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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,256 comments Add your comment
Daslied
April 27th, 2010
5:06 pm
Lowe for Manny!
Glen W
April 27th, 2010
5:06 pm
“Glen W, I think the problem for the Rays is that many contending teams are smart enough to realize Crawford is not the type of player those teams want to acquire for what the Rays would be asking.” – Shaun
That might be true… that is why I said that I will not tell you that you are wrong if you think he won’t be dealt. But I disagree with you if you say that it is unthinkable for a team to trade one of its better talents just because they are contending… that’s just not a given any more. If there is someone out there that would give them value… given where the culture of the league is today (basically doing commodity management), there is probably a decent possibility that they would make the move.
Maybe the Rays think they are good enough to make a run without them. Maybe there is a national league team that thinks he is the final piece for an organization whose window is closing (like the Cubs) who would offer enough value.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility… is all I’m saying.
Daslied
April 27th, 2010
5:06 pm
Jurrjens for Kemp!
David O'Brien
April 27th, 2010
5:06 pm
Bravos lineup: 1. Escobar SS, 2. Prado 2B, 3. Jones 3B, 4. McCann C, 5. Glaus 1B, 6. Heyward RF, 7. Cabrera LF, 8.McLouth CF, 9. Lowe RH
Ted M
April 27th, 2010
5:07 pm
Jimmy Joe that Garcia kid is really good. It will be a good win should we beat him.
the real Andy
April 27th, 2010
5:07 pm
>>so let me ask you this – while you hear all this booing that you dislike so much, what are you doing? Are you clapping and cheering to counteract the booing or are you just sitting there? My guess would be the latter.
Your guess couldn’t be more wrong. I am a loud, vocal, and consistently positive supporter of my team, whether I’m in Atlanta or in enemy territory.
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:07 pm
I’m a Braves fan. There is nothing wrong with envy for another offense on another team. They have great hitters on that team and always seem to score runs on a consistent basis.
This team has done nothing since Ubaldo no hit them.
Daslied
April 27th, 2010
5:07 pm
Carlos Santana for Casey Blake!
Wait, nobody’s that dumb.
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:08 pm
Daslied- people were tossing that around last year. I would do it
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:08 pm
Daslied- people were tossing that around last year. I would do it jesse stone
The Dodgers wouldn’t.
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:09 pm
Over-Under on how many at-bats Lowe gets tonight?
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Who on this blog really thinks the Braves will win 2 of the next 3 games? We’ll be looking at a 9-13 ballclub on Friday morning.
Daslied
April 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Yeah, I’m joking.
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
Over-Under on how many at-bats Lowe gets tonight? jesse stone
1.
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:10 pm
jimmy joe- this i know
J-MAN
April 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
This season is OVER!!!!!!!! TP, Glaus, McClouth, Cabrera, Escobar’s boneheaded baserunning and Chipper Jones (AKA) Roger Dorn killed it.
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
I saw Kemp play many times in ‘05. Has all the tools of Winfield
faninva
April 27th, 2010
5:11 pm
Your guess couldn’t be more wrong. I am a loud, vocal, and consistently positive supporter of my team, whether I’m in Atlanta or in enemy territory. – Andy.
Ok, that’s cool. just be careful when labeling an entire fan base based upon the behavior of some, but not all fans.
J-MAN
April 27th, 2010
5:12 pm
Now let the buzzards pick the team apart!!!!!
Soph
April 27th, 2010
5:13 pm
I see a lot of the meanies and crazies from last year are making an appearance today.
TJ
April 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
D lowe for V wells!!
J-Hey
April 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
“1.Yunel ss
2.Prado 2b
3. Heyward”
Heyward’s mini slump right now (1-17 in the last 6 games) should be reason enough to keep him out of the 3rd spot. I mean seriously, regardless of how well he’s shown to hit, he’s still a rookie in his first major league season. Hitting in any spot 1-4 would be dumb.
Chip Shot
April 27th, 2010
5:14 pm
DOB, ready to watch Danville be swept by Saint Lou?
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
I’ll take D.Lowe for Dawn Wells
faninva
April 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
I see a lot of the meanies and crazies from last year are making an appearance today – Soph.
did someone have a P.L. sighting?
