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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,368 comments Add your comment
ward
December 30th, 2010
1:14 am
The Philly’s World Series against Tampa, and the last game was called halfway through,because of rain, and picked up the next day. Kind of funny how they won that one. Yeah: Phillies can be proud of their World Series……
jeffrey d
December 30th, 2010
1:23 am
I bet they choke just before the World Series again. Ryan Howard strikes out looking…..
Somebody needs to bookmark this. Remember, ward correctly predicted that it would snow inside the Metrodome. Dude’s prophetic
ward
December 30th, 2010
1:27 am
Jeffery d: I’m just getting tired those chumps! Let’s see how good the Philly’s are at the end of the year! Philies have to walk their talk!
ward
December 30th, 2010
1:30 am
That was just a lucky guess on the roof caving in the Metrodome.
ward
December 30th, 2010
1:57 am
For a joke i should go over to their blog, and trash talk them just to see their reaction……
ward
December 30th, 2010
2:33 am
I’ll wait till the Phillies are not in the Play Offs at the end of the season, and when they are sad. Then i’ll go over to their blog for kicks……
Feather
December 30th, 2010
2:40 am
Ward, let’s go toilet paper their front lawns. That would be cool, wouldn’t it? And funny too. I bet they would never see it coming. It would really show them that we are boss and we mean business. Are you in, buddy? Come on! Let’s do this!
ward
December 30th, 2010
2:49 am
Feather: It would be funny,but we don’t want to go that far! Remember Philly fans boo their own players!!!!!
P. Bull Terrier
December 30th, 2010
3:23 am
The “everyone is healthy and ready to play at their peak level line-up:
1. J Schafer CF
2 M Prado LF
3 C Jones 3B (or Heyward if jones can’t play everyday)
4 McCann C
5 Uggla 2B
6 Hayward RF
7 Freeman 1B
8 Gonzalez SS
9 Pitcher
10 McClouth (PH, PR, platoon in LF & CF)
A lot of things have to go right, but imagine if Schafer comes back like he was playing when he got hurt the first time. (It’s easy if you try.)
Imagine Prado, Jones, McCann, and Uggla all feeling healthy and swinging the bat like we know they can.
(Imagine all the injured, playing for today.)
Imagine Hayward takes that next step to become one of the elire outfielders in the game.
Imagine if Freeman is ready and can contribute respectible numbers near the bottom of the order. Imagine if Gonzales is into the game and actually decides to run when he hits the ball.
Imagine if McClouth comes back as the player he was in Pittsbrugh and can push the other outfielders to ramp up their game or watch from the bench.
(Imagine there’s no setbacks. It isn’t hard to do.)
Imagine all the pitchers, throwing like they can.
(You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one )
If wishes do come true, you’re looking at above average speed and above average power at most spots in the batting order. You’re looking at four #1 type pitchers batteling for four spots in the rotation. Then you have 2 or 3 more quality arms working to fill the #5 spot. Two potential closers in the bullpen and at least one set-up guy for every occasion.
A lot has to go right with Chipper’s knee, Schafer’s hand, and Nate’s head, but playing at the top of their game, these guys can beat the Phillies.
nolie
December 30th, 2010
3:56 am
whaycha smokin” PBT?? you wanna pass sum of that around?
Conyers Braves Fan
December 30th, 2010
4:15 am
Iam sure that Freddie G. has read every one of these
suggestions and will give each of them serious consideration before he sets his opening day lineup.
ward
December 30th, 2010
4:26 am
PBT: Nate starts center field no matter what, because of the money situation.Mather is going to play the corners.Lucas could be the back up to Gonzalez,and Schafer or Matt Young would be backing Mclouth unless it doesn’t work out. Mcouth is the starting center fielder Opening Day.
ward
December 30th, 2010
4:29 am
Nite every one! Be cool, and Braves are going to be fine.I have a good feeling about this year.Better than last year!!! & peace………..
haggard
December 30th, 2010
4:31 am
Hey Conyers Braves Fan
I was through your area the other day. What do you think of the new welcome sign in old town on Milstead?
haggard
December 30th, 2010
4:32 am
Mornin’ / nite, ward. & peace
Wow....
December 30th, 2010
6:06 am
“B.S…….pitching is as good and/or better.
Freeman is a beast….will be better than 1st basewas in 2010 on both sides of the ball.
Hudson will probly be better than last yr. Lowe will win his usual 15+,JJJ will be healthy and produce like his 08,09 seasons. Minor was excellent until he tired late(he pitched way more innings than ever before) he will be fine.
