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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4,313 comments Add your comment
Soph
January 24th, 2010
8:08 pm
Smart, Reggie Bush. Really smart.
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
8:09 pm
What was Reggie Bush saying he could be one of the best in the game?
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
8:09 pm
Way to go star tailbacks
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
8:10 pm
Rob: I didn’t forget Vazquez was a FA after this season. Not at all.
Someone asked what would I have done this offseason? Doesn’t matter. I’m not the GM of the Braves and when you lay out some ideas on this blog, people shoot every one of them down as if they KNOW it couldn’t happen.
I can promise I wouldn’t have taken risks with every single offseason move, though. (40+ top 2 in your bullpen, a guy coming off his 2nd surgery on the same shoulder with some steroid accusations in his past, Hinske and a guy whose name you only know because he played on the most recognizable franchise in sports in Melky)
When everyone on here starts bitching about the attendance problems in Atlanta, think back to this offseason.
Soph
January 24th, 2010
8:11 pm
Geez, are you kidding me? They fumble it right back.
TnBrian
January 24th, 2010
8:13 pm
Rob, I also think Wagner and Saito will at least match if not out perform what Sori/Gonz did last year. Wagner is no more of a health scare than either of those guys and Saito should improve being back in the NL.
I think Hanson will have a monster year. I’m talking like a 18-5, 3.00 ERA type year. I can see JJ’s ERA jump back into the 3’s though. Still good, but those BB’s he gives up are gonna eventually bite him in the butt. I think his K’s will go up, but he needs to watch the walks. I see Hudson starting off slow and ending the year decent. Lowe and KK are anybody’s guess.
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
8:15 pm
For those complaining about the payroll, Braves ranked #11 in payroll last year out of 30 teams.
Give me a break.
TnBrian
January 24th, 2010
8:20 pm
I need to see a Favre/Manning showdown at superbowl for me to get the least bit excited it. I’ll be damned if I’m watching arrogant, Kim Kardashian lovin, sex tape havin’ Reggie Bush in the superbowl. Well, Manning will be there, so I’ll wind up watching it anyways.
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
8:28 pm
Braves ranked #11 in payroll last year out of 30 teams.
And 15th in attendance. I can’t stand it when people call them “cheap” because they won’t sign Holliday, Bay, then trade for A-Rod.
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
jeffrey d: I agree. They’re not cheap and they’re spending what is about right.
Of course, put a product on the field to excite the masses and attendance will rise. It’s pathetic that Atlanta’s market ranks in the middle of attendance.
If you feel you can’t win with a $95 million payroll, you have the wrong GM.
I just typed up a long response to show the tremendous slippage in Saito and my computer froze. Let’s just say the guy is falling quickly and we’re entrusting this guy to the “delicate hands” of Bobby Cox.
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
8:34 pm
no they are cheap because they wont even sign dye/nady/damon
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
8:37 pm
Rough day for AP
nolie
January 24th, 2010
8:37 pm
’m not High on Troy Glass since he is off the roids Thawkin
he was off the roids in 08 and had a great year.I am goon aso much have fun rubbing it in on youse guys if he stays healthy and has good year
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
8:38 pm
no they are cheap because they wont even sign dye/nady/damon
Wren makes the signings, not Liberty. He makes a roster out of the “cheap” $95 million they provide.
Jimmy Joe
January 24th, 2010
8:41 pm
I don’t like to post about payroll, specifically. But I will bring up that the Braves have Hinske, Saito, and Glaus coming off the books next year(potentially Wagner and Infante, if options aren’t exercised). And there is A LOT of players that are arbitration eligible: Escobar, Jurrjens, Prado, Moylan, Diaz, Cabrera, and O’Flaherty. Plus, McCann and McLouth are due raises from their current contracts. Liberty Media is going to have to show Braves fans if they are cheap or not, because this team is going to need a payroll increase to afford the current roster + any upgrades.
nolie
January 24th, 2010
8:41 pm
95 million is also a boatload more money than a lot of playoff teams have spent on their teams in recent years TommyP
for the most part those were teams that didn’t have 38mil tied up in three players
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
8:44 pm
nolie: So that would be Chipper and whom?