J-MAN
April 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
Its what happens when you slash salary and try to actually tell people that your not. We traded 15 wins for Melky Cabera!!!!!!!!!!! We could have signed Adam LaRoach for what we paid for Glaus look at the salaries!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our main problem last year was hitting………. Gee wiz what do you think the problem is now????????? TP hasn’t gotten results but I guess hes ready to be the Manager now??????
Bat Masterson
April 27th, 2010
5:15 pm
Everything was cool until I jinxed the blog, and the Braves last night, Soph.
Elmo
April 27th, 2010
5:16 pm
They dug up Teddy Roosevelt and he had a Message in the front pocket of his burial tuxedo.
FIRE F*CKING BOBBY LAST YEAR !
Mixxo
April 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
We’ve historically been a cold April team………relax everybody. It’ll come around.
Chipper will get loose when it warms up, as will Glaus. Wins will restore confidence and more wins will follow.
bravesgirlnc
April 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
So what does Diaz have to do to get some starts?
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Elmo- I think Teddy would have the balls to say it to Bobby’s face.
Brave Hokie
April 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Jay Hey is being affected by Booby & the rest of the Braves’ “loser charma”.
Get out kid while you have hope ~ or you’ll be hang’in with J Scaffer batt’in like a relief pitcher in Gwinnett this time next season
MZ
April 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
I’ll tell y’all what I’m worked up about … the Stones’ new deluxe edition of “Exile on Main Street” … that’s what I’m worked up about!
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
It’s sad that I expect Derek Lowe to give up at least four runs tonight. We pay him 15 million a year and he is nothing more than a #4 starter.
J-MAN
April 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
D.O.B. explain to me how you just don’t hang yourself for having to cover this choke job of a team……. Your a better man than me to be able to keep your composure.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 27th, 2010
5:18 pm
Bat Masterson: no, it was a relatively short speech – especially by my standards.
Bobby Hill: NEVER did I approve of the Lowe signing from day 1! Stupidest signing (for the money) I’ve seen from the Braves since the Nick Esasky fiasco (with apologies to the Hampton trade; we were just not lucky there).
Delbert D: s’alright – I’m good right where I am. Better off than Frank Wren will soon be if he keeps screwing up.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
The thing with the Lowe signing is as follows.
Wren traded for Vazquez. While I’m sure he hoped for the best, like many others was willing to gamble, that perhaps Vazquez would be better than he had been. Either way, he was an innings eater and a guy with sound health, after a season in which 4 of the Braves original 5 in their rotation pretty much went down for the year at some point.
THEN, he signed Lowe for basically the same reason. While Wren likely didn’t expect 4 years of Cy Young caliber baseball, he felt that the team was desperate for two anchors that could eat innings, knowing Smoltz and Glavine were on their last legs. Did he pay too much? Sure. But there was also the possibility that having a guy like Lowe around might lure other free agents to come to Atlanta. Sure enough, after nobody wanted him, Loaf arrived.
KK, was as much of the beginning of a relationship with future Japanese players, as much as it was move to solidify the 2009 and 2010 squads. While KK gets a bad rap for actualy being fairly solid. I’m guessing that money wise, the Braves ownership has seen a return on their investment in Braves merchandise being sold in Japan, along with other promo options.
He’s not Ichiro, Nomo or even anything like Valenzuela was. But make no mistake, when he pitches, I bet more Japanese DVR’s are set than say when…. Tommy Hanson pitches. Right or wrong, I’m betting it’s a reality.
To me, the signing that didn’t make much sense, was KK. Not that he’s been bad, as I just stated that he has not. It’s just that there was NO guarantee with him. With Lowe and Vazquez, there was a solid track record to make a reasonable assumption what you would get. With KK, it was pure speculation and guessing.
It’s easy in hindsight to assume that Hanson could have stepped in and given what KK did from day one. Probably better than what he did.
So to me, it’s KK’s 24 million (I think that’s wht it was with salary and bonus), that kept Wren from getting a Johnny Damon, an Adam Dunn, or a Bobby Abreu last year.
Now. Just imagine, had JS saved the prospects used for Tex, and Wren hadn’t signed Lowe or KK? There would be plenty of prospects to have traded for and sign A-Gone to a long term deal to pair up with J-Hey for the next 4-5 years (or longer).
How would a rotation of JJJ, Hudson, Hanson, Medlen (and Bozo the clow for that matter), sound with Heyward and A-Gone ready to man the 3-4 spots in the order (along with Mac and Escobar in the middle), over the next 3 or 4 years sound?