Question@3rd base is not a question…Chipper/Prado have 3rd base covered.
LF is covered Schafer,Mather,Hinske or Young….this is the only real question(that will not be a question unless prado has to cover for chipper if/when he has to)
Venters,Moylan and easy” E” were all lights out last year and will be again.Kimbrell is RH version of Billy wagner @21yrs old,….”
HAHAHA! Yeah, no homerism there.
haggard
December 30th, 2010
6:27 am
Krystal or White Castle
Couch Tater
December 30th, 2010
7:11 am
The best eReader on the market, after a series of tests by writer John Flowers and his team of engineers. This is the last two paragraphs which summarizes the findings…
The Newspaper also has a great number of apps already downloaded onto the device, ones we have yet to see on any other e-reader. There are the previously mentioned fly-swatting, hat-making, present-wrapping, and tailing people apps. But also the “same ol’ BS”, “who’s got the sports section?” and “packing material for my eBay business” apps.
In the end, we found The Newspaper to be the least flashy and technical of the e-readers. Its value seems to be derived from a rather basic utility. And while we were generally pleased with the content, we would advise the makers of the next generation Newspaper to include a few new comic strips. That said, no other e-reader impressed us more—both in terms of convenience and fine hat-making.
MARK
December 30th, 2010
7:36 am
IF MCOUT IS ON THIS TEAM ANYWHERE WE ARE IN TROUBLE, REMEMBER NOT ONLY CAN HE NOT HIT BUT HE CAN’T PLAY DEFENSE EITHER.HE’S MORE THAN HAD HIS CHANCE I WOULD BRING YOUR BEST ATHLETE UP FROM THE MINORS AND PUT HIM OUT THERE,ANYTHING WOULD BE BETTER,PUT HEYWARD AT CENTER AND HENSKI IN RIGHT
Buddy Holly
December 30th, 2010
7:42 am
Carroll, loved the column. Interesting and informative, as usual. One small correction. During that MRI for his elbow, Medlen was “lying,” not “laying,” on his abdomen.
TommyP
December 30th, 2010
8:08 am
I know everyone is concerned about CF and with good reason. But at least McLouth has a track record for success and he’s still young enough to reclaim that success.
My bigger concern for the Braves is the annual problem: Chipper’s multiple extended hiatuses. I get that Prado will move to 3rd. Who takes over in LF? Now we not only have a possible hole in the lineup in CF but have a massive hole in the lineup from LF. SS will be somewhat below par with Gonzalez and the jury is still out on Freeman in his rookie campaign.
Has anyone mentioned Reed Johnson as a backup OF fit? He can play any of the OF positions but has a lifetime .836 OPS vs. lefties. That’s stout. Definitely not an everyday guy but could sit McLouth on days lefties pitch and give very good production.
Of course, my worries about when Chipper goes down remain. Johnson/Hinske platoon in left and pray McLouth holds serve in CF?
Question for Carroll or DOB: Regarding filing retirement papers….I would imagine the non-star players always file to collect their pensions/benefits. But do the star players blow it off ’cause they’re set for life regardless? How many players actually file those retirement papers?
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
8:08 am
Hey HOLLY:
MEDS always tells the truth.
La Bamba
December 30th, 2010
8:11 am
Buddy Holly, you and the Big Bopper ready to catch this plane?
Buddy Holly
December 30th, 2010
8:14 am
La Bamba….nah, I haven’t flown since February 3, 1959.
La Bamba
December 30th, 2010
8:14 am
Sadder plane crash: Munson or Clemente?
j fred nuggs
December 30th, 2010
8:14 am
Welcome to the TODAY show starring DAVE GARROW-one-WAY
j fred nuggs
December 30th, 2010
8:16 am
A-i-i-n-n!!! Wrong. Thank you for playing. JIM REEVES and PATSY CLINE
La Bamba
December 30th, 2010
8:18 am
La Bamba….nah, I haven’t flown since February 3, 1959.
Me neither. But yet we’ve both been floating above the clouds ever since.
j fred nuggs
December 30th, 2010
8:19 am
Although seperate tragedies.
j fred nuggs
December 30th, 2010
8:21 am
Tommy P:
HINSKI, HINSKI, he’s our man, if he can’t do it, ‘THE BEAV’ can.
veritas
December 30th, 2010
8:23 am
You’re saying hinski and mather to lf when chipper goes down?
j fred muggs
December 30th, 2010
8:24 am
Yes.
veritas
December 30th, 2010
8:26 am
too easy. we have to make this more complicated.
