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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,315 comments Add your comment
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 26th, 2011
10:35 pm
Thanks VJ, although I’m not sure which was worse, the game or the recriminations from the crybabies here.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:36 pm
I wouldn’t mind sending Schafer back to AAA and acquiring a CF via trade, but I think that’s (or SS) the only position we can realistically upgrade.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:36 pm
“This team will make the playoffs, barring more injuries, etc.”
And this team as presently constituted will have a quick exit from the playoffs as they have had each year they’ve reached the playoffs since 2001.
Frankie Wren
June 26th, 2011
10:36 pm
Hope FW is dealing with Hendry over in Chicago. Pick up RH hitter Reed Johnson to use as 4th outfielder and improve bench and talk Kerry Wood out of being homesick and make the trek down South for a half of season. He made huge concessions to play in Chicago this season and I am sure he will have a job somewhere with the organization so maybe one last try for a WS experience win or lose. D Lee was suppose to be unmovable, maybe Wood can be influenced. These two guys improve our team IMO.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
10:37 pm
Not to be all negative and no positive I will say I think we’d be better off keeping the top prospects I our system and go after some bench help AND another good RP. Moylan and Medlen are on the track back, but getting even more relief help wouldn’t be the stupidest thing ever considering we play so many close games and our starters aren’t known for 7-9 inning pitchers.
Wren has a brain and surely he knows gambling on one star RH bat won’t fix a lineup already made of so many inconsistant batters.
Hey, get a bench player, RP and ride the son of a bit** out and see what happens. SF proved you can do that and win the big one.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:38 pm
And this team as presently constituted will have a quick exit from the playoffs as they have had each year they’ve reached the playoffs since 2001.
I don’t think so. I think we certainly have the parts to make a run deep into the playoffs. A lot of chance in play at that stage of the season…but we’re not outgunned by anyone in the league. We CAN play with anyone.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
10:39 pm
If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this blog, it’s that division titles are worthless and give you no chance to win a World Series.
Seriously though, we don’t have to win the East to make a deep playoff run. This team will make the playoffs, barring more injuries, etc.
A playoff spot is just that, a playoff spot. Our pitching translates in any park. I want to make the playoffs whether by division or wild card. To be honest I might actually prefer the Wild Card.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:40 pm
Powder Blue (and others) — there hasn’t really been a righthanded fit for this team in years at the deadline.
Last year I loved Marlon Byrd.
Everyone was on Kemp and still is for the most part, but I have to tell you, when he’s great, he is AWESOME. When he is bad, he is AWFUL. Really awful.
We need more speed. Bourn would be great but he’s lefthanded. This lineup as constituted does not work because there’s not enough righty-lefty flexibility….partly due to injury….partly due to ineptitude….partly due to key pieces leaving (Infante, Diaz)….partly due to Wren not pulling the trigger on anything….
We can’t win a World Series right now with guys who get themselves out as consistently as we do. It’s like the movie Groundhog Day. Same script.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:42 pm
“I think we certainly have the parts to make a run deep into the playoffs.”
Please don’t hold your breath.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:42 pm
I’ll try to lay off the vitriol as well.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
10:43 pm
We need more speed. Bourn would be great but he’s lefthanded.
Padres have a lot of speed, not doing much for them. First and foremost we need to get on base and hit. Speed is nice but not a must the way hitting and not making so many outs is.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:46 pm
Jake W. — Didn’t say ALL speed. I said more speed. Big difference.
Most of our guys are being pitched to the exact same way. We need another piece to change the way the lineup is pitched to.
Padres don’t have the slow-pitch/over the line squad we have.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:47 pm
All you uy’s think we don’t need some speed we are 21st in runs scored,and 25th on base percentage. We could of used speed against a 3.23 ERA pitcher today.Tell me that when we end up playing some one with good pitching again in the play-offs.Speed genrates more runs when power sucks……..
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:47 pm
“….partly due to Wren not pulling the trigger on anything….”
