Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,390 comments Add your comment
Venice Jim
January 21st, 2011
11:31 am
DOB – just noticed that Hayes Carll is scheduled to be on Leno tonight – I seem to remember that you appreciate his penchant for clever lyrics…
Lew
January 21st, 2011
11:32 am
Texas- Another thing that mystifies me is why people think Freeman’s unproven defensively. Seems to me that’s one thing that would remain constant from minors to majors and something that shouldn’t require an adjustment. Isn’t the base placed at pretty much the same location in both leagues?
ncscoots
January 21st, 2011
11:37 am
Salcedo won’t go back down to Danville after spending much of the 2010 season at Rome.
Yeah, I forgot that. Righto.
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
11:38 am
Gotta say I appreciate what I’m hearing off of R.E.M.’s Collapse Into Now. Anyone else heard Discoverer or Mine Smell Like Honey?
Snackwell
January 21st, 2011
11:40 am
I wasn’t aware, until 3 minutes ago, how much Andruw Jones COMPLETLY DOMINATES all active MLB players for defensive WAR. He’s half again better than the #2 active player, Ivan Rodriguez. He’s #2 all time in the history of the game ahead of Roberto Clemente and Ozzie Smith. I’m floored. I guess he made it look too easy with that grin.
Snackwell
January 21st, 2011
11:41 am
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/WAR_def_career.shtml
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
11:42 am
By the by, Lew, I completely agree with you on our CF situation. McLouth will not (cannot) be as bad as last year. I think Schafer turns it around big time this year, also. I don’t know much about Young beyond what I saw at ST last year in a few games. The word “small” immediately jumps in my head when I see his name. But, the stats don’t lie, and his indicate he’s pretty close.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
11:46 am
Harold – They’re bringing in too many options for none of them to work. Soemone and maybe two someones will step up. IMO, anyway.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
11:47 am
I’d say that McLouth, Schafer and Young (probably Mather, too) are highly motivated. That could make a major difference.
ncscoots
January 21st, 2011
11:47 am
But, the stats don’t lie [about Young]
ah, but they can be disingenuous, LOL. Late-starter, old for each level, most of his success came in his second trip at each level, and so forth. I’ll agree that he’s probably as ready as he’ll ever be; I just don’t know how ready that actually is.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
11:49 am
Well, one thing is certain – should Nate, Logan or Matt be ready for Prime Time, it will give us a speedy base stealing type towards the top of the order.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
11:50 am
What would you say about a player who has hit .212 (284-for-1340) in the past four seasons with 65 homers, 199 RBI, 187 walks, 359 strikeouts, a .312 OBP and a .412 slugging percentage?
To repeat, a player who has hit .212 with a .312 OBP and .724 OPS during the 2007-2010 seasons, while averaging about 16 homers and 50 RBI?
Oh, and he hit .197 (125-for-632) with runners on base during that four-year span, including .217 (81-for-373) with runners in scoring position.
That player is Andruw Jones.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
11:54 am
Venice Jim: Thanks for the heads-up. Yes, Hayes is a good one. I got one of his earlier CDs, Little Rock, the other day at the Paste moving sale. It’s strong. Not quite as good as Trouble in Mind, but close.
D.J.
January 21st, 2011
11:55 am
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/baseball/mlb/01/20/glicksman.breakout/index.html?eref=sihp
This writer has his list of 10 potential breakout players this year and includes Martin Prado.
Wouldn’t most of you say 2009 was Prado’s breakout year and 2010 was just confirmation of his consistency? I don’t really know how an All-Star can have a breakout season after he’s been an All-Star. (Omar Infante is exempt from that last statement, just in case he gets better this year)
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
11:55 am
Well, there’s been a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth from some who think we should have signed Andruw. I would not be opposed to it, but it makes perfect sense that we didn’t. I think the guys we have will produce without the “weight” of Andruw’s presence. I don’t mean his body mass, but his history. And it’s not that I think he’s a clubhouse distraction. I’m at a loss for words, but suffice to say I think he’s the past, when we need to look to the future.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
11:56 am
Harold – Pretty much how I see it,. too. I wouldn’t have minded having him as fourth outfielder, but have no problem with him being a Yankee, either.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
11:59 am
College student files suit for $1.8M saying Las Vegas hooker didn’t spend enough time with him
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/01/21/2011-01-21_college_student_files_suit_for_18m_after_he_says_las_vegas_hooker_didnt_spend_en.html
Kids say the darnedest things.
