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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,545 comments Add your comment
Steve from OH
July 17th, 2011
9:50 pm
I understand the folks that want a bat, any bat at all, but in my opinion we need to find someone who can play CF or SS. An everyday corner OF doesn’t really fit our needs. What are we gonna do, not play Prado every day? I don’t see that happening.
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
9:51 pm
efrim – don’t you have to caveat that…if we don’t lose 2 starting pitchers our closer and setup man 2 starting infielders including our main offensive threat it will be disappointing to not make the NLCS
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
9:53 pm
steve – of course we don’t bench prado we bench uggla and let prado play 2B
Efrim
July 17th, 2011
9:55 pm
tiger297, of course. That goes without saying. We have to be relatively healthy.
abeeeewright
July 17th, 2011
10:05 pm
I think the “bench Uggla” train has left the station (if it even stopped over in Atlanta). It looks like “The Slump” has been busted.
Braves biggest upgrade possibilities are at SS, back up SS, CF, 4th OF, and middle relief.
Braves get a big upgrade in about two weeks when Chipper comes back from the DL.
cricket
July 17th, 2011
10:05 pm
Send Conrad down and bring up Rueben Gotay. he was a very good pinch hitter when he was with the Braves a couple of years ago.
Gotay with ATL – 102 AB 24 H 5 2B 2 HR 1 SB 1 CS .235 .322 .343
Conrad this year – 58 AB 14 H 3 2B 3 HR 1 SB 1 CS .241 .348 .448
Conrad last year – 156 AB 39 H 11 2B 8 HR 5 SB 1 CS .250 .324 .487
Yep, send that bum down and bring up Albert Ruben Gotay Pujols.
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
10:06 pm
cricket – come on man since when do stats matter in a blog argument LOL
abeeeewright
July 17th, 2011
10:07 pm
It’s funny that the Braves have returned from the AS Break to face the gNats, who always give the Braves fits and a road trip to “The House of Horrors,” Coors Field.
abeeeewright
July 17th, 2011
10:09 pm
Reminiscing about Braves “never were”s like Ruben Gotay … I think the Braves have Josh Anderson stashed in the minor leagues somewhere. How about resurrecting the Anderson/Schafer duel from 2009.
The A Bomb
July 17th, 2011
10:11 pm
Here’s what I’d love to see…
Lowe to the Tigers for Schlereth plus salary relief….
Then turn around and deal Minor, Gomez (for when Pena gets dealt) and Schlereth to the Cubs for Marlon Byrd.
Can live without Minor and Gilmartin if necessary. Cubs should be impressed with Minor after big game last season.
Was on the Bourn bandwagon for awhile….but I’ll take a righty any day….and Byrd should have been signed last year.
cricket
July 17th, 2011
10:11 pm
tiger297 – to be fair, shaun has done to stats on this blog what nazis did to centuries old hindu symbol of swastika
jeffrey d
July 17th, 2011
10:17 pm
Cubs should be impressed with Minor after big game last season.
They’re not naive
Efrim
July 17th, 2011
10:20 pm
Ed Salcedo – 2 for 4 with a BB tonight for Rome. Tied the game with a triple in the 9th. Drove home Matt Lipka, who also went 2 for 4 with a BB. Salcedo, best position prospect we have, and perhaps a Top 100 prospect next year for evaluators. #4 prospect in the org. after the three Latin arms.
Ubaldo Jimenez Unlikely to Be Traded | Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove | Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove
July 17th, 2011
10:30 pm
[...] Lowe is another starting pitcher that could be dealt and the Tigers would be a good fit given that Lowe is from [...]
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
10:34 pm
Go get em Crickett!!. Start with that Tiger dude.
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
10:37 pm
kl – i’m going to email you a picture of the “fish” to checkout
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
10:40 pm
The two bass minnows?
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
10:45 pm
just one of them
T for Texas
July 17th, 2011
10:46 pm
They’re not naive
You’re probably right, jd. But there is a whole city of long time Cubs fans that would disagree with you.
You think this blog gets negative at times, go to Wrigley and watch the north siders get down on their team–they make Mitchell look like an optimist.
Tomas
July 17th, 2011
10:46 pm
I don’t think the Braves need to acquire offense, because other teams asking price for SS or CF are too high right now, and there aren’t a lot of options. I mean Matt Kemp is awesome, but LA will not trade him or ask for the entire farm even though he is under team control for just next season. Hunter Pence, pretty decent, but doubt they’ll trade him. I’d rather give Schafer/Mclouth a shot.
If the Braves do trade Lowe, they should acquire a guy that can play SS/3B and can hit a little bit from the right side. Maybe Jeff Keppenger makes sense, and he’d be an upgrade over Lugo. And with the money that Lowe would free up, add a solid reliever like Heath Bell, Francisco Cordero, Huston Street, Leo Nunez, Brandon League, or David Aardsma
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
10:48 pm
I read yesterday the Phillies were after Heath Bell.
