, I think the budget for the film was only 30 million, compared to the 200+ mill budgets of Transformers and GI Joe (which looked so F’ing dumb, I couldn’t bring myself to buy a ticket, even though I grew up with the cartoon).
I thought Transformers was nowhere near as bad as the critics made it sound. I enjoyed it. But it is definitely an FX/flash driven movie. District 9 is not that kind of film. It’s not “Independence Day” for that matter either. Nothing remotely over the top about this movie.
Braveheart
August 21st, 2009
9:47 am
“As the crow flies, we’re eight miles from the Rio Grande,” Jones Sr. said.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
9:48 am
And before you guys carve Kwawkami’s face into the side of Stone Mountain for beating Santana last night please take a closer look at the lineup he faced. Hey, he did the job but come one. That wasn’t exactly the Big Red Machine.
bravesgrl4life
August 21st, 2009
9:49 am
Hillbilly and Mitchell, you guys are right about the current crop of “country.” I keep telling my husband it’s not real country when he talks about country “sucking.” That’s why I like my XM Radio with the Roadhouse station – play lots of old stuff from the 50s to the 70s. And I just really don’t get the fascination with Kenny Chesney. I mean, I like some of his songs, and even have one or two of his albums, but come on, he is not all that and a bag of chips in my book. Going tonight to see one of the more authentic ones of the current crop – Jack Ingram. Hope he impresses me more than a hat-wearing dude did a few years back.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
9:50 am
submariner- If Wagner keeps pitching like he did last night he will go to the highest bidder. Take it to the bank – That will NOT be the Braves.
Mid Town Joe
August 21st, 2009
9:50 am
For the most part, I’ve stayed away from the Bobby Cox debate, but I did have a thought this morning. The NY Yankees seemed to have put a pretty good season together without Joe Torre this year.
flange1
August 21st, 2009
9:52 am
Morning All,
Always good to beat Johan, although he did not look like himself last night. He is a heck of an athlete, he made a couple defensive plays look easy that weren’t.
If I were the Braves, I would claim Billy Wagner. If they can work out a deal for Gregor Blanco or such, do it, but if not, block him from going to the Marlins, Phillies or Rockies.
He looked pretty dang good yesterday.
Got to beat the fish this weekend! We have good playoff style baseball in the ATL this weekend, we need to support our Braves!
Braveheart
August 21st, 2009
9:53 am
As the crow flies, we’re four games from the Octubre Grande
Lew
August 21st, 2009
9:53 am
BravesFan4Life-You mena the same old relievers like Moylan who pitched last night for the second time in 11 days? Or Maybe you mean Soriano who pitched for the third time in the past 12 days?
Dude-Being a Mets’ fan is a dumb enough thing to be, but you could control your ignorance if you really wanted to-it’s called research.
Thrillhouse44
August 21st, 2009
9:54 am
Mid Town Joe, the Dodgers seemed to have put a pretty good season together with Joe Torre (and his flat bill) this year.
Joe Fan
August 21st, 2009
9:54 am
Prediction: The Braves want be going to spring training 2010 with Vazquez, Hudson KK and Lowe. Two of the four will be gone. Hudson’s option likely want be exercised and one of the others will be traded to help the offense / OF and maybe land a closer providing the Braves don’t resign either of the two they currently have. Nice start yesterday for Mike Minor . The Braves 1st round draft choice had two shoutout innings for Rome. Sounds like he will be going to the Arizona Fall league. Here’s hoping that in 2+ years he will fill a slot in the rotation.
Braveheart
August 21st, 2009
9:55 am
The Yankees also missed October last year without Joe Torre.
Thrillhouse44
August 21st, 2009
9:55 am
As the crow flies, be sure not to look up with your mouth open.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
9:58 am
Submariner-And what makes you think that the Mets would eat considerable portions of his salary? In case you haven’t noticed, their rotation is in shambles and their pen has definitely seen better days. Why don’t they just keep Wagner if he’s that good and maybe shore themselves up a bit for next year? With all the $$$ coming off of their books next year (DelGado and a few others), they could afford to keep him and would have to get more pitching anyway.