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
8:44 pm
Happy to see the Colts make it to the big game. Big Peyton fan. Winning this title will cement him as a better quarterback than Brady, imo. I’ll think that anyway, but there are way too many analysts who just point to the Superbowls…
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
8:45 pm
well the wren needs to go because to know that the braves are on a strict budget,shelling out 15 mill a year to a pitcher who will be 39 or 40 making that is just stupid..he screwed the team for the next 3 years,and by the time lowes deal is up we’ll be giving all that money to jurrjens and hanson,braves are screwed because they lack postion prospects ..heyward seems like the real deal but who knows and freeman i dont see him being any better then laroche
Tomahawkin
January 24th, 2010
8:46 pm
Nolie…
I hope Troy Glass makes me eat my words about being off the roids, and If he does I will man up to it. I’m not just gonna post and run as I plan on being on here during the season
Redstick19
January 24th, 2010
8:46 pm
Yeah, but Brady will always outshine Peyton in inpregnating models
unbelievable
January 24th, 2010
8:47 pm
Jimmy Joe – well the Braves could potentially have two more OF’rs coming off the payroll as well. McLouth, Diaz, and Melky (2 of the three) could be gone if Heyward and Schafer develop. Chipper has also decided that it could be his last season if he struggles. Payroll will take care of itself and the Braves can field a solid team with $90 mil.
nolie
January 24th, 2010
8:47 pm
Remember Schuerholz GAVE away Wainwright. Not to mention over paying for Teixeira Rob
totally simplistic and one-sided point of view. he traded Wainwright for another league title and shot at the WS. Without Drew there was no way they were gonna get there. Not John S fault they didn’t win it all.You can’t win if you don’t get there, but after you do it is pretty much a crapshoot in who finishes first.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
8:47 pm
for the most part those were teams that didn’t have 38mil tied up in three players
45mil if you include Kawakami…..
Steve McP
January 24th, 2010
8:48 pm
Just to talk TV for a while, what has happened to Flash Forward, I was enjoying the series (but cannot remember exactly where the plot was since I watched the last episode about 6 weeks ago) but it has not reappeared after Christmas, has it been dropped? I thought it was getting pretty good ratings. If they use the timeline of the show it needs to wind up in March so not much time left to get it finished,
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
8:50 pm
I think if you start talking about the future and how payroll will be cleared and we can sign certain guys etc., you should be banned from this blog. We’ve heard that already.
Nolie: I’ll be happy to be wrong about Glaus ’cause the Braves are my #1 and only team.
And I agree with your sentiment about the Wainwright deal. We got Drew who absolutely mashed with us. He fielded like hell as well.
Teixeira was a bit more selfish by Schuerholz ’cause he knew he wouldn’t be around for those prospects. Again, a guy that we didn’t re-sign that made that deal bad. But he produced like a legend despite what many want to remember him by.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
8:50 pm
Andrew from PA, it does seem like the Braves are almost always lacking payroll flexibility. But sometimes that necessary. You have good players that you’re locking up, no? Just tryin to spin it…
Braveheart
January 24th, 2010
8:51 pm
For those complaining about the payroll, Braves ranked #11 in payroll last year out of 30 teams. Give me a break.
Yeah, but the Braves ranked #2 in the 90s in payroll, #2 in payroll from 1991 through 2003 when AOL/TW cut payroll, #3 in payroll from 1991 through 2005, 10th since AOL cut payroll in 2004, and 11th over the last four seasons combined in which they have missed the playoffs each season. High payroll obviously doesn’t necessarily cause success, but it’s a problem when you are suddenly running short of one of the big ingredients to the recipe for your success.
nolie
January 24th, 2010
8:52 pm
nolie: So that would be Chipper and whom? TP
why this year it would be Chipper,Lowe and Hudson if it weren’t Hudson it would be a couple mil more than that on Javi.
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
8:52 pm
what is AP doing
nolie
January 24th, 2010
8:55 pm
45mil if you include Kawakami Efrim
true half the payroll tied up in 4 players means they to got take chances on guys with possible high sides but with questions- like Glaus who if we were signing him coming off a year like 08 would have cost us 8-10 mil at least.
