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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,214 comments Add your comment
Moe Berg
July 30th, 2010
1:21 am
I know that it is frustrating seeing the team drop from a 7 game lead down to 2.5. But they have won with this lineup, they can still win with it. Another bat would be great (and might be forthcoming), but without one, they can be competitive with their current crew. Yes, the Phillies picked up Oswalt, but they traded away a piece which last year figured prominently in their future. I want them to be doing better. But leading their division at the trade deadline is not a bad place to be.
TnBrian
July 30th, 2010
1:22 am
See, there goes uga and his facts again.
We know, uga. We know. We’re still in 1st place however.
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:22 am
saff
“DOB
I agree Jose Guillen is about the only outfeild bat that make much sense and that is really not all that appealing.”
(Shakes Hand!)
I will Co-Sign on that last post! The braves are desperate for offense…But If we trade for Guillen then which current OF goes. Especially since we have a log-gam of OF’s on this team and in the Minors…?
My Money is either on Nate Dawg (1st Choice), The Melk Dud (Second Choice), Schafer (3rd Choice) even though he got demoted…?
Comments?
Moe Berg
July 30th, 2010
1:23 am
Tommeee O’Hawkeee–I am. Got in two days ago. Furniture showed up late last night–and the internet set up tonight. Just settling in here. How are things with you?
I Hate Liberty Media
July 30th, 2010
1:23 am
And for the life of me I can’t figure out why anyone would blame this team’s failures on Bobby Cox. He’s just playing with the hand he’s been dealt.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
1:23 am
road has been tough to the mets, phills, and the braves.
2-4 on this trip so far.
gotta get one in ohio.
Snotboogie
July 30th, 2010
1:24 am
They shipped out Esco but will go after Guillen! That just doesnt sound like a worthwhile risk considering chemistry issues does it?
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:24 am
Best News Of The Day? Even Though It was a F’d up one around braves-land…Is that Beavis and Butthead is Coming Back…Yay…!
Moe Berg
July 30th, 2010
1:25 am
uga-brave–How are you? I agree. I would love a new middle-of-the-order bat. But who is available? I don’t see many bats out there. Thus, demand is high.
shinburger
July 30th, 2010
1:25 am
Its too bad schafer couldnt get it going hes exactly what we would need right now except for being left handed
TnBrian
July 30th, 2010
1:25 am
Maybe we can get Guillen and Soria. Talk about a kick ass bullpen!
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:25 am
NO MORE
Logic. What do you mean? There will be no logic. IF (not when, as that is too darned negative even for you) they don’t make the playoffs, it’ll be because our team wasn’t good enough, plain and simple.
This team has the ability to get hot. We’ve seen it. They also have the potential to get cold as heck; seen that too.
A lot of guys want to hang this one on the manager, the batting coach, the GM, the ownership. None of those guys have lost a game for us. The players win and lose ‘em.
Does the manager and coaches and GM and ownership help give the team a better shot at it? Yes.
We have an 85-95 million dollar budget. We are the Atlanta frickin Braves. That’s a heckuva lot of payroll for a mid market team.
Though everybody and his brother wants to string up Frank Wren, I think he is in line for executive of the year.
You don’t like Bobby, I know that. He frustrates the heck out of me sometimes, but his record can’t be ignored. I have NEVER EVER heard a single solitary negative word spoken of him, unless it was on this damned blog. The folks on here think it easy as heck being a fantasy manager, because they can do it on their computer. I won my league! Well big deal.
So, I have proven to you that it ain’t Liberty Media, it ain’t smilin Frank, and it ain’t Bobby. Must be TP then, huh. Nah, the list of guys he has helped here outweight by a longshot the guys who have struggled.
I guess that brings it back down to the team.
These guys play with heart, but they have some serious holes. It’s going to come down to if/when they get hot again, and how long they stay hot.
Would I deal for some help. Probably. Would I give up the farm for marginal help. Nah.
That was my N8 answer.
OK, tell me where I am wrong.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
1:26 am
As far as that Jonny Venters hearing goes, I’d like to see MLB FINALLY do the right thing and drop the suspension, entirely. He doesn’t deserve even 1 day.
I know, I know. They won’t do that. You don’t have to tell me.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
1:28 am
Tomahawkin
You seem like a big fan of sea food. It’s one of my favorites, also.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
1:28 am
tnbrian, how is it going?
so braves fan to braves fan, not near panic time. so saying that how do you make this club better?