Some people (even we Braves’ Homers) could see that a pen of a healthy Wagner, a healthy Putz (don’t even go there) and Rodriguez at the end could be a dominant pen-IF Wagner were willing to set up in the twilight of his career.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
9:59 am
Joe Girardi has a $200 mil payroll. You just can’t use him in any mgr comparison argument. Apples and oranges. Even against the RedSox, Mets and Dodgers.
Mid Town Joe
August 21st, 2009
9:59 am
So which ex-catcher will manage the Braves next?
DAP
August 21st, 2009
10:00 am
wow…i didnt even realize the the braves had moved into a tie for third with the marlins. very nice. the braves have a chance to push the fish down even further this weekend, and they need to do it. looking at the pitching matchups, they look pretty good for the braves….(though they always do, when you have great pitching)
and the two teams ahead of us play each other…so if the braves win thier games they can make some serious progress in the standings.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:00 am
Anders-He did the same thing to Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays earlier in the season-when the Jays were still in first place. He’s beaten all the big pitchers he’s gone up against this year.
Mid Town Joe
August 21st, 2009
10:01 am
The Ex-Brave Mark has carried the Yankees this August, and will probably be AL MVP.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:01 am
Lew- They were talking about just that on the Mets telecast last night. Wagner/K-Rod and Putz in the pen next year.
I think there’s about 10% chance of that right now. But if the Mets aren’t wowed with any offers and Wagner pitches lights out the rest of the way maybe they’ll consider it. It is a risk though.
sidslidkid
August 21st, 2009
10:01 am
Mid Town Joe, I hope Eddie does.
Thrillhouse44
August 21st, 2009
10:02 am
Charlie O’Brien, but only if he wears the hockey mask.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:02 am
MidTownJOe-Yeah, and all it took was signing Burnett, Sabbathia and Teixeira for about a half a billion bucks.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:03 am
Lew- I know who KK beat. I was just talking about last nights game. “Outdueling the reat Santana” and all. Just giving it some perspective.
Supes
August 21st, 2009
10:03 am
Anders,
I told you that KK would beat Santana. I don’t care what kind of lineup the Mets are throwing out there, they still get a major league paycheck don’t they? Like it’s KK’s fault he didn’t have to face Delgado, Beltran, Reyes and Wright?
Just damn Anders…give Kawakami some fraking credit man. He took care of business. Not bad for a 5th starter. He’d probably be number 2 on this current Mets rotation, don’t you think?
I have no idea what the Braves long term plans are for KK, will they trade him, etc but I know this. He has plenty of upside. He’s got the pitches. Just needs to quit fraking around, (taking too long and slowing down the game), be more aggressive in the strike zone, esp. against inferior hitters, and stop walking batters as much).
Meanwhile…Santana looked human last night, like Church said…”He could be had”.
KC,
Hudson as a closer/set up guy all sounds nice in theory…but he’s never played that role before. It takes a different mindset to pitch late in games, coming out of the pen. Not everyone can do it.
Maybe, just maybe…someone threw out a possibility…since Hanson has never thrown as many innings in his career before, if maybe he gets moved to the pen in September (ala David Price) to save his arm a bit. If that happens, Hudson would just slide into his spot in the rotation. Plus Hanson has more “closer type stuff” or pen stuff if you stop and think about it. He is a stirkeout pitcher.
I definitely don’t think that Kawakami (with his lack of control at times) is a good option for the pen.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:04 am
Anders-Point was that the Mets won’t eat salary to trade him to the Braves.
Supes
August 21st, 2009
10:06 am
One more thing…all of this surplus of quality starting pitching…a much better “problem” to have than what we faced last year…which was an decimated injury depleted staff of AAA guys and Jair Jurrjens.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:07 am
Joe Fan-You’re absolutely wrong about that contention. If the Braves either a.Not exercise Hudson’s option ($12 mil net gain), trade Vazquez ($another $12 mil net gain + whatever they’d get in return) or trade Kawakami (net gain of about $7 mil), they would have more than enough to fill their openings and keep all but one of the pitchers.
Wren did not go out and get Lowe for four years, Vazquez for two and Kawakami for three years so that they could be gone in one year.
Supes
August 21st, 2009
10:07 am
Anders,
Enjoy Santana’s salary jump in 2010…what is he due to make 23 million! Nice job to overpay.
