Postgame comments after 4-2 loss to the Nats Wednesday
MATT DIAZ
On the loss:
“They had one major opportunity and they took advantage of it. We had quite a few opportunities and didn’t take advantage of many of them at all. That’s really frustrating when we’re not able to do that. We offensively have got to produce enough to give our pitchers permission to have one bad inning. We can’t put it all on our pitchers to go out and be perfect every inning.”
On this bad stretch:
“April stunk but ultimately it’s good for us. We know we can turn around an unbearable slide. We’re playing a little better than we did there. We’re making some of the same mistakes, not moving runners over, not getting them in but, it’s a different feel. We’re in the games; we’re not getting blown out of the games. We have not lost our confidence. We’re really excited to go on this trip and hopefully show that we can win on the road too.”
On the upcoming road trip:
“When we got the schedule last year looking at this trip, you knew this was going to be a big trip whether it was Philly, or New York, or even Washington. We’re excited for it. if there’s ever a time to get hot on the road, it’s right now.”
On starting all three games of Nats series:
“Bobby tries to feel around and play the hot hand, and when you get that chance you want to be the hot hand so you make it very hard for him to take you out. Personally that’s what I’m trying to do. It sure would have been nice to win two out of three because if you’re winning, he doesn’t change the lineup very much.”
BOBBY COX
On the game:
“We doubled them in hits, they got four runs on one swing. (Mike) Minor probably made two bad pitches in five innings and one of them was a grand slam. We threw eight shutout innings, we out-hit them, we doubled them in hits, and our bullpen was dynamite and we just couldn’t get runs across. We got some bad luck when (Martin) Prado’s ball hit Jason (Heyward’s) spike, and it’s an automatic out and that was a bullet. Couldn’t avoid it. it was stuff like that. (David) Ross hits a bullet up the middle and the pitcher deflected it, there’s a run on the board early. It was one of those days that didn’t go our way.”
On the Braves’ mentality going out on the road:
“The mentality of the team is great. That’s almost a joke. We’re playing to win. If you can’t play to win down the stretch, something is wrong. The guys are trying as hard as they can.”
DAVID ROSS
On needing to improve on the road:
“What we’re hoping is maybe we lost one at home so we’ll win a lot on the road. If you want to spin it that way. Hopefully we have that off day and go play well on the road, switch things up.”
On whether the team is feeling the pressure:
“We haven’t been playing our brand of baseball for a little while, so I don’t think anybody is feeling like any pressure or getting to them mentally. We all root for each other and when we’re not getting it done we’re disappointed that our (guys we consider) brothers here haven’t gotten it done. That kind of thing.”
On the Braves’ precarious playoff situation:
“It boils down to, if we play well, we deserve to go to the playoffs. If you don’t play well, you don’t deserve to go. That’s the course of the whole year. Nobody deserves to go, just because, whether you’re defending champs or you played well in one month or everybody is playing bad. If you hold your fate in your own hands, it’s up to you to play well. You can’t wait for somebody else to play bad or whatever. Wild card first place, whatever. I know everybody in here is still thinking about the Phillies. I don’t think anybody is focused on the wild card as much as we are the Phillies. We just need to play well. We just need to win. We know it boils down to that.”
MIKE MINOR
On the grand slam:
“Bases were loaded, he’s only hitting .130 something, he’s going to try to do something with the ball (to put it in play) in a (one-out) RBI situation. It’s my fault that I threw him two fastballs right there and the second one he got.”
On if that was one of the fastballs he felt he was losing velocity on late in the year:
“Yeah, it was probably 88-89 (actually 90). That’s not bad but it was still early in the game. That might (normally) be 92, 93, but he still put a good swing on the ball.”
On how he feels this late in the season, his first full pro season:
“I still feel fine. Today was one of the better days. We’ve been working mechanically all week about switching sides of the rubber and maybe working in a two-seam. Switching sides – it’s coming out better, more as a strike than a ball to the hitter’s eye.”
On moving to the third base side of the rubber:
“The left arm will come out more over the plate, so a change-up coming out of my hand will look like a strike to a hitter then it’ll drop out of the zone. Whereas the left side, it’s already a ball coming out of my hand, so they kind of give up on it.”
On his outing:
“It’s like I feel good, I feel good and then it’s like one inning or whatever. Something always happens it seems like.”