Nick
July 30th, 2010
1:28 am
I just don’t see this team competing with Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus. They are not bringing anything to the table. Heyward has completely lost his homerun power and it seems most of his ABs result in a grounder to 2B or watching strike 3 right down the middle. He hasn’t been bad but he hasn’t been great. Prado and McCann are the constant driving forces on the team. Hinske is uninspiring as a starter/regular. He needs to remain a pinch hitter. Melky is just hopeless. Yeah, he has an occasional single or double but he has no power and might be the worst clutch hitter I have ever seen. Two guys that need more ABs are Matt Diaz (who the organization has absolutely no confidence in him hitting righties) and Infante. Alex Gonzalez has been a bust. He hits a lazy pop fly almost 75% of the time and strikes out the other %25. Other than Hudson and Jurrjens, I trust no one on the staff. Lowe is helpless, Medlen is marginal at best and is starting to get “figured out”, and Hanson is Jekyl and Hyde. Bullpen is okay although I’m only comfortable with Venters and it seems our manager feels the same way. Speaking of the manager; does he not notice the offense is struggling? Why not bunt a runner over in a crucial situation? Who knows what Wren is doing. It seems as though he is just sitting around trying to decide between calling up Blanco or sticking with Clevlen while all other contenders are going out and getting help. This team is doomed Gulliver and you can put that on the board and bank on it.
shinburger
July 30th, 2010
1:28 am
I hope venters does get suspended for a couple games so his arm can actually have a rest
I Hate Liberty Media
July 30th, 2010
1:30 am
Team Payrolls as of Opening Day 2010:
(4) Philadelphia – $141,927,381
(15) Atlanta – $84,423,667
TnBrian
July 30th, 2010
1:32 am
uga, obviously getting a hitter they can put at the cleanup spot would make them better for sure. Keep Diaz and Infante in the lineup as much as possible and get another good pen arm. Do that and see what happens.
Doing fine by the way. You?
I Hate Liberty Media
July 30th, 2010
1:32 am
I agree, Nick.
Innocent Bystander
July 30th, 2010
1:34 am
Jayson Stark’s latest article on Oswalt, and if he puts the Phillies over the top. Here’s an excerpt:
“It makes the division more competitive,” said one NL scout Thursday. “But does it make the Phillies the favorite? No. I don’t think it does, because of Atlanta’s pitching. Their pitching is still really good. I think [Tim] Hudson, [Jair] Jurrjens and [Tommy] Hanson match up very well with Halladay, Oswalt and [Cole] Hamels. And Atlanta’s bullpen is better.”
TnBrian
July 30th, 2010
1:35 am
Does anybody even read Nick’s posts? Especially when you see his name and a long paragraph. That’s an automatic scroll by right there.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:36 am
Snots
YE would still be here if he were hitting. If Guillen comes over for 2 months and sees a shot a the post season, I’d think he might be on his best behavior for a month or two.
Even TO is good for the first year or so on his NFL adventures.
Besides, he’d probably be gone next year anyway. Besides, BC got along OK w/ Sheffield, and he wasn’t Mr. Easy to get along with.
That’s what I think, anyway.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
1:36 am
Wren is known for posturing and throwing out comments about not needing to make a move to try and get the other teams to panic a bit and lower their price. So, with this report about Brewers have pulled Hart and Fielder off the market and will keep them… could this be the Brewers’ GM doing a little posturing himself and throwing it back to Wren and saying: I already told you what the price was- you can pay it or not pay it, but we aren’t budging from the price? Could make for a great series on FOX– “When GM’s egos collide.”
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
1:36 am
Moe Berg
Everything is fine on this end. My biggest complaint is that I’m not spending as much time in the mountains, fishing and goofing off, as I’d like. No one has offered me any sympathy, however.
.574
July 30th, 2010
1:38 am
The Texas Rangers folks…..watch ‘em. A fun team….with talent. They make us look like the opening act of a three act show with them headlining.
Also, watch the Red Sox sneak up and scare the bejeebus out of the AL East.
The only “premiere” team in the NL is the Philadelphia Phillies….by a long shot.
