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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3,332 comments Add your comment
Venice Jim
March 31st, 2011
4:18 pm
The Braves, except for Tommy Hanson, have an old rotation.
Did not realize JJ and Beachy were old…
raleighbravefan
March 31st, 2011
4:18 pm
That sorry McLouth went hitless today. That proves he is NO GOOD! (sarcasm!) BTW, so did Prado, Uggla, and Freeman, amoung others. I guess we are obviously DOOMED!!!
Sonny Jackson
March 31st, 2011
4:18 pm
Good one, Hillbilly…
Bat Masterson
March 31st, 2011
4:20 pm
Nice start to the season…….
Regular season commenting is underway………….
Commenters bitching ……
Other commenters bitching about commenters bitching …………
Commenters bitching about other commenters bitching about commenters bitching…………..
Crime Dog
March 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
It’s the circle of life, Bat. The Wheel of Fortune, if you will.
Chop Chop
March 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
Shut up, Bat.
We need to play Whitey-ball. Until Fredi realizes that, we’re done.
DOC
March 31st, 2011
4:21 pm
WHO are we tied with
tiger297
March 31st, 2011
4:23 pm
not the nationals…
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:24 pm
Bat, stop bitching about other commenters bitching about commenters bitching
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:25 pm
2 things:
DOB – Can you either confirm nor deny that Nate McLouth get his hair professionally highlighted? I mean damn… Did anyone else see that today (or all spring)? He has nicer locks than most Hollywood legends…
DLowe pitched his ass off… you could tell he wanted to finish the 6th. Great movement, kept the ball down, maybe a few too many balls, but overall a superb effort on opening day.
Go my team!!!
Bat Masterson
March 31st, 2011
4:25 pm
Chop Chop_
I have to say I’m disappointed in you, man. How could you let the Hooters close down, where is the civic pride?
raleighbravefan
March 31st, 2011
4:25 pm
MitchC…. “unless the Braves play above expectations”
Who’s expectations? I expect them to win the East.
nolie
March 31st, 2011
4:26 pm
all we could score against the Nat’s stinky pitching is 2 runs? Gonna be a long summer. Might not score more that 600 runs all year
Bat Masterson
March 31st, 2011
4:26 pm
Not bitching JC, making an observation, that’s all.
Einsteindawg
March 31st, 2011
4:27 pm
Congrats Fredi G. and the Braves…great win today! Are the MLB umps calling a smaller strike zone this season? Both Sabathia and Verlander had over 100 pitches in 6 innings. Good to see MclOUTh already in mid-seasn form…0-4.
nolie
March 31st, 2011
4:27 pm
bitchers are a bitch
timthebrave
March 31st, 2011
4:28 pm
JC from DR! stop bitching about bat bitching about other commenters bitching about commenters bitching
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:28 pm
And I was joking.
Chop Chop
March 31st, 2011
4:29 pm
We don’t give a hoot.
cricket
March 31st, 2011
4:29 pm
It’s all Freddy’s fault
Mitchie-san
March 31st, 2011
4:29 pm
Number 81? Not too bad.
timthebrave
March 31st, 2011
4:29 pm
DOC , We aren’t tied with anyone……Only other game so far that is completed is Yankees won
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:30 pm
Nolie – The Nats aren’t push-overs and Livan has always given the Braves issues. He’s an annoyingly smart pitcher. Their bullpen was also 4th best in the majors last year. Nice win today. Livan has OWNED the Braves in his career.
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:30 pm
timthebrave – Let’s all just stop bitching about me bitching about bat bitching about other commenters bitching about commenters bitching.
Bat Masterson
March 31st, 2011
4:30 pm
Crime_
The wheel landed on good fortune today. Braves win and the sun came out.
Not only that but I was told the check is in the mail today, too. Man, what a life.
big j
March 31st, 2011
4:30 pm
Enter your comments here i’m worried fish bisch won’t run out of gas
Chop Chop
March 31st, 2011
4:30 pm
Einsteindawg,
The strike zone looked nice and wide to me today. Livan figured it out after the Heyward bomb. Lowe got so much movement on his sinkers and sliders today that he couldn’t hit the wide corners most of the time.