Roja
July 17th, 2011
10:49 pm
Maybe we can throw in our $6 million AA pitcher as a part of the Lowe trade??????
McFann ;Ô; ;Ô;
July 17th, 2011
10:49 pm
Fillies cannot have Heath Bell.
T for Texas
July 17th, 2011
10:51 pm
Yep, keylargo. I read they were after Heath Bell, but were primarily interested in Mike Adams. Both those guys are bad news.
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
10:56 pm
I hope the Brewers don’t make any more moves. They may end up being our biggest rival for the Wild Card,
UNCBrave
July 17th, 2011
10:58 pm
So, if the Braves trade Lowe…That FREES UP 32 Million for next year CORRECT?????
15 million-Lowe
7 million-Kawakami
10 Million-McLouth option not picked up
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
11:00 pm
well time for me to hit the bed…2 days off work and man I really don’t want to go back
tiger297
July 17th, 2011
11:02 pm
UNCBrave – go to cots it will give you the details on all the contracts there are a bunch of raises to account for as well (not 32M though)
The A Bomb
July 17th, 2011
11:03 pm
Time for Frank to stop messing around and reward Prado with something besides a commercial.
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:05 pm
McLouth would free up this years salary minus the buyout on his 2012 contract. $1.25M I think so -
$6.5 – $1.25 will give $5.25M of freed payroll.
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:08 pm
T for Texas – it looks like my dream for 2011 is not going to happen. I had held out hope since the end of last year that Billy Wagner would come back and close with Kimbrell and Venters setting him up.
cricket
July 17th, 2011
11:11 pm
Man, why do we have either super obese kids or bodybuilding crazed children. Can’t the children just go out and play?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43770379/ns/business-us_business/
TnBrian
July 17th, 2011
11:14 pm
The A Bomb, funny commercial though.
“NUMBER 10 – CHIPPER JONES”
T for Texas
July 17th, 2011
11:18 pm
Sorry to see that, key. It woulda been good to have Billy back in the pen. Wagner added to this existing bullppen woulda just been unfair. He probably realized that, and decided to stay retired, in order to maintain the integrity of the competitive balance in the league.
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:19 pm
Cricket – I have about 10 kids in my neighborhood. NONE have a job. NONE are seen out riding bikes. NONE are out fishing. I guess they are inside on the phone, on the computer or playing Nintendo or Wii.
No kids ever play baseball or even softball. These generations are going to be doing things we never did as kids and from sitting around all day and eating twice a day at McDonalds, they’re way fatter than we ever were.
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:21 pm
But T he was 3 saves away from being the all time leader for left handers. How could he pass that up? I couldn’t.
T for Texas
July 17th, 2011
11:22 pm
I believe a portion of the McLouth contract buy-out was budgeted into this years payroll, around 50% of it.
T for Texas
July 17th, 2011
11:25 pm
I think he must have thought he would get that record last year, and decided that either way he was hanging em up. Interesting guy, because you are right, an all time baseball record is a big deal to walk away from.
Tomas
July 17th, 2011
11:32 pm
UNCBrave yes but before thinking about what they’re gonna do with the money, consider all the arb eligible players and the raises they’ll receive, I’m guessing that payroll will be around 83 million(that includes Erick Hinske’s option being picked up).
Scott Linebirnk, Alex Gonzalez, and George Sherril are also leaving. So needs are a SS, a reliever, and a right handed hitting outfielder for the bench to give Schafer or Heyward days off vs lefties(maybe Scott Harriston).
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:35 pm
Alex Gonzalez might very well be back. He wants to come back and is affordable. $5M for two years would most probably sign him and be there to let Pastornicky mature.
Tomas
July 17th, 2011
11:42 pm
Keylargo that would be a nightmare. I know J-roll will probably have a 3 year deal, but I’d love for the Braves to sign him for 2 years 14-16 million if possible. I’d rather have Brandon Hicks than another year form Gonzo
Steve from OH
July 17th, 2011
11:45 pm
AGon’s getting up there in age as well. Dunno if he’d really be worth anything two years from now. But there’s not much else out there either…
BravesfansinNC
July 17th, 2011
11:46 pm
Could the Braves be looking at Charlie Furbush for the bullpen to get in return for Lowe if we do trade Lowe at. I just saw this on twitter
jonmorosi Jon Morosi
Could be a promotion. Could be due to trade talks. Could be anything. To be honest, I don’t know. It’s July. #Tigers
keylargo
July 17th, 2011
11:47 pm
Tomas – I won’t say anything one way or the other, but do you think the Braves would get right back into a Lowe type situation with J roll? Aging veteran, best days behind him making more money than anyone on the team? It would end up like Lowe with EVERYONE trying to find a was to basically give him away to dump the salary.
noleeee
July 17th, 2011
11:47 pm
I’d rather have Brandon Hicks than another year form Gonzo Tomas
you gotta be kidding. Hicks sux and is not as good defensively as Gonzo either
and if he keeps pitching like he has most of the year they might wanna try to get Sherrill to come back too
noleeee
July 17th, 2011
11:50 pm
I guess they could let Lugo play short all next season
DiamondbackMac
July 17th, 2011
11:56 pm
DOB
Might be interesting to figure out what makes them tick.
