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Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,719 comments Add your comment
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
12:56 am
Uh-oh – it’s on between N8 and ward…
Ward
May 13th, 2011
12:56 am
What ever N8 you win!!!!!!!!
Ward
May 13th, 2011
12:57 am
Venice Jim: How about our Braves!
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
12:59 am
Ward – great comeback – we’ll get to see them a week from tomorrow in Anaheim…
N8
May 13th, 2011
1:01 am
No it’s not on. But he posted disagreeing. Then when I responded by stating that EARLIER tonight I stated the same thing (that Washington was an improved team), he responded with “blah, blah, blah….Next!”
Who’s the douche? Not me.
Then he tells me to relax because the sky’s not falling?
Not sure at what point of the night I stated the sky was falling. But I’ll repeat…. if it does fall, I’d appreciate it if it landed on Ward. Or in the very least, his computer.
If wishing for that makes me the winner? Neat.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:01 am
Venice Jim: The Braves will be televised during the Seattle game too. Just watch the Seattle game on T.V. at the end of May!
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:03 am
Hmmmmmmm………..No commit!
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:05 am
Interesting article on Bryce Harper:
On the day Bryce Harper walked into the eye doctor’s office, he was, he would say later, “blind as a bat.” Keith Smithson, the Washington Nationals’ team optometrist, asked Harper to read an eye chart, then looked at him with astonishment and said, according to Harper: “I don’t know how you ever hit before. You have some of the worst eyes I’ve ever seen.”
The next night, fitted with a new pair of contact lenses, Harper, batting just .231 at the time for the low-Class A Hagerstown Suns. In 20 games since his visit to the eye doctor, Harper is hitting .480 (36 for 75) with a .547 on-base percentage and an .893 slugging percentage — with 7 homers, 10 doubles and 23 RBI.
How can he have gotten there with no one noticing? Not that I’m in any rush to see him with the Natinals…
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:06 am
Yeah I wish The Hakws could’ve won,but I ‘m glad they don’t have to play the Heat! As much as I dislike the Heat. Heat will win series 4 games to 1.
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:07 am
N8 – Ward is Ward…a unique presence on the blog, in a very different way than you are a unique presence on the blog…
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:07 am
I just don’t see the Bulls winning more than one game now against Heat! At least the Hawks made it to the second round……
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:14 am
Venice Jim: I think Fredi is doing a fine job managing…..Keep Kimbrel as closer.Let him mature into one of the best closers in Baseball……
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:15 am
Has any one heard about Heyward?
N8
May 13th, 2011
1:19 am
VJ. I don’t have a problem with Ward. I have a problem with Ward starting a conversation with a reply and then when the conversation gets too deep for him, he runs for higher ground.
Either hang and discuss, or don’t butt in. When I butt in, I stick it out.
I usually enjoy reading Ward’s posts. Especially when there is 27 of them in row.
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:20 am
Ward – Heyward – just inflammation – had a cortisone shot, should be okay in a few days…
N8
May 13th, 2011
1:21 am
I agree with you Ward on Kimbrel. While on the surface, it’s a tad alarming to think Wagner blew only 7 saves last year (actually one of the league leader in closers for blown saves) and Kimbrel already has 3 of them.
But I’d stick with him too. Hopefully it doesn’t cost the Braves a playoff spot. But that’s part of the growing process for a young guy.
He was filthy tonight.
What I got a kick out of, was Joe talking about Venters just occasionally having a 4 pitch walk in the middle of an otherwise stellar outing.
To me he didn’t do anything different than what he normally does (or had been doing earlier in the outing). The batter just happened to take 4 pitches that moved out of the strike zone.
Had he swung and missed, Joe would have talked about how he dominated him.
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:21 am
N8 – I know what you mean…
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:23 am
Gosh – 3 people on the blog and I still get yelled at for posting too quickly…and I can’t even blame it on my IP sharer…
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:24 am
Now I’m just going to keep posting to annoy the WordPress gods…
N8
May 13th, 2011
1:25 am
LOL VJ.
What I love is when you click “submit comment” and nothing happens. Then when you click it again, thinking you might not have posted it and it says that you’ve already posted that (or whatever it says).