Nick
July 30th, 2010
1:38 am
I might be wrong but it seems ownership just treats this team like another one of its investments. We don’t have a single owner like most teams, we have a corporation. They have no sentimental interest in this team. If they lower payroll year after year (looking that way) and still make money and more money; they will. If ownership doesn’t care, why should the fans? It sucks they have turned one of baseball’s finest dynasties and ‘America’s Team’ and made it into a mid-market team with a dwindeling fanbase.
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:38 am
Tommeee O’Hawkeee
“Tomahawkin
You seem like a big fan of sea food. It’s one of my favorites, also.”
You Damn Rite Playa…Thats All I eat just about…
NO MORE BOBBY
July 30th, 2010
1:39 am
Wayne – I kinda agree with you but at the same time disagree. I was watching MLB channel and they said Bobby is a great guy, his players love him, blah blah blah (same script everyone says) but they did say they don’t think he has it in him to win another one. Thats what is so funny about all the Bobby talk. Sure no one has anything negative to say about him but no one says they love what he is doing either. It is always how the players respect him and same stuff. If you look at most of my post this year they have been talking about what a great job Bobby has done. But he has gone back to that predictable boring manager and this team will not win under that garbage. If the other way was working why go back to what did not the past five years? As far as TP goes, he might be a hitting coach genius but not here. This is a team game not one or two guys that get his logic on batting. Change of scenery is sometimes good for everyone involved as we have seen with Johnson in Arizona, Esco in Toronto and the whole Philly team since firing their hotting coach.
Yes we are the freakin Atlanta Braves but I remember when that actually meant something to other teams. would love to see a major shakeup to prove we are serious about trying to win one last time for Bobby but I know it won’t happen. Bringing in third rate guys before the deadline won’t help. The key to this teams success is….. ready for this…. BOBBY COX. If he goes back to managing like he did in June and first part of July I like our chances. He made all the right moves, lineups and had this team believing they could win. With Bobby Ball I think even the players get disinterested. I have.
Moe Berg
July 30th, 2010
1:39 am
Tommeee O’Hawkeee–You entirely have my sympathy. My summer has not had nearly enough goofing off. Most summers, I am traveling and goofing off a great deal; instead, I had to pack, move and unpack. Why can’t you get more time in the mountains? I always want to go to the mountains in the summer. I did a lot as a child and would still love to do so.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:40 am
TnBrian
Amen.
I HATE
You have some decent stuff to say sometimes, but your constantly harping on something that ain’t going to chance is a sign. Not a good sign.
There is an old saying: A wise man knows what things he can control, and what things he can’t control…. and doesn’t worry about the things he can’t.
85 is some number on a website. OK, I’ll accept that. I have heard it is higher. No biggie.
We are NOT a large market team. Phillie has been in two World Series in the past two years. A bit of a responsibility to get there again. If they don’t this year, you can bet their team salary will drop next year.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
1:41 am
Innocent Bystander-
Sounds like Stark actually gets it… That Phillies bullpen is a mess. Doesn’t matter how great your starting pitcher is, if the bullpen/closer will only piss it away. Everyone wants to hand over the division to the Phillies now that they have Oswalt. Fact is, he can’t start, relieve and close in addition to hit homers and play gold glove defense. Guys, c’mon- he’s ONE PLAYER that will play every 5 or 6 days.
I Hate Liberty Media
July 30th, 2010
1:43 am
.574,
Spot on about the Rangers. I really enjoy watching them. And despite the team’s financial turmoil, they’re making the necessary moves to win. What a novel concept.
Nick,
Liberty Media doesn’t care. All the cheesy ticket package sales lines with which we’re bombarded (on TV and radio) during each game are really insulting. To tell us they’re really gonna’ try and win it all for Bobby…with this crappy roster…is beyond offensive.
N8
July 30th, 2010
1:43 am
Now that Prado has hit his first little lull in his season, I say get two bats. Cheaper but “need filling” bats.
1) Find a CF that can bat leadoff, freeing up Prado to move down into the order. He’s been the most consistent slugging threat on the team. The dude has 6 HR and 8 RBI in July. Time to let that power produce runs… not solo HR.
2) Go get Jose Guillen. As DOB said. Cheap. Plays the OF. Provides power. This frees up Diaz to be that spot start against a LHP guy and first off the bench in the event of an inury or a guy needing a day off. It also frees up Hinske to platoon with Glaus. Glaus needs the rest. Looks lost at the plate, like he did in April.
Worst case scenario at 1B, Freeman gets called up if Hinske/Glaus continues to struggle. But either way that duo is NOT to be in the 3-4-5 spots of the order.