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
11:59 am
ncscoots, you’re right. Stats can be skewed. I have no problem with late/slow bloomers though.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
12:00 pm
Daniel, that Phosphorescent CD was one of my favorites from last year. If you don’t have it, get his To Willie album from a few years back, a tribute to Willie Nelson. Great stuff….
Voice of Harold, you should see this R.E.M. book I got at Powell’s Books in Portland. it’s called R.E.M. Inside Out, The Stories Behind Every Song. And it’s just that — stories about every song they’ve recorded. Great inside stuff, so much I’ve never read or heard. And terrific pictures, most of which I’d never seen.
By the way, our Jeff Schultz is friends with the band’s longtime guitar tech, and after the UGA-Kentucky basketball game Jeff got a tour of R.E.M.’s rehearsal space in Athens. I was envious when he told me about it later.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
12:02 pm
Bat – Yet another And Idiot is heard from. Kind of reminds me of HS – smoking cigarettes was about the worst thing you could get caught doing (different time, apparently). One of my classmates went to the powers that be and told them someone stole his cigarettes.
Murph
January 21st, 2011
12:02 pm
McLouth will not (cannot) be as bad as last year.
He certainly could be… he could even be worse than he was last year. There’s no telling until he gets up to the plate.
McLouth obviously has the physical ability to hit. He showed it earlier in his career, he showed little glimpses of it at the end of last year. That makes me think his horrible season is a result of his head, not his hands.
Look at what’s been going on with Salty… can’t get the ball back to the pitcher. He’s worked hard to overcome the issue, but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again. The demons could get back in Nate’s head and, next thing you know, he’s hitting .150 again and it’s time to trade one of the starters for some OF help.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
12:03 pm
Matt Young wasn’t drafted, either. Maybe that had something to do with his lack of accelerated progress through the minors.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:04 pm
What would you say about a player who has hit DOB
Best of luck in your future endeavors, whatever and where-ever they may be?
GTSteve
January 21st, 2011
12:04 pm
@Charlotte Observer, I have the same thing
Ease® in Woodstock
January 21st, 2011
12:04 pm
charlotte observer – If you read this post, could you tell me specifically where you found the countdown gizmo and which one you are using? I have been searching for one for quite a bit…Thanks!
Lew
January 21st, 2011
12:05 pm
Murph = Pretty hard to do much worse than a .190 season with a concussion in the middle. Besides – if he starts out hitting like he did last spring, he’ll be in Gwinnett and won’t get a chance to be worse than 2010.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:05 pm
Lew_
People are funny creatures. I love the people that go to the cops because they got ripped off in a drug deal.
Snackwell
January 21st, 2011
12:06 pm
hey, I wasn’t trying to bring Andruw back. I was simply stating how completely oblivious I was to his staggering defensive career numbers. Although Nate’s improbable early season game winning home run against the Phillies last year counts for a lot… I wish we had snagged McCutchen and not McClouth (hindsight 20/20 and all).
GTSteve
January 21st, 2011
12:07 pm
Do you have Igoogle Ease
704_Brave
January 21st, 2011
12:08 pm
DOB – 2 questions:
1) When/where/who regarding Braves caravan in Charlotte?
2) What Disney area bars do you recommend for my trip Mar 9-13?
Lew
January 21st, 2011
12:10 pm
Bat- My so used to be a Sheriff’s Deputy in Seminole Co., Fl. Down there, every contractor that does work on the courthouse, jail, etc. is vetted for prior offenses. There was a time when they had a guy working on the roof of the jail and it turned out he had an outstanding warrant. They just walked up the ladder to the roof and hauled him down in cuffs.
Lew
January 21st, 2011
12:10 pm
Obviously I meant my son was a Deputy.
GTSteve
January 21st, 2011
12:11 pm
@Ease
http://www.labpixies.com/gadget_page.php?id=58&platform_id=0
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
12:11 pm
DOB,
Oh, my! I wonder if Decatur CD would have that book. They have a small stash of music related stuff.
