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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,301 comments Add your comment
Youngerthan Thatnow
April 30th, 2010
2:20 pm
Wayne… no it’s on Chicago’s Comcast feed… or I could watch the Arizona feed with the younger Darren Sutton and Mark Grace.
I’ve got the MLB package on DirecTV… every game from every MLB team in regular and HD… I watch it on the HD channels.
ugaaccountant
April 30th, 2010
2:20 pm
Dye – Post all star break 2009 -
G AB R H 2 3 HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
60 212 23 38 4 0 7 26 32 46 0 0 .179 .293 .297 .590
This is not going to help in any way shape or fashion, PLUS Dye doesn’t want to play anyway. He’s holding out for a winning team and has said he surely isn’t going to play for only 1.5M. So he’s as egotistical and spoiled an athlete as you can imagine.
Shaun
April 30th, 2010
2:22 pm
Braves made the right move. They went with the younger, cheaper secondbaseman who also happens to be a very good player.
The only position where Johnson has value as an everyday player is second. He doesn’t hit enough for a corner position and doesn’t field well enough for shortstop or centerfield.
I’m a huge KJ fan. You may remember me defending him almost to a fault last year. The man can hit, he was just injured. But no matter how big a KJ fan you are, objectively you have to agree the Braves made the right choice.
Thrillhouse44
April 30th, 2010
2:22 pm
Same people clamoring for Dye are calling Glaus “old” and “washed up”. Dye doesn’t even have the grit Thurston does.
Salamander
April 30th, 2010
2:23 pm
Wren has made multiple nice moves with at least one great move on his CV (JJ from the Tigers).
However, Wren’s two worst moves (Lowe and Chipper) are also the most expensive, and for a team with a budget that seems to be slimming down for the beach season (Mcquirk’s comments aside), he sure tied up a of money/years for two older guys.
For the record, I supported the Lowe deal – I thought he was overpaid, but overall, I thought it was a solid acquisition. On the other hand, I thought the Chipper extension smelt bad from day one.
Thrillhouse44
April 30th, 2010
2:27 pm
Braves Fan, your post at 2:24 is as worthless as it was earlier today. At least that’s what I assume after skimming the first sentence.
jeffrey d
April 30th, 2010
2:28 pm
You mean the hitting coach that Kelly had 3 out of 4 good seasons with?
That was in the past so clearly it didn’t happen.
Puzzling
April 30th, 2010
2:29 pm
For a being a Braves Fan No More, you sure come back here a lot??
Salamander
April 30th, 2010
2:30 pm
Braves Fan No More
Then quit posting on this blog, and take your backhanded political BS elsewhere.
Moe Berg
April 30th, 2010
2:30 pm
“On the other hand, I thought the Chipper extension smelt bad from day one.”
While it is not looking good, the time played into it significantly. Chipper was coming off a season in which he just won the batting title. The debacles of Smoltz and Glavine made handling the last franchise player delicately.
dawgs01
April 30th, 2010
2:30 pm
Troy Glaus: Just dip baby dip just dip baby dip i put my up on the bat when i swing i dont make contact just dip baby dip watch my average just dip baby dip. I will be there sunday
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:30 pm
I’m retired and flipping through blogs is a nice hobby.
Moe Berg
April 30th, 2010
2:31 pm
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:24 pm
Wasn’t this post made a few hours ago already? Just thought it was so profound that we should all see it again?
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:31 pm
Lots of sheeple on this blog, Braves and government.
Skip
April 30th, 2010
2:32 pm
Plenty o’ Season Ticket Packages still available, Braves fans…
CraZYtRaDeMaNN
April 30th, 2010
2:32 pm
Why are you still here Braves Fan No More? You sure do comment a lot about the Braves to be a Braves Fan No More!!!!! Your like DON see your name skip the comment!!
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
2:32 pm
ncscoots: man, you always have a sharp axe for me.
Do I? If so, it’s not intentional, just coincidence. I mean, you do have to admit that the “character” thing might have looked much like a honing strap for the blade, though, LOL.