I hear how Derek Lowe is overpaid, Kawakami, Vazquez, Hudson well that maybe true…but none of them will be 20% of the team’s payroll equivalent in salary.
Supes
August 21st, 2009
10:09 am
Lew,
One of the 3 will not be a Brave in 2010 (barring an injury to one of our other starters, let’s hope not)
Kawakami, Hudson, Vazquez.
Braves will not keep all 3 of those guys if Jair, Tommy and Derek Lowe are all healthy.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:10 am
I don’t know what else they do with Hudson except put him in the bullpen. Lowe and Kawakami have been the Braves’ worst starters this season, which indicates how good the rotation has been and that there is no room. Lowe isn’t going anywhere. And I can’t see them messing with Kawakami especially considering what he’s done lately.
Hudson is going to go on waivers if he hasn’t already gone (because every player goes on waivers at some point in August). It will be interesting to see if any team would give the Braves anything of value for Hudson. I doubt it.
Also, Hudson in the ‘pen opens up all sorts of possibilities. He could be used if Kawakami throws too many pitches and has to be lifted early, he could be used to limit Hanson’s innings or he could close or come in in other high-leverage situations at the end of games.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:10 am
Supes – When you asked me who I thought would win yesterday I told you I had no idea because of the line up the Mets wuld have to put out there. And I had Sheffield in that line up. Come on, you need to stop taking bows for him controlling that line up.
I also told you Santana’s been so-so. I was hardly surprised by last nights game. I was glad it was close.
BTW- Gonzales is a mess. No way Cox will trust him in a big game. He makes Perez looked coordinated.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:10 am
Anders-Yeah, a Mets’ perspective. Dude outdueled Santana-no question of it. Seems to me that Santana was facing a Braves’ lineup with a slumping Chipper, no McLouth, no Prado and Garrett Anderson gone after an at bat in the first-not exactly OUR A game, either.
RHR
August 21st, 2009
10:12 am
I definitely don’t think that Kawakami (with his lack of control at times) is a good option for the pen.
I agree with this. He is usually sloppy early and then settles in after a couple innings. He’s the opposite of what you want from your relief pitching.
Robert (Chipper Is The Best)
August 21st, 2009
10:13 am
Really, Metsfan4life, put the pipe, cough syrup, borax and chemistry set down and get a clue to reality. That meth will mess you up, man! Those Mets really showed the Braves last night didn’t they.
DAP
August 21st, 2009
10:13 am
anders, gonzalez has always been like that…effectively wild. he does make me nervous, though.
sidslidkid
August 21st, 2009
10:13 am
Body found on Chipper Jones’ ranch:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/body-found-on-chipper-120513.html
(sorry if already posted)
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:13 am
Enjoy Santana’s salary jump in 2010…what is he due to make 23 million! Nice job to overpay.
This is not really an issue for the Mets or at least it’s not as much of an issue for them as it is for most teams. Santana’s contract with the Mets is fine. If the Mets don’t contend in the next couple of years, it will be for some other reason (like continuing to surround an awesome core with poor-to-mediocre veterans and has-beens and/or injuries).
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:15 am
Supoes-Never said all three WOULD be here next year, but the other Dude was talking about TWO of them being gone over the winter. It won’t happen.
I could also see a scenario where we hung on to our pitching, signed LaRoche and brought Heyward up and didn’t worry about what pitching costs. This might not be as probable, but is a possibility.
If Hudson, is indeed ready to go strong next spring (and I’m not counting on it), I’d prefer that Kawakami was dealt. Trading Vazquez, I believe, is stupid and would be counterproductive. Personally, I’d just let Hudson ride, but many here don’t agree with that. Makes plenty of sense, though.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:17 am
Supes- Santana is the least of my problems. His salary goes up $1 mil.
BTW- Chippers goes up by at least $2 mil next year. Good luck with that because he looked like my old uncle at the family picnic softball game this series. Hey, only 3 more years left on his new deal at $13 mil per. That should just fly by.
