Move McCann from catcher? Ross says no
SAN DIEGO – So David Ross is in the lineup today, catching Tim Hudson’s start while Brian McCann gets a day off for this series finale against the Padres. This duo worked out well five days ago, you might recall.
So I got to thinking, today would be a good day to ask Ross about what is, to me, a misguided notion among some observers – not just fans but also some in the media – about playing Ross more and moving McCann to another position in order to try to keep him healthy and fresh.
A five-time All-Star -- soon to be six-time -- and the best-hitting catcher in the National League and arguably the majors, McCann has worked to improve his defense and game-calling skills.
Because if Ross has a big game, especially if he has one like the two-homer game he had the last time he started a game here in San Diego back in April, there will invariably be plenty of blogs and Twitter comments about how the Braves need to play one of them at another position – any position – in order to get both bats in the lineup.
And again, posts about how McCann, 27, should be moved to first base – or wherever, since some don’t seem to think it much matters – in order to make sure he doesn’t get Posey’d in a home-plate collision.
Even though I disagree with the logic and the entire theory behind moving a guy who’s probably the best-hitting catcher in the National League since Mike Piazza to another position, a position where he might just be a good hitter but not a great one, I thought I’d go to a couple of others more informed that myself: Ross and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who also happens to be former minor league catcher.
I ended up spending more time than planned with Ross, because he was as informative and candid and entertaining as always. So because I don’t want to deprive you of any of his wisdom, and also because I’m running out of time quickly before the first pitch, I’ll just run my conversation with him as a Q&A and see what you think about this subject after you read it, if he says anything at all that either reinforces your current opinion or makes you change your mind a bit.
I’ll share Fredi’s thoughts about it later, but suffice to say, he believes McCann is a solid defensive catcher who has worked hard on that part of his game and on calling a game, and he doesn’t see any reason why you’d move McCann to a different position, particularly since it’d almost have to be first base and the Braves have a strong 21-year-old rookie first baseman. “That’d be cutting off your nose to spite your face,” he said.
But anyway, here’s Ross.
Oh, and I should make it clear: I’ve never, not once, heard a Braves official or another player suggest that McCann should or would be moved to another position in the foreseeable future. And McCann has said repeatedly that he wants to play no other position, that he’s a catcher and loves to catch, doesn’t want to move.
Reason I asked was, I’m just reacting to the many emails, Twitter comments and blog posts that I’ve seen, particularly after the Buster Posey injury, that suggest McCann should be moved to first base or another position.
During McCann's time with Braves, some in the organization say the "his team" torch has been figuratively passed from Chipper to B-Mac (right).
And let me just say again that damn, David Ross is a great quote. Wait’ll you see his third-person quote about himself and his .203 season (with 17 homers) when he played a career-high 112 games for Cincinnati in 2007. Funny dude.
DOB: I think that some observers might short-change McCann on the defensive side of the game, because they get to compare him to such a strong defensive catcher and game-caller – you.
Ross: “I think Mac is an All-Star not just because of his bat. He calls a great game. We have one of the best pitching staffs in the game, and catching is a huge part of that.
“Year to year, every player is different. But [for example], Javy Vazquez had a subpar year before he came over here and had one of the best years of his careers. And then left, and was just kind of average. Just logically, that could have something to do with Mac and the way he calls a game. I don’t know that, but….
“His mind, as such a great hitter, helps him call a game, too. I watch the way he calls a game and it helps my game-calling, just watching him on the days that I have off. He does have a hitter’s mindset, whereas sometimes I have more of a pitcher and defensive mindset, he knows more what the hitter’s looking for sometimes, because he’s such a good hitter.”
What about this whole idea, from outside the organization, fans and some in the media suggesting that McCann should be moved so preserve his health and/or to get both of you in the lineup?
“I think, 1.you don’t ever want to start moving guys around, because you don’t know what you’re going to get. Moving Martin Prado from second base to left, I think it took him a while to adjust to not being part of the action. When you’re catching, you can forget about hitting because you’re so focused on getting their hitters out. If you’re playing first or playing the outfield, you might be swimming in your own dome [mind] out there a little bit, thinking about stuff.”
Ross says there are good reasons that McCann has his role, and Ross his.
And moving a catcher can be a bit unique, right, since guys who’ve caught so long have a different mentality?
“Yeah. I would be a first base calling a game; I sit on the bench calling a game. I’m thinking, how much more does this pitcher have? And then the stress of learning a new position would take its toll on you, I think. It’s not like, oh, I’m going to move to first, and all of a sudden I’m a great first baseman. You have to take ground balls, you have to learn situations, you have to learn where to go on bunt plays, cut-off plays. Also the gaps. That’s a lot of added stress.
“He’s a good catcher; let him be a good catcher. They tried to move Mike Piazza – if somebody’s an All-Star, let them be an All-Star. The guy [McCann] is going to be a six-time All-Star. They’re not talking about moving Roy Halladay to the bullpen. ‘He’s great, let’s move him to closer. Our closer sucks, so let’s make Roy Halladay our closer so we can nail down the win.’ I mean, that makes no sense at all.”
A lot of people seem to assume moving him to first would keep McCann healthier, even though they just saw Pujols break his arm making a fairly routine tag play at first base…
“There’s no guarantees in this game. There’s a lot of [illogical ideas people have]. Like even when we come into the American League games, or we go into Houston and you have a chance to play him in left or me in left [because of the small left field] – there’s no reason for that. This is the major leagues. People don’t understand how hard this game is. Everybody is really good at their position. They’re the best. They’re not just like, ‘hey, let’s just move this guy.’ They have their skill set and worked their way through the minor leagues, made major league careers at that position because they’re good. Really, really good. You can’t just move a guy. There’s a reason why there are a bunch of players in Triple-A that don’t get called up. Because they’re not ready. This is a very tough game.”
The great Johnny Bench moved eventually to third base, first base, the outfield on a part-time, but not much until he was 30. I just looked it up and he never played fewer than 121 games at catcher until he was 30. And he was an incredible athlete
“Incredible [athlete; referring to Bench]. Probably Mac’s one weakness is speed. But he’s such a good baseball player that he’s stolen more bases … I don’t have any career stolen bases, and he’s probably got 30. Because his instncts are really good, and he’s a great baseball player who grew up around the game.
“There may be a time to move a player to another position, if there’s some kind of injury down the road where he can’t maybe block as well, a knee injury or something. Then yeah, you keep his bat in the lineup any way you can. Or maybe down the road he moves to the American League, where he’s a DH. But you’re talking about when you get to D-Lowe, Chipper and Huddy’s age. You’re talking after 35. And he recognizes that, which is why he’s lost all the weight and trained harder and kept the weight off, because he recognizes how long he wants his career to go as a catcher.”
I think McCann might get slighted as a defensive catcher by some, because they compare him as a defensive catcher to you. And then you have a two-homer game….
“He’s a great catcher. I think he’s a great catcher.
“People always … it’s the whole thing where if the backup’s doing good… But there’s a reason why I’m a backup. I’ve had a chance to succeed, I’ve had a chance to start. I’m hit-or-miss over the longevity of a long season. I got exposed [as a starter] maybe, or however you want to look at it. I’m a better player now than I was then, but [backup] is also a good role for me to be in. Play as hard as I can for a couple of days, then get out for a couple of days, then get back in. It’s a role that I’m comfortable in.
“Fans saying, ‘Oh, David should play every day and move Mac to first, then we’ll have a better bat in the lineup.’ Well, David hit .203 for a season. [laughs] There were some home runs in there, but David hit .203 for a season. So let’s not just jump to conclusions.
“A guy who’s a career .290 or .300 hitter, whatever he is, let him do his thing. Let David do what he’s good at. Let Mac do what he’s good at. Let Eric Hinske do what he’s good at. Know what I’m saying? Good backups and role players are good because they’ve learned how to do it. It’s a certain skill set.
“You don’t see many young guys come up from the minor leagues and be good backups, because it’s a different mindset, it’s a different way to prepare. And me, Hinske, some other guys, we’ve had a chance to play every day and things didn’t work out. Now we’ve found our niche. Just speaking for me, I’m good in spurts, I’m good in small doses. But the longevity, I don’t know anymore. Because it’s been awhile.
“It’s easy to say that. But there’s a reason [the manager] put me in the role I’m in. And that’s the sign of bad managing, in my opinion, when you play the hot hand. That puts no confidence in your starters. Bobby [Cox] did a great job with that, and Fredi [Gonzalez] has. It doesn’t matter who’s hot; I’m playing my starters, and this guy is a big key on the bench that I need to use during the game.”
BRAVES LINEUP
- Schafer CF
- Heyward RF
- Chipper 3B
- Freeman 1B
- Uggla 2B
- Ross C
- Gonzalez SS
- McLouth LF
- Hudson RHP
♣ OK, let’s post this so you can read it before first pitch. We’ll close by saying happy 55th birthday to Mick Jones, who sang lead on a bunch of tunes by the mighty, mighty Clash, including this one, which you can hear by clicking here.
“I’M NOT DOWN” by The Clash
If it’s true that a rich man leads a sad life
N’ that’s what they from day to day
Then what do all the poor do with their lives?
On judgment day with nothing to say?
I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down
On my own I faced a gang of jeering in strange streets
When my nerves were pumping and I
Fought my fear in, I did not run
I was not done
I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down
And I have lived that kind of day
When one of your sorrows will go away
It goes down and down and hit the floor
Down and down and down some more
Depression
But I know there’ll be some way
When I can swing everything back my way
Like skyscrapers rising up
Floor by floor, I’m not giving up
So you rock around and think that
You’re the toughest
In the world, the whole wide world
But you’re streets away from where
It gets the roughest
You ain’t been there
I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down….
– By David O’Bries, Braves/MIB blog
1,315 comments Add your comment
Woody Woodward
June 26th, 2011
3:59 pm
Go Bravos
Kat
June 26th, 2011
4:03 pm
Not that I want this to be one of the first few blog comments but the Phillies won 3-1.
Tim
June 26th, 2011
4:05 pm
Posey’d…..Love it
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:06 pm
Looks like the Pads did a real nice recognition of the Marines.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:07 pm
Game on
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
4:09 pm
Long day ahead.
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
4:09 pm
Well, that wasn’t a very good AB.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:10 pm
Dang it, JS and JH. Not a good start.
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
4:10 pm
Too many lefties in the lineup today. Fredi should have at least given Schafer or McLouth a day off, and put Ramirez in there. He’s rotting on the bench.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:10 pm
Mudderland in attendance–Big Go Bravos….but not like that/3KKKKKs.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
It looks like Luebke is on pace to pitch the game of his life today. He’ll probably strike out 12 and the Braves will have about 3 hits. It just looks like one of those days.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
We just got OWNED by this kid. Gonna be a long day.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
Oh, GREAT Blog, Chief!! I’m keeping this one, that’s for sure! Thanks so much. Hope all those goofy fans who want to move BMac and play Ross more read this—might actually make an impression coming straight from the horse’s mouth…
Great stuff. I love it.
BFChris26
June 26th, 2011
4:11 pm
Hey everyone.
Joe Tess Fish House
June 26th, 2011
4:12 pm
Man the Pardes have some ugly uniforms. Whats the deal with that? Makes me want 2 vomit.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:12 pm
My wife wants me to see if I can order her a Padres jersey like those worn today…..I told her internet commerce has ceased as of now!
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
Play of the Game so far: Schafer taking a ball.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
4:13 pm
David…great quotes from Ross. Very cool insight he gave us.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:14 pm
@DOB….Very good read, thanks for all you do to make things cool for the fans!
Mr. Enigma
June 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
David Ross is better than 75% of everyone else’s everyday catchers. Braves are very lucky to have such a team player on their side.
flange1
June 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
Great song DOB!
And one of your best interviews ever on a subject that our bloggers need more information on.
GREAT NEW BLOG! Thanks
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
Ross seems to have real good sense. Thats the kinda stuff that a few of us try to explain to the blog, maybe they will accept reality from him better
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
NOW you’re out! Haha.
But seriously, Timmy…
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
Rossy!
Attaboy.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
Joe – those are their Sunday home uniforms honoring the Marines.
And why are the Padres trying to steal 3rd off Ross?
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
That’s right sit down!
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
Dummies thought heap was catching.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:16 pm
Don’t get him the first time, you’ll get him the next. Dufus.
Matt
June 26th, 2011
4:17 pm
The Braves would really benefit from having a DH. They could let McCann DH when Ross is catching and let Hinske DH when McCann is catching.
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
4:17 pm
O-Dog batting 3rd for the Pads? Ouch!
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
live by the SB, die by the SB. and some folks wonder why there is such a low correlation between SB and RS.
coach being one of the biggest dummies in that regard of course
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
4:19 pm
Uggs is going to hit a double right here.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
4:20 pm
I see Koufax is pitching for SD today.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:20 pm
You guys realize you’re taking a chance when you DH a catcher. If something happens to the catcher (say Ross gets hurt), and the other catcher has to play defense, the DH is off and the pitcher has to hit. It’s not a huge deal, but, if it happened early in an AL game, you’d be playing with 8 hitters against 9.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:21 pm
can he get three more Ks in a row?
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
or not. man, this guy is going to have like a Maddux-esque complete game shutout with 80 pitches or so at this rate. Of course, it is the 2nd inning. (-;
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
now you dun it Jay, all the dummies will be back demanding that we carry a third catcher who caint hit just sos we can use Rossy a few more at bats a year
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
Messed that smiley up…
jch
June 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
Good topic. I’ve been critical of McCann because I don’t think he’s a very good defensive catcher. But, I’ve never suggested moving him (either to a different position or by trade – god forbid). He calls a good game and is a fantastic hitter.
However, we just saw what Ross does so much better than McCann (and probably leads to this controversy as much as anything) – slows down the running game. Ross made a great jump close at 2nd and nailed the guy, with an even better jump, at 3rd.
I’d love to see this out of McCann but it just may not be in his skill set.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
Might want to consider swinging at those fastballs down the center of the plate. Just a thought.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
As a contrast to today’s blog on Mac (Good one, David) Twins announce today that Mauer will begin working out at First Base.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110626&content_id=21026148¬ebook_id=21026514&vkey=notebook_min&c_id=min
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
Not picking up the ball well? That’s 4 Ks looking already.
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
Bats taking a day off after a busy day yesterday.
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
4:24 pm
taking fast balls down the middle..good grief
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Great blog DOB. Great stuff from Ross.
olereb
June 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
I am on vacation in Destin, yaw keep me updated, please.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
Luebke has made some kind of change from minors to majors. He still walks a lot, but his K’s have gone up significantly in the majors. Small sample size, though.
huddie ledbetter
June 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
I think moving Mac was a legitimate discussion a few years back when we had Salty looking like he may be legit and nobody that good in the immediate pipeline for first but not now. The worry for me at catcher isn’t injury as much as wearing out moving parts (knees, hips & back). All the getting up and down and moving around while in the crouch puts a lot of stress on anyone but more so on a guy as heavy as Mac. At some point he’ll likely have to move but not now. Great having a quality backup though.
Blog Monitor
June 26th, 2011
4:25 pm
njbraves, keep your intelligent observations coming, don’t know what we would do without your musings..
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
4:26 pm
I’m gonna get pounded for this but I’m predicting this starter will shut us down. He looks good the the righties aren’t exactly hitting the ball
wiki
June 26th, 2011
4:26 pm
October 5, 2030 AJC Headline: Gonzalez retires after 20 seasons as Braves’ skipper; Ross named manager for 2031.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
lets see how he does after a few times around the league
dean
June 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Good stuff from Ross, DOB. Proof that the expert wannabe managers who want to change everything on a daily basis don’t have a clue. I prefer to let the experts do what they get paid to do.
@bravesgrl4life: Yeah, the “Hollywood Marines” (Marines who go to bootcamp in San Diego) get to go to Padres games. On the other side of the country, the Marines at Parris Island, SC get to go to, well, nowhere.
(I always love the opportunity to take a shot at my west coast “brothers”!)
Time to turn the game on…
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
T for Texas–that may have something to do with Morneau’s injury…Gardenhire hinted at it in his comments too.
monty
June 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Schafer with a lineout to 1b last night and a triple. Still squaring up some balls! a triple! THink about it.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
Hudson’s command looks a little off today.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Bats taking a day off after a busy day yesterday.
Nope, right here, ready, willing and able to call nuts, nuts.
olereb
June 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Whats happening?
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
I try to monty but that incredibly crappy 600 OPS keeps getting in the way
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
4:29 pm
Rally good blog, DOB. Nice to get Ross’ perspective.
UNCBrave
June 26th, 2011
4:30 pm
Uggla hit his ball HARD..
This UMPIRE is squeezing Hudson
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:30 pm
Catching is what Mac can do,to slow for another postion other then D.H. in A.L. Just have to put up with bad defense.
olereb
June 26th, 2011
4:30 pm
Beautiful place, just dont know if I am going to make it for a week.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
“Whats happening?”
Fixin’ to be “ballgame”….right here.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
Seems like we’re having this McCann convo because of Ross’s numbers. I think the issue here is how to get Ross more AB’s.
But, McCann’s value is significantly increased at catcher. Barring an injury that limits him at catcher, he has the most value to this team there.
I guess you could see a McLouth/Ross platoon in LF, but that’s going away when Prado returns anyway. And, Ross points out the difficulty in switching/playing 2 positions, which isn’t going to happen during the season anyway.
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
might get ugly….
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
4:32 pm
I am on vacation in Destin, yaw keep me updated, please. _ olereb
The women on the beaches will be going topless from 4 pm central time till dark tonight.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
4:33 pm
For sure SteveOH. Morneau’s injury was cited along with interleague play (not having DH as a place to keep him in lineup, without having to catch) But given that the organization was talking about wanting to move Mauer to first permanently–it seems to me that mangement may be being a little opportunistic with the injuries at 1B.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:33 pm
Settle down, Huddy. Get Maybin.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
Now we need a HUGE DP.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
Dang error, if Gonzo fields that ball cleanly, the Braves might be out of the inning. Instead we have bases loaded and one out.
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
Huddy not exactly looking very good so far.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
There is the DP. Sweet!
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:35 pm
like Ross admitted, he is hit and miss over the long run. like Hinske his bat tends to go down as the amount of playing time goes up
Bravefaninok
June 26th, 2011
4:35 pm
Nice DP by timmy.
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
4:35 pm
pheeeeewwwwww!!!!
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:35 pm
And we got it
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
But with a fortuitous DP like that, he is still unscored upon.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
out at home!!!
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Tomahawk Mafia
Ball to Gonzo was a tough pick. Tons of top-spin on that in-betweener. Cut him some slack.
Dumbfound
June 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:31 pm
“Whats happening?”
Fixin’ to be “ballgame”….right here.
J-Man
June 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
Huddy just pulled out his lucky rabbits foot on that double play
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
fortuitous huh? Jerry goin’ all uptown on us today???
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
huddie All the getting up and down and moving around while in the crouch puts a lot of stress on anyone but more so on a guy as heavy as Mac.
BMac is not THAT heavy!!
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
Go Nate, go Nate
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
no hitter is gone. Have to work on the shutout now.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Atta boy Nate. Great to see that.
Bravefaninok
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Nate!!!!!!!!!!! Looking much better @ the dish!!!
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Nate haters………take your teef out and gum that.
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
Nate the great.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
McLouth’s third double in past four official at-bats
Dumbfound
June 26th, 2011
4:39 pm
McLouth must have lost a step. Should be at third !
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
Use Tim as a pinch hitter.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
Luebke must’ve seen Huddy’s two-run homer last week….
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
Nate’s OPS is almost 100 points higher than Schafer’s now
Kat
June 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
Game’s going quick or is it just me…
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
4:44 pm
Yeah, he didn’t want any part of Timmy!
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:45 pm
Schafer has a good eye.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
Continuing the McCann theme, he’s the number 2 catcher the last 2 years measured by WAR, second to Mauer. Of course, Mauer is proving injury prone, so a move is in order. However, at 1B, Mauer’s value is going to be much less.
Same would be true for McCann. Over the same period, Mac is far and away the best offensive catcher.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
Braves fans abound in SD…got to give ‘em some runs….us too!
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
Nothin’
Trey
June 26th, 2011
4:47 pm
McFann, I thought this article might have made you gain more respect for Ross, for being a stand up guy.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:47 pm
Dang it
Trey
June 26th, 2011
4:47 pm
Dang, Schafer.
J-Man
June 26th, 2011
4:48 pm
even though we didnt score it was a good inning making him go deep in the count like that and hes on a 70 pitch count
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
4:48 pm
I wish Schafer could reach base more frequently. His plate discipline has eroded recently.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
Trey—
Well it did!
But I’ve always respected Ross…I just get annoyed when people try to make him out to be SO MUCH better than BMac and they just gush over him—in fact, in that way Ross and I are a lot alike!
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
.595 and sinking fast
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
Sit on down Lueggie
Whoop
June 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
Once Prado returns, McLouth’s back to CF and Schafer’s back to AAA
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
Maybe Schafer would reach base more if he’d hit it on the ground sometimes…still swinging for the fences looks like to me..looks like no one can get through to these guys.
Supes
June 26th, 2011
4:50 pm
I’m sorry DOB, but if the Twins are moving an ALL STAR catcher like JOE MAUER to 1st base…moving Brian McCann to 1st base on the Braves isn’t that far fetched.
True we have Freddie Freeman there right now he’s a rookie lets see how things play out the next few seasons. If Mac starts to get injury prone playing catcher and Freeman turns into a good but not great 1B…I can’t see a reason why you wouldn’t try moving Brian McCann to 1B…things have to “fall” into place for that scenario but it is not out of the realm of possibility.
With all due respect to David Ross of course.
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:51 pm
Just need Huddy to get in a groove,will get to there pitcher.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:51 pm
More Mac. For those who say Mac’s a bad defensive catcher, under what criteria?
Based on defensive RAR for 2010-2011 (so far), know who’s better of everyday catchers:
Ruiz, Y. Molina, Torrealba, Wieters, Olivo, Mauer, Hanigan, Martin, Ramos. That puts him in the top 3rd defensively.
Stop the hating, without any real proof.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:51 pm
Ross is like Hinske, excellent guys to have on the bench so they don’t get overexposed…
They have more value in that situation than they likely would playing regularly
Trey
June 26th, 2011
4:51 pm
Well, if Lopez was a Brave today, then you wouldn’t have to worry about people gushing all over Ross.
They’d be all over Lopez.
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
4:52 pm
Hudson’s pitches are up..alot..doesn’t bode well unless he can get them down
Ralph
June 26th, 2011
4:52 pm
Don’t expect the baves to score any runs today or for the next week for that matter, they got their months quota yesterday.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
4:54 pm
Supe – the Twins are moving Mauer because he can’t stay healthy at catcher. That’s not true of Mac. What, do you want to play a rock at Catcher because you can’t afford to lose his bat?
As I said, a lot Mac’s value is that he plays catcher, and you’d lose some of that if you moved him to an offensive position (LF or 1B). And puhleaze, Freeman is the first baseman.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:54 pm
with SD getting 11 on Friday and the Braves 10 on Saturday, this game might go into Monday B4 anybody scores
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
4:54 pm
Smart Jay: No ones hating,just giving opinions.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
4:54 pm
.595
A number quickly approaching the threshold of suckage that exceeds any unconditional love for speed.
Tech 73
June 26th, 2011
4:55 pm
Tremendously informative article in New York Times Sunday Magazine about the effect of age on athletes.Article focused on Jeter but basically revealed the thoughts of medical field that for a Major Leaguer it is all downhill after 30 and pretty quickly.The only reason things had changed in last 20 years was the obvious use of steroids and its ability to temporarily delay the process. After reading the article you had to realize the Yankees have to see themselves as idiots after signing Jeter to his deal.After Jeter’s and others inevitable deterioration it will become obvious to these owners that multi year extensions for a 32 0r 33 year old player are insane. The party is basically over and it ended suddenly unless the players are able to come up with the next new thing in avoiding detection. Great article.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
way past that point IMO Tfor, and as an old scout I was conditioned to luv speed. but you gotta have sumthang to go with it….
monty
June 26th, 2011
4:57 pm
I thought you were one of the guys who preached small sample size, Nolee?
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 26th, 2011
4:58 pm
The spectre of McClouth in center is looming again. Thanks a lot, Schafe.
Elonbrave
June 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
David Ross gives a great interview. The Braves seem to have a lot of guys like that.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
Now lets get to them here, boys.
fastasballs
June 26th, 2011
4:59 pm
Great Blog DOB. I always thought the idea of moving Mac to another position was idiotic. I think Ross summed up his abilities & gave it to ya straight.
I seriously would swap Nate & Schafer in the order. I know some of you think Schafer is somehow a plus leading off, but the stats just are not backing that up.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
Another no hitter?
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
Wow, the way this game is going, Huddy might have to hit another homer in order to win.
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
5:02 pm
This might be Luebke’s last inning. Black has him on a 60-70 pitch count limit.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
5:02 pm
Yeah, nolie–probably a good 100 pts below what would be acceptable. I was trying to be diplomatic when there was really no cause to be. .215/.295/.300 ain’t gonna get it done.
itpdude
June 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
tl;dr
Can you do MORE of a wind-up next time?
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
Just missed it.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
*acceptable on a minimal level.
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
they’ve been outs..but I like Uggla’s swings today
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:03 pm
I am monty, and I am over-exaggeratin’ a bit for effect, but Schafer looks like crap. he is not even the same physical specimen that he used to be. and quite truthfully I have always thought he was over-rated. Like Betemit he had basically a great one half a season at AA ball and was hyped to death ever after. JMO of course
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
5:05 pm
Do we really want to get into their bullpen..aren’t those guys pretty good too?
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:05 pm
How long before they start showing BMac in these ASG commercials?
I guess he’s only been to it 5, going on 6 years in a row…can’t expect them to jump the gun quite this early…
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:06 pm
Patriotic salute a nice touch.
kevkat
June 26th, 2011
5:08 pm
that’s the Huddy I know…
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
5:08 pm
Rizzo just got owned MLB-style.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:09 pm
Why does the radio keep going to commercials in the middle of at bats? crazy
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
5:10 pm
Wondering when Huddy will have a clean inning.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
Alright, lets get Huddy some runs!!
TheAntiMe
June 26th, 2011
5:12 pm
Looking good, Timbo!
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
5:12 pm
Huddy got in the groove I asked for ,now let the bats begin.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:12 pm
We got to push one or two across the plate this half inning–I want to drive to the store with a smile on my face—come on, “make my day!”
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:12 pm
Trey Well, if Lopez was a Brave today, then you wouldn’t have to worry about people gushing all over Ross.
They’d be all over Lopez.
Hmm…
BMac’s better-looking!
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:13 pm
The Ross is leading off. A good time for him to hit a 3 run jack.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:13 pm
Bat M. The Ross is leading off. A good time for him to hit a 3 run jack.
monty
June 26th, 2011
5:14 pm
For years now we have been searching for a bonafide leadoff hitter, and we finally get a guy with speed, great arm, good defense and oh, by the way, his numbers at leading off the game are, .417,.500,.542,.1.042 and you would rather replace him with Nate who is .195,.268,.343,.611 at leading off the game? Talk about your major suckage. Really? Not to say that Jordan doesn”t need to improve at the other times in the game, he does, but this was thrust upon him due to injuries and he’s only had around 100 big league AB’s in the past 2 years, but man oh man, how could he do any better at being the leadoff hitter? C’Mon Man.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:15 pm
McFann
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
5:15 pm
Typical A-Out AB. Ist pitch hacking with a popout.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
5:17 pm
Mauer has a 162 game average of 15 HR/92RBI and a .880 OPS. As a 1B in 2010, there were 23 1B with more HR’s and 9 with better OPS and RBI totals. As a catcher, he’s an all-star, as a 1B, he’s better than average, but not a star.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:17 pm
@Bat….local advertising spots seem to fall into an illogical transitivo–”F” the game, right!
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
5:18 pm
Huddy needs to go yard.