Damn that Jeff Schultz and his connections! I’m acquaintances with Bertis Downs’ brother’s family, but that’s not quite the same, is it? geez
Ease® in Woodstock
January 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
GTSteve – Thanks a bunch man! Yeah, switched to Chrome only recently and am only recently getting the hang of it. The NES emulator gadget occupies much (too) of my time,
DawgDad
January 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
It would be a huge lift for the team if Nate can rebound in 2011; unless he was steroid-enhanced there is clearly talent under wrap. I would interpret his hesitancy to uncork throws as being protective of a sore arm or shoulder, like a rotator cuff issue. Outfielders by nature come up throwing and slam on the brakes if the play isn’t there. Since that’s something the player and organization would be hesitant to discuss we may never know for sure what was bugging him, but something was.
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
Snackwell, didn’t mean to suggest you were the one going on about Andruw. I understood what you were getting at with the defensive stats. I was referring more to the folks from earlier in the blog. That high-fiber guy, kashi, and others.
GTSteve
January 21st, 2011
12:17 pm
Glad I could help
ryan c
January 21st, 2011
12:19 pm
On Prado breaking out…
Prado is stepping into his prime years. He’s 27 years old and didn’t really start finding his HR power until the age of 25. I could seriously see Prado hitting 20-25 home runs this year. Aside from Heyward, Prado parks the ball deeper in batting practice than any other Brave. He’s seriously strong and he stays fit and limber in the offseason with his p90x routine (the trainer in the videos is annoying as hell, but the results, especially the added flexibility, can’t be denied). Hopefully, the defensive adjustment will not play a factor in his offensive numbers. Martin finished with 40 doubles last year and probably would have pushed for the league lead in that category if it weren’t for his injuries. With added strength and years, I think more of thosee doubles will become HRs. I’ll make my prediction for Prado:
22hr 73rbi 103 runs .311ba .373obp .858ops
Aggressive, i know, but I believe Martin’s gonna bring it this year.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:19 pm
Lew _
Yeah, don’t get shortchanged on crazy here in Florida.
Voice of Harold
January 21st, 2011
12:20 pm
Murph, I understand that it’s a possibility. By suggesting McLouth “will not/cannot” have a year as bad as last, I’m just saying what I think is going to happen. I think he’s too talented, and I like his makeup as a player. I think he’ll figure it out. As long as he’s not injured, I believe he’ll have a productive year.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:21 pm
we don’t get
bigchieeeeeeeeeeeeefrg
January 21st, 2011
12:23 pm
I just got tix to see Arcade Fire and The National at UIC in Chicago on April 25th. Never been to chicago. Definitely goin to Wrigley. Anyone have any other “Chicago Have to”s?
zenman
January 21st, 2011
12:24 pm
DOB-DBT’ers tonight, Del Castillo Sat. night. Packers win Sunday. Spring traing will be a good time for you to see some great music in the Tampa, Orlando area. I’ll enlighten you.
abwright
January 21st, 2011
12:25 pm
Bat … so now prostitutes are going to have to get clients to read and agree to a EULA before plying their trade. Some clause such as “… if the client completes the transaction before the predesignated time has expired or if the time has expired before the transaction is completed …”
GTSteve
January 21st, 2011
12:28 pm
“Anyone have any other “Chicago Have to”s?”
DEEEEEP DISH PIZZA
abwright
January 21st, 2011
12:28 pm
I loved watching Andruw play the game when he was with the Braves. In his prime, he was one of the most outstanding CFs of all time and certainly the best of “our generation.”
I still root for Andruw to do well whenever I see him play.
But, the Andruw of the 90’s is not going to come again. I don’t think I would want to see him sitting on the bench night in and night out as the 4th OF.
It would not quite be a “bowl of sad” … maybe just an “after-dinner mint of sad.”
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:30 pm
abwright _
More business for the lawyers.
The guy should have known the hookers in Las Vegas are a crapshoot anyway.
abwright
January 21st, 2011
12:32 pm
I’m not convinced that McLouth cannot be worse than he was in 2010, except that he would probably not play a full season if his performance dropped further.
However, vision problems, concussion, confidence … the guy had a lot to over-come in 2010.