Cracks me up… and pisses me off a bit. LOL
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:25 am
Check this out! I was doing some research in the Royals line up,and -
Jeff Francouer .303 average 8 home runs 26 RBI’s
Melky Cabrera .280 average 5 home runs 24 RBI.s
Where was that production with the Braves? unbelievable!
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:27 am
N8 – cab and I are used to getting the “too quickly” message when we’re on the computers here in the same room, using the same internet access – what’s strange is that it also happens when I’m at work 10 miles away…I need to experiment and see if a different email there makes a difference…
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:28 am
N8: I will be nicer on my comments!
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:32 am
Venice Jim: Thats good news on Heyward!
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:33 am
Ward – it is…
Tron5000
May 13th, 2011
1:34 am
I say leave the kids in their places. I think it helps a pitcher prepare mentally when he knows he has a set role. If a pitcher knows he’s an 8th- or 9th-inning guy, as the game goes along, he can kind of prepare himself for whether or not he’s going to have to come in, rather than it just being the manager’s call of who he wants at that specific time. (Of course it’s always the manager’s call, but hopefully you guys know what I mean.) And as others have said, and Fredi has acknowledged, it’s still really early in the career of Craig Kimbrel. He’ll have hiccups, but he’ll learn from them and be just fine. Actually, I think he’ll be a lot better than fine, as evidenced by tonight’s outing. Let’s not forget it’s also early in the season. If Kimbrel were having issues later in the season with a playoff berth on the line, sure, I’d say give Venters a shot in some closing situations. But we’re not there yet.
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:36 am
I suspect Jason will have a better May than Tiger will…
Venice Jim
May 13th, 2011
1:38 am
And with that, I bid everyone good evening – I get to watch the game tomorrow for the first time since Sunday, which was a fun game against the Philadelphia ball club…
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:41 am
Venice Jim: Steriods didn’t help Tiger did they?
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:48 am
I would rest Jason for about a week, and just let Hinske get some more at bats……
uga-brave
May 13th, 2011
1:49 am
venters, your are watching the best left hander in history.
uga-brave
May 13th, 2011
1:51 am
just hope you are digging it.
venters, is the best pitcher with the cutter i have ever scene.
uga-brave
May 13th, 2011
1:54 am
so all you shaun guy’s nail me one better then venters?
his WHIP is off the board.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:56 am
uga- braves: I agree with you. Venters is good too, and I like the idea of using them both.Switch them around to confuse the other teams…..
uga-brave
May 13th, 2011
1:56 am
eof, and venters are carrying this team late.
cant do it every nigtht.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
2:00 am
I like Kimbrel being our main guy,but wouldn’t mind seeing a switch every now, and then.1,and 2 pucnh!
uga-brave
May 13th, 2011
2:03 am
ward, venters is off the board. never scene a guy this good.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
2:26 am
uga-brave: I have a solution to Linebrink: If he continues to pitch bad…..Call up Marek. Hope I spelled his name correctly.
Menlobrave
May 13th, 2011
2:34 am
VJ. Enjoy the games. I will be in Austria and out of touch for 8 days. Can only catch up via MLB unless I want to stay up until 1am to listen to the games, which ain ‘t easy at my age. In the meantime, go Braves
Ward
May 13th, 2011
2:38 am
Beachy ,and Hamels………Who could not like that match up? A great pitching battle!
Ward
May 13th, 2011
2:43 am
Saturday’s match ups – Jar, and Blanton, and Sunday’s Match ups- Hudson, and Halladay! All good pitching…..
Jarryd
May 13th, 2011
3:36 am
I’m with you Ward, definitely looking forward to the weekend matchups.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
3:42 am
Well,all have a good one! Talk tomorrow, and peace…….
Ward
May 13th, 2011
3:45 am
Jarryd: I was about to sign off,but will stay on a while.Saturday’s game should be on Fox! Hope to see it…..
Jarryd
May 13th, 2011
3:50 am
I think Fox is starting their primetime this weekend Ward, but I could be wrong. I hope it is for your sake though.
Jarryd
May 13th, 2011
3:57 am
Don’t stay up too much longer Ward, I’m headed to bed now, gotta work in a few hours.
