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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
202 comments Add your comment
mike
March 31st, 2011
7:29 am
gooooooooooooooooooooooooooo braves and god speed this year
Napoleon Dynamite
March 31st, 2011
7:35 am
Is there a coffee house where all the Braves bloggers sit with their IPhones and laptops and blog about the Braves at different tables because they have absolutely no social skills whatsoever?
I would like that!
bill
March 31st, 2011
7:38 am
The reason people hate Bobby is that when he made mistakes it always seemed to be in public and at very critical times. We all know one ah s@it is worth 1000 ataboys. There was time in the midnineties even skip and pete abandoned him but the team came back against St. Louis and he survived. He stayed a long time and will be in the Hall of Fame. I remember seeing Johnny Bench being struck out when he thought he was being intentionally walked in a World Series the Reds lost. Whats the difference?
Bobby Cox
March 31st, 2011
8:03 am
They’re all good kids
phil
March 31st, 2011
8:11 am
Well, here we go. All the talk, all the babble about this and that, let’s see it on the field.
If it doesn’t rain them out, that is…
Will we see some good baseball or will it be the McFann, Ugly, Hurtward, McOut show?
phil
March 31st, 2011
8:12 am
And what’s the obsession with Cox this morning? The man is retired, even if he stays in Freddi’s office 24-7. Only an idiot can’t recognize the great things he accomplished for us. I’m proud of all he did, in spite of the ocassional screw up…
ramblingman
March 31st, 2011
8:16 am
It’s only opening day and the idiots are in mid season form.
Ragging on Bobby Cox, Chipper Jones, Prado playing LF? More like showing what pathetic whiners you are.
Bobby remains one of the greatest managers of all time. Whine all you want, the stats are there to prove he is well deserving of the HOF. Chipper has shown plenty to shut up you whiners during Spring Training, and yet you continue to cry. Prado has been nothing short of excellent in LF so far, and shows nothing but promise of being great there. His presence in the outfield makes the entire lineup that much better.
This will be a very good team. Some are picking them to win the NL East, some are picking them to win more than that.
All that matters is Baseball is back. Let’s play. As a true fan, I am excited by the season opening. Trolls can keep whining, I skip the vast majority of your posts anyway, you’re not worth the trouble.
Let’s Play Ball. Go Braves.
Cecil34
March 31st, 2011
8:18 am
It may be a marathon and not a sprint (they love to point that out) but make no mistake, every game is important.
It could mean the difference between division, wildcard and nothing.
Hopefully Freddie has this squad better prepared for April than previous manager ever did.
GTFan
March 31st, 2011
8:21 am
Who starts a freaking baseball game in the middle of the afternoon?
GTFan
March 31st, 2011
8:23 am
I can’t believe we still have McLouth and C. Jones? These two need to go!!!
phil
March 31st, 2011
8:25 am
GTFan….do you need medical attention? I can see booting McOut perhaps but there’s no better option around right now….as for Chipper, no point in even responding…
Money Hand$hake
March 31st, 2011
8:25 am
Ok 2011 Braves, here’s your to-do list.
1: Tell Jair to quit acting like Mike Hampton
3: Pitt Nate better be Pitt Nate
C: Little Bobby err err I mean Fredi needs to win win win no matter what what what
2: Spell Jason Heywoods name correctly…Sheesh !!!
Braves95WS
March 31st, 2011
8:28 am
Anybody know if this game is being shown live anywhere online today?
EB
March 31st, 2011
8:31 am
@ramblingman, you have once again stolen my heart! hahaha I completely agree with everything you always say! GO BRAVES!!!!
Sheamus
March 31st, 2011
8:41 am
I’ve got to agree about Bobby Cox bad post season managing. From Kirby Puckett off Dyle Alexander,to Joe Carter off Wohlers,to Lonnie Smith blunder base running,to Chris Reitsma pitching to Beltran,to playing Brooks Conrad period,its all the same. The dumbest moves at the most important times. The great Bobby Cox was a bonehead in the post season. I’m providing facts not opinion.