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
8:57 pm
What a big pile of *&%# that roughing call was…fortunately it won’t hurt the Saints
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
8:58 pm
this is has to be farve’s last year
Jimmy Joe
January 24th, 2010
8:58 pm
Bloggers were screaming earlier this offseason to trade prospects for an established hitter. My point is that the Braves have to be careful because they don’t have payroll room and they are going to need cheap talent at certain positions. I’d rather go with prospects than bargain basement players like some teams do. I hate that.
nolie
January 24th, 2010
9:00 pm
Steve McP I think Flashforward returns in early March
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:01 pm
But we’re NOT signing him off a year like he had in ‘08…and that goes for every one of the signings.
Don’t defend Wren one second and then say we have a problem ’cause we tie up the majority of our payroll in a few players when Wren is the one that gave the contracts to those other 2 or 3 guys.
As the ESPN NFL Gameday crew would say, “C’mon, man!”
nolie
January 24th, 2010
9:04 pm
Whatever you say Tommy, you’re negativity is obviously correct
Soph
January 24th, 2010
9:08 pm
What a big pile of *&%# that roughing call was…fortunately it won’t hurt the Saints
Agreed, cab. It was pretty weak. The Saints are kinda frustrating tonight.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:09 pm
cabravesfan, I’m liking ILB Rolando McLain from Alabama for our first pick in the draft, followed by a Right Tackle with our next first rounder. Although I keep reading that they are considering a running back/return man/Reggie Bush type with one of the first couple picks. Maybe C.J. Spiller?
bo
January 24th, 2010
9:12 pm
Let’s go braves
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:13 pm
efirm, i wish the eagles could get McLain but he will go way before we pick,i think he will be the top rookie defensive player in the draft
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:16 pm
where has the gear been for peterson the last couple weeks
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:16 pm
Efrim -
I’m thinking they definitely need to focus on the O-line…our Linebackers are pretty solid. I think they will look at a return/all purpose type (please!) in the second round or so but not in the first- Spiller might be shooting too high for that type of player. It is a great luxury though to have 2 first round picks so we shall see (O-line, O-line, O-LINE!!!)
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:19 pm
does anyone know when the last time a superbowl team played the game at their home field?
jeffrey d
January 24th, 2010
9:21 pm
How sloppy is this game
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:22 pm
How sloppy is this game
Jeffrey D-
It depends on who you are cheering for…looks pretty clean from where I’m sitting
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:25 pm
cabravesfan, yeah, linebacking core is a solid group for sure. I guess my only concern is Takeo Spikes age, 33. But he had a great year. Just thinking about McLain and Willis as both our ILB’s is pretty enticing. For offensive lineman, I like Trent Williams from Oklahoma, as well as Brian Bulaga from Iowa. Russell Okung is a great fit too, but it sounds like he will be gone.
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:26 pm
Nolie: It’s not negativity, it’s reality.
Look at the career decline in numbers for Saito. Seriously, go check them out. He’s not what he was…not even close.
Bravefaninok
January 24th, 2010
9:26 pm
From Detroit news article,
Dombrowski has conceded his 2007 trade that sent pitcher Jair Jurrjens to the Braves (along with outfield prospect Gorkys Hernandez) and brought shortstop Edgar Renteria to Detroit was the most regrettable deal he has ever made.
He said much the same thing Saturday.
“When people get on me, which happens from time to time,” Dombrowski said, drawing chuckles, “I need them to know I’m my own severest critic. And if something doesn’t work out, I want to know why.”
Dombrowski isn’t saying what the autopsy on his Renteria trade revealed, but clearly the Tigers expected Renteria to be in better shape and to have greater defensive range than he displayed during his 2008 cameo in Detroit.
They also thought he would hit ahead of the All-Star break for a number at least as big as his then-considerable weight.
And they greatly underestimated the physical durability of Jurrjens, who has been one of the best right-handers in baseball since moving to the Braves.
Other than that, the intelligence reports were spot-on.
From The Detroit News: http://detroitnews.com/article/20100123/SPORTS0104/1230390/1129/sports/Tigers–Dave-Dombrowski-still-stand-behind-trade#ixzz0daSRivpk
Snotboogie
January 24th, 2010
9:27 pm
Steve McP
Flashforward returns in March and supposedly because of that late restart they might not be able to coincide the dates in the storyline with real life. Some of that brilliant tempo is going to be lost now.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:27 pm
By the way, prospect rankings from Keith Law and Minorleaguebaseball.com(Jonathan Mayo) come out Wednesday and Thursday this week. Not sure when BA’s rankings will come out. Handbook is in Barnes & Noble in a couple weeks, though, so we’ll know then. I’m mostly interested to see where Law ranks the Braves org. I think the Vizcaino acquisition puts them in the Top 10.