Hell. Good thing we’ve got Lowe and Glaus or things wouldn’t be looking so good.
Relax Everybody
April 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
I remember when we didn’t win a game until after the allstar break and ended the season only 10 games out!!!
the real Andy
April 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
>>Ok, that’s cool. just be careful when labeling an entire fan base based upon the behavior of some, but not all fans.
good point. i know there are lots of good fans, and i’ve even been to some games where the crowd was amazing. Smoltz’s 200th, one particular playoff game against SF in (maybe?) 2002, and of course a lot of the early 90s come to mind. But those games seem to happen a lot less often lately.
i know not all braves fan are rotten. but, you know, a few bad apples…
dickfer
April 27th, 2010
5:19 pm
what does it take to get melky out of the lineup
this is bizzaro
FEAR
April 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
Whats a Charma?
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
D.Lowe was about our 4th or 5th choice. Kinda like UGA’s new defensive coordinator.
Wayne in Utah
April 27th, 2010
5:20 pm
J-MAN
Why do you bother to show up if it is already over? Just wondering….
RC
If Wren picks up Albert Belle, would that be like cost-averaging?
ccrider
April 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
If, the Braves continue to fall too far behind to be a realistic contender for the wild card, this is one fan’s plan that he wishes Frank Wren would swallow his pride and realize it’s time has come.
1. Tell Chipper the Braves are going to a fullbore youth movement, tell him that if he wants ,they would explore DH possibilities in tha AL and trade him, or he may decide to retire due to the possibility of reduced playing time. Chipper is hitting OK, but the Injuries and horrific defense is hampering the team.
2. Trade Lowe, Kawakami and McLouth. How you say? Frank Wren must admit his mistakes to himself and come to grips with the fact none of these players are really helping the team and there contributions could be matched or exceeded by in house replacements. The Team trading for Lowe would have his full 2010 salary paid by the Braves and Half of his $30 Million paid for the next to years $7.5 each season. The Team that trades for Kawakami and McLouth would have the Braves pay their 2010 salaries, but would have to pay their 2011 salaries $6.5 for KK and $6.5 for McLouth. These salaries are already budgeted in the 2010 payroll, so that would be the incentive to make the trade( Lowe would be free in 2010 and half price in 2011. Kawakami and Mclouth would be free for 2010, but full price in 2011. Saito would also be traded for a prospect and saving Approx. $2 million on 2010 payroll. Venters and Medlen would get the first shots at replacement Lowe and Kawakami. Kimbrell would replace Saito. Any useful players you get back is fine.
All of these moves would save about $22 Million on 2011 budget
3. At the end of the season, release Glaus and Cabrera. Savings $7 Million(as budgeted on the 2010 payroll)
4. The Braves would have Approx. $35 million to spend in free agency during the off season. To complete the makeover they must sign one of Carl Crawford or Jason Werth and Jorge Cantu to play 3rd base.
LINEUP: Schafer, Prado, Heyward, Cantu, McCann, Werth, Freeman, Escobar
ROTATION: Hudson, Jurrjens. Hanson, Medlen, Venters
BENCH: Diaz, Ross, Infante, Hinske, ?
BULLPEN: Wagner, Kimbrell, Moylan, O’Flaherty, Chavez, Dunn, Marek
Payroll $80 Million (Enough left over to make a trade if needed. But certainly a better starting lineup, equal rotation, bench and bullpen)
Soph
April 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
Bat – you had to question the calmness. You even brought out TPG.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
Jimmy Joe: that is sad and pathetic. Of course all of us knew this on signing day. Guess Frankie-boy didn’t get the memo. What a waste of $60 million!!!
$60 million wasted. Ponder that, Frank.
gobravos
April 27th, 2010
5:21 pm
I don’t think Salty and Andrus are exactly tearing it up in the big leagues. Andrus is more of a defensive plus. He and Salty hit mostly around .220 last year. The Braves didn’t need either of those guys because of Escobar and McCann, and both of them are better than the guys they traded. Therefore, please stop with the we traded the pennant for Tex crap. Its simply not true. The Braves made the trade because they thought it would get them to the Series. I think Feliz is a big lose, though. The guy consistently pushes 100 on radar guns. The guy they should of traded was Chipper, and they should have done it years ago. Enough with the should of would of stuff, though. I don’t think the Braves can make the Gonzalez trade because the Padres will want more than the Braves will give them. I think the Braves like Freeman too much to send him to San Diego.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:22 pm
” I mean seriously, regardless of how well he’s shown to hit, he’s still a rookie in his first major league season. Hitting in any spot 1-4 would be dumb.”