Vinings Jim
August 21st, 2009
10:17 am
Just read the NY Times story on the game – it concentrates on Hernandez’ release, Sheffield’s pouting and Wagner’s return. It gives the score, a brief synopsis of Wagner’s inning and Santana’s bad luck, and does not mention the name of a single Braves’ player. Pretty funny…
sidslidkid
August 21st, 2009
10:19 am
Gotta love that NY Times reporting…
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:20 am
Lew- Based on your 10:10 than we agree it wasn’t a duel -more about 2 mediocre offensive teams facing each other? I mean, you can’t have it both ways. One minute you tell me the Mets suck. The next you take a bow for beating them????
KC
August 21st, 2009
10:21 am
Shaun, if Hudson’s mutual option is exercised, he’ll be under contract for one more year. Hudson has already said he hopes the Braves choose to exercise it, meaning that, if the Braves are willing, he has every intention of exercising the option.
He might not have much value to another team, because there wouldn’t be the same assurance that Hudson would opt for the option year with a new team. But for Atlanta, he has tremendous value heading into next season, barring any completely unexpected setback in his recovery.
Come next spring, he will be 18 months removed from the surgery, and at that 18 month mark, better than 90 of TJ surgery patients are back at 100% health, velocity, stuff, etc.
Daslied
August 21st, 2009
10:21 am
Great win last night! Had to throw my hat into the ring regarding the music discussion last night -
I get tired of the “today’s music sucks” crowd. You’re just not looking hard enough. You can’t judge an entire generation of music based on what you see and hear on mainstream media. “But the 60s, man!” “The 70s were magic!”. Guess what? There was crap in every decade of music. For every Beatles you had 5 Gerry & The Pacemakers. For every Steely Dan you had 5 Paper Lace(s). Hindsight allows use to weed out the filler from 30 years ago, but it was there. If you want to judge today’s music scene solely on what’s shoved down your throats by the mainstream then, well, you’re just being lazy.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:21 am
Lew, it’s a nice “problem” to have. I agree that Hudson is the most logical odd man out, unfortunately. I’m a big Hudson fan but when you’re coming off an injury and you’re 33, it makes it tough when the team already has five starters without much injury history.
The only problem is that Hudson still has value. With the buyout they get nothing but savings on what they would have spent on his option. Then again, I suppose the whole point of the option year was in case he got hurt or became ineffective.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:24 am
Anders-Dude pitched a good game-better than Joahn did. Why does it need to be any more than that? Santana can’t beat us even when you’re better, when the Twins were better and no matter how bad the Braves are or aren’t. Santana’s one and five against the Braves over a few years. Can’t blame it all on Beltran and Reyes being out. He was out pitched and that’s all there is to it.
timthebrave
August 21st, 2009
10:25 am
Mitchell, I guess you heard one King of Leons song on the radio and can make a sound decision on all their music or maybe you just don’t like them. I guess I have to say I disagree with you. I had a friend in college who would love the “underground” band…they are the greatest….then they get some popularity and he would suddenly think they were sell outs and give me their cd’s. I never complained. hey….free cd’s.
Mitchell
August 21st, 2009
10:25 am
bravesgrl4life
August 21st, 2009
9:49 am
Hillbilly and Mitchell, you guys are right about the current crop of “country.” I keep telling my husband it’s not real country when he talks about country “sucking.” That’s why I like my XM Radio with the Roadhouse station – play lots of old stuff from the 50s to the 70s. And I just really don’t get the fascination with Kenny Chesney.
Thank you Braves girl. Yes, old country (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams… ) is great. New country is s***.
Rock On……the denizen formerly known as Dadgum, I like the Clapton reference. You should have hung out man. Just lettin’ the thoughts and ideas flow. It was deep… man.
Oddly, I don’t really like Eric Clapton either.
Not true, I do.
He’s okay.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:25 am
Perez outpitched Lowe – What does it mean?