I’m no fan of Frank Wren, but I think to some extent his hands are tied by ownership. There won’t be anymore Fred McGriff trades under this ownership group. I don’t know if there are any player with that kind of impact available anyway. We might acquire Bourn or a similar player, but I’m not sure that would cure the offensive ills.
“We can’t win a World Series right now with guys who get themselves out as consistently as we do. It’s like the movie Groundhog Day. Same script.”
Amen.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:48 pm
meant to say all you who think.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:48 pm
Ward, think about what you said. We’re 25th in OBP but we need speed? Um, not quite.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
10:48 pm
Bourne. Pence. Kemp. No. Jones, Heyward, Uggla, Freeman, Schafer, McLouth need to be more consistant. Not trade the future for one player who’ll cost too much in players and money. Spending big money and having big names has gotten those Mets far along in the last decade, hasn’t it? Not one damn player can fix a lineup.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:49 pm
It is like Ground Hog Day over ,and over. I agree.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
10:49 pm
The A Bomb
All i’m saying is if I was going to prioritize I wouldn’t put speed at the top of the list. Jordan Schafer is speedy but if you don’t hit or get on base that skill is wasted. First and foremost we need to hit and get on base, speed comes after those things for me in terms of importance.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:49 pm
Tell me that when we get knocked again like last year.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:51 pm
Look no trade no post season sorry. It’s like the same as last year!Don’t mean to be negative. I have high hopes,but I see reallity too.
Gone Viral
June 26th, 2011
10:52 pm
“I think we certainly have the parts to make a run deep into the playoffs.”
Any time your team is leading the majors in ERA at the halfway point in the season, this is applicable. I understand why people are so frustrated but as great as our pitching was in the 90s, we never had a team ERA lower than 3.14 during that decade. We’re at 3.07 right now. That’s how epic our pitching is in 2011.
unbelievable
June 26th, 2011
10:52 pm
Last RBI from this team for Hudson was in the 5th inning on June 10th. That is of course, outside of his own 2R HR. This team really sucks at hitting.
Gone Viral
June 26th, 2011
10:53 pm
“Look no trade no post season sorry. It’s like the same as last year!”
Err…
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:53 pm
“I’ll try to lay off the vitriol as well.”
Wasn’t intending to be vitriolic. Just saying if I were a betting man (and I’m not), I wouldn’t put money on the Braves beyond the first round.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:54 pm
Jake — What I am saying is a guy who can hit and a guy who can run.
In a strange way Jose Reyes when he cares would be a perfect fit. Not happening, of course.
But we have 2 problems…
1. We don’t manufacture runs. That’s due to lack of speed and lack of productive outs.
2. We have guys in RBI spots in the lineup who are killing us. Uggla, of course and Gonzalez should be in that spot, but he is.
We need a speed threat who can hit, get on base, steal bases and get us up 1-0 early. Look at our record when we score first — today withstanding.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
10:56 pm
Powder Blue: I’m just being honest too. We should make the play-offs,but with no speed. I agree another TKO In the first round.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
10:57 pm
Wasn’t intending to be vitriolic. Just saying if I were a betting man (and I’m not), I wouldn’t put money on the Braves beyond the first round.
Would you have bet on the Giants winning the World Series? Baseball’s postseason not always about the best team winning, sometimes its who gets on a hot streak at the right time. I see no clear favorites in the NL because not much separates the good teams from each other.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
11:02 pm
We need a speed threat who can hit, get on base, steal bases and get us up 1-0 early. Look at our record when we score first — today withstanding.
We need anyone that can hit and get on base. Our lack of contact kills more rallies than our lack of speed. We make to many easy outs and we don’t make good contact. Once again speed is nice but it is not a must when you have so many more glaring problems like the braves.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:03 pm
All we need is a couple of changes, and boom! We are deep back in it, and let’s hope Moylan, will take some innings off of Venters arm too.
Playoffs!!!
June 26th, 2011
11:05 pm
When are we going to get a decent right-handed hitting outfielder that can platoon with either McLouth or Schaffer. Too many left-handed bats in the lineup.This is long overdue!!