You mean the way Chipper did in 1995 (and ended up hitting “only” .265 with 23 HR and 86 RBI), forcing David Justice into the 5th spot of the order?
Yeah. That worked out horribly.
CB
April 27th, 2010
5:23 pm
Melkey’s in the lineup,
Bat Masterson
April 27th, 2010
5:23 pm
Jay Hey is being affected by Booby & the rest of the Braves’ “loser charma”.
What’s ” loser charma”, , does it have something to do with bears in the woods ? who is Scaffer ?
Wayne in Utah
April 27th, 2010
5:24 pm
Mixxo
And hopefully we start to warm up tonight! 9-7 Braves! There, I called it. Lowe will be 4-0 with an ERA over 5.
And some folks say he ain’t worth the cash………..
Tomahawkin
April 27th, 2010
5:24 pm
Troy Glaus Hitting Fifth again?
What gives! WE already have the worst production out of the 5th hole
MZ
April 27th, 2010
5:24 pm
oh yeah … DOB —–
Got a couple of tracks off the new Tom Petty and Heartbreakers album, “Mojo” (which is due in June) … fan club members able to download couple of tracks early … awesome stuff, as usual … one (Good Enough) is a sweet, slow jam … other one (First Flash of Freedom) is closer to what the Heartbreakers have sounded like on the past few albums … time to get excited
sportsmandh
April 27th, 2010
5:25 pm
I’m sure I’ll get blasted for saying so, but I think Heyward needs a night off soon.
Jesse Stone
April 27th, 2010
5:25 pm
Chipper had more professional experience in ‘95 than Heyward has now.
phoenixfalcon
April 27th, 2010
5:26 pm
like i said yesterday, all the talk in the world won’t help them win a game, it’s a bad team, and i mean it’s bad from the owners down to the the people who park the players cars @ the ted, and eveywhere in between.
brian
April 27th, 2010
5:26 pm
3 runs seems like an offensive outburst but when Troy Glaus and Melky Cabrera each have multiple hits, we should have more runs.
I don’t understand why Lohse threw Glaus off speed stuff when he can not catch up to fastballs, but it was nice to see Troy and Melky.
Key for the Braves and key for those 2 players – can they build off of last night? I would love to see Glaus start to click. He is a main piece when considering our post-season hopes. If Melky starts producing that will obviously be huge.
Do not expect a big trade from the Braves. There is not a huge bat out there for a price we can afford either in dollars or prospects. Freeman is on pace to be an outstanding 1B for the Braves for many affordable years (and is Heyward’s best friend). With 3 top pitching prospects developing we are looking at a potential deep and very strong rotation for many years. It also gives us room if one does not develop. Minor will be a solid mid to 5th starter. We do not need to trade away our future for 1-1.5 years of a big bat at 1B (see Mark Texeira).
Options for the Braves are limited. Basically the players need to pull their heads out from where the sun don’t shine and start producing like they should. Glaus needs to stop hitting like an old man. Speaking of old men – Chipper needs to do what it takes to get in shape so he does not pull something every time he gets fooled and swings. Escobar needs to play and act like the dynamic young shortstop that he is. McLouth needs to start hitting like the promising Pirate OF of 2008. Heyward needs to make adjustments and get back on track. McCann will start hitting when he is actually given pitches to hit. Melky needs to be more Yankee Melky.
Do not expect any new savior player (and no we will not get Adrian for JoJo and scrubs – expect a Tex type package). There are 2 options – players pick it up or start subbing in. Hinske at 1B, Infante in the OF (LF or CF). Prado at 1B with Infante at 2B or SS. Prado at 3B, INfante at 2B.
Don’t bother the blog with Bobby Cox will be fired. He won’t. Not in his last season of a Hall Of Fame career. Pendleton is unlikely to be fired out of respect for Bobby. Bobby and TP must get the players attention though.
Frank Wren will really earn his money if he can find a solution on the trade market without gutting the farm system. I just don’t see an easy answer except the players themselves just need to get their act together and pick it up
Bat Masterson
April 27th, 2010
5:26 pm
Bat – you had to question the calmness. You even brought out TPG.