Ward
May 13th, 2011
4:08 am
Well good talking,and talk tomorrow! I got to go play Back OPS in a few…….I’ll let some one else take over! peace………
Ward
May 13th, 2011
4:08 am
Meant to say Black OPS!
jeffrey d
May 13th, 2011
5:48 am
I’m pulling a Mixxo on the Hawks and bg’ing them. How disappointing. Soph
If someone told me before the playoffs started that the Hawks would make it to game 6 in the second round, I’d have been thrilled with that. Funny how your expectations can suddenly change.
Jeff R
May 13th, 2011
6:16 am
A low night on the mound for Lowe. Fortunately, the bullpen delivered last night and the Braves scratched out a victory.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
6:45 am
Shaun, I think you might have something there! I can see it now: “Giriardi brings in Rivera for the 7th inning from now on”. Come on Joe, be a trend setter!
Threadkiller, I’m not talking about bringing in Rivera or your best reliever in the 7th inning, necessarily. I’m talking about bringing him in the situation in which if you give up a run, the game could be over at that point and possibly a later inning would become less important or wouldn’t come at all.
JasonInFL
May 13th, 2011
6:49 am
So, we will probably beat Hamels and Doc and lose to Blanton. You never know with this team…great win last night. Martteeeeeeeeeen.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
6:53 am
Feel free not to answer me Shaun, but to me until you give me a RATIONAL reason why no team in either professional or amateur baseball uses your theory of bullpen management, this conversation needs to be lumped into the Lou Vales conversation that baseball players make too much money.
flange1, I’ve given multiple reasons. Here are a couple I’ve named and some more: If teams don’t name a closer, the people who aren’t professional strategists (media, fans) will ask and it will become a distraction, especially the first time a team blows a lead late; teams would rather blow the game in the 7th or 8th inning than the 9th or last inning because the media and fans will scrutinize less; agents and possibly others pressure teams into allowing relievers to rack up saves because it’s a way that agents, players and organizations to avoid thinking about who might actually be the best reliever.
JasonInFL
May 13th, 2011
6:54 am
Gearrin looks like he is pretty solid as well. That helps. Now, if Proctor truly is back, our pen will be lookin good. Linebrink needs to only eat innings in a blowout. Period. I would still probably switch Craig and The Vulture, but is isn’t the end of the world having Captain K out there. I just think The Vulture is dominant.
007
May 13th, 2011
6:57 am
“Chipper Jones inches along toward the HOF. 440 HR’s and counting. I hope he plays long enough to get 500. He’ll need 20-25 this season for sure. Some [DS1 -nolie] inferred from my post that I didn’t think Chipper would get in unless he hit 500. Not true. I think he’s already in. I just hope he gets 500 HR’s. I certainly hope he tops 465, the limit tiger imposed on his abilities.
JasonInFL
May 13th, 2011
7:00 am
tiget? did he say something about chipper?
JasonInFL
May 13th, 2011
7:03 am
*tiger
jeffrey d
May 13th, 2011
7:16 am
If teams don’t name a closer, the people who aren’t professional strategists (media, fans) will ask and it will become a distraction
A distraction? I’m pretty sure Uggla’s K last night wasn’t because he was worried about what bloggers are saying about the closer situation.
CB
May 13th, 2011
7:22 am
I haven’t been able to eat for three days worrying about the closer situation.
Couch Tater
May 13th, 2011
7:30 am
FYI. (again) -
I think that we use stats as much, if not more, than any team in baseball. We just don’t brag about it really. We’ve come up with our own stats, where we’ve ranked offense and pitching, and we’ve used those stats in conjunction with what our scouts think in order to look at big-league free agents, six-year free agents, and guys that we might be getting in trades. It’s something we don’t talk about much, but our stats are very advanced. If other teams feel like we don’t have that, that’s fine if they want to think less of us in any way. Underestimate us, that’s fine. We feel really good about the work we do on each player and the systems that we’ve created. – John Coppolella, Director of Baseball Administration, Atlanta Braves
CB
May 13th, 2011
8:01 am
I wonder if the Braves might have some interest in a player like Willie Bloomquist? Arizona needs starting pitching and might have an interest in Rodrigo Lopez if offered. Willie would be a step up in talent from Joe Mather and can play multiple positions.
aj
May 13th, 2011
8:04 am
Far too many strikeouts this season. And it doesn’t get any easier this weekend
against Philadelphia. Can you put blame on the hitting coach again, like last
year. Need to put the ball in play. Could be an interesting series.