MiaBchBravesFan
April 30th, 2010
2:33 pm
To the haters: Atlanta, not Miami/Miami Beach, is the New York of the South. Like NY, not every ballplayer can come to Atlanta and be successful. Yeah, we don’t have the Steinbrenner dollars, but you are expected to win in Atlanta when you wear the Braves’ uni.
Guys like Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, McGriff, Chipper, et. al. are Atlanta guys who could’ve made it in NY too. They are character guys who are winners.
KJ was a first round pick, and from all indications, not an Atlanta guy. Any loser with talent can hit homers in Podunk, or Arizona for that matter. I am sure that the D-back lineup has people who are in the Witness Protection Program, and I’m sure that they will do well way out of the limelight.
Good riddance, KJ. Enjoy being the big fish in the small pond. Not everyone can play in the A-T-L because they don’t have the guts to be winners here.
Mechanical my ass.
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:33 pm
Follow along now while Liberty Media and the government shears you.
onebravosfan
April 30th, 2010
2:34 pm
I don’t think Chipper is killing us this season. He has not been great obviously and he can’t carry the team but he had not been as much a detriment as last season. I know, it is a low bar. My main issue with Chipper is that BC needs to rest him more. Both Glaus and Chipper should sit out every third game or so. They both look like they get worn down pretty quickly.
Bill
April 30th, 2010
2:35 pm
Thanks Carrol for info…Agree John Smoltz brings alot to the booth, love his spin around from wanting to walk back to hotel etc.( if Braves didn’t win)..Well I wish for a win today but don’t really see it coming.
PRAY FOR RAIN ARE GO INSANE !!!!!!
MiaBchBravesFan
April 30th, 2010
2:35 pm
ncscoots: right on time – LOL.
Moe Berg
April 30th, 2010
2:36 pm
Braves Fan No More–Please share with us, what transforms people into ’sheeple’? Are there symptoms?
Salamander
April 30th, 2010
2:38 pm
Moe Berg
Oh for sure, there were special circumstances that made the Chipper extension tricky – dude did just flirt with a .400 BA the year before. However, in the second half of the 2008 season, it seemed pretty clear that Chipper had lost some of his power.
Placed into Wren’s shoes, maybe I’d offer the extension to Chipper, but for 3 years? That’s a long time for someone averaging ~135 games a year and who happens to be over 35. Its not so much the annual salary that bothered me, but the number of years. I mean, do you want to see Chipper manning 3B two seasons from now at the age of 40? Talk about potentially ugly…
Petco Pecker
April 30th, 2010
2:39 pm
Salamander- ha
CF-Brave-Fan
April 30th, 2010
2:41 pm
How do you make a Brave a productive and/or powerful hitter? Trade them….
Moe Berg
April 30th, 2010
2:42 pm
Salamander, I agree that 3 years was too much. I think that Chipper and Lowe’s contracts make it very unlikely that the front office will give long-term contracts to aging veterans. In 2008, he was beginning to look more like a singles hitter. I agree that I don’t want him on 3B in another two years.
I think the team did what they thought they had to do politically. I don’t think many anticipated how quickly he would seem to decline.
Kelly Johnson
April 30th, 2010
2:42 pm
Thanks for holding me back for so many years Braves organization… I also discovered I can play the bango!
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:43 pm
Sheeple are people who act like sheep being led to the slaughter. Refusing to really think about their daily activities, they simply live their lives as if by rote memory. Zombielike, they will habitually support a disfunctional sports team, or they continue to permit insane politicians to ruin the country, never once becoming outraged and taking a stand against any of the wrong being perpetrated against them.
$$$$$
April 30th, 2010
2:44 pm
As soon as the Braves ownership got frugal the team stopped winning (I don’t call last year’s third place finish “winning”).
Salamander
April 30th, 2010
2:45 pm
I think the team did what they thought they had to do politically. I don’t think many anticipated how quickly he would seem to decline.