On why he stayed on the field after the inning-ending double play in the fourth:
“I was confused. Because (it was) three outs and everybody else stayed on the field. When they turned the double play, they all sat there. I didn’t want to run off the field. I was confused.”
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101 comments Add your comment
Don G
September 15th, 2010
6:06 pm
They are done!!!
Darryl Blackberry
September 15th, 2010
6:08 pm
Couldn’t agree with Rossy more. If they don’t play well, they don’t deserve to win. Period.
On the flipside, Diaz had it right when he said the Braves hold their fate in their hands. No more flukes; this road trip is the real deal.
Brian O'Blivion
September 15th, 2010
6:09 pm
Screw you, Don. Go watch “Rocky V” and diddle yourself in your parents’ basement or something.
Chuck Sheen
September 15th, 2010
6:13 pm
WE SUCK AGAIN!!!!!
J-Hey
September 15th, 2010
6:20 pm
“We’re in the games; we’re not getting blown out of the games”
but what Matt doesn’t know is that when the offense stinks a 4-2 loss is as much of a blowout as an 11-4 game and by my calculations they’ve been “blown out” 7 times this month
Reid in EAV
September 15th, 2010
6:21 pm
Unlike a lot of the fairweather fans on these boards, I’m sticking with this team until the end and hoping they figure out a way to reverse the current funk. But I gotta say, today was utterly discouraging.
bobby smith
September 15th, 2010
6:27 pm
the braves WILL make the playoffs….the pitching will recover and so will the postseason magic…….
have faith TRUE braves fans……………
Tamacun
September 15th, 2010
6:41 pm
More the same year after year.
BFC
September 15th, 2010
6:42 pm
I’m sick.The team puts a hook in my mouth,reels me in,then treats me like a bottom feeder.
BFC
September 15th, 2010
6:44 pm
Throw me back in the lake,maybe you can hit that zone?
baseball22
September 15th, 2010
6:44 pm
Nothing more than the usual excuses . Sick of it all.
El ciclon
September 15th, 2010
6:44 pm
Son unos amarillos no tienen pantalones para jugar bajo precion
North Georgia Braves Fan
September 15th, 2010
6:46 pm
This time next week the playoffs will be a distant memory. This team has no passion or heart.
El ciclon
September 15th, 2010
6:50 pm
Es tiempo de hacer cambios desde el GM asta el cargabates, por eso los fanaticos no van al estadio.
El Traquetiado
September 15th, 2010
6:55 pm
No passion for the game a this time.
Keith
September 15th, 2010
7:00 pm
Re: North GA Braves Fan
To say this team has not heart is laughable, man. Have you just been watching the last 2 weeks? Might want to start watching more often.
This team has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen (MLB best in last AB wins for example). However, there are several flaws at the moment. Pitching has been amazing until the last 2 weeks…bad time to slump.
I will agree, however, (somewhat) that this final 2 weeks will prove what the Braves are made of. I hope it’s the May-AUG team, not the April/Sept one.
GO BRAVES!
Tater the Bobby Hater
September 15th, 2010
7:02 pm
That sinking feeling is getting worse and worse with each game.
Tater the Bobby Hater
September 15th, 2010
7:05 pm
Do something Bobby! Throw some bats in the clubhouse, something! Don’t just keep doing the same old thing. (I know he won’t, since he never does, but it makes me feel better to say it.) Same old, same old. I actually find myself being glad that they’re swooning now, instead of in October. I’ve had way too many October disappointments.
His boy Elroy
September 15th, 2010
7:07 pm
Hey Braves, it’s not October yet. It’s not time to start losing.
His boy Elroy
September 15th, 2010
7:08 pm
By the way El Cissy, this is America. We speak, and blog, in English!
rayk
September 15th, 2010
7:21 pm
it’s hard to score runs with no power and little speed. small ball can only get you so far. with deteriorating pitching, it doesn’t work.
I guess Ankiel and Lee aren’t the answer. When mc Louth beats you out to start in CF, you know you are bad.
Was Glaus much worse than Lee ? They look similar at the plate to me- two washed up vets
Stanley Crowe
September 15th, 2010
7:24 pm
I’m not convinced that the Braves can’t win (enough) again. We’ve been through this before, the Phillies and the more recently the Padres have been through it. Good teams bounce back, and these (and we) are good teams — practically identical records, in fact. So there’s no need to write us off until it becomes mathematically impossible for us to win it, and we’re a long way from that. Of course, we’ve got to pick it back up — but other teams do it, and so can we. Let’s look at the positives — Heyward, Prado, and Infante still dependable; and Brian McCann and Alex Gonzalez have shown the capacity to regain mojo after a dip. McLouth looks good right now against righties, and Diaz against lefties. As Bobby said, we got twice as many hits as the Nats today. Pitching — I expect the fearsome foursome to bear down, and Minor has some real promise — just a couple of bad pitches today. So we’re right in the middle of it. Let’s keep it going!