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:25 am
Yeah-Hudson has tremendous value to the Braves next year-He’s worth $12 mil for a power hitter if they let him walk.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:26 am
I suspect Hudson will be in the ‘pen for the rest of this season, maybe making a few spot starts, then they may agree to pick up the option year. That way if a starter goes down next spring, they have him or they could try to trade a starter at some point before Opening Day to fill a need.
timthebrave
August 21st, 2009
10:26 am
DOB, Is escobar ok? He seemed to be grabbing the back of his leg and limping a little
Soph
August 21st, 2009
10:27 am
An article in the NY Times about Chipper & the Mets fans. Comments at the bottom surprised me a bit -
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/chipper-jones-and-the-mets-fans/
timthebrave
August 21st, 2009
10:28 am
I do agree with you about country music. I HATE pop country but love Johnny Cash, Willie and them
Braveheart
August 21st, 2009
10:28 am
I love how it works. If Kawakami beats Santana, he outpitched Santana. If Kawakami gets beat by some scrub, he didn’t get outpitched, the poor thang just didn’t get any run support
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:28 am
Lew- Santana has a 2.28 ERA against the Braves. Who cares about wins or losses? I’ve been told by you and others on here they are basically meaningless for ST. Or is Vasquez the .500 pitcher he’s always been? Again, you can’t have it both ways.
KC
August 21st, 2009
10:28 am
Supes, I didn’t say anything about thrusting Hudson into the setup role, and I certainly didn’t suggest that we crown him “closer”!
I simply said that his sinker could make him a real asset in the ‘pen, and depending on how he performs down there, he could wind up taking some of the load off the shoulders of the late-inning guys.
Hudson has never really been a reliever… but then, neither has Kawakami.
I don’t think it will happen, and I’m not sure that it should… but the thought of Hanson in the pen TEMPORARILY for the remainder of the season… is at least intriguing. When we saw Hanson premier in the spring, and again when he was called up, he was working on adrenaline. And when he had that adrenaline pumping, he was hitting 97-98mph, snapping off some NASTY breaking pitches, and was nearly unhittable. So it’s an interesting thought.
BUT… Hanson has been so good in the rotation, it’s really tough to imagine moving him to the ‘pen, even temporarily. AND… IF the Braves can make the postseason, a top-of-roation power starter is the biggest asset you can have in October. And he’s certainly fit that description so far.
DAP
August 21st, 2009
10:29 am
lew, Hudson has tremendous value to the Braves next year-He’s worth $12 mil for a power hitter if they let him walk.
which one? are thinking bay or holliday?
Mid Town Joe
August 21st, 2009
10:29 am
I’m aware of the insane dollars spent to a few players on the Yankee payroll. I was just trying to insert my Friday morning BS into the fray.
Soph
August 21st, 2009
10:30 am
Mitchell, stirring up trouble late last night, huh?
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:31 am
Shaun-My point all along has been that Hudson’s coming off of surgery and Vazquez off of his best season in the bigs. I’d much rather keep the healthy one, who has NEVER been hurt, is one of the most consistent pitchers in all of baseball year in and year out, as opposed to a guy who was just seriously inured, will no have enough time to prove he’s back (he’ll pitch maybe 20-25 innings when he gets back-maybe), who will save us $12 mil by just leaving.
To me it’s a no brainer. I like Hudson, too and were he signed for longer than a year and it a year after not pitching, what do you really get fom him? Will he be the normal TIm Hudson? Will he be normal before June? I just don’t see how they can chance it. Even if we could sign either one for an extension, I’d rather have Javy than Huddy. But that’s just me. KC doesn’t agree, nor do many others.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:31 am
Soph- I think Chipper is under estimating the respect Mets fans have for him. Most I talk to recognize him for the class HOF player he is. All the booing and “Larry” thing is the fans job 18 times a year.
Mid Town Joe
August 21st, 2009
10:32 am
Sheffield needs to get ready and drink power shakes, get on his rocking chair, and watch the sunset with his buddy Barry Bonds.
Mitchell
August 21st, 2009
10:32 am
Come on Tim, I’m not like that.
I don’t dislike something because it’s popular. I’ve heard a lot of their songs, they’re alright.
I just think they’re kind of phony.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:32 am
Meant to say I’d feel differently were Hudson signed loong term as opposed to just the option year.
Buffalo NY Braves Fan
August 21st, 2009
10:33 am
Anders,
I understand Santana’s low ERA against the Braves. He does seem to be a hard luck pitcher a lot with the Mets. Was just busting on your fellow fan a bit after he came on here with all his garbage last night.