Agreed. I can’t remember for sure (not looking it up either), but I think Chipper’s overall defense in 2008 was ok – not great but acceptable. He seemed to fall off a cliff in terms of glove-work last year, and its pretty clear he ain’t much better this season.
O.J.
April 30th, 2010
2:47 pm
What the hell is a bango?
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
2:48 pm
never once becoming outraged and taking a stand against any of the wrong being perpetrated against them.
Well, golly. Maybe you and the like-minded brethren could create a baseball Tea Party? Sheeple not allowed.
Nor functioning brain cells, it would appear.
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
2:49 pm
ncscoots, What did you say? Baaaaahh???
Mad Mike
April 30th, 2010
2:50 pm
thanks, carroll, for pointing out the good work in the booth. on another ajc blog yesterday (bradley’s or schultz’s i don’t remember) i expressed a little discontent with the current product we get. but you’re right – i like smoltz’s ramblings, his bad jokes, and his baseball insight. corny personality is better than no personality, and while i’ll stop short of calling smoltz corny…y’all get my drift. that being said, i really like him in the booth because i think i would really like him as a person. and i think if he and joe work together long enough, it’ll get better and better.
Desibrave
April 30th, 2010
2:50 pm
To all those denizens that are still confused why Kelly is performing better this year.
If you look at his home and away stats, you will know why.
He is batting .374 at Home with 6 home runs (in approx 43 at bats ) in Arizona whereas he is hitting .250 with 2 home runs (in 32 at bats ) away from home.
BTW here is how I look at the situation.
Even the best placed team in MLB will lose 60 games (approx) in a season. Braves have lost 14 so far, and that still leaves a buffer of 46 losses. Again I am not saying we are going to win the division and win 100 games this season.
BTW do you all know what was Braves record LAST YEAR at this time?
We were 10 – 11 on April 30th 2009 That is only 3 more losses we have this year. So stop panicking and lets BELIEVE.
B4
April 30th, 2010
2:52 pm
BANGO!
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
2:53 pm
ncscoots, What did you say? Baaaaahh???
I’m more of a buckhorn ram, there, good buddy.
Julio Franco
April 30th, 2010
2:53 pm
Hey Bobby,
I’m available if you need me, you know when you get tired of seeing Troy flop all over the place at first base. And even though I’m 10 years older than Chipper, I’m in a lot better shape! Come on, call me, you know I can still get it done.
O.J.
April 30th, 2010
2:54 pm
Desibrave, he has 7 homers at home, but who is counting?
keylargo
April 30th, 2010
2:54 pm
Probably a lot of the people who trashed Kelly Johnson are the same ones who are trashing Nate McLouth this year.
One thing remains the same – you all were dumbasses in 09 and you’re dumbasses in 10.
CF-Brave-Fan
April 30th, 2010
2:56 pm
Bango Skank
Hat Land Dub Raves
April 30th, 2010
2:56 pm
ncscoots,
Baseball Tea Party. Ha!
whippersnapper
April 30th, 2010
2:57 pm
Kelly Johnson looks like Charlie Sheen
Hat Land Dub Raves
April 30th, 2010
2:57 pm
Desibrave,
I BELIEVE! I’m a sheep! Someone stop me from perpetuating all the wrongdoings against me! I think it’s the Tomahawk Team that’s got me brainwashed!
Mr J
April 30th, 2010
2:58 pm
Braves Fan No More,
Brother, I feel your pain, but this is not the place. Equating the doings of Frank Wren and Liberty Media with what’s going on in DC trivializes the real tragedy. Baseball’s just for fun.
Shaun
April 30th, 2010
2:58 pm
If you are an ESPN Insider, they have a piece by John Perrotto, Baseball Prospectus: Can the Braves recover? Some key paragraphs:
In the wild card era, there has only been one team to make the playoffs that had a nine-game slide at any point during the season, and that was the 2007 Rockies. And if you remember, Colorado had to win 14 of its last 15 games just to make the postseason. If the Braves lose to the Astros today, that will put their streak at 10. And no playoff team since 1995 has had a losing streak that long.