Soph, that’s because I’m selfish and I was bored, sorry.
Mixxo
April 27th, 2010
5:27 pm
…LINEUP: Schafer, Prado, Heyward, Cantu, McCann, Werth, Freeman, Escobar… ccrider
Man, I’m diggin’ that lineup. I like your plan too.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 27th, 2010
5:27 pm
ccrider’s 5:21 post: been there, said that.
Soph
April 27th, 2010
5:27 pm
It’s okay, Bat. It is kinda slow and boring without them.
Wayne in Utah
April 27th, 2010
5:28 pm
ccrider
Despite opinions of a few blog idiots, I still think it is a tad bit early to call it a season. Who besides Prado will not see their season average increase from this point forward? (maybe Hinske will drop off a bit too)
jeffrey d
April 27th, 2010
5:28 pm
Troy Glaus Hitting Fifth again?
He went 2-3 last night…it’s not like he did anything to lose his spot based on yesterday’s game
Jimmy Joe
April 27th, 2010
5:28 pm
Jason Bay homers. Mets up 2-0.
Imagine if the Mets finished ahead of the Braves in the standings this year? How embarrassing would that be?
It’s possible. They aren’t that far apart in talent. Especially with Beltran on his way back and Pelfrey pitching like a late nineties Kevin Brown.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:29 pm
“Andrus is more of a defensive plus. He and Salty hit mostly around .220 last year.”
Andrus, for the record, hit .267 last year, with 33 SB.
This year, he is batting .258 with 0 HR and 7 RBI and a .717 OPS (while playing pretty solid defense).
Escobar? .191, 0 HR, 8 RBI, a stunning .512 OPS, and very solid defense.
One guy is on his way up. One guy should be hitting his peak years, and apparently has forgotten how to run the bases.
Yunel is actually the least of my worries on this team. His defense is worth more than his bat provides, and plenty of teams have won with all defense-no hit SS. Plus, he’ll heat up and go on a tear soon enough.
Leadoff spot might be best spot for him to stop trying to be an RBI guy and just do what he does well, which is hit the ball where it’s pitched and play defense. He has a small sample size, but his numbers in the leadoff spot for his career are actually pretty damn impressive.
I expect him to thrive there, which is why I suggested it all winter and most of last year before we traded for McLouth.
Soph
April 27th, 2010
5:29 pm
Anybody ITP here in Atlanta…was it just hailing? It lasted like 30 seconds and then stopped.
quadgator
April 27th, 2010
5:29 pm
of course teddy was a ny giant fan and lived in that home of braves’ support nyc & long island.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 27th, 2010
5:30 pm
sportsmandh: I agree! The kid might think he needs to carry this team. He needs to forget the crap around him and keep doing his learning thing.
J-MAN
April 27th, 2010
5:30 pm
Wayne I’ll tell you why cause I’m a p*ssed off fan and I hope that maybe a Braves player, coach, or GM might actually read this and see how many fans are feeling. Especially when it seems like we are only having half-a$$ effort by more than 1 player and that we just seem to think that if you put washed up players that Bobby Cox can work miracles. He is a all-time great but if you give him crap to work with then guess what comes up out on the field. I know that my opinion don’t really mean that much but you know what I still have that right to call out lack of effort and to cheer or boo who I want to.
Bat Masterson
April 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
Diatribe: a bitter or violent criticism or attack; denunciation
No sorry, MiaBchBravesFan , that was definitely a diatribe.
A bad idea
April 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
yeah, let’s trade Freeman, Schafer, Delgado, Minor, Teheran and Vizcaino to the Padres for AGon. That’ll work out well.
ATLiens
April 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
N8 valid point but chipper was 23 and had already had mlb at-bats. Heyward will eventually be in the 3 hole just not yet
faninva
April 27th, 2010
5:31 pm
one thing about Glaus that i think could provide instant help is to CHOKE UP on the bat. i could be wrong, but it looks as though he’s got his lower bat hand wrapped around the lower nodule, or whatever you call it (I know, sounds painful!). anyhoo, might help his chances not to hit into a double play next time the bases are loaded with one out.
Mixxo
April 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Soph – That was just The Pee Guy……doin’ his thing.