Bill Elliott
March 31st, 2011
4:31 pm
This isn’t my brother’s hero at all, this guy is my hero…Glad to see Todd Snider get some love, DOB. Not many people can pull off two live albums in 8 years and pull it off as well as Snider.
And what do you think Fredi’s gameplan throwing Venters out there in the 8th against 3 righties and Kimbrel in the 9th against 2 lefties? Does this mean Kimbrel is going to (unofficially) be the guy?
David O'Brien
March 31st, 2011
4:32 pm
Fredi Gonzalez had a bottle of Dom Perignon on his desk, a congratulatory gift from Braves staffer who’s worked with him since minor league days at Triple-A Richmond
nolie
March 31st, 2011
4:32 pm
. Livan has OWNED the Braves in his career. DC
I think you need to revisit the stats boards, or the above DOB blog.
Much of Livan’s career we beat the pants off of him
Bat Masterson
March 31st, 2011
4:33 pm
And I was joking.
JC_
As was I, nice to see we’re on the same page. I would post the wink emoticon but just can’t bring myself to do that.
RC
March 31st, 2011
4:33 pm
Pujols just popped up with 1 out and Rasmus on third. Cardinals should cut that bum
bfred
March 31st, 2011
4:33 pm
Chop Chop you may not want to bring up wide strike zones and Hernandez in the same zip code.
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
The Cards’ lineup looks good.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
Yeah, Livan has only pitched like CY Young against us when a) he received a strike zone from batters box to batters box and then the last couple years…
Mitchell
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
RC
March 31st, 2011
4:03 pm
There have been a lot of good opening days in recent years and one pretty memorably bad one but I would dare sare that today was even better than last year.
Maybe the best.
Sorry, today was not better than last year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy as can be, but last year was amazing. Not going to beat that one anytime soon.
I know, but last year was a fantasy. That was a freak of nature game. It was like some alternate universe exhibition.
In retrospect, it’s amazing they only scored 16 runs. They would have kept scoring but they got bored or so it seemed.
Yunel Escobar had five rbi’s at the end of the day for crying out loud. How many more did he get after that until they finally traded him, like two?
This is the team we expected to see today, that was the outcome we wanted to see and expected and they didn’t disappoint.
No flash, just solid all around performance. And no errors, for once.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
RC-
Totally…
Danga
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
Any ideas on why Venters was brought into face 3 righties and Kimbrel faced 2/3 lefties? Ya’ll think this is a sign that Fredi intends to use Kimbrel as the closer no matter the situation?
headl
March 31st, 2011
4:34 pm
An amendment to my post: I know Jair Jurrgens isnt “old”
Beachy isn’t old either. Neither is Minor. Id say your assessment pretty much sucked.
In fact the Braves have the perfect mix of Veterans ( Hudson Lowe ) and youngsters.
David O'Brien
March 31st, 2011
4:35 pm
No decision yet on Jurrjens, but sounds like team might DL him and have him pitch for first time in April 8-10 home series vs. PHI
Danga
March 31st, 2011
4:36 pm
Or I could have waited and let Bill ask the question for me.
J-bone
March 31st, 2011
4:36 pm
in tradition with the family plan.
j
March 31st, 2011
4:36 pm
MitchC – Stay off the bandwagon come October. We will beat the Phillies this year.
Einsteindawg
March 31st, 2011
4:37 pm
Thanks Chop!
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
4:38 pm
Good point there…
And it was nice to see the pitching staff set the tone w/ a shutout and complete performance from EVERYONE that pitched….just great stuff…
And reminder, this Nats lineup may no longer have Dunn but adding Werth, LaRoche, and Morse I feel has given them a better lineup than what we’re used to facing…that said, it was nice to not see Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman as those guys were absolute PESTS to us!
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:39 pm
Nolie – Are you a Braves fan? Perhaps you’ve forgotten about game 5 of the 1997 NLCS… You do some research.
cricket
March 31st, 2011
4:39 pm
Much of Livan’s career we beat the pants off of him
That’s impressive, those are some big azz pants ..
David O'Brien
March 31st, 2011
4:39 pm
Despite being called “co-closers” by Fredi G., today’s usage seems to indicate Kimbrel is primary guy
Danga
March 31st, 2011
4:40 pm
today’s usage seems to indicate Kimbrel is primary guy
He certainly looked the part.