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
5:18 pm
In the words of Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker)….One hit….that’s all we got…one god da#@ hit.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
5:19 pm
John Leonard – I was exaggerating. Lighten up. Opinions are fine. They’re better when they have some basis in fact.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:20 pm
Re: Lead off guy…..it’s JMO–We stayed with Nate a while, give Jordan a bit more time–he’ll be okay.
MBATL
June 26th, 2011
5:20 pm
The answer to the trivia question: Roberto Alomar and Marcus Giles.
BrianSC
June 26th, 2011
5:20 pm
Ross is a class act. He is a valuable part of this team, like Hinske. Ross knows his role, has accepted it, and is comfotable with it. He’s great.
McCann is an absolute stud behind the plate for the Braves. He is having an MVP year. Not just for the way his offense has carried the Braves at times this year, but because he has handled the best overall pitching staff in MLB.
People are way too critical and unappreciative of McCann. Fans need to be thankful that the catcher position is a position of no worry and is set in stone for, hopefully, many years to come with McCann. Fans are seeing, in my opinion, a future hall of famer at catcher. There is a future hall of famer at third base and we have seen future hall of famers on the mound in Braves uniforms.
It is great to be a McCann fan and a Braves fan. Now, let’s get some runs and win this ballgame.
GO BRAVES!!!
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:21 pm
Hey folks!!!1
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:21 pm
As a catcher, he’s an all-star, as a 1B, he’s better than average, but not a star.
184 million dollars, man o man.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:24 pm
.417,.500,.542,.1.042 and you would rather replace him with Nate who is .195,.268,.343,.611 at leading off the game? Talk about your major suckage. Really? mont
wow, that’s pretty funky. you are maintaining that he will continue to lead off a game at twice the rate that every other at bat?thats ridiculous. you do realize how incredibly small that sample size is for just leading off a game, and surely must understand that it will soon go down in line with the rest of his stats. there is NMIH that he is gonna continue at that level leading off when he sux so bad every other at bat . Lets revisit those numbers in two weeks.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
Yeah Captain,
every time it happens I’m thinking, wait, what happened, what did I miss. nutty
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
Leubke is the greatest pitcher in MLB history….How else could you explain his awesomeness?
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
Bat—
BrianSC—
I totally agree!!!
Arkansas Transplant
June 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
Hello everyone
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
Well, at 1B Mauer would probably post better numbers; more at bats would lead to higher HR, RBI totals, for one thing, and less distraction/responsibility would probably boost his overall hitting.
But, point taken. He wouldn’t be an elite-hitting 1B.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
5:26 pm
Another DP needed, guys.
LAG
June 26th, 2011
5:26 pm
Two reasons given for moving Mauer to 1B…
1) He’s still too injured to be an effective catcher.
2) Morneau is still out for quite some time.
Neither of these is a problem the Braves have.
jungleland sax solo
June 26th, 2011
5:26 pm
Wife saw San Diego scenes when game first came on. Moments ago I told her it was 70 degrees out there. K, I made up a temp. Even so…she cracked..we get to go again, on her dime, after first of year.
YAYYYYYY….San Diego…Go Braves.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
That certainly sucked.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
Heyward huh?
You CATCH that ball Mister!
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
No I’m no catcher, nor have I done extensive research on the topic, but wouldn’t moving McCann from behind the plate keep his knees/legs fresher and potentially extend his career?
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
oh no….
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
Did Huddy watch Jair last night and decide to duplicate it?
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
5:27 pm
Jason should have totally had that ball
fastasballs
June 26th, 2011
5:28 pm
Schafer has an OBP in the 290’s. That’s what you want from the guy who will get the most plate appearances in a given span of games? No Nate isn’t leaps & bounds ahead of him, but his is around .330 if recall. That’s still HUGE difference long term.
All Schafer is going to give you over Nate is a bit more speed & flash in his few & far between extra base hits.
Arkansas Transplant
June 26th, 2011
5:28 pm
Great game yesterday by JJ. Hudson has been crazy wild but efficient today.
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:29 pm
Of course I missed yesterday’s offensive eruption…lol
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:29 pm
Of course I missed yesterday’s offensive eruption…lol
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
5:29 pm
LAG – exactly. The Mauer move is of necessity. It’s not an example for Braves to follow. Also, McCann’s 162 game numbers compare much better than Mauer’s to 1B, still, it would be like trading the best catcher in the NL (at least) for a 5-8 1B. People here would rip Wren to shreds if he made a deal like that, rightfully so.
Arkansas Transplant
June 26th, 2011
5:30 pm
Why is it Heyward has so much trouble tracking and moving towards balls. That should have been a easy catch if he’s coming in hard for it.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:30 pm
more than likely they will both be gone next year and we can argue about sumthang else
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:31 pm
Huge K for Huddy!!!
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:31 pm
even better question. why do the defensive metrics like him so much when Braves fans hate him so much?
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
5:32 pm
Good points Re: maximizing value by position, Jay.
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
5:33 pm
nolee, I don’t think the metrics do like him. Fangraphs doesn’t like his D at all.
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
5:33 pm
Because defensive metrics is a game made up by adults who like to play like children.
Arkansas Transplant
June 26th, 2011
5:33 pm
hate is an awefully strong word isn’t it?
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:34 pm
still having some trouble keeping the ball low enough pitch after pitch it seems
bravofan
June 26th, 2011
5:35 pm
love the Prado ad!!!!!
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:36 pm
Hate is a strong word. I try not to use it.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
5:36 pm
Anything exciting, other than this 0-0 score, happen in the past few innings? (Game has been on my computer but I’ve been cleaning and not really paying attention)
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:37 pm
the ones I read do Mike and Fielding Bible panel voted hin third or so last year.
they had him +10 last year and +2 so far this year
smoltz29
June 26th, 2011
5:37 pm
Our bats made Leubke look like Sandy Koufax. Ouch!
Arkansas Transplant
June 26th, 2011
5:38 pm
I can say one thing,,, Lowe didn’t disappoint the other night. Talk about a total waste of a spot in the rotation, the dude absolutely drives me crazy.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
5:38 pm
Heyward’s UZR is -3.6 right now on fangraphs partly because of a -2.0 based upon his arm. He seems to range to his left and right well, but has trouble moving forward and backward on the ball. Overall, we must say that we need more data to arrive at concrete conclusions about his defense based on the advance metrics.
Smokin' Sammy
June 26th, 2011
5:38 pm
That is a great interview. David Ross has unusually insightful perspective and a realistic view that will make him a very fine manager some day, hopefully well into the future (because we like him as a Brave).
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:38 pm
OK. C’mon Jordan. get on base. pretend you are leading off the game!!
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:39 pm
jeffrey d! Not you, too!
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:39 pm
a triple here would be real nice
jungleland sax solo
June 26th, 2011
5:39 pm
Braves commercials have been funny. Marteeeen playin the organ & being PA guy..Haha…Mahaps they should let him gun down ski lift boys in ths next ad. Or stab Marcel.
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
5:39 pm
1 hit
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
5:40 pm
i really don’t understand how this team can go from what it was last year offensively to what it is this year. absolutely amazing. I don’t think they would be this bad if Bobby was around.
Smart Jay
June 26th, 2011
5:40 pm
Mike in FL – I don’t use fangraphs, but glancing at it, they seem to rate him lower than the stats on BR defensively. He’s not a GREAT defensive catcher, but, he’s better than average. It’s his defense on BR’s site that brings his overall WAR down, so they agree there.
Nolee – as for Braves fans, I think it’s watching him throw. He had some serious issues last season, but he seems to be better this year. I haven’t looked at those CS numbers, but, we do have at least 1 pitcher (Hanson) who can’t hold anyone on, so that doesn’t help. There’s nothing wrong with his game calling (read this article and look at the results) and fielding hasn’t been an issue. I don’t get it with fans. Their eyes deceive them.
I could look at the CS numbers and compare, but I don’t feel like it, honestly. Someone else can feel free to, though.
The lawyer
June 26th, 2011
5:40 pm
We need a right-handed outfield bat in the worst way imaginable. Even when Prado gets back, we still need a right-handed bat to plug in against lefties. This is really a punchless lineup against left-handed starters.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:40 pm
Ross cann be our manager after Fredi leaves…
Haha! Would be kinda fun to have Ross manage the team while BMac is still playing—bet he’d give BMac a “hard(er) time”!
But I’d rather have Ross as BMac’s backup…
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:40 pm
That was quick
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:41 pm
yeah I agree about needing more data, especially with UZR since its creator claims you need 3-5 years worth.
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
5:41 pm
with the last of baserunners, i think i would have given the take sign there. but, you can see the logic for letting him swing.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
5:41 pm
Well, that was an easy inning. New Padre pitcher, same result.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
5:41 pm
An honest question, McFann…I’m curious
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
5:42 pm
Pretty punchless against any pitcher, but I see what you are saying.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
5:43 pm
I really dislike that 3-0 out that Chipper just made. How about some baserunners and seeing some more pitches. Oh well, he knows what he is doing at the plate.
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
5:44 pm
Can’t wait to see what this Spence kid does against someone other than the Braves.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
5:44 pm
Do you know the way to Atlanta, Jose?
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
5:44 pm
nolee, I don’t know. I’m not a big fan of defensive stats anyway. But Fangraphs has him at -14.8 UZR/150 (which is way below average) and 2 Defensive Runs Saved, which is about average.
Just watching him, I’m disappointed in his defense, but as you’ve pointed out many times, he’s young and seems to have all the tools to improve; and also, it’s right field. You’re really not gonna win or lose a whole lot of games with RF defense.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:44 pm
Schafer must notta been able to convince himself that the game was just starting.
lets see 400 BA on the first inning and .000 for the other 3 or 4 ABs = ?????
Elonbrave
June 26th, 2011
5:45 pm
Nolee, is that legitimate? He’s only hit in his first AB??
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:46 pm
Enter your comments here
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
5:46 pm
I’m sorry DOB, but if the Twins are moving an ALL STAR catcher like JOE MAUER to 1st base…moving Brian McCann to 1st base on the Braves isn’t that far fetched. — Supes
Maybe it isn’t with you, but it is with the team and all parties involved. And that was the reason I wrote it, to find out what they thought about the subject.
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
5:46 pm
btw, agree that UZR is useless on half a season, or even 1 1/2 seasons. Heck, the ‘creators’ of it say it’s likely to be useless after 10 seasons!
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
5:46 pm
Yeah 1 hit through 6 innings is rough, but the two lefties we’ve faced so far are pretty damn good and new. New meaning the scouting hasn’t gotten all the way around yet which is obvious. The starter today was whiffing the Red Sox hitters left and right in the clips they were showing, so it’s not just us.
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
5:47 pm
Wow, had completely forgotten that Bret Boone played for the Braves.
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
5:48 pm
Hudson still hasn’t had a clean inning through 6 innings.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:48 pm
yeah just stuff to kick around Mike. we’ll see as he ages, but I will admit to being kinda surprised after seeing him some in the minors and reading all the scouting reports on his D at that time.
I still think he may he having a bit of trouble coping with what is likely the first serious lack of success that he has ever had in baseball. Maybe a mini Francoeur syndrome ?
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
I haven’t looked at those CS numbers, but, we do have at least 1 pitcher (Hanson) who can’t hold anyone on, so that doesn’t help. _ Smart Jay
Heap was 4th in MLB last year CS% .300 ….. They do run on Heap a lot, 120 times
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
jeffrey d—
I was just messin’ with ya!
I guess it’s one of those things…it might, but it might not. When he’s older, it might be an option…
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
Just wasting time and hand energy with my last post. Y’all will bit** until we start winning and then bit** how we still looked bad and had a rough time beating this Padres team.
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
5:50 pm
nolee, agreed. Both at the plate and on D, Heyward sometimes seems like he thinks too much about how to handle things, rather than letting natural ability take over. Maybe he’s always been “coached” so much that he’s never really developed his natural instincts. Even though he seems to have tremendous natural skills.
Or some such happy b.s.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
5:50 pm
Need to go ahead and pull Tim out. Not looking good.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
5:51 pm
Another SB…out pitchers are driving me BATTY with that this year…Oh my gosh.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
5:51 pm
@Jeffrey d…..were you messing with me earlier today?
ted william's head
June 26th, 2011
5:52 pm
down here in the Macon area Uggla is refered to Last as in Last Uggla no kidding
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
5:52 pm
Ump today is guessing behind the plate. He doesn’t have a clue.
Soph
June 26th, 2011
5:53 pm
Pretty pitch
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:54 pm
its an exaggeration Elon , but monty was pointing out that he was hitting 400+ leading off a game. since he is hitting. 215/.591 or whatever overall, the rest of his at bats during a game must be pretty dang pitiful to bring the overall down that low, but I haven’t really looked it up. Mostly just bustin’ monty’s chops a bit.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
5:54 pm
Way to get out of it Huddy!
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
5:54 pm
Hush backup catcher. Your pitchers have been getting those calls all day too. Idiot.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
5:55 pm
@Jeffrey d…..were you messing with me earlier today?
I don’t think so…what did I say/do?
Ronald Millsaps
June 26th, 2011
5:56 pm
Whether Brian McCann is the best hitter at his position in the NL or the third- or fourth-best isn’t the point; his production for us would still be just that.
Again, one hit through six innings.
Why is Uggla batting out of place yet again?
Where’s the sense of urgency in fixing this offense?
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
5:56 pm
The advanced defensive metrics may have some flaws, but then again triangulating the data with direct observation combines to create a pretty good picture of how good a player is defensively. Using Heyward for example, UZR rates him about average in his first season and a half out in right field and based upon my observation I would agree with those numbers. He misses a few balls that should be caught and then sometimes he ranges over and makes a nice catch in the gap or near the line.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
5:56 pm
dat jeffrey d is always messin’ wit somebody….
The lawyer
June 26th, 2011
5:56 pm
If I were McCann I wouldn’t want to be moved. Where he is now, he’s an elite catcher offensively. He’s well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, if he stays at catcher another seven or eight years. At that point, he can prolong his career with a move to first. Silly argument here on the blog, but I can’t say it’s the first time I’ve seen a silly argument on here. Right-handed stick please, we need someone with some righty thump… I hate that they let Diaz go…
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
5:58 pm
I’ll admit this game might be tough to win. Well, Qualls is coming in, so maybe a chance for a run here.
Do it!
June 26th, 2011
5:58 pm
God told Fredi to put him there Ronnie, and he also told him not to worry so much, that things will work out like they are supposed to
Ronald Millsaps
June 26th, 2011
5:58 pm
Sheffield was a slight disappointment in his first year here (2002– one of the truly-great teams this team ever fielded), but Uggla has been a flat-out amazement. Nice game last night, though.
Again, he’s getting misused. Why acquire someone you’re going to misuse?
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:00 pm
looks like last night’s good offensive performance was a mirage. They really looked good in many facets of the game last night and now today they have been dominated. Has anybody really put good wood on the ball today for the Braves? I guess McLouth’s double was well hit.
Ronald Millsaps
June 26th, 2011
6:00 pm
“do it”– Don’t type any irreverent nonsense, pal. Seriously, your post is overflowing with it, as your worldview clearly is.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:00 pm
….And once again I’m standing here waiting, waiting for someone to score–who knows–I’d prefer if a Brave could do it, but realize {sometimes}….my team just blows!
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:00 pm
Hmm, Chad Qualls.
The lawyer
June 26th, 2011
6:00 pm
How exactly is he being misused? He’s not hitting, but he’s not being misused.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
6:01 pm
OMG! This place is full of nerds. Sabre metrics, UZR? Silly.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:02 pm
good observations Mafia. I am not a true believer that they are infallible, bit I do think they tell us things that we can miss if we do not watch every play.
Like with most things the more tools you can and are willing to use to evaluate , the more likely you are to be in the ballpark at least
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:02 pm
Ross wants to go yard here.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:02 pm
@Jeffrey d…..No problem dude, just saw where a comment of mine was reposted under your name….no biggy at all….just saying.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:03 pm
almost as silly as TnBs…
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
6:03 pm
Dang. Both teams have to go through a lot of bullpen before they get to a pitcher that gives up many runs. Can we just go to extra innings now?
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:03 pm
Oh yeah, that wasn’t me…It was Lou. Not sure what his intent was, but whatever.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:03 pm
Can’t….hit…..left-handed….pitching.
Lefties…do not….compute….
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
6:04 pm
Our guys look tired, worn down. Freddie Freeman with his big yawn after that inning ending K says it all.
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
6:04 pm
Just downright lost on offense. No approach. No gameplan. Hack and Jack.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:05 pm
Freddie Freeman with his big yawn after that inning ending K says it all.
That wasn’t a yawn, it was a roar.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
6:05 pm
O’Flaherty in for 7th, his first back-to-back appearances since the latest back stiffness
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
6:06 pm
Luebke, Spence and Qualls are the greatest pitchers in MLB history. Boy, the list is getting longer and longer as the season goes…LOL It’s odd that we have to face the best pitchers EVERY game. Oh well…just bad luck, I guess.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:06 pm
after 70 some games I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect any other approach….
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:06 pm
I like Nate’s long hair.
…I miss mine though. I cut it all off last Monday
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
I had to check the box score because I couldn’t remember if we had any RISP so far.. apparently we have 2..well I guess that’s better than the 0 I thought it was, whoops.
G
June 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
No team is better than the Braves at getting shutout by bad teams and out of no where pitchers
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
Guess you like UZR, Sabre Metrics talk nolee?
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
Hudson this week: 14 innings 0.00 ERA 0.86 WHIP. That’s good stuff.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:07 pm
Braves lose this game as soon as a EOF, Venters don’t pitch.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:08 pm
Oh well, we won one of these at least.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:08 pm
Ballgame. Well. That sucks. We’ll get the next game we play.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:09 pm
mine is short now for the summer too. I cut it back to nuttin once every May and let it grow out the rest of the year.
the great thing is that as thick as it still grows, when I do get it cut I can go off my diet all week and still lose weight….
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:09 pm
Ballgame. Well. That sucks. We’ll get the next game we play.
Ballgame, that’s clever…you just think of that yourself?
Anyway, the Braves aren’t even losing.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 26th, 2011
6:09 pm
The highlight of this game so far has been Joe Simpson’s Anchorman reference.
1991Braves
June 26th, 2011
6:10 pm
Can’t believe there is a team in the N.L. that is worse offensively than the Braves, but i think SanDiego might be that team. The braves are pitiful, one hit in 7 innings. This team has one good game per week offensively, and that is usually due to them facing a terrible pitcher once a week. Other than that one good game, it is the most inept offensive team in the national league. Phils are so much better than the braves offensively, and their pitching will match the braves game per game. Braves had better watch out for of all teams the Nationals. They are finally over 500, and they own the braves.
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:11 pm
like I sad Brian, the more things you are willing and able to use the closer your evaluations usually are, and not just in baseball.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
6:11 pm
These poor pitchers. Have to be perfect or they lose.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:11 pm
“Anyway, the Braves aren’t even losing.” Wait for it…wait for it…
G
June 26th, 2011
6:11 pm
He was better when his back was stiff
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:12 pm
This place is a lot more enjoyable when we’re winning.
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
6:13 pm
All of the California teams are worse offensively than the Braves.
jeff
June 26th, 2011
6:13 pm
here comes the 1 run for the padres to win back to back series from this pitiful joke of an offense. this team is 10 games over the 500 mark for one reason thier pitching. Fire The joke of a hitting coach and get a stinkin new approach and philosophy of how to play baseball. my goodness .. how many more times will this team put up with the MLB network, ESPN the sports pages etc mocking this team consistently everyday. when will this ownership and the GM wren have enough.. I wasted 2 hrs of my day to watch this boring nonsense and watch PRO ballplayers consistently strike out and whiff and not make contact..
nolee
June 26th, 2011
6:14 pm
see y’all later. win us this game guys….
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
6:14 pm
EOF!
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:14 pm
Much rather have an injured EOF pitching than Linebrink or Proctor, that’s for sure.
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
6:15 pm
Ludwick …. shi*
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
6:15 pm
I wish to lodge a formal complaint against referring to the Nats as “owning us,” which so many seem to want to do.
We’re 3-3 against them this year, and 8-10 last year. And in terms of runs scored, it’s tied over the 24 games.
Does that really constitute being “owned?”
Ronald Millsaps
June 26th, 2011
6:15 pm
Uggla between Chipper and McCann would be nicely-placed. The fact that he has struggled most of the year and hasn’t seen notable adjustments– from a manager highly familiar with him– baffles me.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:16 pm
Ludwick 1 for 4 with a K against Linebrink
Ronald Millsaps
June 26th, 2011
6:16 pm
The scariest part of this blog is that this is generally the junk you overhear when you buy a ticket.
Nick n Richmond
June 26th, 2011
6:16 pm
Linebrink better be clutch here….
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:16 pm
Anyone think that the Padres will finally break through with Linebrink facing Ryan “I usually harm the Braves” Ludwick with the bases loaded?
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:17 pm
Linebrink with the bases loaded. Uh-oh
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
6:17 pm
Losing record to a perennial sub .500, last place team equals ownage, Mike.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:18 pm
Does that really constitute being “owned?”
In a blog where a tie game in the 7th constitutes a loss, and where a loss means that for the next 24 hours you have to complain about how you have the worst team in baseball….yes.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:18 pm
Except the Nats are neither sub-.500 nor last place.
Nick n Richmond
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
CLUTCHHHH
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
Phew!!!
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
EAT IT, MFin and Mixxo
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
Whew!!!
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
Phew…
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
6:19 pm
And he wriggles off the hook. Time to get some runs!
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:20 pm
Well…we might have a shot if we can score 1 single run.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:20 pm
Good pitching.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:20 pm
OK, y’all can relax your sphincters. Scotty bailed us out.
T for Texas
June 26th, 2011
6:20 pm
But they have been the lst several years, JD. From this point forward for the next few years however, I would expect them to be a different club, competent. Maybe then the Braves will play them tougher.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:21 pm
jeffrey d – Eating with pleasure.
We still have to score a run though. Which with only 1-hit so far semms impossible. The Padres have to run out of lefties at some point, right? 
1991Braves
June 26th, 2011
6:21 pm
Feel sorry for Hudson and all of the braves starters. If they give up one run, they normally lose. Except for Lowe, hell he gives up one run before he gets the first batter out. The margin for error is so fine for the braves starters that it is pathetic. Wren should be proud to sit in his luxury box every game and watch this team perform offensively. He has built a powerhouse team when it comes to offense. What a joke of a G.M he is.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:22 pm
Getting someone on base in the 8th inning would be awesome.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:22 pm
A RIGHTY! A RIGHTY!!!!
dongkumong
June 26th, 2011
6:22 pm
city of atlanta=heap of garbage
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:22 pm
Hey, guys and girls, for those of you who are my friends on Facebook, check out my album “Camaro for Sale” – this is the car that my husband has built and is for sale. I want to get it in front of Tim Hudson – he can afford what we are asking for it.
dongkumong
June 26th, 2011
6:23 pm
i love neil boortz.
Nova Scotia Steve
June 26th, 2011
6:23 pm
This is brutal….
BFChris26
June 26th, 2011
6:23 pm
You guys ever seen the movie Ladder 49?
If you have, the funeral scene is what my brother is going to get.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
6:25 pm
Meanwhile, Frank continues with cocktails at the country club…….
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:27 pm
Attababy Nate!
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
6:27 pm
How about an E bomb
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:27 pm
Now lets make that walk count.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:27 pm
Question for anyone… When a pitcher like Adams right now, raises his arms to set and rocks back and forth and then picks up his foot again..is that a balk at all? I always wondered about that extra foot movement that some pitchers have.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
another walk for McNate.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
Good time to break out Ski.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
I love McLouth’s approach at the plate right now.
Tech 73
June 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
“2-0 is a good hitters count, but that doesn’t mean he will throw it right over the middle of the plate”, you gotta love color men.
1991Braves
June 26th, 2011
6:28 pm
Braves get a runner on in the 8th, even if it is a walk. The offensive heroics begin
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:29 pm
Way to concentrate Nate Dawg
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:30 pm
I want me some Hinske–let’s go big guy from Menasha
jungleland sax solo
June 26th, 2011
6:30 pm
Ted… a fine handle.
Harry Doyle
June 26th, 2011
6:30 pm
1 hit ??!!?? 1 G.D. hit ??!!??
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:31 pm
Wow=so typical of critical situations this year–love our consistency there now
The lawyer
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
LOL at Harry Doyle!
Bravo_fan 52
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
Don S utton said he almost balked Kat
1991Braves
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
This game is so boring, wish the cameraman would show the crowd more and less of the game. There looks like alot of hot chicks are at the game.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
Are you kidding SKE made it home?! Wow go Big Diesel.
The lawyer
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
Technical difficulties! &#*($!!!!
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
Did everybody else’s Fox experience tech difficulties?
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
THAT WAS THE WORST TIME TO YANK THE CAMERA CORD OUT, GUYS!!!!!
brian
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
technical difficulties on the triple. Are you kidding me?
Way to go Jordan. Wish I could have seen it
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:32 pm
lol ………………TV sh*ts the bed in the middle of Schafer’s drive.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
Atta boy Jordan. Way to step up
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
Lost TV while Schafers hit was still in the air.
BFChris26
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
We got lead!!!!!!!!!!
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
Yes!
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
But Jordan does it and the picture freezes on telecast–I hear E-nine and I know Kimbrel will hear the call too.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:33 pm
What a wonderful time for the feed to go out….a ball’s soaring toward the outfiel……Technical Difficulties
Bravo_fan 52
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
there you go kid way to smack it JOOOOOOOOOOOORRdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
I miss the days of offense. Sammy vs Big Mac for 60+ dingers, even Chipper hit 45 once
BosnianBaller
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
Fox Sports=Crap
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
I gotcher “technical difficulties” right here. :angry:
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
Yes, we scored!!!!!
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
LOL. That was one of the most ridiculous runs we’ve scored all year.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
The feed couldn’t have gone out when we were being 1 hit…no, the one time during a 3 hour game it goes out is when the only run scores. Go figure
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
Bravo_fan 52… there are quite a few pitchers that do that..and the do it on every pitch so it seems the balk is never called as if because the movement is apart of their normal set…but still it’s extra movement which always confused me …it’s either a balk every time or it’s not ever.. I dunno enough about it.
NitroTwinkie
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
Anyone else love to see what Nate does in the 8 hole?
I’m not sure that anyone knows why he doesn’t produce the same in the top of the order, but he seems to have a home.
“The Nate Hole.” FTW.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
That was unbelievable. I think the actual offense short-circuited the satellite!
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
Heyward strikeout ends inning, Braves up 1-0 with Every Day Jonny in to pitch the 8th
G I Joe
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
I wonder how SEALS and other Special Forces feel about these guys dressing up like soldiers.I understand it’s done as an “honor” but I wonder what the honorees REALLY think? I know NFL players see themselves as “Warriors”, does that hold for baseball players?
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:35 pm
Of course that would happen right when we’re about to score.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
This team leads the league in most “illegitimate runs scored” this year.
Look it up. It’s a stat…I’m pretty sure.
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
I think AT&T must have cancelled 100 of the Ski Lift commercials and ordered an extra hundred Dancing in the Train Station ones.
Jay Dubu
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Two hits off the Padres…all the pitchers seen today, can’t be that dominating.
Bravofan
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
My satellite is going in and out
Nick n Richmond
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
guess thats the good thing about MLB extra innings, and having to watch the SD and Tony Gwynn broadcast…..no cords pulled
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Good for Schafer. Maybe he will start hitting some now.
He and Nate are the only two with a hit. That’s sad
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Can we get a replay? All that stupid nothing happening time and when we do something enjoyable fan-wise….wow, creeper camera guy!
mathman
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Schafer squares one up and drives it. Tough luck lately, but he drives it the 8th today. Hang on to that big lead, Venters and Kimbrel.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Stupid Fox Feed
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:36 pm
Let’s go Venters.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:37 pm
Is it a shadow or is DeNorfria starting to get that Jason Werth beard?
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:37 pm
That was unbelievable. I think the actual offense short-circuited the satellite!
Blind Deaf and Dumb
June 26th, 2011
6:37 pm
Oh no, they are using Venters again, Freddie is the worst manager in baseball…
Dumbfound
June 26th, 2011
6:38 pm
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:34 pm
I gotcher “technical difficulties” right here. :angry:
and now, you smiley has technical difficulties.