Sheamus
March 31st, 2011
8:43 am
Why hit McOut 2nd and your best pure hitter Heyward 6th ? Straight up dumb.
Sheamus
March 31st, 2011
8:47 am
Jair IS Mike Hampton. My left is stiff,my oblique hurts,my calf is tight,my shoulder tweaked,my nerts are swollen…
bucky oneil
March 31st, 2011
8:50 am
Sheamus -
Fact is Kirby Puckett was off Charlie Leibrandt. Doyle Alexander had left by that time. He was dealt to Detroit by that Bonehead Bobby Cox for some no-name pitcher…Oh, yeah kid named Smolt. What a Bonehead move that was!
bucky oneil
March 31st, 2011
8:51 am
I meant Smoltz not Smolt but you knew that …….or maybe you didn’t.
dre
March 31st, 2011
8:52 am
Zzzzzzzzzz
bucky oneil
March 31st, 2011
9:00 am
Sheamus-
For every “Boenhead” move you can name I can name twenty moves by Bobby Cox that enabled the Braves to have the success they enjoyed for so long.
Move along little doggie, move along……
j
March 31st, 2011
9:06 am
Lets go Braves! Gonna be a great season!
Herschel Talker – Why don’t you go cheer for your losing @ss UGAy Bulldogs. We don’t want fans like you.
HereComesBream
March 31st, 2011
9:10 am
Lets Go Braves!
Fargo
March 31st, 2011
9:11 am
I love that DOBs articles don’t start with ‘Lake Buena Vista-’ anymore!! I’m sure he agrees…
Papadawg
March 31st, 2011
9:13 am
The Braves office pool is here and at the top of the list is how many games before Chipper is hurt and out of the lineup
DC Brave
March 31st, 2011
9:15 am
Looking at the weather situation today it looks like it might be doing some kind of light rain/drizzle thing with the temp in the high 30s. What a way to kick off for the boys of summer. Wet grass….I think I’d be tempted to run someone other than #10 out there to 3B if it is doing that light rain thing from the 7th inning on.
Felix Millan
March 31st, 2011
9:16 am
ramblingman- as a True Bulldog, I hate to admit this, but you are dead right. I agree with everything you said. Some folks are not happy unless they can make everyone around them as miserable as they are.
bobbymahlon
March 31st, 2011
9:20 am
I see Gregor Blanco has just been sent to the Omaha. I’m surprised, I thought he played very well for KC last year.
Bill
March 31st, 2011
9:22 am
Hope Braves play well in cold weather..its 38 in Washington.
keep ramblin..Rambling -man..great fan for Braves and GT.
bobbymahlon
March 31st, 2011
9:29 am
I wish they would put Prado at one position so he can excel there instead of moving him around so much. It would be nice if he could get comfortable and think about his hitting instead of whether will I be in the infield or outfield next inning.
bobbymahlon
March 31st, 2011
9:30 am
Enter your comments here
bravesgrl4life
March 31st, 2011
9:31 am
The Braves Opening Day last year started at 4:05, I believe. I agree that was a much better start time. I took off a half day of work for it. If today was a home opener, I’d have to take the whole day basically.
bobbymahlon
March 31st, 2011
9:31 am
Does Washington have a dome ?
o-me
March 31st, 2011
9:40 am
Feels like 31 but 38… with winds 10 mph…. high 45 ..90% rain..But its opening day !!! The Braves win Shine.
In Fredi I Trust
March 31st, 2011
9:41 am
Finally its here. I can’t wait to see what this team does this year. This team has all the right pieces in place to go far, and I hope that is what happens.
BravesAC
March 31st, 2011
9:45 am
Go Braves, Lay the wood to ‘em from the first game to the last!
Big Jim
March 31st, 2011
9:46 am
Joshua, you are an idoit.