You on the other hand… I can respect.
braves70
August 21st, 2009
10:35 am
Any truth to the rumor that the body found on Chipper’s ranch was in reality the Braves 2009 season. It had promise but was apparently abused and ultimately killed by its inept Coyote master, El Tonto, Roberto Cox. Senor Cox is believed to be responsible for a string of seasonal bodies that have been found wandering far from the water hole.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:35 am
Hudson has tremendous value to the Braves next year-He’s worth $12 mil for a power hitter if they let him walk.
Good point. Letting him walk could essentially be like trading him. Would they be willing to make a run at Jason Bay or Matt Holliday? According to Fangraphs.com, Bay has actually been worth in the $12 million range over this season and last. What he can get in the open market is a different story. I think Holliday is out of reach but Bay is an intriguing possibility. With Bay I think it will come down to whether the Red Sox have any better options because if they want him, they’ll pay him.
sidslidkid
August 21st, 2009
10:35 am
Mitchell
August 21st, 2009
10:32 am
“I just think they’re kind of phony.”
I kind of agree. Their first 3 albums were awesome and not phony at all. True southern rock. Their last 2… you can tell they just want to sale some albums and hear their songs on the radio. I can’t blame them. I’d do the same thing they did. We’re all out to get paid.
METSFAN4LIFE
August 21st, 2009
10:36 am
where’s my respect buffalo?
Soph
August 21st, 2009
10:36 am
Anders – I have to say that even I underestimated the respect they have for Chipper. Pretty cool.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:36 am
No problem Buffalo.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:38 am
DAP-There you go trying to co opt Frank Wren and have me figure who we trade for. I trust Frank to deal with it. I mean who ever thought of the Jurrjens trade or that he could even trade an untradeable Francoeur. It isn’t my job? It doesn’t have to be a Free Agent. Twelve mil is twelve mi and will pay for salary (salaries) of any pone acquired.
BTW-I wouldn’t try to acquire Bay OR Holliday. We don’t need them because we have Heyward up eventually. A year or so fill in would work. Who knows who might be on the market. Contrary to popular opinion, we have not emptied our Minor League system, either. Plenty ofattactive players fo4r other teams without giving up our studs-there always is.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:38 am
Lew, I agree. I’ll take Vazquez over Hudson. Vazquez has been underrated in his career. He’s played on some bad teams and some bad defensive teams plus his few bad seasons happened to have come when he was on good teams. This year things have finally lined up right for him and I see no reason why they can’t again next season.
KC
August 21st, 2009
10:40 am
Assuming no unexpected problems or significant setbacks…
Let Hudson Walk = INSANITY! Lew, you and I have been down this road a million times.
We’ll have at least a month or so to watch Hudson pitch here. If his stuff looks good, and there are no setbacks (not including minor hamstring pulls and the like)… combined with the FACTS on current “Tommy John” recovery success rates… there will be every reason to expect him to be a top-of-rotation pitcher next year.
How many general managers of competitive teams do you suppose would let a top-of-rotation pitcher walk for 12 million, when they have an option to keep him for another year.
I don’t think there’s a SINGLE GM in baseball that would do that, and Frank Wren will not be an exception.
If Kawakami continues to pitch as well as he has since May 1, he certainly takes on significant trade value this year. So he could be the one to go, rather than Hudson or Vazquez. BUT… if he continues to pitch that will, he also cements his status a reliable quality starter for Atlanta.
And when you already have FIVE other quality starters, it certainly makes a lot more sense to cash in on Vazquez’s trade value, which will never be higher. And trading him would clear the exact same amount of money, – 11 million (when you factor Hudson’s 1 mill buyout) – as we would clear by allowing Hudson to sign with the Mets or Phillies this winter.
Anders
August 21st, 2009
10:40 am
Soph- NY is an old time baseball town. St. Louis gets all the accolades for their fans baseball savvy. There’s a lot ofit in NY. Granted we show it in more raw ways but thats just the culture here. But the fans here have a respect for the game itself and a lot of other players who don’t play here. We just don’t need FOX to pin a medal on our chest for it every Saturday. We’ll let Buck and McCarver do that to their beloved Red Bird fans.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:40 am
Shaun-AND he’s pitched in some extremely hitter friendly stadiums. In fact, I believe this is the first pitcher’s park he’s played his home games in. He’s obviously comfortable here, too.