Mark Duncan
September 15th, 2010
7:39 pm
I am not giving up. On to New York and take care of the Mets and see how things shake out over the weekend. However, there is no excuse for this last series. It’s time for our Braves to play with more urgency. If they don’t make it because of whatever flaw you want to point to fine, but at least go down fighting. This is a good enough team to make the playoffs and I think we will. A couple of more games like the last two though and I’ll be heard asking “Hey Cheswick, you want to watch the Series?”
Tim Tebow's Tears
September 15th, 2010
7:43 pm
These guys are tired. I’ve played ball all my life and the looks on the faces tell it all. All the magic and the gut wrenching wins have taken a toll on this team. They’re done. Not hating just stating a fact….
TN Jeff
September 15th, 2010
8:11 pm
Why is everyone in a panic? There’s still plenty of time. It’s almost like folks think this team has a history of choking 13 out of 14 times. Besides, this is the teams farewell present to Bobby – choke one last time BEFORE they get to the playoffs and have a nice LONG off season
futbol americano anyone
September 15th, 2010
8:17 pm
good teams don’t lose two of three to last place teams during the stretch run. these guys are muy stinko
steve
September 15th, 2010
8:50 pm
The Braves are done! They do not have the heart to win. Does anybody on this team ever get fired up? Where is a Mr October? The team looks like they cannot wait until the season is over. Ankiel, D Lee, McLouth, and Glaus are dead wood and automatic outs. I am probably the most disappointed with Lee. He has shown no leadership abilities and has hit but only one home run since coming over from the Cubs. We give up 3 runs in the first inning and can never recover lately. I have never seen so many players choke with runners on base. The 92 braves had the karma but these braves do not know how to win!
Old Ball Fan
September 15th, 2010
8:55 pm
Where was our All-Star catcher?? Off tomorrow, next game Fri night, Come On BMac!
Mutts
September 15th, 2010
9:17 pm
It’s not over yet, but this one really hurts. Don’t count this team out, but they need to get hot now. GO BRAVES!
steve d
September 15th, 2010
9:27 pm
Sad to say, the Braves seem to have no heart. Many disappointments in the last several weeks mainly not being able to score when men are on base. They have ceased to be interesting to watch anymore in person or on the tube.
They teased us about winning the division but it will take a miracle to get the wild card.
ATLgirl
September 15th, 2010
9:28 pm
we need power hitting. this is getting miserable hoping we can put together 3 hits in a row. and even when we has RISP we are like the worst at getting them in. need some homeruns. JHey and even Freddie Freeman are supposed to be doing that.
i bet the team is pretty tired of it, i know us fans are tired of it. lets not lose faith though! still have those games with Philly to look forward to.
Fradyman
September 15th, 2010
9:41 pm
“His players ignore him…his wife fears him….the fans can’t wait for him to retire.” This is beyond dedication…this is Bobby Cox!
Ren
September 15th, 2010
9:48 pm
OMG….lol….the heart of the Braves and especially the fans, (all 15 of them), have been ripped from their chests, by the mighty Phillies….and they haven’t played them for months……Btw, Braves fans….one of your bland announcers………………………(EVERYONE is bland….and not only is the Johnson guy a snoozfest, and dull..but he’s got a great face for radio…lol. I wish he were there so I don’t hear him on tv)………………. touched on it, but was/is behind the times. It is already announced, the Phillies have shuffled their pitching to be, Hammils’, Halladay and Oswalt for the 3 game Atl series here. If it wont be b y then…it certainly will be game-set-match, after that. Good luck in the Wild Card race…tho, I think you’ll most likely, be left fighting for 2nd in the East with Fla. Incidentally, as much as it is admirable for the few believers down there…it is a road to depression. Glad the Phils are so much in your heads down there…haha…………………Ren
Anti-Ren
September 15th, 2010
10:03 pm
As a sports fan and Philly native, i am discouraged by the likes of Ren. Be a good sport. We Philly fans have been down the lonely path of losing often enough. no need to gloat.
trint
September 15th, 2010
10:04 pm
Can someone explain why Booby never put Heyward in the 3 hole and Prado back in the 2 hole after Chipper went down. You would think he would to provide more power in the middle of the lineup and more RBI opportunities for the 3,4,5 hitters
Thomas
September 15th, 2010
10:10 pm
LOB and RISP……Clutch hitting is not, nada, none.