I’m not an Emory professor, but I do know a little about watches. My guess would be a rusty main spring.
Chris from the Rock
July 18th, 2011
12:01 am
Still no runs in this Sox/Rays tilt.
Chris from the Rock
July 18th, 2011
12:04 am
Sox had bases loaded, no outs. Rays wriggled off the hook.
Snotboogie
July 18th, 2011
12:06 am
Still no runs in this Sox/Rays tilt.
Two team capable of so much offense normally. Niemann started with an ERA over 4 and they managed a total of 4 hits between them till the 9th or something. Amazing!
keylargo
July 18th, 2011
12:09 am
steve from oh – nolie and I discussed AGon’s age a couplle days ago and agreed he could handle it fulltime for 2 more years and the Braves would give a contract based on that. But that won’t keep Agon from wanting 3 or more, but he’s making $2.5 now and should take two years at that price.
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
12:09 am
Keylargo, but still good defense, good leadoff hitter. He is not MVP caliber anymore, but he has been solid this year, still scares me when he comes up to the plate or gets on base, because he is a great base stealer. 2 years 7-8mill/per yr not a huge contract like the one Lowe got.
Nolee, Hicks hasn’t done anything in MLB. And he made a couple of errors whe he played. He’s only had 3 starts in his big league career and has played in 33 games. He’s pretty much established he is a horrible bench guy/ pinch hitter.
He has a rep to be a solid defender, and have you seen the numbers he is putting up in Gwinett, an 867 OPS(350 OBP) 14 homers and a 264 AVG, a home run every 14 at bats. Maybe if he played everyday when he gets called up he could put up some numbers like that, instead of getting 1 at bat every 3 games
Chris from the Rock
July 18th, 2011
12:13 am
I say we move Chipper back to SS next year. He’ll be a spry 40 years old next year. Go out the way he started, eh.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:17 am
I doubt he hits like that in the bigs for any length of time Tomas, and he does not play short as well as you hear the Braves say he does, at least not the times that Scoots and I have seen him.
He has some pop and that’s about it prior to this year at AAA. big jumps like that are always highly suspect.
I’d rather pay Gonzo 3mil, not sure he will accept a short contract at his age but I think they will ask
the ideal would be to acquire one who has shown that he can actually get on base
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:20 am
good idea. I’m sure that Chipper has matured enough that we would not see 130 errors in three seasons like he gave us in the minors.
keylargo
July 18th, 2011
12:22 am
Tomas – is that all the market will pay Rollins? 7 to 8 Million? Seems like he could work that out with the Phillies for that money..Just looked at his salary and he is finishing a 5 year $40M contract. He may be like CJ and feel he’s taken one for the team all these years and now is the time to make it up.
I agree that it should be looked into in the $8M range.
Moe Berg
July 18th, 2011
12:23 am
“I’m not an Emory professor, but I do know a little about watches.”
I have taught at Emory, but my watch died while doing so. Not sure that the latter compensates.
Chris from the Rock
July 18th, 2011
12:24 am
Chipper’s UZR at SS would still be better than Yuniesky Betancourt I’d bet. That dude is atrocious.
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
12:25 am
Nolee, but if he continues to put up the numbers, maybe try him out next year, if he fails, then maybe a trade should happen, or call up Pastornicky if he is doing well in AAA.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:25 am
I think the market will pay him more like 3/28 at least
Chris from the Rock
July 18th, 2011
12:27 am
Dude, we might be seeing Marco Scutaro and Ben Zobrist on the hill tonight if this continues.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:28 am
yeah it looks like he has at least guaranteed himself another ST look unless he totally tanks the rest of the season Tomas. Heck, who knows maybe he learned sumthang after all those years of stinking up each level.