However, there is some “good news” for Atlanta. There have been 11 clubs that got to the postseason despite suffering eight-game losing streaks. They are the 1996 Padres, 1999 Mets, 2000 Giants, 2000 Mariners, 2001 Astros, 2003 Twins, 2004 Dodgers, 2005 Padres, 2006 Cardinals, 2006 Dodgers and 2008 Dodgers.
…
The Braves are going to need to start scoring more runs. That seems likely because the Braves have been hitting in some bad luck with a .275 BABIP, 25 points below the NL average of .300. Among those not getting many balls in play to drop are center fielder Nate McLouth (.212), shortstop Yunel Escobar (.221), left fielder Melky Cabrera (.233) and catcher Brian McCann (.240).
The bottom line is that the Braves are coming up against some unchartered territory. No team in the wild card era has suffered a losing streak as long as 10 games and gone on to make the playoffs. So if the Braves lose tonight and still get to October, they’ll be making history.
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
2:58 pm
Bango Skank
A Gunslinger fan!
Mindless Braves Fan
April 30th, 2010
2:59 pm
Gotta support the team!!! Sure they are owned by a huge conglomorate that’s based in another state. Sure the front office, manager and coaching staff have no accountability, keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over, and keep fielding a mediocre team year after year. Sure the players are a bunch of spoiled millionaire crybabies, but they’re our team dammit and we have to support them.
awesomeo
April 30th, 2010
2:59 pm
i rather see a 100 lose season hten be out of the offs by 4 games
faninva
April 30th, 2010
2:59 pm
Pat -
agreed on Joe Morgan.
actual quotes from Mr. Morgan -
“A lot of star players get booed in opposing stadiums”
“The key to hitting a baseball is making good contact”
Renegator
April 30th, 2010
3:00 pm
For whatever reason, KJ couldn’t get it done in Atlanta. Was it him? Was it TP? Was it Cox? Who knows. All we know is that if he were still here – he wouldn’t be performing like he is in AZ. Can’t people just be happy that a player got out from under the malaize that is the Atlanta Braves and resurrected a career somewhere else?
Shaun
April 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
Renegator, Do we really know he wouldn’t be performing well in Atlanta, if he were here? You can pretend all you want, but no one really knows.
Not sure what you mean by he “couldn’t get it done in Atlanta”? He had one bad year. He “got it done” every other year he was healthy.
I’m not so sure injury didn’t contribute to his bad 2009 season. Seems very likely that it was injury, since he had fine seasons here before and we know he was injured at some points in the season.
People assume what they want to assume. Some just never want to look at what is the most rational explanation for things if it doesn’t support their biases.
CF-Brave-Fan
April 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
The homers for KJ in AZ would probably be long fly outs at the Ted. ncscoots – I was wondering if anybody would catch that.
MaineBrave
April 30th, 2010
3:05 pm
Can’t take another lose. 10 in a row is absurd.
Kelly's Character
April 30th, 2010
3:07 pm
“Shaun
April 30th, 2010
2:05 pm
What the heck does that mean? Kelly Johnson has “character” now?”
It was all about context. Someone posted that the reason KJ didn’t hit in Atlanta was because he had no character.
The answering post basically stated that if KJ wasn’t hitting in Atlanta due to having no character, then he must have found a character builder since he went to AZ because of his offensive production.
It was a post in a vacuum. No context relating back the the inciting post.
Braves Sheeple
April 30th, 2010
3:08 pm
I have to support my team, no matter what. Even if they are controlled by absentee owners who don’t care about baseball, even if the front office and manager is the baseball equivalent of the three stooges (John, Frank and Bobby), even if none of the players can hit their weight and none of the pitchers can get anyone out, I must support them.