La Bamba
December 30th, 2010
8:26 am
THE BEAVER is very athletic they say
j fred muggs
December 30th, 2010
8:26 am
No, we don’t
j fred muggs
December 30th, 2010
8:29 am
Hey La Bamba:
What chu’ think of ‘donna.’
veritas
December 30th, 2010
8:30 am
yeah man, i’d flip over her.
John Tucker
December 30th, 2010
8:33 am
If McClouth is in the Opening Day Lineup in 2011, Wren’s otherwise excellent offseason will be a catastrophe. How about matt Young or Schafer in CF and at leadoff, as long as we’re just projecting?
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
8:36 am
Jim Dandy to tha’ rescue, go Jim Dandy, go.
TennesseePaul
December 30th, 2010
8:37 am
Bat: Thanks for the link. Now I recall the distinction… you stated A man at first with no outs is more likely to score than a man at second with one out but the link provides expected runs scored in an inning… it’s a team stat and does not specifically relate to “a man more likely to score” statements. I remember when Payne first posted that chart… he was saying essentially the same thing and represented the chart as a probability of scoring from a base given a number of outs. I noticed that it was not a probability of a man scoring, but an expected number of runs scoring in an inning. These are two different points of study entirely.
So, while you said A man at first with no outs is more likely to score than a man at second with one out… utilizing that chart as the foundation of the statement, the statement should be re-worded to be more accurate to the foundation: [A team has a greater number of runs expected in an inning with] a man at first with no outs … than a man at second with one out. … which is distinct from probability of a man scoring from second vs first given x number of outs.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
8:38 am
How about McCLOUTH [sic] does well, as long as we’re projecting?
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
8:47 am
Jim Dandy to tha’ rescue, go Jim Dandy, go.
Black Oak Arkansas?
ncgary
December 30th, 2010
8:52 am
remember december and baseball
should alway be optimistic
this could be the year
lol
old man
December 30th, 2010
8:53 am
We have guys to replace McClouth if he’s still in the tank. Moving Martin to third if Chipper goes down is the perfect remedy.
Neither scenario hurts us much. Our problem is if both Nate and Chipper are out of the picture.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:06 am
FALL BALL
AUSTRALIA
RF MATT KENNELLY 0-3, .253 BA.
DOMINICAN [second half stats].
3B DIORY HERNANDEZ 3-5, 1 R, 1 HR (1), 2 RBI (4), 1 SO, .322 BA
CF JOSE CONSTANZA 0-2, 1 BB,
PH MAURO ‘45′ GOMEZ 0-0, 1 BB, .279 BA.
RH/SP YOHAN FLANDE 0-1, 18.00 ERA.
MEXICO
DH BARBARO ‘THE FLAILING CUBAN’ CANIZARES 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI (46), .320 BA
VENEZUELA
C JC BOSCAN 0-3, .146 BA.
C OSMAN MARVAL 1-2, 1 RBI (9), 1 BB, .272 BA.
arid irradiator
December 30th, 2010
9:09 am
Dry, too dry here.
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
9:10 am
Richbrave – Is Yasser Gomez, the 30 year old Cuban we signed last year, playing winter ball anywhere?
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:11 am
Voila, old man. NATE and JONES vs. RUIZ and IBANEZ are going to be the difference between the PHILLIES and the BRAVES this season.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:12 am
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
9:10 am
Richbrave – Is Yasser Gomez, the 30 year old Cuban we signed last year, playing winter ball anywhere?
You got my post with his stats I see. Hold on. ‘I’ll be back.’ TERMINATOR
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:16 am
keylargo:
According to milb andv the fall league stats ….. no. Sorry.
Marvin the Martian
December 30th, 2010
9:19 am
I have misplaced my space modulator.
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
9:19 am
Yes, I got the stats on Gomez, richbrave. He is hitting for average and not much else isn’t he? I was thinking about bench players next season when he came to mind.
arid irradiator
December 30th, 2010
9:21 am
I have it martian, and now you are going to get the business end of it. Bwahahahaha!!!!!!
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:23 am
kl:
No power, kind of a poor man’s CANIZARES. you mean?
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:24 am
kl:
You know if he’s got a good glove, he might be a call-up asset this coming season.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:27 am
kl:
Zero errors in right and center fields, but two errors in left along with three assists there.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
9:29 am
iffy
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
9:43 am
Thanks richbrave for the stats
Skeezix
December 30th, 2010
9:51 am
Re: MRIs. Yipes! First time they stuck me in one of those pipes I started yelling “get me outta here”. The Doc had to give me something to knock me out. I’ve had a couple of MRIs since and my Doc gives me some dope to take 1 hour before they stick me in the pipe.
