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
1,483 comments Add your comment
David O'Brien
May 28th, 2011
4:57 pm
Heyward clarified something today, said wear-and-tear in right shoulder is in the labrum, not rotator cuff (original diagnosis we were given was rotator-cuff inflammation, after the first MRI).
He said he’s now doing specific exercises to strengthen everything around labrum and the scapula, to get his right shoulder as strong as his left (throwing) shoulder
tiger297
May 28th, 2011
4:57 pm
well that woulda been more amusing had my post come before nolie’s 4:55
Snotboogie
May 28th, 2011
4:58 pm
Trey
Between them and fighter jets, engineers created a whole new level of cool!
noleee
May 28th, 2011
4:59 pm
not sure he would hit 25 dingers at the Ted. Minute Maid is a homer park for RHers to an extent.
It is usually above the norm for homers, but often below the norm for runs scored IIRC.
Frankie Wren
May 28th, 2011
5:00 pm
Va,
Tough call I know and mortgaging the future may not be the right move. Have to give up something to get quality. Ankiel like pickup at deadline isn’t going to do it. Uggla has been brutal but he will come on. I am more worried about Chipper the next 4 months.
tiger297
May 28th, 2011
5:01 pm
another thing if he ended up in RF for braves would drive me crazy…he has quite a few tics before every pitch in the field
SoWeGa Fanatic
May 28th, 2011
5:01 pm
Well, Mather got his bat going. I haven’t seen him since.
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:01 pm
I don’t think either will happen tiger
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:04 pm
yep tiger hes kinda the Garciaparra of defense
tiger297
May 28th, 2011
5:05 pm
neither do I, and I’m not sure I would want them to. I think we have the players they just aren’t performing right now and I believe in more than a 51 game test before you throw them away. For the most part we aren’t talking about 1&2 year players underperforming either.
VaBravesFan
May 28th, 2011
5:06 pm
We should stand pat, this team is good enough to compete with what we have, we shouldnt give prospects away. Were set up to be good now and for years to come. Compared to the Phillies who are in win now mode as they have traded just about all there top prospects away, They will have alot of money tied up into veteran players for a long time, right now they dont even have enough payroll to make a deadline move, Unless ownership signs off on it.
Trey
May 28th, 2011
5:06 pm
SB, it’s impressive how incredibly fast they are, too.
Ray k.
May 28th, 2011
5:08 pm
VaBrvaesfan,
I agree. We shouldn’t start mortgaging the farm for a rental bat. Schafer could prove to be a bright spot. Hinske is doing just fine in RF. The problem is the “heart” of the lineup. Chipper, Mac, and Uggs are combined for 15 HR’s and lately have been awful with RISP.
tiger297
May 28th, 2011
5:08 pm
every friggin pitch he adjusts his belt, tugs on his shirt tail, pulls his pants up with his arms, raises arm(s)…the last one varies sometimes one arm, sometimes one then the other, sometimes both.
I would love to watch him try to get them all in if he was playing defense behind a quick pitcher like cory gearin
SoWeGa Fanatic
May 28th, 2011
5:08 pm
Appreciate it DOB. although I wouldn’t know a labrum from fuel pump. My question is, when can/will he hit?
tiger297
May 28th, 2011
5:09 pm
ok 30 minutes til my kid gets here and we leave for the game…I gotta get up and get dressed (or take a 20 minute nap then get up)
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:10 pm
which is worse???
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:11 pm
have fun tiger. you two get us a win, huh?
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:13 pm
Hinske is doing just fine in RF ray
and given his history, fairly unlikely to continue if he has to play a lot
chatt matt
May 28th, 2011
5:15 pm
The Braves cant hit much worse.They are way over due for a breakout game lets hope its tonight.
JD
May 28th, 2011
5:17 pm
@mathman – Pooches Win. Sic ‘em Dawgs…..
Brave4life-1995 all over again?
May 28th, 2011
5:17 pm
Uggla needs a SERIES off.
monty
May 28th, 2011
5:18 pm
“Uggla needs a SERIES off”
No, he’s had too many off already!
Frankie Wren
May 28th, 2011
5:19 pm
Uggla doesn’t need a series off, needs to contribute to win a series.
Last night was tough to watch. Uggla hitting the ball hard twice was at least somewhat encouraging.
VaBravesFan
May 28th, 2011
5:21 pm
Uggla needs to bat cleanup
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:23 pm
This piece is actually about John Baker and his recovery from Tommy John but he has some interesting insight about Dan Uggla’s friendship with Cody Ross that makes me wonder if that was not, at least a little bit, a factor in Dan not wanting to stay with the Marlins…
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/John-Baker-8217-s-comeback-Bracing-for-recover;_ylt=AsMHflyx8NQSsusKOmFrxwMRvLYF?urn=mlb-wp7859
cs95
May 28th, 2011
5:23 pm
va i second that. chipper-uggla-mccann-hinske (3-6).