I’m also not sold on Schafer until he shows a little more performance. His plunge through the minors was shocking. If he’s healthy and the guy who started 2009 is the real Logan Schafer, then the Braves will be fine in 2011.
abwright
January 21st, 2011
12:33 pm
Bat … pretty soon the lobbyists and lawyers are going to oust every other profession.
It’ll be fun watching the lawyers sue the lawyers because no one else has any money left.
Daniel
January 21st, 2011
12:36 pm
DOB: Thanks for the heads up on the To Willie. I had a little of his stuff before and found it to be a little to insular for my taste, but that Here’s to Taking it Easy actually had quite the groove. So I will check out the Willie album.
BTW: My Morning Jacket are recording their next album back in the grain silo and gym of the original The Kentucky Fire/At Dawn era.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:38 pm
Man, that Pulte Homes pop up ad is irritating.
abwright
January 21st, 2011
12:38 pm
The one time I stayed in Chicago, I saw a great museum, walked by Wrigley Field and Soldier Field. It was winter, so no Cubs game to see. Also saw the Sears Tower (at the time the tallest building in the world). I think I ate in a restaurant at the top that revolved and showed you a view of the city.
Ease® in Woodstock
January 21st, 2011
12:40 pm
I happen to live in a Pulte Home…That in itself is very irritating.
Fred
January 21st, 2011
12:43 pm
bigchieeeeeeeeeeeeefrg, I highly recommend having lunch at Lawry’s on Ontario Street in Chicago. They hand carve the meat of your choice (roast beef, turkey, and sometimes corned beef) and serve it on your choice of bread. Their topping bar has everything you need, including side items like pasta salad. They also have homemade potato chips on all of the tables. They don’t charge much for lunch and it’s really good. If you want a steak house, Gibson’s on Rush st. is the best. They are a little pricey but it’s worth every penny. You can also eat lunch there to save some $$$.
Murph
January 21st, 2011
12:44 pm
I also believe Nate will have a decent (above .215) year… sad that, for him, that’s the standard of decent.
I just worry that, since the issue is in his head, it could come back again. A few games of going 0-4 and he’ll start worrying, and next thing you know he’s sub .200 and right back where he was last season.
Sure, he had a concussion last year that cost him 6 weeks, but he was hitting .175 or something before running into JHey. He was horrible before, horrible after, and it wasn’t until the season was almost over that he started getting some hits.
I’d love nothing more than to see Nate turn it around and put together an awesome year and go out and get a nice FA contract somewhere other than Atlanta. He’ll help the team win, and then he’ll go away, and everybody wins.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
12:45 pm
I bet, Ease.
When I lived in Ga the big builders held all the cards. Hard to hold those guys accountable.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
12:50 pm
zenman, we have one of the better live-music scenes in the country here in Atlanta, more great bands than anyone can possibly see. I love it. But I’m lucky if two or three bands I really want to see play in the Orlando area any spring during the entire 6-7 weeks I’m down there. Pretty barren music market, at least for the stuff I like. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter much since the spring-training lifestyle is not really conducive to seeing bands or doing anything else late at night. Up at about 6 a.m. every day — which is only 2-3 hours after I typically go to bed for the rest of the year.
Moe Berg
January 21st, 2011
12:51 pm
“Anyone have any other “Chicago Have to”s?”
I agree with GT Steve. Get some deep dish pizza–probably Lou Malnatti’s. Go to the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. Some nice jazz–was once owned by a member of Al Capone’s gang. Take a walk through Grant Park and along the lake. If you like art, go see the Art Institute of Chicago. They have a quite good collection. If you are going to Wrigley, there is a really good Iranian kebab place–Reza’s–a couple of el stops north of Addison (the Wrigley stop).
Bobby Hill
January 21st, 2011
12:54 pm
From the article, Wren sounds really positive and upbeat. And he has good reason to be. His team made the playoffs last year. His job seems secure at least for a few more years. The team didn’t lose any major pieces going into 2011, and his farm system, while not exactly balanced, it full of promising players. As now constituted he’s probably got about a 92 win team and the inside track to the wildacrd slot.
Still, you have to wonder how much of what he’s saying is posturing? He HAS to sound positive going into spring training. Its his job. He’s supposed to hype up the team.