Eric from MO
December 30th, 2010
10:03 am
So I have a question here, if TP isnt going to be the hitting coach this year, can we still blame him when the players not hitting? I am sure he will still be trying to give them advice when they reach base and if they reach base and the next time they come to at-batand they dont, I am sure it will be his fault.
ncgary
December 30th, 2010
10:05 am
imho eric
most people tend to do anything they damn near want to
@fauxfrankwren
December 30th, 2010
10:11 am
Prado
Chipper
Heyward
Uggla
McCann
Gonzo
Freeman
McLouth
phillies2011WSchamps
December 30th, 2010
10:36 am
So…..looks like the Braves are at a standstill with Uggla. He wants just a few dollars more and the Braves are reluctant to give it to him. Cheapstakes all around. The Braves should PAY the man, instead your going to look at a one year wonder.
Obee
December 30th, 2010
10:44 am
Schafer will be right in the hunt during spring training, my crystal ball says.
He will turn it around big-time. I think he’s more likely to perform at a high level than McLouth, but I wouldn’t rule McLouth turning it around this year, either. The odds are good that one of them will be a decent centerfielder this year.
Chumper Dumper
December 30th, 2010
10:48 am
Well, well, well….me sees Nate Mcout & Chumper Jones are still being counted on……looks like another year with no runs!
Eric from MO
December 30th, 2010
10:50 am
Phillies who said they are at a standstill? They have 9 months, why does it have to be done before 2011. Both sides have said they are not in a hurry.
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
11:27 am
Looks like I might have to start up the ol’ “This of That” game again today. Looks like a ghost town around here.
unbelievable
December 30th, 2010
11:36 am
Eric, dont feed trolls
Lew
December 30th, 2010
11:37 am
Yeah standstill – Did it occur to anyone that it’s the Holiday season and everyone’s off with their families and not sitting in an office negotiating?
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
11:38 am
I’ve got three stats the blog almost never talks about just to post something original. These are from Baseball Reference and are -
rbat – Number of runs better or worse than average the player was as a hitter.
rbaser – Number of runs better or worse than average the player was for all baserunning events.
SB, CS, PB, WP, Defensive Indifference.
rfield – Number of runs better or worse than average the player was for all fielding.
Braves Proposed Starting 8
Player rbat rbase rfield
1. Martin Prado LF 16 0 -9
2. Nate McLouth CF -10 0 -11
3. Chipper Jones 3B 12 1 7
4. Brian McCann C 19 0 3
5. Dan Uggla 2B 25 0 -10
6. Jason Heyward RF 27 -1 7
7. Alex Gonzalez SS -7 -1 5
8. Freddie Freeman 1B -2 0 0 (only 24 abs)
Bat Masterson
December 30th, 2010
11:39 am
TennesseePaul _
You’re welcome for the link. Yeah, I made an unequivocal statement I could not support. Should have stuck with my opinion, that I would never ask Chipper to bunt and rarely anyone else. Mea culpa
I had another source that I was sure dealt with odds of scoring the runner, but apparently did not bookmark it. At any rate, I’m not certain of that and whatever magical phrasing of the question I used cannot be duplicated, since numerous google searches come up empty.
Carroll Rogers
December 30th, 2010
11:39 am
Zing, I just went back and read your post from yesterday, about putting Heyward higher. You can definitely make the case for that, and maybe that’s where he ends up, kinda like last year when he started lower and moved up….Mostly I loved your comment about having just finished Moneyball.
Phillies 2011 Shams
December 30th, 2010
11:40 am
Do you mean cheap skates? you have cheesesteaks on the brain. loser.
phillies2011WSchamps
December 30th, 2010
11:43 am
Loser? LOL. We’ll see about that. The Phillies have the best rotation in baseball. Enjoy the fact that the Phillies will probably be making WS appearances for years to come. Get used to it too.
Carroll Rogers
December 30th, 2010
11:46 am
Hillbilly you see a few tumbleweeds rolling across your screen?
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
11:50 am
Yeah Carroll a few. I don’t plan on doing any work today, so somebody better get something entertaining stirred up before I start dredging up crappy jokes again.
Arkansas Transplant
December 30th, 2010
11:51 am
I went and saw the Tron 3D movie lastnight, quite entertaining.