Also, Infante has to find his way into the lineup more often. I don’t care if it’s giving Chipper the occasional day off against a “tough lefty”. Or a flat out platoon. But Infante needs to hit.
Hell, Get Infante’s bat in the lineup 4 out of 5 days a week and rotate between Gonzo and Chipper (and even Prado occasionally) for days off.
Most importantantly, this team just needs to get home.
Absolute worst case scenario is that this team goes home on Monday down .5 game in the standings. Then they can play out the 57 games in the schedule, 34 at home and 24 on the road (9 of which are against Houston, Chicago and Pittsburg.
So, the Braves have 34 home games left (where they play .729 ball), and 24 road games left (after this trip) against teams that have combined to go 374-434. The only team out of ALL of them (CHC, FLA, HOU, COL, PIT, NYM, PHI, WSN), that is more than ONE game over .500 is Philly.
Philly has certainly improved. But I’m not sure they’ve improved enough to control what happens in our 34 home games, other than the final 3 games of the season when they come to Atlanta. If the Braves continue the trend they’ve had all year while playing at home, the Phillies are not going to run away with this thing. If they win it at all.
I’m not disputing that the Phillies aren’t the better team (25 man roster) and might get stronger as guys come back from injury.
Starting pitching is now pretty even with them getting Oswalt (though his numbers against the Braves and the NL East are down right FUGLY).
Bullpen, the Braves still have the advantage.
Lineup. Not even close. Phillies (even with the injuries) are better.
Bench. Braves have one of the deeper benches in all of baseball and if an OF is traded for, it will get deeper with whom ever is left to ride the pine (Melky, Diaz, Hinske).
But that homefield advantage, and WHO the Braves play on the road in the remaining two months of the season is night and day in favor of the Braves. The Braves will finally get to “catch up” to everybody else in home games. They buried a hole for themselves by having so many road games (and not playing well) in April.
August and September is their chance to seperate from the pack, by pouring it on at home.
The other thing that is necessary, is for the Braves to simply go 3-3 against the Phillies in the head-to-head play. Make the Phillies earn it by having to “keep up” with the Braves if they are winning at home like they should be.
Don’t give them the easy swing by laying down and dying against them head to head.
Thank god the Phillies don’t still have Cliff Lee, huh?
Nick
July 30th, 2010
1:43 am
Wayne – How can their payroll drop next year when all the same players will be under contract?
.574
July 30th, 2010
1:44 am
Nick – you’re 1:38. See, that’s why I feel sorry for Mr. Wren. He’s doing the best he can with very limited resources.
ccrider
July 30th, 2010
1:45 am
The way Braves fans have to look at this season is that at this point in time, under the current ownership, we are 15th in team salary payroll at $86 million.
The trade of Oswalt to the Phillies has increased their payroll to approximately $157 Million
The Braves can’t add more than a few million more and there are zero players available, that are big impact players at the positions we need, as well as because of salary restictions we can’t trade top future prospects. The Phillies can do this because their parent company will spend the money to replace cheap up and coming prospects with costly proven major league talent.
This scenario will not change until the Braves are sold to an individual owner that cares to compete even if it means not breaking even or making money.(Note: all owners make money as the value of the team appreaciates over time, it’s just that some owners will spend the money they know they will get when the team is sold , so that their team can compete NOW not just when all the stars align, which would be the young cheap talent with the mature veteran talent.)
So for this year, the Braves just need to soldier on, hope they finish strong enough to win the Wild Card and get hot in the playoffs. Our pitching, when we take out the few weak links like Lowe and Chavez can carry a offense that is clicking on the 5 out of 6 cylinders very far!
The future looks somewhat brighter, because of a fine core of minor league starting pitching (Minor, Teheran, Delgado, Vizcaino, Beachy and others further down the minor league ladder)
They also have Freddie Freeman ready for 1st base next year and some promising position players at 2nd, SS, C and in the outfield, but who are still 2, 3 or more years away.
More than likely, next season will be the changing of the guard. Chipper $13 mil, Wagner $7.5 Mil. Saito $5 mil., Glaus $4 mil will all be off the books. Total $29.5 mil.
WE will have a core of very good postion players to hopefully add to: C-McCann, 1st- Freeman, 2nd-Prado, SS- Gonzalez, 3b- Infante, RF or CF Heyward.