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
12:39 am
Boy, sure does look like we’re stuck with gonz for a little bit. glad for the glove, but his numbers at the plate keep going south
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
12:40 am
Keylargo, yeah I guess the Phillies could be okay with that salary. I think he’ll get 3 years 21 million, because he is just not the player he once was. Age, injuries, declining abilities are a concern, specially when one of his major assets is speed. He is still serviceable, but comparing Chipper and J-roll free agents years, you’ve got to remember Chipper had just won the batting title hitting over 360(364 I think), plus all his history with ATL a first ballot HOF. I think Jimmy is around 280, 14 steals something like that with 10 homers, solid, but not like Chipper’s free agent yr
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
12:42 am
Anybody surprised that Fredi stuck with JJ for as long as he did today? Seems like ever since he yanked him a while back and JJ got mad, Fredi’s had a reluctant hook with JJ. Not saying that’s a bad thing, just noticed…
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:47 am
aloha Woody
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
12:50 am
Aloha Nolee. What’d you think today? Smelled a little like last year in those late innings.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:51 am
yup it did a little bit. nice win
David O'Brien
July 18th, 2011
12:51 am
This Rays-BoSox game is ridiculous. 13 innings and still no score? Just threw 400th pitch of the game.
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
12:55 am
Sure was. Glad to see Freeman get the big hit.
I get a chance to see the Bravos at the Ted in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately playing the Fish. I get in just after the Pirates leave.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
12:56 am
you think that the Pirates can keep it up?
David O'Brien
July 18th, 2011
12:57 am
Watched first 3 innings of this Rays-Red Sox game, went to dinner, saw “Horrible Bosses” (hilarious movie), returned to hotel, now have watched 3 MORE innings of same Rays-Red Sox game. Headed to 14th inning.
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
12:59 am
Amazing how the Red Sox have that lineup could be held scoreless for 13 innings
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
12:59 am
Hey DOB, what’s the name of the famous bbq joint in Macon? Run by a woman for many years?
Gonna do a southern swing soon.
carney johnson
July 18th, 2011
1:00 am
i get the logic of trading lowe, but who has detroit got that we would want? what/who is the speculation there?
Nova Scotia Steve
July 18th, 2011
1:00 am
I’ve been watching this thing since the 7th. On at least 4 or 5 occasion the Rays have hit the ball to the warning track.
The OF at Tropicana seems like the black hole.
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:01 am
Scutari being punished
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:01 am
Is there a worse place than TB to play in baseball?
Nova Scotia Steve
July 18th, 2011
1:02 am
I think we get a prospect and a BP arm. That’s it and that’s all for Lowe.
If this deal even happens. This isn’t a “who do we get in return” type deal. IMO.
If Wren does this…he’s got something else cooking to land some offense.
Nova Scotia Steve
July 18th, 2011
1:03 am
*prospect or a BP arm
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:04 am
Woody, Oakland or the current Marlins stadium are in the mix
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:04 am
If history’s any guide, we’ll have warmer feelings for Low in late August and Sept.
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:05 am
right, tomas, right. just that trop park makes me forget about all others. Marlins getting a new park though, right?
Nova Scotia Steve
July 18th, 2011
1:07 am
Also as reported earlier – it appears the Tigers aren’t the only team interested in D. Lowe. So it will come down to who will pay more of his salary.
I think we’ll pick up some of it obviously. But if we end up paying say half of what’s left owed to Lowe in his contract – I say keep him.
Why pay for a good portion of his contract while he’s pitching somewhere else. Keep him and try to trade him in the offseason.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
1:07 am
it’s definitely one of the tougher parks in baseball ’bout every year
Nova Scotia Steve
July 18th, 2011
1:08 am
Yup, Marlins new park in 2012 and more payroll!!! They’re expected to be very active this winter in the FA market.
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:09 am
Yeah finally, it opens next season. So only 2 horrible stadiums left. Maybe the to rondo stadium also needs an upgrade.
Roman Gal
July 18th, 2011
1:09 am
Alright, jeffrey d, day #1 of year 22 and #22 scored every time he came to bat.
So far, so good…
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:09 am
Toronto not rondo
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
1:10 am
I’m betting our payroll goes down again..
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:11 am
No more McMoney, Nolee?
carney johnson
July 18th, 2011
1:11 am
thanks ns steve
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
1:12 am
cynic: a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:14 am
How many balls have been hit to the warning track
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:14 am
Nolee–Braves drafted a kid from our school. Carlos Rodriguez, a lefty. 20th round. Big kid and still got some growing to do.
carney johnson
July 18th, 2011
1:14 am
i do like the idea of dumping lowe’s contract, but it’s pretty dicey losing lowe in the stretch drive when pitching’s our main plus. neither minor nor teheran have looked ready, and to plop them down in the rotation in august could backfire.
noleeee
July 18th, 2011
1:15 am
they have schools over there???
U of H ?
Moe Berg
July 18th, 2011
1:16 am
@GordonEdes Sox have won only one game that has gone scoreless this long since 1919. That was 9/24/69, a 1-0 win in 14 over Yanks, GWRBI: Mike Andrews 14 minutes ago
Tomas
July 18th, 2011
1:16 am
Adrian Gonzalez with a shift, why he hits the ball everywhere
Woody Woodward
July 18th, 2011
1:16 am
Yeah, can’t see letting Lowe go for a song.