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
8:15 am
Saw a note on MLBTR this morning about the D-Backs looking to trade bench players for back end starters. It peeked my interest because I think Melvin Mora is a great fit for the Braves bench. He could be the right handed counter for Hinkse. Could a Rodrigo Lopez-Mora deal work? I think so. Lopez was a reliable starter in ‘Zona lasy year, maybe they’d like him back.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/05/dbacks-open-to-starter-for-reserve-player-trade.html
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
8:23 am
Shaun @ 6:53
If you actually believe the crap you spewed then I question your baseball intellegence even more than before (and I didn’t think that was possible). I can tell your a smart guy, but do you really believe any Major League manager would knowingly use his ‘pen in any way just to keep from having to answer to the fans and the media. That’s ridiculous.
Fish Bisch
May 13th, 2011
8:36 am
The Braves shouldn’t have won last nights game. Loweded was off, and he dug us into a hole. They got lucky and stole one, but every now and again the peasants (Braves) revolt against their masters (Nationals) for a victory. Braves get swept by the Phillies; bank on it
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
8:38 am
Fish Bisch @ 8:36
Well, at least I don’t have to waste nine hours watching baseball this weekend.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
8:40 am
Well is Fredi finally starting to see the light? I tune in last night and low and behold McLouth is inching closer to the leadoff spot! Damn, stop the presses. What in the name of Nockahoma is going on and a couple of hits to boot. Now Fredi, listen to me son, take a deep breath and just flip Prado and McLouth and you got it. Trust me it ain’t rocket science. Noonan, you can do it…
Oh yeah, and Fredi my man, don’t for one second think about putting Heyward back in the 2 spot when he returns. Probably the worst player on the team for that spot. Also Fredi you have no doubt seen my many posts about how the Braves will not be a real good team until you can get your fastest lefty to leadoff. Hello! McFly! Anybody home?
Rock on…..American Idol sucks.
Sopheee
May 13th, 2011
8:46 am
If someone told me before the playoffs started that the Hawks would make it to game 6 in the second round, I’d have been thrilled with that. Funny how your expectations can suddenly change.
jeffrey, like I said last night – it’s not the loss, it’s how they lose. I wasn’t expecting them to win this series and was actually really proud of them for winning two games in this round. Kinda over them going out the way they do each year in the playoffs in elimination games.
Sopheee
May 13th, 2011
8:49 am
“I tip my hat to Zimmerman. He was spotting every pitch he had, mixing it up. He pitched a great game. I just stuck to my gameplan, and was lucky enough to come through tonight.”
Teehee. We won and Mac’s still tipping hats. Must drive our friends on here crazy.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
8:51 am
What Fredi must understand is that being a dominant closer takes experience. Experience comes with bumps along the way like the other night. A good manager like Fredi understands that the book is hard to follow when putting young pitchers in position to gain that experience. Fredi followed the book when he should not have the other night. It is a fickle thing. Venters and Kimbrel have electric stuff. When one is dealing you ride him until and if the other is needed. That is the only chapter of the book you need to memorize.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
9:02 am
If McLouth bats leadoff, the Braves have a good shot at sweeping the Phillies.
Also, I don’t think the Braves have a closer. They should do it by committee. Co-closers if you will. This is the best way to groom young pitchers to get accustom to the role. One will emerge. The Braves have a great backend of the pen. Use it wisely.
Fish Bisch
May 13th, 2011
9:05 am
Is it just me or is every opponent’s starting pitchers having career high in strikeouts against the Braves? Zimmerman, Lee, Galladaro, etc. Enough tap cipping! They are swinging at crap and need to become more patient. Bring back TP for hitting coach.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:06 am
jeffrey d- Yopu asked if I could be any less condescending? Probably not as long as people continue to prose moves that a. won’t be made b, shouldn’t be made c. won’t be made because they shouldn’t be made because those who make such moves know better d. if the moves were made, what you and others feel would result, won’t.
Most of the time I agree with you on what you say and can ordinarily tell when your sense of humor is kicking in. However, re: Lowe – you don’t trade pitching you can’t replace (and we can’t right now – the options aren’t ready or aren’t nearly as good), especially in the middle of a pennant race, well before the trade deadline.