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:23 pm
I’m for giving that a try Va
VaBravesFan
May 28th, 2011
5:24 pm
11 games batting 4th he has a 1.146 OPS in 48 plate appearances, 9 walks, 6 strikeouts.
Frankie Wren
May 28th, 2011
5:26 pm
Uggla cleanup is where I thought he would start the season. Why not try?
Brave4life-1995 all over again?
May 28th, 2011
5:26 pm
I didnt watch yesterdays game.
Uggla was used to no one being in the stands which decreases the pressure.
That means that no one should go to turner field. until he warms up
Jerry
May 28th, 2011
5:26 pm
Oh Jesus, another pitcher that Dan Uggla has done well against. That means he ain’t doing shyt again tonight. I think Orroyo will follow suit and pitch lights out against this little league team of ours. It ’s a crying shame, or is that crime shame, that I can’t even hope for a reasonable offensive output from the Braves. Looking forward to tonight’s comedy of errors.
Couch Tater
May 28th, 2011
5:27 pm
Thanks for the new blog, Dave.
If you haven’t seen the award winning documentary Merle Haggard: Learning to Live with Myself on PBS. Here’s a link. 1 hour 23 minute run time…
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/merle-haggard/watch-the-full-film/1605/
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:27 pm
Grrr…stupid time warp
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:28 pm
Stupid time warp!
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:28 pm
And stupid “duplicate comment” warning that doesn’t show my post until AFTER I post it again!!
cs95
May 28th, 2011
5:29 pm
why i am surprised everyone wants uggla in cleanup. worst case scenario he keeps doing what he’s doing or makes the first out of the 2nd innings. BUT maybe he gets going not coming up so many times with RISP and two outs.
VaBravesFan
May 28th, 2011
5:31 pm
cs95
maybe cause its the only place he been good at in this year. He’s hitting like 180. overall but somehow he’s hitting like 370. in the 4 hole, seems like common sense to try him there and see if that success continues.
Snotboogie
May 28th, 2011
5:32 pm
but he has some interesting insight about Dan Uggla’s friendship with Cody Ross that makes me wonder if that was not, at least a little bit, a factor in Dan not wanting to stay with the Marlins…
For a minute I thought you were going to say that Ross was Uggla’s Brayan Pena! Whew.
Skeezix
May 28th, 2011
5:33 pm
Just awful, last night was just awful. This offense is dreadful. That was a minor league quality pitcher they were facing—-but they made him look like Nolan Ryan.
Also, the body langauge was not good. And those errors!! What a bunch of bush leaguers they looked like last night.
Doesn’t exactly make you want to run out to the Ted and welcome the boys home.
Jerry
May 28th, 2011
5:34 pm
I don’t think the Braves should waste their time bringing in another bat. This club is cursed. Uggla was supposed to be the savior and look what happened to him. Heyward came in like he was all-world and just look at him now. Same with Freeman. Atlanta is where good hitters come to die. Of course, I’m just joking, but how the hell can we continue to let shyt pitchers dominate us? We are embarrassing.
cs95
May 28th, 2011
5:34 pm
vabf,
yea. i gotta say though, I was surprised he was there at the beginning. why fredi was so set on hitting mccann cleanup when I think mac has better numbers in the 5th spot anyway. maybe to lessen the pressure on uggla? well, no reason to do that now. i say bat him fourth til heyward gets back. then reassess the lineup then.
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
5:35 pm
Jerry_
You’re line last night, about the Braves finally figuring how to get Uggla out, was pretty funny.
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:36 pm
plus his career cleanup numbers are among the best he has IIRC.
alex
May 28th, 2011
5:37 pm
vabravesfan, go see a game, be there in person,watch the games-NO we cannot compete,friday-3 errors and plenty of mistakes,bag coverage, chipper’s bs, gonzo out at second….uggla get’s a HIT and all of a sudden he’s the second coming ofhank aaron-what a bust on multiple levels
Buzz Capra
May 28th, 2011
5:37 pm
Please, no more Uggla (or McClouth either) in the lineup.
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:38 pm
I get disappointed, I fail to see why I would be embarrassed no matter how poorly they played
David O'Brien
May 28th, 2011
5:38 pm
Appreciate it DOB. although I wouldn’t know a labrum from fuel pump. My question is, when can/will he hit? — SoWeGa Fanatic
When he thinks it feels good enough to start swinging bat again. And not until.
Jerry
May 28th, 2011
5:39 pm
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
5:35 pm
Jerry_
You’re line last night, about the Braves finally figuring how to get Uggla out, was pretty funny.
Thanks Bat, I come up with a good one every now and then.