I really find it hard to believe that he’s comfortable with Diory as the only player capable of playing SS other than Seabass. Especially after Seabass put up a .240/.291/.386/.676 line with Atlanta last year to go along with his mediocre defense. That slash line is slightly below his career numbers, but for a shortstop set to turn 34 before the season starts you can’t expect too much from the guy.
The Braves have a lot riding on McLouth. He could easily be the difference between the team dog fighting for the wild card slot or the team contending with the Phillies and having a real shot at advancing beyond the first round. McLouth has a .233/.308/.369/.677 slash line for his career against lefties. Even with the most optimistic projections he’s going to need a right handed platoon partner. That’s not Jordan Schafer or Matt Young.
Wren obviously knows this stuff too, but he can’t come out and say that he’s not comfortable with the guys he’s got. That would be sending the wrong message to the fans and to the guys currently on the team.
ncscoots
January 21st, 2011
12:57 pm
just worry that, since the issue is in his head, it could come back again. A few games of going 0-4 and he’ll start worrying, and next thing you know he’s sub .200 and right back where he was last season.
That would make him so weak-willed as to be unrecognizable as a major-league player. Those guys just aren’t like that; they have an almost limitless self-confidence.
If that were not true, then McLouth would have just retired at the end of 2010, LOL. Seasons such as he had last year eat the weak; the rest just spit on it as it goes by, and limber up for the next year.
The guy might still crash and burn next year, for any number of reasons. But I doubt that such a thing will occur because he starts thinking about the putridness of a previous season.
P-Town Brave ©
January 21st, 2011
12:58 pm
Giordano’s Pizza is better…
T for Texas
January 21st, 2011
1:04 pm
Lew–Questioing Freeman’s defense I would say is downright stupid. The kid is smooth, agile, and awfully quick in a limited radius. Just the small sample we have seen of him with the big club has been tremendously impressive–Derrek Lee type defense. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him win a Gold Glove at some point if he can, the way that voting goes, hit enough.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
1:10 pm
bigchief: Go get some baby-back ribs at Carson’s on Wells, only a few blocks off the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave.) Terrific ribs in what looks from outside like a bit of a dive. It’s old school, the place where every visiting celebrity and ballplayer went for dinner throughout the 80s. But since it’s not on Rush St. and isn’t all trendy or post-modern or anything else — it’s dark inside, with autographed photos of stars who’ve eaten there, tall-back leather booths, all that — it’s not the hip place anymore. But that only makes it better, man. The food kicks arse. Great ribs. You’ll waddle out of there, so stuffed you’ll feel the desire to walk it off.
Gibson’s on Rush lives up the hype. Great steaks. But it’s way crowded and pricey.
You can get some good cajun food at Heaven on Seven (I know, you probably don’t think cajun when you think Chicago, but that town has great food, period. Every kind of ethnic food, in addition to at least a half-dozen of the best steakhouses in the country.
Oh, and try the burger at Rosebud’s, a block away from the Drake and the Westin on Michigan Ave. (restaurant is a couple blocks off Michigan)
T for Texas
January 21st, 2011
1:13 pm
“Anyone have any other “Chicago Have to”s?”
All of Moe Berg’s suggestions were right on. Also, try the top floor of the Hancock building for cocktails at sunset. And for lunch Chicago has one of the best Southern food restaurants I’ve ever eaten at called Wishbone by Harpo studios (if from South, probably not a must) But should check out Club Lucky in Bucktown neighborhood on W. Wabansia Street (1800 block or so) for family style Italian cuisine–not too expensive and great.
T for Texas
January 21st, 2011
1:14 pm
co-sign on Heaven on Seven as well.
David O'Brien
January 21st, 2011
1:14 pm
T for Texas: Agreed on Freeman’s defense — anyone who’s seen the kid play much at all will tell you that he’s exceptional. Doesn’t matter the level, he’s a smooth, slick-fielding first baseman. Period. It might take him a while to adjust to hitting in the bigs, but defense isn’t an issue.
ncscoots
January 21st, 2011
1:16 pm
kid is smooth, agile, and awfully quick in a limited radius.