Tomas
March 31st, 2011
4:41 pm
Jurrjens felt discomfort?
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:41 pm
BravesFan in DC – I think the Ump had something to do with the outcome of that game back in ‘97..
Chop Chop
March 31st, 2011
4:42 pm
If Kimbrel struggles at all this season, we’ll just have to chalk it up to him not being any good. That’s all I’m saying.
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:43 pm
P-Town Brave © – I agree on Nyjer Morgan, the guy was a real PITA for the Braves.
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:44 pm
JC – Correct. We were absolutely robbed that game, but Umps always have something to do with it. That’s the imperfect beauty of baseball.
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:44 pm
Nyjer Morgan is a clown. So glad he’s out of the division.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
4:45 pm
DOB-
As he should be….while Venters’ stuff is just as good, Kimbrel I believe projects better as a closer and gets more punch outs…
And man was he AMPED!
Murph
March 31st, 2011
4:46 pm
AT, how’s it going? I was up working last night ’til 5am and ended up playing a lot of RttS while waiting for stuff to load…
Didn’t fare too well. My average is now below .250 again after a string of 0-4’s in a row. I am leading the league in HR with 18, 2nd in RBI, but my manager keeps telling me I’m not going anywhere if I don’t start listening or something like that… I dunno, I wasn’t really paying attention to him.
I love the game, when I’m doing well, but when I’m on a streak like I got on last night, I think it’s horrible.
nolie
March 31st, 2011
4:47 pm
Nolie – Are you a Braves fan DC
are you a moron? Is that the only game you can remember?
You said he owned us his entire career. That is so not true as to be a ludicrous statement. Hell DOB just went over it in the blog.
My original comment simply and politely pointed out to you that he did not own us his entire career like you said.
If you can’t stand someone pointing out a mistake in what you say, you need to grow some thicker skin instead of attacking someone who tells you the truth.
Fish Bisch
March 31st, 2011
4:48 pm
DOB,
Did you ask Fredi why Cheryl and linebrink didn’t get any work in today? I thought the Braves paid them big bucks to be middle relievers in the clutch.
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:49 pm
Nolie – Why are you getting so defensive? Easy big guy. Maybe you need to “grow some thicker skin”… we’re on the same side, bud.
N8
March 31st, 2011
4:49 pm
“Sorry, today was not better than last year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy as can be, but last year was amazing. Not going to beat that one anytime soon.” RC
Why? Because Heyward blew past all the hype and hit the big 3 run BOMB in the first inning?
I’ll admit for Jason Heyward, it was pretty special.
But I’m a fan of pitching and defense and today magnifies exactly how this team is going to win this year….
LIGHTS OUT bullpen. And Freddie Freeman making 2 or 3 plays that saved his infielders. Something we all need to get used to seeing, regardless of what he does with the stick. Derek Lowe looked great.
Like I said. I’ll concede it wasn’t nearly as dramatic. But you know what? I was just as much on the edge of my seat with a 2-0 lead and Kimbrel coming in for the save as I was when Heyward came to the plate last year in the 1st inning of game one.
Kimbrel didn’t disappoint. Just won’t get all the accolades that young Heyward did. But it’s certainly as important as Heyward starting off hot last year.
I can’t explain it enough how if Kimbrel starts the year off saving around 10 games in a row without issue, how that will trigger him to a MONSTER year.
The 8th and 9th inning of today’s game was HUGE (even if it was the Nats), and the rest of the NL was taking notice.
If Kimbrel and Venters do what they did at the end of last year for an entire year? NOBODY is going to want to face this pitching staff.
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
4:50 pm
Sherrill.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
4:50 pm
“my manager keeps telling me I’m not going anywhere if I don’t start listening or something like that… I dunno, I wasn’t really paying attention to him” -Murph
FUNNY stuff Murph!
Maybe you oughta start listening…
Found the dumbest thing on the game…you can’t do a Co-op Franchise…something that surely will need to be fixed for 2012.
Murph
March 31st, 2011
4:50 pm
You know who scares me in the NL this year? Milwaukee… their 1-5 hitters have got to be amongst the best in the game. Wouldn’t want to face them in October.
timthebrave
March 31st, 2011
4:52 pm
Fish Bisch, Can you ask yourself why you can’t just enjoy a win?