Fish Bisch
August 21st, 2009
10:43 am
Marlin fan here: How are you guys going to feel after we sweep this homecoming? 9 games back of philly you will be.
Shaun
August 21st, 2009
10:43 am
Lew, I think it depends on the cost. Holliday is going to be too expensive. But Bay could be relatively affordable. Again, I think it will depend on whether the Red Sox want him back or if the Yankees make a push for him to replace Damon. If neither of those teams are in the bidding, the Braves could put up a competitive offer. But no way they should go much outside the $15 million-a-year range, which could be somewhat realistic if the Sox and Yankees aren’t in the bidding.
richbrave
August 21st, 2009
10:44 am
ANDERS:
“Highest bidder NOT the BRAVES?”. Sounds like sour grapes my friend. Don’t you realize how deep JOHN MALONE is in monetarily. This BRAVES side-show needs to bank big bucks to recoup his financial losses. Payroll goes UP from here. Mark my words. Mr. MALONE has just begun to fight.
DAP
August 21st, 2009
10:44 am
lew, haha, ok. so youre thinking trade more than a free agent signing. i dont see why having heyward on the way means we dont need bay or holliday, though.
RHR
August 21st, 2009
10:44 am
Comments at the bottom surprised me a bit
You’d think those were written by Braves fans. Oh wait…
bravesgrl4life
August 21st, 2009
10:46 am
Thanks for that link, Soph. Enjoyed reading some of those comments.
Lew
August 21st, 2009
10:46 am
KC-Rant on Dude. YOu claim this huge success rate, but studies claim it’s more like 75% return to the same level for MLB players-the higher % is for ALL athlets having the surgery, including the high schoolers.
75% is a great success rate, but that leaves a full quarter of players in the bigs at lower than full strenght on their return. $12 mil is a lot of jack to spend on a hope, wish, or dream that Hudson is the Hudson of old-even if it’s in June or July.
Vazquez has won ten or more games ten consecutive years and pitched 200 + nine of those ten (198 the other) and coming off of his best season. Hudson is surgically repaired, been injured before and hd nowhere near that track record of consistency, durability or lack of injury.
KC
August 21st, 2009
10:46 am
Shaun, I don’t disagree with you… I might prefer Vazquez right now to Hudson as well (thought it’s close, in my book).
But that’s NOT the decision the Braves will face this winter. If they have to part with either Hudson or Vazquez, the question will not be “who do we have more confidence in?” No… here is the choice Frank Wren might have to make…
Though he will be in the last year of his contract, Vazquez will have significant trade value this winter. There is a very good chance that the Braves could trade Vazquez for a BIG middle-of-the-order bat… maybe a thumper who is in the last year of his contract. That would be just fine with Heyward and Freeman on their way up.
But if you let Hudson walk, you get nothing. AND you have no assurance that he won’t sign with a division rival.
So, the choice is:
Tim Hudson + a BIG bat + control over where Vazquez is dealt (not to Phillies or Mets)
OR…
Javier Vazquez
Soph
August 21st, 2009
10:48 am
Yeah, you’d think Braves fans wrote them RHR but remember we’re not supposed to like Chipper anymore either because he’s “declining”.
bravesgrl4life
August 21st, 2009
10:49 am
Fish Bi*ch – get the heck off our blog. You are as an annoying mosquito as MF4Life, and you could be worse ’cause your actually from Florida.
DAP
August 21st, 2009
10:49 am
ok, just an idea ive been mulling over for the braves lineup next season.
sign laroche for up to 3 years, and sign mike cameron for as short a contract as he will take.
suddenly, weve got a great defensive outfield left to right (mclouth, cameron, diaz/church), and plenty of flexibility with the line up. cameron can get plenty of days off, with church or mclouth playing in center for him, allowing bobby (if he is still here) to mix and match the lineup based on whos hot.
mclouth, prado, chipper, mccann, escobar, laroche, cameron, diaz/church is a good mix i think.
is that enough offense for this pitching staff, or MUST we get a cleanup hitter?