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:28 pm
Efrim-
To be honest, I am not familiar with most of the “non-skill” guys in the draft but I have faith in management (for once…) (I hope…) to ignore the flash this year and actually draft for need. I’m happy with Takeo- he did have a great year and he is an excellent influence on Pat Willis
Snotboogie
January 24th, 2010
9:32 pm
Wow – ESPN managed a couple of weeks without talking about him. Now they have come-up with some silly headline about him.ESPN front page says:
Tebow promises to be himself for NFL scouts
Now I can sleep like a baby.
dogsbrekky
January 24th, 2010
9:32 pm
Favre has kahunas, big shiny ones… and plenty of heart.. what GUTS
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:32 pm
cabravesfan, I’m pretty happy with the way things are going as well. They are going in the right direction with the offense. And the defense is one of the better units in the NFC, with a chance to get even better.
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:32 pm
Favre is incredible. Simply incredible.
Lew
January 24th, 2010
9:35 pm
TommyP-He may not be all he was when he was younger (not that I expect much of anyone to put up numbers like he did his first year in LA), but I would hardly consider the numbers he put up in the AL East and Fenway as being bad in any way shape or form. A 2.43 in that ball park and in that division, with a 2-1 K to BB rate and less than a hit per inning in 56 appearances is damned good despite the arguments you’re failing to convince anyone with.
Snotboogie
January 24th, 2010
9:35 pm
Does anyone think Brett Favre’s chin strap looks like a piece of a bra.
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:35 pm
Efrim-
It was nice to see what Alex Smith is capable of when his shoulder is actually, you know, in one piece
Tomahawkin
January 24th, 2010
9:36 pm
Game On New Orleans! Nice Delta Shoot-out!
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:37 pm
Looking at the contracts, Chipper, Lowe, Hudson, Kawakami and Wagner make up $51 million of maybe a $90 million payroll. Is that right?
indybrave
January 24th, 2010
9:37 pm
GO HORSE!!
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:37 pm
Lew: My computer froze when posting Saito’s numbers but there is a tremendous drop from his first 3 years to last year.
Strikeouts, walks, hits per inning, etc. BIG drop.
David O'Brien
January 24th, 2010
9:40 pm
Helluva game. Vikings FOUR turnovers and still tied in the Superdome. Impressive. It’ll be a shame if they lose after outplaying New Orleans the way they have. But you just can’t cough it up again and again and expect to win. Or maybe they can….
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:44 pm
It’ll be a shame if they lose after outplaying New Orleans
Not really
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:45 pm
Saito numbers in his ML career…
SO/9: 12.3, 10.9, 11.5……8.4 last year.
BB/9: 2.6, 1.8, 3.1…………4.0 last year.
HR/9: 0.3, 0.7, 0.2…………1.0 last year.
H/9 : 5.5, 4.6, 7.7…………..8.1 last year.
WHIP: 0.906, 0.715, 1.191…1.347 last year.
Those are significant declines, Lew.
Now, you can get angry with me and if that makes you feel better, I hope your night is a good one.
But those are big concerns, especially since he’ll be 40 in a couple of weeks.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:47 pm
That missed tackle by Porter might cost the Saints dearly….
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:48 pm
congrats vikings this game is over
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:49 pm
Sorry to the haters of ESPN Favre coverage but it won’t be enough after this game.
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:49 pm
well i dont know it will be a long field goal
dogsbrekky
January 24th, 2010
9:49 pm
Tommy – Saiot also goes from flyball city to the TED… he will be great
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:50 pm
wow lol
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:50 pm
dogsbrekky: “He will be great.” Wow… So just ignore the trend and his age?
OK.
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
9:51 pm
WOW.
Steve from OH
January 24th, 2010
9:52 pm
That’s a dumb penalty…
Steve from OH
January 24th, 2010
9:52 pm
Redemption for Porter…
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:52 pm
hahaha brett farve
Soph
January 24th, 2010
9:52 pm
Whoa. Oh my, Favre.