What is Nate hitting against leftys?? Schaffer?? The team in general??
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:06 pm
Good question Play-Offs on last post.
Playoffs!!!
June 26th, 2011
11:07 pm
Gone Viral—A 3.14 ERA in the Steroid era is a lot more impressive than a 3.07 ERA now.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
11:09 pm
Wasn’t intending to be vitriolic. Just saying if I were a betting man (and I’m not), I wouldn’t put money on the Braves beyond the first round.
I honestly think the NCLS this year will be Braves-Phillies.
Seriously, take stock of this team: Our pitching is incredible. And we’ve still got the second-best record in the league with Uggla OPSing .556, Prado .761, and Heyward .737. Those are some pretty good bats due for some serious regression back to their respective means (or, in Heyward’s case, his true talent level).
Look, I get the anger. We do suck at hitting currently. But it’s not for lack of good players, it’s for just collective poor performance. That performance will improve, period. End of story. Don’t give me this speed BS. The only positions it makes sense for us to upgrade at would be SS or CF. Other than that, take this club as currently constructed (or plus a RP acquisition, perhaps) to the NLCS.
Playoffs!!!
June 26th, 2011
11:10 pm
Ward—Thanks and who goes back to AAA when Prado is ready W.Ramirez or Schafer? or maybe we’ll have that right-handed hitting outfielder by then, and they both go back
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:13 pm
Pitching will carry us too the play-offs, but it it can crash in the play-Offs. If we have the same Offense,as of now?Sorry for the facts.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
11:14 pm
Reed Johnson? Just what we need another below average hitter who will leave a good offensive park for Turner Field and go to crap.
More mediocrity is not the answer.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:15 pm
Playoffs!!! I don’t know the answer, but we need a couple off changes that for sure!
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:19 pm
Here’s what I would do? Call up Lugo, and trade Agone.Try ,and get Escobar from the Royals who is 24 years old, and keep Schafer as the forth out fielder, and make a trade for a Center Fielder with speed, and power. Send Conrad back down,and keep Diory as bench player.
Mitchell
June 26th, 2011
11:20 pm
Absolutely pathetic and inexcusable to lose two series in a row to the Padres and yet it comes as not a great surprise.
The outburst of runs late Saturday should not be viewed in any way as evidence of the Braves offense turning a corner.
Most of the runs didn’t matter anyway. If they had gotten half of the amount of runs in the first three, four or five innings it would have been meaningful and Jurrjens would have been able to perform without the fear that one pitch could cost him the game.
But the Braves go as their pitching goes. Johnny Venters should be allowed to have a bad outing once per half of a season but as usual, a Braves pitcher has a rare bad appearance and gets no help or support from the offense to erase his mistakes.
This is not okay. Losing to the Padres is not okay. When a team has more losses than you have wins and you have the second most wins in the league, you should not lose two out of three. Twice. You should win two out of three. Or God forbid they would sweep them. I guess we can’t possibly have two sweeps in a row. That’s just way too much to ask for.
Something needs to change or they’re going to end up getting swept in the first round of the playoffs, if they even make it.
Which they should if their pitching holds up the way it has, which it should, but my God, can somebody teach these a-holes how to hit.
tiger297
June 26th, 2011
11:21 pm
what up folks…neone with whom I would care to converse?
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
11:22 pm
CF is the only place I’m looking at, but if we’re going to pull the trigger it’s got to be for someone who changes the way this lineup is pitched to — even slightly.
Bourn would add a great deal except he’s lefthanded. He’s a plus defender as well. .350 OBP is a helluva lot better than the team average. You could make Prado a superutility guy who could play every day and spell Freeman, Uggla, Chipper and the outfielders.
Hell, look at that commercial — how do you think the Braves view Prado?
Playoffs!!!