AZBravoFan
April 30th, 2010
3:09 pm
Man, people have some short memories about Kelly! Sure, this current hot streak is unlike anything he ever did in Atlanta. But don’t ya’ll remember how every hot streak was followed by a maddening 2 for 30 with a ton of K’s. Maybe it will be different now, but keep watching…
And again, the circumstances of his departure were pretty unavoidable. I think everyone agrees the Prado had earned the 2B job. So you would have had to move him back to the outfield. Which means someone would have had to go. The odd man out probably would have been Diaz. And imagine the outrage there would have been on this blog at Matty ripped it up with another team.
bravesfan
April 30th, 2010
3:09 pm
Smoltz and Simpson have done a good job. I like their style in the booth. It’s really nice not to have to listen to Chip. I was sad when good old Boog left, but Smoltz has been a nice surprise. Ernie Johnson, Jr, will be coming back at some point after the NBA playoffs, I presume? How do people feel about him?
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:09 pm
I have a good feeling that Hanson and the Braves will break out of the funk tonight!
Renegator
April 30th, 2010
3:10 pm
Shaun: True, we don’t know for a fact that KJ wouldn’t be doing the same thing in ATL that he is doing in AZ but I don’t think you can attibute an enitre down year to year and a half to an injury. Besides, once KJ came back from the injury last year – he still didn’t hit.
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:12 pm
I wish we would move on from the fact that we let KJ go.
Renegator
April 30th, 2010
3:12 pm
Look, I’m not trying to say that KJ will be the 2nd coming of Pujols now that he is out of Atlanta – I’m just saying that people should be happy for him instead of saying that he had no character when he was here.
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
3:13 pm
ncscoots – I was wondering if anybody would catch that.
Read the whole series, buddy. Even picked them back up a while back, and read everything straight through (instead of waiting for a new one every three-four years, LOL).
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:13 pm
Renegator: exactly we should wish him well and be glad he is thriving in the hot Arizona sun
Magic Man
April 30th, 2010
3:15 pm
Interesting article on ESPN.com by Baseball Prospectus on the Braves chances of recovering from this to make the postseason.
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/tmi-mlb/post/_/id/2719/bp-can-the-braves-recover
Kelly Johnson
April 30th, 2010
3:15 pm
It’s hard being a big leaguer ~ Chipper told me that…
Shaun
April 30th, 2010
3:18 pm
Renegator, players have nagging injuries for seasons at a time every now and then. It happens. In fact, I would argue that when a player is performing so much worse than he has before and he is still fairly young, the most likely reason is injury. Maybe it wasn’t the injury, per se. Maybe he adjusted his swing or couldn’t do certain things because of the injury and that’s what caused his struggles. But I would argue that the most likely explanation, whether directly or indirectly, was injury.
Players in their primes who can hit usually don’t just stop without a reason, obviously. KJ could hit when TP was his hitting coach and Cox was his manager in 2005 and in 2007-2008. He was playing on the same team in the same park. The only obvious difference between 2009 and those seasons was his health. Is it possible something else was going on? Sure. But it’s most likely health.
ugaaccountant
April 30th, 2010
3:18 pm
“whereas he is hitting .250 with 2 home runs (in 32 at bats ) away from home.”
Umm, I’d take .250 with 30+ homer pace from a LF. I honestly was lobbying to keep Kelly at 4M for LF because I knew we had only that much budgeted. If you’re really happier with Melky more power to you.
I like our team overall, alot, this season. Still think we push for the wild card IF JJJ is healthy. JJJ aside, I had 0 expectation of success from Melky or Glaus when I was assessing the team. I figured we’d wind up starting Diaz and Hinske most days this summer. Maybe even Schaefer & Freeman by the end of the season.
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:18 pm
magic man: a lot of us dont have insider can you copy and paste the whole story please?
ugaaccountant
April 30th, 2010
3:19 pm
Renegator – KJ did “hit” after he came back from injury. His #’s were fine he just didn’t have many at bats.
Kelly's Character
April 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
“Shaun
April 30th, 2010
2:22 pm
Braves made the right move. They went with the younger, cheaper secondbaseman who also happens to be a very good player.