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:38 pm
Gee thanks, FSS – that would be swell.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:38 pm
Oh no, they are using Venters again, Freddie is the worst manager in baseball…
I can’t tell if you’re joking or not, but yes I think it’s wise to go with the best reliever in baseball with a 1-run lead.
jeff
June 26th, 2011
6:38 pm
venters prompty walks the leadoff guy..
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
Good job though, Schauffeurre.
keylargo
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
I wonder how SEALS and other Special Forces feel about these guys dressing up like soldiers
I can tell you the Marines don’t give a pair of blue balls what the Navy Seals think.
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
I like Schafer for a late season call-up to come off the bench but we need a leadoff CF ASAP. Coco Crisp or Michael Bourn need to be acquired…Get it done Frank. NOW!!!
Blind Deaf and Dumb
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
Jeffery, it is very stylish to complain whenever Venters is used. I am just going with it.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
If they steal another base I’m going to go…(more)… crazy.
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
6:39 pm
And what’s up with SportsSouth audio? It’s not only significantly lower, but they don’t broadcast in Dolby 5.1. Lame.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
you give a pitcher a nickname like “Everyday Jonny”, what else do you expect the manager to do but follow suit?
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
C’mon!!!!!!!
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
Tad bit slow there, JV.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
Shizzle
jeff
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
Thanks VENTERS.. way to goooo….
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
Venters’ crow hop cost him there.
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
6:40 pm
I wonder how SEALS and other Special Forces feel about these guys dressing up like soldiers….
Well, by your logic, I wonder how they’d feel about your moniker, “G.I. Joe”
But I really think you’re over-thinking things. I doubt anyone in uniform is the least bit offended by it.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
Take your time Johnny.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
The Padres are bound to score I guess.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
This feels like a not good situation
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
leadoff walks NEVER come back to bite….NEVER
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
Good call, BDD
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
Johnny needs a DP here in the worst way.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
Fast, fast guy there….and, you saw it, Venters getting a workout and these lucky bums are in business–my God!
jeff
June 26th, 2011
6:41 pm
wow and Venters is gonna Blow the Lead here. UNREALLLLL
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:42 pm
Stupid bunt. Thanks for the out.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:42 pm
Jonny, WHAT is your freakin’ problem kid?
You don’t want to be out there today?
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
6:42 pm
2/3 of the the O’Ventble trio having tough innings … makes me feel a tad nervous if Kimbrel comes in
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:43 pm
all or nothing, huh? We win or lose on this decision I guess.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:43 pm
2/3 of the the O’Ventble trio having tough innings
Tonight it’s O’Linebrentble
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:43 pm
Muchas gracias, Venable.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Should have let in drop.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Hopefully
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Unless the Pads break out big here then it’s O’Linebrentinez
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
We’re not winning this game folks.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Damn!
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Ohhhh Jonny.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Kick Gonzo in his @ss
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Fudgesicles, not his day.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:44 pm
Damn, and double damn
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
spoot! …. JV will get a 8th inning blown save at the very least
brian
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
the fielding by venters this inning has been horrid
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
That first pitch was right down the freaking middle.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
You’d think these dumb pitchers would learn to let the ball go. Unreal.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
I guess they should have A Bomb
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
I get tired of the Braves pitchers deflecting balls that would have been outs. How many times has that happened this year? 5?
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
WHY DO THEY ALWAYS DEFLECT THE BALL! LET IT GO!
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
This is going to triple JV’s ERA
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
Ballgame
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:45 pm
This game just went to hell in a handbasket.
N Nine
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
This sport is irritating. Padres did nothing to even this up. F#%$^&(*)
BFChris26
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
Welll………….
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
We’re not winning this game folks.
You say that every day.
jeff
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
BRAVOOOOOO … Thats all u VENTERS>>> MY GOODNESS…………. BALLGAME.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
How quickly things can unravel.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
I’ll be a fool, I thought we had the mo…and, we got clowned again by the last placers.
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
Well, if we end up losing this game, at least I’ll welcome my daughter into the world tonight to keep my mind off the blown save and lack of offense.
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
Can you imagine if that was Mac at the plate?
N Nine
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
I’m seriously disgusted. No baseball for a week.
G
June 26th, 2011
6:46 pm
Wow just awful defines by Venturs this inning…this team is so sorry… One run and then a leadoff walk, bad defense, another catcher who can’t hold on to the ball. Just awful. This is not a playoff team
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Well, shoot. That certainly was unexpected. A walk and 2 infield hits. It isn’t like Jonny has been getting lit up this inning.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Wow…good throw by Schafer, but……
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Welcome to the 1+ ERA JV.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
This is the kind of crap that happens when your offense sucks and is happy to score one run.
Big Jake
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
oh well, tomorrow is another day.
brian
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
I love David Ross but I am glad it was he that dropped that through (instead of McCann who would have been crucified here).
It was a tough play at the plate but one that should have been made. Great throw by Schafer
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Well geeze, congrats LAG!
veer
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
IF VENTERS CAN’T FEILD THE BALL THEN DONT PUT YOUR FUC**ING GLOVE ON THE WAY. VENTERS IS F**KING STUPID. WHY THE HELL TRY AND GET UR GLOVE ON THE BALL:? WHY .
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Soph—
Don’t EVEN go there…
(ITS)
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 26th, 2011
6:47 pm
Johnny Venters just lost this game all by himself. He had not one but two plays at first base that should have ended this inning without the Padres scoring.
Trey
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
That is some b.s., unfortunately it happens.
G.I. Joe, no one in the service cares about Padres uniforms representing the military. Many servicemen do, however, hate people who go out in town impersonating the military.
Jay Dubu
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
Venters was due for a bad outing. He’s been used almost every day.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
Why couldn’t the TV feed have gone out this half of the inning?
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
BALLGAME.
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
if they can’t come back and win this one, they’ll end the season against the Pads with a 4-5 record
Soph
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
Congrats in advance, LAG!
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
Can any of our catchers hold onto a throw from the OF?? Ridiculous. Time after time these guys can’t handle throws. And this is what happens when you use Venters every damn day. There was no reason for him to pitch last night. Fredi really is a moron.
veer
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
VENTERS SHOULD LEARN ABOUT WHERE A BALL MIGHT GO. HE IS STUPID. WHY PUT YOUR GLOVE ON THE WAY IF U CANT FIELD? WHY MAN WHY????
PIECE OF JUNK MAN. NO DAMN BRAINS? F**KING COST US THE GAME.
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
so frustrated with this team….yes we have a good record but the “talent” level has made this the most frustrating season I can remember.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
6:48 pm
Well, we deserve to lose this one.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
Well, y’all, that might be it for today. Not sure we can get 4 in the top of the 9th and hold it there.
N Nine
June 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
Padres are the WORST team in MLB, even worse than Pirates. UNNNN
We never beat bad teams.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
Easnter your comments And the Padres pad, double pad and wad a load on the trunk–pissed I am but Venters is just not perfect–sorry
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
Sad part is they have yet to hit the ball halfway decently this inning.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
6:49 pm
jeffrey d Why couldn’t the TV feed have gone out this half of the inning?
I know, right?
veer
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
VENTERS CAN’T PLAY DEFENSE. HE IS A PATHETIC FIELDER AND WHY THE HELL DO U WALK DENORFIA TO START THE INNING? ANYWAYS POINT IS THE GUY CAN’T FIELD. HE IS PATHETIC.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
Proctor replaces Venters with two out — and that’s something I am certain I’ve not written ever before.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
The Padres were due to break through, but they have hit maybe one ball hard in the 8th inning. It’s a different story if Venters retires Maybin on the swinging bunt or if Venters allows the Bartlet groundball to be fielded by Gonzo.
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
Once again, we lose to the teams we should crush. Pathetic.
Tomas
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
A week off for Johnny……Come on Fredi you’re killing him by the way you’re using him.
Adarisville Dawg
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
maybe the mariners will sweep us
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
VENTERS SHOULD LEARN ABOUT WHERE A BALL MIGHT GO. HE IS STUPID. WHY PUT YOUR GLOVE ON THE WAY IF U CANT FIELD? WHY MAN WHY????
PIECE OF JUNK MAN. NO DAMN BRAINS? F**KING COST US THE GAME.
HULK ANGRY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 26th, 2011
6:50 pm
Venters physically pitched the eighth, but his head was miles away.
Eric
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
Go figure EOF and venters look terrible against one of the worst hitting teams in baseball.
veer
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
WE SHOULD HAVE WON THIS GAME 1-0!!!!! 3HRS WASTED ON THIS?? F*************k
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
Just an unlucky inning. I guess it happens. Maybe we can hold them and tie it up.
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
EOF (1.27) has a better ERA than JV now (.55 –> 1.29)
FEAR
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
Why in the blue hell can the Braves not beat crap teams?!?! Anyone got an answer?
MikeInFl
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
veer, you’re an idiot.
(and no, he doesn’t merit the traditional AND IDIOT treatment.)
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
lost a series to another pathetic team.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:51 pm
This is what happens when all you cam do is score one damn run. Pathetic offense leads to an overused bullpen.
Larry
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
See what happens when your dumb manager pitchers Venter less than 24 hours before in a 10-1 game and continues to bat the left handed Heyward in the #2 spot–even against a lefty pitcher?
We have, hands down, the dumbest manager in baseball.
MFin04
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
This offense, for once, needs to bail out its pitchers. It is only 3 runs right!?
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
Veer you do realize that 99% of people skim over and ignore any post that is written in all caps don’t you? If you want people to read your post try writing it using the shift button…it’s there for a reason. Just a helpful tip.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
(and no, he doesn’t merit the traditional AND IDIOT treatment.)
I think we need to retire that, BTW
Louisville Brave
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
get ready to be Heath Belled
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:52 pm
Thanks, jefffrey d and Soph. It’s been a LONG day, but the time draweth nigh.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:53 pm
This is what happens when all you cam do is score one damn run. Pathetic offense leads to an overused bullpen.
I thought poor starting pitching leads to an overused bullpen?
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
6:53 pm
The problem is OFFENSE.
Our pitchers face way too much pressure day after day because we’re nothing but a home run or nothing team.
Venters blew the game….HA!
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:53 pm
LAG – care to let us know the name?
DAM
June 26th, 2011
6:53 pm
First really bad outing of the year for Jonny. I think we can forgive him one, guys, even if it was his own fault with the walk, bad play on the bunt, and botched play on the grounder headed to short.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
Gongrats, LAG
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
This thing just blows and I’m out of here for a while–no use posting when all I can do is have repetitive ‘flashbacks’ of all the crummy offensive play in general this season….pissed and I’m gone before I say something i’ll regret. Shaloam and Peace to all!
Lonnie Smith
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
veer
U MAD?
wiki
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
yeah gawd dang it lets cut that Venters boy he aint wurth nuthin. ever time he plays he gives the dang game away
Drummerdad
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
Venters looks ill. Moving in slow motion.
Louisville Brave
June 26th, 2011
6:54 pm
this umpire blows
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
6:55 pm
Veer….Good call, Venters is awful.
bill
June 26th, 2011
6:55 pm
Venters does what he always does walk the first hitter. Then he imitates alittle leaguer and lets the sac go for a hit and then he knocks down a double play ball. Fredi, it ain’t happening and we hae a one rn lead. just sit there you diot. Adios to this game.
Kat
June 26th, 2011
6:56 pm
LAG congrats…and jeffrey d he may have to change the name based on whomever helps us pull out a W tonight.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
6:56 pm
When your pitchers have to limit another team’s offense to 1 run or less most nights to cover up your team’s offensive ineptness sometimes you lose games this way.
Drummerdad
June 26th, 2011
6:56 pm
After that last camera shot he looks like he’s just received shock therapy.
FEAR
June 26th, 2011
6:56 pm
So are the Braves still “standing pat” in regards to getting a bat?
frediyahoooo
June 26th, 2011
6:57 pm
I think we’d be better off having a team full of pitchers to do our hitting at this point…
Lonnie Smith
June 26th, 2011
6:57 pm
I think Venter’s performance today is directly related to lack of work.
DOB, ask Fredi if he plans on using Johnny a little more so he’s not so rusty in the future.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
6:57 pm
LAG congrats…and jeffrey d he may have to change the name based on whomever helps us pull out a W tonight.
I hope he names her Uggla
Frumpy
June 26th, 2011
6:57 pm
2 hits to 11, would have been lucky to win it to be fair
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
6:57 pm
The Pirates are respectable this year. Just won 2 of 3 from theh Red Sox. Comparing them to the Padres is unfair…
Eric
June 26th, 2011
6:58 pm
Swinging at ball four
Mike
June 26th, 2011
6:58 pm
Fredi should get his head out of his ass and realize that a change has to be made with this offense!!!!
2 hits????!!!!! Really?
If we keep losing 2 out of 3 to the Padres and Mets we are going nowhere. Pathetic!
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
6:59 pm
this game reminds me, it’d be nice for JV to get selected for the AS game .. but I don’t want him to go. I’d rather he just use those 4 days and rest.
bravesgrl4life
June 26th, 2011
6:59 pm
I can’t believe I wasted an afternoon watching this. Could have gone to see Cars 2.
LAG
June 26th, 2011
6:59 pm
When she gets here, jeffrey d.
Robert
June 26th, 2011
6:59 pm
“This is the kind of crap that happens when your offense sucks and is happy to score one run.”
No. This kind of crap happens when this is the first year in I dont know how many that the team has taken infield practice.
To Fredi’s credit, he started having them practice fielding – but thanks to Cox’s stupidity in previous years every guy on the team is about ten thousand repetitions short of where they should be
That said, this isnt the end of the world
Fredi wasnt an idiot for using his A-list relievers in a tight game.
Settle down everybody
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
Jeffrey d…. What I meant is, so many close games forces Venters and Kimbrel to pitch way too often.
1991Braves
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
Venters must have gone to the beach before the game. He seemed like his mind was somewhere else. He is still best releiver in baseball. They hit 2 balls that didn’t even get out of the infield. Baseball is a wierd game sometimes. Venters not fielding the ball is one thing, but Ross dropping a sure out at home is a joke. He is just like McCann when it comes to fielding a throw from the outfield. Neither one of them can catch a cold. Most pathetic defensive catchers in baseball, and they happen to be on the same team
Drummerdad
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
There’s a great Mexican food stand up in Cardiff. Heath Bell looks like he’s found it.
LAG
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
And NO, I’m not naming her Uggla!
Eric
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
We need base runners
Bob
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
Well dang!!! Bedeep bedeep beddep. Dat der venters done needs to be cut!!! We be da worst team ever dag gummit!! Then next night after a win…… we’re the best!!! Uggla got a hit!!! Boy if he keeps this up we’ll win the division by 10 games!!! Maybe this is the turning point!!! Watch out Phillies!!!
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
Venters gave up four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning today, one more than he allowed in 48-1/3 innings prior to today
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
You can’t blame Jonny. He’s one of the very few guys on this team that’s been doing his job all year. Blame the pathetic offense today. Same garbage we’ve seen all year. Last night was just a fluke.
I can’t stand watching Fredi in the dugout. He just looks like he’s asleep at the wheel and doesn’t even care about what’s going on. Shows no emotion. Looks like a clueless moron. I bet anything Fredi is all smiles after this one.
Some people here are still gonna spill the typical “Well. The Braves are leading the wild card, or so and so games out of first. You should be happy.” The Braves should be winning the East with the best record in baseball with the talent on this team. Find a hitting coach that does his job correctly and a manager who can chew a little ass every now and then.
Bryn
June 26th, 2011
7:00 pm
It takes a lot of skill to do a good interview. If you do not believe it, just ask Barbra Walters.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
Holy crap, give it up, Robert. We get it.
TOMY FOURNIER
June 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
HEY…BALL GAME FROM THE BEGINNING…THIS TEAM IS PATETIC AND THEY NOT HIT,NOT STEAL BASE,NOT ADVANCE RUNNER…ECT…ECT…ECT..AND THE PADRES MANEGER IS TEACHING THE STUPY MORON CUBANITO COX, HOW TO MANEGE A GAME..STEALING,MOVING RUNNER AND MAKE THE PITCHER O F THE OTHER TEAM, MAKE MISTAKE AND WIN THE GAME…SOMETHING THE MORON CUBANITO COX NEVER MAKE…NEVER…WHY WITH MCCLOWN WOODY WOOD SPEAKER IN FIRST…HE DON.T SENT THIS MORON TO STEAL FIRS BASE..AND SO AND SO…IS A STUPYMO/FU@@##@@@..i DON.T NOW FOR HOW LONG ATLANTA IS GOING TO KEEP THIS MORON BUT IT IS FOR LONG TIME..NEVER WAIT FOR A CHAMPION MEETING TIME…NEVER!!!!…AHHHHHHHH…I HATE THIS TEAM WITH ALL MY SOUL!!!!!
kirkinga
June 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
I’m glad we’re done with the Padres this season. They play the Braves much the same way as do the Nationals. Of course, the Braves play to their competition as lose games they shouldn’t lose and that is why they are not leading their division.
That said, this is a season of parity in MLB and every team is very beatable. That is why divisions every division is still very close and perhaps only two teams are out of the chase at this point.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
Owned
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
7:01 pm
I’m out….take it over crazies. Discuss how we can avoid falling in the cellar.
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
game over anyways … the Seattle series really will be interesting. Two teams who pitch good but can’t hit worth crap.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
I see TOMY got an early start
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
I really now believe Frank Wren is a fan of the game Over the Line, because that’s exactly the type of offense we have. The fact that we are 9 over is the strangest thing I’ve seen in 45 years of following the game.
And now, to end this pathetic game with the most pathetic of Wren’s acquisitions…..the $62 million man with the helicopter swing…..His name is…..his name is……his name is….
Eric
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
Game over and the braves lose another series to a losing ball club and only get two hits all day. Now frank go get us a real hitter.
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
Dan Uggla, a day after his 4 rbis, he takes an 0fer. Just pathetic
The Great Santini
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
Venters isn’t the reason this one will be lost. The blame goes to the pathetic offense. 2 hits in 8 innings…you’ve got to be kidding!!!!
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
Robert… You really are a complete moron. You think this loss is Cox’s fault?? Wow, just wow. Do yourself a favor and shut up, you’re embarrassing.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
7:02 pm
THIS TEAM IS PATETIC AND THEY NOT HIT,NOT STEAL BASE,NOT ADVANCE RUNNER
I think he might be a caveman
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
2 more hits tonight, baby. Awesome job offense. But, if Jonny pitches like he normally does, we still win!
Mike
June 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
Venters has been overused. Fredi insists upon using him when he shouldn’t. And obviously he has been using him when he should, which is alot because this offense is pathetic.
Venters has been playing with fire lately almost every time out. Throw in some an error and a badly played ball and BOOM! 4 runs and a lose.
Tomahawk Mafia
June 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
Venters gave up the runs, but they were nothing hard. The loss should be placed squarely on the shoulders of that pathetic offense that keeps trotting out there and doing the same inept thing every night.
Soph
June 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
Kaboom
Time to peace out.
StingerSplash
June 26th, 2011
7:03 pm
When Struggla is your last hope, there really is no hope, is there?
Last night’s showing was simply fool’s gold. It’s the one decent offensive showing a week this team is capable of now. You’re never as good as your best game and never as bad as your worst – but they’re a whole lot closer to today’s weak and pitiful performance than they are to last night’s thumping of the Padres’ JV relievers.
Tomas
June 26th, 2011
7:04 pm
I’d rather the Braves face King Felix and Pineda, but not Bedard. Need to do something about hitting left handers, a platoon player than could play RF, CF, LF, and 1B.
Ludwick….
Bravo_fan 52
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
looking at that 8th inn. I guess it was due but thats a toughie now lets get on a role to AB
Kat
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
In other news….
“@GwinnettBraves1: Mike Minor’s day is done. 6 IP, 6H, 5R/ER, 4BB, 5K. 89 pitches 53 strikes”
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
Eric, the problem is this team already has a bunch of real hitters, they just aren’t hitting. So what good would it do to bring in another hitter.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
WHY DON’T YOU TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL, TOMY.
south georgia boy
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
Braves catchers never ever throw out a runner trying to steal second base and never ever handle a throw from the outfield cleanly.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
Yep, outta here friends. This was too painful to talk about. Just can’t beat the sub .500 teams…..no freekin’ way.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
7:05 pm
To Fredi’s credit, he started having them practice fielding – but thanks to Cox’s stupidity in previous years every guy on the team is about ten thousand repetitions short of where they should be _ Robert
Yeah cause this is all on Chipper right. Freeman … rookie ….Uggla ……… first year here ……. Gonzalez 1/2 year under Cox
jer
June 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
Fredi is not an idiot but common sense dictates that you have to use your relievers more judiciously. Last night there was no need for Venters with a 6 run lead, even if he had warmed up when the score was tight. He has pitched in quite a few situations where he was not needed. What I’m afraid of is that Venters may be worn out by the end of July, even earlier than he was under Cox last year.
Done
June 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
Same crap different day…You released Joe Mather Frank. Why can’t you release Dan UGLY!!! HE SUCKS!!!! Worst MLB player I have ever watched in my life. This team is an offensive nightmare.
Mixxo
June 26th, 2011
7:06 pm
Oh……and we’ll get “owned” in Seattle……mark my words.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 26th, 2011
7:07 pm
Most pathetic defensive catchers in baseball, and they happen to be on the same team
Wow.
bob
June 26th, 2011
7:07 pm
mccann belongs at third next year. he is a terrific hitter and someone needs to replace chipper when chipper calls it quits at the end of this year.
leave prado in left field and uggla at second.
freeman will be fine at first.
ss needs to be replaced.
as regards the game today: no way the braves deserve to win with just two hits…are you kidding me? this is nuts…feast or famine with this lineup.
venters got hit today…as the year goes on, his arm is bound to get tired. he is being overworked.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
7:08 pm
I hope Venters doesn’t wind up being the next overused Blaine Boyer.
TOMY FOURNIER
June 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
ERNIE HUDSON…YOU ARE RIGHT…YES SIR!!!..BUT WE TALK AND WHO LISTEN TO US???…NOBODY FROM ATLANTA ADMINISTRATION…THEY DON’T CARE…THEY JUST CARE ABOUT MONEY AND THAT’S WHAT WE ARE DOING BUYING TICKETS TO SEE THIS PATETIC TEAM…PUTING MONEY IN HIS SAVING ACCOUNT AND NEXT YERA…WILL BE THE SAME THING AND THE SAME TEAM AHHH AND WITH OLD CHILPPER JONES PLAYING ON THE FIELD…WHAT ABOUT THAT???…IS SHI##@@% OR TRASH OR WHAT EVER ALL YOU FANS WANT TO CALL..OK????…OK!!!!
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:10 pm
Tnscott, he can’t become the next Blaine Boyer, Boyer was never good.
Jay Dubu
June 26th, 2011
7:11 pm
Johnny Be Good has been spectacular all season long. He gets a bye for this game and any onther game he blows over the next 25.
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
7:11 pm
Any game when you have a lead in the 8th and lose is a tough one, but you have to give credit to a good Padres pitching staff, and they were at home. The Cards lost (and I predict they are about to enter the “Marlins Zone”, Arizona lost (they’ll slide), and the Braves only lost ground to the Nationals in the Wild Card. The next three games will be tough. Seattle has the second best pitching in the American league and plays pretty well at home. The Braves will face Pineda and Hernandez (and Bedard). They need to put this tough loss behind them.
Frankie Knuckles
June 26th, 2011
7:11 pm
How much longer will Parish get a pass?
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:12 pm
You guys that mentioned Ludwick cannot be serious, this team needs to add hitting, not get more of the same.
joedub
June 26th, 2011
7:13 pm
Nice interview. I think people just realize that David Ross needs more AB’s. He’s a little hard on himself here, but he’s a really good hitter. The point is he’s the best RH bat on the bench and Fredi’s unable or unwilling to use him off the bench.
The solution, I think, is to drop Wilkin Ramirez and carry a third catcher leaving Ross able to PH. I wonder if that’s been discussed?
Frankie Knuckles
June 26th, 2011
7:13 pm
MLB rank against LHP is atrocious.
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
7:14 pm
True, O. J., but I don’t think Venters has been quite as sharp in the last few outings as earlier, and that’s a concern.
Jerry
June 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
I basically paid tribute to the Braves today because yesterday was a game that we had from the outset and not once was I worried about the outcome. That was followed up by whatever that was that we witnessed today calling itself an offense. And we give back a game to the Phillies that we just got a day ago. Oh well, such is life. I’m not gonna dwell on it. Just gonna eat dinner and enjoy the rest of my weekend. Later all.
Chris from the Rock
June 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
Fire Larry Parrish! I want offense!
rugburn
June 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
i don’t think jonny threw a pitch over 94 mph. they didn’t have normal velocity or movement. he looked tired or lazy on the swinging bunt and the sac bunt. maybe it is out of his system now.
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
7:15 pm
Some of you guys need to be on medication.
Mr. Enigma
June 26th, 2011
7:16 pm
Jonny Venters looked like a t-baller out there with his pathetic defense.
veer
June 26th, 2011
7:16 pm
F****ING FREDDY GONZALEZ LOST THIS GAME FOR US. YESTERDAYS HE USED VENTERS WHEN WE HAD A 9 RUN LEAD… WHAT THE f*** WAS HE THINKIGN???
WHAT THE F***!!!!!!!!!? I MEAN IF VENTERS DIDN’T PITCH YESTERADY HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE TODAY. GONZALEZ SHOULD BE FIRED.
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:17 pm
Why is any of this Parrish’s fault?? He doesn’t go out there and.swing the bats for these guys. Most of the hitters on this team have been doing it for a long time, so I am pretty sure they know how to swing a bat. It’s not Parrish’s fault they forgot how to hit. Now, if he were out there hypnotizing the hitters to suck before every game, then by all means fire him, but he isn’t.
John Leonard
June 26th, 2011
7:17 pm
Hard truth, but sometimes you just get hit.
veer
June 26th, 2011
7:17 pm
Mclouth should be hitting second and Heyward lower in the order . GONZALEZ SHOULD BE FIRED. THE GUY SUCKS. WE LOST TO THE PATEHTIC PADRES!!!!
Linebrink for Cy
June 26th, 2011
7:17 pm
“How much longer will Parish get a pass?”
3 more months or so? I’m guessing .. might even be a year or more
(on replacing Larry Parrish) “I’ve never even thought about that kind of stuff,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
7:18 pm
Fredi thinks Partish is doing a fine job.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 26th, 2011
7:19 pm
Some of you guys need a thesaurus. There are other words besides “pathetic.”
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
Yo, Roger McDummy,Venters should be sent down to Pearl to work on his fielding! Not fielding his position like that deserves a demotion!
Shooter McGavin
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
Somebody needs to lose thier temper a little bit in the Clubhouse. How could this get any worse. You just got out-hit by the worst hitting team in baseball. Here’s breaking news…the BRAVES are not a playoff team. You can’t keep doing the same things over and over…..SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. I don’t care if its as simple as a renovation of the clubhouse….changing the batting-practice pitcher…making the players wear women’s underwear….be creative…..I might suggest the whole team eats what Brian Mccann eats….all drive in his car. All kidding aside, make some changes, NOW
O.J.
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
Did any of you guys credit Parrish after the Braves scored 10 runs last night?
Louisville Brave
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
lighten up people…we still have the 2nd best record in the NL-despite an underperforming offense and our best player on the DL for a month…this team is a legit contender to win the whole thing. You cant win every game and san diego has excellent pitching…have some perspective
F Gonzalez is doing a fine job. He’s way more flexible with the lineup than Cox was, and his in-game strategy is way less frustrating than Cox’s. His main criticism is using Venters too often. Big whoop. I’d use him a lot too. The only time he brings Venters in a non save or non hold situation is when Venter’s already been warming up and the Braves tack on more runs.
If Freddie is so dumb, how does he have his team in the lead for the wild card with how poorly the Braves offense has been?
Mr. Enigma
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
They’re about to interview Venters on the post-game show. Hopefully he admits how much of a clown he looked like with the glove today.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
7:20 pm
Chip Caray summed it up: “It’s hard to win with two hits..