A free agent signing like Carl Crawford would give us 4 top flight bats from the leftside (McCann, Freeman, Crawford and Heyward), as well as 3 good to very good hitters from the rightside that don’t have a lot of power, but produce in other ways. Mix in Diaz, D. Ross, Conrad, and a righhanded backup to Freeman, plus a trade for a power righhanded outfielder and we finally have a chance despite the payroll difference to compete with the Phillies or any other team.
The future continues to look even better when $7.5 mill for McLouth and $ 6.5 for Kawakami come off after 2011 and $15 million for D. Lowe comes off after 2012!
Like it or not, it will probably be 2013 before the Braves will have the talent and payroll balance to be a favorite to win a World Series.
It will be at that time, when Minor(he will be ready next year), Teheran, Delgado, and Vizcaino will be ready for the rotation, meaning Hanson or Jurrjens or Medlen or a combination of 2 of them will be offered contracts to keep them here long term, at which point, if they decline, they will be traded for the final position pieces the Braves need to make this a complete team.
So, lets cheer on the gutsy, but under talented players we have and hope we catch lightning in a bottle. It is what we have, a gritty team that will fight till the end, no matter the odds against them.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:47 am
NO MORE BOBBY
I don’t see a darned thing Bobby is doing different this month that he wasn’t doing in May and June.
What I do see is Glaus is not hitting. Wagner has blown 3 saves. Hinske has dropped off. Hanson has gotten erratic. Lowe has tailed off some. Meds too. Moylan had that horrid streak a few weeks back.
Bobby isn’t doing anything different than what he has always done. Sure, he makes a move once in a while that makes you shake your head, but what manager doesn’t.
Now if David Frickin’ O’Brien, who is a smart baseball man, tells me he sees Bobby managing differently, I will admit that I was a fool not to have noticed.
There you have it!
Innocent Bystander
July 30th, 2010
1:47 am
Lolly- It’s actually a great read. He goes on to talk about how some scouts wonder about how he will hold up. He also notes that Oswalt averages 6 1/3 inn per start, which is just 1 out more than what Jamie Moyer has averaged this year. That’s plenty of time for their awful pen to give the game away.
Here’s the article:
http://es.pn/csrSU8
N8
July 30th, 2010
1:48 am
“They shipped out Esco but will go after Guillen! That just doesnt sound like a worthwhile risk considering chemistry issues does it?”
Only difference is one is hitting and they need that. The other wasn’t hitting, so they didn’t need that.
Believe me. If Escobar had 10 HR and 50 RBI, Bobby and Yunel’s teammates would have put up with a LOT of BS. In fact, they DID just that the past couple of years.
It’s like having a super hot girlfriend that makes you “feel” good, but she happens to be a grade a bitch. If she was ugly and frigid, the odds of a guy putting up with the bitch part diminishes a bit, right?
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
1:49 am
wayne, going off at 1:25 love it.
tnbrian, doing just right. love your dedication.
close to the eve of august, and we have a 2 1/2 game lead.
coming out of the spring who would of not taken that?
first 101 are over.
now comes the time whether smilin frank is serious or not.
we have the assets. he said we have the payroll flexibility according to terry mcquirk.
be creative.
Innocent Bystander
July 30th, 2010
1:50 am
What I do see is Glaus is not hitting. Wagner has blown 3 saves. Hinske has dropped off. Hanson has gotten erratic. Lowe has tailed off some. Meds too. Moylan had that horrid streak a few weeks back.
Hanson looked great the other night, just the victim of a few awful throws that caused 2 of the 3 runs. And are you really concerned about Wags? He’s still bringing it, just needs to throw strikes. Meds will be fine, so long as we don’t play at CBP. And I’m convinced that Moylan is still the guy to bring in with 1st and 3rd, 1 out.
I Hate Liberty Media
July 30th, 2010
1:50 am
Wayne,
OK, disregarding the economic disparity for a moment, let’s look at player development. Who’s the last legitimate slugger to come out of the Braves’ system? Klesko? It’s late, and perhaps I’m forgetting an obvious name. It doesn’t take zillions of dollars to evaluate talent. I remember the days when we plucked Gant, Justice, Brian Hunter (whose production wasn’t prolonged but was good when we needed it), Klesko, Andruw and Chipper. Heyward’s only 20, so I’ll leave him out of the mix (though I think he’s gonna’ be a superstar). I’ve seen some games at Mississippi in recent years, and things are no better there. Things have changed a lot over the last few years, and not for the better.