I know we kid Freeman about his speed (quick feet but slow legs, LOL), but he actually is about average first-to-third. He’s still lanky and hasn’t fully grown into his body yet, so there’s at least the possibility that his burst will improve. Right now, his “first step” is more “molasses” than “burst”, admittedly.
abwright
January 21st, 2011
1:17 pm
David O’Brien, January 21st, 2011, 12:50 pm … “Orlando … Pretty barren music market, at least for the stuff I like. ”
You mean endless repetitions of “It’s a small world, after all. It’s a small world, after all.” aren’t to your taste?
Murph
January 21st, 2011
1:19 pm
That would make him so weak-willed as to be unrecognizable as a major-league player. Those guys just aren’t like that; they have an almost limitless self-confidence.
Was Nate recognizable as an MLB player last season? Outside of the uniform, not really.
I have a hard time believing he’s put last season behind him. How could he? He put together one of the worst seasons by an MLB starter in recent memory. I seriously doubt that his confidence is so strong that a week of 0-25 won’t make him throw up his hands and think to himself “here we go again”.
If he was that good/confident a player he would have played more to his potential last season. Instead he played like someone who had zero confidence and, worse, looked like he had zero clue as to what to do while at the plate. I didn’t see every game, but I saw enough to see how broken he was.
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
1:21 pm
I seem to be hung up on game of chance references. Double-down or fold?
Maybe something to eat……. get back on topic……. Denny’s Grand-slam Breakfast or the Grand-Slam sandwich?
coin-flip
Arkansas Transplant
January 21st, 2011
1:30 pm
abwright
Did you say your in Little Rock yesterday?
ncscoots
January 21st, 2011
1:32 pm
If he was that good/confident a player he would have played more to his potential last season
Surely you don’t believe that confidence is all it takes? If that were the case, I’d have been in the HOF already.
No, I’m only saying that an oh-fer week doesn’t make these guys break down and cry; they’ve been through that before (and worse) and lived to see success again. My guess is that McLouth came to the ballpark every day last year thinking that would be the day he would come out of it, and any slump he sees in the coming year will probably be thought of in the same way. Not as precursor to last year’s futility.
You go bad, you go good, just a matter of degree both ways. You do work in the cage and try to bring it in to the game; sometimes you can, sometimes you can’t. Sometimes, no matter what you do or how hard you work or how confident you are, you just have a crappy year. That’s baseball.
But players know what’s done is done, got another game today. Might get three hits. Let’s play.
gotigers72
January 21st, 2011
1:35 pm
“Too many teams that would love to have him.” Are you effing kiddin’ me. Who are those teams with GMs that have IQs above single digits. I take it that Nate is going to quit swinging at pitches above his eyeballs or in the dirt, start making bullet throws to the right base, without hesitation, taking accurate routes on fly balls over his head, being a heads-up baserunner and all of the other things that add up to being a ML ballplayer. Just an average ML player that plays with the correct fundamentals.
Lee Elia better bring his lunch if he is going to help make Nate an above mediocre baseball player!
jeffrey d
January 21st, 2011
1:38 pm
Good to hear from you CB! We were worried about you. Prayers are with you and your wife.
T for Texas
January 21st, 2011
1:39 pm
David–Do you think you could use your connections with the KU Athletic Dept. to maybe have your Jayhawks take it a little easy on my Longhorns this weekend? After the debacle that was the UT football season us alumni need a little something positive to fall back on, and beating Kansas in basketball might just be the ticket.
Lemke's Knuckler
January 21st, 2011
1:42 pm
Mayo on mlb.com just ranked Teheran as his #2 overall righty pitching prospect and ranked Minor #4 overall lefty pitching prospect. He goes out of his way to say Braves fans should be happy about the future with Hanson, Minor & Teheran. Can’t argue with him, but I would add Medlen to the mix and say I’m VERY happy!
The potential is there for a very good run this decade. And to think the Braves have done this without a lot of high draft picks.
Ralph
January 21st, 2011
1:42 pm
Even if McOut could hit 300 with 15 homers which he won’t he still can’t throw the ball to second base much less home plate in fact most time he doesn’t even try also he miss judges many fly balls that most center fielders handle quite routinely. If we go into the season with the idea that if he doesn’t improve by mid-season then we’ll make a move, remember the first game of the season is just as important as the last game and the braves have made that same mistake the past two seasons with Nate last year and Jordan the year before.