Replacement aside, what good would the money we saved do for us right now? Nothing. No one who needs the pitching (like the Yankees) are going to trade anyone who would likely help us without hurting their own chances. No one is going to sell us their stud center fielder and even if they were insane enough to do so, it would cost us players in return and not just all that money we save. IN other words, you’d have lots of money and nowhere to spend it (reminds me of a Zap Comix routine from the Furry Freak Brothers) – likely until the trade deadline – if then,
Trading Lowe this winter is another creature all together and would quite possibly be advisable and would maybe bring what you’re looking for right now but won’t get in return. But it won’t happen now.
If telling people this is condescending? Oh well.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:11 am
Fish – I keep saying it, but no one seems to believe. We are in the beginning of a new era of pitching in MLB. It might not reach the levels of the higher mound days (in part because of the smaller stadiums), but there will definitely be a major correction from the Uber Offense of the past couple of decades. What you’ve been seeing the past two years is more than indicative of this trend. It will continue.
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
9:15 am
Lew:
Agreed. It’s really a pretty simple formula for in-season trades. Contenders trade young pitching, teams preparing for next year trade established starters. If Lowe is traded in season, it will be a very bad sign for Braves fans.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
9:21 am
Lew….agree 100% on your pitching thoughts. Good pitching generally beats good hitting especially in a short series. There isn’t one high school/college team that I can recall offhand that doesn’t sport at least one 90+ fastball pitcher. You ain’t throwing it by anybody anymore until you reach the 100 mph area. You better have movement and location over speed and you better have a good wrinkle pitch plus a changeup to have a long and successful pitching career. That is what you are seeing down in the ranks which will manifest in the big leagues for years to come. That is why being able to score 4 or more runs is so crucial now to giving yourself a solid shot at winning.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:23 am
TommyT- Maybe the worst of all possible signs. It would tell one and all that the Braves have hung it up and feel they have no chance at all.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:28 am
Dadgum – All this stud pitching is starting to make me feel 14 again and back listening to the Beach Boys or Beatles like I did in 65. Instead of those 14-12 games of the roid era, it’s quite likely we’ll be seeing a few 2-1 or 3-2 games every night and apparently on any given night we could see a no hitter.
Probably the only factor that will keep us from the total pitching domination of the pre mound lowering days is the fact there are no more 380 foot LF lines like old Forbes Filed or 442 foot CF walls like at Connine Mack Stadium used to have.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
9:28 am
I can say with close to 100% certainty that Lowe will not be traded during the season nor will any starter be traded in season provided the Braves aren’t sellers at the deadline. Still in the race etc. Also can’t see a team taking on Lowe’s 15 mil contract either. Minor or Delgado may be in some trade scenario if done in-season. JJ if done off season. Just my two cents.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
9:30 am
If you actually believe the crap you spewed then I question your baseball intellegence even more than before (and I didn’t think that was possible). I can tell your a smart guy, but do you really believe any Major League manager would knowingly use his ‘pen in any way just to keep from having to answer to the fans and the media. That’s ridiculous.
No. Not just to keep from having to answer to the fans and the media. But that’s one reason.
Also, is it so farfetched that a manager and other decision makers don’t want to answer to a blown lead in the last inning and, to avoid the scrutiny, they’ll take their chances of an increased risk of blowing a game in the 6th, 7th or 8th or allowing a run on the road in a tied game in the 9th or in extras?
Isn’t this probably the primary reason a lot of teams don’t bring their closer in in a tie game in extra innings on the road? If they were to take a lead and blow that lead in extra innings, they don’t want to deal with all the media and fan scrutiny. So they’d rather save their best reliever for the last inning with the lead rather than doing all they can to prevent a loss by bringing in the best reliever at some point with the game tied and when you can’t afford to give up a run. Everyone (including me, for those who think I’m being arrogant and smug) foolishly remembers blown leads in the last inning more than big outs in a tie game in the 6th or the 7th or 8th or in a tie game on the road in the 9th or later. We remember what last happened more than what was more important.
I was watching the MLB Network this morning and McCann’s game-ending hit was one of their top plays. Of course that was great. McCann deserves a great deal of praise and credit for that. But how do they leave off the Prado grand slam as one of their premier plays? Because everyone remembers the last play in a walk-off win more than a grand slam earlier that tied the game.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
9:32 am
Fish Bisch, so they shouldn’t have won last night? What about Wednesday night when they had the game pretty much in the bag going into the 9th? What about Tuesday when Conrad was within a few feet of tying it?