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:50 am
No Offense All, but What Is up witht the Essay-esque posts at 2am?
Are there that many concerns with this team…?
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:50 am
Nick
The Phillies don’t have to retain Oswalt. They can shed salary. As T would say, “Bank on it!”
Nick
July 30th, 2010
1:51 am
Agreed that the Braves won’t compete for the World Series until 2013. Too bad the world ends in 2012.
Nick
July 30th, 2010
1:52 am
Wayne – Oswalt’s contract is set for next year I thought. I think he has an option for 2012.
shmoe
July 30th, 2010
1:52 am
where did all the crazies come from tonight? not enough room in the philly masturbation blogs?
A-Ville Ranger
July 30th, 2010
1:52 am
I think the past week is really about restoring order. The Phils are the best team in the division and this Braves team has too many holes in the lineup to beat them out over a 162 game season. I’m guessing we finish 4 to 10 games behind them, why ? they’re 4 to 10 better than us over 162.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
1:54 am
Don’t feel too bad for me, Moe
. I appreciate it though.
I have some lingering business to take care of, which requires me to drive back to Albany. I’ve been doing that once or twice a week. Yeah, I have to come back and take care of things at my house, but only every other week.
The business I have to take care of only lasts an hour or so. It’s the 5 hours of driving (round trip) that’s getting old. I’d rather be driving my canoe, you know? Hey, I’d also rather the Braves stop losing games, also.
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:54 am
Innocent Bystander
I’m Worried about WAGS because he lets down in Big games from what I heard from Philly fans…
This will be an interesting saga to see the last 2 series against the Phils…
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:55 am
Innocent Bystander
I agree. I was just stating a few things that came to mind quickly that might be some causes of our recent drop-off.
But then again, a lot of it is that the Phillies have gotten red hot. And it hasn’t hurt that they have caught some teams that are stinkin it up.
But agreed on all your points.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
1:55 am
Too many damn “also’s”, Tom!
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
1:58 am
Shmoe
Yeah I’m Crazy! I know This…
“A F’d up Childhood Is Why The Way I A’m, Its got me in a state of where Don’t give a Damn!”
Moe Berg
July 30th, 2010
1:58 am
Tommeee O’Hawkeee–I understand the hours of round-trip driving for business. I have had to do so before. Even when one wants to take care of the business, the drive is tiring. Speaking of which, I should head to bed. I have been unpacking boxes almost the whole day. I will check back in here later.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
1:58 am
Nick
Heck, I thought he has an option next year. Could be wrong.
My point is valid. Lots of pressure from a city on the team to get there again, when they have been there twice in a row. They won’t necessarily keep adding and adding salary.
For sure they won’t pull a Marlins move, and dump everybody.
Point is there is pressure to get there again, when you have been there twice in a row.
Guys, I am going to head out, unless somebody has replied that I can’t resist to re-reply to. ( I reserve the right to NOT leave)
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
2:02 am
T-hawkin
How old, my friend? You gonna let life and a poor childhood dictate the way you live? Time to decide what your gonna be, and go be it. Don’t make excuses like “my mamma didn’t love me” or shyt like that.
I had a fantastic childhood, but Mrs. Wayne had a sucky childhood. But she sure as heck didn’t let that stop her from being who she wanted to be.
We ain’t nothing special, but we decide who we are, we don’t let life do that for us.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
2:03 am
Moe
Hang in there!
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
2:04 am
Tommy
I put on about 2400-2500 miles a month. But I love it. Me time.
The A Bomb
July 30th, 2010
2:04 am
Ruben Amaro….. firing off SCUDS.
Frank Wren….firing off DUDS.
He’s probably still distracted that his boy Teheran got toasted last night. Two straight years of planning for the future.
Amazing how the Phils can get a guy like Oswalt AND bring up a stud like Brown in a 3-day period.
Us? We have to “hope” the middle of the lineup drinks its prune juice and produces something other than bodily waste.
Get behind your team Frank because right now… and I emphasize right now…. you are being schooled.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
2:06 am
‘Nite, Moe
Nick
July 30th, 2010
2:06 am
Wayne – At least the Jazz look like contenders for this upcoming season. I think the Deron Williams and Al Jefferson duo is gonna wreak havoc on the NBA. Not to mention they have solid role-players like Paul Milsap, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur and even Gordon Haywood.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
2:08 am
‘Nite, Wayne, possibly?