Props to Hudson for a good start. I guess Venters is human after all, but I don’t blame him. The offense isn’t very good, and counting on this lineup to flip a switch after three months of baseball is a poor decision.
veer
June 26th, 2011
7:21 pm
Fredie and Alex Gonzalez need to be deported to Florida. GET THEIR A**ES OUT OF ATLANTA. That’s the change we need.
Frankie Knuckles
June 26th, 2011
7:23 pm
O.J.
Ok, Then the Braves should fire Parrish and donate his salary to charity. Or they could use it for a functioning bat.
Adrian's Devine
June 26th, 2011
7:25 pm
Yes , Venters was tired. The #@%%%@!!@# stooopid ^^%^&*%*## manager has overused him. Sherrill should have been out there and Venters resting in the bullpen. This is the 6th game this stoopid $$##@$$!!!! has cost the Braves this year. What this dumb dumb dont realize is that they play 162 games and at this rate Venters will be in 100 of them.
There was a reason Florida fired this guy with a winning record last year. His decision making stinks to high heaven. Hiring a hitting coach who has never been a hitting coach in any way in professional baseball?? Dumb and Dumber.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
7:25 pm
We are way too lefthanded and 4 lefties in the lineup today against a tough southpaw spelled this from the beginning.
Like I said before, I’ve never seen an offense this bad on any winning team since the ‘66 Dodgers, and the problem is we don’t have Sandy Koufax or Don Drysdale. But that team had something this team doesn’t have much of…. speed.
We need Prado back…STAT. And another righthanded bat that means something. Not Ryan Ludwick.
C’mon Frank, when’s enough enough?
TNScott
June 26th, 2011
7:26 pm
The only thing more annoying than watching the Braves give a game away is watching The Bosh Geo-thermal kid tell us how stupid we are. Someone, please, take this arrogant brat to the woodshed.
Adrian's Devine
June 26th, 2011
7:28 pm
If Freddie is so dumb, how does he have his team in the lead for the wild card with how poorly the Braves offense has been?
Today is June 26th. We’ll see where this team is at July 26th.
And if Venters is on the DL?
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
7:28 pm
Boy, if the braves ever figure out that tricky thing called scoring runs we will run away with this thing. As it stands we still have the wild card lead.
Bullpen’s fine, Jonny V did himself in more than the Padres did. Gotta be happy with the way Sherrill and Linebrink have improved as the season has gone on and eventually we should get reinforcements from some of the injured players returning. Huddy has bounced back after some rough starts. Heyward has been better since coming off the DL but the offense overall is still M.I.A. Still plenty of time to turn it around. Considering how we’ve hit and our numerous injuries we should be happy for the record we have.
JasonInFL
June 26th, 2011
7:28 pm
So, Robert, you give credit to everything good to the fact that Cox is gone. What about the offense? Any suggestions as to why it is so pathetic there bud?
Rilo
June 26th, 2011
7:29 pm
This team IS what it IS. We are not going to get better hitting just because we are on the Right side of the all-star break. Changes need to be made. I agree that a lot of this is mental/confidence but come on….
Blog Monitor
June 26th, 2011
7:35 pm
Veer, dude, you are one crazy SOB….
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
7:37 pm
I am amused by, on the one hand, by comments that the Braves need Prado back (he is better than his substitutes, to be sure), yet often there are comments that adding a right handed hitter via trade won’t magically help the offense? Prado will magically help the Braves, yet trading for Pence will not? Pardon my confusion.
steven
June 26th, 2011
7:37 pm
that’s what happens when you use venters EVERY SINGLE FRKN GAME FREDI
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
7:39 pm
Braves got four hits and two runs in Friday’s loss, two hits and one run in today’s loss.Yikes.
George
June 26th, 2011
7:39 pm
Good evening all
Tough loss, should have won it. Braves hitters went right back to normal. SD should have lost just because of thier UGLY uniforms.
Brava
June 26th, 2011
7:42 pm
Good grief, who unlocked the door to the loony bin?
This was a pitcher’s duel and the Braves were winning it, but Jonny had a very rare bad day. Sh*t happens, folks. No need to become unhinged over it. There’ll be another game tomorrow.
Lew
June 26th, 2011
7:43 pm
Who’s got the straight jacket and syringe full of sedative ready for Veer?
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 26th, 2011
7:44 pm
I would’ve said Fredi Cox and Roger McDummy stinl, but ya’ll said it for me. Still GO BRAVES! Watch it George, at’s GI cammy you’re besmirchin’!
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 26th, 2011
7:46 pm
Ooops. “Stink”! @#$%^&* arthritic digits!
Lew
June 26th, 2011
7:46 pm
Yep, that’s what happens when you use Venters every day – every 43 or so appearances he becomes human and blows a save.
jim
June 26th, 2011
7:47 pm
Someone credited Hudson for a quality start. But with the bullpen overused, the staff ace needs to give the team at least 7 innings. Even JJ the last few starts has not been able to get into the 8th inning (or the 7th). We are not only getting a lot of close games because of no offense, but we are only getting 6 innings from the starters. Even if Venters were warming up last night when the score got to 5 -1 he should have been sat down and let Linebrink pitch the 8th.
IVAN ...
June 26th, 2011
7:50 pm
LEW………
Take it easy, you knew the crazies would be out in force….
We almost pulled it off…..
Damn, Venters is ALWAYS automatic……
Bet you had a good shot of ol ‘Jim Beam’ after dealing with ‘Earl (the squirrel) Williams this morning……..
Talk to you next Sat. morning……….
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
7:51 pm
“Someone credited Hudson for a quality start.”
I did. Hudson put his team in a position to win, and the offense couldn’t produce.
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 26th, 2011
7:53 pm
Bobby Sux’s main problemo was he couldn’t manage a bullpen. Fredi Cox being his carbon copy does the same. Time to clean house. Hate to say it, but TP should’ve been named skipper!
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
7:53 pm
Whenever Martin does come back I think the easy decision is Nate over Jordan. Yes, Jordan’s speed is alluring but he just doesn’t get on base enough and for a team that struggles with that he’s got to pick it up to make an argument for his self. He’s had some tough luck this last week, for the teams sake I hope he does pick it up.
Mac sits out one game and the everyday player with the next best average is Freeman. Its been said numerous times but this team has to do better offensively. Most assumed coming into this season that Freeman would have some time to figure things out and come along slowly but as of now with Prado out he’s our second best hitter in terms of average. I didn’t see that coming. Good for the rookie, but not a good sign for how things have gone offensively this year for this bunch of hitters.
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
7:54 pm
Jurrjens averages 6.8 innings per start, the best on the Braves. Hamels, Lee and Halladay all average 7 or more innings per start. The Phillies have 8 complete games, the Braves 2. All of this means that the Braves require more bullpen help than the Phillies. It can be argued that the Phillies starters are overworked, time will tell, but the Braves bullpen will have a heavier load than the Phillies pen. It also has the potential for being overworked.
jim
June 26th, 2011
7:55 pm
The Braves offense was terible, but the San Diego pitching was also very good. The umpire was squeezing the pitchers, but there were not a lot of hittable pitches thrown by the Starter and the lefty reliever. I thought Heyward got a couple of pitches to hit with Schafer on 3rd, but he took the two fastballs and committed to the slider at his ankles. Before people freak out about loosing 2 out of 3 to the Padres, remember that the Red Sox just lost 2 out of 3 to the Padres at Fenway. The Mets, Nats, Padres, and Pirates are not as lousy as some on this blog like to think.
Ebenezer Snerdberg
June 26th, 2011
7:55 pm
Jim….AMEN!
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
7:56 pm
jim..The Red Sox lost those games in Pittsburgh, not Fenway..still..
Mudge
June 26th, 2011
7:57 pm
The Padres did win in Fenway.
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
7:58 pm
I seeing todays game, no wonder why Martin “is not ready to get back into action”, SD freakin Padres, LOL.
Same story as always………….pirates, nats…………Im pretty sure O´s are gonna sweep us. Only requirement to beat the braves is to be at the cellar of your respective division.
Rilo
June 26th, 2011
7:59 pm
Mudge…no…Fenway…and the Padres. Last series, not this one
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
8:00 pm
The padres are a lot like the braves, Good pitching overall but an offense that is offensive. Makes you thankful for the braves record because things could be much worse, we could be the Padres.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
8:02 pm
Main problem is I think Frank is feeling the pressure now and he’s been so snakebitten by Norton (OK that’s a reach), McLouth, Kawakami, Lowe and now Uggla I think he’s gun shy and I am starting to believe this horrible offense is what we’re going to have to live with.
It’s been all downhill for ol’ Frank since the JJ heist.
Our minor league/draft scouts truly outperform the major league guys by a longshot.
groundfog
June 26th, 2011
8:03 pm
Just got back, glad I didn’t watch this one. Venters was bound to let this happen. When you can’t hit it’s just too much on the pitchers, even ours. Got to take 2/3 from Seattle now and just forget about this one.
George
June 26th, 2011
8:03 pm
Braves could easlly be sweeped in SEA, we never do well on west coast. Why did we get stuck with three trips out there this year?
jim
June 26th, 2011
8:08 pm
Chipper has his days, and I realize that he is leading the team in RBIs and hitting over 400 with runners in scoring position, but there are more days when he seems to be feeling for the pitch — no bat speed just trying to put the ball in play and hitting weak grounders or popups.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
8:08 pm
“It’s been all downhill for ol’ Frank since the JJ heist.”
Apparently you and I are the only people who think so.
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
8:14 pm
I know Fredi and Bobby share a lot of the same traits, but at least Bobby wasn’t afraid to chew ass and hold closed door meetings every now when the players were under-performing.
I’ll never forget him going nuts during a post-game interview after a loss when Eddie Perez failed to throw out the final batter (who struck out swinging at a ball in the dirt, but made it to first on his throwing error).
dogsbrekky
June 26th, 2011
8:14 pm
GOD himself would have signed Fuggly to a great deal and even his son wouldn’t have forecast this pee poor performance at the halfway mark… I cannot blame the Cobra for that deal…
jim
June 26th, 2011
8:18 pm
Dogsberry
I thought God was omniscient. FW unfortunately is not and made a deal and signing that was wildly applauded on this blog at the time.
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
8:18 pm
Good God. People here continue to stick up for Chipper like he’s having an all-star season. He’s probably the least productive three hole hitter on any winning team right now. The only reason he leads the Braves in all these categories is because he bats 3rd every game. Think about it people. Of course he’s gonna have all the stats.
AtlYnkHtr
June 26th, 2011
8:20 pm
DOB, I don’t understand the logic behind using Pujol’s injury to suggest there would not be a health advantage, not saying he would be better offensively, to playing McCann at first. If one example, or a few others, is proof against, then wouldn’t the examples like Posey and Fosse and the countless examples of knee and back problems prove the opposite?
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
8:20 pm
“FW unfortunately is not and made a deal and signing that was wildly applauded on this blog at the time.”
Applauded or not, at some point he’s got to be held accountable for the lousy contracts to which he’s committed this organization over the years (Lowe, Kawakami, Chipper, Uggla, et al.).
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
8:24 pm
I despised the Uggla deal mainly because of the defense but crazily enough, that’s the one area in which he’s been pretty solid.
Wren MUST be held accountable for sitting around. Not because we are 9 games over — that’s a miracle considering what a BUST this offense is. But because he’s letting winnable games go down the tubes when the only team with a better record just happens to be in our division.
Blog Monitor
June 26th, 2011
8:24 pm
yeah, you mental giants keep suggesting they move McCann to first (or third like another suggestion), I’m sure they’ll get right on it..
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
8:34 pm
Applauded or not, at some point he’s got to be held accountable for the lousy contracts to which he’s committed this organization over the years (Lowe, Kawakami, Chipper, Uggla, et al.).
Oh Yeah, that 10 year deal he gave to, wait, none of those. Longest deal is Uggla’s for 5 years, the rest are 3 and 4 year deals where the end of the road can be seen. Never mind him resigning Huddy for a very reasonable price and trading Javy who apparently gave the braves the best of what he had left for a top prospect. He acquired Uggla without selling the farm, Uggla who despite his struggles this year is exactly the bat the braves had been missing for years, a righthander with power. He acquired JJ for Renteria and etc. He acquired an all-star at center field when we had a weakness there with Schafer and his struggles.
For a money conscience team like the braves he has held on to the best of our farm talent which provides cheap production and signed some vets to some reasonable contracts that do not tie us down or hinder us for years. Its all in the eyes of the beholder I guess. The San Fran GM might be looked at like a genius for getting a world series win by getting great production from sub par players while Wren is bad for getting crappy production from good talent. I’m sure though if he could have predicted that some of these guys would be a bust he never would have signed or traded for them.
dogsbrekky
June 26th, 2011
8:35 pm
powder – The Lowe deal was fine at the time it was made, we had zippo pitching at the end of that truly wretched season and he had to pay up for someone… can’t say I disagree about paying Chipper for 3 years after his 1st big down year and who is Kawakami again?
Also, since the Cobra came in we have gone from 72-90 to a winning (make the playoffs) team in 2 years… once Fuggly gets it right we MAY be happy with the other 4.5 years of his deal but given the truly offensive offense (laughable numbers for some time) it is great that we are the WC leader and only 5 games behind the greatest pitching/ greatest fielding and super hitting filthies… truly remarkable we can stay with a team sure to win 110 games
Padres Fan
June 26th, 2011
8:37 pm
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
8:00 pm
The padres are a lot like the braves, Good pitching overall but an offense that is offensive. Makes you thankful for the braves record because things could be much worse, we could be the Padres.
*************************************************************************************
Please dont try to compare your mediocre team with ours. We just won weekend series. LOL
dogsbrekky
June 26th, 2011
8:37 pm
Then again I have 110,00 hectares of once useless outback land, (now a lake), for sale, if the Cobra is feeling further philantropically inclined.
timboy6
June 26th, 2011
8:39 pm
This loss is on Fredi. Should have never pitched Johnny last night with that big lead. He’d have been much sharper today without pitching 3 days in a row.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
8:40 pm
“I’m sure though if he could have predicted that some of these guys would be a bust he never would have signed or traded for them.”
What he’d do if he knew how these deals would play out is irrelevant. Most haven’t paid off, and he’s the man who pulled the trigger on them. At some point, even with an ownership whose ultimate goal arguably falls short of winning championships, there has to be a bottom line.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
8:41 pm
Please dont try to compare your mediocre team with ours. We just won weekend series
True, but I will definitely take our record. Padres are a team with a lot of good pitching even with the struggles of Latos. To much like the braves though in that they just lack the offense. Trading away your best player and an all-star will do that though.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
8:41 pm
“Then again I have 110,00 hectares of once useless outback land, (now a lake), for sale, if the Cobra is feeling further philantropically inclined.”
Ha!
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
8:42 pm
I was skimming through the post-game craziness, and at first this was going to be my favorite comment
F****ING FREDDY GONZALEZ LOST THIS GAME FOR US. YESTERDAYS HE USED VENTERS WHEN WE HAD A 9 RUN LEAD… WHAT THE f*** WAS HE THINKIGN???
WHAT THE F***!!!!!!!!!? I MEAN IF VENTERS DIDN’T PITCH YESTERADY HE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE TODAY. GONZALEZ SHOULD BE FIRED. veer
But then veer tossed up another little nugget of headscratching advice
Fredie and Alex Gonzalez need to be deported to Florida.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
8:44 pm
“True, but I will definitely take our record.”
I’ll take our unis, too.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
8:44 pm
He’d have been much sharper today without pitching 3 days in a row.
It’d only be 2 days in a row. And if Venters hadn’t pitched yesterday, today would’ve been his first time pitching in 4 days. Then people would be complaining that Fredi let him get too rusty.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
8:45 pm
Venters struggled. It happens. Let’s get back to winning tomorrow, k? K.
Dennis Reynolds
June 26th, 2011
8:49 pm
He’s going to make a great manager someday
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
8:52 pm
What he’d do if he knew how these deals would play out is irrelevant. Most haven’t paid off, and he’s the man who pulled the trigger on them.
All in the eye of the beholder I guess, I would say most have paid off. Despite all those complaining about Lowe, he has been a winner every year he’s been here except this one, has he been an ace, no but he hasn’t been a bust. Call that one a wash.
The negative is 2 bad years of KK, McLouth, and .5 bad years from Uggla. I’m not sure I would call Chipper a bust either as i’m not sure what the alternative to him is, not exactly many 3rd basemen on the market.
The positive, JJ, Hudson, the Javy trade, signing Wags and Saito, not trading the farm for Uggla, Hinske, resigning Ross.
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 26th, 2011
8:55 pm
My Atlanta Braves……….
The best 2nd place team in baseball
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
8:57 pm
Truth is Phillies always find a way to win, no room for mistakes against them. You can sense they want it bad. They take care of business, do what it takes.
Braves……….you can give them 5 chances during a game and they take advantage of none. Once the game starts, you can sense they are thinking hard about the excuse they will tell once the game is over. Its amazing can this offense be so damn low. K after K, pop up after pop up. Pitching has carried them for 3 months, they will get tired eventually. To much pressure on them. They better start scoring. Pitchers feel every pitch has to be perfect cause their offense will not be backing them up in case of a mistake. Too much pressure on the staff IMO.
Uggla, Jason………….wake up guys, the pitching staff needs you BADLY.
jeffrey d
June 26th, 2011
8:58 pm
I’m not sure I would call Chipper a bust either as i’m not sure what the alternative to him is, not exactly many 3rd basemen on the market
Chipper is 2nd among NL 3B in SLG, OBP, and OPS
njbraves
June 26th, 2011
8:58 pm
If this team wants to catch Philly, games like today need to be won. Like it has all year long, the pressure is on the offense.
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
8:59 pm
Man does this weekend loses hurt……Im in pain.
And the lucky phillies match with the struggling redsox………..hope they wake up in time for the series.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:03 pm
Hello every one tough loss! We had trouble against a 3.23 Pitcher again. That says some thing about our offense. One day we scored 10 runs, and 1 run today. Lack of offense puts presure on pitching,and defense.I’m still saying speed would help. It shows when you can’t hit a 3.23 pitcher. Speed could generate runs in tight games like this. We are still in good shape,so I’m shaking it off, and we will go get Seattle tomorrow.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
9:04 pm
Forgot to mention the alternative to signing Lowe. AJ and CC signed with the Yanks. Perez and Lowe were seen as the best pitchers left in free agency that year I believe. And then there was that trade talk over Peavy and some of the names rumored to be wanted by the Pads were Yunel and chiefly Hanson but Wren balked at trading the young prospect who had a ceiling to be an ace. Some of the best deals are the ones you don’t make. Given what happened with Peavy and Perez, i’d say Lowe doesn’t look to bad.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
9:06 pm
I still say Frank’s so stung by this Uggla thing right now he might be a little gun shy.
I would be too if I wanted to keep my job.
No way as constructed is this a championship ballclub. No way.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:07 pm
I think it’s time to bench Agone.It’s Lugo time! Lugo batting 1st followed by Schafer 2nd.
space monkey
June 26th, 2011
9:08 pm
Fredi has got to stop using Venters in blowouts like last night. He’s clearly showing some fatigue.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:09 pm
It’s not all Uggla’s fault. Every one can’t hit much. It takes a team to win the game.
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
9:10 pm
I still think we dont need outside help. It would be nice of course, but no urgency for that. Heres why:
There is no other spot in the lineup to introduce any help but CF. They have already signed Lugo, so I dont think they will replace Alex. Plus Alex has hit lots of HR. Think about it. Where else but CF would we be inserting outside help? Only CF. And Im pretty sure it would had to be a high impact CF in order for him to really change this offense as we know it. I mean………Beltran, Granderson, not just some guy with a .280 BA and a .320 OBP and .450 SLG. We would need a superstar or someone close to it. It would cost too much (farm) and will not wake anyone here.
The only way out IMO is for them to start clicking as a team.
Freddie has to play Eric more often. If Jordan is slumping, play Eric a little more, give the kid some breathing room.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:11 pm
It not Venters ……..It’s the hitting…….. We plain simple got to hit…….. I say fire the hitting coach……………….. It hasn’t worked out. Hire Chris Chambless.
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
9:13 pm
No way in hell we catch up with Philly. Do you think those guys are gonna go on a losing streak with that pitching staff? Cliff Lee has been virtually perfect the past month or so and shows no signs of slowing down. Roy Halladay has been pitching like Roy Halladay. And Cole Hamels is a quality starts machine.
The NL East title may as well be dead to the Braves. No way Philly is gonna blow a 5 or 6 game lead, especially when they’re gonna add a quality bat to their lineup soon.
Our numbers are nearly identical to San Diego’s. Except San Diego steals bases. Yet somehow SD has a terrible record and the Braves are in 2nd place. We’ve just gotten lucky all season. Our luck is gonna run out unless we start hitting.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:13 pm
Alex, is a half glass, and half full player. I would be done with him. A true wasted player.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:15 pm
We could still catch Philly with a trade,but we have the Wild card right now, and thats good with me.Just need some tinkering.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
9:15 pm
I think it’s time to bench Agone.It’s Lugo time! _ Ward
Somehow I don’t think the Braves are going to bench Saam Gonzalez, Ward.
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
9:16 pm
BTW, there a little ex brave doing very well for I thought he could do.
Middle IF .271 .368 .514 .882 + 7 HR, 15 RBI in 107 AB AND 6 SB
His name………….BRENT LILLIBRIDGE
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:18 pm
I would bench Agones sorry ass!Bench him for a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
9:18 pm
We are still in good shape,so I’m shaking it off, and we will go get Seattle tomorrow. _ Ward
Thats the spirit, Ward. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and post some High Hopes! comments.
Go!!! Braves!!!
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
9:20 pm
Alex isn’t bad. He’s constantly making great plays in the field. So I don’t get too upset when he isn’t producing at the plate. It’s the rest of the lineup’s fault for putting more pressure on him to drive in runs. He wasn’t brought here to be a major run producer.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:21 pm
I guess I will cool off too! We get Seattle tomorrow! Baseball should be fun ,anD I will stick with it.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
Ward_
Have you been to the Little Bighorn battlefield?
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
Somebody said that Wren has gone downhill since getting JJ. Id say thats not true. He brought Sherill, Linebrink, Proctor, Uggla, Agon, Eric H., Lugo…………….All of them are good moves…………plus he has been able to keep great youngsters on the organization Heyward, Freddie, EOF, Venter, Kimbrel, Hanson, Medlen, Teheran and Minor………………thats a hell of a core of youngsters any GM would die for having.
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
Just thought I would bring in some points.I’ll talk later…..
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
Gonzalez has struck out 24 times this season on 3 pitches.
Add that to all the popups and he has been an offensive liability because very few of his outs have any production value.
Ernie Hudson
June 26th, 2011
9:23 pm
Looking forward to the Seattle series… although we may get our asses handed to us by that pitching staff. I love the Mariners ballpark and the fact they are owned by Nintendo.
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
9:24 pm
Gonzalez has struck out 24 times this season on 3 pitches.
Hence the name Saam
Ward
June 26th, 2011
9:25 pm
Bat Masterson: The Big Horn Battle field was great! Yes…..
Bat Masterson
June 26th, 2011
9:26 pm
Ward_
Okay, thanks.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
9:29 pm
Link to QUOTAGE
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2011/06/26/braves-quotes-after-sunday-loss-to-padres/
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
9:34 pm
The A Bomb,
Alex G. is 6th in SLG among NL SS ahead of Rollins, 3rd in HR. You are right he has not doing very well, but he is not on this team for his offense. As this team is built up, he should be hitting 8th and his numbers would be good for an 8th spot hitter. Problem is the stars of this team are on vacation and that situation over exposes the mediocrity of Alex in the batters box. But he the rest of the guys were doing the job they were supposed to, Alex glove and bat would be a luxury for what the braves are paying him, plus we wouldnt be worrying about his struggles because he was hitting 8th and producing enough for his spot..
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
9:34 pm
Hitters were 2-for-32 with runners in scoring position against Venters before Padres got 3 consecutive RISP hits in 8th inning.
All three RISP hits off Venters came with 2 outs; before today hitters were 1-for-14 against him w/ RISP and 2 outs.
Doc Holliday
June 26th, 2011
9:35 pm
Ernie Hudson,
Co-sign
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
9:40 pm
Link to GAME STORY with quotes
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/padres-get-4-against-988887.html
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
9:40 pm
Looking forward to the Seattle series… although we may get our asses handed to us by that pitching staff.
We thought the same thing when we headed to San Fran. This series will come down to which pitching staff makes the most mistakes to these sub-par offenses or whoever gets the most bloop hits.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
9:42 pm
“No way as constructed is this a championship ballclub. No way.”
Couldn’t agree more.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
9:49 pm
Before today, Venters last allowed more than 2 ER on 8/25/10 at COL (4 ER, 1.2 IP).
Since then, he had posted a 1.11 ERA in 62 games, with 73K in 65 innings.
Jake W.
June 26th, 2011
9:50 pm
We had one good stretch of offensive production. No surprise we were more patient at the plate and got on base more. I get when offenses slump the idea is to hit your way out of it but at this point a walk is a rally. The braves need to get on base by any means necessary.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
9:51 pm
Problem is, Doc — he’s not hitting 8th. He’s been hitting 6, 7, and 2 for the most part.
I can handle him at 8 if he continues to field the ball.
But Wren has yet to take steps to deepen the lineup and make us more righthanded — and contact-based.
MariettaDerek
June 26th, 2011
9:51 pm
The Braves seemed to forget to get DOUBLE PITS TO CHESTY with it today. Go figure.
tony austin
June 26th, 2011
9:51 pm
Lead off walks always seem to lead to trouble. But, as good as Venters has been for the Braves, he gets a pass in my book. That inning could have been a whole lot different, but it is what it is. Get ‘em in Seattle boys!
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
9:54 pm
“But Wren has yet to take steps to deepen the lineup and make us more righthanded — and contact-based.”
I’m sure help in the form of Derrek Lee or some other broked1ck is on the way.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:10 pm
Amazing how little things add up…
Last year we had Infante and Diaz who no doubt would have played on a day like today. Diaz mashed lefties.
This year we start 4-5 lefties — including the 1-2 hole — against tough lefthanders and like the 1st inning today…. KC, KC, KC.
We are just not there yet. Every time we catch a spark it fizzles. And I have doubts whether Wren is going to pull the trigger on anything.
Too bad, because hitting opens up the game, and when it comes time for free agency, no one wants to pitch for a team with no run support. This season offensively has been the worst in my memory, which goes back to 1966. Even the 100-loss teams had some offense (just no pitching).
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:12 pm
BTW even worse for you DOB, you have to leave SoCal. We’ll keep the weather good til next season — and next year when you’re in L.A. I gotta suggest Lucy’s El Adobe which would combine 2 of the blog favorites….
The legendary BBQ beef tacos.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:13 pm
Hey man, Derrek Lee OPSed .850 for us last year. Certainly wasn’t chopped liver.
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:14 pm
“Even the 100-loss teams had some offense (just no pitching).”
At least we had Dale Murphy in his prime to watch in the 1980s.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:16 pm
Horner, Chambliss, Burroughs, Wynn, Garr, Oates, Williams, Evans, etc….
We just had horrid pitching.
Jim
June 26th, 2011
10:20 pm
Freddi Cox manager of the year ////////////
Jim
June 26th, 2011
10:24 pm
For all his greatness, Venters has walked the first batter he has faced too many times. He did it last night and again today. It finally caught up with him this afternoon. Agree with earlier comment that he did not have to pitch last night.
Whether we are talking about McLouth or Jordan S – whoever wins the CF battle when Prado comes back – we are woefully deficient in CF this year. It should be the signal focus of any trade efforts – a RH bad would help here, too. I’d send Jordan back to AAA and let McLouth be the sub for the rest of the summer if we could accomplish such a trade. For the present, Jordan seems to offer a bit more than McLouth – fielding, speed on bases – but he’s not a real winner this year.