Smitty
January 21st, 2011
1:42 pm
T for Texas: C’mon man have faith! I am also a very big Longhorns fan, and honestly they have a legit shot. They are more of a team this year than they were last year.
jeffrey d
January 21st, 2011
1:42 pm
What would you say about a player who has hit DOB Bat
I’d say that’s a pretty rude player. We just missed another playoff there!
Pameeee
January 21st, 2011
1:47 pm
bigchieeeeeeeeeeeeefrg
January 21st, 2011
12:23 pm
I just got tix to see Arcade Fire and The National at UIC in Chicago on April 25th. Never been to chicago. Definitely goin to Wrigley. Anyone have any other “Chicago Have to”s?
Ah man, that’s what I remember and miss, travelling to concerts around the country. Have some fun for me…
Shaun
January 21st, 2011
1:49 pm
ncscoots, I agree. I think McLouth never got over early injuries last season.
McLouth has always been “eh” for me. For all the talk about how great he was in Pittsburgh, he had one very good season and a few okay-but-not-overly-impressive seasons. That said, the Braves did fine in trading for him and he’s a good option going into this season.
Robert
January 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
Just how tough are Phillies fans?
http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/video/dome-extra-sick-little-girl-fulfills-dream-of-heck,18831/
Dome Extra: Sick Little Girl Fulfills Dream Of Heckling David Wright The Wish Zone helps 9-year-old Phillies fan Allison Pencey scream offensive slurs at Mets third baseman David Wright. Featuring online bonus footage of even more of Allison’s vulgar ranting
Murph
January 21st, 2011
1:51 pm
Surely you don’t believe that confidence is all it takes?
No, not at all… it takes skill. Nate has shown in the past he has the skill, so obviously something was wrong last season that kept him from hitting the ball.
To be in a slump is one thing… guys have 0-25 streaks all the time. To have one that lasts an entire season, though, that’s not a slump. That’s a player who shouldn’t be in the MLB.
I’m sure he had a few days where he thought “this is the day”… then after that first K or weak grounder thought “I can’t believe this is happening”. It’s human nature. Nobody is above frustration or getting their confidence shaken, not even an MLB ballplayer.
T for Texas
January 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
Smitty–I’ve got some faith, but the inability to close out UConn at home spoke to me of Longhorn basketball past, which is the ability to be real good but not take that next step to being great. All in all I will take our Athletic Department as a whole over anyone in the country.
Crow
January 21st, 2011
1:53 pm
I saw Nate play in the minors when he was pushed down for a few weeks…. He was the worst one on the field there too! I can’t believe they’re giving him another shot. Looks like we’re going to lose a few more that could’ve been won, had MeLouth not been the last at bat… or the last one to attempt a routine fielding play… this is NOT a smart move at all.
Snotboogie
January 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
Whoosh!
Shaun
January 21st, 2011
1:55 pm
Murph, I’m sure McLouth’s confidence was shaken. The question is did that cause his struggles? I suspect that most of the time a vast majority of pro athletes overcome shaken confidence so it becomes a non issue. They push through. I suspect there are some exceptions to this but for the most part, if an athlete is not performing and he is still young enough to perform up to previous standards, it’s most likely because of injury.
cabravesfan
January 21st, 2011
1:56 pm
cab can tell you who Chris Medlin is, Ease.-Soph
When she wakes up (errr…I mean gets to work, uh, well I get one in the same), I will be sure to ask! Ease® in Woodstock
Soph-
Sorry- no idea who Chris Medlin is
I know whomever it was could not have possibily meant Kris Medlen could he? I mean, it’s not that hard to spell…
Ease- When I get up/get to work??? Hey, just because my commute is less than 30 feet and I am still in my pajamas doesn’t mean it’s not tough to get up and get ready…
Lemke's Knuckler
January 21st, 2011
1:57 pm
The #1 thing I’m looking for this year is for Tommy Hanson to assert himself as the ace of this staff and one of the dominant pitchers in the NL. If he improves on his slow starts he should do that. His splits were ridiculous (.260 avg innings 1-3, .230 inning 4-6 and .145 innings 7-9). If he can come out challenging hitters in the first few innings, teams will be lucky to get a run off of him and he’ll also keep his pitch count down which should allow him to go deeper into games. Last year, he only pitched 8 innings twice. Part of his 10-11 record was bad luck and no run support, but part of it was what I described above.