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
2:10 am
Nick
And don’t forget Raja Bell, the enforcer! I LOVE that guy’s game. (besides, he clotheslined that rapist, Kobe Bryant, so that endears me to him even more)
Yea, but will they be enough to get out of the West??? Kobe, for all my dislike of him, is the best in the game right now.
Agreed on AJ though. He will thrive in J-Slow’s system.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
2:11 am
Wren’s got a team in 1st place, and yet he’s the one getting schooled? Amaro is making moves BECAUSE Wren’s team is ahead in the standings.
Wayne in Utah
July 30th, 2010
2:11 am
Good night Mary Beth. Good night Jim Bob. Good night grandma. Good night everybody!
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:12 am
How many of ou think the phillies will keep this 8 in row show up? Muts did that earlier………right ? Right now utley and victorino are on the shelf and Rollins is hurts………Werth is waiting to be traded. I think they will come back to earth soon only to find themselves still in 2nd place…………….iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffffffffffffffffff we wake up before is too late, that is.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
2:16 am
White Sox now reportedly going after Edwin Jackson… Jeees, is there anyone the pale hose aren’t interested in?
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:16 am
We all knew were just playing way tooooooooo hot. We have cooled down a bit. No reason to panic, I just hope they start playing good baseball again soon.
Any news on O´F? or Resop? I thought Resop was coming back soon but I just cant find any recent news on him. On any of them as a matter of fact. They might become more important as Venters sentence is about to be dictated.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:19 am
wren made a 60 million dollar commitent to lowe. made a 22 million commitent to kawakami.
gotta think he thought he had more payroll flexibility going fowrard.
pretty sure he thought he would not be frozen after offering chipper the extension.
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:19 am
Believe me………as soon as braves start winning and the phillies look back at their 8 game winning streak and find out that it was not enough………it will put pressure on them……..more.
The A Bomb
July 30th, 2010
2:20 am
I said RIGHT NOW Wren is getting schooled. He has 35 hours to do something about it. The Escobar deal was lateral at best. We didn’t improve.
shmoe
July 30th, 2010
2:21 am
gant touch this?
hows about cantu touch this!
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
2:23 am
Wayne In UT
lol, I was quoting a old Song…Some Old M.C. Eiht…I should quoted that in that last statement, my bad bro…
The A Bomb
July 30th, 2010
2:25 am
Here we go again…. Rizzo is even schooling Wren…. Wilson Ramos for Matt Capps… Rizzo is a great GM.
Ramos…. Harper…. Strasburg et al…. and we’re thinking about the future when we’re in first place now. Another miscalculation.
By 2012 Washington will be right there.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:26 am
smilin frank is operating in a box. want to blame someone, blame terry “full steam ahead” mcquirk.
he is the chief opperating officer. the mouthpiece, the absentee president.
now you know why J.S kicked himself upstairs.
The A Bomb
July 30th, 2010
2:30 am
Smilin Frank is going around like he’s embalmed lately.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:35 am
a bomb, the balance of the season is on glaus. if he hits for power in the 4 or 5 hole we have a chance.
if not, mitchell.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
2:35 am
Rizzo is even schooling Wren… By 2012 Washington will be right there.
and two years from now you can tell us all that you told us so, and that you “schooled” us. Have fun as a future Nats fan- meanwhile, I’m gonna be a 2010 Braves fan. Remember in April how bad this team was? Remember how quickly it turned around and we became the best team in baseball? This is pretty much the same roster, so what makes you think that cannot happen again?
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:40 am
We have a relatively “easy” schedule on august. SF is the only real tough cookie there. Of course we play the fish and the nats……..that could be a problem
The A Bomb
July 30th, 2010
2:41 am
Guess what Lollygagger… this is not about being a Nats fan… I’ve been a Braves fan since 1966 and seen it all….
But I also know who Mike Rizzo is since he was in the Angels organization in the early 1980s…. Kasten gave him a mission and he is a GREAT baseball man.
He’s stockpiling and MY POINT IS that we’re in FIRST PLACE RIGHT NOW and that’s when you go for it. Get someone to put us over the top.
Washington is not like Kansas City… Rizzo is going to have this team contending, Bank on it.
That’s why Wren needs to recognize this and pull the trigger.