What to offer in trade? I’d sooner offer Lowe than any of our next generation of pitching superstars. How much would Soriano (not a CF) cost for rest of year? .269/.310/.509 – 14 HRs. (Heyward would have to play CF). Pence and Bourne would require prospects to be included in package including probably Jordan S. and one of our next generation of star pitchers,
Venice Jim
June 26th, 2011
10:24 pm
My heartfelt condolences to everyone who had to suffer through today’s game sitting in the comfort of your home…
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:28 pm
All our needs are right in the clubhouse. If anything, I’d like to see Frank acquire a shutdown reliever to take some pressure off of Venters and O’Flaherty. No need to trade for a bat. Let the boys play.
We can deal Lowe in the offseason for prospects or simply salary relief; it doesn’t matter. Acquire a good SS from somewhere, and be ready to acquire a LF and slide Prado over to 3B when Chipper retires (hopefully not soon!).
Done.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:29 pm
Actually Venice Jim — I feel pretty good that I resisted the temptation to drive down the 5, even if I could have seen one of my sons.
After Anaheim I said I’m not spending another dime on the team UNTIL a commitment is made to improve this ridiculous offense. I even had been toying with the idea of going to Safeco until the Angel series. Money’s in the bank collecting interest (not much, but it’s better than nothing.)
TnBrian
June 26th, 2011
10:29 pm
Nothing about this offense tells me it’ll improve this season, at least not much. Prado comes back and it’ll only help, but it was struggling with him in there before. Sure, Heyward is in there now and doing okay, but he’s also shown,like so many other regulars in our lineup, that he’s definitely prone to the cold streak.Uggla is what he is – all or nothing and it’s mostly been nothing. Still can’t hit a LHP. Chipper has the inconsistant disease as well.
McCann is in another world from these guys. He and Prado are your only consistantly tough outs in our lineup and one of them is battling what appears to be a nasty infection. Hope he’s not rusty or even weakend any by all the meds he’s apparantly having to take.
‘Silly’, ‘Stupid’, ‘Unecessary’ are words I’d use to describe Fredi’s use of the golden arm of Venters. Not today, but yesterday in a blow out. Even through his battles today I’d have taken him out and used Sherrill who’s looked good lately.
But see, I think most managers are stubborn like this from so many things I’ve seen and read. I’ll never really understand. You won’t hurt the guys feelings, he’s a big boy.
What the hell though. I’m just a fan here in north Chattanooga,Tn recovering from a plate of cheap canned spaghetti.
David O'Brien
June 26th, 2011
10:30 pm
The A Bomb, where is Lucy’s El Adobe? In L.A., you’re talking?
Powder Blue
June 26th, 2011
10:31 pm
“And I have doubts whether Wren is going to pull the trigger on anything.”
He won’t for an offensive player of any significance. I blame ownership more than Wren for this. There’s simply not a firm commitment to winning championships. Someone commented earlier that Philadelphia wants it more than Atlanta. I don’t think that’s necessarily true of the players, but it is clearly the case with regard to each team’s respective ownership. It starts at the top. While I don’t want to be a carbon copy of the Yankees in terms of the way the organization is run, “standing pat” while trailing Philadelphia is tantamount to throwing in the towel as far as the division is concerned.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:32 pm
Hey Dave, question for you:
My kid brother wants to be a baseball beat writer…any advice on how to actually get a job like that? I’m assuming it’s pretty competitive. He’s writing high school sports articles for a local paper now as sort of an intern thing while he’s still taking college classes.
Thanks.
No More Juice
June 26th, 2011
10:32 pm
Forgot what page it was on but someone earlier mentioned New York Times article about aging. Went out and read it and it made a lot of sense. Certainly explains what has been going on with guys suddenly losing it because of the frequent checks for steroids.No more Fountain of Youth.I was surprised to read that players can actually be expected to start losing ability at 30. I always thought peak was 28 to 32 for baseball. Article seems to prove 26-30. We don’t have any deals like the Mets do with Bonilla, do we?? Paying him until he is about 80.
Steve from OH
June 26th, 2011
10:34 pm
“standing pat” while trailing Philadelphia is tantamount to throwing in the towel as far as the division is concerned.
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.
CaptainMudderland
June 26th, 2011
10:34 pm
“I spent four lonely days in a brown LA haze and I just want you back in my sight,” the Braves offense tonight rests not knowing when it might steer clear of those one run days.
The A Bomb
June 26th, 2011
10:35 pm
DOB — Lucy’s is on Melrose across from Paramount Studios. It’s been around for years…. probably the most famous during Jerry Brown’s 1st term as governor when he and Linda Ronstadt were an item….they were always there together….
But the BBQ beef tacos ….. and the salad dressing! My mouth is watering!
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
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:30 am
So Jake, you think he’ll move Nate back to center? I think that he goes with Schafer until he tanks. If he knows Schafer is going down, why play him there now rather than McLouth?
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:32 am
I’m not a believer in a manager making all that much difference -en compared to most other managers-, so I’ve never really been all that vocal about it and likely won’t change my approach to blaming him for our troubles, but I still think that he and Larry brought a difference emphasis to the club which is at least partly responsible for some of the offensive hiccups, but I admit that is speculation and not gospel
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:33 am
nite tiger, build up that core…
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:34 am
Dog gone…..Infante RBI double after a 12-pitch at bat…..
FLORIDA 1 SEATTLE 1 BOT 8
We miss him big time.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:34 am
Nate is almost 100 OPS higher right now Woody, though that could change at any minute as inconsistent as they both have been
Jake W.
June 27th, 2011
12:36 am
Woody Woodward
I think he’s giving Jordan every opportunity to succeed since he is the more prototypical leadoff hitter but his average and obp just are not pretty. It doesn’t become quite as glaring if others were stepping up offensively. With our struggles his numbers just don’t warrant him staying in the lineup over Nate. If they choose Nate over Jordan i don’t think they keep him as a backup because they want him to get the at bats so they send him down. That’s just my feeling on the situation and they may feel a completely different way but unless Jordan picks it up with the obp, Nate’s just looks so much more appealing.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:36 am
Nolee–that said, where do you think a guy like TP fits in the mix? Last year’s reporting made it pretty clear Terry had an “approach.” Wonder how much the players talk to him, how much advice he dispenses these days.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:38 am
miss Infante? if so only because Dan has been so far below his mean. Omar has been pretty lame too this year. He is back being the guy he was b4 Pendleton turned him into a lean mean hitting machine….
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:40 am
Versaility…..clutch…..righthanded stick…..more contact……no helicopter swing (and a miss)…..All-Star…..
Yeah, I’d say we miss him. And yeah, Uggla could still hit and I’d still say we miss O.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:42 am
don’t know Woody, he might be laying quiet cause he does not have the good will built up for decade that he had with Bobby. Either way I don’t want to overstate the amount of influence that I think Terry or Larry , or any other coach, usually has. Their influence begins and ends with the mind set of each individual player.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:45 am
he’s hitting .612, I don’t really miss that part at all.
He is versatile I’ll grant you that and with the injuries we could have used him, but I ain’t sittin’ around pinin’ for him.
That prolly does put me in a small minority I imagine.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:47 am
I just loved our bench last year….best in MLB since the Dodgers of the mid-1980s…..They were responsible for us making the playoffs….
Hinske, Infante, Diaz, Ross, Conrad.
They were amazing.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:49 am
I was looking at Diaz’ stats yesterday, thinking of some way to bring his name up on the blog. Not too many folks feelin’ sentimental about him. The numbers say why.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:51 am
I agree with you about last years bench, it was very good and a big part of the success.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
12:54 am
True Blood kicked off season 4 tonight, as did Leverage.
Still waiting for The Closer
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:56 am
We’re in the middle of TB right now nolee. Treme next.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
12:58 am
Well, at least the Mariners have extra work to do tonight with their ‘pen….
SEATTLE 1 FLORIDA 1 TOP 10
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
12:58 am
My jury is still out on True Blood. Moments when it tickles me but I’m not invested in it like Treme. Or even Boardwalk Empire.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
1:02 am
I’ve just got Neflix streamed in on my internet. There are thousands of TV shows from the past to pick from in adddition to the movies. I’m watching the very first “LOST” episode and have 99 more after the premier.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:04 am
I like all three that you mention, but none are in my top 5 or so I guess.
I was finishing season two of Lie to Me the other night and one of the episodes had four of the actors from The Shield in it. Somebody there musta liked that show, or been involved in it.
One of my all time favorire dramas.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
1:04 am
LOST–You can envy our beautiful paradise, key, and the best weather in the US.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
1:06 am
Loved The Wire.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:08 am
I just never could get all that involved in Lost. Not that it wasn’t well done, but I am not all that fond of strictly serialized shows.
I like a good bit of background with the cast, but I like some episodic approach in each one too. I think Fringe maintains a decent balance.
Perhaps in part because of my age. Growing up when I did, every show was just about totally episodic.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:10 am
yes Woody, The Wire was another all time favorite shows, and I am not all that huge a drama fan so they gotta be darn good to hook me
veer
June 27th, 2011
1:10 am
Lets just sweep seattle. Look all we need to do is get to playoffs because every team is scared of us. Nobody wants to face our pitching and lineup becuz they know we can score 9 runs on any given day. We make playoffs we are dangerous.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:13 am
as long as there ain’t too many days that are given I guess.
Basically any team can score 9 on any given day as SD did against our pitching on Friday.
I guess I’m not sold that teams are all that skairdt of us.
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
1:18 am
We were dangerous last year because of our unpredictability. We won any number of ways. This year, mostly we shut folks down with pitching. Occasionally, we erupt with some offense. Our defense is pretty steady, compared with last year. There’s little drama this year, to be sure, but I sure do like our chances with this staff. Health, like last year, is a question mark.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
1:23 am
SEATTLE 2 FLORIDA 1 FINAL-10
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:25 am
too bad the Fish couldn’t hold on for a few more innings
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
1:25 am
Woodie – I know I could live in Hawaii. I was set to come out to the Big Island in 86 and do the Iron Man but I tore my Achilles Tendon a month before the race. I didn’t make the trip ’cause I knew I’d try if I came out there.
CaptainMudderland
June 27th, 2011
1:26 am
Sweepless in Seattle? No possible way…and what does anyone think we’re going up there to do? Bravos win series with Uggla making “Seattle’s Best” look like watered down marlin broth. Yepper, no ofer’s for our best….I guarantee!
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:26 am
We were dangerous last year because of our unpredictability. ….Woody
yeah good post
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
1:29 am
Monday….. Beachy vs. Bedard…..3-2 Braves
Tuesday…..Hanson vs. Pineda….3-0 Mariners
Wednesday….Lowe vs. Hernandez….7-0 Mariners
We score 3 in the 1st tomorrow and don’t score the rest of the series.
Parrish given a contract extension.
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:29 am
G’nite Woody, g’nite Lou. G’nite ABomb. TTFN.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
1:30 am
I never could get interested in LOST because I missed the first few years. Tonight was the first time I had seen the pilot. There literally are 99 more LOST episodes to watch if I want to.
CaptainMudderland
June 27th, 2011
1:31 am
Delightfully implausible–like spyder monkees.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
June 27th, 2011
1:31 am
yeah………Jonny V. had a bad day…….he is allowed 2 a season….but this one is still on the awfence…I said last snite when we scored all them runs the well would be dry today. Everytime we do have an outburst seems like we struggle mightely the next day……….Seattle wins tonite
nolee
June 27th, 2011
1:32 am
most folks liked it KL, good chance you will too.but it is definitely a show that you need to enter from the very first episode.
The A Bomb
June 27th, 2011
1:33 am
Same to you nolee. Hopefully I’m wrong about Safeco. But this offense….
Yunel's Frosted Tips
June 27th, 2011
1:34 am
Seattle has a pathethic hitting lineup as well……..may come down to a bonehead play late in the game
Woody Woodward
June 27th, 2011
1:35 am
Nite Nolee
Yunel's Frosted Tips
June 27th, 2011
1:36 am
At least the late starting games will go fast with little or no hitting goin on……. probably be over at 12:30 or so……
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
1:37 am
This was one of the games you’re destined to lose. Odds are we would have won if Venters did not instinctively reach out and deflect the grounder. AGon would have had the out easily at first. I think some of the negative sh!ts thought it was an error on AGon because he bobbled the ball but he had no play after Venters deflected it.
Yunel's Frosted Tips
June 27th, 2011
1:39 am
Yeah…….that was just a reaction play on the grounder…….I was more concerned about the laissez -faire attitude on the bunts……..the second guy almost beat his as well
Mike S
June 27th, 2011
1:41 am
speaking of bonehead play late in the game…
did anyone see how the M’s Marlins game ended? Wow. Seattle scored their go-ahead run in the top of the 10th on a wild pitch on an intentional walk!! The Marlins’ pitcher just sailed the 3-0 pitch way wide of the catcher, who was standing with his arm out waiting for the final ball on the intentional walk to set up a double play. Ackley broke late from third and probably would have been nailed, but the throw back to the catcher short hopped the pitcher and he couldn’t hold on to make the tag. Crazy way to lose a game…
CaptainMudderland
June 27th, 2011
1:44 am
Jonny Venters shouldn’t feel too bad…losing today was simply apropos….as “Yunel’s” has elluded, our offense really goes flat immediately after a surge of production and such is the patterned ‘way of life’ which this team unyieldingly follows. I am predicting a turn around in Seattle this next week. The Bravos will actually and incrementally score more on consecutive upcoming games; enjoy!!!
Gone Viral
June 27th, 2011
2:17 am
“Gone Viral—A 3.14 ERA in the Steroid era is a lot more impressive than a 3.07 ERA now.”
It absolutely is, but the reality is that the heavily hyped pitching staffs that comprised the 90s generally floated in the 3.4 range. This Braves staff had been under 3 for a long time prior to Saturday’s fiasco and today’s 8th inning fluke. In terms of top to bottom of the staff, this is THE best Braves pitching compilation I’ve ever seen. Everyone knew our situation during the Holy Trifecta era: get into the Braves bullpen and win the game. That’s the Phillies now. Our bullpen is if anything more devastating than our starters…and we’ve had JJ, Hanson and Beachy all on the DL this year (and Moylan taken out of the bullpen). The fact that we’re at 3.07 given all of these parameters blows me away.
A lof of us are (rightfully) so frustrated by our hitting that we’re not appreciating the mythic performance by our pitching staff in 2011 to date.
Gone Viral
June 27th, 2011
2:21 am
The amazing thing about what happened to Venters today is that when you re-watch the inning, there is only one clear hit in the batch. Walking the leadoff man was his fault; the rest of the inning was half a season worth of luck balancing itself out in half a dozen batters.
This will be one of those “and if we take out that one fluke 8th inning against San Diego” discussions as the season winds down and we marvel at what he has accomplished in 2011.
Mike S
June 27th, 2011
2:29 am
Spot on at 2:17 & 2:21 Gone Viral.
N8
June 27th, 2011
3:13 am
Keylargo, I’m on my 3rd time through of watchng LOST.
I didn’t watch season one when it was on, but my wife and mother did and swore I would like it. So before season two started crammed through the first season to catch up to speed and never turned back.
We have them all on DVD and when the series completed in 2010, I started over and thoroughly enjoyed it the 2nd time through. That is when the brilliance of the writing became evident. Once you know how it ends and then can go back and realize how well they pieced it together and how many clues there was along the way, it makes more sense than ever.
My sons both wanted to watch but we were waiting for them to be old enough to handle some of the maturity of the show. So once school let out this year, we started watching a disc or so every night and while it’s not as enjoyable as it was the first time through and certainly not as informative as it was the 2nd time through, I’m enjoying them enjoying it as we go along. We actually just finished season four about an hour ago.
What’s so amazing about the show is that they claim that when they wrote the pilot they also wrote most of the last episode as well. The very last scene is allegedly EXACTLY the way they envisioned it at conception. So like I said, to know that and then re-watch how they “got there” is amazing.
But the magic of that show to me was how each episode was such a great cliff-hanger that had you coming back for more. My boys can’t grasp the fact that when those seasons ended we had to wait about six months to see where it went. After season two (maybe season three), they started the seasons in January instead of September. So you had to wait from May until after Christmas to see where it was going. They simply have had to put in the next DVD. LOL.
It pretty much was the only show that I cleared out my schedule on Wednesday nights to make sure I watched it as to not see any “spoilers” online.
I can see how some people didn’t like where it went and I think nolie and I have had conversations about it in the past. I haven’t started Fringe yet, but plan on it.
Enjoy….. imo it gets better as each season goes along.
N8
June 27th, 2011
3:18 am
“most folks liked it KL, good chance you will too.but it is definitely a show that you need to enter from the very first episode.” nolie
Absolutely. Literally zero chance of grasping the dynamic of the show without watching season 1 & 2. Without starting from the beginning, you’d be very LOST. (pun very much intended)
Move McCann from catcher? Ross says no | Raw Sports - Atlanta Braves
June 27th, 2011
3:30 am
[...] Atlanta Braves [...]
N8
June 27th, 2011
3:53 am
This team is what they are right now and will continue to be just that until Wren does something about.
What they “are”, is a team that has enough pitching to win most series they are in. But a pathetic enough offense to make the “odds” very even of them also losing a series here and there because of the weak lineup.
Still leading the wild card and likely will continue to do so.
But until Uggla and Heyward begin to rake, Prado comes back OR Wren makes a move, this is also a team that won’t catch the Phillies and even if we win the wild card will fall short of winning (or getting to) the world series.
It’s really that simple. No two ways about it.
We’re a very good team BECAUSE of the great pitching (Venters’ afternoon not withstanding), but probably not good enough in the end until the offense does their part.
So the question becomes (or really still is)…. at what point does Wren sacrifice future flexibility and depth of the pitching staff to improve the 2011 team’s chances of winning a championship?
I’m all for trading one of Delgado, Teheran or Vizcaino, OR one of Beachy, Minor or Medlen to improve our chances. But not more than one and certainly not one from each of those groups.
And if it is either Teheran or Beachy it BETTER be for a guy that has major impact not only for this year, but is locked up for many years to come.
I also wouldn’t be opposed to trading Hanson or JJJ this offseason if they honestly feel that one or more of the above mentioned six guys (Minor, Beachy, Medlen, Teheran, Delgado or Vizcaino) can step in and give a reasonable replacement value of those guys. Again, it depends on the bat (or bats) coming our way.
But clearly this team can’t survive 2011 without both Hanson or JJJ.
Or, does Wren simply let it ride in 2011 bucking on Uggla, Heyward and Prado being healthy and hot for the 2nd half and carrying us through? Trading fringe prospects for bench and depth to help in close games?
I tend to think that that is the way he’ll go. He’s worked too hard to build this pitching staff for the “now” and the future to give it all away.
But that is one of the things that JS did so well. He not only stockpiled pitching for the Braves to use on their own team, but he also stockpiled trade bait to use to get the pieces needed to improve our chances in the short term.
What Wren needs right now is the reverse deal of the JJJ trade with Detroit. He needs to catch lightning in a bottle for a 2nd time, by trading away a pitching piece to a team that is desperate enough to give up a very good (young) hitting talent that we can control at a reasonable salary for the next 4-5 years.
But in the end, Uggla being the Dan Uggla he (Wren) and us expected him to be in the 2nd half would turn this whole season around. But I’m beginning to doubt that that Dan Uggla will ever show up in 2011.
David O'Brien
June 27th, 2011
7:13 am
Gone Viral: Agree with your 2:21 a.m. about Venters’ unfortunate inning.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
8:19 am
Or, does Wren simply let it ride in 2011 bucking on Uggla, Heyward and Prado being healthy and hot for the 2nd half and carrying us through?
Why wouldn’t he? Seeing as how it’s the sane thing to do.
Maybe I just have the misfortune of being a macro-view guy on a micro-view blog.
JRW
June 27th, 2011
8:26 am
All I know is that as we awaken this morning the Braves are closer to 4th place than 1st. Who would have thought the Mutts, Nats, Pirates and D-Backs would be where they are at the 1/2 way point of the season. I believe these teams are going to continue to cause havoc with the pre-season announced playoff contenders.
MikeInFl
June 27th, 2011
8:29 am
The big problem has been hitting LHP. That falls to a great extent on Uggla (who’s not gonna be replaced via trade) and the absence of Prado. So, I don’t see any huge trades in the works.
What seems like it would make sense would be a deal with Houston – not for Pence or Bourn, but for Bourgeois. He’s versatile (CF, LF, RF, 2B), showed good bat in the minors and in limited play this year – is old enough that the ’stros may not see him as a “prospect’ but little enough experience to be cheap, both in salary and trade requirements.
He’d probably platoon with McLouth (or Schafer), but might bolster the offense a little against LHP.
I have no idea if he’s available, but I’d be surprised if he was untouchable.
LWB
June 27th, 2011
9:00 am
Here’s a question. When is the last time the Braves had a 100 rbi guy? A 30 HR guy? A 40+ steal player? It’s been a while. It’s been a while since the Braves had an elite offensive player, in my opinion. McCann is excellent, but even he usually tops out at around .285 25 85. Which is great for a catcher.
Afan
June 27th, 2011
9:10 am
The braves need to make a move soon to find someone who might spark this non existent offense. What was it 2 hits yesterday??? sad…
curtis jones
June 27th, 2011
9:13 am
On McCann/Ross learning another position:
1. OK fine, let McCann remain as a mediocre defensive catcher who happens to be an awesome hitter. Check back with me when he’s 31 and done.
2. Does it bother anyone else that apparently, David Ross and Eric Hinske have no desire to play every day? They enjoy being backups, batting 5 times a week, starting maybe a game a week? They’re great guys I’m sure, and their contributions are unquestioned. I just always assumed every guy on the bench wishes they were in the starting lineup.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
9:15 am
They enjoy being backups, batting 5 times a week, starting maybe a game a week?
“A man’s got to know his limitations.” – Harry Callahan
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
9:18 am
Unfortunate series loss this weekend. We hit the Padres while they were streaking. We’ll turn it around against Seattle. Go Braves
CB
June 27th, 2011
9:20 am
Scoots,agree with you on living with Prado,Heyward,and Uggla. No reason to not believe in these guys,they have a track record that says they will be better the second half. My only wish for the Braves to improve right now would be to strengthen CF and try to get one more strong arm in the bullpen to lighten the load on our 3 studs. I still believe Bourn would be a good upgrade in center if the cost is not outrageous.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
9:23 am
McLouth is around .280/.450/.450 since coming back, CB. Seems to me that he would be a pretty good upgrade in CF, when Prado returns.
CB
June 27th, 2011
9:24 am
Fish Bisch,what is wrong with you?
CB
June 27th, 2011
9:26 am
Sample size,scoots. Have you not learned anything around here?
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
9:28 am
I turned over a new leaf a few weeks ago CB
We’ll Own King Felix
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
9:31 am
Geez this team is absolutely inconsistent.
henry from TN
June 27th, 2011
9:33 am
i think moving bmack would be a bad move….
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
9:34 am
Sample size,scoots. Have you not learned anything around here?
Unfortunately, Schafer’s ample sample leads me to hope Nate’s return performance is no mirage, LOL.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
9:34 am
curtis jones
No, not a bit, it’s actually a relief knowing that these guys are so dedicated to their role on this team.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
9:35 am
I’d say the offense is pretty consistent at what it does.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
9:41 am
Consistantly bad…
On the bright side our pitching is super awesome!
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
9:41 am
curtis jones Does it bother anyone else that apparently, David Ross and Eric Hinske have no desire to play every day?
No.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
9:45 am
The bad thing about this offense is the fact that a trade for one guy isn’t going to magically fix it. We’ve got to start getting production from guys like Uggla, Heyward, Chipper and Prado on a more consistent basis.
Whoop
June 27th, 2011
9:45 am
“I think that he goes with Schafer until he tanks.”
.222/.295/.316
What is he doing right now? Despite all of the hoopla about Schafer, he still sucks as a hitter.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
9:47 am
i think moving bmack would be a bad move….
Which I think safely ensconces you within a super majority.
Probably polls as high as world peace, apple pie and blue skies.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
9:48 am
Whoop, I don’t think you can point a finger at just one guy. I mean is Schafer sucks, what do you call what Uggla is doing? And I’d say we were expecting much more out of Uggla this year then we were Schafer.
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 27th, 2011
9:50 am
Dear Curtis Jones,
2010……Omar Infante the super utility player. 8 HR’s 47 RBI .321 BA
2011……Omar Infante the starter. 1 HR 24 RBI .259 BA
I’ll let you figure out the rest of the equation. Now, put your thinking cap on and try not to burn out most of your brain cells.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
9:54 am
We’ve got to start getting production from guys like Uggla, Heyward, Chipper and Prado on a more consistent basis.
I always wonder about the definition of “consistent” in such a context. I don’t think there is an offensive player alive who fits the definition as some here see it. Not saying that you’re that guy, AT.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
9:58 am
ncscoots, I would classify these guys as unconsistent in terms that they are way below the norms we’re use to and are expecting from them.
MikeInFl
June 27th, 2011
9:59 am
Both Schafer and McLouth are okay against right-hand pitching. We need a RH bat who can platoon with one of them when Prado comes back.
I suggested Bourgious earlier; who else could we get on the cheap, RH bat, can play CF, to platoon when a lefty is on the mound?
Schafer against LHP: .118/.167/.176 (i.e., he should NEVER leadoff, probably never play, against LHP)
McLouth against LHP: .182/.286/.236 (not much better)
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
10:09 am
Schafer did spark the team and bring the speed element to the ballclub, but he cant hit LHP what so ever and is very inconsistant with the bat. I really rooted for the kid, but when Prado comes back I think his time is up. Maybe batting him in the 8th spot could do him good, but At this point its hard to say but Nate is really a upgrade with the bat… Wren and Fredi have to decide if they should make a move. Also have to decide if Schafer needs ABs in AAA or to keep him up and be a part time player. Schafer could eventually just be a bench guy, with his speed and defense he could be valuable down the line once he figures out his role if he can stick in the bigs.
Afan
June 27th, 2011
10:11 am
We dont need another platoon. We have had the worst outfield in the majors for several years in a row now. We need some production from the outfield period!!
Ryan Langerhans
June 27th, 2011
10:12 am
We have had the worst outfield in the majors for several years in a row now
Hey!
Lew
June 27th, 2011
10:14 am
With all of this eloquence, there’s just nothing much more to say. YOu either believe or you don’t.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:16 am
For a guy that sucks as bad as you guys like to point out….. he was the only guy yesterday to drive in a run, not to mention have half of the total hits for the team during the game.
O.J.
June 27th, 2011
10:17 am
Ok, Just watched the replay on last nights 8th inning, and the pitch that Hudson hit to drive in 2 runs was pretty flat, didnt have much break on it at all. Not like Venters sinker usually does. Hope hes not getting tired from the overuse.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
10:17 am
Damning with faint praise there AT, don’t you think.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:21 am
Bat, well I don’t have enough fingers to point to all of the issues we have on the offensive side of the game.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
10:22 am
Shafer is not a MLB player.
See Martin come.
See Jordan go.
Ease®
June 27th, 2011
10:24 am
Use your toes then.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
10:24 am
But Schaefer had half of our hits yestreday keylargo! If it wasn’t for him it would’ve almost been a no hitter. Shcafer is our no hitter breaker upper.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
10:25 am
We need Hank Aaron as our pitching coach is all.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:26 am
I’d much rather have Schafer stay where he’s at when Prado come back than to go through another round of Mclouth. That ship has done sailed, have you guys completely forgotten about what he’s brought the last couple of years? Oh how we forget.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:27 am
Ease, I’m not that talented.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
10:27 am
But Schaefer had half of our hits yestreday keylargo!
Nate had the other half.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
10:28 am
Afan, more production and a platoon in CF are not mutually exclusive you do realize? Platoons have worked in the past.
Coach (2011 Fredi G. a go!)
June 27th, 2011
10:29 am
About our catching corp. when it comes to defense….
They have given up 63 stolen bases, caught 19 which equates out to a 23 percent success rate.
O yea, we have stolen 23 as a team and been caught stealing 22 times.
YIKES is all I have to say about this subject.