Tomahawkin
April 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
I’m Just Glad that we are playing like Slop Now and we are only 3 games back…
The 1992 Braves were in last place til late May If I’m not mistaking and went on to win 98 games…
Time to bump that “We Ready for y’all” as I get ready to hear it from Bandwagon Cardinal fans that I went to school with at the U of A….
That song rules when they play it before NFL kickoffs!
Salamander
April 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Anybody ITP here in Atlanta…was it just hailing? It lasted like 30 seconds and then stopped.
Yeah, there was a brief hail interlude.
A bad idea
April 27th, 2010
5:33 pm
Adam Milligan, Cody Johnson and Zeke Spruill would be our best prospects. Bethancourt too.
jeffrey d
April 27th, 2010
5:33 pm
Wait, The Pee Guy was here?
Tomahawkin
April 27th, 2010
5:34 pm
Jeffrey D…
It’s just that Glaus kills us late in games and In close situations (excluding last night)
If it were 5 years ago. then Hoss,B-Macc-and Glaus 3-4-5 would’ve been Nasty…
Wayne in Utah
April 27th, 2010
5:34 pm
T’hawkin
Good point (on the ‘92 season). Gotta keep it in perspective. Some on here don’t have a clue about that concept.
ATLiens
April 27th, 2010
5:35 pm
a bad idea…thats not even a good joke, sarcasm at its worst. You’re the kind of delusional, quick trigger fan that gives people on this blog a bad name
Stewart Smally
April 27th, 2010
5:36 pm
Wayne in Utah
April 27th, 2010
3:34 pm
Smalley
And your point??? Make a comparison that is relevant.
Wayne, I know it’s sometimes hard to follow things while barricaided inside the compound in Utah, but I made the point very clearly. I don’t think the Braves should be in the business of paying Chipper or Bobby Cox for their career up to an including allowing THEM to decide when they are finished. playing an managing. Chipper and Bobby both have made a very handsome income providing a service for their pay. Once they aren’t capable of producing, they should be replaced. End of story. Don’t tell me the Braves owe Chipper the honor of playing when he is no longer the best solution to the position based on his lifelong service as a Brave! Give the guy a gold watch to go along with the 100 million he’s made in his career as a Brave and send him on his way!
You made your position clear and that is Chipper should get to play as long as Chipper wants to play even if he can no longer do the job. I don’t buy that.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:37 pm
“Chipper had more professional experience in ‘95 than Heyward has now.”
Sure he did. But didn’t Chipper himself say this spring that Heyward is much more advanced at age 20 than he was? I just finally read the SI story that came in my mailbox a few days ago, and Chipper was quoted in that article as saying that if Heyward gets any protection in the lineup he’d take 140 walks and it wouldn’t phase him.
I’m not sure we want our #3 hitter walking that much. But it wouldn’t bother me if the two guys behind him were a healthy Chipper and Mac.
If he’s not going to get put in the 3-hole, how about use his OBP capabilities and speed, and bat him 2nd, with Prado either going to leadoff (or dropping in order if Escobar stays at top)?
Why not let Heyward just hit and get on base, rather than trying to hit HR and “save the day” at the bottom of the order?
Does he have too much power for a #2 hitter? I don’t know. Ask Tony LaRussa. Ludwick had 22 HR and 97 RBI for the cardinals last year, and is batting 2nd for them.
Would Heyward remain a #2 hitter foreer? Hell no. But batting him 6th or 7th is just silly.
Put him ahead of Chipper and let him run, and see how many fastballs Chipper sees. See how many Mac sees. See how often he disrupts the pitchers into throwing meat and how often he goes 1st to 3rd on routine singles. Force some stuff to happen.
Ultimately I don’t care where he hits. 1st, 2nd, 3rd. But he deserves better protection in the lineup than Escobar, McLouth/Melky and the pitcher, don’t you think?
Chipper gets McGriff, Justice, Klesko and Javy “protecting” him as a rookie. Heyward gets Nate McLouth and Yunel Escobar (and his .512 OPS early in the year).