Teheran – Delgado – Minor – Collins – Vizcaino – Marek – Kimbrel – Hoover – etc. etc. etc…..
Not ALL those minor league pitchers are going to work out. So work something out and win NOW!
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:41 am
phillies also play SF and the muts and the fish whom always do well against the phillies.
Doc Holiday
July 30th, 2010
2:41 am
Phillies also play SD.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:42 am
dont want to get on macc, but he has 51 rbi. hitting behind guys like prado, heyward, and chip that are always on base.
macc would be a great six hole hitter. he is not a cleanup guy.
aint his fault. just hitting where they put him.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
2:48 am
A-Bomb-
My question is how do you know Wren is doing nothing? I have a pretty good idea Wren’s not off vacationing right now. I understand your points about going for it now… but what’s wrong with waiting for the right deal instead of taking the first deal that sounds good? Not that it will happen this way, but for an example: what if Wren makes a deal for Bautista two days ago, and then tomorrow the Brewers make Braun available (an example, folks)? We’d have missed out on that opportunity b/c Wren rushed into something because, well gosh, the Phillies made a move so he just had to. I’m just saying have a little patience, and give Wren just a little bit of credit. Like I said earlier- the Phillies had to make moves because of what Wren has built. Don’t assume he’s done just because he didn’t make a move today.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
2:48 am
uga-brave
In McCann’s defense, he struggled for a good part of the season with eye problems. IMO, without any moves being made, he’s the best one in the clean up spot (sorry, McFann).
Gant Touch This AKA Tomahawkin
July 30th, 2010
2:48 am
Enter your comments here
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:50 am
dunn would change a lot. lefthander be damned. only guy i can think of that changes how we are pitched too.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
2:52 am
A-Bomb-
And I don’t want to just argue and not agree when there is something we can agree on… I am with you 100 percent on not holding onto every single prospect. We are very deep in pitching prospects, and there is no way we’ll have room for them all, so I agree with you that Wren should not be overly hesitant in trading one or two away for the right piece- the RIGHT piece, not just anything.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:52 am
tom, i agree. kinda like default. glaus and #10 aint providing the power.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
2:53 am
uga, I agree with what you’re saying, and said before, about Dunn. But how much are you willing to give up for a rental? Who do you send down or release?
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
2:56 am
tom, 2 dingers now combined concerning chipper, glaus, and heyward in six weeks.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
2:57 am
uga, yeah, exactly! By default. I think, also, the best 3-hole hitter would be Prado. Unfortunately, he’s also our best bet for the lead off spot.
I’m not convinced that Heyward’s thumb is healed. It’s better than it was, but not healed. He’s not hitting the long ball. Otherwise, he’d be great in the 4-hole.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
3:02 am
uga, DOB reported early in the season, possibly spring training, that Glaus admitted to being hot and cold his entire career.
By my count, simply from memory, he’s been good/great for 9 weeks, and awful/worse for the other 9 weeks. Steaky is one thing, but Glaus is at another level.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
3:03 am
“Steaky”? Maybe I need a slab of meat.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
3:03 am
tom, there is the rub. gotta go for it now. never no when you will be in this position again.
prospects are prospects, to hug those guys with our somewhat limited payroll is why we have them.
Lollygagger
July 30th, 2010
3:05 am
McLouth 2-for-5 with a homer in AAA… anyone else get the feeling that Nate might be one of those “AAAA” guys? Seems like he did alright last time we sent him down, too. Called him up an viola- helpless again.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
3:08 am
tom, hoping glaus gets hot again is a big gamble.
he cant get much worse, but betting on him as middle of the lineup guy is reactive, at this point.
uga-brave
July 30th, 2010
3:14 am
cueto vs. medlen today. big game in my book. cueto is 10-2. would go a long way if we could win this one.
hoped for a 4-5 roadtrip. gotta win one in cincci. 3-6 would not be the end of the world.
Tommeee O'Hawkeee
July 30th, 2010
3:15 am
uga, I enjoy the Braves being in the hunt for the 162. I cherish that more than winning the WS and then sucking for the next few seasons. That’s just me though. I know others put more of a premium on being World Champs.
What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to piss away all our good prospects, like we did with the Teixeira trade. I’m more conservative, I think, than you are.
I agree with you about Glaus. When he’s cold, he’s like ice.
What do you think about a Freeman call-up?