It’s funny how someone can interpret close wins and losses how they want and ignore the big picture.
Hillbilly
May 13th, 2011
9:32 am
Teehee. We won and Mac’s still tipping hats. Must drive our friends on here crazy.
Soph, I’ve got a conspiracy theory that the players and coaches have an intentional “tip your hat” thing going on with the media. Some sort of inside joke, I guess you’d call it. It’s every single game now, win or lose. You never see them “give credit” or “props.” It’s always tipping the cap. Sounds peculiar to me. What do you think?
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:33 am
Dadgum – I agree.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:36 am
Beltran hit three HR last night. Surprised there hasn’t been a hue and cry to go out and trade anyone we can to pick him up.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:38 am
Hillbilly – You always tip your cap to anyone who gives 110% or just plays one game at a time.
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
9:39 am
Shaun:
Yes, it is far fetched. Managers don’t bring their closers into a tie game on the road because they are saving them for the bottom of the final inning when they, hopefully, have the lead. The final three outs of the game are the most important. If you burn your best pitcher with two on in a one run game in the seventh, what are you going to do in the ninth? You have guys like Moylan and EOF whose job it is to handle those middle inning situations.
ncscoots
May 13th, 2011
9:39 am
Is that a thing with scouts/coaches not projecting change ups with high-velocity guys? I always figgered that a change was even more important to a hard-thrower, and certainly don’t see why velocity would be a detriment.
BAS, I imagine that Kimbrel does have a changeup, of some kind. Palm ball, maybe. Something. Anyhow, my concern would be that a changeup, even with 6 or 7 MPH separation, would still be coming in around (normal) fastball speed. A hitter speeds up his bat to get to 98, right, and often is still tardy? Just tardy enough to hit 93, maybe, LOL. Could he get any fade on the pitch at that speed? Dunno. Guess you’d have to see him throw a few to really get any idea.
It’s not so much that hard throwers with 95+ can’t make a changeup work; Mario Soto and Johan Santana immediately come to mind as guys who could do it masterfully. I never saw Kimbrel even attempt one in the minors, so, for all I know, he’s got a devastating one in his hip pocket that comes in at 88 and a foot of fade.
But I’ve known some really hard throwers that just couldn’t ever make the pitch work for them.
I’d think that a split is more in line for a guy such as Kimbrel, if he’s looking for something to get lefties off. Might have to grow his fingers out a little longer, though.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
9:40 am
Dadgum….., how does having a fast guy leading off help more than having your best on-base guys at the top of the order? I don’t understand. Why is Heyward so bad for the number 2 spot?
You don’t waste power in the leadoff spot but you do want the best on-base guy there. Speed is worthless if a guy is making outs and not getting on base or if a guy is far inferior to another guy at getting on base and avoiding outs. After leadoff, you start sending up your best hitters. Why is this so hard to grasp for seemingly otherwise intelligent baseball fans?
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
9:42 am
Lew…. Old minor league parks like Ponce De Leon park in Atlanta used to have the big fences. There used to be an old magnolia tree that stood behind Ponce’s CF wall at 455 feet if I recall. (Park is gone but I hear the tree is still there.) only two players ever hit it over the tree. A player from the Atlanta Black Crackers and, yep, Babe Ruth in an exhibition game against the Atlanta Crackers.
Pitching will get even better to minimize the small parks. I don’t like Fenway or Yankee Stadium(old or new one). Would like to see a 325-330 ft minimum down all foul lines with a 10 ft fence. Most have that anyway.
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
9:42 am
Tommy T, so what you are saying is that at team shouldn’t bring in it’s best run-preventing pitcher when they can least afford to give up a run (in a tie game, 9th inning or later, on the road)? You can’t worry about what you’ll do if you have the lead in the bottom of the final inning if the other team has already scored the game-winning run. Is this really so hard to grasp? Apparently for you and a lot of major league managers, it is.
Arkansas Transplant
May 13th, 2011
9:46 am
Thank goodness the Nats are leaving town. Anyone thought about trading for Beltran? Looks like he’s still got something in the tank.