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
11:52 am
What was the last song you listened to, no matter how crappy or embarrasing it may have been? Last I heard was Who Says You Can’t Have It All? by Alan Jackson.
jeffrey d
December 30th, 2010
11:52 am
I heard crickets from my screen last night. Looked like a Marlins game in here.
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
11:52 am
Carroll – what is it that makes this blog format jumble everything together no matter how much effort you put into making your lines and columns straight?
nique
December 30th, 2010
11:54 am
I think it would benefit McCann to come in trim. Remember the season Javy had when he trimmed up? Any chance of that? Will Freddie emphasize working out in the offseason? I know Wrenn said he wants to get more athletic, well how about getting your existing players in better shape.
loony tunes
December 30th, 2010
11:56 am
Eh-h-h-h, what’s up doc?
phillies2011WSchamps
December 30th, 2010
11:43 am
Loser? LOL. We’ll see about that. The Phillies have the best rotation in baseball. Enjoy the fact that the Phillies will probably be making WS appearances for years to come. Get used to it too.
Ha,ha, ha, what a maroon.
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
11:56 am
Carroll – what is it that makes this blog format jumble everything together no matter how much effort you put into making your lines and columns straight?
Keylargo,
Pendleton.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
11:58 am
I see GREGG ALLMAN’s in town tuesday. I still think DUANE was the best guitarist
Bat Masterson
December 30th, 2010
11:59 am
F-you………….. Cee Lo
Carroll Rogers
December 30th, 2010
11:59 am
Honestly don’t know, Hillbilly, Keylargo and Pendleton. the program we use is called wordpress. apparently it doesn’t like neatness.
TennesseePaul
December 30th, 2010
11:59 am
Bat: whatever magical phrasing of the question I used cannot be duplicated, since numerous google searches come up empty
Ha! I know that feeling… find something awesome through a google search, then like losing the combination to a vault, never being able to find it again.
GTSteve
December 30th, 2010
12:01 pm
I am here hillbilly, what would you like to chat about
keylargo
December 30th, 2010
12:02 pm
nique – I agree about McCann and wish it were important to him. This year is supposedly his peak year (at age 27). I was looking at his career stats and in his five full seasons he has had two considerably better than last year. If he has another season like last, then it is safe to say we have seen his best. You might could point to his conditioning at that point.
But no, I hope he doesn’t come to camp looking like Javy Lopez did. That was clearly a case where a player had help. Chemical help.
Bat Masterson
December 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
I think it would benefit McCann to come in trim. Remember the season Javy had when he trimmed up? Any chance of that?
Do you mean Lopez?
Position: Catcher
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 3″, Weight: 185 lb.
That guy? What when he trimmed up to about 230 or 240 and hit 43 homeruns?
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
Carroll that was a goof-up on my part. Keylargo asked the question about the formatting. I copied it and replied that it was Pendleton’s fault. Just forgot to put quotes around Keylargo’s part of the post.
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
12:05 pm
Carroll Rogers
December 30th, 2010
11:46 am
Hillbilly you see a few tumbleweeds rolling across your screen?
LinkReport this comment.Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
11:50 am
Yeah Carroll a few. I don’t plan on doing any work today, so somebody better get something entertaining stirred up before I start dredging up crappy jokes again.
jeffrey d
December 30th, 2010
11:52 am
I heard crickets from my screen last night. Looked like a Marlins game in here.
Do you fellas include yourselves in that mix, or did you just stand on the sidelines and……LURK?!
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
12:06 pm
GTSteve, anything except the line-up or McLouth.
GTSteve
December 30th, 2010
12:08 pm
I hear you, those 2 horses have been beaten to death
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
12:09 pm
richbraves,
I’m trying. I may be striking out, but at least I’m swinging the bat.
Hillbilly
December 30th, 2010
12:10 pm
What about the Black Oak Arkansas you posted early this morning? Where’d that come from? It’s been a while since I heard that.
GTSteve
December 30th, 2010
12:11 pm
I am thinking, but I got nothing
McFann O O
December 30th, 2010
12:12 pm
keylargo I agree about McCann and wish it were important to him.
“Oh, you’ve got to be pulling on my leg…”
Boy, if I wasn’t leaving for work, would we ever have a fight!
richbrave
December 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
Hillbilly:
You talkin’ to me……….you talkin’ to me!!!!! TAXI DRIVER.
Actually H-billy, that waren’t me.
Arkansas Transplant
December 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
Black Oak Arkansas?