Give the kid one week of solid protection and see what it does to the flow of the lineup.
b12 joneal
April 27th, 2010
5:37 pm
troy had to hits yesterday so he will b fine
bravos2249
April 27th, 2010
5:38 pm
I don;t care if the Mets possibly end up with a better record than us, as long as they don’t win the divison or make the playoffs.
ccrider
April 27th, 2010
5:39 pm
Wayne in Utah; I mentioned, ‘if we fell out of contention”. I’m not near ready to call it a season, but Wren needs to have a plan to retool in place, if they do. This idea was just in case everything continues as it has and something along this line would give the Braves a chance to come back next year with an improved starting lineup, more flexability to make more moves and a better chance to contend.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:39 pm
“N8 valid point but chipper was 23 and had already had mlb at-bats. Heyward will eventually be in the 3 hole just not yet” ATLiens
Sorry dude. Chipper was a September callup in 93 and had only a handful of AB’s (3 or 4 dont’ remember). So other than that, and the spring training AB’s before getting his knee shredded in 94), Heyward had more AB’s after game one this year than Chipper had before he started the 95 season in the 3-hole.
faninva
April 27th, 2010
5:40 pm
N8 – @ 5:37 you make some good arguments.
Tomahawkin
April 27th, 2010
5:41 pm
Nasty Storm cell on the Eastside, That dirve on I 20 east heading out of Atlanta is already FUBAR on a sunny day let alone when its raining….
Tomahawkin
April 27th, 2010
5:42 pm
N8 Good points on that Post about Chipper
Chipper had a power/speed combo back when we used to run and be aggressive on the bases…
MikeInFL
April 27th, 2010
5:44 pm
N8, after watching Heyward hit .171/.316/.258, with 12 K’s in his last 10 games, you want to move him UP in the lineup?
The time for that’ll come, but it hasn’t come yet.
btw, I agree with your general point about Murph and the lack of protection. I just think you’re taking it too far. Murph was a great player who would have been even better in a better lineup. But I’m not prepared to give him so much of a mulligan as to say he was as good as Chipper.
bravos2249
April 27th, 2010
5:45 pm
N8
You my friend are correct. Here are the batting orders from 1995.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/1995-batting-orders.shtml
Salty
April 27th, 2010
5:45 pm
Wow! Granted it’s been a while, and scarce since I’ve stopped by this old BBQ Blog, but gotta say I’m stunned to see Partridge Family lyrics! Does that mean Whitesnake is back in vogue?
And…still a few days left in April and the Braves are picked last behind the Mets…Heyward’s in (his second) a mini-slump. Chipper’s fielding grounders from ’six feet under’ and still can’t beat a Rollins to first.
Yep…over-reacting is still alive and well!
sportsmandh
April 27th, 2010
5:45 pm
Bay sure woulda looked good as our left fielder and clean up hitter.
Just sayin’ ….
TnBrian
April 27th, 2010
5:46 pm
PTI guys were just talking about Howard’s new contract and one brought up a qoute on the deal from Bobby Cox. Cox said if Howard is worth $25m a year than Pujols is worth $50m a year. I’m sure Bobby was being a little sarcastic, but one of the guys (the older white guy) got offended saying how can Pujols be worth twice as much as Howard and Bobby needs to just worry about locking up “Justin Heyward”. The white dude was mad that Cox said that, obviously.
N8
April 27th, 2010
5:46 pm
“Chipper had a power/speed combo…”
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Sad thing is, is that I don’t think Chipper (while VERY good), ever became the player they thought he would be when he was playing shortstop and had the speed.
Maybe he does still bulk up and hit all the bombs. But I remember him being touted as another Barry Larkin. SPEED and power.
bravos2249
April 27th, 2010
5:47 pm
Well facts are proven when you hit in front of Chipper Jones/Mac you’d get more to hit than hitting in front of Melky/Nate/Escobar.
ccrider
April 27th, 2010
5:48 pm
Mixxo: Lineup certainly better than now, less injury prone, younger, better defense. The plan is dependent on Frank Wren, who I think has done a decent job, not saying “Well I went out and acquired these players and I believe in them.”The Cubs” Believed “in Alphonso Soriano(that hasn’t work to well) and Milton Bradley( that worked even less well). Sometimes a GM has to cut his losses, not every move is going to work, but “staying the course” is not always the way to go. What I like most about this lineup is only Werth would be over 30 years old.
Bat Masterson
April 27th, 2010
5:49 pm
MikeInFL
I thought about your, Grantland Rice/ from first to worst, post driving down the road today and started laughing out loud, again.
Prayerful
April 27th, 2010
5:49 pm
OH NO! IT’S DEREK LOWE! :/