@Matt
March 31st, 2011
9:52 am
Matt and Dave O…
Matt … thanks for reposting the link to last year’s opening day article. DOB, thanks for such a great piece. Reminded me of a Braves/Bobby Cox version of the James Earl Jones soliloquy in Field of Dreams. Thank you.
Sheamus
March 31st, 2011
10:01 am
I get all the bad post season mves mixed up since there was so many. An invalid coulda managed a winning team with Smoltz,Glavine,& Maddux as SP’s. 14 division titles and 1 World Series title says it all. I don’t even need to say it.
wheelz007
March 31st, 2011
10:04 am
Good morning Braves fans. Today is the day!
It’s almost time!
McCann Fan
March 31st, 2011
10:05 am
Haters please get a job and shut up. What’s the point, really?
True fans “Happy Opening Day”
Chuck M.
March 31st, 2011
10:08 am
Herhal Talker,is just that,a talker,who knows nothing about Baseball say what you will about Bobby Cox,but he is a first ballot HOF!
Chuck M.
March 31st, 2011
10:09 am
Hershal!
southern hope
March 31st, 2011
10:10 am
“There is no sports event like the Opening Day of baseball, the sense of beating back the forces of darkness and the National Football League” — George Vecsey, NYTimes
charles holland 2/16/2011 nashville tn
March 31st, 2011
10:20 am
I have been watching the braves regularly for 35 yrs and i am more excited than ever before about this year.
CC
March 31st, 2011
10:20 am
Just HAVE to bring to light a pet peeve, which is this statement from the article: “…the race is a 162-game marathon that won’t be decided in April.”
And just WHY NOT?
An L in April counts for one loss the same as an L in September. A loss in April doesn’t diminish in value come the end of the year. April is just as long as September with just as many games — and ALL count. Making the case that the season is long usually is proffered the most forcefully when players have to answer for lackadaisical play leading to a loss. Let’s not be so nonchalant about a bad April or May. It still hurts at the end of the year to remember the little things done and not done to lose games early on — forcing a team to scramble the last 6 weeks just to make up for what might have been complacency, lack of concentration, or distractions (”but it’s a long season — we have time”).
Of course it’s long, but do you find the Lakers, the Patriots, the Spurs, or any other top-tier team thinking early on it’s okay to blow a few games in hopes of making it up later? I wouldn’t think so because their records don’t reflect that. If the Braves are so proud of this team, then it’s required of them to play with the outlook and attitude of a champion from the start.
So please, let’s not be writing the same ol’ stuff every year that provides an automatic cushion of excuses for less than 100% effort in the early games. I don’t mind getting beat straight up, but let’s not ALREADY be expecting the players to be blowing it, and that it’s okay because they can make up for it later. Because then — for sure, then — they’ll be talking about how hard it is to play when they’re “pressing too hard”. Puhlease!! Which is it going to be: 1) We have later, or, 2) it’s late and getting too hard? You can’t have it good both ways.
This year we don’t want catch-up pressure baseball. Enough of excuse-making both in the beginning and at the end.
EB
March 31st, 2011
10:24 am
@Southern hope-LOVING that quote!!
bobbymahlon
March 31st, 2011
10:26 am
I take it nobody knows if the Nats have a Dome.
Jamie
March 31st, 2011
10:27 am
Go Bravos
http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/ten-things-that-need-to-go-right-for-the-braves/
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
10:30 am
Nats officals say that if they can’t start the game on time, they are moving it to Friday afternoon. They will not wait until tonight to play.
phil
March 31st, 2011
10:30 am
I have to agree that every game counts the same….that’s obvious, or so I thought….of course there’s time ot overcome early losses, but please, enough with that excuse….go out and win now if we’re so damn good….
As for our postseason futility over the years, it all comes back to not being able to hit good pitching…no amount of managerial moves could make up for whif after whif after whif after grounder to short, etc, etc….3 outstanding starters, Braves lose….and you can look it up!
phar71
March 31st, 2011
10:34 am
Any websites to watch the game for free.99 today?