June 26th, 2011
11:23 pm
Ward—The only part I disagree with is sending Conrad down. He’s too valuable a pinch-hitter and has power. Seven pinch hit home runs in 1 1/2 yrs!! . Just don’t start him much and NEVER leave him in when we have a lead in a close game.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
11:24 pm
A Bomb–I’d try to get Hardy from Baltimore. He’d be a great fit, and we wouldn’t have to make a long-term commitment if we don’t want to.
unbelievable
June 26th, 2011
11:24 pm
Reed Johnson is a fluke. He’s had only 90AB’s and is putting up a 1.026OPS. He’s been in the league for 9 years now and has over 2800+ AB’s with a career .756OPS. He’s not very good defensively in CF either.
unbelievable
June 26th, 2011
11:26 pm
Ward, Lugo is already on our bench.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
Play-Offs, True about Conrad at times,but you just don’t know about Conrad too.Diory could have al little speed as well. Thats what I was thinking about,but I’m half way on Conrad. Good point.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
11:28 pm
tiger… I’ve been perusing the blog but just reading not really conversing so I’ll be no help in your hunt to chatting it up. After a week off vacationing in Atlanta gotta go back to work tomorrow morning and def not looking forward to it. I’m already counting down the days till August when I travel to Chicago for a mini vacation which will include some Braves games. G’night all.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:30 pm
Good,because I say it’s time to bench Agone. I missed Lugo’s call up. Bench Agone ,and than trade him.Lugo could be that spark plug too.
unbelievable
June 26th, 2011
11:31 pm
Brooks has a .655SLG% off the bench. Thats pretty hard to replace. His bat pinch hitting has earned him a spot on this roster.
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
11:31 pm
I can’t believe some people are opposed to acquiring Michael Bourn. The kid is gonna steal 60+ bases this season and is EXACTLY what this team needs at the top of the order. He’d be our best leadoff guy since Marquis Grissom. And he’s under contract until after 2012; therefore, he would fit in nicely at the start of next season in CF.
I’m sorry, but Jordan Schafer is not the answer in CF. The kid isn’t even a good minor league player, why in God’s name do people think he’s going to succeed in the bigs? If Houston wanted this kid in a package for Bourn, I say put a bow on his head and send him west. Good riddance.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
11:31 pm
Hardy’s having a good year.
And Gonzalez is just so unproductive something has to be done.
But I still feel we’re vulnerable against lefties. And it sucks that we have to bench our best hitter once a week.
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
11:32 pm
I think the entire blog needs to take a step back and realize baseball in 2011 is not played by nearly the same type of players from the middle of the last decade. While I’m as disappointed and fed up with this “barely offensive” baseball, we’re certainly not the only team playing it.
When you realize that we have the players to match almost anyone offensively and exceed most of them with pitching, it’s only a matter of getting players to play up to career averages and we can go as far as anyone. Prado, McLouth, Heyward and hopefully Uggla offensively and Medlen, Moylan pitching will give us the boost after the break.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
11:33 pm
Escobar is one of the poorer hitting shortstops in baseball. Not sure why we would even think about him on the blog and I am positive that the Braves brain trust is not.
Mitchell
June 26th, 2011
11:35 pm
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
10:57 pm
Wasn’t intending to be vitriolic. Just saying if I were a betting man (and I’m not), I wouldn’t put money on the Braves beyond the first round.
Would you have bet on the Giants winning the World Series? Baseball’s postseason not always about the best team winning, sometimes its who gets on a hot streak at the right time. I see no clear favorites in the NL because not much separates the good teams from each other.
All a team has to do is play us in the first round and their path to glory is paved in gold.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:37 pm
Big Jake: The kid has potential,and he is 24. Could sign him long term.I’m sold on this kid.Well,I let you guy’s take over. Some may not agree with my points.,but ity’s all cool peace my friends, and “Go!!!!!! Braves!!!!!”