Afan
June 27th, 2011
10:29 am
getting tired of 2 runs or 3 runs and 2 hits or 4 hits. Our lineup is full of .240 hitters. I would venture to say that when production is this bad nobody’s position is safe unless your maybe mccann or chipper…
Reality Check
June 27th, 2011
10:29 am
Last year when the offense was struggling, we were all calling for TP’s head; now with the offense still underperforming, many of us are calling for Parrish to be fired. While the hitting coach certainly must have some impact on his players (if not, why even have one?), it seems to me that the task of “getting the job done” falls with the players whose very job it is to produce results. Our 2011 offensive numbers are, well, offensive, but what’s the answer? We have new management, and a new hitting coach – the things many of us (including me) seemed to think would be the fix-all. But still we struggle. The bottom line, at least for me, is that the players need to find a way to step it up. That’s what they’re paid (very well) to do.
Whoop
June 27th, 2011
10:29 am
“Nate had the other half.”
And was on base all three times.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
10:30 am
Well surely things cannot continue along this vein, right AT.
But then again, that is exactly the kind of thinking that lead to me losing ten one hundred dollar chips in a row once, betting the black, on a roulette wheel.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
10:32 am
Coach About our catching corp. when it comes to defense….They have given up 63 stolen bases
I think about 60 of those were stolen off our pitchers.
Murph
June 27th, 2011
10:32 am
I was having a great day yesterday. Took the kids to a movie, went and got shave ice with ice cream at the bottom, and then an early dinner at our favorite Mexican food restaurant (yes, I got an order or sopapillas and they were awesome!).
Get home and suddenly remember the Braves played an afternoon game. Go running for the computer to see what happened and am slapped in face with another 2 hit performance. Took the wind right out of my sails.
I thank the baseball gods everyday for the Braves’ pitching staff. They are an amazing collective of athletes. Sure, Lowe isn’t very good as of late and Proctor sucks, but overall they are the one and only reason why this team is where they are.
If the pitching falters or a couple of guys go down to injuries you’re going to see the Braves plummet just like the Marlins did. Remember a few weeks ago when they were ahead of Atlanta? Well, now they are at the bottom of the division, and this team is susceptible to a fall just like that given how awful the offense is.
Yesterday’s lineup featured 2 guys hitting above .265. 2. Dos. That’s it. Hard to win ballgames when you can’t hit the ball. If it weren’t for McCann’s mighty bat… I don’t even want to think about what this team would look like.
I’m definitely not the type to be alarmist or to jump up and yell “TRADE!” when something goes wrong, but it’s obvious that this group of hitters is not the one you want to take with you to the post season. No chance they make it through a best of 5 hitting a collective .225. Just won’t happen.
If it wasn’t obvious to me before it is now… they need to go out and get a bat. However, the team also needs to look at the current squad and determine if they are capable of making a real run at the World Series before they leverage the future for a rental. The pitching staff is there and I think it’s safe to say that a post season rotation of JJ, Hanson, Huddy, and maybe Beachy with O’Ventbrell behind them is a dangerous one. However, the hitting is so anemic that I don’t know if I’d trade Teheran, Delgado, or Vizcaino in an effort to make a run this season. The kind of impact bat they need will be expensive, and unless the rest of the team picks it up, that very bat would be completely wasted because of the lack of production from the other 7 guys in the starting lineup.
I would rather see the Braves make a run with what they have and hope for the best, then cut some dead weight in the offseason and try to improve from there. I just don’t know if this horse has the legs to get to the finish line even with a big trade.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
10:35 am
Shafer…Schaefer…Shcafer
Somewhere, Roman Gal is weeping
Afan
June 27th, 2011
10:36 am
you cant keep playing for next year…we have the pitching to win it but cant when you cant score any runs.
I am all for trading a young arm for a quality cf.
mclouth and shaffer have had their opportunity and have failed.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
10:36 am
And about Schafer’s “hit” yesterday. I’m not really sure that was a hit since my TV went out while the ball was still in the air. I’ll need some visual corroboration to actually agree it was a hit.
Venice Jim
June 27th, 2011
10:38 am
Since I was there, I can confirm it was a hit…
O.J.
June 27th, 2011
10:39 am
Why do we need Hank Aaron as our pitching coach?
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
10:39 am
Has anyone else had a problem all season with being able to hear our announcers? The crowd noises are LOUD and clear, but we turn the volume up over halfway and cann still barely make out what Joe and whoever are saying…
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
10:43 am
Well, Venice Jim, I’ll take your word for it. I’m not kidding about the TV going out though. Several others had the same problem. I’m really most sorry I missed Hinske scoring from 1st on a double.
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
10:43 am
I think I figured out why the Braves have so many oblique injuries.
If they read the post-game blog trade proposals following a loss, as I just did, then they split their sides from laughing so hard, as I just did.
I’m day-to-day.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
10:44 am
YIKES is all I have to say about this subject.
I highly doubt that.
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
10:46 am
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
Check the stereo balance of your TV. It sounds as if the crowd mike side is too strong.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
10:47 am
I loved seeing Chipper make the adjustment, after he started his swing, for a double Saturday night. The view at the end of this video from left field is great.
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_25_atlmlb_sdnmlb_1&mode=recap&c_id=atl
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:48 am
Bat, I don’t know how long it can continue since we’re talking about more than just one person turning things around. Hopefully they decide to break out of it at the same time…. and hopefully sooner than later.
cricket
June 27th, 2011
10:49 am
Has anyone else had a problem all season with being able to hear our announcers?
Not me. I always try other team’s feed on MLB EI, if available. I try my best not to have to listen to what one specific ‘whoever’ is saying…
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
10:50 am
Afan, do you seriously think that Schafer or Mclouth is our biggest concerns? Were we really expecting that much from them in the first place?
Venice Jim
June 27th, 2011
10:51 am
I totally missed whatever happened in the outfield after the ball got through because I was watching Hinske storming around third base…
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
10:54 am
Besides the blown save, how was the game, VJ?
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
10:55 am
Well that link does not go straight to Chippers video. You have to click the Uggla link and then scroll down the other highlight videos for Chippers double.
unbelieveable
June 27th, 2011
10:58 am
“Has anyone else had a problem all season with being able to hear our announcers? – McFann”
If Chip is announcing I usually try to mute the TV. So, I dont know how to answer.
Venice Jim
June 27th, 2011
10:59 am
jeffrey – it was good – we did get very hot, sitting in the sun, but we really liked the stadium (last year did not get a chance to look around because we got there right at game time)…
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
11:01 am
Did you say “hi” to DOB, VJ?
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:02 am
WE had two hits yesterday.. We had four its on Friday night. Who the hell do you think if is brought in improves that considerably? Even if we had Kemp (or name your player) there was no one to knock in..
There is no quick fix. This team’s offense is totally contingent on the players we have hitting like they have in the past. There is no one player who will turn it around. Period.
And as for the Phillies being willing to play for it all and to go out and get who they need – where is the deal? Seems to me no one has made a blockbuster deal yet – or, for that matter, any deal of consequence.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
11:02 am
Tom O’Hawke—
Hmm…do all TVs have stereo-thingies…? This bad-boy we’ve got has gotta be over 12 years old…
But I think you’re right in that something’s gotta be loose in there—a lot of our other channels come out sounding like they’re under water. TVLand is BY FAR the worst…
unbelievable—
Heeheehee…aawww…
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
11:05 am
Lew, I’ve been trying to point that out all morning.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
11:08 am
Lew, that’s just how it goes. There will always be the contingent that thinks we have to go out and get that big free agent or that big trade piece every year, despite the fact that those moves often make zero sense for the club. Instant gratification abounds.
unbelieveable
June 27th, 2011
11:09 am
SS and CF are the only two spots that could really be addressed and an upgrade could be brought in. The price for elite players at those 2 positions is going to be very high. Its not a simple fix and I would be surprised if any move is made, unless its adding another bench player. I would think another reliever could be brought in, but Moylan and Medlen could be here by August anyways.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
11:10 am
unbelieable–good post (11:09). Exactly.
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
11:11 am
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
There are too many models to know for sure without seeing it. The newer it is, the better chance that it is stereo. You can check with your remote. Get into the menu, and see what or if it says anything about audio.
Or give me the make and model of your TV. I’ll check it online. It’s all moot, however, if you have a problem internally with the set. I can fix it, but my traveling fees are high.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
11:12 am
If the pitching falters or a couple of guys go down to injuries you’re going to see the Braves plummet just like the Marlins did…this team is susceptible to a fall just like that given how awful the offense is.
Are not the Phillies just as susceptible to such a thing? That offense is no better than what we’re seeing in Atlanta.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
11:12 am
Like I said, JJ Hardy could be a player to target if the O’s don’t re-sign him. Gonzalez has been a pretty weak bat all year and Hardy makes a lot of sense for us…
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Tom O’Hawke, we are all day to day.
George
June 27th, 2011
11:14 am
Good morning y’ll
Murph 10:32
A very thoughtful post and I agree with at least 90% of it, if not more.
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
11:14 am
Tom O’Hawke—
Haha, thanks! I’ll have to see about that menu thing…our remotes cann be QUITE confusing, but I’m sure somebody cann figger it out.
I can fix it, but my traveling fees are high.
Shoot…
Murph
June 27th, 2011
11:15 am
WE had two hits yesterday.. We had four its on Friday night. Who the hell do you think if is brought in improves that considerably? Even if we had Kemp (or name your player) there was no one to knock in..
Exactly. One of my worst fears is that the team goes out and trades the farm for a legit all-star bat that then gets dragged down by the rest of the offensive woes.
Better to make a run with the current team plus maybe a new bench guy, cross fingers, and hope things turn out well.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
11:15 am
That happened to me too key largo. See, I think the cameras was so shocked that the braves had their 2nd hit of the game in the eight inning that it threw fox sports into technical difficulties trying to compute what just happened.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
11:17 am
Kemp’s not very good defensively in center, is he?
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:19 am
Transplant – Bring your sledge hammer. It’s an awfully hard brick wall.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
11:19 am
So, the Dodgers have filed for bankruptcy, and their biggest creditor is Manny. The gift that keeps on giving…
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
11:20 am
AT, just because we did not expect much from CF does not mean it is not a position that could be upgraded, the easiest. I don’t understand the logic that says that we have so many areas to improve so any one improvement by itself is not enough and therefore should not be done.
Lew seems to think having Kemp, or a player like him, would not “turn around” the offense. OK, but any incremental improvement that is done without losing a significant minor leauger should be looked at. A new hitter in CF may not make Uggla or Heyward hit great, but that does not mean the offense would not be improved.
Oh and if you need evidence of Philly playing for it all and going for broke? See Cliff Lee signing.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
11:21 am
We need to trade for Tulowhatshisname.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Boston’s Gonzalez heads first-half awards class
By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports
In all likelihood, he’ll have made a strong enough impression with his performances, much like …
6. Craig Kimbrel(notes) is doing with his. Lots and lots and lots of them.
Kimbrel is the most-used closer in the major leagues, just like teammate Jonny Venters(notes) is the most-used setup man, and it seems as though Joe Torre’s mantel as foremost bullpen abuser is in good hands with Fredi Gonzalez. When a manager finds a reliever in whom he can trust, he uses him like a security blanket: any stressful situation and on he comes. Kimbrel’s been worthy of such treatment, with 58 strikeouts in 38 innings.
And Rookie of the Year voters love saves, which makes him the NL favorite for now,
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
11:24 am
McFann
The “MENU” should be obvious. All you need to know is how to navigate once you activate the menu. Usually, there is something on the remote that doubles to move the cursor in four directions. Sometimes it’ll be marked by subtle arrows. The only other thing you may need is “ENTER”, which is usually, but not always, obvious.
AtlYnkHtr, ain’t it the truth?
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:24 am
Steve from OH
that may be true, but its not like AGon is unperforming. He is playing around his norm’s and is doing whats expected.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:26 am
Matt Kemp will most likely be in LF in a few years.
Steve from OH
June 27th, 2011
11:26 am
that may be true, but its not like AGon is unperforming. He is playing around his norm’s and is doing whats expected.
Yea, it’s expected but it’s still not good. I understand he plays good defense and isn’t one of our chief worries, but he’s got a sub-.290 OBP. That really drags down a lineup after a while.
Like I said, we can upgrade in CF or at SS, but it’s not a must. What is a must is that our guys start doing what they’re capable of. That’ll be worth more than Matt Kemp or whoever else is out there.
Reality Check
June 27th, 2011
11:27 am
Scoots – Yes, the Phillies are certainly susceptible. Oswalt is already out for a long while. If another of their “vaunted” arms goes down…
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:29 am
An incremental improvement will do nothing that one of our current players turning it around wouldn’t do for a much lower cost – significant minor leaguer or not..
Incremental improvements will do nothing to stop the bitching and moaning. Incremental improvements will not add to our impotent offense.
Y’all are looking for a player to turn around the entire offense. A single player – even were it a healthy Albert Pujols – will not do what you want. It is a pipe dream and nothing else.
We need Heyward hitting. We need Shafer and/or McLouth hitting. We need Freeman hitting consistently. We need Martin to return and hit like he can. And most of all, we need Uggla to hit like the player we signed for that purpose. Without at least a couple of them setting the table, Babe Freaking Ruth or Hammerin Hank wouldn’t be able to pull it off on their own.
Venice Jim
June 27th, 2011
11:30 am
Tom – we waved, not that we could see him…and I am off to work – cab should return from the gym shortly…
Mudge
June 27th, 2011
11:30 am
Of course Kemp would improve the team. Based on his performance, and if it continues, he is dozens of RBIs better than Schafer or McLouth. Up to 1/2 run per game. LA hits about the same, if not worse than Atlanta, so he should have equivalent men on base. Prado, Chipper, Kemp and McCann isn’t a bad sequence.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:30 am
And the Phillies did, indeed, go broke signing Lee.
MikeInFl
June 27th, 2011
11:31 am
I sure don’t want Wren to trade top prospects for a rental, and I don’t see us adding a superstar before the deadline.
But really don’t understand you guys who’ve put your foot down and decided that there is no room for improvement via trade. When you’ve got 2 chronically bad hitters manning CF and often batting leadoff, there is room for improvement without blowing up the farm.
A decent RH hitter who can play an adequate CF about 2-3 games per week and come off the bench against LHP when he’s not starting. It’s what Mather was supposed to be, I guess.
Whether Wren can find one, affordably, I don’t know. But the idea sure shouldn’t be off the table.
Mixxo
June 27th, 2011
11:31 am
Has anyone else had a problem all season with being able to hear our announcers? The crowd noises are LOUD and clear, but we turn the volume up over halfway and cann still barely make out what Joe and whoever are saying…
Yes, the broadcast audio is horrendous on both Braves networks. Audio is what I “do” so, I think I’m qualified in my evaluation.
George
June 27th, 2011
11:34 am
nolee 12:32am
Yup if now FREDI G and LARRY P’s fault who’s? How can a team drop about 20 points in BA from last year to this, with almost the same personal and UGGLA who was supposed to improve our offence not ruin it.
George
June 27th, 2011
11:34 am
memt ” if not FREDI G”
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:35 am
MikeinFL – Big, big difference in not believing a trade would appreciably improve us and not wanting a trade at any cost.
I’m all for Wren making a deal to improve the team – likely a bench player with defensive versatility and RH bat with a touch of power and/or a middle relief pitcher (again, preferably a RHP). However, trading a big piece from the minors for a player that will – on his own- turn around the offense like some seem to think is not going to do what they think he will.
Coach (2011 Fredi G.a Go!)
June 27th, 2011
11:36 am
Bedard the lefty, Pinada the superb rookie and king Felix…..
Bend over and kiss it goodbye, this three game set that is.
Derek Lowe’s June record, 0-2 with in ERA of 5.02
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
11:37 am
The problem I have with the “stand pat” argument is that it doesn’t address center field in 2012. You want to trust Schafer next year? If you don’t, the free agent market ain’t lookin’ so hot for center fielders. If you have the chance to trade for an upgrade at cf, why not now rather than later?
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:38 am
Steve from OH
I really hope the Twins become sellers and Michael Cuddyer can become a realistic option for the Braves. We got a while before trade talks heat up. But Cuddyer can play 5 positions, 1b,2b,3b,Rf,Lf. Depending on how Chipper/Prado/Heyward are doing health wise would make a move for someone like Cuddyer makes alot of sense. He’ll provide some power, can play everyday and he’s good vs LHP.
The wont upgrade at SS, I just dont see it happening at all. And face it CF is a weak position. Any team that has a legit CF wont be traded. The best CF who could be traded will most likely be Michael Bourn. Other options such as Coco Crisp or BJ Upton wouldnt be much of a upgrade There are more options to choose from with Corner Outfielders and Versatile players.
Jamey Carrol is another name to keep an eye on. He can play all over the field and he’s a good obp guy. Yes he wont provide power but he’s nice little player who would be a upgrade.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:38 am
Hugo – Why is it necessary to deal with 2012’s CF problem when we’re trying to win in 2011? Any one that would fit that particular bill right now would cost a hell of a lot more now than over the winter.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
11:39 am
Where did all the muts talk went?
LOL
They just disappeared from the map………..and all their trolls along with them.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
11:41 am
Lew, who is to say that there cannot be more than 1 incremental improvement? I don’t understand the logic. Can’t Heyward have a great second half and Uggla perform to his average and a new CF or SS improve upon the current player at that position? 3 incremental improvements for the price of a guy who even if he turns out good, is likely blocked at the ML level for the next four or five years?
Not saying go get Kemp for 3 of our best prospects, but lets get someone who we can be reasonably certain will outperform Schafer/Mclouth. That’s all, there really is not much risk involved in a trade for a guy like that.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:42 am
If the Braves have no confidence in Nate for the rest of the season, and really dont think Schafer is there man for 2012, They call Houston and see what it takes to get Michael Bourn. We dont overpay or anything, you just see. If we can make a deal that makes sense for both sides I say do it.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:42 am
Actually, if we’re going to do a deal with the Twins, I’d rather make the payoff for Denard Span, who is signed through 2015 (age 31) and is only making $9 mil by the end of the contract. Dude hits in the .290’s with a career OBP of .366 and plays some good outfield.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
11:42 am
If you have the chance to trade for an upgrade at cf, why not now rather than later?
No reason at all, if the FO evaluates Schafer as not improving enough between now and 2012 to be a viable candidate. If that determination hasn’t been made, and maybe even if it has, finding a guy who can play the position, hit, be under club control for a couple-three years, and actually be available? I dunno, that seems a tall order.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:44 am
AYH – Yes, I’ve noticed your comprehension issues. Not much I could do to help you.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:44 am
Lew
Thats another great option as well. Might cost alot more but he would be a nice Upgrade that would take care of CF long term for a long time.
George
June 27th, 2011
11:45 am
Looks like a sweep by SEA,they have a poor record and FREDI lets the team slack off and not play thier best against lousy teams.
Mixxo
June 27th, 2011
11:45 am
Coach (2011 Fredi G.a Go!) –
You’re right, we won’t win a game in Seattle. Lets tuck tail, swallow these losses and get back home.
The Lemmer
June 27th, 2011
11:45 am
This is a wasted topic, NO chance he gets moved, none nada dumb question totally! How about trade Schafer, Minor, & either Delgado/Vizciano to Dodgers for Kemp, huge RH bat with power & speed, they cant afford a pair of shoes right now & we give them some cheap prospects???
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:47 am
There is no was Matt Kemp is coming to Atlanta quit dreaming.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
11:47 am
Lew, phillies are broke? Yeah I think I heard many people saying that before they signed Lee for 5/120. They keep selling out that park and making moves based on everything other than finances.
Dick's Dungeon
June 27th, 2011
11:48 am
I’ve been a loyal Braves fan for 20 years, but I’m running out of patience with guys who can’t hit. We can’t blame the Hitting Coach (according to Freddie Gonzales), because it’s the players who hold the bat. When we are faced with night after night of 2 or 4 hits and 0 to 2 runs, the only people to blame are hitters who don’t know how to adapt to pitchers. When the Braves start hitting, perhaps I’ll start watching again – until then I’ll just read a good novel.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:49 am
To add a Denard Span they would want MLB ready starter (Minor) and 2 top Prospects (Delgado/Lipka) Something around that makes sense. Could be a little less qualitly and more quanity.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
11:49 am
So ManRam is the Dodger’s biggest creditor? Where does Andruw Jones lie? Don’t the Dodgers still owe him millions?
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
11:52 am
Fish Bish
I believe the Dodgers are paying A.Jones around 1.8 mil a year until his whole contract is payed off. I may be wrong but I do rememeber reading about it. They’ll be paying him for along time.
Mudge
June 27th, 2011
11:55 am
Sounds like the Dodgers can’t make payroll. Kemp is one of their creditors (someone also mentioned Manny). MLB will not allow a firesale like Connie Mack conducted back in 1915 or so. Any trade for Kemp will have to be based on equivalent value, be it prospects or current major leaguers. The Dodgers have no dependable pitching aside from Kershaw and they have no closer. The Braves have lots of pitching. They’d have to give up some quality to get a player like Kemp and I sense no interest in doing that. They are tied for second best record in the National League based on that pitching, why fool with it?
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
11:55 am
Gents, that’s why I said “if you have a chance,” not “when.” I don’t know if Houston or Minnesota or the Cubs are willing to trade players, now or next month. I don’t know what they would want for them if they do. I was saying that you don’t reject the idea of trading out of hand because you don’t think one new player is going to be enough to make a difference.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
11:56 am
Lew, there is one thing…make sense. Try that out.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
11:56 am
Yes, they are broke – They had to get speical dispensation from the Ownership to do the Lee deal.
So far, we’ve heard they are looking at Pence and Willingham – supposedly who the broke Braves are looking at (if any of it even vaguely resembles the truth). Sounds pretty low rent to me.
T for Texas
June 27th, 2011
11:58 am
Andruw is Dodgers’ second largest creditor. Absolutely shameful thing, bankrupting the Dodgers. Frank McCourt should be proud.
Koolbreeze
June 27th, 2011
11:58 am
The dodgers owe Manny $21 mil, Jones 11 mil, Kuroda 4.5, Furcal 3.7, and that’s just a few. Top 13 players are owed more than $63 mil
MikeInFl
June 27th, 2011
11:58 am
Well, Pence is a nice player. I wouldn’t mind having him on my team. But unless he can still play CF (I have no idea), just don’t see how he’s a fit. You don’t get a guy like that to serve as a backup OF.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
11:59 am
The Dodgers owe Andruw 11 million.
MikeInFl
June 27th, 2011
11:59 am
Oh, Lew… thought you were talking about for us, not the Phils. My mistake.
What I keep hearing now is that the Phils are more focused on relief pitching than hitting.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:00 pm
But go ahead and believe whatever it is you want to believe. I’ve pointed out legitimate reasons why one player won’t do the trick and even mentioned a single player or a couple of possible trade directions the Braves could explore. You still claim non comprehension – or, to give you the benefit of the doubt – disagreement.
No way I’m going to change your mind on anything – nor do I care enough to even try. Seems you’ve developed a bad case of Shaunian tunnel Vision and see only whatever it is you want to see.
Bobby Hill
June 27th, 2011
12:02 pm
So, I’m as frustrated as anyone with the way the team is hitting. I’m particularly disgusted that Wren signed Uggla to an unnecessary extension before he had ever played a game in a Braves uni, but oh well.
Taking a look at the standings, the situation really isn’t as bleak as you might guess by simply watched the Braves get shut down by mediocre pitching. The Phillies are going to win the division again. Sorry, but it had to be said. We’re the second best team in our own division. I don’t see that changing this year. The good news is that we can still make the playoffs, and the playoffs are such a crap shoot that the best team rarely wins the World Series.
The Giants are also going to win their division, and probably the Brewers. That leaves the Braves in a dogfight with the Cardinals and the Dbacks. I honestly have a hard time seeing those two teams sticking around all summer, and the Braves bats can only get better. I foresee a first round Braves and Brewers matchup in the playoffs.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:03 pm
I agree with LEW that 1 player isnt just gonna fix this offense, yes it will help but its not gonna make our struggling players just turn it around.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
12:04 pm
VaBravesFan, I think Span could be had for less than that, if Minnesota is a seller and that is a big if given that division, the way they have played recently and their finances (big payroll and new stadium). They may ask for 3 players of the type you referrence, but take out Delgado and I would say deal. Minor/Lipka.
I mean Span has not exactly torn up the league that last four year, all apologies to those who think .300 hitter is a significant statistic. As good as he was in 2009 was as bad as he was in 2010 (each time about 15% better or worse than the average). This year he has settled into the middle of those two years. I think he is way better than what we have would jump at the chance to negiotiate a trade, if I were Wren.
archie
June 27th, 2011
12:04 pm
This is an awful awf-ensive team. It’s too late now, but a year or two ago, someone should have put McCann in LF during spring training & winter ball…by now he could play there a couple times a week, he would be in the lineup more than 75-80% of the time, and it would extend his career. Defensive limitations? Have you looked at the list of teams that won championships with big bats/no gloves in LF? It’s a long one. Think Greg Luzinski. Yogi Berra. Go from there.
Schafer/McLouth are AAA players. Heyward is a below-average right-fielder. Uggla is, what Uggla is. Chipper’s one injury away from retirement (any day now). Freeman’s still a work in progress. Alex Gonzalez is not a championship quality player.
Thankfully, the Braves have a World Series pitching staff (assuming Lowe is the odd man out). If they make the playoffs this year, it’s only because of the pitching. And they won’t make it far.
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:04 pm
Morning blog folk
monty
June 27th, 2011
12:05 pm
As the team struggles to hit everyone becomes more panicky about how to fix it. Knowing that moves will not be made elsewhere all the attention turns to CF. Poor Schafer, a call-up who everyone knew leaving ST he wasn’t ready. But necessity forced him to be here. And what has he done as the “lead-off” hitter? Well leading off the game he has hit .400.,483,.520,.1.000. I believe that’s what a leadoff guy is supposed to do. No one can argue with his defense, arm, or his speed and his ablility to put pressure with his speed on opposing defenses. And he can steal a base or two. But everyone is howling about his avg. and OBP and rightfully so, however, he has had “some” success. For instance he’s hitting RHP at.268,.359,.717 OPS not bad. It’s just LHP he can’t hit. He has hit some balls square ,just right at the defense, and of course been robbed of a HR. And just to show you what small sample size means in his case, if he goes 3-4 the next 2 games he raises his overall batting avg. from .220 something to .270 something. Not saying he will, but the guy hasn’t had enough AB’s IMO to pull the plug on. Certainly not when compared to others who have come through the system. I believe there are some intangibles there that make it worth the Braves best interest to keep running him out there at least for awhile. The Braves aren’t hitting as a team, if they were Jordan’s defense and speed alone would be enough to make his offense a moot point for the rest of this season(remember Rick Ankiel?)
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:06 pm
I still think he’s Shaun in disguise. Same mentality, if nothing else.
CB
June 27th, 2011
12:06 pm
One thing about trades – none of them will be made on this blog. I just hope Wren is doing due diligence on ways to improve Braves.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
12:07 pm
Top of the morning to you Cabbie
Mudge
June 27th, 2011
12:08 pm
AtlYnkHtr: The Phillies are not broke, but they have a large payroll they want to decrease, not increase. They need to pay Hamels next year, possibly Rollins and Madson. They lose some payroll too (Lidge, Ibanez, Blanton? and possibly Oswalt, all told about $48M) . They are winning without hitting and are vulnerable to left handed pitching. Sound familiar? The biggest gamble would be year trading Madson (with presumably other value maybe Francisco or Mayberry and a low level starter) to LA for at least Kemp . Kemp is worth $9M, Madson $5M.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:10 pm
archie
You do realize we have the 4th best record in all of baseball right? and yep we have done that with very little offense…. If this offense gets better as in Uggla playing his norm from here on out we prolly the best team in the NL.
CB
June 27th, 2011
12:13 pm
Uggla’s OPS is .299 below last year. Wow
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
12:16 pm
As we get closer to the deadline, I’m sure there will be pretty good players out there who the Braves could acquire without giving up a ton. Michael Bourn comes to mind as a likely candidate. Not necessarily him, but someone in that mold.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
12:17 pm
Yes, they are broke – They had to get speical dispensation from the Ownership to do the Lee deal?