Lew
May 13th, 2011
9:47 am
Dadgum – Well, it’s been 40 years, but I know the tree you’re talking about. When I lived in Atlanta, there was an Arlen’s grocery there, but the tree was still there.
ncscoots
May 13th, 2011
9:49 am
I’m going to get BraveOne to start tracking Shaun’s “hard to grasp” references, per blog. I think there will some insight to be gleaned by correlating the HTGI (HardToGrasp Index) against number of posts per blog and said blog’s overall tenor. Admittedly, stats on “tenor” are in their infancy and still somewhat subjective, but I think we’ll be OK as long we keep that in mind while evaluating.
Tommy T
May 13th, 2011
9:49 am
“Apparently for you and a lot of major league managers, it is.” – Shaun
Sahun, this sentence sums up why you are just not smart when it comes to the way baseball works. You are under the incorrect assumption that you know more than major league managers. You do not. Middle relievers are paid to get important outs. The outs that end the game are the most important. You, my friend, are the one with no grasp of how things work in the real world.
Dadgum.....
May 13th, 2011
9:52 am
Shaun…. My whole point on McLouth batting leadoff over many posts began with the fact he has improved his OBP and avg to be able to make a contribution to the leadoff role. Not simply the fact he is LH and quick. That is a plus for him but he has to get on base. Putting Prado 2nd is simply a no-brainer assuming McLouth can set the table. Putting Heyward at 2 indicates he is a better hitter than Prado which could not be further from the truth even when Heyward is healthy. I would rather see Heyward back up the middle of the order at 6-7 with chances at RBI and the 3-run homer. I can see Heyward moving to 3-5 in a year or two with Chipper retiring. Until then the Braves IMO need him lower in the lineup with what we know right now.
ncscoots
May 13th, 2011
9:52 am
You are under the incorrect assumption that you know more than major league managers.
Tommy, you do got to admit that Shaun is not alone, even among posters in this forum, in that assumption, LOL. He’s just one of the herd, when it comes to that.
MikeInFl
May 13th, 2011
9:56 am
Lew, no doubt scoring is down and has been dropping the last couple of years. I don’t know if it’s so much great pitching as non-enhanced hitting. I know some say PED’s don’t actually help guys hit, so let’s just say that the rise and fall of scoring somehow coincides with the alleged PED era. Scoring over the last few seasons is close to what it was in the early ’90s. Here’s the breakdown from br.com:
1990 – 4.26 runs/game
1991 – 4.31
1992 – 4.12
1993 – 4.60
1994 – 4.92
1995 – 4.85
1996 – 5.04
1997 – 4.77
1998 – 4.79
1999 – 5.08
2000 – 5.14
2001 – 4.78
2002 – 4.62
2003 – 4.73
2004 – 4.81
2005 – 4.59
2006 – 4.86
2007 – 4.80
2008 – 4.65
2009 – 4.61
2010 – 4.38
2011 – 4.22
Shaun
May 13th, 2011
10:03 am
Tommy T, all I know is that avoiding bringing in your best reliever when you can least afford to give up a run in the name of saving him for the bottom of the last inning in hopes that you have a lead is not smart strategy. And I’m not the only person who thinks this. And I’m not sure how anyone could think that it is smart strategy if you understand the game.
ncscoots, yes, we shouldn’t pay attention to the common sense of bringing in your best run preventer when you most need to prevent a run. We should just blindly accept that managers who don’t employ this strategy know more for no other reason than the fact that they are managers. Reason and common sense be damned. Those things don’t matter. All that matters is that managers are who they are. Because we all know managers and teams always know more and always do what is in the best interest of their teams in terms of winning and losing.
Fish Bisch
May 13th, 2011
10:03 am
MikeinFL: We are dropping to a level not seen since 1992! Thanks for the info.
monty
May 13th, 2011
10:06 am
Ward
May 13th, 2011
1:25 am
Check this out! I was doing some research in the Royals line up,and -
Jeff Francouer .303 average 8 home runs 26 RBI’s
Melky Cabrera .280 average 5 home runs 24 RBI.s
Where was that production with the Braves? unbelievable!
It’s called playing without high expectations or pressure to perform. It’s what people have said about Pittsbugh NAte and ATL NAte. It’s what Lou Vales says about Marlin’s Uggla vs Atl -Uggla.