Johnny3Steps
September 15th, 2010
10:28 pm
Forget the Phillies just win a playoff spot……………It is there for the taking.
JRW7
September 15th, 2010
10:32 pm
I agree with Steve, this BRAVES team is falling apart and has NO HEART to win. Too many wins came too easy! Smoke and mirrows don’t work any more!
Cody
September 15th, 2010
10:56 pm
Everyone…chill out…it was one swing of the bat that made the difference in this game. Stuff happens. Get over it. We still hold the wild card. Why does everyone have to freak out everytime we lose. This was our first home series loss since April for God’s sake. Take the emotion out of it and chill out. We have a playoff team this year.
Cody
September 15th, 2010
10:57 pm
And Trint…I think Bobby knows what he is doing. That’s why he has been a major league manager for 25 years and you are at home in your underwear on a message board complaining.
ABravesFan
September 15th, 2010
11:45 pm
Thank goodness that there is the wild card. Braves need to turn things around and fast.
I was expecting some late magic today and was sorely disappointed that there was no insane comeback on a day game at home. All those missed opportunities, particularly with the runner on 3rd and just 1 out really, really hurt.
Sadly, the Giants probably have a bit easier schedule than the Braves to close out the season, but if the Braves can turn things around quickly. It’s time to get hot again.
Stumpknocker
September 15th, 2010
11:47 pm
When Cox is gone, need to take a good look around for dead weight on this coaching staff. Wonder why Colorado is the hottest team in NL now like last year? . Look no further than hitting instructor, former Brave Don Baylor…..that and some good pitching. When Baylor was here we were feared around the league, but not any more. With RISP, we can’t hit a bull in the azz with a shovel. Until that problem is fixed, we’ll never be any better, regardless of how good pitching is.
JT Phillips
September 16th, 2010
12:52 am
CHOKERS, CHOKERS, CHOKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Playoffs??? are you kidding me????? PLAYOFFS!!!!! PLAYOFFS???????????????? You can stick a fork in these Atlanta Cowards… they are DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JT Phillips
September 16th, 2010
1:10 am
Losing 2 outta 3 to the Pirates was bad, now losing to the Senators..(ooopsss, i meant the Nats) is just as bad… and going from being 7.5 games up in the division to 3 games down is not acceptable. Glad football season is here!!! so i can forget about the Atlanta Cowards..
0
bloggers keep your day job
September 16th, 2010
1:10 am
Wow! Until this last series, best home record, most walk-off wins, one young player after another stepping up and … all these comments about quitting and choking.
I’ve followed the Braves since they came to ATL. Say what you want – this team has played gutty, they don’t quit and they have a terrific young nucleus going forward. Frank Wren played a lot of moves – but many (mostly involving veteran players) hasn’t paid off.
Based on this roster, do you really see this team as a top 4 national league team? Not sure … I believe they are over-achieving at the moment. The Cards and Phillies are clearly the best talented teams, but you have to play the games. The Braves may be done, but they won’t quit and I’m excited for the future of this team .. in 2010, 2011 and onward.
shmoe
September 16th, 2010
2:01 am
suck-o-rama.
turn it around fellas.
quickly.
very, very quickly.
like…2 weeks ago quickly.
Charlie
September 16th, 2010
2:03 am
There will be no playoffs in Atlanta this year. Playoffs are for winners. The Braves are a collection of Baseball losers. They don’t step-up, when the season is on the line. They fold. They choke. They spit it out. There are no “money” ballplayers in Atlanta. There are no clutch ballplayers in Atlanta. The starting pitching has BEEN good. The bullpen has BEEN good. The offense has been south of mediocre, without consistency all season. The defense has been lousy, at the times when it is needed most. All these characteristics are ones of LOSERS…CHOKERS…PRETENDERS. When it is on the line, this team folds and fails. It is their makeup. RISP…it doesn’t matter who is up…whoever is, fails…time and time again. Winners find a way to win…the Twins…the Phillies…Losers find a way to lose, regardless of how many opportunities they get. This would be the Braves. They spit it out. They wobble and weave through September. They are what they are. They can’t help it. They are a collection of pretenders, all contributung to their collective demise.