The only position where Johnson has value as an everyday player is second. He doesn’t hit enough for a corner position and doesn’t field well enough for shortstop or centerfield.”
Now the last sentence is where I have to actually die laughing! We have so many experts on here who talk about someone doesn’t hit enough for a corner position. Huh? The fielding part, I may get behind, but “doesn’t hit enough?” That’s rediculous!
How can a team really say that a guy who is hitting over 320, has nine homers and 18 rbi “doesn’t hit enough” to be on the field? He’s outhitting everyone in OUR lineup, but he doesn’t hit enough to be a corner position on our team?
The Braves and some idiots on this blog have pontificated time and time again that “someone’s value is as a …blah blah blah”
Someone’s value is can they catch the ball and can they hit the ball? If the answer is yes, then give me 8 of those guys and I’ll plug them into 8 positions and kick your fantasy team AND the Braves Azzes day after day!
Oh yeah, Martin Prado isn’t an every day player. Heard that forever from the blog experts here AND the Braves seemed to indicate that same thought to the people who cover the team as well. Another great example of a guy who just wasn’t good enough to be an everyday player is Kevin Youkilus. That seemed to work out pretty good for the Red Sox when they decided his biggest value was to be on the field every day IN SOME position.
Things change.
Maturin
April 30th, 2010
3:20 pm
Braves Fan No More – So who are you gonna root for now?
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:22 pm
maturin: ignore him he’s like the new DON
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
The Boston RedSox is now my team. They have an owner who loves baseball, a GM who is very sharp and a great fan base.
John, Ducktown
April 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
Couple observations on Former & current Braves’ players:
Before yesterday’s (4/29) games:
Last 4 1B:
Laroche: .270, 2HR, 12 RBI- in yesterdays’ game, raised avg 30 points, doubled HR total and hit 1/2 RBI’s in one game (4/29) and his team scored 13 runs.
Teixeiria: .139, 2HR, 9 RBI
Glaus: .200, 2HR, 9RBI
Kotchman: .264, 3HR, 14 RBI
What does this say? I doubt any of them would look much better in ATL, especially since nobody is getting on base. Complain about Glaus all you want, but even one of the most prolific 1B in the game right now ain’t doing anything.
As for Jeff Francuer: First 12 Games: .356, 3HR, 8 RBI’s. Last 10 games: 6/34, .176, 0HR’s & 4RBI’s- He would have been no help to the Braves the last 10 games. Frenchy is starting to slide
KJ: I like the guy, he trys but. . . .
April 2007: .326, 5 HR’s 15 RBI’s, finished with 16 HR’s and .276avg
April 2008: .235, but in May 07′ .355, finished .287 and 12HR’s
April 2009: .203 but .297 in May, finished .224 and 8HR’s
-Interesting stats about KJ:
:Career Wise: He hits .293 at Chase Field, with 8HR’s & 22 RBI’s in 100 AB’s. Only one other place has he hit more HR’s (16) and RBI’s (86). . . . Turner Field
:2010 Home/Away hitting: Chase Field: .372, 7HR’s 11 Rbi’s in 43 AB, Road: .250 Avg 2HR 7RBI, 32AB.
Simply put, KJ was beat out of a position by Martin Prado, and we all know how LOYAL Cox is to players, so you know that KJ was given every chance to lose the job. . . and he did.
And if we are going to go after Wren for “poor decisions” on players. . . . . How much good would Javier Vasquez being doing us right now? He’s pitched 20 innings, hasn’t pitched into the 6th inning yet, has an ERA of 9.00 and is 1-3 on a Yankees team that is probably the best team in baseball. 3 of Javy’s losses have come on the road, so it isn’t Yankee Stadium that is giving him fits.
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
3:25 pm
Don’t worry bravofan, I won’t be around long. Just passing through.
Desibrave
April 30th, 2010
3:26 pm
O.J , It counts because that Arizona Ballpark is a hitter friendly park and most of the homers hit to the RF in that park are flyouts at TED.