Napoleon Dynamite
March 31st, 2011
10:41 am
Do chickens have large talons?
Napoleon Dynamite
March 31st, 2011
10:43 am
No, there is no dome in DC!
Friggin Idiot! Gyah!
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
10:51 am
Napoleon – yes there is. Saw it on tv. It’s white and has a flag on top.
BRAVES FANS NEED AN OPENING DAY BLOG!!!
Napoleon Dynamite
March 31st, 2011
10:54 am
Do they play baseball there?
Noooooooo!
Friggin idiot! Gyah!
wheelz007
March 31st, 2011
10:55 am
I hope our “Full Metal Jacket” knocks Livan Hernandez out of the game before the 5th inning.
Let’s hang some runs on this guy!
HornLeg HornFog
March 31st, 2011
10:58 am
phil……having your nose-picking manager pull your power closer with nasty stuff (Kimbrell) in the 9th inning of game 3 against the Giants and putting in a lefty with average stuff (Dunn) to face a good hitter like Aubrey Huff (screw the lefty-lefty match-up)……is just one example of how Booby Cox mismanaged one play-off series after another.
As soon as Booby brought in Dunn, I knew that the game was over. I was watching the game with several of my friends who were Giants fans….and I can remember 2 of them saying “dude, WTF, what is Cox doing”? They were thrilled to see Kimbrell get pulled. They had not seen Kimbrell pitch before the play-offs and they couldnt get over how nasty Kimbrell was throwing. They were saying that Kimbrell was bringing it nastier than even their closer Brian Wilson (who is nasty in his own right).
After Dunn gave up the hit to Huff…one of my buddies was like “now I know why you guys only one 1 World Series” during that great run.
Enough said.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
10:59 am
Napoleon – Are you in 2nd period computer lab right now? You certainly don’t understand a sarcastic remark.
Bayou Brave
March 31st, 2011
11:00 am
This is the opening day blog.
Fargo
March 31st, 2011
11:03 am
great…do we really have to deal with this guy here today DOB?
Fish Bisch
March 31st, 2011
11:09 am
I’m excited
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
11:12 am
Bayou Brave – date line of blog: “7:27 pm March 30, 2011″.
DOB will post one soon wit the latest info.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
11:13 am
wit = with
wheelz007
March 31st, 2011
11:24 am
90 minutes from baseball!
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
11:29 am
The Washington Post has something called NatCast, giving weather conditions for the upcoming game. Here is what is says about today:
“Feels like opening day in Scotland! Dress warmly, jackets required and preferably the waterproof kind. Mist and/or light showers are possible but the steady rain should hold off until or after it is time to leave the stadium. A rain out is unlikely.”
I like the last sentence.
obi wan kenobi
March 31st, 2011
11:40 am
Enter your comments here
jim
March 31st, 2011
11:40 am
If MLB is going to start the season on Mar 31, why are teams like Atlanta, San Diego, and LA Anaheim opening in the Midwest or Mid Atlantic, and a dome team like Mil. opening in Cinn.?
obi wan kenobi
March 31st, 2011
11:41 am
May the force be with you.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
11:49 am
DOB,
How fair are the criticisms of Uggla’s defensive prowess and will new manager, Fredi Gonzalez’s focus on fundamentals result in fewer errors this season?
ole richie
March 31st, 2011
11:49 am
why is my sports south blacked out in my area? mad as hell
jim
March 31st, 2011
11:50 am
To me the effectiveness of Larry Parish as hitting coach will be measured by the approach the Braves hitters take to Livan Hernandez today. If they try to pull everything like they did last year and hit a bunch of weak grounders to the infield, then we could be in for a long day. We make a lot on this blog about how a hitting coach will affect an individual hitter, as if these guys got to the ML without having a pretty good approach to hitting to start with. The hitting coach is more responsible for alerting them to bad habits that might get them out of their usual approach and making a game plan for attacking the pitcher(s) they are likely to face that day.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
11:58 am
ole richie – where are you at?