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
11:38 pm
What kills me the most is that Dan Uggla sucks so bad against lefties. Even some of our crappier players from recent years like Andruw Jones and Troy Glaus were able to mash against lefties. Uggla just needs to be shot.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
11:38 pm
meant to say it’s all cool. Have a good one! Every one…….
tiger297
June 26th, 2011
11:38 pm
kl – preach it brother – I would like to see what this team can do when healthy and playing their average baseball
except of course seabass we should give him away if we can find a taker
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
11:44 pm
Coming into the season the braves were predicted to have one of the better offenses in the NL. Right now all but a few are underachieving. We’ve seen this team be a tale of two halves for two seasons now. In 2009 the offense got off to a horrible start then turned it around, in 2010 after a slow start they caught fire only to struggle in the second half. It is entirely within the realm of possibility for these players to turn things around in the second half because there is a lot of talent on this team. Not sure a trade is the answer to our problems, just need some better production from these players. We need them to hit like they are capable of.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
11:44 pm
I’m sorry ward. I do not know where you got the idea that he has all that potential, but he really stinks as a hitter and there is little or no reason to think he will get much better.
Just because he is 24 does not mean that he is going to get better.
Does not matter anyway, a waste of discussion because he is not coming to Atlanta to replace Gonzalez this year.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
11:45 pm
Bass is streaky, he will get a hotter streak again most probably.
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
11:46 pm
Yeah Tiger, the Braves have always demanded that their SS carry the team offensively. Why Yunel led us last year with .238 .334 .284 .618 and I often yearn for the years of Walt Weiss.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
11:47 pm
“Would you have bet on the Giants winning the World Series?”
No, but I would’ve bet on them beating the Braves.
“Baseball’s postseason not always about the best team winning, sometimes its who gets on a hot streak at the right time. I see no clear favorites in the NL because not much separates the good teams from each other.”
I keep reading comments saying “Wait ’til the Braves hit their stride.” Well, the Phillies haven’t exactly been tearing it up, and they’ve been dealing with injuries throughout the first half as well. Considering the performance ceiling of both teams at their best, I can’t envision the Braves getting past the Phillies.
tiger297
June 26th, 2011
11:50 pm
so do you think sticking my head under the water in the tub holding my breath will get me in shape for freediving? How deep are we talking 10′ or 40′?
tiger297
June 26th, 2011
11:51 pm
and I was thinking more along the lines of belliard
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
11:53 pm
“That performance will improve, period. End of story.”
I’m inclined to agree with you. However, Philadelphia’s performance will also improve. And unlike the Braves, the Phillies will go out and acquire a key addition before the trade deadline. Why? Because their organization is committed to winning it all.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
11:54 pm
No, but I would’ve bet on them beating the Braves
You mean you would have bet on them beating the Chipper-less, Prado-less, JJ-less, Saito-less, Medlen-less, soon to be Wagner-less braves. That last injury proved to be the death nail though as having our closer injured opened the door for a San Francisco comeback that prevented them from facing an elimination game with the very hot D. Lowe on the mound. One less injury and that series easily goes our way. One less error and even with those injuries we could have beaten them.
Considering the performance ceiling of both teams at their best, I can’t envision the Braves getting past the Phillies.
You mean the team we have a winning record against this year despite the crappy play?
Woody Woodward
June 26th, 2011
11:55 pm
Pardon me repeating this stat, but before today’s game, Philadelphia had scored but ten more runs than the Braves all season. Goes to show what a strange and wonderful season it is.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
11:57 pm
I must be missing something you meant, tiger.
Belliard only played part time and was a very poor hitter, much worse than Alex with no power at all.
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
11:59 pm
Tiger – if you’re training to freedive in the tub, you can probably count on…………….about 3 feet…………..if you wear a 16/34 shirt. LOL
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
11:59 pm
I’m inclined to agree with you. However, Philadelphia’s performance will also improve. And unlike the Braves, the Phillies will go out and acquire a key addition before the trade deadline. Why? Because their organization is committed to winning it all.
I’m just curious as to why you’re so sure the phillies will improve. Their offense was overachieving for about the first month and now has come back to earth. Oswalt is injured and they pretty much have everyone back in their lineup right now from the DL and still aren’t scoring many runs. What pieces do they have to acquire the talent to improve? Not saying they won’t try but they’re going to have to give up something and maybe they do not currently have what other teams want. Not a given they will make a move.