To Braves fans, it hurts to watch…these young and athletic men, playing a little boys game, making outrageous sums of money for doing so. They will go back to their fancy homes and cars and magazine families. They will relax and revel in their fame and fortune. They will live the good life, and in a few months, their cycle will begin again. Some will return. Some will join another team. Some will be out of baseball forever. But for 99% of them, their baseball character will not change. They will always be the losers of the elite, right up to the end of their carreers. In the end, it won’t bother them. They will have their money and memories, and time will dull the days of their collapses, and the failed opportunities.
I would love to leave baseball behind. It is a meanless endeavor, in the scheme of life, even though it makes so many wealthy.
The fans DO make the sport, for those who play, and are outrageously rewarded. The fans buy the tickets, and the MLB junk. They fill the parks. Their interest makes owners and players rich. Their misguided love of the sport has them ride incredible highs, and tumble to unearthly lows, during the months of summer. Woe to those who have hooked up with a pretender, who watch the swoon and collapse in September. We are 2010 Braves fans. As this season wanes away to its LOSER/CHOKER end in Atlanta, it hurts…And we don’t get to go home,when the failure is complete, to fame, money, mansion, or lifestyle. We get to second-guess until Spring, believing that next year will end differently.
KEV
September 16th, 2010
2:25 am
Do you guys even know what it means to be a fairweather fan? It means you only care about and follow the team when they’re doing well. Criticizing your team while they’re struggling does NOT make you a fairweather fan. I root for this team as much as anyone but I can still see the writing on the wall. Just because we’re pissed off and frustrated doesn’t mean we don’t care or that we don’t support the team. Let’s face reality though. The Braves have crawled inside the toaster and shut the door on themselves. Now it’s just a matter of whether one of these other contending teams wants to turn it on.
Robert T
September 16th, 2010
2:43 am
Excuses, excuses….with 2+ weeks to go and we have dropped 2 out of 3 to Pittsburgh and Washington…really!!!! And the worst of it is the best pitcher right now is Derek Lowe…maybe they should line up all of the starters and give them cortizon shots too….this team is beyond done…at this rate, they may not win another series this season!!!!
coachk
September 16th, 2010
7:33 am
Well We are still 1/2 game up in this wild card race. The no power on this team is killing us. 10 hits 2 runs Phils 5 hits 4 runs, I think mangement meddled too much, Henry Blanco was hitting 306 and playing pretty good until we went and got Ankiel and Farns. Lee has been a total bust. We still get hits and the last I checked most men left on base in MLB. Now on to part2 I blame the media and fans, Wake up we are in this thing!!!! In 91 you could not go to any street corner and not see tee shirts for sale and the Braves were front page news and every game sold out. Fair weather city. Come on don’t sell them out its time to pick them up, they have been in front most of the season lets not abandoned them now
Pay
September 16th, 2010
8:40 am
i think it is pretty embarassing that the team has a losing record against the Nationals this year. This is the team we should be beating up on. Same with that Pirates series we got swept in. Right there, that is 5 games we lost that we should have won against lesser competiton.
Brock
September 16th, 2010
9:02 am
Wow Charlie- I think I’ll go slit my wrists now. Thank you
Brock
September 16th, 2010
9:04 am
Did you guys see that oscar winning performance by Derek Cheater last night? What a puss in boots that guy is. Best thing is they lost. Karma is a biatch and so is his girlfriend.
ALPHA MALE
September 16th, 2010
9:06 am
Atlanta is a horrible sports town. Your team has been in 1st most of the season and you guys still can’t fill the ballpark? Then again, who wants to watch a bunch of confederate flag waving rednecks doing a stupid chop anyway? Philly fans will take over your stadium on the last weekend of the season.
His boy Elroy
September 16th, 2010
9:07 am
Kev, Bite me you moron. This bunch of losers and chokers, led by a senile old geezer, doesn’t deserve any support.