Fish Bisch
March 31st, 2011
4:52 pm
Yes, Milwaukee will do some damage this year.
tiger297
March 31st, 2011
4:52 pm
nolie – everything ok down your way…hear kissimee/lakeland got lit up pretty good
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:53 pm
Milwaukee… or “The Good Land”… will be a scary team offensively, but Atlanta out-pitches them any day of the weak. I love knowing if one of our guys goes down we have Minor in the wings… we are stacked! Hey, remember Kris Medlen? I would love to see him back in the ‘pen come August.
RC
March 31st, 2011
4:53 pm
N8,
I meant last year was better than last year from a sheer excitement level. Obviously which opening day is “better” is a strictly personal fan experience. Last year I was in the stands at Turner Field for a playoff-like atmosphere with my fiance. This year I was at work and not even able to get radio of the game until the 3rd inning.
Both games count as a win. I’m just happy we started the season off right.
PTBNL
March 31st, 2011
4:53 pm
DC, one game is not his career. nolie’s statement is correct. The original statement was regarding a whole career.
bravesgrl4life
March 31st, 2011
4:54 pm
Last year’s Opening Day was special – we were at home for one thing. And it wasn’t just Jason’s 3-run stadium-turning blast, it was the whole thing. Opening Day, Rookie Phenom jacks one to right field on his first MLB swing, and the last Opening Day for Bobby Cox as Manager of the Atlanta Braves. It really was a beautiful day and a fun day at the Ted. I got to give my Cubs-loving sister-in-law a little family grief about my Braves kicking Cubbie tail that day.
Fish Bisch
March 31st, 2011
4:54 pm
I do agree with N8 that today’s win will be a blueprint for how most of the games this season will be decided, although I think I might need to stock up on heartburn and anxiety medication.
richbrave
March 31st, 2011
4:56 pm
I liked what I saw today…..between screams and diapers that is…..solid pitching and defense. Both timely and sudden hitting.
If this club gets this kind of effort all year we could win 100, which means the others in our division won’t.
Fish Bisch
March 31st, 2011
4:56 pm
That’s the thing about “special” opening days, people make stuff up about what they thought they witnessed. Heywood hit a homer on a 2-0 pitch not his first swing.
Murph
March 31st, 2011
4:57 pm
PT – Here’s my biggest frustration with The Show. I am a 1B/3B prospect in the Dodgers organization. My manager has given me things to work on, like improving my baserunning. How do I show improvement in baserunning? I only got thrown out stealing once (compared to my usual 10 times in a play session) and the bar didn’t move at all.
Also, if I see the opposition bunt with 2 strikes, nobody on and nobody out in the bottom of the 9th inning again I’m going to punch Ward in the nose.
RC
March 31st, 2011
4:57 pm
That’s the thing about “special” opening days, people make stuff up about what they thought they witnessed. Heywood hit a homer on a 2-0 pitch not his first swing.
Heywood didn’t do anything. Hey-WARD did hit a HR on his first swing. If he had swung before that, he wouldn’t have a 2-0 count (meaning 2 balls….no swings).
BravesFan in DC
March 31st, 2011
4:58 pm
PTBNL – He’s always been pretty good against us. Last year included. For a guy that throws a 62mph slurve and tops out at 83mph he has fared well against Atlanta… but yes, maybe my statement was over-stated. It just seems like when it’s really mattered he’s been very good against us.
Murph
March 31st, 2011
4:59 pm
I liked what I saw today…..between screams and diapers that is
Lew came to visit?
I kid Lew… I kid.
Danga
March 31st, 2011
4:59 pm
I do agree with N8 that today’s win will be a blueprint for how most of the games this season will be decided
I disagree. The pitchers are good. But I think we’ll score some runs this year and be using the heartburn meds following a few errors.
Soph
March 31st, 2011
4:59 pm
Heywood hit a homer on a 2-0 pitch not his first swing.
Ay-yi-yi.
Crime Dog
March 31st, 2011
5:00 pm
That’s the thing about “special” opening days, people make stuff up about what they thought they witnessed. Heywood hit a homer on a 2-0 pitch not his first swing.
That response was pretty “special” alright. I love all those pitches called balls despite the batter swinging.