VaBravesFan
May 28th, 2011
5:39 pm
When you trade for a guy that has hit what 30 homers for 5 years in a row? and then give him a 5 year 65 million contract and dont bat him clean (which happens to be his best spot) makes no sense to me. When McCann has better numbers as a 5th batter, just to make the lineup LRLRLRLRLRL or whatever pisses me off.
cs95
May 28th, 2011
5:39 pm
vabf, agree 100% with your 5:39 post. especially since with hinske batting fifth or sixth and when heyward was batting second. it wasn’t always alternating L-R anyway. we are way past that. it’s time to score runs.
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
5:39 pm
I hope Jordan keeps a hot bat before Nate is ready to come back. It would be interesting to see what they would to then. I would keep mather and trade Nate for some prospect.
Jerry
May 28th, 2011
5:41 pm
When I said “we are embarrassing”, I meant the team is.
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:42 pm
Please, no more Uggla (or McClouth either) in the lineup.
Ok. Let’s pencil Brooks in as our everyday 2nd baseman
(and there is still only one C in McLouth- always will be)
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:43 pm
Doc-
What kind of prospects do you expect Nate to bring?
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:45 pm
screw a prospect, get Pujols for him
Venice Jim
May 28th, 2011
5:45 pm
Maybe we can trade Medlin and McClouth for Kemp…
John Galt
May 28th, 2011
5:46 pm
Mathman is accurate in his calculation.
I cannot understand for the life of me why people hate on Schafer so much. He has speed, makes good contact, can bunt, covers a LOT of ground, and has a good arm. Why won’t you folks acknowlwedge that he played half a season with a broken wrist? This trip up will be the first time we see him healthy; he was almost as highly regarded as Heyward when he came up the first time, before the injury.
JS is in fact the only real LO hitter we have had since Furcal (and while everyone is trashing the Braves management, we let him go at the right time). Give him a month healthy and see if we need to give up anything for a Crisp (downgrade) or Pence (too expensive and not much of an upgrade) or Sizemore (too expensive AND risky, and not a true leadoff hitter).
Schafer is better than McLouth in EVERY category (average, strikeouts, basestealing, baserunning instincts, contact hitting, bunting, outfield range, arm strength). Maybe McLouth has more power (15HR vs 10?) but the margin is thin.
WHY would you even CONSIDER reinserting McLouth?
Friday night Schafer was the only productive batter in the lineup- am I wrong?
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:48 pm
Friday night Schafer was the only productive batter in the lineup- am I wrong?
John Galt-
Not calling into question or disagreeing (or agreeing) with your post, but did want to point out that Mac was 2-3 with a walk, a double and a run scored. I’d consider that productive as well
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:50 pm
VJ-
Maybe you can find some other way to keep up with the game tonight…
Venice Jim
May 28th, 2011
5:50 pm
Teams are already lining up their prospect to trade for Nate…
SoWeGa Fanatic
May 28th, 2011
5:51 pm
Thanks, DOB. When he feels better, he can hit . . . or he will hit?
Sorry, this is 2pointnone runs per game is getting to me.
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
5:51 pm
I would keep mather and trade Nate for some prospect.
Not gonna get a prospect for Nate, maybe an old prospector like I dunno, Gabby Hayes.
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
5:52 pm
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:43 pm
Doc-
What kind of prospects do you expect Nate to bring?
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do you really think I care?
Average would do. Nate is nothing but average plus expensive.
Frankie Wren
May 28th, 2011
5:54 pm
Nate just being Nate. After that doubleheader where he didn’t make a out against the Brew crew, he didn’t do much before going on the DL.
4 games with Jordan though, lets see what happens the next week before we appoint him everyday worthy.
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:54 pm
Doc-
My point was why would any team give up the slightest value for Nate?
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:55 pm
lets at least try for Walter Brennan, Bat
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
5:56 pm
Braves should have waited to trade Nate along with Lopez to get what ever they could……..not expecting a great prospect, just some good player that could do what Nate does but for 350 000$$ instead of millions.
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
5:57 pm
Doc-
They couldn’t wait much longer to trade Lopez
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
5:57 pm
Gonna take more than Nate to get a Real McCoy don’t you think, nolie.
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:58 pm
and why would some team trade a 350,000 player who can do what Nate does for Nate and a pitcher who brought back a crappy prospect?
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
5:58 pm
cabravesfan
He is a proven MLB player whom is player a little better. Id take my chances with some kids that I can try to develop and save some $$$$$
Jerry
May 28th, 2011
5:58 pm
VaBravesFan, I looked it up and the vast number of games in Uggla’s career have been spent in the number 2 and 5 positions. It’s true that he has hit for a higher average from the 3 and 4 spots, but he has only 455 plate appearances from the 3 and 4 as opposed to 2725 PA from the 2 and 5 spots.