Alan 10
September 16th, 2010
9:17 am
Wait till next year ! BY,BY
tony
September 16th, 2010
9:24 am
alpha male,
i am not impressed that the philly’s can fill their stadium. i never get that argument. Who cares if you fill the stadium or not, i just want my team to win, i can careless is 50k overweight ugly cheesesteak eating idiots are in the stadium or not. on a weekday game i especially like it when the stadium is empty and only the diehards are there, you can get to concession easy and in and out of the stadium
Alan 10
September 16th, 2010
9:26 am
ALPHA MALE- DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH BAL&$ TO MAKE SAY THAT FACE TO FACE WITH A REDNECK GEORGIA BRAVES FAN, I suggest you don’t have the bal&$ except to hide behind your computer-WHAT A LOSER YOU A$& hold.
tony
September 16th, 2010
9:29 am
If I recall corectly last year we made the divison race close down the stretch and ended up losing and maybe even getting swept by the nats in four games on the last weekend. I really don;t see us getting into the playoffs this year. We just can’t score. Even when we were hot in August we weren’t scoring any runs consistently. We were winning most games 2-1, 4-1, then we would have that one game were we scored 10 unnecessary runs to inflate our run totals. The pitching staff is coming back down to earth now and our lack of hitting, especially clutch hitting is showing badly.
dawg4u
September 16th, 2010
9:34 am
The starting pitchers know that they almost have to be perfect going into a game for us to even have a chance here lately. Nobody in the Braves starting lineup really concerns an opposing pitcher except for Brian McCann and Heyward and McCann wasn’t even in the lineup yesterday. I know it’s a day game after a night game but in crunch time in September I’d want my best lineup in. They will have the whole off-season to rest after October. Heck they may even have a chance to rest during the playoffs unless they really step it up.
. Don
September 16th, 2010
9:35 am
Why do you even ask Bobby Cox for comments?
. Don
September 16th, 2010
9:36 am
Cox continues to “manage” to turn double diget hits into only a couple of runs or so.
CSpin
September 16th, 2010
9:41 am
“His boy Elroy
September 15th, 2010
7:07 pm
Hey Braves, it’s not October yet. It’s not time to start losing.”
LOL.
. Don
September 16th, 2010
9:42 am
What National League team was it that had the first baseman at AAA ball this year who had such a great year and is projected to be a furute star. I think that his name is Freeman. I know that it couldn’t be the Braves – Because no manager would have been stupid enough not to have brought him up and at least given him a chance to see what he could do — instead of playing their existing first baseman (Glaus) on and on and on with him not producing – and then even after acquireing another first baseman (Lee) and him still not producing very effectively.
Jim
September 16th, 2010
9:42 am
Agree with Anti-Ren…Can’t we just be happy that our team is doing well without rubbing other fans faces in their teams problems
Tater the Bobby Hater
September 16th, 2010
10:13 am
Charlie 2:03 a.m.- Thank you. You summarized my feelings too.
Dalmore
September 16th, 2010
10:35 am
Somebody needs to tell Cox that outhitting your opponent and making only two bad pitches in a game DOESN’T MATTER if your team is OUTSCORED in runs and LOSES! . . . and if those two bad pitches cost you the game . . .Incredibly, he, Joe Simpson, and many of the players seem to use those excuses to shrug off a loss. How many times have we heard, “it was just one of those games” . . . Well, they’ve only won 5 of their last 14 of “those games.”
Dalmore
September 16th, 2010
10:40 am
Did anyone think it was a waste yesterday, when, down 2 runs, bottom of the 7th, leadoff man doubles, and the next batter — a .340 hitter!! — bunts??? All it accomplishes is making the first out and moving the runner to third — from which he never scored. If Infante swings away and gets a single, we’re only down one, have a runner on base, nobody out, and 2-3-4 hitters coming up. Nobody even questioned that decision (naturally the Braves PR men in the broadcast booth would only see that as a positive).
bloggers keep your day job
September 16th, 2010
10:46 am
Funny, aren’t the Phillies the all-time losers? Obviously, many of these comments are based a month’s worth of history. Why is it always personal with many of you? (the fans suck, the players are quitters, etc.). The Phillies since the end of July have arguably the the 3 best starters in the NL (on one team). Their numbers are largely reflecting that. And, their lineup is simply better talent-wise.
Heyward, McCann and Prado would be the only Braves to crack their lineup. And, its not like they don’t have decent alternatives even there. The Braves difference has been the bullpen. But, that is not coming into play lately because the starters have fallen off and the hitting hasn’t been there – especially the power.
The Braves may miss the post-season. But it is a young team with the promise of getting better. They have obviously not thrown in the towel, but they are facing a challenge new to this team. But, come on, save the personal and character attacks. Maybe they have been over-achieving … do they really match up talent wise … for this one season?