RC
March 31st, 2011
5:00 pm
Wow….either GameDay is way off, or the umpire in the SD-STL game has just been blinded.
RC
March 31st, 2011
5:01 pm
Rasmus just saw Ball 2 hit the center square of the 9×9 strikezone grid…
Venice Jim
March 31st, 2011
5:02 pm
Pujols just hit into a DP – he is clearly cracking under the strain of the contract year pressure…
RC
March 31st, 2011
5:02 pm
Pujols grounds into a double play in his second AB. Pop up to 3rd and a GIDP…why do they hang onto this guy???
CB
March 31st, 2011
5:03 pm
I agree with N8 that this pitching staff could be special but I also feel this offense will be one of the best in the NL. Chipper is the catalyst if he has a good year,Heyward will give us 25-30 HRS and McCann will have a career year with his support. Don’t let today fool anyone,this is a good hitting team.
JC from DR!
March 31st, 2011
5:04 pm
That Fish Bisch comment should go into the Blog’s HOF.
cricket
March 31st, 2011
5:04 pm
DOB could have avoided this pointless spat only if he had mentioned following in the blog -
The Braves get old friend Livan today, who’s pitched a lot better against them lately than he did for most of his career. In fact, he’s pitched against them lately like he once did only in the postseason.
When he was a Marlins, Hernandez went 3-0 in three postseason games against the Braves.
After going 3-15 with a 5.52 ERA in his first 25 regular-season games (24 starts) against the Braves, Hernandez is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts against them over the past two seasons
N8
March 31st, 2011
5:05 pm
RC, yeah. I suppose actually being at that game makes it considerably more special. I watched both last year’s and this year’s game on TV, and can honestly say that other than the moment leading up to, during and after Heyward’s first AB, this game was just as enjoyable from my living room as that one was.
But yeah… I’m sure experiencing that atmosphere at the Ted was electric to say the least.
Danga I agree. I think we’ll hit more, thus scoring more runs. Along with making plenty of errors, allowing more unearned runs. Either way, it will make for plenty of close games and having Kimbrel and Venters at the end of the pen (along with Moylan and O’Flaherty) will shorten the games and should help us win more than we lose in the close game category.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
5:05 pm
Murph-
I don’t know about the bunting situation, but the other…
Have you tried using your training points to add to your baserunning stats?
Thats generally how you please the manager, unless its an actually numeral tied stat like Collect # total bases in next 3 series…
Get what I’m saying?
CB
March 31st, 2011
5:06 pm
I got to type faster to beat Danga. LOL
nique
March 31st, 2011
5:08 pm
Heyward is a beast!
PTBNL
March 31st, 2011
5:11 pm
DC, it is true that lately he has done well against the Braves. And he did well in the playoffs against the Braves years ago. I can see where one would perceive him to be highly successful because those moments may tend to stick more in memory than his whole career. I don’t think nolie would have any problem with your “corrected” statement either. It is true that he has done well against the Braves at times. But looking over his whole career is a different picture all together.
Rufio
March 31st, 2011
5:11 pm
Wow, What a Game !!!! Jason Heyward is on pace to hit 162 home runs this year!!!!
I always loved that Skip joke! You can only use it on Opening Day though!!
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
5:13 pm
VICTORY IS OURS!
CaptainMudderland
March 31st, 2011
5:17 pm
No rain on this victory parade…but, I am concerned with who I think is this teams weak link: McClouth. I am excited about this team and our chances obviously–however, I am really upset that we have this guy instead of someone good enough to bounce back after a seemingly year-long slump–hope is still there for him but it’s waning fast.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
5:18 pm
Oh dear GOD…
Check out the Brewers/Reds game if you have the MLB package…
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
5:18 pm
Rolen just hit one to McGhee at 3b and he tried to tag Phillips and missed and then didn’t get the runner at 1b on the throw…
Reds have em loaded for Jay Bruce w/ nobody out in the 9th down 6-3.
P-Town Brave ©
March 31st, 2011
5:24 pm
REDS WALK OFF!
3-RUN HR BY RAMON HERNANDEZ!
Reds just have the magic again….
RC
March 31st, 2011
5:24 pm
3-run HR by the Ramon Hernandez. Reds win 8-7.