David O'Brien
May 28th, 2011
5:58 pm
Someone criticized youthful David for not being critical enough of the Braves.You must comprehend the fragility of the access he has to these guys. — Earl Williams
Why, thank you. Been a while since someone referred to me as “youthful,” although I do feel that way (most days, at least).
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:59 pm
maybe we coulda thrown in Lopez, Bat….
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
5:59 pm
Doc-
My point was why would any team give up the slightest value for Nate? _ cab
durn persnickety females
noleee
May 28th, 2011
5:59 pm
just because the Fish used him there Jerry, does not mean that we have to, and the sample size of his at bats in those two slots is large enough to indicate that he is unlikely to hit any worse there than
elsewhere
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
6:00 pm
Doc-
Nate, you mean? So if you would take your chances, why would another team give up that cheap kid for a guy who is making millions and is playing poorly?
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
6:00 pm
Nate and Lopez for Walter Brennan? That’s a deal I could support.
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
6:00 pm
Im not the GM.
They dont pay me to find a way to do it.
All I can say is that we are spending way too much money for a player that is not performing better than Gregor Blanco performed and costs 20 times what Blanco cost.
Frankie Wren
May 28th, 2011
6:00 pm
455 ab’s not a bad sample Not talking 45 at bat’s from the 4 slot. Roll the dice Fredo.
Venice Jim
May 28th, 2011
6:01 pm
Im not the GM.
They dont pay me to find a way to do it.
Perfect way to deflect questions based on a ludicrous supposition…
noleee
May 28th, 2011
6:05 pm
yeah thats good logic Doc, talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. thats really a big help
Conyers Braves Fan
May 28th, 2011
6:06 pm
If the Braves are really in as big of mess as most of these negative posts indicate, I hate to think what they would be like if Braves management made the moves and trades being suggested.
jim
May 28th, 2011
6:07 pm
Before you toss in Vizcaino along with half the farm in a mythical trade, you should take a look at what he has done the past 2 weeks. Time will tell, but he could be the best of the crop of young arms we are developing.
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
We should be doing much better than just Nate. I like Jordan better, always have. Even when struggling, you can feel the kid is trying HARD, just like Freeman or Jason……….you can feel they into it. I dont see that in Nate. I have always seen him as a weakness. A player that has spend half his days in Atlanta batting 8th, tons of days on DL (not that its a sin to be DLed, but that tells me he is not durable).
I MEAN, THIS IS THE ONLY TEAM IN BASEBALL THAT PAYS 6.5M FOR AN 8TH PLACE HITTER. Just release the guy……….Seen Jordan makes me sick to remember that Nate is our regular.
SoWeGa Fanatic
May 28th, 2011
6:11 pm
Bat, can Gabby hit? Uh, now?
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
6:11 pm
Trade him for Pagan straight forward.
Bat Masterson
May 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
SoWeGa Fanatic _
Probably not much, but what do you expect for Nate? Surely not an honest to god living human.
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
Tons of days on the DL? Dude, he ran into Jason Heyward last year. That does not mean he’s not durable…
Doc "Mather" Holiday
May 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
I WILL HAVE TO KEEP WATCHING THIS GUY THE WHOLE SEASON, BATTING 8TH BECAUSE HE AINT GOOD ENOUGH TO LEADOFF AND GET 6.5M !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“·%/$%(·$%/”$($%/$%!·%”·ª!$·”ª$·&(/&)$/(
count_schemula
May 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
Nate and David Ross to the Giants for Cody Ross? I love David Ross, but the Giants are REALLY hurting right now for offense. They have a few OF parts, but really need more punch than Whiteside is going to give them. Not really a Cody Ross fan, but he puts in good ABs and is clutch.
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
And releasing Nate doesn’t save us any money…
jeffrey d
May 28th, 2011
6:14 pm
I hate to think what they would be like if Braves management made the moves and trades being suggested
Seriously? I’d love to see a McLouth for Pujols swap!
count_schemula
May 28th, 2011
6:14 pm
Releasing Nate would save heartbreak though, and you can’t put a price on that.
jeffrey d
May 28th, 2011
6:15 pm
And the Yanks pay Nick Swisher $9 million to hit 8th
count_schemula
May 28th, 2011
6:16 pm
And the pay Posada eleventybillion to hit 9th… lol
cabravesfan
May 28th, 2011
6:16 pm
count_schemula-
No it wouldn’t because people would just find another target for their wrath and bitterness
jim
May 28th, 2011
6:16 pm
Prado is not the same guy he was last year. Not that he’s bad, but not the force he was before being injured last year. Could the fact that he’s been shunted around from 2B to LF to (ocasionally)3B be having an affect on his hitting?
jeffrey d
May 28th, 2011
6:17 pm
On Facebook Jeff Schultz posted LIVE BLOG: Braves still waiting for bats to wake up
to which Chip Caray (the real Chip Caray) responded “Need to kill a live rooster”