Big Jake
June 27th, 2011
12:02 am
I think they will make a move if they feel that they need to Jake.
And the way he pitched so far, I am not sure how much losing Oswalt is going to hurt them.
A bit I guess.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:02 am
Weird watching a Sunday night game ….
SEATTLE 1 FLORIDA 0 BOT 7
Game was pushed back to 7:10 because of an MLS match!
Powder Blue
June 27th, 2011
12:04 am
“You mean you would have bet on them beating the Chipper-less, Prado-less, JJ-less, Saito-less, Medlen-less, soon to be Wagner-less braves. That last injury proved to be the death nail though as having our closer injured opened the door for a San Francisco comeback that prevented them from facing an elimination game with the very hot D. Lowe on the mound. One less injury and that series easily goes our way. One less error and even with those injuries we could have beaten them.”
I think the Braves significantly overachieved last year (including in the NLDS) and were lucky to find themselves in the playoffs (injuries or no injuries). If a lot of things had happened differently, we would’ve won more than one world series in the 1990s. But they didn’t, and we didn’t. Coulda’, shoulda’, woulda’.
“You mean the team we have a winning record against this year despite the crappy play?”
Yep. That team. When both teams are firing on all cylinders, I’ll take the Phillies. The Braves are built to keep things interesting throughout the summer, to make money for Liberty Media, and to grab the golf clubs in October. The Phillies are built to win championships.
CaptainMudderland
June 27th, 2011
12:05 am
Liberty Media has Mr. Wren on a short leash? Our team is run by a board of {15} directors? The casual fan and some blog contributors want something to change? Where (immediately) do the proceeds come from to accomplish any transitional improvements? All pragmatic thought on this level should lead to the unfortunate thought of giving up a coveted asset in the potential process. And regretfully, I will forego my arbitration option and be willing to leave Atlanta, so yes, I am available for trade…….Respectfully, CaptainMudderland
Mitchell
June 27th, 2011
12:06 am
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
11:31 pm
I can’t believe some people are opposed to acquiring Michael Bourn. The kid is gonna steal 60+ bases this season and is EXACTLY what this team needs at the top of the order. He’d be our best leadoff guy since Marquis Grissom. And he’s under contract until after 2012; therefore, he would fit in nicely at the start of next season in CF.
Any player we get is just going to fall into the Braves typical style of play, which is basically just wait and see and hope for a three run home run.
The only way Michael Bourne would end up stealing that many bases for us is if he’s asked to steal, if he’s utilized in that manner. It’s not that the Braves can’t steal bases, it’s that they simply don’t. I mean, they hardly ever try and when they do they end up not even reaching the bag.
Okay, so don’t and they can’t but Michael Bourne is no more going to steal bases than Dan Uggla is going to reach 30 home runs this year.
There are basic levels of expectations for various players in terms of what they are either expected to produce offensively or at least are capable of and yet we constantly see those expectations failing to be met but what happens?
All the Braves or Fredi Gonzalez or Frank Wren ever do is make excuses for these failures. So why do we even bother at the beginning of April and say Jason should hit between 25 and 30 home runs with 90 to 100 rbi’s, Chipper, Brian, Martin and Freddie are capable of hitting 20 or more home runs and Dan Uggla is a lock to hit 30 home runs with 100 rbi’s?
There’s seemingly not point to it anymore. Almost none of that is likely to happen not to mention the fact that Uggla has been below the Mendoza line since time immemorial and in the off chance he gets as many as two hits in a game it’s as if he’s suddenly the hottest hitter in baseball.
We have the talent. The organization just simply doesn’t make any demands that certains levels of performance or success be met. Until it does the Braves will continue to underachieve wildly.
And whoever we decide to trade for, should we decide to make a trade, will inevitably fail to make any great impression.
Is That?
June 27th, 2011
12:07 am
Capt Lou/Earl??
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:07 am
Powder Blue — there is NOTHING “interesting” about this Braves team, except how an offense as terrible as this for half the season can be part of a team 9 games over .500.