So, they are broke because they had to get the owner to approve going over budget. So any team that goes over budget where the owner OKs it is considered broke? Or do they have an ownership that listens to the GM and says OK this makes sense, lets redo the budget. Maybe what you think is broke is not what I think is broke. Perhaps you look at debt and say oh well they have no $. I tell you what, if/when the Phillies need something at the deadline they will find the $ to get it.
As for your constant name calling, it really is the mark of an intellectual bully that has to resort to what you think are personal attacks at me. This is like the 3rd or 4th time you have resorted to it, normally I just shrug it off as an example of a person losing the debate because when a person cannot articulate their points without disparagement it usually means they are hiding something or compensating.
Shaunian tunnel vision? That comment is the height of hypocrisy, you dig your heels in like no other even in the face of an avalanche of evidence. I love being proven wrong, because it means I learned something. I have an open mind, now I realize you may be old and its hard to have an open mind when life is changing so fast, but that is not my problem, that is your problem and the people that have to deal with your amazing personality on a daily basis. So to them I say all apologies and to you I say good day.
Bobby Hill
June 27th, 2011
12:19 pm
The Braves have some great pitching prospects, and young pitching has been the coin of the realm now for awhile. I think part of the problem with making a trade during this season is that these prospects are TOO valuable. I mean do we really want to give up a young pitcher with significant upside like Minor for a mediocre rental player like Span or Willingham. On the other hand the Braves prospects are either not polished enough or not good enough to land a guy like Kemp in a trade. I think Wren’s kind of stuck in no-mans’-land here. He can either overpay for a rental player than may or may not make a difference, or alternatively he can trade MLB talent for MLB talent. That second option is better left to the off season.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:21 pm
Intellectual Bully. Right.
Dude, keep stroking yourself and maybe something pleasant will happen.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:21 pm
CAB/VJ – did you give AG a standing O?
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:22 pm
jeffrey d
Not this time. We did at dodger stadium earlier
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:23 pm
Old? Yeah, I guess to an immature teenager, anything over 13 seems old.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
Bobby Hill
Well, Denard Span or Michael Bourn wouldnt be rental players. Span’s contract last til 2015 and Bourn is under team control for the 2012 season.
Matt Kemp wont be moved regardless. Alot of teams have the prospects (including us) and pieces to land Matt Kemp they just dont wanna trade away there future. Trading for Kemp would be just like the Tex trade.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
He really didn’t deserve it, did he?
Bobby Hill
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
Do the Braves have the money to really take on salary this year? They are petty tight lipped about the budget, which regardless of what they may say has been shrinking in recent years.
N8
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
Lew, earlier you said something along the lines of “either you believe or you don’t believe….”
Isn’t “believe” a relative term?
I believe that the Braves can and will win the wild card as their 25 man roster stands. Too much pitching already on this club (and coming from either the minors or return from injury later in the summer) to fail more than they succeed. NOBODY (including the Phillies) can keep up with our pitching depth through September.
However, I also believe that without an offensive upgrade (either via trade or via guys returning to their norm), we will not catch the Phillies in the standings, and will ultimately fail to win a championship come October.
What is it that you “believe”?
Mudge
June 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
In general, what do you give a team with a bad offense, when you want one of their better offensive players? Houston (Bourn, Pence), LA (Kemp), Oakland (Crisp) and Pittsburgh (McCutcheon) come to mind. I’m not so sure you can make a deal wihout “giving up a ton”. Picking up a huge contract (Carlos Lee in Houston) or a free agent (Reyes in NY) may be possible, but they are either costly or a rental (or both).
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
12:25 pm
C’mon Lew, there are ladies present.
CrαZy
June 27th, 2011
12:25 pm
Dan Uggla is hitting .177, Jason Heyward is hitting .227, Derek Lowe
got a DUIand a 3-6 record, Jair missed the 1st month of the season, Tim Hudson has an un-Hudson like 6-6 record, Peter Moylan has only pitched 4.1 innings through June 26th, Prado is on the DL, McLouth still sucks, Schafer who people seem to love is only hitting .222, Joe Mather is gone, we’ve had to use Mike Minor, Randal Delgado and Julio Teheran because of injuries to our starters yet we’re only 5 games behind the Phillies, we’re 9 games over .500 and a few days ago we had the 4th best record in baseball. I’ll never understand why so many people spend there whole day bitching about something they have no control over just enjoy the season. Hopefully some of the problems get worked out and if so watch out!! Though I’m sure people will still bitch about something.AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
12:26 pm
Mudge, I am not suggesting they will make big moves. The blog was asked to give an example of the Phillies “Going for it all this year” and I pointed out Lee signing for 5/120. Then like a mental midget normally will want to do the arguement changed to the phillies are broke. Then I pointed out they are not broke, then the arguement will change to Lee isn’t good, then someone could point he is, then the arguement will change to he is left handed. Then someone will say what does that have to do with anything, then that person will be called Shaun in disguise, because he wants me to be identified that way so that everyone else goes oh yeah Shaun is a jerk so AtlYnkHtr is a jerk and we are all on Lew’s side. He it seems has never grown out of the kindergarten mentality. Oh wait, I digress.
Yes, I agree with you Mudge I think the Phillies hold tight and make minor additions to the pen and bench at the deadline.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:26 pm
Hugo – What? He isn’t stroking his ego?
Nathan – I believe that between the two of us, there is likely no subject that has not been done to death in more column inches by any two others.
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:26 pm
jeffrey-
I was still thinking about my tacos that I had for lunch when he came up the first time. And it was very warm in the sun…
N8
June 27th, 2011
12:27 pm
“Though I’m sure people will still bitch about something.” CraZy
Am I allowed to bitch about you bitching about people bitching?
N8
June 27th, 2011
12:28 pm
Well played Lew.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:28 pm
I was thinking about tacos….
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:29 pm
I believe that between the two of us, there is likely no subject that has not been done to death in more column inches by any two others
I’ll bet you haven’t discussed belly buttons
George
June 27th, 2011
12:29 pm
Last year on this date BOBBY’s team was 44-32. FREDI’s team is 44-35. BOBBY’s Braves 1.5 games better, and the topper BOBBY had us in 1ST PLACE.
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:30 pm
jeffrey-
best ballpark food I’ve had.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
12:30 pm
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
11:59 am
The Dodgers owe Andruw 11 million.
+++++++++++++++++++
Technically Andruw is the one that owes the Dodgers money.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:31 pm
Nathan – Well, better than using Kevin Costner’s Bull Durham speech.
Bobby Hill
June 27th, 2011
12:31 pm
Neither Bourn or Span would have much of an effect on the Braves expected win total. Kemp would be an impact player at arguably the Braves weakest position, and he wouldn’t be a rental either. But he would cost several prospects, and probably isn’t going anywhere regardless because of the Dodger financial issue. (Maybe if Frank offer to help McCourt make payroll this month?) If I was McCourt I would ask for Minor, Teharan, Schafer, a couple B prospects, for Kemp and Casey Blake. That’s a pretty steep price.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
12:32 pm
Old? Yeah, I guess to an immature teenager, anything over 13 seems old. So I am a teenager that thinks anything over 13 is old? So wouldn’t I by definition think myself old? I know you will have to read that a few times because your getting really pissed now and when you get this way you start not thinking, not that you do much of that anyway, but now you are really pissed so it takes you a few times to read it. Now I ask you do these sound like the ruminations of a teenager? What’s next I live in my mom’s basement and I am a virgin? Is that what is next in the cyber bully handbook?
Are we done now? I mean I can continue eviscerating you, its fun for me and I am sure others get a kick out of it too, but this blog is about the braves. So I will ignore your rants for the near future, I cannot committ to 100% ignoring you because your opinions are so often the lowest hanging fruit and well I am human, 13 years old, living in my mom’s basement, shaun or not.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
12:32 pm
AYH, my advice is that you post what you want to post; you get cred here with good content, and that’s the only way. Nobody here makes up anybody else’s mind on the matter. Trust me on that one.
keylargo
June 27th, 2011
12:33 pm
Yea, it’s expected but it’s still not good. I understand he plays good defense and isn’t one of our chief worries, but he’s got a sub-.290 OBP. That really drags down a lineup after a while.
Yea, it’s really rough from your #7 hitter. Imagine how terrible it would be if it were someone like the leadoff man. Sooner or later you whole team could be hitting .199.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:33 pm
Mental Midget? Intellectual Bully? Old? Intractable opinions? Griping about Name Calling? Nah, couldn’t be Shaun. There’s absolutely no similarity. None whatsoever.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
12:35 pm
Can’t we leave the term “stroke” alone unless we’re talking about Dan Uggla’s non-existent hitting one?
Old Reliable
June 27th, 2011
12:36 pm
Arguing on here is like competing in the special olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
12:37 pm
Doc, I think the judge should award joint ownership of the Dodgers to Manny and Andrew, so that they can have to deal with players for awhile.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:37 pm
I believe that between the two of us, there is likely no subject that has not been done to death in more column inches by any two others
You’re right, so what’s the point? It’s not just in this blog, but everywhere. A Democrat will never convince a Republican to convert. A Muslim will never convince a Christian to convert. And on a much more trivial scale, someone on here will never convince me that Schafer is better than McLouth. My mind is made up.
So what’s the point?
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:39 pm
Nah, not getting pissed – you wouldn’t like me when I’m pissed. Evisceration? Nah, laughing way to hard to be pissed. You’re the best joke I’ve heard in quite some time.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:41 pm
And I’m certainly not the one to be discussing your virginity with.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:43 pm
Bobby Hill
I think Span and Bourn are realistic options that can improve this team. Matt Kemp of course would be a huge upgrade but your dreaming. Span/Bourn would fill our leadoff spot with someone who can hit and steal bases. Bourn has the defense and speed advangtage over Span, but Span is a better overall hitter and has a longer contract.
If you dont think having a CF who hits 290. 360. obp 25-30 SB and good defense (Denard Span) or
270. 340. obp 45+ SB and elite defense doesnt improve the team you dont know baseball.
Soph
June 27th, 2011
12:44 pm
Feisty
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:44 pm
jeffrey d-There is no point. It’s all useless.
jeffrey d
June 27th, 2011
12:45 pm
I feel like I’m on a playground…
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:46 pm
tacos
Lew
June 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
Dude – You work at a carnival. You are on a playground.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
feel like I’m on a playground…
This place would indeed make for an interesting study on social phenomena, LOL.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
ESPNs Steve Berthiaume did a article on comparing Chipper and Griffey Jr. Pretty good read if anyone is interested. Here’s the link.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/12915/better-career-griffey-jr-or-chipper
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
Before we go breaking the bank on our prospects, I’d much rather take a fly on someone like BJ Upton which has the talent to turn things around so it would be a buy low high reward type move, plus he brings speed, defense and youth. Not to mention might come at a much lower cost. If he doesn’t workout, what have you given up? The Rays are looking for more production from CF just like we are… maybe we see about a swap.. change of scenery type deal, all at the same time hanging onto our good young prospects.
George
June 27th, 2011
12:48 pm
I can’t believe MANNY is still getting paid and he is retired. Ballplayer sure have it good money wise, it is a wonder any owner makes a profit.
ace
June 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
It’s a really sad trend in our culture – people sitting at a computer spewing anger at each other. On this particular blog, it’s not just the “hater, crybaby” crowd that appear during games to overreact and whine. Some of the “regulars” also stoop to some pretty low levels. Makes the blog hard to plow through. I mean, really, find a hobby, get a life, get some anger mgt. training, go outside and get some excercise, whatever. I’m pulling for you.
Soph
June 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
yummy tacos
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
12:50 pm
And on a much more trivial scale, someone on here will never convince me that Schafer is better than McLouth. My mind is made up.
It’s not the destination that’s important, my man, it’s the journey.
On this journey, of course, you have to step lively and avoid the horse-poop along the road, but still…
Mudge
June 27th, 2011
12:50 pm
One aspect that few around here consider is exactly what an “improved offense” means. Cincinnati, St. Louis and Arizona have the three best in the National League. St. Louis will suffer now that Albert is gone, but every Braves fan knows that when you play the Cardinals, you try not to let Albert beat you (or Votto in Cincinnati). Every Braves fan knows that JJ could easily throw a shutout at the Reds, he just has to face Votto and Bruce and Phillips rather than lesser player that, for example, San Diego has. JJ can get those three out. The best offense will often be shut down by a good pitcher. So, will a nominally improved offense allow the Braves top beat Hamels, Halladay and Lee consistently? Probably not. Will it improve their chances to beat Kendrick? I’d say yes.
So trade a pitcher to Cincinnati for Drew Stubbs. Helps both teams.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
12:52 pm
ace, OH SHUT THE _______ up!!
Just kidding…
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
12:52 pm
Braves are on pace of scoring 631 runs, you have to go back to 1989 to find a braves team that scored fewer (584).
On the other hand, stop thinking about a championship. Braves are doomed. They won 1 championships as the Boston Braves and 1 as the Milwaukee Braves, so they have already given the city of Atlanta their share………LOL………..will have to wait for them to make their next stop. Maybe the Buffalo Braves could win it all in 2019
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
12:53 pm
Soph-
Sooo yummy.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
12:54 pm
“Last year when the offense was struggling, we were all calling for TP’s head; now with the offense still underperforming, many of us are calling for Parrish to be fired. While the hitting coach certainly must have some impact on his players (if not, why even have one?), it seems to me that the task of “getting the job done” falls with the players whose very job it is to produce results. Our 2011 offensive numbers are, well, offensive, but what’s the answer? We have new management, and a new hitting coach – the things many of us (including me) seemed to think would be the fix-all. But still we struggle. The bottom line, at least for me, is that the players need to find a way to step it up. That’s what they’re paid (very well) to do.”
Reality Check, first of all, Terry Pendleton didn’t seem to be, by any means, a bad hitting coach, contrary to what some commented over the last few seasons. These are the same folks or the same type folks who wanted Roger McDowell gone his first season. This is why I’m glad most fans don’t work in front offices.
The Braves were among the top NL teams in runs scored during Pendleton’s tenure. I’m not sure what you mean by “still we struggle.” The thing is the Braves didn’t really struggle while Pendleton was the hitting coach. Look it up. Anyone who tries to convince us otherwise is either ignorant or they are lying.
I doubt public outcry had anything to do with Pendleton not being retained as the hitting coach. Him not being retained probably had more to do with Fredi Gonzalez wanting to bring in his own guy, which is fine.
As of right now, the offense is clearly under-performing expectations, especially from on on-base perspective, which of course is the key aspect of any offense. I’ve read that Parrish teaches an aggressive approach, which may not be working. None of us can probably say for sure if and by how much Parrish’s coaching is causing the Braves’ hitters to under-perform from an on-base perspective. Seems like it may not be a coincidence, given so many hitters are under-performing, so Parrish probably shares some degree of the blame.
It’s sad for Larry Parrish and I take no pleasure in holding this view, but perhaps changing hitting coaches is worth a shot. If Parrish isn’t the problem, perhaps the players will realize that their inability to get on base has cost a man his job and they need to get better.
The harsh reality is that professional sports at the highest levels is about results and winning. This should be the Braves’ front offices’ primary goal. Whether Pendleton was a good hitting coach and Parrish was a bad one, is secondary to some degree. It’s about whether the team is getting on base and scoring runs. Braves’ teams did this under Pendleton. So far they haven’t under Parrish.
Old Reliable
June 27th, 2011
12:54 pm
Bourn or Span would certainly improve the team. But realistically how much would the excepted win total increase over the last half of the season by adding Bourn or Span as compared to playing McLouth Prado and Heyward. Those guys would probably add 1 to 1.5 wins over McLouth. 1 or 2 wins is not insignificant in a tight playoff race. It might make all the difference in the world in that sense.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
12:55 pm
Arkansas
The thing with BJ Upton is the Rays wont just give him away, and because of that I say no. In my opinion BJ is just like Jeff Francour, who we just traded away for Ryan Church… But I dont see the Rays doing anything like that.
Arkansas Transplant
June 27th, 2011
12:55 pm
Good gosh Shaun, do you have to write a novel?
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
Trading McCann would make more sense than moving him to first. Could he play defense as well as Freddie Freeman? I doubt it. McCann’s market value never has been higher, and if we don’t want him catching, we need to trade him for a bat. (Uggla’s defense’s being pretty good is due in part to Freeman’s assistance over there.)
Yesterday’s game was terrible and typical. Atlanta went to San Diego and lost a series to a dismal team and ended the series with a terrible performance. I had no optimism Saturday night that Atlanta would win Sunday because the format is all too familiar.
One headline today was quite disturbing. The police should’ve tasered the lady in question, perhaps.
Adrian Dantley was fired in Denver, huh? The Hawks, who have a great head coach in Larry Drew, should sign him, one of the purest and most-prolific scorers in NBA history—- and to think Mark Aguirre tried to pass himself off as the better player.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
I’m pulling for you. _ ace
Thanks ace
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:00 pm
ace
June 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
“It’s a really sad trend in our culture – people sitting at a computer spewing anger at each other. On this particular blog, it’s not just the “hater, crybaby” crowd that appear during games to overreact and whine. Some of the “regulars” also stoop to some pretty low levels. Makes the blog hard to plow through. I mean, really, find a hobby, get a life, get some anger mgt. training, go outside and get some excercise, whatever. I’m pulling for you.”
Ace – Thanks for sharing your concerns and interpretations. It’s good to have people like you around to enlighten those not as worthy as you because they might actually be upset about something or might even overreact and dare make it known….
An option to help with your concerns would be to light a campfire tonight, strum a guitar and sing a few songs….it’s just a thought. It would help with your overreaction in the other direction to what gets posted here. I’m pulling for you.
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
1:02 pm
Mornin’, LAdy.
Looked like you were witnessing a very exciting game until Venters, uncharacteristically, made some boo-boos in the bottom of the 8th.
Next year, you should take in 2 games in San Diego, if on the weekend. It’ll increase your chances of a better ending.
Hoot
June 27th, 2011
1:02 pm
Lew,
I agree that a trade for a single bat won’t necessarily right the Braves’
offensive ship per se; however, consider:
Prado’s coming back shortly, I hope, as what? an average corner outfielder who is expected to move to third base, probably within the next two years;
Heyward, is by many accounts, a slightly above average right fielder with some improving to do;
no sure thing in Center for the immediate future, barring a major improvement by Schafer, or a trade.
I would say that moving Prado back to “super utility” until he is needed at third, (or elsewhere) would improve bench strength greatly.
A trade for Pense, or someone like him (not Kemp),would improve both corner outfields,maybe even allowing the moving Heyward to left during the off seasson if Wren abd Gonzolas see a fit.
Keep Schafer in center and Nate as the 4th outfielder. Let 2012 take care of center during the off season when there are more options.
Of course Wren has access to infinitely more information and evaluations than we do, so ultimately we will all have to depend on him making the best decisions for the Braves…maybe he will.
Just some thoughts as to how trading for a single good bat could positively impact the 2011 offense.
VaBravesFan
June 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
Oh here we go……..once again someone brings up Trading Brain McCann, I guess thats my que to go do something else.
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
George–Owners make tons of money. Percentage-wise, players get exploited a bit.
People need to back off complaints about athletes’ salaries unless they’re going to bash society’s fueling salaries of entertainers. Hollywood is trash, and how many people aside from me do you hear bash this type of thing? Probably almost never, whereas we always hear about how athletes, who actually work and contribute something edifying to society, are allegedly overpaid. The Oprah Winfreys, Jimmy Kimmels, Conan O’Briens, Brad Pitts, Tom Cruises, etc. don’t deserve minimum wage, let alone millions.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
It would help with your overreaction in the other direction to what gets posted here. I’m pulling for you.
Sorry, phil, old ace didn’t “overreact” there, just made an observation. An astute one, I’d say.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
SOME PAINFUL HISTORICAL FACT:
Braves have a .237 BA and .305 OBP.
Their worst batting season in the last 20 years was in 1995 when they hit for .250 and a 326 OBP.
You have to go all the way back to 1989 to find a team that did worse than what they are right now, when they hit .234 and a .298 OBP.
Man thats a long way back. Braves have never been this bad in 21 seasons.
RED ALERT !!!
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:05 pm
“va”– I’d trade him before I’d move him to first.
This offense misses Prado, and though he’s not the ideal leadoff man, I’d put him there. I’d even consider giving Heyward a shot there.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
1:06 pm
Hoot,
When you said ” Pardo is coming back shortly” you just lost a friend (LEW). He believes Staph is about to kill him and will be lucky to be back before Aug.
LOL.
Lew,
Im just joking there.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
1:06 pm
“So trade a pitcher to Cincinnati for Drew Stubbs. Helps both teams.”
Stubbs is not worth the quality of pitcher the Reds would want for him unless they value him much less than I think.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:07 pm
I’m not sold on Prado as being the second coming either – we struggled mightily offensively with him this season – but put him on the bench? Huh?
And the idea of moving McCann so that Ross can play every day? It didn’t make sense 2 months ago after Ross had 2 great games. Why is this coming back up? Ross is obviously a backup catcher and no more.
Maybe moving Heyward to ballboy would help our outfield defense (see that horrible play yesterday on the pop fly to right), but benching Prado and moving McCann? No.
Unless you put Martin at second and benched Uggly. THAT I could easily live with.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
1:08 pm
Even the 1990 Braves did better offensively than what we have right now………………OUCHHHHH
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:08 pm
“doc”– Yeah, that boring ‘95 team didn’t hit particularly well. Their passive approach of waiting for the phone to ring was decent enough that year because they didn’t have that much speed and because they had several bombers on the team (McGriff, Justice, Klesko, Lopez), so you might as well wait for the three-run homer.
The ‘95 team won a ring, but the ‘91 team was better. The latter truly missed Deion and Otis in the postseason. Lonnie Smith played well, but we missed the defense and speed of those two. You can’t always judge the best team by who wins it all, and that ‘91 team was such an example. Besides, the Twins cheated during that series, a documented fact.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
1:09 pm
1990 BRAVES better offensively than the 2011 Braves , you know, from worst to 1st? Ring a bell?
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
1:11 pm
Braves are on pace of scoring 631 runs, you have to go back to 1989 to find a braves team that scored fewer (584).
Funny. Take most hitting stats for the Braves and look up the last time it was that bad and you keep ending up with 1989.
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:11 pm
People rant and rave about Hank Aaron still being the home-run leader. I’m much more enthused about defending the real champions of 1991.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
1:11 pm
Ronald,
Im just trying to give a picture of where do we stand right now.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:12 pm
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
It would help with your overreaction in the other direction to what gets posted here. I’m pulling for you.
“Sorry, phil, old ace didn’t “overreact” there, just made an observation. An astute one, I’d say.”
Perhaps so to an extent but rantings on a blog don’t automatically require each such poster to get a hobby, get a life, get some exercise and so forth….that’s the overreaction to me and a bit of a limit on the ole astuteness factor….i do get what he’s saying though. At times, even I am amazed at what I see here….
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:13 pm
The 1990 Braves actually were pretty good; they just had a dismal bullpen. Their offense from August on that season was especially good. (Didn’t Justice hit 20 out that month?)
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:14 pm
“doc”– I didn’t miss your point, buddy. You apparently missed mine plus my elaboration.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
1:15 pm
Ronald, seriously, Conan O’Brien deserves at least minimum wage for what he does.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
1:16 pm
how did the twins cheat in ‘91? I was only 10 so I dont remember
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:16 pm
In defense of the offense, strike zones really seem to expand/contract within games. Perhaps our esteemed commissioner has instructed umpires to widen strike zones if games aren’t moving “fast enough.” In all seriousness, I think I just nailed it.
Mixxo
June 27th, 2011
1:19 pm
how did the twins cheat in ‘91? I was only 10 so I dont remember
Kent Hrbek owns us.
brian
June 27th, 2011
1:19 pm
on this page it has been suggested to trade McCann and in a different post to move Prado back to super utility guy. Is thid a bizzaro world? I just don’t get the anti-McCann sentiment expressed here by some along with the lack of respect McCann is given here by many. I am speechless as to the suggestion of moving prado to a super utility guy (actually i could say quite a bit about that suggestion but it would get sensored)
Afan
June 27th, 2011
1:20 pm
Hrbeck only picked up Ron Gant and set him off the bag to tag him out. The ump did nothing.
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:23 pm
O’Brien is trash. Same for Jimmy Kimmel, etc..
The Twins tampered with the vents during that series. When they batted, the vents blowing out toward the fences were on; when Atlanta batted, they were off. I also have a serious issue with the combination of a white ceiling, a white baseball, and white towels.
Likewise in the NFL, how does Adam Vinatieri get to kick a heated football in Foxboro as opposed to the same cold one that has been getting used? Commissioners had better realize that protecting a sport’s credibility is, to say the least, quite important.
Ironic also how Monday Night Football games typically were boring. I heard a rumor in 1999 that the league offered Vince McMahon $100 million to move “Raw” to Tuesday night. In 2000, we suddenly had incredible games almost every week? Coincidence? I’d like to think so.
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
1:23 pm
Try this:
Amongst all regular NL catchers Brian McCann has the best AVG,OBP and SLG (if you discount Ramon Hernandez who has only 152 ABs to Mac’s 250).He also leads in ABs, HRs and RBIs.
Thank goodness he leads the AS voting for catcher.
Murph
June 27th, 2011
1:24 pm
So, if TP was such a good hitting coach… why did the team feel the need to go in a new direction?
brian
June 27th, 2011
1:24 pm
I agree that I don’t see the Dodgers moving Kemp. He would likely cost us Prado (to play 3B for them) in addition to Schafer and a top pitching prospect – at least that much. I guess the Braves could then move Minor, etc, to try for Pence, but those are really unlikely scenarios.
Upgrading CF will be our main priority in the next month. Other than that, the other positions are spoken for. The players just have to start hitting (starting with Heyward and Uggla)
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:24 pm
“Owns” is such a cheap, lewd, irreverent verb in that context, and no, Hrbek didn’t “own” the team.
Throwing around the term “second coming” isn’t good, either.
Last post: period after “week.”
ace
June 27th, 2011
1:25 pm
build a campfire, strum a guitar and sing some songs – phil
I’m on it phil, I’ll sing Kumbayah over and over and over and over and over:) That way I can stop sitting at a computer telling others how to live their lives lol
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:28 pm
Theoretical lineup: Heyward-Prado-Chipper-Uggla-McCann-Freeman-Gonzalez-Schafer. Heyward typically hits for a nice combination of power and average, and he usually does so to all fields as well. He’s left-handed, tall, fast, etc.. Having a multi-dimensional leadoff hitter might present a problem for opposing pitchers. I’d be willing to try it for a week or so.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:28 pm
Afan
June 27th, 2011
1:20 pm
“Hrbeck only picked up Ron Gant and set him off the bag to tag him out. The ump did nothing.”
But umps often do nothing or screw up. We had how many chances to plate one run and win game 7 in 1991? A chance every single inning, just like the Twins. We didn’t get it done. We lost. It stinks. It’s not the umps fault. It’s not the air conditioning’s fault. It’s not Charlie Liebrant’s fault.
We got beat because, just like has happened often this year, we couldn’t score. Yes, Hrbek “cheated”. Yes, he got away with it. Yes, Lonnie Smith was a dolt. Yes this and yes that.
We lost because we couldn’t score.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
1:29 pm
Murph, new managers often bring in new coaches. And I’m not sure Pendleton was “such a good hitting coach.” All I know is that the Braves were 4th in the NL in runs scored over his tenure as hitting coach. Two of the teams who scored more runs (Rockies and Phillies) played their home games in parks favorable to hitters. So Pendleton got results. If the team made the change because they didn’t see results, the team made a horrible decision. But Fredi Gonzalez probably wanted his guy, which is fine. Managers do that all the time and it’s their right.
Lew
June 27th, 2011
1:30 pm
“Someone’s crying Lord” – Oh get over it.
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:30 pm
“ace”– Nothing wrong with what I said, my friend. Maybe you should log off and think about that one for a while. Your response is plenty wrong, though.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:30 pm
Ace – sing Swing Low as well….please. lol
Fire FG…
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
1:31 pm
So, if TP was such a good hitting coach… why did the team feel the need to go in a new direction? — Murph
hmmm………..Masochism?