So if he improves in that area, I’m saying he wins 18+ games and attains ace status.
Murph
January 21st, 2011
1:58 pm
ncscoots, I agree. I think McLouth never got over early injuries last season.
What early injuries? As far as I know, the concussion was the only thing that kept him from playing… and he was hitting .176 before that happened.
He went 9-57 in April. He went 1-35 in ST before that (not sure if that’s the complete spring stats, but that’s all I could find). His stink didn’t have much to do with injuries as far as I know.
Smitty
January 21st, 2011
2:01 pm
T for Texas – I agree, we constantly put up winning programs year in and year out…UConn is very good, and I think we win that game if Kemba Walker doesn’t make his prayer of a shot or it gets called for shot clock violation which it truly was….but I suppose thats the human error side of sports…we are still in very good position for a deep tournament run not to mention a very good 2011 recruiting class that Rick Barnes has put together.
Nick's nickers!
January 21st, 2011
2:02 pm
Ease® in Woodstock
January 21st, 2011
10:31 am
Phillistein is on a role today
That would be anchor at Comedy Central ?
Bat Masterson
January 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
Man, even for The Onion, that was a bit much.
Murph
January 21st, 2011
2:04 pm
Nevermind, just found that he started last year with a hamstring issue. Still, he wasn’t injured for most of Spring Training when he went 1-35…
He never went on the DL for the hamstring, so it wasn’t bad enough to keep him from playing… so in my mind, it’s wasn’t bad enough to cause a .176 average prior to his concussion.
banjobrave
January 21st, 2011
2:05 pm
DOB hey got the Drive By’s suggestion you made and stumbled on a band that my daughter told me about. Not sure if you have mentioned them but what do you think about the Band Of Horses? I’m in my 50’s and they rocked my world. I’ll be at Dark Star 3rd week in March and the House of Blues schedule is pretty good there’s a band that is booked there-The Scott Holt Band, that is as good as it gets. He is from Columbia Tennessee (like Uggla) and has opened for Johnny Winter, Clapton, and he was in Buddy Guy’s band for a long time. So that may give you a live music shot for your jones if your schedule works out. FWIW Great Bloggage
Nick's nickers!
January 21st, 2011
2:05 pm
Crow
January 21st, 2011
1:53 pm
I saw Nate play in the minors when he was pushed down for a few weeks…. He was the worst one on the field there too! ..this is NOT a smart move at all.
They’re just not going to eat kk’s salary and McOut’s both at the same time. Ain’t gonna’ happen.
problematic
January 21st, 2011
2:08 pm
Braves are set for their season. Let’s go.
Lemke's Knuckler
January 21st, 2011
2:09 pm
Most of you guys don’t understand hitting very well. It’s as much mental as it is physical. If Nate had a hammy problem in spring training, he was probably compensating for it with his swing and once his swing was messed up, it was messed up in his head and not his body. This kind of stuff happens to hitters all the time. Not trying to blow sunshine up my own you know what, but McLouth’s a good ballplayer and I say it’s a 50/50 shot he’ll be productive. If he is productive, this lineup will be dynamic, there’s no arguing that.
Robert
January 21st, 2011
2:13 pm
There’s no question McClouth had a terrible year last year.
The questions are
1) How much, if any, rebound can we reasonably expect?
2) Why did anyone ever think the guy was that good to begin with?
Take a look at Nate McClouth’s career stats. He’s now 29 years old. He has hit above .270 ONCE in his big league career. He hit a passel of doubles once. Got to 90rbi once
Now, after you’ve pored over his career for a while, go look up Jeff Blauser
You know, the Braves shortstop who was sometimes pretty good but other times pretty Blausey
McClouth steals a few more bases – or, stated more precisely, when he wasnt playing for Bobby Cox, McClouth stole more bases than Blauser did during his days with the Braves
Other than that – career adjusted OPS 104 to 102 McClouth, career OBP .354 to .337 Blause, McClouth has a little more power (extra base hit in 9% of plate appearances vs 7% for Blauser
But when it comes down to producing runs for their team – for their careers, McClouth and Blauser are pretty darn similar
That aint a player to be getting any kind of sxcited about