BTW here is why I am still very confident this season. We have Fantastic pitching. We have 4 very reliable pitchers in Hudson, Hanson, Jurgens and KK. It will not be long before our hitters get out of the slump and with the kind of pitching we have both starting and bullpen we will be contenders this year.
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:27 pm
braves fan no more: ok good thing!
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
3:28 pm
Bite me bravofan.
Chip Shot
April 30th, 2010
3:28 pm
this just in!!! home plate tickets at the ted now on sale for 99 cents.
bravofan
April 30th, 2010
3:29 pm
braves fan no more: no thanks!
ugaaccountant
April 30th, 2010
3:29 pm
desibrave – 2 homers on the road in 32 at bats is still a pace for 30+
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
3:29 pm
Chip Shot, you know there will be no takers on that deal.
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
3:30 pm
Braves Fan No More – So who are you gonna root for now?
dude can’t root for anybody, LOL. He’s one of those guys who thinks his life isn’t perfect because it’s somebody else’s fault: Braves, government, this blog, LOL, but SOMEBODY. I’m a victim, waaaah. I’m conspired against, boo-hoo. If only, sob.
I don’t care if someone wants to just lie there and bleed, just don’t do it where I might get some of it on my shoes.
Maturin
April 30th, 2010
3:30 pm
bravofan: Don’t worry, just trying to pull him back from the ledge.
I don’t let strangers on the internet affect my mood.
Bat Masterson
April 30th, 2010
3:31 pm
Follow along now while Liberty Media and the government shears you. Braves Fan No More
I followed a Liberty Media play a little over a year ago, and it worked out really well for me.
Crime Dog
April 30th, 2010
3:32 pm
So on to a happier subject than the struggling Braves, what does everyone think of the Hawks’ chances to avoid a monumental collapse tonight?
Mike
April 30th, 2010
3:34 pm
I think McDowell is a candidate for replacement too … why not Smoltzy … I learn something every night i listen to the broadcast with him in the booth. I think he would be a natural a coaching … a people person, probably knows how to press a button when it needs to be pressed, isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and pitched every single role for the braves from closer to starter … and was great at it all. No brainer.
Hitting Coach??? Bring on Marquis Grissom. I think Terry can coach .. just not hitting. he was tooo streaky and it reflects in our team. I’d think he would be able to manage a game though.
TP
April 30th, 2010
3:34 pm
I use to advise Kelly Johnson to hit gripping the big end ‘o the bat for ya’lls information…
Braves Fan No More
April 30th, 2010
3:35 pm
ncscoots, you know less than nothing. Have fun rooting for one of the most inept and disfuncional organizations in MLB. Those days are long behind me. GO SOX!!!
Thrillhouse44
April 30th, 2010
3:37 pm
Braves Fan No More – So who are you gonna root for now?
dude can’t root for anybody, LOL
Which is why he chose the Bo Sox. He’ll be on their boards soon complaining about how they’re 6 games back (which is one more than ATL), and how signing old Mike Cameron was stupid. BravoFanNoMore, I suggest your handle be “Sox Fan…For Now”.
Puzzling
April 30th, 2010
3:37 pm
Here’s hoping Braves Fan No More becomes: Braves Blogger No More
Magic Man
April 30th, 2010
3:37 pm
BP: Can the Braves recover?
April, 30, 2010 Apr 3012:36PM ET By John Perrotto, Baseball Prospectus
The Braves’ rallying point in 2010 is to send beloved manager Bobby Cox, who plans to retire at the end of the season, out in style. They hope to at least get back to the playoffs after a four-year absence and ultimately win their first World Series since 1995.
The outlook for that is not looking so good. The Braves lost their ninth straight game Thursday, dropping their record to 8-13. Bill James once wrote about the phenomenon of “signature significance,” which basically states that if a player does something incredibly dominant (such as a pitcher striking out 15 batters in a game) it shows a unique level of skill, and the player probably has the ability to be great. This got us thinking about the Braves. A nine-game losing streak is bad, but is it bad enough that it contains some signature significance? In other words, is a nine-game skid so bad that it proves a team is not a playoff contender? The answer is yes … and no.