David O'Brien
June 27th, 2011
1:31 pm
Just got to my hotel in Seattle. About 68 degrees, cloudy but not raining. Feels nice. Supposed to rain tonight, but not till late. Doesn’t matter anyway, since they have the roof.
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:32 pm
“lew”– give it a rest. Honestly, this blog would be better if a few wouldn’t troll it.
Phil– You make a couple of valid points, but an asterisk is deserved since there was indeed cheating, period.
Bobby never should’ve used Leibrandt in that role.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
1:33 pm
Murph, now my turn to ask a question: If Pendleton was a bad hitting coach, why were the Braves 4th in the NL in runs scored over the course of his tenure (behind two teams that played their home games in hitters’ parks)?
Lew
June 27th, 2011
1:35 pm
OK Ronald – But only since it was you who suggested it. Later.
cabravesfan
June 27th, 2011
1:35 pm
Tom-
We actually talked yesterday about going down for just some random game sometime. The park is worth it and we’d get to spend more time with VJ’s family
But next season it would be fun to go to more then on game there for sure
Ronald Millsaps
June 27th, 2011
1:36 pm
Overall, this team is pretty good. I’m not sold on Larry Parrish’s job as hitting coach, though, and I wouldn’t move McCann to first because Freeman has earned the position.
Enough posting for now…
Braint
June 27th, 2011
1:38 pm
Trade McCann? Okay, now I’ve heard it all.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
1:39 pm
Oh yes I remember watching that game with dear old dad and asking him if that was legal to pull the base runners leg off the bag. But i agree w/ phil. We lost cause we couldn’t score runs. Which is the reoccuring theme in 2011.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:40 pm
“Cheating” is a part of every sport and every game…period.
Agree on Liebrandt but we could have made up for it and did not.
NO MORE PARRISH
June 27th, 2011
1:43 pm
FIRE PARRISH!!!!!!
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
1:44 pm
Hey DOB, since you’re in Seattle, have they made any progress on that Rosie Larsen case?
ace
June 27th, 2011
1:45 pm
“nothing wrong with what I said” – Ronald Millsaps
I was not responding to you, Ronald, just pokiing fun at myself for ranting about ranters
Murph
June 27th, 2011
1:47 pm
Shaun, so what you’re saying is that the team did really well under TP, but you don’t know if he was that good of a hitting coach, although he got results. Ok, works for me.
From what I recall, and I could be wrong, there wasn’t really any connection between Parrish and Fredi other than the fact that they managed against each other. Again, I could be wrong, I didn’t look it up.
Whether TP was good or not is immaterial when looking at this year’s team. I haven’t seen Parrish coach in person, so I have no idea if he’s any good. I don’t see many guys going in the right direction under his watch, but the same could be said of players on other teams playing under much more experienced hitting coaches, so I’m certainly not going to point to Parrish as the problem.
Doesn’t seem to be much of a solution, but I doubt he’s the source of the team’s struggles.
phil
June 27th, 2011
1:51 pm
Cheating….
1. Catchers “framing” pitches.
2. Flops in basketball.
3. steroids/HGH/etc in all sports.
4. Holding in football.
5. corked bats.
6. “warmed” footballs for kickers – credit to Ronald for this one.
7. snowplows clearing the way for FG kickers….also NE back in ‘82 or so.
8. too much pinetar on the ole bat handle.
9. stealing signs.
10. reading lips.
11. trying to injure an opposing player.
12. tightening a particular rim more than the other in basketball.
13. spitballs.
14. nail files.
15. watering down the infield a bit too much.
16. growing the infield grass higher than normal.
17. unapproved golf clubs/balls.
18. knowing a call in your favor is incorrect, yet playing on as though it was.
19. hiding weight in a car illegally in NASCAR, then dumping it.
Help me out with more….it goes on and on and we all know it.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
1:55 pm
Flops in basketball.
Nah. I was an incredibly gifted flopper in high school, and everybody knows I’m a righteous guy.
Gotta take that one off your list.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
1:55 pm
The solution to the Braves on-base, lack of hitting problem will begin to unfold when they quite running out a bunch of sub .300 OBP guys. The only one in that group who isn’t normally a sub .300 OBP guy is Uggla and his struggles are well documented. Schafer and Seabass are just not guys who are going to get on base. And they’ve been at the top of the order a lot. The team is piling a bunch of outs right in the first two spots with those guys. I get that Prado is injured so Schafer has to play, but the kid is getting worse and worse as the season continues. The team needs guys who avoid outs, not make them at record levels.
BraveMan
June 27th, 2011
1:55 pm
phil – Throwing salt in your opponents eyes while the ref’s back is turned
holding your opponent’s trunk while getting a 3 count
putting your foot on the ropes for better leverage on a pinfall
using a steel chair
FEAR
June 27th, 2011
1:56 pm
phil – Throwing salt in your opponents eyes while the ref’s back is turned
holding your opponent’s trunk while getting a 3 count
putting your foot on the ropes for better leverage on a pinfall
using a steel chair
sorry had the wrong screen name in there
what of it?
June 27th, 2011
1:56 pm
Great article OB.
Freeman’s way too good to be on the bench, and no way could either Ross or McCann play outfield. McCann has stepped his game up defensively this year, and he doesn’t block the plate so there’s little concern for injury.
K.C. Frenchy
June 27th, 2011
1:57 pm
VaBravesFan@ 11:30, nice grammar, there is no was? Use your time wisely to get a GED you dumb donkey! Hee Haw lmao
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
1:58 pm
Shaun/AtlYnkHtr, What year did TP become hitting coach? Also what ownwerships have owned the team during TP’s tenure? And finally, What were the teams payroll for each year TP was hitting coach?
McFann :Ô: :Ô:
June 27th, 2011
1:58 pm
RM McCann’s market value never has been higher, and if we don’t want him catching
Didn’t you read the Blog?? They DO want him catching!!!
My LORD…
Ron
June 27th, 2011
2:00 pm
Stress from playing a game. LOL. hey david, stress is wondering if you’re gonna have enough to pay the mortgage this month. stress is wishing you had more to pay for a camp your child wants to join. stress is wanting to go to disney but not being able to afford it. so stfu about stress and playing freaking baseball moron. you guys are a joke.
Matt Batterson
June 27th, 2011
2:01 pm
Our offense SMELLS out loud, FW please help!!!
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
2:01 pm
Ronald Millsaps,
Could work, maybe JH leading off could work as Ricky Henderson. Not that Im comparing the 2, but It could work out. Jason is the guy that sees more pitches per AB I think. That could work very well.
I think Braves would do better if they do this (now that you mention JH batting 1st):
Heyward
Prado
Freddie
Mc
Chipper
Uggla
Gonzalez
Schafer
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:01 pm
Threadkiller, shouldn’t you also ask about the average age and the average service time for position players?
This team has two 21 year olds and a young CF coupled with Seabass.
BravesFAN
June 27th, 2011
2:01 pm
This mariners series is gonna be ugly. We definitely won’t win the series unless we win tonight then will have a slight chance. The last two games I could see us scoring 3 runs TOTAL. The offense has one good game a wk and 6 awful ones. Were inconsistent we stink on offense and will stink when Prado gets back but will be slightly better. We have to trade for a real LEAD OFF HITTER if we want to be good…
Frazier Crane
June 27th, 2011
2:01 pm
Niles and I plan to meet with the Atlanta National League ball club prior to the first tilt tonight. We plan to introduce the thought of striking a thrown ball with a wooden stick. We will then explore the concept of running hard from station to station and attempting to score a point on the opposition.
Welcome to Seattle and enjoy your stay in our fair city.
Fish Bisch
June 27th, 2011
2:03 pm
Phil Re: Cheating
I remember reading sometime back about an Asain pitcher who put cabbage under his hat to help keep him cool. Once the ump found out he was “cabbaging” he got ejected from that game for cheating.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
2:04 pm
10Paul, agreed. Just replacing Schafer and Mclouth’s ABs with guys who make outs at the average level (Prado and ???) would go to helping this team a long way. Would not, I repeat would not “turn around” the offense, whatever that means, but it does not need to if our pitching holds up or even slightly declines.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:05 pm
Since returning from the DL Heyward has hit .268/.348/.366/.714 with a very generous BABiP. Not really what I was hoping for from a 100% healthy Heyward.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
2:06 pm
Mr. Crane, I dunno if you should be giving advice…you can’t even spell your own name!
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:07 pm
Murph, can the same be said of players on other teams playing under more experienced hitting coaches? Maybe that is the case, but I would like to see some examples.
Eye-balling the NL, I don’t see a team unexpectedly underachieving offensively to the degree the Braves have. And last season the Braves led the NL in walks by a 45-walk margin and led in OBP. This year so far they have 8 walks more than the NL average.
Regarding TP, he got results from the time he was hired through last season. That’s really all that matters. When a team has the players, you just don’t want them to underachieve.
This season the Braves should have had an offense better than last season or at least somewhat close to it. So far the offense isn’t close to last season’s performance. Parrish is reportedly a coach that likes an aggressive approach. The Braves aren’t near the league lead in walks or on-base. While it’s not conclusive Parrish is the primary reason the Braves aren’t even close to where they were last year in the key aspect of offense, I don’t think they can wait around much longer to find out whether he’s not a key reason. If nothing else, perhaps a move will motivate the players to become more patient. Unfortunately for Parrish, being a hitting coach is very results-based, especially when you have a team expected to be one of the top offensive clubs in the NL.
Matt Batterson
June 27th, 2011
2:07 pm
Notice to ALL: McCann is a catcher & not changing to any other position, Uggly is here for good were stuck with him, Chipper WILL be back next year, Heyward IS our RF, & yes our offense stinks & will not be enough to compete in the playoffs IF we even get in! Very simple, dont ask any more dumb questions on any of these please
Tom O'Hawke
June 27th, 2011
2:07 pm
Hitting your son’s boxing opponent over the head with your shoe.
Biting a piece of your boxing opponent’s ear off during a clinch.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:07 pm
Actually, McLouth hasn’t been doing too bad since he got back. .278 average, over .400 on base percentage. modest BABiP. Lots of doubles. Replace Schafer with Prado (a healthy productive Prado) and that should improve the offense.
Frasier Crane
June 27th, 2011
2:09 pm
The “z” was added in honor of you, Mr. Hackenbush.
(good catch though)
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:10 pm
Eye-balling the NL, I don’t see a team unexpectedly underachieving
In that eye-balling you did, did you take into account the DL stints of key cogs on each team? Health concerns impact even the best of players. This team has been without its full starting outfield for most of the season.
fred
June 27th, 2011
2:10 pm
I believe the Braves are going to have a big second half. They have second best record in National league, with only one player McCann having good season. The braves have best total pitching staff in baseball and Prado is about to return. The big second half will happen if 2 out of the following 3 (Uggla, Heyward and Chipper) can have normal production over last half of season.
phil
June 27th, 2011
2:11 pm
Ron – If you dare to post your private e-mail address on here, want to ask you something about the camp situation…
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
2:11 pm
If we go by the rules:
Nate (best OBP among good enough speed guys)
Prado (no question here)
Chipper (better OPS than Freeman)
Mc (best SLG by far on the team + leading in RBI)
Freddie (better of the remaining option, good protection for Mc)
Uggla(appears to be waking up, cant put 3 lefties in a row)
Heyward (could trade places with nate)
Alex (Should always stays 8th)
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:12 pm
TennesseePaul, I doubt Heyward is 100 percent healthy.
And I agree with you about running out the guys with poor OBP’s. How about making sure the high OBP guys bat more often? Hit Schafer 9th and move everyone up or something like that.
Shaun/AtlYnkHtr, What year did TP become hitting coach? Also what ownwerships have owned the team during TP’s tenure? And finally, What were the teams payroll for each year TP was hitting coach?
Threadkiller, the Braves probably had a lower payroll than a lot of the teams that finished lower than 4th in the NL in runs scored from 2002-2010.
phil
June 27th, 2011
2:13 pm
lol at matt batterson…sounds like me.
Except that McCann is clearly overrated at catcher and should be pitching long relief…
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:14 pm
the Braves probably had a lower payroll than a lot of …
Payne, that can be looked up. You don’t have to put a “probably” in front of something you could simply go find out.
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
2:14 pm
Shaun, or maybe a higher payroll??
Jimmy
June 27th, 2011
2:15 pm
Just trying to lighten it up a little with the “Frasier Crane” post.
I too am terribly frustrated. It is very hard to watch a game. You get the feeling that if the Mariners score two runs, it over.
And by the way, Uggla scorched the ball his first two abats yesterday.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
2:16 pm
Not really what I was hoping for from a 100% healthy Heyward.
.300/.800 over the last week, though. Which is the same period for those McLouth numbers.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:17 pm
I doubt Heyward is 100 percent healthy
So you’re calling him a liar?
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:18 pm
Which is the same period for those McLouth numbers.
Yeah, McLouth has been an inspiration.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
2:18 pm
10Paul, I have little faith that Mclouth will continue at this level, but he does have a month to prove it. I also hate his defense and any additional OBP we get by replacing him I am assuming it will be a defensive and speed upgrade as well.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:21 pm
TennesseePaul, where can I easily find the Braves payroll rank from 2002-2010?
I’m pretty sure they were in the middle of the pack, maybe a little higher in some seasons. Those numbers aren’t as easy to find as the baseball statistics. I have to search one year, go back, search the next year, go back, search the next year, etc. Frankly, it’s a pain. But I don’t recall any year in which the Braves were in the top 4 between 2002-2010. They were in the top four in runs scored over that stretch of seasons.
Jimmy
June 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
TennesseePaul – Heyward has been known not to be open on the subject on injuries. He didn’t report his wrist problem last year and tried to play though it. I’m not saying that is the case now, but it has happened before.
Hugo Z Hackenbush
June 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
I shouldn’t be nit-picking spelling, Jimmy, I’ve made a few mistakes myself.
Murph
June 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
Regarding TP, he got results from the time he was hired through last season. That’s really all that matters. When a team has the players, you just don’t want them to underachieve.
He was hired in 2001, and the team’s production actually went down during his first 2 seasons as hitting coach. As many have mentioned, the team’s results (or lack of results) are more to do with the caliber of players than the caliber of hitting coach.
However, it does beg the question, which I asked before… If TP was doing such a good job, why was he replaced? I understand the theory of a new manager wanting to bring on his own people, but that isn’t really the case with Fredi. He kept McDowell and a number of other coaches. He didn’t really have a connection to Parrish (as far as I know), yet TP, a guy who you say led the offense to top 4 production in recent years (I don’t care enough to verify), was replaced by someone who had never been a hitting coach in his entire career.
Seems the front office folks thought they needed to make a change, for some reason.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
“So you’re calling him a liar?”
TennesseePaul, he’s said he’s 100 percent?
The latest info I can find is him saying, “Am I 100 percent? I’m ready to play a baseball game and I don’t feel like I’m doing any damage to myself. I feel like I’m ready to be productive.” That was from June 15th.
Bat Masterson
June 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
Of I recall correctly Heyward started hitting off a tee on a Friday, played rehab games the following Monday and Tuesday, back in the lineup on Wednesday, after missing what, three weeks or more. One might want to cut him a little slack, let him get his timing back, maybe. He has done much better the past week or so.
Of course I don’t expect that one to be 10Paul.
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
2:27 pm
Murph, You are correct..It was a front office decision..But, might be a bad one..
phil
June 27th, 2011
2:28 pm
I don’t think payroll stopped Butler from reaching the title game in basketball the last 2 years….
And before someone comes completely unglued and starts hysterically pointing out the obvious, I say this simply to note that sometimes, and sometimes more than once, the plumber’s kid rises above nearly all of the more well off and kicks them in their teeth.
David O'Brien
June 27th, 2011
2:28 pm
McLouth is 5-for-18 with 3 doubles, 5 walks, 1 K and .458 OBP in 7 games since returning from 4 wks on DL
Gonzalez is 6-for-47 (.128) with 3 doubles, 2 RBI, 4 walks, 13 K, .196 OBP and .191 slugging in his past 13 games
BFChris26
June 27th, 2011
2:29 pm
Good afternoon peeps.
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
2:30 pm
Checking on pitches per PA:
Freddie ranks 1st just ahead of JH.
Uggla is better than Prado and Chipper in that department.
Alex is the worst.FAR AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE PACK.
Highest swinging strike %=Uggla, lowest = Prado
T for Texas
June 27th, 2011
2:30 pm
Seems the front office folks thought they needed to make a change, for some reason.
It smacks of change for the sake of change, and not much more.
Jimmy
June 27th, 2011
2:31 pm
Wonder what the lineup will look like tonight?
Erik Bedard is pretty tough on LHB.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:31 pm
Payne: where can I easily find the Braves payroll rank from 2002-2010?
Cot’s baseball contracts gives team payroll figures for every year back to 2000 I believe. Perhaps further back than that. It’s a good source to use Payne. I’m a bit surprised you didn’t go seek out the information before commenting on it.
And Heyward said “100 percent”… Punctuation be damned.
Bat, He made it up to the major leagues which basically means he has no excuses. He’s either good or not good. Ha!
Doc Holliday
June 27th, 2011
2:32 pm
Once we put Nate leading off, he will deflate, but I would give it a try.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
Murph, where are you getting that the Braves’ production went down during Pendleton’s first tenure. They were 13th in runs in 2001. Pendleton was hired in November. In 2002 they were 10th. In 2003 they were 1st.
And I don’t know for sure the reasoning behind the change. It clearly wasn’t because of a lack of results unless the Braves’ front office has some strange definition of results.
brian
June 27th, 2011
2:33 pm
are we going to deal for a SS two summers in a row?
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:35 pm
TennesseePaul, I quoted Heyward exactly as Carroll Rogers quoted him on the 15th: “Am I 100 percent? I’m ready to play a baseball game and I don’t feel like I’m doing any damage to myself. I feel like I’m ready to be productive.” Looks to me that he basically went out of his way to avoid saying he’s 100 percent.
Jimmy
June 27th, 2011
2:36 pm
Hugo – No problem. You made your remark humorous.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
2:36 pm
Wonder what the lineup will look like tonight? Erik Bedard is pretty tough on LHB.
Maybe Fredo will give us some of that Gonzalez-at-2 action. I think he does that every once in a while, just to deflect attention from Uggla’s struggles, LOL.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:36 pm
are we going to deal for a SS two summers in a row?
Why not. We keep doing so for CF.
TennesseePaul
June 27th, 2011
2:39 pm
Payne, punctuation be damned, I say.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
2:39 pm
Checking on pitches per PA: Freddie ranks 1st just ahead of JH.
Cripes, no wonder Freeman’s Ks are skyrocketing, LOL. Letting too many hittable pitches go by.
cricket
June 27th, 2011
2:42 pm
Heyward is getting his legs under him. Why they were over him, I dunno..
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:43 pm
Okay. Here we go: http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/baseball/mlb/salaries/team/2002
Braves were 7th in 2002.
3rd in 2003.
8th in 2004.
10th in 2005.
9th in 2006.
15th in 2007.
10th in 2008.
11th in 2009.
15th in 2010.
So the only year they were higher than 4th in total payroll was the year they were 1st in runs scored.
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
2:44 pm
Shaun, What were the teams payrolls in 2002, 2003, 2004? I’m sure it might come into play. The change was made by the front office..It seams that TP, while a great hitter, had a hard time communication and developing the younger guys..So a change was brought in to improve that area..But again, I’m not sure this was the right move..
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:46 pm
“Payne, punctuation be damned, I say.”
TennesseePaul, what are you talking about? Please explain. Not trying to be a jerk. I just don’t get your point.
He said: “Am I 100 percent? I’m ready to play a baseball game and I don’t feel like I’m doing any damage to myself. I feel like I’m ready to be productive.”
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
2:50 pm
Maybe Fredo will give us some of that Gonzalez-at-2 action.
You can bet on it. Rest Chipper – move Heyward to 3 and voila you have A.Gonz in his now familiar 2 hole. After DOB’s 2:28 post, it has to.
phil
June 27th, 2011
2:51 pm
I agree with Shaun…the meaning is obvious….he’s not 100% but who is at this point? none of em…
Murph
June 27th, 2011
2:51 pm
Shaun, the team’s actual runs-scored production in 2000 was 810. In 2001 it was 729. In 2002 it was 710. Then it jumped way up the next year as guys like Javy went from 10 something HR’s to 40 something HR’s (not that I’m assuming they were up to no good or anything).
Rankings are relative to the performance of other teams, thus when you’re evaluating the worth of a hitting coach they aren’t really relevant. Comparing Braves 2000 to Braves 2001 to Braves 2002 is more relevant, although the change in player personnel also makes it difficult to say whether a coach is having an impact or not.
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
2:52 pm
It seams that TP, while a great hitter, had a hard time communication and developing the younger guys.
Are you basing this on some quotes/rumors? I am wondering because I am not sure I have read this anywhere. I remember an identical thing being said about Leo after he left though.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
2:55 pm
Shaun, I think it is called humor or as they say “messing with you”. Not sure why I posted this when we can just converse inside our own head, but I guess we do need to keep the allusion going for those that cannot imagine even the simplest of concepts.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:56 pm
Murph, I agree, it may not be as simple as rankings. It also may not be as simple as looking at total runs scored because what if offense is down league-wide because of something that has little or nothing to do with coaching or the hitters? Rankings are a little better than runs scored for the purposes of taking into account the possibility of offense being up or down league-wide or baseball-wide.
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
2:56 pm
Snotboogie, Just comments froma couple of major league contacts I still have..
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
2:56 pm
He said: “Am I 100 percent? I’m ready to play a baseball game and I don’t feel like I’m doing any damage to myself. I feel like I’m ready to be productive.”
Have you considered that his wording it that way might have some relevance to what Chipper said earlier about him being important etc. It seems like a fairly connection to me when you look at Chipper’s words to him and this quote.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:58 pm
Murph, in other words, offense is down this year. Yes, that needs to be considered. Just because the Braves have scored fewer runs per game this year than last, isn’t really telling us much because most teams have scored fewer runs per game this year. But looking at rankings is a little better.
Threadkiller
June 27th, 2011
2:59 pm
Shaun, Taking all the information together, will help you make a better decision..Personel, Payroll ect..Look at the Yankees this year..They are near the top in most offensive catagories..Is that because the have a great hitting coach?? Who is there hitting coach anyway??
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
2:59 pm
Have you considered that his wording it that way might have some relevance to what Chipper said earlier about him being important etc. It seems like a fairly connection to me when you look at Chipper’s words to him and this quote.
Snotboogie, right. Which is even more of an indication that he’s not 100 percent.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
3:04 pm
Threadkiller, right. But are the Yankees under- or over-performing this season based on their expectations? Are they much better or much worse at getting on base and taking walks?
I don’t think it’s as simple as Larry Parrish deserving the blame for the Braves not scoring runs. My point is that Parrish looks like he could be a factor in the Braves not performing as well as last season offensively. Is he the only factor? No. Would getting rid of him solve every single offensive issue? Probably not. But he preaches aggressiveness and the Braves aren’t walking and aren’t on-basing like they were last season. He’s probably not the only factor and he’s probably not the primary factor. But, if he really is preaching an aggressive approach, he’s not helping.
phil
June 27th, 2011
3:07 pm
Whether he’s 100% or not, I couldn’t care less these days. Wayward has had a few good games but overall, the guy has been less than a positive factor, just like Uggly…
I’m sure you noticed how he stopped on that pop fly to right yesterday as it then bounced at his feet about a second later. That is not the markings of an excellent ballplayer right there. When was his last home run? April? Possibly early May?
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
3:12 pm
MLB average team ERA is 3.83. MLB teams average 4.18 runs per game. We average 3.9 if we could just score 1 run more per series it would put us closer to the top 10 (we are at #20) in terms of runs scored in MLB and top 5 or 6 in the NL. Seems reasonable that a healthier Heyward, return to below average Uggla, Prado return and sustained performance from Agon, FF, Chipper and McCann along with a small upgrade in CF would more than do the trick and at the same time if all goes well make us an elite offense in this era. If some of that does not happen then there may be enough margin built in so that we still get that improvement.
Oh also, can we now please lower the bar for the stupid quality start so that it does not include 6IP and 3 ER?
phil
June 27th, 2011
3:14 pm
statistics are waaay too overanalyzed in baseball….
the “quality start” has to be in the top 2 of most ridiculous….absolutely agree on that!
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
3:19 pm
Enter your comments here
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
3:19 pm
Oh also, can we now please lower the bar for the stupid quality start so that it does not include 6IP and 3 ER?
I’m just the opposite; I want more than 6 innings and 3 ER or fewer, or
six innings and 2 ER or fewer. If indeed offense is on a downward trend, the bar has to be higher, not lower. Heck, if teams can’t hit a lick, any old scrubini can toss 6 and 3.
MFin04
June 27th, 2011
3:21 pm
“quality start has to be in the top 2 of most ridiculous”
Nah. There are far worse.
Wins/Losses by pitchers.
ERA and Saves for relievers.
HRs/RBIs for hitters that hit in different parks and have different lineups.
phil
June 27th, 2011
3:26 pm
I just don’t like the term “quality start”….3 runs in 6 innings isn’t quality anyway….even if we raise the bar to 2 runs in 7 innings, which is more like it, what if the sorearmed hack on the hill walked 10 and somehow kept getting out of it? Stats are useful but can be relied upon way too heavily….
Let’s say Uggly and McCann are on the bench same game…need a pinch hitter.
Uggly has gone 9-10 against the sorearmed hack hurler on the hill in past seasons but is hitting only .170 this year with a messed up head and messed up swing. McCann is batting .300 and has never faced the pathetic hurler….looks much, much better at the plate, period. Forget the right-lefty thing.
Who do you send up there? My response wouldn’t be reflexive and trotting Uggly up there….
Snotboogie
June 27th, 2011
3:28 pm
Looking at the inning by inning scoring of the 2010 Braves and the 2011 Braves, I found this piece of information.
The scoring average was highest for the 2010 Braves in the 6 and 7th innings.
The scoring average is highest for the 2011 Braves in the 9th inning – a good bit higher than the 3rd inning.
Looks like we went after the tiring SP and a middle reliever last year (we used really work the opposition SP into high pitch counts last year). This year we let the SP go deeper into games and hope that their top 2 pitchers from the bullpen falter instead. I am pretty sure that if we compared bullpen ranks and Braves records against them, we will find a correlation.
ncscoots
June 27th, 2011
3:29 pm
what if the sorearmed hack on the hill walked 10 and somehow kept getting out of it?
You mean, you got to have style points, too???
You’re a tough room, phil, LOL.
AtlYnkHtr
June 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
scoots, duh, I meant lower the bar in terms of number of ERs. Wow that was clear as mud.
I agree a start that results in an ERA of 4.50 cannot in this day and age or really in most years be called a quality start. Hell, 7 IP and 3 runs maybe that is quality in terms of # of innings but the ERA results in just an average 3.86.
Mariners have made 78 starts and have 50 QS and a portion of those that were not were Bedard’s first starts of the year where he was on a very tight pitch count. Phillies with 53 QS out of 79 starts.
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
3:30 pm
AtlYnkHtr and phil, 6 IP and 3 ER are the minimum requirements.
The average ERA in all quality starts is much lower than 4.50 (the ERA from 6 IP and 3 ER).
David Smith of Diamond Mind Baseball found that the average ERA in all quality starts from 1984-1991 was 1.91.
Rob Neyer pointed out in a 2006 article, the ERA in quality starts in 1985, the year the stat was invented, was 1.88.
The ERA in quality starts in 2005 was 2.04.
The line has to be drawn somewhere and 6 IP and 3 ER seems reasonable as the minimum requirement.
Quality starts are a lot less ridiculous than judging a pitcher on win-loss record.
The Lemmer
June 27th, 2011
3:32 pm
McCann will retire here, another waste of space to bring it up, we need to add a difference maker at either SS, LF, or CF period. No middle of the road guy either, I mean a BIG RH impact guy, not the standard FW economy cheapo dude please!
Shaun
June 27th, 2011
3:33 pm
In my 3.30 pm post, those are the cumulative ERA’s for all Quality Starts in those years.