Confounded
September 16th, 2010
11:03 am
We haven’t played 500 ball since the trade of Gregor Blanco for those 2 whats-their-names. The chemistry of the whole team changed with that trade………………….
BullDawgMike
September 16th, 2010
11:29 am
The Braves have been feeling the Phillies breathing down the back of their necks since the all-star break. And finally have succumbed to them. Atlanta has gone as far as their talent would take them. Even the schedule heavily favored them in the last month with games against the Pirates and the Nats ( by the way two of the worst teams in the league). and what did they do ? LOST ground !!
Dwayne
September 16th, 2010
11:33 am
Trint is right…I do not care how long booby cox has been managing, Jason H should be in the 3 hole.
BullDawgMike
September 16th, 2010
11:36 am
Hey Alpha Male, are you talking about the Atlanta team that won 14!!!!! straight pennants while Phillies finished 2nd behind us every year? Yea, I thought so…
MC
September 16th, 2010
11:57 am
We’ll enjoy seeing you in the ballpark for that last series of the season, Alpha Male. I already have my tickets.
Dalmore
September 16th, 2010
12:13 pm
The way the starters and hitters are going, we’ll be lucky to go 2-7 on the upcoming road trip. Could easily go another 0-9. Mets are playing much better, Phillies are at a different level altogether, and Wash just won 2 of 3 here. It’ll take at least 90 wins to get the wild card. Braves will never get there.
Cheesesteak
September 16th, 2010
12:31 pm
Why is there a Baseball team in Atlanta?? Why in a pennant race are the stands haft empty?? Maybe thats why the players don,t care.
There are not enough people there to do that STUPID Tomahawk chant.
Do you want Micheal Vick Back??
snes
September 16th, 2010
12:35 pm
what? no hat tipping?
Dan
September 16th, 2010
12:42 pm
Dalmore, I didn’t see the play, but I heard Infante was bunting for a base hit, and almost beat it out. That’s a debatable decision, but not as crazy as trying to sacrifice.
Algenis
September 16th, 2010
12:45 pm
They are right. There’s no heart in this team. They look disinterested and beaten. It’s over
Algenis
September 16th, 2010
12:58 pm
The Braves are a bunch of chokers. The difference is they are choking in Sep and not in the postseason. If this team gets in as the wildcard, be prepared to a first round knockout. This team sucks on the road. Bye Bobby
GHOSTRIDER
September 16th, 2010
1:10 pm
I hate to say it, but they can’t even beat the Pirates or Nationals how are they gonna compete with the Phillies, they can’t. Hudson’s last 2 starts lost both, Jurrjens last 2 starts lost both. The pitching is not like it was, the offense…not there. Pretty depressing….
toby
September 16th, 2010
1:14 pm
point blank,you can’t execute the fundemental’s,you dont win ball games,and honesty compells me to be honest,and the Braves fundementals suck!!!!!! cant move runners from 2nd to 3rd,with no outs if theyre life’s depended on it!!
TPic
September 16th, 2010
1:26 pm
BullDawgMike, um…that would be 14 straight division ‘titles’ not pennants, which no one cares about. From that first year forward, the Braves have one championship….so do the Phillies.
Dalmore
September 16th, 2010
1:29 pm
Dan, you’re right, he was bunting for a basehit, and it took a good play by Zimmerman to get him. But, I couldn’t help but feel it was a wasted opportunity — Infante is our best swing-away hitter. A .340 average. He’s got a better chance than anyone else on the team to single in a run and cut the lead to one. I recall Diaz trying that in a similar situation last year. Killed the rally. If Infante was a really fast runner hitting .240, it would’ve made more ssense to me. At .340, I think you give your team the best chance to win by swinging.
KEV
September 16th, 2010
1:37 pm
His boy Elroy…they may suck but that doesn’t mean I won’t root for them.
KEV
September 16th, 2010
1:40 pm
Cheesesteak there’s a hell of a lot more people at Braves games than at Rays games and the Rays have the best record in the Majors. Bobby Cox is a terrible manager. Look at all the postseason choke jobs. I GUARANTEE that there will be more people at the games once we have a new manager, one without a track record of choking in the World Series.