Snotboogie
January 24th, 2010
9:53 pm
You live bye the sword, you die by the sword.
We are missing John Madden and his gunslinger comments now.
Venice Jim
January 24th, 2010
9:53 pm
Someone here grinning wildly…
Andrew in PA
January 24th, 2010
9:54 pm
i wouldnt mind if this was the superbowl this year
Soph
January 24th, 2010
9:54 pm
Someone here grinning wildly…
Me too, cab. Me too.
Cold Stove
January 24th, 2010
9:54 pm
Favre is incredible. Simply incredible. tommyp
at throwing interceptions?
dogsbrekky
January 24th, 2010
9:55 pm
Tommy, I will bet you $1k he puts up lower WHIP then 2009.. okay hero
sick of you whining like some European spoiled girl
Daybed Wagmoe
January 24th, 2010
9:55 pm
WOW. What a game.
Braveheart
January 24th, 2010
9:55 pm
The inevitable Favre “I drink your milkshake” moment we’ve been waiting all year long for
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
9:55 pm
Soph-
VJ is too polite to mention what accompanied the wild grin
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:55 pm
dogsbrekky: Saito’s home/away splits were pretty much even…slightly better at Fenway with ERA.
Soph
January 24th, 2010
9:56 pm
Tails never fails, Viking guy.
dogsbrekky
January 24th, 2010
9:57 pm
$1k, Saito’s whip is lower in 2010 than 2009… min 40 games for it to be a goer if you like..
Glad I am not an NFL Vikes or Saints fan… I’d be having a fit by now
TommyP
January 24th, 2010
9:58 pm
dogsbrekky: Real mature response, bro. “European spoiled girl?” LOL
It’s a blog, man. Sorry if you are THAT shaken up over the conversation.
Soph
January 24th, 2010
9:58 pm
cab –
I wouldn’t be surprised if you were jumping up and down like a maniac laughing at the tv. That’s what I did.
nolie
January 24th, 2010
9:59 pm
Nolie: It’s not negativity, it’s reality. Tommy P
no it isn’t. you are putting a negative slant on everything. There is no one on this board more middle-of-the-road realistic than I am so I catch it from both sides. You are, at least right now, being very pessimistic, I understanding your misgivings, butyou are looking at every question as if it will end poorly. Now that’s your right obviously and it even might happen, but the odds are that some will work and some won’t.
I’m not saying this is a great teams by any means, and I agree that there are a lot of question, many of which could have been alleviated with a payroll in the Mets/Phils range. As it stands I don’t see what Wren could have done all that much differently given the restraints that are in place. I think there are good possibilities starting and some decent back ups who might get us through some minor injuries. If we get hit like we did in 08 or the Mets did in 09, we are dead in the water anyway,
I agree that Saito has seen his best days, and I have already expressed some misgivings as to how he will hold out playing for Bobby over a full season.In fact I’m one of those who would rather have kept Soriano and Gonzo instead of Wagner and Saito, but they saved some bread so I see why they did it.But even so there were questions about those 2 also.
Pretty subjective stuff of course, and you could be right all the way down the line, but to state that it will likely all go bad isn’t realistic. To think we may not be good enough is, but it’s also fairly realistic to think we might get the wild card.That’s actually true with at least half the teams in baseball at this point.
Winterville
January 24th, 2010
9:59 pm
N8 might be putting together a monster.
Steve from OH
January 24th, 2010
10:00 pm
The inevitable Favre “I drink your milkshake” moment we’ve been waiting all year long for
You know, the “Third Revelation” may not be a bad pun for Favre’s most recent stint.
fsuseminoles
January 24th, 2010
10:00 pm
i like jordan and hope he is with atlanta at the begin of the season and have faith in him that he will turn it around but i would still like to see them sign dye, nady or damon
dogsbrekky
January 24th, 2010
10:01 pm
tommy – tired of the relentless negativity.. just taking it out on you… since when did Americans look on the minus side of things..
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
10:01 pm
Soph-
Oh, there was laughter…mean, evil, cackling laughter…
Efrim
January 24th, 2010
10:02 pm
Big call right there.
cabravesfan
January 24th, 2010
10:05 pm
Soph-
Yes