Matt
March 31st, 2011
11:59 am
What station is carrying the game??
ole richie
March 31st, 2011
12:00 pm
south ga
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
12:06 pm
Ole Richie – me too! I didn’t know it was blacked out!!!
Matt – Fox SportsSouth.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
12:07 pm
Maybe Venice Jim will be online for PBP.
ole richie
March 31st, 2011
12:11 pm
what is pbp and where can i find it lol
tristan
March 31st, 2011
12:11 pm
I am 15 miles outside of DC, and the skies are only cloudy, they are calling for drizzle and possible showers by the eighth inning.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
12:14 pm
Venice Jim has been posting the play-by-play (PBP) for most of the spring games. Hope he turns up today – now that it counts.
Jimmy
March 31st, 2011
12:15 pm
Less than an hour now…
tristan
March 31st, 2011
12:16 pm
I wonder why MLB teams don’t have a warmer in the dugout for the bats. You keep them in a warmer on days like this and it may not hurt as bad to make contact.
Najeh Davenpoop
March 31st, 2011
12:17 pm
Right now, this is looking like the Atlanta sports team with the best shot at a championship. Maybe that says more about the other Atlanta sports teams, but whatever. I’m excited for the season. Go Braves.
Brave New World
March 31st, 2011
12:26 pm
Baseball is here! GO BRAVES!
BIOMASS
March 31st, 2011
12:35 pm
is it too early to say Freddy G needs to watch his weight?
GO BRAVES
ole richie
March 31st, 2011
12:39 pm
problem solved
tristan
March 31st, 2011
12:40 pm
If you could see these on field introductions, you would be laughing out loud!!!
Season Prediction
March 31st, 2011
12:43 pm
NL East title will come down to the last week of the season. Hopefully the last series at home against Philly and get some payback for last year.
tristan
March 31st, 2011
12:44 pm
It is like the WWE with red carpets, music, and smoke! LOL
Braves Fan
March 31st, 2011
12:46 pm
The game is Blacked out if you are a Dish customer?? WTF.
Trojan
March 31st, 2011
12:48 pm
Dishnetwork is one disappointment after another. Get use to it.
charlotte observer
March 31st, 2011
12:57 pm
FYI … for those seeking streaming audio .. 1570-wcle-am-Cleveland, TN
LWB
March 31st, 2011
1:02 pm
The game is blacked out on MLB tv and MLB.com. *sigh* This is ridiculous. Every year, I pay for either the extra innings package or the MLB.tv and every year I can’t watch games from the Baltimore/DC area even though I live in southern NC. What a crock.
Cox Fan
March 31st, 2011
1:03 pm
Professional baseball manager is the most overrated job in terms of importance to the success of the team in all of professional sports. What do they do? Fill out the lineup card? Substitute players on average of about five times per game? It’s silly to think they have any impact on practice or game situations. These players are pros when they get here, and they just go out and do their thing. Bobby knew that, and anyone who disputes it knows nothing about baseball. I am 100% positive I could successfully manage a franchise that had enough talent.
Managing at a development level is a totally different concept and requires a lot more effort from a coach. If a big league coach has to do anything other than pick his nose, somebody wasn’t doing their job right at the A or AA level.
You’re free to disagree, but if you do, you’re dumber than Jose Canseco.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:21 pm
Good to see Chipper start his season with a double and score on the McCann single.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:26 pm
Lowe in some early trouble. Dudes on 1st and 3rd for Nats.. 0 outs. Here comes Laroche.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:26 pm
2-1 count to former Brave.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:28 pm
LaRoche pops out to infield. My bad on the outs. LaRoche is the 2nd out. Not the first.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:29 pm
Michael Morse grounds to Gonzalez, thrown out to end inning.
Roberto
March 31st, 2011
1:33 pm
Heyward HR. 2-0 Braves.