As exciting as last season was, this is the polar opposite.
Powder Blue
June 27th, 2011
12:10 am
“What pieces do they have to acquire the talent to improve? Not saying they won’t try but they’re going to have to give up something and maybe they do not currently have what other teams want. Not a given they will make a move.”
I don’t keep up with Philadelphia’s minor league system, so I can’t fully answer your question. However, I think Philadelphia’s ownership has shown its willingness to spend money to acquire talent and have no reason to doubt that they will do so again. In contrast, Wren’s usually forced to look at other teams’ scrap heaps to bolster the Braves’ lineup.
tiger297
June 27th, 2011
12:11 am
well I guess I will have to use that gym membership I get charged for every month…I think it has a pool-wonder if I can remember where it is
Is That?
June 27th, 2011
12:12 am
I think we are headed back into an era when the offense will matter less than the defense and pitching, much as it did before PEDS
.Our lone WS win was with a very mediocre offense, I believe they scored less than 650 runs that year.
I think we will see the same sort of numbers league wide from here on in for the most part
Powder Blue
June 27th, 2011
12:14 am
Gotta’ get some sleep. Goodnight, all.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:14 am
Actually, I hear the Phillies are out of money.
Is That?
June 27th, 2011
12:14 am
I think it has a pool-wonder if I can remember where it is tiger
Just sniff around for a strong chlorine smell.
Jake W.
June 27th, 2011
12:16 am
Yep. That team. When both teams are firing on all cylinders, I’ll take the Phillies.
With both teams firing on all cylinders I take the braves because if our offense had been as predicted its clear now that we have the better offense than the phillies. Our pitching is very similar but firing on all cylinders i’d give the braves the edge for offense. But neither team will likely be firing on a cylinders so we likely don’t have to worry about that scenario. All I know is that head to head this year, both teams dealing with injuries, we have shown that there is not much separation at all between these two teams.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:17 am
I heard that they were just up against the salary limit for having to pay extra tax.
Not sure which it is.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:18 am
goin’ swimmin’ tiger?
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:19 am
I heard they were even having trouble negotiating for a guy like Willingham because they have so much tied up in payroll.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:20 am
well we can hope that’s it ABomb, cause I’m thinking that the Braves prolly aren’t gonna make any big splashes
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:21 am
Nolee–you think Fredi is gonna stick with Schafer at lead off when Prado returns?
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:22 am
Hmmm. That’s interesting conjecture. Capt = Lou/Earl??
Jake W.
June 27th, 2011
12:23 am
I heard they were even having trouble negotiating for a guy like Willingham because they have so much tied up in payroll.
They have invested a lot of money in this current team and used a lot of prospects to acquire talent, unless they are giving up someone at the major league level I don’t see them having many options to acquire someone. They really don’t have that many attractive pieces that they can afford to spare imo.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:24 am
no idea Woody, I’ve given up trying to figger what Fredi is gonna do cause quite truthfully a lot of what he has done doesn’t make all that much sense to me at times.
Not saying he’s always wrong, just that he is often perplexin’.
Jake W.
June 27th, 2011
12:24 am
My gut tells me Schafer goes down if he doesn’t pick it up with the hitting
tiger297
June 27th, 2011
12:24 am
nolie – scuba diving which isn’t so much swimming but might do some freediving for lobster so need to build up some cardio.
Heck I’m running the peachtree in a week and that is more than I’ve done since my ski trip maybe I can call my training done.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:25 am
Agreed nolee — I think maybe another guy for the ‘pen (if that) unless it’s Medlen. Moylan back. Prado back. Some of the young guys in September.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:26 am
That’s pretty much my understanding too Jake. They might find a team that they could throw cash at , if indeed they have any cash. I guess we’ll see.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:26 am
Maybe I’m underestimating him, but at times he seems to throw spaghetti at the wall. Most seems to revolve around what should be the big sticks in the lineup. August will be interesting.
tiger297
June 27th, 2011
12:30 am
well I guess I’m done for the night…l8r