KEV
September 16th, 2010
1:44 pm
This entire organization should be fired for what they gave up in the Teixeira trade three years ago. Just think, we could have Andrus leading off and playing shortstop. And a future bullpen of Kimbrel, Venters and Feliz? RIDICULOUS. Throw Mike Dunn in there as well. And we should have given them Jojo Reyes instead of Matt Harrison. Just think of all the games we lost because of Reyes being allowed on a Major League mound…
Lesh Philling
September 16th, 2010
2:17 pm
Since the Colorado choke, I’ve been saying that we would be 5 to 6 games behind the Phillies by the end of September. That’s now looking like an optimistic projection.
mcbravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
September 16th, 2010
4:12 pm
The Nats have always been a thorn in the Braves’ side, like the Marlins have been (even in years when the Marlins have stunk). Braves always have a tendency to play to the level of their opposting team. Playing a good team – they play pretty well (except that one game in CO); playing against a bottom dweller – they don’t work as hard to win and it shows.
That said, we still have 2 weeks left to play ball, and if we wind up 2nd in the division, it’s still better than the last 3 or 4 years, so I’ll take it. It’s been a fun, if frustrating, season, and if you can’t agree on that, well take your pipe and smoke it elsewhere!
Mitchell
September 16th, 2010
4:22 pm
Ren
September 15th, 2010
9:48 pm
OMG….lol….the heart of the Braves and especially the fans, (all 15 of them), have been ripped from their chests, by the mighty Phillies….and they haven’t played them for months…
Exactly. Try beating us for a change before you talk about the mighty Phillies.
The Phillies haven’t done anything worth celebrating except play like they were supposed to play all season, like a team with a billion dollar payroll. There’s nothing exceptional about them at all.
With all that talent they should have won 105 games. As it is they’ll probably finish with 95.
Really impressive.
As pissed off as I am at the Braves for completely handing over the division without a fight, there are only two teams in this division that scare me: the Nats and Marlins.
Why don’t we wait and see what happens in Philly next week before you open your mouth again you worthless piece of s#*@?
Mitchell
September 16th, 2010
4:32 pm
Let’s see.
Last year to this year, it would appear that we’ve kicked your @$$.
Braves 17 – Phillies 13
One of these teams is the so-called class of the NL. Hard to tell looking at that.
Here’s my question, what happens if you guys don’t win the series? What if we sweep your supposed aces? What then?
Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve beaten them.
If I remember correctly Cole Hamels has gotten his ass handed to him by the Braves on multiple occassions.
Man, the Braves really are pissing me off these days but if there’s one team I think they can handle it’s the one that was in second or third place all summer.
Mutts
September 16th, 2010
4:41 pm
Mitchell: Don’t be mad at Ren; he hasn’t been himself since Stimpy broke up with him.
Mutts
September 16th, 2010
4:45 pm
A lot can happen in the last 15 games. After the 9 game losing streak, I went on record saying the 2010 Braves would win between 75-80 games, so I’m already wrong. The standings will only mean something at the end of the regular season. Right now the Braves have not put away the teams they should in a stretch run, while the Phillies have. If the Braves “deserve” to be in the playoffs, they have 15 games left to seal the deal. GO BRAVES!
TOMY FOURNIER
September 16th, 2010
4:55 pm
FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Keith
September 16th, 2010
9:03 pm
Maybe if Bobby would pull his starters BEFORE they give up SEVEN runs, he’d give his team a chance. On the other hand, he still insists on playing a guy in CF who hasn’t hit his weight all year. As fir Derrek Lee, it’d be nice if he contributed SOMETHING for a change!
Phillies Phan
September 16th, 2010
9:45 pm
That is the difference between us in Philly and you in Atlanta. A guy on here is bragging about 14 straight division titles. Do they give out rings for division titles? Well maybe in Atlanta they do
Baldemar Huerta
September 16th, 2010
10:29 pm
Elroy se juga para el otro equipo.
PostSeason
September 17th, 2010
12:09 am
Phillies Phan
September 16th, 2010
9:45 pm
That is the difference between us in Philly and you in Atlanta. A guy on here is bragging about 14 straight division titles. Do they give out rings for division titles? Well maybe in Atlanta they do
First, the Braves, as a franchise have three WS titles, the Phillies have two. Next the Phillies do not have 14 consecutive division titles and never will. Third, there are far too many differences between Atlantans and Philadelphians for me to list, but the most important is that we have class.
ward
September 17th, 2010
12:30 am
matt diaz is terrible,and mclouth is in the same vote.Why do we still have them.They really suck.
ward
September 17th, 2010
12:39 am
the brewers are trading weeks.why not try and pick him up?