In the wild card era, there has only been one team to make the playoffs that had a nine-game slide at any point during the season, and that was the 2007 Rockies. And if you remember, Colorado had to win 14 of its last 15 games just to make the postseason. If the Braves lose to the Astros today, that will put their streak at 10. And no playoff team since 1995 has had a losing streak that long.
However, there is some “good news” for Atlanta. There have been 11 clubs that got to the postseason despite suffering eight-game losing streaks. They are the 1996 Padres, 1999 Mets, 2000 Giants, 2000 Mariners, 2001 Astros, 2003 Twins, 2004 Dodgers, 2005 Padres, 2006 Cardinals, 2006 Dodgers and 2008 Dodgers.
Just three of those teams were even close to being as offensively challenged as the Braves have been through their first 21 games. They are 15th in the NL in runs scored with an average of 3.67 a game, ahead of only the Astros (3.30), and also 15th in the league with 12 home runs, again ahead of just Houston (eight). Of the aforementioned dozen, just three finished in the bottom half of the NL in runs scored. The 2004 Dodgers (ninth) and the 2005 Padres and 2008 Dodgers (13th).
The Braves are going to need to start scoring more runs. That seems likely because the Braves have been hitting in some bad luck with a .275 BABIP, 25 points below the NL average of .300. Among those not getting many balls in play to drop are center fielder Nate McLouth (.212), shortstop Yunel Escobar (.221), left fielder Melky Cabrera (.233) and catcher Brian McCann (.240).
The bottom line is that the Braves are coming up against some unchartered territory. No team in the wild card era has suffered a losing streak as long as 10 games and gone on to make the playoffs. So if the Braves lose tonight and still get to October, they’ll be making history.
John Perrotto is editor in chief of Baseball Prospectus.
NO MORE BOBBY
April 30th, 2010
3:38 pm
Going to the game tonight and watch my Braves go for ten straight.
BELIEVE!!!!
haggard
April 30th, 2010
3:39 pm
McFann Ô April 30th, 2010
1:24 pm
“True. ‘Cause it meant that McCann is NOT DOING ANYTHING WITH RISP!!!
He doesn’t look right, either. Maybe it’s just ’cause the team is doing so poorly…”
McFann, you may be onto something; he doesn’t seem to be “squinting” as much as he used to. Even after the first surgery–when he came back and was hitting up a storm–he would still squint at the pitcher after settling in the box. Sort of that “Clint Eastwood squint”
Now–in all seriousness…..
salamander and Moe Berg– most power hitters seem to lose batting average before power, (recent examples being Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas). However–even during the batting title year in ‘08–Chipper seemed to be losing power; though it mat have simply been a change in hitting approach. He “smelled” that batting title.
I still think he’ll bouce back even further this year, though I don’t think we’ll ever see 30 to 35 homeruns from him again. I’m just wondering where the power went?
I’m about an hour from the Ted, need to get moving, and will see you after the game.
Thrillhouse44
April 30th, 2010
3:39 pm
And to speed up the process, here’s one for you BFNM: http://www.overthemonster.com.
ncscoots
April 30th, 2010
3:40 pm
ncscoots, you know less than nothing.
Enlighten me, O wise one, LOL. I yearn to fill this yawning chasm of ignorance with a mere drop from your ocean of knowledge.
I am inspired to learn, to grow as a being, to become wise as are you.
You had me at “sheeple”.
faninva
April 30th, 2010
3:40 pm
BFNM – that is why so many people hate the redsox and a lot of sox fans – all you bandwagon, empty suits that adopt the team that has had recent success. you said your visit here was temporary – good, now blow.
Thrillhouse44
April 30th, 2010
3:41 pm
Actually, this might be more up your alley:
“Joy of Sox, the only blog that offers both Red Sox coverage and far-out left wing conspiracy theories in one convenient package.” joyofsox.blogspot.com/